Thursday, July 25, 2013

TCA Summer 2013 Press Tour: Cable Day 1 - Hallmark Channel, TV One, Adult Swim, NatGeo

The TCA Summer 2013 press tour has begun and yesterday was day one for cable networks. First up were Nat Geo, Hallmark, ESPN, TV One, and Turner networks. We'll cover the notable news information from day one today. Hallmark Channel announced a lot of movies and even some original series productions. A privileged society lady is a true pioneer woman in the World Premiere of When Calls the Heart, a Hallmark Channel Original Primetime Series, premiering October 5 at 9pm ET/PT with a two-hour special extended pilot of Hallmark Channel's second original primetime series, premiering January 2014. Based on Janette Oke's bestselling Canadian West book series, the two-hour pilot stars three-time Emmy(R) Award-winner Jean Smart (Designing Women), Lori Loughlin (Full House), Maggie Grace (Lost), Stephen Amel, Daniel Sharman and newcomer Poppy Drayton. Erin Krakow (Army Wives) and Daniel Lissing (Last Resort) star in the original primetime series set to premiere January 2014. Smart and Loughlin have the possibility to reprise their roles when the series returns in January. Another possible series: Two best friends and unlikely business partners team up, using their talent for detection and unorthodox ways to solve crimes in Hallmark Channel's The Mystery Cruise. The World Premiere of the two-hour backdoor pilot and the network's newest potential primetime series, is Saturday, October 19 at 9pm ET/PT and will air on the network in 2014, should the pilot be greenlit to series.

Then, a whole bunch of Hallmark Channel movies were announced with many stars on board. Some movies include: Tricia Helfer stars as a single mother who finds Christmas romance when an online home exchange brings a new man into her life in the World Premiere of Christmas Share, a Hallmark Channel Original Movie premiering Holiday 2013. Sarah Lancaster (Chuck) stars as a marketing exec turned reluctant Christmas tree peddler in Fir Crazy, a Hallmark Channel Original Movie World Premiere for Holiday 2013. Eric Johnson (Rookie Blue) and Colin Mochrie also star in this holiday film, part of Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas, the #1 most treasured holiday destination by television viewers. Next, an ambitious development executive is sent from sunny Arizona to frigid Maine to overhaul a charming old lodge, never expecting a warm Christmas welcome will melt away her frosty attitude in the World Premiere of Let It Snow, a Hallmark Channel Original Movie premiering Holiday 2013. The film stars Candace Cameron Bure (Full House), Emmy(R) nominee Alan Thicke (Growing Pains) and Jesse Hutch. There will be many other movies to air as well that we are not listing that has stars like Victor Garber, James Brolin, Chyler Leigh and Catherine Bell.

NatGeo highlighted the upcoming Killing Kennedy movie they are doing, airing in November. Starring Rob Lowe as JFK, Ginnifer Goodwin as Jacqueline Kennedy, Will Rothhaar as Lee Harvey Oswald and Michelle Trachtenberg as Marina. TV One will go into the morning news game with News One Now starting in September, hosted by Roland S. Martin. And for Turner, it was Adult Swim presenting giving reporters a preview of its new animated comedy Rick and Morty, set to premiere in December. The show was created by Justin Rioland and Dan Harmon (Community). Rick and Morty is a show about a sociopathic scientist who drags his unintelligent grandson on insanely dangerous adventures across the universe. Spencer Grammer (Greek) and voice actress Kari Wahlgren star.

And that's a wrap for day one, stay tuned for more coverage tomorrow for day two.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, March 15

Family Guy - "Play Time" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
In this three-act parody, the Griffins spoof the stage by putting up "To Kill a Mockingbird," "The Odd Couple" and "Hamlet."

Universal Basic Guys - "Markumentary" (F Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
David films a UBI documentary; Mark wants to be the star.

American Dad! - "Camera Stan" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Stan thinks he has what it takes to thrive on reality TV; Klaus gets himself a Klaus.

