Monday, January 23, 2012

NATPE 2012: Day 1 Has WKRP in Cincinnati Coming to Antenna TV; Retired at 35 Bumped Off of March 7 on TV Land


WKRP in Cincinnati

Baby, if you've ever wondered that if WKRP in Cincinnati would be back on TV, now no need to wonder if that will happen! Why? Because digital simulcast network Antenna TV has announced at the annual National Association of Television Program Executive (NATPE) conference that the hit '70s sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati is coming in April 2012! The sitcom is about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. Among the stars on the series are Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Jan Smithers and Tim Reid. The series last aired regularly on television on Tribune's WGN America in 2008-09, but that was on cable and Antenna TV is a digital broadcast network. Prior to WGN America airing, it was on AmericanLife TV in 2007. When WGN America aired it, all of the music seemed to be intact and I think that will be the case on Tribune's Antenna TV as well.
Antenna TV will air all 90 episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati starting in April and will air it on Sunday nights during a two-hour block following NewsRadio to create a three-hour dysfunctional radio block in primetime! WKRP in Cincinnati will be replacing Married...with Children, which will be resting for a bit. Following WKRP in Cincinnati will still be the addicting '70s sitcom Soap, so WKRP in Cincinnati and Soap air back-to-back as well. Loni Anderson and Diana Canova back-to-back! We'll have exact timings coming soon, but expect this order starting in primetime.
We will have more on Antenna TV's new spring schedule that will start in April in the coming weeks, But we're not expecting any series to be removed from the schedule except Married...with Children, which is just resting anyway. Will more shows come to Antenna TV in the spring and will we see some timeslot changes for some shows? (I'm hoping the underrated Too Close for Comfort finally goes to weekdays) We will let you know as soon as we can announce that. But for now let's remember, "I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati..."

Keep it right here for news from NATPE, which is from Jan. 23-25. And stay with is in the coming days and we will give you a list of the shows being offered for fall 2012 syndication, like we do every year, including the off-network sitcoms.


TV Land announced that the second season of the network's hit original sitcom, Happily Divorced (which began production on January 17, 2012 at CBS Radford Studios) will now premiere at 10:30pm on March 7, rather than 10:00pm. The twelve new episodes of Happily Divorced will premiere on Wednesday, March 7 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, so this means the second season of Retired at 35 will not premiere until later in the year. There is no word on when because TV Land also has the Hot in Cleveland spin-off series Have Faith premieres June 6. Encores of Hot in Cleveland will air at 10:00pm leading into Happily Divorced starting March 7, as Cleveland's mid-season finale is on Feb. 15 before it returns June 6 at 10pm with its second half.
Retired at 35 follows a successful businessman (Jonathan McClain) who decides to chuck the New York City rat race... and retires to Florida, three decades ahead of time and moves into his parents' (played by George Segal and Jessica Walter) Florida condo in a brand new world of sunshine and fun, from slow-moving softball games to really early dinners. And of course, Happily Divorced is based on Fran Drescher's real life as Los Angeles florist Fran (Drescher) as she deals with dating after finding out her realtor husband of 18 years (John Michael Higgins) is gay. The show focuses on how she juggles her new relationships and her ex-husband post-divorce while still living under the same roof.
Stay with us for more information and also stay with us soon for some schedule changes at TV Land.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 8

Shifting Gears - "Date" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Matt and Eve go on their first date but have different ideas of what it should entail. Riley befriends the mom of Georgia’s new friend while Carter mediates a tiff between Gabe and Stitch. LA Dodger Mookie Betts and Lilly Singh guest star.

Abbott Elementary - "Cheating" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Melissa tries to outsmart her students; Tariq causes chaos in Janine’s class, and a new guidance counselor joins the school.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 6)

Wednesday, October 8

  • Tim Allen (Shifting Gears/Last Man Standing/Home Improvement) - Watch Tim on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • David Henrie (Wizards Beyond Waverly Place/Wizards of Waverly Place/How I Met Your Mother/The Pitts) and Janice Leann Brown (Wizards Beyond Waverly Place) - David and Janice talk about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) - Aubrey talks about Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Ryan Reynolds (Two Guys and a Girl) - Ryan stops by for a talk with the hosts about John Candy: I Like Me on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Tom Papa (Come to Papa) - NBC's Today catches up with Tom in the 9am hour.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris talks about Watson on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - The Drew Crew team is sharing their best pro tips including newest Drew Crewer Amirah Kassem sharing how to make the perfect party dish and easy ways to level up hosting on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Tom Arnold (Roseanne/The Jackie Thomas Show/Tom/The Tom Show) - Tom is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


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

10/07 - The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer
10/06 - Dancing with the Stars Surging in Viewership, Especially Among Younger Viewers; Remembering Kimberly Hébert Gregory of Vice Principals
10/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 6, 2025)
10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025
09/29 - Netflix Renews Haunted Hotel for Season 2; Christmas Comedy Series Sicilia Express
09/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 29, 2025)
09/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Cast Comes Together for First Table Read for Reboot; Monopoly Game Show Moving Ahead
09/26 - Netflix Adds to Cast for Running Point Season 2; Stiller & Meara Apple TV+ Documentary
09/25 - Adam Pally HBO Comedy Special; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns with Huge Ratings
09/24 - Weigel's Newest Diginet WEST Launches Monday, September 29; New Baywatch Coming to Fox in 2026-27
09/23 - DMV Trailer for CBS; Mo Amer Returns to Netflix
09/22 - SNL Season 51 Guests for First Episodes; Prime Video's Bat-Fam Series
09/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 22, 2025)
09/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Paper to Get Linear Run on NBC; Saturday Night Live Announces New Hosts
09/19 - NBC Schedules The Paper and Stumble in November; Remembering Patricia (Pat) Crowley of Please Don't Eat the Daisies
09/18 - UPtv Acquires The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Camp Rock 3 Coming Soon to Disney
09/17 - FETV Acquires The Munsters Effective September 29; Apple TV+ The Morning Show Renewed for Season 5
09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29
09/09 - HBO Comedy The Chair Company; Trailer for Disney's Vampirina: Teenage Vampire
09/08 - The Paper Renewed for Season 2, NYC Event on Tuesday; Final Season of Bel-Air
09/07 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 8, 2025)