Saturday, May 03, 2014
SitcomsOnline Digest: Disney Announces Girl Meets World Premiere; New Mill Creek DVD Releases
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest!
Today, we have news about the premiere of Girl Meets World, another look at the fall pilot season, news about more Mill Creek DVD releases, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- Disney Channel has announced a premiere date for their Boy Meets World spinoff. The spinoff, Girl Meets World, will debut on June 27. (LA Times)
- The past two seasons have failed to produce a breakout comedy for the broadcast networks, so if you're a fan of sitcoms, it might be a bit disheartening to know that the networks are looking into dramas as their best hopes for the 2014-2015 TV season. (Deadline)
- After NBC's success with a live on-air production of The Sound of Music, Fox is wanting to get in on the live productions with a live on-air production of Grease in 2015. (Deadline)
- Efrem Zimbalist Jr., star of series including The FBI and 77 Sunset Strip, died Friday at the age of 95. (Hollywood Reporter)
- It looks like there is going to be even more movement in late night talk shows, as Craig Ferguson announced he would be leaving his show at the end of the year. (SitcomsOnline)
- MeTV is preparing for their annual Summer of Me lineup, which will include the return of Happy Days to the lineup. (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- We can never go too long around here without news of another Mill Creek DVD re-release, and this week, we have some more. On July 15, the studio will release Diff'rent Strokes - Seasons 1 and 2. That isn't all, though. On August 5, they will release the first two seasons of both The Nanny and Mad About You.
- The Jetsons is about to be wrapped up on DVD on May 13, as Warner Archive releases The Jetsons - The Complete Third Season.
MAY 6 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
- The Andy Griffith Show - Season One (Blu-ray) (Blu-ray, $129.99): The classic series about the sheriff of a small town called Mayberry returns to home media in an excellent Blu-ray release, along with new special features.
- The Honeymooners - Classic 39 Episodes (Blu-ray) (Blu-ray, $129.99): Ralph and Alice Kramden return to home media with the entire run of their standard half hour sitcom in this Blu-ray release, complete with new special features.
- I Love Lucy - Ultimate Season One (Blu-ray) (Blu-ray, $129.99): The Ricardos and Mertez return to home media in this Blu-ray release, which could perhaps be one of the best releases on Blu-ray ever, complete with beautifully restored episodes, new special features, and all of the original commercials for each episode.
- Laverne & Shirley - The Eighth and Final Season (DVD, $39.98): The final season of the classic series finally arrives on DVD, with a mostly Shirley-less season.
- The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis - Season 3 (DVD, $29.93): The classic sitcom starring Dwayne Hickman continues on DVD with the next-to-last season.
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Fred Savage (Twitter), "I used to be an actor but then showbusiness decided I should be a director. I have a wife, a son, a daughter, another son, and 2 People's Choice Awards."
Claim to Fame: Ever since the series Boy Meets World began, much of the Savage attention has been direct toward Ben Savage, but most people forget that nobody would know who Ben Savage was if it weren't for his previously more famous brother, Fred Savage. Fred Savage quickly rose to stardom in the late 80s thanks to films such as The Princess Bride, Little Monsters, and The Wizard, but to TV fans, he was best known as Kevin Arnold from The Wonder Years. Following that series, he appeared in the sitcoms Working (which actually ran for two seasons) and Crumbs (that one didn't last long). But his sitcom success is far from over, as he is now a sitcom director, having directed episodes of series that have been more successful than his post Wonder Years series, including It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Modern Family, Happy Endings, 2 Broke Girls, and countless other series.
Pick of the Tweets: "Thanks for all the kind words about tonight's "Crazy Ones" episode! Between the great cast and the fantastic crew, it's a blast to shoot." (December 5, 2013)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, December 19
Happy's Place - "Izzy and the Professor" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a woman inherits her late father's tavern, she's shocked to discover that it's co-owned by a half-sister she never knew existed... who has some interesting new ideas about how to run the family business.
Stumble - "The Tell-Tale Slurp" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After being fired from her champion cheerleading team, coach Courteney Potter is starting over in a small Southern town where she's putting together a brand-new squad of lovable misfits in the hopes of making a comeback and winning it all.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 15)
Friday, December 19
- Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Watch Regina on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) - Matt appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Rickey Smiley (The Rickey Smiley Show) - Rickey is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
- Bradley Cooper (Kitchen Confidential) and Will Arnett (Murderville/Arrested Development/Flaked/The Millers/Up All Night/Running Wilde) - Bradley and Will discuss Is Thing On? on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm. Will tells Drew about playing a dramatic role in new film Is This Thing On? working with Bradley Cooper, and his podcast with pals Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Kumail chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- James Van Der Beek (Friends with Better Lives/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - James opens up on his cancer battle on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Star Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - NBC's Today catches up with Neil in the 9am hour.
- Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul and Jack Black talk about Anaconda on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Robby Hoffman (Hacks) - Robby covers the news with Drew on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Zooey and Charlie Cox talk about their new film Merv with the doggie star of the film on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
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 (DVD)
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (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)
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)
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