ABC Announces More Early Pick-Ups for 2007-08; TV Land's New Version of 'Laverne & Shirley?"

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

ABC Announces More Early Pick-Ups for 2007-08; TV Land's New Version of 'Laverne & Shirley?"

ABC has announced it has renewed ten more primetime series and their late night talk show for 2007-08 season. The shows are: The Bachelor, Boston Legal, Brothers & Sisters, Dancing with the Stars, Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Grey’s Anatomy, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lost, MEN IN TREES and Ugly Betty. The only real not given here was MEN IN TREES. So, fans of that show can relax.
These series join previously announced 2007-08 season pick-ups of America’s Funniest Home Videos, Supernanny and Wife Swap.
Now, these are just early pick-ups...this does NOT mean do other returning series will have a chance to return. Among the returning series that have no fate yet are According to Jim, George Lopez, What About Brian, Six Degrees, The Knights of Prosperity, and the just premiered drama October Road. I think 2-3 of those have a shot to return, with George, Road, Knights having the best shots. I hope Brian can return, too. 20/20 will for sure return and Primetime will probably be back as a series of specials, as it has done this season.
No chance for series like The Nine, Help Me Help You, Day Break, Show Me the Money, Big Day, and In Case of Emergency to return, I think...but stranger things have had happened.

TV Land's Upfront presentation is Friday, and we will cover that of course for you. But we might have a little sneak peak of what is to come for you today. TVWeek is reporting that TV Land is developing a loosely scripted show featuring the real Laverne & Shirley, Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams...as themselves! A pilot with the duo living together at Penny's house, is scheduled to shoot next month. It would pair the actresses in a series for the first time since collaborating on the long-running '70s ABC sitcom, Laverne & Shirley.
TV Land is also considering a show with George Foreman, who Larry Jones (President of TV Land) calls the "poster child for reinventing yourself in the second part of life."
TV Land is also eying a TV Land take on My Super Sweet 16, a popular reality series on sibling Viacom-owned network MTV. TV Land would peg shows to 40th birthdays.
In August, TV Land expects to roll out TV Land's version of High School Reunion, which ran for two seasons on The WB. The original featured 10 year reunions. TV Land is going with 20-year+ gatherings.
We will have complete details of their upfront on Friday...and let's hope some classic TV acquisitions are announced and not just original series news. Boomer and former President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, February 24

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Getting Lucky" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Calvin and Dave join Lamar (Kevin Pollack) on a road trip to the casino. Also, Tina and Gemma babysit Daphne while Marty desperately tries to spend time with Courtney alone. Series star Tichina Arnold directs this episode.

Poppa's House - "Slumber Party" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Poppa dodges an invitation to a family slumber party, Junior attempts to change his mind by making him jealous of everyone attending. Charo guest stars as herself. Wendy Raquel Robinson returns as Catherine. Geoffrey Owens returns as J.J.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 24)

Monday, February 24

Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Woody Harrelson (Cheers) - Woody stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Wendell appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He talks about the latest season of Raising Kanan on Starz on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Sam Waterston (Grace and Frankie) - Sam makes a special appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Christian Slater (Breaking In) - Christian is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Zosia Mamet (Laid/Girls) - Zosia appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) and Essence Atkins (Poppa's House/Marlon/Mr. Box Office/Are We There Yet?/Half & Half/Smart Guy/Under One Roof) - Tichina and Essence are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS. Tichina appers on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Jon Hamm (Grimsburg/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Jon appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11pm on Bravo.
Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Kate Hudson (Running Point) - E! News has an interview with Kate at 11pm on E!.
Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) - NBC's Today catches up with Eric in the 9am hour.
Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons and Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - CBS Mornings has CBS deals with Anthony and Cedric sometime between 7-9am.
Clifton Davis (Amen/That's My Mama) - Nancy Giles goes behind the scenes of CBS' new series Beyond the Gates with actors Clifton Davis, Tamara Tunie, Daphnée Duplaix and Karla Mosley on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Brockmire/Free Agents/Herman's Head) - Hank chats with the hosts and performs with the EZ Street Band on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso) - Phil talks about the new season of Ted Lasso on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Halle Berry (Living Dolls) - Halle is hitting the headlines with Drew and Ross and opening up about finding love again on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Then, Halle is opening up about her experience with menopause and the new platform Respin she made to help women through it.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.