Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Shows Head Online on ABC.com, DotComedy.com, NBC.com and Google Video
New episodes of returning series Lost, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy, as well as episodes of the new series Six Degrees, Ugly Betty, The Knights of Prosperity and The Nine will be offered free to consumers on ABC’s website the day after their broadcast premieres. Generally, four episodes per series will be available at any given time. When the player relaunches, half-hour promotional programs of Lost, Desperate Housewives and Grey’s Anatomy, created to help viewers follow the ongoing stories in these series, will also be available.
Under the new arrangement, affiliates will be able to feature the broadband player on their own websites. Stations will have the opportunity to sell local advertisements for episodes and will retain all revenue associated to those specific sales, marking the first time that local ad insertion on a nationally operated broadband video player has been accomplished. The ABC affiliates will also be promoting the broadband player on-air and online.
All content will be streamed in 16x9 formatting which offers a cinema-like feel to the viewing experience.
NBC's DotComedy.com has quietly launched. You will find trailers, previews of NBC comedies, and classic full length episodes of Universal-owned shows such as The Munsters, Leave it to Beaver, Weird Science and Significant Others. They are found on the channel called "Sitcom Flashback." We will have more details when available.
Also at NBC, they will create a broadband player on NBC.com. They will stream full episodes of its new Fall primetime shows on www.nbc.com for free. The ad-supported model will allow viewers to watch episodes of their favorite NBC primetime shows on NBC 24/7, NBC Universal's video player which will re-launch on October 1st with a new enhanced high-resolution, large-format version. Additionally, nbc.com will feature live premiere blogs from the creators, producers or cast members for every show on the air (such as Deal or No Deal and The Office). The shows are: The first four episodes of 30 Rock and 20 Good Years; eight episodes of the new dramas Kidnapped, Friday Night Lights, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and Heroes.
CBS has made yet another deal for shows online. Google Video will now carry a few CBS series starting today. CBS will stream the premieres of three series on Google Video before they air on TV. New series Smith and The Class, and the sophomore show The New Adventures of Old Christine will be available for free streaming for four days starting today.
I'm starting to forget how many ways we can watch The Class now. Let's see Google Video, innertube, TiVo, anything else? Oh yes, CBS Mondays at 8 p.m., but that's on TV. Speaking of The Class, we will have the pilot review of that sitcom in a few days. So check back with us.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, May 8
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Ladies Love Brunch" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie tries to juggle his mom, his mother-in-law and Mandy on Mother’s Day. Meanwhile, Audrey wants to meet Connor’s girlfriend.
Ghosts - "The Devil Went Down to Woodstone" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay host a big party for the launch of Sam and Isaac’s vampire book. Mary Holland (Patience), Punam Patel (Bela) and Matt Walsh (Elias Woodstone) return as guest stars.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)
Thursday, May 8
- Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle talks about Netflix's Survival of the Thickest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) and Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Maria and Doug are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- John Benjamin Hickey (HouseBroken/The Big C/It's All Relative) - John stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
- Patricia Clarkson (Davis Rules) - Patricia is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11:15pm on Bravo.
- Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - E! News has an interview with Kerry at 11pm on E!. Kerry and Omar Sy discuss their highly anticipated new film Shadow Force on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel chats about Juliet & Romeo on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - In A Little Bit Extra Valerie and Ross Mathews are sharing more of their conversation with Al Roker in Charleston at the Food & Wine Classic on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) and Randall Park (Young Rock/Blockbuster/Fresh Off the Boat/Veep/Supah Ninjas) - Morris and Randall talk about Watson on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive
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