SitcomsOnline.com News Blog: October 2011

Monday, October 31, 2011

New Charlie Sheen Sitcom Coming To FX in Summer 2012; Chelsea Kane Joins ABC Family Sitcom Pilot

Happy Halloween! This could be scary for some, but former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen will return to television, as we know... but now we have the full details! Starting in summer 2012, FX has acquired the new Sheen sitcom Anger Management, a new sitcom loosely based on Revolution Studios' 2003 hit comedy feature film of the same name. FX has ordered 10 episodes of Anger Management from Lionsgate-owned distributor Debmar-Mercury, led by Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein. Production on the sitcom will begin in early 2012 with comedy veteran writer-producer Bruce Helford (George Lopez, The Drew Carey Show) as executive producer and showrunner. It will be produced by Lionsgate Television, led by Television Group President Kevin Beggs and COO Sandra Stern; Joe Roth and Revolution Studios' Vince Totino; Sheen manager Mark Burg's production company, Evolution Management; and Ramon Estevez and Estevez Sheen Productions.

In success, FX will pick up an additional 90 episodes under a unique syndication model crafted by Debmar-Mercury for multiple Tyler Perry sitcoms and Revolution's and Ice Cube's Are We There Yet? The series will air exclusively on FX until the off-network episodes start airing in broadcast syndication in fall 2014 -- only two years after its debut, since it will have 100 episodes by then. Sheen will retain a significant ownership stake in the series inspired by the film, in which an anger management therapist, who may need more counseling than his patients, wreaks havoc on the lives of his patients through his unconventional methods.
FX already airs repeats of his former sitcom Two and a Half Men everyday and they do great ratings. We will have more on this for sure as we get closer to summer 2012, such as a premiere date and what day/time it will air. So come on back!

ABC Family has cast rising star Chelsea Kane (Dancing with the Stars Season 12) on a new sitcom pilot. She is probably best known for being a finalist on ABC's Dancing with the Stars and who stars in Disney Channel's Jonas as Stella and in the upcoming ABC Family movie musical, Elixir (working title), has been cast as Penny in the new half-hour comedy pilot, Baby Daddy. Kane joins previously announced cast including Derek Theler and Cameron Deane Stewart. This sitcom pilot, a half-hour comedy from executive producer Dan Berendsen, is about Ben (Stewart) who, in his 20s, becomes a surprise dad to a baby girl when she's left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. Ben decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother, his brother, Danny (Theler), his best buddy and his close female friend, Penny (Kane), who is harboring a secret crush on him. Baby Daddy is a multi-camera comedy and is scheduled to shoot in front of a live audience in December in Los Angeles.

If the series is picked-up to series, it could be a possible companion to ABC Family's popular original sitcom Melissa & Joey. ABC Family has not found a good pairing with that sitcom yet, as State of Georgia (starring Raven Symone) was recently canceled by ABC Family due to low ratings, which is a bummer since it was decent. ABC Family also has another sitcom pilot that is in contention titled Village People, a multi-camera half-hour pilot centering on a single, high-powered career woman who adopts a baby from a teen mother -- whom she ends up caring for as well. We hope both make it to series but are hoping more for Baby Daddy so we can see Chelsea Kane blossom into a big star. Stay with us for further updates!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Week 6 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

2011-12 Week 6 TV Ratings (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

Households: 1. CBS 7.7 rating/12.0 share; 2. Fox 7.6/11.9; 3. ABC 7.0/10.8; 4. NBC 2.7/4.2; 5. The CW 1.2/1.8
Total Viewers: 1. Fox 12.72 million; 2. CBS 12.53 million; 3. ABC 10.8 million; 4. NBC 4.07 million; 5. The CW 1.78 million.
Adults 18-49: 1. Fox 3.9 rating/10.4 share; 2. CBS 3.3/8.8; 3. ABC 2.8/7.5; 4. NBC 1.4/3.6; 5. The CW 0.7/2.0

Week 6 (Oct. 24-30) Analysis: The World Series has lifted Fox to the lead in viewers and 18-49 through the first four nights. ABC launched Once Upon a Time last Sunday and had the highest rated new drama premiere of the season and episode two is on tonight. But through the first four nights this week, CBS has edged Fox for first in HH, but Fox has the edge in total viewers. In 18-49, Fox has a bigger lead over CBS. ABC is a competitive third across the board, while NBC still way behind in fourth, as some repeats were mixed in (including the terrible move by airing Prime Suspect repeats Mon-Wed at 10). I expect CBS and Fox to battle or HH/viewers but Fox should have enough to take 18-49, even with an NFL overrun tonight on CBS. ABC and NBC will be certain for third and fourth. As for last week, week 5, Fox was first over second place CBS thanks to World Series action and the NFL overrun on Sunday night. CBS was in second place across, the board, with ABC right behind. NBC was fourth across the board even with an NFL Sunday night game, but that game was terrible and a blowout.

Monday had CBS on top again in 18-49, but Fox was right behind them with the World Series. Starting with ABC, Dancing with the Stars won the total viewer race with 17.17 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, both off some from previous week. A new Castle at 10pm was first place with 10.81 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, also off some from previous week. Look for the hostage episode tomorrow night that should do well. For CBS, How I Met Your Mother started it off with 9.79 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. 2 Broke Girls followed with 11.19 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, also up a tenth from previous week. Very consistent. At 9pm, a new Two and a Half Men, with new star Ashton Kutcher, did 15.29 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, up some from previous week for the first time this season. A new Mike & Molly followed the huge lead-in and did 12.16 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, up from the previous week. An all-new Hawaii Five-0 was next doing 10.7 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. Fox preempted Terra Nova and House for Game 5 of the World Series doing 14.32 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, but in primetime it did 13.54 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating. NBC followed with another two-hour The Sing-Off doing only 4.18 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. What a dud. At 10pm, NBC aired a repeat of Prime Suspect again and it did an embarrassing 2.43 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Rock Center with Brian Williams launches tomorrow night, but I don't think it will be big at all. The CW had a new Gossip Girl doing just 1.36 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. At 9pm, Hart of Dixie did 2.01 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, up a good number from previous week.

On Tuesday, Fox was on top in 18-49, with CBS winning total viewers. CBS had the quiet leader NCIS opening the night off with 19.43 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Then spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 15.89 million and 3.7 18-49 rating, up from previous week. And a new Unforgettable did 11.25 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Looks 2.5 is its normal showing, not bad for 10pm on Tuesdays. ABC was next with new comedy Last Man Standing with Tim Allen leading the night off doing 9.88 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, only off some from previous week. Loved the Halloween episode. Week two of Man Up! was next and it went down to 6.78 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down a million from previous week. Could have been much worse, but they need to go up this week to have a chance of staying on the schedule. Then Dancing with the Stars: The Results followed at 9pm with 14.1 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, on par with previous week with X Factor airing on a special night again, as we said goodbye to Chaz Bono. Look for Justin Bieber on this Tuesday's episode and that will spice up the ratings. An all-new Body of Proof followed and did a decent 9.43 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, on par week-to-week, but wish the 18-49 was a bit higher. Fox preempted Glee and comedies New Girl & Raising Hope for The X Factor on a special night again doing 12.09 million and a 4.4 18-49 rating for a special extended episode from 8-10:30pm. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser doing 5.51 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up some from the previous week, as it was down each week the past few weeks. At 10pm, Parenthood was preempted for a repeat of Prime Suspect and did just 2.84 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating. The CW preempted 90210 for a repeat of Ringer that did 961,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating, then another repeat of the Sarah Michelle Gellar drama did 840,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating. Looks like this new series isn't repeating well.

