Showing posts with label Family Tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family Tools. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 08, 2013

SitcomsOnline.com 2013-14 Upfront Preview: ABC; Episodic Review: Family Tools - "Now You See Me, Now You Don't" - Airing Tonight on ABC

ABC
Our upfront preview week continues! ABC had a tough season in 2012-13 but had some bright spots including sophomore drama Scandal and surging reality franchises Shark Tank and The Bachelor. Everything else, like most shows on TV these days, declined in the ratings. ABC is one hot show away from being back in the game and they might have that in 2013-14 with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com ABC 2013-14 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: None.
Already Renewed Returning Series: Saturday Night College Football.
Likely Returning Series: 20/20, The Bachelor, America's Funniest Home Videos, Once Upon a Time, Revenge, Scandal, Nashville, Dancing with the Stars, Castle, The Middle, Suburgatory, Last Man Standing, Malibu Country, Modern Family, How To Live With Your Parents, The Neighbors, Grey's Anatomy, What Would You Do?, Shark Tank, Body of Proof and Wipeout.
Likely To Be Canceled, Ending or Already Canceled: 666 Park Avenue, Zero Hour, Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23, Last Resort, Private Practice, Red Widow, Happy Endings, Family Tools, Splash, Bet On Your Baby, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
Likely New Series Pick-Ups: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.EL.D. (drama for fall), Westside (drama for fall), Gothica (drama for fall), The Goldbergs (comedy for fall), King John (comedy for fall), Super Fun Night (comedy for mid-season), Back in the Game (comedy for mid-season), Mixology (comedy for mid-season), Bad Management (comedy for mid-season), Killer Women (drama for mid-season), Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (drama for mid-season) and Reckless (drama for mid-season).

OUR FALL 2013 PREDICTION:

Mondays
8:00PM The Bachelor
10:00PM Westside (NEW!)

Tuesdays
8:00PM Shark Tank
9:00PM Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (NEW!)
10:00PM Castle

Wednesdays
8:00PM The Middle
8:30PM The Goldbergs (NEW!)
9:00PM Modern Family
9:30PM How To Live With Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)
10:00PM Nashville

Thursdays
8:00PM NEW Reality
9:00PM Grey's Anatomy
10:00PM Scandal

Fridays
8:00PM Last Man Standing
8:30PM King John (NEW!)
9:00PM The Neighbors
9:30PM Suburgatory
10:00PM 20/20

Saturdays
8:00PM College Football

Sundays
7:00PM America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00PM Once Upon a Time
9:00PM Gothica (NEW!)
10:00PM Revenge

Comments: ABC needs to bring some life on a few nights this fall and I think they could do it with some promising new pilots. Detailing the fall schedule, I'll start with Mondays. Dancing with the Stars has been declining the last few seasons, so ABC should as much as I hate to do it, go with The Bachelor from 8-10pm in fall. That series surged this winter and could benefit by airing two cycles a season - one in the fall and one in the spring. ABC would then bring back Dancing with the Stars from Jan-Mar. Instead of 10 weeks, they could expand it a bit I think...like 12 or 13 weeks. Perhaps at 10pm, a new younger-skewing drama out of the younger Bachelor could work, like Westside or Betrayal. I'm going with Westside. I think Castle is strong enough to air on another night, I think, like Tuesday nights where they need it a bit more. More on that below. I could very well see them keeping it though on Mondays and I think it would still make sense On Tuesdays, with no Dancing with the Star in the Fall on our schedule, they would really need to put a priority to this night. Shark Tank could be asked to come and launch the night at 8pm into the most promising pilot of the season, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. I could see ABC making that a 8pm show but I don't like the flow of drama-reality-drama and that this show could really be a big anchor. Dancing Results would air in Jan-Mar at 8 or 9pm, depending on how S.H.I.E.L.D does. At 10pm, ABC should use the veteran Castle out of its big play at 9. It wouldn't really make sense to air something new following that show since it could be a Lost-type show, where nothing would work following it.  Body of Proof will be back once again, I think.  It deserves it, too. Perhaps as a Friday or even Saturday option.

