Showing posts with label Color Honeymooners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Color Honeymooners. Show all posts
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Digital Digest: Exporting Raymond DVD Review; The Color Honeymooners - Best of Collection DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest, a place to cool down from the heat in the shade! It's been a very busy news week, thanks to several announcements from Shout! Factory, plus we have two reviews for you this week: Exporting Raymond and The Color Honeymooners - Best of Collection. And we are also back for the second week of our new feature, "Click of the Week," where we introduce you to websites that may be of interest to sitcom fans everywhere, and this week, it is all about the music that we hear in TV shows. So, let's get started!
Just this week, MPI released The Honeymooners: The Lost Episodes - Best of Collection, and although it had a nice collection of episodes, fans undoubtedly want more. Little did we know, though, that MUCH more is on the way! On October 4, MPI is set to release The Honeymooners: The Lost Episodes (1951-1957) - The Complete Restored Series, a fifteen disc set that compiles every single one of the still existing lost episodes from that era. That should include all of the ones that air in syndication as "lost episodes," along with many others that have not been seen since they originally aired. It has been reported that archivists at UCLA have restored many of these episodes, though it remains to be seen if they actually will look any better than previous releases from MPI.
Shout! Factory hasn't exactly had a busy week with announcements this week, but some information on TVShowsOnDVD.com let the cat out of the bag (so to speak) about what appears to be their plans through the end of the year. And they have a LOT coming soon, although we just don't know the full details about any of this yet. When we do, we'll tell you more, but here is what we do know. Hazel - Season Two is coming November 1, Webster - Season Four is coming November 22, Designing Women - The Complete Fifth Season is coming December 6 and Adam-12 - Season Six is coming December 13. That is four releases in one sentence! Of course, all of this is subject to change, and there could even be other releases coming that aren't listed here. We'll let you know when we know!
Is The Bob Newhart Show "back from the dead" on DVD? Maybe, because recently, a pre-order for The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete Fifth Season popped up on amazon.com! But there is a lot of mystery here still. For one thing, no release date has been given. Also, we don't even know for certain who could be releasing it. While Fox does own the DVD rights to the series, it is possible that they could have licensed the series out to a third party. There are many unknowns, and it is possible that perhaps the release info is just totally premature. But when we know more, we'll let you know.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (August 2) is mostly a bust for new home media releases, but HBO does have several releases of the series Eastbound & Down, including Eastbound & Down - The Complete Second Season (DVD/Blu-ray) and a Blu-ray release of Eastbound & Down - The Complete First Season.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
It may be true that in America, everybody loves Everybody Loves Raymond, but not all things American translate so well in other countries. And that is what the creator of the series discovers when trying to adapt the series for Russians. The documentary Exporting Raymond is a hilarious behind-the-scenes look at the reality of what happens when trying to do just that. Here is our review of Exporting Raymond (DVD/Blu-ray).
DVD Review: Exporting Raymond (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - $35.99 Blu-Ray/$30.99 DVD)
by Greg Brobeck
We don’t usually review movies at SitcomsOnline, but we’re taking unique exception with this one because it directly involves one of the most popular sitcoms in recent history. “Everybody Loves Raymond” was extremely popular during its nine-season run on CBS. In fact the show was so popular, that in 2009, Russian television executives decided they wanted to produce their own version of the show, that for purposes of the film and this review, we’ll call “Everybody Loves Kostya.” “Raymond” show creator and writer Phil Rosenthal was tapped to go to Russia t o help guide the producers of the new show, and that’s the basic plot of the film.
Russian broadcasters had great success with their version of “The Nanny” and wanted to copy that success with “Raymond.” Rosenthal decided it would be fascinating to bring a documentary film crew along with him to Russia to document his odd trip, which Rosenthal almost called off when he was told he would need “K&R” insurance. K&R, by the way, stands for kidnapping and ransom.
The main comedy of this movie comes from the “fish out of water” scenario—Rosenthal trying to adjust to how very different the Russian culture is from American culture, and yet adapt his highly popular American show to fit. And believe me, any culture that considers the work of Britney Spears to be art, is a very different one. One hilarious scene comes when Rosenthal has dinner with one of the Russian network executives, who reveals that the main part of his job is producing lasers. Yes, lasers.
One thing he did learn though, is that show business is the same everywhere. The Russian network interfered with casting choices, and generally made things difficult for everyone.
I found the movie to be, while not laugh out loud funny all the time, it did have funny moments, and as someone who works in the television business, I found the storyline fascinating. And as the packaging claims, you do not have to have ever seen an episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond” to appreciate this film. I received the Blu-Ray version to review, so it came in a standard blue keep case, with the movie’s poster as the cover… Rosenthal dressed in a Russian-style parka holding a large photograph of the “Raymond” cast, surrounded by critics’ reviews and acclaims from various film festivals. The back cover includes some shots from the film, a description, and a list of special features. The disc itself looks similar to the front cover.
The menu is well designed, especially for a Blu-Ray menu, which can be confusing if not laid out well. You have a choice of Play the Movie, Scene Selection, or Bonus Features. Russian-style music plays in the background while clips of the movie play. The disc has closed captions and subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. Chapter marks are in appropriate places.
Considering this is a Blu-Ray release, the video and audio quality are quite good. The film makes good use of the full 1080i afforded by Blu-ray, and some of the exterior shots of Russia are quite beautiful. Audio is in 5.1 surround. Although the Blu-Ray format affords 7.1 sound, I think the 5.1 sound is adequate here.
This disc really benefits from its special features. First is a commentary on the film by Phil Rosenthal, that I unfortunately did not have a chance to listen to before the deadline for writing this review, but I’m sure it’s quite entertaining. There are also roughly 11 minutes worth of deleted scenes, that while they were interesting, they were probably best left deleted. There’s also a theatrical trailer.
I did, however, get to enjoy what is probably the most important bonus feature: two episodes of “Everybody Loves Raymond” and their “Everybody Loves Kostya” counterparts based on the same script. Both versions of each show were hilarious, which just goes to show that no matter what the cultural differences are, husband and wife problems translate to all languages. The Russian episodes, which include English subtitles, are quite hilarious and the actors chosen for the show are very talented. I sometimes found myself laughing before even reading the subtitles. One thing that could have been beneficial, especially since this is a Blu-Ray release, would be to be able to watch the Russian and American episodes side by side or picture-in-picture. While the timing would be way off, and the Russian episodes added subplots that were not in the original, I think that could still have been pulled off somehow. At any rate, I enjoyed getting to sample the Russian show.
Overall, this was a very entertaining movie, and I loved the bonus features. The film belongs in any “Raymond” fan’s library, but can just as easily be enjoyed by someone who has never seen the show. The fish out of water story is pretty universal, and some of Rosenthal’s reaction to the Russian wackiness is priceless. The discs are a bit on the pricy side, I suppose because it is an independent film, but you can likely find discounts. I highly recommend the film.
