SitcomsOnline Digest: What Does Disney and Fox Merger Mean for The Simpsons?; New Step by Step DVDs

Saturday, January 26, 2019

SitcomsOnline Digest: What Does Disney and Fox Merger Mean for The Simpsons?; New Step by Step DVDs

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing some speculation about the future of The Simpsons that fans may not want to hear (though it's still way too early to speculate too much). Additionally, we finally have news of some new sitcom DVD releases, something that we haven't had in over a month! Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

The Simpsons has had a long run on Fox, but soon, it will be a Disney show airing on a network owned by a different company, and the strange economics may mean that Disney will need to cancel the show to maximize the profitability. (Variety)
Viacom has acquired the free streaming service Pluto TV, but it remains to be seen how this will change the service. (Deadline)
A lot of naysayers said that continuing Roseanne without the lead actress was never going to work, but things seem to be going fairly well for The Conners in ratings. (Hollywood Reporter)
The Jerry Springer Show is done, but he will be returning to the air with his courtroom series in the fall as that show has reached 90% clearance. (Deadline)
NBC has scheduled a premiere date for sitcom Abby's. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

Warner Archive is moving ahead on Step by Step, with Step by Step - The Complete Fourth Season arriving on February 12.
That isn't all from Warner Archive, on February 26 they'll be releasing What I Like About You - The Complete Fourth Season.

WEEKLY PLANNER (JANUARY 26 - FEBRUARY 1)

Decades is airing 77 Sunset Strip all weekend long.
Fox debuts their live musical version of Rent on Sunday night.
New episodes of Will & Grace return Thursday on NBC.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Friday, October 18

American Housewife - "Lasagna" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Greg hosts a meeting for the Westport Historical Guild to welcome back Stan (Timothy Omundson), and Katie’s homemade lasagna is a huge hit with the guys. After Stan makes several trips back for seconds and begins spending an inordinate amount of time at the Otto house, Chloe Brown Mueller (Jessica St. Clair) becomes convinced that Katie and Stan must be having an extra-marital affair. Meanwhile, Angela and Doris step in to help Oliver with his Teen Help Line.

Fresh Off the Boat - "S'Mothered" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
While Eddie faces his fears and finally introduces his girlfriend Tina to his mom, Louis is in search of his next passion.

Raven's Home - "Girls Just Wanna Have Phones" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Nia and Tess square off in a competition with Raven and Chelsea to see who can go without technology the longest; Booker tries to impress a new girl in the building.

Just Roll With It - "The Tutor" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Owen volunteers to tutor the school's star basketball player, Big Jim, so that he can pass an upcoming test and be eligible to play in the game.

Gabby Duran & the Unsittables - "Wesley and the Fischman" (Disney Channel, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Gabby has to choose between keeping her new secret alien-babysitting gig a secret or risking it all by confiding in her extraterrestrial-obsessed best friend, Wesley.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 14)

Friday, October 18

Chris O'Dowd (Family Tree/The IT Crowd) - Watch Chris on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Kal Penn (Sunnyside/Deadbeat/We Are Men) - Kal appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
America Ferrera (Superstore) - America is a guest on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Regina King (227) - Regina visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Julie Andrews (Julie) - Julie speaks about her book Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Sean Hayes (Will & Grace/The Millers/Sean Saves the World) - Sean guest hosts The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Pam Grier (Bless This Mess) - Pam drops by The Real, so check your local listings.
Sara Gilbert (The Conners/Roseanne/Living Biblically/Bad Teacher) - Sara appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Angela Kinsey (The Office/Haters Back Off/Your Family or Mine) and Jenna Fischer (Splitting Up Together/The Office) - Angela and Jenna talk about the Office Ladies Podcast on ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
Kal Penn (Sunnyside/Deadbeat/We Are Men) - Kal visits Access Live, so check your local listings.
Marcus Scribner (black-ish) - Marcus appears on Access Live, so check your local listings.
William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) - William can be heard on The Morning Mashup on SiriusXM.
Billy Bob Thornton (Hearts Afire) - Billy Bob talks about Goliath on Couch Surfing at 8am.