SitcomsOnline Digest: Will Community Get Six Seasons and a Movie?; More Mill Creek Releases

Saturday, March 29, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: Will Community Get Six Seasons and a Movie?; More Mill Creek Releases

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Today, we've got news about new Mill Creek releases, updates about The Wonder Years on DVD, and some news that may give fans of a struggling NBC series real hope for "six seasons and a movie." Let's get started!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Six seasons and a movie? That could be in the works for NBC's Community, regardless of what NBC decides to do with the series. It appears that if NBC decides not to renew the series (which has been renewed every season, despite constantly struggling in the ratings), Sony is looking at plans for offering a sixth season on a streaming service. (Zap2it)
Proving once again that Amazon Studios (yes, that same place that started by selling books almost two decades ago) is serious about competing with traditional television, Dana Delany has been cast in their latest pilot, a drama called Hand of God. Production is set to begin next month. (The Hollywood Reporter)
Remember the Fox reality series Joe Millionaire? Well, the network is going in that direction again this with I Wanna Marry "Harry", a reality show where American women are tricked into thinking they're on a show where the winner gets to marry Prince Harry, a series that is sure to be either the most unrealistic reality show ever or the cruelest reality show ever. (Entertainment Weekly)
As it turns out, Twitter is more powerful for TV series and stars than one would suspect. (Deadline)
The Boondocks debuted on Adult Swim nine years ago, and hasn't had a new episode since 2010. But finally, the series is coming back for a fourth (and final) season, without creator Aaron McGruder, on April 21. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

For the first time in a very long time, Mill Creek is releasing a season of a TV series that has never been seen on DVD, at least not in the US. On June 3, Highway to Heaven - The Complete Fourth Season arrives on DVD for the very first time.
Meanwhile, on May 20, two more sitcoms from Sony will get a re-release from Mill Creek: The Jeffersons and The Facts of Life. Both sets will include the first two seasons, although it should be noted that the re-release of the first season of The Facts of Life has been available for a while at most retailers.
Time-Life/StarVista is hard at work on their complete series set for The Wonder Years, but before they get too far ahead, they're interested in knowing what you think are the best episodes of the series, so that they can prepare special features for those episodes. You can tell them on their Facebook page.

APRIL 1 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

The Dick Van Dyke Show - Classic Mary Tyler Moore Episodes (DVD, $24.98): This best of release from RLJ Entertainment contains 20 of Mary Tyler Moore's best performances on the series.
I Dream of Jeannie - Seasons 1 and 2 (DVD, $14.98): A value priced re-release of the first two seasons of a series from Mill Creek.
Newsradio - Seasons 1 and 2 (DVD, $14.98): Another value priced re-release of the first two seasons of a series from Mill Creek.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: James Van Der Beek (Twitter) "Husband, father, professional make-believer."

Claim to Fame: James Van Der Beek really became known in his starring role of Dawson Leery in the successful teen drama Dawson's Creek, and in those days, it would have been hard to imagine us ever talking about him on this website... except, as an adult (if you disregard the fact that he was, after all, a guy in his 20s playing a teenager on that series), he has actually become more of a sitcom star. He most recently appeared as a regular on Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23, and beginning Monday, he will be appearing in the new CBS series, Friends with Better Lives.

Pick of the Tweets: "“@sheldonhigdon: How would've Dawson's Creek been different if Joey Potter was Chloe from Apt 23? #askvanderbeek” Less whining, more wine" (January 19, 2014)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, January 28

The Conners - "Mud Turtles, A Good Steak and One Man in a Tub" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Becky thinks that Jackie’s new friend Dawn (guest star Cheryl Hines), a restaurant supplier, is only cozying up to her to sell them things they can’t afford for the Lunch Box. Darlene is thrilled when Harris gets into Central Illinois State, but Harris might have found a better offer on her own. When Dan finds himself in an embarrassing situation nursing an injury, Louise (Katey Sagal) tries to help him out.

Bless This Mess - "The Letter of the Law" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Rio is bummed she can’t afford to go to Iceland for her best friend’s wedding, so the nuptials are moved and brought to the farm. Meanwhile, Rio is forced to take on Deb’s mail route after she quits, and Mike and Jacob help Rudy get over Constance.

mixed-ish - "True Colors" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Paul is shocked to hear from his estranged mother who wants to visit for Rainbow’s 13th birthday and soon learns more about why she abandoned him. Meanwhile, Rainbow sees turning 13 as a huge turning point in her life and wants a big birthday party, but Alicia wants to celebrate all the things Rainbow missed out on over the years while on the commune.

black-ish - "Adventure to Ventura" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Dre worries Diane and Jack don’t know how to fend for themselves and sends them out on an adventure, only to realize it’s his overbearing worries that hold the twins back. Meanwhile, Junior gets into a tricky situation at work when he befriends Josh in hopes of scoring a positive peer review.

Schitt's Creek - "Maid of Honour" (Pop, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Moira shares the newly released "Crows" movie trailer with the Jazzagals; Johnny and Roland find a suspicious bag of money at the new motel.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 27)

Tuesday, January 28

Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) - Catch Ben on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) - William drops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ashton Kutcher (The Ranch/Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Ilana Glazer (Broad City) - Ilana is a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm.
Tony Rock (Living Biblically/All of Us) - Tony is a panelist on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Kumail stops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Aidy Bryant (Shrill) - Aidy appears on Watch What Happens: Live at 10pm on Bravo.
Miles Brown (black-ish) - Miles is a guest on The Real, so check your local listings.
Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris talks about Fox's The Resident on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland/Hot in Cleveland/Jake in Progress/Just Shoot Me!) - Wendie talks about Disney Channel's The Owl House on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Life) - Nia talks about Poisoned Love on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
Bill Pullman (1600 Penn) - Bill talks about The Sinner on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on the BUILD Series at 12:15pm.
Janeane Garofalo (The Larry Sanders Show) and Grant Rosenmeyer (Oliver Beene) - Janeane and Grant are guests on the BUILD Series at 2pm.