Monday, April 15, 2013

Esquire Network Launch Schedule; TVGN Acquires Young and the Restless Reruns, CBS Buys 50% of the Network

The A-Team

We have the Esquire Network launch schedule for you today. The network currently known as G4 (owned by NBC Universal), will re-brand and re-launch as Esquire Network next week (April 22), as we mentioned. The network will start the new schedule at 12 noon ET on Monday, April 22 with The A-Team starring Mr. T! The '80s action drama will air as a block to launch the network from 12-6pm (and will air every Monday after that from 1-5pm). A special airing of the Will Ferrell movie Semi-Pro will follow at 6pm leading into the Parks & Recreation block from 8-10pm. Parks & Recreation will air every Monday from 8-10pm leading into the short-lived comedy Party Down from 10-11pm. Both comedies will encore the next afternoon, on Tuesdays from 3-6pm with Party Down starting it off this time. In primetime on Tuesdays, original series Knife Life and The Getaway will air from 9-11pm.

On Wednesday, April 24, more acquisitions will launch. First up, '80s Tom Selleck drama Magnum P.I. will air every Wednesday from 1pm-5pm (but on this day it will be longer from 12-5pm). Magnum also will still air on the NBC-owned mutlticast digital station Cozi TV. The Tom Selleck drama will lead into reruns of USA Network series Burn Notice at 5pm & 6pm. The series will air weekdays at 5pm & 6pm (and an encore at 11pm & 12am in late night). Also launching April 24, are a week later airings of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 7pm, as we mentioned. It will also air weekdays and air at 7pm with a next day encore at 12 noon. Movies will air in primetime on Wednesdays, with Shutter Island airing on April 24. As mentioned Burn Notice will air in late night at 11pm & 12am, leading into another off-network buy with the '90s drama New York Undercover. That series will air weeknights at 1am. It will also continue to air on Centric, so this is a shared deal between Esquire and Centric. On Thursdays, Parks & Recreation will encore two of its Monday airings and air 1-2pm and again from 8-9pm, as it will be good promotion for its first-run NBC airings at 9:30pm. The Wednesday primetime movie will encore on Thursday afternoons leading into Burn Notice and Fallon. In primetime on Thursdays, as mentioned Parks will air 8-9pm leading into encores The Getaway and Knife Life from 9-11pm. On to Fridays, we have another classic '80s drama airing from 1-5pm, this time it is Airwolf! In primetime, reruns of USA Network series Psych will air Fridays from 8-11pm. Mornings (9:30am-12am) and late nights (2am-4:30am) will continue to be Cops every weekday, as it was on G4.

On to weekends, we have a lot of encores and movies. Of note, Parks & Recreation will encore its Monday airings once again, this time Sundays 7-9pm leading into encore of Party Down from 9-10pm. Anyway, it's good to see The A-Team, Magnum P.I. and Airwolf join this network. Hopefully we see more classic '80s series join the line-up. As of now Knight Rider and Quantum Leap will not be on Esquire, as they have been airing on G4. Stay with us for continued updates on Esquire Network and for any scheduling updates.


Up next, TVGN announced that it will become the exclusive basic cable home for the #1 daytime soap, The Young & The Restless (Y&R). The acquisition of the top-rated daytime franchise from Sony Pictures Television marks the first TVGN programming announcement as part of the new CBS Corporation/Lionsgate partnership. Beginning this summer, Y&R will move from SOAPnet, where it has already been a basic cable ratings success, to TVGN, keeping the 7:00 PM, ET/PT time slot where it has built a loyal fan base, and will appear day-and-date with its broadcast on the CBS Television Network. One of the most popular franchises in daytime television history, Y&R recently celebrated 40 years on the air on CBS, where it has dominated the ratings in daytime. TVGN recently announced that is has changed its name from TV Guide Network to just TVGN. Currently, the TVGN line-up consists of reruns from 9am-8pm will series like Ugly Betty, Cybill, Designing Women, Early Edition and Who's the Boss? It is unclear what will happen now that CBS has partnered with Lionsgate to buy the network. There is speculation that same-day reruns of Entertainment Tonight, OMG! Insider and Inside Edition could pop-up on the network. Or perhaps CBS will also delve into the CBS Paramount library and air reruns of classic sitcoms from their library. It's too early to tell, but we will keep you up to date...for now you can still continue to enjoy the current slate of sitcoms/dramas. Stay with us.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 23

Abbott Elementary - "Class Pet" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Janine gets a budget for class pets, but Melissa is resistant to taking on the added work and responsibility for her room’s guinea pig. An IT rep from the school district arrives to set up new computers.

