Monday, March 09, 2009

Hallmark Channel Reduces More Lucy; JustMyShow Interviews Dave Madden

We announced this first on our message board on Friday and didn't get a chance to tell you here on the blog, but Hallmark Channel made a last minute schedule change effective today (Monday, March 9). Weekdays 8-9am will be now another hour of The Golden Girls, which has done well in the ratings for them. The marathon on Sunday, March 1 did decent for them. The 8-9am hour will replace I Love Lucy, as that show has heavily been cut. This change is in addition to all the changes already for Lucy. That's not all though! Starting tonight in the 2am ET/PT hour, Cheers will move up a half-hour to 2am, while Lucy gets shifted back to 2:30am, ouch. That is more bad news for Lucy as Cheers did even worse in the ratings when it first aired. So yes, I Love Lucy is not doing well in the ratings, as you all must have assumed. I think they need more sitcoms in the same vein as Lucy, since Golden Girls and Cheers are '80s series. Hallmark has had no success with sitcoms in recent years besides M*A*S*H (which to me is really a half-hour drama), so looks like Golden Girls will break that curse...but shows like Facts of Life, Family Ties, Cheers, and I Love Lucy all didn't.
So Golden Girls will now air weekdays 8-10am, 4-5pm, and 12am-2am; Saturdays 6-9am; and Sundays 8:30am-10am. And I Love Lucy is just weeknights at 2:30am. Discuss this new change on our message board.

Our friend Eric of JustMyShow.com has released another interview! He digs into the archives to bring you a never before heard 2007 interview with Reuben Kincaid himself, The Partridge Family's Dave Madden. Dave Madden is known to TV fans everywhere as manager Reuben Kincaid on the '70s ABC series The Partridge Family. His other credits include Laugh-In and Alice as well as extensive theatre and voiceover work. He is the author of the memoir Reuben on Wry.
In bonus material, he talks about where the famous Partridge Family bus is now, where Simone went, on being recognized on the street, and his bowling shoes! But before you listen to the bonus audio, listen to the actual interview at JustMyShow.com!

And finally, tonight on ABC premieres the new drama Castle following the two-hour season premiere of Dancing with the Stars. I already saw the pilot and loved it. Nathan Fillion of Desperate Housewives is the lead and really does a great job here...and is funny! You Moonlighting fans out there will like this, as the sexual tension between the two leads is great. I really think this show will hit big tonight, but before you watch it...read my thoughts of the pilot (and view the first 13 minutes of the pilot)! Tune in tonight a 10pm ET/PT on ABC!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, November 11

The Golden Girls - 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship

The Golden Girls: 40 Years of Laughter and Friendship -- A Special Edition of 20/20 - (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT)
A behind-the-scenes look at the beloved sitcom's enduring impact on TV and culture, including interviews with superfans Sheryl Lee Ralph, Kelly Ripa, Laverne Cox and former guest star Mario Lopez.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 10)

Tuesday, November 11

  • Eddie Murphy (The PJs) - Catch Eddie on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Morgan Fairchild (Cybill) - Morgan appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Rob Riggle (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/Golan the Insatiable/Gary Unmarried) - Rob talks about Grit, Spit, and Never Quit: A Marine's Guide to Comedy and Life on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm, on CBS Morning News sometime between 7-9am and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm. NBC's Today catches up with Rob in the 10am hour.
  • Jamie Kaler (My Boys) - Jamie is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ricki Lake (The King of Queens) - Andy Cohen interviews Ricki on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
  • Ke Huy Quan (Head of the Class/Together We Stand) - Ke talks about Zootopia 2 on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm He also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT..
  • Ginnifer Goodwin (Pivoting) - Ginnifer chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Chloe Fineman (Big Mouth/Search Party) - Chloe talks about Satuday Night Live on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Roy Wood Jr. (Sullivan & Son) - Roy talks about his new memoir The Man of Many Fathers: Life Lessons Disguised as a Memoir on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond - Phil shares recipes from his new cookbook Phil's Favorites: Recipes from Friends and Family to Make at Home on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - tells Drew about her new series Tiffany Goes Off on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Oliver Hudson (Splitting Up Together/Rules of Engagement/My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star) - Oliver talks about Netflix's A Merry Little Ex-Mas on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) and Kate Flannery (The Office) - Jane and Kate discuss their Christmas Cabaret tour on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

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) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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

11/10 - ABC's New Game Show The Greatest Average American; Prime Video Christmas Movie
11/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 10, 2025)
11/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox and Sony Developing Reimagined Bewitched; Samsung TV Plus Launching AFV Channel
11/07 - TBS and TNT Holiday Schedule; Hulu's Back 'Four' More Reasonable Doubt; Remembering Diane Ladd of Alice
11/06 - Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas 2025 Schedule; Single Drunk Female Star Gets Hulu Film
11/05 - ABC 2025 Holiday Specials; Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This for Season 3
11/04 - Fox's Best Medicine Premieres January 2026; Final Season of Bel-Air Trailer
11/03 - Apple TV Holiday Schedule; Another Week and Dancing with the Stars Rises Again
11/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 3, 2025)
11/01 - SitcomsOnline Digest: King of the Hill Renewed for Two More Seasons on Hulu; MTV Cancels Ridiculousness
10/31 - Hulu Renews King of the Hill for Seasons 16 and 17; FX Renews Adults for Season 2; Remembering June Lockhart
10/30 - ABC's The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary Special on November 11; NBC 2025 Holiday Specials
10/29 - ABC Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu Renews Only Murders in the Building for Season 6, Now in London
10/28 - Hulu Debuts Trailer for Original Holiday Film; Sidelined Returns for Sequel on Tubi
10/27 - Netflix Grabs Victorious Spinoff Hollywood Arts; Dancing with the Stars Up for 5th Straight Week
10/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 27, 2025)
10/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frankie Muniz Shares Photo Outside Studio for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; Warner Bros. Discovery Still Looking for New Owner
10/24 - USA Network Renews The Rainmaker; Reba Hosting Christmas in Rockefeller Center
10/23 - The CW Holiday Specials Schedule; Apple TV Fraggle Rock Special
10/22 - Apple TV's Shrinking Returns in January 2026; Season 2 of Idris Elba Series Also Returns in January 2026
10/21 - FETV Acquires Here Come the Brides; Netflix's Mo Amer Special Trailer
10/20 - SNL November Guests Lineup; It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2025 Schedule
10/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 20, 2025)
10/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at NBC Comedy Stumble; Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Showrunner Talks When the Inevitable May Happen
10/17 - Apple TV's Palm Royale Returns November 12; Pop Culture Jeopardy! Moving to Netflix
10/16 - Kathleen Madigan Prime Video Special; His & Hers Premiere Date for Netflix
10/15 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Premiere Strong; Sebastian Maniscalco's Hulu Comedy Special Date
10/14 - Tubi's Breaking Bear Premieres March 2026; NBC's Stumble Trailer
10/13 - Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Final Season; Bat-Fam Premieres November 10 on Prime Video
10/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 13, 2025)
10/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Upcoming Paramount+ Sitcom Crutch; Yellowjackets to End After Upcoming Season
10/10 - Prime Video Releases Trailer for The Mighty Nein; Season 2 Premiere Date for Cross