Friday, May 08, 2009
Tribune Stations Land Entourage, Curb for Fall 2010 Local Syndication; ABC Picks Up Modern Family, More Updates
Under terms of the three-year pact, Tribune has licensed all seven seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm and all six seasons so far of Entourage for broadcast on all of Tribune's owned-and-operated stations in 17 markets, including New York (WPIX-TV), Los Angeles (KTLA-TV) and Chicago (WGN-TV), among others. Both series will be presented in strip form on the Tribune Broadcasting stations, with episodes airing Monday-Friday, along with one weekend telecast, beginning in fall 2010.
As mentioned earlier this week, Spike TV has bought the cable rerun rights for Entourage starting in January 2010, so it will have a nine-month head start on cable. Curb Your Enthusiasm is also being shopped around for cable repeats.
ABC has made its first pickup for the fall season, a sitcom. Modern Family, the single camera mocumentary about about three suburban couples -- a traditional one, a gay one and a multi-ethnic one. ABC has ordered 13 episodes from 20th Television and the show stars Ed O'Neill (Married with Children), Sofia Vergara (Knights of Prosperity), Julie Bowen (Lost) and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (The Class). The show has tested very well in focus groups and screenings. ABC also has unofficially picked-up drama Flash Forward, as teasers have aired during Lost the last two weeks to generate some buzz.
In other ABC updates, Surviving Suburbia will be preempted for a second week in a row for a two-hour Dancing with the Stars this coming Monday (May 11). That was scheduled to be its last Monday airing anyway, as the show will move to Wednesdays at 9:30pm starting May 27.
Meanwhile, the final episodes of According to Jim will run into the summer thanks to all the preemptions by President Obama. On Tuesday, May 26 and Tuesday, June 2, According to Jim will air its final four episodes (8-9pm both weeks), including the finale on June 2 at 8:30pm with a parade of guest stars. But before that there are two new episodes airing this Tuesday (May 12).
Stay tuned all next week for our predictions of the fall schedules for NBC, Fox, ABC, CBS, and The CW. First up will be NBC, which we will cover likely on Sunday and the rest will follow in that order every other day. And the following week of course is upfront week and we will get the actual schedules and you can compare to see what we got right and wrong! Big and fun time of year!
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, January 25
Shifting Gears - "Dog" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Matt refuses to let Carter bring a dog into “his” house, Riley starts to wonder if it’s time for her and the kids to find their own place. Meanwhile, Gabe seeks Riley’s advice amid second thoughts about moving in with Amelie.
Shifting Gears - "Friend" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt’s reunion with a high school friend stirs up more than nostalgia when he meets their equally opinionated spouse. Meanwhile, Riley spirals when Klatch gets a negative Yelp review. Tuc Watkins, Jim Rash and Jesse Williams guest star.
Shifting Gears - "License" (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When he finds out Carter’s getting driving lessons, Matt’s plan to prove he’s the better teacher hits a snag when he learns his license is expired. Meanwhile, Riley’s two worlds collide as she struggles to keep both her business and family afloat.
Shifting Gears - "Loyalty" (ABC, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt’s dream build turns into a nightmare when controversy between Stitch and the client threatens to derail everything. Meanwhile, Riley hires Carter at her coffee business and quickly learns that working with family brews more tension than drinks.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 19)
Friday, January 23
- Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Dulcé Sloan (The Great North) - Dulcé is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
- Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael talks about Shrinking on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim is back with the Tam Fam as she closes out a huge chapter as Regina Upshaw in Netflix's hit comedy The Upshaws on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. She shares more about her next journey with her new global wellness brand “Refresh by KF” and guides the Tam Fam through a wellness exercise designed to help you slow down, reset and refocus.
- Jennette McCurdy (Sam & Cat/iCarly) - Jennette tells Drew about her latest book Half Her Age on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and 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)
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