SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Pair of Sitcoms; New Adventures of Gilligan's Island to Finally Arrive on DVD

Saturday, March 26, 2016

SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Pair of Sitcoms; New Adventures of Gilligan's Island to Finally Arrive on DVD

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Sadly, this week has been a busy week with deaths of TV stars and producers, and we're covering three of those today (not counting Garry Shandling, who was covered yesterday). We've also got some renewals from Fox, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Fox has renewed Last Man on Earth and Brooklyn Nine-Nine for next season. (Entertainment Weekly)
Billy Gardell's next TV series role will be more dramatic than his role on Mike & Molly. (Deadline)
Ken Howard, best known for his role on The White Shadow (as well as being the president of SAG-AFTRA until his death), died this week at age 71. (People)
Tom Whedon, a producer and writer who worked on series such as The Golden Girls, Benson, and Alice (and is also the father of Joss Whedon), died this week at age 83. (Hollywood Reporter)
Earl Hamner Jr., the creator of both The Waltons and Falcon Crest, also died this week, at age 92. (New York Times)
The TV Land Awards ceremony will return this year, with a (slightly) new name and George Lopez taking hosting duties. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

It was over a half decade ago (very near the beginning of Warner Archive) when it was announced that The New Adventures of Gilligan's Island (the animated spinoff of the classic series) would be released on DVD. We've been waiting for a long time, long enough that we assumed it was abandoned, but this week TVShowsOnDVD.com revealed that the wait will finally end on April 26.

TUESDAY (MARCH 29) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

CPO Sharkey - The Best of Season Two (DVD, $12.95): Though we'd recommend splurging for a few extra dollars and going with the previously released complete second season in CPO Sharkey - The Complete Season Two, this option is available for those who just want the best episodes.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Will Friedle (Twitter), "Actor (with my voice and sometimes my face), Writer, Panic-Attacker, Proffessionull Speller and Inventor of the Harpsichord (that last one was just a lie)"

Claim to Fame: We have another Boy Meets World star this week, and it is Will Friedle, who played Eric Matthews on the series. That series was his first regular series role, and as far as appearing on camera, it was really his last regular screen appearance (he has had guest roles here and there, including on Girl Meets World). He also appeared in the (very) short-lived NBC series Go Fish in 2001. However, don't be fooled: though he hasn't had many screen appearances, he has been very busy with voice work. He has had regular roles in many cartoons beginning in 1999, as the role of Batman in Batman Beyond. He followed that up with a regular role in Kim Possible. Today, he appears in numerous animated series on a regular basis.

Pick of the Tweets: "Skittles Ads from 1992 - Fruit Flavor Combinations - YouTube And...I found my other one. Man...what's with the vest? (link)" (March 17, 2016)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, January 23

Shifting Gears - "Accommodations" (ABC, 9:02PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt joins Riley at Carter’s high school open house, where he’s unsettled to learn about the “accommodations” made for his grandson’s anxiety. Meanwhile, Riley reconnects with Caitlin, a former classmate, and sets her up with Gabriel.

Only Murders in the Building - "Sparring Partners" (ABC, 9:33PM ET/PT)
Closing in on the killer, Mabel takes her investigative talents into the ring; Oliver and Charles duke it out over a birdcage only to end up confronting their deepest paternal struggles.

Only Murders in the Building - "I Know Who Did It" (ABC, 10:12PM ET/PT)
The question of who did it remains, along with a few more questions that have been raised.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "An Old Mustang" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie worries that he’s leaving Connor out of his new project with Jim. Meanwhile, Mandy and Audrey struggle to decorate CeeCee’s nursery without fighting.

Ghosts - "The Primary Source" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam’s book publisher requires source material for her biography on Isaac, she and Jay take a field trip to find a diary he claims he hid when he was alive.

Animal Control - "Baby Kangaroos and Chickens" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank and Victoria compete to win Fiona's affections at the new kennels' fundraiser; Emily gets some very bad advice from Bettany on her speech; Patel and Shred find themselves facing the world's most charming squatter.

Going Dutch - "Korfball" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Everyone in town is talking about the upcoming Korfball match between the Americans and the Dutch; the colonel refuses to lose to the Dutch and Quinn brings out her high school alter ego "The Rocket" to make her dad proud.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)

Thursday, January 23

James Marsden (30 Rock) - Catch James on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Fortune Feimster (FUBAR/Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Fortune appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - Denis stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - Britt is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Thomas, Paul and Joe are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Al Madrigal (Lopez vs Lopez/About a Boy/Gary Unmarried/Welcome to The Captain) - Al appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason and his wife Jenny Mollen are telling Drew about their new show Dinner and a Movie that features an episode focusing on 50 First Dates on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.