Tuesday, October 07, 2008

More Slots for Boston Legal on ION This Week; ABC.com Goes Retro on Thursday; Upcoming Seven Questions Preview

ION Television will add more timeslots for Boston Legal this week. As of now, it is just for this week. Originally it was only stated for Mon-Thurs at 8:00PM and Wednesdays at 9:00PM. Now ION has also added for this week Tuesday at 10:00PM and Wednesday at 10:00PM, both replacing ER, which seems to be underperforming for the network. Last week Legal replaced ER on Wednesday at 10:00PM, so I wonder if ION will make the announcement soon that this will be until further notice, but as of now these changes are for this week only. ER is only on once this week, and that was last night at 10:00PM. Legal is airing 8 times this week, but three of them are encores. Legal and NCIS, which can only air twice a week, have done well for the network since being added last month. Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer are coming to ION in 2009, and I think they will do as well.
In other changes, it seems Flash Gordon on Fridays isn't doing well, as yet again a Warner Bros. movie will air Friday from 7-9pm this week. Above the Law (1988) will air leading into an RHI movie (Tornado) at 9pm. Flash Gordon has been preempted for the last few weeks (last week ION aired a Warner movie marathon from 4-10:30pm), but as of now, it is scheduled for next Friday.

I thought this was worth mentioning as we have a big following for retro stuff here at SitcomsOnline.com. Beginning Thursday, October 9, the home page of ABC.com will give a nod to 1973 with a retro main page for the premiere of the new drama, Life on Mars (launching that night at 10PM ET/PT). The home page will offer the same categories (schedule, shows, community, full episode player, etc.) but in the signature monochromatic green font, popular to DOS in the 70s. After clicking on their desired section, users will be transported back to the ABC.com of 2008.
Additionally on the Life on Mars section you will see the songs of 1973. Get down with streaming songs on the 1973 Radio Player. The selections will include album cover art, song title and album title.
Where were you in 1973? NYPD Detective Sam Tyler (Jason O'Mara) finds himself in the cultural hotbed of New York City in the tumultuous times of the Vietnam War, Watergate, women's lib and the civil and gay rights movements without a cell phone, computer, PDA or MP3 player -- suddenly hurtled back in time when he's ripped from 2008 after being hit by a car while chasing down a criminal. He's trying mightily to understand what has just happened to him and how he can get back "home." In her return to series television, Lisa Bonet (Cosby Show) has a supporting role. The all-star cast also includes Harvey Keitel as Lieutenant Gene Hunt, Michael Imperioli as Detective Ray Carling, Gretchen Mol as Annie Norris and Jonathan Murphy as Detective Chris Skelton.
I have watched the premiere and I must say they do a great job of recreating 1973. It looks so retro but has the 2008 look to it. Fans of the great cop shows of the past will want to tune in and fans of cop shows of today, especially funny ones, will want to tune in. It has gotten good reviews and is worth checking out this Thursday at 10/9 central on ABC.

We are working on quite a bit of upcoming Seven Questions interviews. Seven Questions is of course our on-going interview series where we talk to a network or a star and ask them, well...seven questions. We try to ask the most interesting questions that cater to you all...sitcoms, classic TV, and programming. We have interviewed networks like RTN, AmericanLife, ION Television and stars like Alf Clausen in the past, with more coming very soon. First up will be WGN America later this week! You'll want to read this if you are a fan of classic TV and WGN America has brought classic TV back, as we all know! Also in the works (if everything works out): TV Land, Nick at Nite, Too Close for Comfort star Lydia Cornell, and author Chris Mann (Retroality.TV)!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, September 6

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 1)

Friday, September 5

  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Watch Jesse on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Pete Davidson (Bupkis) - Pete appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Caitlin Reilly (Hacks) and Rickey Thompson (Foursome) - Caitlin and Rickey are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Charlie Sheen (Anger Management/Two and a Half Men) - Charlie discusses his new book The Book of Sheen on ABC's >Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Mariska Hargitay (Can't Hurry Love) - Mariska talks about My Mom Jayne on a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Ruby Cruz (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Ruby talks about The Threesome on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Issa Rae (Insecure) - Issa talks about Seen & Heard on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Lamorne Morris (Woke/New Girl) - Drew is chatting with Emmy-winning Lamorne on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


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

09/05 - Crutch Premieres November 3 on Paramount+; Trailer for Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
09/04 - Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2025 Schedule; Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Cast
09/03 - Live Staged Reading of Three's Company Episode; Freeform Acquires According to Jim for October
09/02 - Hulu's Chad Powers Trailer; BET's The Hospital Premieres September 10
09/01 - TV Marathons on Labor Day 2025 Include Archie Bunker's Place and George Lopez
08/31 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 1, 2025)
08/30 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Saturday Night Live Cast Changes Loom; NBC Renews Password for Third Season
08/29 - HBO's Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television; Adult Swim Slates Two Series for October
08/28 - NBC's Password Renewed for Season 3 for 2026; Pluto TV Streaming CBS Shows Ahead of Fall Season
08/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Renewed for Season 2 with Fred Armisen; HBO's I Love LA Premieres November 2
08/26 - English Teacher Returns on FX for Season 2; Jesse Williams Prime Video Series Trailer
08/25 - Doc Season 2 Trailer for Fox; Remembering David Ketchum and Jerry Adler
08/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 25, 2025)
08/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Home Improvement Cast Members to Reunite on Shifting Gears; The Paper to Have Binge Drop
08/22 - Hulu's Futurama Season 13 Trailer; A Man on the Inside Returns November 20 on Netflix
08/21 - George Lopez Coming to COZI TV; The Morning Show Season 4 Trailer
08/20 - Welcome Back, Kotter 50th Anniversary Marathon on Rewind TV; Apple TV+ Palm Royale Season 2 Premieres November 12
08/19 - Antenna TV's Archie Bunker's Place Labor Day Marathon; Larry the Cable Guy Prime Video Special
08/18 - Nobody Wants This Season 2 Premieres October 23; HGTV and Retta Continue Partnership
08/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 18, 2025)
08/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Plans Retool of Cable Networks; King of the Hill Revival Scores Big Ratings
08/15 - Catchy Comedy Acquires Hot in Cleveland; Netflix's Animated Comedy Strip Law Premieres in 2026
08/14 - Dan Levy's Netflix Comedy Series Cast; Betty la Fea: La Historia ContinĂșa Season 2 Premieres Friday
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