Thursday, June 25, 2020

CNN and HLN Announce Slate, with History of Sitcom; Lil Rel Set to Host NBC Game Show

The Story of Late Night

CNN and HLN revealed their Original Series slate for 2020 and 2021 as part of WarnerMedia's ongoing efforts to communicate powerful and flexible ad solutions for advertising partners. Adding to the brand's successful portfolio of premium nonfiction content, CNN will debut two new Original Series for 2020, The Story of Late Night (previously announced) and First Ladies (previously announced), and seven new Original Series for 2021, including Searching for Italy with Stanley Tucci (previously announced), Lincoln: An American President (working title), Diana (wt), History of Sitcom, Jerusalem (wt), Reframed: The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe (wt), and The Woman Who Took Down the KKK. In addition, the Emmy Award-winning series, United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell, will return for its fifth season this summer and the seventh season of This is Life with Lisa Ling will return this fall, with new seasons of both series airing in 2021.

Coming in 2020: The Story of Late Night (summer) - produced by Cream Productions, is an eight-part series premiering this summer, that takes viewers on a journey back in time through present day of late-night television's most memorable moments. Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Chelsea Handler, Trevor Noah, Conan O'Brien, Seth Meyers, Lorne Michaels, Whoopi Goldberg, George Lopez, along with many other industry insiders, give first-hand, behind-the-scenes accounts of a beloved art form that changed the face of television forever.

Coming in 2021: History of Sitcom - produced by Cream Productions, is an eight-part series that explores the most memorable moments and characters in television history, and the way sitcoms inform and reflect our social, cultural and political landscape.


Lil Rel Howery - Small Fortune

NBC has named dynamic comedian, actor, writer and producer Lil Rel Howery (The Carmichael Show, Get Out) as host of the new game show, Small Fortune. Howery, who will also serve as executive producer, joins the pint-sized series that will offer contestants the opportunity to amass large sums of money on the smallest of scales. Small Fortune will see teams of three friends compete in the tiniest of challenges for a chance to win big money. In order to win, players must face heart-pounding tasks set in real-world destinations that test their precision and technique. From a shrunken sushi conveyor belt with tiny chopsticks ("Shrunken Sushi") to a mini Ellis Island ("Statue of Liberteeny"), each team must prove their skills on miniature playing fields. Challenges will require considerable dexterity and intense focus because with games this small, there's no room for error as the slightest miscalculation or tremble may result in elimination. To take home the ultimate Small Fortune, teams that make it to the end must tackle one last teeny-tiny but epic game. If players can control their nerves and avoid the slightest mistake, they will walk away with a big cash prize. Small Fortune is set to go into production later this year for air in midseason or summer 2021. 


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, April 27

The Simpsons - "Abe League of Their Moe" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
After Grampa and Moe recruit a Macedonian slugger to play in Springfield, it strains their friendship and the very integrity of baseball.

Family Guy - "A Real Who's Who" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The Griffins spoof "Only Murders in the Building," "The Dropout," and "The Bear."

Krapopolis - "Stavros Live and in Concert" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ty's favorite singer Stavros is in town, but he also happens to be the favorite singer of Athena and her radical followers; Deliria goes on a little getaway.

The Great North - "Ham to Lose a Guy Adventure" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Judy and Beef interfere with Ham's personal life; Wolf and Honeybee go on a quest to squash a rumor going around town that Wolf eats worms.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Friday, April 25

  • Kathy Bates (Disjointed) - Watch Kathy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Paul and Greta are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Yvonne Orji (Insecure) - Tamron Hall has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Yvonne who is now hosting Pop The Balloon Live on Netflix, so check your local listings.
  • Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Valerie are joined by Carla Hall in the kitchen to whip up some delicious cozy food on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Amy Schumer (Life & Beth), Jillian Bell (Bless the Harts/Idiotsitter/Eastbound & Down/Workaholics) and Brianne Howey (Dollface) - The cast of the new movie Kinda Pregnant join Drew to dish on their new film on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Joel talks about Bravo's Love Hotel on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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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04/01 - Disney Renews Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for Season 2; Prime Video Details Final Season of The Summer I Turned Pretty
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03/26 - Hulu Spring 2025 Slate; The Making of The Americas Special Narrated by Tom Hanks on NBC