SitcomsOnline Digest: The Wiz Live! Does Well for NBC; The Brady Kids and More Coming from CBS DVD

Saturday, December 05, 2015

SitcomsOnline Digest: The Wiz Live! Does Well for NBC; The Brady Kids and More Coming from CBS DVD

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! News becomes a bit slow this time of the year, but we're here nonetheless with some ratings news, some upcoming DVD releases from CBS, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

The Wiz Live! was a ratings success for NBC, continuing the network's streak of success with live musical specials. (Variety)
In the late night talk battle between Fallon versus Colbert, it seems that Fallon is continuing to win when it comes to ratings. (Deadline)
Sony is known for remaking American series all over the world, and the latest is a Chinese version of Mad About You. (Fusion)
Sumner Redstone isn't a household name, but the media mogul serves as chairman of both Viacom and CBS (through marriage and after divorce), and has been at the top of Viacom for nearly three decades. Now, at age 92, he is involved in a battle over whether he is mentally capable of staying in that position. (Reuters)
ABC has mostly been able to keep Wednesday nights for themselves when it comes to comedy, but now CBS is preparing to take them on. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

CBS is preparing to release one of the more obscure Brady Bunch spinoffs on DVD with The Brady Kids - The Complete Series on February 16.
CBS will also be releasing a re-release of The Andy Griffith Show - The Complete Series on February 16, without the bonus disc that was included on the previous release.
Rounding out the February 16 CBS slate is Sabrina, the Teenage Witch - The Complete Series.

DECEMBER 8 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

Family Guy - Season Thirteen (DVD, $22.99): The Fox animated series returns to DVD with all of the episodes from the 2014-2015 season.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Cindy Williams (Twitter), "The official Twitter account for actress Cindy Williams. My book -- Shirley, I Jest! -- is available everywhere!"

Claim to Fame: Cindy Williams got her start in some commercials and a few guest appearances on series such as Room 222 and Nanny and the Professor, but it was a 1975 guest appearance on Happy Days that made a big difference, where she first played Shirley Feeney. Of course, that role made it into the spinoff, Laverne & Shirley, which she starred in until the last season (her character was later written out). After that, she did several made-for-TV movies, and also had a few short-lived series. Most recently, she appeared in a guest role in the series Sam & Cat, along with Penny Marshall.

Pick of the Tweets: "Just finished photo shoot for Closer Magazine with all my animals including THE REAL BOO BOO KITTY! Look for it in April. xo Love Cindy" (March 11, 2015)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, August 17

Abbott Elementary - "Pilot" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
In this workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal — are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible educators may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don’t love the school district’s less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.

Abbott Elementary - "Work Family" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Jacob reveals a detail about his personal life, Janine realizes she doesn’t know the other teachers as well as she thought. Meanwhile, as Gregory’s stern teaching approach is causing his whole class to underperform, Barbara and Melissa teach him how to relax and make his lessons more fun.

Abbott Elementary - "Step Class" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Janine is thrilled when Ava asks to help her teach the after-school step class, but the two don’t see eye to eye on how to run the program. Later, when Barbara, Melissa and Jacob plan an “eat-off” to decide who makes the best pizza in Philadelphia, Gregory is forced to reveal a secret.

Abbott Elementary - "Desking" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When the students start participating in a new online trend that causes disruption to the school, the teachers band together to put an end to it. Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson provides comforting life advice to Gregory; and later, the teachers finally meet Jacob’s boyfriend, Zach, who joins in to help stop the students “desking”.

Wellington Paranormal - "Mobots" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Officer Minogue meets Officer O'Leary's mom when they use her house for a stakeout to investigate why a mass quantity of obsolete electronics goes missing.

Wellington Paranormal - "The Invisible Fiend" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Minogue and O'Leary investigate a mysterious home invasion with no visible signs of entry, managing to arrest an invisible creature and bring it back to the station for questioning.

grown-ish - "You Don't Know Me" (Freeform, 10:00PM ET/PT)
The girls enlist Junior's help to find their shady roommate, Lauryn, who has a habit of mysteriously disappearing; Junior wonders if Annika is starting to catch feelings for him; Aaron suspects that Doug isn't being honest with him.

Everything's Trash - "Rom-Coms Are Mostly Trash" (Freeform, 10:30PM ET/PT)
After Phoebe suddenly sees Michael in a new light, she attempts to set him up with Malika, who already has her eye on an old flame; Jayden worries that he and Jessie have lost their spark, so they decide to spice things up.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 15)

Wednesday, August 17

Alison Brie (GLOW/Community) - Watch Alison Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Sasheer Zamata (Home Economics/Woke) - Sasheer appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi co-hosts The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan will be on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) - Zazie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Susan Walters (Dear John/The War Next Door) - Susan is a guest on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Blair Underwood (The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Kel Mitchell (Game Shakers/Kenan & Kel) - Kel appears on a repeat of The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect/Suddenly Susan) - Sherri guest hosts a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Josh Peck (Grandfathered/Drake & Josh) and Rhea Perlman (Cheers/Pearl/Kirstie) - Josh and Rhea talk about Netflix's 13: The Musical on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Murray Bartlett (Physical/Looking) - Murry talks about White Lotus on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.