Wednesday it was ABC with the win and Fox's Game 6 of the World Series was rained out. CBS started the night off on top with Survivor: South Pacific at 11.79 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, up from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds was a repeat and did 11.26 million and a solid 2.8 18-49 rating, good repeat numbers. At 10pm, CSI was a repeat too and did 9.06 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. ABC started off with its Laugh On comedy block with The Middle doing 10.16 million and a great 3.2 18-49 rating, for series highs! The new sitcom Suburgatory followed with a great 9.73 million and a series best 3.4 18-49 rating, up from previous week again. This series is red-hot, no pun intended on the red! Let's get Amy Davidson to guest star or recur--help us out with that! At 9pm, the mega hit Modern Family was a REPEAT and it still did 11.31 million and a huge 4.5 18-49 rating. The 4.5 is by far the highest rated repeat in a long time! A new Happy Endings was next with 8.33 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, up from the previous week and series highs even with the lead-in as a repeat! Great sign for this comedy that keeps getting buzz every week! At 10pm week six (already?!) of my favorite fall series Revenge did a solid 8.72 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, its best ratings since the premiere, as I predicted last week. We hear episode seven this week will be HUGE, so make sure to tune in for this vital episode. Fox preempted The X Factor for MLB World Series Game #6, BUT it was rained out! So Fox went with repeats of Glee instead, as the first hour did only 2.45 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, followed by the second hour doing 2.25 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating.I know it was a last minute scheduling and a repeat, but this show has lost buzz and its audience it seems. NBC opened the night with a repeat of Up All Night at 3.48 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating. At 8:30pm, a repeat of Whitney did 3.8 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week. At 9pm, Harry's Law was a repeat and still did nothing, doing just a 0.8 18-49 rating and 4.47 million viewers. At 10pm, Law & Order: SVU was preempted for the Prime Suspect repeat stunt at 10pm doing 3.51 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating for last place. The CW had a repeat of Ringer leading the night off with 1.23 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. The declining fast America's Next Top Model was next at 9pm with 2.27 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, but up some from previous week.

Thursday it was Fox with the win again with the World Series. But first, ABC opened the night with Charlie's Angels preempted for the classic special It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown doing 7.44 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, for the best 18-49 showing all season in this time period for ABC! At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy followed with 9.93 million and a 3.7 A18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Great episode! Still near the top among scripted dramas. At 10pm, Private Practice, with Benjamin Bratt, did 6.4 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. CBS opened with The Big Bang Theory at 14.54 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating, down from previous week's season high for 8pm. Then, week two of Rules of Engagement was next doing 10.62 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Still solid. A new Person of Interest followed with 11.62 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week in 18-49. A new episode of The Mentalist followed and did 12.42 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. A 2.5 is now the leader on Thursdays at 10pm? Fox preempted The X Factor for MLB World Series Game #6 doing 21.06 million and a 6.5 18-49 rating overall through 12:43am ET. But in Primetime it did 19.32 million and a 5.6 18-49 rating. NBC was in the familiar fourth place with the should-be-not leading-off Community getting slaughtered with 3.42 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating only, followed by Parks and Recreation at only 3.87 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. Not good. At 9pm The Office jumped to 5.53 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, but this was an all-time low for it on Thursdays. A new episode of Whitney closed the comedy block with only 4.19 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, but it wasn't down as much as the other sitcoms. NBC has another drama bust with a new Prime Suspect closed the night with only 4.03 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating. The three-episode repeat stunt this week did not help. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries did 3.28 million, and a 1.5 18-49 rating, up from previous week and is heating up! The new The Secret Circle was next at 2.31 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week, could be better.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but Fox easily won with Game 7 of the World Series. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition for ABC was down, CBS aired repeats and NBC had the season premiere of Chuck with terrible ratings and OK numbers for the premiere of Grimm. The latter will be hurt next week when similar skewed series Fringe airs opposite it.
Saturday numbers it was all ABC with the triple overtime game between Stanford and USC in Saturday Night Football, with Fox's two-hour America's Most Wanted special doing OK.

Tonight ABC Sunday is all-new (but AFV is preempted for series premiere encore of Once Upon a Time, Desperate Housewives, and Pan Am). Once opened big for ABC and episode two after an encore of the premiere tonight will help it even more. Look for good numbers again. NBC will win the night with the NFL as Cowboys and Eagles will draw. CBS has its normal line-up of 60 Minutes, Amazing Race, The Good Wife and CSI: Miami, with delays expected as they have the national NFL game from 4:15pm-7:15pm or so. Fox has the animated comedies finally, as they launch a new one in Allen Gregory starring the voice of Jonah Hill.

As for the week (week 6), Fox should win in HH/viewers and for sure in 18-49. A strong game 6 and 7 of the World Series is the reason why. CBS will be second, with ABC in third in all categories, leaving NBC back in fourth even with a big NFL game tonight. Allen Gregory on Fox should premiere decently, but nothing major. Maybe Bob's Burgers style. As for the coming week (week 7), we have the first full week of November sweeps. ABC has its premiere of Scared Shrekless tomorrow night (Halloween night) at 7:58pm, leading into Dancing Halloween episode at a special time. It's a good move, as most trick-or-treaters or partiers should be home by 8 or 8:30 on a school/work night.

Week 6 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 5 -- Oct. 17-23)

The Simpsons (Fox) - preempted.
The Cleveland Show (Fox) - preempted.
Family Guy (Fox) - preempted.
American Dad! (Fox) - preempted.

Monday Sitcoms

How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - An all-new episode did 9.79 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating, up some from previous week in 18-49. Not sure what made this season re-surge, it'll be interesting to see if it lasts all season.
2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A new airing did 11.19 million a 4.5 18-49 rating, also up some from the previous week in 18-49. It's doing as well as CBS could have thought, I think.
Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 15.29 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating is excellent and for the first time this season it didn't drop from previous week. Has it stabilized?
Mike & Molly (CBS) - With the strong lead-in, a new episode did 12.16 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, up from previous week.

Tuesday Sitcoms

Last Man Standing (ABC) - An all-new episode in the 8pm half-hour did 9.88 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, off some from previous week but still very solid. Look for a back nine pick-up this week maybe?
Man Up! (ABC) - Week two of this comedy did 6.78 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down a million from the premiere. Could have been worse, but needs to do better. No more drops.
New Girl (Fox) - preempted, will air next this Tuesday.
Raising Hope (Fox) - preempted, will air next this Tuesday.

Wednesday Sitcoms

The Middle (ABC) - A new episode did 10.16 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating for series highs. Great showing as the Halloween episode delivered! This is a classic family comedy.
Suburgatory (ABC) - A new episode did a very good 9.73 million and a series high 3.4 18-49 rating, building from its lead-in again and up from the previous week! Jane Levy is such a star!
Up All Night (NBC) - A repeat did 3.48 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, as it doesn't seem to repeat all that well.
Whitney (NBC) - A repeat did 3.8 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, down some from the previous week. This is its last Wednesday repeat airing, thank god.
Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did 11.31 million and a 4.5 18-49 rating, yes a REPEAT did that high! Wow. Best 18-49 rating for a repeat, scripted or unscripted, in years.
Happy Endings (ABC) - A new episode did 8.33 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, for series highs again. This is by far its best showing ever as it did this with a repeat lead-in. Wow and what a funny Halloween episode!

Thursday Sitcoms

The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A new episode did 14.54 million and a 4.6 18-49 rating, down a half a point from previous week. World Series probably affected it a bit.
Rules of Engagement (CBS) - The second episode this season did 10.62 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating. Solid numbers, but down some week-to-week.
Community (NBC) - A new episode did just 3.42 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating. When is this not going to lead-off anymore?
Parks and Recreation (NBC) - A new showing of this show did 3.87 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, likewise for this series, as it should never be in the 8pm hour. It doesn't fit the hour.
The Office (NBC) - A new episode did 5.53 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, for the best of the block like usual, but this is way lower than usual and its lowest ratings ever on a Thursday.
Whitney (NBC) - A new episode did 4.19 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. Why this show was picked-up for a full season is beyond me, but it was down the least this week among the four NBC comedies. That's the only positive.

Friday Sitcoms

None.

Saturday Sitcoms

How I Met Your Mother (CBS) 2 airings - A repeat on Saturday did a prelim 2.24 million and a prelim 0. 718-49 rating, lower than previous week's Men repeat. A second airing did no better at 8:30pm with a prelim 1.87 million and a prelim 0.6 18-49 rating. They should stick with better repeating comedies like Bang or Men.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are Fox's animated comedies from 8-10pm, with repeats 7-8pm. Look for the series debut of Allen Gregory at 8:30pm.

