Monday, March 07, 2011

ION Adds Late Night Hours; ABC Family Schedules Original Series Dates for Summer 2011

ION Television is adding more hours to its schedule at the end of this month. Starting Monday, March 28, 2011, ION Television will expand its schedule thru 3am. Currently the network airs programming on weekdays from 3pm-1am and on weekends from 1pm-1am, with infomericals the rest of the time (well except qubo kids Wed-Fri in the 8am hour). It will add two extra hours every night now (weekdays 3pm-3am and weekends 1pm-3am). So what will air in the 1am and 2am hours starting March 28? More of its dramas and movies. Mondays and Tuesdays in both new hours will have Without a Trace. Ghost Whisperer will air on Wednesday nights, while Thursdays and Fridays will have movies. Weekends in the 1am-3am will be a mix of movies or filler airings of My Name is Earl, M*A*S*H or a drama.
Sorry to report that nothing new is being added to these new hours, but hopefully something new will come soon rather than just more Ghost Whisperer, Without a Trace or Criminal Minds. ION Television did announce they have acquired crime drama Flashpoint, though. They have rights to all existing episodes, including up to 18 originals which are currently in production and scheduled to air later this year. Additionally, the network has the right to continue original production for season five and beyond. Stay tuned for more info when it is scheduled on the actual schedule.

We gave you updates on ABC Family's four new original series pick-ups, now we have premiere dates for all of them! For the first time in its seven-year history of original programming, the network's slate will be expanded to offer viewers three nights of original programming this summer, including four new original series, three returning hit series and original movies, in addition to showcasing blockbuster theatrical acquisitions.
The Secret Life of the American Teenager will returns on Monday, March 28 with 24 all-new episodes and will premiere throughout the summer on Mondays at 8:00PM ET/PT. It will be finishing off its third season episodes from March 28 to June 6, then it will start on its fourth season episodes. Not sure how many of the season four episodes they plan on airing, but it does look like the second half of season three (11 episodes) will go right into the start of season four! Perhaps the first 13 of season four will air after the final 11 of season three, for a total of 24 all-new episodes?
Airing right after The Secret Life will be new drama Switched at Birth at 9pm starting Monday, June 6. The series will air for 10 straight weeks in the timeslot. The series tells the story of two teenage girls who discover they were accidentally switched as newborns in the hospital and stars newcomer Katie Leclerc as Daphne Vasquez; Vanessa Marano as Bay Kennish; Constance Marie (George Lopez as Regina Vasquez; D.W. Moffett (Friday Night Lights) as John Kennish; Lea Thompson (Caroline in the City) as Kathryn Kennish; Lucas Grabeel as Toby Kennish; and newcomer Sean Berdy as Emmett. Marlee Matlin guest-stars as Melody. Switched at Birth will succeed Make It Or Break It, which wraps up its second season a week before on Monday, May 30.
Moving to Tuesdays, ABC Family's big hit Pretty Little Liars will move back to Tuesdays for its second season, where it aired last summer for the first half of its first season. Currently, the series is airing the second half of its first season on Monday nights at 8pm through March 21. The second season premieres on Tuesday, June 14 at 8pm. The second season premiere will lead into new drama The Nine Lives of Chloe King at 9pm, which follows Chloe King, who is looking forward to celebrating her birthday with her friends and single mother, just like every other year...that is until she starts developing heightened abilities and discovers she's being pursued by a mysterious figure. The drama stars Skyler Samuels (The Gates) as Chloe King; Amy Pietz (The Office) as Meredith King; Grey Damon (True Blood) as Brian; newcomer Grace Phipps as Amy; Benjamin Stone (10 Things I Hate About You) as Alek; Alyssa Diaz as Jasmine; and Ki Hong Lee (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) as Paul. It is unclear how many episodes the series as, but it is likely 10 episodes, like Switched at Birth. It is also unclear if Pretty Little Liars season two will be split up into two batches or run throughout, but it is probably the former.
ABC Family will add Wednesdays to its original series night this summer. Melissa & Joey, the hit comedy starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, will return to complete its first season on Wednesday, June 29, at 8:00pm! The series has a first season order of 30 episodes and 12 aired last summer/early fall. So that means 18 will air this summer. If it airs weekly, that should have it last through the end of October, similar to last year. Following the sitcom will be a new sitcom, The Great State of Georgia, a new a half-hour multi-cam comedy series starring Raven-Symoné as Georgia, an aspiring actress with a larger than life personality, and her science geek best friend, who try to make headway in New York City. The series also stars Majandra Delfino (Roswell) as Jo and Loretta Devine (Grey's Anatomy) as Aunt Honey. It is unclear how many episodes have been ordered, but it is likely 10. And if it does well, I'm sure more will be ordered, like how Melissa & Joey was extended.
Finally, when new drama Switched at Birth completes its 10-episode run, another new drama, The Lying Game, will premiere at 9pm starting Monday, August 15. The drama follows Emma, a kind-hearted foster kid who learns she has an identical twin sister, Sutton. Sutton, unlike Emma, was adopted by wealthy parents and is seemingly living an ideal life. The series stars Alexandra Chando (As The World Turns) as Emma/Sutton; Andy Buckley as Ted; Helen Slater as Kristin; Blair Redford as Garrett; Sharon Pierre-Louis as Nisha; Kirsten Prout (Kyle XY) as Char; Alice Greczyn as Mads; and Allie Gonino (10 Things I Hate About You) as Laurel. The series is based on the novel by author Sara Shepard (Pretty Little Liars). No idea also how many episodes have been ordered, but it seems like 10 episodes. If The Secret Life ends its summer run in early September, then this would mean The Lying Game will probably air for over a month without The Secret Life as its lead-in. If it has 10 episodes, it will air through mid-October.
Movie wise, they announced a new new original two-hour movie, Teen Spirit, premieres on Sunday, August 7, at 8:00pm, during the network's annual summer programming event, "Campus Crush" (Sunday, July 31 through - Tuesday, August 9). The movie stars Lindsey Shaw (Pretty Little Liars) and Cassie Scerbo (Make It or Break It). The network will also present a special summer Harry Potter marathon from Thursday, July 7 through Sunday, July 10, showcasing the first five installments of Warner Bros. Pictures’ hit film franchise, leading into its highly anticipated theatrical release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 (in theaters on July 15, 2011). Additionally, the Walt Disney Pictures film G-Force will make its network television premiere on ABC Family in September 2011.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Thursday, September 21