For Wednesdays, it's of course family comedies. The Middle will and should continue to lead off and Modern Family will anchor the night at 9pm of course. Suburgatory could be on the move to Fridays or held for mid-season. I would move it to Fridays to help launch a nice two-hour comedy block there. At 8:30pm, they can try their best new comedy and I think that will be The Goldbergs. It sounds like a perfect fit out of The Middle. At 9:30pm, ABC should try and continue with How To Live With Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) because it has done solid this spring and shows promise. They could order 2-3 comedies for mid-season, just in case something fails here or on Fridays. More on that below. And at 10pm on Wednesdays, is the critically acclaimed drama Nashville. I don't think it would be wise to move it, unless they find a compatible lead-in. As for Thursdays, the 8pm slot has been troublesome for ABC in the past few seasons. Word is that they have a reality show in the works for Fall and it would be perfect to start the night off with a reality show at 8pm. Dramas haven't worked her in a while because it's a tough slot and ABC already has 2 big dramas from 9-11pm. I have noticed three hours of the same genre never work for any network. CBS Tuesday dramas at 10pm always struggle, too, airing after two dramas from 8-10pm, if you have noticed. I don't think there is a doubt that Grey's Anatomy is at 9pm entering its tenth season and still by far a top drama. And at 10pm, the biggest 10pm show on television Scandal will return and probably even grow more. It's quality TV.

Onto Fridays, ABC will likely keep comedies at 8pm but their Friday anchor Shark Tank might be on the move, so that will open up the 9pm hour. I think comedies is the way to go. Last Man Standing did very well this season at 8 and should remain here. At 8:30pm, perhaps they should try for a new sitcom like King John starring John Leguizamo. It might fit better than Mailbu Country, which I would being back for mid-season. Then at 9, they could go with two comedies that worked well on Wednesdays: The Neighbors and Suburgatory. Both would fit perfectly on this night. Sadly, I don't think Happy Endings fits the night and if anything ABC Studios should shop it to USA or TBS. It was doing fine after Modern Family, but everyone for some reason kept complaining about its "retention." It did fine. Rounding out the night, 20/20 is at 10pm, of course. I don't think that should change. On Saturdays ABC will have College Football in the fall and then movies and/or repeats for the rest of the season, but they could try some series in the winter/spring. Body of Proof is an option and cheaper reality options, like Bet On Your Baby could work. Finally, on Sundays, of course AFV is at 7, followed by drama Once Upon a Time at 8pm. At 9pm  Revenge has done OK but it could fix the 10pm problem for ABC and do decently there. That would leave the anchor slot open to something like Gothica which could be a great fit for the night.

I REALLY think ABC needs to take a chance and do something like this. Who knows, Dancing could come back in mid-season with better ratings and a good crop of celebs. The new pilots do sound better class than last season as really only Nashville and Last Resort were well done. ABC also has a Once Upon a Time spin-off that could help and be a great limited series each season. Short runs like 13 episodes would be great for many of these new series and it would keep the schedule fresh. I understand if something hits big they wouldn't want to limit the show to 13 weeks and lose the ad rates, but for some shows they should. As always, ABC was a tough schedule to predict. Time to solidify Tuesdays and bring some life to it and help weaker hours (Thursdays at 8 and Sundays at 10) with type of shows they haven't kept trying. I'm fairly confident this schedule would help every night.
Discuss your thoughts on our prediction and feel free to make suggestions of your own.

Remember, next Tuesday (May 14) is the actual date when we will find out ABC's plans for the 2013-14 season. So, come on back next Tuesday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong!). Stay tuned tomorrow for a preview on CBS's upfront!




On the next...Family Tools:
By: Pavan

ABC's newest Comedy Wednesday sitcom starring Kyle Bornheimer, airs Wednesday nights at 8:30pm and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (May 8). In the episode airing tonight, "Now You See Me, Now You Don't," when Jack (Kyle Bornheimer) and Darren (Edi Gathegi) take a job in a corporate office, Jack tries to reconnect with a former high school crush (guest star Maria Thayer), while Darren questions his status after one of his ideas is stolen. Meanwhile, Terry (Leah Remini) meddles in Mason's (Johnny Pemberton) new relationship and Tony (J.K. Simmons) is uncomfortable with the girlfriend's unconventional style.

In this second episode airing (it's actually the fourth produced), Jack and Darren are fixing things at a corporate office and the white-collared workers ignore them as if they weren't there. It's the "tool-belt effect." But as soon as Jack drops his belt by accident he gets noticed. He also realizes his high school crush works there and is a top notch executive (VP of Brand Strategy), so that gives him extra incentive to show-off and drop that tool belt. He lies a bit to try and get the girl - a classic sitcom device. Usually in the end, the guy never gets the girl in these type of plots. The duo of Jack and Darren work together so well and by the end of the episode you'll see many examples of that, including a hilarious dream (daydream) sequence. Kyle Bornheimer shows off his physical comedy skills once again and shines. While he is the star, Edi Gathegi steals the show with his one-liners and facial expressions. He is the perfect sidekick to Bornheimer's Jack.



