SitcomsOnline Digest: Potential Sitcom Projects at TV Land and TBS; Carol Burnett DVD Update

Saturday, March 22, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: Potential Sitcom Projects at TV Land and TBS; Carol Burnett DVD Update

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Today, we've got a few sitcom development stories, news about Carol Burnett DVDs in April that is sure to please fans, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

TV Land has given a pilot order to Teachers, a project from Allison Brie (of Community). It is based upon a web series of the same name that follows six dysfunctional elementary school teachers. (Entertainment Weekly)
John Krasinski is looking to go from paper salesman at Dunder-Mifflin to executive producer with a sitcom that he has in the development phase with TBS. The project, currently titled Jackass of All Trades, "centers on a devoted stay-at-home dad who, after landing his family in dire financial trouble, resorts to earning a living doing odd jobs off of Craigslist." (Deadline)
One of cable TV's biggest series, The Walking Dead, is about to head to broadcast TV primetime... at least in reruns on MyNetworkTV. (Deadline)
A sitcom in development at ABC could potentially put both the Fonz and Angela Bower on one stage... and if it happens, they'll both be Winklers, as the series would tentatively be called The Winklers. (Deadline)
Two and a Half Men was renewed for next season, but it looks even less likely that we'll see much of Angus T. Jones, as the original "half man" on the series, as he refers to his experience of being on the series as being a "paid hypocrite." (KHOU)
The Sweathogs are about to return to TV next month, as MeTV adds Welcome Back, Kotter to their lineup. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

A while back, Time-Life/StarVista announced a new release of The Carol Burnett Show, which appeared to be just a rehashing of the material previously released on DVD. There has been a lot of confusion about this release, but the studio has finally clarified that that six disc retail release (the one that will be sold in traditional stores and amazon.com) of The Carol Burnett Show - Carol's Crack-Ups will be a release that consists of 17 uncut episodes that were not included in the Ultimate Collection release, so it will allow fans to get more of Carol on DVD. The release date for this set is coming up very soon, on April 15.

RECENT REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE.COM

Eight is Enough - The Complete Fifth Season: The Warner Archive release wraps up the classic comedy-drama series that follows a very large family.
L.A. Law - The Complete First Season: Shout! Factory's release of the United States debut of the classic legal drama on DVD, containing all of the first season episodes and plenty of nice special features.
Nurse Jackie - Season Five (Blu-ray): The hit Showtime series returns to Blu-ray (and DVD) once again, along with the usual slate of special features.

MARCH 25 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

Here's Lucy - The Complete Series (DVD, $159.98): Classic TV's favorite redhead gets another big box-set release of one of her series, and this time it is her last successful sitcom to air on CBS. It is a nice set that is loaded with special features.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Betty White (Twitter)

Claim to Fame: Almost literally, everything since TV was invented. But specifically, the actress got her start in radio before she first tried TV in 1939 (that isn't a typo) on an experimental TV station in Los Angeles. By 1949, she was cohosting (and later hosting by herself) a Los Angeles variety show that aired five and a half hours a day, six days a week. A string of other things followed, but she mostly ended up doing game shows for a while, at least until the '70s when she was cast as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Her greatest success, though, came in 1985, as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls. Now, in 2014, she can still be seen on TV in TV Land's Hot in Cleveland, and is perhaps the only actor/actress in the world who can claim that she has appeared on TV at least once in each decade for nine decades... and we're looking forward to 2020, when it'll make ten decades.

Pick of the Tweets: "On way to Vegas to be inducted into NAB Hall of Fame. Have to lay low- what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!" (April 16, 2012)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Thursday, November 30

Young Sheldon - "A Romantic Getaway and a Germanic Meat-Based Diet" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mandy surprises Georgie with a spa weekend and Sheldon prepares for his summer in Germany.

Ghosts - "Ghost Hunter" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam and Jay’s assistant, Freddie (Mike Lane), purchases ghost-hunting equipment when suspicious activity leads him to theorize the B&B is haunted. Also, Sasappis risks losing his relationship with Jessica (Nichole Sakura) when Freddie sells his car.

Ghosts (UK) - "Moonah Ston" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Mike and Alison’s posh neighbors swindle Mike into agreeing to an obscene payment for the rights to their contested driveway, Alison attempts to win the rights back over a game of poker. Also, the ghosts help Robin celebrate the lunar eclipse.

Ghosts (UK) - "Getting Out" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Alison and Mike, exhausted and broke, are ecstatic to receive an offer from a luxury hotel chain to buy Button House, but their potential departure drives a wedge between the ghosts.

Son of a Critch - "Who Dares Dare Hudaro?" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mark falls under the spell of a visiting hypnotist and lets his grades slip; Pop struggles to lose weight when he gets too fat for his pants.

Children Ruin Everything - "Money" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT)
With saving for retirement at the top of her mind, Astrid proposes to James that they try to get through the last few days of the month without dipping beyond their monthly budget just once; the Berney's find creative ways to stay on target.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 27)

Thursday, November 30

Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Catch Sarah on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
John Stamos (Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progress/Full House/You, Again?) - John is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Josh Gad (Wolf Like Me/Avenue 5/The Comedians/1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred sits-in with the 8G Band on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Sara Bareilles (Girls5eva) - NBC's Today has Sara for the Citi Music Series in the 9am hour.
Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy/American Dad!/The Cleveland Show) and Liz Gillies (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/Victorious) - Seth and Liz perform on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Ariana is telling Drew about her role in Wish, facing rejection and manifesting getting to where she is now on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Tatyana Ali (Second Generation Wayans/Love That Girl!/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Tatyana talks about Lifetime's The Holiday Proposal Plan on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy stops by and chef Brian Hart Hoffman mixes things up in the Sherri kitchen on Sherri, so check your local listings.