Monday, March 03, 2014

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

The Middle

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

Friday, December 8

Norman Lear: A Life on Television

CBS announced the new entertainment special Norman Lear: A Life on Television, to air tonight - Friday, Dec. 8 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs). Presented by Entertainment Tonight, this one-hour special features new interviews with stars of the long-running comedies Lear created, including Jimmie Walker from Good Times and Mackenzie Phillips from One Day at a Time, in addition to never-before-seen interviews from the ET vault. Also included with this new footage and interviews is an in-depth sit-down interview with Lear that ET host Kevin Frazier conducted when Lear celebrated his 100th birthday, in which he reflected on his lengthy, groundbreaking career.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 4)

Friday, December 8

  • Eddie Murphy (The PJs) - Watch Eddie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building/High Fidelity/People of Earth/Selfie) - Da'Vine appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • John Caponera (The Good Life) - John is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
  • Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Triumph the Insult Comic Dog aka Robert Smigel chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Noah Galvin (The Real O'Neals) and Molly Gordon (Ramy) - Noah and Molly talk about Theater Camp on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Eric Stonestreet (The Santa Clauses/Modern Family) - Eric talks about The Santa Clauses on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan sits down with Sherri to talk about his new book, When I Was Your Age, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-December)

Family Matters - The Complete Series Step by Step - The Complete Series ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

12/08 - CBS Norman Lear Tribute Special Tonight; Peacock Renews Twisted Metal
12/07 - Harlem Renewed for Season 3; Netflix Orders Drama Ransom Canyon
12/06 - Remembering TV Legend Norman Lear; Critics Choice Awards Nominees
12/05 - Who's the Boss? Now on Hulu; The CW Announces New Series Wild Cards
12/04 - The Upshaws Renewed for Season Prior to Season 5 Launch; Fox Holiday Movie with Justin Long
12/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 4, 2023)
12/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Bob ♥ Abishola Coming to an End; Only Murders in the Building Gets Limited Run on ABC
12/01 - Abbott Elementary Post-Oscars Airing, Only Murders on ABC; Remembering Frances Sternhagen, Marty Krofft and Others We Recently Lost
11/30 - Bob ♥ Abishola Ending After This Season; NBC Renews Rookie Dramas
11/29 - Antenna TV January 2024 Schedule; Max December Comedy Specials
11/28 - Prime Video's Hazbin Hotel; Lacey Chabert Gets Hallmark Unscripted Series
11/27 - Sundance Now Gets Original Comedy; Hallmark Original Returns for Season 2 in January
11/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 27, 2023)
11/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Kelsey Grammer Ready to Do 100 Episodes of Frasier; TBS Cancels Miracle Workers
11/24 - Fox Winter 2024 Schedule; An Evening From the Heart John Ritter Foundation NYC 2023 Event
11/23 - 2023 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/22 - Kerry Washington's UnPrisoned Gets Season 2; Classic Comedy Shorts Celebrate 40th Anniversary
11/21 - NBC Winter 2024 Schedule; Netflix Renews Rob Lowe Comedy
11/20 - BUZZR Celebrates Bob Barker's 100th Birthday; Ted Prequel Series on Peacock Gets Premiere Date
11/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 20, 2023)
11/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Young Sheldon Coming to an End After Seven Seasons; The CW International Sitcom Approach Not Going So Well
11/17 - ABC Winter 2024 Schedule; CBS Celebrates 98th Birthday of Dick Van Dyke
11/16 - Whoa Mama! Urkel Is Back for the Holidays!; Hulu Gets Such Brave Girls Comedy
11/15 - COZI TV's A Very COZI Christmas Schedule; Young Sheldon to End This Season on CBS
11/14 - CBS Winter 2024 Schedule; The CW Pulls 2 Comedies
11/13 - Antenna TV 2023 Holiday Marathons Schedule; Rewind TV 2023 Holiday Marathons Schedule
11/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 13, 2023)
11/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: SAG-AFTRA Strike Finally Ends; New Digital TV Broadcast Networks Coming
11/10 - AXS TV's The Partridge Family Thanksgiving Marathon; AspireTV Holiday Programming
11/09 - Bookie Premieres November 30 on Max; Ted Lasso Star Holiday Special on Apple TV+
11/08 - FX Renews The Bear for Season 3; Hulu's Australian Original Series Premieres November 29