Monday, November 10, 2014
Anger Management to End After 100 Episodes; Remembering Sitcom Vet Richard Schaal
FX is ending Anger Management after 100 episodes. The series is airing Mondays at 10:00pm & 10:30pm et/pt on FX and will conclude with its two-episode series finale on Monday, December 22. The Charlie Sheen sitcom was part of the 10/90 format, where if it met a designated ratings threshold for its test of 10 episodes in its first season, a back 90 would be ordered. Now that back 90 will be concluding this December after 2 years. FX and Debmar-Mercury will not order another season. The series entered broadcast syndication this past fall and is airing five days a week on broadcast stations in repeats. The series was inspired by the film, in which a mild-mannered, non-confrontational man is ordered to attend group anger management sessions led by a therapist who could probably use some anger management himself. Besides Sheen, the series stars and an ensemble that includes Shawnee Smith, Laura Bell Bundy, Noureen DeWulf, Michael Arden, Derek Richardson, Barry Corbin, Brett Butler and Daniela Bobadilla. Stay with us for any other updates, as FX still to make a decision on the 10/90 series Partners, starring Martin Lawrence and Kelsey Grammer. They already didn't pick up the George Lopez sitcom Saint George after it underwhelmed in ratings for its 10 episode test.
Character actor Richard Schaal, who had roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Rhoda and Phyllis, has died. He died on November 4 at the Motion Picture and Television Fund retirement home in Woodland Hills, California. No cause of death has been announced. Mr. Schaal was 86.
Schaal appeared in five episodes as four different characters in The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1970-1974. He played Howard Arnell, his brother Paul, Chuckles the Clown (the first on-camera appearance of Chuckles in "The Show Must Go On") and Dino. Schaal also appeared as three different characters in three episodes of The Bob Newhart Show from 1972-1974. He guest starred as Charlie Burke, an annoying friend of Rhoda's husband, in three episodes of Rhoda from 1974-1976.
He starred in the first season of the 1975-1977 CBS sitcom Phyllis. He appeared as Leo Heatherton, a well-meaning but bumbling photographer who worked with Phyllis (Cloris Leachman) and Julie (Liz Torres) at the studio. Schaal also directed one episode of the series in 1976.
In 1983, he had a recurring role as Chuck, Keith Burrow's (Richard Gilliand) neighbor, in the short-lived ABC sitcom Just Our Luck. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Dream of Jeannie, That Girl, The Doris Day Show, Love, American Style, The Partridge Family, Here We Go Again, It's a Living, The Two of Us, Harper Valley P.T.A. and Sydney.
His drama credits included a recurring role as Dr. David Sandler in eight episodes of Trapper John, M.D. from 1981-1985. He appeared as Dick Long in the 1988-1989 CBS series Almost Grown, which starred Tim Daly and Eve Gordon. Some of his other drama guest appearances included East Side/West Side, The F.B.I., Banacek, Shaft, The Rockford Files, Harry O, Police Woman and The Dukes of Hazzard. His film credits included The Russians Are Coming, the Russians are Coming, Slaughterhouse-Five, Americathon, The Hollywood Knights and Once Bitten.
Survivors include his daughter, actress Wendy Schaal. He was married to actress Valerie Harper from 1964 to 1978.
Mr. Schaal was a fine character actor. He was a familiar face in many sitcoms of the 1970s. He will be greatly missed.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Sunday, October 1
The Simpsons - "Homer's Crossing" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
eeling worthless at work, Homer volunteers to be a school crossing guard; when Homer's safety squad receives too much funding, the crossing guards become a force to be feared.
Krapopolis - "Wife Swamp" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tyrannis returns from a quest with a girlfriend; Hippocampus, Stupendous, and Schlub fight and then befriend a species of wolves.
Bob's Burgers - "Fight at the Not Okay Chore-ral" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Linda and Bob suggest the kids do chores, the family ends up in a showdown.
Family Guy - "Fertilized Megg" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Meg agrees to be Bruce and Jeffery's surrogate, causing a pregnant Meg to annoy her family; when the couple fails to pick up the baby, the Griffins must take care of their new family member.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 25)
Friday, September 29
- Amy Poehler (Duncanville/Parks and Recreation) - Watch Amy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) and Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite) - Margaret and Maria are guests on repeats of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
- Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton will be on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (June-October)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
07/18 - South Park - Seasons 21-25 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/25 - The Neighborhood - Season Five
07/25 - Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin - Season One
07/25 - Superstore - The Complete Series
08/22 - Back to Life - Season 1 / Season 2
08/29 - Smiling Friends - Season 1 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts