Monday, November 25, 2013
Fox Mid-Season 2014 Schedule Update; Season 2 Ordered for Instant Mom, Witches of East End
Fox is making additional changes to its mid-season 2014 schedule. Last season's No. 1 new series, The Following, returns for its thrilling 14-week second season with a special two-night season premiere event, beginning Sunday, Jan. 19 at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT, following the NFC Championship Game, live from 6:00-10:00 PM ET (previously new drama Rake was announced for this slot). The two-night The Following event continues with its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 20 at 9:00 PM ET/PT, following the season finale of Sleepy Hollow, airing at a special time of 8:00 PM ET/PT (Almost Human is preempted on Jan. 20, but will return Jan. 27). Bold new legal drama Rake will now debut on its regular night and time of Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9:00 PM ET/PT, following an all-new American Idol at 8:00 PM ET/PT. Making his broadcast television series debut, Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Greg Kinnear (Little Miss Sunshine, The Kennedys) plays a brilliant and frustratingly charming criminal defense attorney, whose chaotic and self-destructive personal life often gets in the way of his professional one.
Changes to the Fox Tuesday night comedy block begin after The Mindy Project airs its Winter Finale on Jan. 28 at 9:30PM ET/PT. Beginning Tuesday, Feb. 4, Brooklyn Nine-Nine moves to its new time period premiere at 9:30 PM ET/PT, following all-new installments of New Girl. The new duo will also air after the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 2. Dads continues to kick off Tuesdays at 8:00 PM ET/PT until Tuesday, Feb. 11, while a special two-hour Tuesday Idol will air on Feb. 18. Starting Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 8:00 PM ET/PT, Glee makes Tuesdays sing when it moves to a new night and time and returns with all-new episodes for the remainder of the season. All-new installments of New Girl and Brooklyn Nine-Nine follow, until The Mindy Project returns Tuesday, April 1 with a special one-hour event featuring all-new back-to-back episodes. The series returns to its regular time period beginning Tuesday, April 8 at 9:30PM ET/PT following New Girl. As for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, its season finale will be on March 25. As previously announced, new comedy Enlisted will debut Friday, Jan. 10 at 9:30 PM ET/PT following Raising Hope. Additional premiere dates and schedule information to be announced, such as new comedies Surviving Jack and Us & Them.
Nickelodeon has ordered a second season of its hit family comedy for Nick at Nite and NickMom, Instant Mom. In addition, the series, starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict (Sister Sister, Tia & Tamera), has also been greenlit for six additional episodes to add to its first season, bringing the season total to 26 episodes. The second season order will be for 20 episodes. The multi-camera, scripted half-hour series features Mowry-Hardrict as Stephanie, a party girl who trades in Cosmos for carpools when she marries Charlie (Michael Boatman, Spin City), who already has three kids. Airing regularly on Nick at Nite Sundays at 8:30 pm (ET/PT), the series also airs on the adult-targeted NickMom comedy block on the Nick Jr. channel. Instant Mom continues to be a hit on Nick at Nite posting year over year gains with Adults 18-49 (0.31 rtg/336K viewers, +15%) and Women 18-49 (0.43 rtg/237K viewers, +23%) and drawing 1.2 million total viewers per episode, since its Sept. 29 premiere. Additionally, the series launch on NickMom that same night was the block's highest-rated premiere ever with W18-49 and total viewers.
The series follows Stephanie as she struggles to maintain some sense of her fun-loving, slightly irresponsible life while managing being a full-time stepmom. Sheryl Lee Ralph (Moesha) stars as Stephanie's mother Maggie, and rounding out the cast are Charlie's three kids played by Sydney Park (CSI: NY), Tylen Jacob Williams and Damarr Calhoun. Instant Mom is executive-produced by Howard Michael Gould and Aaron Kaplan.