(4.5/5 stars)To purchase the DVD version, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
To purchase the Blu-ray Disc version, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Related links:
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
There have been many incarnations of The Honeymooners over the years, and perhaps one of the least well-known ones are those that aired from 1966-1970, "from the fun and sun capital of the world, Miami Beach!" The series featured Jackie Gleason and Art Carney, as in the past, but now, Sheila MacRae and Jane Kean take over the roles of Alice and Trixie. Here is our review of The Color Honeymooners - Best of Collection.
DVD Review - The Color Honeymooners - Best of Collection
by skees53
The Color Honeymooners - Best of Collection (MPI, $9.98) brings together four of the "best" episodes from the 1966-1970 version of the classic series with the Kramdens and the Nortons on a single disc. Coming in now from Miami Beach, The Color Honeymooners is a little bit of the old in a whole new environment.
The DVD includes the following episodes:
"Be It Ever So Humble" (September 9, 1967) - Ralph fights a $5 rent increase by moving to the country, but not without his tenants, the Nortons.
"The Sun and Raccoon Capital" (November 22, 1969) - Ralph and Ed vie for Highly Exalted Mystic Ruler.
"Two Faces of Ralph Kramden" (November 18, 1967) - Ralph is set up when he resembles a mob boss (note: this is a remake of one of the original lost episodes, "Stand in for Murder.")
"Double Trouble" (December 6, 1969) - Ralph has trouble with somebody using his likeness and bouncing checks while in Sun Valley, Idaho.
All of the episodes seem to be unedited, with runtimes as follows:
"Be It Ever So Humble" (50:36)
"The Sun and Raccoon Capital" (49:19)
"Two Faces of Ralph Kramden" (50:20)
"Double Trouble" (50:30)
The packaging for the disc is pretty standard. It is just a standard DVD case with a very low-resolution photo of Ralph and Ed on the front. On the back of the case, there is a cast snapshot, along with a brief synopsis of the series. The episode titles are all listed on the back. Inside, the disc contains the same artwork as seen on the cover.
The disc really only contains one menu, the main menu. Here, you have a list of all of the episodes on the disc, a Play All option, and an option for subtitles. Though there are no scene selection menus, chapters are placed throughout each episode.
The video and audio quality of the episodes is on par with the previous releases. The episodes definitely look and sound a lot better than the lost episodes from just a decade earlier, thanks to better preservation techniques and the fact that there actually was an effort to preserve these episodes. Still, there are some defects in the video, and the audio is sometimes difficult to hear due to the fact that the series was performed in an auditorium very obviously not designed for a TV show. Each episode has English subtitles.
There aren't any special features on the DVD, but for a best of release, it is rare to find these anyway.
I have grown to like The Honeymooners over the years, but I really think that these color ones are not the greatest of the series. Sure, they have their place in TV history, but they don't exactly live up to the charm of the "classic 39" or the lost episodes from the 50s. But with that regard, I think that this DVD, containing just four episodes, is perfect for the fan who just wants a taste of this version of the series. There are four other collections out there from MPI which contain many episodes, although not all of the episodes were released (and perhaps never will, due to music rights and other miscellaneous issues). But this low-priced DVD will satisfy many fans, I think.
(4/5 stars)To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
The Honeymooners on TV.com
CLICK OF THE WEEK
Tune Find (www.tunefind.com) - Pop culture has combined TV and music so much in recent years. When we watch really old TV series, such as I Love Lucy or Leave it to Beaver, we pretty much never hear any music aside from public domain tunes or tunes created specifically for the show. In the modern era, TV series are full of music, including music from popular artists and indie artists who peak our interest. Sometimes, we hear songs that we like on these TV series and just want to know what the song is. Just this week, I watched the latest episode of Weeds on Showtime, and wanted to know the name of the song that was playing when Heylia James (Tonye Patano) made her return at the end of the episode.
Well, there are websites out there to help you find the songs, and one of my favorites is Tune Find. Tune Find features episode-by-episode listings for many recent (as in the past decade) series from TV, such as Cougar Town, How I Met Your Mother, Scrubs, Weeds, and many others. The website depends upon user contributions, and seems to have rather thorough information on music used in episodes compared to other similar websites. In fact, they even claim to have "30,100 songs. 13,800 artists. 8,800 episodes and movies." The only pitfall of the site is that they don't include any older series at all. Additionally, even a few current series that occasionally use music within the episodes, such as The Office, are not included. But compared to most similar websites out there, this is definitely the go-to place when you are watching a recent series and just want to know "what was that song?"
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Digital Digest: The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis and The Honeymooners Christmas Special DVD Reviews
Welcome to this week's edition of Digital Digest, our weekly feature where we bring you news and reviews of some of your favorite shows on home media formats! This week, we have reviews of The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis?, and The Honeymooners Christmas Special. Plus, we have some very exciting news about a classic sitcom coming to DVD for the very first time! Let's get going.
DIGITAL NEWS
They've been hinting around about it for a long time, but now Shout! Factory has officially confirmed it: the black and white TV series Dennis the Menace is finally coming to DVD! According to information that we found at TVShowsOnDVD.com as well as on the Shout! Factory Community forums, the first season of the classic series is being prepared for a DVD release! Dennis and good ol' Mr. Wilson finally enter into the digital era! Few details are known at this time, but this is one release that we are looking forward to!
We've already seen Gilligan's Island completed on DVD, but what about "the rest" of the stories about the seven stranded castaways? Well, Warner Archive (Warner's MOD arm) is going to give us some of the rest, as they have recently indicated that both Gilligan's Island cartoons are in the pipeline! The New Adventures of Gilligan's Island from the 70's and Gilligan's Planet from the 80's will be released sometime next year from Warner Archive. When we have more information on this, we'll be sure to let you know.
It was just two weeks ago that we reviewed the CBS Home Entertainment release of The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume 1, and now, The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume 2 is already scheduled! On February 15, the final installment of the man on the run comes to DVD in a four disc set, at a $39.98 MSRP. We'll have a review of this as soon as we are able to do so!
Finally, before we look ahead at what is coming out on DVD next week, we think it is worth mentioning that Married... With Children - The Complete Series appears to NOT be on the horizon for next week. The studio, Sony, has never confirmed that this release is even on the way (although the pre-order listing on amazon.com would suggest that it is at some point in time) and the release date that was given for it was on a Sunday, as opposed to a Tuesday (a sure sign that it was the wrong release date). But we'll have more on this when we know something more about it.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (December 14) isn't a busy day for DVDs, but we do have Shout! Factory's release of Leave it to Beaver - Season Five. The six disc set contains every episode from the fifth season at a $39.97 MSRP. We will have a review of this set soon. Also, it is time to "book 'em" with CBS Home Entertainment's release of Hawaii Five-O - The Tenth Season. The six disc set comes at a $49.98 MSRP. We will be reviewing this set (our first time reviewing the series) next week in Digital Digest. Finally, MPI has two releases for Tuesday at a $14.98, both of which we will be reviewing today. First is The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis?, both specials about love going wrong and divorce for characters played by Lucy. The second is The Honeymooners Christmas Special, which reunites the Kramdens and Nortons once again (this time in the 70s) for Christmas.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
This week, we are going to take a look at another DVD of The Lucille Ball Specials. After Here's Lucy left the air in 1974, Lucille Ball began a series of specials for CBS where she played characters similar to her roles in her previous series. We have reviewed some of these specials in the past, and now we have a new double feature from MPI Home Video, containing Happy Anniversary & Goodbye and What Now, Catherine Curtis?, two stories about love and marriage... and divorce.
