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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, August 8
Happy's Place - "Don't Sweat It" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie asks Isabella to move in with her, but when Isabella sees that Bobbie likes to address conflict head on, Isabella decides it might not be the best idea.
Happy's Place - "Dear Jack" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Bobbie catches Isabella doing a slow-fade breakup with her long-distance boyfriend, she convinces her to send a Dear John letter; Steve brings in a review praising Chef Emmett's cooking and acknowledging the tavern's bartender, "Abby."
Electric Bloom - "How It All Came Out in the Wash" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Jade and Posey experience opposite feelings about their first crushes. Meanwhile, Tulip discovers an exciting new talent.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 4)
Friday, August 8
- Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Renée Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Renée appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Pamela Anderson (Stacked/Home Improvement) - Pamela is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Marc Maron (GLOW/Maron) - Marc appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) and Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) - Gillian and Paul are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers) - Steve talks about Wednesday on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Kelsey Grammer (Frasier/Partners/Hank/Back to You/Cheers) - Kelsey talks about his book Karen: A Brother Remembers on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie is a guest on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- The Jonas Brothers (Jonas/Jonas LA) - The Jonas Brothers perform in the Citi Concert Series on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Christopher Lloyd (Taxi/Stacked) - NBC's Today catches up with Christopher in the 9am hour.
- Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) - Matt co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony talks about Sketch on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Oliver Hudson (Splitting Up Together/Rules of Engagement/My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star) - Oliver is a guest on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) - Jack talks about HGTV's Zillow Gone Wild on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and 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)
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