Everybody Still Hates Chris - "Everybody Still Hates Bullies" (Comedy Central, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Chris gets a gig DJ-ing at a drag ball and develops drag queen eyes.

Everybody Still Hates Chris - "Everybody Still Hates Career Tests" (Comedy Central, 10:30PM ET/PT)
Chris and Greg tape over a porno rented from Caruso and must replace it.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 21)

Wednesday, October 23

  • Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Watch Billy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Bernadette Peters (High Desert/Mozart in the Jungle/All's Fair) - Bernadette is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - NBC's Today catches up with Olivia some time between 7-9am.
  • Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere) - Bridget talks about Somebody Somewhere on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • David Henrie (Wizards Beyond Waverly Place/Wizards of Waverly Place/How I Met Your Mother/The Pitts) - David discusses Wizards Beyond Waverly Place on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings. One or two Wizards Beyond Waverly Place cast members will be on New York Living at 10:05am.
  • Judith Light (Who's the Boss?/Phenom/Transparent) - Judith talks about Before on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Billy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Mariska Hargitay (Can't Hurry Love) - Mariska talks about the greatest thing sheĆ¢€™s learned since turning 60 on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Dexter Darden (Saved by the Bell) - Dexter talks about Peacock's Fight Night; The Million Dollar Heist on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Essence Atkins (Poppa's House/Marlon/Mr. Box Office/Are We There Yet?/Half & Half/Smart Guy/Under One Roof) - Essence talks about Poppa's House on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Ropers - The Complete Series Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - 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 Ultra HD)
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)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

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10/21 - Fox Adds Martin Short to Grimsburg; Secret Level Cast Announced by Prime Video
10/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 21, 2024)
10/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rick and Morty Renewed for Two More Seasons; A Look at Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover
10/18 - Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 3; Guest Voices for Phineas and Ferb New Season
10/17 - Watson Premieres January 2025 on CBS; Anthony Jeselnik Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
10/16 - Lifetime's It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2024 Schedule; YouTube Sitcom Gets Season 4
10/15 - Tom Papa Is Home Free on Netflix; Apple TV+ Reveals Season 2 Details for Silo
10/14 - ABC Halloween 2024 Schedule; Reba Creates Happy's Place Theme Song
10/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 14, 2024)
10/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Spinoff of The Big Bang Theory in the Works; Velma Canceled by Max
10/11 - Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This; Alicia Silverstone to Lead Acorn TV Series
10/10 - Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls Returns November 21; FETV Acquires Laramie
10/09 - HBO's Seth Meyers Special Debuts October 26; New Late Night Comedy Series Focuses on Crazy Florida
10/08 - Somebody Somewhere Returns for Final Season; Virgin River Season 6 Drops for Holiday Season
10/07 - Vice TV Announces Black Comedy in America Series; Netflix Stars Team Up for Netflix Movie
10/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 7, 2024)
10/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Cancels That '90s Show; Who's the Boss? Reboot Not Moving Forward at Freevee
10/04 - Family Guy Halloween Special: Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater; What We Do in the Shadows Returns for Final Season
10/03 - Jack Whitehall Holiday Comedy Special; Leighton Meester Joins Apple TV+ Series
10/02 - The Franchise Launches Sunday on HBO; Remembering John Amos of Good Times
10/01 - No Good Deed Premieres in December on Netflix; SNL Season 50 Opens Strong
09/30 - TV One Acquires black-ish; Whitney Cummings to Host Friends Game Show Event
09/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 30, 2024)
09/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Kathy Bates Matlock Premiere Brings Solid Ratings; Whitney Cummings to Host Friends-themed Game Show
09/27 - Apple TV+ Shrinking Season 2; FETV Highway Patrol 10-4 Day Marathon
09/26 - Max's Velma Halloween Special; Apple TV+ Peanuts Holiday Specials This Holiday Season
09/25 - AXS TV Acquires Nashville; MGM+ Rebooting Robin Hood
09/24 - Trailer and Guest Voices for Everybody Still Hates Chris; The Lincoln Lawyer Returns October 17 on Netflix
09/23 - Laff Fall 2024 Schedule with The Conners and Bob ♥ Abishola; CBS' Comfy Blue Sofa Tour
09/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 23, 2024)