Monday, June 30, 2014
Girl Meets World Premiere Does Big in Ratings; Remembering Meshach Taylor of Designing Women, Dave's World
It's back and it's off to a great start! The highly-anticipated premiere of the comedy series Girl Meets World (which reunites Cory and Topanga of Boy Meets World) delivered 5.2 million Total Viewers and ranked as the #1 series launch of 2014 among major target youth demographics: Kids 2-11 (2.3 million/5.7 rating), Kids 6-11 (1.8 million/7.7 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (1.7 million/6.9 rating). The premiere aired Friday night at a special time of 9:45pm, following the premiere of the Disney Channel Original Movie Zapped, starring Disney Channel and Disney XD favorites Zendaya and Spencer Boldman, which delivered 5.7 million Total Viewers. Girl Meets World will air regularly every Friday night at 8:30pm beginning next Friday (July 11) only on Disney Channel. Look for guest appearances from other former Boy Meets World stars throughout this first season (of 21 episodes).
Girl Meets World, from executive producer Michael Jacobs, tells the wonderfully funny, heartfelt stories that the nostalgic favorite ABC sitcom Boy Meets World is renowned for - only this time from a tween girl's perspective. It introduces Rowan Blanchard as Riley Matthews, the tween daughter of Cory and Topanga Matthews, while Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel reprise the roles of one of television's favorite couples. Sabrina Carpenter (Sofia the First and a Hollywood Records recording artist) plays Riley's best friend, Maya Hart. August Maturo plays younger brother Auggie Matthews, Peyton Meyer plays Riley's crush Lucas Friar and Corey Fogelmanis is Farkle, an intelligent and quirky classmate (and son of Minkus).
Actor Meshach Taylor, best known for his roles as Anthony Bouvier in Designing Women and as Dr. Sheldon Baylor in Dave's World, has died. He died from cancer on June 28 at his home in Altadena, California. Mr. Taylor was 67.
Taylor's early television career included guest appearances in Barnaby Jones, The Incredible Hulk, The White Shadow, M*A*S*H, Barney Miller and Cagney & Lacey. He landed his first starring role as Tony in the 1983-84 NBC sitcom Buffalo Bill. The short-lived series starred Dabney Coleman, Joanna Cassidy, John Fielder, Max Wright, Geena Davis and Charles Robinson. The critically-acclaimed series received 11 Emmy Award nominations, including two for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Taylor starred as Anthony Bouvier in the 1986-93 CBS sitcom Designing Women. The popular series ran for 7 seasons. It starred Delta Burke, Dixie Carter, Jean Smart and Annie Potts. Anthony was an ex-con who worked as the deliveryman-handyman at the interior decorating business, Sugarbakers. He later became a partner of the design firm. Taylor received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1989. He reprised his role of Anthony Bouvier in an episode of the spin-off series Women of the House in 1995. In 2003, he appeared in The Designing Women Reunion on Lifetime.
He next starred as Dr. Sheldon Baylor in the 1993-97 CBS sitcom Dave's World. The series was based on the writing of Pulitzer Prize-winning Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry. It focused on the daily trials and tribulations of Barry and his family. The series starred Harry Anderson, DeLane Matthews, Shadoe Stevens, J.C. Wendel, Zane Carney and Andrew Ducote. Sheldon (Shel) was their neighbor and Dave's best friend from high school. He was a recently divorced plastic surgeon.
Taylor had a recurring role in the 2004-07 Nickelodeon sitcom Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. He played Alastair Wright, the social studies teacher and later school principal. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Golden Girls, ALF, What's Happening Now!!, Punky Brewster, Caroline in the City, The Drew Carey Show, All of Us, Hannah Montana and Jessie. His best known film role was as Hollywood Montrose, a flamboyant window dresser in Mannequin. Some of his other film credits included Damien: Omen II, The Howling, Explorers, The Allnighter and Mannequin Two: On the Move.
Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Bianca Ferguson; his daughters Yasmine, Tamar and Esme; his son, Tariq; and four grandchildren. Mr. Taylor was a very talented actor. He added so much to Designing Women. We thank him for the laughter he brought us over the years. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our Designing Women message board. View photos in our galleries.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Summer 2014 Week 5 Sitcom Ratings
Summer Week 5 (June 23-29) How the Sitcoms Did | ||||||
(Sun comedies are previous week and Fri/Sat are prelim ratings) | ||||||
Sorted by 18-49 Rtg | ||||||
Title | Network | Time | Day | Total Viewers | 18-49 Rtg | Notes |
The Big Bang Theory | CBS | 8:00PM | Thu | 8,022,000 | 1.71 | REPEAT |
Family Guy | Fox | 9:00PM | Sun | 2,603,000 | 1.33 | REPEAT |
Modern Family | ABC | 9:00PM | Wed | 4,186,000 | 1.25 | REPEAT |
The Simpsons | Fox | 8:30PM | Sun | 2,580,000 | 1.21 | REPEAT |
The Millers | CBS | 8:30PM | Thu | 5,337,000 | 1.17 | REPEAT |
American Dad! | Fox | 9:30PM | Sun | 2,226,000 | 1.16 | REPEAT |
The Middle | ABC | 8:00PM | Wed | 4,545,000 | 1.13 | REPEAT |
Mike & Molly | CBS | 9:00PM | Mon | 5,410,000 | 1.10 | REPEAT |
The Goldbergs | ABC | 8:30PM | Wed | 3,968,000 | 1.05 | REPEAT |
The Goldbergs | ABC | 9:30PM | Wed | 3,383,000 | 1.01 | REPEAT |
Two and a Half Men | CBS | 9:30PM | Mon | 4,700,000 | 1.00 | REPEAT |
2 Broke Girls | CBS | 8:00PM | Mon | 4,712,000 | 0.98 | REPEAT |
Mom | CBS | 8:30PM | Mon | 4,656,000 | 0.96 | REPEAT |
The Simpsons | Fox | 8:00PM | Sun | 2,182,000 | 0.94 | REPEAT |
Undateable | NBC | 9:30PM | Thu | 2,448,000 | 0.81 | |
Family Guy | Fox | 8:00PM | Tue | 1,900,000 | 0.81 | REPEAT |
Undateable | NBC | 9:00PM | Thu | 2,630,000 | 0.76 | |
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Fox | 8:30PM | Tue | 1,218,000 | 0.55 | REPEAT |
Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Fox | 9:00PM | Tue | 1,208,000 | 0.52 | REPEAT |
The Mindy Project | Fox | 9:30PM | Tue | 1,032,000 | 0.46 | REPEAT |
American Dad! | Fox | 7:30PM | Sun | 1,002,000 | 0.43 | REPEAT |
Enlisted | Fox | 7:00PM | Sun | 905,000 | 0.27 | canceled |
Comedytime (R) | CBS | 8:30PM | Sat | preempted | ||
Comedytime (R) | CBS | 8:00PM | Sat | preempted | ||
Bob's Burgers | Fox | 7:00PM | Sun | preempted | ||
Animation Domination | Fox | 7:00PM | Sun | preempted | ||
Animnation Domination | Fox | 7:30PM | Sun | preempted | ||
About a Boy | NBC | 9:00PM | Tue | completed | ||
New Girl | Fox | 9:00PM | Tue | completed | ||
Last Man Standing | ABC | 8:00PM | Fri | completed | ||
Parks & Recreation | NBC | 8:00PM | Thu | completed | ||
How I Met Your Mother | CBS | 8:00PM | Mon | ended | ||
Growing Up Fisher | NBC | 8:00PM | Wed | canceled | ||
Friends with Better Lives | CBS | 8:30PM | Mon | canceled | ||
Bad Teacher | CBS | 9:30PM | Thu | canceled | ||
Mixology | ABC | 9:30PM | Wed | canceled | ||
Suburgatory | ABC | 8:30PM | Wed | canceled | ||
Trophy Wife | ABC | 9:30PM | Tue | canceled | ||
Surviving Jack | Fox | 9:30PM | Thu | canceled | ||
Dads | Fox | 8:00PM | Tue | canceled | ||
Super Fun Night | ABC | 9:30PM | Wed | canceled | ||
Community | NBC | 8:00PM | Thu | canceled | ||
The Crazy Ones | CBS | 9:30PM | Thu | canceled | ||
The Neighbors | ABC | 8:30PM | Fri | canceled | ||
Raising Hope | Fox | 9:30PM | Fri | canceled | ||
Enlisted | Fox | 9:00PM | Fri | canceled | ||
Sean Saves the World | NBC | 9:00PM | Thu | canceled | ||
The Michael J. Fox Show | NBC | 9:30PM | Thu | canceled | ||
We Are Men | CBS | 8:30PM | Mon | canceled | ||
Welcome to the Family | NBC | 8:30PM | Thu | canceled | ||
Back in the Game | ABC | 8:30PM | Wed | canceled |
SOURCE: Nielsen Media Research
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, May 28
Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "House of Tough Decisions" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
House of Payne is the hilarious comedy about Retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Parental Woes" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Tension escalates as tempers flare between Reginald and Brandon's rocky relationship; Leah's disconnect with Sandra leaves her terribly confused.
The Ms. Pat Show - "Pick Up Your Feelings" (BET, 10:30PM ET/PT)
The family arrives in Atlanta to find Pat's cousin and former partner in crime, Tanya, has been released from prison, which leads to a difficult walk down memory lane.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)
Wednesday, May 28
- Ryan Reynolds (Two Guys and a Girl) - Watch Ryan on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Esther Povitsky (Dollface/Alone Together) and Arden Myrin (Working/Still the King) - Esther and Arden are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Joe Mande (Hacks/Parks and Recreation) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Joe and Fred are guests on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney at 10pm on Netflix.
- Felicity Huffman (Sports Night) - Felicity talks about The 13th Wife: Escaping Polygamy on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Julianne Moore (Sirens) - Julianne chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Sarah talks about her special Sarah Silverman: PostMortem on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Ashley Tisdale (Carol's Second Act/Merry Happy Whatever/Clipped/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Ashley stops by the studio to talk Disney's Phineas and Ferb on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Ming-Na Wen (The Single Guy) - NBC's Today catches up with Ming-Na in the 9am hour.
- Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph talks about ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Drew is having a candid conversation with Demi about how growing up in the spotlight inspired her new documentary Child Star on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jenny McCarthy (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny talks about Fox's The Masked Singer on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Carrie Preston (Crowded/Happyish/Emeril) and Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Carrie and Wendell talk about CBS' Elsbeth on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, 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
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
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