Network Notes Includes Fox Thursday Sitcom Repeats in August; Remembering Television Producer Lee Rich

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Network Notes Includes Fox Thursday Sitcom Repeats in August; Remembering Television Producer Lee Rich

It's time for another round of network notes! First on CBS, after canceled sitcom How To Be A Gentleman concludes its burn-off, CBS will air burn-off episodes of canceled drama NYC 22 on Saturday nights starting July 7. CBS only aired four episodes of the drama on Sunday nights at 10pm, and will now the remaining nine episodes will air this summer on Saturdays at 8pm and 9pm most weeks through August 18. CBS planned on airing these episodes this summer in the Sunday at 10pm slot, but now will likely go with repeats of dramas instead, as CSI: Miami repeats have already been scheduled for last Sunday (May 27) and June 3. See the schedule for NYC 22.
On ABC, the schedule update is for two summer series from ABC News. First, the previously announced Final Witness for Tuesdays at 10 starting July 10, is being moved to Wednesdays at 10 starting June 27 for 7 episodes. ABC had not announced anything in that time period after the initial Apartment 23 and Modern Family repeats and then two special Duets airings (June 13 and 20). Airing now in the Tuesday at 10 slot where Final Witness was going to air will now be the reality medical series NY Med. This series follows the doctors of NY Presbyterian Hospital, similar to Boston Med in summer 2010. NY Med will air Tuesdays at 10 starting July 10 for likely 8 episodes. See the full information on both of these schedule changes.
Moving on to NBC, America's Got Talent will air its last Monday episode on July 2. The reality staple will move to Wednesdays at 9pm starting July 11 and Tuesdays will expand to two-hours to 8-10pm. In addition, a special three-night event will air Monday, June 25 8-9pm; Tuesday, June 26 9-10pm and Wednesday, June 27 9-11pm. And finally on Fox, they will have Hell's Kitchen and MasterChef on Mondays and Tuesday from 8-10pm starting next week, but the two shows will be cut to one night by end of July. Hell's Kitchen will air back-to-back on Monday nights starting July 30 and MasterChef will air back-to-back on Tuesday nights starting July 31. For both shows, it will be an encore leading into a new episode. And finally, after the Thursday reality series (which premiere next week) conclude, Fox will go with comedy encores of Raising Hope and New Girl in the 8pm hour starting August 2, as Take Me Out concludes July 26. Glee repeats will air at 9pm beginning July 19, as The Choice will conclude July 12.

Television and film producer Lee Rich, co-founder of Lorimar Productions who produced series including The Waltons, Eight is Enough and Dallas, has died. He died on May 24 of lung cancer at his home in Los Angeles. Mr. Rich was 93.

Rich's career began in advertising for Benton & Bowles as ad agency middleman between product company sponsors and television producers. He was involved with The Andy Griffith Show, Make Room for Daddy, The Edge of Night, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and The Dick Van Dyke Show. In 1965, he formed his own production company, Mirisch-Rich Productions. They produced The Rat Patrol and the short-lived sitcom Hey, Landlord. In 1969, he co-founded Lormiar Productions with Merv Adelson and Irwin Molasky. Rich served as an executive producer for The Waltons, Eight is Enough, Dallas and Flamingo Road. During his time at Lorimar, he received five Emmy nominations and won the 1973 Outstanding Drama Series for The Waltons. He also brought us TV movies including The Homecoming, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (which served as the pilot for The Waltons), Sybil and Helter Skelter. After leaving Lorimar in 1986, Rich joined MGM/UA Communications as Chairman/CEO for two years. He later helped produce films including Passenger 57, Just Cause, Gloria and The Score.

The Archive of American Television has an extensive interview with him from 1999. Rich is survived by his longtime partner, actress Pippa Scott; five children, Michael Henes, Jessica Rich, Miranda Rich Tollman, Blair Rich and Anthony Rich; and seven grandchildren. We thank him for bringing us many quality hours of television. He will be missed.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, April 7

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Monday, April 7

Eric André (Man Seeking Woman/2 Broke Girls/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Watch Eric on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Marsai Martin (black-ish) - Marsai is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael makes a special appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about Black Mirror on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Karan Soni (Miracle Workers/Blunt Talk) and Kate Micucci (Raising Hope/Scrubs) - Karan and Kate are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Michael B. Jordan (The Assistants) - E! News has an interview with Michael at 11pm on E!. He also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) - NBC's Today catches up with Chase in the 9am hour.
Bowen Yang (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Bowen co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - NBC's Today catches up with Kean in the 10am hour.
Rashida Jones (Sunny/BlackAF/Duncanville/Angie Tribeca/Unhitched/The Office) - Rashida talks about Black Mirror on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Susan Kelechi Watson (Louie) - Susan talks about Netflix's The Residence on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kevin is playing a round of Behind-the-Scenes and dishing on some of his biggest projects on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) - Tichina is telling Drew about being single and using dating apps, her daughter turning 21, and filming the last season of The Neighborhood on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Max Greenfield (The Neighborhood/New Girl) - Max and Tess Sanchez are telling Drew all about how they make their marriage work in an all new Drew Love on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael discusses his Still Ugly podcast on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Randall Park (Young Rock/Blockbuster/Fresh Off the Boat/Veep/Supah Ninjas) - Randall talks about Netflix's The Residence on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.