Thursday, March 01, 2007

Fox Extends '5th Grader'; Fox Adds More Shows to Affiliate Sites; NBC's Must See TV Thursday Era Is Over; ABC Scoop!

Fox will not be flunking Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? It has extended the show for another four weeks, Fox says. The scores are in and the A+ quiz show Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? leads the class and Thursday nights with four original one-hour episodes scheduled to air Thursdays, March 29, April 5, April 12 and April 19 all from 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT, in addition to the previously announced time period airings on Thursdays, March 15 and 22 from 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT. Episodes also will air after American Idol tonight (March 1) and Thursday, March 8 from 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on FOX. Due to the extension, Fox has cut out on moving Nanny 911 and Trading Spouses to Thursdays. No idea yet when they will air, but encores of Family Guy & American Dad will follow 5th Grader starting March 15 at 9/8 central.
The show has done massive in the ratings in its first two outings (which were both just half-hours) thanks to American Idol. Let's see how it does on its own starting March 15 when it has to face an all-new Ugly Betty and Survivor. The show is hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy (The Jeff Foxworthy Show), is an atypical game show measuring adults lack of knowledge as revealed by how much theyve forgotten since grammar school.

Fox today unveiled a landmark plan to extend FOX television programming to its affiliate Web sites, enabling more than 200 broadcast network affiliates to offer their local viewers the ability to watch or buy FOXs critically acclaimed shows, including 24, Bones, Prison Break and more.
Programming will be delivered via FOX on Demand, the company's leading video distribution platform. To date, FOX on Demand has offered an ad-supported, streaming-only platform; now, it will enable visitors to purchase television shows for play on the go on a computer or portable device. FOX on Demands new commerce functionality is powered by FIMs Direct2Drive (http://www.direct2drive.com) digital retail store, which also offers top-selling video games, blockbuster movies, anime and more.
Since launching in October, FOX on Demand has streamed free, full episodes of hit FOX shows such as 24, Prison Break and Bones on MySpace (http://myspace.com/fox) and on 24 of FOXs owned-and-operated MyFOX local Web sites. FOX on Demand is expected to be available on more than 200 FOX affiliate station Web sites throughout the U.S. in the coming year. Visitors to FOX.com (http://www.fox.com) will have the option to enter their zip code and be directed to the FOX local affiliate FOX on Demand video hub for viewing.
The lineup of shows currently available on FOX on Demand includes 24, Bones, Prison Break, Standoff, Vanished, Talkshow With Spike Feresten, Til Death, The Loop, War at Home, American Dad and The Winner debuting this weekend with continuous updates and exclusive premieres. New episodes will be available to watch and stream in high quality video or buy and download the night after they air on TV. Shows are sold at a variety of price points as individual episodes or as part of season packages.

And NBC's Must See TV Thursday comedy night is now over. No, the comedies will still be there, but the new slogan for the block is now, "Comedy Done Right." All four of the sitcoms on the block are single camera and more smarter than traditional comedies. While I have never been a fan really of these type of sitcoms, some have been very good (Scrubs, Knights of Prosperity, Sons & Daughters). I wish we see more traditional sitcoms with studio audiences. CBS and Fox usually have those, but to me, none are funny (I mean Happy Hour was the worst sitcom ever probably). It is sad when George Lopez and According to Jim are the best traditional comedies out there these days. Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother has its fans, but I'm not one of them. Men is still the sitcom king and I'm glad that it beats any single camera sitcom, because then we would see even more of those. Here is to more traditional sitcoms for 2007-08!

We have the first scoop on Donny Osmond's new reality show coming to ABC, a feel good reality show in the same style as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. You heard it here first, the show, titled The Great American Dream Vote will premiere right after the Dancing with the Stars: Results show on Tuesday, March 27 at 10 p.m. Then it will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. starting March 28. No word yet on what will air at 9 p.m. and if the current sitcoms will be moved or cut in half or cut in all. Stay tuned! For now, click here to view more about the show and times.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, March 30

The Simpsons - "The Flandshees of Innersimpson" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bart dips his toe into the world of celebrity DJ-ing; Homer finally pushes Flanders too far.

Family Guy - "Pitch Imperfect" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Peter must gain his family's respect back after he makes a humiliating throw; Brian and Stewie become chiropractors.

The Great North - "It's Compli-skated Adventure" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Judy tells a story to help Alanis Morissette fall asleep; Beef's romantically obsessed stalker, Zelda Blop, returns to Lone Moose with a surprise.

Krapopolis - "Number Two" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Ty and Stupe are both looking to hire assistants; Hippo tries to have a romantic getaway with Daphne -- and his parents.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 24)

Sunday, March 30

  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Catch Michelle on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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

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03/28 - Pat Sajak's Final Spin on Wheel and Return of Jeopardy! Masters; Remembering George Foreman and Wings Hauser
03/27 - IFC Renews SisterS for Season 2; Netflix Orders Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series
03/26 - Hulu Spring 2025 Slate; The Making of The Americas Special Narrated by Tom Hanks on NBC
03/25 - Deli Boys Now Streaming All Episodes on Hulu; Heartland Season 18 on UP Faith & Family
03/24 - Peacock April Highlights Include Three's Company; Antenna TV's 50 Years on the Beat Barney Miller Anniversary Marathon
03/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 24, 2025)
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03/18 - Game Show Network New Shows Launch April 14; NBC Picks Up 3rd Comedy Pilot, While Bobby Moynihan Joins Tracy Morgan Pilot
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03/14 - NBC Comedy Pilots Wheeling & Dealing; Hulu's Got to Get Out
03/13 - Prime Video Comedy Series Overcompensating Premiere Date; Eric Stonestreet Joins Dexter: Resurrection
03/12 - Hacks Season 4 Premieres April 10; Nickelodeon Orders Wylde Pak
03/11 - The Neighborhood Renewed for Final Season; Max's The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast
03/10 - Netflix Renews Running Point for Season 2; Apple TV+ Trailer for The Studio
03/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 10, 2025)
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03/06 - The CW Spring Premiere Dates; Henry Winkler Heads to HISTORY Channel
03/05 - Hacks Brings Out the Stars in Season 4; NBC Orders Pilot with Tracy Morgan
03/04 - Apple TV+ Side Quest Launches March 26; Krysten Ritter Joins Dexter: Resurrection
03/03 - HBO's The Rehearsal Returns April 20; Sharon Horgan Signs Deal for HBO Comedy Series
03/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 3, 2025)
03/01 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Premiere Date for Mid-Century Modern Set; Roseanne Remastered in High Definition