The B-plot of Terry's son Mason doesn't work as well. He is interested in this "zombie type" goth girl (another thing we've seen in sitcoms before). He asks for advice to Tony, Darren and even Lisa. This plotline didn't really showcase Terry and Tony that well since they were involved in this storyline as well. Back to the other storyline, Darren came up with this phrase "Taste These Sour Balls" and something happens with that. Won't give it away, but that line is hilarious. This episode was solid and simple despite some familiar type of sitcom plots. It shows the world that blue-collared workers are essential and I'm sure they are treated this way in real life. It's a comedic take on this situation and the show does it well. But will Jack still get the girl even after he lies about his job as CEO of Mr. Jiffy Fix? Tune in tonight and watch Jack and Darren drill their way out of this one. B

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

ABC Midseason Pilot Review: Family Tools - Premieres May 1; Episodic Reviews: New Girl - "Virgins" and The Mindy Project - "Triathlon" Airing Tonight on Fox

Family Tools

Family Tools - Wednesdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on ABC
Premieres Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 8:30PM ET/PT


by Pavan

Mixing family with business is never easy, and Jack Shea (Kyle Bornheimer) is about to learn that lesson the hard way. When Jack's father, Tony (J.K. Simmons), has a heart attack and is forced to hand over the keys to his beloved handyman business, Jack is eager to finally step up and make his father proud. Unfortunately Jack's past career efforts have been less than stellar, so everyone seems to be waiting for him to fail. His new job isn't made any easier by Tony's rebellious, troublemaking assistant, Darren (Edi Gathegi), and Darren's flirtatious sister, Stitch (Danielle Nicolet), who works at the local hardware store. But with the support of his Aunt Terry (Leah Remini) and his oddball yet endearing cousin Mason (Johnny Pemberton), Jack Shea may just find his true calling right at home.

Cast Details:
Kyle Bornheimer as Jack Shea
J.K. Simmons as Tony Shea
Edi Gathegi as Darren Poynton
Johnny Pemberton as Mason Baumgardner
Danielle Nicolet as Stitch Poynton
Leah Remini as Terry Baumgardner

Kyle Bornheimer (Jack Shea) made his television debut in 2008 as the hapless Sam Briggs in the critically-acclaimed CBS series, Worst Week. His performance in the lead role landed him rave reviews from critics across the country. TV Guide called Bornheimer the "biggest comic discovery of the new season," while Entertainment Weekly wrote "Bornheimer is the find of the fall season." His performance also earned him a spot on Entertainment Weekly's 2009 "Dream Emmy Ballot" list in the Best Lead Actor (Comedy) category. In 2010 he co-starred opposite Alyssa Milanp on the ABC sitcom Romantically Challenged. Bornheimer was a series regular in the NBC comedy series Perfect Couples in 2011. His other television credits include guest starring roles on The Office, Party Down and Breaking Bad. On the big screen, in 2010 Bornheimer starred opposite Kristen Bell, Odette Annable, Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Betty White in the Disney feature You Again. His scene-stealing performance as Tim, a jilted ex-boyfriend, earned him positive reviews from critics, including USA Today and The Los Angeles Times, who noted "...it's Kyle Bornheimer... who makes the best impression. Most recently Bornheimer starred in the upcoming independent feature, Bachelorette, opposite Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher and James Marsden, and can now be seen as Katherine Heigl's estranged husband in The Wedding, with Robert DeNiro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon and Amanda Seyfried.

J.K. Simmons (Tony Shea) has appeared in diverse projects spanning motion pictures, television and the stage on and off Broadway. He is known for playing the character J. Jonah Jameson in Sam Raimi's Spider Man trilogy. Other motion picture credits include Hidalgo, The Ladykillers, The Mexican, Off the Map, For Love of the Game, The Gift, Thank You for Smoking, Rendition, Burn After Reading and, memorably, his portrayal of the off-beat but not deadbeat father, Mac McGuff, in the hit comedy Juno. Soon he will begin shooting the Steve Jobs biopic, Jobs, as well as Jason Reitman's latest film, Labor Day, both being released in 2013. On the small screen Simmons plays LAPD Assistant Chief Will Pope in TNT's hit series The Closer. He also played Vern Schillinger on HBO's acclaimed drama Oz, and had a recurring role as Dr. Emil Skoda on NBC's Law & Order. Most recently he recurred on TBS' new hit comedy Men at Work.

