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

Monday, May 19

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 19)

Monday, May 19

  • Seth Rogen (The Studio/Platonic/Undeclared) - Watch Seth on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Milly Alcock (Sirens) - Milly appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Tim Robinson (Detroiters) - Tim appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Owen Thiele (Overcompensating) and Amita Rao (Deli Boys) - Owen and Amita are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Meghann Fahy (Sirens) - Meghann talks about Sirens on Live with Kelly and Mark (check your local listings), NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am, and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That.../Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - Sarah talks about And Just Like That... on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9a.
  • Hugh Jackman (Human Resources) - Hugh discusses his Radio City Music Hall residency on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Jason Priestley (Call Me Fitz/Sister Kate), Vanessa Morgan (The Latest Buzz) and Giacomo Gianniotti (Backpackers/Selfie) - Jason, Vanessa and Giacomo talk about the dramedy Wild Cards on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - NBC's Today catches up with Blair in the 9am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - It's the time management show on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Luke Kirby (Étoile) - Luke talks about Prime's Étoile on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


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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