Monday, February 11, 2019

Hallmark Channel Highlights at TCA Winter 2019 Press Tour; HBO's New Comedy Los Espookys and Final Season of Veep

Hallmark Channel

Hallmark Channel, the worldwide leader in celebrations, announces the 10th anniversary of America's favorite, most-watched holiday tradition, "Countdown to Christmas" at the bi-annual Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour. Hallmark Channel will honor the 10th anniversary of "Countdown to Christmas" with the biggest holiday season yet, featuring a programming extravaganza of a world record number of original premieres, celebrated talent, holiday specials and more! Currently, the network is in production on its first original holiday movie, The Christmas Song, starring Kristin Chenoweth, Scott Wolf and directed by Eric Close. Among the other MANY items they announced: Hallmark Channel will add "Countdown to Summer" to its lineup of programming events celebrating the seasons and special occasions with three new, original movie premieres in the month of May. As temperatures around the country begin to rise and people yearn for the longer days ahead, the network will offer a fresh slate of movies designed to transport viewers to the upcoming carefree days of summer and whet their appetites for the sun, sand and romance that populate the warmer months. This newest addition joins Hallmark Channel's popular "Winterfest," "Countdown to Valentine's Day," "Spring Fever," "June Weddings" "Fall Harvest" and the event that started it all, "Countdown to Christmas.

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries announces it will launch Signature Mystery, the premiere Sunday night destination on television for thrilling mysteries featuring a slate of all-new mystery franchises and the return of the network's highest-rated mystery series. On the heels of successful ratings in Q4, the network unveils plans for new installments of returning, popular mystery franchises including Garage Sale Mysteries, starring Lori Loughlin; Aurora Teagarden Mysteries starring Candace Cameron Bure; Hailey Dean Mysteries, starring Kellie Martin and based on the books by Nancy Grace; and Morning Show Mysteries, starring Holly Robinson Peete and Rick Fox and based on the books by Al Roker and Dick Lochte. The returning hit franchises will be joined by all-new mysteries, Chronicle Mysteries, starring Alison Sweeney, Crossword Mysteries starring Lacey Chabert and Brennan Elliott and inspired by Will Shortz, crossword editor of The New York Times; and Picture Perfect Mysteries (wt) starring Alexa PenaVega and Carlos PenaVega.


Veep

The Emmy(R)-winning comedy series Veep kicks off its seven-episode, seventh and final season Sunday, March 31 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on HBO. The show stars Emmy(R) and Screen Actors Guild Award winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer, who is hitting the campaign trail as she runs for president. The series is also available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners' streaming platforms. The ensemble cast of the show also includes two-time Emmy(R) winner Tony Hale as Gary, her devoted bodyman; Emmy(R) nominee Anna Chlumsky as Amy, her right hand; Emmy(R) nominee Matt Walsh as Mike, her former spokesperson; Reid Scott as the ultra-ambitious Dan; Timothy C. Simons as Jonah Ryan, a former hanger-on turned congressman; Kevin Dunn as Ben, her campaign manager; Emmy(R) nominee Gary Cole as analyst Kent; Sam Richardson as staffer Richard; and Sarah Sutherland as Catherine, Selina's daughter.

Los Espookys

From the minds of fresh, exciting talents Julio Torres and Ana Fabrega, alongside Fred Armisen and Lorne Michaels of Saturday Night Live, comes the primarily Spanish-language comedy series Los Espookys, which begins its six-episode season this June on HBO. The half-hour series follows a group of friends who turn their love for horror into a peculiar business, providing horror to those who need it, in a dreamy Latin American country where the strange and eerie are just part of daily life. Starring Bernardo Velasco, Cassandra Ciangherotti, Ana Fabrega, Julio Torres and Fred Armisen, Los Espookys was created by Fred Armisen & Ana Fabrega & Julio Torres, and executive produced by Fred Armisen, Lorne Michaels and Andrew Singer.

Renaldo (Bernardo Velasco), a horror and gore enthusiast, assembles his friends to form Los Espookys. Noble, kind, naïve, and always running out of cellphone minutes, he's joined by Ursula (Cassandra Ciangherotti), a tough, calm and collected dental assistant who handles the logistics and execution of Los Espookys' work, like making sure they get paid for their spooks. Also in the group is Ursula's sister, Tati (Ana Fabrega), who constantly juggles several odd jobs, such as breaking in other people's shoes and counting people's steps. She acts as Los Espookys' test dummy. Rounding out Los Espookys is Renaldo's best friend, Andres (Julio Torres), a dark and mysterious heir to a chocolate empire who longs to unlock the secrets to his past and avoid his beautiful boyfriend. Meanwhile, Renaldo's reliable uncle, Tico (Fred Armisen), is living his dream of parking cars as a prodigious valet driver in LA.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, October 13

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Do The Right Thing" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
After losing his job, Jeremy decides to move to the backwoods of Georgia to help his grandfather, who has purchased a rundown home for the elderly.

The Ms. Pat Show - "Hell to the Chief" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Terry shocks the family when he reveals that the Carsons will host the U.S. President for dinner, and Brandon comes home with a student who needs to be hidden from ICE.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 12)

Tuesday, October 13

  • Kate Berlant (Ghosted/Search Party) - Catch Kate on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Riz Ahmed (Bait) - Riz appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Natasha Leggero (Broke/Dice/Another Period/Free Agents) and Tommy Davidson (The Varnell Hill Show/The Proud Family/Malcolm & Eddie/Between Brothers) - Natasha and Tommy will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Betty Gilpin (GLOW/Nurse Jackie) - Betty talks about The Lowdown on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary) - Chris talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Sarah Chalke (Scrubs/Roseanne/Mad Love/How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)) - Sarah chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Ms. Pat (The Ms. Pat Show) - Ms. Pat talks about Ms. American Dream with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She will also be on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men/The Naked Truth/The Powers That Be/Bosom Buddies) - NBC's Today catches up with Holland in the 9am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is making a viral sorbet on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Scott Caan (Entourage) - Drew is sitting down with LL Cool J and Scott to talk about the premiere of their new series NCIS: New York on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Christa B. Allen (Cake) - Christa is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray) The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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