Summer 2008 TCA Press Tour: Cable Day 1

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

It is the first day of the summer 2008 TCA press tour and this week it is the cable portion (July 8-11).
TV One was the first network to present. Among the announcements they made were details on their original series Black Men Revealed which launches its second season on July 20. It is the series that brings together males from all walks of life to frankly discuss and often explode the myths and truths surrounding black men. TV One will offer live, nightly primetime coverage of the Democratic Convention in Denver, followed by TV One Live: DNC Afterparty, a smart, irreverent and engaging hour that includes a uniquely African American cultural perspective on the events of the day. The special will air August 25-28. TV One also has a documentary special titled Murder in Black and White airing October 5. Murder In Black and White is a series of four documentary specials that explore unsolved civil rights murders from which information uncovered will be shared with the FBI's Cold Case Unit in an effort to bring to justice murderers who may still be alive.
Among the acquired series TV One will launch this fall is the previously announced sitcom Living Single in September from the Warner Bros. Television deal.

The Hallmark Channel was up next and they announced they have 30 TV Movies in the works with many familiar stars. Among the stars are Jane Seymour in Dear Prudence, Mark Consuelos, Chandra West and Corbin Bernsen in For the Love of Grace, Florence Henderson and Donna Mills in Ladies of the House, Ed Asner and Alex Black in Generation Gap, Daphne Zuniga and Greg Evigan in Mail Order Bride, Tom Arnold, Candace Cameron and Barbara Niven in Moonlight & Mistletoe (November), Cicely Tyson, Eriq La Salle, Michael Michele and Michael Beach in Relative Stranger, Lesley Ann Warren and Meredith Baxter in Bound by a Secret, Chandra Wilson, Ben Vereen, Kathleen Munroe and LAPD Sgt. Tami Baumann in Accidental Friendship (Nov. 15), Jacqueline Bisset in An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving (Nov. 22), Jason Priestley, Teri Polo and Cheech Marin in Expecting a Miracle (Jan. 3), and Cloris Leachman and Haley Duff in Love Takes Wing (early 2009). A holiday movie titled The Christmas Choir will air Dec. 6.
Among the reruns they will add are Cheers this fall and I Love Lucy & The Golden Girls in 2009.

Other networks went like HDnet announced a Sneak Preview series. It is partnered with HDNet's "Ultra Video On Demand" offering, allows cable subscribers access to movies PRIOR to the movie's theatrical premiere.
BBC America announced BBC World News America news. It provides a unique, international perspective on matters at home and abroad. Ted Koppel is joining the series as a contributing analyst. Also, BBC America announced Primeval, new series launching August 8. The past and present collide when evolutionary zoologist Nick Cutter (Douglas Henshall) discovers prehistoric creatures alive and well in the present day. Launching August 26, is Gavin & Stacey. This double BAFTA award-winning comedy from Steve Coogan's production company, Baby Cow, tells an endearing story of true love and human relationships. Gavin is an ordinary boy from England, Stacey is an ordinary girl from Wales. The two are obsessed with each other, yet they've only ever spoken on the phone. And Britz, coming in November, is a two-part thriller about a young brother and sister, Sohail and Nasima, and how they are pulled in radically different directions in the post 9/11 world.
style Network announced Ruby, a new unscripted series premiering November 9. It takes viewers inside the life of Ruby Gettinger, a 500-pound young woman living in Savannah, Georgia.
E! and G4 didn't announce anything really but further promoted E!'s The Soup and G4's Attack of the Show.

Stay tuned tomorrow for day two coverage of the summer TCA press tour as more networks go tomorrow, such as TV Land.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, December 23

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Vote" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dave gathers everyone for a lengthy ballot-palooza party to discuss the merits of every candidate and prop on each of their election ballots. Also, Gemma is determined to run a tight ship as their local precinct captain when polls open at Walcott Academy.

Poppa's House - "Sleepover" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Dr. Ivy Reed joins Poppa’s family for dinner, she begins scrutinizing Nina and Junior’s relationship for potential catastrophe. Junior spends the night at his dad’s house while Nina and Ivy devise a plan over a bottle of wine.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Black Ice" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
On Valentine's Day, when it comes to showing affection, Bob and Abishola have to find a way to meet each other in the middle.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Where's Your Other Wives, Tunde?" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dottie, Auntie Olu and Uncle Tunde must find a way to reconcile when they're forced to eat dinner together; Bob and Abishola have differing opinions on the progress of their relationship.

The Conners - "Rage Against the Machine" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Dan gets injured while covering D.J.'s vending machine route, the decision to sue the company could cost D.J. his job; Jackie is appalled when Becky seeks life coaching from her nemesis.

The Conners - "Smoking Penguins and Santa on Santa Action" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dan is disappointed when everyone but Becky forgets about his birthday; Darlene faces another issue; Dan excludes Jackie from the family Christmas Santa photo for mistreating Louise.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 23)

Monday, December 23

John Mulaney (Mulaney) - Watch John on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Linda Cardellini (No Good Deed/Dead to Me/Guys Like Us) - Linda is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World) - Sabrina appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Rosemarie DeWitt (United States of Tara) - Rosemarie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Brandon Kyle Goodman (Human Resources) - Brandon is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Ilana Glazer (Broad City) - Ilana appears on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Megan Hilty (Sean Saves the World) - Megan appears on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
James Van Der Beek (Friends with Better Lives/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - James chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Tony Shalhoub (We Are Men/Stark Raving Mad/Wings) - NBC's Today has The 70 Club with Tony in the 9am hour.
Jennifer Love Hewitt (Shaky Ground) - Jennifer talks about Lifetime's The Holiday Junkie on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Alexa PenaVega (Ruby & the Rockits) - Alexa talks about Great American Family's Love at the Kettle on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.