Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Lifetime's Rita Rocks Ordered for Full Season; 35th Annual People's Choice Awards Nominees

Rita Rocks, Lifetime Television's first original sitcom in 10 years, has been picked up for a full season. Lifetime ordered seven additional episodes, bringing the first season order total to 20 episodes. The family comedy starring Nicole Sullivan premiered on October 20 and, in a unique programming strategy, stripped original episodes for a full week before moving into its regular timeslot (Tuesdays, 8:30 p.m. ET/PT).
In addition to Sullivan, the traditional sitcom Rita Rocks stars Richard Ruccolo as Rita's husband Jay and Tisha Campbell-Martin as her friend and band mate. Natalie Dreyfuss, Kelly Gould also star as Rita's daughters. Raviv Ullman plays her teenage daughter's ever-present boyfriend.
In Rita Rocks, Sullivan stars as Rita Clements, an overworked wife and mother trying to find time to find herself. Once the lead singer of a Bangles cover band, Rita traded in a life in rock clubs for carpools and the PTA. With the hope of getting a little bit of the old Rita back, she forms a garage band with postal carrier Patty (Tisha Campbell-Martin) and unemployed neighbor Owen (guest-star Ian Gomez).

The nominees were for The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards are now in. We will only mention the TV categories. Winners will be revealed during the live broadcast of The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards which will be hosted by Queen Latifah from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2009 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) on CBS. The first awards show of 2009, The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards honors fan favorites in television, movies and music.
PEOPLE Magazine, in celebration of its own 35th birthday, will team up with People's Choice to present the first ever People's Choice Award for Favorite Star Under 35, in recognition of this dual milestone. Beginning today www.pcaVOTE.com and www.people.com will exclusively feature this unique poll, giving fans the opportunity to choose their favorite star, under the age of 35, by narrowing down from a group of Hollywood's biggest celebrities, chosen by PEOPLE's editors. The TV nominees are:

FAVORITE TV DRAMA
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
House (Fox)

FAVORITE TV COMEDY
Samantha Who? (ABC)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Ugly Betty (ABC)

FAVORITE ANIMATED COMEDY
Family Guy (Fox)
The Simpsons (Fox)
South Park (Comedy Central)

FAVORITE SCI-FI / FANTASY SHOW
Heroes (NBC)
Supernatural (The CW)
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)

FAVORITE COMPETITION / REALITY SHOW
American Idol (Fox)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)

FAVORITE GAME SHOW
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox)
Deal Or No Deal (NBC)
JEOPARDY! (Syndicated, CBS Television Distribution)

FAVORITE MALE TV STAR
Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy, ABC)
Hugh Laurie (House, Fox)
Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men, CBS)

FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?, ABC)
Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters, ABC)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)

FAVORITE TALK SHOW HOST
Ellen DeGeneres (Syndicated, Warner Bros.)
David Letterman (CBS)
Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa (Syndicated, ABC Studios)

FAVORITE SCENE-STEALING GUEST STAR (NEW CATEGORY)
Luke Perry on Law & Order: SVU, NBC
Britney Spears on How I Met Your Mother, CBS
Robin Williams on Law & Order: SVU, NBC

FAVORITE TV DRAMA DIVA (NEW CATEGORY)
Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko on Saving Grace, TNT
Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin on Weeds, Showtime
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson on The Closer, TNT

FAVORITE NEW TV DRAMA (All new shows, vote on PCAVote.com)
90210, The CW
Crusoe, NBC
Easy Money, The CW
Eleventh Hour, CBS
Fringe, Fox
Knight Rider, NBC
Life on Mars, ABC
The Mentalist, CBS
My Own Worst Enemy, NBC
Privileged, The CW

FAVORITE NEW TV COMEDY (All new shows, vote on PCAVote.com)
Gary Unmarried, CBS
Kath & Kim, NBC
Valentine, The CW
Worst Week, CBS

View the full press release, including nominees for the movies and music categories.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, February 4

Shifting Gears - "Surprise" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Matt revs his love life back up only to find the road rockier than expected. Meanwhile, a chance romantic moment has Riley and Gabe questioning the nature of their relationship. Jenna Elfman, Jesse Williams, Angela Kinsey and Mookie Betts guest star.

Abbott Elementary - "Candygrams" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Valentine’s Day at Abbott, and the teachers find themselves meddling in students’ love lives while navigating their own.

The Muppet Show (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Music, comedy and a lot of chaos ensues when Kermit, Miss Piggy and the beloved Muppet gang once again take the stage of the original Muppet Theatre with their very special guest, Sabrina Carpenter.

