Friday, March 27, 2009

WGN America Adds Marathons, More Spring Changes; Fox Summer 2009 Schedule; NBC Chops Chopping Block from Schedule

Two weeks ago we gave you the WGN America's spring 2009 line-up, but now there are some changes and additions! First, I want to give you the marathons they have added. The first marathon is an afternoon marathon of Matlock on Sunday, April 5 from 1pm-5pm ET, yes four episodes of Ben Matlock representing clients. Then the following Sunday on Sunday, April 12 from 1pm-5pm will be In the Heat of the Night. For this event, we get two episodes followed by a 1995 TV-movie called In the Heat of the Night: Grow Old Along with Me (1995). The next marathon is a primetime launch of the classic animated series The Bullwinkle Show! The marathon will be Friday, April 17 from 8-10pm ET (5-7pm PT). As we mentioned last time, the series will regularly air Saturdays at 12am ET (9pm PT) starting April 18. Great to see this series back on national TV! The four episode marathon will be the first four parts of the story arc "Wossamotta U" from the fifth season. The regular airings will start with the second season episode "Rue Britannia, Part 1." The final marathon they have scheduled so far is probably the best one because it is for a show that doesn't air on the regular schedule! On Sunday, April 19 during the classic block "Outta Sight Retro Night" hours we will get The Munsters! Yes, from 5pm-10pm and 11pm-2am ET. WGN America will preempt Cosby Show, ALF, WKRP, Newhart, Honeymooners, Bewitched, Jeannie, and Hillbillies for one night for Herman Munster and gang! The last time the series aired on WGN America was for a Halloween marathon. Check out the episode schedule for this marathon!
As for the regular changes starting week of April 13, what we gave you before it pretty much right...but there are a few changes now. The weeknights at 1am ET hour will no longer be a rotating wheel. We will now get Star Trek: The Next Generation (except Thursday nights is still the delayed Scrubs airings). Four nights a week of Star Trek: TNG, so the Tuesday primetime airings will be replaced by movies or baseball games now. The only other changes are to late nights. Tuesday late nights from 4am-5:30am ET will now be Moesha instead of a second night of Corner Gas. But as of now, when Moesha leaves at the end of June (looks like it is expiring), the second night of Corner Gas will return in July. Replacing the Thursday airing of Moesha at 5am ET starting the week of April 13 will be Reno 911. Since Reno 911 will be replaced at 1am hour, the airings will be moved to Friday late nights from 4am-5:30am ET replacing Funniest Pets & People. And the fifth airing of Reno 911 is still Sundays at 5am ET. As I said, July will see more late night changes. Sister, Sister will also be removed after June as well it seems. Because its Wednesday 4am-5:30am ET block will be replaced by Funniest Pets & People starting in July. Thursdays and Fridays in July will see a bit of a change, too...4-5am ET will be Reno 911 and 5am ET will be Funniest Pets & People. Why the change? Because new reality series Around the World for Free concludes at the end of June, so the Bob & Tom Show encore won't air at 4am ET on Thursdays anymore. I know...confusing. That's all we have for now. Stay tuned for more WGN America news, since we were told to expect more sitcom marathons in the summer and possibly new shows on Sunday nights in the fall!

Fox's summer 2009 season begins this May with season five of So You Think You Can Dance and the premiere of new medical drama Mental. Fan-favorites heat up the summer with the next installment of culinary competition Hell's Kitchen and all-new episodes of Don't Forget the Lyrics!, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, Cops and America's Most Wanted.
So You Think You Can Dance kicks off with a two-night, four-hour premiere Thursday, May 21 and Wednesday, May 27 both from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT. Once the auditions conclude, weekly performance shows will air Wednesdays from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT, and weekly results shows will air Thursdays from 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT.
Mental will debut Friday, May 22 at 9:00PM ET/PT. The series follows Dr. Jack Gallagher (Chris Vance), a dynamic, young psychiatrist who serves as Director of Mental Health Services at a Los Angeles hospital. Leading into Mental, will be the return of Don't Forget the Lyrics! as it returns to lock-in the lyrics with all-new episodes starting Friday, May 22 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
Then six weeks later, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? heads back to the classroom for summer session and all-new episodes starting Friday, July 3 at 8:00PM ET/PT.
The summer gets even hotter when the next installment of Hell's Kitchen kicks off with a special two-hour premiere Tuesday, July 21 from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT. The intensity continues Tuesdays beginning July 28 in its regular hour of 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT as Chef Gordon Ramsay narrows down the field of competing chefs until only one remains standing in the kitchen.
Finally, Cops and AMW will be new all summer long on Saturdays. And as previously announced, Teen Choice 2009, the annual special that celebrates the year's hottest teen icons in film, television, music, sports and fashion, will air Monday, August 10 from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT.

NBC has chopped its last meal for Chopping Block. NBC has pulled the Wednesday at 8pm cooking-reality competition series from the schedule after just three airings. The series has gone down in the ratings in each episode and was pulled after just a 1.8 HH rating and just 2.58 million viewers. Those are Saturday numbers! The show will be replaced by repeats of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which was scheduled to air repeats starting April 29, so it is coming 5 weeks earlier than planned. No, these will not be the new season of Criminal Intent, that starts on NBC in June on Mondays. But USA Network will air the new season first starting April 19.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, April 23

The Conners - "Exercise Bands, Money Plans, and Faraway Lands" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ahead of the deposition, Dan gets support from Jackie, Becky and Darlene. Mark is presented with an opportunity which leads to a major life decision. Meanwhile, Becky and Tyler consider the next step in their relationship – joint finances.

The Conners - "The Truck Stops Here" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Jackie prepares for a series of physical tests in an effort to rejoin the police force; Darlene confronts the insecurities in her marriage with Ben; Dan’s deposition stirs up feelings, and final farewells are made in true Conner family fashion.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Wednesday, April 23

  • Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Watch Jenny on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Lopez vs Lopez/Corporate) - Vinny, Paul and Aparna are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Casey Wilson (The Righteous Gemstones/Black Monday/The Hotwives/Marry Me/Happy Endings) - Casey stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
  • Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time/Happily Divorced/9 to 5) and Ayo Edebiri (Big Mouth/The Bear) - Rita and Ayo are guests on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney at 10pm on Netflix.
  • Tika Sumpter (mixed-ish/Final Space/The Game) - Tika talks about her new children's book I Got It From My Mama on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Bowen Yang (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Bowen talks about The Wedding Banquet and Saturday Night Live with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Cheech Marin (Rob/The Golden Palace) and Tommy Chong (That '90s Show/That '70s Show) - Cheech and Tommy talk about their documentary Cheech & Chong's Last Movie with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Ricky Gervais (After Life/The Office) - Ricky talks about his upcoming tour on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/The Mindy Project) - NBC's Today catches up with Anna in the 9am hour.
  • Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - NBC's Today Food has Sarah in the 10am hour.
  • Anthony Mackie (Twisted Metal) - Anthony Mackie talks about Captain America: Brave New World on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • David Arquette (In Case of Emergency/Double Rush/Parenthood) - David and Danny A. Abeckaser discuss their film Mob Cops on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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