Summing it up. Modern Family, Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, How I Met Your Mother, Mike & Molly, Last Man Standing, Suburgatory, The Middle, Happy Endings, Rules of Engagement were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Office, Whitney ) or just plain old terrible (such as Community, Parks & Recreation).

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Digital Digest: Another Session of Night Court Available on DVD Now; Pawn Stars - Volume Three DVD Review

Happy Halloween, and welcome to Digital Digest! In this crazy, creepy, and (for some) snowy weekend, we're back for more news and a review of Pawn Stars - Volume Three. Also, we have our third (and final) Halloween themed Click of the Week. Let's get rolling!

DIGITAL NEWS

The big surprise of the week comes from Warner Archive, which has (out of seemingly nowhere!) released Night Court - The Complete Fifth Season as one of their manufacture-on-demand products. The release literally came out of nowhere, but it is great to see the series continue on DVD!

The story seems to have been dragging on forever for the fate of the series I'm Dickens, He's Fenster on DVD, but it appears that once and for all, a release date for the first volume of the series has been set, and it is going to be a great release that was worth the wait. Volume 1, containing the first sixteen episodes, is now available to pre-order (it will be shipped on or around December 6) at dickensandfensterdvd.com, but a wider retail release is coming on April 10. The set has a very lengthy list of special features, which are too lengthy to list here, but we'll direct you to this information found on TVShowsOnDVD.com so that you can see it all.

Mill Creek has recently taken up the DVD distribution rights to the series That '70s Show, but apparently, it isn't limited to just DVD! Coming January 10 from Mill Creek is a Blu-ray edition of That '70s Show - The Complete First Season. It is pretty rare to see any sitcom, particularly one from over a decade ago, make it to the Blu-ray format, so this is pretty exciting. We hope to have a review of this set once it is available.

In non-DVD news, The CW has another new deal with an online streaming video provider, following up on their recent deal with Netflix. The latest deal is a five-year licensing agreement with Hulu. The terms of this deal seem to focus on the most recent episodes of series airing on the network, with the episodes being available for up to five weeks after they originally air on the network.

UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (November 1) doesn't bring much to DVD, but we do have the Amazon.com MOD exclusive release of Mr. Sunshine - The Complete Series. We hope to have a review of this set soon.

BLOG DVD REVIEW

DVD Review: Pawn Stars - Volume Three (A&E Home Video/History, $24.95)
by Todd Fuller

The history of money-lending dates back thousands of years. Long before the History hit series Pawn Stars, pawnbrokers helped people make ends meet by providing loans in exchange for personal items of value. There is no better example of today's pawnbrokers than the Harrison family's Gold and Silver Pawn shop on the outskirts of Las Vegas--the modern day Mecca for people in need of quick cash. Three generations of Harrison men clash with friendly camaraderie over items from classic cars to samurai swords. Here, everything has a history, and everything has a price. And you never know what's going to walk through the door. In this collection, the boys haggle over a penny made by Paul Revere, battle plans for Iwo Jima, a 1939 Allied Forces World War II plane and a human shrunken head.

The 2-disc set contains episodes 1-16 from the third season (2010). It comes in an Amaray movie-style case, just like the first two releases. Rick, Chumlee, Corey (Big Hoss) and The Old Man (Richard) are featured on the front, with some hotel lights in the background. Another photo of the four cast members standing in front of a car and some marquee signs is found on the back of the case. A synopsis of the set, episode titles and the DVD specs are listed on the back of the case. The Pawn Stars logo is on the spine of the case. Inside the case, there is just blank space. An episode guide would have been nice to have for reference. The discs have the same photo of the big four that is used on the back of the case. They have the show logo at the top. The episode titles are listed vertically in white text on the right side.

The main menu opens with a montage of video clips that are used in the opening credits. Some instrumental music is played for about 20-25 seconds. A static photo of Rick, Chumlee and Corey is used on the main menu. There are options for Play All and Episodes in a tag. When you select Episodes, it takes you to another that has a guitar and money in the background. The episode you highlight is in teal that turns gray upon your selection. Chapters are placed at the appropriate places.

As you might expect from such a recent show, the video and audio quality is excellent. They are presented in 1:33.1 format. The total running time of the 2 discs is approximately 5 hours, 52 minutes. All of the episodes appear to be unedited, with running times of 20-21 minutes. If you want high definition episodes, Season 4 can be found on iTunes or Amazon.com . The audio is a Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track. Closed captioning is available on the episodes.

The episodes are in their original half-hour format. Episode summaries and airdates are courtesy of the Pawn Stars Official Site. Here is the episode breakdown by disc, including the original airdates and runtimes:

Disc 1

Trail Breaker (06/07/10) (21:27) - The Pawn Stars look to buy an American off-roading motorcycle classic--a 1967 Rokon Trailbreaker--but will this deal get stuck in the mud? Then, Rick is hesitant when a man brings in a rare mint condition 1715 Escudo Spanish Gold Coin. Will it be a fool's fake or worth mucho dinero? And later, the Old Man has a chance to buy a memorabilia collection from boxing superstar Muhammad Ali. Will he come out swinging for the KO or throw in the towel?

Top Secret (06/07/10) (21:23) - The Pawn Stars look to purchase top-secret maps and battle plans for Iwo Jima. Will the gang storm the beach for this strategic piece of World War II history or will they be out-gunned and forced to retreat? Then the Old Man and Chumlee look to buy a 1967 Ford F-100 truck. Will they fire up all cylinders and hit the deal full throttle or will it run out of gas? And later, Corey and Chumlee have a chance to buy an 1860's ore cart from the mines of Goldfield, Nevada. Will they strike it rich or fall off the tracks?

Whale of a Time (06/14/10) (21:21) - The Pawn Stars are presented with an engraved whale's tooth believed to be authentic 1800's scrimshaw. Can the gang make a whale of an offer or will it be a fluke? Then, the Old Man sets his sights on a pair of mysterious Civil War era rifles. Will he take aim and hit the mark or end up dodging a bullet? And later, a man brings in a pristine edition of Playboy's very first issue--featuring Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe. Will Rick sneak a peek or just read the articles?

Gold Diggers (06/14/10) (21:26) - The Pawn Stars have an opportunity to buy a huge gold bar believed to be from a 1500s shipwreck. Will the gang dig in and strike it rich or will they end up on a fool's errand? Then Rick has a chance to shoot for the moon with a celestial navigation dome from a World War II B29 bomber. Will his offer take flight or come crashing down? And later, a woman brings a mint condition collection of golden era American League baseball field passes. Can Rick hit the deal out of the ballpark, or will he strike out looking?

Aw Shucks! (06/21/10) (21:23) - The Pawn Stars meet a man hoping to sell a mysterious coin from the 1800's believed to be from George Washington's funeral. Will this piece be linked to one of our most revered Presidents or will it get stamped with a Presidential veto? Then the boys head out to the farm to see an early 1900s hand-crank corn shucker. Can they count the kernels and make a deal or will this husk prove too thick? And later Rick has a chance to buy an antique gaming wheel commonly used in speakeasies. Can he turn a profit, or will this deal spin out of control?

Deals From Hell (06/21/10) (21:22) - The Pawn Stars meet a man hoping to sell a several hundred-year old edition of one of the world's most hellish books--"Dante's Inferno." Will they pass through the gates of hell for this evil epic or will they be tricked by the devil? Then Rick is presented with an antique serpent shaped sword from the Philippines. Can he hold on to the twisted steal weapon or will this deal slither out of his grip? And later Corey has a chance to purchase photo rights to the late great King of Pop: Michael Jackson. Can he make a "Thriller" of a deal or will he moonwalk straight out of the negotiation.

Chumlee's Dummies (06/28/10) (21:27) - The sky is the limit for the Pawn Stars as they consider buying a 1939 Allied Forces World War II plane. Will the gang soar to new heights and make the deal or will it stall out and take a nose dive? Then the Old Man has a chance to buy a munitions receipt from the War of 1812, signed by future President Andrew Jackson. Will this correspondence from the Commander in Chief be reimbursed for cold hard cash or is this historic invoice a cheap imitation? And later, a man saunters in with a pair of life-size western cowboy mannequins. Will Chumlee boss around a couple of new companions or will these hombres pack up and hit the trail?

