SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Netflix announced via their social handles that critically acclaimed original series Atypical will be returning September 7 and released official first look images. Atypical is a coming of age story that follows Sam (played by Keir Gilchrist), an 18-year-old on the autistic spectrum as he searches for love and independence. While Sam is on his funny and emotional journey of self-discovery, the rest of his family must grapple with change in their own lives as they all struggle with the central theme: what does it really mean to be normal? Jennifer Jason Leigh stars as his mother, Elsa, who is on her own journey of self-discovery. Michael Rapaport plays his father, Doug. Brigette Lundy-Paine (Margot vs Lily, The Glass Castle) plays Sam's sister, Casey, and Amy Okuda (How to Get Away with Murder) plays a therapist, Julia.

Additional cast includes Nik Dodani (Alex Strangelove) who plays Sam's best friend, Zahid, and Jenna Boyd plays Paige, Sam's on again, off again girlfriend.

Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced its original hit series America Says, hosted by John Michael Higgins, will return for a 95-episode second season. The announcement comes on the heels of a successful premiere season, which has seen the show build over its lead-in by +26%, while also performing over +40% above YTD time period average among our core W25-54 demo. America Says is a fast-paced studio game show where two teams of friends and family face off to guess America's responses to fill-in-the-blank survey questions covering every topic under the sun. They'll have to be quick when trying to think of what America says, as time is always ticking and the team with the most money banked after three rounds will head to a bonus round to see if they can win up to $15,000.

Recognized for his iconic roles in films like Pitch Perfect, The Break-Up and Best In Show, Higgins is also known for providing voices for characters in popular animated series Bob's Burgers and Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra, along with starring opposite Fran Drescher in the sitcom Happily Divorced.

The multiple Emmy-nominated A Different World debuted as the #1 new show of its premiere season, staying at #1 in its time period for five consecutive seasons, with Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison leading the cast. Now that series is coming to Logo for rerun play beginning in September. Effective the night of Tuesday, September 15 the '90s comedy will air on Logo on most nights from about 1am-4am. A Different World can currently be seen on cable on TV One, but we do not know just yet if they will continue to air it when Logo begins it this September. A Different World is also airing on digital multicast network Bounce TV, but that is not a cable network. Logo of course airs many other sitcoms like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Facts of Life, Soap, Designing Women, Will & Grace, The Golden Girls and Roseanne. Also, the canceled TV Land sitcom Happily Divorced will air on Logo beginning Wednesday, Sept. 2 from about 6-9pm every Wednesday. After 18 years of marriage, Fran (Fran Drescher) is shocked to discover that her husband Peter (John Michael Higgins) is gay. She must deal with this bombshell & learn to juggle both her new relationships & ex-husband who remains in their house post-divorce.

Hit. Sensation. Triumph. Smash. Phenomenon. Lots of words are used to describe popular television series, but in 2015, a new word summed up success better than anything else: Empire. Before the epic series' second season premieres on September 23 on Fox, get ready for the television event of the fall season that with FX's exclusive marathon of all twelve binge-worthy back-to-back episodes of television's biggest, boldest, brashest series. This Labor Day, FX has the Empire from 12pm-12am on Monday, Sept. 7! Remember the time Homer was Mr. Burns's assistant? Or when the Germans bought the nuclear plant? Or when Marge ran Moe's, or when Homer was a tow truck driver, or one of the family's many other wacky jobs? Of course you do. And there is no better way to enjoy your day off than by watching a relaxing marathon of The Simpsons' greatest work-themed episodes on FXX on Monday, Sept. 7 from 7am-2am. Because the next day, you have to go back to work (where you can only watch The Simpsons at your desk on FXNOW).

Some years back we mentioned that TV Guide Network and TV Land had acquired reruns of HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm, now we have news on when it will air on TV Land! But first as a recap, TV Guide Network had the first window to air the series (since Feb. 2010) and then TV Land would have the second window beginning in Feb. 2013. Well, now it's time for that second window as the series heads to TV Land this February! The comedy has not been a success in syndication with it not doing well in the ratings on TV Guide Network, WGN American and local broadcast stations. In fact, the latter two both dropped the comedy (along with reruns of Entourage) after just once season and TV Guide Network relegated it to late nights before dropping it completely recently.

TV Land will launch the Larry David comedy on Saturday, February 16, 2013 with a three-day President's Weekend marathon. The marathon will air Saturday and Sunday from 11pm-6am and on Monday from 11pm-3am. Then beginning the next night on Feb. 19, the comedy will air every night at 2:00am & 2:30am and in a block on Sundays in the overnight from 2-6am. The series will essentially replace original encores at 1am, as That '70s Show goes from 2-3am to 1-2am. No other schedule changes will be made. Back to Curb, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning show stars Seinfeld co-creator Larry David as an over-the-top version of himself in an unsparing but tongue-in-cheek depiction of his life. The series has aired for eight seasons and 80 episodes, but it is unclear if there will be a ninth season.

As for TV Land originals, Hot in Cleveland will have its mid-season finale on Wednesday, Feb. 13 and Happily Divorced will have its second season finale on the same night. Reruns of original comedies are expected to air Wednesdays at 10pm until April 3, when TV Land launches new original reality series Forever Young on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 10pm. From the mind of Ashton Kutcher, comes a unique social experiment: what happens when fun-loving, uninhibited twenty-somethings are unknowingly picked to live and work with strong-willed, opinionated seventy-somethings? As they compete in challenges designed to bridge the generation gap, they ultimately learn you don't have to be old to be wise or young to be youthful! The series will air back-to-back episodes for five weeks and will have its finale on Wednesday, May 1. And then the original comedies return with new episodes on Wednesday, June 19 with the (LIVE!) mid-season premiere of Hot in Cleveland at 10pm, the third season premiere of The Exes at 10:30pm and the second season of The Soul Man at a new time of 11pm. No word on a third season of Happily Divorced just yet, but it is likely to get another season. Stay with us for further updates!

He has two Ph.D's and an IQ of 187, he plays "Words with Friends" with Stephen Hawking, and he owns Leonard Nimoy's napkin. The global march to spread the genius of The Big Bang Theory's Dr. Sheldon Cooper just crossed scientific fields, from theoretical physics to evolutionary zoo biology, as a new species of the Brazilian orchid bee — Euglossa bazinga — has been named after Dr. Cooper's zippy catchphrase. Brazilian biologist Andre Nemesio from the Universidade Federal de Uberlandia discovered the new species of beautiful, but misunderstood orchid bee that bears a striking resemblance to the Euglossa ignita, (or more common Western Brazilian orchid bee). Because the bees share so many similar characteristics, their existence as a separate species eluded scientists for years. Hence, the bees' grand "bazinga" on the world of science!

Steven Molaro, one of The Big Bang Theory's executive producers, acknowledged the unprecedented honor on behalf of the show and Dr. Cooper. Now in its sixth season, The Big Bang Theory airs on Thursdays at 8/7c on CBS and returns tonight will all-new episodes. See actual photos of this previously undiscovered species. Bazinga!

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Are you hungry for some sitcoms? Feast on four days of sitcom marathons and get ready for new seasons of Hot in Cleveland and Happily Divorced with the TV Land Thanksgiving Laugh More-a-thon! The smorgasbord of sitcoms begins Thursday, November 22 and runs through Sunday, November 25.

Leave it to Beaver leads things off on Thanksgiving Day from 8am-12pm. I Love Lucy will follow at 12pm-4pm. After you've had your turkey dinner, you can relax with The Andy Griffith Show from 4pm-9pm. Black Friday will begin with The Dick Van Dyke Show from 8am-12pm. M*A*S*H is up next at 12pm-4pm. Then it's more of The Andy Griffith Show from 4pm-9pm. Wake up early Saturday morning for Fran Drescher on The Nanny from 6am-10am. Roseanne follows at 10am-2pm. The Cosby Show will air next from 2pm-6pm. Sunday starts off with Roseanne from 6am-12pm. It's then more of the Huxtables on The Cosby Show at 12pm-3pm.

If you missed the most recent seasons of TV Land's Hot in Cleveland and Happily Divorced, you will have the opportunity to watch them on November 25-26. The Happily Divorced catch-up marathon airs Saturday, November 24 from 6pm-11pm. Hot in Cleveland fans can catch up with the show on Sunday, November 25 from 3pm-10:30pm. Don't forget that Hot in Cleveland - Season Three will be released on DVD on November 27. Look for our review of that set soon.

