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

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

Sunday, December 21

Krapopolis - "Society of Swords" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Before Deliria can become goddess of another city, she and Shlub must win over its exasperating king and queen; Ty gets dating advice from Viscera.

The Simpsons - "Keep Chalm and Gary On" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Homer gets Superintendent Chalmers a job at the power plant; Chalmers discovers huge mutated snails that produce valuable slime, launching his new career.

Universal Basic Guys - "Skyboys" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mark buys a jetpack; David wants to serve omakase at a soup kitchen.

Krapopolis - "Plague and Fury" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tyrannis gets a new girlfriend whose job becomes a problem for him; Deliria and Hippocampus deal with a plague.

Bob's Burgers - " Dog Christmas Day After Afternoon" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
A family trip to see Christmas lights turns into a rescue mission, in more ways than one.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 15)

Friday, December 19

Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Watch Regina on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) - Matt appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Rickey Smiley (The Rickey Smiley Show) - Rickey is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
Bradley Cooper (Kitchen Confidential) and Will Arnett (Murderville/Arrested Development/Flaked/The Millers/Up All Night/Running Wilde) - Bradley and Will discuss Is Thing On? on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm. Will tells Drew about playing a dramatic role in new film Is This Thing On? working with Bradley Cooper, and his podcast with pals Sean Hayes and Jason Bateman on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Kumail chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
James Van Der Beek (Friends with Better Lives/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - James opens up on his cancer battle on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Star Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - NBC's Today catches up with Neil in the 9am hour.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul and Jack Black talk about Anaconda on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Robby Hoffman (Hacks) - Robby covers the news with Drew on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Zooey and Charlie Cox talk about their new film Merv with the doggie star of the film on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.