Saturday, October 25, 2014

SitcomsOnline Digest: First Cancellation of the New Season; CSI Season Cut Short; New Mill Creek DVDs

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We finally have news of the first cancellation of the season, new developments on the remake of Bewitched, news of more Mill Creek DVDs, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • This year, it took almost five weeks (unusually long by broadcast network standards) for the first new fall series to be canceled by one of the networks. The series receiving this distinction was ABC's Manhattan Love Story. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • CBS has decided to cut the current season of CSI down to 18 episodes, which already has some wondering if the long-running series may be reaching the end. (Deadline)
  • We mentioned last week that the classic TV series Bewitched was being eyed for a remake, and things have moved very fast... so fast, that it has finally been given a pilot production commitment at NBC following what is being described as an intense bidding war between NBC and ABC. (Deadline)
  • Fox is being sued by actor Frank Sivero over the use of The Simpsons mobster character Louie, because Sivero says that the character is a ripoff of his character from the movie Goodfellas.  (People
  • The debut of new episodes of American Dad was a huge success for TBS earlier this week. (TV By The Numbers)
  • Saturday Night Live is adding current writer Leslie Jones as a cast member, and given some of her cameo appearances on the series, it is certain to be a good thing for the series. (CBS News
  • Another retro TV digital network is coming, and this time it is coming from CBS and Weigel Broadcasting. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS


OCTOBER 28 HOME MEDIA RELEASES 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00KYCA4QY/ref=nosim/happydaysonline5-20
  • WKRP in Cincinnati - The Complete Series (DVD, $139.99): One of the most anticipated series ever comes to DVD, and despite a few music licensing hiccups, a significant amount of the original music is intact on this excellent release of the series (much more than what Fox included on their season 1 release). We'll have a full review of this set very soon.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Dick Van Dyke (Twitter), "the barefoot prince of Malibu"
Claim to Fame: The legendary actor is, in fact, on Twitter. Of course, he started out on television in the 1950s as host of The Morning Show on CBS and quickly rose to fame, particularly in a lot of films on the 1960s. But at the same time, he also had just as much fame from his CBS sitcom, The Dick Van Dyke Show. The series ran for six years, and is now considered one of the greatest classic TV series of all time. After that series ended, he mostly stayed with films for a few years, until 1971 when he got a second chance with The New Dick Van Dyke Show on CBS. The second series struggled initially before picking up, but ultimately, it left the air after Carl Reiner walked away from the series in protest of a scene in an episode that CBS found to be too "family unfriendly" (despite the fact that the network was airing several sitcoms at the time that were even less family friendly). Following that, he went back into movies again and even tried his hand at a variety series, Van Dyke and Company. A third sitcom in the 80s, The Van Dyke Show, was an instant flop. He did find success again by 1993, though, with the long-running series Diagnosis Murder.
Pick of the Tweets: "Arlene is dragging me into the 21st century - This is a joint blog for my wife and I.  We are inseparable! ... http://tmblr.co/Z1FiFm1TD_kcx" (October 15, 2014)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, September 19

Ghosts - "It’s the End of the World as We Know It and What Were We Talking About?" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Flower interferes with the opening of Jay’s restaurant based on a prophecy from her old cult leader.

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Dance" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
In the lead up to the Wilson Hall Welcome Dance, Vee and Elijah struggle with power imbalances; Sophie searches for her DJ persona.

Vampirina: Teenage Vampire - "First Parents Day" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Parents Day sneaks up on Vee and Elijah, they struggle to keep their parents from meeting; Demi learns how to disguise his ghostly form.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 15)

Friday, September 19

  • Stephen Curry (Mr. Throwback) - Watch Stephen on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek/Greg the Bunny/Hiller and Diller) - Eugene is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Julio Torres (Fantasmas/Los Espookys) - Julio appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Oscar Montoya (Minx) - Oscar is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Michael Chiklis (Daddio) - Michael talks about The Senior on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Patti LaBelle (Out All Night) - Patti talks about The Queens: 4 Legends, 1 Stage on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett talks about All of You 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.
  • Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek/Greg the Bunny/Hiller and Diller) - Eugene talks about The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Emayatzy Corinealdi (Ballers) Emayatzy talks about Reasonable Doubt on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is covering the news sunny-side up with Drew and Ross on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series 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)

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)

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

09/18 - UPtv Acquires The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Camp Rock 3 Coming Soon to Disney
09/17 - FETV Acquires The Munsters Effective September 29; Apple TV+ The Morning Show Renewed for Season 5
09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29
09/09 - HBO Comedy The Chair Company; Trailer for Disney's Vampirina: Teenage Vampire
09/08 - The Paper Renewed for Season 2, NYC Event on Tuesday; Final Season of Bel-Air
09/07 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 8, 2025)
09/06 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Shifting Gears Picked Up for Three Additional Episodes; The Paper Renewed for Season Two
09/05 - Crutch Premieres November 3 on Paramount+; Trailer for Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
09/04 - Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2025 Schedule; Dancing with the Stars Season 34 Cast
09/03 - Live Staged Reading of Three's Company Episode; Freeform Acquires According to Jim for October
09/02 - Hulu's Chad Powers Trailer; BET's The Hospital Premieres September 10
09/01 - TV Marathons on Labor Day 2025 Include Archie Bunker's Place and George Lopez
08/31 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 1, 2025)
08/30 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Saturday Night Live Cast Changes Loom; NBC Renews Password for Third Season
08/29 - HBO's Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television; Adult Swim Slates Two Series for October
08/28 - NBC's Password Renewed for Season 3 for 2026; Pluto TV Streaming CBS Shows Ahead of Fall Season
08/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Renewed for Season 2 with Fred Armisen; HBO's I Love LA Premieres November 2
08/26 - English Teacher Returns on FX for Season 2; Jesse Williams Prime Video Series Trailer
08/25 - Doc Season 2 Trailer for Fox; Remembering David Ketchum and Jerry Adler
08/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 25, 2025)
08/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Home Improvement Cast Members to Reunite on Shifting Gears; The Paper to Have Binge Drop
08/22 - Hulu's Futurama Season 13 Trailer; A Man on the Inside Returns November 20 on Netflix
08/21 - George Lopez Coming to COZI TV; The Morning Show Season 4 Trailer
08/20 - Welcome Back, Kotter 50th Anniversary Marathon on Rewind TV; Apple TV+ Palm Royale Season 2 Premieres November 12
08/19 - Antenna TV's Archie Bunker's Place Labor Day Marathon; Larry the Cable Guy Prime Video Special
08/18 - Nobody Wants This Season 2 Premieres October 23; HGTV and Retta Continue Partnership