As we mentioned back in August, season four of Hot in Cleveland will premiere on TV Land on Wednesday, November 28 at 10:00pm. TV legend Regis Philbin (LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?) returns for the season premiere. The second half of season two of Happily Divorced will begin at 10:30pm. New guest stars in season two will include Joan Collins (Dynasty), Robert Wagner (Hart to Hart), singer Cyndi Lauper and Debi Mazar (Entourage). Returning guest stars include Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), D.W. Moffett (Switched at Birth) and Fran Drescher's The Nanny co-star Renée Taylor.

Stay with us for information on Antenna TV's and other network's Thanksgiving marathons and stunts. Gobble, Gobble!

Many broadcast network sitcoms will have special Thanksgiving-themed episodes over the next few weeks. Here's a list:

The Middle (Wednesday, November 14 at 8:00pm on ABC) - "Thanksgiving IV" - Frankie tries to do a good deed for Thanksgiving by inviting a couple of Marines to celebrate the holiday with her family. But with Frankie's parents, Pat and Tag (Marsha Mason and Jerry Van Dyke), constantly bickering, the good deed may not go unpunished.

The Neighbors (Wednesday, November 14 at 8:30pm on ABC) - "Thanksgiving is for the Bird-Kerseees" - Debbie wants her family's first Thanksgiving at their new home to be different from Thanksgivings past, so she convinces Marty to un-invite his parents and decides to invite Larry, Jackie, Reggie and Dick over for the holiday instead. Award-winning actor Stacy Keach guest stars as Dominick, Marty's father.

Suburgatory (Wednesday, November 14 at 9:30pm on ABC) - "The Wishbone" - When Tessa decides she wants to spend Thanksgiving in the city with her grandmother and birth mom (who is planning to fly in from Berlin), Dallas decides to fire Chef Alan and have George host Thanksgiving to keep him occupied. But when George finds his cooking skills inadequate, he winds up schilling out cash to Chef Alan to help make the meal edible. Meanwhile, after missing Alex (Malin Akerman) in NYC, Tessa returns home to find a surprising Thanksgiving dinner.

Up All Night (Thursday, November 15 at 8:30pm on NBC) - "Thanksgiving" - When Reagan (Christina Applegate) causes Chris (Will Arnett) to miss his favorite holiday - the annual Thanksgiving with his family back in Maryland - she's determined to give him an even better Thanksgiving at home.

Mike & Molly (Monday, November 19 at 9:30pm on CBS) - "Thanksgiving Is Cancelled" - Will Thanksgiving be cancelled for Mike and Molly? When Mike gets sick for Thanksgiving, Molly is excited that she doesn't have to cook – until Vince invites his brother to town for a homemade Thanksgiving meal.

Happy Endings (Tuesday, November 20 at 9:00pm on ABC) - "More Like Skanksgiving" - Alex and Dave host Thanksgiving dinner at their new place, and Dave gets a little sidetracked by his desire to share his heritage with his friends and give them a real Navajo Thanksgiving.

Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (Tuesday, November 20 at 9:30pm on ABC) - "It's a Miracle..." - Chloe and June have different feelings about Thanksgiving - Chloe hates it, June loves it. Sadly, June can't afford to fly home this year, so Chloe persuades June to come with her to her parents' house for the holiday -- but under the most strange and awkward conditions.

Raising Hope (Tuesday, November 20 at 8:00pm on Fox) - "Candy Wars" - When Natesville holds its annual Thanksgiving Radish Harvest Festival, Jimmy is determined to sell the most candy bars around town, so that Hope can ride atop the town's Thanksgiving Day float.

Ben and Kate (Tuesday, November 20 at 8:30pm on Fox) - "Reunion" - When a high school reunion is held on the eve of Thanksgiving, Will (guest star Geoff Stults) encourages Kate to attend and stand up to the high school bully, Anna (guest star Amber Stevens), for giving her an unforgettable nickname. Meanwhile, in the midst of the holiday season, Ben doesn’t think he can keep the huge secret that he and BJ have been hiding from Kate for much longer.

New Girl (Tuesday, November 20 at 9:00pm on Fox) - "Thanksgiving 2" - Jess invites her divorced Mom and Dad (guest stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner) over for Thanksgiving dinner and enlists Nick and Cece to help her with a “Parent Trap” to reunite them.

The Mindy Project (Tuesday, November 20 at 9:30 on Fox) - "Thanksgiving" - Mindy decides to cook Thanksgiving dinner at Gwen’s (Anna Camp) but she’s sidetracked when she arrives to find a former blind date, Dennis (guest star Ed Helms), there with his new girlfriend (guest star Richa Shukla). A lonely Danny holds down the empty office, while Betsy and Jeremy visit Betsy’s eccentric family for the holiday.

Guys with Kids (Wednesday, November 21 at 8:30pm on NBC) - "Thanksgiving" - After a failed attempt to figure out who should spend Thanksgiving with their son, Chris (Jesse Bradford) and Sheila (Erinn Hayes) decide to spend the holiday together with his friends. NFL Hall of Famer and Dancing with the Stars champion Emmitt Smith guest stars.

Click here for a list of past Thanksgiving-themed sitcom episodes. What are your favorites? Discuss them here.

Ben and Kate - Tuesdays 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox
Premieres Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at 8:30PM ET/PT

What happens when an exuberant dreamer who always says “yes” moves in with his overly responsible little sister to help raise her five-year-old daughter? Ben and Kate, a new single-camera ensemble comedy, follows a pair of odd-couple siblings and their friends as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life.

Kate Fox (Dakota Johnson) followed the rules all her life…until she got pregnant in college and dropped out just shy of graduation. After the birth of her daughter, Maddie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), Kate put her 20s on hold. Now working as a bar manager to make ends meet and maximize her time with Maddie, she's uber-prepared for every possible catastrophe – except for the arrival of her older brother, Ben Fox (Nat Faxon).

Ben likes trouble a lot more than his sister does. His infectious energy makes everyone want to follow him into any number of bad ideas. He'll totally screw up their lives, but somehow, they'll feel good about it. Where Kate is all about planning and preparing, Ben is big on spontaneity and out-of-the-box ideas. But don't let the Velcro wallet fool you – he'll probably be a millionaire someday.

When Ben comes to crash on Kate's couch for a few days, he finds a sad state of affairs. For the first time in their lives, Kate needs Ben's help, and he's determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her overly stable world. He starts by looking after Maddie so Kate can get back to making mistakes, since the one real "mistake" she’s made turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her.

Always there to help with Ben's crazy schemes is his partner-in-crime, Tommy (Echo Kellum), who worships Ben like a hero and nurses a serious crush on Kate. Kate's British best friend, BJ (Lucy Punch), is a cocktail waitress at the bar and an all-around hot mess who would do anything for Kate, even if it's questionable or illegal.

Cast Details:

• Dakota Johnson as Kate Fox
* Nat Faxon as Ben Fox
* Maggie Elizabeth Jones as Maddie Fox
* Lucy Punch as BJ
* Echo Kellum as Tommy

Dakota Johnson (Kate Fox) is quickly making a name for herself as an up-and-coming actress in Hollywood. She was most recently seen in the feature comedies The Five-Year Engagement, opposite Jason Segel and Emily Blunt; 21 Jump Street, opposite Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum; as well as the Academy Award-nominated drama, The Social Network, opposite Justin Timberlake and Jesse Eisenberg.

She will next be seen on the big screen in the comedy Goats, opposite Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny and Minnie Driver. The film premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and is scheduled for a 2012 theatrical release. Additionally, she played opposite Paul Dano in For Ellen, which also premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Other credits include Theo, opposite Mira Sorvino; and the comedy Gay Dude, opposite Sarah Hyland and Megan Mullally.

Nat Faxon (Ben Fox) has appeared in numerous films, including recent releases The Babymakers, opposite Olivia Munn, Aisha Tyler and Paul Schneider; Bad Teacher, with Cameron Diaz, and directed by Jake Kasdan; and Zookeeper, with Kevin James. Additional film credits include Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Orange County, both directed by Jake Kasdan; and Beerfest. In addition to acting, Faxon is an Academy Award-winning writer in the category of Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2011 film, The Descendants, which he co-wrote with writing partner Jim Rash and director Alexander Payne.

He has also made his mark in television with roles on the series Happy Hour and Grosse Pointe. Faxon's other television credits include Up All Night, Are You There, Chelsea?, Happy Endings, Mad Men, Party Down, NCIS and recurring roles on Joey and Reno 911!.

After appearing in numerous print campaigns and commercials, Maggie Elizabeth Jones (Maddie Fox) had the opportunity to audition for film and television work. She first booked a role in a television pilot and soon got another break when she was cast alongside her sister in the film Footloose.

