Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Pivot Acquires Buffy, Veronica Mars; TV Guide's Annual Cheers & Jeers Issue, Kerry Washington and Mark Burnett Top Lists

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Pivot (which launched Aug. 1), Participant Media's TV network targeting Millennials (18-34), announced it has acquired all episodes of scripted series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (20th Century Fox) and Veronica Mars (Warner Bros.). These critically acclaimed shows have resonated with audiences around the world and are widely lauded for their positive portrayal of women and universal themes. They will join the programming roster as a "Buffy and Veronica Power Hours" block, celebrating the iconic, smart and powerful women at the center of each show. The block will feature back-to-back episodes Mondays through Fridays at 10:00PM ET/9:00PM CT and 11:00PM ET/10:00PM CT beginning January 13, 2014 joining other series on the schedule like Friday Night Lights and Farscape. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series, which ran for six seasons from 1997-2003 with 144 episodes, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers. Chosen to battle vampires, demons and other forces of darkness, Buffy is aided by a Watcher who guides and teaches her as she surrounds herself with a circle of friends called the "Scooby Gang." The series was created by Joss Whedon, under Mutant Enemy Productions, and with later with co-executive producers Jane Espenson, David Fury, David Greenwalt, Doug Petrie, Marti Noxon and David Solomon.

Veronica Mars

The award-winning series Veronica Mars, which aired from 2004-2007 with 64 episodes, stars Kristen Bell as a student who progresses from high school to college while moonlighting as a private investigator under the tutelage of her detective father. In each episode, Veronica solves a different stand-alone case while working to solve a more complex mystery. The series will be made into a feature movie and will be out soon. The Kickstarter campaign for the Veronica Mars movie raised $5.5 million from more than 90,000 contributors. The series was created by award-winning screenwriter Rob Thomas; produced by Warner Bros. Television, Silver Pictures Television, Stu Segall Productions, Inc. and Rob Thomas Productions. Stay with us for continued updates on both series and Pivot in general.


TV Guide Cheers & Jeers Issue

TV Guide Magazine highlights the highs and lows of television in the annual year-end "Cheers & Jeers" issue, which hits newsstands tomorrow (December 19). The 2013 cover and calendar insert were designed by iconic artist Peter Max, who has shared a 4-decade long relationship with TV Guide Magazine. The cover reflects the vibrancy and style for which Max is famous, adorned by television's most recognizable faces. Max also designed TV Guide Magazine covers in 1988, 1992 and 2001. TV Guide Magazine introduces two new and exciting distinctions in the year-end edition: TV Star of the Year, awarded to Scandal star Kerry Washington and Producer of the Year, awarded to Mark Burnett, whose hit series The Voice drew top ratings in 2013. Washington received Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for her role as Olivia Pope, making 2013 a break out year for the actress. Burnett's Survivor was just renewed for seasons 29 and 30. His epic 10-part miniseries The Bible drew 13.1 million viewers for History Channel and Friday night staple Shark Tank regularly wins the night in the ratings.

In a year of amazing TV moments from Breaking Bad's series finale to Miley Cyrus' antics at the VMAs to Michael Douglas as Liberace in Behind the Candelabra, TV Guide Magazine's Cheers & Jeers covered it all. As a salute to the best and worst of the year's television, Cheers & Jeers is one of the magazine's most popular annual editions. Always a fan favorite is Senior Critic Matt Roush's Top 10 shows of the year. This year Roush championed both old (Breaking Bad) and new (Orange is the New Black) in his list. 2013 also marked the 60th Anniversary of TV Guide Magazine. To celebrate, special "Top 60" lists have been published throughout the year. As a final nod to this milestone anniversary, TV Guide Magazine editors ranked the 60 Best TV Series of all time, with HBO's The Sopranos coming in at #1. Seinfeld sits in second place. I Love Lucy, All in the Family, The Twilight Zone, The Wire, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, M*A*S*H*, Breaking Bad and The Simpsons round out the top 10.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 17

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Two Idiots on a Dirt Bike" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s attempt to break up Missy and her new boyfriend backfires. Young Sheldon stars Zoe Perry (Mary) and Raegan Revord (Missy) return.

Ghosts - "Pinkus Returns" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Trevor’s former co-worker, Pinkus (Richie Keen), and his daughter, Abby (Gideon Adlon), show up at Woodstone Mansion, Trevor gets the surprise of his afterlife.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 14)

Thursday, April 17

  • Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Catch Jon on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Asif Ali (Deli Boys) and Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys) - Asif and Saagar are guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Joe stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Will Forte (HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Will is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Conner O'Malley (Shrill) - Conner appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) - Gillian is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James talks about Ransom Canyon on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Lake Bell (Bless This Mess/How to Make it in America/Childrens Hospital) - Lake talks about All About Brains: A Book About People on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - It's Drew's spring cleaning show and Valerie is joining her for a special edition of Drew's News with cleaning headlines on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about the latest season of her hit television show Abbott Elementary on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Mike Epps (The Upshaws/Uncle Buck/Survivor's Remorse) - Mike chats about his We Them Ones Comedy Tour on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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