SitcomsOnline Digest: Kevin Nealon and Jane Kaczmarek Cast in CBS Comedy Pilot; Community Returns to Air on Yahoo! Screen

Saturday, March 21, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Kevin Nealon and Jane Kaczmarek Cast in CBS Comedy Pilot; Community Returns to Air on Yahoo! Screen

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It has been a slow news week this week (is news taking a spring break?), but we've got an update on another CBS comedy pilot, news of another Donna Reed Show re-release, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Kevin Nealon and Jane Kaczmarek have been cast in a CBS comedy pilot based upon the life of standup comedian Tommy Johnagin. (Deadline)
Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is something a little different, but does it really prove that the network sitcom is dead? (Washington Post)
In case you missed it, the sixth season of Community started this week on Yahoo! Screen, and some early reviews are in. (Slate)
With so many series blurring the lines between comedy and drama these days, it is sometimes hard to know which category they are going to compete in for awards ceremonies. Last year, Orange is the New Black competed as a comedy and won big... but this year, it has been ruled ineligible to compete as a comedy and must run as a drama. (Hollywood Reporter)
Betty White is set to be honored by the Daytime Emmy Awards with a lifetime achievement award. (People)
Pop, the network formerly known as TVGN, has renewed Schitt's Creek for a second season. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

The Donna Reed Show - Season 2 comes to DVD on Tuesday, but the re-release of the third season is not too far behind. On June 30, MPI will release The Donna Reed Show - Season 3.

MARCH 24 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

The Donna Reed Show - Season 2 (DVD, $39.98): MPI brings this now out-of-print release (previously released by Virgil Films) back to DVD.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Bryan Cranston (Twitter)

Claim to Fame: There was a time when nobody knew who Bryan Cranston was, and now everybody knows that he played Walter White on the series Breaking Bad. But despite the fame he achieved from Breaking Bad, he played a role before that which he probably would have been remembered from much more if not for Walter White: the role of Hal (no last name!) on Malcolm in the Middle. Cranston began to appear on series all the way back in the early 80s, with episodes of CHiPs, Airwolf, Murder, She Wrote, Hill Street Blues, and Matlock, and he finally got a regular role in the 90s with Louie Anderson's sitcom, The Louie Show... for six episodes. He also had recurring roles on Seinfeld and King of Queens before landing the role on Malcolm in the Middle. Following that, he had even more guest roles on other series, including How I Met Your Mother, Family Guy, and others, but his real fame to many came with Breaking Bad. In addition to acting, he is also a director, and has directed episodes of not only the shows he starred in, but also episodes of Modern Family and The Office.

Pick of the Tweets: "Since getting my Breaking Bad tat I've gone a little crazy. Here's my new Malcolm salute. Next a Seinfeld? (photo link)" (June 25, 2013)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, April 22

St. Denis Medical - "Bruce-ic and the Mus-ic" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
At the annual fundraiser, Alex and her husband, Tim, try to have a wild, kid-free night; Ron and Joyce butt heads over hosting duties; Bruce sets out to win this year's "Dancing with the Caregivers" competition.

Night Court - "Passing the Bar" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby gets more than she bargained for when she offers to help Wyatt's friend stay sober for the night; Dan and Julianne battle for the best prize in Gurgs' annual evidence locker lottery.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Piece by Piece" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Calvin teams up with his ex-wife Miranda to get to the bottom of why Laura broke off their engagement; Calvin works with Ella to repair his relationship with Calvin Jr.; Curtis and Floyd attempt to get publicity for their barbecue sauce brand.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Tough Love" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Phillip makes a decision, Jeremy rethinks the way he handled the recent argument between them; everybody worries about Phillip's safety; Jeremy wonders if his tough love did more harm than good; Mr. Brown goes through a breakup.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Tuesday, April 22

Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Catch Will on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Dove Cameron (Schmigadoon!/Liv and Maddie) - Dove appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael makes a special appearance on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Rob Delaney (Bad Monkey/Catastrophe) - Rob appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) - Maria is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon talks about The Accountant 2 on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
Terry Crews (Everybody Still Hates Chris/Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry is hitting the headlines with Drew and Ross Mathews on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Valerie are covering the latest headlines and hearing from a dance group of all senior citizens on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Susan Kelechi Watson (Louie) - Susan talks about Netflix’s unique murder mystery The Residence on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
Daniella Pineda (The Detour) - Daniella is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.