Friday, November 09, 2007

Day 5: WGA's Writer's Strike; Kotter Podcast; More RTN Affiliates Announced

It is now day 5 of the writers' strike. If this goes as long as 1988, I'll be saying welcome to day 150 of the writers' strike. I hope it doesn't last that long. 1988 was from March 7 to August 7, so it was mostly during the hiatus season for production. So, if this strike lasts long, it will be much worse than 1988. We don't want to make TV history this way. Hope the writers enjoy the donuts from Leno, tacos from Kimmel, and pizza from Longoria.
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

Friday, March 21

Happy's Place - "Alarm Bell" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Isabella requests Emmett's help getting a security system installed, Bobbie claims she can protect her sister better than any alarm or man, leading to Bobbie and Emmett having a competition over who's the better protector.

St. Denis Medical - "Buffalo Bruce and Matty the Kid" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
An emotional support animal is loose in the halls of St. Denis; Alex goes big for Serena's birthday to mixed results.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 17)

Friday, March 21

  • John Mulaney (Mulaney) - Watch John on on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Dana Carvey (One of the Boys) - Dana is a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher at 10pm on HBO.
  • The Jonas Brothers (Jonas) - Good Morning America catches up with the Jonas Brothers sometime between 7-9am.
  • John Leguizamo (The Brothers Garcia) - John chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Tatyana Ali (Second Generation Wayans/Love That Girl!/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Tatyana discusses her off-camera work of helping women have safer births and how she is creating community with her quilt company on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) - NBC's Today catches up with Selena sometime between 7-9am.
  • Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - NBC's Today catches up with Michael in the 9am hour.
  • Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • The Cast of Harlem - Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, Shoniqua Shandai & Tyler Lepley talk about Harlem on Prime Video on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah appears on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Tommy Davidson (The Proud Family/Malcolm & Eddie/Between Brothers) and Mark Curry (One Love/See Dad Run/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) - Tommy and Mark are guests on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:00am.


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

03/20 - HBO's Brett Goldstein Comedy Special; Disney+ Adds The Simpsons 24/7 Stream
03/19 - Solar Opposites Final Season This Fall; NBC to Move Grosse Pointe Garden Society to Fridays
03/18 - Game Show Network New Shows Launch April 14; NBC Picks Up 3rd Comedy Pilot, While Bobby Moynihan Joins Tracy Morgan Pilot
03/17 - It's True! Ted Lasso Renewed for Season 4; Jane Goodall Returns for Jane Season 3
03/16 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 17, 2025)
03/15 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Neighborhood Renewed for Eighth and Final Season; NBC Picks Up New Cheerleading Comedy
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)
03/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Tracy Morgan to Star in NBC Pilot from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock; Nobody Wants This Returning for Second Season
03/07 - Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy Government Cheese; Remembering Saved by the Bell and TV Producer Peter Engel
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
02/28 - Remembering John Lawlor, Michelle Trachtenberg, Lynne Marie Stewart, Alice Hirson, Isaac Ruiz Jr., and Others We Lost in February
02/27 - Fox Orders Season 2 of Doc; Law & Order: Organized Crime Moves to Peacock in April
02/26 - Peacock's Poker Face Season 2 Premieres This Spring; Bert Kreischer Returns with His Fourth Netflix Special
02/25 - Hulu Sitcom Mid-Century Modern Premiere Date; NBC Renews Happy's Place for Season 2
02/24 - Fox Renews Jay Pharoah Game Show; Leighton Meester to Guest Star on Nobody Wants This
02/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 24, 2025)
02/22 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Jury Duty Returning for New Season on Prime Video; New Spinoff of 9-1-1 in the Works
02/21 - CBS Renews 9 Additional Series for 2025-26; Hulu Picks Up Paradise for Season 2
02/20 - 31st Annual SAG Awards Pre-Show Hosts; Hulu's Ellen Pompeo Series Trailer Released