Friday, November 08, 2024

CBS Orders Full Season for Poppa's House; The CW Acquires Bob ♥ Abishola Reruns; Remembering Alan Rachins of Dharma & Greg

Poppa's House and NCIS: Origins

CBS announced full season orders for the new comedy Poppa's House and the drama NCIS: Origins, the newest addition of the global franchise. Poppa's House, starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., features Wayans as legendary talk radio host and happily divorced "Poppa" who has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son, a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband. Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson also star. Dean Lorey, Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. executive produce for CBS Studios. Poppa's House airs on Mondays (8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT).

NCIS: Origins follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and is narrated by Mark Harmon. In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office, where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid). Mariel Molino, Tyla Abercrumbie, Diany Rodriguez and Caleb Foote also star. David J. North, Gina Lucita Monreal, Mark Harmon and Sean Harmon executive produce for CBS Studios. NCIS: Origins airs on Mondays (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT).


Bob Hearts Abishola

The CW has acquired reruns of Bob ♥ Abishola. The series started in syndication this past Fall and now it will air on primetime as well on The CW. The sitcom will air Fridays beginning next Friday (November 15), in which it will air 8-10pm. Subsequent weeks it may be just 8-9pm. It will continue to air in local syndcation, Laff TV and COZI TV. In the series premiere, we meet Bob (Billy Gardell "Mike & Molly," "Young Sheldon,") who runs his family's successful, highly competitive sock company with his mother, Dottie (Christine Ebersole, Tony Award-winning actress in "Grey Gardens"), his sister, Christina (Maribeth Monroe "The Good Place" "Workaholics"), and his younger brother, Douglas (Matt Jones "Mom"). When the stress of the job lands him in the hospital, he meets Abishola (Folake Olowofoyeku "Transparent"), his kind, hard-working nurse to whom he's immediately drawn. Now, all Bob needs to do is convince her to give him a chance, which will take some time since they couldn't be different. After coming to America from Nigeria to find a better life for her and her son, Dele (Travis Wolfe, Jr. ("Raven's Home"), a straight-A student, Abishola lives in a small apartment with her super-protective relatives, Auntie Olu (Shola Adewusi "Babes") and Uncle Tunde (Barry Shabaka Henley "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.").


Alan Rachins

Actor Alan Rachins, who starred as Larry Finkelstein in Dharma & Greg, has died. He died from heart failure at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, on November 2. Mr. Rachins was 82.

L.A. Law

Rachins starred as Douglas Brackman Jr. in the 1986-1994 NBC legal drama L.A. Law. Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, it centers on the partners, associates and staff of the fictional Los Angeles–based law firm McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak (later McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney, Kuzak, and Becker). Douglas Brackman Jr. is a managing partner and interim senior partner. Rachins received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for the role in 1988.

Dharma & Greg

He starred as Myron Lawrence "Larry" Finkelstein, Dharma's (Jenna Elfman) hippie father, in the 1997-2002 ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg. Larry Finkelstein is a stereotypical 1960s radical who frequently rants about various conspiracies, a lot of which revolve around Richard Nixon. The series also starred Thomas Gibson, Mimi Kennedy, Mitchell Ryan, Susan Sullivan, Joel Murray and Shae D'lyn.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Brothers (1984), D.C. Follies, Ferris Bueller, The Golden Girls, Love Boat: The Next Wave, In-Laws, Just Shoot Me!, Surviving Suburbia, Happy Endings, Good Luck Charlie, The Crazy Ones, Mom, The Middle and Young Sheldon. He provided the voice of Norman Osborn in the 2008-2009 animated series The Spectacular Spider-Man. Some of his other voice credits included Batman: The Animated Series (2 episodes), Rugrats, Justice League Unlimited and American Dad!.

