Thursday, August 20, 2015

ABC Family Orders 3rd Season of Young & Hungry; Remembering Bud Yorkin and Yvonne Craig

Young & Hungry

ABC Family announced that it has picked up a third season of the hit comedy series Young & Hungry. For its recent Spring 2015 finale, Young & Hungry set a series high in adults 18-49 (973,000) and delivered its #2 telecast of all time in adults 18-34 (685,000), and for the season, ranked as cable's No. 1 original series in its Wednesday-at-8 timeslot among adults 18-49, adults 18-34 and key female demos. Launch to date, Young & Hungry is ABC Family's #1 comedy in women 18-34 (471,000), viewers 12-34 (837,000) and females 12-34 (681,000). The series and cast have been nominated for five Teen Choice Awards since its premiere last summer. In May's mid-season finale, Gabi (Emily Osment) left Josh (Jonathan Sadowski) to start a dream job in Switzerland just as they were about to finally take their relationship to the next level. In tonight's season premiere, Gabi and Josh must decide where they go from here, both professionally and personally. The series returned last night with its mid-season premiere, as it wraps up the second half of its second season.

Last night, Gabi returned from her internship in Switzerland and is anxious to face Josh after how things were left between them. But Josh insists he's fine and encourages Gabi to take a job with his new neighbor. But when Josh thinks his neighbor might have a thing for Gabi, he takes to spying to learn the truth.


Bud Yorkin

Television producer, director, and writer Bud Yorkin has died. He died of natural causes on August 18 at his home in Bel Air, California. Mr. Yorkin was 89.

Yorkin's early golden age television work included musical variety shows and specials. He worked as a producer on The Tony Martin Show and The Ford Show (aka The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show). He directed The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Tony Martin Show, The George Goebel Show and The Ford Show.

In 1958, he founded Tandem Productions with television writer/producer Norman Lear. Yorkin directed and produced the 1958 TV special An Evening With Fred Astaire, which won nine Emmy Awards. He won his second Emmy Award with Ralph Levy for directing The Jack Benny Show in 1960.

Yorkin and Lear's string of sitcom hits in the 1970s included All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude and Good Times. Yorkin directed the second pilot episode of All in the Family (Those Were the Days in 1969), seven episodes of Sanford and Son from 1972-1975, and one episode of Maude in 1972. He worked as an executive producer on All in the Family and Sanford and Son.

After he ended his partnership with Lear in 1975, he formed Bud Yorkin Productions. He created the short-lived Sanford and Son spin-off series Grady. He worked as an executive producer on the spin-off Sanford Arms. In 1976, he formed TOY Productions with Saul Turteltaub and Bernie Orenstein. Their two hits were ABC's What's Happening!! from 1976-1979 and Carter Country from 1977-1979. Columbia Pictures Television acquired TOY Productions in 1979.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him on December 2, 1997.

Surviors include his second wife, actress Cynthia Sikes Yorkin; two children from his first marriage to Peg Yorkin, Nicole (a television writer and producer) and David; two children with Sikes, Michael and Jessica; two sisters, Ruth Drazen and Martha Berman; and four grandchildren.

Yvonne Craig

Actress Yvonne Craig, who was best known for her role as Batgirl in Batman, has died. She died at her home in Pacific Palisades, California on August 17 from metastatic breast cancer that had spread to her liver. Ms. Craig was 78.

Craig's early television drama guest appearances included Perry Mason, Bronco, Mr. Lucky, Checkmate, The Detectives, 77 Sunset Strip, Dr. Kildare, Wagon Train, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Ben Casey, The Big Valley and The Wild Wild West. Some of her 1960s sitcom guest appearances included Hennesey, Peter Loves Mary, The Jim Backus Show, Margie, Ichabod and Me, The Gertrude Berg Show, I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, McHale's Navy and My Favorite Martian. She made five guest appearances in various roles as Dobie's (Dwayne Hickman) girlfriend in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis from 1959-1962.

Yvonne Craig - Batman

She starred as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the third and final season of Batman in 1967-1968. She was Commissioner Gordon's daughter who worked at the Gotham Library. As Batgirl she wore a purple and yellow outfit and rode a purple motorcycle with white lace. Burt Ward and Craig reunited as Robin and Batgirl for an 'Equal Pay' public service announcement in 1972.

Some of her later television drama guest appearances included It Takes a Thief, Mod Squad, Star Trek, Land of the Giants, Mannix, The Magician, Kojak, Emergency, The Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky and Hutch and Fantasy Island. Her other sitcom guest appearances included The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Good Guys, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Partners, Love, American Style and Holmes and Yo-Yo. She provided the voice of Grandma in the animated series Olivia from 2009-2011.

Survivors include her husband, Kenneth Aldrich, and her sister, Meridel Carson.

Share your memories on our Batman message board. View photos in our galleries.

We thank them for the entertainment they brought us. They will will be greatly missed.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 30

Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)

Wednesday, October 30

  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
  • Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
  • Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Ropers - The Complete Series Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

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

10/29 - The Simpsons Monday Night Football Disney+ Telecast; Prime Video Announces The Sticky
10/28 - Fortune Feimster Gets 3rd Netflix Special; Cruel Intentions Series for Prime Video
10/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 28, 2024)
10/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Matlock Renewed for Second Season; Happy's Place Off to a Solid Start
10/25 - Peacock's Based on a True Story Returns November 21; CBS to Honor Jerry Mathers at Awards Show
10/24 - Family Guy's Gift of the White Guy Holiday Special; Laid Arrives December 19 on Peacock
10/23 - Bad Sisters Season 2 Returns November 13; Trailer for Hulu's Interior Chinatown
10/22 - Goosebumps: The Vanishing Premieres January 10; Michelle Buteau Gets 2nd Netflix Special
10/21 - Fox Adds Martin Short to Grimsburg; Secret Level Cast Announced by Prime Video
10/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 21, 2024)
10/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rick and Morty Renewed for Two More Seasons; A Look at Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover
10/18 - Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 3; Guest Voices for Phineas and Ferb New Season
10/17 - Watson Premieres January 2025 on CBS; Anthony Jeselnik Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
10/16 - Lifetime's It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2024 Schedule; YouTube Sitcom Gets Season 4
10/15 - Tom Papa Is Home Free on Netflix; Apple TV+ Reveals Season 2 Details for Silo
10/14 - ABC Halloween 2024 Schedule; Reba Creates Happy's Place Theme Song
10/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 14, 2024)
10/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Spinoff of The Big Bang Theory in the Works; Velma Canceled by Max
10/11 - Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This; Alicia Silverstone to Lead Acorn TV Series
10/10 - Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls Returns November 21; FETV Acquires Laramie
10/09 - HBO's Seth Meyers Special Debuts October 26; New Late Night Comedy Series Focuses on Crazy Florida
10/08 - Somebody Somewhere Returns for Final Season; Virgin River Season 6 Drops for Holiday Season
10/07 - Vice TV Announces Black Comedy in America Series; Netflix Stars Team Up for Netflix Movie
10/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 7, 2024)
10/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Cancels That '90s Show; Who's the Boss? Reboot Not Moving Forward at Freevee
10/04 - Family Guy Halloween Special: Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater; What We Do in the Shadows Returns for Final Season
10/03 - Jack Whitehall Holiday Comedy Special; Leighton Meester Joins Apple TV+ Series
10/02 - The Franchise Launches Sunday on HBO; Remembering John Amos of Good Times
10/01 - No Good Deed Premieres in December on Netflix; SNL Season 50 Opens Strong
09/30 - TV One Acquires black-ish; Whitney Cummings to Host Friends Game Show Event
09/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 30, 2024)