Thursday, June 09, 2011
NBC To Burn-Off Friends With Benefits; TNT Acquires Castle Reruns for 2012
NBC has finally scheduled its comedy Friends with Benefits. But it is only a burn-off, as they didn't air it during the 2010-11 season, thus it has a 100% chance of not returning, like last summer's 100 Questions. Even more so, it will be airing Saturdays at 8:00pm & 8:30pm starting June 25 and will run though July 30. NBC has 13 episodes in the can, but as of right now 12 will air. If it remains on the schedule, that is. Anyway, there is a sitcom to watch on Saturdays this summer, even though it is a burn-off and will not return beyond these episodes.
From Brian Grazer, Friends With Benefits is a half-hour, single-camera comedy revolving around a group of twenty-something singles as they navigate the difficult, and often confusing, world of dating. Ben Weymouth (Ryan Hansen) is on the hunt for the perfect woman who meets his unique set of standards, while his best friend, Sara Maxwell (Danneel Harris), is just looking for a man to settle down with and raise a family. Ben and Sara have fallen into the habit of turning to each other for moral and physical support as they wait for Mr. and Ms. Right to arrive. Their friend Aaron (Fran Kranz), a romantic at heart, doesn't approve of Ben and Sara's complicated friendship, but he, along with womanizer Hoon (Ian Reed) and straight shooter Riley (Jessica Lucas), are all distracted with their own dating trials and tribulations.
In its latest high-profile acquisition, TNT has secured the exclusive off-network cable rights to the hit series, Castle, from Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Castle, which just completed its third highly rated season on ABC, is a crime drama starring Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Desperate Housewives) and Stana Katic (Quantum of Solace, TNT's The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice).
Castle (seasons 1 & 2) will begin airing on TNT in summer 2012. As part of TNT's TV Everywhere rollout, Castle will also be available for online viewing through mobile phones, tablets, computers and other devices.
TNT's deal for Castle follows on the heels of the network's recent acquisition of Hawaii Five-0, which will join the TNT lineup in 2014. TNT has also landed the popular series The Mentalist, which recently enjoyed a strong opening in its Wednesday 7-9 p.m. timeslot. It is unclear when Castle seasons 3 and beyond will air on TNT. I would assume that would start in Fall 2013.
Look for Castle to land a weekend local syndication deal soon as well and that should start in Fall 2012 or 2013 (and that would be all seasons to date rather than just the first two seasons). Stay tuned
From Brian Grazer, Friends With Benefits is a half-hour, single-camera comedy revolving around a group of twenty-something singles as they navigate the difficult, and often confusing, world of dating. Ben Weymouth (Ryan Hansen) is on the hunt for the perfect woman who meets his unique set of standards, while his best friend, Sara Maxwell (Danneel Harris), is just looking for a man to settle down with and raise a family. Ben and Sara have fallen into the habit of turning to each other for moral and physical support as they wait for Mr. and Ms. Right to arrive. Their friend Aaron (Fran Kranz), a romantic at heart, doesn't approve of Ben and Sara's complicated friendship, but he, along with womanizer Hoon (Ian Reed) and straight shooter Riley (Jessica Lucas), are all distracted with their own dating trials and tribulations.
In its latest high-profile acquisition, TNT has secured the exclusive off-network cable rights to the hit series, Castle, from Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Castle, which just completed its third highly rated season on ABC, is a crime drama starring Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Desperate Housewives) and Stana Katic (Quantum of Solace, TNT's The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice).
Castle (seasons 1 & 2) will begin airing on TNT in summer 2012. As part of TNT's TV Everywhere rollout, Castle will also be available for online viewing through mobile phones, tablets, computers and other devices.
TNT's deal for Castle follows on the heels of the network's recent acquisition of Hawaii Five-0, which will join the TNT lineup in 2014. TNT has also landed the popular series The Mentalist, which recently enjoyed a strong opening in its Wednesday 7-9 p.m. timeslot. It is unclear when Castle seasons 3 and beyond will air on TNT. I would assume that would start in Fall 2013.
Look for Castle to land a weekend local syndication deal soon as well and that should start in Fall 2012 or 2013 (and that would be all seasons to date rather than just the first two seasons). Stay tuned
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Monday, July 22
In The Cut - "The Honeymooners" (Bounce TV, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Jay, Smitty and Kenny try to win back their valuables after losing in a poker game; Kenny has to adjust to Angelique's newfound fame when she becomes an internet celebrity.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 22)
Monday, July 22
- David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!) - Watch David on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC. He also talks about Lights Out with David Spade on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Jeff Foxworthy (The Jeff Foxworthy Show) - Jeff visits The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC. He also talks about Bring the Funny on NBC's Today in the 10am hour, on People Now at 4:30pm and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Fred Savage (What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage/Friends from College/The Grinder/Working/The Wonder Years) - Fred stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Paul Scheer (Black Monday/Fresh Off the Boat/The League) - Paul appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Sanaa Lathan (Family Guy/The Cleveland Show/LateLine) - Sanaa is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/Welcome to New York) - Jim appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Louie Anderson (Baskets/The Louie Show/Life with Louie) - Louie talks about Baskets on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Jesse is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette appears on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
- Bella Thorne (Shake It Up) - Bella will be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Jodie Sweetin (Fuller House/Full House) - Jodie talks about her new parenting podcast Never Thought I'd Say This on Access Live (check your local listings) and on E!'s Daily Pop at 12pm.
- Boris Kodjoe (The Last Man on Earth/Second Time Around) - Boris shares his workout regime on Access Live, so check your local listings.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (May/June/July)
05/07 - Baskets - The Complete Season Three
05/13 - I'm Dying Up Here - Season 2
05/13 - My Three Sons - The Third Season - Volume One
05/13 - My Three Sons - The Third Season - Volume Two
05/14 - The Donna Reed Show - Seasons 1-5
05/14 - Petticoat Junction - Seasons 1-3
05/28 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Seventh and Eighth Seasons
(WBShop.com)
05/28 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Second Season (Blu-ray)
06/04 - The Brady Bunch - 50th Anniversary The Brady-est Brady Bunch TV & Movie Collection
06/18 - Will & Grace (The Revival) - Season Two (Blu-ray)
07/09 - Broad City - Season 5
07/09 - Broad City - The Complete Series
07/17 - The Practice (1976) - The Complete Series
07/30 - The Good Place - The Complete Third Season
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