Showing posts with label Mary Hartman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary Hartman. Show all posts
Saturday, July 11, 2026
SitcomsOnline Digest: Rob Reiner Receives Posthumous Emmy Nomination; Season Premiere Date Set for American Horror Story
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a very slow news week, but we have news about the return of a popular series, (sadly) some deaths of classic TV stars, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- Rob Reiner has received a posthumous Emmy nomination for his work in The Bear. (Deadline)
- A season premiere date is now ready for American Horror Story, but don't look for Ariana Grande to return. (Deadline)
- Randolph Mantooth, known for his role in Emergency!, has died. (Hollywood Reporter)
- Louise Lasser, known for her role in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, has also died. (Entertainment Weekly)
- Great Entertainment Television has acquired the rights to House. (SitcomsOnline)
- The new Netflix comedy, The Hawk, which stars Will Ferrell, debuts on Thursday.
- Game shows return on Fox next week, including a new one, Nation's Dumbest, on Wednesday.
Friday, July 10, 2026
Great Entertainment Television Acquires House; Remembering Louise Lasser of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman
Great Entertainment Television welcomes the acclaimed series House to its lineup, weeknights beginning Monday, July 13 from 9-11pm.
Brilliant, cynical, and brutally honest, Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) is one of the most gifted diagnosticians in medicine. As the head of diagnostic medicine at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, House leads a team of young specialists tasked with solving the hospital's most mysterious and life-threatening cases. Armed with razor-sharp instincts and an unorthodox approach to patient care, House routinely defies medical conventions—and hospital protocol—to uncover the truth behind baffling illnesses.
Actress Louise Lasser, who starred as Mary Hartman in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman and as Maggie McBurney in It's a Living, has died. She died at her home in Manhattan on July 6. Ms. Lasser was 87.
Lasser's first television series credit was as Jackie Ricardo in a 1965 episode of The Doctors. Some of her early sitcom guest appearances included Love, American Style (1971), The Bob Newhart Show, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. She hosted the penultimate episode of Saturday Night Live's first season on July 24, 1976.
She starred as Mary Hartman in the 1976-1977 first-run syndicated satirical soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, which was produced by Norman Lear. The series follows Mary Hartman, a small-town Ohio housewife attempting to cope with various bizarre and sometimes violent incidents occurring in her daily life. Lasser was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in 1976. The series also starred Greg Mullavey, Dody Goodman, Mary Kay Place, Graham Jarvis, Debralee Scott, Victor Kilian, Philip Bruns, and Claudia Lamb.
Lasser had a recurring role as Phyllis Bornstein Consuelos and Phyllis Reiger in three episodes of Taxi from 1980 to 1982. Phyllis is Alex Reiger's (Judd Hirsch) ex-wife, with whom he had a daughter. Phyllis became fed up with his lack of ambition and remarried, but they remain strongly attracted to each other. She once goes out on a date with Louie (Danny DeVito), just to irritate Alex.
She starred as waitress Maggie McBurney in the second season (1981-1982) of It's a Living, which aired on ABC for the first two seasons. The series was renamed Making a Living for season 2 before returning as It's a Living for season 3 when it moved to first-run syndication in 1985. The season 2 cast included Barrie Youngfellow, Gail Edwards, Marian Mercer, Paul Kreppel, Ann Jillian, and Earl Boen.
Lasser guest starred as Sister Margaret in a 1983 episode of Laverne & Shirley. She appeared as Louise Polsky in a 1992 episode of Empty Nest. She had a recurring role as Beadie, an artist for whom Jessa Johansson (Jemima Kirke) briefly works as an assistant, in three episodes of the HBO comedy-drama Girls from 2014 to 2015.
Some of her other television guest appearances included Love Story, McCloud, Medical Center, and St. Elsehwere (2 episodes).
Some of her film credits included Take the Money and Run (1969), Bananas (1971), Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972), Happiness (1998), and Funny Pages (2022).
