More Upfronts: MyNetworkTV, TNT/TBS; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 23, 2011)

Friday, May 20, 2011

More Upfronts: MyNetworkTV, TNT/TBS; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 23, 2011)

The broadcast upfronts are all done, but we are not forgetting about MyNetworkTV. Their fall schedule will have back-to-back repeats of Law & Order: SVU join the Monday line-up replacing Law & Order: Criminal Intent. On Tuesdays, back-to-back repeats of Cold Case will join the line-up replacing an hour each of game shows Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? and Don't Forget the Lyrics! That will be all the changes, as Wednesday-Friday will remain the same with two episodes each of Burn Notice, Without a Trace and Monk. That's all folks, it's crime all the time on MyNetwork TV.

TNT and TBS had their upfront presentation today in New York and they are making bold moves to bolster their foundations in original programming. The networks are developing extensive new lineups of scripted and unscripted series and making a new push into half-hour comedy in partnership with some of the top talents in the industry, from award-winning actors to acclaimed producers, writers and best-selling authors.
But before we get to that, this year marks the beginning of production of the final season of the blockbuster hit The Closer, starring Emmy(R) winner Kyra Sedgwick. However, TNT confirmed that it has ordered a 10-episode season of Major Crimes, a spin-off series set in the Los Angeles Police Department that promises to become television's next great crime drama. The seventh and final season of The Closer will include 15 episodes in 2011 and six in summer 2012, leading into the launch of Major Crimes, starring Mary McDonnell (Battlestar Galactica). McDonnell has been featured on The Closer as Capt. Raydor, who was often on a collision course with Deputy Police Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, played by Sedgwick.
For TBS, Conan O'Brien is taking his late-night talk show Conan on the road for the first time. O'Brien will set up shop at the Beacon Theater in New York Oct. 31-Nov. 3 to celebrate the first anniversary of his arrival at TBS. The event will mark O'Brien's first stint in New York since he hosted Late Night with Conan O'Brien. In 2012, Conan will hit the road again for a stop in Chicago. TBS has also given the greenlight to The Wedding Band (working title), an hour-long comedy from FremantleMedia and Mike Tollin Productions. TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the series starring Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills, 90210; Desperate Housewives), Harold Perrineau (LOST), Peter Cambor (Notes from the Underbelly), Derek Miller (Secret Girlfriend) and Melora Hardin (The Office). The show, which follows the misadventures of four friends who spend their spare time performing in a band, is slated to premiere in summer 2012.
In 2011-12, TNT is bringing back seven hit series, including basic cable's #1 show, Rizzoli & Isles; The Closer; and recent Peabody Award winner Men of a Certain Age. Also returning are Leverage, HawthoRNe, Memphis Beat and Southland. TNT will launch two new series this summer: Falling Skies, the eagerly anticipated series from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, starring Noah Wyle; and Franklin & Bash, a light-hearted lawyer drama from Sony Pictures Television. For 2012, TNT has ordered Perception from ABC Studios, a series starring Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award(R) winner Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) that centers on a neuroscientist who works to solve complex criminal cases.
Moving on to pilots, both TNT and TBS have ordered many pilots. They have not been ordered to series yet, but there are plenty of options. Among TNT's pilots is drama The Untitled Shaun Cassidy/Kimberly Williams-Paisley Project, about a hot Southern mess of a family that takes in their widowed daughter-in-law and her gifted young son, these vibrant characters all in their own way come to learn that it's not the family you're born into that counts but the family you make. Among TBS's pilots is s single-camera comedy that spoofs cop and detective shows. TBS also have in development a game show revival of Pyramid with host Andy Richter and TNT is developing the TNT Tuesday Night Mystery, with original movies.
View more on the TNT and TBS upfront, including a list of all of the pilots in development. But be aware the pilot list are just pilots and not all of those will make it to series. Stay with us for series pick-ups.

It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars (but we won't cover movie stars like Tom Hanks or John Travolta, since they won't be talking about their past sitcoms likely), so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of May 23-27, 2011, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! So get your DVR's (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Eric drops by The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
Wanda Sykes (The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Watch the funny lady Wanda on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
Queen Latifah (Living Single) - Catch Queen Latifah on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
Ed Helms (The Office) - Ed visits The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings. The Hangover: Part II opens in theaters on May 26.
Chris Rock (Everybody Hates Chris) - Chris stops by The Gayle King Show at 10am on OWN.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Courteney Cox (Cougar Town/Friends) - Catch Courteney on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
Ed Helms (The Office) - Ed will be one of the guests onLate Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
Dick Van Dyke (The Dick Van Dyke Show) - The legendary Mr. Van Dyke visits Tavis Smiley on PBS, so check listings for time.
Topher Grace (That '70s Show) - Topher appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Queen Latifah (Living Single) - Queen Latifah chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Julie Bowen (Modern Family) - Watch the lovely Julie on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom drops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
Tempestt Bledsoe (The Cosby Show) - Tempestt will be a guest on The Mo'nique Show at 11pm on BET.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Watch Jesse Tyler on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
Norm Macdonald (The Norm Show) - Norm drops by the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
Patricia Heaton (The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Patricia visits The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) - Ray stops by The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
Norm Macdonald (The Norm Show) - Norm continues to make the rounds on Lopez Tonight at 12am on TBS.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Betty White (Hot in Cleveland/The Golden Girls/The Mary Tyler Moore Show) - Watch Betty on a repeat from earlier in the month on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show) - Drew visits the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
Tracy Morgan (30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Catch the funnyman Tracy on The Gayle King Show at 10am on OWN.