When director Cameron Crowe was searching for a young actress to play Matt Damon’s daughter in We Bought a Zoo, Jones’ taped audition was so impressive that it led to a face-to-face meeting. Shortly thereafter, she was cast in the role of Rosie, which earned her outstanding critical reviews. Jones most recently shot the feature film Identity Thief, working opposite her sister, as well as Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.

Lucy Punch (BJ) most recently was seen in Bad Teacher, alongside Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel and Justin Timberlake; Dinner for Schmucks, with Steve Carell and Paul Rudd; Woody Allen’s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, with Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins and Josh Brolin; and A Little Bit of Heaven, alongside Kate Hudson, Kathy Bates and Gael Garcia Bernal.

Punch began her feature film career working opposite Geoffrey Rush in 2004's The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. This was followed by the family fantasy, Ella Enchanted, with Anne Hathaway. In 2006, Punch was chosen as the British Shooting Star by the Berlin Film Festival for her work in Being Julia, opposite Annette Bening and Jeremy Irons. She has also appeared in St. Trinian's and Edgar Wright's British action comedy Hot Fuzz. Punch worked with Topher Grace and Anna Faris in Take Me Home Tonight and starred in the musical dramedy Untitled, alongside Adam Goldberg and Marley Shelton. In 2007, Punch was featured in the comedy series The Class, alongside Lizzy Caplan, Jason Ritter and Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

Echo Kellum (Tommy) grew up on the Southside of Chicago and began acting as a kid, booking his first regional theater tour at the age of 13. After spending a few years doing theater and commercial work in Chicago, he made the move to Los Angeles where he soon developed a passion for improvisational comedy.

Kellum began taking improv classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) Theatre, iO West and The Groundlings. He now performs regularly around Los Angeles. He is a member of the iO West headliner sketch team, “Pilot”; the UCB Harold Night show Winslow; and the UCB Maude Night show New Money. Kellum can also be seen on television in various national commercials.

Pilot Episode:

"Pilot" (September 25, 8:30PM) - Exuberant dreamer Ben Fox returns to his hometown and reunites with his younger sister Kate, an overly responsible single mom raising her five-year-old daughter, Maddie. But when he arrives, he finds a sad state of affairs. For the first time in their lives, Kate needs Ben's help, and he's determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her stable world. In the series premiere, Kate enlists co-worker BJ to help her prepare for what turns out to be a disastrous first date, while Ben teams up with childhood pal Tommy to stop an ex from getting married.
Guest Stars: Jon Foster as George, Lauren Anne Miller as Darcy, Olivia Moss as Young Kate, Henry Shotwell as Young Ben, Jayne Taini as Babysitter, Sam Daly as Kate's Boyfriend, Brandon Gibson as Darcy's Groom

The pilot episode begins with a flashback scene of young Ben and Kate. Kate narrates and gives some of their backstory. Kate says that her brother never grew up, and she grew up too fast. He moved away, but he shows up at unexpected times. She says her brother is an idiot. Kate asks him to leave when she's on a date with George. Maddie and Ben wake up Kate the next morning. Ben talks to Tommy at Buddy's Bar & Grill. BJ greets Ben. BJ and Kate talk about Kate's date. George walks in and high fives Ben. Ben picks up Maddie from school and spies on his ex-girlfriend Darcy (aka Mrs. Ben Fox) from his car in the street.

Ben and Tommy make plans on crashing the wedding of Darcy, while Kate views them on the internet nanny cam she installed in a cookie jar. Kate helps them practice the wedding crashing. BJ puts some makeup on Maddie. After Kate leaves to go to the bar, Maddie helps Ben pick a tie. BJ shows Kate how to draw attention to her mouth. Ben fires Maddie's babysitter. Kate accidentally butt dials Ben on the phone when she's talking to George. Ben eavesdrops on George's call and has problems pulling out his car. Ben confronts George at the bar with the news he heard on the phone. They make a mad dash to the wedding. Ben tries to express his thoughts to Darcy but freezes. Kate speaks up for him. Ben and Kate talk to each other under a table, just like they did when they were younger in an earlier flashback scene. Maddie and Tommy join them where Ben offers to help Kate with Maddie. The episode wraps with a scene at a pool and at Kate's house.

Analysis:

Ben and Kate is a single-camera comedy that is part of the new Fox Tuesday night. It comes from 20th Century Fox Television and Chernin Entertainment, the producers of New Girl. The series is created and written by Dana Fox. Jake Kasdan directed the pilot. The show was originally titled Ned Fox Is My Manny while in development. Ben and Kate may sound a little boring, but I'm glad they made that decision.

The series has a lot going for it and plenty of potential. Although the cast may not have any household names, they all give very good performances. Dakota Johnson is a relative newcomer to acting, but she shows she can do both comedy and drama well here. Her character is just very likable and charming. She also has a bit of a wild side. Nat Faxon has been in the business for a number of years, but this is first major lead role in a television show. He's a solid comedic actor. His character is very goofy and juvenille, but he's endearing and has a lot of heart. I love his near profane outbursts and other crazy antics. Maggie Elizabeth Jones was a real scene stealer in We Bought a Zoo and will have the same opportunity to that in this series. She's just a natural with great comedic timing and facial expressions. Lucy Punch makes a welcome return to television after having appeared on The Class in 2006-07. She has played some psycho characters in recent films like Dinner for Schmucks and Bad Teacher, but her character is somewhat normal here...although a bit inapprorpiate talking to Kate. She has a pretty convincing American accent, but I'm glad they allowed to use her real English accent in the show. Echo Kellum does a nice job with the role of Tommy. It's funny how Tommy has a crush on Kate. That could get old quickly if it's repeated too often. The character could be expanded a bit.

It's a well-paced pilot that has nice production values. There were many different scenes and shooting locations, but I don't think they overdid it with a lot of information and backstory. They did a good job making the two major storylines connected and everything cohesive. Some narration is used at the beginning of the episode, but it looks like it won't be a major part of the show. I liked how they had a flashback scene of young Ben and Kate talking under a table and a current scene of them as adults doing the same thing. It was funny how Ben had braces in the flashback scenes, but his teeth are crooked as an adult. It's refreshing to see that the two lead actors don't have perfect teeth. They seem more like everyday people and not just actors. Faxon and Johnson have good chemistry as brother and sister. I was surprised to see that he was around 15 years older than her. I think they are still believable as brother and sister, even though the age gap doesn't look like that many years in the flashback scenes.

Conclusion:

Ben and Kate is one of the best sitcom pilots of the season. An excellent pilot doesn't always lead to a successful series, but there's plenty of promise here. It has a talented cast, strong writing and solid directing. There's a nice mix of comedy and drama. The final scenes are especially sweet and heartwarming. All of the characters are very likable. They seem like characters people will root for and care about.

Although the cast may lack star power, they seem ideal for their roles and work well together. The chemistry is already there in the pilot. Zooey Deschanel was the new girl for Fox last season, but Dakota Johnson could be poised to become one of the breakout television stars of this season. She's only been acting for a couple of years, but she's a fast rising star. Her parents are Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson and her grandmother is Tippi Hendren. She certainly has good acting genes. The rest of the ensemble cast works well. Nat Faxon has been acting for a while in mostly smaller roles, so it's nice to see him get an opportunity with a major lead role. Lucy Punch's funny BJ character could be increased even more. Ben and/or Kate are in virtually every scene. It's a relatively small main cast. There's room to bring in some recurring characters, such as their parents, other relatives or love interests.

Tuesdays will be Fox's big night of single-camera comedies. They are expanding to two hours this season. Ben and Kate will debut after the season premiere of the breakout and critical hit New Girl. It will normally air after Raising Hope, which premieres next week. I think it's a good pairing of family comedies. The time slot will be a challenging one, however. The Dancing with the Stars Results, The Voice Results and NCIS present some very fierce competition. If they can survive the first half of the season and gradually build an audience, they should be fine. The competition after New Girl appears less daunting, but they will have to do the best they can in their scheduled time slot for now. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ben and Kate and The Mindy Project swap slots eventually. Forget about Prince William and Kate. Watch the refreshingly funny Ben and Kate on Tuesdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on Fox.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4.0/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 4.0/5

-- Reviewed by Todd Fuller on 09/25/12

Discuss the show after you watch it on Tuesday, September 25 on our message board.

Related Links:

Fox.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Ben and Kate Photo Gallery

Preview:





Some of the biggest names in pop culture history are joining fellow TV icon Fran Drescher on new episodes of TV Land's hit sitcom, Happily Divorced. Joan Collins (Dynasty), Robert Wagner (Hart to Hart), singer Cyndi Lauper and Debi Mazar (Entourage) will appear, as will returning guest stars Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), D.W. Moffett (Switched At Birth) and Fran's The Nanny co-star Renée Taylor. Inspired by Fran Drescher's real life, Happily Divorced revolves around LA florist Fran Lovett (Drescher) who finds out after 18 years of marriage that her husband Peter (John Michael Higgins) is gay. Production begins on October 1 and the sitcom returns to TV Land with 12 all-new episodes beginning on Wednesday, November 28 at 10:30pm ET/PT immediately following the fourth season premiere of Hot in Cleveland.

