Friday, November 09, 2007
Day 5: WGA's Writer's Strike; Kotter Podcast; More RTN Affiliates Announced
B&C is reporting that NBC informed the nonwriting staff of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno that it will be laid off at the end of next week in the wake of the show shutting down for the writers' strike. And with Leno still refusing to cross the picket line, the show is looking at coming back on the air Nov. 19 with guest hosts so that it can save the jobs of the nonwriters. In fact NBC is being very low to the head writer of The Tonight Show, by even turning off his NBC e-mail account. Will any of the late night hosts cross the picket line to save the jobs of the nonwriters? We shall see.
NBC, CBS and ABC could announce primetime strike schedules for January and beyond soon.
Our good friend Eric from JustMyShow.com is back with an all-new podcast episode! This time with episode 16. The guests are Bob Hegyes, who played Epstein on Welcome Back, Kotter and John Sebastian, who wrote and performed the Welcome Back, Kotter theme. Did you know, that he's also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with The Lovin' Spoonful? This episode was suggested by Epstein's mother! Catch up with show sixteen by clicking HERE! Welcome back!
Hello Santa Barbara, CA; Roanoke, VA; and Harrisburg-Lancaster- Lebanon-York, PA you three markets are the next contestants on the expansion of the Retro Television Network! RTN is a new television network that provides each affiliate a customized feed with classic hit shows, in addition to local programming including news, weather and sports. RTN is specifically designed to go on a broadcast digital channel and provides local broadcasters with a way to get ratings and successfully monetize their digital spectrum.
They will partner with Smith Broadcasting to add an RTN affiliate in Santa Barbara, CA. The network will launched October 30 on a digital stream of KEYT, the ABC affiliate that serves the Santa Barbara / Santa Maria / San Luis Obispo market. Viewers in Santa Barbara are treated to one the greatest comedic actors of our time with Robin Williams in Mork & Mindy, and many other favorites from RTN's 'Prime Time all the Time' lineup, including Perry Mason, Matlock and Michael Landon in Little House on the Prairie.
They have also partnered with Albritton Communications to bring RTN programming to Roanoke, VA. The network will launch in April 2008 on a digital stream of WSET-TV, Albritton's ABC affiliate that serves the Roanoke/Lynchburg area. They will see Raymond Burr as a wheelchair-bound detective in the critically-acclaimed Ironside and viewers can escape to Hawaii each weeknight while watching Jack Lord in Hawaii 5-0 and Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I.
Finally, they announced today that it will partner with Albritton Communications to bring RTN programming to the Harrisburg-Lancaster- Lebanon-York, PA market. The network will launch in April 2008 on a digital stream of WHTM-TV, Albritton's ABC affiliate that serves Harrisburg and the entire Susquehanna Valley. Local viewers are going to be treated to Raymond Burr in his two hit shows, Perry Mason and Ironside and viewers will laugh along with the antics of Jim Nabors in Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. and Don Adams in Get Smart.
Yes, I know, I promised an interview with RTN...and trust me it is coming. It is just that they have been very busy. My questions were submitted long ago though, so the responses should be coming any day. Thanks for your patience!
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, January 22
Shifting Gears - "Job" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Riley, desperate for work, reluctantly takes a job at Matt’s shop. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Stitch secretly stray from Matt’s vision on a high-stakes restomod project.
Abbott Elementary - "Strike" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
City buses have stopped running due to a strike, resulting in many students being absent from school. The teachers at Abbott try to find creative solutions and adapt to hybrid learning. Meanwhile, Gregory and O’Shon strike up a friendship.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)
Wednesday, January 22
- Lucy Liu (Joey/Pearl) - Watch Lucy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts/White Famous), Betsy Sodaro (Ghosts/Duncanville/Disjointed/Animal Practice) and Punam Patel (Ghosts/Return of the Mac/Kevin from Work) - Utkarsh, Betsy and Punam are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris talks about Watson on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am, on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour, and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) and Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Andrew, Nick and Lin-Manuel Miranda are chatting with Drew about their Broadway show All In: Comedy About Love on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. They're also talking to Drew about parenting advice, how they were raised and how comedy brings people together.
New on DVD and 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)
11/12 - 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
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