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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, July 9

Shifting Gears - "Gummies" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Riley is horrified when she finds weed gummies in Carter’s pocket, prompting surprising advice from Matt. Meanwhile, Eve inadvertently lands Gabriel and Stitch in hot water after asking them to donate to a charity auction.

Shifting Gears - "Kiss" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Jimmy returns with a new job and a proposition for Riley and the kids to move into his house, Riley is torn between her past and her future. Meanwhile, Matt's feud with Eve flares up once again after she damages his car.

Abbott Elementary - "Volunteers" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ava announces the school district is sending a group of volunteers to help out at Abbott; however, when they arrive, things don’t go as planned.

Abbott Elementary - "100th Day of School" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
During Abbott’s 100th day of school celebrations, Barbara receives a surprise from her daughter. Melissa, Jacob and Mr. Johnson join forces to conduct a search party.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "The Gang F***s Up Abbott Elementary" (FXX and FX, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Months after the Gang visited, Abbott's Principal Ava walks viewers through some of the unseen footage of the Gang's volunteerism and reveals their true intentions.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Frank Is in a Coma" (FXX and FX, 9:33PM ET/PT)
The five stages of grief set in for Dee as Frank lies on his deathbed; the Guys plot their new path forward by pitching their business ventures to Philadelphia's elite.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 7)

Wednesday, July 9

Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Watch Salma on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Cole Escola (Human Resources/Search Party/Mozart in the Jungle/Difficult People) - Cole appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Richie Moriarty (Ghosts), Betsy Sodaro (Ghosts/Duncanville/Disjointed/Animal Practice) and Punam Patel (Ghosts/Return of the Mac/Kevin from Work) - Richie, Betsy and Punam are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Tika Sumpter (mixed-ish/Final Space/The Game) - Tika sits down with the Tam Fam to talk about her new children's book I Got It From My Mama a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Isabela Merced (100 Things to Do Before High School/Growing Up Fisher) - Isabela chats about her film Superman on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/The Mindy Project) and Justin Bartha (The New Normal/Teachers) - Anna and Justin discuss their film Nuked on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) - Simon talks about Peacock's Poker Face on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.