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

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

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.

Complete TV Listings

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.