Saturday, December 03, 2016

SitcomsOnline Digest: FXX Sees Ratings Records Thanks to The Simpsons Marathon; Betty White to Guest Star on Young & Hungry

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's been another busy news week, but we've got just a little bit of what is going on, including FXX seeing ratings success from their (still ongoing) marathon of The Simpsons, a Betty White guest appearance on a Freeform series, news of Fuller House DVDs, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • FXX may just want to consider becoming a 24/7 network for The Simpsons (or at least consider doing extended marathons once or twice a year), because just like the last time they did a marathon with every episode of the series, they are breaking network ratings once again with the current marathon which started on Thanksgiving and is still on-going through most of next week. (Forbes)
  • Betty White, who broke the record for longest career in television years ago, is making sure that record stands as she continues to score more guest appearances on TV series, including her latest one that was announced for the Freeform series Young & Hungry. (Deadline)
  • Trae Crowder, who has developed the persona of "Liberal Redneck" through his comedy, is looking to do what a famous conservative redneck (Jeff Foxworthy) did, specifically getting his own sitcom, and this week it was announced that Fox has given a script commitment to the idea. (Deadline)
  • Celebrity Name Game was one of the few original ideas among syndicated game shows in recent years that sort of caught on with viewers, but it didn't catch on enough, as the series will not be renewed for a fourth season. (Hollywood Reporter)
  • Decades, the TV network that was supposed to be about some theme everyday, seems to be finding even more accidental success in their weekend "binge" marathons, and as a result, will be continuing doing half day binges every weekday in December (much like they did with police dramas in November), this time emphasizing sitcoms. (SitcomsOnline)  
  • Ron Glass, who was best known for his role on Barney Miller, died this week at age 71. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

TUESDAY (DECEMBER 6) HOME MEDIA RELEASE
https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01FL1TW74/happydaysonline5-20
  • Family Guy - Season Fourteen (DVD, $29.98): While the other animated comedies from the Fox Sunday night lineup (including even The Simpsons) seem to be abandoned on DVD, this one continues on with another full season of episodes on a three disc set.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Andrew Rannells (Twitter), "Actor in New York. Sometimes LA. But mostly New York. And I was born in Nebraska."
Claim to Fame: As his bio on Twitter says, Andrew Rannells was born in Nebraska and considers himself an actor in New York (and sometimes Los Angeles). It's no surprise, then, that as an actor in New York, he can most frequently be seen on stage on Broadway. In fact, to date, his biggest role anywhere was probably his role of playing Elder Price in the original run of the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon (which, of course, has a TV comedy connection of its own in a way, as Matt Stone and Trey Parker of South Park fame are two of the three creators of that show). Most recently, he spent a few weeks playing a role in Hamilton. But Broadway musicals are not the only talent Rannells has, as he also does television as well. He starred in the NBC sitcom The New Normal immediately after his Book of Mormon run, but that only lasted one season. More recently, he has found success in the HBO series Girls. It was recently announced that series will be ending after the sixth season (which hasn't debuted yet), so
Pick of the Tweets: "I'm a little late sharing this, but I'm very excited. Girls, season 6! February 12, 2017! @girlsHBO" (November 23, 2016)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, January 8

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 5)

Thursday, January 8

  • Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - Catch Denis on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Idris Elba (Turn Up Charlie) - Idris is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Hijack on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Lucy Liu (Joey/Pearl) - Lucy appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm. She chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Holly Hunter (Mr. Mayor) - Holly talks about Paramount+'s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan talks about The Traitors on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan talks about Unfunny Bunny on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
  • Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) - Matt co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric and Malik S talk about YouTube's Laughing Voodoo on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


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)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete 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)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (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

01/08 - Netflix Orders Nick Kroll Comedy Series; Saturday Night Live January 2026 Hosts and Music Guests
01/07 - Saturday Night Live Bobbleheads from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum; Fox Entertainment Signs Tracee Ellis Ross to Deal
01/06 - Emily in Paris Renewed for Season 6; Audible's New Comedy Series Starring Jenifer Lewis, Cedric the Entertainer, and Niecy Nash-Betts
01/05 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; Season 3 of Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal on Adult Swim
01/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 5, 2026)
01/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Premiere Date Set for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; NBC Pulls The Paper
01/02 - Bridgerton Season 4 Details and Live Premiere Event; NBC Pulls The Paper from Mondays
01/01 - Happy New Year; Shrinking Season 3 Trailer
12/31 - In Memoriam: Remembering the Sitcom Stars We Lost in 2025
12/30 - Antenna TV and Rewind TV's New Year's Eve and Day Marathons; Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair Premieres April 10
12/29 - COZI TV Postpones The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch; Netflix Releases Free Bert Trailer
12/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 29, 2025)
12/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Chevy Chase "Hurt" By Not Being Invited to SNL 50th Anniversary; New Lineups for Antenna TV and Rewind TV
12/26 - GET Acquires Psych for January 2026; Details on Netflix's A Different World Sequel
12/25 - Merry Christmas from Sitcoms Online; Interviews from 2025 Christmas Con in Edison, NJ
12/24 - 2025 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day TV Marathons
12/23 - Antenna TV January 2026 Schedule; Rewind TV January 2026 Schedule
12/22 - The Ms. Pat Show Returns January 7; According to Jim Christmas Day Marathon on Laff
12/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 22, 2025)
12/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Historical 19th Century Comedy in the Works at CBS; Bowen Yang Leaving Saturday Night Live After Tonight
12/19 - The Muppet Show 50th Anniversary Event in February on ABC & Disney+; Adult Swim Renews Haha, You Clowns for 2 More Seasons
12/18 - The Oscars Moving to YouTube in 2029; Celebs for Hollywood Squares Season 2
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