Hallmark Channel March 2014 with The Middle; USA Network Schedules Second Comedy, Playing House, for April 29

Monday, March 03, 2014

Hallmark Channel March 2014 with The Middle; USA Network Schedules Second Comedy, Playing House, for April 29

Hallmark Channel launched its new acquisition The Middle yesterday (Sunday, March 2) with airings at 11:00pm & 11:30pm. The sitcom didn't get the planned marathon on March 2 as originally planned, though. The Middle will air weeknights (Mon-Fri) starting tonight at 9:00pm & 9:30pm and also Sunday nights at 11:00pm & 11:30pm, which started last night. The Brady Bunch is the odd series out on the schedule, as its 2-5pm block is replaced by more Little House on the Prairie, now extended and moved to 2-5pm. The Waltons will follow and air four episodes from 5-9pm, leading into The Middle. Just to note, The Middle was originally planned to air in primetime from 8-10pm, but now Hallmark has decided to launch it for an hour only with The Waltons as a lead-in. The Middle started in syndication this past September in local syndication and also on cable on ABC Family. Back to Hallmark, the rest of the Hallmark Channel schedule in March will remain intact with I Love Lucy, The Golden Girls, Frasier, Cheers and original daytime talker Home & Family. Stay with us for continued updates on Hallmark and The Heck clan.

Playing House

USA Network's first comedy Sirens is launching this Thursday, but now they have scheduled a second original comedy series! USA Network's new comedy Playing House will premiere Tuesday, April 29 at 10:00pm & 10:30pm ET/PT immediately following top comedy series Modern Family with two back to back episodes. Following the premiere, the series will resume with a new half-hour episode every Tuesday beginning May 6 from 10-10:30pm ET/PT. The series, starring and executive produced by Jessica St. Clair (Best Friends Forever) and Lennon Parham (Best Friends Forever), is a single-camera buddy comedy about what happens when two best friends come back together just when they need each other the most. Childhood best friends Maggie Caruso and Emma Crawford have shared countless adventures growing up together in the charming town of Pinebrook, CT. Now, Maggie and Emma are in store for one of their biggest adventures yet - raising a baby. When Maggie discovers that her husband is having an online affair with a muscular German woman, Emma gives up her burgeoning business career in China to stay in their hometown and help Maggie raise her baby. Meanwhile, as Maggie prepares for the birth of her first child and the fallout of her marriage ending, Emma must confront the past that she abruptly left behind thirteen years ago -- her first love and local cop Mark (Keegan-Michael Key), her prim-and-proper mother (Jane Kaczmarek) and a small town that she's never felt comfortable in. Despite their differences - Emma is brash, bold, and assertive while Maggie is grounded, rational, and safe - the women complement each other the way only best friends can, by facing the challenges of their past, present and future--together.

Joining St. Clair and Parham are comedic actors Keegan-Michael Key (Key and Peele), Jane Kaczmarek (Malcom in the Middle), Brad Morris (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World), Zach Woods (The Office) and Gerry Bednob (The 40-Year-Old Virgin). Additionally, an all-star line-up of comedy vets will stop by the small town of Pinebrook, Connecticut. Bobby Moynihan (SNL), Lindsay Sloane (Horrible Bosses), Jason Mantzoukas (The League), Ian Roberts (Upright Citizen Brigade Co-Founder), Andy Daly (Eastbound and Down) John Lutz (SNL, Larry Wilmore (The Daily Show with Jon Stewart) and Ryan McPartlin (Chuck) will all appear in guest star roles on the series.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, April 1

St. Denis Medical - "Anything to Push Zaluva" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron's teasing makes Joyce question whether her friendship with a pharmaceutical rep is genuine; Alex has trouble letting Serena take on a new task; Matt finds a mentor in Bruce.

Night Court - "Hot to Trot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby's friendship with her ex-boyfriend's mother leads to romantic complications; when Julianne's wealthy aunt passes away, the gang vies for a piece of her inheritance.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Love At First Swipe" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
C.J. and Janine receive marital advice from an unlikely source; Peanut seeks help with his newfound online lover.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Failure 2 Launch" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Assisted Living is the new situation comedy by Tyler Perry about three generations who must make a new start in the rural backwoods of Georgia.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Tuesday, April 1

Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Catch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kevin is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Lopez vs Lopez/Corporate) - Vinny, Paul and Aparna are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) and Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Chase and Kathryn are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Will Ferrell (The Office) and Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - E! News has interviews with Will and Jennifer at 11pm on E!.
Román Zaragoza (Ghosts) - Román talks about Ghosts on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) and Michael Cera (Life & Beth/Arrested Development/I Was a Sixth Grade Alien) - Michael and Michael talk about Sacramento with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Tasha Smith (Survival of the Thickest/Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse/The Tom Show/Boston Common) and Tone Bell (Survival of the Thickest/Fam/Disjointed/Truth Be Told/Bad Judge/Whitney) - Tasha and Tone talk about the new season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Kathryn is dishing on her new comedy series The Studio on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about Netflix's Running Point on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty) - Paul is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.