SitcomsOnline Digest: Tony Danza Cast in Greg Garcia NBC Pilot; Good Times Crowdfunded Movie in the Works?

Saturday, February 20, 2016

SitcomsOnline Digest: Tony Danza Cast in Greg Garcia NBC Pilot; Good Times Crowdfunded Movie in the Works?

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It has been a very active week of news this week, but we've narrowed it down to some of the (many) highlights, including news of new comedy pilots, a Good Times movie (?), and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

It has been 18 years since Tony Danza last starred in a sitcom (and, to be honest, 24 years since he starred in a successful sitcom), but now he is looking to end that streak with Sebastian, a Greg Garcia pilot being produced for NBC. (Hollywood Reporter)
That isn't Greg Garcia's only pilot in the works, as he also has a comedy in the works at CBS, tentatively titled Y'all in the Family. (Deadline)
We're skeptical of a Good Times movie being in the works, particularly since it is a crowdfunded effort that would not involve Sony at all, but nonetheless, there is an effort to get one going. (Deadline)
The Mindy Project is set to return to Hulu with new episodes on April 12. (Splitsider)
Everybody wants to do live episodes these days, and in May, The Simpsons is going to go live for three minutes. (Hollywood Reporter)
Henry Winkler will be making a return to comedy in an HBO comedy pilot titled Barry, which will star Bill Hader as the title character. (AV Club)
Jimmy Fallon spent the past week in Los Angeles, and had many special visitors during his time there, including the cast of Full House, who produced a very special skit in character. (Time)
George Gaynes, best known to sitcom fans for his roles on Punky Brewster and Hearts Afire, died this week at age 98. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

TVShowsOnDVD.com has reported that Warner Archive is moving ahead on two medical dramas (including completion of one), with upcoming releases of Medical Center - The Complete Sixth Season and Dr. Kildare - The Complete Fifth Season. No dates have been given yet.

TUESDAY (FEBRUARY 17) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

Fargo - The Complete Second Season (DVD, $39.98; Blu-Ray, $49.99): The hit FX series returns to DVD with this release.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Bern Nadette Stanis (Twitter)

Claim to Fame: Bern Nadette Stanis is best known for her role as Thelma Evans on the classic sitcom Good Times. In fact, that was her very first role on television or movies, as she managed to find success in her very first role. After Good Times, she went on to guest roles in series such as The Love Boat, What's Happening Now!!, The Cosby Show, and Girlfriends, among others. Recently, she has made news with her crowdfunding effort to produce a Good Times movie, as we mentioned today in our highlights.

Pick of the Tweets: "I have a surprise for you. We are making a Good Times movie, I would love your support." (February 2, 2016)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, October 20

The Goldbergs - "An Itch Like No Other" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
With Beverly’s encouragement, Mr. Glascott moves in next door to the Goldbergs and slowly goes from friendly neighbor to cluelessly intrusive. Adam and Murray become increasingly disgruntled while Beverly comes up with a plan to occupy Mr. Glascott’s time with a new friend, Mr. Woodburn. Meanwhile, Barry lands in urgent care with a case of poison ivy in a compromising area – his rear end. Erica and Geoff are called to task to take care of Barry and his ridiculous demands – inadvertently testing their parenting skills and patience with one another.

The Wonder Years - "The Lock In" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Dean is reluctant to attend the annual church lock-in until Kim tells him it’s where she got her first kiss. He enlists his friends to help him pair up with Keisa, but his plans are thwarted when he instead gets paired up with the pastor’s daughter, Charlene.

The Conners - "Trucking Live in Front of a Fully Vaccinated Studio Audience -- East Coast" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Lights, Camera, Action: “The Conners” is going live for both the East and West Coast broadcasts of the season four premiere episode. This iconic TV family continues to deal with the current pandemic while navigating breakups and newfound sobriety, all while planning an upcoming wedding.

Home Economics - "Giant Jenga, $120" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Tom spirals when Connor dates a woman who broke his heart at summer camp. Then, family game night becomes an all-or-nothing competition between Marina and Denise.

Superstar - "Robin Williams" (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT)
The new episode recounts his life through Robin Williams’ own voice, describing “the spark of madness” which defined his life. From his early days in the San Francisco Bay Area comedy scene to his meteoric rise on “Mork & Mindy,” the one-hour special explores the experiences that made Williams into a one-of-a-kind talent and reveals what gave voice to the characters in his mind. It also chronicles the creative force driving critically acclaimed films like “Good Will Hunting” and “Dead Poets Society,” as well as fan favorites such as “Aladdin.” The special explores his personal struggles, including substance abuse and depression, and his battle with Lewy Body Dementia before his tragic death in 2014. “Superstar: Robin Williams” features interviews with famous comedians and actors who knew and admired Williams, including Margaret Cho, Howie Mandel, Lewis Black, Jimmie Walker, Paula Poundstone, Gina Hecht and Pauly Shore, as well as Barry Levinson, director of multiple films starring Williams including “Good Morning, Vietnam.” The program also contains interviews with Williams from the ABC News archives, in which he opens up about his life and the highs and lows of his distinguished career.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 18)

Wednesday, October 20

Rami Malek (The War at Home) - Watch Rami on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Issa Rae (Insecure) - Issa appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Billy Bob Thornton (Hearts Afire) - Billy Bob is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Jamie Foxx (Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!/The Jamie Foxx Show) - Jamie appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Nick is a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm.
Leah Remini (Kevin Can Wait/The Exes/Family Tools/The King of Queens/Fired Up) - Leah guest hosts The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Debra Messing (Will & Grace/Ned & Stacey) - Debra talks about her latest project: how self-care can change the world on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) and Clint Howard (Gung Ho) - Ron and Clint discuss their new book, The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family, on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Amy Sedaris (No Activity/BoJack Horseman/Strangers with Candy) - It's a TV exclusive with sister and brother duo Amy and David Sedaris appearing together for the first time on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jeremy Sisto (Suburgatory) - Jeremy talks about FBI on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
David Eigenberg (Sex and the City) - David talks about NBC's Chicago Fire on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Nick talks about Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.