DVD Review: The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis?
by skees53
The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis? (MPI, $14.98) contains two specials starring Lucille Ball in her post Here's Lucy days. The first special, Happy Anniversary & Goodbye, is a comedy starring Ball as Norma Michaels and Art Carney as her husband, Malcolm. As Norma and Michael approach their 25th anniversary, they realize that their marriage has been a disaster, and decide to seek independence from on another. The second special, What Now, Catherine Curtis? is a drama (a rare format for the "Queen of Comedy") divided into three stories, where a recently divorced Catherine Curtis (Ball) tries to readjust to her new life as a divorcee.
Happy Anniversary & Goodbye (52:01) was Ball's first special post-Here's Lucy. The comedy begins in Norma and Malcolm's bedroom just before bedtime. An argument is taking place in the bedroom about the lack of romance in the marriage and, well, his lack of performance in the bedroom. It ends with the two deciding to go their separate ways, just shy of their upcoming 25th anniversary. Norma decides to readjust to this new independent lifestyle by improving herself with the help of her friend Fay (Nanette Fabray). Fay has many ideas that just don't seem to work out well for Norma, including hiring a personal trainer (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his very early roles). Meanwhile, Malcolm has teamed up with his associate Greg (Peter Marshall), who tries to make him young and independent as well. But this youth and independence doesn't seem to work for him either. So where will each of them find romance that is up to their speed? The special even includes the Timex sponsorship at the beginning.
In What Now, Catherine Curtis? (51:13), we have three separate (but connected) stories about a recently divorced Catherine Curtis trying to readjust to her new life after divorce. The story is divided into three parts, with the first part featuring nothing but a monologue from a very depressed and upset Catherine talking to herself about what went wrong and why her marriage failed. In the second segment, Catherine finally gets back into the dating game with a widowed carpenter (Art Carney). In the final segment, Catherine has found love again, but this time in another man, Peter (Joseph Bologna), but this time there is a slight problem... an age difference. He is 14 years younger than she is.
Both specials are contained on a single disc in a standard DVD case. The cover art features both titles, with the top picture portraying the cast of Happy Anniversary & Goodbye, and the bottom picture portraying the cast of What Now, Catherine Curtis?. The same artwork is contained on the disc itself. The back of the case features a brief description of each special as well as some photos and a list of special features.
The main menu on the DVD begins with options of which special you want to play. Once you have selected a special, you can choose to Play it (with or without introductions from cast members), go to the Special Features menu, or to turn the subtitles. There are chapters placed at all of the appropriate places in the specials.
As far as the video and audio quality of the DVD, it is far from perfect, but is adequate for the specials. The video does look very old and as if it was not remastered at all, but it is perfectly watchable. The mono audio is clear enough, even if it does have a few pops here and there. English subtitles are available for both features.
The DVD has plenty of special features, beginning with introductions for each special. Happy Anniversary & Goodbye has an introduction (1:59) featuring Peter Marshall and Nanette Fabray. What Now, Catherine Curtis? has an introduction (1:25) featuring Joseph Bologna. The same cast members included in the introductions can be seen again in extended featurettes about the specials, with Happy Anniversary & Goodbye Revisited (19:59) and On the Ball: Joseph Bologna Remembers (13:56), where they all look back at the behind-the-scenes of the specials. These are very interesting to watch. The next special feature has very little to do with the specials, but is very interesting to listen to. It is a radio interview from 1965 that Lucille Ball conducted where she interviewed Mary Tyler Moore (19:18). The interview took place over two days during the fourth season of The Dick Van Dyke Show, and we get a good glimpse at Moore's earliest days of television here. Finally, Outtakes (2:49) is a series of outtakes from Happy Anniversary & Goodbye.
Once again, MPI has put together an excellent DVD for these specials! I really enjoyed both specials, although What Now, Catherine Curtis? was not the typical style of Lucy that we have all become accustomed to. These specials are great paired together, as they are both about the pitfalls of love and marriage. There is quite a bit of sex talk in these specials, which is also something that Lucy fans may not be used to, but it makes them much more interesting. Any Lucille Ball fan will definitely want to own this DVD.
(4.5/5 stars)
To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Here's Lucy on TV.com
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
The Honeymooners originally ended in the 50s, but it continued all the way into the late 70s with lost episodes and specials. The last of these specials, The Honeymooners Christmas Special, from 1978 brings the Kramdens and Nortons together for a Christmas that almost doesn't happen due to Ralph putting all of their money into the lottery. Check out our review of this special below.
DVD Review: The Honeymooners Specials - Christmas Special
by skees53
The Honeymooners Specials - Christmas Special (MPI, $14.98) reunites the Kramdens and Nortons for the last of four hour-long specials. This time, it is Christmas for the families, and Ralph's latest get-rich scheme may put the family finances in jeopardy at Christmas, the worst time of the year for that.
The main feature (48:25) begins with the two families preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Ralph is trying to find a way to make money to have a Christmas full of joy, and decides to make an investment. Unfortunately, his "investment" isn't a very wise one, and the idea is to play the lottery. He takes money from his and Alice's life savings, Ed Norton's holiday bonus, and Alice's mother's social security check and puts it in the lottery for a chance to win a million dollars after he sees a "sign" that tells him that he'll get rich from it. Needless to say, the "investment" doesn't pay off as he plans, but luck does strike a bit, and he wins $1500 in the lottery--enough to pay back his losses and gain 12 cents. In the end, Ralph learns a lesson about family and friends and learns from Alice that, despite winning 12 cents, he isn't a winner after all.
The DVD is packaged in a standard DVD case with a photo of Jackie Gleason and Audrey Meadows on the cover. The back of the package has a few snapshots from the special along with a brief description of it. The disc artwork contained inside contains the same photo as the cover art.
The menus on the DVD are fairly basic. On the main menu, we have a snapshot of Alice and Ralph, with the theme song playing in the background. We are given options of Play, Bonus, and Setup. Play immediately takes you to the main feature. Bonus gives you a menu that contains the only special feature. Setup allows you to turn on the English subtitles. Chapters are placed throughout the special.