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 18)

Thursday, September 21

  • Justin Long (F Is for Family/Ed) - Catch Justin on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • America Ferrera (Superstore) - America 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.
  • Gabriel Iglesias (Mr. Iglesias/Cristela), Robert Kelly (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll), John Witherspoon (The First Family/The Tracy Morgan Show/The Wayans Bros.) - Gabriel, Robert and John (RIP) are guests on repeats of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
  • Heather Dubrow (Stark Raving Mad/Jenny/Life with Roger) - Heather and Terry Dubrow are guests on E! News at 11pm on E!.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (June-October)

Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series Family Matters - The Complete Series Step by Step - The Complete Series ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition)

06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
07/18 - South Park - Seasons 21-25 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/25 - The Neighborhood - Season Five
07/25 - Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin - Season One
07/25 - Superstore - The Complete Series
08/22 - Back to Life - Season 1 / Season 2
08/29 - Smiling Friends - Season 1 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

09/20 - Paramount+ Announces Colin from Accounts; The Really Loud House Gets Halloween Movie
09/19 - The Simpsons Season 34 Streams October 11 on Disney+; Good Burger 2 Set for Holiday Season
09/18 - Hulu's Huluween and Disney+'s Hallowstream Line-Up; Shining Vale Returns October 13 on STARZ
09/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 18, 2023)
09/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Cancels Wonder Years Reboot; Byron Allen Makes $10 Billion Offer to Buy ABC
09/15 - Antenna TV's Bewitched Halloween Marathon; Rewind TV's Sabrina the Teenage Witch-O-Ween Marathon
09/14 - Dancing with the Stars Season 32 Cast; BUZZR Celebrates 40 Years of Press Your Luck
09/13 - TBS Acquires Modern Family; The Frasier Awards on COZI TV
09/12 - Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen Gets CBS Late Night Run; Unsolved Mysteries: Behind the Legacy Special
09/11 - Matt Rife Gets Netflix Special; Star Trek Day and Kid Cudi Join Forces
09/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 11, 2023)
09/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner Bros. Television Suspends Deals with Top Creators; Fran Drescher Re-Elected President of SAG-AFTRA
09/08 - CBS Announces Hosts of Game Show; New Goosebumps Premieres Friday the 13th This October on Disney+ and Hulu
09/07 - MeTV Presents Svengoolie's Halloween BOOnanza!; The CW Moving Fall Comedies to Thursdays
09/06 - CBS to Air NCIS: Sydney This Fall; Fox Makes Fall Change
09/05 - TBS and TNT September Stunts Include Big Bang Theory Batman Day Marathon; Netflix UK Produced Series Updates
09/04 - TV Marathons on Labor Day 2023 Include Three's Company
09/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 4, 2023)
09/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: No Third Season for How I Met Your Father; Spectrum Dispute with Disney Could Spell End of Cable
09/01 - September Is Anniversary Month on Hulu; Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween Returns for Its 25th Anniversary
08/31 - Max's Original Comedy Series Starstruck Season 3 and Our Flag Means Death Season 2 Premiere Dates; AXS TV Announces Fall Programming Lineup
08/30 - The Partridge Family Coming to AXS TV Starting Oct. 2; CBS to Air A Tribute to Bob Barker Special Aug. 31, Marathon of Match Game Episodes to Air Sept. 2 on Game Show Network
08/29 - Once Upon a Time Coming to Hulu; Young Love Launches on Max in September
08/28 - Remembering TV Legend Bob Barker; Wolf Like Me Returns in October on Peacock
08/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 28, 2023)
08/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frasier Reboot Date Set, With CBS Also Airing First Two Episodes; Doogie Kamealoha, M.D. Cancelled
08/25 - Rick and Morty Returns October 15; Switch New Season Begins September 18 on Game Show Network
08/24 - Hulu Fall 2023 Slate; Apple TV+ Series Still Up Debuts Trailer
08/23 - Frasier Returns October 12 on Paramount+; And Just Like That... Renewed for Season 3
08/22 - ABC Fall 2023 Premiere Dates and Revised Schedule; Upload Season 3 Returns October 20
08/21 - MeTV September 2023 Schedule; Cartoon Network's Tiny Toons Premieres Sept. 9
08/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 21, 2023)