Strike, Spare, BOOM (06/28/10) (21:05) - The Pawn Stars are blown away when they meet a guy selling his homemade mortar that fires a very unique brand of ammunition--bowling balls. Will the gang line up their aim and strike a deal or will a misfire send the deal into the gutter? Then Rick is handed an extremely rare World War II gas mask believed to have been designed for baby. Will Rick try to buy this unusual artifact, or will he throw the baby out with the bathwater? And later, the Old Man has a chance to buy an original unused ticket to the 1965 classic bout between Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson. Will the Pawn Stars go the distance for this piece of boxing memorabilia or will a surprise uppercut sting like a bee?

Disc 2

Message in a Bottle (07/05/10) (21:12) - The Pawn Stars are presented with a mysterious whisky flask from the Civil War era believed to have come from a Confederate spy. Can they crack the code and make the deal or will this flask's secret compartment leave them all thirsting for answers? Then Chumlee and the Old Man meet a man hoping to sell his rare 19th Century English dueling pistols. Will the Old Man be cordial and make an honorable deal or will he be asked to step outside? And later, Corey has a chance to buy a piece of Rock-n-Roll history -- the original contract for The Who to play Woodstock. Can he afford to win this battle of the bands?

Rough Riders (07/05/10) (21:18) - The Pawn Stars have an opportunity to buy an 1875 Remington pistol so rare that only four are believed to exist in the World. Presented to a member of Theodore Roosevelt's legendary Rough Riders, will the gang pony up the cash for this exclusive antique or will they suddenly find themselves in rough territory? Then Rick and the Old Man meet a man hoping to sell a Civil War bugle associated with General Custer's ill fated 7th Calvary. Will they charge into the valley of death to seize this deal or will Chumlee be called upon to play taps? And later, the grandson of a famous Prime Minister comes in with a clock presented to his grandfather by President Richard Nixon. Can Rick and Corey successfully campaign to secure the Presidential timepiece or will he refuse to negotiate?

Phoning It In (07/12/10) (21:30) - The Pawn Stars have a chance to purchase a rare piece of American political history--a collection of personal letters from Kennedy brothers John, Bobby, and Teddy. Written during the height of the Camelot era, will the gang run a tough campaign to make a deal or will their election funds come up short? Then, Rick and Chumlee visit a man hoping to sell an enormous toy collection of 80's iconic original Transformers. Can Rick transform this collection into cold hard cash or will this army of robots decept-and-con him? And finally, the Old Man is presented with vintage Mickey Mouse telephones. Will he dial up a great price for these collectible Disney pieces or disconnect the line?

Moon Walking (07/12/10) (21:24) - The Pawn Stars are blasted into orbit when someone brings in a flag from one of NASA's final missions to the Moon. Autographed by the crew of Apollo 16, will the gang take one giant leap and buy this rare piece of history or will they take steps to abort the mission? Then, Rick is presented with an 1861 Civil War Colt musket that was won in a poker game. Mysteriously perfect in every detail, will Rick risk going all-in on an offer or will he second guess his hand and fold? And later, Corey and Chumlee meet a guy selling his collection of NFL pins from the first 20 Super Bowls. Will they draw up the perfect play and celebrate the win or will they fumble the deal and lose yardage?

Peeping Pawn (08/16/10) (20:47) - The Pawn Stars are presented with a supremely rare 1776 Massachusetts penny made by Revolutionary War legend Paul Revere. With only one other coin known to exist in the world, will the gang crank out a mint for this priceless coin or will they find they can't spare the change? Then, Rick has an opportunity to buy a hand grenade made by a top-secret American World War II spy program. Will he pull the pin to make a truly explosive deal or will the negotiations have him running for cover? And later, Rick and Corey meet a man hoping to sell his 1950s peep show machine. Will they like what they see and bare their wallets or will it be too stripped down for comfort?

Ace in the Hole (08/16/10) (21:04) - The Pawn Stars hope to capture a glimpse of the Old West when they are presented with an antique professional gambler's toolkit. Complete with every game of the trade and elaborately designed with a secret compartment for trouble, will they up the ante and make an offer or will they be forced to fold? Then, Rick and Corey look to buy rare pieces of 1896 U.S. currency known as the "Educational Series." Lavishly designed by the U.S. Treasury, will the bills receive high praises or will a series of bad reviews send to them back to school? And later, a man hopes to sell his 1950's radiation detecting Geiger counter. Will the shop emit some serious energy for this relic of the Cold War or will the deal force them all to duck and cover?

Double Trouble (09/06/10) (21:23) - The Pawn Stars reach for the sky when a man walks in with a custom set of 19th century double barrel firearms--including a multiple caliber dual shotgun/rifle and a hand carved pistol. Will they load up and take aim at a deal or will a pair of misfires send the seller packing? Then, Rick and Chumlee are presented with an extremely rare unopened bottle of 1921 Dom Perignon Champagne. From the first year it was produced, will Rick shake up a deal and toast his good fortune or will everything just fizzle out? And later, a man comes in with a collection of autographed talking Freddy Krueger dolls from the horror classic "A Nightmare on Elm Street." Will the Old Man dream up a killer price for this trash talker or will the negotiations be a nightmare on Las Vegas Boulevard?

Getting a Head (09/06/10) (21:30) - The Pawn Stars are presented with a classic piece of Detroit muscle--a 1969 Buick Skylark. Will the gang put the pedal to the metal and restore this beauty or will the deal get flooded and stall out? Then, Chumlee and the Old Man look to buy a Civil War field desk complete with captured Confederate documents. Will they sound a charge and seize this rare piece of U.S. history or will suspicion cause them to retreat? And later, Rick is presented with a piece from the jungles of the Amazon--a human shrunken head. Will he slice up a deal for this rare tribal charm or will he decide the shop doesn't need the bad karma?

Unfortunately, there are no special features included on this releae. Seasons One and Two had some featurettes and additional footage/deleted scenes. It would have been nice to see more of that kind of material, as well as some audio commentaries by the cast.

I began watching Pawn Stars and American Pickers on History's sister channel Lifetime last December. These two shows quickly became some of my favorite reality series. They are just both really entertaining and well produced. It's a fun way to learn about some colletible items and history in general. I prefer American Pickers a little bit more because they go to various locations around the country, whereas Pawn Stars is filmed mainly at their shop and the surrounding Las Vegas area. Pawn Stars has a lot to offer with the fun and likable cast and the interesting characters who come to the shop with their items to sell. My favorite is the Old Man. He's the master negotiator of the staff. It's fun to see him yell at Corey or Chumlee when they overpay for an item. It may seem like the cast are mean to each other at times, but it all seems to be in good fun. They seem to have a great time working together.

There are some disappointments with this release. It's not in a real widescreen format. I'm not sure why they are releasing these in 1.33:1 and not 1.78:1 . This set also lacks any special features, such as interviews or additional footage. The biggest disappointment is that it's not the complete third season. This was originally listed on Amazon.com as a full season, but it was delayed several times and eventually changed to Volume Three. It would have been great to have all 26 episodes instead of just 16. This could have very easily been a 3-disc set. I'm sure most fans wouldn't mind half season volumes if they were priced noticeably lower than the full season sets. If you haven't watched Season One or Two, those are better values for the amount of episodes and price at this point. Despite these issues, this is still a fun show that is worth checking out on DVD. They are currently in their fourth season. New episodes of Pawn Stars can be seen on History on Monday nights.

(4/5 stars)

To purchase the DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Main Reviews Page
Pawn Stars Official Site
Pawn Stars TV.com Page

CLICK OF THE WEEK

The Unofficial Addams Family World Wide Website (www.addamsfamily.com) - We conclude our three week series of Halloween themed Click of the Week picks this week with a family that is a little bit creepy, The Addams Family (snap snap). The website brings you everything that you'd ever really need to know about the classic series in an organized fashion, but that isn't all. You'll also find information about related spinoffs and movies to the original series. Even though the series only lasted a mere two seasons, the legacy that it left is seen here.

One of the first things that you'll want to check out on this website (like most others) is the very detailed episode guide. In the episode guide, you'll find complete episode cast, along with thorough details about each episode. But that is hardly all that you will find on the website. You'll also find a detailed FAQ, extensive photo galleries, history, collectibles, plenty of audio files, and up-to-date news about the series and those involved with the series. Luckily, it isn't a creepy website, but you'll find all that you want to find about one of television's creepiest families here.

