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

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

There were a few developments (and changes) this week with the CBS releases of The Honeymooners - Classic 39 Episodes, I Love Lucy - Ultimate Season One, and The Andy Griffith Show - Season One. Originally scheduled for release on April 8, these will now hit stores on May 6. But in the meantime, TVShowsOnDVD.com has an update on special features for all of these sets. You can find the lists at the following links: The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show.

RECENT HOME MEDIA REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE

The Courtship of Eddie's Father - The Complete Third Season: Warner Archive wraps up the three season run of the classic series with a release that should leave fans satisfied.
Highway to Heaven - The Complete Third Season: Mill Creek puts together another release of this Michael Landon classic series from the '80s, with (mostly) uncut episodes this time around.

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, December 13

Happy's Place - "Dear Jack" (NBC, 9:15PM ET/PT)
When Bobbie catches Isabella doing a slow-fade breakup with her long-distance boyfriend, she convinces her to send a Dear John letter; Steve brings in a review praising Chef Emmett's cooking and acknowledging the tavern's bartender, "Abby."

Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Dateline" (NBC, 9:45PM ET/PT)
When George's controversial new appliance turns up dead, he mounts a true-crime investigation; Chance tests the bounds of honesty with his family.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Splitting the Hairs" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob, Douglas and Christina try to get Dottie to make a will; Abishola and Kemi's friendship is tested after Abishola catches Kemi in a lie.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "There's My Nigerians" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While Bob and Abishola struggle to pull Dottie out of her depression, Auntie Olu and Uncle Tunde come over to lift her spirits.

Children Ruin Everything - "Bedtime" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When James finds an old game console, he and Astrid attempt to find free time to play; but a bedtime routine threatens to eat up all the time between when the kids are supposed to be in bed and when Astrid and James have to go to bed themselves.

Children Ruin Everything - "Drama" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Astrid and James struggle to hold onto their identities while raising their two young children in the city.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 9)

Friday, December 13

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Watch Kerry on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Space Force/Silicon Valley) - Jimmy appears on repeats of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC and on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Milana Vayntrub (Other Space), Jessica Lowe (Wrecked) and Jason Ritter (Another Period/The Class) - Milana, Jessica and Jason are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Spin City/Mad About You) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - NBC's Today catches up with Richard and Fred in the 9am hour.
Zosia Mamet (Laid/Girls) - Zosia talks about Laid on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Christian Slater (Breaking In) and Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Christian and Sarah are sitting down with Drew to talk all about working together on Dexter: Original Sin on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Lisa Kudrow (No Good Deed/HouseBroken/Web Therapy/The Comeback/Friends/Mad About You) - Lisa talks about chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Tom Selleck (The Closer) and Donnie Wahlberg (Return of the Mac) - Tom and Donnie discuss the series finale of Blue Bloods on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Nancy McKeon (The Facts of Life/Can't Hurry Love) - Nancy will be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.