Edi Gathegi (Darren Poynton) has steadily increased his profile and quality body of work in recent years with roles on both the big and small screens. Initially recognized for his recurring role on Fox's hit television series House as Dr. Cole (AKA: "Big Love"), Gathegi went on to join the ensemble cast of the box office phenomenon Twilight, then reprised his role as Laurent in the 2009 sequel, The Twilight Saga: New Moon. He was last seen in Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class. Additionally, he made his Los Angeles stage debut top-lining Superior Donuts at the prestigious Geffen Playhouse, which garnered him an Ovation Award nomination. Gathegi's notable film credits include features Gone Baby Gone, directed by Ben Affleck, and more recently, the literary adaptation Atlas Shrugged. Previous television credits includes Nikita, CSI, CSI: Miami, Veronica Mars, Lincoln Heights, Red Widow and the critically acclaimed Life on Mars.

Johnny Pemberton (Mason Baumgardner) hails from Rochester, Minnesota. He hosted and wrote on the MTV series Megadrive. He can be seen in the hit feature film 21 Jump Street, the upcoming movies The Watch and This is 40, and in Armando Ianucci's Oscar-nominated film, In The Loop. He has also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lopez Tonight, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the Sundance Channel and AdultSwim. .

Danielle Nicolet (Lisa "Stitch" Poynton) starred with Lucy Liu in the Lifetime miniseries Marry Me. She was a series regular on USA's Emmy-winning The Starter Wife, opposite Debra Messing. She also starred as a series regular on TNT's Heartland with Treat Williams. Nicolet started her TV career on NBC's 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Leah Remini (Terry Baumgardner) was made her first television appearance on the ABC '80s sitcom Head of the Class, and she landed her first starring role shortly thereafter on the ABC series Living Dolls (a spin-off of ABC's Who's the Boss?, where she also appeared), as well as recurring roles on Saved by the Bell. Remini went on to guest star on hit shows such as Friends and landed recurring roles in Cheers (as Rhea Perlman's daughter) and Evening Shade. In addition she has had numerous guest spots, including on the hit drama NYPD Blue, followed by a starring role in the comedy Fired Up. Remini went on to star in the hit series The King of Queens, which enjoyed a successful nine-year run. She established her character, Carrie Heffernan, as a modern and iconic take on the adoring and adorable blue-collar housewife. The King of Queens completed its final season in 2007 and continues to enjoy a huge following in both domestic and global syndication. While filming The King of Queens, Remini starred in the film Old School. Following The King of Queens, Remini pursued her ambitions in the daytime/talk show genre, culminating in the launch of the panel/ensemble series The Talk for CBS.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (airs Wednesday, May 1 at 8:30PM ET/PT)

In the pilot episode for the series, mixing family with business is never easy, and Jack Shea is about to learn that lesson the hard way. When Jack's father, Tony, has a heart attack and is forced to hand over the keys to his beloved handyman business, Jack's eager to finally step up and make his father proud. Unfortunately Jack's past career efforts have been less than stellar, so everyone seems to be waiting for him to fail. His new job isn't made any easier by Tony's rebellious, troublemaking assistant, Darren, and Darren's flirtatious sister, Stitch, who works at the local hardware store. But with the support of his Aunt Terry and his oddball yet endearing cousin Mason, Jack Shea may just find his true calling right at home.

Guest starring Lee Weaver as Ellis Poynton, Adam Arkin as Mr. Baynor, Jo Koy as Berrick, Rob Locke as Niko, Amazon Eve as tall client lady, Matt Orduna as Clarence and Eve Sigall as woman.

"Pilot" was written by Bobby Bowman and directed by Michael Fresco.

Analysis:

After watching the pilot, I can't help but think of Home Improvement. While that show was more of a traditional family comedy, this show is more centered on the workplace. The duo of Jack and Darren remind me of a younger version of Tim and Al from Tool Time (the show within Home Improvement). On this series, there is no show, but we have a real life handyman business. We get to see the fun antics of someone who really doesn't know how to be a handyman, as he is handed (no pun intended) the family business because his father just had a heart attack. Jack Shea, played by Kyle Bornheimer, is the star of this show and he once again delivers in anything he does. I loved him on Worst Week and he shined in traditional comedy on the short-lived Romantically Challenged. Just about everything I have seen him in, whether it is the small screen or big screen, the guy steals the show. He brings the physical comedy and he has a likeness factor that you can't resist. This show definitely is a broad comedy that fits the ABC Comedy Wednesday mold well. It's cartoonish and wacky, but it still brings the laughs.