That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Fox Fall Pilot Review: Allen Gregory - Premieres October 30; Sitcom Stars On Talk Shows (Week of October 31, 2011)

Allen Gregory - Sundays 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox

Premieres Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 8:30PM ET/PT

Allen Gregory De Longpre is just your ordinary seven-year-old. Well, that actually depends upon how you define "ordinary." Having grown up in a wealthy two-parent (both parents being male) household, things have started to change for him as one of his fathers can no longer afford to home school him, and it is time for him to make the transition to a public school. But being unable to relate to other seven-year-olds (or other people in general, for that matter), that transition isn't going to be easy. He's a little advanced for his age in some areas, yet in other areas, he is just completely clueless about the world around him. In this new Fox animated sitcom, he'll try to adjust to his new world--at least to the best of his ability.

Cast Details:

Jonah Hill as Allen Gregory DeLongpre

French Stewart as Richard DeLongpre, Allen's father

Nat Faxon as Jeremy DeLongpre, Richard's life partner-husband

Joy Osmanski as Julie, Allen's adopted Cambodian sister

Renée Taylor as Principal Gottlieb

Leslie Mann as Gina Winthrop

Jonah Hill (Allen Gregory) is the star of the series, the kid trying to adapt to a life where he isn't the center of the universe. Hill is well-known in the entertainment industry, most notable with his film roles in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Evan Almighty, and Superbad.

French Stewart (Richard) plays the role Allen Gregory's father in the series. Stewart has had roles in series including The New WKRP in Cincinnati, Seinfeld, and Pushing Daisies, but is best known for his role as Harry Solomon on the series 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Nat Faxon (Jeremy) is Richard's life-partner/husband in the series. Faxon is a relative newcomer to the entertainment industry, but has appeared in The Cleveland Show and the movie Beerfest.

Joy Osmanski (Julie) plays the role of Allen Gregory's adopted sister from Cambodia. Osmanski's most well-known role was on the series The Loop, which aired for two seasons on Fox, but she has also appeared in Samantha Who? and Better Off Ted.

Renée Taylor (Principal Gottlieb) plays the role of the elderly and unattractive principal that Allen Gregory is romantically attracted to. While Taylor's name may not be so recognizable, her career has been lengthy and impressive, primarily as a writer and director. But TV (particularly sitcom) fans will recognize her from her role of Sylvia Fine, the mother of Fran Drescher's character on the sitcom The Nanny.

Leslie Mann (Gina Winthrop) plays the role of Allen Gregory's teacher. Mann is the wife of well-known producer Judd Apatow (who has also done much work with Jonah Hill), and has appeared in many of his films, including The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up.

Pilot Plot:

The pilot begins with a party for Allen Gregory to celebrate his big victory: he has just won a Tony Award! Except... not really. The party was put together by his father, Richard, and Richard's life partner Jeremy in an attempt to ease the bad news that is about to come. He's no longer going to be home-schooled and will be sent to a public school.

It doesn't take long to realize that this new environment is going to be a major adjustment for Allen Gregory. Accustomed to a world that revolves around him and everybody catering to every one of his whims, he is now just one among many, and the adaptations are difficult. He begins the school day by trying to do an uninvited "Q&A session" for the class to get to know him, proceeds to seat himself at the "cool kids" table in the cafeteria (where he also brings a bottle of wine), and ends up in the elderly and, well, ugly principal's office, where he even proceeds to try to make romantic moves on her. And to top it all off, he, well, defecates in his pants and ends up going home crying. Just how will he adapt to his new school if this is how his first day went?

Analysis:

In viewing the pilot, I can already see some major problems with this series. It is basically just another fish-out-of-water animated comedy that seems to focus on the mere act of adjustment, and I'm not sure how this series can go on from there. Will every episode of the series be about another day at school? I feel that there is limited potential to where this can go, and I'm not sure how the series can handle that.

But that is far from the only problem that I saw in the pilot. Simply put, although the pilot was mildly enjoyable, it just really wasn't that funny in my opinion. There were a few mildly humorous moments, such as when Allen Gregory was trying to make the moves on his principal, but it wasn't one of those situations that was just completely hilarious. I was hoping for so much more in that regard.

I also would have liked to have seen more about the other members of the family, such as the "two dads" and Allen Gregory's adopted sister, Julie. In fact, it was hard to even remember that Julie existed in the pilot. She had very few lines and was almost seen as an afterthought, yet there is so much more that could (and should) have been done with her character. Yet that opportunity seemed to be wasted. Even though the series is called Allen Gregory and is supposed to focus on him, it sometimes seemed like he really was the only person in the world.

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, I feel that Fox has once again fallen flat on another animated comedy. They have attempted so many of these over the years, yet it seems that lately, only the Seth MacFarlane series have really shown any level of enjoyment and success. I don't predict this series lasting too long, and even if it does, I can easily see it becoming one of the 7 PM hour series that just seems to air, yet nobody really cares about it. Perhaps if the series had some way of broadening the series instead of making it all about Allen Gregory's universe (even though that is supposed to be the premise of the series) and making it a bit funnier, there would be fewer problems with the series, but I feel that it is already dead in the water--and will only win awards like Allen Gregory's fake Tony award that he won in the beginning of the pilot.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 3/5

Funniness: 2.5/5

Overall: 3/5

-- Reviewed by skees53 on 10/28/11

Discuss the show after you watch it on Sunday, October 30 on our message board.

Related Links:

Fox.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Allen Gregory Photo Gallery

Preview:

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, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of October 24-28, 2011, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVR's (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, October 31, 2011

Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Watch the adorable Zooey on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
Mindy Kaling (The Office) - Mindy appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Catch Whitney on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
Tracy Morgan (30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy drops by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Ellen DeGeneres (The Ellen Show) - Watch Ellen on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
Ted Danson (Cheers/Becker) - Ted visits the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
Mindy Kaling (The Office) - Mindy talks about her book, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns), on NBC's Today between 9-10am and later chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Bill Cosby (The Cosby Show/Cosby/The Bill Cosby Show) - Bill discuss his book, I Didn't Ask to Be Born: (But I'm Glad I Was), on NBC's Today between 7-9am and 10-11am.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Alan Alda (M*A*S*H) - Catch Alan on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) - Miranda visits Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
Louis C.K. (Louie) - Louis drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Tracy Morgan (30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy continues to make the rounds on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Katie Aselton (The League) - Katie appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Bill Cosby (The Cosby Show/Cosby/The Bill Cosby Show) - Watch the legendary Mr. Cosby on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil is a guest on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show) - Drew appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
Florence Henderson (The Brady Bunch) - Florence stops by The Rosie Show at 7pm on OWN and will also be on Tavis Smiley on PBS, but check listings for time.
Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Michael J. Fox (Family Ties/Spin City) - Michael visits LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory/Roseanne) - Johnny drops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
Alan Alda (M*A*S*H) - Alan wraps up his appearances this week on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.

Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Fat Albert Halloween Special Bounces to Bounce TV; TeenNick Brings Back Are You Afraid of the Dark Stunt...Again

We reported that Broadcast Partners was selling classic holiday animated specials in syndication and that MeTV Network and ThisTV bought many of the Christmas ones, but now one more has found a home -- a Halloween special. Bounce TV, the new over-the-air television network for African Americans, will air the classic special Fat Albert's Halloween Special this weekend and will present a mini-marathon of the classic 1977 special on Halloween night, Neal Ardman tells TVNewsCheck. The special will premiere on Bounce TV tomorrow night (Friday, Oct. 28) at 7pm ET and will also be seen Saturday, Oct. 29, and Sunday, Oct. 30 at 6:30pm ET. Bounce TV will present consecutive airings of Fat Albert's Halloween Special on Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31 from 8-10pm ET.
Bounce TV is seen on affiliates in Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Houston, Cleveland/Akron, San Francisco, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Hartford/New Haven, Norfolk, Dayton, West Palm Beach, Birmingham, Memphis, Louisville, Richmond and other cities. New Bounce TV markets are expected to be announced before the end of the year.

