Day 16: WGA's Writers' Strike; RTN Adds Atlanta Station, RTN Honors Dick Wilson; Remembering Sigrid Valdis

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Day 16: WGA's Writers' Strike; RTN Adds Atlanta Station, RTN Honors Dick Wilson; Remembering Sigrid Valdis

It is now day 16 of the writers' strike. We are getting anxious to Monday when they go back to the negotiations table. With episodes running out of the current scripted shows, fans are sad and upset. But remember we have two current shows returning for second seasons this week. October Road returns this Thursday after Grey's Anatomy for a special preview timeslot before airing Mondays at 10 starting next Monday. Now since scripted programming will be a bit scarce and if you have never watched the show, then SOAPnet will give us a marathon of all six episodes plus this season's season premiere on Saturday from 12-7pm. Try to watch...it is good entertainment. Also, as we mentioned before, ABC will return Notes from the Underbelly also next Monday at 9:30pm. So we do have some scripted programming life! Even so, let's hope the strike can end next week.

Retro Television Network (RTN) announced today that it will partner with COX Television to bring RTN programming to Atlanta, the nation's 8th largest television market. The new affiliate will launch on a digital stream of WSB-TV in January. WSB-TV is COX Television's flagship station that serves as the ABC affiliate in Atlanta. The station, which is the oldest television station in Georgia, began broadcasting in 1948 and is one of the premier ABC affiliates in the nation.
Viewers in Atlanta will soon enjoy RTN's 'Primetime All The Time' line-up, including Matlock, Hawaii 5-0, Magnum P.I., Mission: Impossible, Love American Style, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and Love, American Style.
Yesterday we gave you the sad news that Dick Wilson had passed away. Today, RTN honored the passing of "Mr. Whipple" in a retromercial. We have gotten the clip from RTN and will share it with you. So here is a taste of RTN, if you don't have a RTN station yet. Click HERE to see RTN's retromercial of Dick "Mr. Whipple" Wilson.

Sigrid Valdis, who played Col. Klink's sexy blond secretary on Hogan's Heroes and married the show's star, Bob Crane, has died. Valdis died of lung cancer Oct. 14 at her daughter Ana Sarmiento's home in Anaheim, but was just recently announced. Valdis played Hilda for five seasons on Hogan's Heroes, the 1965-71 CBS situation comedy about Allied prisoners in a World War II German POW camp. She and Crane were married on the TV show's set in 1970. Crane was found bludgeoned to death in a Scottsdale, Ariz., apartment in 1978. You can catch Hogan's Heroes on TV Land starting next June. She didn't have many other credits, but she did guest star on Wild Wild West and Kraft Suspense Theatre. Ms. Valdis will be missed by her fans. She was 72.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, November 3

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Family Value" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Malcolm’s home renovation takes an unexpected turn when Calvin’s cousin Crutch (Tracy Morgan) shows up uninvited to fix his floors. Meanwhile, Dave’s attempts to help around the house and support Grover’s booming T-shirt business lead to more stress than he bargained for.

DMV - "Don't Kill the Job" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Colette runs into an old friend at the DMV, she pretends to be a fellow customer rather than an employee in order to save face.

St. Denis Medical - "Aloha, Everyone" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alex tries to hold on to her peaceful vacation vibes; Joyce faces a design crisis in the birthing center; Matt and Serena reassess their working relationship.

St. Denis Medical - "Mama Bear Activated" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After Bruce is attacked at the hospital, Matt helps him deal with the aftermath; Alex motivates Joyce to amp up security, while Ron and Serena debate who is more qualified to defend themselves.

TV We Love - "The Honeymooners" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Jackie Gleason's creative genius; why "The Honeymooners" continues to resonate 70 years after its premiere.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 3)

Monday, November 3

Sean Hayes (Will & Grace/The Millers/Sean Saves the World) - Watch Sean on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Rickey Smiley (The Rickey Smiley Show) - Rickey is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
Isla Fisher (Wolf Like Me/Arrested Development) - Andy Cohen interviews Isla on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Patti LaBelle (Out All Night) - Patti and Nona Hendryx perform on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Rami Malek (The War at Home) - Rami talks about Nuremberg on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Lacey Chabert (Still the King/Baby Daddy/Family Guy) - Lacey dishes on She's Making a List on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
John Slattery (Maggie/Ed) - NBC's Today catches up with John in the 9am hour.
Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) and and Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Drew is hitting the headlines with her co-pilot Ross Mathews, Valerie Bertinelli and Tig Notaro on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Tig talks to Drew about executive producing the documentary Come See Me in the Good Light.
Erika Alexander (Run the World/Living Single/The Cosby Show) - Erika tells Drews about her show Invasion and her podcast ReLiving Single on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.