She was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on May 16, 2017.
Ms. Lasser became a household name and appeared on the covers of Newsweek, People and Rolling Stone during Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman's run. She did a great job portraying the unhappy, neurotic Mary Hartman. We thank her for work on television and in films. She will be deeply missed.
We also remember Canadian-born American actor and painter Joby Baker. He starred as Dave Lewis in Good Morning World. He died at a hospital in Yonkers, New York, on June 22. Mr. Lewis was 92.
Baker starred as Dave Lewis in the 1967-1968 CBS sitcom Good Morning World. The series starred Baker and Ronnie Schell as Dave Lewis and Larry Clarke, morning drive time disc jockeys and hosts of the eponymous Lewis and Clarke Show on a small AM radio station in Los Angeles. The cast included Billy De Wolfe, Julie Parrish, and Goldie Hawn in her first professional role.
He starred as Col. Harvey Mann in the short-lived 1980 NBC military sitcom The Six O'Clock Follies. The show is set in 1967 Saigon just before the Tet Offensive. It follows the offbeat, behind-the-scenes production of an evening TV and radio news show broadcast by the U.S. Army to GIs serving in Vietnam. The show also starred Larry (Laurence) Fishburne, A.C. Weary, Philip Charles MacKenzie, Randall Carver, Aarika Wells, George Kee Cheung, Dave Hubbard, and Phil Hartman.
Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Bachelor Father (3 episodes), The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Dick Van Dyke Show (2 episodes), F Troop, and Love, American Style (1971).
Baker had a recurring role as Bob Tepps in three episodes of Dragnet from 1957 to 1959. Some of his other television guest appearances included The Red Skelton Hour (2 episodes), Surfside 6, Cain's Hundred, Dr. Kildare, Alfred Hitchcock Presents (3 episodes), Wagon Train, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, Combat! (3 episodes), The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Ben Casey, Death Valley Days, Mannix, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, Police Story (2 episodes), Medical Center, Bronk, Stone (4 episodes), Simon & Simon, Quincy, M.E. (4 episodes), and The Paper Chase.
In 1960, he co-starred with Jack Lemmon and Ricky Nelson in The Wackiest Ship in the Army. Some of his other film credits included Gidget (1959), Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961), Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), Girl Happy (1965), When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965), The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967), Blackbeard's Ghost, Superdad (1974), and Avalanche (1978).
After he stopped acting in 1984, he established himself as a painter, sculptor and jewelry artisan.
Mr. Baker was best known for his lighthearted, low-key comedy roles. He died ten days after his Good Morning World co-star Ronnie Schell. The series was released on DVD in 2006. We thank him for his work on television. He will be greatly missed.
Television producer Harris Katleman worked on The Don Rickles Show. He died in Los Angeles on July 8. Mr. Katleman was 97.
Katleman worked as a producer on the short-lived 1972 CBS sitcom The Don Rickles Show. The series focused on an advertising agency executive, and his "life and endless problems" with his job and his family. It starred Don Rickles, Louise Sorel, Erin Moran, Robert Hogan, and Joyce Van Patten.
Some of his other television producing credits included Branded, The American Girls, From Here to Eternity (miniseries), and Salvage 1, which starred Andy Griffith and Joel Higgins.
As President of MGM Television and Senior Vice President of MGM Inc., he was instrumental in developing How the West Was Won, CHiPs, Medical Center, and The Courtship of Eddie's Father. In 1980, he was named President/CEO of Twentieth Century Fox Television. He developed and sold The Simpsons, Anything but Love, Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989-1993), Hooperman, and Mr. Belvedere.
Mr. Katleman guest starred as Colonel Charles Marshall in a 1960 episode of the ABC western The Rebel. We thank him for his work on television. He will be sorely missed.
Television writer and producer Wilford Lloyd Baumes created The Love Boat. He died in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 28. Mr. Baumes was 86.
