SitcomsOnline Digest: Megan Fox to Take on Role in New Girl; NBC Looks Into Hart to Hart Remake

Saturday, September 19, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Megan Fox to Take on Role in New Girl; NBC Looks Into Hart to Hart Remake

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Today marks the last Saturday before the fall season really gets going into full swing on Monday, and of course, we'll have reviews for all of the new sitcoms on the weekdays over the next few weeks (we've actually already started). But today is Saturday, and today, we've got news of some (temporary) changes to the cast of New Girl, a remake of Hart to Hart, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

With Zooey Deschanel on maternity leave from New Girl, the series is in need of some creative way to temporarily work her character out of her own series, and they'll be doing that by placing her character on sequestered jury duty and temporarily replacing her with a new character played by Megan Fox. (Entertainment Weekly)
NBC is looking to remake the series Hart to Hart, but with one big change: the couple would be a gay couple. (Variety)
It seems that NBC is not willing to let the Law & Order franchise go, as they've now given the greenlight to yet another spinoff: Law & Order: You the Jury. But unlike the previous ones, this one will be a reality show where the audience gets to decide the fate. (TV Guide)
The cast of Modern Family has been busy (if you can call it that) recreating scenes from other classic series, including Cheers and Married... with Children. (Hollywood Reporter)
Arnold Schwarzenegger will be replacing Donald Trump on The Apprentice. (Entertainment Weekly)
NBC already stacked the odds against The Carmichael Show before it could even debut, but it actually ended up doing rather well in the ratings for a summer series, well enough for it to return for a second season. (SitcomsOnline)
Not surprisingly, though, things didn't go so well for NBC's other summer sitcom, Mr. Robinson, which had oddly enough received much more attention in the development stages. (Cinema Blend)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Last Man Standing will soon begin a fifth season on ABC, and the executive producer says that DVDs of the fourth season will be coming soon.
For those who skipped on the complete series, The Nanny - Season Five will arrive on DVD on December 22.

SEPTEMBER 22 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

The Cosby Show - The Complete Series (DVD, $69.98): Despite the personal drama in Bill Cosby's own life, the classic series arrives on DVD in one collection once again, at a much lower price than the previous collectors edition, from Mill Creek.
Good Times - The Complete Series (DVD, $44.98): The dy-no-mite sitcom arrives on DVD once again in a complete series set from Mill Creek.
King of the Hill - The Complete 12th Season (DVD, $34.95): Propane and the man who sells it arrives on DVD with the twelfth season of this series, putting it one step closer to completion.
Last Man on Earth - The Complete First Season (DVD, $37.98): The first season of the Will Forte sitcom arrives on DVD with this release.
Modern Family - The Complete Sixth Season (DVD, $39.98): The hit ABC comedy continues on DVD in this release.
The Nanny - Season Four (DVD, $34.99): Shout! Factory continues this series on DVD with this release.
The Partridge Family - The Complete Series (DVD, $44.98): Mill Creek releases another complete series re-release with this set.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Colin Hanks (Twitter, Instagram), "Possibly that guy from that one thing that you think is way underrated. Director of All Things Must Pass (@towerrecordsdoc) in theaters Oct 16th"

Claim to Fame: We're continuing this week with featuring stars of the new sitcoms of the 2015-2016 season, and this week, we are featuring Colin Hanks, who will appear on the CBS comedy Life in Pieces (debuting Monday), and is also the son of a sitcom (and now movie) star, the one and only Tom Hanks. On TV, he has previously appeared in Roswell, Band of Brothers, Dexter, Fargo, and The Good Guys.

Pick of the Tweets: "Happy Birthday to my television wife @zoelisterjones. You're the bees knees and I'm having such a blast being your fake husband" (September 1, 2015)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, January 15

Shifting Gears - "Accommodations" (ABC, 8:20PM ET/PT)
Matt joins Riley at Carter’s high school open house, where he’s unsettled to learn about the “accommodations” made for his grandson’s anxiety. Meanwhile, Riley reconnects with Caitlin, a former classmate, and sets her up with Gabriel.

Abbott Elementary - "Testing" (ABC, 8:50PM ET/PT)
Janine must rethink her lesson plans after her class performs poorly on a practice test, while Jacob struggles to engage a disinterested student. The district sends a new custodian to train under Mr. Johnson.

Poppa's House - "Podcast" (CBS, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)

Junior enlists Nina’s help to film a documentary of Poppa’s iconic career, but the direction of the film takes a detour when the radio station begins using AI promos with Poppa’s and Ivy’s voices.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 13)

Wednesday, January 15

Tim Allen (Shifting Gears/Last Man Standing/Home Improvement) - Watch Tim on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Adam appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He also talks about Severance on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Ben Stiller (Arrested Development) - Ben is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Severance on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Pauline Chalamet (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Pauline stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - NBC's Today catches up with Denis in the 10am hour. He chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - Keke talks about One of Them Days on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. She also co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kaitlin Olson (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/The Mick) - Kaitlin talks about High Potential on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Gabriel Basso (The Big C) - Gabriel talks about The Night Agent on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - NBC's Today catches up with Britt in the 9am hour.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Saved by the Bell/Nobodies/Truth Be Told/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - NBC's Today catches up with Mark-Paul in the 10am hour.
Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - NBC's Today catches up with Andrew in the 10am hour.
Jennifer Lopez (South Central) - Jennifer talks about her film Unstoppable on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Jim talks about his Hulu comedy special Jim Gaffigan: The Skinny on a repeat Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Jay Pharoah (White Famous/Champaign ILL) - Jay talks about his new virtual reality series Soapstone Comedy Presents on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony discusses his Fox special The Real Full Monty on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Da'Vinchi (grown-ish) - Da'Vinchi is a guest on New York Livng on WPIX in New York at 10:30am.