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

Tuesday, November 19

The Conners - "Slappy Holidays" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Chaos ensues when Dan finally gets the entire family together for Thanksgiving dinner. Mixed feelings about the Lunch Box continue to build tension in the house, and Harris makes an unexpected move. Guest starring is Eliza Bennett as Odessa.

Bless This Mess - "Six Out of Six" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mike and Rio are at odds with each other when they consider having a kid of their own; and they soon get a taste of the parenting life when they are forced to take care of Portia’s six piglets. Meanwhile, Kay and Beau may have found common ground during the annual Euchre tournament party.

mixed-ish - "Weird Science" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Rainbow’s passion for science deflates when her peers convince her that science isn’t cool. During Career Day, Rainbow code-switches and pursues journalism in order to fit in, only to find that the local news anchor attending the fair has also been hiding a part of herself. Meanwhile, Harrison works to mold a testimony from Denise who struggles to be anyone but herself, and Santamonica tries to steal the spotlight back after Johan suffers an injury.

black-ish - "O Mother Where Are Thou?" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Dre discovers that Lynette (guest star Loretta Devine) is an art aficionado like himself, the two quickly bond and become close, but he begins to feel guilty since he is spending more time with her than Ruby. Meanwhile, Junior introduces Bow to virtual reality.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 18)

Tuesday, November 19

Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) - Catch Michael on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Josh Gad (The Comedians/1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony/The Mindy Project) - Anna appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Rainn Wilson (The Office) - Rainn visits A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Ron Funches (Powerless/Undateable) - Ray and Ron are panelists on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) - Thomas drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin appears on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. She will also be on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Yara Shahidi (grown-ish/black-ish) - Yara is a guest on a repeat of LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Helen Hunt (Mad About You/It Takes Two) and Paul Reiser (Mad About You/Red Oaks/The Paul Reiser Show/My Two Dads) - Helen and Paul are guests on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Son of Zorn/Suburgatory) - Cheryl visits The Real, so check your local listings.
Olivia Holt (I Didn't Do It/Kickin' It) - Olivia appears on The Real, so check your local listings.
Tisha Campbell (Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) - Tisha guest co-hosts The Real, so check your local listings.
James Wolk (The Crazy Ones) - James stops by The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Kristin Davis (Sex and the City) - Kristin is a guest on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
Ashley Williams (The Jim Gaffigan Show/Good Morning, Miami) - Ashley talks about Holiday Hearts on People Now at 12pm.
The Cast of black-ish - The cast of black-ish are guests on a repeat of ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom talks about A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Tamera Mowry-Housley (Sister, Sister/Roommates) - Tamera will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Nicole Byer (Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole is a guest on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Andrea Barber (Fuller House/Full House) - Andrea appears on the BUILD Series at 1pm.
Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) - Soleil appears on the BUILD Series at 4pm.
Lena Waithe (Master of None) - Lena will be on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am.