SitcomsOnline Digest: Early Full Season Orders for New ABC Series; The Game Cancelled; Twin Peaks Returning in 2016 on Showtime

Saturday, October 11, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: Early Full Season Orders for New ABC Series; The Game Cancelled; Twin Peaks Returning in 2016 on Showtime

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we've got some news of some early full season orders of ABC series, news of the cancellation of a BET series, and even a bit on the revival of the classic series Twin Peaks. Let's get started!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

We haven't hit the first cancellation of the new season yet, but we do have two full season orders of some successful series already, with ABC giving full seasons to How to Get Away with Murder and black-ish. (Deadline)
It's "game over" for the BET series (and spinoff of The Girlfriends) The Game, as it was just canceled after nine seasons. (Deadline)
Twin Peaks, the cult-favorite that aired on ABC in 1990 and 1991, is returning with nine new episodes in a limited run on Showtime in 2016. (CNN)
Speaking of Showtime, they're also looking in to a series based upon the movie In The Heat of the Night, which means that they've either forgotten that a very popular one already existed or are at least hoping that fans forgot about it. (Hollywood Reporter)
Yet again, another classic comedy film is being eyed to be made into a sitcom, and this time it is ABC interested in a series based upon the John Candy movie Uncle Buck (and it wouldn't be the first series based upon the movie). But the families of both John Candy and John Hughes are not pleased with this idea. (A.V. Club)
Actress Jan Hooks, best known to sitcom fans from her roles on Saturday Night Live, Designing Women, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and The Simpsons, died this week at the age of 57. (TMZ)
Recent allegations against actor Stephen Collins has been cause for UP TV to abruptly drop the popular series 7th Heaven from their lineup, and has some wondering if the series will go into obscurity for good. (LA Times)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

It has become a tradition in the past few years for Fox to release a new season of The Simpsons on DVD and Blu-ray the first week of December each year. This year is no exception, with the 17th season arriving on DVD and Blu-ray on December 2.
The third season of Last Man Standing will be arriving on DVD as MOD release soon, it seems.
For those who passed on Welcome Back, Kotter - The Complete Series, Shout! will soon begin releasing individual seasons, starting with the January 20 release of Welcome Back, Kotter - The Complete Second Season.

OCTOBER 14 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00GO78384/ref=nosim/happydaysonline5-20

Two Broke Girls - The Complete Third Season (DVD, $38.99): The hit CBS series returns to DVD for another season of episodes.
Two and a Half Men - The Complete Eleventh Season (DVD, $38.99): The Jon Cryer and Ashton Kutcher sitcom moves ahead on DVD, with the next-to-last season arriving on DVD.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Katey Sagal (Twitter), "Actress, wife, mother. Currently playing Gemma on FX's Sons of Anarchy"

Claim to Fame: We're (sort of) continuing our theme of making our Follow Me about stars of the new sitcoms for this season, though this time, our Follow Me is somebody who has been established as a sitcom star for nearly three decades, and doesn't even appear on any sitcom this season (she does the narration on the NBC series A to Z). Katey Sagal got her start in the 1970s, and one of her earliest roles was an installment Columbo. She also appeared in the not-so-successful Mary Tyler Moore sitcom, Mary, in 1985. But she really made it big in 1987, when she appeared on Married... with Children. She followed up on that success with roles in Futurama and 8 Simple Rules. Currently, she appears on the FX series Sons of Anarchy, and is the narrator on NBC's A to Z.

Pick of the Tweets: "Watch this Thursday night at 9:30/8:30 the premier of AtoZ!! I'm involved!! Find out how. Haha!! @NBC_AtoZ @benqueen1" (October 1, 2014)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, September 17

Shifting Gears - "Gummies" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Riley is horrified when she finds weed gummies in Carter’s pocket, prompting surprising advice from Matt. Meanwhile, Eve inadvertently lands Gabriel and Stitch in hot water after asking them to donate to a charity auction.

Shifting Gears - "Kiss" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Jimmy returns with a new job and a proposition for Riley and the kids to move into his house, Riley is torn between her past and her future. Meanwhile, Matt's feud with Eve flares up once again after she damages his car.

Abbott Elementary - "Rally" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ava and the Abbott teachers go to the district to plead for Ava's job back; Gregory handles duties as interim principal.

Abbott Elementary - "Please Touch Museum" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Abbott Elementary goes on a schoolwide field trip to the Please Touch Museum, which has some of the older kids skeptical.

The Hospital - "Double or Nothing; Make a Wish" (BET, 11:00PM ET/PT)
Apparently the best spot to gamble during your shift, is in the morgue.

The Hospital - "Lyrical Surgery; Get It Poppin" (BET, 11:30PM ET/PT)
Dr. Do-It-To-Em's mixtape has more bars than a nursing student during finals week.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 15)

Wednesday, September 17

Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/George and Leo/Chicago Sons/Simon/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Jason appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) - Ron is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Rob Reiner (All in the Family/Morton & Hayes) - Rob appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Paul and Greta are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about FX's Necaxa on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon talks about Him on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek/Greg the Bunny/Hiller and Diller) - Eugene talks about The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Mark Duplass (Big Mouth/Togetherness/The Mindy Project/The League) - Mark talks about The Morning Show on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Rosie Perez (Human Resources/Search Party) - Rosie co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Bad Teacher/Sex and the City) - Kristin dishes on the end of And Just Like That and surprises Drew with an item from the set of Sex and the City on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane talks about Fox's Celebrity Weakest Link on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.