The video and audio quality on this DVD looks better than any of the previous releases. There really aren't any major problems of note. The video isn't as sharp as it could be, but for the most part, it is fine. The audio is presented in mono and suffers a bit of echo due to the venue in which the special was produced. The DVD contains English subtitles.
The DVD contains only one special feature, but it is a good one at least. Honeymooning: Behind the Scenes (5:28) is essentially just a new interview with Jane Kean (Trixie), where she talks about her experiences of working with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney on The Honeymooners.
This is a great special, and is a little bittersweet since it is the last time we see this cast work together. I think that this one was one of the best of the specials, and is very enjoyable to watch. Fans of The Honeymooners and the work of Jackie Gleason are sure to enjoy this special, but fans of classic comedy in general may be interested in seeing this special as well.
(4/5 stars)
To purchase The Honeymooners Christmas Special, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
The Honeymooners on TV.com
LOOKING AHEAD
We'll be back next week with a little bit of criminal action with our reviews of C.S.I.: Miami - The Eighth Season and Hawaii Five-O - The Tenth Season. Plus, we'll have more news (who knows, there could be something big) and more in the upcoming weeks. Until then, keep it digital!
DIGITAL NEWS
They've been hinting around about it for a long time, but now Shout! Factory has officially confirmed it: the black and white TV series Dennis the Menace is finally coming to DVD! According to information that we found at TVShowsOnDVD.com as well as on the Shout! Factory Community forums, the first season of the classic series is being prepared for a DVD release! Dennis and good ol' Mr. Wilson finally enter into the digital era! Few details are known at this time, but this is one release that we are looking forward to!
We've already seen Gilligan's Island completed on DVD, but what about "the rest" of the stories about the seven stranded castaways? Well, Warner Archive (Warner's MOD arm) is going to give us some of the rest, as they have recently indicated that both Gilligan's Island cartoons are in the pipeline! The New Adventures of Gilligan's Island from the 70's and Gilligan's Planet from the 80's will be released sometime next year from Warner Archive. When we have more information on this, we'll be sure to let you know.
It was just two weeks ago that we reviewed the CBS Home Entertainment release of The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume 1, and now, The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume 2 is already scheduled! On February 15, the final installment of the man on the run comes to DVD in a four disc set, at a $39.98 MSRP. We'll have a review of this as soon as we are able to do so!
Finally, before we look ahead at what is coming out on DVD next week, we think it is worth mentioning that Married... With Children - The Complete Series appears to NOT be on the horizon for next week. The studio, Sony, has never confirmed that this release is even on the way (although the pre-order listing on amazon.com would suggest that it is at some point in time) and the release date that was given for it was on a Sunday, as opposed to a Tuesday (a sure sign that it was the wrong release date). But we'll have more on this when we know something more about it.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (December 14) isn't a busy day for DVDs, but we do have Shout! Factory's release of Leave it to Beaver - Season Five. The six disc set contains every episode from the fifth season at a $39.97 MSRP. We will have a review of this set soon. Also, it is time to "book 'em" with CBS Home Entertainment's release of Hawaii Five-O - The Tenth Season. The six disc set comes at a $49.98 MSRP. We will be reviewing this set (our first time reviewing the series) next week in Digital Digest. Finally, MPI has two releases for Tuesday at a $14.98, both of which we will be reviewing today. First is The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis?, both specials about love going wrong and divorce for characters played by Lucy. The second is The Honeymooners Christmas Special, which reunites the Kramdens and Nortons once again (this time in the 70s) for Christmas.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
This week, we are going to take a look at another DVD of The Lucille Ball Specials. After Here's Lucy left the air in 1974, Lucille Ball began a series of specials for CBS where she played characters similar to her roles in her previous series. We have reviewed some of these specials in the past, and now we have a new double feature from MPI Home Video, containing Happy Anniversary & Goodbye and What Now, Catherine Curtis?, two stories about love and marriage... and divorce.
DVD Review: The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis?
by skees53
The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis? (MPI, $14.98) contains two specials starring Lucille Ball in her post Here's Lucy days. The first special, Happy Anniversary & Goodbye, is a comedy starring Ball as Norma Michaels and Art Carney as her husband, Malcolm. As Norma and Michael approach their 25th anniversary, they realize that their marriage has been a disaster, and decide to seek independence from on another. The second special, What Now, Catherine Curtis? is a drama (a rare format for the "Queen of Comedy") divided into three stories, where a recently divorced Catherine Curtis (Ball) tries to readjust to her new life as a divorcee.
Happy Anniversary & Goodbye (52:01) was Ball's first special post-Here's Lucy. The comedy begins in Norma and Malcolm's bedroom just before bedtime. An argument is taking place in the bedroom about the lack of romance in the marriage and, well, his lack of performance in the bedroom. It ends with the two deciding to go their separate ways, just shy of their upcoming 25th anniversary. Norma decides to readjust to this new independent lifestyle by improving herself with the help of her friend Fay (Nanette Fabray). Fay has many ideas that just don't seem to work out well for Norma, including hiring a personal trainer (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his very early roles). Meanwhile, Malcolm has teamed up with his associate Greg (Peter Marshall), who tries to make him young and independent as well. But this youth and independence doesn't seem to work for him either. So where will each of them find romance that is up to their speed? The special even includes the Timex sponsorship at the beginning.
In What Now, Catherine Curtis? (51:13), we have three separate (but connected) stories about a recently divorced Catherine Curtis trying to readjust to her new life after divorce. The story is divided into three parts, with the first part featuring nothing but a monologue from a very depressed and upset Catherine talking to herself about what went wrong and why her marriage failed. In the second segment, Catherine finally gets back into the dating game with a widowed carpenter (Art Carney). In the final segment, Catherine has found love again, but this time in another man, Peter (Joseph Bologna), but this time there is a slight problem... an age difference. He is 14 years younger than she is.
Both specials are contained on a single disc in a standard DVD case. The cover art features both titles, with the top picture portraying the cast of Happy Anniversary & Goodbye, and the bottom picture portraying the cast of What Now, Catherine Curtis?. The same artwork is contained on the disc itself. The back of the case features a brief description of each special as well as some photos and a list of special features.
The main menu on the DVD begins with options of which special you want to play. Once you have selected a special, you can choose to Play it (with or without introductions from cast members), go to the Special Features menu, or to turn the subtitles. There are chapters placed at all of the appropriate places in the specials.
As far as the video and audio quality of the DVD, it is far from perfect, but is adequate for the specials. The video does look very old and as if it was not remastered at all, but it is perfectly watchable. The mono audio is clear enough, even if it does have a few pops here and there. English subtitles are available for both features.
