Hallmark Channel Revises Sundays in January; Fox Announces Idol Dates, Orders New Midseason Series

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Hallmark Channel Revises Sundays in January; Fox Announces Idol Dates, Orders New Midseason Series

We gave you Hallmark Channel's January 2009 highlights last month, now we have some changes in store for Sundays! Sundays from 10am-3am has been changed totally! Effective Sunday, January 4, we will now get a block of 7th Heaven from 10am-3pm, that's five straight episodes of the Camden family on family day...Sunday! This will basically replace a movie, Diagnosis Murder movie, a Perry Mason movie, and a Matlock movie. Regular movies will now air from 3pm-1am, yes, five straight movies will air. These movies will basically replace the four Murder, She Wrote episodes in the evening. Finally, we get more I Love Lucy! As I Love Lucy will also air Sunday nights from 1-3am now replacing the Matlock movie. So to recap the times for I Love Lucy now...Saturdays 6-9am & 1-3am, Sundays 8:30am-10am & 1-3am, weekdays 8-9am and weekdays 4-5pm. Whole lotta Lucyyyyyyyy!

Fox has announced the American Idol schedule through March 10 (3/11-5/20 dates and times will be announced at a later date). As we know, Idol launches Jan. 13 and 14 with a two-night premiere from 8-10pm both nights. Then it will regularly air 8-9pm on both Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but there are times when it will be expanded to 8-10pm and two special Thursday airings will air on Jan. 29 and March 5. March 5 is the first night of March sweeps, as this year there is no February sweeps due to the transition to DTV on Feb. 17.
Why is this Idol schedule important? Because it looks like Bones will be preempted on Thursday, Jan. 29 now, since Idol is airing that night leading into the season premiere of Hell's Kitchen. Bones will return the following week (Feb. 5), though. Bones moves to the Thursdays at 8pm slot on Jan. 15 leading into the final two episodes of Kitchen Nightmares on Jan. 15 and 22.
Also, only 4 episodes of Fringe will air after American Idol through March 10 it seems. Fringe is slated to air for four weeks in a row on 1/20, 1/27, 2/3, and 2/10, then Idol expands to two-hours the next four weeks AT LEAST, so Fringe will probably not return until the end of March sweep. The news is better for new drama Lie to Me out of Idol, Idol will only be two-hours on a Wednesday on Feb. 11, so Lie to Me will air for three straight weeks then be preempted then air again for another three weeks at least, maybe more.
Meanwhile, Fox has ordered 13 episodes of Glee, an inspiring musical comedy series from Ryan Murphy. The one-hour series follows an optimistic high school teacher as he tries to transform the school's Glee Club and inspire a group of ragtag performers to make it to the biggest competition of them all: Nationals. The show will debut in 2009 and features a soundtrack of hit songs from past to present. It could be the perfect fit out of American Idol, so Fringe and Lie to Me need to do very well, if not then Glee will fit like a glove likely out of Idol.
View our previous story on Fox's 2009 midseason schedule for the rest of the schedules besides Tues-Thurs.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, May 17

Family Guy - "High School History" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The Griffins take a humorous look at the French Revolution, the American Civil War, and World War II.

Bob's Burgers - "Stuck in the Middle With Hu(go)" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Bob is forced to spend time with one of his least favorite people; Tina is entrusted with something very close to Jimmy Junior's heart.

American Dad! - "Where the Wild Boars Are" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Jeff comes of age with the help of an old man; Roger takes care of a "special" shed.

Bob's Burgers - "Smellbound" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When a horrible smell threatens to cancel one of the kids' favorite town traditions, Tina, Gene, and Louise decide to try and get rid of the smell themselves.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 11)

Friday, May 15

Goldie Hawn (Good Morning World) - Watch Goldie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Asif Ali (Deli Boys/Wrecked/Mr. Robinson) and Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys) - Asif and Ali are guests on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
John Krasinski (The Office) - John talks about Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about Abbott Elementary and Lisa Ann Walter: It Was an Accident with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Ross are covering the headlines with pals Valerie and Nate Berkus on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Belmont Cameli (Saved by the Bell (2020-2021) - Belmont and Ella Bright talk about Off Campus on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton co-hosts NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
Jackie Tohn (Nobody Wants This/GLOW) - NBC's Today catches up with Jackie in the 10am hour.
Y'lan Noel (Insecure) - Y'lan talks about Netflix's Nemesis on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.