In the second half of season two, Peter gets a job working as an assistant for Joan Collins (who plays a fictional version of herself). Peter is thrilled to be working for an icon – until he realizes that two demanding women in his life is two too many. Additionally, Robert Wagner appears as Elliot's (Moffett) handsome father, and Marilyn (Taylor), the longtime frenemy of Fran's mother Dori (Rita Moreno), will return – daughter (Cyndi Lauper) in tow. Debi Mazar plays a potential new roommate for one of the Lovetts. In the return episode on Nov. 28, Ralph Macchio will return as Frankie, the New York born-and-bred pizza shop owner who has been romancing Fran. Happily Divorced also stars acclaimed actors Tichina Arnold (Everybody Hates Chris) as Fran's best friend Judi, Rita Moreno and Robert Walden as Fran's parents Dori and Glen and Valente Rodriguez (George Lopez) as Cesar, her flower shop employee.

Our upfront preview week continues!  Today we take a look at Fox, who will present its schedule on Monday. Fox is coming off a decent season as X Factor did decent (but not huge) last fall and Fox also found a comedy hit in New Girl. And American Idol is still is the number one show on TV even with massive drops, but they still will need some more dramas to hit, especially in the fall without House and no real drama hits as Glee is declining and Bones is aging.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com Fox 2012-13 preview:

New Series Already Picked-Up: None.
Already Renewed Returning Series: The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, The Cleveland Show, Family Guy, American Dad!, Bones, Glee, Raising Hope, Fringe, Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares, The X Factor, New Girl, Cops.
Likely Returning Series: American Idol & Touch.
Likely To Be Canceled or Already Canceled: House, Terra Nova, Allen Gregory, Napoleon Dynamite, Alcatraz, The Finder, Breaking In, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Mobbed & Q'Viva.
Likely Additional New Series Pick-Ups (our picks): Untitled Mindy Kaling Project (comedy for fall), Mastermind (drama for fall), Untitled Berman & Wright Project (drama for fall), Little Brother (comedy for fall), and Rebounding (comedy for mid-season).

OUR FALL 2012 PREDICTION:

Mondays
8:00PM Bones
9:00PM Untitled Berman & Wright Project (NEW!)

Tuesdays
8:00PM Glee
9:00PM New Girl 
9:30PM Untitled Mindy Kaling Project (NEW!)

Wednesdays
8:00PM The X-Factor 
9:30PM Little Brother (NEW!)

Thursdays
8:00PM The X-Factor Results
9:00PM Mastermind (NEW!)

Fridays
8:00PM Kitchen Nightmares
9:00PM Fringe

Saturdays
8:00PM College Football on Fox

Sundays
7:00PM NFL Overrun / Animated Encores
8:00PM The Simpsons
8:30PM The Cleveland Show
9:00PM Family Guy
9:30PM American Dad!

Comments: Fox will try to turn The X-Factor into a big hit in season two with new judges, but does anyone care at this point? The series is likely to return to its Wednesdays from 8-10pm (later 8-9:30pm) and Thursdays 8-9pm timeslots. Once again the plan will probably be to reduce the performance show to 90-minutes by mid-October or so, so perhaps a comedy will air at 9:30pm--and a better one like John Stamos' Little Brother and not something bad like this past season's I Hate My Teenage Daughter. That's one comedy pick-up that was a big head scratcher. Anyway on to the fall schedule picks,  House is gone and Bones will likely remain on Mondays leading it off. They should use the 9pm slot to try and launch a new drama like the Untitled Berman & Wright Project about a mob doctor. I don't think they should go with a more male oriented drama like Mastermind in this slot, as Terra Nova and Alcatraz fizzled, plus ESPN has Monday Night Football in the fall. Moving on to Tuesdays, I think Glee will remain in the slot leading into a comedy hour. Raising Hope will be back, but perhaps in mid-season so it can make room for a new comedy, almost all but certain to be the Untitled Mindy Kaling Project right after New Girl at 9. On paper it sounds like a perfect match. On Wednesdays, as mentioned The X-Factor will likely air 8-10pm then eventually be reduced to 8-9:30pm into a new comedy, perhaps the John Stamos series Little Brother. That seems like a good fit and the woman will go wild for John. On Thursdays, X-Factor will likely be at 8pm, perhaps leading into a new drama like Mastermind from Kevin Williamson. I think Touch, should it return, will be mid-season. Fridays will likely remain the same as it is now, with Kitchen Nightmares at 8 leading into the final 13-episode season of Fringe. It will be interesting what airs at 9pm in mid-season. Saturdays will now be sports in the fall, with College Football most weeks.  This means Cops is on hiatus until mid-season. And on Sundays, animation domination will continue of course with a mix of the 5 series they have already, but likely one will be benched to January because of NFL overruns and it should be Bob's Burgers again. As Cleveland Show does better at 8:30pm. Every other timeslot should remain intact. Fox is working on a Saturday late night animated block to start in January, so stay tuned for news on that. No more encores on Saturday nights!
So, Fox hopes The X-Factor turns into a big hit this fall in its second season to try and make Fox  bigger in the fall. Look for Fox to try and get a second comedy hit out of New Girl and to try and find a new drama hit as none of this past season's dramas did that well. Only Touch has a chance of returning, as The Finder and Alcatraz do not deserve to return. And finally, Fox could also use In Living Color specials in December or sweeps. Perhaps that will be a good Friday option once Fringe concludes? The question for Fox will be if The X Factor can grow in season 2. If it does, it will be a good launching pad for at least two new series.

Remember, Monday (May 14) is the actual date when we will find out Fox's plans for the 2012-13 season. So, come on back next Monday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong). Stay tuned next week for the official fall line-ups for all the networks.
Discuss your thoughts on our prediction and feel free to make suggestions of your own!

Stay tuned tomorrow for our prediction for ABC!

TV Land will air a special Mother's Day-themed episode of Happily Divorced, starring Fran Drescher and guest-starring Rosie O'Donnell, on Wednesday (May 9) at 10:30pm ET/PT. The episode will revolve around Fran (Drescher) looking to spend quality time with her mother, Dori (Rita Moreno), after Fran forgets to make reservations for Mother's Day at Dori's favorite restaurant. Rosie O'Donnell will play Katie, a friend from Fran's past who, more than anything, wishes to have her mother back so she can celebrate the special day with her. Both Drescher and O'Donnell have been very public about their relationships with their moms and how they have influenced who they are today, making this episode particularly meaningful. The series, filmed in front of a live audience, was recently picked up for 12 additional episodes for its second season, set to air later this year.
TV Land will also air its annual Mother's Day marathon, and this year it stars everyone's favorite meddling mom, Marie Barone! With Marie (Doris Roberts) being the loving but overbearing mother that she is, there's no better way to commemorate the day than with back to back episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond, airing Sunday, May 13 from 9pm to 11:30pm ET/PT.

TV Land has extended the second season of its original sitcom, Happily Divorced, starring Fran Drescher, picking up 12 additional episodes. This episode order takes the second season total to 24. The back-order of season two will debut later this year. The first 12 episodes of the second season are currently in premieres airing Wednesdays at 10:30pm ET/PT on TV Land thru June 6. Happily Divorced of course stars and is inspired by the real-life story of sitcom favorite Fran Drescher (The Nanny), and revolves around Fran, a Los Angeles florist who finds out after 18-years of marriage that her husband is gay. Unable to sell the house with the economy tanking, she and her gay ex-husband Peter (John Michael Higgins) must continue to live together happily divorced as they both re-enter the dating world. "Happily Divorced" also features acclaimed actors Tichina Arnold (Everybody Hates Chris) as her best friend Judi; Rita Moreno (OZ) and Robert Walden (All The President's Men) as Fran's parents Glen and Dori and Valente Rodriguez (George Lopez) as Cesar, her flower shop employee. The show is filmed in front of a live studio audience.

