Monday, May 26, 2014

Memorial Day 2014 TV Marathons; Top 10 Summer 2014 Television Picks

Happy Memorial Day! As usual, we have the holiday marathons on a holiday for you! We want to also give you a rundown of the top 10 series airing this summer on television once again! (Scroll below for that after our annual look at Memorial Day marathon on TV).

As we pay tribute to our troops every year on this day, let's have some fun as well watching TV marathons on the tube on this day off! If you're not going outside in the heat, then there are plenty of TV options for you on this day! Are you headed to the shore or would you rather watch some good TV marathons like Who's the Boss?? It's a brand new life! So bring out your lawn chair, throw some burgers on the BBQ, and watch some television!
Among the marathons today are the marathons we have previously mentioned, such as the Who's the Boss marathon in NY on WLNY-TV 10/55 from 7am-7pm. We also told you about the Maverick marathon on Cozi TV from 8am-5pm, followed by the primetime launches of Starsky & Hutch and Knight Rider from 8pm-12am! Sitcoms getting the marathon treatment on this day include Malcolm in the Middle on IFC from 6am-6pm. Logo will have a Roseanne marathon today from 10am-4pm. TVGN will celebrate Alan Thicke starting at 9:30am with both Growing Pains movies airing with episodes of his new series Unusually Thicke. TV One will spend the holiday with Martin Lawrence with a block of Martin from 11am-8pm. BET will have a marathon of its hit series The Game from 8am-7pm. Comedy Central will have a Tosh.0 marathon beginning at 11am and running to 11pm. Other sitcoms airing today will be in their regular blocks, like Saved by the Bell on MTV2 from 9am-12pm.

Moving on to dramas, INSP salutes the troops with a JAG marathon from 11am-7pm. Hallmark has a marathon of The Waltons beginning at 2pm today. If you like more current drama, then spend the day with Julianna Margulies with a marathon of The Good Wife on Hallmark Movie Channel beginning at 9am. It wouldn't be a holiday without marathons of Criminal Minds and once again ION and A&E will have marathons, with ION airing it from 11am-3am and A&E from 9am-4am. Another fitting marathon for this day is NCIS: Los Angeles and USA Network has a marathon of this spin-off series from 9am-8pm. TNT will have a promotional marathon for Falling Skies from 10am-8pm, which returns June 22 on TNT for its fourth season. Cloo has marathons of Law & Order: Criminal Intent from 6am-5pm, followed by Law & Order: SVU from 5pm-11pm. The short-lived drama Persons Unknown will get a marathon today on Chiller from 11am-6am with all 13 episodes airing. Other notable marathons include Defiance on Syfy and a Walker Texas Ranger marathon on TV Land. And kick butt with Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Pivot from 10am-10pm or Jessica Alba as Dark Angel on El Rey Network from 5-8pm. Reality series wise, CMT will showcase Party Down South with a marathon from 11am-9pm. Spend the day with Kim Kardashian (who got married this weekend) in Keeping Up with the Kardashians on E! from 9am-4pm. Other reality best bets for the day are Lizard Lick Towing marathon on truTV, The Real Housewives of Orange County marathon on Bravo, Family Feud marathon on GSN, Dr. Phil on OWN from 6am-1pm, Pawn Stars marathon on History and Undercover Boss marathon on TLC.

If you like movies on TV, watch Antenna TV's Memorial Day Cinema Salute begins at 7am. Ovation will have a marathon of the Rocky film franchise from 11am-12am. Fuse will have a House Party movie marathon. And you can of course catch movies all day on Lifetime, LMN, AMC, TCM and other networks that usually air movies.
For the full times of these marathons and much more marathons we didn't cover, check out the full list from our pals at TV Tango!


Now let's take a look at the top 10 summer series to watch (that haven't launched yet with their series or season premieres):

1. Mistresses (ABC, Mondays 10|9c beginning June 2) - Last summer's juiciest drama is back and it gets more steamier! 8 months have passed by in the storyline and you'll be surprised on what has happened since we last saw Savi, April, Karen, and Joss. We have some new characters and love interests this season that will spice things up even more. It is the perfect summer show with the perfect setting. The top pick for the second straight year with a sultry season premiere. Alyssa Milano rocks in everything she does!

