TV Land Developing Hot in Cleveland Spin-Off; Network Notes for ABC, CBS and Fox

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

TV Land Developing Hot in Cleveland Spin-Off; Network Notes for ABC, CBS and Fox

TV Land is developing a sitcom with renowned comedian/actor Cedric the Entertainer, it was announced by the network. The series is currently set to be a spin-off of TV Land's hit original sitcom, Hot in Cleveland, which stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and the incomparable Betty White. The spin-off revolves around a character that Cedric will originate in the second half of season two of new episodes of Hot (premiering this summer) in which he will play a minister who finds himself involved in the four ladies' latest humorous adventures.
The untitled series is contingent upon the pilot script, which will be co-written by Cedric and Suzanne Martin. Martin would also serve as executive producer of the series along with Emmy® Award-winner Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner of Hazy Mills Productions, who are also executive producers of Hot in Cleveland.
Hot in Cleveland launched on TV Land in summer 2010 and quickly won over viewers, becoming the number one cable sitcom of 2010. It remains the highest-rated and most-watched program on the network, averaging 3.1 million total viewers per week. The show returns June 15 with new episodes.
TV Land's development deal is one more step by the network into the world of original sitcoms. The network recently announced two more new series pick-ups – Happily Divorced, starring Fran Drescher, and The Exes, starring the ensemble of Donald Faison, Wayne Knight, David Alan Basche and Kristen Johnston. In addition, TV Land has also renewed Retired at 35 for a second season and Hot in Cleveland for a 24-episode third season, both for 2012. The series pick-ups take the network from zero to four scripted sitcoms, all with leading comedic talent, within a year's time. The upcoming series with Cedric is just one of the many projects in TV Land's development pipeline, but it hasn't been officially picked-up yet. If and when it does, we will let you know...but you will 100% see Cedric at least on Hot in Cleveland. If it works out, he will be spun-off!

Moving on to some network notes, ABC announced last Thursday after promising ratings that an extra episode of new comedy Happy Endings will air this Wednesday at 10:30pm, replacing a Modern Family "Fan Favorites" encore. The comedy airs regularly in the 10pm half-hour after Cougar Town at 9:30, which returns tomorrow in the time period. Happy Endings premiered last week at 9:30pm after Modern Family and also aired in its regular 10pm half-hour to decent numbers, especially for ABC Wednesday at 10. We have seen episodes three and four airing this Wednesday in the 10pm hour, as you read in our review, and they are must see and go to another level from the premiere. Tune in!
In a scoop to us, CBS announced that Friday drama Chaos has been removed from the schedule effective immediately after only three airings. The series has struggled in the ratings and will be replaced this week by a repeat of CSI: NY. The following week (April 29) was the already scheduled special on the Royal Wedding, but starting Friday, May 6, CBS will air a new season of the Canadian series Flashpoint. In addition, we also announced that tonight's repeat of The Good Wife has been replaced by a second hour repeat of NCIS: Los Angeles. No reason was given, but they probably want to be a bit more competitive with ABC's new Body of Proof, which has done solid ratings and The Good Wife doesn't repeat as well as all the other CBS dramas. One other CBS repeat note has The Big Bang Theory stepping in next Monday (April 25) at 9pm in place of a repeat of Two and a Half Men.
And finally, you'll get to see Running Wilde finish off its run after all--but not on Fox. Fox's cable network FX will air the series Thursdays at 10pm starting next week (April 28). The Will Arnett-Keri Russell comedy has four episodes remaining from its 13 episode order and they will finally air during four consecutive Thursday airings. Repeats will air in the 10:30pm half-hour as well along with late night encores later in the night. The series last aired a new episode on Sunday, December 26 and was last seen on the Fox Saturday late night encore block in early January before being pulled to low ratings there, too.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, April 6

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Gemma Johnson's Day Off" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Gemma reaches her limit at work, and when a car issue forces her to slow down, an unexpected break helps her rethink what she really wants next. Meanwhile, Marty and Malcolm’s plans are thrown off course when unexpected opportunities arise, and Dave embraces a new career path.

The Neighorhood - "A Farewell Special" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
CBS presents The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special, an Entertainment Tonight production, airing Monday, April 6 (8:30-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. Hosted by Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier and filmed on location on The Neighborhood's stages, the special celebrates the acclaimed CBS comedy's final season, honoring eight seasons, 156 episodes, and eight unforgettable years of laughter, heart and community, leading up to the series finale on May 11.

This celebratory event features exclusive new interviews with the cast reflecting on their journey, revisiting early days on set, and looking back at the show's evolution and cultural impact. From its heartfelt exploration of friendship and family to its comedic take on life in a changing community, The Neighborhood has become a beloved part of CBS' comedy legacy.

The special includes never-before-seen footage and archival interviews from the ET Vault, offering fans a nostalgic look at the series' most iconic moments and the relationships built along the way. Viewers will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the emotional final days of production, including the cast and crew's last table read, intimate moments from the final tapings, and heartfelt goodbyes.

Additionally, The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special brings audiences inside the cast's final wrap party, capturing the laughter, speeches, memories, and surprises that marked the end of an era. To cap off the evening, fans will get an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming series finale, with the cast and producers sharing what viewers can expect as the Butlers and Johnsons say farewell to the neighborhood they've called home for nearly a decade.

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to New Horizons" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Dave’s silent auction wins lead to a classical concert outing with Gemma and the Butlers that quickly goes off the rails. Meanwhile, Malcolm’s ghostwriting gig takes a surprising turn when Tina encourages him to dive into reality TV for inspiration – sparking an unexpected obsession.

St. Denis Medical - "We Make Time" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a doctor becomes a patient, his co-workers rally around him, whether he likes it or not; Matt and Serena need to talk.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "The Loyalty Swamp" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tobin's past comes back to haunt him; Reggie and Brina struggle to set a wedding date.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)

Monday, April 6

Jason Segel (Shrinking/How I Met Your Mother/Undeclared) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Keanu Reaves (Swedish Dicks) - Keanu is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He also talks about Outcome on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Melissa Gilbert (Stand by Your Man) - ABC's Good Morning America has George Stephanopoulos' exclusive interview with Melissa sometime between 7-9am.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie talks about Big Mistakes on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Kerry chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Mindy Kaling (Running Point/The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy talks about Mindy's Book Studio on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry and Rebecca King-Crews make an exclusive announcement on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. Terry will also be on in the 9am hour.
Sterling K. Brown (Starved) and Ryan Michelle Bathe (First Wives Club/Retired at 35) - Sterling and his wife Ryan Michelle tell Sherri about the highly anticipated new season of Paradise now streaming on Hulu & Disney+ on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda talks season 2 of Your Friends & Neighbors and her new film Fantasy Life on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.