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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, April 26
Family Guy - "Lower G.I. Joe" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A colonoscopy reveals Peter has a rare collectible toy action figure lodged in his intestine, but the reward for selling it causes a rift between him and the guys.
Bob's Burgers - "The Keyboard Kid" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tina hopes her fast-but-weird typing style gets her an "A" in typing class so she can attend an upcoming field trip.
American Dad! - "The Treasure of Old Chinatown" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Steve and Bah Bah, along with a reluctant Francine, set out to discover an ancient Chinese treasure; Roger becomes an online food influencer.
Family Guy - "Pumpkin Spice Girls" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Meg discovers the seasonal delight that is the pumpkin spice latte, but when the limited time offering lapses, her and Lois concoct an elaborate heist to steal the formula.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 20)
Friday, April 24
- Zach Galifianakis (Baskets) - Watch Zach on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Paradise on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock) - Rachel is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ellen Burstyn (The Ellen Burstyn Show) - Ellen talks about Poetry Says It Better: Poems to Help You Wake Up on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Nia Long (Uncle Buck/The Cleveland Show/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Nia talks about Michael on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Kathy Griffin (Suddenly Susan) - Kathy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Laura Marano (Austin & Ally/Back to You) - Laura talks about Original Sound on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Ayo Edebiri (Big Mouth/The Bear) and Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years/Black Monday/House of Lies/The Golden Palace) - Ayo and Don talk about Broadway's Proof on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. Don will also be on in the 9am hour.
- Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Kit and Melissa check out How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie and Sunny Anderson are joining Drew for the news and Val is telling Drew about her Lifetime movie on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jill Kargman (Odd Mom Out) - Jill tells Drew about her new movie Influenced on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and 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)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
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