The hilarious late '80s/early '90s sitcom Perfect Strangers now has a video game! A new flash web game in 3D has hit the internet and gone viral! The game features Balki (Bronson Pinchot) running with his back facing the screen, collecting stars as the show's famous theme song plays in the background, USA Today reports. It is quite unique and Balki has to battle the elements of every word in the theme song, including rain, thunder, wind and haze! The game starts with players typing in the dream they want Balki to chase. Once the theme kicks in, Balki speeds through crazy environments from a field with sheep to a rainbow bridge with images of the Perfect Strangers cast (Larry, Balki, Jennifer, Mary Anne) flying by like billboards. Players hit the space bar to jump and the arrow keys to control Balki, collecting stars along your journey. Scores are then tabulated and slapped on a leaderboard. You can even see dreams posted by other players, such as "snorkle in a pool of chocolate" and "become a unicorn farmer."
The game is created by Jason Oda. Head on over to play the game, it's quick and actually addicting! Don't give up on your dreams because Balki will help you chase your dreams! Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now!

(Pat Harrington and Bonnie Franklin / Fran Drescher)

Celebrity icons from television, film and music joined TV Land and host Kelly Ripa for an unforgettable evening on Saturday night at the TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary celebration, which returned to New York for the second year in a row! The gala event, which premieres on TV Land on Sunday, April 29 at 9pm ET/PT, honored Aretha Franklin (Music Icon Award) and the casts of Laverne & Shirley (Fan Favorite Award), One Day at a Time (Innovator Award), In Living Color (Groundbreaking Award), Murphy Brown (Impact Award) and Pee-wee's Playhouse (Pop Culture Award).

We were on hand on Saturday night at the "Black Carpet" (as you know, if you followed our tweets) where most of the stars came before going inside to the event. We got to talk to Bonnie Franklin of One Day at a Time, and she told us she doesn't expect her to return for another episode of Hot in Cleveland, with her former One Day at a Time co-star Valerie Bertinelli. Here's hoping Mackenzie Phillips, Pat Harrington, Glenn Scarpelli and Richard Masur guest star soon! We also talked to T'Keyah Crystal Keymah of In Living Color on why she thought the show was groundbreaking and if she talks to Bill Cosby still. T'Keyah co-starred with Bill Cosby on the 1996-2000 sitcom Cosby, playing his daughter. She said she talks to him still and thanked me for reminding her to call him! We also saw on the "Black Carpet," Carrie Ann Inaba, a former Fly Girl on In Living Color and now of course a judge on Dancing with the Stars. She mentioned that her favorite show of all-time is Happy Days and she would LOVE to see Ron Howard as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars! Ralph Macchio, who will be guest starring on Happily Divorced, was also on the "Black Carpet" and mentioned his favorite shows were Taxi, Cheers, M*A*S*H, Happy Days, Seinfeld. Among the other stars we saw on the carpet were host Kelly Ripa, Faith Ford, Valerie Bertinelli, Tommy Davidson, Fran Drescher, Aviva Frescher, Diane English, David Alan Grier, Pat Harrington, Pee-Wee Herman, Charles Kimbrough, Laurieann Gibson, Lisa Marie Todd, Deidre Lang, David Lander, Penny Marshall, Michael McKean, Kelly Coffield Park, Mackenzie Phillips, Joe Regalbuto, Thomas Roberts, Grant Shaud, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Kim Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Cindy Williams! Fun! And that was just the "Black Carpet!"


(Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams)


(Mackenzie Phillips and Bonnie Franklin)

Memorable moments on the actual show on this night of top-notch entertainment included a hilarious opening sketch (with 13 costume changes!) by second-time host Kelly Ripa, who started the show coming down from the ceiling dressed as Catwoman from Batman. Later, Murphy Brown co-star Faith Ford (who starred with host Kelly Ripa on Hope & Faith) danced like her alter ego on the show, Corky, while Jim Carrey gave a heartfelt speech when accepting the Groundbreaking Award with his fellow cast members of In Living Color. The TV Land Awards 10th Anniversary also featured amazing performances by Music Icon Award-winner Aretha Franklin singing her hit songs "RESPECT," "Chain of Fools," "I Came To Lift Him Up" and "Ombra Mai Fu,"(some of which will be posted exclusively on TVLand.com). To close the night, the In Living Color Fly Girls danced out the show with Kelly Ripa to The B-52's "Rock Lobster."
Among the presenters, Katie Couric presented the Fan Favorite Award to the cast of Laverne & Shirley. Host Kelly Ripa presented the Impact Award to the cast of Murphy Brown. Whoopi Goldberg presented the Groundbreaking Award to the cast of In Living Color. Mike Myers came by to present the Pop Culture Award to "Pee-wee Herman" for Pee-wee's Playhouse. Fran Drescher, star of TV Land's Happily Divorced, presented the Innovator Award to the cast of One Day at a Time, which included Valerie Bertinelli, who now stars on TV Land's Hot in Cleveland (which leads into Happily Divorced every Wednesday night). And finally, The Music Icon Award was given to celebrated musician and "Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin, who brought down the house with four of her hit songs and accepted her award from presenter John Legend, who serenaded her on stage. Watch the full 90-minute telecast on Sunday, April 29 at 9:00pm! It was a fun night and we can't wait for you to see it on April 29!

View more photos and videos on our Facebook page.

In other news, Fox has pulled struggling second year comedy Breaking In from the schedule. The series was set to return April 24 after a two-week hiatus so Raising Hope can air its two-part finale, but now Fox will not return Breaking In. Instead, repeats of New Girl will air on April 24, May 1 and May 8. May 15 and May 22 Fox has the final two episodes of the season of Glee, at a special time. There is no word yet on if and when the Christian Slater comedy Breaking In will return. Perhaps sometime in the summer? Fox has only aired five episodes of the thirteen episode order.
Let's hope they schedule it soon, as they are even airing the remaining episode of I Hate My Teenage Daughter this June on Sunday from 7-8pm and this comedy is much better. We want to see the Alyssa Milano guest appearance for this season! Stay with us if Fox does indeed schedule Breaking In again...but a chance for a third season is almost zero now. They don't have your back now, unfortunately.

TV Land has changed the name of the upcoming Hot in Cleveland spin-off series starring Cedric the Entertainer. The sitcom was titled Have Faith, but now TV Land has changed it to The Soul Man. Like the Have Faith title, this is not to be confused with another sitcom (Soul Man, 1997-98 on ABC).
The Soul Man is TV Land's newest original sitcom, created by Cedric "The Entertainer" and Hot in Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin. The show revolves around Cedric's character, Reverend Boyce "The Voice" Ballentine, an R&B superstar-turned-minister who takes over as preacher of his father's church. Niecy Nash (Reno 911, Dancing with the Stars) also stars as the reverend's wife, Lolli. The character of Reverend Boyce originated on a second season episode of Hot in Cleveland in which Cedric guest starred.



The Soul Man is slated to premiere on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at 10:00pm and will have a 12-episode order. The series will be paired with the second season of The Exes, which also returns on June 13 at 10:30pm, as previously announced for June. TV Land's current Wednesdays at 10:00pm & 10:30pm line-up is Hot in Cleveland season three and Happily Divorced season two and both will conclude their seasons on Wednesday, June 6 -- a week before the premieres of The Soul Man and The Exes. We also have another scoop for you. TV Land has finally scheduled another date for the second season of Retired at 35. It will now premiere on Tuesday, June 26 at 10:00pm, as previously it was going to air Wednesdays in March then later changed to Wednesdays in June. So TV Land is starting a second night of original comedy with Tuesdays being added. As of now, nothing will be paired with Retired. If you forgot, Retired at 35 follows a successful businessman (Johnathan McClain) who decides to chuck the New York City rat race... and retires to Florida, three decades ahead of time! He ends up moving into his parents’ Florida condominium, joining his pop (George Segal) in a brand new world of sunshine and fun, from slow-moving softball games to really early dinners. Mom (Jessica Walter) and a cast of characters look on skeptically as father and son bond again, new-found buddies enjoying the glories of total irresponsibility!
We will have more info on all of TV Land's original comedies when official announcements come in, so stay tuned!



I think everyone has heard about the comments that Kirk Cameron has made, so I won't get into that into detail (if you don't read the link below). Our buddy Eric from Just My Show invited a former Growing Pains actor and previous Just My Show guest to share his thoughts on the situation. Actor and comedian Bill Kirchenbauer played the recurring role of Coach Graham Lubbock, Mike Seaver's teacher and occasional mentor, before starring in the Growing Pains spin-off Just the Ten of Us.
"When I first started working on the show, Kirk was a very nice well mannered young man who seemed to have his ego in check. Some time after he turned religious, he then started doing things like getting Julie McCoullough fired because he thought her to be an immoral young girl because of her appearance in Playboy. Not very Christian like..." That's just a bit of what Bill had to say about Kirk Cameron on Just My Show. Read the full statement and read about this Kirk Cameron story on Just My Show.

