SitcomsOnline Digest: Showrunner for The Grinder Exits Before Series Debut; CPO Sharkey Wrapping Up on DVD

Saturday, August 29, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Showrunner for The Grinder Exits Before Series Debut; CPO Sharkey Wrapping Up on DVD

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We're still in the summer slowdown as the broadcast networks prepare for their fall season in just a few short weeks, but we're here with news about The Grinder, new seasons of American Dad! for TBS, and some news on DVD releases for CPO Sharkey and Grace Under Fire. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

The Fox fall series The Grinder hasn't even debuted yet, but it is already in need of a new showrunner. (Variety)
Hulu's Difficult People will be returning for a second season. (Hollywood Reporter)
Alison Sweeney has been a big part of NBC's The Biggest Loser since 2007, but she won't be back when the show returns for the new season. (Entertainment Weekly)
Paste Magazine has taken a look at what they consider to be the five funniest sitcoms from MTM Enterprises. (Paste)
TBS loves American Dad!, and they're proving it by giving it something Fox never gave it: three seasons that contain a true full season worth of episodes. (SitcomsOnline)
The Munsters will be coming to COZI TV in October. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Time-Life will be wrapping up CPO Sharkey with CPO Sharkey - Season Two on September 22.
TVShowsOnDVD.com reports that Grace Under Fire - The Complete Series will arrive on DVD in September, though an exact date is not yet known. The set is up for pre-order at Amazon's Canadian site, amazon.ca, which is showing a release date of October 6 (though there has been a lot of misleading info for VEI releases on Amazon's various sites in the past).

SEPTEMBER 1 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

Good Times - The Complete Series (DVD, $44.98): Mill Creek brings fans this re-release of the complete series of the dy-no-mite series.
New Girl - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD, $29.95): The Fox sitcom returns to DVD with this release, though it is only available in DVD-R form from online retailers this time.
The Partridge Family - The Complete Series (DVD, $44.98): "C'mon get happy" with Mill Creek's re-release of the complete series of this classic series on DVD.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: David Alan Grier (Twitter), "Gentleman of leisure, raconteur, liar, con man, teller of tall tales."

Claim to Fame: David Alan Grier's true intention was to be a dramatic stage actor, and he did just that at first. In fact, he was so dedicated to that goal that he actually received a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1981. But a few comedy guest appearances, along with some comedy movie appearances, eventually steered him into a different direction, and he took a hard turn to comedy with In Living Color. His work is almost solely in comedy these days, and he is currently starring in the NBC series, The Carmichael Show.

Pick of the Tweets: "Ya'll betts recognize! 18 Reasons “In Living Color” Was The Greatest Sketch Comedy Show Ever (link)" (August 5, 2015)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, January 10

Shifting Gears - "Restoration" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt, the widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop, is confronted with his most unexpected and challenging project yet when his estranged daughter and her adolescent children come crashing back into his life.

Abbott Elementary - "Volunteers" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ava announces the school district is sending a group of volunteers to help out at Abbott; however, when they arrive, things don't go as planned.

Happy's Place - "The MacAllister Girls" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Bobbie's strong-willed daughter, Gracie, comes to visit from her military base in Qatar, Bobbie worries she and Isabella might not get along; Gabby, Emmett, Steve and Takoda all compete to give Gracie the best homemade gift.

Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Josué" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Rosie sues her ex-fiancé Josué for the egregious offense of wasting her time, she recruits George to be the star witness in her case; Quinten feels pushed out when Chance and Mayan bond over Mayan's past life as a DJ.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 6)

Friday, January 10

Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) - Watch Selena on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Zoey Deutch (The Suite Life on Deck) - Zoey appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Ben Schwartz (The Afterparty/Space Force/Parks and Recreation) - Ben is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
John Mulaney (Mulaney) - John appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Sasheer Zamata (Home Economics/Woke/Robbie), Vinny Thomas (Platonic) and Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somehwhere/Nightcap) - Sasheer, Vinny and Jeff are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Laci Mosley (Going Dutch/Lopez vs Lopez/iCarly/Florida Girls) - Laci talks about Scam Goddess on ABC's Good Morning America som,etime between 7-9am.
Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan gives the scoop on the latest season of The Traitors on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
Gabriel Iglesias (The Santa Clauses/Mr. Iglesias/Cristela) - NBC's Today catches up with Gabriel in the 9am hour.
Ana Ortiz (Love, Victor/A.U.S.A./Kristin) - Ana talks about her new series Goosebumps: The Vanishing on Disney+ and Hulu on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Vanessa Lachey (Truth Be Told/Dads) - Vanessa and Nick Lachey talk about Netflix's The Ultimatum: Marry or Move on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.