SitcomsOnline Digest: Will & Grace Limited Series Gets Additional Episodes; Shout! Announces New Diff'rent Strokes and T.J. Hooker DVDs

Saturday, April 08, 2017

SitcomsOnline Digest: Will & Grace Limited Series Gets Additional Episodes; Shout! Announces New Diff'rent Strokes and T.J. Hooker DVDs

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's been a busy news week this week, but we've got highlights, including an order for additional episodes of the upcoming Will & Grace revival, more Diff'rent Strokes DVDs, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

NBC's upcoming Will & Grace limited series is a little less limited now, as it has received an order for more episodes. (Variety)
The HBO series Girls is coming to an end very soon, and given the title, it's sort of hard to believe that it took this long for somebody to do a parody where the cast does a parody (though it isn't quite character for character) of The Golden Girls, but Jimmy Kimmel helped deliver that this week. (Deadline)
In the old days (as in five years ago), a TV series would air on a broadcast or cable network, and if it did well there, it would eventually air on an online streaming service. Now, the Amazon Prime series Transparent is about to do the opposite, as Sundance will be airing the first season beginning this summer. (Deadline)
The People's Choice Awards has aired on CBS every year since it began in 1975, but that will change in 2018, as it moves to E!. (New York Times)
Joe Harris is definitely not a household name, but if you've seen the commercials with the Trix rabbit or The Underdog Show, both characters that he created and animated, then you are familiar with his work. He died this week at age 89. (Deadline)
Four decades ago, Alice and One Day at a Time were a regular part of the CBS lineup. Two decades ago, they were paired again on the cable network E.! It's been 20 years since they were last together, so it only makes sense that they would be paired again, this time as both recently started airing on the cable network Logo. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

For a while, we doubted that Diff'rent Strokes would ever be completed on DVD, but our doubts are quickly being erased now, as Shout! Factory released Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Fifth Season just this past week and already has plans for the Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Sixth Season, to be released on July 25.
Shout! Factory also announced another surprise this week, with their announcement of T.J. Hooker - The Complete Series, set for a July 18 release.

TUESDAY (APRIL 11) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

Father Knows Best - Season Five (DVD, $34.99): It's not exactly a new release, but this former Shout! Select release comes to regular retailers with this release.
Silicon Valley - The Complete Third Season (DVD, $24.98; Blu-ray, $34.98): The hit HBO series continues on DVD with this release.
Veep - The Complete Fifth Season (DVD, $24.98; Blu-ray, $34.98): The Julia Louis-Dreyfuss HBO series arrives on DVD in this release.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Jenna Elfman (Twitter), "People watcher. Human lover. Big fan of the absurd. Golden Rule enthusiast."

Claim to Fame: Jenna Elfman is best known as an actress, particularly in her role as Dharma in the ABC series Dharma & Greg. All around that, though, she has been in a string of sitcoms that haven't quite succeeded, such as Townies (before Dharma & Greg), and series such as Courting Alex, 1600 Penn and Growing Up Fischer. Currently, she can be seen on the ABC series Imaginary Mary.

Pick of the Tweets: "WEST COAST! We're watching #imaginarymary @ImaginaryMaryTV with you right now on ABC! (pic)" (April 4, 2017)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, April 6

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Gemma Johnson's Day Off" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Gemma reaches her limit at work, and when a car issue forces her to slow down, an unexpected break helps her rethink what she really wants next. Meanwhile, Marty and Malcolm’s plans are thrown off course when unexpected opportunities arise, and Dave embraces a new career path.

The Neighorhood - "A Farewell Special" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
CBS presents The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special, an Entertainment Tonight production, airing Monday, April 6 (8:30-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. Hosted by Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier and filmed on location on The Neighborhood's stages, the special celebrates the acclaimed CBS comedy's final season, honoring eight seasons, 156 episodes, and eight unforgettable years of laughter, heart and community, leading up to the series finale on May 11.

This celebratory event features exclusive new interviews with the cast reflecting on their journey, revisiting early days on set, and looking back at the show's evolution and cultural impact. From its heartfelt exploration of friendship and family to its comedic take on life in a changing community, The Neighborhood has become a beloved part of CBS' comedy legacy.

The special includes never-before-seen footage and archival interviews from the ET Vault, offering fans a nostalgic look at the series' most iconic moments and the relationships built along the way. Viewers will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the emotional final days of production, including the cast and crew's last table read, intimate moments from the final tapings, and heartfelt goodbyes.

Additionally, The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special brings audiences inside the cast's final wrap party, capturing the laughter, speeches, memories, and surprises that marked the end of an era. To cap off the evening, fans will get an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming series finale, with the cast and producers sharing what viewers can expect as the Butlers and Johnsons say farewell to the neighborhood they've called home for nearly a decade.

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to New Horizons" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dave’s silent auction wins lead to a classical concert outing with Gemma and the Butlers that quickly goes off the rails. Meanwhile, Malcolm’s ghostwriting gig takes a surprising turn when Tina encourages him to dive into reality TV for inspiration – sparking an unexpected obsession.

St. Denis Medical - "We Make Time" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a doctor becomes a patient, his co-workers rally around him, whether he likes it or not; Matt and Serena need to talk.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "The Loyalty Swamp" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tobin's past comes back to haunt him; Reggie and Brina struggle to set a wedding date.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)

Monday, April 6

Jason Segel (Shrinking/How I Met Your Mother/Undeclared) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Keanu Reaves (Swedish Dicks) - Keanu is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He also talks about Outcome on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Melissa Gilbert (Stand by Your Man) - ABC's Good Morning America has George Stephanopoulos' exclusive interview with Melissa sometime between 7-9am.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie talks about Big Mistakes on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Kerry chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Mindy Kaling (Running Point/The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy talks about Mindy's Book Studio on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry and Rebecca King-Crews make an exclusive announcement on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. Terry will also be on in the 9am hour.
Sterling K. Brown (Starved) and Ryan Michelle Bathe (First Wives Club/Retired at 35) - Sterling and his wife Ryan Michelle tell Sherri about the highly anticipated new season of Paradise now streaming on Hulu & Disney+ on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda talks season 2 of Your Friends & Neighbors and her new film Fantasy Life on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.