Baumes created and developed the 1977-1986 ABC romantic sitcom The Love Boat. The series was based on the 1974 book The Love Boats by Jeraldine Saunders. In addition, three TV movies aired before the regular series premiered and four specials and a TV movie aired after the series ended.
He worked as an associate to executive producer on the 1972-1973 CBS sitcom Bridget Loves Bernie, which starred Meredith Baxter and David Birney. He was an executive producer on Wonder Woman from 1976 to 1977.
Mr. Baumes's The Love Boat was part of ABC's popular Saturday-night lineup of the time, which also included Fantasy Island until 1984. We thank him for creating The Love Boat. He will be greatly missed.
Actress and television writer Ellen Weston had a recurring role as Dr. Steele in Get Smart. She died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on May 28. Ms. Weston was 87.
Weston had a recurring role as Dr. Steele in three episodes of the third season (1967-1968) of the NBC sitcom Get Smart. Dr. Steele is a beautiful, sexy, and brilliant CONTROL scientist who develops formulas while undercover as a dancer and strip-tease artist. She remains oblivious to Maxwell Smart's (Don Adams) clearly discomfited attraction to her. The character was replaced the next season by Dr. Simon who has the same cover, played by different actresses in two episodes.
Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included The Ghost & Mrs. Muir, Bewitched, The Little People, and The Bob Newhart Show. She had a recurring role as Betty Harrelson in the police procedural action crime drama S.W.A.T., which aired on ABC from 1975 to 1976.
Weston's other television guest appearances included Run for Your Life (2 episodes), N.Y.P.D. (1967), The F.B.I. (2 episodes), Bonanza, The Young Lawyers, Mannix, Night Gallery, The Sixth Sense, The Wide World of Mystery, Hawkins, Harry O, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Barnaby Jones, Caribe, Ellery Queen, Cannon (3 episodes), Baretta, Most Wanted, Logan's Run, Lucan, and Wonder Woman.
Her first notable television role was a stint as Robin Fletcher on Guiding Light from 1963 to 1964, followed by another daytime role as Karen Gregory on Another World from 1964 to 1965. From 1979 to 1981, she appeared as Suzanne Thurston, Derek's ex-wife, on The Young and the Restless.
Weston's first television writing job was as a staff writer for the CBS soap opera Capitol. She was the head writer on Guiding Light from 2002 to 2004.
Ms. Weston was a talented and versatile actress. We thank her for her work on television as an actress and writer. She will be deeply missed.
Monday, July 01, 2024
Remembering Martin Mull of Roseanne, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and More; Will Forte Joins Netflix's Upcoming Comedy The Four Seasons
Actor and musician Martin Mull, who starred in Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-1977), Fernwood 2 Night, Roseanne and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, has died. He died from a long illness at his Los Angeles home on June 27. Mr. Mull was 80.
Mull's first well-known acting role was as Garth Gimble in the 1976-1977 absurdist soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. The syndicated series follows the eponymous Mary Hartman, a small-town Ohio housewife attempting to cope with various bizarre and sometimes violent incidents occurring in her daily life. Garth Kimble is a wife-beater, who died by being impaled by a star on an aluminum Christmas tree.
He later played Garth's twin brother, talk show host Barth Gimble, in Fernwood 2 Night in 1977 and America 2-Night in 1978. The program was created by Norman Lear and produced by Alan Thicke as a spin-off and summer replacement for Lear's satirical soap opera Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. The show was hosted by Barth Gimble and sidekick–announcer Jerry Hubbard (Fred Willard). Dour bandleader Happy Kyne (Frank De Vol) and the Mirth Makers were the show's stage band and featured Tommy Tedesco as a guitarist.
