Tuesday, June 04, 2013
New By Decade Classic TV Networks Coming Soon?; USA Network Orders New Sitcom Pilot
Four decade-themed classic TV networks could be coming in 2014, if all goes well. The four decades that will be of focus are the 1960s, '70s, '80s and '90s. Longtime TV executive Garth Ancier and now head of Zeus Media Partners, is pitching this and he's brought industry veterans Diane Robina, Alan Goodman and Michael Ross along to help. Robina and Goodman were formerly of TV Land back in the late '90s. These four networks will be actual cable networks and not over-the-air digital stations like Antenna TV and MeTV Network. They will be free to cable, satellite and telco TV operators and supported by advertising. Zeus Media Partners plans to launch these four networks around this time next year (second quarter 2014). Ancier is looking to create something like how Sirius XM's satellite radio channels that are grouped by decade, but for television and TV series. The company is in preliminary talks with all major studios like CBS Paramount, Sony Pictures Television, 20th Century Fox, MGM, NBC, Walt Disney Co., Warner Bros. and Carsey Werner for programming options. Zeus is not looking to obtain exclusive cable rights to any of these programs, so you can expect most of these shows to be run on multiple networks on cable. Among the shows Ancier said he is looking to obtain are Three's Company (currently licensed by TV Land but on hiatus) and Lost in Space (airs on digital station MeTV), since they are not airing much right now.
There is still a very long way to go but this is a good start. We will of course bring you any future news updates on this, so stay with us. It would be good to see some shows that haven't been aired in a while as well, such as One Day at a Time, Alice, Welcome Back Kotter, Webster and Small Wonder, in addition to the major stuff like Three's Company and Good Times. No programming has been officially announced of course since it is just preliminary talks, but anything could be possible! Stay tuned! Sound off on Facebook and tell us what shows you would like to see from the '60s-90s!
USA Network has greenlit a new original half hour comedy pilot with an order for Divide & Conquer from executive producer and writer Peter Ocko (The Office, Pushing Daisies). The news comes on the heels of the network's first comedy series pickups for Sirens and Playing House and another pilot order for Love is Dead, as we all announced before. The network's first original comedies are slated to premiere in first quarter 2014, following the launch of the award-winning and top-rated comedy off-network reruns of Modern Family, on USA on Tuesday, September 24 at 8/7c. Divide & Conquer is a family comedy about love, support, attention and all the other things parents do to mess up their kids. In a world where failure is the new F-word, and normal is the new stupid, Ben and Charlotte are just hoping their kids make it out of the house someday. Divide & Conquer gets into the heads of a big family: four children finding their way to adulthood in these complicated times, and the parents whose lives they're sucking dry to get there. Written and executive produced by Ocko, the pilot is from Universal Cable Productions. Stay with us for continued updates and if this series is ordered to series with Sirens and Playing House.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, September 20
Scrubs - "My V.I.P." (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
J.D. and Dr. Park are forced to work together when a member of the hospital board experiences a mysterious health crisis; Turk helps Elliot navigate a newfound romance; the interns practice vulnerability with patients.
Scrubs - "My Best Friend's Barbecue" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While J.D. is upset to not be invited to Turk and Carla's annual barbecue, he takes the opportunity to nurture his friendship with Carla at work; Turk teaches the surgical interns how to deliver bad news.
Scrubs - "My Odds" (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
J.D. has finally hit his stride as the new chief of medicine, only to be shaken by an unexpected visit; Elliot grapples with being a good mentor for the interns while still holding them accountable.
Scrubs - "My Celebration" (ABC, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
A chaotic day at Sacred Heart forces the doctors and interns to face burnout, life-changing decisions and their relationships with one another.
Universal Basic Guys - "Go Fund Mernft" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mark helps Mernft Man build the house of his dreams; Tammy's fundraising campaign reveals a surprising side of Mernft.
Grimsburg - "Blue Light District" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Roles get reversed in Flute and Summers' partnership after male sex workers start turning up dead.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 14)
Friday, September 18
- Sandra Bullock (Working Girl) - Watch Sandra on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Stavros Halkias (Tires) - Stavros appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Matthew McConaughey (Brothers) and Woody Harrelson and (Brothers/Cheers) - Matthew and Woody talk about Brothers on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
- Jane Krakowski (Schmigadoon!/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/30 Rock) - Jane talks about Celebrity Name That Tune on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Lili Reinhart (Surviving Jack) - Lili and and Tom Bateman talk about The Love Hypothesis on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building/Mulaney/I'm a Big Girl Now/The Associates) - Martin talks about You Had to Be There on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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