And as Halloween is just a few days away, get ready for the perennial classic It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown tonight at 8/7c on ABC. ABC will have its premiere of the holiday special Scared Shrekless (which premiered on NBC last year) on Halloween night starting at 7:58pm (thru 8:28pm), as Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron will preview and host the special live from the ballroom leading into the Halloween episode of Dancing with the Stars (8:30pm-10pm). Unfortunately, there are no other animated specials on broadcast television this year. I wish someone would air the Garfield one, but oh well. It's great that Fat Albert is making an appearance this Halloween, at least.

TeenNick has changed their mind once again about the Are You Afraid of the Dark Halloween stunt on The '90s Are All That block. This time they have put it back on the schedule for Halloween weekend. We just reported a few days ago that the previous stunt for Friday, Oct. 28 was pulled, but now they have brought that back and more. Tomorrow night (Friday, Oct. 28), TeenNick will air three episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark from 12am-1:30am, followed by an airing of Salute Your Shorts at 1:30am. This block will encore from 2-4am. The following night (Saturday), the block will feature three more episodes of Dark, followed by an AAAHH!!! Real Monsters airing at 1:30am, and of course this block will encore from 2-4am, too. On Sunday, The '90s Are All That block will feature an episode of Dark at 12 midnight, followed by the 90-minute Kenan & Kel series finale movie "Two Heads Are Better Than None" from 12:30am-2am. These will encore from 2-4am, of course. And finally on Halloween night (Monday), the 2000 Nickelodeon film Cry Baby Lane will air from 12am-1:30am, followed by Are You Afraid of the Dark at 1:30am. And if you missed any of that, catch it again from 2-4am.
If this changes (which won't surprise us anymore), we will let you know, so keep it right here as always. In other TeenNick news, they have scheduled an Amanda Show and Zoey 101 marathon stunt this weekend, beginning at 1pm both days. TeenNick will also air the movie The Boy Who Cried Wolf on Saturday night at 7pm.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Nanny Is Back on Nick at Nite and More Changes; CBS Picks-Up Unforgettable and Person of Interest For Full Seasons

Nick at Nite has altered its schedule as of Monday. First, it seems the 8pm hour on Mon-Thurs is back to Nickelodeon as SpongeBob is now regularly airing in the hour. Sundays at 8pm will still be Nick at Nite programming, though. Nick at Nite also doesn't have the 6am hour anymore, as The Fairly OddParents is airing in the hour now. So what do they have? Well, kicking it off weekdays in the 9pm hour is That '70s Show, then an hour of George Lopez at 10 leading into the Friends two-hour block from 11pm-1:08am. The 1:08am-2:12am hour features an encore of That '70s Show, leading into an episode each of Everybody Hates Chris and My Wife & Kids from 2:12am-3:18am, as these two sitcoms are now relegated to just one airing each on weeknights. Then from 3:18am-5:28am is now the return of The Nanny. TV Land will also still air the sitcom on weeknights approx. from 2-3am and 5:30am, so we will have plenty of overnight Fran Drescher. Like TV Land, Nick at Nite is off-the-clock, so these timings after 11pm are approximate as you can tell. Closing the weeknight line-up out is Family Matters at approx 5:28am.

The new weekend schedule will start next weekend, as this weekend (Oct. 29-31), Nick at Nite will feature Halloween episodes all night long (even Home Improvement!). Anyway on Saturday nights starting Nov. 5, That '70s Show kicks off the night in the 10pm hour, followed by Friends from 11pm-1:08am. Then we have an hour of My Wife & Kids from 1:08am-2:12am. George Lopez gets its only Saturday airing from 2:12am-3:18am, followed by the That '70s Show encore from 3:18am-4:24am. Then nearing the end of the night its The Nanny from 4:24am-5:28am and then Family Matters at 5:28am. For Sundays starting Nov. 6, That '70s Show airs in the 8pm hour to start the night. George Lopez follows at 9pm, then another episode of That '70s Show at 9:30pm. The 10pm hour will feature an episode each of That '70s Show and My Wife & Kids. Yes, this 9-11pm block seems like it could be a rough draft, so it could change. Then, like every other night its Friends from 11pm-1:08am. Then we have an hour of My Wife & Kids from 1:08am-2:12am like on Saturday nights. Then its the That '70s Show encore from 2:12am-3:18am. The Nanny will follow from 3:18am-4:24am. Then nearing the end of the night its Family Matters from 4:24am-5:28am and then a Glenn Martin sighting at 5:28am.

So there you have it, The Nanny is back on Nick at Nite...again. We gave you details on the Halloween shows already, so we won't go into detail on those, but stay with us for further updates on any stunts in November.

CBS has given full season orders to two of its new dramas: Unforgettable and Person of Interest. Unforgettable has won its time period (Tuesdays at 10pm) so far with an average of a 2.5 18-49 rating in live+same day, in a weak timeslot. Person of Interest has also been picked-up for a full season as it has done a 2.8 18-49 rating in live+same day so far, but that is regularly fourth place in its time period. It has done solid still, but it was one of CBS' highest tested dramas ever, so it should be higher in the ratings like comedy 2 Broke Girls has done. Unforgettable stars Poppy Montgomery, Dylan Walsh, Michael Gaston, Kevin Rankin and Daya Vaidya. Person of Interest stars Jim Caviezel, Michael Emerson, Taraji P. Henson and Kevin Chapman. So with these two full season pick-ups, only A Gifted Man's fate is yet to be revealed for CBS. It just came off a good week for Friday in the ratings, so CBS might wait until after this Friday to see if it holds up. A Gifted Man airs CBS Friday at 8pm.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Nick at Nite Orders Scott Baio Sitcom Pilot; TeenNick Moves 'The '90s Are All That' Block Back to Midnight

Nickelodeon has ordered its first-ever original scripted comedy pilot, Daddy's Home, starring Scott Baio (Charles in Charge, Happy Days). A multi-camera, half-hour comedy for Nick at Nite, Daddy's Home follows David Hobbs (Baio) an actor who, after ten years of starring as America's favorite TV dad, becomes a stay-at-home father to honor the deal he made with his soap star wife so that she may return to the limelight. The project comes from creators/executive producers Tina Albanese and Patrick Labyorteaux and is helmed by executive producers Eric Bischoff and Jason Hervey through their production company Bischoff Hervey Entertainment (BHE), along with Baio. Hervey is best known for the role of Wayne Arnold in the Emmy Award-winning hit series The Wonder Years. Daddy's Home marks Hervey and Baio's return to scripted comedy, with BHE having previously collaborated on three acclaimed unscripted series including Scott Baio is 45 and Single, Scott Baio is 46 and Pregnant, and Confessions of a Teen Idol.
For over 30 years, Baio has been a beloved actor, successful producer, writer and director. He received his acting break in 1976 when he was cast as the lead in the youthful gangster film Bugsy Malone. Baio is perhaps best known for his role as Chachi Arcola on one of television's most iconic comedy series Happy Days, followed by a starring role in the spin-off series Joanie Loves Chachi. He also had roles on two short-lived Garry Marshall sitcom Blansky's Beauties and Who's Watching the Kids. Baio also starred in his own 1980s hit sitcom, Charles in Charge. He also co-starred on ABC's short-lived sitcom Baby Talk. He also had big screen movie roles like on the sex farce Zapped! Following his television comedy roles, he delved into some deeper and more dramatic roles, such as in the award-winning ABC after-school special, Stoned, the CBS film The Boy Who Drank Too Much and as a hemophiliac in NBC's Senior Trip! He continued his acting career as the youthful associate of Dick Van Dyke on the successful CBS series Diagnosis Murder and a decade later, made several appearances on the Emmy Award-winning television series Arrested Development. As mentioned earlier, most recently Baio was featured as himself on VH1's popular series, Scott Baio is 45...and Single and Scott Baio is 46...and Pregnant. Off-screen, he has directed episodes of popular series including Charles in Charge, The Parkers, Unhappily Ever After, The Jamie Foxx Show, The Wayans Bros., Harry and the Hendersons, Out of This World and recently served as executive producer of VH1's Confessions of a Teen Idol.
Stay tuned for more details on this pilot. Right now it is just a pilot, as it still needs to be ordered to series. If and when that does, we will let you know! Waa waa waa!

