TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour: Cable Day 1; MeTV Network Announced 3 More Affiliates Includes Salt Lake City

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour: Cable Day 1; MeTV Network Announced 3 More Affiliates Includes Salt Lake City

Today is day one of the TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour for cable networks. Among the cable networks going today through Friday are Current TV, Ovation, BBC America, HBO, GMC, Starz, The Weather Channel, Discovery, National Geographic Channels and ESPN. See below for some day one updates!
Moving on, the syndicated talk show Anderson, with Anderson Cooper, is now changing its name to Anderson Live this fall. The one-hour daily syndicated talk show hosted by Anderson Cooper, returns for its second season as Anderson Live on Monday, September 10, 2012, with a brand new show name, new set and new live format with rotating co-hosts. Anderson Live will tape in front of a live studio audience at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City where Cooper will be joined daily by co-hosts for the show's sophomore season. Anderson Live's new set with live capabilities will enable Cooper to cover stories while they are breaking and update his viewers with the latest news, truly becoming water cooler TV in the daytime. Anderson Live will feature interviews with movie stars from the fall's most anticipated films including Richard Gere and the cast of Arbitrage, as well as Emma Watson and the cast of The Perks of Being a Wallflower; TV stars from hit shows including Modern Family's Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell, The Mindy Project's Mindy Kaling and Scandal's Kerry Washington; Comedian and Author Stephen Colbert as well as classic TV stars including Carol Burnett. So stay tuned this fall every Friday when we cover sitcom stars on talk shows like Anderson Live!

On to summer cable press tour day one updates, TV One has announced that its new sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show will premiere on September 18. Comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley stars as Rickey Smiley, a character loosely based on his own life - a popular, local DJ based in Atlanta, who is the single father to three children. The all-star cast includes Ray J (Moesha, One on One), J. Anthony Brown (Like Family), Lil JJ (Just Jordan), Roz Ryan (Amen), Noree Victoria and Demetria McKinney (Tyler Perry's House of Payne). The series is being produced in Atlanta for TV One by Bobbcat Films. Executive producers are Roger Bobb, Rickey Smiley, Yolanda Starkes-White and Ward White. Executive in Charge of Production for TV One is Tia Smith.

HBO has confirmed that acclaimed series Enlightened and Girls will have their second-season premieres in January 2013. Both series will return for ten-episode seasons. Enlightened tells the story of an ambitious executive at a global conglomerate, who returns to her fractured life after a humiliating public breakdown, determined to lead a more enlightened existence. Golden Globe Award winner Laura Dern stars in the series with Diane Ladd, Sarah Burns, Luke Wilson and Mike White.
Girls takes a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. The cast includes Lena Dunham, Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver and Alex Karpovsky. The series recently received five Emmy(R) nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham) and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham).

Two additional HBO comedies will be back with new episodes in 2013. Veep returns for a ten-episode second season. The Emmy(R)-nominated series stars Emmy(R) winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus as former Senator Selina Meyer, who becomes vice president, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. The show also stars Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Timothy C. Simons, Reid Scott and Sufe Bradshaw.
Eastbound & Down will be returning for an eight-episode fourth season. Danny McBride stars as Kenny Powers, a star pitcher whose self-destructive behavior knocks him out of major league baseball, leaving him broke, delusional and desperate to regain his former glory. The series is executive produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Chris Henchy, Jody Hill and Danny McBride.

On the heels of five Hearts stations signing on for the MeTV Network, three Newport stations have now committed to the classic TV network. On Monday (July 30) KTVX in Salt Lake City and KOKI in Tulsa launched the MeTV Network. Another Newport Television station in Syracuse will launch MeTV on WSYR on Monday, September 10, 2012. Salt Lake City's MeTV station can be seen over the air on channel 4.2 as well as on Comcast channel 104. Tulsa's MeTV station can be seen over-the-air on channel 23.2 as well as on Comcast channel 302, Charter channel 292 and Wave Broadband channel 60. Syracuse's MeTV station will be seen over the air on channel 9.2 as well as on Time Warner Cable channel 890 and FiOS channel 470. The MeTV Network now clears more than 82% of the country, serving more than 129 affiliates!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, October 27

The Goldbergs - "The Hunt for the Great Albino Pumpkin" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Missing his Pops, Adam finds himself disenchanted with his once favorite time of year, Halloween. Beverly tirelessly tries to resurrect Adam’s Halloween spirit from the dead, encouraging Pop Pop (Judd Hirsch) to spend some quality time with his grandson. A night of mishaps and chaos turns out to be just the adventure Adam needs. Meanwhile, with the push and support from Joanne, Barry decides to bring his former alter ego, rapper “Big Tasty,” back to life; and a chance encounter with the legendary Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, brings Barry and Joanne closer together.

The Wonder Years - "Be Prepared" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Coach Long and Bill take the boys on a camping trip as part of their newly formed scout troop, their starkly different approaches to the outdoors show Dean that his father isn’t good at everything. As a thunderstorm threatens an eerie quest through the woods, Bill leans into his expertise to save the day.

The Conners - "Peter Pan, The Backup Plan, Adventures in Babysitting, and a River Runs Through It" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The Conner home is decked out for Halloween despite the leak in the roof that forces Dan and Louise to cancel their honeymoon. But all is not lost when Becky surprises the newlyweds and takes them on a virtual adventure around the world. Meanwhile, Darlene continues her spiritual journey, and Harris introduces Aldo’s children to the family, where more tricks than treats await.

Home Economics - "Box of King-Size Candy Bars, $48.99" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Trick or treat is not the only question on the Hayworths’ minds as they debate the best neighborhood for a spooktacular Halloween. Meanwhile, Connor navigates sharing the holiday with his ex-wife, Emily.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 25)

Wednesday, October 27

Dan Levy (Schitt's Creek) - Watch Dan on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Beanie Feldstein (Harriet the Spy) - Beanie will be on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Norman Lear (Producer of All in the Family/Maude/Sanford and Son/The Jeffersons/Good Times) - Norman is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet) - Drew will be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Linda Lavin (B Positive/9JKL/Sean Saves the World/Room for Two/Alice) - Linda is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Hector Elizondo (Last Man Standing/Down and Out in Beverly Hills/Foley Square/Popi) - Hector will be on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Jane Seymour (Let's Get Physical/Modern Men) - Jane appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan (check your local listings) and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney guest hosts The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Ms. Pat (The Ms. Pat Show) - Ms. Pat appears on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Alyssa Milano (Who's the Boss?/Romantically Challenged) - Alyssa talks about her new personal essay collection, Sorry Not Sorry, on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina talks about Lifetime's Switched Before Birth on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Kermit the Frog (The Muppets) - Kermit the Frog talks about YouTube's Dear Earth on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice/Shaping Up) - Jennifer talks about USA Network's Chucky on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Elizabeth Banks (Scrubs/30 Rock) - Elizabeth talks about My Body, My Podcast on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Justine Bateman (Family Ties) - Justine talks about Violet on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.