I mentioned Darren, played by Edi Gathegi. He seems like a guy who doesn't listen to orders but in reality he is very loyal. He was very loyal especially to Jack's dad as an assistant and now Jack has to gain his trust. Darren is having a little fun at Jack's expense. It's going to be fun to watch Jack and Darren do their thing on this series for sure, because they will mess up and it will be interesting to see them get out of it. To add a little romantic flavor, Darren has a hot sister, Lisa (aka "Stitch), that Jack happens to like (well, we know she likes him). Living in the Shea household are Jack's dad Tony and Jack's aunt Terry and her young son Mason. It took me a little bit to figure out that Tony and Terry were brother and sister. I don't buy Leah Remini as that old, but she is definitely playing a much younger sibling. I mean she can pass as Jack's older sister even. Her son Mason on the show is quite a goofball. He doesn't have much substance in the pilot, but I can see him evolving.

The bread and butter of the pilot were Jack and Darren. They are good together and throw in a little of his dad Tony, and we have some great comedic fun. Without giving too much away, we have a lot of laughs and physical comedy, especially from the great Kyle Bornheimer. He might be this generation's John Ritter or Dick Van Dyke. We need good physical comedy on TV. I hope he gets to shine and showcase his talents finally on a show that lasts more than a season. All of his shows so far sadly haven't lasted more than a season. This is the broadest attempt yet, so it could work, if not Bornheimer has been getting a lot of film roles and of course has done well in those, too.

Conclusion:

Even though the pilot isn't perfect by any means, it's still fun and very watchable. It sets-up the series very well and we get a lot of information about the characters and that's what a pilot should do. Now we can sit back and relax and watch the show after we got all of that out of the way. It might be a good fit in between ABC's two biggest comedies The Middle and Modern Family (which are both broad). The cast is very good and hopefully they are utilized to their skills. Leah Remini so far hasn't had much to do, but I'm sure that will change. I've seen next week's episode as well, which we will talk about next Wednesday at noon, and it still centers on Jack and Darren. That's good though because they make this show and are a comedic duo.

Family Tools isn't going to win any awards or anything but it should find an audience. It's debuting a little late into the season, but if it does well these four weeks (not sure if ABC is planning on airing it in the summer), it could make a case to air in this timeslot in the fall (if not, airing after Tim Allen on Fridays would be perfect - Tim, meet the new Tool Man). Quality wise, it's not bad and is harmless fun. It's for all audiences of family comedies and even workplace comedies. To me, it's just as good as How To Live With Your Parents, which debuted last month. That series was another good attempt at a broad comedy and it has done well so far. This series is based on a British comedy and most of the time when we base a comedy off of a British show, it works. After watching Bornheimer, you're going to feel like getting up and fixing something. I'll tell you this, Mr. Jiffy Fix will not be needed to fix this show. It just has to keep on doing what it is doing and let Bornheimer shine. Sample not one, but more than one episode. [See you next week with our review of the second episode.]

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 3.5/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at 8:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

  • ABC.com Official Site
  • TV.com
  • epguides.com
  • Internet Movie Database
  • Wikipedia
  • Family Tools Photo Gallery

    Preview:








  • On the next...New Girl:
    By: Vincent

    Fox's Tuesday adorkable sitcom starring Zooey Deschanel airs Tuesdays at 9:00pm and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (April 30). It's a flashback! In the episode airing tonight, "Virgins," Jess (Zooey Deschanel), Nick (Jake Johnson), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Winston (Lamorne Morris) and Cece (Hannah Simone) flashback to tell one another how each lost his/her virginity. The episode also features guest appearances by Dylan O'Brien, Dennis Farina and Brenda Song. When I first heard about this episode of New Girl during the show's PaleyFest panel a while back, I was actually a little worried about it. The show had done an episode revolving entirely around sex back in early Season 1 entitled "Bad in Bed", and that episode still stands as the show's weakest to date. The humor was far too broad and seemed to prioritize making the weirdest sex scene possible over good characterization, which made for an occasionally amusing but mostly unsatisfying viewing experience. Luckily, both New Girl and its characters have grown substantially since that episode, and "Virgins" is a much, much better effort from the show. The humor still goes a bit too broad for my tastes at times, but overall "Virgins" is an episode that's about these fantastic characters, their past, and where they stand today more than it is about weird sex.



