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 (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
Tuesday, June 17
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 16)
Tuesday, June 17
- Ayo Edebiri (Big Mouth/The Bear) - Catch Ayo on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory/Happy Family/Welcome to New York/Cybill) - Christine appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger (FUBAR) - Arnold chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Renée Elise Goldsberry (Girls5eva) - Renée performs on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Roy Wood Jr. (Sullivan & Son) - Roy is a guest on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan appears on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil talks about Somebody Feed Phil on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Sam Rockwell (F Is for Family) - Sam talks about The White Lotus on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl and her husband, Pennsylvania State Senator Vincent Hughes, sit down for an EXCLUSIVE conversation about their choice to live in separate cities, which set off the internet on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- Brianne Howey (Dollface) - Brianne talks about Netflix's Ginny & Georgia on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and 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)
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