Saturday, April 12, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: The Simpsons Comes to FXX in Style; New Fox MOD Releases; Welcome Back, Kotter on DVD?

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Today, we've got news about a marathon that will break all marathon records, an opportunity for you to become a sitcom legend at NBC (maybe), Fox MOD releases, and news of a possible Welcome Back, Kotter DVD release. Let's get going!


HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • If you're a true fan of The Simpsons, then hopefully you have twelve days to spare at the end of August, because that is when FXX will air their twelve day record-breaking marathon featuring every episode of The Simpsons ever aired. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • Earlier this week, Deadline takes a look at the major broadcast networks and the series that are on the bubble for renewal, complete with a full analysis. (Deadline)
  • Bill Lawrence's series Undateable is set to debut on NBC at the end of May, which is a traditional dumping ground for series that networks have given up on before they even debut, but Lawrence remains upbeat anyway. (Deadline)
  • If you would like to have your own summer (or even fall) series on NBC like Bill Lawrence, then NBC would really like to know, as they're reaching out to fans to help them create their next big sitcom. (Huffington Post)
  • David Letterman's replacement has been named, and it turn out that it'll be Stephen Colbert. It will be quite a change for Colbert, though, as he will no longer be in character for his new gig. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
  • Fox announced several DVD releases this week that would be exclusives to Amazon.com. The most notable of these releases is the Tim Allen sitcom Last Man Standing and NBC's one-season series The New Normal, both of which have not seen any DVD releases. On May 13, fans will see both seasons 1 and 2. The same day will also see releases for American Dad - Volume 9 and Bob's Burgers - The Complete 3rd Season. It is expected that all of these will be MOD releases.
  • Warner has slowly been warming up to the idea of licensing series out, but did they license Welcome Back, Kotter to Shout! Factory for them to release? There was a complete series listing that briefly appeared on Amazon.com last weekend that suggests that. 
  • Shout! Factory will, for certain, be releasing Newhart - The Complete Fourth Season on August 19. The release will put the series just past halfway to completion.
  • Shout! will also be releasing the TV Land series The Soul Man on DVD for the very first time on July 8, with their release of The Soul Man - The Complete First Season.

RECENT REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE.COM

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/hereslucythecompleteseriesdvdreview.html  
  • Here's Lucy - The Complete Series: MPI collects every episode of this series in this collection, along with one of the nicest collections of special features ever featured in a DVD release.

APRIL 15 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
  • Anger Management - Volume 3 (DVD, $34.98; Blu-ray, $34.97): Charlie Sheen is "winning" again with another release of his FX series on DVD.
  • The Beverly Hillbillies - The Official Fourth Season (DVD, $29.98): The Clampetts return to DVD on this set (which was available as a Walmart exclusive for months), the very first DVD release featuring color episodes of the series.
  • Petticoat Junction - The Official Third Season (DVD, $29.98): Another release of a DVD that was previously a Walmart exclusive, and also the very first DVD release featuring color episodes of the series.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Keshia Knight Pulliam (Twitter), "The OFFICIAL twitter of KESHIA KNIGHT PULLIAM"
Claim to Fame: We're continuing with our Cosby Show theme this week with another star of the classic series. Of course, Keshia Knight Pulliam played the youngest member of the Huxtable family, the five-year old (at least at the beginning) Rudy Huxtable. As it turns out, though, the series is 30 years old this year, which means that she is now 35 years old, very much an adult. She didn't leave the entertainment industry following that series, though. In recent years, she has appeared on the Tyler Perry series House of Payne in a regular role, and has also appeared in several movies.
Pick of the Tweets: "Thank u for everyone who came out to support us at Pie Face!!! It was such a success & we raised soooo much money for charity!!!" (March 25, 2014)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, March 25

Scrubs - "My V.I.P." (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
J.D. and Dr. Park are forced to work together when a member of the hospital board experiences a mysterious health crisis. Turk helps Elliot navigate a newfound romance, while the interns practice vulnerability with patients.