    One interesting aspect of "Virgins" is that it's told almost entirely in flashbacks, which is one of the most daring structural choices the show's made so far. It's a bit of a risk, but it winds up working really well - these characters are so rich and so full of history that it's really cool to see what they were like in the past and how that's affected who they are today. Plus, seeing things like "fat Schmidt" and Nick as a nerdy teenager are priceless visual gags made even better when you factor in Max Greenfield's and Jake Johnson's excellent performances. But for all of the fun that the flashbacks provide, the most interesting part of the episode may be the final few minutes, which offer a montage that demonstrates where the characters stand in their love lives now and how that ties back to who they were in the past. It's an incredibly well-done montage that seems to be setting us up for the final stretch of the season - and it demonstrates that no matter where these characters wind up by the season's end, they'll be in good hands, because they're on a show that quite obviously puts a lot of thought into consideration into each and every thing that happens to them B+



    On the next...The Mindy Project:
    By: Skees

    Fox's Tuesday night comedy starring Mindy Kaling airs Tuesday nights at 9:30pm immediately following New Girl and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (April 30). In the episode airing tonight, "Triathlon," Danny’s (Chris Messina) ex-wife, Christina (guest star Chloe Sevigny), comes back to New York to confront him about an emotional letter he had written to her. However, Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) confesses that he had sent the letter, unbeknownst to Danny. Meanwhile, Mindy (Mindy Kaling) and the rest of the staff compete in a triathlon and go head-to-head with the Deslaurier midwives (guest stars Mark and Jay Duplass).

    The episode begins with a visit from Danny's ex-wife Christina, which immediately leads to the firing of Morgan after he reveals that he was the one to woo Christina to his office... thanks to a letter that Danny wrote to her (but never sent). But even though Morgan is gone... and now working for a pair of midwives competing against the staff in a triathlon... Christina isn't going to go away and will do anything to make her feelings known to Danny. As for Mindy, she is training for the triathlon along with Casey (whom we first met in the episode "My Christian Boyfriend") when he makes a request to her that is a true test of faith. Hilarity ensues as she begins to consider his request by exploring the world of Christianity, complete with a Bible study group in her apartment and crashing a Sunday School class. But in the end, it all ties together when it is all about winning the triathlon, and in this one, there are quite a few winners.



    In case the fans haven't caught on yet, we have another "relationships" episode (that seems to be what this whole series is all about). But I think that this one has a pleasant twist, as it isn't just about Mindy and her relationships, but also about Danny and his ex-wife. Of course, just because it isn't all about Mindy and her relationships doesn't mean that they weren't able to work one of those stories in there... but even that story was rather nice (and more down to earth than many have been on this series), with a story about love in spite of religious differences, sort of like a Bridget Loves Bernie story (of course, dating between religions isn't nearly as big of a deal today as it was in the early '70s). The ending to this episode was a bit predictable, but I found that everything wrapped up rather nicely in this episode.  B+

    Tuesday, April 09, 2013

    ABC, CW Summer 2013 Schedules; FearNet Acquires Short-Lived Series Reaper, Plans Reunion Special



    ABC and The CW have announced most of their summer 2013 schedules. First up for ABC, three new series are joining the schedule, the innovative procedural Motive, which will have a special debut following the performance finale of Dancing with the Stars on Monday, May 20 at 9:00pm, before moving to its regular night on Thursday, May 23 at 9:00pm; sexy new drama Mistresses (pictured), starring Alyssa Milano, Yunjin Kim, Rochelle Aytes and Jes Macallan, will premiere a week later than initially announced, on Monday, June 3 at 10:01pm; and Whodunnit?, a new mystery reality competition show from Anthony E. Zuiker, the creator of the CSI franchise, which will premiere Sunday, June 23 at 9:00pm. Motive was previously set to have its series preview on Tuesday. May 21 at 10pm following the real Dancing finale, but now Dancing with the Stars: The Finale will be 9-11pm (after a special recap at 8pm) leading into local news (which affiliates love).

    These series join returning shows Celebrity Wife Swap, which has its summer premiere on Sunday, June 23 at 8:00pm; Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition, which debuts a new season on Tuesday, May 28 at 8:00pm; season four of Rookie Blue on Thursday, May 23 at 10:00pm; the summer season of What Would You Do? on Wednesday, May 29 at 10:00pm; and an all-new season of Wipeout on Thursday, May 9 at 8:00pm. The Bachelorette will now premiere on Monday, May 27 at 8:00pm instead of the previously announced Monday, May 20 9-11pm premiere. 10:00pm programming for May 20 will be announced soon. New comedy Family Tools, which premieres Wednesday, May 1, is likely going to spill into summer with its 10 episode order, but if it does well, ABC will likely only air 4 in May sweep and hold on to the remaining episodes for a second season. New game show Bet On Your Baby, premiering this Saturday at 8pm, will spill over into summer as well through June 1. Stay tuned for more summer programming updates (including burn-off news for series like Zero Hour and 666 Park Avenue) as ABC might have some more summer series including Nightline Primetime and possibly Secret Millionaire.