Meanwhile, Lifetime is set to scare up a second season of its new freshman drama Witches of East End (#WitchesofEastEnd), starring Emmy(R) Award-winner Julia Ormond, Mädchen Amick, Jenna Dewan Tatum and Rachel Boston as a family of witches living in the secluded seaside town of East Haven, with a 13 episode order for a 2014 return. Based on Melissa de la Cruz's New York Times best-selling novel, Witches of East End centers on the mysterious Beauchamp family: free-spirited artist Joanna (Ormond) and her two grown daughters, wild-child bartender Freya (Dewan Tatum) and shy librarian Ingrid (Boston), both of whom are unaware that they are gifted (and cursed) with a magical birthright. Freya is recently engaged to the man of her dreams, wealthy playboy Dash Gardiner (Eric Winter), but when she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Dash's troubled, enigmatic brother Killian (Daniel DiTomasso), bizarre occurrences begin to manifest. Meanwhile, Joanna's long-estranged sister Wendy (Amick) shows up with a warning that could change the Beauchamps' fate forever, forcing Joanna to reveal to her daughters they are, indeed, immortal witches who possess great untapped powers. Witches of East End also stars Jason George and Oscar(R) and Golden Globe(R) Award nominee Virginia Madsen as recurring players. One of Lifetime's youngest skewing scripted series ever, with a median age of 46, Witches of East End is averaging 3.0 million Total Viewers, 1.7 million Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 viewers, and 1.3 million Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 viewers on a Live+7 basis through five weeks. The series' first season will conclude on Sunday, December 15 at 10:00pm ET/PT with its tenth episode.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Wednesday, February 24
The Goldbergs - "The Lasagna You Deserve" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Beverly enlists the help of Barry and Erica to teach Adam to be more assertive, but Adam feels guilty after taking it too far. Meanwhile, Murray resolves to be a better friend after learning that Vic doesn’t think he can confide in him.
American Housewife - "Getting Frank with the Ottos" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
To celebrate the momentous 100th episode milestone of his podcast, Franklin (Evan O’Toole) invites Katie and the family to make guest appearances on his show, “Getting Frank with Franklin.” After witnessing his intrusive tactics with Taylor and the others, Katie is determined to keep her interview light and fun but is surprised when her mom, Kathryn (Wendie Malick), joins her. Meanwhile, Greg asks Lonnie (Matt Shively) to be his campaign manager to help strengthen his social media presence.
The Conners - "Panic Attacks, Hardware Store and Big Mouth Billy Bass" (ABC,
9:00PM ET/PT)
Darlene starts to feel the pressures of her new job which result in a health scare. Meanwhile, Dan attempts to help Ben out at the hardware store but the two don’t always see eye to eye on running the business.
Call Your Mother - "Sunday Dinner" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Jean brings the family together for Sunday dinner and invites Jackie’s older boyfriend. Meanwhile, Celia tries to prove to Freddie that Jean isn’t her biggest fan.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 22)
Wednesday, February 24
- Awkwafina (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Watch Awkwafina on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Chloe x Halle (grown-ish) - Chloe x Halle appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Tracey Wigfield (Great News) - Tracey will be on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Beth Behrs (The Neighborhood/2 Broke Girls) - Beth appears on A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
- Ted Danson (Mr. Mayor/The Good Place/Becker/Cheers) - Ted is a guest on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Bianca Lawson (Saved by the Bell: The New Class/Goode Behavior) - Bianca appears on The Real, so check your local listings.
- Lauren Ash (Superstore/Super Fun Night) - Lauren is dishing on the final season of Superstore on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) - Soleil talks about the revival of Punky Brewster on Peacock on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
- Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason talks about Fox's Cherries Wild on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
- Tim Allen (Last Man Standing/Home Improvement) and Richard Karn (Home Improvement) - Tim and Richard talk about Assembly Required and the 30th Anniversary of Home Improvement on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (October-February)
10/13 - The Jetsons - The Complete Series (Diamond Collection)
10/13 - Our Cartoon President - Season Two
10/23 - Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - The Complete Collection
10/27 - The Flintstones - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/27 - Head of the Class - The Complete Second Season (WBShop.com)
11/10 - Letterkenny - Seasons 5 & 6
11/10 - The Office - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/10 - Schitt's Creek - The Complete Collection
11/17 - Carol's Second Act - The Complete Series
11/17 - Robbie - Season 1
11/24 - Corporate - Season 1
11/26 - Man with a Plan - Season Four
12/01 - The Neighborhood - Season Two
12/15 - Avenue 5 - The Complete First Season
01/22 - Corporate - Season 2
01/22 - Corporate - Season 3
02/02 - Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In - The Complete Series (2021 Retail Release)
02/23 - Betty White's Pet Set - The Complete Series
More TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts
