New Original Sitcom Coming to TBS This Summer; Reimagine That! Interviews Bronson Pinchot from Perfect Strangers About His New Series

Monday, February 13, 2012

New Original Sitcom Coming to TBS This Summer; Reimagine That! Interviews Bronson Pinchot from Perfect Strangers About His New Series

TBS has given the greenlight to the new multi-camera comedy series Sullivan and Son, starring popular comedian Steve Byrne and executive-produced by Vince Vaughn (The Break-Up), Peter Billingsley and showrunner Rob Long (Cheers). Byrne also serves as producer on the series, which comes to TBS from Vaughn's Wild West Picture Show Productions, in association with Warner Horizon Television. The pilot was co-written by Byrne and Long, with Ted Wass (Soap, Blossom) directing. TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the series, which is slated to premiere this summer. They ordered it to pilot in October, as we mentioned, so it went well and now will be a series!
Sullivan and Son takes place in a popular and legendary neighborhood bar in a working-class neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Penn. Filled with locals and regulars, Sullivan & Son is the unofficial "town hall" to the neighborhood. As the series opens, Steve Sullivan (Byrne) is a successful corporate attorney from New York who brings his girlfriend, Ashley (guest star Brooke Lyons - 2 Broke Girls) for a visit just as his Irish-American father, Jack Sullivan (Dan Lauria - The Wonder Years), and Korean mother, Ok Cha (Jodi Long), are preparing to sell the bar and retire. Upon arrival, Steve reconnects with his best friend, Owen (Owen Benjamin); gets accosted by his long-suffering, under-appreciated younger sister, Susan (Vivian Bang); endures offensive comments from gruff barfly Hank (Brian Doyle Murray - Saturday Night Live); and gets hit on by tipsy cougar Carol (Christine Ebersole - Royal Pains). He even feels a rekindled romantic spark with his former sweetheart, Melanie (Valerie Azlynn). It doesn't take Steve long to realize that what he really wants out of life is to return to the old neighborhood and take over Sullivan & Son, even if it means giving up a lavish Manhattan lifestyle with the gorgeous Ashley. And so begins Steve's quest for a more meaningful and rewarding life behind the bar.
In addition to Sullivan and Son, TBS recently announced that this summer, the network will premiere the new buddy multi-camera comedy series Men at Work, starring Danny Masterson, James Lesure, Michael Cassidy and Adam Busch, which was ordered to pilot in August, as we mentioned. 10 episodes will air. Also this year, TBS will launch The Wedding Band, a new one-hour scripted comedy series starring Brian Austin Green, Harold Perrineau, Peter Cambor and Derek Miller, Melora Hardin, Jenny Wade and Kathryn Fiore. We mentioned of the pick-up back in May. And 10 episodes of this one-hour comedy have been ordered as well. Stay with us for premiere dates for all three original TBS series!

Our good pal Chris Mann as posted his latest episode of his podcast series Reimagine That! With Chris Mann and he has interviewed one of the funniest and nicest sitcom actors ever--Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers). Nothing's going to stop Chris Mann now! If that's not enough, Bronson reimagines unscripted entertainment by giving his very first "inter'nude!" And no Chris is not being ridiculous! You'll have to take a listen to this for sure! TV's Balki Bartokomous -- who came back this weekend in the premiere of his new DIY home-restoration series, The Bronson Pinchot Project -- goes "au naturel" in this hysterical interview that exposes his thoughts on everything from reality TV, his love of Wizard of Oz, overcoming childhood adversity and sharing his "deeply personal and very secret" connection with Balki and Perfect Strangers fans. In addition, he shares his creative passion for renovating vintage houses and buildings, and discusses his memorable experience getting a disturbing "house dream" analyzed on Bio's Celebrity Nightmares Decoded. Since Bronson is in the middle of filming his new DIY series, the interview was cut a bit short but it is hysterical, fun and a great listen! The Bronson Pinchot Project airs every Saturday at 10:30pm on DIY!
Also earlier in the podcast, Chris gives his assessment of Suzanne Somers' recent reconciliation with Joyce DeWitt -- for more info, see his new Retroality.TV blog post (a MUST read, folks!)-- and previews his upcoming two-part interview with Little House on the Prairie star turned bestselling author and childhood abuse survivor Alison Angrim.
Finally, Reimagine That!'s resident dream weaver, Yvonne Ryba, interprets some of her fascinating "house dreams" while trying to make sense of Chris's bizarre, circa-early-Eighties dream involving TV's Janet Wood and Chrissy Snow, his front porch and a stampeding bull(!). This podcast has it all, doesn't it? So hope nothing is going to stop you now in listening to this podcast! Go and listen to episode six!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, December 26

Ghosts - "The Christmas: Spirit One" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
In part one of a special one-hour #Ghostsmas episode, Jay’s sister, Bela (Punam Patel), visits Woodstone Mansion and brings along an adoring male friend, inspiring Sam to spark a romance between them in the spirit of the holiday rom-coms she loves. Meanwhile, the ghosts have conjured up a very different holiday plan for Trevor and Bela. Also, Isaac has an awkward encounter with Nigel that forces him to look back on events in his life.

Ghosts - "The Christmas: Spirit Two" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
In part two of a special one-hour #Ghostsmas episode, Sam and Thorfinn get caught in the crossfire as the scheme Jay’s sister, Bela (Punam Patel), and the ghosts have conjured up goes awry. Also, Isaac’s marriage to Beatrice sheds light on how apprehensive he has been in communicating his feelings to Nigel.

Ghosts - "A Very Arondekar Christmas Part 1" / "A Very Arondekar Christmas Part 2" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
A leaky water heater mishap threatens to ruin holiday plans as Sam and Jay prepare to host Jay’s hard-to-please dad, Mahesh (Bernard White), difficult-to-impress mom, Champa (Sakina Jaffrey), and sister Bela (Punam Patel), on a one-hour GHOSTSMAS special.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 23)

Thursday, December 26

Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Catch Jenny on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Paul Feig (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/The Louie Show/The Jackie Thomas Show/Dirty Dancing) - Paul is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Luke Wilson (No Good Deed/Englightened) - Luke is joining Drew for a round of "Behind-the-Scenes" with tidbits from his roles in movies like Legally Blonde on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. He's also telling her about his role in the thrilling new show, No Good Deed.
Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney is chatting with Drew about joining her on Hollywood Squares, going back to work in comedy after becoming a mother, and hosting her new trivia show about Friends on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle appears on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Sanaa Lathan (Family Guy/The Cleveland Show/LateLine) - Sanaa and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor talk about the enduring power of friendship in their new Hulu film The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Carol Kane (Taxi/All Is Forgiven/Amerian Dreamer/Pearl/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Carol chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Lamorne Morris (Woke/New Girl) - Lamorne sits down for an interview on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
Jay Pharoah (White Famous/Champaign ILL) - Jay talks about his new virtual reality series Soapstone Comedy Presents on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.