Saturday, December 12, 2015
SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Looking to Do Musical Version of Dirty Dancing; More Releases from Shout! Factory
Welcome
to
SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we have news of more musicals on broadcast television (they have sort of become the new reboot of 70s and 80s series), news of a death of a sitcom star from the golden era of television, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- It looks as if these musical remakes of classic movies on broadcast networks have become the latest trend in television, as ABC is now jumping in with a planned musical version of Dirty Dancing. (Hollywood Reporter)
- Some sitcom fans may not like Survivor, but apparently Survivor fans (or at least contestants) love sitcoms, as a previous Survivor winner is now working with Greg Garcia (best known for My Name is Earl and Raising Hope) to develop a sitcom for CBS. (Deadline)
- NBC struck ratings gold again with the TV movie Coat of Many Colors this week, including scoring their best total-viewer ratings (excluding sports and musical events) in the timeslot since the finale of ER in 2009. (Rolling Stone)
- Actress Marjorie Lord, who was best known for playing matriarch Kathy on Make Room for Daddy, has died at age 95. (Entertainment Weekly)
- Willard Scott has been semi-retired from Today for almost two decades, but now he is ready to retire for good. (Today)
- Golden Globe nominations were announced this week, and as has become more common, the leaders in nominations were not the broadcast television networks. (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- It probably comes as no surprise that after releasing all of the other versions of The Bold Ones, Shout! Factory (under TMG) will be wrapping things up by releasing the most successful of the series, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors - The Complete Series on March 1.
- Shout! Factory is finishing up The Nanny on DVD (for those who skipped on the complete series) with The Nanny - The Final Season on March 15.
- Maude - The Complete Fourth Season will be arriving on DVD on March 22.
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Don Most (Twitter)
Claim to Fame: "Don Most" is not the name we think of when we see the face, because we knew him better as Donny Most, who played Ralph Malph on Happy Days. Since that time, he has had guest roles on several series, including Murder, She Wrote, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, and Glee, among other series. He has had some cartoon voice roles as well. Lately, he is returning to what he says is his first love: singing.
Pick of the Tweets: "Appearing on "Home & Family" on the Hallmark Channel on Nov. 19, with Anson Williams and Marion Ross. Bringing my band on and singing." (November 15, 2014)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, December 7
The Simpsons - "Guess Who's Coming to Skinner" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Principal Skinner discovers that one of his students is a runaway who has been living in the school library, he has to take the snarky, difficult kid into his home and is forced into a role he never expected or wanted -- being a parent.
Universal Basic Guys - "Good Marks" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mark goes back to high school to prove he is smart; Hank tries to pass Advanced Woodshop.
Krapopolis - "Nike (The Goddness)" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Tyrannis and his siblings enter a contest; Shlub and Deliria go to a play.
Bob's Burgers - "Les Lizárdables" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Gene and Courtney become embroiled in a complex custody battle over an injured lizard.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 1)
Friday, December 5
- Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This/Central Park/The Good Place) and Dax Shepard (Bless This Mess) - Watch Kristen and Dax on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- The Jonas Brothers (Jonas/Jonas LA) - The Jonas Brothers are guests on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George talks about Jay Kelly on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- James Van Der Beek (Friends with Better Lives/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - James appears on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Connie Britton (SMILF/Lost at Home/The Fighting Fitzgeralds/Spin City) - Connie and Ed Burns talk about The Family McMullen on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Mario is a guest on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2 (DVD)
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
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