Saturday, February 22, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: The Simpsons to Air Lego Episode; Special Features Update for CBS Classic TV Blu-rays


Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Today, we've got news about The Simpsons 550th episode, updates on some Blu-ray releases of classic TV series from CBS Home Entertainment, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • The Simpsons is approaching yet another milestone in May, with the 550th episode of the series, and in honor of this amazing achievement, the 550th episode will be a special episode that will be created with Lego building blocks. (Reuters)
  • Barney Miller isn't celebrating a milestone anniversary just yet (although it will be 40 years old next year), but even so, International Business Times has a nice interview about the series with a communications professor at Fordham University who discusses the complicated dynamics of the series, which he considers to be "the most intelligent, literate US sitcom ever." (International Business Times)
  • It may not be a sitcom, but the CSI franchise has been big thing for CBS since 2000, eventually expanding into three series (but now back down to just the original). Now, it appears CBS wants to expand the franchise once again with a series that would focus on international cyber crime. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • What happens when you cross the sitcom Community with The Walking Dead? One truly devoted Community fan answers that question (as well as what it would look like if you cross it with The Wonder Years) by creating some rather creative (but well done) opening credits for Community. (Huffington Post)
  • Three's Company and Too Close for Comfort, two series that helped the Antenna TV lineup (but left over a year ago), will be returning to that lineup in April. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

    RECENT HOME MEDIA REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE

    FEBRUARY 23 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

    http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00GT7GYVW/ref=nosim/happydaysonline5-20
    • Mama's Family - The Complete Third Season (DVD, $29.98): The classic Vicki Lawrence sitcom returns to DVD for another season, this one being the first season of the retooled version of the series that aired in first-run syndication.
    • The Middle - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD, $44.98): The ABC series that lagged behind a season on DVD releases finally gets caught up with this release.
    • L.A. Law - Season One (DVD, $29.93): The groundbreaking NBC legal drama that began in the '80s comes to DVD for the very first time (at least for the first time in the United States).

    FOLLOW ME

    Who to Follow: Danielle Brisebois (Twitter), "here and now"
    Claim to Fame: Danielle Brisebois is probably not a huge household name to every sitcom fan out there. However, as a child, she gained significant prominence in her regular role of Stephanie on the series All in the Family (as well as spinoff Archie Bunker's Place). After that series ended, her acting career turned to Knots Landing for a while, then went on single episode guest roles in series such as Mr. Belvedere, Hotel, Murder She Wrote, and other series. While her acting career essentially ended before 1990, her attention has turned to music where she has found major success, beginning as a member of the New Radicals (best known for their 1998 single, "You Get What You Give") and later going on to write songs for many prominent artists, such as Natasha Bedingfield (Brisebois was actually the writer for Bedingfield's "Pocketful of Sunshine" and "Unwritten"), Kelly Clarkson, Donna Summer, Clay Aiken, Kylie Minogue, and more. Despite all of this success, she still looks back very fondly at her acting career, particularly working with Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton.
    Pick of the Tweets: "Me and #jeanstapleton good memories pic.twitter.com/71QyTXEAVb" (June 1, 2013)


    Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

    Friday, October 10

    Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Final" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
    Vee leaves Transylvania for boarding school to chase her musical dreams. As she keeps her vampire identity a secret, unexpected obstacles threaten to return her to the shadows.

    Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Holiday" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
    Vee leaves Transylvania for boarding school to chase her musical dreams. As she keeps her vampire identity a secret, unexpected obstacles threaten to return her to the shadows.

    Complete TV Listings


    Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 6)

    Friday, October 10

    • Seth Rogen (The Studio/Platonic/Undeclared) and Aziz Ansari (Master of None/Parks and Recreation) - Watch Seth and Aziz on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
    • Carrie Preston (Crowded/Happyish/Emeril) - Carrie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
    • Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also chats about If I Had Legs I’d Kick You with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
    • Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
    • Michael J. Fox (Family Ties/Spin City/The Michael J. Fox Show) - Michael discusses his new book Future Boy: Back to the Future and My Journey Through the Space-Time Continuum on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
    • Kenzi Richardson (Vampirina: Teenage Vampire) - Kenzi talks about Vampirina: Teenage Vampire on ABC's The View at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
    • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris sits down for a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE to chat about the Season 2 premiere of Watson on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
    • Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya stops by the studio to discuss Loot on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
    • Greta Lee (HouseBroken/Russian Doll) - Greta talks about Disney's Tron: Ares on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
    • Dermot Mulroney (The Righteous Gemstones/Four Weddings and a Funeral) - Dermot is a guest on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
    • Idris Elba (Turn Up Charlie) - Idris and Rebecca Ferguson talk about A House of Dynamite on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
    • Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) - Aubrey talks about her new book Luna and the Witch Throw a Halloween Party on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
    • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl stops by to chat with Sherri about the new season of Abbott Elementary on Sherri, so check your local listings.
    • Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - TV legend Henry shares details about his 40th book, Detective Duck: The Mystery at Emerald Pond, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
    • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
    • Teri Hatcher (The Odd Couple/Sunday Dinner/Karen's Song/The Love Boat) - Teri and her daughter Emerson Tenney talk about the Desperately Devoted podcast on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
    • Jeremy Piven (Entourage/Ellen/Pride & Joy/The Larry Sanders Show) - Jeremy is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.


    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

    01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
    03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
    04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
    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
    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

    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

    10/10 - Prime Video Releases Trailer for The Mighty Nein; Season 2 Premiere Date for Cross
    10/09 - Rachel Sennott's I Love LA Comedy Series Trailer; Kaley Cuoco Heads to MGM+
    10/08 - Prime Video's Kevin Details; Trailer for Crutch with Tracy Morgan
    10/07 - The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer
    10/06 - Dancing with the Stars Surging in Viewership, Especially Among Younger Viewers; Remembering Kimberly Hébert Gregory of Vice Principals
    10/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 6, 2025)
    10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
    10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
    10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
    10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
    09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025
    09/29 - Netflix Renews Haunted Hotel for Season 2; Christmas Comedy Series Sicilia Express
    09/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 29, 2025)
    09/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Cast Comes Together for First Table Read for Reboot; Monopoly Game Show Moving Ahead
    09/26 - Netflix Adds to Cast for Running Point Season 2; Stiller & Meara Apple TV+ Documentary
    09/25 - Adam Pally HBO Comedy Special; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns with Huge Ratings
    09/24 - Weigel's Newest Diginet WEST Launches Monday, September 29; New Baywatch Coming to Fox in 2026-27
    09/23 - DMV Trailer for CBS; Mo Amer Returns to Netflix
    09/22 - SNL Season 51 Guests for First Episodes; Prime Video's Bat-Fam Series
    09/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 22, 2025)
    09/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Paper to Get Linear Run on NBC; Saturday Night Live Announces New Hosts
    09/19 - NBC Schedules The Paper and Stumble in November; Remembering Patricia (Pat) Crowley of Please Don't Eat the Daisies
    09/18 - UPtv Acquires The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Camp Rock 3 Coming Soon to Disney
    09/17 - FETV Acquires The Munsters Effective September 29; Apple TV+ The Morning Show Renewed for Season 5
    09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
    09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
    09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
    09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
    09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
    09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
    09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29