Saturday, January 04, 2014
SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Limiting Next Day Online Streaming; More Newhart on DVD
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This is the last weekend before everything gets back to normal on Monday, so we've still got a little bit of a light news week for you this week... but not too light! Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- If you enjoy watching your favorite ABC series the next day online, it could be coming to an end for you, depending upon your circumstances. The network announced that they will restrict next-day streaming of series to subscribers of a list of specific cable companies (which includes Comcast, but leaves large holes by not include DISH Network, DirecTV, or Time Warner Cable) and subscribers of Hulu+. This follows a similar move made by Fox in 2011, but for now, CBS and NBC continue to offer this programming for free to everybody. (TVLine)
- Chevy Chase left the series Community at the end of the fourth season, and it appeared that there was no way that he could possibly return... but he did (at least temporarily). Dan Harmon discusses the hurdles that he had to go through to make this happen with TV Guide. (TV Guide)
- If you're wondering when your favorite mid-season series will return (or debut), Deadline has a rather thorough rundown of debut dates for several series through March. (Deadline)
- Netflix has plenty of categories for every type of television that anybody may possible want to see... 76,897, to be exact. As it turns out, the most popular actor in these categories is Raymond Burr, best known for his role as Perry Mason and Ironside. (Deadline)
- We lost quite a few sitcom stars in 2013. Earlier this week, we compiled a 2013 tribute to some of these people. (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- We don't quite have Newhart - The Complete Second Season yet (at least not until February 11), but according to TVShowsOnDVD.com, it seems that Shout! Factory already has plans in place for Newhart - The Complete Third Season. It is scheduled for release on April 22.
- Walmart has had an exclusive on these releases since October, but now it appears that a general release date for other retailers has been set for The Beverly Hillbillies - The Official Fourth Season and Petticoat Junction - The Official Third Season. Both should be available from general retailers on April 15.
JANUARY 7 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
- Barney Miller - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD, $24.97): The season has already been released as part of Shout! Factory's complete series release, but now for those who didn't get that release, the season is available by itself.
Who to Follow: Reginald VelJohnson (Twitter),
"Actor"
Claim to Fame: We featured Jaleel White last week, and it seemed appropriate to feature another Family Matters star this week... and with that, we feature Reginald VelJohnson, who played Carl Winslow on Family Matters. He got his start in the movies, including a small role in the film Ghostbusters, and following a guest appearance on 227 and Perfect Strangers, he quickly settled in to his Family Matters role. Currently, he can be seen in recurring roles on Hart of Dixie and Mike and Molly.
Pick of the Tweets: "Fake winslow family twitters keep sending me msgs. Not gonna be your dad again so quit asking. #winslows #leavecarlalone @judithwinslow" (December 12, 2013)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, December 24
Ghosts - "The Owl" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam, Jay and the remaining ghosts unravel the mystery of which ghost passed into the afterlife. Also, Sam and Jay must relocate an owl in order to do construction on the barn to turn it into Jay’s restaurant.
Ghosts - "Holes Are Bad" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam and Jay leave the ghosts home alone for the weekend in an attempt to have a romantic getaway, shocking revelations are made about two of Woodstone’s beloved spirits.
Ghosts - "Halloween 4: The Witch" (CBS, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The ghosts, seeking some excitement during a low-key Halloween, join Patience (Mary Holland) in putting Sam on a witch trial.
Ghosts - "I Know What You Did Thirty-Seven Summers Ago" (CBS, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam and Jay host a fundraiser for the mayor to earn a favor for Jay’s restaurant, they learn of his bizarre connection to one of Woodstone’s ghosts.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 22)
Wednesday, December 24
- Hugh Jackman (Human Resources) - Watch Hugh on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - THE LATE SHOW Presents: "Colbert's Canceled Christmas: The Last Noel", narrated by Nick on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- John Stamos (Palm Royale/UnPrisoned/Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progress/Full House/You, Again?) - John talks about Palm Royale on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly/Crowded/Drake & Josh) - Miranda joins Drew to talk about her latest rom-com The Wrong Paris on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia talks about Apple TV's Your Friends & Neighbors on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Arsenio/Out All Night) - Vivica talks about UPtv's A Christmas Murder Mystery on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Margaret Colin (Veep/Sibs/Leg Work/Foley Square) - Margaret is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:10am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2 (DVD)
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts
Sitcoms Online Main Page
Contact Us