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

Monday, April 13

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to the Breaking Point" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
After a frightening encounter, Dave takes a hard look at his health, prompting Calvin to help him find a healthier way to let off steam. Meanwhile, Tina has a hard time letting go of old memories, and Marty and Malcolm argue over a valuable find from their past.

DMV - "Fresh Ink" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When the SoHo DMV lands a glossy magazine feature, Barb struggles with feeling overlooked, stirring up old insecurities she thought she’d left behind. Meanwhile, Gregg and Vic go head‑to‑head in a competitive quest to earn their first positive review after a rough streak online.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "Mischief and Memories" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The Dinkins family bands together for their annual push to get Reggie into the hall of fame, but Jerry Basmati stands in their way.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "A Real Cinderello Story" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Monica tries to sign an exciting new prospect; Jerry Basmati unexpectedly takes revenge on Reggie.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 13)

Monday, April 13

Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Watch Henry on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Tracy Morgan (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Crutch/The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nick Offerman (Margo's Got Money Troubles/Parks and Recreation) - Nick stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock) - Rachel makes a special appears once on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. Andy Cohen interviews Rachel on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11pm on Bravo.
Kristin Chenoweth (Stumble/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock) - Andy Cohen interviews Rachel on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Elle Fanning (Margo's Got Money Troubles) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Margo's Got Money Troubles/Delta House) - Elle and Michelle talk about Margo's Got Money Troubles on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Jennie Garth (Mystery Girls/What I Like About You) - Jennie talks about I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose & Embracing Reinvention on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am, on Live with Kelly and Mark (check your local listings), on NBC's Today in the 10am hour, and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Sarah Chalke (Scrubs/Roseanne/Mad Love/How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)) - Sarah talks about Scrubs on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Anthony Norman (Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat) - Anthony talks about Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Bob Odenkirk (The Larry Sanders Show) - All Access sits down with Bob to discuss his life, career and new film Normal on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Daniel Radcliffe (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Miracle Workers) - Daniel tells Sherri about his new sitcom, The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins, and his hit Broadway play, Every Brilliant Thing, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Jake and Jazz Smollett (On Our Own) - Jake and Jazz talk about their lifestyle series, Living By Design, on CLEO TV on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Dan Levy (Big Mistakes/Schitt's Creek) and Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Dan and Laurie talk to Drew about their upcoming comedy crime show Big Mistakes on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Drew is joined by the entire cast of Big Mistakes: Dan Levy, Laurie Metcalf, Jack Innanen and Taylor Ortega.
John Stamos (Palm Royale/UnPrisoned/Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progress/Full House/You, Again?) and Jodie Sweetin (Fuller House/Hollywood Darlings/Full House) - - John and Jodie are guests on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.