Thursday, January 23, 2014

PBS to Air 4th Season of Pioneers of Television in April; CMT Celebrates 35th Anniversary of Dukes of Hazzard

Pioneers of Television

Standup comedians who landed sitcoms, TV doctors and nurses, standout comedy actors, and the people who broke the color barrier on television, are the subjects explored when Pioneers of Television returns to PBS this April, offering inside stories from some of America's most beloved television stars. The fourth season of the Emmy-nominated series reveals intriguing behind-the-scenes stories and fascinating facts about television's most well-known and influential celebrities. On January 21 at the semi-annual Television Critics Association conference, Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond), Bob Newhart (The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart), Jimmie Walker (Good Times), Leslie Uggams (The Leslie Uggams Show) and George Takei (Star Trek) introduced television critics to the exciting upcoming season with a panel discussion and an inside look at season four. New interviews with legendary stars, including Robin Williams, Roseanne Barr and Dick Van Dyke, and never-before-seen images mix with timeless footage that continues to entertain TV viewers decades later. Pioneers of Television's first-hand look at the medium is guided by the stories of television icons who appear in memorable footage and reminisce about the iconic genres they helped popularize.

The genres highlighted in this season of four one-hour Pioneers of Television episodes include:

STANDUP TO SITCOM
This star-packed episode features fresh interviews with Jerry Seinfeld, Roseanne Barr, Tim Allen, Ray Romano, and Bob Newhart. The program reveals how America's top standup comics made the transition to the sitcom form; and includes dozens of clips from Seinfeld, Home Improvement, Everybody Loves Raymond, Roseanne, and more.

DOCTORS AND NURSES
From George Clooney on ER to Richard Chamberlain on Dr. Kildare, television's long love affair with doctors and nurses shows no signs of letting up. Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards, Gloria Reuben and Eriq LaSalle open up about the secrets of ER; Howie Mandel, Ed Begley Jr. and Christina Pickles revisit St. Elsewhere. The episode also features the final interview with Chad Everett of Medical Center before his recent death.

ACTING FUNNY
This episode peeks behind the curtain to reveal the backstage techniques of America's favorite comedic actors. The program features the manic improvisational style of Robin Williams, along with his comic predecessor Jonathan Winters. They're a fascinating contrast to Tina Fey, who explains her measured, highly prepared approach. The episode also highlights the all-time #1 Emmy winner for comedy acting: Cloris Leachman.

BREAKING BARRIERS
This episode traces the story of people of color on American television — including the mid-1960s breakthroughs of African Americans Diahann Carroll (Julia) and Bill Cosby (I Spy). Latino landmarks range from I Love Lucy with Desi Arnaz to Miami Vice with Edward James Olmos. Also featured are Asian Americans like George Takei (Star Trek), who details his youth spent in a Japanese American internment camp.


The Dukes of Hazzard

CMT will celebrate a milestone 35 years since The Dukes of Hazzard first launched with eight back-to-back hours of the most-loved episodes on Sunday, January 26 beginning at 2:00 pm, ET/PT. For a chance to see their name and favorite Dukes fact on television, fans are invited to be part of the fast-moving episodes by sharing Dukes facts on facebook.com/TheDukesRideAgain and on Twitter using #Dukes35. The series returned to CMT earlier this month, airing for the first time in high-definition. The iconic television series originally launched on January 26, 1979, and exploded as a pop culture phenomenon throughout its successful seven-year run. Bo, Luke and Daisy Duke, along with their Uncle Jesse, fought the corrupt political system of Hazzard County, and made short-shorts, fast cars and CB radios cool around the globe.

For a full lineup and episode descriptions, visit CMT.com. The Dukes of Hazzard airs weekdays at Noon and 8:00 p.m., ET/PT on CMT.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Sunday, June 4

The Simpsons - "My Life as a Vlog" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Through a series of YouTube recommended videos, the story of the rise and fall of the Simpson family vlog is revealed.

Family Guy - "Oscars Guy" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Griffins perform a retelling of three Oscar-winning stories: "Silence of the Lambs," "American Beauty" and "Forrest Gump."

HouseBroken - "Who's Nocturnal?" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
After Honey loses a clutch of baby possums she is supposed to be caring for, she and The Gray One set out to find them; Shel and Nibbles try to apprehend a critter that has been pooping on Shel's shell at night; Diablo gets abducted by an owl.

HouseBroken - "Who's Married?" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
A new playmate upends Honey and Chief's relationship; Tabitha helps Chico find the perfect anniversary gift for Kevin; Nibbles goes searching for her special someone.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 29)

Saturday, June 3

  • Ronald Gladden (Jury Duty) - Ronald can be heard on SiriusXM's Ben +1 at 9am.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (January-June)

Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI) Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI) Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series

01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/04 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Fifth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/18 - Blondie - The Complete 1957 Television Series (Blu-ray)
04/25 - Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
05/23 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Eleven / The Complete Season Twelve
05/23 - Go On - The Complete Series
05/23 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (Universal)
05/29 - Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/29 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/30 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


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