Saturday, July 11, 2015
SitcomsOnline Digest: Harry Shearer to Remain on The Simpsons; South Park Renewed for Three More Seasons
Welcome
to SitcomsOnline Digest! Last week it was The Dukes of Hazzard and this week it is everything Cosby (round 2) when it comes to networks pulling series. Additionally, we have updates on some animated series, including how Mr. Burns will not have a different sounding voice on The Simpsons and news of South Park that will mean new episodes through the end of the decade. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- As it turns out, Harry Shearer will be staying on The Simpsons after all. (Hollywood Reporter)
- South Park has been renewed for three more seasons, bringing it to a 23rd season... yet it will still only make it up to 300 episodes before the end of the upcoming renewal period. (IGN)
- Irwin Keyes, known to sitcom fans for his role in the later seasons of The Jeffersons as George's bodyguard Hugo, died this week. (Entertainment Weekly)
- Almost exactly fifteen years after Kathie Lee left Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, the duo will be reunited again as Regis becomes a contributor on the fourth hour of Today on NBC. (CNNMoney)
- Keith Olbermann is leaving another job (this time at ESPN2), but unlike the previous times he has left a job, he is handling things pretty well this time. (Vanity Fair)
- For the past 31 years, you could depend on always being able to catch The Cosby Show in new episodes or in reruns on TV somewhere. That has abruptly ended this week as the last cable network to air it pulled it, although it does continue to air on a few local TV stations for right now. (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- Mill Creek continues to move ahead with their releases of Sony series on DVD, with The Partridge Family - The Complete Series and Good Times - The Complete Series both arriving on September 1.
- Growing Pains - The Complete Fifth Season (DVD, $35.99): The turn around from season 4 to season 5 of the classic sitcom featuring the Seavers was very short, as the fifth season arrives just a few months after the fourth from Warner Archive.
- WKRP in Cincinnati - The Complete Third Season (DVD, $24.97): The third season of the classic sitcom (along with most of the original music) arrives on DVD with this release.
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Constance Wu (Twitter), "silence makes me comfortable"
Claim to Fame: The 33 year old actress got her start in theater, but like many actresses, she quickly transitioned to the screen. Her first TV role was on an episode of Law & Order: SVU, and after that, she had a recurring role on the soap opera One Life to Live. More recently, though, she has been known for her role of Jessica Huang on the ABC series Fresh Off the Boat.
Pick of the Tweets: "Didn't ya'll love seeing @margaretcho @originalspin & lotsa other Asians faces on @FreshOffABC tonite?! Happy & proud of #FreshOffTheBoat" (April 14, 2015)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, October 1
Shifting Gears - "Secret" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Matt wrestles with his feelings for Eve, and Charlotte convinces him to go to a grief group. Meanwhile, Riley struggles with her own “will she or won’t she” about her feelings for Gabe. Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn and Debbe Dunning guest star.
Abbott Elementary - "Team Building" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The teachers prepare for the upcoming school year with new faces and big changes on the horizon.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 29)
Wednesday, October 1
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear/Girls) - Watch Ebon on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Reneé Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Reneé is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Christian Slater (Breaking In) - Christian appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Glen Powell (Chad Powers/Scream Queens) - Glen and former NFL quarterback and executive producer Eli Manning talk about Chad Powers on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry talks about his children's book Detective Duck: The Mystery at Emerald Pond on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - NBC's Today catches up with Olivia in the 10am hour.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
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
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)
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