Wednesday, May 29, 2013

ABC Family Orders 4th Season of Melissa & Joey; Episodic Reviews: Melissa & Joey - "Works for Me" and Baby Daddy - "I'm Not That Guy" - Season Premieres Airing Tonight on ABC Family

ABC Family announced the network has expanded the third season of its hit original comedy series, Melissa & Joey by adding on 20 more episodes, as well as ordered a fourth season of 20 episodes, making this the network's first comedy to reach 100 episodes. The order comes prior to the third season premiere on ABC Family, which is tonight, Wednesday, May 29, from 8:00-8:30 p.m., ET/PT, leading into hit comedy Baby Daddy. The 20 additional Season 3 episodes will air in 2014. The original order we believe for season three was 15 episodes (like season two), but now with these 20 it is expanded to a whopping 35. As of now season 4 will have 20 episodes, but of course they could add on more. No word on when season four will premiere, but that is a while away. By the time those 20 season four episodes air, they will reach episode 100 exactly.

Along with series stars Melissa Joan Hart, Joey Lawrence, Taylor Spreitler and Nick Robinson, the upcoming third season features such notable guest stars as Sterling Knight, Shannon Elizabeth, Trevor Donovan, Marla Sokoloff, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Jaime Pressly and Doris Roberts, who will be appearing in two episodes as Joe's grandmother. The series is executive-produced by Bob Young & David Kendall, Paula Hart, Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence. The series follows local politician and former wild child Mel Burke (Hart) who employs down on his luck "manny" Joe Longo (Lawrence) as she raises her teenaged niece (Spreitler) and nephew (Robinson). Melissa & Joey ranks as ABC Family's highest comedy debut ever in Total Viewers, and its second season wrapped as the series best to date in several key demos, including Adults 18-49, Women 18-34 and Viewers 12-34. The third season premieres tonight...read our review below!




On the next...Melissa & Joey:
By: Pavan

ABC Family's New Comedy Wednesday sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, airs Wednesday nights at 8:00pm and we have just watched the season premiere that airs tonight (May 29). In the season premiere, "Works for Me," Joe (Joey Lawrence) pursues a new job opportunity, sending Mel (Melissa Joan Hart) into a panic when she realizes he may actually leave. But the job is not quite what Joe expected, causing him to reevaluate his place in the house, and Mel scheming to prove how much everyone needs him. Meanwhile Lennox (Taylor Spreitler) thinks her artist boyfriend Zander (guest star Sterling Knight) may have found another muse, and Ryder's (Nick Robinson) class trip has an unexpected outcome.

We love this show! It's like Who's the Boss? and that's a good thing. On this season premiere, we leave off where we left off on the second season finale. Joe is still on the verge of leaving Mel's household for another job, since he can't be a temporary manny forever. Mel of course wants him to stay and tries every way possible to keep him but she makes it seem like she doesn't really want him. We all can see that she does really want him, but the only person who can't see that it seems is Joe. Classic sitcom plotline but it works because Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence have such great chemistry. It's like Tony Danza and Judith Light all over again. They both mesh well with the kids as well. The kids are the niece and nephew of Mel, if you didn't know. Back to Mel and Joe, we are waiting and waiting for them to get together but it seems like it is not going to happen right away. We had a kiss at the end of the season one finale but nothing more since. As you just read above, we're going to have more than 15 episodes this season (15 in the summer and then 20 more in 2014, plus another 20 for season four), so we will have plenty of Mel and Joe moments, I'm sure. Just be patient, I guess.



The storylines with the kids were decent as well. It's hilarious what Ryder does but at the same time a real life situation that families can learn from. I'll just say, I didn't expect that from Ryder, but surprises are always good on sitcoms. Meanwhile, Lennox has a story with her boyfriend Zander that is pretty well done as well. He is a great artist and draws Lennox all the time, but when Lennox sees another girl...she gets jealous and tries to find out who this girl is. Is he cheating? Tune in and see. It's a great opener the third season and I think this show now can go deep since it has some security of lasting at least 100 episodes. As the theme song goes, "it's all good, it's ok, it's all right," is underestimating this show, "it's great" is more like it. B+




On the next...Baby Daddy:
By: Pavan

ABC Family's New Comedy Wednesday sitcom starring an ensemble young cast lead by Chelsea Kane, airs Wednesday nights at 8:30pm and we have just watched the season premiere that airs tonight (May 29). In the season premiere, "I'm Not That Guy," Ben (Jean-Luc Bilodeau) thinks he might like Riley (Chelsea Kane) and tries to convince her he's changed his playboy ways. Riley invites Ben to be her date at a work party, but Ben's efforts to prove he is dependable fall short. Danny (Derek Theler) hopes to come to Riley's rescue but he arrives only to find Riley getting friendly with another man. Meanwhile, Tucker (Tahj Mowry) schemes to go out with a model and Bonnie (Melissa Peterman) attempts to get to know a handsome stranger...with a little help from Emma.

Man this show is good. It has the relationships and style of Boy Meets World. This series is fresh and hip and I think it is going to explode this season. The season premiere brings the goods and the triangle is in full force. As we saw on the second season finale, Ben finally is into Riley! Riley has been into Ben for so long, but he wasn't seeing it. BUT...Ben's brother Danny is into Riley, but Riley doesn't see it. Relationships can be so tricky! In this episode, we are getting closer to the Ben-Riley match, but will it actually happen? Ben says he has changed and is no longer "that guy" that he used to be, so Riley invites him to her law firm party. Without giving anything away, Ben has an "emergency" and Danny fills in but even that doesn't go as planned. It's chaos for Riley, but this is good because we see her with both Ben and Danny. I honestly don't know who is a better fit for her, as I'm rooting for both. Tucker brings in the laughs when he goes out with a tall model. He is "climbing up!" And if you thought Tucker was funny, Ben and Danny's mother Bonnie brings more laughs when she meets a stranger at the bar while watching Emma.