After just a few weeks, TeenNick has moved the popular "The '90s Are All That" block back to midnight, with the encore moving back to 2-4am. TeenNick recently moved the block to 10pm-12am, but the ratings didn't do too well. The encore was doing better from 12am-2am, so as a result, the block is back from 12-2am and an encore from 2-4am. This will still be every night, with "U Pick Friday" still airing during the Friday block. Degrassi will return to the 10pm hour every weekday, followed by an hour of Malcolm in the Middle from 11pm-12am. The '90s Are All That shows will still remain the same with All That, Kenan & Kel, Hey Dude! and Doug. TeenNick was planning on airing fan voted episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark this Friday, but it's not happening and it doesn't seem like it will air next week either in time for Halloween. Instead, you can choose your favorite Halloween episodes from other classic Nick series -- vote now. Stay with us for continued updates!

Monday, October 24, 2011

The King of Queens Comes to TV Land, As Spike TV Drops It; Reimagine That! with Chris Mann Episode 2 With Guest Star Joyce DeWitt

The King of Queens is heading to TV Land! The Kevin James-led CBS series will air every night from 11pm-1am ET/PT starting tonight, right after a block of Everybody Loves Raymond, another former CBS sitcom (Actually, TV Land quietly premiered the sitcom last night in the 12 midnight hour). How did TV Land quickly get the series? Well, sister network Spike TV launched the series earlier this month, but as of Thursday, they removed the series completely due to low ratings. So TV Land has obtained the series from sister network Spike TV. Maybe this will be a better fit? The King of Queens will continue to air on TBS (and local syndication), as that is another deal, so TV Land and TBS will share the rights.

So what does this mean for the rest of the TV Land schedule? Just some time changes, but we want to let you know that Scrubs was quickly pulled over a week ago for a second hour of Married...with Children. TV Land will continue to air Bonanza from 8-10am (except a movie airs on Mondays). The Dick Van Dyke Show follows from 10:14am-12pm with three episodes, followed by a three-spot of Sanford & Son from 12pm-1:36pm (yes more commercials are added to fill time). The schedule continues with three more airings of Bonanza from 1:36pm-5pm. All of this so far is the same as it is now, but the 5pm hour will now be The Dick Van Dyke Show replacing an hour of M*A*S**H, but that comedy will remain in the 6pm hour. The 7pm hour was Dick Van Dyke, but now will be Married...with Children, as the '90s comedy moves from 8-10pm to 7-9pm. Then as we mentioned, Everybody Loves Raymond is moving to 9-11pm leading into new addition The King of Queens from 11pm-1am. Roseanne will now air in the 1am hour leading into The Nanny from 2am-3:12am. Slapstick comedy Three's Company will now air from 3:12am-4:22am with back-to-back airings. From 4:22am-5:27am, we get another two-episode block of Roseanne. And finally the 5:27am-6am half-hour will be an airing of The Nanny. So late nights hasn't changed much, but Roseanne, The Nanny and Three's Company sees some time changes. Boston Legal was dropped a few weeks ago. Some Friday nights (early Saturday mornings), will see Three's Company from 4:22am-6am.

As for weekends, generally it is the same with Three's Company airing both days from 6am-7:10am. The Nanny airs on Saturdays from 7:10am-11am and Sundays from 7:10am-8:52am. Hot in Cleveland airs on Sundays from 8:52am-11am. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will remain on both days from 11am-2pm. The Dick Van Dyke Show airs on both days from 2pm-4:18pm, with The Andy Griffith Show on Saturdays from 4:18pm-7pm and now M*A*S*H on Sundays from 4:18pm-7pm. Saturdays from 7pm-9pm will feature encore episodes of Hot in Cleveland, while Sundays will have M*A*S*H reunion specials. Everybody Loves Raymond follows on both days from 9-11:08pm into The King of Queens from 11:08pm-1:25am. Then on Saturdays, two more airings of Raymond will air from 1:25am-3am. Then on Saturdays, its Roseanne for two airings from 3-4am then a block of Three's Company from 4-6am. Sundays will be the same, but has an extra hour of Roseanne instead of Raymond from 1:25am-3am.

As for specials and stunts, TV Land will have a week-long Hot in Cleveland marathon from November 7 through November 11 from 10pm-12am each night. That will shift King of Queens to 12-2am that week, with Raymond airing its second hour from 2-3am. As a reminder, the third season of Hot in Cleveland launches on Wednesday, Nov. 30, followed by the series premiere of The Exes -- more on these soon. Other stunts include a Roseanne Halloween marathon, as we noted before, from 1am-6am on Halloween night and 1am-5am on the night before. TV Land will present a marathon of The King of Queens on Sunday, Nov. 13 from 9pm-2am. And during the 5th Annual Overstuffed Thanksgiving, TV Land serves up four full-days of marathons featuring a delicious mix of retro and modern classics like Three's Company, The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Roseanne and Everybody Loves Raymond. Over the weekend (Nov. 26-27), TV Land delivers a supersized Hot in Cleveland marathon featuring every episode from the hit TV Land original series, from 9am-11pm on both days, together with exclusive tidbits from its newest original sitcom, The Exes, premiering Wednesday, November 30 at 10:30pm! We will have more details on the Overstuffed Thanksgiving marathon schedule soon! And finally, upcoming movies in October and November include Other People's Money, Ghost and The Bodyguard.
View and discuss the updated TV Land schedule, with new addition The King of Queens and these new stunts.

Earlier this month Chris Mann of Retroality.TV launched a new podcast called "Reimagine That!" and his special guest for the premiere was Joyce DeWitt of Three's Company! Well now episode two launched yesterday and Chris has part two of his interview with Joyce, along with much more! Retro pop meets forward thought as Three's Company star Joyce DeWitt, in the conclusion of her in-depth two-part interview, shares her spiritual insights, reveals her "All You Need Is Love" - inspired connection to Beatles-loving John Ritter and tells why she hasn't spoken to co-star Suzanne Somers in 30-plus years -- despite Joyce's repeated efforts to extend an olive branch. She also tells Retroality.TV editor, author and host Chris Mann her fond memories of co-stars Don Knotts, Norman Fell, Audra Lindley, Richard Kline, Priscilla Barnes, Jenilee Harrison and Ann Wedgeworth. And Joyce bares all about still being recognized for having a great pair of L'eggs.

In addition, Chris dissects the cancelation of ABC's reimagined Charlie's Angels and previews his upcoming Wellbella cover story interview with original Angel Cheryl Ladd, who speaks about the new series. And Chris breaks news about Alana Stewart and her attorneys shutting down the Facebook group "Farrah Fawcett: We Want the Truth" -- the same group that orchestrated a letter-writing campaign this summer that apparently led the California State Attorney General's office to open a reported investigation into the Stewart-helmed charitable organization The Farrah Fawcett Foundation. Finally, in the second installment of a recurring "dream weaver" segment, Chris encourages listeners reimagine their own reality with dream interpreter Yvonne Ryba.

So without further adieu, go and listen to episode two of "Reimagine That!"

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Week 5 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

2011-12 Week 5 TV Ratings (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

Households: N/A
Total Viewers: N/A
Adults 18-49: N/A

Week 5 (Oct. 17-23) Analysis: It was a week of sporting events like the World Series kicking in primetime. ABC premiered new comedy Man Up! to OK numbers only and they launch hyped-drama Once Upon a Time from the writers of LOST tonight. We don't have final network averages through the first four nights, but we can expect CBS is first in HH/viewers, followed by Fox thanks to the World Series, then ABC, and NBC still way behind in fourth. Among 18-49, Fox is probably on top in this, with CBS right behind, then ABC and NBC way back there in fourth. I expect CBS to take the week in HH/viewers and Fox to take 18-49 with an NFL overrun tonight and the World Series. As for last week, week 4, Fox took the 18-49 crown over second place CBS thanks to the NFL overrun on Sunday night. CBS however prevailed in HH/total viewers once again. ABC was tied for second in HH with Fox, but third in viewers, as was Fox second in viewers. ABC was third in 18-49, as NBC was fourth across the board even with an NFL Sunday night game.

