Tuesday, November 21, 2017

CBS Gives 9JKL More Episodes; Remembering Della Reese of Touched by an Angel, Chico and the Man

9JKL

CBS has given a full season order to new drama series S.W.A.T. (20 episodes) and has picked up three additional episodes of new comedy 9JKL for the 2017-2018 broadcast season. S.W.A.T. is averaging 10.36 million viewers, 1.9 in adults 18-49 and 2.8 in adults 25-54 (all Live+7). The Monday freshman comedy 9JKL is averaging 7.40 million viewers in Live+7. S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore, Stephanie Sigman, Alex Russell, Jay Harrington, Lina Esco, Kenny Johnson, Peter Onorati and David Lim. Aaron Thomas, Shawn Ryan, Justin Lin, Neal Moritz, Marney Hochman, Danielle Woodrow and Pavun Shetty are executive producers for Sony Pictures Television in association with CBS Television Studios. S.W.A.T. airs Thursdays (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

9JKL stars Mark Feuerstein, David Walton, Elliott Gould, Linda Lavin, Liza Lapira, Matt Murray and Albert Tsai. Dana Klein, Mark Feuerstein, Aaron Kaplan, Wendi Trilling, Dana Honor and Pamela Fryman are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. 9JKL airs Mondays (9:30-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.


Della Reese

Actress and singer Della Reese, who starred as Tess in Touched by an Angel and as Della Rogers in Chico and the Man, has died. She died peacefully at her Los Angeles home on November 19. Ms. Reese was 86.

Reese hosted her own talk show early in her career called Della. It aired for 197 episodes from June 9, 1969 to March 13, 1970. She became the first black woman to guest host The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1970.

Some of her early television appearances included The Mod Squad, The Bold Ones: The New Doctors, Police Woman, McCloud, Petrocelli, The Rookies and Sanford and Son.

Chico and the Man - Freddie Prinze, Della Reese and Jack Albertson

She joined the cast of Chico and the Man in the fall of 1976. She played Della Rogers, the owner of the diner across from Ed's Garage and Ed's landlady. The ABC sitcom ran for four seasons and 88 episodes from 1974-1978. It starred Jack Albertson, Freddie Prinze (1974-1977), Scatman Crothers, Bonnie Boland (1974-1975), Isaac Ruiz (1974-1977), Ronny Graham (1975-1976), Gabriel Melgar (1977-1978) and Charo (1977-1978). Reese first guest starred as The Judge in the 1975 episode "The Juror."

Reese appeared as Judge Caroline Phillips in six episodes of the 1982-1983 ABC sitcom It Takes Two. The series starred Richard Crenna, Patty Duke Astin, Helen Hunt, Anthony Edwards, Billie Bird, Richard McKenzie and Randy Dreyfuss.

She joined the cast of Charlie & Co. for four episodes in early 1986 as Charlie's (Flip Wilson) sister-in-law, Aunt Rachel. The 1985-1986 CBS sitcom also starred Gladys Knight, Fran Robinson, Kristoff St. John, Jaleel White, Ray Girardin, Richard Karron, Kip King, Terry McGovern and Eddie Velez.

The Royal Family

Reese starred with Redd Foxx in the 1991-1992 CBS sitcom The Royal Family. Al Royal and his wife Victoria were an Atlanta couple looking forward to retirement until his daughter and her family move back home. The series also starred Mariann Aaida, Sylver Gregory, Larenz Tate, Naya Rivera, Jackée Harry and Barry Shabaka Henley.

Touched by an Angel

Her best known role was as the supervisor Tess in the religious supernatural drama Touched by an Angel, which aired on CBS from 1994-2003. It ran for nine seasons and 212 episodes. It also starred Roma Downey, John Dye and Valerie Bertinelli (2001-2003). Reese performed the show's theme song titled "Walk with You." She received two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 1997 and 1998 and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television in 1998. She also appeared in six episodes of the spin-off series Promised Land in 1996-1998.

Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included Welcome Back, Kotter, The Love Boat, 227, Night Court, Married People, Dream On, Designing Women and That's So Raven.

She played the mother of B. A. Baracus (Mr. T) in a 1985 episode of The A-Team. Some of other drama guest appearances included Medical Center, Insight, Crazy Like a Fox, The Young Riders, MacGyver, L.A. Law, Picket Fences, Detroit 1-8-7 and Signed, Sealed, Delivered.

