Thursday, May 29, 2008
WGN Adds Weekly Retro TV Block, Renames to WGN America; TV Tonight
Now WGN is also planning more theme weeks. The '70s week is the first of many to come. They tentatively have an '80s week planned for July and we could see ALF, Family Ties, and more shows. So stay tuned to that when it is announced! Casey Kasem will be announcing during promos and voice-overs for the theme weeks and the regular Sunday block...how cool!
We will certainly let you know if more of these shows join the actual line-up...so far WKRP is the only one joining the line-up that has aired during a theme week. I wouldn't be surprised though if Newhart is in the '80s week and IF they have a '50s week, The Honeymooners could air in that. And once again all this is not available for the local WGN in Chicago. This is for the national WGN only, the cable version.
Also, the national WGN was called Superstation WGN for many years, but this past Monday they changed their name to WGN America. So, from now on I'll refer WGN to WGN America. The new name and logo was introduced this past Monday and also with the slogan "TV You Can't Ignore." According to the Chicago Tribune, WGN America's new "eyes" logo, which resembles the one used for much of the '90s by cable's The Movie Channel, was the inspiration of Tribune Co. Chief Innovation Officer Lee Abrams. The former radio consultant wanted the channel to look more like an album cover. It resembles the eyes of the woman on Duran Duran's "Rio" album, but Abrams said he was just trying to help the channel break from traditional TV.
Sean Compton, a former Clear Channel exec recruited to tend to Tribune TV programming, meanwhile is repackaging reruns (WKRP, etc) and old movies (Rocky movies, etc) and giving away prizes via WGNAmerica.com, the new website. By the end of the summer, the plan is to introduce an original program. And within 18 months or so, Compton hopes the nation will barely recognize the channel.
We leave you tonight with a reminder. Tonight is the last of the regular season show's, as Lost will ends its season with an all-night event. At 8pm an encore of the previous episodes will air with bonus footage followed by the game changing two-hour season finale from 9-11pm on ABC. It should do big. Only other new programming on the night is summer reality series: So You Think You Can Dance on Fox from 8-10 and Last Comic Standing on NBC from 8:30-10:30pm. Sitcom wise, NBC will wraparound The Office repeats around Comic at 8 and 10:30pm. CBS will encore Big Bang Theory and How I Met Your Mother from 8-9pm. But you should be getting Lost tonight! After tonight, the summer season will really begin since the regular season scripted series will come to an end until the new season.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, June 15
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 9)
Friday, June 13
- David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!) - Watch David on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Dakota Johnson (Ben and Kate) - Dakota is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi/Bagdad Cafe) - Whoopi is a guest on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Jon Hamm (Grimsburg/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Jon stops by the studio to talk Your Friends & Neighbors on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - NBC's Today catches up with Sebastian sometime between 7-9am.
- Joel McHale (Animal Control/The Great Indoors/Community) - Joel talks about The 1% Club on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Broad City/Baby Boom) - Drew is chatting with best friend duo Joy Behar and Susie on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Drew is chatting with Morris about starring in Watson on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Luke Kirby (Étoile) - Luke talks about Prime's Étoile on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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