Abbott Elementary - "No Homework" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Ava implements a no-homework policy at Abbott, sparking debate amongst the teachers.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "A Split Tree Grows" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Efe has a mock teaching session with the assisted living facility to prepare him for the classroom; Jeremy is on the fence about the court system's harsh punishment of the young robbers.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "A Rolling Stone" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mr. Brown receives a surprise that brings up his sinful past; Reginald and Jeremy are at odds with the court system.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 23)

Wednesday, March 25

  • Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Watch Ariana on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Robert is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Rocky Carroll (Roc/Welcome to New York) - Rocky talks about NCIS on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Patricia Arquette (High Desert) - NBC's Today catches up with Patricia in the 9am hour.
  • Heather Graham (Californication/Scrubs/Emily's Reasons Why Not) - NBC's Today catches up with Heather in the 10am hour.
  • Sterling K. Brown (Starved) and Ryan Michelle Bathe (First Wives Club/Retired at 35) - Sterling and his wife Ryan Michelle tell Sherri about the highly anticipated new season of Paradise now streaming on Hulu & Disney+ on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie joins Drew and Ross to cover the news with a special cleaning theme on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talksa about Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

03/24 - Hacks Returns for Final Season on April 9; America Says Is Back for Sixth Season on Game Show Network
03/23 - The Roast of Kevin Hart LIVE on Netflix; HBO Renews Late-Night Series
03/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 23, 2026)
03/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Sets Plans for Final Episode of The Neighborhood; ABC Pulls The Bachelorette
03/20 - TBS Orders Season 13 of Impractical Jokers; HBO's Josh Johnson Comedy Special
03/19 - Netflix Casts Scooby-Doo Live-Action Series; Darren Star's Next Comedy Series Uncorked
03/18 - Saturday Night Live UK to Launch This Weekend; Hulu Renews Paradise for Season 3
03/17 - Netflix Renews Free Bert for Season 2; The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special in April
03/16 - Color Theories by Julio Torres on HBO; Lifetime's Ripped from the Headlines Spring Slate with Two New Movies
03/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 16, 2026)
03/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy's Stewie Griffin Getting Spinoff; NBCUniversal Cancels Several Daytime Shows, Including Last of the Daytime "Trash Talk"
03/13 - NBC Summer 2026 Schedule; Malcolm in the Middle Revival Series Trailer
03/12 - Season 9 of Rick and Morty This May; Fox Entertainment Studios Lines Up Frankie Quiñones for Comedy Series
03/11 - Antenna TV's Hazel 65th Anniversary Marathon; Kountry Wayne Prime Video Comedy Special
03/10 - XO, Kitty Season 3 Trailer Released for April 2 Launch; The Drew Barrymore Show Talker Gets 2 Season Renewal
03/09 - Beef Returns April 16 on Netflix; Remembering Jennifer Runyon of Charles in Charge
03/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 9, 2026)
03/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Returns to Big Ratings; New Garfield Series Coming to Paramount+
03/06 - The Four Seasons Returns on May 28; More Details on I Suck at Girls
03/05 - COZI TV Pairs Up Al Bundy and Hondo at Last; ABC Renews Abbott Elementary for Season 6
03/04 - ABC's Scrubs Returns Big; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Renewed for Season 2
03/03 - Prime Video's Kevin Premieres April 20; Fox Renews Best Medicine
03/02 - Running Point Returns April 23 on Netflix; A Different World Sequel Starts Production
03/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 2, 2026)
02/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner Now Set to Merge with Paramount, Not Netflix; X-Files Reboot Given Greenlight
02/27 - The Comeback Returns for Final Season on March 22; Animal Control Renewed for Season 5; Remembering Lauren Chapin of Father Knows Best and Robert Carradine of Lizzie McGuire
02/26 - AspireTV Gets First Ever Original Sitcom; Sullivan's Crossing Returns for Season 4 in April on The CW
02/25 - Scrubs Returns Tonight, Sneak Peek at Title Sequence; Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Reveals Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter
02/24 - Netflix's Wednesday Season 3 Adds to Cast; Wonder Pets: In the City Returns March 20