Thursday, September 22, 2011

MeTV Network Fall 2011 Schedule; Remembering Writer and Producer Jeffrey Hodes

It's time for another fall schedule! MeTV Network adds classic programming from NBCUniversal Television Distribution to the fall schedule and network library, joining acquisitions from Twentieth Television, CBS Television Distribution, and independent producers and distributors. MeTV continues to define classic television with key acquisitions from the NBCUniversal library including three iconic detective series: The Rockford Files, Kojak and Columbo. Many of these NBCUniversal series will begin airing on MeTV as early as Monday, September 26, 2011 when the network's fall schedule launches, while others will premiere over the next several years, helping to insure a long-term variety on the MeTV schedule. Additional fall premieres include the original Star Trek and Batman series, Bosom Buddies, Cheers, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Rogues, Lost in Space, The Fugitive, Route 66, Naked City, Peter Gunn, and Love American Style. In addition, favorites Daniel Boone and The Rifleman have been acquired through the Peter Rodgers Organization and the original Laurel & Hardy shorts and features have been acquired through RHI Entertainment Distribution; both titles will premiere this fall on Me-TV.

With the new additions, some series will be leaving the schedule. The series leaving are Streets of San Francisco, The Honeymooners, and Stagecoach West. Breaking down the schedule, we will start with weekdays. Comedies air from 5am-9am including Gomer Pyle, Family Affair & My Three Sons, leading into dramas and westerns from 9am-7pm, which include the new evening block of Kojak at 4pm, The Rockford Files at 5pm, and The Rifleman at 6pm. Sitcoms take over from 7pm-11pm, which remain the same except the 10pm hour now has Cheers and Taxi. More dramas will air from 11pm-5am and will remain as it is now, with programs such as The Twilight Zone. Moving on to Saturdays, westerns start it off from 5am-8am, then a mandatory E/I series break from 8am-11am, before the westerns return from 11am-7pm, as The Rifleman joins the western line-up at 6pm. The Saturday night sitcom line-up, which was the same as weekdays, will now be removed for an adventure themed night with Batman, Lost in Space and Star Trek from 7pm-10pm. Svengoolie remains at 10pm, leading into new addition Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea at 12 midnight. Saturday nights are closed out by sitcoms from 1am-4am, like Get Smart. At 4am, rarely seen series The Rogues will air. And finally on Sundays, comedy takes over for westerns from 5am-8am with series like The Phil Silvers Show and Laurel & Hardy. Then it is the mandatory E/I series break from 8am-11am, leading into The Brady Bunch Brunch from 11am-1pm, which will remain. Sitcoms continue from 1pm-5pm with series like Happy Days and new addition Bosom Buddies. Me-TV still loves Lucy, but now I Love Lucy is 5-7pm instead of 4-7pm. M*A*S*H remains at 7, but then a new Sunday primetime replaces sitcoms with the addition of Columbo from 8-10pm and Thriller at 11pm. Comedies are no longer airing from 11pm-2am on Sunday nights either, as dramas like The Fugitive will air. New addition Route 66 will air at 3am.

In addition, MeTV viewers will find Leave it to Beaver, Dragnet, Adam-12, Boris Karloff's Thriller, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Wagon Train, (both the original 60 minute and 90 minute versions) enhancing the MeTV schedule over the course of the next few years. Also to air on the network will be 1970's favorite Emergency! as well as Raymond Burr's other series, Ironside. As we know, competing digital network Antenna TV will add Leave it to Beaver, Dragnet, Adam-12 and Hitchcock this October, but MeTV will not get the rights to these series until a few more years. We will have more on those series when they are scheduled!
For now, view the MeTV Fall 2011 schedule and discuss the schedule!

Finally, we have some sad news to report. Comedy writer and producer Jeffrey Hodes has died. He died suddenly from cancer-treatment related complications on September 14. Hodes had cancer but was in remission and was getting ready for a bone marrow transplant when he developed breathing problems. An MRI showed blood in his brain. After a day in intensive care, he was taken off life support. Mr. Hodes was in his 40s.

Hodes and his wife and writing partner, Nastaran Dibai, worked together on a number of sitcoms over the years. Their writing credits included Flesh 'n' Blood, Living Single, The Preston Episodes, The Nanny, Jesse, 3rd Rock from the Sun, According to Jim, Hope & Faith, Rita Rocks and the first season finale of Happily Divorced. They served as producers on Living Single, The Nanny, Jesse, 3rd Rock from the Sun, According to Jim and Happily Divorced. The pair helped develop a comedy project for ABC last year with Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos. Mr. Hodes is survived by his wife and their young daughter. He will be missed.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, August 29

Happy's Place - "The Doctor Is Out" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Bobbie praises Steve's progress with his OCD, he decides he's finally ready to quit therapy; Gabby embarks on a side hustle enlisting ambassadors to sell bracelets for a third party.

