SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Reviving Showtime at the Apollo With Pair of Specials; Family Guy - Season Fourteen DVD Release Scheduled

Saturday, October 15, 2016

SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Reviving Showtime at the Apollo With Pair of Specials; Family Guy - Season Fourteen DVD Release Scheduled

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we've got news of Showtime at the Apollo returning to air at Fox in a limited form, a possible new music competition at NBC, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Fox is reviving Showtime at the Apollo with a pair of specials hosted by Steve Harvey. (Variety)
Many musical stars are being discovered through the internet and specifically YouTube these days, so NBC is looking to cash in on that with a reality show where these "up and coming" stars compete. (Variety)
If there is one certainty about Saturday Night Live (which is always uncertain due to the constant changes to the show, which can often make entire seasons either unwatchable or absolutely perfect), it is that presidential election years bring in the ratings, and so far that has been proven yet again this season. (Deadline)
Actress Patricia Barry, actress who was one of the lesser known pioneers of television, died this week at age 93. (New York Times)
The third hour of Today has always been a sore spot for stability at NBC, and it probably doesn't help with the stability now that the network is looking at Billy Bush's inevitable exit (for reasons we're all aware of by now). (Deadline)
The classic Nickelodeon series Double Dare is turning 30, and Nick at Nite is celebrating. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

While a lot of current series have slowed down on releases of the past seasons on DVD, Family Guy is continuing on DVD, with a release of Family Guy - Season Fourteen on December 6.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Colleen Ballinger (Twitter), "I put on lots of lipstick and make videos for a living. Creator/writer/producer/star/bragger of @HatersBackOff on Netflix. http://YouTube.com/psychosoprano"; also her character Miranda Sings (Twitter), "I am a really famous actor/singer/dancer/model/magician on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/MirandaSings08 FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM! @MirandaSingsOfficial"

Claim to Fame: Like last week, we're going a bit more "unconventional" (much more so than last week even) for our Follow Me with a star of a new comedy, but not a typical broadcast network comedy. This time, we head to Netflix for Colleen Ballinger, who stars in the new Netflix comedy series Haters Back Off (which debuted yesterday on the streaming service). Colleen Ballinger is best known for her character of Miranda Sings, an online character and persona that she created on YouTube in 2008. Miranda Sings is a character who parodies all of the bad things on YouTube, in particular, some of the YouTube musicians who aren't actually all that talented but are eager for the attention. That character has defined who she is as an actress and on this new Netflix series, she plays this character. The character has taken on so much of a personality that it requires a separate Twitter feed just for itself.

Pick of the Tweets: (as Miranda Sings): "never froget. you are amazing and great no matter what anyone says. unless i dont like u." (October 9, 2016)