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


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

Wednesday, December 17

Happy's Place - "Ho-Ho-Howey" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When the tavern's health insurance is threatened to be canceled, Gabby has a plan; she'll persuade her friend Danny to host his company party at Happy's, but the catch is everyone must call Bobbie "Gabby" and Gabby "Bobbie."

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 15)

Wednesday, December 17

  • Robby Hoffman (Hacks) - Watch Robby on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Kumail appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He also talks about Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Kate is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about Song Sung Blue on Live with Kelly and Mark (check your local listings), on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT, and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Odessa A'zion (I Love LA/Fam) - Odessa appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Leah Sava Jeffries (Rel) - Leah talks about Percy Jackson and the Olympians on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul and Jack Black talk about Anaconda on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.


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)

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

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

12/17 - MeTV Remembers Rob Reiner with Tribute Marathon; MGM+ to Make New The Magnificent Seven Series
12/16 - The Rob Reiner Story: A Hollywood Tragedy – ABC News Special; Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion Part 2 on CBS
12/15 - Remembering the Legendary Rob Reiner of All in the Family; Trailer for Netflix's His & Hers
12/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 15, 2025)
12/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner/Netflix Merger Gets Complicated; Steve Carell Comedy Rooster Coming to HBO Max in March
12/12 - Survival of the Thickest Final Season Guest Stars; Ted Season 2 Returns in March
12/11 - The Upshaws Final Season Premieres January 15; Mike Epps Gets 5th Netflix Special
12/10 - HBO's Rooster Premieres in March; Fox's Updated Winter 2026 Schedule
12/09 - 83rd Golden Globe Nominations; Paradise Returns on Hulu in February
12/08 - First Look at Bert Kreischer Netflix Comedy Free Bert; School Spirits Season 3
12/07 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 8, 2025)
12/06 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair; Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery
12/05 - FETV Acquires The Carol Burnett Show Uncut; Hey A.J.! Coming to Disney Jr.
12/04 - COZI TV Acquires The Jeff Foxworthy Show; Hulu Renews Chad Powers for Season 2
12/03 - MeTV January 2026 Schedule; Netflix's My Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Season 6 Guests
12/02 - MeTV Acquires Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Hart to Hart & Hawaii Five-O; Apple TV's The First Snow of Fraggle Rock Trailer
12/01 - MeTV to Announce Four New Shows; Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Draws 25 Million Viewers on NBC
11/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 1, 2025)
11/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Scrubs Reboot; Mad Men Coming to HBO Max
11/28 - Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion Encores Tonight (11/28); Hulu's Smash Hit Renewed for Quick 4th Season
11/27 - 2025 Thanksgiving TV Marathons
11/26 - ABC's Scrubs First Teaser During Dancing with the Stars Finale; Eva Green Joins Wednesday Season 3
11/25 - COZI TV Acquires Malcolm & Eddie and The Steve Harvey Show; 53rd International Emmy® Awards Winners
11/24 - Antenna TV's All-You-Can Eat Wings for Thanksgiving Marathon; Rewind TV's Serving Up the Seavers with a Thanksgiving Day Growing Pains Marathon
11/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 24, 2025)
11/22 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Disney+ Offers New Simpsons Streaming Channel; Final Eight Unaired Episodes of Joey on YouTube
11/21 - HBO Renews Comedies The Chair Company and I Love LA; Kelly and Mark to Host International Emmy® Awards
11/20 - The CW Midseason 2026 Schedule; Sarah Sherman HBO Max Special
11/19 - Tubi's Comedy Mo' Waffles Premieres December 19; 78th Emmy® Awards Set for September 14, 2026
11/18 - CBS Midseason 2026 Schedule; SNL Closes Out 2025 with 3 Episodes in December
11/17 - NBC's Christmas in Rockefeller Center Lineup; Prime Video Gets Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson for Sports Talk Show