SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Orders Four Pilots for Fall Season; Dynasty Reboot at The CW Gets Pilot Order

Saturday, January 28, 2017

SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Orders Four Pilots for Fall Season; Dynasty Reboot at The CW Gets Pilot Order

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Sadly, it's been a busy week of deaths for classic TV stars, including two of the biggest ones from the 70s. Also, we have news of comedy pilot orders at ABC and a pilot order for a reboot of a classic primetime soap opera on The CW. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

ABC has been busy ordering comedy pilots for the fall season, including one that stars (and is also produced and directed by) Scrubs alum Zach Braff. (Hollywood Reporter)
We're sort of eager to see how such a quintessentially 80s show would work in 2017, as The CW has ordered a pilot for a reboot of Dynasty. (Entertainment Weekly)
NBC is turning 90 (to be clear, the earlier years were as a radio network), and they're getting a special to celebrate those 90 years. (Hollywood Reporter)
Actor Mike Connors, who played the title role on Mannix, has died at age 91. (Washington Post)
Actress Barbara Hale, best known for her role as Della Street on Perry Mason, has died at age 94. (Variety)
Mary Tyler Moore, of course, also died this week, and there are plenty of tributes to her to be found. (SitcomsOnline)
Law & Order: SVU is known for ripping stories out of headlines, and the latest one that they've decided to do their take on is the story of former Fox News executive Roger Ailes and anchor Gretchen Carlson. (TVLine)
Despite the fact that the kids on the show are now all adults and a one of cast members (Charlie McDermott) almost leaving the series two years ago when he was cast in a pilot that didn't go forward at CBS, the ABC sitcom The Middle continues to thrive and has been renewed for a ninth season. (SitcomsOnline)

TUESDAY (JANUARY 31) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01LTHYRH4/happydaysonline8-20

Ballers - The Complete Second Season (DVD, $29.99; Blu-ray, $34.98): The second season of the HBO series starring Dwayne Johnson arrives to home media in this release.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Atticus Shaffer (Twitter), "Count all the hours lost which are not accompanied by some worthy deed. I am a huge nerd and a homesteader who enjoys the simple things in life."

Claim to Fame: With news that The Middle has been renewed for a ninth season, we thought we'd get to the youngest kid on the series... who himself is no longer truly a kid (though his smaller stature has had him aging at a slower pace than the rest of the family on the series), as he turned 18 years old last year. Nonetheless, he still plays youngest son Brick on the series. Previously, he had guest roles in series such as The Class, Days of Our Lives, and My Name is Earl. While he has a regular role on The Middle now, he has been doing voice work lately as well, including the voice of Ono in the Disney Junior series The Lion Guard.

Pick of the Tweets: "First day of High School for Brick! Yay!!!" (October 11, 2016)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, March 12

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Big Birthday and Tequila Shots" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mandy struggles to celebrate Georgie’s 21st birthday after hitting a rough patch in her career.

Ghosts - "St. Hetty’s Day 2: The Help" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
A St. Patrick’s Day staffing emergency gives Hetty the chance to step into an unlikely role at the restaurant as she regains her once-a-year ability to be seen and heard by the living. Meanwhile, Kyle returns to watch over the ghosts and finds himself caught in an amusing supernatural dynamic.

Animal Control - "Squirrels and Fat Cats" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank uncovers Emily and Shred's secret romance during a break-in at city supply; Victoria and Patel confront his daughter's school bully.

Going Dutch - "Tinker, Tailor, Colonel, Spy" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Rick takes a sabbatical from the CIA and returns to the base, hoping to rekindle his strained relationship with Capt. Maggie; paranoia runs high when a mole is suspected to be operating inside the base.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 9)

Thursday, March 12

Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Catch Will on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Minnie Driver (Emily in Paris/Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Robert stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Kristin Chenoweth (Stumble/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Andy Cohen interviews Jennifer on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan talks about Broadway's Death of a Salesman with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Ariana joins Tamron to talk about her fashion evolution and her role in the all-star cast of the new series Scarpetta on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Lauren Graham (The Z-Suite/M.Y.O.B./Conrad Bloom/Townies/Good Company) - Lauren talks about Reminders of Him on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - NBC's Today catches up with Valerie in the 10am hour.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil and Lily Rosenthal join Drew for a taste test of weird foods and talk about their children's book Just Try It! Someplace New! (A Phil & Lil Book) on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.