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)