Saturday, January 02, 2016

SitcomsOnline Digest: Analyzing the Fall Season for the Broadcast Networks; More Community DVDs Coming Soon

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! The week between Christmas and the new year is always one of the slowest news weeks of the year, so we don't have a whole lot for you. But we do have a look back at how the networks did for the fall season (compared to fall 2014), recent news (as in this afternoon) of the death of a star from Archie Bunker's Place, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • Deadline has analyzed the ratings for the fall season for the broadcast networks, comparing fall 2014 to fall 2015. However, it seems that none of the networks have anything to be particularly excited about. (Deadline)
  • Jason Wingreen, who played Harry the bartender on All in the Family and Archie Bunker's Place, has died at age 95. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • Not every show is a top 20 hit, and TV by the Numbers has a look at the series that are rounding out the bottom, some of which keep going on regardless. (TV by the Numbers
  • Pop TV is bringing sitcom fans a classic TV favorite, as they have added I Love Lucy to their lineup.  (SitcomsOnline
  • Earlier this week, we had a look back at all of the sitcom stars that we lost in 2015. (SitcomsOnline

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
  • Community moved from NBC to Yahoo! Screen for the sixth season, and fans may have been wondering if the series would continue on DVD. As it turns out, it will, with Community - The Complete Sixth Season arriving on March 8.

    TUESDAY (DECEMBER 29) HOME MEDIA RELEASES


    FOLLOW ME

    Who to Follow: Tim Allen (Twitter), "Santa? Buzz Lightyear? The Tool Man? Mike Baxter? Hey, I’m still that wisecracking kid from the Midwest, looking for answers to life’s big questions."
    Claim to Fame: Tim Allen started his career as a standup comedian in 1975, but his career really took off in 1991 when he was cast in the starring role in the TV series Home Improvement. The series was sort of an unexpected hit and became one of the biggest series of the 90s. He has also tried his hand at movie roles, and found some major successes with The Santa Clause and Toy Story. Currently, he stars as Mike Baxter in the ABC series Last Man Standing.
    Pick of the Tweets: "Behind the Last Man Standing set, waiting to go on #LastManStanding (pic)" (October 5, 2015)


    Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

    Scrubs - "My Return" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
    John “J.D.” Dorian unexpectedly finds himself back at Sacred Heart, reuniting him with new and old faces.

    Scrubs - "My 2nd First Day" (ABC, 8:32PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
    J.D. navigates a new normal, while Elliot and Turk clash over the budget.

    Family Guy - "Bringing Up Buddy" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
    Meg pursues an unlikely friendship with an NFL great; Stewie and Brian host a dinner party at a home furnishing store.

    Universal Basic Guys - "Go Fund Mernft" (F Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
    Mark helps Mernft Man build the house of his dreams; Tammy's fundraising campaign reveals a surprising side of Mernft.

    American Dad! - "The Flume Flume Room" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
    Stan struggles to appreciate Francine's niche interest in flume rides.

    Family Guy - "Dear Francis" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
    Peter calls out the name "Francis" while making love with Lois, but she believes he meant his deceased father, leading to a round of therapy; things worsen when Lois discovers "Frances" is the name of the Clam's new, pretty waitress.

    Complete TV Listings


    Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 23)

    Friday, February 27

    • Nick Jonas (Jonas) - Nick is a musical guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
    • Sam Rockwell (F Is for Family) - Sam appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
    • Guy Torry (Good News) - Guy is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
    • Michael B. Jordan (The Assistants) - Michael and director Ryan Coogler talk Oscar nomination with ABC News' Chris Connelly on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
    • Eva Marcille (Born Again Virign/Tyler Perry's House of Payne) - Eva talks about Lifetime's Pushed Off a Plane and Survived on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
    • Courteney Cox (Shining Vale/Cougar Town/Friends/Family Ties) - Courteney talks about Scream 7 on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
    • Tony Danza (Taxi/Who's the Boss?/Hudson Street/The Tony Danza Show) - It's a cooking flashback with Tony in the kitchen on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
    • Tracy Morgan (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Crutch/The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - It's a little bit extra with from Drew's interview with the hilarious Tracy on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
    • Dorian Missick (Zoe Ever After) - Dorian talks about Prime's 56 Days on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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)
    09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete 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)
    12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
    01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
    03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (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

    03/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 2, 2026)
    02/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner Now Set to Merge with Paramount, Not Netflix; X-Files Reboot Given Greenlight
    02/27 - The Comeback Returns for Final Season on March 22; Animal Control Renewed for Season 5; Remembering Lauren Chapin of Father Knows Best and Robert Carradine of Lizzie McGuire
    02/26 - AspireTV Gets First Ever Original Sitcom; Sullivan's Crossing Returns for Season 4 in April on The CW
    02/25 - Scrubs Returns Tonight, Sneak Peek at Title Sequence; Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Reveals Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter
    02/24 - Netflix's Wednesday Season 3 Adds to Cast; Wonder Pets: In the City Returns March 20
    02/23 - Celebrities for ABC's Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars; Hallmark's Mistletoe Murders Renewed for Season 3
    02/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 23, 2026)
    02/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Hulu Orders New Adult Animated Comedy From Creator of Bluey; Casting News for Upcoming CBS Comedy Regency
    02/20 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Find Valentine's Magic; Netflix Announces Dang!
    02/19 - The Golden Girls Coming to MeTV in March; Adult Swim Announces My Two Cars
    02/18 - Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Coming to Disney+; Fox Spring 2026 Schedule and Finale Dates
    02/17 - New Animated Comedy from Big Mouth Creators Coming May 22; Scottish Comedy Returns to Hulu February 25
    02/16 - Saturday Night Live Returns Following the Olympics on February 28; Fox Pays Tribute to James Van Der Beek on Wednesday
    02/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 16, 2026)
    02/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for Scrubs Reboot; Tubi to Add 100 Cartoon Series from Warner and Cartoon Network Library
    02/13 - Remembering James Van Der Beek of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23; The Way Home Returns for Final Season in April on Hallmark
    02/12 - ABC's Scrubs Revival Trailer and Details; XO, Kitty Returns April 2 on Netflix
    02/11 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Post Saturday Night Live Encore; Chris Fleming HBO Special
    02/10 - Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars Premiere Shifting by Two Weeks; Virgin River Season 7 Trailer
    02/09 - Shoresy Returns with Season 5; HBO Max Acquires Schitt's Creek
    02/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 9, 2026)
    02/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Roku Adds New Channels for Bernie Mac, Blossom, and Cougar Town; Catchy Comedy Introduces Catchy Loves Lucy
    02/06 - Rooster Premieres March 8 on HBO; MGM+ Comedy American Classic Trailer
    02/05 - NBC Unveils Trailer and Guest Stars for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins; Adult Swim's Anime Series Rooster Fighter Premieres March 14
    02/04 - Netflix Renews A Man on the Inside for Season 3; Apple TV Premiere Date for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
    02/03 - NBC Renews St. Denis Medical and Happy's Place for Season 3; Pilot Orders for Comedy Projects on NBC
    02/02 - Remembering Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son, Catherine O'Hara of Schitt's Creek, Yvonne Lime of Father Knows Best, and TV Director Bruce Bilson
    02/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 2, 2026)
    01/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Orders Pair of Comedy Pilots; Final Episode Airdate Announced for The Late Show
    01/30 - Jury Duty Returns March 20 on Prime Video; Katt Williams 4th Netflix Special
    01/29 - Season 4 of Ted Lasso Premieres This Summer; Shrinking Renewed for Season 4 as Season 3 Premieres