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

Thursday, July 16

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Alpha Males and the Power of Prayer" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mandy tries to make things right with Pastor Jeff (Matt Hobby) when she learns her controversial comments have hurt the tire store’s business. Meanwhile, Jim and Audrey butt heads over Connor’s allowance.

Ghosts - "Under New Management" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When new pressures threaten Sam and Jay’s control over Woodstone, they’re forced to navigate unexpected challenges to protect its future. Meanwhile, a long-absent ghost returns, reopening emotional connections that complicate new relationships.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Country Club, a Yokel and a New Boss" (CBS, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie’s plan to make new clients at the local country club backfires when its outdated policies upset Audrey. Meanwhile, Mandy struggles to prove herself at work.

Ghosts - "Gate-gate" (CBS, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When an emotion‑driven decision puts Woodstone at risk, Sam and Jay step up to defend what they’ve built. Meanwhile, Isaac struggles to adjust to new surroundings, only to realize that some connections are too important to leave behind.

The Bear - "Raspberries" (FX, 9:00PM ET/PT)
A traffic jam.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 13)

Thursday, July 16

Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Regina talks about The Five-Star Weekend on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jon Barinholtz (Amerian Auto/Superstore) - Jon is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Will Ferrell (The Hawk/The Office) - Will stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Jake Johnson (Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed/Minx/New Girl) - Jak talks about The Dink on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Molly Shannon (The Hawk/I Love That for You/The Other Two/Divorce/Kath & Kim/Craking Up) - Andy Cohen interviews Molly on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo. She also talks about The Hawk on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Will Ferrell (The Hawk/The Office) - Will talks about The Hawk on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Brandy (Zoe Ever After/The Game/Moesha/Thea) - Brandy and Rita Ora discuss Descendants: Wicked Wonderland with ABC News contributor Kelley L. Carter on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
The Cast of The Hawk - The Cast of Netflix's The Hawk are guests on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Tracy Morgan (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Crutch/The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy tells Drew about his new show Crutch on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Dallas Liu (Pen15) - Dallas appears New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.