Perry Mason Returns To Hallmark Movie Channel; Leverage Heads To Syndication In Fall 2012

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Perry Mason Returns To Hallmark Movie Channel; Leverage Heads To Syndication In Fall 2012

Hallmark Channel's movie network The Hallmark Movie Channel will bring back reruns of Perry Mason starting President's Day! The classic Raymond Burr series will start off with a 24-hour President's Day Marathon on Monday, Feb. 20, 2012 starting bright and early at 6am! Perry Mason will then start airing every weekday as well starting Tuesday, Feb. 21 and will air weekdays at 12 noon ET and 1pm ET, replacing Matlock. It seems Matlock will be off the schedule, but the two-hour movies will still pop-up on weekends from time to time. No word on when the regular Matlock airings will return, but you can still catch it on WGN America and in local syndication (if your market airs it). Perry Mason will be the lead-in to Murder, She Wrote, which remains weekdays at 2pm & 3pm ET. The Angela Lansbury drama will also still air at 12am & 1am, but Perry Mason will not get an encore. As you know, Murder, She Wrote also airs on TV Land, while Perry Mason can also be seen on MeTV Network and the two-hour movies pop-up from time to time on Encore Suspense.
No other series airs on The Hallmark Movie Channel and rightfully so, since it is a movie network. Stay with us for any further updates and we'll let you know if Matlock does indeed return at some point, but for now the verdict is in and Perry Mason is in!

Trifecta Entertainment & Media announced a two year deal to bring Leverage, the hit TNT television drama from Dean Devlin's Electric Entertainment, to the CBS-owned stations in 13 markets, beginning in Fall 2012. The fast-paced, light hearted caper series, recently picked up for its fifth season on TNT, will air on weekends on WCBS in New York, KCAL/KCBS in Los Angeles, WBBM in Chicago, KYW/WPSG in Philadelphia, KTVT/KTXA in Dallas, KPIX/KBCW in San Francisco, WBZ/WSBK in Boston, WUPA in Atlanta, WWJ/WKBD in Detroit, KSTW in Seattle, WCCO in Minneapolis, WPCW in Pittsburgh and WJZ in Baltimore.
Leverage follows a five-person team: a grifter, a hacker, a thief, a retrieval specialist, and their leader, former insurance investigator Nathan Ford (Hutton), who use their skills to right corporate and governmental injustices inflicted on ordinary citizens. In its fourth season, Leverage averaged more than 4.8 million viewers, up 10% over season three.

Speaking of syndication, the annual NATPE conference is Jan. 23-25 from Miami and we will bring you some news from that next week. We promise some classic TV sitcom news will come out of this as well. What will it be? Stay with us next week and find out!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, February 26

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A New Hobby, a Pervert and a Part-Time Job" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Audrey and Mandy urge Jim to find a new hobby now that he’s retired and driving them crazy.

Ghosts - "The Others" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and the ghosts face The Others, a new group of spirits from one ghost’s past. Meanwhile, Trevor tries to deal with a demanding Patience, who seeks a committed relationship in the wake of their holiday hookup.

Animal Control - "Roosters and Moles" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Templeton is nominated for Animal Control officer of the year, Frank sets out to rescue 24 animals in 24 hours; Victoria steps in for Shred after he's bitten by a kitten; Templeton tries to sabotage Frank's mission.

Going Dutch - "Swapadakis" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Major Shah needs the weekend off to celebrate his anniversary with Celeste; Capt. Maggie makes an emotional hair choice.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 23)

Thursday, February 26

Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Catch Sterling on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. He also talks about Hulu's Paradise on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Dave "Lil Dicky" Burd (Dave) - Dave is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Bobby Cannavale (Angie Tribeca/Will & Grace) - Bobby appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Jon Hamm (Grimsburg/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Jon stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Hoppers on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Christa Miller (Shrinking/Cougar Town/Scrubs/The Drew Carey Show) - Christa talks about Shrinking on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Amy Landecker (Transparent/The Paul Reiser Show) and Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Amy and Bradley talk about For Worse on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm. NBC's Today catches up with Bradley in the 9am hour.
Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher) - Jackson talks about Tell Me Lies on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
Gina Gershon (Red Oaks/How to Make It in America) - NBC's Today catches up with Gina in the 10am hour.
Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Sherri's BFF Kym stops by to introduce her to some single men on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Emeril Lagasse (Emeril) - It's a cooking flashback when Emeril surprises Sunny on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Bad Teacher/Sex and the City) - It's a little bit extra with Kristin who reminisces about her favorite moments playing Charlotte on Sex and the City on The Drew Barrmyore Show, so check your local listings.
Piper Curda (I Didn't Do It) and Bobby Moynihan (Mr. Mayor/Me, Myself & I) - Piper and Bobby talk about Hoppers on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about her film Operation Taco Gary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi talks about her It's Not That Deep tour on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.