    For The CW, continuing its commitment to more original year-round programming, The CW has set premiere dates for its new summer 2013 primetime series. The CW's summer slate officially kicks off on Tuesday, July 16 with two all–new half hour shows, including the return of the hit improv comedy series Whose Line Is It Anyway? and the new dating competition Perfect Score. Premiere night will feature back-to-back original episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway? (8:00-9:00pm ET) and Perfect Score (9:00-10:00pm ET). Starting the next Tuesday, original episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway? will air from 8:00-8:30pm ET (with encores at 8:30pm), and Perfect Score original telecasts will air at 9:00-9:30pm ET (with encores at 9:30pm ET). You all know what Whose Line is, but Perfect Score puts a unique twist on dating game shows by not only giving players a chance to win a date, but also the opportunity to win cold hard cash -- IF they can successfully identify their perfect match. On Monday, July 29 at 9:00pm ET, the acclaimed reality series Breaking Pointe returns for a second season. And finally, new reality The Hunt will premiere on Wednesday, July 31 at 9:00pm ET. In this intense new wilderness competition, 12 teams of 2 will enter "The Arena," a fenced-in enclosure in the middle of the wild, where they must live for one month and compete against each other for scarce resources.


    Reaper

    FEARnet adds a cult favorite to its Tuesday night Twisted Comedy Block with the wildly popular ABC Studios one-hour comedy series Reaper, licensing both seasons of the hour-long series for a complete 31 episode order that ran on The CW from 2007-09. Reaper will be the lead-in program at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT to FEARnet's original half-hour comedy series Holliston, which premieres its second season that same night at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT. But wait, reruns are not the only item acquired! In addition to airing the series, FEARnet is producing a half-hour special reuniting some of the original cast and crew in which they will discuss the series' popularity, its finale and their rabid community of fans in a round-table format. Set to appear in the special are series stars Bret Harrison (Sam Oliver), Tyler Labine (Sock) and Ray Wise (The Devil), among others. Hopefully Miss Peregrym (Andi) as well! The quirky series focuses on the life of Sam Oliver (Harrison), a college drop-out who, on his 21st birthday, learns that he now must work as a bounty hunter for the Devil (Wise), as part of a deal made many years ago when Sam's parents offered up their firstborn son in exchange for good health for the ailing father. Tyler Labine (Invasion, Mad Love) and Rick Gonzalez (Coach Carter) play Sam's slacker friends who help him in his new secret double-life of 'reaping' souls, using a Dirt Devil vacuum cleaner as well as other modern household items. Often noted by TV fan websites as a series that was cancelled too soon, Reaper continues to enjoy a thriving community of devoted viewers who have rallied for the series to come back in syndication since its last network broadcast. Stay with us for continued updates!

    Wednesday, December 05, 2012

    ABC Mid-Season 2013 Schedule; Eric of JustMyShow.com Blogging On USA Today, Interviews Jason Ritter, Jay Sandrich

    How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)

    ABC announced midseason 2013 premiere dates for new dramas Red Widow and Zero Hour, along with new comedies How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) and Family Tools, and new alternative series The Taste and Celebrity Diving. Returning series Dancing with the Stars and Body of Proof will rejoin the schedule will all-new seasons in the new year, and Suburgatory will move to Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m., beginning April 3, 2013.
    First up, new innovative cooking competition show The Taste will feature celebrity chefs Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre and Brian Malarkey, will debut with a special two-hour premiere on Tuesday, January 22 from 8:00-10:00pm ET, and will premiere in its regular time period from 8:00-9:00pm ET on Tuesday, January 29 with an 8 episode order. No words on what will air in the time period Jan. 1, 8 and 15, but ABC will likely air repeats/specials until The Taste launches. Also on Tuesdays, Body of Proof, starring the Emmy(R)-winning Dana Delany, will return to the schedule on Tuesday, February 5 at 10:00pm, ET, and will feature new cast member Mark Valley as Det. Tommy Sullivan, a former NYPD detective (and a bit of a lady killer) who has transferred back to Philadelphia to rekindle his relationship with Megan Hunt (Delany). Private Practice, which currently airs in the hour, will have its series finale in January (likely Jan. 22, as the series has three episodes left to air in 2013), but no official date has been announced yet.

