Tuesday, June 25, 2013

NBC and The CW Fall 2013 Premiere Dates; Remembering Family Ties/Spin City Creator Gary David Goldberg

NBC

Late last Friday NBC announced its Fall 2013 premiere dates, becoming the second network to announce dates (CBS was the first). NBC will start the season on the traditional opening night of the season - the first Monday of the season on Monday, Sept. 23. The Blacklist, starring James Spader as an international criminal who works with a rookie FBI agent in order to bring down some of the world's most wanted, begins Monday, Sept. 23 at 10 p.m., immediately following the fifth-season two-hour premiere of The Voice at 8 p.m. that will reunite the four original coaches: Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine, and Blake Shelton. It will have its season finale on Dec. 16. Moving on to Tuesdays, The Voice will air a special two hours of blind auditions on September 24 from 8:00-10:00pm ET/PT. Then the series will move into its one hour slot starting at 9:00pm ET/PT starting October 8th through its finale on December 17. The Voice will be followed at 10:00pm ET/PT by returning sophomore drama Chicago Fire on a new night starting September 24. Earlier in the night, The Biggest Loser premieres on Tuesday, October 8 at 8:00pm ET/PT, now cut down to one-hour. NBC has not yet announced what will air from 8-10pm on October 1.

Onto Wednesdays, returning drama Revolution moves to a new night and time on Wednesday nights starting September 25f at 8:00pm ET/PT and will be followed on the night of September 25 only at 9:00pm ET/PT and 10:00pm ET/PT with back-to-back originals of Law & Order: SVU. The following week, Ironside starring Blair Underwood, premieres on October 2 at 10:00pm ET/PT, as SVU moves to its normal 9:00pm ET/PT hour. Thursdays will start off with comedies as usual. On September 26, Thursday night comedy veteran Parks & Recreation kicks off the night with back-to-back all-new episodes at 8:00 and 8:30pm ET/PT, followed by the two episode premiere of the new comedy The Michael J. Fox Show at 9:00pm ET/PT and 9:30pm ET/PT. Parks & Recreation will air regularly in the 8:00pm half-hour, while The Michael J. Fox Show airs in the 9:30pm half-hour. The 8:30pm ET/PT and 9:00pm ET/PT comedies will launch beginning on October 3 with new family comedies Welcome to the Family and Sean Saves the World, respectively. Premiering on September 26 at 10:00pm ET/PT will be the returning drama Parenthood on its new night. As for Fridays, beginning September 27 and continuing through October 18, Dateline NBC will air from 9:00-11:00 pm ET/PT. Then on October 25, Dateline NBC moves to just the 8:00pm ET/PT hour, as the season premiere of Grimm at 9:00pm ET/PT and the new drama Dracula at 10:00pm ET/PT will begin. Prior to October 25, encores of programs will air in the 8:00pm ET/PT hour. As usual, Saturdays will be filled with repeats. On September 28 an encore of Chicago Fire will air at 8:00pm ET/PT, but then Ironside encores will take over this time period starting Oct. 12 It will be followed at 9:00pm ET/PT by encores of The Blacklist and SNL at 10:00pm ET/PT, both starting Sept. 28. And finally, Sundays of course in the fall are Sunday Night Football airings.

The CW

Meanwhile, The CW Network has also just announced its Fall 2013 premiere dates and it will strategically roll-out its Fall 2013 launch this October with the premieres of three new series and returning favorites on new nights. The CW returns to Bluebell, Alabama for a third season of Southern charm and hospitality with Rachel Bilson in Hart of Dixie kicking the new CW season off on Monday, October 7 at 8:00 p.m. ET, followed by the epic romance of Beauty & the Beast, starring Kristin Kreuk and Jay Ryan, on a new night at 9:00 p.m. ET. On Wednesday, October 9, Stephen Amell dons the green hood for the second season of The CW's most-watched series Arrow at 8:00 p.m. ET, followed by the action-packed adventure of new series The Tomorrow People at 9:00 p.m. ET, starring Robbie Amell. On Thursdays, The CW's number one series in its key demos, The Vampire Diaries, returns for another season of highly addictive drama on October 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET, followed by the highly anticipated new series Reign at 9:00 p.m. ET, starring Adelaide Kane as Mary, Queen of Scots. Tuesdays will begin a week later on October 15, as The CW kicks off its new Tuesday night with The Originals at 8:00 p.m. ET as the original family from The Vampire Diaries, Klaus (Joseph Morgan), Elijah (Daniel Gillies) and Rebekah (Claire Holt), find a new home in New Orleans, a city now run by Klaus's former protégée Marcel (Charles Michael Davis). The Winchester brothers of Supernatural – Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) – move to their new home on Tuesday at 9:00 pm ET to try and help out Tuesdays. Anna Sophia Robb returns as the iconic Carrie Bradshaw in The Carrie Diaries on Friday, October 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET followed by America's Next Top Model: Guys & Girls, which premieres on August 2, as previously announced.

