Saturday, June 21, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: TV Land Casts Smallville Star in Impastor Pilot; Doctor Who and Mystery Science Theater 3000 to Retro TV

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we have casting news for a TV Land pilot in development, news about Retro TV, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • Impastor, a TV Land comedy pilot about a pastor who isn't quite what people think he is, now has Michael Rosenbaum (Lex Luthor from Smallville) cast in the starring role. (The Hollywood Reporter)
  • The digital classic TV network Retro TV will be adding classic reruns of the BBC series Doctor Who later this summer (and also Mystery Science Theater 3000 in July). (Retro TV)
  • MyNetworkTV, the often forgotten broadcast network, has unveiled their 2014-2015 lineup, which includes The Mentalist and The Walking Dead. (Deadline)
  • An alternative newspaper in Houston decided to take a look at NBC's greatest sitcoms of the '70s, and had trouble making a list that included more than four series. (Houston Press)
  • Casey Kasem died this week, and while he'll be remembered most as a Top 40 radio countdown host, he also had a notable career doing voices for Hanna Barbera cartoons, guest starred in numerous action dramas in the late '70s, and was the host of the Nick at Nite's Classic TV Countdown for nearly a decade. (TV Guide)
  • We mentioned a few weeks ago that Blossom would be returning to cable for the first time in over a decade, but it seems that The Hub is also putting together some "very special" reunion moments to advertise the show. (SitcomsOnline)
  • Lifetime is going to finally let us know the truth about what happened behind-the-scenes at Bayside High in The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story, which will air on Labor Day. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
  • Little House on the Prairie is about to continue on Blu-ray with the release of Little House on the Prairie - Season Three (which will also be available as a re-release on DVD in remastered form). Both releases will be out on September 9.
JUNE 24 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00JPQ1HXO/ref=nosim/happydaysonline5-20

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Joey Lawrence (Twitter), "Actor, entertainer, musician, singer, songwriter, philanthropist and most importantly, father."
Claim to Fame:   We (sort of) continue our Gimme a Break! theme again this week with a child actor who not only managed to succeed as both a young child and as a teenager, but managed to succeed yet again as an adult in the sitcom world. Joey Lawrence began his career with a guest appearances on both Silver Spoons and Diff'rent Strokes, and by 1983, at age seven, he had been cast as a regular on Gimme a Break! When that series was over, he had a brief break before returning to the NBC primetime lineup in the early 1990s in the series Blossom. It was during that time that he became a teenage heartthrob, so much so that he even managed to release an album that was a hit on the Billboard music charts. When Blossom ended, he already had a third series lined up, yet again on the NBC (and later moving to The WB) sitcom, Brotherly Love, which wasn't as successful as his previous two series but still still popular enough to air in reruns on The Disney Channel for several years. Currently, he is starring in his fourth sitcom on ABC Family, Melissa and Joey.
Pick of the Tweets: "Yo peeps check out who I'm with right now-BLOSSOM is coming back 2 tv @hubtvnetwork #blossomreunion July 4th @7pm pt http://twitpic.com/e6bc2p" (June 16, 2014)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, October 30

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Will and a Dead Man’s Wife" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s not ready for his mother to start dating again. Meanwhile, Jim and Audrey struggle to make their wills.

Ghosts - "Halloween 5: The Mummy" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay’s Halloween takes a spooky turn when they accidentally unleash a mummy ghost.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 27)

Thursday, October 30

  • Emma Stone (The Curse) - Catch Emma on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Justine Lupe (Nobody Wants This/Cristela) - Justine talks about Nobody Wants This on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Harland Williams (The Geena Davis Show/Simon) - Harland is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) - Steve chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Patti LaBelle (Out All Night) - Patti is whipping up something tasty in the kitchen, plus a special announcement just for the Tam Fam on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Ariana Greenblatt (Stuck in the Middle) - Ariana talks about Now You See Me: Now You Don't on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Leanne Morgan (Leanne) - Leanne co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy talks about her upcoming Hulu series All's Fair on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland/Big Day/Jake in Progress/Just Shoot Me!), Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland/Frasier/Throb) and Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Hot in Cleveland co-stars Wendie Malick and Jane Leeves are surprising Valerie Bertinelli for a cast reunion and to dish on their time working on the hit show on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Joel talks about Apple TV's Loot on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

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) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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)
07/22 - 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

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

10/30 - ABC's The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary Special on November 11; NBC 2025 Holiday Specials
10/29 - ABC Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu Renews Only Murders in the Building for Season 6, Now in London
10/28 - Hulu Debuts Trailer for Original Holiday Film; Sidelined Returns for Sequel on Tubi
10/27 - Netflix Grabs Victorious Spinoff Hollywood Arts; Dancing with the Stars Up for 5th Straight Week
10/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 27, 2025)
10/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frankie Muniz Shares Photo Outside Studio for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; Warner Bros. Discovery Still Looking for New Owner
10/24 - USA Network Renews The Rainmaker; Reba Hosting Christmas in Rockefeller Center
10/23 - The CW Holiday Specials Schedule; Apple TV Fraggle Rock Special
10/22 - Apple TV's Shrinking Returns in January 2026; Season 2 of Idris Elba Series Also Returns in January 2026
10/21 - FETV Acquires Here Come the Brides; Netflix's Mo Amer Special Trailer
10/20 - SNL November Guests Lineup; It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2025 Schedule
10/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 20, 2025)
10/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at NBC Comedy Stumble; Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Showrunner Talks When the Inevitable May Happen
10/17 - Apple TV's Palm Royale Returns November 12; Pop Culture Jeopardy! Moving to Netflix
10/16 - Kathleen Madigan Prime Video Special; His & Hers Premiere Date for Netflix
10/15 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Premiere Strong; Sebastian Maniscalco's Hulu Comedy Special Date
10/14 - Tubi's Breaking Bear Premieres March 2026; NBC's Stumble Trailer
10/13 - Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Final Season; Bat-Fam Premieres November 10 on Prime Video
10/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 13, 2025)
10/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Upcoming Paramount+ Sitcom Crutch; Yellowjackets to End After Upcoming Season
10/10 - Prime Video Releases Trailer for The Mighty Nein; Season 2 Premiere Date for Cross
10/09 - Rachel Sennott's I Love LA Comedy Series Trailer; Kaley Cuoco Heads to MGM+
10/08 - Prime Video's Kevin Details; Trailer for Crutch with Tracy Morgan
10/07 - The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer
10/06 - Dancing with the Stars Surging in Viewership, Especially Among Younger Viewers; Remembering Kimberly Hébert Gregory of Vice Principals
10/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 6, 2025)
10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025