Monday, August 11, 2008

TNT Fall 2008 Schedule; Remembering Isaac Hayes and Bernie Brillstein

I'm back after a quick vacation and I will continue with more fall schedules this week! Upcoming fall schedules will include ION Television, SOAPnet, Canada cable networks, and New York City locals. Today we will cover TNT's Fall 2008 schedule.
The Closer, the #1 series basic in cable history concludes its riveting season on TNT on Sept. 15. The transfixing, critically acclaimed, original drama stars Golden Globe® winner Kyra Sedgwick as a complicated, unique, and confident LAPD interrogator, lacking a few social graces, whose unusual interrogation tactics solve high profile murder cases. The summer finale will air Monday, Sept. 15 at 9pm. There will also be a Labor Day marathon on Sept. 1 for The Closer from 9am-8pm leading into a new episode. That day will also feature a new series launch. Raising the Bar stars Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Jane Kaczmarek in a smart, highly charged drama that takes a revealing look inside the legal system through the eyes of young, passionate and idealistic attorneys. Attempting to maintain a balance between their personal and professional lives, while confronted by challenging, emotional and even morally questionable cases these eager attorneys pour their hearts into each case, stopping at nothing to see justice served. Representing both sides of the law, Raising the Bar, examines the harsh truth that the system is not always fair and a client's fate is often at the hands of those who work within the system, regardless of his guilt or innocence. Raising the Bar will air Mondays at 10pm until Sept. 15 then will move to Mondays at 9pm starting Sept. 22. The season finale will be on Monday, Oct. 27 and will be two-hours.
So what about the actual regular schedule? The new fall schedule for TNT will start Monday, September 29. There will not be many changes, though. Cold Case was supposed to join the lineup airing weekdays at 12 noon ET, but they will not do that now. So, Cold Case will remain in late night marathon blocks. Instead now TNT will add an extra episode of Las Vegas to its daytime line-up. As for Cold Case, it will air late nights as I said, with Without a Trace late night blocks. TNT will also do a few X-Files and Judging Amy late night blocks in October as well. The NBA season gets underway on Tuesday, Oct. 28, but TNT will of course air Thursday night doubleheaders starting Oct. 30. TNT will also showcase a few pre-season games.
Check out the full TNT Fall 2008 line-up and you may also discuss it.

We have lost two more celebrities this weekend. First we reported Bernie Mac now Isaac Hayes and Bernie Brillstein. Isaac Hayes, the baldheaded, baritone-voiced soul crooner who laid the groundwork for disco and whose "Theme From Shaft" won both Academy and Grammy awards, died Sunday afternoon in Memphis after he collapsed near a treadmill. Hayes was pronounced dead at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis an hour after he was found by a family member. The cause of death was not immediately known. Hayes was about to begin work on a new album for Stax, the soul record label he helped build to legendary status. And he had recently finished work on a movie called Soul Men in which he played himself, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac, who died on Saturday. While he was primarily a player in the music industry, Isaac had many TV roles. His career hit another high in 1997 when he became the voice of Chef, the sensible school cook and devoted ladies man on the animated TV show South Park. Isaac also did voice-over work for Nick at Nite's sitcom lineup in 2001 and 2002. Isaac guest starred on series such as The A-Team, The Rockford Files, Hunter, Miami Vice, Tales from the Crypt, Sliders, Stargate: SG-1, Fastlane, Education of Max Bickford, and sitcoms such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Hugleys, Veronica's Closet, Girlfriends, Bernie Mac, and That '70s Show.
He was in several movies, including It Could Happen to You with Nicolas Cage, Ninth Street with Martin Sheen, Reindeer Games starring Ben Affleck and the blaxploitation parody I'm Gonna Git You, Sucka. His voice will certainly be missed. Mr. Hayes was 65.

Now we remember Bernie Brillstein. Bernie Brillstein, pioneering manager and producer whose keen eye for talent led him to steer the careers of such stars as John Belushi and Jim Henson, died Thursday (Aug. 7). Brillstein had been suffering from complications stemming from double-bypass heart surgery in February.
In the 1980s, the Brillstein Co. was among the first contempo talent rep shingles to branch out into TV production in a significant way with shows packaged around clients, a list that included ALF, It's Garry Shandling's Show, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd and The Slap Maxwell Story.
In late 1991, when Brillstein partnered with Brad Grey, who had joined Brillstein Co. in the mid-1980s as a manager, the company further expanded the scope of its film and TV operations. Brillstein-Grey Television fielded such noteworthy skeins as The Sopranos, Just Shoot Me, NewsRadio, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and The Larry Sanders Show. Brillstein-Grey Entertainment features included Adam Sandler's Happy Gilmore, Jim Carrey's The Cable Guy and The Replacement Killers.
Early in his career he produced popular movies such as The Blues Brothers, Ghost Busters, and Dragnet. He also produced the critically acclaimed series Buffalo Bill early in his career. Read more on Bernie Brillsteein. He will be deeply missed. He was 77.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, August 14