Rachins had a recurring role as Stanley in six episodes of the TNT crime drama Rizzoli & Isles from 2011 to 2013. Some of his other television credits included The White Shadow, Barnaby Jones, Dallas, Paris, J.J. Starbuck, Tales from the Crypt, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Diagnosis: Murder, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (2 episodes), Stargate SG-1, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Close to Home, Eli Stone, General Hospital (5 episodes), Grey's Anatomy and NCIS. He directed an episode of Paris in 1980. He wrote episodes of Hill Street Blues, Hart to Hart and The Fall Guy.

He starred as Tony Moss in Showgirls (1995). He played Fred Rutherford in Leave it to Beaver (1997).

Mr. Rachins was a talented and versatile actor. He was funny and memorable as Dharma's hippie father in Dharma & Greg. He will be greatly missed.

Quincy Jones

We also remember record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer Quincy Jones. He died from pancreatic cancer on November 3 at his home in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Mr. Jones was 91.

The Streetbeater

Jones composed "The Streetbeater", which became the theme music for the 1972-1977 NBC sitcom Sanford and Son, starring his close friend Redd Foxx. Although the piece did not reach Billboard status, it has maintained mainstream popularity, ranking 9th in a Rolling Stone Reader Poll of Television Theme Songs.

He composed the theme song for the 1966-1967 NBC sitcom Hey, Landlord. He also worked as a composer for seven episodes. He was the composer for the 1969-1971 NBC sitcom The Bill Cosby Show. He composed the theme music for the 1980-1981 NBC sitcom Sanford. Some of his other television composer credits included Ironside and Banacek. He guest starred as Les Appleton in a 1967 episode of Ironside. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for the ABC miniseries Roots (1977).

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

In 1990, Quincy Jones Productions joined with Time Warner to create Quincy Jones Entertainment (QJE). He was an executive producer for the 1990-1996 NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He appeared as himself in two episodes in 1990 and 1993. He was an executive producer for the 1995-1999 NBC/UPN sitcom In the House. In 1997, he produced the short-lived USA Network sitcom Lost on Earth. Jones also produced Fox's sketch comedy series Mad TV, which ran for 14 seasons.

Jones composed numerous films scores including for The Pawnbroker (1965), In the Heat of the Night (1967), In Cold Blood (1967), The Italian Job (1969), The Wiz (1978) and The Color Purple (1985).

Mr. Jones was a music legend. He received many accolades including 28 Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Tony Award as well as nominations for seven Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. We thank him for the music. He will be sorely missed.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, August 8

Happy's Place - "Don't Sweat It" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie asks Isabella to move in with her, but when Isabella sees that Bobbie likes to address conflict head on, Isabella decides it might not be the best idea.

Happy's Place - "Dear Jack" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Bobbie catches Isabella doing a slow-fade breakup with her long-distance boyfriend, she convinces her to send a Dear John letter; Steve brings in a review praising Chef Emmett's cooking and acknowledging the tavern's bartender, "Abby."

Electric Bloom - "How It All Came Out in the Wash" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Jade and Posey experience opposite feelings about their first crushes. Meanwhile, Tulip discovers an exciting new talent.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 4)

Friday, August 8

  • Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Renée Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - Renée appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Pamela Anderson (Stacked/Home Improvement) - Pamela is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Marc Maron (GLOW/Maron) - Marc appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) and Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) - Gillian and Paul are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Steve Buscemi (Miracle Workers) - Steve talks about Wednesday on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Kelsey Grammer (Frasier/Partners/Hank/Back to You/Cheers) - Kelsey talks about his book Karen: A Brother Remembers on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie is a guest on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • The Jonas Brothers (Jonas/Jonas LA) - The Jonas Brothers perform in the Citi Concert Series on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Christopher Lloyd (Taxi/Stacked) - NBC's Today catches up with Christopher in the 9am hour.
  • Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) - Matt co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony talks about Sketch on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Oliver Hudson (Splitting Up Together/Rules of Engagement/My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star) - Oliver is a guest on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) - Jack talks about HGTV's Zillow Gone Wild on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original 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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