Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Day 65: WGA's Strike; Sony's Minisodes Now on YouTube; Remembering Bill Idelson

It is day 65 of the strike and now the Golden Globe Awards are canceled. NBC pulled the plug on its traditional Golden Globe Awards telecast scheduled for this Sunday, instead an hour-long live newscast will air at 9PM ET in which the winners in 25 film and TV categories will be announced.
The Writers Guild of America and legendary United Artists Films have reached a mutually beneficial independent agreement. While the details are not being disclosed in this announcement, the comprehensive agreement addresses the issues important to writers, including New Media.
In other strike news, Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno will appear on each other's shows this Thursday! The two have formed a friendship during the strike. Jimmy will come on The Tonight Show taping then Jay will return the favor and appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live later that night. Leno's show tapes earlier in the day while Kimmel tapes at 7pm PT. The Tonight Show airs at 11:35pm on NBC then you can switch over to Jimmy Kimmel Live at 12:06am on ABC to see Jay.

Sony Pictures Television (SPT) announced the debut of the first of several YouTube Brand Channels at the 2008 Consumer Electronics Show. The first of the ad-supported Channels will be The Minisode Network (TMN), launched yesterday.
With its launch on YouTube, The Minisode Network, which delivers approximately five-minute versions of popular television shows, will grow from 18 to 21 series with the addition of Married...With Children, NewsRadio and a new animation block. Additionally, TMN has begun acquiring programs from other companies, including a recent deal with World Events Productions, distributors of Voltron and Saber Rider.
Other Sony Pictures Television channels available in the future at YouTube are expected to include original content from a variety of genres.
Check out The Minisode Network on YouTube by clicking HERE! You'll also see sitcoms such as Bewitched, 227, What's Happening!!, Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, Silver Spoons and The Jeffersons.

Bill Idelson, an actor, television writer and producer who as a teenager played the son on the classic radio show Vic and Sade and later played the recurring role of Rose Marie's mother-dominated boyfriend on TV's The Dick Van Dyke Show, has died. He had been hospitalized since June after breaking his hip, died of complications from the injury Monday at a Los Angeles hospital.
Idelson appeared in episodes of dozens of television series, including Dragnet, Perry Mason, The Twilight Zone, My Favorite Martian, The Odd Couple, Happy Days, Will & Grace, My Three Sons, Leave it to Beaver, and most recently on The War at Home.
He has written for a lot of TV shows too, such as The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Twilight Zone, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart, The Odd Couple, The Bob Newhart Show, M*A*S*H, Happy Days, Punky Brewster, Bewitched, The Flintstones and many more.
He was also a television producer. Among his credits are The Bob Newhart Show, Anna and the King, The McLean Stevenson Show, Love, American Style and others.
He will certainly be missed as he made his mark certainly in the television world. Mr. Idelson was 88.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, February 24

St. Denis Medical - "You're in His Bubble Space" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ron and Matt try to convince a child to get his shot; Alex helps Joyce with wedding planning; Bruce and Serena butt heads over Matt.

St. Denis Medical - "Nod and Agree" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ron tries to wrap up a perfect visit from his son, Michael; Alex questions Val's return from jury duty; Bruce feels iced out of a juicy business opportunity.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 23)

Tuesday, February 24

  • Courteney Cox (Shining Vale/Cougar Town/Friends/Family Ties) - Catch Courteney on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Deon Cole (grown-ish/Angie Tribeca/black-ish) and Alec Mapa (The Villains of Valley View/Half & Half) - Deon and Alec are guests on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Daveed Diggs (Central Park/black-ish) - Daveed talks about In the Blink of an Eye on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling discusses Paradise on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Sofia Vergara (Modern Family/The Knights of Prosperity/Hot Properties) - NBC's Today catches up with Sofia in the 9am hour.
  • Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - NBC's Today catches up with Stanley in the 9am hour. TODAY Food: Pizza with Stanley will be in the 10am hour.
  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle joins the chat on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Oliver Hudson (Splitting Up Together/Rules of Engagement/My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star) and Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - It's Drew's News flashbacks featuring Oliver and Tiffany on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • The Cast of Hot in Cleveland - It's a little bit extra with the cast of Hot in Cleveland surprising Valerie Bertinelli and reminiscing about working with the iconic Betty White on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Sherry Cola (Nobody Wants This) and D'Arcy Carden (Barry/The Good Place) - Sherry and D'Arcy talk about HGTV's Wild Vacation Rentals on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Tatyana Ali (Second Generation Wayans/Love That Girl!/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Tatyana is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:45am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

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

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02/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 23, 2026)
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02/19 - The Golden Girls Coming to MeTV in March; Adult Swim Announces My Two Cars
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02/06 - Rooster Premieres March 8 on HBO; MGM+ Comedy American Classic Trailer
02/05 - NBC Unveils Trailer and Guest Stars for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins; Adult Swim's Anime Series Rooster Fighter Premieres March 14
02/04 - Netflix Renews A Man on the Inside for Season 3; Apple TV Premiere Date for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
02/03 - NBC Renews St. Denis Medical and Happy's Place for Season 3; Pilot Orders for Comedy Projects on NBC
02/02 - Remembering Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son, Catherine O'Hara of Schitt's Creek, Yvonne Lime of Father Knows Best, and TV Director Bruce Bilson
02/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 2, 2026)
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01/30 - Jury Duty Returns March 20 on Prime Video; Katt Williams 4th Netflix Special
01/29 - Season 4 of Ted Lasso Premieres This Summer; Shrinking Renewed for Season 4 as Season 3 Premieres
01/28 - Nikki Glaser's New Hulu Special Premieres April 24; HBO Announces Late-Night Series
01/27 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; New Evolution of The Handmaid's Tale Series
01/26 - FETV Acquires '70s S.W.A.T. Series; Paramount+ Releases Date for Can You Keep a Secret? Comedy Series
01/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 26, 2026)
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01/23 - CBS Renews 10 More Series for 2026-27; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Return Big in January