Wednesday, November 27, 2019

CBS Slates I Love Lucy Christmas Special on Dec. 20; Is 2020 the Year of the Rabbit?

I Love Lucy - The Christmas Episode

I Love Lucy Christmas Special, a new one-hour special featuring two back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series, will be broadcast Friday, Dec. 20 from 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. I Love Lucy Christmas Special features "The Christmas Episode" and the newly colorized "Paris at Last." The main titles and end credits are seamlessly combined into one set at the beginning and end of the hour, with no interruption between the episodes. "The Christmas Episode" finds the Ricardos and Mertzes decorating Lucy and Ricky's Christmas tree and reminiscing about how their lives have changed since the arrival of the Ricardos' son, Little Ricky (Keith Thibodeaux). Flashbacks recall the night Lucy told Ricky she was pregnant, the time Lucy showed up unexpectedly as part of a barbershop quartet and the day Ricky and the Mertzes rehearsed taking Lucy to the maternity ward. "The Christmas Episode" was first broadcast on CBS on Christmas Eve, 1956. The episode was not included in the series' long history of rebroadcasts, first on CBS Daytime and later in syndication. Long thought to be lost, the program was rediscovered by CBS in 1989.

I Love Lucy - Paris at Last

In "Paris at Last," the Ricardos and Mertzes arrive in the French capital, where Lucy encounters a sidewalk artist who sells multiple copies of the same "original" oil painting, and a con man who offers a better exchange rate for her American dollars than the one offered in the banks. Later, her attempt to have a quiet lunch in an outdoor café finds her not only unwittingly ordering a plate of snails, but paying the check with counterfeit French francs. Next stop: the Bastille? "Paris at Last" was originally broadcast on Feb. 27, 1956, and became an immediate viewer favorite. I Love Lucy Christmas specials have aired on the Network the past six years, each combining the holiday-themed episode with a different comedy classic. Beginning in 2015, "The Christmas Episode" has been shown colorized in its entirety, with fully colorized flashback scenes that had previously been presented in black and white.


Year of the Rabbit

IFC's new original comedy series Year of the Rabbit follows Detective Inspector Rabbit (Berry), a hardened booze-hound who's seen it all, and his hapless, new, by-the-books partner Strauss (Freddie Fox; Cucumber, Banana). While they're investigating a local murder, the lewd but insightful adoptive daughter (Susan Wokoma; Chewing Gum, Crazyhead) of the chief of police joins them, becoming the country's first female officer. Together, the trio must fight crime while rubbing shoulders with street gangs, crooked politicians, spiritualists, music hall stars and more.

Year of the Rabbit, co-produced by IFC, is directed by BAFTA-nominated Ben Taylor (Catastrophe) and written by Emmy(R) and WGA Award winners Andy Riley and Kevin Cecil (Veep), with additional material from Matt Berry. Ben Farrell and Toby Stevens will executive produce for Objective Fiction, with Hannah Mackay producing. The six-episode first season of Year of the Rabbit premieres Wednesday, February 19, 2020 at 10:30pm ET/PT only on IFC.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, October 6

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "The Protector" (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 - "Chili, Chili, Bang, Bang" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Dark secrets are revealed when Terry's old Army buddy visits and asks for a troubling favor; Janelle gets a little too close to her professor.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 5)

Tuesday, October 6

  • Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Catch Kerry on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Kyle MacLachlan (Carol's Second Act/Sex and the City) - Kyle appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Caroline Rhea (Sydney to the Max/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Pride & Joy) and Tommy Davidson (The Varnell Hill Show/The Proud Family/Malcolm & Eddie/Between Brothers) - Caroline and Tommy will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) - ABC's Good Morning America has part two of Diane Sawyer's interview with Michael discussing his new memoir One Helluva Ride sometime between 7-9am. He chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. He will also be on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) and McKinley Freeman (Samantha Who?) - Morris and McKinley talk about Reasonable Doubt on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Jodie Sweetin (Vampirina: Teenage Vampire/Fuller House/Hollywood Darlings/Full House) and Kenzi Richardson (Vampirina: Teenage Vampire) - Jodie and Kenzi talk about Vampirina: Teenage Vampire on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • John Goodman (The Conners/The Righteous Gemstones/Roseanne/Center of the Universe/Normal, Ohio) - John talks about Digger on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Bill Burr (F Is for Family/Townies) - Bill stops by for a chat about The Social Reckoning on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Scott Caan (Entourage) - Scott and LL Cool J talk about NCIS: New York on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Mikey Madison (Better Things) - Mikey talks about The Social Reckoning on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Sam Richardson (The Afterparty/HouseBroken/Detroiters/Veep) - Sam talks about Matchbox the Movie on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.


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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

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