Her film credits included Psychic Killer, Harlem Nights (with Redd Foxx), A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Beauty Shop, If I Had Known I Was a Genius and Expecting Mary.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive itnerview with her on June 13, 2008.

Survivors include her husband, Franklin Lett, and her three children, James, Franklin and Dominique Reese.

Ms. Reese was a gifted actress and singer. She was wonderful as the wise angel Tess in Touched by An Angel. We thank her for the many hours of entertainment she brought us over her long career. She will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our Touched by an Angel or Chico and the Man message boards. View photos in our galleries.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, January 21

Shifting Gears - "Toys" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Riley’s new relationship feels perfect until Matt crashes in, throwing some unexpected obstacles her way. Meanwhile, Matt’s toy car project is derailed when he and Gabe are tasked with working together. Jesse Williams and Maria Bamford guest star.

Abbott Elementary - "Mall Part 3: Heroes" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After the faculty finds surprising success operating the school in the mall, they quickly realize they are being taken advantage of. Meanwhile, a new custodian arrives to join Mr. Johnson.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 19)

Wednesday, January 21

  • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building/Mulaney/I'm a Big Girl Now/The Associates) - Watch Martin on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher) - Jackson appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) - Jane is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Jessica Williams (Shrinking/Love Life/Just for Kicks) - Jessica stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Bert Kreischer (Free Bert) - Bert appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also chats about Unfunny Bunny and Saturday Night Live with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu is a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan share details of his new children’s book, Unfunny Bunny, and more on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Scott Foley (The Goodwin Games/A.U.S.A./Scrubs) - Scott talks about Will Trent and It's Not Like That on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That.../Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - Sarah discusses her love of reading and protecting her vision with Lara Spencer on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Jennette McCurdy (Sam & Cat/iCarly) - Jennette talks about Half Her Age on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Arden Myrin (Free Bert/Working/Still the King) - Arden dishes about her new Netflix series Free Bert on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) and Meaghan Rath (Children Ruin Everything/Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life/The Assistants) - Jason and Meagahn talk about their film Untitled Home Invasion Romance on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim talks about Netflix's The Upshaws on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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)

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

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01/15 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Special Preview; ABC Midseason Changes for Monday and Tuesday Night Lineups
01/14 - NBC Orders Pilots, Including The Rockford Files; The CW to Premiere Celebrity Series
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01/12 - Peacock's The 'Burbs Trailer; The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch Back on COZI TV
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01/08 - Netflix Orders Nick Kroll Comedy Series; Saturday Night Live January 2026 Hosts and Music Guests
01/07 - Saturday Night Live Bobbleheads from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum; Fox Entertainment Signs Tracee Ellis Ross to Deal
01/06 - Emily in Paris Renewed for Season 6; Audible's New Comedy Series Starring Jenifer Lewis, Cedric the Entertainer, and Niecy Nash-Betts
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01/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 5, 2026)
01/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Premiere Date Set for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; NBC Pulls The Paper
01/02 - Bridgerton Season 4 Details and Live Premiere Event; NBC Pulls The Paper from Mondays
01/01 - Happy New Year; Shrinking Season 3 Trailer
12/31 - In Memoriam: Remembering the Sitcom Stars We Lost in 2025
12/30 - Antenna TV and Rewind TV's New Year's Eve and Day Marathons; Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair Premieres April 10
12/29 - COZI TV Postpones The Jeff Foxworthy Show Launch; Netflix Releases Free Bert Trailer
12/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 29, 2025)
12/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Chevy Chase "Hurt" By Not Being Invited to SNL 50th Anniversary; New Lineups for Antenna TV and Rewind TV
12/26 - GET Acquires Psych for January 2026; Details on Netflix's A Different World Sequel
12/25 - Merry Christmas from Sitcoms Online; Interviews from 2025 Christmas Con in Edison, NJ
12/24 - 2025 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day TV Marathons
12/23 - Antenna TV January 2026 Schedule; Rewind TV January 2026 Schedule
12/22 - The Ms. Pat Show Returns January 7; According to Jim Christmas Day Marathon on Laff
12/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of December 22, 2025)