SitcomsOnline Digest: Truth Be Told Sets Undesirable Ratings Records for Debut; Undateable to Go Live on Both Coasts; 'Til Death Continuing on DVD

Saturday, October 24, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Truth Be Told Sets Undesirable Ratings Records for Debut; Undateable to Go Live on Both Coasts; 'Til Death Continuing on DVD

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It has been a rather busy week, so we've only got some of the highlights here for you this week (so make sure to look through our blog for the entire week to see what we didn't cover here!), but we do have some ratings news for a new NBC sitcom that simply spell disaster, news of Undateable going live on both coasts, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

None of the new fall sitcoms have been canceled yet, but if you're looking for a good candidate for the first one to be canceled, NBC's Truth Be Told may be it, as the debut episode shattered two lowest-rated records (including NBC's lowest-rated in-season premiere ever). (Variety)
Meanwhile, the lead-in for Truth Be Told, Undateable, which started out the season with live episodes only on the east coast, will be airing live on both the east coast and west coast. (A.V. Club)
Tracy Morgan hosted Saturday Night Live last week, but there was even more for sitcom fans, as the episode featured a reunion of the 30 Rock cast. (Huffington Post)
There is a good chance that you never saw it anyway, but the TBS series Clipped has been canceled. (Hollywood Reporter)
Even though Desperate Housewives has been off the air for over three years and Nicollette Sheridan hasn't appeared on the series in over six years, her lawsuit involving the show still won't quite seem to go away. (Hollywood Reporter)
Remakes and reboots have become a hallmark of television in the past year or so, and now it looks like one may be in the works for Amazing Stories. (Deadline)
Marty Ingels, best known for his role on I'm Dickens, He's Fenster (and as husband to Shirley Jones) died this week at the age of 79. (New York Times)
Pat Woodell, who played Bobbie Jo in the early seasons of Petticoat Junction, also died this week. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Sony has by and large abandoned TV-on-DVD releases for classic series (and considering that they aren't exactly a huge player in new series, we don't get much there either), but TVShowsOnDVD.com revealed this week that they are hearing of a very surprising release of the third season of the Fox series that never seemed to die, 'Til Death. The MOD release is said to be released sometime in November.

OCTOBER 27 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

The Middle - The Complete Sixth Season (DVD, $35.99): Warner Archive brings the ABC series back to DVD for another season.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Julie McCullough (Twitter), "Funny Bunny"

Claim to Fame: The magazine Playboy recently announced that they were going to stop including nudity in their magazine, and Julie McCullough may very well be the first (and only) Playboy Playmate of the Month that we've ever featured as our Follow Me, but that first appearance occurred in the magazine nearly 30 years ago. McCullough had become a bit more family friendly shortly after that appearance when she took on the role of Julie, the Seaver family nanny, in the sitcom Growing Pains. Throughout the fourth season, her character evolved into a love interest for Mike Seaver. Unfortunately for her, that role didn't last long, as Kirk Cameron essentially had her fired from the show since he wasn't comfortable having a love interest on the series who appeared in Playboy in real life, something that she still hasn't (and perhaps never will) forgiven him for doing. She didn't quite give up acting, though, as she did go on to appear in a few acting roles. Today, at age 50, she spends her time in stand-up comedy.

Pick of the Tweets: "Most of ya know me from #GrowingPains or from @Playboy but what ya don't know is: my family owns a #Carnival its @HuntingtonMall right now🌟" (June 4, 2015)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, September 22

The Goldbergs - "The Goldbergs' Excellent Adventure" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The season nine premiere revolves around the iconic ‘80s family paying tribute to Pops. Together they venture down memory lane by visiting Pops’ favorite stomping grounds. Adam Goldberg, forever with camera in hand, captures the outing – theming it to “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” Hijinks and hilarity ensue, and we are reminded that there is no bond greater than family.

The Wonder Years - "Pilot" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
As the youngest in the Williams family, Dean is struggling to figure out where he fits in. Between his brother’s athleticism, sister’s popularity, mother’s intelligence and dad’s overall coolness, everyone else seems to have their lane figured out. He decides to pursue his calling as “The Great Uniter” and attempts to organize the first integrated baseball game between his team and his friend Brad’s team.

The Conners - "Trucking Live in Front of a Fully Vaccinated Studio Audience" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Lights, Camera, Action: “The Conners” is going live for both the East and West Coast broadcasts of the season four premiere episode. This iconic TV family continues to deal with the current pandemic while navigating breakups and newfound sobriety, all while planning an upcoming wedding.

Home Economics - "49ers Foam Finger, $7" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Connor invites the Hayworth clan to a San Francisco 49ers game as he tries to close his latest business deal. Desperately trying to prove that he knows the game, Tom gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to showcase his football skills in front of the entire crowd of 49ers Faithful at Levi’s® Stadium. Meanwhile, Denise tries to get Sarah to come to terms with Shamiah’s new interest in cheerleading.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 20)

Wednesday, September 22

Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) and Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building/Mulaney/The Martin Short Show) - Watch Steve and Martin on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/Welcome to New York) - Jim appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly/Samantha Who?) - Melissa is a guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Scott Foley (The Goodwin Games/Scrubs/A.U.S.A.) - Scott appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Alyson Hanningan (How I Met Your Mother/Free Spirit) - Alyson will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Jaleel White (Family Matters/Grown Ups) - Jaleel talks about his hit podcast Ever After on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
John Stamos (Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progrews/Full House/You, Again?) - John talks about his podcast The Grand Scheme on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet) - Drew appears on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am.
Martin Lawrence (Martin/Partners) - Martin gets excited for the NFL season by partnering with DraftKings on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon talks about The Many Saints of Newark on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
The Cast of The Wonder Years (2021) - Elisha "EJ" Williams, Laura Kariuki, Dulé Hill and Saycon Sengbloh are guests on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. Dulé appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan (check your local listings) and chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. Dulé and EJ will be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.