Regis Philbin, Joan Rivers, Georgia Engel (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Rhea Perlman (Cheers), Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives), Kevin Nealon (Weeds), Craig Bierko and Josh Cribbs (wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns) have been tapped to guest star on the remaining episodes of this season of TV Land's hit sitcom Hot in Cleveland, airing Wednesdays at 10pm ET/PT. They join previously announced and returning guest stars including Jon Lovitz, Gilles Marini (Brothers and Sisters), Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Christopher Gorham (Covert Affairs), Rick Springfield, James Patrick Stuart (Supernatural) and Kristen Chenoweth (GCB). Hot in Cleveland is currently in its third season, which runs through June. Previously the show was set to take a break after the Feb. 15 episode (the 12th episode of 24), which is tonight, but now it will run through June with Happily Divorced, when that show returns March 7 for a second season (12 episodes). To match up, on Feb. 22 and Feb. 29, Hot in Cleveland will be preempted and will return March 7 to air 12 weeks in a row, as we guessed last week.
Guest starring in tonight's Hot episode are Steven Weber (Wings) as the man who left Joy (Jane Leeves) at the altar in the 1980s, and Carl Reiner (The Dick Van Dyke Show) returning as Elka's (Betty White) beloved Max. The episode, titled "Lost Loves," follows Melanie (Valerie Bertinelli), Joy (Leeves), Victoria (Wendie Malick) and Elka (White) as they try to track down their former loves in the spirit of Valentine's Day – and Melanie finds a new love that may come as a shock to one of her best friends.



As for Happily Divorced, TV Land announced its line-up of small screen vets that will guest star on season two of the hit original sitcom, which premieres on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 10:30pm ET/PT immediately following all-new episodes of Hot in Cleveland. This season will see Fran and Peter continuing to adjust to their new life being a straight-gay divorced couple, from Peter having to come out to his brother to Fran selling Peter's part of their joint burial plot, much to his dismay. Drescher will also once again re-unite with her former Nanny co-stars, including Renée Taylor, who appeared on Happily Divorced last season, and Ann Guilbert, who played Yetta on The Nanny. Other guest stars will include Morgan Fairchild (General Hospital), Sean Kanan (The Young and the Restless) and D.W. Moffett (Switched at Birth) in his recurring role as Elliott, Fran’s on-again-off-again flame.
According to Nielsen, the first season of Happily Divorced earned an outstanding 1.0 A25-54 rating, up triple-digits (+179%) compared to TV Land primetime average and scored a 1.3 with W25-54, up 214% versus TV Land primetime. The series also attracted an average audience of 2.2 milllion total viewers, up 125% versus primetime levels (Source: Nielsen, 6/15/11-8/17/11, Wed 10:30p-11p, L+7 data).

Fox has officially announced the Tuesday night sitcom spring schedule that they planned back at upfront. The full-night of sitcoms on Fox Tuesday will begin Tuesday, March 6. First up, second year comedy Raising Hope will move to a new time of 8:00pm for five weeks. Then at 8:30pm will be the return of multi-camera sitcom I Hate My Teenage Daughter for five weeks. For Raising Hope, two episodes will remain to air after these five weeks, so Fox could use them on another night when needed. For I Hate My Teenage Daughter, only four episodes have aired and after these five air, nine of the thirteen would have aired. Fox could also air the remaining four episodes of this season if needed on another night. The two comedies will replace Glee, which will go on a seven week break after its Feb. 21 airing. A special American Idol will air on the last Tuesday of February sweep on Feb. 28. Glee will return to the Fox line-up on Tuesday, April 10 until the end of the season for its final seven episodes of the season.
At 9pm, Fox will keep its comedy anchor New Girl at 9pm but it will now lead-in to the second season of Breaking In. Fox has ordered 13 episodes for the second season and it will likely air 10 episodes through May 8. Not sure when the others would air, unless they use them on another night or something. The second year sitcom will have new cast member Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) shaking up the Contra Security team. Odette Annable will be a recurring star now as she is now on Fox's House.
Stay with us for any further updates on when the remaining episodes of these comedies will end up airing. As the Breaking In theme goes, "we got your back!"



TV Land has picked up its hit original sitcom, The Exes, for a second season. The Exes, written by Frasier scribe Mark Reisman, stars critically-acclaimed actors Donald Faison (Scrubs), Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, Hot in Cleveland), David Alan Basche, Kelly Stables (Two and a Half Men) and Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock From The Sun). Season two is set to premiere in June of this year along with the network's new original sitcom, Have Faith (working title), starring Cedric "The Entertainer" and Niecy Nash. To date, The Exes has averaged an audience of 1.5 million total viewers, earning a 0.65 Adults 25-54 rating and a 0.81 among Women 25-54 (Source: Nielsen, 11/30/11-1/25/12, Wed 10:30p-11p, most current data). Guest stars this season have included Judith Light (Who's The Boss?), Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show), Janina Gavankar (True Blood), Ken Marino (Party Down) and NBA star Amar'e Stoudemire. The season one finale aired last Wednesday (Feb. 1) at 10:30pm.
So what does this mean for the June launches? As of now it was supposed to be Hot in Cleveland season 3B and Have Faith on Wednesday nights starting June 6, but now it looks like it will be The Exes season two and Have Faith? Or will TV Land open a second night of comedy this summer? We know that Happily Divorced season two moved up and will launch on March 7 at 10:30pm, following repeats of Hot in Cleveland. So perhaps TV Land will air the second half of the third season of Hot in Cleveland now starting March 7 at 10pm after just a two week break (the first half ends on Feb. 15)? We're not sure yet, but we'll let you know. We also await the season two premiere of Retired at 35, as that was originally penciled in for June, but is now delayed. If they open a second night of comedy in June, they could premiere that in June as planned.

Baby, if you've ever wondered that if WKRP in Cincinnati would be back on TV, now no need to wonder if that will happen! Why? Because digital simulcast network Antenna TV has announced at the annual National Association of Television Program Executive (NATPE) conference that the hit '70s sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati is coming in April 2012! The sitcom is about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. Among the stars on the series are Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Jan Smithers and Tim Reid. The series last aired regularly on television on Tribune's WGN America in 2008-09, but that was on cable and Antenna TV is a digital broadcast network. Prior to WGN America airing, it was on AmericanLife TV in 2007. When WGN America aired it, all of the music seemed to be intact and I think that will be the case on Tribune's Antenna TV as well.
Antenna TV will air all 90 episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati starting in April and will air it on Sunday nights during a two-hour block following NewsRadio to create a three-hour dysfunctional radio block in primetime! WKRP in Cincinnati will be replacing Married...with Children, which will be resting for a bit. Following WKRP in Cincinnati will still be the addicting '70s sitcom Soap, so WKRP in Cincinnati and Soap air back-to-back as well. Loni Anderson and Diana Canova back-to-back! We'll have exact timings coming soon, but expect this order starting in primetime.
We will have more on Antenna TV's new spring schedule that will start in April in the coming weeks, But we're not expecting any series to be removed from the schedule except Married...with Children, which is just resting anyway. Will more shows come to Antenna TV in the spring and will we see some timeslot changes for some shows? (I'm hoping the underrated Too Close for Comfort finally goes to weekdays) We will let you know as soon as we can announce that. But for now let's remember, "I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati..."

Keep it right here for news from NATPE, which is from Jan. 23-25. And stay with is in the coming days and we will give you a list of the shows being offered for fall 2012 syndication, like we do every year, including the off-network sitcoms.


TV Land announced that the second season of the network's hit original sitcom, Happily Divorced (which began production on January 17, 2012 at CBS Radford Studios) will now premiere at 10:30pm on March 7, rather than 10:00pm. The twelve new episodes of Happily Divorced will premiere on Wednesday, March 7 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT, so this means the second season of Retired at 35 will not premiere until later in the year. There is no word on when because TV Land also has the Hot in Cleveland spin-off series Have Faith premieres June 6. Encores of Hot in Cleveland will air at 10:00pm leading into Happily Divorced starting March 7, as Cleveland's mid-season finale is on Feb. 15 before it returns June 6 at 10pm with its second half.
Retired at 35 follows a successful businessman (Jonathan McClain) who decides to chuck the New York City rat race... and retires to Florida, three decades ahead of time and moves into his parents' (played by George Segal and Jessica Walter) Florida condo in a brand new world of sunshine and fun, from slow-moving softball games to really early dinners. And of course, Happily Divorced is based on Fran Drescher's real life as Los Angeles florist Fran (Drescher) as she deals with dating after finding out her realtor husband of 18 years (John Michael Higgins) is gay. The show focuses on how she juggles her new relationships and her ex-husband post-divorce while still living under the same roof.
Stay with us for more information and also stay with us soon for some schedule changes at TV Land.

