SitcomsOnline Digest: Unauthorized Full House Story for Lifetime; Seinfeld Goes to Hulu; Unclear Future for CSI

Saturday, May 02, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Unauthorized Full House Story for Lifetime; Seinfeld Goes to Hulu; Unclear Future for CSI

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Full House continues to be news thanks to a behind-the-scenes drama being made for Lifetime and some actual mini-drama involving the Olsen twins, Seinfeld has a new online home, and we're approaching that time of the year where we find out once and for all which shows will stay and which will go... and it isn't looking particularly good for one previously unstoppable procedural franchise on CBS. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Lifetime is trying to get in on the Full House mania right now by doing an unofficial movie about the drama behind-the-scenes, much like their Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story. (Deadline)
We mentioned a while back that Sony was trying to find an online home for Seinfeld, and this week, it seems that Hulu got those rights, in a $160 million deal valued around $875,000 per episode. (Variety)
CSI has been one of the defining series for CBS since it debuted in October 2000, but with a declining audience and increasing cost of production, most believe that the series is about to be put to rest forever. The question is whether it will get a proper ending with a short (as short as six episode) season next year, or was the season finale that aired in February have been the last episode ever? (Deadline)
When the NBC series Aquarius debuts later this month, the network is going to try a new approach for a broadcast network sitcom by making all 13 episodes available for immediate binge viewing on video on demand, before the remaining episodes even air on NBC. (Variety)
The entire world knew about the Full House reboot, Fuller House, except for the Olsen twins apparently. But John Stamos isn't buying that. (ABC News)
Actress Suzanne Crough, best known for her role on The Partridge Family, died this week at age 52. (NY Times)
Antenna TV is planning to celebrate Mother's Day with a 40 episode One Day at a Time marathon. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHT

While some series have remained completely unreleased on DVD, The Abbott and Costello Show is about to be released on DVD for a third time on June 9, with The Abbott and Costello Show - The Ultimate Collection.
Mill Creek has another Sony re-release, with Archie Bunker's Place - Season One on July 7.

RECENT REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE.COM

Growing Pains - The Complete Fourth Season: Our DVD reviews "come out of a coma" after a long hiatus with this review of the recent Warner Archive release featuring the season of Growing Pains that brought the birth of a Seaver, a new stepfather for Jason, a new girlfriend (and fiance?) for Mike, and a serious life moment for Carol. The episodes only set looks fine for the most part, although there are some defects on the menu navigation on the first disc.

MAY 5 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

Cheers - The Complete Series (DVD, $117.99): CBS puts all eleven seasons of the classic series together in one set for the first time ever.
The Fugitive - The Complete Series (DVD, $79.99): CBS re-releases the complete series of this show, without the bonus disc included in the previous complete series release.
Parenthood - Season 6 (DVD, $39.98): The final season of the NBC drama comes together in this final DVD release of the series; Parenthood - The Complete Series (DVD, $119.98) also available.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Zachery Ty Bryan (Twitter)

Claim to Fame: While Zachery Ty Bryan started out in some advertising spots when he was younger, he came into his best known role when he was only 10 years old, playing oldest son Brad Taylor on the hit ABC sitcom Home Improvement. Following that series, he has mostly done a lot of guest starring roles, on series such as Boston Public, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Veronica Mars, Cold Case, and Burn Notice. These days, he is dabbling in behind-the-scenes work in production. And, if you read his Twitter feed, you'll see that all of that love for soccer that he had on the series wasn't just made-for-TV, it is something that is a real thing in his life. That isn't his only sports connection: his second cousin is former NFL quarterback Brady Quinn.

Pick of the Tweets: "Home Improvement Swag -- #ThrowbackThursday http://instagram.com/p/ZX_6FJzhk2/" (May 16, 2013)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, July 7

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times - (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
“Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times’,” the holiday-inspired live event that captivated audiences back in December, is set to rebroadcast on ABC, TUESDAY, JULY 7 (8:00-9:30 p.m. EDT). Produced by Sony Pictures Television, “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times’” recreates installments of Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin’s Emmy® Award-winning series “All in the Family” and groundbreaking sitcom “Good Times,” created by Mike Evans, Eric Monte and developed by Lear.

All-star cast members taking on the famed “All in the Family” roles include Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Ellie Kemper and Ike Barinholtz reprising their iconic roles as Archie and Edith Bunker, Gloria Stivic and Meathead, along with Kevin Bacon as Pinkie Peterson, Jesse Eisenberg as David Brewster and Justina Machado as Teresa Bettencourt.

A lineup of all-star talent tackling “Good Times” roles include Viola Davis and Andre Braugher as Florida Evans and James Evans, Jay Pharoah as J.J Evans, Asante Blackk as Michael Evans, Corinne Foxx as Thelma Evans and Tiffany Haddish as Willona Woods. Jharrel Jerome also stars as Jimmy Pearson, while ABC’s Anthony Anderson and the legendary Patti LaBelle join forces for a show-stopping musical performance.

black-ish - "Boss Daddy" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dre’s torn at the office between looking out for Junior as his dad or letting him make his own mistakes. Meanwhile, Jack loses a friendship after trying to look cool in front of the basketball team.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 6)

Tuesday, July 7

Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys) - Catch D.L. on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) - Ray appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Lauren Ash (Superstore/Super Fun Night) - Lauren is a guest on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Ben Feldman (Superstore/A to Z/Living with Fran) - Ben appears on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Rob Lowe (The Grinder/Parks and Recreation) - Rob is a guest on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Denise Richards (Blue Mountain State) - Denise appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Jada Pinkett Smith (A Different World) - Jada is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Ron Funches (Final Space/Powerless/Undateable) - Ron appears on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect) - Sherri is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Paul Reiser (The Kominsky Method/Mad About You/Red Oaks/My Two Dads) - Paul appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Jim Carrey (Kidding/The Duck Factory) - Jim talks about Memoirs and Misinformation on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom is a guest on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
Kristen Bell (The Good Place) - Kristen talks about The World Needs More Purple People on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.