The Hub Alters Sitcom Line-Up Next Few Weeks; GSN Acquires Minute to Win It and Premiering New Version of Pyramid

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

The Hub Alters Sitcom Line-Up Next Few Weeks; GSN Acquires Minute to Win It and Premiering New Version of Pyramid

With ALF Week going on right now on The Hub, the network has altered its primetime line-up again for next week. Before we get into that, let's recap the ALF Week. ALF, the beloved, wise-cracking alien is hosting the network's primetime programming lineup for a week-long event (thru this Thursday), featuring his unique, brow-raising, sense of humor as he gives his take on favorite episodes of his own series and other classic shows on The Hub including Mork & Mindy, Sabrina, The Teenage Witch and The Facts of Life (yes, Happy Days was scrapped this week for Sabrina). Viewers are learning what ALF has to say about life since his popular series was produced in the late 1980's while he was living with the Tanner clan.
Anyway, back to what will happen starting next week. We mentioned last week that Sabrina, the Teenage Witch would only be airing Sunday nights 3-4am after its July 26 marathon from 9am-2pm (all that will remain still, though). Well, The Hub has changed their primetime schedule again. For next week only, the week of July 23-26, primetime will look like this from 8-10pm: Lois & Clark (two-hour pilot) on Monday, Sabrina the Teenage Witch on Tuesday, The Facts of Life on Wednesday and ALF on Thursday. So Monday and Tuesday has been changed and will not feature the regular Mork & Mindy and Happy Days next week. No reason was given for this change. The following two weeks will feature animated series in primetime from 8-10pm, like Batman: The Animated Series. The Hub is clearly testing to see what works best in primetime for them. As of now, the sitcoms will return regularly in primetime the week of August 13. We just don't know what shows will air when. The good news is that the 10pm-12am block will remain every week with back-to-back The Wonder Years and an episode each of Laverne & Shirley and Batman. Also remaining on the schedule will be Lois & Clark on Sunday nights from 8pm-2am, followed by an episode each of Doogie Howser and Family Ties and a double shot of Sabrina. The only other show of note for us is back-to-back Batman on Friday and Saturday nights from 5-6am, following Honey I Shrunk the Kids: The Series at 4am.
Stay with us for further updates. Let's hope all the sitcoms they air will return regularly starting Aug. 13, but for now enjoy ALF Week this week and sitcoms in primetime next week.

In TV acquisition news, GSN announced it has acquired off-network rights to 68 one-hour episodes of the hit game show Minute to Win It from NBCUniversal Cable & New Media Distribution. Hosted by All-American chef and television personality Guy Fieri, the game features competitors participating in a series of simple, yet nerve-wracking, games that can lead to a $1 million prize. Minute to Win It will air in four-hour blocks on Tuesday nights from 7pm to 11pm (ET) on GSN beginning on Tuesday, July 24 at 7pm (ET). The series only aired from 2010-11 on NBC but had 69 episodes in just two seasons.
GSN has also announced the premiere date for its original series, The Pyramid, a contemporary take on one of television's most beloved game shows, hosted by television executive producer and Beauty and the Geek host Mike Richards. The Pyramid is a daily strip show airing Monday through Friday at 6pm ET, and will premiere on Monday, September 3 at 6pm ET. The Pyramid is back in an all-new, half-hour version of the fast-paced word guessing game. The celebrities, the Pyramid game board, the Winner's Circle: everything viewers know and love about the iconic format is returning in GSN's lively new version. The series, a winner of nine Daytime Emmy® Awards during its storied 40-year run, brings a contemporary sensibility, tone and style to a beloved franchise and will accompany the hit show, The Newlywed Game in GSN's "Iconic Game Reinvented" category.
The Pyramid joins the previously announced new shows on GSN this fall: The American Bible Challenge and Beat the Chefs, which are the first of GSN's "Shiny Floor Game" category - contemporary studio-based game shows that focus on themes prevalent in pop culture. The American Bible Challenge, an original one-hour game show hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy, will premiere on Thursday, August 23 at 8pm ET/PT, while Beat the Chefs, an hour-long cooking competition show with host Matt Rogers, will also premiere on Thursday, August 23 at 9pm ET/PT.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Thursday, January 20

Young Sheldon - "A Pink Cadillac and a Glorious Tribal Dance" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Sheldon attends his first comic book convention. Also, Mary tries selling make-up.