The DVD has plenty of special features, beginning with introductions for each special. Happy Anniversary & Goodbye has an introduction (1:59) featuring Peter Marshall and Nanette Fabray. What Now, Catherine Curtis? has an introduction (1:25) featuring Joseph Bologna. The same cast members included in the introductions can be seen again in extended featurettes about the specials, with Happy Anniversary & Goodbye Revisited (19:59) and On the Ball: Joseph Bologna Remembers (13:56), where they all look back at the behind-the-scenes of the specials. These are very interesting to watch. The next special feature has very little to do with the specials, but is very interesting to listen to. It is a radio interview from 1965 that Lucille Ball conducted where she interviewed Mary Tyler Moore (19:18). The interview took place over two days during the fourth season of The Dick Van Dyke Show, and we get a good glimpse at Moore's earliest days of television here. Finally, Outtakes (2:49) is a series of outtakes from Happy Anniversary & Goodbye.
Once again, MPI has put together an excellent DVD for these specials! I really enjoyed both specials, although What Now, Catherine Curtis? was not the typical style of Lucy that we have all become accustomed to. These specials are great paired together, as they are both about the pitfalls of love and marriage. There is quite a bit of sex talk in these specials, which is also something that Lucy fans may not be used to, but it makes them much more interesting. Any Lucille Ball fan will definitely want to own this DVD.
(4.5/5 stars)To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
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BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
The Honeymooners originally ended in the 50s, but it continued all the way into the late 70s with lost episodes and specials. The last of these specials, The Honeymooners Christmas Special, from 1978 brings the Kramdens and Nortons together for a Christmas that almost doesn't happen due to Ralph putting all of their money into the lottery. Check out our review of this special below.
DVD Review: The Honeymooners Specials - Christmas Special
by skees53
The Honeymooners Specials - Christmas Special (MPI, $14.98) reunites the Kramdens and Nortons for the last of four hour-long specials. This time, it is Christmas for the families, and Ralph's latest get-rich scheme may put the family finances in jeopardy at Christmas, the worst time of the year for that.
The main feature (48:25) begins with the two families preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Ralph is trying to find a way to make money to have a Christmas full of joy, and decides to make an investment. Unfortunately, his "investment" isn't a very wise one, and the idea is to play the lottery. He takes money from his and Alice's life savings, Ed Norton's holiday bonus, and Alice's mother's social security check and puts it in the lottery for a chance to win a million dollars after he sees a "sign" that tells him that he'll get rich from it. Needless to say, the "investment" doesn't pay off as he plans, but luck does strike a bit, and he wins $1500 in the lottery--enough to pay back his losses and gain 12 cents. In the end, Ralph learns a lesson about family and friends and learns from Alice that, despite winning 12 cents, he isn't a winner after all.
The DVD is packaged in a standard DVD case with a photo of Jackie Gleason and Audrey Meadows on the cover. The back of the package has a few snapshots from the special along with a brief description of it. The disc artwork contained inside contains the same photo as the cover art.
The menus on the DVD are fairly basic. On the main menu, we have a snapshot of Alice and Ralph, with the theme song playing in the background. We are given options of Play, Bonus, and Setup. Play immediately takes you to the main feature. Bonus gives you a menu that contains the only special feature. Setup allows you to turn on the English subtitles. Chapters are placed throughout the special.
The video and audio quality on this DVD looks better than any of the previous releases. There really aren't any major problems of note. The video isn't as sharp as it could be, but for the most part, it is fine. The audio is presented in mono and suffers a bit of echo due to the venue in which the special was produced. The DVD contains English subtitles.
The DVD contains only one special feature, but it is a good one at least. Honeymooning: Behind the Scenes (5:28) is essentially just a new interview with Jane Kean (Trixie), where she talks about her experiences of working with Jackie Gleason and Art Carney on The Honeymooners.
This is a great special, and is a little bittersweet since it is the last time we see this cast work together. I think that this one was one of the best of the specials, and is very enjoyable to watch. Fans of The Honeymooners and the work of Jackie Gleason are sure to enjoy this special, but fans of classic comedy in general may be interested in seeing this special as well.
(4/5 stars)To purchase The Honeymooners Christmas Special, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
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LOOKING AHEAD
We'll be back next week with a little bit of criminal action with our reviews of C.S.I.: Miami - The Eighth Season and Hawaii Five-O - The Tenth Season. Plus, we'll have more news (who knows, there could be something big) and more in the upcoming weeks. Until then, keep it digital!
Saturday, May 01, 2010
Digital Digest: Marcus Welby, M.D. - Season One DVD Review; The Honeymooners Specials DVD Review
DIGITAL NEWS
The "big news" this week is a follow-up on a release of something that was already expected, but will nonetheless please all of the fans... or at least that's what she said. NBC's The Office has long been a fan favorite on DVD, and The Office - Season Six ($59.98 MSRP). Slated for release on September 7, the set is sure to contain plenty of bonus features as the previous releases have. Of course, it will also be available on Blu-ray ($69.98 MSRP). 30 Rock - Season Four ($49.98 MSRP), which also airs on NBC Thursday nights, is slated for release with no date known so far, although my guess would be that it will be around the same time as the release of The Office. It doesn't appear that there will be a Blu-ray release for 30 Rock, at least not for now (there haven't been any at all for the series yet), but if that changes, we'll of course let you know. So far, there is no word on any announcement for the second season of Parks and Recreation, but I'm sure there will be one sooner or later.
Moving from NBC to ABC, which is something the Scrubs actually did a little over a year ago, the final season of Scrubs is coming to DVD sometime later this year, in Scrubs - The Complete Ninth and Final Season ($29.98 MSRP). But that isn't all! There is also a Scrubs - The Complete Series set ($149.98 MSRP) that has been announced, although it is not known at this time whether this set will have anything "extra" compared to the season sets. No Blu-ray release has been put up for preorder just yet, but give it time, it probably will sooner or later. Also, some fans may have been wondering a few weeks ago why one of ABC's best new sitcoms, Modern Family, hadn't been announced. Now, we have found out that 20th Century Fox is bringing Modern Family - Season One to DVD ($59.98 MSRP) and Blu-ray ($69.98 MSRP). Of course, discounts can always be found for both of these.
That is actually all of the sitcom news that we have for this week, but there is one non-sitcom item of interest, that being this report from TVShowsOnDVD.com that shows a pre-order link for an upcoming Blu-ray release of a popular series... but it isn't one that we would be expecting on Blu-ray! The Twilight Zone - Season One, which was already an amazing set on DVD, is now headed for Blu-ray. It comes at a $99.98 MSRP, though, which suggests that Image (the studio releasing it) has a costly project on their hands. Still, I'm sure fans will appreciate the set.
We apologize for the slow news week, but as always, we can't just make up the news!