Gary David Goldberg

Television writer and producer, best known for his work on Family Ties and Spin City, has died. He died after a long battle with brain cancer in Montecito, California on June 22. Mr. Goldberg was 68.

Goldberg's career in Hollywood began in 1976 as a writer for The Bob Newhart Show. His early writing credits included The Dumplings, Phyllis, Alice and M*A*S*H. Goldberg worked as a story editor, writer and producer on The Tony Randall Show, which aired on ABC and later CBS from 1976-1978. He next worked as a writer and producer for Lou Grant, which was a CBS newspaper drama and a spinoff from The Mary Tyler Moore Show. He received an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for his work as a co-producer on the series. In 1979, he created and executive produced the short-lived sitcom The Last Resort for CBS.

In 1982, he formed his own production company called Ubu Productions. The company was named after his black labrador retriever, Ubu Roi, which he had in college. The famous closing logo included the dog's picture with Goldberg's voice saying "Sit, Ubu, sit! ...Good dog!", followed by the sound of a bark. Ubu Productions' notable television series included Family Ties, Brooklyn Bridge and Spin City.

Goldberg created Family Ties in 1982. The series starred Meredith Baxter-Birney, Michael Gross, Michael J. Fox, Justine Bateman and Tina Yothers. The critical and ratings hit ran on NBC for 7 seasons and 180 episodes from 1982-1989. Family Ties was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series 4 times from 1984-1987. Michael J. Fox won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 3 times in 1986-1988. In 1987, Goldberg shared an Emmy Award with co-writer Alan Uger for the episode 'A', My Name Is Alex. The series won the Fan Favorite Award at the TV Land Awards in 2011.

In 1991, he created the semi-autobiographical series Brooklyn Bridge. The dramedy ran for 2 seasons on CBS from 1991-1993. The series starred Marion Ross, Danny Gerard, Louis Zorich, Amy Aquino, Peter Friedman, Matthew Louis Segel, Adam LaVorgna and Jenny Lewis. Brooklyn Bridge won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy/Musical series in 1992.

Goldberg co-created and executive produced Spin City. The series reunited him with Michael J. Fox and also starred Barry Bostwick, Alan Ruck, Richard Kind, Alexander Chaplin, Connie Britton and Michael Boatman. Fox received 4 Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and won in 2000. Goldberg worked as an executive producer in seasons 1-3 and 5-6.

His other credits included creating the 1987-1988 NBC drama The Bronx Zoo, which starred Ed Asner. In 1996, he created the 1996 sitcom Champs for ABC. He created the short-lived sitcom Battery Park for NBC in 2000. His other television writing credits included Making the Grade, Day by Day and Sugar Hill. In 1989, he wrote, directed and produced the feature film Dad, which starred Ted Danson, Jack Lemmon and Olympia Dukakis. He also wrote and produced Bye Bye Love in 1995 and Must Love Dogs in 2005. In 2008, he published his autobiography titled Sit, Ubu, Sit: How I Went from Brooklyn to Hollywood with the Same Woman, the Same Dog, and a Lot Less Hair.

Survivors include his wife, Diana Meehan; two daughters, Shana Silveri and Cailin Goldberg-Meehan; a brother; and three grandchildren. Michael J. Fox said in a statement: "With a full heart I say goodbye to my mentor, benefactor, partner, second father and beloved friend. He touched so many with his enormous talent and generous spirit. He changed my life profoundly."

We thank him for the wonderful television series he created. Hopefully Brooklyn Bridge will be released on DVD one day. It's a series that deserves to be seen again. He will be greatly missed.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, March 28

The Conners - "Keep On Truckin' Six Feet Apart" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Conners are dealing with the pandemic and life's financial troubles.

The Conners - "Halloween and the Election vs the Pandemic" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Halloween has been canceled, so the family works to create an unforgettable experience.

Son of a Critch - "Airing Out" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The Critches are doing their annual airing-out-the-house ritual; some family secrets are uncovered.

Son of a Critch - "Cabaret" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Mark finally gets the chance to take the stage as a stand-up comedian.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 25)

Thursday, March 28

  • Joey King (Bent) - Joey talks about We Were the Lucky Ones on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
  • Giancarlo Esposito (Bakersfield P.D.) - Giancarlo discusses his starring role in the AMC crime-thriller series Parish on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy stops by to talk about her upcoming starring turn in Ryan Murphy's horror drama Grotesquerie on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about Abbott Elementary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Lorraine Toussaint (Where I Live) - Lorraine is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Father Knows Best - The Complete Series The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


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