Tuesday, November 06, 2012
Matlock Comes to INSP Starting November 12; CBS Gives Elementary Post-Super Bowl Slot
Matlock launches on INSP next Monday, November 12. The long-running legal drama will air weeknights at 10pm ET. The fun begins with a two-part event Monday and Tuesday night. In the series premiere, "Diary of a Perfect Murder," Ben Matlock and his daughter Charlene defend a TV journalist accused of killing his ex-wife. A double dose of Matlock can also be seen on WGN America daily at 9-11am ET/6-8am PT.
INSP will present a 14-hour "Black Friday Matlock Marathon" on Friday, November 23 starting at 12pm ET. Many television stars make guest appearances in these episodes, including Don Knotts (The Andy Griffith Show/Three's Company), Betty White (Hot in Cleveland/The Golden Girls/The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family), Corbin Bernsen (L.A. Law, ALF (ALF), Rhea Perlman (Cheers), Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show) and David Carradine (Kung Fu). View the complete marathon schedule here.
Andy Griffith stars in the classic courtroom drama Matlock, playing a Harvard-educated lawyer with a Georgian accent. The 60-minute show centers around his ability to solve a murder mystery to prove his client's innocence and put the real killer behind bars. Matlock aired on NBC for the first six seasons (1986-1992) and then on ABC for three more seasons (1992-1995). Many of the cases were on the sensational side and included Perry Mason-like last-minute revelations on the witness stand. The stories and characters had Griffith's trademark folksy appeal and proved to be his second monster hit, like his classic 1960s sitcom. Several of Andy Griffith's co-stars on the Andy Griffith Show also appeared on Matlock as guest stars. They were Don Knotts (Barney Fife), Aneta Corsaut (Helen Crump), Jack Dodson (Howard Sprague), Arlene Golonka (Millie Hutchins), and Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou).
Moving on to other INSP schedule news, Little House on the Prairie's 10pm airing is being replaced by the newly acquired Matlock. It will remain weekdays at 1pm and 2pm. As we mentioned back in September during our annual schedule barrage, INSP airs sitcoms The Brady Bunch and Happy Days. They recently moved The Brady Bunch from noon (where The Waltons receives an additional airing) to 5-6pm. The two-hour block of Happy Days was cut back an hour to 6-7pm. The rest of their schedule includes classics The Big Valley, The High Chaparral, The Virginian and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
Remember INSP is available in more than 70 million households across the U.S. on more than 2,800 cable systems and on Dish Network channel 259, DirecTV channel 364, AT&T U-verse channel 564 and Verizon FiOs channel 242. Viewers can check their local program guides for channel information or visit www.insp.com.
CBS has announced that its freshman drama Elementary, which provides a modern take on Sherlock Holmes in New York City, will receive the coveted post-Super Bowl slot. A special episode will be aired following Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday, February 3 (approximately 10:00-11:00pm, ET/7:00-8:00pm, PT).
The show has performed very well in the ratings on Thursday nights at 10pm ET. It averages 14.2 million viewers and a 3.5 18-49 rating. Elementary is the second most-watched new show of the season. Only CBS' Vegas has averaged slightly more total viewers at 14.5 million.
Elementary stars Jonny Lee Miller as eccentric, mischievous detective Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson, a former surgeon turned sober companion. Following his fall from grace in London and a stint in rehab, Sherlock escapes to Manhattan where his wealthy father forces him to live with his worst nightmare – a sobriety coach. Now running free in New York solving crimes, it’s simple deduction that he’s going to need someone to keep him grounded, and it’s elementary that it’s a job for Watson.
Also, Aidan Quinn stars as Capt. Thomas Gregson, who knows from previous experience working with Scotland Yard that Sherlock is brilliant at closing cases, along with Jon Michael Hill, who portrays Det. Marcus Bell, a top-notch investigator who is initially skeptical of Holmes and his unorthodox methods.
What do you think of CBS' decision? Discuss it here. View a complete list of Super Bowl lead-out programs here.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Friday, March 31
Lopez vs. Lopez - "Lopez vs Dog Quinces" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A once-estranged father and daughter navigate dysfunction, reconnection and all the headaches and joy in between as they make up for lost time like only they can -- with the rest of their unique, offbeat family by their side.
Grand Crew - "Wine & Children" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Nicky and Noah find out their dad has a new boo; Anthony and Fay look after Wyatt's plants while he's away; Sherm dates a mommy, and there's wine.
Saturdays - "Too Many Cooks" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Paris asks if Simone and Ari can work at her parents' baking business, but before long, Paris is working overtime to clean up her friends' messes.
Saturdays - "Why Are You So Meme?" (Disney Channel, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Paris and Sonia Little of 2-Cute-4-U show up at Saturdays with the same hairdo, touching off a "Who-Wore-It-Best" meme war.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 27)
Friday, March 31
- Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about The Super Mario Bros. Movie on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
- Ike Barinholtz (History of the World, Part II/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project) - Ike appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Jamie Lee Curtis (Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke appears 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.
- JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Animal Practice/Better with You/Reba) and Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - JoAnna and Morris guest co-host The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Heather Graham (Californication/Emily's Reasons Why Not/Scrubs) - Heather appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Kyra Sedgwick (Call Your Mother) - Kyra talks about Space Oddity on NBC's Today in the 10am hour. She will also be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- John Owen Lowe (Unstable) - John is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney talks about her new OnlyFans comedy roast series Whitney Cummings Presents on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym joins Sherri on the couch to talk about their NAACP Image Award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas and her sitcom Act Your Age on Bounce TV on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Leslie Odom Jr. (Love in the Time of Corona/Big Dady) and Nicolette Robinson (Love in the Time of Corona/Perfect Couples) - Leslie and Nicolette talk about I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Christina Milian (Grandfathered) and Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know spotlights Celia Cruz as first Afro-Latina on a U.S. quarter with family and celebrity guests Christina Milian, Amara La Negra and Judy Reyes at 1pm.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)
11/08 - Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/08 - Young Rock - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/15 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Seven / The Complete Season Eight
11/22 - That '70s Show - The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
11/29 - Ghosts - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/06 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Christmas Collection
12/13 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season
12/13 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
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