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Snitch v. Deadbeat" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mandy has to help Meemaw (Annie Potts) collect money from her dad when he loses some bets, while Georgie tries to intervene between his grandmother and his father-in-law. Young Sheldon stars Annie Potts and Criag T. Nelson guest star.

Ghosts - "The Primary Source" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam’s book publisher requires source material for her biography on Isaac, she and Jay take a field trip to find a diary he claims he hid when he was alive.

Bob's Burgers - "Insomnibob" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Insomnia sends Bob on a creative spree in the kitchen, but at what cost?

The Great North - "Anchor Ham Adventure" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Ham gets embroiled in the cutthroat world of local weather; Judy and Moon pursue an assassin.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 11)

Thursday, August 14

  • Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Catch Tracee on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Bob Odenkirk (The Larry Sanders Show) - Bob appears on on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. Bob talks about Nobody 2 on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
  • Bento Skinner (Overcompensating) and Mary Beth Barone (Overcompensating) - Benito and Mary Beth are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Heather Dubrow (Stark Raving Mad/Jenny/Life with Roger) - Heather appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
  • Steve Agee (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Steve is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (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

08/13 - Remembering Danielle Spencer of What's Happening!!; Trailer for Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building
08/12 - Netflix's Comedy Kiss or Die Premieres September 9; Lori Harvey Joins Reasonable Doubt
08/11 - Roku Originals Books a Return Trip with Season 2 Renewal of Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross; Netflix's Fixed Trailer
08/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 11, 2025)
08/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for The Paper; ABC Gives Pilot Order to Do You Want Kids?
08/08 - Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 Premieres September 12; The Paper Trailer for Peacock
08/07 - Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 4 Celebs; Sweetpea Season 2 Stars
08/06 - Molly Shannon Joins Will Ferrell Golf Comedy Series; Netflix's Season 2 of My Life with the Walter Boys
08/05 - Disney+ Musical Comedy Electric Bloom Premieres; NBC Renews American Ninja Warrior for Season 18
08/04 - Remembering Loni Anderson of WKRP in Cincinnati; And Just Like That... to End After 3 Seasons
08/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 4, 2025)
08/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy Specials Coming to Hulu; Jimmy Kimmel Rooting for Emmy for Stephen Colbert
08/01 - Long Story Short Gets Season 2 Ahead of Premiere; Netflix's Wayward Premieres September 25
07/31 - Solar Opposites Final Season on Hulu; Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical
07/30 - FETV Acquires The Jeffersons, Uncut; BET+ Comedy Churchy Returns August 21, BET Greenlights Sketch Comedy Series
07/29 - NBC Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; Fox Fall 2025 Premiere Dates
07/28 - Events Planned for The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary; Family Guy Holiday Specials Return to Hulu
07/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 28, 2025)
07/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount/Skydance Merger Approved; CBS Orders New Comedy From Producers of Ghosts
07/25 - TV One Honors Malcolm-Jamal Warner; Comedy Central Season 3 of Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head; Remembering Kenneth Washington of Hogan's Heroes
07/24 - Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Premieres September 9; Apple TV+ Stick Renewed for Season 2
07/23 - Apple TV+ Ted Lasso Season 4 Details; NBC Orders Stumble to Series
07/22 - Remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner of The Cosby Show and Malcolm & Eddie; Futurama Season 13 Drops September 15
07/21 - Hallmark Channel Acquires Gilmore Girls; Freida Pinto to Star in Netflix Series
07/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 21, 2025)
07/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Late Show; Gilmore Girls Headed to Hallmark
07/18 - ABC Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to End in May 2026
07/17 - Netflix's Geek Girl Season 2 Starts Production; The CW Picks Up Sullivan's Crossing for Season 4
07/16 - Antenna TV's Still Dreaming of Jeannie 60th Anniversary Marathon; 77th Primetime Emmy Nominations
07/15 - Shark Tank Season 17 Guest Sharks; Tubi YA Comedy Film with Paris Berelc
07/14 - CBS Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; HBO and Larry David Team Up Again
07/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 14, 2025)