2. Girl Meets World (Disney, Fridays 8:30|7:30c beginning June 28) - Cory and Topanga Matthews back together again! Yes, Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel return! This is one of the highly anticipated series this summer. The Boy Meets World continuation! Made for kids and families, Girl Meets World tells the wonderfully funny, heartfelt stories that Boy Meets World is renowned for - only this time from a tween girl's perspective. It focuses on relationships with family and friends and the important, indelible values therein, as the relatable and adventurous Riley and her bold best friend Maya traverse the twists and turns of teenage years at Manhattan's John Quincy Adams Middle School where Riley's dad is their History teacher. In the premiere episode, the typically studious Riley joins a homework rebellion in an attempt to be more like Maya, but it quickly leads to a rift between father and daughter. The top sitcom pick of the summer!

3. Pretty Little Liars (ABC Family, Tuesdays 8|7c beginning June 10) - The liars are back for an all-new season with season five! This is one of the best teen series of all-time and everyone wants to know who is on the A team. As usual, we will have 12 episodes in the summer with a Halloween special in October before the rest of the season airs next winter. ABC Family spreads the season out well and makes it into an event. We are getting closer and closer in finding out who "A" is and what will happen to Ezra? We shall see in the season premiere. The main four girls have ultra hot chemistry and Ashley Benson is the complete package with comedic fun even.

4. Rookie Blue (ABC, Thursdays 9|8c beginning June 19) - The fifth season of the Canadian drama returns and it just gets better and better. This is one of the best cop shows on television and it airs every summer. Missy Peregrym leads a great cast of rookie cops who are getting experience each season. The relationships on this show is like no other and reminds you of other ABC series like Castle and Grey's Anatomy. Will "McSwarek" return?

5. Jennifer Falls (TV Land, Wednesdays 10:30|9:30c beginning June 4) - TV Land's first-ever single camera comedy revolves around Jennifer Doyle (Jaime Pressly), a former high-powered executive who has fallen and hit every bump on the way down to rock bottom. With her teenage daughter (Dylan Gelula) in tow, Jennifer moves back in with her mother (Jessica Walter) and takes a job in the bar owned by her meek brother (Ethan Suplee) and passive-aggressive sister-in-law (Nora Kirkpatrick) as a last resort. There, she reunites with her former best friend (Missi Pyle) who turns out to be holding quite a grudge. But every cloud has a silver lining: there's nowhere to go but up.

6. Mystery Girls (ABC Family, Wednesdays 8:30|7:30c beginning June 25) - Another reunion! Tori Spelling and Jennie Garth of Beverly Hills 90210 are together again, this time on a sitcom. The comedy series follows two former detective TV show starlets brought back together by a real-life mystery. Charlie Contour (Garth) is a suburban housewife and mother, while Holly Hamilton (Spelling) longs for her glory days in the 90's when she was on television. Both of their lives are disrupted when Nick (Miguel Pinzon), a witness to a crime and a "Mystery Girls" fanatic, will only speak to the infamous duo, and the former friends must reunite and put their TV crime-solving skills to the test. The series is also executive produced by Spelling and Garth.

7. Witches of East End (Lifetime, Sundays 9|8c beginning July 6) - Last fall this was one of the best dramas to air. Now the second season will launch this summer and we cannot wait to see what the Beauchamp family will do next. Jenna Dewan Tatum shines in this series and is flawless. This season, with the portal to Asgard open, what comes through will forever change the lives of the Beauchamps. Darkness surrounds East End as a new stranger arrives. Joanna is still weak with poison in her blood as the Beauchamps search desperately for a cure. With the death of Penelope), Killian and Dash's warlock powers return.

8. Covert Affairs (USA Network, Tuesdays 10|9c beginning June 24) - The very fun and awesome series starring Piper Perabo as Annie Walker returns for a fifth season. Season five picks up with CIA operative Annie returning to the Agency after having faked her death to go deep undercover to find a traitor to the CIA. The new season will examine the price Annie will have to pay for this risky maneuver and the implications it will have on her relationships - both personally and professionally - as she attempts to re-emerge into the world she once knew. It's not as complicated as Alias (which was a great show), but this is more for the mainstream audience and it works well as that.