Family Guy - "Phony Montana" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
After going on a date with a Cuban-American woman named Carmen, Brian inexplicably develops a Cuban accent.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 9)

Friday, March 13

  • Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) and Dustin Ybarra (Ghosts/Us & Them) - Kym and Dustin are guests on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Minnie Driver (Emily in Paris/Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie talks about The Faithful with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Kristin Chenoweth (Stumble/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin talks about Stumble on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Alexandra Breckenridge (Save Me) - NBC's Today catches up with Alexandra in the 10am hour.
  • Lauren Graham (The Z-Suite/M.Y.O.B./Conrad Bloom/Townies/Good Company) - Lauren talks about Reminders of Him on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Melba Moore (Melba) - Melba shares stories from her new memoir on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Michelle Pfeiffer (Delta House) - Drew sits down with the cast of The Madison - Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell, Beau Garrett, Patrick J. Adams and Elle Chapman to talk all about their exciting new tv series, and a play a round of memory bank on >The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local iistings.
  • Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael talks about Apple TV's Shrinking on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


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)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete 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)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (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

03/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy's Stewie Griffin Getting Spinoff; NBCUniversal Cancels Several Daytime Shows, Including Last of the Daytime "Trash Talk"
03/13 - NBC Summer 2026 Schedule; Malcolm in the Middle Revival Series Trailer
03/12 - Season 9 of Rick and Morty This May; Fox Entertainment Studios Lines Up Frankie Quiñones for Comedy Series
03/11 - Antenna TV's Hazel 65th Anniversary Marathon; Kountry Wayne Prime Video Comedy Special
03/10 - XO, Kitty Season 3 Trailer Released for April 2 Launch; The Drew Barrymore Show Talker Gets 2 Season Renewal
03/09 - Beef Returns April 16 on Netflix; Remembering Jennifer Runyon of Charles in Charge
03/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 9, 2026)
03/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Returns to Big Ratings; New Garfield Series Coming to Paramount+
03/06 - The Four Seasons Returns on May 28; More Details on I Suck at Girls
03/05 - COZI TV Pairs Up Al Bundy and Hondo at Last; ABC Renews Abbott Elementary for Season 6
03/04 - ABC's Scrubs Returns Big; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Renewed for Season 2
03/03 - Prime Video's Kevin Premieres April 20; Fox Renews Best Medicine
03/02 - Running Point Returns April 23 on Netflix; A Different World Sequel Starts Production
03/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 2, 2026)
02/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner Now Set to Merge with Paramount, Not Netflix; X-Files Reboot Given Greenlight
02/27 - The Comeback Returns for Final Season on March 22; Animal Control Renewed for Season 5; Remembering Lauren Chapin of Father Knows Best and Robert Carradine of Lizzie McGuire
02/26 - AspireTV Gets First Ever Original Sitcom; Sullivan's Crossing Returns for Season 4 in April on The CW
02/25 - Scrubs Returns Tonight, Sneak Peek at Title Sequence; Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Reveals Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter
02/24 - Netflix's Wednesday Season 3 Adds to Cast; Wonder Pets: In the City Returns March 20
02/23 - Celebrities for ABC's Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars; Hallmark's Mistletoe Murders Renewed for Season 3
02/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 23, 2026)
02/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Hulu Orders New Adult Animated Comedy From Creator of Bluey; Casting News for Upcoming CBS Comedy Regency
02/20 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Find Valentine's Magic; Netflix Announces Dang!
02/19 - The Golden Girls Coming to MeTV in March; Adult Swim Announces My Two Cars
02/18 - Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Coming to Disney+; Fox Spring 2026 Schedule and Finale Dates
02/17 - New Animated Comedy from Big Mouth Creators Coming May 22; Scottish Comedy Returns to Hulu February 25
02/16 - Saturday Night Live Returns Following the Olympics on February 28; Fox Pays Tribute to James Van Der Beek on Wednesday
02/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 16, 2026)
02/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for Scrubs Reboot; Tubi to Add 100 Cartoon Series from Warner and Cartoon Network Library