Monday, October 04, 2010
ABC Family Brings Back 8 Simple Rules; Inspiration Net Acquires Our House, Waltons; Remembering Stephen J. Cannell
The Inspiration Networks has announced a major rebrand for its flagship network INSP - The Inspiration Network that is slated to debut on Monday, October 18, 2010. The rebranded network will launch under the theme "It's a New Day!" with new network graphics and a refocused programming lineup.
Among the series joining will be two classic dramas. The Inspiration Networks announced an agreement with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution that brings the family television classics The Waltons and Our House to INSP - The Inspiration Network. Beginning Monday, October 18, 2010, the network will strip '70s family drama The Waltons Monday-Friday at 1pm and 8pm ET and the '80s family drama Our House Monday-Friday at 7pm and 1am ET. The program additions are part of INSP's "It's a New Day!" rebrand, which targets socially-conservative Baby Boomers with values-based entertainment programming. INSP already airs the drama Highway to Heaven, another classic '80s family drama.
The new INSP lineup will tailor to the viewing habits of this demographic with a combination of original and acquired high-quality content that spans the drama, comedy and documentary genres, along with interstitials, award-winning specials, and top-tier music and teaching programs that viewers have come to expect from INSP.
INSP is available in more than 60 million homes across the US on more than 2,800 cable systems and on DIRECTV channel 364 and DISH Network channel 259. Viewers can check their local program guides for channel line-up information or visit www.insp.com.
As promised, today we will pay tribute to the late great Stephen J. Cannell. The bestselling novelist and Emmy-winning TV producer of hits like The A-Team, The Rockford Files and 21 Jump Street, died at his Pasadena home of complications of melanoma on Thursday (Sept. 30, 2010). Earlier in his career, he wrote for iconic series including Adam-12, Mission: Impossible and It Takes a Thief before founding Stephen J. Cannell Productions in 1979, a company that churned out classic action adventure series The Rockford Files, Baretta, Black Sheep Squadron, The A-Team, Riptide, The Greatest American Hero, Hunter, Hardcastle and McCormick, Stingray, Wiseguy, 21 Jump Street, Silk Stalkings, Renegade, The Commish, Profit and so many more!
Cannell most recently served as Producer and Creative Consultant for the big-screen adaptation of The A-Team and has appeared as himself in episodes of the current ABC television series, Castle, where he joined fellow authors James Patterson and Michael Connelly as one of Castle's (Nathan Fillion) poker buddies. He was also a producer for Castle and appeared on a season two DVD bonus feature with Fillion that is still one of my favorite special features ever.
Though he is not a sitcom star or involved in any sitcoms, he is a legend and we have to pay tribute to him for bringing so many great TV series, especially in the '80s. He will be deeply missed and I'm sure all of you out there like AT LEAST one show he created or wrote. He has done so many shows and I have liked dozens of them! Mr. Cannell was only 69.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, March 23
Family Guy - "Dog Is My Co-Pilot" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Brian and Quagmire go on a press tour after successfully landing a plane; Chris and Stewie open a boutique pizza place.
Grimsburg - "CrimeCon" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Flute learns that criminals at CrimeCon are celebrated, not the detectives, he decides to prove that celebrity criminal Damien Flesher is not the reformed cannibal he claims to be; Pentos meets the Pentos-tonix.
The Great North - "Can't Hardly Debate Adventure" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Aunt Dirt takes a new job at Lone Moose School; Wolf tries to impress Beef.
Krapopolis - "" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
An animated comedy set in mythical ancient Greece, centering on a flawed family of humans, gods and monsters as they try to run one of the world's first cities without killing each other.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 17)
Friday, March 21
- John Mulaney (Mulaney) - Watch John on on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Dana Carvey (One of the Boys) - Dana is a guest on Real Time with Bill Maher at 10pm on HBO.
- The Jonas Brothers (Jonas) - Good Morning America catches up with the Jonas Brothers sometime between 7-9am.
- John Leguizamo (The Brothers Garcia) - John chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Tatyana Ali (Second Generation Wayans/Love That Girl!/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Tatyana discusses her off-camera work of helping women have safer births and how she is creating community with her quilt company on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) - NBC's Today catches up with Selena sometime between 7-9am.
- Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - NBC's Today catches up with Michael in the 9am hour.
- Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- The Cast of Harlem - Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Jerrie Johnson, Shoniqua Shandai & Tyler Lepley talk about Harlem on Prime Video on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah appears on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Tommy Davidson (The Proud Family/Malcolm & Eddie/Between Brothers) and Mark Curry (One Love/See Dad Run/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) - Tommy and Mark are guests on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:00am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
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
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