Tuesday, August 05, 2008
USA Network Fall 2008 Schedule; Lionsgate To Release Many ABC Studios DVDs
Then starting Monday, Sept. 15 the regular schedule finally begins. Changes include the 8am airing of JAG being replaced by Monk, as Walker Texas Ranger moves to 9am. Monk's afternoon airing is now 2pm, followed by back to back Law & Order: Criminal Intent at 3 and 4pm. Navy NCIS will air weeknights at 5 and 6pm, followed by Law & Order: SVU at 7pm. SVU will also air Tuesdays at 8pm, while House will air weeknights at 8pm except Tuesdays at 9pm, as we mentioned.
View the full USA Network September 2008 fall line-up and also discuss it.
Lionsgate, the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television have entered into an agreement where Lionsgate obtains the home entertainment distribution rights (DVD rights) to select primetime series and library titles from ABC Studios.
The first programs to be released under the new agreement – popular current ABC sitcom According to Jim: Season One, starring Jim Belushi and Courtney Thorne-Smith and one-hour current The CW series Reaper: Season One – will be available on DVD on October 21 and November 4, respectively. The agreement also encompasses other popular sitcoms and dramas including Hope & Faith (Kelly Ripa, Faith Ford), 8 Simple Rules...for Dating My Teenage Daughter (John Ritter, Katey Sagal, David Spade), Boy Meets World (Ben Savage, Rider Strong), October Road (Tom Berenger, Bryan Greenberg), Kevin Hill (Taye Diggs), My Wife & Kids (Damon Wayans), Six Degrees (Jay Hernandez, Bridget Moynahan, Erika Christensen), and more.
So what does this all mean? Well, first of all let me explain what ABC Studios is. ABC Studios is the studio that produces Touchstone Television/Buena Vista television shows, so it is not necessarily all ABC network shows. Reaper is produced by ABC Studios but airs on The CW. Kevin Hill was a drama on UPN but was produced by ABC Studios. Lionsgate has reached a deal for select ABC Studios series for DVD rights. No, that does not mean ABC Studios/Buena Vista Home Entertainment will not release any more DVDs, as they will still continue to release well over 40 ABC Studios series each year such as Desperate Housewives, Lost, Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Samantha Who, Scrubs and many others. Lionsgate primarily will release the series that are not in production anymore, but of course a few are going to be released that are in production (like the aforementioned According to Jim & Reaper).
I don't have a full list of shows yet that Lionsgate acquired for DVD rights from ABC Studios other than those listed above like 8 Simple Rules, October Road and Boy Meets World. Speaking of those three, I am told Lionsgate will continue where Buena Vista Home Entertainment left off, so 8 Simple Rules & October Road will start with Season 2 and Boy Meets World with Season 4. I am hoping Lionsgate also acquired classic ABC Studios series not on DVD such as Empty Nest, Nurses, Blossom, and short lived stuff like The Golden Palace, Thunder Alley and The Sinbad Show. Notice most of those were not on ABC but they were produced by ABC Studios (Touchstone Television). Once I have a full list of what Lionsgate has acquired, I will let you all know, unless TVShowsonDVD.com posts it first. So stay tuned to us and/or TVShowsonDVD.com for details. Just to reiterate...if a show aired on ABC in the past like Family Matters or Step by Step, which were both produced by Warner Bros., that will not be available for Lionsgate because they were NOT produced by ABC Studios...only those series produced by ABC Studios/Touchstone Television could be available.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Thursday, June 30
Young Sheldon - "A Pink Cadillac and a Glorious Tribal Dance" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sheldon attends his first comic book convention; Mary tries selling makeup.
United States of Al - "Punch / Musht" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Hazel gets in trouble at school, Riley and Vanessa disagree on how to handle the issue.
Ghosts - "Farnsby & B" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
As Sam and Jay await the arrival of their first official bed-and-breakfast guests, they face obstacles triggered by a Norse curse placed upon them by Thorfinn; Isaac takes a huge, centuries-in-the-making step in his personal life.
B Positive - "Payroll, a Waterwall and Valley Forge" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Gina struggles to keep Valley Hills running smoothly after Mrs. Ludlum quits and starts work at a rival assisted living facility. Also, Drew wonders whether he should go on another road trip adventure or stay close to Gina.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 27)
Thursday, June 30
- Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Craig Robinson (Killing It/Ghosted/Mr. Robinson/The Office) - Craig chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Jim Carrey (Kidding/The Duck Factory) - Jim appears on a repeat of The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Idris Elba (Turn Up Charlie) - Idris will be on a repeat of The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- The Jonas Brothers (Jonas) - The Jonas Brothers are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Dakota Johnson (Ben and Kate) - Dakota appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) and Finesse Mitchell (Outmatched/A.N.T. Farm) - Kym and Finesse guest co-host a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
- Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
- Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason appears on a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena is a guest on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
- Steve Carell (Space Force/The Office/Come to Papa/Watching Ellie) - Steve appears on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
- Michelle Buteau (Enlisted/China, IL) - Michelle will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Cristela Alonzo (Cristela) - Cristela talks about Netflix's Middle Classy on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
- Page Kennedy (Blue Mountain State) - Page is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
- Marsai Martin (black-ish) - Marsai talks about executive producing Saturdays on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (March-June)
03/08 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Season Eight
03/08 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
03/15 - Head of the Class - The Complete Fourth Season
03/15 - The Proud Family - The Complete Original Series - Anniversary Collection
03/22 - The Honeymooners Specials - The Complete Collection
03/29 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-5 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
03/29 - Young Rock - Season One
04/05 - Up All Night - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
04/26 - The Danny Thomas Show (aka Make Room for Daddy) - The Complete Fourth Season
04/26 - Jackie Gleason TV Treasures - 70th Anniversary Collection (including Honeymooners Rarities)
05/03 - No Activity - Season Three
05/13 - The Donna Reed Show - The Complete Seasons 1-5 (Time Life)
05/31 - Becker - The Complete Series (2022 Release)
06/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Eleventh Season
06/14 - Hacks - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/14 - Rutherford Falls - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season One / Season Two / Season Three (07/26) / Season Four (07/26)
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