Abbott Elementary - "Picture Day" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When picture day catches the teachers at Abbott by surprise, chaos ensues.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Good As Gold" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ella imparts wisdom and reassurance to her baby boy. Janine and Jazmine schedule much needed mommy daughter time.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Twenty-One" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sandra and Philip try to find the best way to celebrate their parents' anniversary; the assisted living facility puts on a manhunt for Reginald, who is still missing.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 2)

Wednesday, February 4

  • Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Watch Kate on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Nick Jonas (Jonas) - Nick is a musical guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Laura Benanti (Life & Beth/Younger/The Detour/Go On/Starved) - Laura makes a special appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory/8 Simple Rules/Ladies Man) - Kaley appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ms. Pat (The Ms. Pat Show) - Ms. Pat talks about BET+'s The Ms. Pat Show on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Miss Piggy (The Muppets) - Miss Piggy discusses The Muppet Show on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Tisha Campbell (Act Your Age/Uncoupled/Outmatched/Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) - Tisha discusses her new Lifetime movie Be Happy on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Method Man (Method & Red) - Method Man talks about Relationship Goals on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Craig Ferguson (The Drew Carey Show) - Craig talks about Scrabble on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Michael Imperioli (This Fool/Alex, Inc.) - Drew talks to Michael about his new series Memory of a Killer on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Dove Cameron (Schmigadoon!/Liv and Maddie) and Avan Jogia (56 Days) - Dove and Avan talk about about Prime Video's 56 Days on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (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

02/03 - NBC Renews St. Denis Medical and Happy's Place for Season 3; Pilot Orders for Comedy Projects on NBC
02/02 - Remembering Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son, Catherine O'Hara of Schitt's Creek, Yvonne Lime of Father Knows Best, and TV Director Bruce Bilson
02/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 2, 2026)
01/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Orders Pair of Comedy Pilots; Final Episode Airdate Announced for The Late Show
01/30 - Jury Duty Returns March 20 on Prime Video; Katt Williams 4th Netflix Special
01/29 - Season 4 of Ted Lasso Premieres This Summer; Shrinking Renewed for Season 4 as Season 3 Premieres
01/28 - Nikki Glaser's New Hulu Special Premieres April 24; HBO Announces Late-Night Series
01/27 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; New Evolution of The Handmaid's Tale Series
01/26 - FETV Acquires '70s S.W.A.T. Series; Paramount+ Releases Date for Can You Keep a Secret? Comedy Series
01/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 26, 2026)
01/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Kenan and Kel Back Together for Upcoming Movie; Amazon Barbershop Series Adds to Cast
01/23 - CBS Renews 10 More Series for 2026-27; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Return Big in January
01/22 - Dancing with the Stars Live Tour Starts TODAY; Beef Returns April 16
01/21 - Prime Video's Bait Premieres March 25; Production Underway on Season 2 of Arctic-set Comedy North of North
01/20 - Baywatch Casting Call for Reboot on Fox; Mike Epps Netflix Special Trailer
01/19 - MGM+ Comedy Series American Classic; Taylor Tomlinson Returns to Netflix
01/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 19, 2026)
01/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Rockford Files Reboot at NBC; Daniel Stern Fired From ABC Comedy Pilot
01/16 - Ted Season 2 Trailer Released; Remembering T.K. Carter of Punky Brewster, TV Director Tom Cherones, and Others We Recently Lost
01/15 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Special Preview; ABC Midseason Changes for Monday and Tuesday Night Lineups
01/14 - NBC Orders Pilots, Including The Rockford Files; The CW to Premiere Celebrity Series
01/13 - 83rd Golden Globe Winners; Tubi's Upcoming YA Film Slate
01/12 - Peacock's The 'Burbs Trailer; The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch Back on COZI TV
01/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 12, 2026)
01/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Henry Winkler to Star in NBC Legal Comedy Pilot; First Look at Peacock's The 'Burbs
01/09 - HBO's Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! Documentary with Interviews Including Rob Reiner; 83rd Annual Golden Globes Presenters
01/08 - Netflix Orders Nick Kroll Comedy Series; Saturday Night Live January 2026 Hosts and Music Guests
01/07 - Saturday Night Live Bobbleheads from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum; Fox Entertainment Signs Tracee Ellis Ross to Deal
01/06 - Emily in Paris Renewed for Season 6; Audible's New Comedy Series Starring Jenifer Lewis, Cedric the Entertainer, and Niecy Nash-Betts
01/05 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; Season 3 of Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal on Adult Swim
01/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 5, 2026)
01/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Premiere Date Set for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; NBC Pulls The Paper