Mulll starred as Martin Crane in the short-lived 1984 CBS sitcom Domestic Life, which he created with Steve Martin, Howard Gerwirtz and Ian Praiser. Martin served as the executive producer. Martin Crane moved to Seattle to take a commentator job at KMRT-TV. His spot on the station's evening news was called "Domestic Life". Mull performed the opening theme song "God Bless the Domestic Life". The cast included Judith-Marie Bergan, Christian Brackett-Zika, Megan Follows, Robert Ridgely, Mie Hunt, Hoyt Axton and J. Alan Thomas.
In 1990, he starred as Dr. Doug Lambert in the short-lived CBS sitcom His & Hers. Doug and Dr. Regina "Reggie" Hewitt (Stephanie Faracy) were newly married marriage counselors who often seemed better at giving good advice to their clients than of taking it themselves. The cast included Blake Soper, Lisa Picotte, Richard Kline, Blair Tefkin, Jim Doughan and Jane Morris.
He had a long-running role as Leon Carp in 46 episodes of the ABC sitcom Roseanne from 1991 to 1997. Leon Carp is originally Roseanne Conner's (Roseanne Barr) gay boss at Rodbell's Luncheonette and later her business partner in The Lanford Lunchbox. Mull also served as executive consultant for season four. He co-wrote the season four episode "Tolerate Thy Neighbor" in 1991.
Mull starred as Doug Talbot in the 1992-1993 ABC sitcom The Jackie Thomas Show. As Jackie Thomas, Tom Arnold played a former nightclub comic and slaughterhouse worker now starring in his own sitcom (a show-within-a-show), also called "The Jackie Thomas Show". Doug Talbot is a network executive. The cast included Dennis Boutsikaris, Alison La Placa, Breckin Meyer, Michael Boatman, Paul Feig, Maryedith Burrell, Jeannetta Arnette and Ann Cusack.
Mull played Willard Kraft in 39 episodes of the ABC sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch from 1997 to 2000. Willard Kraft is Sabrina Spellman's (Melissa Joan Hart) vice principal at Westbridge High school in seasons two and three and then becoming her high school's principal in season four. He left the series after Sabrina graduated from high school at the end of season four.
He starred as Mr. Munn in the 2001-2002 CBS sitcom The Ellen Show. Mr. Munn is Ellen Richmond's (Ellen DeGeneres) former befuddled high school teacher and now the principal of Clark High School who gives her a job a school guidance counselor. It also starred Cloris Leachman, Jim Gaffigan, Emily Rutherford, Kerri Kenney and Diane Delano (recurring).
Mull starred as Crawford Whittemore in the 2013-2014 Fox sitcom Dads. The series follows Warner Whittemore (Giovanni Ribisi) and Eli Sachs (Seth Green), two successful video game developers whose lives are unexpectedly changed when their respective fathers move in with them. Crawford Whittemore is portrayed as a failed businessman, but continues to try to launch his career. The cast included Peter Riegert, Brenda Song, Vanessa Lachey and Tonita Castro.
He starred as Charlie in the 2018-2019 Fox sitcom The Cool Kids. The series follows three male residents of a retirement community who are forced to adapt to the arrival of a new, rebellious female occupant. It also starred David Alan Grier, Leslie Jordan and Vicki Lawrence. Recurring cast members included Jamie Farr, Artemis Pebdani, Lesley Ann Warren, Jere Burns, Rod McCrary and Punam Patel.
Mull portrayed Gene Parmesan, a private investigator, in six episodes of Arrested Development from 2004 to 2019. He had a recurring role as Mr. White / Whitey in 12 episodes of 'Til Death in 2000. He appeared as Russell, Charlie's self-medicating pharmacist, in six episodes of Two and a Half Men from 2008 to 2013. In 2016, he appeared as Bob Bradley in 4 episodes of Veep. He received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for the role. He played Martin in 7 episodes of I'm Sorry from 2017 to 2019. He appeared as Jerry, Maggie's (Debra Winger) sometimes acid-tripping attorney, in 13 episodes of The Ranch from 2016 to 2020.