Happy's Place - "Alarm Bells" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Isabella requests Emmett's help getting a security system installed, Bobbie claims she can protect her sister better than any alarm or man, leading to Bobbie and Emmett having a competition over who's the better protector.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 25)

Friday, August 29

  • Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Timothy Olyphant (Stick/Santa Clarita Diet) - Watch Timothy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Austin Butler (Ruby & the Rockits/Zoey 101/Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide) - Austin is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Jenna Ortega (Stuck in the Middle/Richie Rich) - Jenna appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Clifton Davis (Amen/That's My Mama) - Clifton makes a special appearance on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World) - Co-host Gayle King sits down with Sabrina on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Danielle Pinnock (Ghosts/Young Sheldon) - Danielle talks about Ghosts on a repeat on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • David Zayas (The Bear) - David talks about The Bear and Paramount+'s Dexter: Resurrection on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
  • Regina King (The Boondocks/Leap of Faith/227) - Regina talks about Caught Stealing on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Kel Mitchell (Game Shakers/Kenan & Kel) - NBC's Today catches up with Kel in the 9am hour. He will also be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

08/28 - NBC's Password Renewed for Season 3 for 2026; Pluto TV Streaming CBS Shows Ahead of Fall Season
08/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Renewed for Season 2 with Fred Armisen; HBO's I Love LA Premieres November 2
08/26 - English Teacher Returns on FX for Season 2; Jesse Williams Prime Video Series Trailer
08/25 - Doc Season 2 Trailer for Fox; Remembering David Ketchum and Jerry Adler
08/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 25, 2025)
08/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Home Improvement Cast Members to Reunite on Shifting Gears; The Paper to Have Binge Drop
08/22 - Hulu's Futurama Season 13 Trailer; A Man on the Inside Returns November 20 on Netflix
08/21 - George Lopez Coming to COZI TV; The Morning Show Season 4 Trailer
08/20 - Welcome Back, Kotter 50th Anniversary Marathon on Rewind TV; Apple TV+ Palm Royale Season 2 Premieres November 12
08/19 - Antenna TV's Archie Bunker's Place Labor Day Marathon; Larry the Cable Guy Prime Video Special
08/18 - Nobody Wants This Season 2 Premieres October 23; HGTV and Retta Continue Partnership
08/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 18, 2025)
08/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Plans Retool of Cable Networks; King of the Hill Revival Scores Big Ratings
08/15 - Catchy Comedy Acquires Hot in Cleveland; Netflix's Animated Comedy Strip Law Premieres in 2026
08/14 - Dan Levy's Netflix Comedy Series Cast; Betty la Fea: La Historia ContinĂșa Season 2 Premieres Friday
08/13 - Remembering Danielle Spencer of What's Happening!!; Trailer for Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building
08/12 - Netflix's Comedy Kiss or Die Premieres September 9; Lori Harvey Joins Reasonable Doubt
08/11 - Roku Originals Books a Return Trip with Season 2 Renewal of Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross; Netflix's Fixed Trailer
08/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 11, 2025)
08/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for The Paper; ABC Gives Pilot Order to Do You Want Kids?
08/08 - Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 Premieres September 12; The Paper Trailer for Peacock
08/07 - Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 4 Celebs; Sweetpea Season 2 Stars
08/06 - Molly Shannon Joins Will Ferrell Golf Comedy Series; Netflix's Season 2 of My Life with the Walter Boys
08/05 - Disney+ Musical Comedy Electric Bloom Premieres; NBC Renews American Ninja Warrior for Season 18
08/04 - Remembering Loni Anderson of WKRP in Cincinnati; And Just Like That... to End After 3 Seasons
08/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 4, 2025)
08/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy Specials Coming to Hulu; Jimmy Kimmel Rooting for Emmy for Stephen Colbert
08/01 - Long Story Short Gets Season 2 Ahead of Premiere; Netflix's Wayward Premieres September 25
07/31 - Solar Opposites Final Season on Hulu; Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical
07/30 - FETV Acquires The Jeffersons, Uncut; BET+ Comedy Churchy Returns August 21, BET Greenlights Sketch Comedy Series
07/29 - NBC Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; Fox Fall 2025 Premiere Dates
07/28 - Events Planned for The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary; Family Guy Holiday Specials Return to Hulu