Monday has CBS on top again in 18-49, but they went down again. Starting with ABC, Dancing with the Stars won the total viewer race with 17.76 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, up a million and up in 18-49 from previous week. A new Castle at 10pm was first place with 11.23 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, up from previous week when ABC was preempted in Detroit for Monday Night Football. For CBS, How I Met Your Mother started it off with 9.81 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, up from previous week's season low. 2 Broke Girls followed with 11.47 million and a 4.4 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Even with the 8pm hour up, a new Two and a Half Men, with new star Ashton Kutcher, was down again doing 15.14 million and a 5.3 18-49 rating, down another million or so and six tenths in 18-49 from previous week but still it is very good. Not the sitcom leader anymore, though. A new Mike & Molly followed the huge lead-in and did 11.51 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week even with the lead-in falling. An all-new Hawaii Five-0 was next doing 11.07 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, up a good amount from previous week as there was no House competing. Fox was next with Terra Nova starting at its normal time this week, doing 8.31 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. It went up but is this rating still good as the series costs a lot to make? House was next and did 8.34 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, up some from the previous week. This could be its last season. NBC followed with another two-hour The Sing-Off doing only 4.34 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week. At 10pm, NBC aired a repeat of Prime Suspect and it did an embarrassing 2.73 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Rock Center with Brian Williams launches on Oct. 31 The CW had a new Gossip Girl doing just 1.16 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, down some in viewers from previous week. At 9pm, Hart of Dixie did only 1.65 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, but up some in viewers from previous week. Gossip Girl could be gone next year I think.

On Tuesday, Fox was on top in 18-49, with CBS winning total viewers. CBS had the quiet leader NCIS opening the night off with 19.41 million and a 3.9 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week. Then spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles was next and did 15.35 million and 3.4 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. And a new Unforgettable did 11.88 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, up some from previous week's series low. ABC was next with new comedy Last Man Standing with Tim Allen leading the night off doing 10.34 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, as it held up very well. The first half-hour the previous week was about a 3.4, so it was down just a bit. The premiere of Man Up! was next and it went down to 7.78 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating for an OK start. It could have been better but could have been worse, too. Then Dancing with the Stars: The Results followed at 9pm with 13.8 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, down big from previous week, probably because of X Factor, as we said goodbye to Carson Kressly. He was a fan favorite. An all-new Body of Proof followed and did a decent 9.27 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, up some from the previous week despite the lead-in down big. Fox preempted Glee and comedies New Girl & Raising Hope for The X Factor on a special night doing 10.39 million and a 3.9 18-49. About what it has done all season. NBC was next with a two-hour The Biggest Loser doing 5.17 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, again down some from the previous week and its lowest rating probably ever for the fall for the third straight week, followed by an all-new Parenthood at just 5.03 million but a better 2.0 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. The CW aired a new 90210 with just 1.41 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, but on par with previous week. Then an all-new episode of the Sarah Michelle Gellar drama Ringer did 1.81 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, up some from the previous week. This proves 90210 needs to be ended.

Wednesday it was a face-off between ABC and CBS, but Fox had the win thanks to the World Series. CBS started the night off on top with Survivor: South Pacific at 11.24 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds did 13.15 million and a solid 3.9 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. At 10pm, CSI did a decent 10.79 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. ABC started off with its Laugh On comedy block with The Middle doing 9.13 million and good 3.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week again. The new sitcom Suburgatory followed with a great 8.82 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, on par with previous week again. Its full season pick-up was very deserving. Now let's get Amy Davidson to guest star or recur--help us out with that! At 9pm, the mega hit Modern Family did 13.04 million and a huge 5.7 18-49 rating, but down some from the previous week. The 5.7 is by far the highest rated sitcom, or scripted series, of the week! A new Happy Endings was next with 6.81 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, down some from the previous week. At 10pm week five of my favorite fall series Revenge did a solid 7.99 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, down some from previous week in 18-49. Wow, what an episode! We hear episode seven next Wednesday will be HUGE, but tune in for this week could be series best since the premiere . Mark my prediction! Fox preempted The X Factor as MLB World Series Game #1 did 14.17 million and a 4.2 18-49 rating, but in primetime it did 13.98 million and a 4.1 18-49 rating. Good numbers but way below average for the World Series. NBC opened the night with a new Up All Night at 5.63 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. At 8:30pm, a repeat of Whitney did 4.06 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. At 9pm, Harry's Law did nothing, doing just a 1.3 18-49 rating, but actually up a tenth, but its 8.39 million viewers is OK, up some from previous week. This is Friday material yet they are launching new series Grimm on Friday nights this week? An all-new Law & Order: SVU at 10pm did 7.66 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating for last place, but up some previous week. The CW had a repeat of Ringer leading the night off with 1.14 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. The declining fast America's Next Top Model was next at 9pm with 1.94 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, up some from previous week.

Thursday it was Fox with the win again with the World Series. But first, ABC opened the night with Charlie's Angels doing 5.57 million but only a 1.2 18-49 rating, down a tad from previous week, but ABC has canceled the series. This week ABC will air another Charlie, Charlie Brown! At 9pm, Grey's Anatomy followed with 9.54 million and a 3.6 A18-49 rating, on par with previous week. As much as it has been down, it is still near the top among scripted dramas. At 10pm, Private Practice, with Benjamin Bratt, did 6.38 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. Could be higher. CBS opened with The Big Bang Theory at 14.93 million and a 5.1 18-49 rating, up a lot from previous week. Can it beat Men this week for the sitcom lead, as Modern is a repeat? The season premiere of Rules of Engagement was next doing 11.45 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating, solid but lower than previous week's Big Bang repeat. A new Person of Interest followed with 12.42 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, down some from the previous week. It is solid, but not big as it could be, nevertheless, CBS will pick-up a full season soon, I think. A new episode of The Mentalist followed and did 12.54 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, on par with the previous week. Fox aired preempted The X Factor for MLB World Series Game #3 doing 14.28 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating overall. Primetime ratings weren't available to us yet. NBC was in the familiar fourth place (well sixth, but who's is counting?) with repeats as the should-be-not leading-off Community getting slaughtered with 2.39 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating only for a repeat, followed by Parks and Recreation at only 2.47 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating for a repeat. At 9pm The Office jumped to 3.28 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, for a repeat. A repeat episode of Whitney closed the comedy block with only 2.61 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating. NBC has another drama bust with a repeat episode Prime Suspect closed the night with only 2.84 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries did 3.03 million, and a 1.4 18-49 rating, up some in viewers from previous week and third place beating ABC and NBC! The new The Secret Circle was next at 2.12 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, up some from the previous week.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS and ABC tied for the win as A Gifted Man was up for CBS and ABC launched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on Fridays with good numbers. ABC had the highest rated show of the night in 20/20 at 10pm. Fox had a good showing from Kitchen Nightmares but Fringe was a repeat.
Saturday numbers was a battle of sports, but MLB World Series Game #3 was the clear winner over college football on ABC and NBC. ABC's game was delayed though due to weather.

Tonight ABC Sunday is all-new (with AFV, series premiere of Once Upon a Time, Desperate Housewives, and Pan Am). Once should open big for ABC and be a sleeping giant. NBC will battle to win the night with the NFL with the Colts and Saints, but it could be below normal like the previous week was. CBS has its normal line-up of 60 Minutes, Amazing Race, The Good Wife and CSI: Miami, with no delays expected as they don't have the national NFL game. Fox has the NFL overrun this week leading into World Series Game #4, as the animated comedies are preempted again. Overall Fox could beat NBC NFL tonight. We'll see.

As for the week (week 5), Fox could overtake CBS for the win in HH/viewers. Fox has 18-49 sealed over CBS. ABC will be third in all categories, leaving NBC back in fourth. Once Upon a Time on ABC could be big tonight. As for the coming week (week 6), we have some repeats mixed in Mon-Wed, but sweeps starts on Thursday. November sweeps already? Looks like another fast TV season is on the horizon.

Week 5 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 4 -- Oct. 10-16)

The Simpsons (Fox) - preempted.
The Cleveland Show (Fox) - preempted.
Family Guy (Fox) - preempted.
American Dad! (Fox) - preempted.