Some of his other sitcom guest appearances in the 1980s and 1990s included Taxi, Square Pegs, Fast Times, D.C. Follies, It's Garry Shandling's Show (4 episodes), The Golden Girls, Get a Life, Dream On, Parker Lewis Can't Lose, The Larry Sanders Show (2 episodes), Life... and Stuff, Over the Top and The Nanny.
Some of his later sitcom guest appearances included Just Shoot Me!, The Geena Davis Show, Kristin, Less Than Perfect, Greetings from Tucson, Reba, Life with Bonnie (3 episodes), Half & Half, Reno 911!, Crumbs, The War at Home (3 episodes), Gary Unmarried (2 episodes), My Boys (2 episodes), Working Class, Mad Love, Community (2 episodes), Life in Pieces (4 episodes), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bless This Mess, Grace and Frankie, Maggie (2022), Not Dead Yet (3 episodes) and The Afterparty (2 episodes).
Mull provided the voice of Skip Binsford in the short-lived 1993 CBS animated sitcom Family Dog, which was executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tim Burton. The series was based on a 1987 episode of Amazing Stories. It was about an average suburban family, the Binsfords, as told through the eyes of their Bull Terrier dog named Jonah. The voice cast included Molly Cheek, Danny Mann, Zak Huxtable Epstein and Cassie Cole.
He provided the voice of Vlad Masters / Vlad Plasmius, the main villain, in Danny Phantom from 2004 to 2007. Some of his other voice credits included The Simpsons, Family Guy, Teamo Supremo, American Dad! (10 episodes as Father Donovan) and Bob's Burgers. He starred in a series of commercials for Michelob and Pizza Hut, and in a series of television and radio commercials for Red Roof Inn with Fred Willard.
Mull starred as Colonel Mustard, an army officer guilty of war profiteering, in the 1985 black comedy mystery film Clue. Some of his other film credits included FM (1978), Serial (1980), My Bodyguard (1980), Take This Job and Shove It (1981) and Mr. Mom (1983).
Mr. Mull was a man of many talents as an actor, musician and painter. He was just naturally funny. He and his frequent collaborator Fred Willard were a great comedy duo. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment that he brought us during his legendary career. He will be greatly missed.
Netflix announced that Will Forte is the latest addition to check into The Four Seasons, an all-new comedy series adaptation from Tina Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield. Forte (Bodkin, Last Man on Earth, Sweet Tooth) joins previously announced cast members Fey, Steve Carell, Colman Domingo, Kerri Kenney-Silver and Erika Henningsen. The series, produced by Universal Television, is based on the 1981 feature film of the same name from Universal Pictures that was written and directed by Alan Alda, produced by Martin Bregman, and starred Alda and Carol Burnett. The Four Seasons is slated to begin production later this year. The comedy is executive produced by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Tracey Wigfield, David Miner, Eric Gurian and Jeff Richmond. Alan Alda and Marissa Bregman will produce. The series is written by Fey, Fisher and Wigfield. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, is the producing studio. Little Stranger, Inc. is the production company.
Thursday, July 28, 2022
ABC to Present Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter; Remembering Tony Dow of Leave it to Beaver and Paul Sorvino
Honoring the life and legacy of the remarkable storyteller, activist and philanthropist Norman Lear, ABC will present a one-night-only celebration, Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter. The special will pay homage to the man behind some of television's greatest stories and will feature an impressive lineup of celebrity guests and musical performances to celebrate his 100th birthday, airing Thursday, September 22 from 9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT on ABC and available the next day on Hulu. Special guests and performers will be announced at a later date. Born in 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut, Lear attended Emerson College before flying 52 combat missions over Europe during World War II. Upon his return, he began a successful career writing and producing programs like The Colgate Comedy Hour and The Martha Raye Show — ultimately leading to Lear captivating 120 million viewers per week with his iconic shows of the 1970s and '80s - All in the Family, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Maude, One Day at a Time and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. He has won six Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe®.
