Wednesday, March 22, 2017
A&E and Lifetime Upfront 2017; Kevin James Gets Netflix Comedy Special for 2018
A&E Networks had their upfront last night. Lifetime's mission to lead entertainment through female-centric storytelling continues with the greenlight of three new high-profile movies: Flint, starring Cher; Watcher in the Woods, starring Anjelica Huston; and I Am Elizabeth Smart featuring Elizabeth Smart as executive producer and on-screen narrator. Supporting Lifetime's new brand mantra, "Possibility is Power," forthcoming movie and series tent poles reimagine what is possible for women today while championing diverse role models and celebrating our evolving and complex ideas of womanhood. No one does this better than Cat Deeley and her new unscripted series at Lifetime, This Time Next Year, along with fierce television and fashion personality Yolanda Hadid in her new unscripted series to premiere later this year, Model Moms (wt).
Meanwhile at A&E, the iconic, genre-defining series which won countless industry awards, Biography, is returning to A+E Networks after five years as a re-imagined global, linear and digital non-fiction franchise. The Emmy Award-winning Biography, which will focus on meaningful events or personalities and their impact on our culture, will begin to roll out on A&E, HISTORY and Lifetime domestically and internationally across all platforms beginning this spring. Initial projects under the Biography banner include Biggie Smalls, Vladimir Putin, Tupac Shakur, John Gotti Jr., Elizabeth Smart, Mike Tyson and David Koresh.
Kevin James is returning to his stand-up roots with an all-new comedy special for Netflix, the world's leading Internet TV network. The veteran comic's latest special, slated to shoot later this year, will launch globally on Netflix in 2018. A comedian, producer, writer and Emmy-nominated actor, James is an established and well-respected staple in entertainment today. Discovered at the 1996 Montreal Comedy Festival -- and unwittingly taking the first step in what would become an illustrious career -- he signed a network development deal which lead to the creation of his 1998 CBS smash-hit The King of Queens. The sitcom, starring and executive-produced by James, ran for nine seasons and garnered the actor a 2006 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. While Queens wrapped its run in 2007, it still continues to air daily and find a new audience in syndication around the world. James currently stars in and executive-produces the CBS sitcom Kevin Can Wait, which debuted in 2016. He'll next appear in the Netflix original film Sandy Wexler, launching globally April 14.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Friday, January 24
American Housewife - "Wildflower Girls" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Katie grows concerned when Anna-Kat is invited to join Westport’s elite scout troop, The Wildflower Girls. Meanwhile, Taylor learns her Carnegie Mellon interview is scheduled with famous alumnus and Broadway star Brecken Phillips (Ian Gomez); and, Oliver befriends the school recluse, Trevor (Tenzing Norgay-Trainor).
Fresh Off the Boat - "The Magic Motor Inn" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
In a selfish move to avoid Jessica’s wrath once SAT scores arrive, Eddie convinces Evan that coaching from former classmate and spelling bee champ Simryn is exactly what he needs to finally win the state spelling bee. However, when it backfires and Evan begins to spiral, Eddie gets some much-needed wisdom from Simryn’s dad. On the other side of town, Jessica and Louis convince Emery to get a job only to be shocked by what he chooses.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)
Friday, January 24
- Penn Badgley (Do Over) - Watch Penn on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Larry appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ali Wong (American Housewife/Are You There, Chelsea?) - Ali is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Tim Robbins (The Brink) - Tim chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Bless This Mess/Broad City) - Susie chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Jennifer Anison (Friends/Muddling Through/Ferris Bueller/Molloy) - Jennifer guest hosts The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Ashley Williams (The Jim Gaffigan Show/Good Morning, Miami) - Ashley talks about Chris Watts: Confessions of a Killer on People Now at 12pm.
- The Cast of Indebted - Abby Elliot, Jessy Hodges and Adam Pally are guests on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Retta (Parks and Recreation) and Reno Wilson (Mike & Molly) - Retta and Reno talk about Good Girls on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs/Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Jeff appears on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
- Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Out All Night) - Vivica is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (November/December/January)
11/05 - The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang - The Complete Animated Series
11/05 - Laverne & Shirley in the Army (Animated Series) - The DVD Edition
11/05 - Letterkenny - Seasons 1 & 2
11/05 - Step by Step - The Complete Fifth Season (WBShop.com)
11/12 - The Big Bang Theory - The Twelfth and Final Season (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The Big Bang Theory - The Complete Series (Blu-ray Limited Edition)
11/18 - The Guest Book - Season Two
11/19 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Mill Creek) (Blu-ray)
11/19 - The Kominsky Method - The Complete First Season (Blu-ray)
12/03 - The Simpsons - The Nineteenth Season
12/03 - The Simpsons - Seasons 1-20: Limited Collector's Set
12/06 - 9JKL - The Complete Series
12/10 - Family Guy - Season Seventeen
12/17 - Atlanta - Season 2 - Robbin' Season
12/17 - Fuller House - The Complete Fourth Season
12/17 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (2019 Release)
12/17 - The Other Two - Season 1
01/02 - My Three Sons - The Fifth Season - Volume One
01/02 - My Three Sons - The Fifth Season - Volume Two
01/14 - Veep - The Final (Seventh) Season ((Blu-ray)
01/14 - Veep - The Complete Series (DVD)
01/21 - Hangin' with Mr. Cooper - The Complete Third Season (WBShop.com)
01/21 - The Mindy Project - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/28 - Ballers - The Complete Fifth and Final Season
01/28 - Ballers - The Complete Series
01/28 - The Mindy Project - The Complete Series (DVD)
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