We were pretty busy yesterday with our scoop on Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers reuniting, so we couldn't bring you the TCA Winter 2012 Press Tour news for cable that was held this past weekend. The biggest news for us came from TV Land. TV Land has picked up its fifth original sitcom, Have Faith, starring Cedric "The Entertainer. This sitcom is not to be confused by the late '80s ABC short-lived sitcom that was produced by John Ritter. The network has ordered 12 episodes for the first season, which is tentatively set to premiere on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at 10:30pm following the second half of the third season of Hot in Cleveland. The sitcom, which was created by Cedric and Hot in Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin, revolves around Cedric's character, Reverend Boyce "The Voice" Ballentine, an R&B superstar-turned-minister who takes over as preacher of his father's church. Niecy Nash (Dancing with the Stars, Reno 911) also stars as the reverend's wife, Lolli. The pilot also features John Beasley as his father, Wesley Jonathan (What I Like About You) as his younger brother, and Jazz Raycole (My Wife and Kids) as his daughter. The character of Reverend Boyce originated on a second season episode of Hot in Cleveland in which Cedric guest-starred, making this a spin-off series.



Meanwhile, Hot in Cleveland, TV Land's first original sitcom starring Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and Betty White, has also been greenlit by the network for a 24-episode fourth season. A syndication deal was recently reached for"Hot in Cleveland, giving CBS Television Distribution the domestic distribution rights for the series. This season pickup would bring "Hot in Cleveland" to 80 total episodes. The series, which is currently in its third season, averages 2.5 million total viewers per episode. The winter finale will be on Wednesday, Feb. 15, before the series returns for the second half of the season on June 6.

In other TV Land news, TV Land announced that the second season of the hit original sitcom Happily Divorced will begin production today (January 17, 2012) at CBS Radford Studios and will be filmed in front of a live studio audience. The twelve new episodes of Happily Divorced will now premiere on Wednesday, March 7 at 10:00 pm ET/PT. Previously it was set to return on June 6 at 10:30pm, but TV Land has changed their minds and will now test the waters by having this sitcom lead an hour. The sitcom, which stars Fran Drescher (The Nanny) is also inspired by her real-life story, and revolves around Fran, a Los Angeles florist, who finds out after 18-years of marriage that her husband is gay. Having to live under the same roof as her ex-husband and start over in the dating world is complicated but Fran jumps head first as only Fran can with laughter ensuing.
Last season, Drescher was reunited with her Nanny cast mates, Renee Taylor and Charles Shaughnessy. According to Nielsen, the first season of Happily Divorced averaged 2.2 million viewers and was a ratings success for TV Land. TV Land will air the second season of Retired at 35 as planned starting Wednesday, March 7 at 10:30pm for ten all-new episodes. TV Land has not given any updates yet on The Exes, which premiered on Nov. 30. If it gets another season we will let you know, but you can watch that show every Wednesday at 10:30pm through Feb. 1.

Elsewhere on cable, we will have even more Niecy Nash. TLC has ordered a docu-sitcom titled Leave it to Niecy. Blending together production and storytelling elements from both the traditional sitcom genre and the world of non-scripted reality shows, Leave it to Niecy offers a new balance of real-life humor through the lens of the beloved comedy format. The eight-episode half-hour series will premiere Wednesday, March 28 at 10/9c. The docu-sitcom takes viewers into Niecy and her husband Jay Tucker's home, which includes her three kids, and her opinionated mother. Together, they balance work, life, and love to create a modern blended family. Also, CMT is joining forces with Ryan Seacrest Productions on a new reality series. The eight-episode series, Melissa and Tye: A New Reality (working title), starring television personality Melissa Rycroft (Dancing With the Stars, The Bachelor) will premiere on CMT in April. Melissa, a SitcomsOnline favorite, the former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and America's favorite bachelorette definitely has gotten the last laugh after being dumped on national TV. She found the ultimate redemption by becoming a hugely popular contestant on Dancing with the Stars, which ignited a television hosting career on series and specials such as Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Bachelor Pad, The Insider, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve. But her greatest success came when she re-connected with the "real" man of her dreams, home town boyfriend, Tye Strickland. Now married with an eleven-month old daughter, Melissa is about to embark on her biggest journey yet - moving to Los Angeles from Texas to pursue her Hollywood dreams. The series will follow the couple as they navigate the trials and tribulations of being new parents, making a long-distance relationship work and making their dreams become a reality.
Finally, the world knows Shannen Doherty (Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210) as an icon, but she's also a devoted daughter and friend and now a newlywed. In the brand-new original series, Shannen Says, premiering Tuesday, April 3 at 9pm ET/PT, WE tv reveals a woman with substance and a sense of humor as she takes viewers on the hilariously bumpy ride of planning her wedding. Eight hour-long episodes of Shannen Says follow Shannen and her groom-to-be, famed photographer Kurt Iswarienko - two busy career-focused individuals with strong and often conflicting viewpoints - as they plan for their special day. Wedding preparations are sure to be stressful enough, but they've added to the pressure by allotting only seven weeks to get it all done! Pre-wedding jitters, a career-distracted groom, family turmoil and wardrobe malfunctions should be enough to make them pull the plug - but maybe love will conquer all in Shannen Says. After being engaged for over a year, Shannen and Kurt finally set a wedding date and did we already mention it's only seven weeks away? Shannen and Kurt are new to actual wedding planning and being from very different backgrounds with loyal sets of opinionated friends and family, they have quite an undertaking ahead of them. Among the highlights on this series, Shannen's Dancing with the Stars partner Louis Van Amstel is set to help the couple with their first dance.


We broke the news on the internet on late Friday that ABC has pulled new sitcom Work It off the schedule after just two episodes. The series premiered to a 2.0 18-49 rating, which was weak but doable. However, by the second episode the series dropped to a 1.5 18-49 rating and ABC has since then pulled the series. Repeats of Last Man Standing will air at 8:30pm starting tonight for at least the next three weeks. The Tim Allen comedy will also air in its normal 8:00pm slot.
ABC has not yet announced what will air Tuesdays at 8:30pm starting Feb. 7. One option of course is to air the unscheduled third season of Cougar Town. ABC had planned to start airing the comedy in March, but it could be called on earlier than planned. The sitcom has a 15 episode order for this season. Series creator Bill Lawrence has heard that today could be the day we get an announcement on a Cougar Town premiere date, so stay with us if any info comes out. As for Work It, eleven episodes will remain to be aired. Perhaps ABC will burn them off in the summer or just put them on abc.com like they did with the remaining five episodes of Man Up ("Camping," "Fear," "Up All Night," "Letting Go," and "Be Who You're Not."). Or not air them at all ever. We'll let you know if they do end up airing them somewhere whether it be on TV or online.

This February on TV Land, they will have themed programming for the Super Bowl, Valentine's and President's Day! OK and Groundhog Day, too. There are no schedule changes, as of now, to the regular schedule. So you can expect new acquisition Murder, She Wrote and other series to stay put. February 2012 will all be about stunts. Want counter programming vs. The Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 5? You got it! TV Land presents its second annual marathon of Home Improvement during the big game from 6pm-9pm! Tim Allen beats the Super Bowl any day! More power! For Valentine's Day, TV Land will not have any stunts on the actual day itself, but they will premiere the movie Miss Congeniality on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 5pm. The movie will also air the next day on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1pm. The 2000 movie stars Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine, Benjamin Bratt, and Candice Bergen. Moving on, Groundhog Day is on Feb. 2, but TV Land will celebrate it on Sunday, Feb. 19 with the 1993 Bill Murray & Andie MacDowell movie Groundhog Day at 3:30pm. The film will re-air the next morning on Monday, Feb. 20 at 8am. The last stunt is an Andy Griffith Show marathon on President's Day - Monday, Feb. 20 from 10:30am-4pm. Who needs Washington and Lincoln when you have Andy Griffith!
Other notable items for TV Land February 2012 has a Monday morning movie airing of the 1981 classic Stripes starring Bill Murray on Feb. 6, in addition to the movies we mentioned already. That one is a President's Day themed. And TV Land Wednesday nights original sitcoms Hot in Cleveland and The Exes will have their finales in February. The Exes will have its season finale on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Missed the first 9 episodes? TV Land will air a marathon on Saturday, Jan. 28 from 5pm-9:30pm in anticipation of the season finale. As for Hot in Cleveland, it will be the midseason finale on Wednesday, Feb. 15. The series will return for its second half of the season June 6 alongside the second season of Happily Divorced starring Fran Drescher. Anyway, catch up with Hot in Cleveland with a marathon on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 5-10pm. Stay with us for any further developments on TV Land February, if any. Coming in March: season two of original sitcom Retired at 35 with ten new episodes. Stay tuned...