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Next week (May 4) is one of the busiest release dates we've seen since we've started Digital Digest, with the highlight being Shout! Factory's release of The Facts of Life - The Complete Fourth Season. It contains every unedited episode of the fourth season along with the movie The Facts of Life Goes to Paris. Lionsgate is continuing on with the former ABC series According to Jim with According to Jim - The Complete Second Season. Our review for both of these sets will be posted shortly on our Reviews Page. A bit north of the border (but don't worry, you can still order it and play it in the United States from Amazon.com) in Canada is the release of Kate & Allie - The Complete Series, which contains every single episode of the series. You can read our review of this set here. There are two DVDs from MPI of The Color Honeymooners, including Second Honeymoon and Valentine Special. You can read our review of these DVDs in today's Digital Digest. Going a bit beyond the realm of sitcoms, there is Shout! Factory's release of the classic medical drama Marcus Welby, M.D. - Season One. You can also read our review of this in today's Digital Digest. Finally, if you love the 80's and animated series, you are sure to love Warner Home Video's Saturday Morning Cartoons 1980's - Volume 1, containing episodes of many rare (and admittedly in some cases, awful, though that makes them worth watching) 80's cartoons. We will have a review of this set soon in Digital Digest!
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Is there a doctor in the house? One who makes house calls, perhaps? Yes there is! And his name is Dr. Marcus Welby (Robert Young). But he is running a busy practice and can't do it all on his own, so enter his new assistant, the young Dr. Steven Kiley (James Brolin). They come together for the successful and often controversial (some topics remain so even today) 1970s medical drama, Marcus Welby, M.D. Now, Marcus Welby, M.D. - Season One is available from Shout! Factory.
DVD Review: Marcus Welby, M.D. - Season One
by skees53
Marcus Welby, M.D. - Season One (Shout! Factory, $49.98) puts a doctor back in the house with the first 26 episodes (as well as the pilot made-for-TV movie that aired a year before the series premiered) of the classic medical drama about the doctor who made house calls. Dr. Welby (Robert Young) was an older, charismatic physician who had a very traditional demeanor about himself, but often engaged in less than ordinary forms of practice. His assistant, Dr. Steven Kiley (James Brolin) was the young motorcycle riding partner in the business, but despite his appearance, he engaged in very traditional and time-tested forms of practice. Together, they make a medical partnership that is the best around.
The series begins with the March 26, 1969 made-for-TV movie, "A Matter of Humanities," which explains how Dr. Welby and Dr. Kiley come together to create their practice. In "The Foal," Dr. Welby takes a little time away from his weekend golf to help (and by help, that includes moving in for the weekend) a young boy who has been diagnosed as autistic and has nowhere to go for help. A woman is willing to do whatever it takes to obtain an (at the time) illegal abortion in "Don't Ignore the Miracles." A woman suffers a stroke in "Silken Threads and Silver Hooks," but the only thing that her filmmaker husband cares about is making a documentary about her recovery, which hampers her ability to recover. The doctors have a disagreement over how to handle a patient who is addicted to LSD in "Homecoming." In "The Chemistry of Hope," a young boy is diagnosed with leukemia, but his parents don't want him to know that. In "Diagnosis: Fear," Dr. Welby suggests knee surgery for a young basketball player, but the patient insists on faith healing. Who will win that battle?
The civil rights movement comes to Dr. Welby's office when the son of a black leader is injured by the police in "The Soft Phrase of Peace." The doctors have to find out if a scientist has Huntington's disease in "Dance to No Music." One of Dr. Kiley's old friends needs a medical examination to get a job as a bus driver in "Go Get 'Em, Tiger," and that includes passing a drug test--but Dr. Kiley ends up violating medical ethics when he knows that the friend is a recovering drug addict. Steven Spielberg (he went on to some further fame or something like that, so I hear) directs the episode "The Daredevil Gesture," where a hemophiliac tries to keep his condition secret from his classmates. Dr. Kiley meets a young camp counselor who is addicted to prescription drugs in "Enid."
The episodes on the set all appear to be unedited, with runtimes coming in at just under 50 minutes for most episodes. Exact runtimes are as follows:
Disc 1:
Pilot Film: "A Matter of Humanities" (1:37:48)
1. "Hello, Goodbye, Hello" (48:24)
2. "The Foal" (49:18)
Disc 2:
3. "Don't Ignore the Miracles" (49:19)
4. "Silken Threads and Silver Hooks" (49:16)
5. "All Flags Flying" (49:16)
6. "Echo of a Baby's Laugh" (49:24)
Disc 3:
7. "The White Cane" (49:22)
8. "The Vrahnas Demon" (49:20)
9. "Madonna with Knapsack and Flute" (48:18)
10. "Homecoming" (49:19)
Disc 4:
11. "Let Ernest Come Over" (49:15)
12. "The Chemistry of Hope" (49:18)
13. "Neither Punch Nor Judy" (49:21)
14. "Diagnosis: Fear" (49:05)
Disc 5:
15. "The Soft Phrase of Peace" (49:18)
16. "Fun and Games and Michael Ambrose" (49:16)
17. "The Legacy" (49:19)
18. "Dance to No Music" (49:13)
Disc 6:
19. "Go Get 'Em, Tiger" (49:21)
20. "Nobody Wants a Fat Jockey" (49:18)
21. "The Other Side of the Chart" (49:17)
22. "The Merely Syndrome" (49:16)
Disc 7:
23. "Sea of Security" (49:24)
24. "The Daredevil Gesture" (49:21)
25. "Enid" (49:16)
26. "The Rebel Doctor" (49:18)
The set comes in one of the larger double-sized keepcases, as it is a larger set that contains seven discs. The cover art has a cast snapshot, and the back of the case has basic information about the series, and the background of the series. Inside, the seven discs all have photos of different cast members on each disc. The first disc contains the pilot movie and the first two episodes of the regular series, while each of the remaining discs contain four episodes each. Episode titles are listed inside the case, but there is also a very nice episode booklet with complete descriptions of each episode contained on the set. It is eight pages long and contains several photos throughout, and the best part is, each page is designed to look like a physician's prescription pad! Even the title of the episode booklet is great; on the cover, it says "Family Practice and General Medicine: An Introductory Guide." They did very good with the packaging on this set!
The set contains very nice animated menus, with the theme song playing in the background on the menus. The main menu gives options of Play All and Select Episode. Select Episode goes to a very basic list of all of the episodes, with no snapshots or anything from the episodes. Chapters are placed throughout each episode.
I was pretty impressed with the video and audio quality on the set, especially considering the age of the series. The episodes all look excellent, with few problems to report aside from the typical grain and debris that can be found on virtually all older series. The audio, presented in mono, is generally pretty loud and clear. Unfortunately, the episodes are not closed-captioned or subtitled.
There really aren't any special features on this set aside from the already mentioned pilot movie. Even though the pilot movie is essential to set up the background for the series, it isn't actually part of the original series itself, and many studios probably would have ignored it on a DVD release. It is nice to see that Shout! Factory did include it.
I didn't discover this series until about a year ago, when RTV began to air it, but I have been very impressed with this series, and find myself wondering why it doesn't get more airplay in syndication. It is a solid, well-written show, with plots that are still relevant and in some cases even more controversial today than they were in their own day. Plus, it marked the final starring role of one veteran actor's career (Robert Young) and the beginning of a new up-and-coming actor's career (James Brolin). Fans of medical dramas are sure to love this. It may not have the fast pace and flashy production values of today's medical dramas, but it shows the down home side of a pair of decent, caring doctors.
(4/5 stars)To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
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BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
When most people think of The Honeymooners, they think of 39 episodes of a great series that aired back in the 50s and MAYBE the few so-called "lost" episodes that aired in the same time period. But actually, there was much more to The Honeymooners, and all the way through the late 70's, there were color episodes and various special being made about the same characters from the original series. MPI has two upcoming releases of these specials coming up, including 1976's Second Honeymoon and 1978's Valentine Special, MPI's first two releases of these specials.
DVD Review: The Honeymooners Specials - Second Honeymoon and Valentine Special (Separate Releases)
by skees53
The Honeymooners - Second Honeymoon (MPI, $14.98) and The Honeymooners - Valentine Special (MPI, $14.98) are two separate one hour DVD releases that bring back The Honeymooners, including most of the original cast, in their four final one hour specials produced for CBS in the late 70's. They featured Jackie Gleason, Audrey Meadows, Art Carney, and Jane Kean as the principal cast.
In Second Honeymoon (50:19), from 1976, the Kramdens are ready to celebrate their 25th anniversary and ready to remarry to celebrate the occasion. All seems to be going well for the couple, but after 25 years, the couple has still yet to have a baby. Eventually, a series of misunderstandings makes Ralph believe that Alice is pregnant (although the age of the characters makes the plausibility of that seem highly unbelievable), and he turns to his pal Ed Norton for advice on how to take care of a baby. This DVD has a bonus feature of a parody skit (8:02) of The Honeymooners from a 1967 episode of The Hollywood Palace featuring Audrey Meadows as Alice and Ray Bolger as Ralph. Honestly, it feels just like a regular episode of the series, just with a recasting (but also shows that only Gleason could fill the role of Ralph Kramden).
Valentine Special (50:09), from 1978, focuses on even more misunderstandings in the Kramden household, when Alice decides to buy Ralph a suit for Valentine's Day. But Ralph gets more than just a little suspicious when Alice starts taking measurements of him, and mistakenly believes that she is measuring him for a coffin! But that's not all! He also thinks Alice is cheating on him, and to catch her in the act, Ralph and Ed decide to go undercover--in drag! This DVD has another parody of the series (3:48) from 1971 from another show (though the show is not identified in the clip), and this one is much funnier and much more enjoyable than the parody on the other DVD. This one features George Kirby in the role of Ralph and Sheila MacRae as Alice, adding an interracial marriage dynamic to the Kramden household. And if that isn't enough, Rich Little plays Ed Norton! I wish this one had been longer.
Each DVD is packaged in a standard DVD case, with the entire cast standing in front of a group (for Ralph and Alice's second wedding) on Second Honeymoon and the cast sitting at a table on Valentine Special. There are two episode snapshots and a brief synopsis of the special on the back of the case. Inside, each case contains one disc that has the exact same artwork as seen on the cover.
The main menu is the same on both DVDs, with options of Play, Bonus, and Setup. These are all self-explanatory, with the option of Setup basically being a place to turn on subtitles (English only).
The video quality is about on par with the episodes on the DVD releases of The Color Honeymooners, which means that the episodes look far from glamorous, but look good enough to watch. The picture quality is very dull and faded, and the audio (in mono, of course) doesn't sound that great because the episodes were recorded in a venue that wasn't designed for television productions, so there is a huge echo effect and you can hear the audience, a lot. Honestly, with that, combined with the very cheap sets used, these feel a lot like watching a stage performance of a play that was recorded on a video camera, but without knowing a lot about the history of this series, perhaps that is what they were going for. It actually does have an interesting artistic value, even if it does look awful blown up on a high definition TV. The specials are subtitled.
I've never been a huge fan of The Honeymooners, but these specials were very fun to watch and a little bit different from the traditional style of the series and characters that we are used to. Fans of the series will definitely want to pick up both of these DVDs, but for others, if you can find it cheap or rent it, it is definitely worth checking out.
(4/5 stars)To purchase The Honeymooners - Second Honeymoon, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
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To purchase The Honeymooners - Valentine Special, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
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LOOKING AHEAD
Be here next Saturday for more news and reviews in Digital Digest! We'll be reviewing several cartoons (including next week's release of Saturday Morning Cartoons 1980's - Volume 1), some more Mill Creek crime dramas coming out in a few weeks, and more in the upcoming weeks. Be sure to let us know what you want us to cover, by telling us on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us. We don't know what you want out of this feature unless you tell us, and we want to make it a very enjoyable blog feature! Until next time, keep it digital!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
FamilyNet March 2010 Schedule, Removes Sitcoms; NATPE Syndication 2010: Day 3
Merv Griffin's Crosswords and Black Beauty will remain on the schedule and air weekdays at 3pm and 4pm ET. With the addition of these new series, this means Happy Days, My Three Sons, Family Ties, and Early Edition will be off the line-up after their Friday, Feb. 26 airings. They haven't lost rights I believe, but they have been played for 3 cycles each or so and FamilyNet wanted to do something fresh. Since some ALN series have migrated to FamilyNet, you might wonder if these series could migrate to ALN? As of now, that is not happening because they can't. But if it ever happens, we'll let you know!
What about AmericanLife TV in March 2010? There is only one change, Fridays at 10am and 5pm will now be another airing of The Color Honeymooners. So Rhoda and Phyllis will be now cut to Mon-Thurs 10am & 5pm instead of Mon-Fri in March. Not a big deal. And Merv Griffin's Crosswords will air Saturdays at 4pm, as they will share it with sister net FamilyNet. Everything else will remain the same as it is now. Stay with us for updates as usual.
We didn't mention on day one the first-run weekend series up for sale for next fall. The following all-new series are trying to be sold for Fall 2010 on weekends:
The Crook and Chase Hour (one-hour, music talk show from All Media Partners); Curiosity Quest Goes Green (Half-hour kids series from Telco Productions); The Kids Block (Half-hour kids series from Showplace Television Syndication); My Parents, My Sister & Me (Half-hour sitcom starring Jasmine Guy from Showplace Television Syndication); Real Green (Half-hour lifestyle magazine from Telco Productions); Treasure Hunters Road Show (Half-hour reality from Entertainment Concepts International); Wild Limited (Half-hour wildlife series from Litton); Young Icons (Half-hour kids reality from Entertainment Studios, Inc.); Untitled Project With Magic Johnson (Half-hour from sports reality Showplace Television Syndication); World's Funniest Moments (One-hour reality from MGM).
As of now, I have no clearances for any of these. I'm sure a few of these will get cleared. It would be nice to have an first-run sitcom in syndication again like in the days of Charles in Charge and Out of this World! So here's hoping My Parents, My Sister & Me starring Jasmine Guy gets cleared! Debbie Allen is producing that sitcom. Stay with us for updates!
