Saturday, June 03, 2017

SitcomsOnline Digest: Leah Remini to Join Kevin Can Wait Cast as a Regular; WGN America Cancels Underground

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we've got news of a new cast addition on a CBS sitcom that'll make something new look a lot more like something old, we're hearing about a cancellation of an original series at WGN America that signals larger changes that are likely in the horizon, and NBC is making some changes to their fall lineup that will make Thursday nights look a lot more familiar again. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
  • Leah Remini made a brief reunion with Kevin James in the sitcom Kevin Can Wait last season, but that reunion is about to get much bigger in the second season as she becomes a regular cast member. (Variety)
  • The same hackers who posted unaired episodes of Netflix's Orange is the New Black is now targeting ABC, although it isn't clear what they intend to leak. (Deadline
  • WGN America has cancelled Underground, which is just another sign that new parent company Sinclair intends to take the network into another direction, though it isn't exactly clear what that direction is right now. (Deadline)
  • Elena Verdugo, known for her role of nurse Consuelo Lopez on Marcus Welby, M.D., died this week at age 92. (LA Times)
  • We sort of thought that the evening newscasts on the three broadcast networks were finally returning to stability after the role became a revolving door in 2004 and 2005 (when decades long staples left; specificially Tom Brokaw retired, Peter Jennings died, and Dan Rather was fired), but CBS has decided to shake things up again, announcing that Scott Pelley is out the door. (Washington Post)
  • NBC has made a significant change to their fall schedule, which means This Is Us won't be moving after all, but more importantly (to us), Thursday night will be restored to a full two hours of comedy as it was meant to be. (SitcomsOnline)  

TUESDAY (JUNE 6) HOME MEDIA RELEASE
  CHiPs - The Sixth and Final Season
  • CHiPs - The Sixth and Final Season (DVD, $24.98): Exactly ten years and one day following the release of the first season of the series, Warner Home Video finally brings out the final season in this four disc set. The complete series is also available.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Sharon Gless (Twitter)
Claim to Fame: We're going back in time just a little bit (though not completely, because she hasn't retired from acting) with Sharon Gless, who is probably best known for her role of Christine Cagney on the series Cagney & Lacey. Actually, she was not the first or even the second person to play that role. Originally, in the pilot movie, Loretta Swit (of M*A*S*H fame) played the role, and was replaced by Meg Foster once it became a series. The series was cancelled after the first season, but after some negotiating about retooling the show (including a demand that Meg Foster be replaced because the network executives felt that she wasn't "feminine" enough), it was brought back for a second season with Gless in the role. And when she took on that role, the series thrived, although there were still bumps and cancellation threats almost every season. Her career is actually far more extensive than Cagney & Lacey, though, as she also had a recurring role on Marcus Welby, M.D., a regular role on Switch, and then went on to do lots of made-for-TV movies throughout the 80s and 90s in addition to her role on Cagney & Lacey. By the late 90s, of course, made-for-TV movies sort of went out of style, but that didn't stop her from making it back into series roles, including regular roles on both Queer as Folk and Burn Notice. Despite that extensive career, her "sitcom" career is limited to one guest star role on The Bob Newhart Show, so we imagine that she must really prefer dramas. In any event, it wouldn't be surprising to see her pop up again in another role, and we hope to see just that... or maybe even just one sitcom guest appearance to see her in a different light.
Pick of the Tweets: "My dearest friend, ELENA VERDUGO, died this morning. Wonderful actress. Funniest woman I ever knew. The world is a less interesting place. (pic)" (May 30, 2017)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, May 5

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Pomp and Circumstance" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Tina and Gemma plan a joint graduation party for Malcolm and Grover, on part one of the hour-long seventh season finale.

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Venice" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The Butlers and Johnsons help Malcolm start a new chapter in a new city that, while just across town, is worlds away from the neighborhood, on part two of the hour-long seventh season finale.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 5)

Monday, May 5

  • David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!) - Watch David on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also chats about his new comedy special Dandelion on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Jim appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Chloe Fineman (Big Mouth/Search Party) - Chloe is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Connie Britton (SMILF/Lost at Home/The Fighting Fitzgeralds/Spin City) - Connie appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
  • Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Will stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
  • Hugh Jackman (Human REsources) - Hugh chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda stops by to talk about marriage, motherhood, and her latest comedy tour, Please and Thank You, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Melissa Rauch (Night Court/The Big Bang Theory) - Melissa talks about Netflix's Night Court on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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

05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards
05/01 - ABC Summer 2025 Schedule; Audible Scripted Comedy Podcasts for Summer
04/30 - The Carol Burnett Show Mother of All Marathons; Netflix Renews North of North
04/29 - Lifetime Adds New Ripped from the Headlines Movie; BET+ Orders Season 2 of Series
04/28 - Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season
04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)
04/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels Poppa's House; Final Season 50 Hosts for Saturday Night Live Set
04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
04/21 - Peacock's Twisted Metal Returns July 31; Poker Face Lines Up Big Guests for Season 2
04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
04/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Reboot in the Works at Peacock; King of the Hill Cast Reunion and Revival Preview at ATX TV Festival Next Month
04/18 - 2025 TIME100 on ABC; Atsuko Okatsuka: Father Premieres June 13 on Hulu
04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
04/09 - Paramount+ Orders Season 3 of Colin from Accounts; FX's Adults Premieres May 28
04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May
04/07 - NBC Celebrates Joan Rivers with Special; Remembering Jay North of Dennis the Menace
04/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 7, 2025)
04/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Three Animated Series and Brings Back a Fourth for Four More Seasons; ABC Renews Shifting Gears
04/04 - ABC 2025-26 Season Renewals for Scripted Series; New Season of Phineas and Ferb Returns June 5