United States of Al - "Poker / Pokar" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Art grows concerned when Al gets hooked on playing poker, misses a class and is late for work. Also, Lizzie and Brett’s relationship grows stronger, but she struggles with dating again for the first time in a few years.

Ghosts - "The Vault" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Just as Sam and Jay are set to host a friend’s wedding that could get their B&B business off the ground, the ghost of Hetty’s husband, Elias Woodstone (Matt Walsh), tries to ruin it.

B Positive - "Louisville, Bubbaroo and Sully" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Gina hires Peter’s son to be her lawyer, but things get complicated when he asks her out. Also, Drew and Harry’s van breaks down during their road trip.

Call Me Kat - "Call Me a Sporty Giant" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
While staying in Kat's apartment, Randi starts to feel overwhelmed by Kat's quirks; Max and Carter try to teach Phil how to ride a bike.

Pivoting - "The Giving Tree" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Sarah drags Amy and Jodie out on a night of hijinks; Amy struggles to balance a work crisis and her new dedication to motherhood; Jodie's anxiety takes over after sending a flirty text to Matt and doesn't get a response.

Single Drunk Female - "Pilot" (Freeform, 10:00PM ET/PT)
A public flameout forces 20-something alcoholic Sam to move back home with her overbearing mother, Carol; surrounded by all the triggers that made her drink, Sam tries to move past her worst self and figure out her best self.

Single Drunk Female - "One Day at a Time" (Freeform, 10:00PM ET/PT)
An awkward run-in with her former best friend and her ex inspires Sam to own up for her past mistakes, both emotionally and financially; as she resets her relationship with her mother, Sam is horrified to learn Carol is dating.

Warped! - "Pilot" (Nickelodeon, 7:30PM ET/PT)
Milo, the beloved head geek at a comic book shop, finds his world disrupted after his boss hires the quirky and excitable Ruby.

Warped! - "Challenged!" (Nickelodeon, 8:00PM ET/PT)
After Milo's nemesis Carl beats his world record, Ruby helps him try to reclaim it.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 17)

Thursday, January 20

Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/George and Leo/Chicago Sons/Simon/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Catch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Will appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - Jennifer is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
David Cross (Arrested Development/Running Wilde/Oliver Beene) - David appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Laura Linney (The Big C) and Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Laura and Kristin are guests on Watch What Happens: Live at 10:30pm on Bravo. NBC's Today catches up with Laura in the 9am hour.
Ricky Gervais (After Life/The Office) - Ricky chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Sharon Gless (House Calls/Turnabout) - Sharon chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones/Vice Principals/Partners) - Edi will be on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls/The Office) and Randall Park Fresh Off the Boat/Veep) - Ed and Randall talk about Peacock's True Story with Ed and Randall on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT and on PEOPLE in 10 at 8am.
Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) and Finesse Mitchell (Outmatched/A.N.T. Farm) - Kym and Finesse guest host The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Game/Here We Go Again/The Steve Harvey Show/Minor Adjustments) - Wendy talks about Paramount+'s The Game on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie talks about her new book Enough Already on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Chris Kattan (The Middle) - Chris is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Kyle Mooney (Arrested Development) - Kyle appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
John Early (Search Party) - John talks about the final season of Search Party on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Kristen Bell (The Good Place) - Kristen talks about The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere/Camping/Lady Dynamite>) - Bridget talks about Somebody Somewhere on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Sofia Black-D’Elia (Single Drunk Female/The Mick) and Ally Sheedy (Single Drunk Female - Sofia and Ally talk about Freeform's Single Drunk Female on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Marsai Martin (black-ish) - Marsai talks about Remix My Space on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.