Thursday, April 14, 2011
Acquisitions Central: TV Guide Gets Spin City, Wipeout Coming To truTV, GMC Acquires Heartland
Spin City ran for six seasons from September 17, 1996 until April 30, 2002 on ABC. The series starred Michael J. Fox as Deputy Mayor Mike Flaherty, with Charlie Sheen taking over Fox's role as new Deputy Mayor Charlie Crawford. The cast also starred Richard Kind as Press Secretary Paul Lassiter, Alan Ruck as Chief of Staff Stuart Bondek, Michael Boatman as Head of Minority Affairs Carter Heywood, and Heather Locklear as Mayor Winston's campaign manager, Caitlin Moore.
Spin City was last seen on cable on FX until this past fall, so it hasn't been airing on TV since. No word if TV Guide plans to air the first four seasons starring Michael J. Fox, but as of now it's only Charlie Sheen's seasons! Watch out for warlocks! Finally, as you all know, TV Guide Network also airs Ugly Betty, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Weeds, Punk'd, and The Hills.
From Charlie Sheen to big balls, in one of the most significant programming acquisitions in the network's history, truTV has licensed the exclusive, off-network cable rights to the smash hit comedic series Wipeout from Disney-ABC Domestic Television, beginning in fall 2011. Wipeout will join truTV's successful lineup, which currently includes such hit original series as Operation Repo, Hardcore Pawn, All Worked Up and Lizard Lick Towing.
truTV's acquisition of WIPEOUT comes as the network has been enjoying tremendous success with its lineup of original series. truTV now ranks as one of basic cable's Top 10 networks among men 18-49 and Wipeout will certainly help in that demo.
Created and produced by Endemol USA, the hit reality competition series Wipeout premiered on ABC in summer 2008. The show challenges contestants to complete what is billed as the world's largest obstacle course. They must face wildly outrageous barriers, from Big Balls to complex contraptions, for the chance at winning a cash prize. Wipeout, which is also shown in numerous international versions around the globe, ranks among the world's top-rated game shows. The series was recently voted by Entertainment Weekly's readers as "Reality TV's Guiltiest Pleasure."
The series, which is currently in its fourth season on ABC, is hosted by John Anderson (SportsCenter), John Henson (Talk Soup) and co-hosted by the sexy Jill Wagner. The series starts its new summer season on ABC on Tuesday, June 21.
And we have one more rerun acquisition to announce! GMC, America's favorite channel for uplifting music and family entertainment, announced that the recently-acquired family drama Heartland will make its network premiere tonight (Thursday, April 14) with back-to-back episodes at 7 and 8 pm ET (encores at 9 and 10 pm ET and 11 pm and midnight ET, and on Sunday at 11 pm and midnight ET). The series has been airing in local broadcast syndication in many markets on weekends since the fall.
The hour-long Heartland, a top-rated series in Canada called "a modern-day Little House on the Prairie," was acquired by GMC in a U.S. cable deal with Genesis International Television and Film.
Starring Amber Marshall (The Elizabeth Smart Story), Heartland is the struggle of a debt-ridden family of Rocky Mountain horse ranchers fighting to keep a dream alive against a backdrop of young love, conflict and intrigue. Veteran actor Shaun Johnston (Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee); Michelle Morgan (Stargate: Atlantis) and Graham Wardle (In the Land of Women, Yesterday) also star. In Canada, the series - now in its fifth season -- leads in households and all key individual female and male demos in its 7 p.m. time slot on Sundays on CBC Television (Canada's national broadcaster).
This series is not to be confused with the TNT original series that aired in 2006-07 with Treat Williams and Kari Matchett. This series on GMC will join such series like The Waltons and Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, April 1
St. Denis Medical - "Anything to Push Zaluva" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron's teasing makes Joyce question whether her friendship with a pharmaceutical rep is genuine; Alex has trouble letting Serena take on a new task; Matt finds a mentor in Bruce.
Night Court - "Hot to Trot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby's friendship with her ex-boyfriend's mother leads to romantic complications; when Julianne's wealthy aunt passes away, the gang vies for a piece of her inheritance.
Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Love At First Swipe" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
C.J. and Janine receive marital advice from an unlikely source; Peanut seeks help with his newfound online lover.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Failure 2 Launch" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Assisted Living is the new situation comedy by Tyler Perry about three generations who must make a new start in the rural backwoods of Georgia.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)
Tuesday, April 1
- Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Catch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kevin is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
- 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 After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) and Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Chase and Kathryn are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
- Will Ferrell (The Office) and Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - E! News has interviews with Will and Jennifer at 11pm on E!.
- Román Zaragoza (Ghosts) - Román talks about Ghosts on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) and Michael Cera (Life & Beth/Arrested Development/I Was a Sixth Grade Alien) - Michael and Michael talk about Sacramento with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Tasha Smith (Survival of the Thickest/Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse/The Tom Show/Boston Common) and Tone Bell (Survival of the Thickest/Fam/Disjointed/Truth Be Told/Bad Judge/Whitney) - Tasha and Tone talk about the new season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Kathryn is dishing on her new comedy series The Studio on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about Netflix's Running Point on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty) - Paul is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
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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