Monday, April 07, 2008

Married with Children Coming to Spike TV, Unsolved Mysteries Also; Save October Road

Spike TV has acquired the rights to all 259 episodes of the hit sitcom, Married ... With Children, which ran 11 seasons from 1987-1997 on Fox. The five year exclusive deal begins September, 2008. The network plans on stripping the series to run in mornings, afternoons, and late night.
As part of the distribution deal with Sony Pictures Television, Spike TV will have broadband rights and can exhibit episodes each week on the network's website at http://www.spike.com/. There are also 40 six-minute minisodes Spike TV can run on broadband or on mobile outlets.
Spike has said to have paid $12 million for the series, coming out to about $50,000 an episode, which is a bargain these days.
The series is currently on the FX cable network and has been airing there since Fall 1999. The series will leave FX this fall, as Spike TV's deal is exclusive.
The series starred Ed O'Neill as Al Bundy, Katey Sagal as Peg Bundy and Christina Applegate as the sexy Kelly Bundy. Later sitcom veteran Ted McGinley joined the series. Discuss this news on our message board. And speaking of Christina Applegate, her sitcom Samanatha Who? returns tonight with new episodes! The first of 6 straight new episodes airing Mondays at 9:30pm ET/PT on ABC! The series is the highest rated new sitcom.
Also coming to Spike TV this fall, is Unsolved Mysteries. They are creating a new collection of 175 re-edited episodes hosted by acclaimed television and film actor Dennis Farina. The new episodes, focusing on more of the dangerous and action-oriented cases, will also be available on Spike's web site, http://www.spike.com/, and mobile outlets. The series will have a five year run on Spike TV starting in October, 2008. Each one-hour episode will feature five stories re-enacted by professional actors, plus brand new show wraps and updates on past stories. The series will be stripped weekday afternoons. Spike TV has said to have paid $26 million for the 175 re-edited episodes, which comes out to about $150,000 per episode.
Related: Since Married with Children is leaving FX this fall, I'll give you a round-up of what is coming to FX and other networks affected by this, this fall. FX will add the sitcom Bernie Mac Show this fall starring Bernie Mac. That '70s Show will still be on FX despite ABC Family and The N also airing the series starting this June. So 3 cable networks will be airing that show. FX has aired the series since September 2005. Also coming to ABC Family this September is My Wife & Kids, the hit sitcom starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell-Martin.
No word on what else Spike TV has planned this fall (if anything else) besides Married and Mysteries, but another sitcom would be wise to air with Married...with Children. You know what, The Simpsons still doesn't have a cable home, Spike TV could be a good fit.

Fans of on-the-bubble ABC drama October Road are deep into a campaign to save the show from cancelation. Their campaign is called "Pay October Road Forward." The premise of it is that the fans are buying copies of the first season DVD and donating to their local libraries' DVD sections. Along with that, some are donating books. Libraries are sometimes strapped for extra funds to puchase such things so this serves a double purpose. It allows the library to get things they can use at no cost to them and hopefully will produce new viewers for October Road when the DVD is checked out. The second season DVD is not out yet, but hopefully it will be soon.
All who are doing this are having a letter stamped by the library & signed by them and are sending onto ABC. They will be submitting a full report before the end of April to Mr. Stephen McPherson, President of ABC Entertainment about where they are in donations and how they plan to continue with this great campaign. You can view this by clicking HERE! Save the show so it can return for a third season! It really is a nice little show that is addictive. ABC is shopping the series, so they know it must be worth keeping. The series suffered in the ratings this season when it moved out of the post-Grey's Anatomy slot it had in its first season. So far ABC has shopped it to Lifetime, but they passed. I think ABC Family would be a good fit, especially out of their originals such as Greek, Lincoln Heights, Wildfire and Kyle XY. Heck, even The CW would be a good fit. Someone please bring it back! Help out! If Jericho could return, so could this show!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, April 26

Animal Control - "Giraffes, Gorillas and Penguins" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The crew must contain a freak zoo break; Frank realizes that he needs to break up with Yasmin; Emily finds an unexpected benefactor in a celebrity businesswoman.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Friday, April 25

  • Kathy Bates (Disjointed) - Watch Kathy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Paul and Greta are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Yvonne Orji (Insecure) - Tamron Hall has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Yvonne who is now hosting Pop The Balloon Live on Netflix, so check your local listings.
  • Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Valerie are joined by Carla Hall in the kitchen to whip up some delicious cozy food on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Amy Schumer (Life & Beth), Jillian Bell (Bless the Harts/Idiotsitter/Eastbound & Down/Workaholics) and Brianne Howey (Dollface) - The cast of the new movie Kinda Pregnant join Drew to dish on their new film on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Joel talks about Bravo's Love Hotel on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


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

04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2
04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
04/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Reboot in the Works at Peacock; King of the Hill Cast Reunion and Revival Preview at ATX TV Festival Next Month
04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
04/09 - Paramount+ Orders Season 3 of Colin from Accounts; FX's Adults Premieres May 28
04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May
04/07 - NBC Celebrates Joan Rivers with Special; Remembering Jay North of Dennis the Menace
04/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 7, 2025)
04/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Three Animated Series and Brings Back a Fourth for Four More Seasons; ABC Renews Shifting Gears
04/04 - ABC 2025-26 Season Renewals for Scripted Series; New Season of Phineas and Ferb Returns June 5
04/03 - Fox Renews Animated Hits for 4 Additional Seasons and American Dad! Returns; South Park Season 27 Premieres July 9
04/02 - Rick and Morty Season 8 Premieres May 25; Netflix's Tires Returns June 5
04/01 - Disney Renews Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for Season 2; Prime Video Details Final Season of The Summer I Turned Pretty
03/31 - Prime Video's Dance-World Comedy Étoile; Netflix's Tom Segura Dark Comedy Bad Thoughts
03/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 31, 2025)
03/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Gives Pilot Order to A Different World Sequel; Malcolm in the Middle Reboot Recasts Role of Dewey
03/28 - Pat Sajak's Final Spin on Wheel and Return of Jeopardy! Masters; Remembering George Foreman and Wings Hauser
03/27 - IFC Renews SisterS for Season 2; Netflix Orders Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series
03/26 - Hulu Spring 2025 Slate; The Making of The Americas Special Narrated by Tom Hanks on NBC
03/25 - Deli Boys Now Streaming All Episodes on Hulu; Heartland Season 18 on UP Faith & Family