Thursday, January 09, 2020

TCA Winter 2020 Press Tour: ABC Includes Modern Family Finale, The Conners Live and Return of Millionaire

Modern Family

Yesterday was day two of the TCA Winter 2020 Press Tour and ABC was up. We got many announcements, including the finale date for Modern Family. The Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan are ready to say goodbye but not before giving fans one final night of belly laughs as one of television's great family comedies. Currently in its 11th and final season, ABC announced that the Emmy(R) Award-winning series Modern Family will air its series farewell episode on Wednesday, April 8, on ABC. In addition, ABC is giving fans the power to program an entire night filled with their favorite Modern Family episodes that will air Wednesday, March 11 from 8:00-11:00pm EDT. The night will kick off with the episode that started it all - the Modern Family series premiere - followed by five additional fan-chosen episodes, giving viewers a chance to gather their families for the ultimate Modern Family binge and relive some of the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan's most hilarious, jaw-dropping and monumental moments. Voting for your favorite Modern Family episodes will begin Monday, Feb. 3, via a daily Twitter poll from the show's Twitter handle and concludes Friday, Feb. 7. Each day, a different selection of episodes will be available for fans to choose from for a curated night of Modern Family fun!

ABC will air a special live episode of top-rated comedy The Conners the night of the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 8:00pm EST. The cast will perform the episode live for both the East and West coast broadcasts. ABC News coverage of the first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary will be incorporated into the story in real time as the results roll in during the evening. The live episode will find Mark (Ames McNamara) watching the results of the primary for a school report with Harris (Emma Kenney), who is apathetic to the electoral process and believes money's influence in politics means real change is impossible. The rest of the Conners share their differing takes on why they all think everyone should vote, including their working-class perspective that you may have to vote for a candidate you don't love but one that will "screw you the least." All of this happens against the backdrop of romance when Louise (guest star Katey Sagal) gets an opportunity that might send her away from Lanford, prompting the family to interfere in Dan's (John Goodman) complicated relationship with her by throwing Louise a surprise going-away party, creating major new tensions between Dan and his daughters.

Friday nights are about to see some shark-infested waters when Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed and multi-Emmy® Award-winning entrepreneurial-themed reality show currently in its 11th season, returns to its Friday time slot on Feb. 28 at 8:00pm EST, while the hit comedy American Housewife moves to a new spot on the ABC comedy block beginning Wednesday, April 15 at 9:00pm EDT, following the conclusion of Modern Family. But before that, American Housewife will air at 9:30pm EDT for a few weeks starting March 18 once Single Parents wraps before moving to 9:00pm EDT on April 15. ABC has not announced what will air Wednesdays at 9:30pm beginning April 15 yet. Multi-camera comedy United We Fall hasn't been scheduled just yet. Other scheduling news: ABC's compelling new modern-day fairy tale, The Baker and the Beauty, will take viewers on a flavor-filled adventure between relatable everyman Daniel and international superstar Noa. The drama premieres Monday, April 6 at 10:00pm EDT. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, which debuted in the U.S. as a prime-time series in January 2000, ABC's celebrated late-night staple and Emmy® Award-winning producer Jimmy Kimmel will be stepping into prime time as host of a special run of episodes featuring celebrity contestants playing for charity. In addition, a new interactive game will allow viewers to play along from home. Millionaire is set to premiere on Wednesday, April 8 at 10:00 pm EDT. The power of love knows no bounds as ABC further expands its hit-making Bachelor franchise with an all-new Bachelor Nation series, The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart, set to premiere Monday, April 13 from 8:00-10:00pm EDT. ABC announced the explosive series finale of How to Get Away with Murder will air Thursday, May 14 at 10:00 p.m. EDT. The critically acclaimed series, which will return for its six-episode killer farewell event on Thursday, April 2, is currently in its sixth and final season.

Finally, ABC is bringing back the classic TV game show Supermarket Sweep, hosted and executive produced by Emmy® Award-nominated comedienne and actress Leslie Jones. Produced by Fremantle, the fast-paced and energetic series follows three teams of two as they battle it out using their grocery shopping skills and knowledge of merchandise to win big cash prizes. The original format aired on ABC from 1965-1967 and went on to become a global sensation. It was adapted in 13 international territories and, most recently, relaunched in the UK. Production on the 10-episode order is set to begin this spring. An airdate will be announced at a later date. thirtysomething(else), a sequel to the groundbreaking series thirtysomething, has received a pilot pickup from ABC. The show will follow an ensemble of new faces playing the grown-up, 30-something children of the original cast reprised by Ken Olin (Michael Steadman), Mel Harris (Hope Murdoch), Timothy Busfield (Elliot Weston) and Patty Wettig (Nancy Weston). Apparently, raising children (even grown children) never ends, but who could have known how hard it would be for them to raise their parents? And finally, ABC announced that the network has picked up The Brides, a new pilot drama from executive producer/writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television to pilot. Maggie Kiley (American Horror Story, Riverdale, upcoming Katy Keene) is set to direct. The Brides, a sexy contemporary reimagining of Dracula, is a family drama with a trio of powerful female leads at its heart.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, March 19

Night Court - "The Duke's a Hazard" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Gurgs' royal boyfriend pays a surprise visit, she questions their compatibility; Dan defends his family's honor after he discovers a feud that dates back centuries.

Extended Family - "The Consequences of Being Irish" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Jim learns of Trey's St. Patrick's Day fundraiser plans, he offers his expertise in an effort to save Trey and the Celtics from embarrassment.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 18)

Tuesday, March 19

  • Tracy Morgan (The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Catch Tracy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Brendan Hunt (Ted Lasso), Marc Maron (GLOW/Maron) and Zainab Johnson (Upload) - Brendan, Marc and Zainab are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Hilary Swank (Camp Wilder) - NBC's Today catches up with Hilary in the 10am hour.
  • The cast of Girls5eva) - Busy Philipps, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Paula Pell and Sara Bareilles are guests on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Jesse talks about his podcast Dinner's On Me on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Annie Potts (Young Sheldon/Over the Top/Love & War/Designing Women/Goodtime Girls) - Annie talks about her legendary career and new film, Ghostbuster: Frozen Empire, on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Joe stops by Tamron hall to chat about hosting the new Deal or No Deal Island, so check your local listings.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Father Knows Best - The Complete Series The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


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