In other NATPE news, Trifecta Entertainment has acquired distribution rights for Hacienda Heights, an original soap opera featuring an all-Hispanic cast. Trifecta hopes to launch it this fall as a weekend block of two half-hours on both English and Spanish-language TV stations, as well as secure a cable run for it if possible. It will be produced for both English and Spanish, B&C reports. The show stars Resurrection Blvd.'s Mauricio Mendoza, and will be shot in San Francisco, where executive producer Desmond Gumbs owns a sound stage and production facility. Gumbs financed the production of the first 11 episodes himself. Those episodes were test-marketed in four Western markets with strong Hispanic demographics: San Francisco; Los Angeles; Yuma, Ariz.; and Santa Rosa, Calif. New York-based Sahara Media has agreed to finance the production's next 89 episodes, bringing the show to 100. Once the companies get enough episodes, they hope to turn the show into a daytime strip.
As of now, no clearances on this yet. If it gets picked-up, we'll let you know.
We shall return if anything else is known today, so come on back and check!
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
AmericanLife January 2010: Rhoda and Phyllis Join Schedule; CBS Pulls Three Rivers, Books 2nd I Get That A Lot Special
Rhoda starred Valerie Harper in the title role and aired from 1974-78 lasting 110 episodes. It was about Rhoda Morgenstern, who was the spunky, weight conscious, flamboyantly-fashioned best friend of Mary Richards who left Minneapolis and returned home to New York City.
Phyllis starred Cloris Leachman in the title role and aired from 1975-77 lasting 48 episodes. It was about Phyllis Lindstrom, who was previously Mary Richards' landlady on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. In the new series, Phyllis and her daughter Bess Lindstrom moved from Minneapolis to San Francisco, after the death of her husband, Dr. Lars Lindstrom.
In other ALN January 2010 news, Chicken Soul for the Soup will also air on weekdays now! Starting Jan. 1, it will air weekdays at 11am, replacing lifestyle programming. Soup will continue to air on weekends at 6pm as well. Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible will now air weekdays at 6pm, as Sue Thomas F.B.Eye moves to 7pm, replacing L.A. Law. Not to worry, as L.A. Law will now air at 9pm Mon-Thurs, as St. Elsewhere kicks off the night now at 8pm Mon-Thurs and Hill Street Blues closes the night at 10pm Mon-Thurs. Encores of these three dramas start at 12am Mon-Thurs with St. Elsewhere, followed by L.A. Law and Hill Street Blues from 1-3am Mon-Thurs. Airing in between will be an encore of Sue Thomas F.B.Eye weekdays at 11pm. On Fridays, the ALN Classic Movie will air at 8pm, followed by Mission Impossible at 10pm, 12am, & 1am, and The Color Honeymooners at 2am, as that will continue to air Fri-Sun at 2am. Weekends remain the same as now.
And don't forget about the 5pm hour holiday episodes all this month which began yesterday! We get classic Christmas episodes all month long from 5-6pm with classics like WKRP, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and even Mr. Belvedere! Streaks on the china, never mattered before! View the holiday schedule, if you haven't already.
As we first reported on our message board, CBS is pulling Three Rivers off the schedule effective immediately. Cold Case will move into the 9pm hour effective this Sunday, with various crime (what else?) repeats airing at 10pm the next few weeks. NCIS: LA will air this Sunday, Criminal Minds on Dec. 13, and Cold Case on Dec. 27 (as we announced, a repeat of the movie Jesse Stone: Thin Ice will air Dec. 27 from 8-10pm). Survivor finale is on Dec. 20. CBS has not announced yet what will air in the hour starting in January. CBS already has to fill the Sunday 8pm hour starting Dec. 13, since The Amazing Race ends its season this Sunday. A repeat of The Mentalist is slated for Dec. 13, with the Survivor finale on Dec. 20, and the Jesse Stone movie repeat on Dec. 27.
In other CBS updates, a second special of I Get That A Lot will air Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010 in the 8pm hour. The special is a fun filled, hidden camera special, whereby top celebrities perform ordinary jobs, while denying their real identity...only to later reveal that it is indeed them. The first special aired on April Fool's Day earlier this year to good ratings. This special will preempt Old Christine and Gary Unmarried on this night and will lead into The 36th Annual People's Choice Awards from 9-11pm ET/PT.
Friday, July 27, 2007
AmericanLife TV August 2007 Highlights and Changes
So what about the Saturday Comedy Block? It is before and after the new Boomer Solutions LifeStyle Block now. There is now only one episode of The Color Honeymooners (just at 7pm), followed by My Favorite Martian at 8pm and F Troop at 8:30pm. Chico and the Man is now at 1am (going into Sunday) and Welcome Back, Kotter is at 1:30am.
Other August highlights:
Thursday, August 2
* Combat!: Richardo Montalban, known for his role of Mr. Rourke in Fantasy Island, guests in "Gadjo" (7:00 p.m. ET/PT).
Saturday, August 4
* My Favorite Martian: Doris Packer guest stars in "We Love You, Miss Pringle" (8:00 p.m. ET/PT).
Sunday, August 5
* I Spy: Carroll O'Connor guests in "It's All Done with Mirrors" (6:00 p.m. ET/PT).
* L.A. Law: Sela Ward guest stars in the first of two episodes, "The Venus Butterfly" (10:00 p.m. ET/PT) and "Fry Me To the Moon" (August 12).
Tuesday, August 7
* Combat!: Robert Duvall guests in two upcoming episodes, "Cry for Help" (8:00 p.m. ET/PT) and "The Partisan" (August 21).
Thursday, August 9
* Kung Fu: Tim Matheson guest stars in "The Soldier" (8:00 p.m. ET/PT).
Tuesday, August 14
* China Beach: Don Cheadle guests in "Promised Land" (12:00 a.m. ET/PT).
Wednesday, August 15
* The Girl From U.N.C.L.E.: Ed Asner guest stars in two upcoming episodes, "The Double-O-Nothing" (10:00 p.m. ET/PT) and "The U.N.C.L.E. Samurai Affair" (August 22).
Sunday, August 19
* I Spy: Michael Conrad guests in "So Coldly Sweet" (6:00 p.m. ET/PT).
Friday, August 24
* The FBI: Martin Sheen guest stars in "The Condemned" (9:00 p.m. ET/PT).
Tuesday, August 28
* China Beach: Megan Mullally guests in "The World, Part Two" (9:00 p.m. ET/PT).
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, August 21
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 17)
Friday, August 21
- Rosie O'Donnell (SMILF/Stand by Your Man/Gimme a Break!) - Rosie guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Watch Jean on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Nick Kroll (Mating Season/Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Sally Field (Gidget/The Flying Nun/The Girl with Something Extra) - Sally talks about Remarkably Bright Creatures on a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
New on DVD and 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)
09/29/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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