CBS Comedy Change for Next Monday; Fox Notes; Remembering Ron Silver

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

CBS Comedy Change for Next Monday; Fox Notes; Remembering Ron Silver

Next Monday (Monday, March 23), CBS will preempt The Big Bang Theory for an all-new episode of How I Met Your Mother at a special time of 8:00PM ET/PT. Big Bang was scheduled to be a repeat anyway. Mother will also still air in its normal 8:30PM ET/PT on this night, but that will be a repeat broadcast. It will be interesting if CBS is seeing how strong Mother is at 8PM in comparison to Big Bang. Both comedies have been down the last two weeks thanks to the return of Dancing with the Stars. Two and a Half Men will also be a repeat at 9PM, but Rules of Engagement is all-new at 9:30PM.

Fox has removed Hole in the Wall from the schedule yet again. Effective this Sunday, Fox will now air repeats of American Dad! and King of the Hill at 7PM & 7:30PM in place of the half-hour showings of Hole in the Wall which certainly was a hole in the Sunday night schedule, perhaps effecting the animated comedies to lower numbers from 8-10PM.
In other Fox programming news, the variety series of specials, The Osbournes: Reloaded, will now launch as a 40-minute airing instead of an hour on Tuesday, March 31 from 9:20-10PM, so yes American Idol will be from 8PM-9:20PM on that night, just what we needed, more Idol. Fox has ordered six Osbournes variety specials, so each are 30-minutes, so four will remain after these two half-hours air. Not sure if Fox is cutting anything from these or if they will run with limited commercials.

Award-winning actor and activist Ron Silver, who was Emmy-nominated for his recurring role on the hit television drama The West Wing, died on Sunday after a two-year ordeal of esophageal cancer. His portrayal of White House strategist Bruno Gianelli on The West Wing was perhaps his best known part in recent years, but he earned another Emmy nomination for the murder thriller Billionaire Boys Club, a TV miniseries from 1987.
He had a recurring role on the TV hospital drama Chicago Hope and a regular role on the sitcom Veronica's Closet, and he won acclaim for playing lawyer Alan Dershowitz in the film Reversal of Fortune. Among his other TV credits include guest-starring on sitcoms such as Rhoda, Big Eddie, Trying Times, and regular roles on short-lived sitcoms The Stockard Channing Show and Baker's Dozen. He guest starred on many TV dramas as well such as The Practice, Crossing Jordan, Law & Order, Law & Order: Trial by Jury, Wiseguy, Hill Street Blues, The Rockford Files, McMillan & Wife and a regular role on the short-lived Skin on Fox.
He was also known for his work on Broadway. Broadway theatre bosses will dim the lights of New York's theatreland on Wednesday as a mark of respect. He won a 1988 Tony Award for his performance in David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow. Theatre marquees will be dimmed for one minute at 8pm on Wednesday, which is the traditional starting time for evening performances of Broadway shows. Ron will certainly be missed. He was only 62.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, June 29

The Conners - "Patriarchs and Goddesses" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Darlene continues to navigate her breakup with Ben, and when she and Becky head to the movies and see Ben on a date, Darlene can’t stop herself from interfering and making everyone uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Dan offers to talk with Aldo’s dad, Jesse (Joe Walsh), when he doesn’t approve of Harris and Aldo’s relationship.

The Goldbergs - "The William Penn Years" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Never a sports enthusiast, Adam finds himself in a pickle with his peers when he’s recruited to film his high school’s highly awaited last football game of the year and fails to capture his team’s winning touchdown. Meanwhile, Beverly discovers her neighbor Arnie Wolfy (Dan Lauria) is moving and she’s determined to buy his spacious home and move the family in. Murray’s long-standing and unresolved conflict with Arnie challenges Beverly’s plans, but the family comes to appreciate home is where the heart is.

Abbott Elementary - "Student Transfer" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After a negative teacher review, Janine gets a confidence boost when a student gets transferred from Melissa’s class into hers, but it turns out the student proves to be too much to handle. While trying to forge a friendship with an uninterested Gregory, it is revealed that Jacob is constantly getting roasted by his students. The two bond after Gregory unintentionally gives Jacob the idea to incorporate the roasts in an educational way.

Home Economics - "Box of King-Size Candy Bars, $48.99)" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Trick or treat is not the only question on the Hayworths’ minds as they debate the best neighborhood for a spooktacular Halloween. Meanwhile, Connor navigates sharing the holiday with his ex-wife, Emily.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 27)

Wednesday, June 29

Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Steve Carell (Space Force/The Office/Come to Papa/Watching Ellie) - Watch Steve on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Minnie Driver (Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Garcelle Beauvais (The Jamie Foxx Show) - Garcelle is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 3:30am on Bravo.
Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Sophia Bush (Partners) - Sophia will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Raven-Symoné (Raven's Home/That's So Raven/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/The Cosby Show) - Raven-Symoné appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Ed Helms (The Office) and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) - Ed and Randall are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Chelsa Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Luis) - Charlie will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) and Clint Howard (Gung Ho) - Ron and Clint are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason 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.
Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs/Rules of Engagement/Reno 911!) - Wendi is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Joey King (Bent) - Joey appears on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
Mira Sorvino (Shining Vale) - Mira talks about the film Most Guys Are Losers on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Michelle Buteau (Enlisted/China, IL) - Michelle will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim talks about Netflix's The Upshaws on Access Daily, so check your local listings.