The Big Bang Theory got the New Year off with a real bang last week with its biggest numbers ever on TBS. The show scored a whopping 4.3 million viewers Tuesday night (Dec. 27) at 9:30 p.m., making it basic cable's #1 comedy telecast for the week. Overall, The Big Bang Theory on TBS accounted for all 20 of the week's top sitcom telecasts on basic cable with viewers, adults 18-34 and adults 18-49, with 15 of them drawing 3 million or more viewers. With The Big Bang Theory firing on all cylinders, TBS ranked as basic cable's #1 entertainment network in primetime among adults 18-34 and adults 18-49. The Big Bang Theory airs in primetime on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays on TBS. The series joined the TBS line-up in September.
In other Turner network ratings news, on truTV on Friday night (Dec. 30) at 10 p.m., Wipeout scored 1.5 million viewers, its biggest audience since joining the truTV lineup. The show ranked among ad-supported cable's Top 5 programs in the timeslot with key adult and male demos, which also scored the best deliveries for the series on truTV. The series airs in syndication on Fridays on truTV since early September.

TV One has announced some of its plans for the fall. The line-up will pretty much stay the same, but short-lived sitcom The Tracy Morgan Show is set to return to the line-up. It will get a marathon on Saturday, Oct. 1 from 1pm-8pm. The series will then join the weeknight schedule airing weeknights at 9:00pm & 9:30pm replacing All Of Us. Other changes to the line-up will have two episodes of A Different World replace NY Undercover at 10am, which is now off the schedule. At 3:00pm, an hour of Eve will now air replacing Just Jokes and the short-lived sitcom Between Brothers. The 10:00pm hour will see another hour of Living Single replacing NY Undercover, should there not be any scheduled original series airing. Expect The Jeffersons, Amen, Half & Half to remain weekdays 7-10am, Lincoln Heights at 11am, Sanford & Son, Good Times, A Different World, Living Single from 4pm-8pm, and Martin from 8-9pm & 11pm-12am. Late nights will have an encore of Tracy Morgan at 12am and Good Times and Lincoln Heights will remain from 1am-3am.
On Saturdays, there are some changes to the morning sitcom line-up. That's My Mama will now kick the block off from 6-7am, as Like Family will move to 7-8am, replacing All Of Us, which is now gone on Saturdays, too. In the 8am hour, Half & Half will now air replacing The Flip Wilson Show, which is now gone from the line-up as well. A Different World will air in the 9am hour, since That's My Mama is moving to 6am. And closing the Saturday block off will still be Sanford & Son from 10-11am and Good Times from 11am-12pm.
As of now, that is all we know. Should anything change or if there is a new addition, we will let you know first. As always, keep it right here!

TV Land announced that the network's hit original sitcom, Hot in Cleveland, begins production on its third season this week. The series, which stars veteran sitcom actresses Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, Wendie Malick and living legend Betty White, was just awarded a Creative Arts Emmy® Award for Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series (Michael Andrew Hynes and Maralee Zediker). Betty White was also recently nominated for an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the sitcom. Hot in Cleveland will have its season three premiere on Wednesday, November 30 at 10pm ET/PT, immediately followed by the series premiere of TV Land's newest original sitcom, The Exes.
Guest stars lined up for the season include Kathie Lee Gifford, Sandra Bernhard (Roseanne), Laura San Giacomo (Just Shoot Me), Gilles Marini (Brothers & Sisters) and many more. Sean Hayes (Will & Grace), who serves as executive producer of the show, will also guest star. Season three will also see the return of some familiar faces in returning guest stars such as Don Rickles as Elka's (White) husband, Bobby, who was long thought to be dead; Jennifer Love Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer) as Victoria's (Malick) daughter, Emmy; Joe Jonas as Melanie's (Bertinelli) son, Will; Huey Lewis (Just Shoot Me) as Victoria's aging rock star booty call, Johnny; John Mahoney (Frasier), playing a waiter who gets a little too involved in his customer's personal lives; and Susan Lucci (All My Children), reprising her role as a fictional and more evil version of herself.
SPOILER ALERT: Last we left the ladies, Bobby – Elka's presumed-dead husband – turned up at Elka's wedding right before she was about to say "I do" to Fred (Buck Henry). Meanwhile, Melanie, Victoria and Joy (Leeves) were recovering from a wicked night of drinking at the bachelorette party the previous night, when Melanie competed in a one-woman wet t-shirt contest, and Victoria and Joy took some vows of their own. Season three enters into the aftermath of this perfect recipe for disaster.
Look for other TV Land original series after Hot in Cleveland (13 episodes, Nov. 30-Feb. 15) and The Exes (10 episodes, Nov. 30-Feb. 1), as Retired at 35 returns for season two on March 7, 2012 (tentative date) with ten all-new episodes and season two of Happily Divorced (12 all-new episodes) on June 6, 2012 following the second half of season three episodes (12 more episodes) for Hot in Cleveland. We will have more on all these as we get closer to premiere! Stay tuned.

Today's fall schedule will be for TV Land, but we're not actually sure if it is their fall schedule since there are minor changes only. The schedule is for September 2011 and will feature mostly everything that is airing currently. As of September 1, TV Land's contract with Gunsmoke will expire and it looks like they are not renewing it because it is being replaced by more airings of Bonanza in its weekdays at 12 noon and 1pm timeslots. Bonanza will also air in its 2pm, 3pm & 4pm hours. Another series that is expiring this fall is All in the Family, but that isn't until September 30, so we will have to wait until the October schedule comes out if that will remain on TV Land or not. As of now in September, there is plenty of All in the Family, as the Emmy Award-winning comedy airs weekdays at 8am, 11am, and 7-8pm and also on weekends in the evenings. There are really no other schedule changes except you can watch encores of Happily Divorced and Retired at 35 from the beginning on Wednesdays in the 10pm hour starting Wednesday, Sept. 7, as the new season of Hot in Cleveland and new series The Exes won't start until November 30.
Stunts wise, it's almost Emmy season and Hot In Cleveland is competing with television's best. To celebrate, TV Land is giving both viewers and voters a chance to fall in love all over again with Joy, Melanie and Victoria as TV Land will bring you a 10 hour all-star marathon Sunday, August 7 from 11am-9pm, featuring some of TV's biggest stars (John Schneider, Huey Lewis, Mary Tyler Moore, Jimmy Kimmel, Susan Lucci and Jennifer Love Hewitt, to name a few) who have helped make Hot In Cleveland one of the leading new cable sitcoms. But we told you about that already. Not enough? Come back Sunday, September 18 as TV Land proudly celebrates Betty White's Emmy nomination for Outstanding Actress In a Comedy, as TV Land cheers her on leading up to the Emmy presentation with a marathon featuring the best of Elka Ostrovsky from 2pm-8pm!
View the TV Land September 2011 schedule. As of now, there aren't many changes besides Gunsmoke but that could change soon or when we get the October schedule, as that was the case last year. So let's say this is to be continued...

NBC was up yesterday at the TCA Summer 2011 Press Tour. The executive session kicked things off. Among the announcements were that NBC will use television's biggest stage following Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5, 2012 to unveil the second-season premiere of The Voice (10-11 p.m. ET; time approximate) followed the next night with the debut of new musical drama Smash on Monday, February 6 at 10:00 p.m. ET. The Voice also will premiere in its regular day and time on the following night, Monday, February 6 from 8-10 p.m. ET, leading into Smash. There was nothing else much to report, except that new comedies are in development including one produced by Adam Levine and that The Office will have some special comedy special guest stars all this season and that a big name will join the cast, but the name was not given. Then it was on to panels with the cast and producers of upcoming series. Up first was The Playboy Club, which NBC's Entertainment President Bob Greewalt said will not be pulled from any more NBC stations. New comedy Free Agents starring Hank Azaria was the next series on the panel. Then it was off to lunch with a NFL/Super Bowl themed lunch. Comedy continuted after lunch with the panel for the new Whitney Cummings multi-camera sitcom Whitney. Then it was time for Up All Night which has a nice cast including Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph and Will Arnett. NBC's upcoming late fall drama Grimm was next and it was followed by upcoming Thursday drama Prime Suspect. And the eighth and final session was for The Sing-Off, which will have its first full season this fall, as it has aired in December the last two years.
Up today will be NBC's cable networks including USA Network, Syfy, Bravo and Oxygen. If there is anything noteworthy, we'll bring it to you. If not, stay tuned tomorrow for CBS which will have panels for Unforgettable, Person of Interest, A Gifted Man, 2 Broke Girls and How to Be a Gentleman along with a CBS News session with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley.