Tuesday, October 20, 2009

WGN America's Halloween Freak Week; IFC Acquires Arrested Development

We broke the news a few weeks back that WGN America is planning Halloween marathons for The Munsters and The Addams Family, but now we have more of their Halloween plans!
This Halloween you'll scream with delight as WGN America presents "Halloween Freak Week," a monstrous mash of movies and marathons--including the first families of fright, The Munsters and The Addams Family. "Halloween Freak Week" on WGN America begins on Monday, October 26 and will have you howling with laughter through Halloween night--Saturday, October 31.
Airing during "Halloween Freak Week" are three back-to-back Halloween-themed episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos on Monday, October 26 starting at 7pm ET/4pm PT until 10 pm ET/7 pm PT. Then on Tuesday, October 27 at 8pm ET/5pm PT it is the movie The Rage: Carrie 2. On Wednesday, October 28, as part of WGN America's retro movie night "Way Back Wednesday with Winslow," they have the classic film Gremlins at 8pm ET/5pm PT. On Thursday, October 28 some regularly scheduled sitcoms get the Halloween treatment! Bewitched & Cheers will air Halloween-themed episodes in their normal timeslots beginning at 4pm ET/1pm PT. On Friday, October 30, The Beverly Hillbillies gets to air a Halloween themed episode in its regular timeslot of 2:30 pm ET/11:30am PT. On Friday, October 30, I Dream of Jeannie also gets to air a Halloween themed episode at 3:30 pm ET/12:30pm PT, leading into the "The Monstrous Munster Mash Marathon." 16 back-to-back classic episodes of The Munsters, hosted by legendary shock rocker Alice Cooper. The eight-hour marathon features the odd occupants of 1313 Mockingbird Lane as the iconic Alice Cooper, who was named the world's most "beloved heavy metal entertainer" by Rolling Stone, will be hosting the opens and interstitials for all 16 episodes of The Munsters. WGN America will also air the broadcast debut of Alice Cooper's new video "Keepin' Halloween Alive" immediately following the marathon, which we told you previously will run from 4pm ET/1pm PT until 12am ET/9pm PT. And finally on Halloween itself, Saturday, October 31, "The Addams Family Fright Fest" will air with 18 back-to-back episodes of The Addams Family on Halloween. The 9-hour marathon will feature the creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky Addams Family, which we told you previously will run from 3pm ET/12pm PT until to 12am ET/9pm PT. Following the marathon get scared on Halloween night with the horror movie Pet Semetary 2 at 12am ET/9pm PT.
The fun all starts next week! But if you can't wait for Halloween to get your Herman fix, then WGN American has something already for you! Do you have the brains to make ghouls drool? Put your Munsters knowledge to work with Alice Cooper's Monstrous Munster Mash Game on WGNAmerica.com. Correctly answer trivia and Alice will spare your army of Munster-like zombies a horrible fate. The Monstrous Munster Mash Game is "alive" through November.

Three years ago we told you that cable network G4 has acquired the short-lived sitcom Arrested Development for a three-year term, but now that term is up. So IFC (Independent Film Channel) has now acquired the cable rights to the series starting this Sunday (Oct. 25). IFC will air Arrested Development Sundays at 10:00pm and 10:30pm and Tuesdays at 9:00pm and 9:30pm. This is the second major acquisition for IFC in October. The network picked up the complete series of Monty Python's Flying Circus earlier, to go along with its six-hour documentary about the legendary British comedy troupe.
The Emmy-winning Arrested Development, created by Mitch Hurwitz, never drew a large crowd in its three-season run on Fox but has endured as a cult fave. There's also been endless chatter about a possible feature adaptation of the laffer, which starred Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Will Arnett and Jeffrey Tambor.
In addition to G4, Arrested Development previously aired on HDnet and was offered online via MSN.com.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, March 9

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to the Baby Proofing" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
While Marty heads to San Diego for a tech convention and Courtney is away for the weekend, Tina’s insistence on babysitting Daphne sparks a baby-proofing fiasco that leaves Calvin and Dave unexpectedly locked inside the bathroom.

DMV - "The Fourth Wheel" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The DMV welcomes a new driving examiner, and Colette’s excitement fades when she realizes Robin (Anna Camp) may be trying to push her out. Meanwhile, Noa helps Ceci manage her toxic relationship with Brent.

St. Denis Medical - "Happy Birthday, Matty" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Matt's first birthday party gets crashed by a rival; Joyce decides to "get back out there."

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "Save the Cat" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Reggie thinks finding his former coach's lost cat will help him get into the Hall of Fame; Monica gets back in the dating game.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 9)

Monday, March 9

  • Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Watch Olivia on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Leslie Odom Jr. (Central Park/Love in the Time of Corona/Big Day) - Leslie appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Hilary Duff (How I Met Your Father/Younger/Lizzie McGuire) - Hilary is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • John Lithgow (Trial & Error/Twenty Good Years/3rd Rock from the Sun) - John stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Christina Applegate (Dead to Me/Up All Night/Samantha Who?/Jesse/Married... with Children) - Andy Cohen interviews Christina on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10:15pm on Bravo.
  • Michael B. Jordan (The Assistants) - ABC News' Chris Connelly’s interviews Michael and director Ryan Coogler on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Zach Braff (Scrubs/Alex, Inc.) and Donald Faison (Scrubs/Extended Family/The Exes/Clueless) - Zach and Donald talk about Scrubs on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm. Donald also talks about the revival of the hit sitcom Scrubs on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle joins the chat on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Jennifer talks about her new off-Broadway show on Sherri, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

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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