Saturday, January 31, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Eddie Murphy to Appear in SNL 40th Anniversary Special; Pilot Orders from Problem Child and Chevy Chase Sitcom

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! There is a big game tomorrow, but today we've got your regular day of news, including news of Eddie Murphy returning for the Saturday Night Live 40th anniversary special and some pilot updates. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • The last time that Eddie Murphy appeared on Saturday Night Live, most of the current cast members were either not yet born or under the age of five. Now, after 30 years of not being involved with the show in any way, shape, or form, it seems that he will make a return just for the 40th anniversary special of the series. (Deadline)
  • The 1990 movie Problem Child has come one step closer to turning from movie to TV series, as NBC has ordered a pilot for a series based upon the movie. (Deadline)
  • ABC has a pilot order for a sitcom that would reunite National Lampoon's Vacation stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • If you're a Dish Network subscriber who loves the commercials during the big game but just don't care about football, then you'll love Reverse AutoHop, which will cut out the football to let you see just the commercials. (Consumerist)
  • We were wondering how long it would take Miami Vice to appear on one of the digital multicast networks, and now we know it will happen in March, on COZI TV. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

  • CBS finished up Dynasty on DVD last year, and now, Shout! Factory is "completing the package" (so to speak) as they prepare to release the spinoff, The Colbys, on May 12.

FEBRUARY 3 HOME MEDIA RELEASES 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00OGD8PX6/ref=nosim/happydaysonline5-20
  • The Bob Newhart Show - Season Five (DVD, $24.97): Shout! Factory follows up on their complete series release with an individual release of the fifth season of the series, helping fans who purchase the individual season releases from Fox to complete their collection.
  • The Bob Newhart Show - The Final Season (DVD, $24.97): Shout! Factory releases the last piece to finish up series on DVD, for those who collected the individual seasons.
  • Maude - The Complete First Season (DVD, $9.98): Mill Creek brings the first season of the classic series to DVD once again, at a lower price than the original.
  • The Wonder Years - Season Two (DVD, $39.95): StarVista Entertainment brings the individual season release of the second season to retailers for the first time.
FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Linda Evans (Facebook, Twitter), "Golden Globe Award Winning Actress, Gourmet Cook and Author, Linda Evans has dazzled television viewers around the world for over five decades."
Claim to Fame: Linda Evans first appeared on TV in 1960 as a guest star in an episode of Bachelor Father, which starred John Forsythe... the man she would be "married" to on TV for her most memorable role of Krystle Carrington about two decades later on the TV series Dynasty. She didn't stop working in between, though, as she appeared as a regular on The Big Valley in the late 60s and starred in the short lived 70s series Hunter (not the Fred Dryer one). She doesn't do a lot of acting these days, but she does appear in cast reunions and has done some infomercials in recent years. She seems to enjoy international travel quite a bit, and has a dog named Alexie (wonder where that name came from!) who means a lot to her. Additionally, in 2009 she appeared in the UK version of Hell's Kitchen, and even managed to win.
Pick of the Facebook Posts: "During the Dynasty years when I opened my purse, I had contents like a comb, a mirror, lipstick or a credit card. Now when I open my handbag, it's stuffed with multi-colored doggie-poopy bags! They're in my car. My pockets. My everything! My dearest Alexie has taken over my life…" (July 16, 2013)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, December 25

Ghosts - "A Very Arondekar Christmas Part 1" / "A Very Arondekar Christmas Part 2" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
A leaky water heater mishap threatens to ruin holiday plans as Sam and Jay prepare to host Jay’s hard-to-please dad, Mahesh (Bernard White), difficult-to-impress mom, Champa (Sakina Jaffrey), and sister Bela (Punam Patel).

Ghosts - "It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol: Part One" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam’s big Christmas Eve TV interview with Walter Storm (Larry Wilmore) takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, Trevor and Patience bond over their mutual disinterest in celebrating Christmas.

Ghosts - "It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol: Part Two" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam gets a glimpse of what her life would be like if she could never see the ghosts.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 22)

Thursday, December 25

  • Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Watch Kate on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • John Stamos (Palm Royale/UnPrisoned/Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progress/Full House/You, Again?) - John appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Chris Kattan (The Middle) - Chris is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Jason talks Zootopia 2 with Chris Connelly on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George talks Jay Kelly with Michael Strahan on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Michael J. Fox (Family Ties/Spin City/The Michael J. Fox Show) - Michael opens up about his career with George Stephanopoulos on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Ariana Grande (Sam & Cat/Victorious) - Ariana talks about Wicked on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.


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)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
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 (DVD)
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)
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)

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

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
12/23 - Antenna TV January 2026 Schedule; Rewind TV January 2026 Schedule
12/22 - The Ms. Pat Show Returns January 7; According to Jim Christmas Day Marathon on Laff
12/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 22, 2025)
12/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Historical 19th Century Comedy in the Works at CBS; Bowen Yang Leaving Saturday Night Live After Tonight
12/19 - The Muppet Show 50th Anniversary Event in February on ABC & Disney+; Adult Swim Renews Haha, You Clowns for 2 More Seasons
12/18 - The Oscars Moving to YouTube in 2029; Celebs for Hollywood Squares Season 2
12/17 - MeTV Remembers Rob Reiner with Tribute Marathon; MGM+ to Make New The Magnificent Seven Series
12/16 - The Rob Reiner Story: A Hollywood Tragedy – ABC News Special; Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion Part 2 on CBS
12/15 - Remembering the Legendary Rob Reiner of All in the Family; Trailer for Netflix's His & Hers
12/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 15, 2025)
12/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner/Netflix Merger Gets Complicated; Steve Carell Comedy Rooster Coming to HBO Max in March
12/12 - Survival of the Thickest Final Season Guest Stars; Ted Season 2 Returns in March
12/11 - The Upshaws Final Season Premieres January 15; Mike Epps Gets 5th Netflix Special
12/10 - HBO's Rooster Premieres in March; Fox's Updated Winter 2026 Schedule
12/09 - 83rd Golden Globe Nominations; Paradise Returns on Hulu in February
12/08 - First Look at Bert Kreischer Netflix Comedy Free Bert; School Spirits Season 3
12/07 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 8, 2025)
12/06 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair; Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery
12/05 - FETV Acquires The Carol Burnett Show Uncut; Hey A.J.! Coming to Disney Jr.
12/04 - COZI TV Acquires The Jeff Foxworthy Show; Hulu Renews Chad Powers for Season 2
12/03 - MeTV January 2026 Schedule; Netflix's My Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Season 6 Guests
12/02 - MeTV Acquires Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Hart to Hart & Hawaii Five-O; Apple TV's The First Snow of Fraggle Rock Trailer
12/01 - MeTV to Announce Four New Shows; Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Draws 25 Million Viewers on NBC
11/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 1, 2025)
11/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Scrubs Reboot; Mad Men Coming to HBO Max
11/28 - Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion Encores Tonight (11/28); Hulu's Smash Hit Renewed for Quick 4th Season
11/27 - 2025 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/26 - ABC's Scrubs First Teaser During Dancing with the Stars Finale; Eva Green Joins Wednesday Season 3
11/25 - COZI TV Acquires Malcolm & Eddie and The Steve Harvey Show; 53rd International Emmy® Awards Winners