SitcomsOnline Digest: Betas Debuts on Amazon Prime; Hill Street Blues and Here's Lucy Complete Series DVD Releases

Saturday, November 23, 2013

SitcomsOnline Digest: Betas Debuts on Amazon Prime; Hill Street Blues and Here's Lucy Complete Series DVD Releases

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, Amazon Prime is back in the news with their latest series, and we've also got news about upcoming complete series releases (including one series that was abandoned by a studio several years ago). Let's get started!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Last week, we told you about the debut of the new Amazon Prime comedy Alpha House (a new episode is available this week, by the way), and this week, another comedy debuted on Amazon Prime with Betas (for the record, there won't be a comedy with the word Gamma in the title coming next week), a series about making it big in the mobile app development world. The first three episodes are available to everybody for free right now, and new episodes will be released each week for Amazon Prime members. (PC Magazine)
Carol Burnett is in the spotlight this weekend on PBS. In October, the actress won the Mark Twain Prize for Humor, and the award ceremony featuring celebrities including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Martin Short, and Vicki Lawrence will be broadcast by PBS on Sunday night. Most stations will air it at 8 PM ET/PT, but check local listings due to variations in PBS scheduling. (NPR).
If you were a fan of the classic final episode of Newhart, then you'll love the "alternate ending" from the special features of Breaking Bad - The Final Season that has leaked onto the internet. We'll give you a hint: somebody wakes up in a bed next to his wife... but it isn't who you'd expect. (Mediaite)
If you think NCIS airs a lot in the United States, think again. In Japan, Fox Japan is prepared to go all out with NCIS (and in the meantime, shatter a world record) by airing an 11 day marathon featuring every episode from the first ten seasons of the series back-to-back. (TV Guide)
The networks of ENCORE have been airing a few classic TV series for years, particularly westerns, but now as they prepare to rebrand two of their networks, they'll be adding sitcom favorites, including Diff'rent Strokes, Murphy Brown, Night Court, Amen, and more. (SitcomsOnline)
We can't count how many times we've heard the Simpson family say "The Simpsons are going to..." on the series The Simpsons, which usually ends in something like Africa or New York, but now we can finally (after two long decades) say "The Simpsons are going to cable," as FXX becomes the first cable home for the long-running animated series. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

We hinted several weeks ago that more "surprises" from the Fox library were in the works at Shout! Factory, but we weren't prepared to let the cat out of the bag just yet. Now, it appears that Hill Street Blues - The Complete Series (one of the series we heard rumors regarding) IS on the way! We're still awaiting confirmation on the continuation at least one other Fox series (a classic '70s sitcom... hopefully this is a huge hint) that is believed to also be in the works from Shout!, and we'll let you know more when we have something more solid.
MPI has a tendency to release complete series of a lot of series once they finish the individual season releases, and now Here's Lucy - The Complete Series is in the works for a March 25 release. If previous complete series releases from MPI are any indication, it will likely just be all of the individual seasons (which had plenty of special features) in one package.
The ABC series The Middle seemed to be stuck in DVD purgatory in 2012 when the fourth season debuted, with no sign of season 3 DVDs in sight, but those eventually came... and now, it seems that The Middle - The Complete Fourth Season will be coming soon as well. It is set for a February 25 release from Warner Home Video.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Linda Lavin (Twitter), "Actress, SingerWife, Step Mother, Grandmother Cook"

Claim to Fame: Lavin began her career on stage, but that all changed in 1975 when she was cast in a recurring role on Barney Miller. It didn't take long for her to grow out of that role, though, as she moved on to the sitcom role of her live a year later with the sitcom Alice, which ran for nearly a decade on CBS. Following that series, she returned to stage acting (winning a few awards this time) and had a few more attempts at sitcoms that weren't as successful. She recently Twitter a few months ago, and her current role is playing the mother of the title character in NBC's Sean Saves the World.

Pick of the Tweets: "My gracious neighbors baked an apple pie for our @SeanSavesWorld premiere viewing party tonight. How lucky am I? #SSTW" (October 3, 2013)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, July 22

Shifting Gears - "Loyalty" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt’s dream build turns into a nightmare when controversy between Stitch and the client threatens to derail everything. Meanwhile, Riley hires Carter at her coffee business and quickly learns that working with family brews more tension than drinks.

Shifting Gears - "License" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When he finds out Carter’s getting driving lessons, Matt’s plan to prove he’s the better teacher hits a snag when he learns his license is expired. Meanwhile, Riley’s two worlds collide as she struggles to keep both her business and family afloat.

Shifting Gears - "Nutcracker" (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
This holiday season, the Parkers discover that romance isn’t always a smooth ride as Matt and Eve are on thin ice, Gabe enlists Riley to help Amelie impress his mom, and Carter seeks help with his “promposal.” Pamela Adlon guest stars.

Shifting Gears - "Dog" (ABC, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Matt refuses to let Carter bring a dog into “his” house, Riley starts to wonder if it’s time for her and the kids to find their own place. Meanwhile, Gabe seeks Riley’s advice amid second thoughts about moving in with Amelie.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 20)

Wednesday, July 22

Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons) - Colman guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
John Leguizamo (The Brothers Garcia) - John is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee drops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Tamron Hall has a repeat of a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Terry and Rebecca King-Crews revealing for the first time Rebecca's health battle, so check your local listings.
Patricia Clarkson (Davis Rules) - Patricia talks about Ransom Canyon on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Pamela Adlon (King of the Hill/Better Things/The Facts of Life) - Pamela dishes on Hulu's King of the Hill on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Kevin Sussman (Stuart Fails to Save the Universe/The Big Bang Theory) - Kevin talks about Stuart Fails to Save the Universe on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory/8 Simple Rules/Ladies Man) - Kaley talks about her new miniseries Vanished on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jack Whitehall (The 'Burbs) - Jack tells Drew about starring alongside Keke Palmer in new murder comedy The 'Burbs on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.