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
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01FL1TW74/ref/nosim/happydaysonline5-20
  • 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)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, May 15

Happy's Place - "Social Discontent" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Steve and Isabella begin shooting marketing content for the tavern, they quickly realize Bobbie has a case of camera madness, causing them to recast her with a local influencer.

Happy's Place - "The Name Game" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie doesn't want Gabby to get her hopes up too soon about her potential pregnancy, but accidentally rains on her parade in the process; Isabella hires Takoda's band to play at the tavern unaware he's in a death metal band.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 11)

Friday, May 15

  • Goldie Hawn (Good Morning World) - Watch Goldie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Asif Ali (Deli Boys/Wrecked/Mr. Robinson) and Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys) - Asif and Ali are guests on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • John Krasinski (The Office) - John talks about Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about Abbott Elementary and Lisa Ann Walter: It Was an Accident with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Ross are covering the headlines with pals Valerie and Nate Berkus on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Belmont Cameli (Saved by the Bell (2020-2021) - Belmont and Ella Bright talk about Off Campus on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton co-hosts NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Jackie Tohn (Nobody Wants This/GLOW) - NBC's Today catches up with Jackie in the 10am hour.
  • Y'lan Noel (Insecure) - Y'lan talks about Netflix's Nemesis on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)

11/04/25 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11/25 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02/25 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16/25 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16/25 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (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

05/15 - Great Entertainment Television Acquires Happy Endings; Futurama Season 14 Launches August 3
05/14 - Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2026; Netflix Upfront 2026
05/13 - Prime Video 2026 Upfront; BET Announces Lot Patrol
05/12 - ABC Upfront 2026-27: Fall 2026 Schedule; ABC Summer 2026 Schedule
05/11 - NBC Upfront 2026-27: Fall 2026 Schedule; Fox Upfront 2026-27: Fall 2026 Schedule
05/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 11, 2026)
05/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Picks Up The Rockford Files and Two Comedies; King of the Hill Season 15 Premiere Date Set
05/08 - Hulu's Hannah Berner: None of My Business Special; Survival of the Thickest Returns July 2
05/07 - Highway to Heaven Reboot Coming to Fox in 2027-28; Hulu's Deli Boys Trailer
05/06 - King of the Hill Season 15 Premieres July 20; The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Renewed for Season 2
05/05 - Son of a Critch Renewed for Final Season; The Four Seasons Trailer for Season 2
05/04 - Hulu's Lisa Ann Walter: It Was An Accident Trailer; Netflix Announces Season 2 of Bad Thoughts
05/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 4, 2026)
05/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Cancels Stumble; Do You Want Kids? Not Going Forward at ABC
05/01 - ABC Renews Shifting Gears and Scrubs for 2026-27; AMC Upfront 2026
04/30 - Apple TV Season 5 of Trying; Netflix Announces Dad's House
04/29 - Ted Lasso Season 4 Premieres August 5; Heads Will Roll to Return on Audible
04/28 - The Big Bang Theory Spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Premieres in July on HBO Max; The CW Revives Private Eyes
04/27 - Hulu's Alice and Steve Premieres June 8; Prime Video Renews Hazbin Hotel for a Fifth and Final Season
04/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 27, 2026)
04/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Scooby-Doo: Origins; Clueless Sequel Series Not Going Forward at Peacock
04/24 - A Different World Sequel Wraps Production and Adds More Cast Members; Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro Coming to ABC and Hulu in July
04/23 - Antenna TV's One Day at a Time and Rewind TV's 227 Mother's Day Marathons; Valerie Bertinelli's Lifetime Movie Love, Again Premieres May 9
04/22 - Stavros Halkias Returns to Netflix; CNN to Air Matt Friend Comedy Special Friday
04/21 - COZI TV Acquires Two and a Half Men and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper This May; Deli Boys Season 2 First Look
04/20 - Pluto TV Spring Slate Includes My Wife and Kids; Hulu Adding Podcasts with New Girl, Prison Break and This Is Us Stars
04/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 20, 2026)
04/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Law & Order: Organized Crime Ending After Five Seasons; Price Is Right to Get Live Primetime Episode in December
04/17 - Great Entertainment Television Acquires Community; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Stars Reuniting
04/16 - CBS Fall 2026-27 Schedule; The White Lotus Season 4 Filming Commences
04/15 - Audible Series with Kevin Hart This Father's Day; Pop Culture Jeopardy! Returns May 11