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

Sunday, January 25

Shifting Gears - "Dog" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Matt refuses to let Carter bring a dog into “his” house, Riley starts to wonder if it’s time for her and the kids to find their own place. Meanwhile, Gabe seeks Riley’s advice amid second thoughts about moving in with Amelie.

Shifting Gears - "Friend" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt’s reunion with a high school friend stirs up more than nostalgia when he meets their equally opinionated spouse. Meanwhile, Riley spirals when Klatch gets a negative Yelp review. Tuc Watkins, Jim Rash and Jesse Williams guest star.

Shifting Gears - "License" (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When he finds out Carter’s getting driving lessons, Matt’s plan to prove he’s the better teacher hits a snag when he learns his license is expired. Meanwhile, Riley’s two worlds collide as she struggles to keep both her business and family afloat.

Shifting Gears - "Loyalty" (ABC, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt’s dream build turns into a nightmare when controversy between Stitch and the client threatens to derail everything. Meanwhile, Riley hires Carter at her coffee business and quickly learns that working with family brews more tension than drinks.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 19)

Friday, January 23

  • Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Dulcé Sloan (The Great North) - Dulcé is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael talks about Shrinking on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim is back with the Tam Fam as she closes out a huge chapter as Regina Upshaw in Netflix's hit comedy The Upshaws on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. She shares more about her next journey with her new global wellness brand “Refresh by KF” and guides the Tam Fam through a wellness exercise designed to help you slow down, reset and refocus.
  • Jennette McCurdy (Sam & Cat/iCarly) - Jennette tells Drew about her latest book Half Her Age on The Drew Barrymore Show, 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)

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

01/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Kenan and Kel Back Together for Upcoming Movie; Amazon Barbershop Series Adds to Cast
01/23 - CBS Renews 10 More Series for 2026-27; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Return Big in January
01/22 - Dancing with the Stars Live Tour Starts TODAY; Beef Returns April 16
01/21 - Prime Video's Bait Premieres March 25; Production Underway for Season 2 of Arctic-set Comedy North of North
01/20 - Baywatch Casting Call for Reboot on Fox; Mike Epps Netflix Special Trailer
01/19 - MGM+ Comedy Series American Classic; Taylor Tomlinson Returns to Netflix
01/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 19, 2026)
01/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Rockford Files Reboot at NBC; Daniel Stern Fired From ABC Comedy Pilot
01/16 - Ted Season 2 Trailer Released; Remembering T.K. Carter of Punky Brewster, TV Director Tom Cherones, and Others We Recently Lost
01/15 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Special Preview; ABC Midseason Changes for Monday and Tuesday Night Lineups
01/14 - NBC Orders Pilots, Including The Rockford Files; The CW to Premiere Celebrity Series
01/13 - 83rd Golden Globe Winners; Tubi's Upcoming YA Film Slate
01/12 - Peacock's The 'Burbs Trailer; The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch Back on COZI TV
01/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 12, 2026)
01/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Henry Winkler to Star in NBC Legal Comedy Pilot; First Look at Peacock's The 'Burbs
01/09 - HBO's Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! Documentary with Interviews Including Rob Reiner; 83rd Annual Golden Globes Presenters
01/08 - Netflix Orders Nick Kroll Comedy Series; Saturday Night Live January 2026 Hosts and Music Guests
01/07 - Saturday Night Live Bobbleheads from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum; Fox Entertainment Signs Tracee Ellis Ross to Deal
01/06 - Emily in Paris Renewed for Season 6; Audible's New Comedy Series Starring Jenifer Lewis, Cedric the Entertainer, and Niecy Nash-Betts
01/05 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; Season 3 of Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal on Adult Swim
01/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 5, 2026)
01/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Premiere Date Set for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; NBC Pulls The Paper
01/02 - Bridgerton Season 4 Details and Live Premiere Event; NBC Pulls The Paper from Mondays
01/01 - Happy New Year; Shrinking Season 3 Trailer
12/31 - In Memoriam: Remembering the Sitcom Stars We Lost in 2025
12/30 - Antenna TV and Rewind TV's New Year's Eve and Day Marathons; Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair Premieres April 10
12/29 - COZI TV Postpones The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch; Netflix Releases Free Bert Trailer
12/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 29, 2025)
12/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Chevy Chase "Hurt" By Not Being Invited to SNL 50th Anniversary; New Lineups for Antenna TV and Rewind TV
12/26 - GET Acquires Psych for January 2026; Details on Netflix's A Different World Sequel
12/25 - Merry Christmas from Sitcoms Online; Interviews from 2025 Christmas Con in Edison, NJ
12/24 - 2025 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day TV Marathons