Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Matlock Comes to INSP Starting November 12; CBS Gives Elementary Post-Super Bowl Slot

Matlock

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.

Matlock

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.

Elementary

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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, May 30

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 - "Fish Fry Monday" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Emmett sees Bobbie drowning in work, he devises a clever ruse to give her a much-needed day off fishing, all under the guise of reviving the tavern's Fish Fry Mondays; Isabella dives into the world of bartending with Gabby.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)

Friday, May 30

  • Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal/The Curse) - Watch Nathan on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph swings by for a chat about Karate Kid: Legends on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She also talks about Broadway's Real Women Have Curves: The Musical on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Yara Shahidi (grown-ish/black-ish) - Yara is telling Drew about the new venture she's taking on, where she's currently at with dating and more on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Don Darryl Rivera (Only Murders in the Building) - Don talks about Broadway's Aladdin on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

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