Saturday, December 26, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: Mid-Season Debut Dates Set; New Family Matters and Growing Pains DVDs Ahead From Warner Archive

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Christmas has come and gone, which means that next week it'll be a whole new year. But before this year is done, we've got a list of when all of your favorite series will return next year, news of some new Warner Archive releases of some classic sitcoms... and Sarah Palin playing Tina Fey in 30 Rock parody? Seriously? You betcha! Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • In recent years, mid-season has become almost as big of a deal (if not a bigger deal, since it tends to give series an opportunity to thrive with less competition) as the beginning of the fall season. Deadline has all of the dates you need to know for when your favorite series returns, along with debut dates for new series. (Deadline
  • Tina Fey has been playing the role of Sarah Palin off and on for the past seven years, but now, Sarah Palin has decided to play Tina Fey as Lynn Melon in 31 Rock (as well as John McCain playing a character similar to Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy), a spoof of 30 Rock. (Rolling Stone)
  • As it turns out, there will a well-known (and current) pop star voice behind the theme song for the upcoming series Fuller House: Carly Rae Jepsen. (Billboard)
  • We suggest avoiding clicking on the article if you want to avoid a spoiler, but The Big Bang Theory is still managing to set records when it comes to ratings. (CinemaBlend
  • ... but how much longer can The Big Bang Theory continue to set records? While the series is a hit and there are no signs of audiences going away, showrunner Steve Molaro says there is only so much more that they can do with the series, and suggested that it is possible next year's tenth season could be the last unless they can come up with new ideas to naturally move the story along (to be clear, we wouldn't start writing the obituary yet). (Vulture)
  • In a very pleasant Easter (sorry, Christmas) weekend surprise for Steve Harvey, it seems that flubbing the announcement of the winner of the Miss Universe Pageant has given the pageant attention that it has perhaps never seen, and also made the organizers want to keep him around for a few years.  (New York Daily News
  • As a reminder, Syfy will be going big with their annual Twilight Zone marathon that starts on Tuesday evening, airing the entire series (including episodes that haven't aired on TV in decades) in HD. (SitcomsOnline

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
  • TVShowsOnDVD.com had an exclusive this week, announcing that Family Matters will be moving forward on DVD after a bit of a break, but it will now be coming from Warner Archive. According to their information, Family Matters - The Complete Fifth Season will arrive on February 16.
  • It looks like Warner Archive will also be wrapping up Growing Pains on January 12, with the release of Growing Pains - The Complete Seventh Season (i.e. the Leonardo DiCaprio season).

TUESDAY (DECEMBER 29) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

  • Shameless - The Complete Fifth Season (DVD, $39.98; Blu-ray, $44.96): One of the most dysfunctional families in all of television history returns with this release on DVD and Blu-ray.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Eva Longoria (Twitter), "Actress, Producer, Director, Activist, Philanthropist, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Friend, HUMAN!"
Claim to Fame: Eva Longoria got her start in beauty pageants, but it didn't take long for it to be seen that she had the potential to be an actress. Her first TV role was as a flight attendant in a final season episode of Beverly Hills, 90210, and she quickly became a soap star on The Young and the Restless. From there, she went on to star in the short-lived 2003-2004 Dragnet. Her biggest claim to fame came in 2004, though, when she was cast as Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives. She then went on to serve as executive producer in Devious Maids. Now, with all of this "soap opera" experience behind her, she is ready to move on to a new role in a sitcom... a sitcom that is all about being a telenovela star who can't speak a word of Spanish, NBC's upcoming series (which already had a preview debut), Telenovela.
Pick of the Tweets: "Merry Christmas everyone! Santa is here!!!  (pic)" (December 25, 2015)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, July 10

Ghosts - "Smooching and Smushing" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Jay, Sam and the ghosts attempt to fix the ghost trap in hopes of getting Sasappis across the ghost boundary to visit his longtime crush, Shiki.

Bob's Burgers - "Wild Steal-ions" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Tina's lost book of semi-erotic horse-torical fiction lands in the hands of a mysterious stranger with nefarious intentions.

