Writers Strike Is On; Barney Miller Returns on DVD; ABC Schedule Update

Monday, November 05, 2007

Writers Strike Is On; Barney Miller Returns on DVD; ABC Schedule Update

It is now Monday and there has been no settlement for the Hollywood Writers. Which means the Writers Guild of America is on strike. Writers' demands for a bigger slice of DVD profits and revenue from the distribution of films and TV shows over the Internet has been a key issue. Let's hope we get a settlement very soon and this doesn't last long so we don't miss out on our favorite TV shows. The last strike was in 1988, but it wasn't in the middle of a TV season like this will be. This strike will affect sitcoms, dramas, late night talk shows, daytime soap operas and even movies. Reality shows, news-magazines and games shows will be the only genres really not affected. While we won't see sitcoms, dramas, movies and the soaps go off-air starting today (primetime shows probably have episodes lasting until January maybe, and the soaps probably another week or two), the late night talk shows will for sure have to stop immediately, as they air daily and are taped the same day. Look for reruns probably tonight for Letterman, Leno, Kimmel, etc. (although Kimmel might go on with him doing everything). The same thing for SNL and MADTV on Saturday nights.
We will keep you all up to date if there is any settlement or more bad news. Enjoy your favorite shows in the mean time.

Barney Miller - The Second Season DVD is due out on January 22, from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. It has been nearly four years now since the first season set came out, so looks like Sony is giving it a second chance after low sales. If you're a fan of Hal Linden and gang, then you better buy this set or we will have to wait many more years for a third season. All 22 episodes will be available on a 3-disc set lasting approx. 550 minutes. So get your hash brownies ready for that date in January...wait forget the hash brownies (that is a season three episode), but be ready on Jan. 22! This information should be official very soon, so don't take it as official news until then.

ABC is pulling Big Shots for November 15. That night ABC will try a two-night event for Friday's new #1 show, Women's Murder Club. Murder Club will air following Grey's Anatomy on Nov. 15. The episode will have special guest star Jason Sehorn, in a football-themed episode. The next night, in its regular night & time, the show will have another new episode, Friday at 9. The earliest Big Shots could return is November 29, because on Nov. 22 ABC will launch the second season of October Road on a special night. I don't think Big Shots will be pulled or canned because of the Writers' Strike. So I think you will see Big Shots return for sure after its airing this Thursday at 10:07. The show has been steady the past few weeks averaging a little under 7.5 million...not good, but still doing good enough for now.
In other schedule news, ABC will air The Bachelor: After the Final Rose special at 10pm on Tuesday, Nov. 20, following Dancing with the Stars: The Results. This means the Boston Legal episode for that night will move to December 4.

Tonight we have nine sitcoms on the air! Yes, 9! CBS and The CW will have four each, both two-hour blocks start at 8/7 central. You'll see sitcoms such as Everybody Hates Chris, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and Two and a Half Men. ABC will have Samantha Who at a special time of 9:45/8:45 central. That episode looks to be the best yet for the show...The Virgin.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, April 1

St. Denis Medical - "Anything to Push Zaluva" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron's teasing makes Joyce question whether her friendship with a pharmaceutical rep is genuine; Alex has trouble letting Serena take on a new task; Matt finds a mentor in Bruce.

Night Court - "Hot to Trot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby's friendship with her ex-boyfriend's mother leads to romantic complications; when Julianne's wealthy aunt passes away, the gang vies for a piece of her inheritance.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Love At First Swipe" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
C.J. and Janine receive marital advice from an unlikely source; Peanut seeks help with his newfound online lover.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Failure 2 Launch" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Assisted Living is the new situation comedy by Tyler Perry about three generations who must make a new start in the rural backwoods of Georgia.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Tuesday, April 1

Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Catch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kevin is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Lopez vs Lopez/Corporate) - Vinny, Paul and Aparna are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) and Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Chase and Kathryn are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Will Ferrell (The Office) and Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - E! News has interviews with Will and Jennifer at 11pm on E!.
Román Zaragoza (Ghosts) - Román talks about Ghosts on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) and Michael Cera (Life & Beth/Arrested Development/I Was a Sixth Grade Alien) - Michael and Michael talk about Sacramento with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Tasha Smith (Survival of the Thickest/Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse/The Tom Show/Boston Common) and Tone Bell (Survival of the Thickest/Fam/Disjointed/Truth Be Told/Bad Judge/Whitney) - Tasha and Tone talk about the new season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Kathryn is dishing on her new comedy series The Studio on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about Netflix's Running Point on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty) - Paul is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.