SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Looking to Do Musical Version of Dirty Dancing; More Releases from Shout! Factory

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

Monday, April 20

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Purse Dog" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Calvin reluctantly agrees to dog-sit a glamorous little companion, only to face an awkward twist when someone else lays claim to it. Meanwhile, a joint celebration prompts Malcolm to question whether he and Mercedes are moving too fast. Amber Stevens West guest stars as Mercedes, Malcolm's Girlfriend.

DMV - "Drive-ory Tower" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Colette tries to bridge a growing divide at the office by bringing the driving examiners and counter clerks together. Meanwhile, Vic stubbornly avoids seeing a doctor after an unusual injury, forcing Barb to get creative to help him.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 20)

Monday, April 20

Kal Penn (The Santa Clauses/Sunnyside/We Are Men) - Watch Kal on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Quinta appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years/Black Monday/House of Lies/The Golden Palace) - Don is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Hazardous History with Henry Winkler on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Aaron Tveit (Schmigadoon!) - Aaron is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
B.J. Novak (The Office) and Jim Parsons (Young Sheldon/The Big Bang Theory) - Andy Cohen interviews B.J. and Jim on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
William Stanford Harris (Abbott Elementary) - William talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Ramy Youssef (#1 Happy Family USA/Ramy/See Dad Run) - Ramy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie talks about Big Mistakes on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) - NBC's Today catches up with Jane in the 9am hour.
Christopher Briney (Hacks) - Christopher talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair tells Sherri about his new memoir A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Phoebe Dynevor (Younger) - Phoebe is telling Drew about her new movie Thrash on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Dan Bucatinsky (The Comeback/Marry Me/Web Therapy) - Dan appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.