Grimsburg - "How to Lose an Ankle Monitor in 10 Days" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When the criminals of Grimsburg go on strike, the police force gets furloughed.

Family Guy - "Karenheit 451" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Lois becomes the leader of a group of mothers who want to ban books from schools.

The Great North - "Bust a Moon Adventure" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Moon makes a big decision after clashing with Beef; Judy and Ham hatch a plot to make some extra cash.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 7)

Thursday, July 10

  • Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - Keke is a musical guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Rhys Darby (Wrecked/How to Be a Gentleman/Flight of the Conchords), Rory Scovel (Grace and Frankie/Robbie/Ground Floor) and Baron Vaughn (Corporate/Grace and Frankie) - Rhys, Rory and Baron are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Oliver Hudson (Splitting Up Together/Rules of Engagement/My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star) - Oliver is a guest on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Jessica Lowe (Wrecked) - Jessica talks about Elixir's Red Flag Green Flag on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
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
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

07/09 - New Girl Summer on Hulu; Vir Das Gets Brand New Netflix Special
07/08 - Tubi Comedy Series Demascus Premieres in August; LEGO Masters Jr. Lines Up Celebs for 4-Week Event
07/07 - Digman! Season Premiere Moved to July 23; Hulu's Reasonable Doubt Returns September 18
07/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 7, 2025)
07/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Comedy Central Delays South Park and Digman! Season Premieres; Jackée to Appear in Guest Role in Netflix Series
07/04 - Happy 4th of July; Antenna TV's McHale's Navy Red, White and Navy Independence Day Marathon
07/03 - The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Season 3 Premieres August 6; South Park New Season Moves by Two Weeks
07/02 - FETV Acquires The Rookies; Hulu Renews The Bear for Season 5
07/01 - Bert Kreischer Gets Netflix Sitcom; NBC Gets Into Survival Mode This Summer
06/30 - The Comeback Makes Another...Comeback; First Look at Black Rabbit at Netflix
06/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 30, 2025)
06/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Comeback Returning for a Third and Final Season; South Park to Remain on HBO Max
06/27 - The White Lotus Star Teams Up with Netflix; Remembering Bobby Sherman, Lynn Hamilton, and Rick Hurst
06/26 - The CW's Fall Movie of the Week; First Look at New York Comic Con 2025
06/25 - Netflix Renews Ransom Canyon for Season 2; My Life with the Walter Boys First Look for Season 2
06/24 - Marc Maron Gets Second HBO Comedy Special; Outlander Prequel Renewed for Season 2 Ahead of Series Premiere
06/23 - MeTV Summer Changes, Adds Adventures of Superman; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Summer Guest Hosts
06/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 23, 2025)
06/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Night Court Officially Dead After Not Finding New Home; Weigel Announces New WEST Network
06/20 - Great American Media Announces New Danica McKellar Movie; Jennifer Love Hewitt ID True Crime Series
06/19 - Bad Thoughts Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix; Zarna Garg Gets Hulu Special This July
06/18 - Weigel Broadcasting Announces WEST Network with Classic TV Westerns; Hulu's Season 2 of Such Brave Girls
06/17 - Gary Coleman's Ex-Wife on A&E Series; Digman! Returns July 9 on Comedy Central
06/16 - Hulu's Chad Powers Teaser; Prime Video's Jesse Williams Series
06/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 16, 2025)
06/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Mulls Airing The Paper on Primetime Lineup; Fox Revives Baywatch Reboot Talk
06/13 - My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Renewed for 2 More Seasons; Hanna-Barbera Developing Adult Animated Series
06/12 - Comedy Superstar Jack Black Is the King of Comedy at Nickelodeon; Doc Adds Felicity Huffman
06/11 - Celebrities for Celebrity Family Feud Season 11; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Starts Production
06/10 - Warner Bros. Discovery Separates Company; Peacock's Jennifer Garner Series Adds to Cast
06/09 - Comedian Ms. Pat Gets Season 3 of Courtroom Series; Disney Branded Television Animated Slate