Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Day 23: WGA's Strike; USA Network Acquires Becker, Drops Coach; More on ION's Drew Carey Show Deal

It is now day 23 of the strike and still no announcements on whether the strike is over or not. Hopefully soon. But we have some network news. NBC has picked up the freshman dramas Chuck (Mondays, 8-9 p.m. ET) and Life (Wednesdays, 10-11 p.m. ET) for nine more episodes -- for a full 22 episode season, of course all depending on the strike. NBC will most likely cancel dramas Journeyman and Bionic Woman, so whatever has been shot, looks to be it so far.
In order to boost Fridays a bit, Fox will switch timeslots for reality shows The Next Great American Band and Don't Forget the Lyrics! starting December 7. Band has done terrible at 8pm and Lyrics! has done much better, so let's see if this will benedit both shows.

USA Network has acquired the Ted Danson sitcom Becker for morning play starting in January. To introduce the show to the USA Network line-up, Becker will have two mini morning marathons on Wednesday, January 2 from 6am-12pm and Thursday, January 3 from 6am-12pm. The show will be airing Monday-Friday at 8am and 8:30am thereafter starting January 7, so JAG will move from 7-9am to 6-8am. '90s sitcom Coach will be off the line-up as a result. The show could be back soon, but they haven't lost the rights it seems. As for Becker, it looks like Superstation WGN will also continue to run it late nights. Becker will also air as late night fillers or general fillers like Coach does.

ION Television formally announced today that it has obtained from Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution the rights to air the beloved, long-running sitcom, The Drew Carey Show. ION Television will launch the Emmy-nominated series with a New Year's Eve marathon from 7:00-11:00 pm (ET), and then add it to the network's weeknight primetime lineup New Year's Day with airings Mondays through Thursdays at 9:00 pm and 9:30 pm (ET). That will mean Who's the Boss?, the current time slot holder at 9:00 and 9:30 will either be moved or off the line-up. We will know when the January schedule is released and will let you know. We still haven't forgotten our promise to deliver the ION December holiday highlights. We are just waiting word on a few days, but it doesn't look to be a big deal like last year when we got shows like holiday episodes of McHale's Navy, Kate & Allie, and others. Stay tuned for that and more on Drew!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, January 25

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)

Friday, January 24

  • Bill Burr (F Is for Family/Townies) - Watch Bill on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Ben Stiller (Arrested Development) - Ben is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Pauline Chalamet (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Pauline appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Joel is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Lucy Liu (Joey/Pearl) - Lucy talks about her film Presence on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Topher Grace (Home Economics/That '70s Show) - Topher talks about Flight Risk on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Broad City/Baby Boom) - Drew is chatting with best friend duo Susie and Joy Behar on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. They're also doing an audience Q & A about love.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Drew is chatting with Morris about starring in Watson on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Martin Lawrence (Partners/Martin/What's Happening Now!!) - Martin stops by to talk about his new standup tour on Sherri, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Veep - The Complete Series (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

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)
11/12 - 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

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

01/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Righteous Gemstones to End After Upcoming Season; Mid-Century Modern to Pay Tribute to Linda Lavin
01/24 - Prime Video George Lopez Special; Netflix Renews The Lincoln Lawyer for Season 4
01/23 - Tubi's New Comedy The Z-Suite Launches February 6; The White Lotus Renewed for Season 4
01/22 - Fox Announces Animation Domination 2025 Schedule; Abbott Elementary Renewed for Season 5
01/21 - Fox Renews Murder in a Small Town; O.J. Simpson Netflix Docuseries
01/20 - Rewind TV February 2025 Schedule; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Score Big for Premieres
01/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 20, 2025)
01/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frasier Reboot Canceled at Paramount+; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Coming to MeTV Toons
01/17 - Remembering Bob Uecker of Mr. Belvedere, Punky Brewster Creator David W. Duclon, and Others We Recently Lost
01/16 - Apple TV+ Prime Target Trailer; Apple Cider Vinegar Premieres in February on Netflix
01/15 - My Three Sons to Join FETV Lineup Starting February 3; St. Denis Medical Renewed for Season 2
01/14 - Game Show Network Acquires The Wall; NBC's The Hunting Party to Premiere After NFL Divisional Playoff Game
01/13 - Antenna TV February 2025 Schedule; SNL First Two 2025 Episodes Before 50th Anniversary Event
01/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 13, 2025)
01/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Saturday Night Live Hosts Announced; The West Wing Returns to Max After Brief Disappearance
01/10 - The Jeffersons 50th Anniversary Marathon on Antenna TV; FETV to Air Uncut Episodes of Most Series
01/09 - Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy Mythic Quest; Upcoming Season of Harlem Is Final Season
01/08 - Roy Wood Jr. Comedy Special on Hulu; The Late Show Gets Post AFC Championship Game Airing
01/07 - HGTV's Celebrity IOU New Season; Joey King and Cooper Koch to Announce 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations
01/06 - 82nd Golden Globe Winners; Shoresy Returns in February on Hulu
01/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 6, 2025)
01/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Cancels The Franchise; Alice Actress Linda Lavin Dies
01/03 - Antenna TV Pays Tribute to Linda Lavin with Alice Marathon; Catchy Comedy Recreates Classic CBS Saturday Night Lineup from the 1970s
01/02 - Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover Event; The Night Agent Returns January 23 on Netflix
01/01 - Happy New Year; Antenna TV's New Year's Day Fresh Start Marathon; ABC's Shifting Gears Official Trailer
12/31 - In Memoriam: Remembering the Sitcom Stars We Lost in 2024
12/30 - Remembering Linda Lavin of Alice; Hulu Releases Chad Powers Teaser
12/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 30, 2024)
12/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Cable Networks No Longer a Priority for Paramount; Paramount+ Removes Vintage Nickelodeon Series
12/27 - Max Renews Creature Commandos for Season 2; Fox's Denis Leary Comedy Gets First Look
12/26 - Cobra Kai Final Episodes in February on Netflix; HBO Slates 13th Bill Maher Comedy Special
12/25 - Merry Christmas from Sitcoms Online; The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Coming to DVD in February