9. Young & Hungry (ABC Family, Wednesdays 8|7 beginning June 25) - From Ashley Tisdale, this new comedy stars Emily Osment. Two worlds collide when Josh (Jonathan Sadowski), a wealthy young tech entrepreneur, meets Gabi (Emily Osment), a feisty young food blogger, looking to be his personal chef. Gabi is desperate for the job and must prove herself, mostly to Josh's aide, Elliot (Rex Lee), who prefers a famous chef for the job. When Josh enlists Gabi to prepare a romantic meal for him and his girlfriend, the dinner goes awry and Gabi finds herself in a very awkward position. With the help of her best friend Sofia (Aimee Carrero) and Josh's housekeeper Yolanda (Kym Whitley), Gabi turns a difficult situation into an opportunity for employment and maybe even love.

10. Taxi Brooklyn (NBC, Wednesdays 10|9c beginning June 25) - Chyler Leigh and Jennifer Esposito lead this new drama series, which is an action-comedy police procedural. It is centered on the fractious, closely bonded partnership between a streetwise Marseilles-born New York City taxi driver and an intensely driven NYPD detective for whom this immigrant cabbie becomes chauffeur, insider on the streets and unofficial partner.

There are of course much more series airing but these are our ten best picks and ones you should make an effort to watch. Series that will run into summer a bit include Devious Maids, Hot in Cleveland, Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy. Other notables include reality staples America's Got Talent (NBC), Big Brother (CBS), Wipeout (ABC), The Bachelorette (ABC), So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) and some interesting newbies like Rising Star (ABC), along with scripted series options like Chasing Life (ABC Family), Falling Skies (TNT), The Last Ship (TNT), Undateable (NBC), Welcome to Sweden (NBC), Motive (ABC), Under the Dome (CBS) and the Halle Berry series Extant (CBS). Plenty of options in the summer and more than ever!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 15

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Guilt Boots" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie panics when he learns that Jim is considering selling the tire store to his rival, and Mandy’s forced to confront a long-running lie, on part one of the first season finale.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Big Decisions" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tensions rise when Georgie finds out the truth about Mandy’s boss, and Georgie does all he can to buy the tire store before Jim sells it, on part two of the first season finale.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 12)

Thursday, May 15

  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Watching Ellie/Seinfeld/Day by Day) - Catch Julia on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Mo Amer (Mo/Ramy) - Mo is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/A.P. Bio/The Mindy Project/That '80s Show) - Glenn appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Keyla Monterroso Mejia (Abbott Elementary/Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Brandon Kyle Goodman (Human Resources) - Keyla and Brandon are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - E! News has an interview with Stanley at 11pm on E!.
  • Method Man (Method & Red) - Method Man is a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) and Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - CBS Mornings has CBS Deals with Anthony and Cedric sometime between 7-9am.
  • Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Mario and Kit Hoover talk about Access Daily on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
  • Nick Jonas (Jonas) - Nick chats about his Broadway show The Last Five Years on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Bernadette Peters (High Desert/Mozart in the Jungle/All's Fair) - Bernadette talks about Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke, author of Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman, is revealing to Drew her cover photo on AARP magazine in celebration of her 50th birthday on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie and Drew are sharing some gadgets to help with menopause symptoms on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Terry Crews (Everybody Still Hates Chris/Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry talks about NBC's America's Got Talent on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Dulé Hill (The Wonder Years) - Dulé Hill is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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

05/14 - Chad Powers Premieres September 30 on Hulu; Upfront Premiere Dates for FX on Hulu
05/13 - ABC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Ted: The Animated Series Coming to Peacock
05/12 - NBC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Fox Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule
05/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 12, 2025)
05/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Cancels Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez; ABC Renews Duo of Game Shows
05/09 - Peacock Orders Dig from Amy Poehler; Apple TV+ Comedy Stick Premieres June 4; Remembering Ruth Buzzi
05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North
04/29 - Lifetime Adds New Ripped from the Headlines Movie; BET+ Orders Season 2 of Series
04/28 - Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season
04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)
04/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels Poppa's House; Final Season 50 Hosts for Saturday Night Live Set
04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2
04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
04/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Reboot in the Works at Peacock; King of the Hill Cast Reunion and Revival Preview at ATX TV Festival Next Month
04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special