The latter minutes of the episode brings in a surprise and Kyle XY fans will love it, as Matt Dallas appears. We only get a taste of him this week, but more of him is to come next Wednesday (which we will also review). We won't reveal who he is playing yet, but no, he isn't playing Kyle XY, unfortunately. I wonder if we will get a reference to that series soon? Anyway, this is an excellent episode and the storyline is very well done. It is setting up to be an even better season and the race is on to grab Riley. We just don't know who it will be yet. I mean, neither brother knows that the other wants Riley. Well, maybe Danny knows that Ben now wants Riley...but Ben doesn't know how Danny feels about Riley. Come on back next week for our review of the second episode, which in essence is part two of the season premiere. Yep, this episode's arc continues next week! This episode is funny, fresh and fools with love! Tune in! A-


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, December 5

Happy's Place - "Testing Testing" (NBC, 9:15PM ET/PT)
After Bobbie notices how much Isabella misses school, she signs them both up for an online course unaware of how serious Isabella would take it; Gabby wears Isabella's old Stanford sweatshirt, tricking customers into believing she went there.

Stumble - "Button Day" (NBC, 9:45PM ET/PT)
Courteney makes a deal with the Button Factory owner that if her team performs a dazzling routine, he'll write her department a big check; with Krystal still injured, Courteney's only option is to promote Peaches, who may or may not be ready to fly.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 1)

Friday, December 5

  • Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This/Central Park/The Good Place) and Dax Shepard (Bless This Mess) - Watch Kristen and Dax on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • The Jonas Brothers (Jonas/Jonas LA) - The Jonas Brothers are guests on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George talks about Jay Kelly on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • James Van Der Beek (Friends with Better Lives/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - James appears on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Connie Britton (SMILF/Lost at Home/The Fighting Fitzgeralds/Spin City) - Connie and Ed Burns talk about The Family McMullen on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Mario is a guest on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
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 (DVD)
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)

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

12/05 - FETV Acquires The Carol Burnett Show Uncut; Hey A.J.! Coming to Disney Jr.
12/04 - COZI TV Acquires The Jeff Foxworthy Show; Hulu Renews Chad Powers for Season 2
12/03 - MeTV January 2026 Schedule; Netflix's My Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Season 6 Guests
12/02 - MeTV Acquires Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Hart to Hart & Hawaii Five-O; Apple TV's The First Snow of Fraggle Rock Trailer
12/01 - MeTV to Announce Four New Shows; Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Draws 25 Million Viewers on NBC
11/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 1, 2025)
11/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Scrubs Reboot; Mad Men Coming to HBO Max
11/28 - Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion Encores Tonight (11/28); Hulu's Smash Hit Renewed for Quick 4th Season
11/27 - 2025 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/26 - ABC's Scrubs First Teaser During Dancing with the Stars Finale; Eva Green Joins Wednesday Season 3
11/25 - COZI TV Acquires Malcolm & Eddie and The Steve Harvey Show; 53rd International Emmy® Awards Winners
11/24 - Antenna TV's All-You-Can Eat Wings for Thanksgiving Marathon; Rewind TV's Serving Up the Seavers with a Thanksgiving Day Growing Pains Marathon
11/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 24, 2025)
11/22 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Disney+ Offers New Simpsons Streaming Channel; Final Eight Unaired Episodes of Joey on YouTube
11/21 - HBO Renews Comedies The Chair Company and I Love LA; Kelly and Mark to Host International Emmy® Awards
11/20 - The CW Midseason 2026 Schedule; Sarah Sherman HBO Max Special
11/19 - Tubi's Comedy Mo' Waffles Premieres December 19; 78th Emmy® Awards Set for September 14, 2026
11/18 - CBS Midseason 2026 Schedule; SNL Closes Out 2025 with 3 Episodes in December
11/17 - NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center Lineup; Prime Video Gets Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson for Sports Talk Show
11/16 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 17, 2025)
11/15 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Orders Pilot From Brooklyn Nine-Nine Team; FX Cancels English Teacher
11/14 - Disney's Hulu's Family Guy's Hallmark Channel's Lifetime's Familiar Holiday Movie; Mad Men Coming to HBO Max in 4K
11/13 - Antenna TV Re-Acquires One Day at a Time and Sanford and Son; Season 2 of the Wild Series It's Florida, Man
11/12 - Fox Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu's Tell Me Lies Season 3 Premiere Date
11/11 - Cast Announced for Netflix's A Different World Sequel; Hulu's Sebastian Maniscalco Special Trailer
11/10 - ABC's New Game Show The Greatest Average American; Prime Video Christmas Movie
11/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 10, 2025)
11/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox and Sony Developing Reimagined Bewitched; Samsung TV Plus Launching AFV Channel
11/07 - TBS and TNT Holiday Schedule; Hulu's Back 'Four' More Reasonable Doubt; Remembering Diane Ladd of Alice
11/06 - Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas 2025 Schedule; Single Drunk Female Star Gets Hulu Film
11/05 - ABC 2025 Holiday Specials; Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This for Season 3