Thursday, February 28, 2013

Nick at Nite Updates, Includes Week-Long Friends Stunt; Episodic Review: 1600 Penn "To The Ranch" Airing Tonight on NBC

As you all know, Nick at Nite launched new comedy Wendell & Vinnie on Saturday, Feb. 16. It technically airs on Nickelodeon on Saturdays at 8pm, since Nick at Nite doesn't start programming on Saturdays until 10pm. The series was originally supposed to air Sundays at 8pm (which is part of the Nick at Nite line-up). Anyway, the premiere delivered 2.34 million viewers and a 0.51 18-49 rating on the Saturday at 8pm premiere and 1.91 million and a 0.32 18-49 rating the next day for the encore. In comparison, the series premiere of See Dad Run on Saturday, Oct. 6 did 1.64 million and a 0.34 18-49 rating. The return of See Dad Run at a new time of 8:30pm followed on Sunday, Feb. 17 with 1.46 million and a 0.26 18-49 rating (down a tad from its 1.53 million and 0.32 18-49 rating average in the fall). The late night encore actually did better with a 0.5 18-49 rating. In week two, the Saturday premiere of Wendell & Vinnie did 2.38 million viewers and a 0.49 18-49 rating, so virtually on par with its premiere ratings, which is a good sign. The encore the next night did 1.72 million and a 0.27 18-49 rating, slightly down from previous week. Week two of See Dad Run followed on Sunday, Feb. 24 with a series low 0.95 million and a 0.18 18-49 rating, while the late night encore once again fared better with a 0.34 18-49 rating. Perhaps it should be aired later like 9 or 10pm.

On to scheduling news, Nick at Nite has scheduled a week-long Friends stunt for the week of March 11. The stunt will air Monday, March 11 through Friday, March 15 from 8pm-6am each night (Thursday and Friday starts at 9pm). It's a week-long event with all your favorite friends, all-night! Meanwhile, the movies on Sundays at 9pm will continue in March with National Lampoon's European Vacation this Sunday at 9. Recent movies were Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Brady Bunch Movie. Upcoming airings are Rugrats in Paris on March 10, Scooby-Doo on March 17, and The Last Airbender on March 31. Stay with us for continued updates.


On the next...1600 Penn:
By: Pavan

NBC's freshman comedy starring Josh Gad airs Thursday nights at 9:30pm and we have just watched the next episode, that airs tonight (Feb. 28). We also have a recap of the previous week's episode "Skip the Tour" below! In the episode airing tonight, "To The Ranch," when unable to make a decision about who to nominate to the Supreme Court, President Dale Gilchrist (Bill Pullman) decides to take a family trip to their ranch to clear his head. During their getaway, Skip (Josh Gad) finds himself moping over his failed relationship, while Becca (Martha MacIsaac) contemplates major flaws in her own relationship. Meanwhile, Emily (Jenna Elfman) attempts to spend some quality time with Marigold (Amara Miller) and Xander (Benjamin Stockham), who both struggle with their loss of technology while at the ranch.

If you have ever wondered what the President of the United States does on a weekend trip with the family, you know might want to check this episode out. OK, maybe it isn't a realistic take on what the President does (or is it? hmm) but it is good sitcom fun. It is probably a little too silly or over-the-top, though. So the first family heads to a ranch in Nevada because The President needs to relax to make an important decision on who to nominate for the Supreme Court. Everyone is really making an important decision when they head to the ranch. The President obviously has to make a decision on the Supreme Court, while Becca has to decide if baby daddy D.B. is worth staying with or start a relationship with Press Secretary Marshall Malloy. Skip is heartbroken over his crush Stacy kissing someone else at the White House and in a sub-plot Emily tries to connect with her step-kids Marigold and Xander by hiding their phones at the ranch. I think the best plot of the episode is really Becca, D.B. and Marshall's storyline. It overshadows everything else in the episode and has a lot of depth and frankly is more interesting. D.B. is so clueless he botches the expression "Hindsight is 20/20" by calling it "Hindsight is 50/50." I don't think Emily's story is that interesting, while the President and Skip don't really deliver in this episode with their storylines. It's just too over-the-top. However, their scenes together are decent in the episode and their chemistry is good (the Yoda impersonation was great!). And I liked Skip on the episodes I reviewed for the pilot review. B-

In the previous episode, "Skip the Tour," President Dale Gilchrist's (Bill Pullman) brother Doug (guest star Bruce Campbell) stops by the White House, initiating a long-standing rivalry which threatens their relationship and prompts Emily (Jenna Elfman) to take on the role of peacemaker. Meanwhile, Becca (Martha MacIsaac) prepares for an interview and Skip (Josh Gad) decides to offer his own special version of the White House tour after witnessing one from an official tour guide (guest star Rory O'Malley).

