Saturday, February 01, 2014
SitcomsOnline Digest: Sean Saves the World Production Shut Down; New Happy Days DVDs at Last
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's the weekend of the "big game," but we've got some big stuff here this weekend as well, as we've got one of our busiest news weeks in a while. So let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- The title of the series is Sean Saves the World, but it looks like time has run out for anybody to save the series, as production of the Sean Hayes sitcom was shut down early (Hollywood Reporter)
- Full House has been about the biggest thing in the world over this past week, as the guys of the series prepare to reunite in the name of Greek yogurt during the Super Bowl. We could bring you a lot of links about all of this week's Full House happenings, but perhaps the best came from the guys singing Jimmy Fallon to sleep on Late Night this week, as well as a Reddit Ask Me Anything. Whatever happened to predictability, anyway? (Entertainment Weekly)
- It seems that the saying "Friends are forever" has a real meaning for the actual cast members of Friends, because now David Schwimmer (who Ross on the Friends) is prepared to make his return to the sitcom world as the male lead in a potential ABC sitcom. (Deadline)
- We still have a long time until the Emmy Awards air on NBC, but don't expect to see Emmy Sunday in September this year. NBC has decided to instead bring us Emmy Monday, bizarrely scheduling the awards on Monday night in August to work around their Sunday night NFL programming. (Deadline)
- Desperate Housewives has been off the air for over a year now, but regardless, the entire Nicollette Sheridan lawsuit against the producers over the circumstances of her termination from the series is still going strong, and gained new steam this week. (The Hollywood Reporter)
- Antenna TV has an option if you'd prefer Sally field to a football field this Sunday, as they present a 16 hour marathon of The Flying Nun on Sunday. (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- It has been more than five years since we last saw a release of Happy Days on DVD, but it looks like that is about to change on May 20, as CBS prepares to release Happy Days - The Fifth Season. The set comes at a $39.98 MSRP.
- Happy Days isn't the only series that is headed to DVD in May. According to TVShowsOnDVD.com, one of the spinoffs, Laverne & Shirley, will be finishing up with the final season on DVD on May 6. It isn't available to pre-order just yet.
- It seems that several studios have used the TV Guide name to sell DVDs, but now Mill Creek will use it for one of the most ambitious DVD projects ever from any studio, as they prepare to put together their new TV Guide Spotlight Series. The series puts together collections of 20 episode sets (at least for sitcoms) of multiple series that they have (or will) released on DVD, such as The Jeffersons, Good Times, Bewitched, Maude, Newsradio, That '70s Show, and much more. Of particular interest to us are Groundbreaking Sitcoms of the '70s, Great Comedies of the '90s, and Leading Ladies of Classic Comedy. They will all be released on March 18 and come at a $9.98 MSRP.
- We don't cover a whole lot of cartoons here, but another release from Mill Creek caught our attention this week, since it is an '80s cartoon that had featured a character who'd also appeared in a classic '50s sitcom (and above all else, his own comic strip)... they'll be releasing the animated series Dennis the Menace on DVD! They will begin with Dennis the Menace - Volume 1, which will contain the first 33 episodes of the animated series. It comes March 18, and at a $12.98 MSRP.
- If tax day has you a bit angry this year, you can get some Anger Management courtesy of Lionsgate, as they release Anger Management - Volume 3 on DVD and Blu-ray on that day (April 15, by the way).
RECENT HOME MEDIA REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE
- Joanie Loves Chachi - The Complete Series: The short-lived Happy Days spinoff starring Scott Baio and Erin Moran arrives on DVD, although as expected, there are a few musical edits.
- Laverne & Shirley - The Seventh Season: The most successful of the Happy Days spinoffs arrives on DVD for another season, also with a few musical edits.
FEBRUARY 4 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
- The Ellen Show - The Complete Series (DVD, $9.98): Mill Creek puts together a re-release of Ellen DeGeneres CBS sitcom, which lasted for one season.
- Family Matters - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD, $29.98): Urkel and the gang return for another season of this fan-favorite sitcom staple that aired on ABC's TGIF lineup.
- Joanie Loves Chachi - The Complete Series (DVD, $29.98): The complete series of the Happy Days spinoff finally arrives on DVD.
- Laverne & Shirley - The Seventh Season (DVD, $39.98): The classic Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams sitcom returns to DVD for another season.
Who to Follow: John Stamos (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram),
"ex teen idol, theater geek and wannabe rock and roll drummer."
Claim to Fame: It's been a big week for the Full House guys (who knew?), and it only seems appropriate to feature the catalyst behind all of this recent hype: the one and only John Stamos. His TV career began in 1984 with a role on General Hospital, followed by two sitcoms that were, by all measures, complete flops, but his third sitcom was big. He wasn't quite 24 when he was cast in the role of Jesse Cochran (changed to Katsopolis in season two) in the series Full House in 1987. Since then, he hasn't had much in terms of regular roles in series, but you still see him everywhere, and that is something that seems to be in the cards for years to come.
Pick of the Tweets: "Behind the scenes look at @bobsaget and I for our "Some like it HOT" peep mag shoot w/ the great Robert Tractenberg pic.twitter.com/CZ8QNQYldp" (December 29, 2013)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, May 14
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Splurges and Secrets" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A financial windfall leads Georgie to make a questionable purchase. Meanwhile, Audrey and Jim butt heads over old secrets.
Ghosts - "Polar Opposites" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When a Hollywood producer comes to scout Woodstone as a filming location, Sam is prompted to take a creative leap that draws unexpected support from the ghosts. Meanwhile, changing roles among the ghosts spark a heartfelt effort to honor someone special.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 11)
Thursday, May 14
- John Mulaney (Mulaney) - Catch John on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Geena Davis (The Geena Davis Show/Sara/Buffalo Bill) and Nathan Fillion (Two Guys and a Girl) - Andy Cohen interviews Geena and Nathan on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo. Geena also talks about The Boroughs on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa chats about ABC's Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- John Lithgow (Trial & Error/Twenty Good Years/3rd Rock from the Sun) - John chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Lena Waithe (Master of None) - The Chi Creator Lena Waithe alongside stars Jason Weaver, Jacob Latimore, Birgundi Baker, Hannah Hall and Luke James join the Tam Fam on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. The cast sits down to reflect on the show's cultural impact, their journey together, and what viewers can expect as the final season begins.
- Mariska Hargitay (Can't Hurry Love) - NBC's Today catches up with Mariska sometime between 7-9am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
11/04/25 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11/25 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02/25 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16/25 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16/25 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
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