Saturday, January 20, 2007

TCA Winter Press Tour: Fox; CW to End 'Reba'; Remembering Barney Miller's Ron Carey

The final day of the TCA Winter Press Tour brings Fox up to the plate. They have announced their spring schedule and have a lot of new times and new shows. So, let's get it started right away...
Freshman sitcom 'Til Death is making a move to Wednesdays at 9:30, following American Idol. After special post-Idol airings on Tuesday, Feb. 27 and Wednesday, Feb. 28 (both at 9:30 PM), the time period premiere is Wednesday, March 14.
Sitcom The War at Home is moving back to Sundays, but this time at 7:30. The show premieres in its new time period Sunday, March 4 (7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. New sitcom The Winner, from creator Seth MacFarlane, debuts with two episodes on Sunday, March 4 at 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM and it will air for three consecutive Sundays at 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM, finishing its 6-episode order in just three weeks. King of the Hill will return to 8:30 PM on March 25 after three weeks off, as will American Dad at 9:30 PM.
Fox will debut a mid-season drama from David E. Kelley called The Wedding Bells on Friday, March 9 at 9 PM, but first it will give it a sneak preview Wednesday, March 7, After American Idol at 9 PM.
Freshman drama Standoff will move to a new night and time on Friday, March 30 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).
Finally, the new action drama Drive, created by Tim Minear and Ben Queen, takes viewers for a wild ride when a diverse group of people, all with different motives and secrets, participate in an underground cross-country road race. Drive revs up the schedule with a two-hour series premiere Sunday, April 15 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and time period premiere Monday, April 16 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Prison Break's season would have ended a week before. Fox has confirmed at the tour that that show will return next season for a third season.
This is not all Fox will air in mid-season. Thursdays is still TBD, but rumor has it that Hell's Kitchen is coming to Thursdays at 9 PM, but Fox didn't announce that today. Also, on Fox's mid-season docket, but not announced yet are returning sitcom The Loop, new reality/game show Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, reality show On the Lot (that could be moved to summer now), and reality show Woman Rule the World. Nanny 911 and Trading Spouses looks like will end early, with Nanny probably ending after its March 23 airing and Spouses ending after its March 2 airing, with the new Fox Friday by March 30 of Standoff & The Wedding Bells.
One final note, Fox will have two episodes of 24 on Monday, Feb. 12. Day Six: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM and Day Six: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM airing Monday, Feb. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), the nation continues to reel from the terrorist attacks and Agent Bauer battles unthinkable circumstances.

The CW confirmed late yesterday that long running sitcom Reba will end with a two-part series finale this season. So, it looks like a wrap for that sitcom, unless it pulls a 7th Heaven and comes back.

We leave you today with some sad news, actor Ron Carey passed away this past Tuesday. Ron Carey, the short and puckish comedic actor is best known for his role as Officer Carl Levitt on the hit sitcom Barney Miller. He was also a member of Mel Brooks' troupe in films such as High Anxiety and Silent Movie. Carey died of a stroke Tuesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
The 5-foot-7 Carey became a semi-regular on ABC's Barney Miller in 1976, the second year of the sitcom that starred Hal Linden, and remained with the show until it ended in 1982. The Newark, NJ native also co-starred in the series Lucky Luke in 1993. He also had a role in the short-lived ABC sitcom produced by John Ritter called Have Faith in 1989. He also was on two short lived sitcoms in the '70s--The Montefuscos (1975) for NBC and The Corner Bar (1972-73) for ABC. He has guest starred on sitcoms such as Benson, Alice, New Love American Style.
Carey, probably not known by many by his name, certainly will be remembered by his role on Barney Miller by sitcom fans. He will be missed. He was 71.

We will have our Saturday mini-DVD review tomorrow on a special Sunday edition. We might not have our regular Sunday ratings blog tomorrow because we don't have access to final numbers for this week yet. So, I might not do it, or I'll just fast nationals. We'll see...but certainly come by tomorrow for the mini-review.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 30

Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)

Wednesday, October 30

  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
  • Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
  • Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Ropers - The Complete Series Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - 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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

10/29 - The Simpsons Monday Night Football Disney+ Telecast; Prime Video Announces The Sticky
10/28 - Fortune Feimster Gets 3rd Netflix Special; Cruel Intentions Series for Prime Video
10/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 28, 2024)
10/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Matlock Renewed for Second Season; Happy's Place Off to a Solid Start
10/25 - Peacock's Based on a True Story Returns November 21; CBS to Honor Jerry Mathers at Awards Show
10/24 - Family Guy's Gift of the White Guy Holiday Special; Laid Arrives December 19 on Peacock
10/23 - Bad Sisters Season 2 Returns November 13; Trailer for Hulu's Interior Chinatown
10/22 - Goosebumps: The Vanishing Premieres January 10; Michelle Buteau Gets 2nd Netflix Special
10/21 - Fox Adds Martin Short to Grimsburg; Secret Level Cast Announced by Prime Video
10/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 21, 2024)
10/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rick and Morty Renewed for Two More Seasons; A Look at Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover
10/18 - Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 3; Guest Voices for Phineas and Ferb New Season
10/17 - Watson Premieres January 2025 on CBS; Anthony Jeselnik Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
10/16 - Lifetime's It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2024 Schedule; YouTube Sitcom Gets Season 4
10/15 - Tom Papa Is Home Free on Netflix; Apple TV+ Reveals Season 2 Details for Silo
10/14 - ABC Halloween 2024 Schedule; Reba Creates Happy's Place Theme Song
10/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 14, 2024)
10/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Spinoff of The Big Bang Theory in the Works; Velma Canceled by Max
10/11 - Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This; Alicia Silverstone to Lead Acorn TV Series
10/10 - Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls Returns November 21; FETV Acquires Laramie
10/09 - HBO's Seth Meyers Special Debuts October 26; New Late Night Comedy Series Focuses on Crazy Florida
10/08 - Somebody Somewhere Returns for Final Season; Virgin River Season 6 Drops for Holiday Season
10/07 - Vice TV Announces Black Comedy in America Series; Netflix Stars Team Up for Netflix Movie
10/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 7, 2024)
10/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Cancels That '90s Show; Who's the Boss? Reboot Not Moving Forward at Freevee
10/04 - Family Guy Halloween Special: Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater; What We Do in the Shadows Returns for Final Season
10/03 - Jack Whitehall Holiday Comedy Special; Leighton Meester Joins Apple TV+ Series
10/02 - The Franchise Launches Sunday on HBO; Remembering John Amos of Good Times
10/01 - No Good Deed Premieres in December on Netflix; SNL Season 50 Opens Strong
09/30 - TV One Acquires black-ish; Whitney Cummings to Host Friends Game Show Event
09/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 30, 2024)