SitcomsOnline Digest: Andy Samberg to Host Emmy Awards; CBS Renews Three Comedies; CPO Sharkey to Arrive on DVD

Saturday, March 14, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Andy Samberg to Host Emmy Awards; CBS Renews Three Comedies; CPO Sharkey to Arrive on DVD

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we've got an update on who is hosting the Emmy Awards, news at CBS that should make Chuck Lorre feel like he's "winning," and news about Seinfeld rights being shopped around (but not at traditional TV networks). Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

For the second year in a row, there will be a former Saturday Night Live cast member hosting the Emmys. This year, as the ceremony airs on Fox, it will be Andy Samberg's turn. (CNN)
Chuck Lorre is still "winning" as CBS has renewed Mike and Molly and Mom for next season. Additionally, the network renewed the non-Lorre sitcom 2 Broke Girls for next season. (Hollywood Reporter)
The video-on-demand rights for Seinfeld are being shopped around, and it should come as no surprise that as video-on-demand is beginning to rival syndication, the cost is coming in at around a half million per episode. (Variety)
Despite all of that speculation that Alex Trebek is very close to retiring, it looks like it won't be until three years from now at the earliest, as he has renewed his contract to host Jeopardy! through the 2017-2018 season. Additionally, Pat Sajak and Vanna White will be staying put at Wheel of Fortune as well. (Hollywood Reporter)
Sam Simon, co-creator of The Simpsons, died after a long battle with cancer this week, and The Atlantic looks back at how he made the series what it is today. (The Atlantic)
TV Land has announced some of their plans for the summer, which includes their new sitcom, The Jim Gaffigan Show. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

TVShowsOnDVD.com revealed a very surprising release this week from StarVista (one that will be available at retailers), with a May 19 release of CPO Sharkey - The Complete First Season.

MARCH 17 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

Bewitched - Seasons 5 and 6 (DVD, $14.98): Mill Creek brings more value-priced re-releases of the classic series to DVD. Also available individually as season 5 and season 6.
Maude - The Complete Series (DVD, $159.99): Shout! Factory moves one step closer to wrapping up all of the major sitcoms in the All in the Family realm with this release, which will also include unaired versions of episodes.
WKRP in Cincinnati - The Complete First Season (DVD, $24.97) and WKRP in Cincinnati - The Complete Second Season (DVD, $24.97): Shout! Factory brings the first two seasons of the series to DVD, along with a majority of the original music.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Jim Gaffigan (Twitter), "Male Model."

Claim to Fame: There has been talk about TV Land's new Jim Gaffigan comedy (appropriately titled The Jim Gaffigan Show) for the past few months, and this week, we learned more about the debut of the series. In the early 2000s, he was in two sitcoms... both of which lasted for less than a season. The first one was Welcome to New York (which few people remember) and the second was Ellen DeGeneres' second sitcom, The Ellen Show. He was also on the TBS series My Boys. Additionally, he has had many guest appearances elsewhere.

Pick of the Tweets: ""RT @JohnStamos Happy V day to my one & only true love @JimGaffigan from my tush 2 yours! "U are going to make a great step dad to my 5 kids"" (February 14, 2015)