    Moving on, new thriller Zero Hour stars Anthony Edwards (ER) in his return to series television. Edwards' character, Hank Galliston, has spent his life debunking myths, only to be drawn into one of the most compelling mysteries in human history after his wife's shocking disappearance. Zero Hour will premiere on Thursday, February 14 at 8:00pm, ET for 13 episodes. The series will replace Last Resort, which will air three more episodes in 2013 to finish its 13-episode run. Next, Red Widow, from Twilight Saga films writer Melissa Rosenberg and starring Radha Mitchell, is a riveting new drama about one woman's journey into the world of organized crime, and how far she will go to keep her family safe. Red Widow will debut with a two-hour premiere on Sunday, March 3 from 9:00-11:00pm, ET launching a week after the Academy Awards, and premiere in its regular timeslot, Sunday nights at 10:00pm, ET, on Sunday, March 10 following Revenge for 8 episodes. The series will replace 666 Park Avenue on the schedule, which has 4 episodes left to air in 2013 (likely twice in January and twice in February).

    Dancing with the Stars will return for a 16th season on Monday, March 18 at 8:00-10:00pm, ET and Dancing with the Stars the Results Show will debut the following week on Tuesday, March 26 at 9:00pm, ET. The Monday edition will take over for The Bachelor after it finishes its season and presumably the Tuesday edition will take over for Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23. The Tuesday edition moves back to 9pm, as it aired at 8pm this past fall. Celebrity Diving, based on the international hit reality series Celebrity Splash, will premiere on Tuesday, March 19 at 8:00pm, ET, leading into Dancing on Tuesdays, and will feature as judges legendary Olympic diver and four-time gold medalist Greg Louganis, along with David Boudia, who brought home the gold for diving at the 2012 London Olympics.

    Then we have some comedy changes. Critically acclaimed Wednesday comedy Suburgatory will move to at 8:30pm ET as of Wednesday, April 3, one week after the season finale of The Neighbors. As The Neighbors returns with original episodes on Wednesday, January 9, and runs for 12 straight weeks. New comedy How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life)" features Sarah Chalke (Scrubs) as a recently divorced single mom who moves back in with her eccentric parents, played by the multitalented and critically acclaimed Elizabeth Perkins and Brad Garrett. The series premieres on Wednesday, April 3 at 9:30pm ET after Modern Family and has a 13 episode order. And finally, upcoming new comedy Family Tools debuts on Wednesday, May 1 at 8:30pm ET and stars Kyle Bornheimer, J.K. Simmons and Leah Remini in a new family comedy that proves mixing family with business is never easy. Family Tools will take over for Suburgatory in this new timeslot following its season finale. The series has a 10 episode order, so will likely spill into early summer.
    Stay with us for further updates as we get them.


    Moving on, our good friend Eric of Just My Show is guest blogging for USA Today's Pop Candy all this week! Among the interviews Eric has done for Pop Candy is Monday's edition featuring Jason Ritter. The ladies love Jason Ritter. The 32-year-old actor, the son of the late John Ritter, has been a series regular on Joan of Arcadia, The Class, The Event and is now in his fourth season as Mark Syr on NBC's Parenthood. Eric talks to him of course about Parenthood but also snuck in a few questions on his father's classic sitcom Three's Company. Read the interview! On Tuesday, Eric interviewed Jay Sandrich. He of course directed the majority of episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Cosby Show and Soap. In his spare time, he also directed the pilots of The Golden Girls, Empty Nest, A Different World and WKRP. Throw in a bunch of Bob Newhart episodes, a handful of Benson episodes and a few Night Court episodes for good measure. Can we just agree that he's a legend? Eric talks to him about his vast directing work of course and also what he thinks about today's comedies. Go ahead and read this interview as well. Check him out all week on Pop Candy! Go get 'em Eric!


    Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

    Friday, October 9

    none scheduled

    Complete TV Listings


    Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 5)

    Friday, October 9

    • Jamie Foxx (The Jamie Foxx Show) - Watch Jamie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
    • Ke Huy Quan (Head of the Class/Together We Stand) - Ke appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
    • Lili Reinhart (Surviving Jack) - Lili is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
    • Caroline Rhea (Sydney to the Max/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Pride & Joy) and Tommy Davidson (The Varnell Hill Show/The Proud Family/Malcolm & Eddie/Between Brothers) - Caroline and Tommy will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
    • Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) - Michael is interviewed on Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO at 10pm.
    • Gabourey Sidibe (Difficult People/The Big C) - Gabourey chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
    • Mikey Madison (Better Things) and Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) - Drew is joined by The Social Reckoning cast members Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White and director Aaron Sorkin on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
    • Danny Pintauro (Who's the Boss?) - Danny opens up about going viral for working as a delivery driver, the realities of being a working actor, and finding purpose beyond his childhood fame on Who’s the Boss? on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.


    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray) The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

    01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
    01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
    03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
    04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
    04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
    05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
    05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
    06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
    07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
    07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
    07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
    08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
    09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
    09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
    10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

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