We'll recap this episode since it didn't do well in the ratings, as in fact it was a series low. This episode was not all that great. The best thing about the episode is the phrase "Skip the Tour." Skip is actually going to the official White House tour and tells the tourists to...skip the tour (Pun intended!) and go on his tour. However, once again Skip is pretty crazy and he was kind of annoying in this episode, too. This was a sub=plot, so it wasn't the main plot of the episode really. The episode mainly dealt with the arrival of the President's brother Doug. They have a rivalry going on, as I'm sure many siblings do, but this might be a little too much. Without giving anything away (well I'm not really, since this already aired), even the Secret Service is a little late. Becca and D.B. prepare for an interview with Mary Hart, but D.B. is told not to say anything except to smile. This episode just doesn't click on all cylinders and since it already aired, you should skip it if you haven't seen it yet. Unless you have watched every episode so far, well then you might have to watch it. I think Becca, D.B. and Marshall saved this episode from a lower grade. C+

Stay tuned in two weeks for our review of the episode airing March 14: "Live from the Lincoln Bedroom," where they start an official podcast of the Gilchrist White House.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, December 3

St. Denis Medical - "A Peanut and Caramel-Filled Miracle" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron and Bruce butt heads over a candy bar; Alex is forced to fire an incompetent employee; Matt seeks appreciation for saving a patient's life.

Night Court - "The Hole Truth" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When a citywide sanitation strike makes its way into the courthouse, Abby must find a way to solve it; Julianne shows Dan how to make the most out of the strike.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "If It Ain't Broke" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ella prepares to open a battered women's home in the church's unused classrooms, but it is shut down when C.J. cites dangerous fire code violations.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living "Where's My Refund?" - (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Jeremy and Leah can't seem to see eye-to-eye on how to spend their unexpected I.R.S. refund check; Anastasia and Vinny have their hands full trying to help Theodore study for science.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 2)

Tuesday, December 3

  • Kyle Mooney (Arrested Development/Hello Ladies) - Catch Kyle on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Fortune Feimster (Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Fortune is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also discusses her comedy special Fortune Feimster: Crushing It on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
  • Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • JB Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Blockbuster/The Millers/Bent/'Til Death) - JB appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He discusses his series Buy It Now on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Brandon Kyle Goodman (Human Resources) - Brandon is a guest on 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.
  • David Alan Grier (St. Denis Medical/Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!/The Cool Kids/The Carmichael Show/Bad Teacher/Life with Bonnie/DAG) - NBC's Today catches up with David in the 9am hour.
  • 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 The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere) - Bridget talks about Somebody Somewhere on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
  • Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken/Community) - Ken talks about his new film, A Great Divide, and the new season of Accused on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Carlos (Big Time Rush) and Alexa PenaVega (Ruby & the Rockits) - Carlos and Alexa are guests on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 8:50am.
  • Alicia Witt (Cybill) - Alicia appears on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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11/15 - Bookie Season 2 Premieres December 12 on Max; Apple TV+ Mythic Quest Is Back in January
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11/11 - We Got Time Today, A New Tubi Talk Show; Bill Maher Gets 13th HBO Special
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11/08 - CBS Orders Full Season for Poppa's House; The CW Acquires Bob ♥ Abishola Reruns; Remembering Alan Rachins of Dharma & Greg
11/07 - A Very Merry MeTV 2024 Schedule; Stranger Things Final Season in 2025
11/06 - Outer Banks to End with Season 5; Nothing to See Here Season 2 on Netflix
11/05 - ABC Holiday Schedule for 2024; NBC Holiday Schedule for 2024
11/04 - Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas Schedule 2024; A Nostalgic Night with Macaulay Culkin at NJPAC
11/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 4, 2024)