Actor and director Tony Dow, who starred as Wally Cleaver on Leave it to Beaver, has died. He died on July 27 at his home in Topanga, California, of complications from liver cancer. Mr. Dow was 77.
Dow's career began when he went on a casting call and landed the role of Wally Cleaver in Leave it to Beaver. The classic family sitcom aired on CBS for one season from 1957 to 1958 before moving to ABC for five seasons from 1958 to 1963. A total of 234 episodes were produced over the six seasons. Wally is June (Barbara Billingsley) and Ward's (Hugh Beaumont) son and Beaver's (Jerry Mathers) older brother. His pals include Tooey Brown (Tiger Fafara), Chester Anderson (Buddy Hart), the awkward Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford (Frank Bank), and smart-aleck Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond).
He reprised his role as Wally in the 1983 CBS reunion television movie Still the Beaver, which aired on March 19, 1983. The ratings success of the movie prompted the creation of the Disney Channel revival series Still the Beaver, which aired for one season from 1984 to 1985. The series was retitled The New Leave it to Beaver when it moved to WTBS for three additional seasons from 1986 to 1989. A total of 101 episodes (plus the movie) were produced over the four seasons. Dow wrote one episode and directed five episodes of the series. The cast included Barbara Billingsley, Jerry Mathers, Kipp Marcus, John Snee, Janice Kent, Kaleena Kiff, Ken Osmond, Eric Osmond, Christian Osmond, Ellen Maxted, Troy Davidson (1987-1989) and Frank Bank.
Dow played Ed Greene, the father of Patty Greene (Sarah Jessica Parker), in two episodes of Square Pegs in 1982. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included My Three Sons (1964), Love, American Style (1971), The Love Boat (2 episodes) and Charles in Charge.
He starred as Chet on the 1965-1966 ABC daytime soap opera Never Too Young. Some of his television drama guest appearances included Dr. Kildare, The Eleventh Hour, The Greatest Show on Earth, Mr. Novak (5 episodes), Lassie (3 episodes), Adam-12, Mod Squad, Emergency!, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Quincy, M.E. (1983), Knight Rider, The New Mike Hammer (1987), Murder, She Wrote (1987), Jesse Hawkes, Freddy's Nightmares (2 episodes) and Diagnosis Murder.
Dow parodied his Wally role in The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) with Jerry Zucker playing Beaver. He played Principal Pete Kinney in the 1983 NBC TV movie High School U.S.A., which starred Michael J. Fox, Nancy McKeon, Anthony Edwards, Crispin Glover, Todd Bridges, Dana Plato, Frank Bank, Ken Osmond and many other sitcom stars.
Some of his other sitcom directing credits included Get a Life, Harry and the Hendersons (6 episodes), Coach (13 episodes), Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show (3 episodes) and Manhattan, AZ (3 episodes). His drama directing credits included The New Lassie (2 episodes), Swamp Thing (5 episodes), Babylon 5 (5 episodes), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Crusade (2 episodes) and Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family (3 episodes).
Dow served as the visual effects supervisor for Babylon 5. In 1996, he provided visual effects for the Fox television movie Doctor Who. He was a producer for The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space (1995) and It Came from Outer Space II (1996).
In addition to his wife Lauren Shulkind, survivors include a son from his first marriage, Christopher; a brother; and a granddaughter.
Mr. Dow was wonderful as Wally Cleaver. He was one of TV's best older brothers. In addition to acting, directing, producing and writing, he was also a sculptor, creating abstract bronze sculptures. We thank him for his work as an actor and director. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our Leave it to Beaver message board. View photos in our galleries.
The MeTV Network will celebrate legendary actor Tony Dow with a special extended presentation of Leave it to Beaver episodes, airing Sunday, July 31 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm on MeTV. Featuring 10 episodes showcasing Tony Dow’s beloved character Wally Cleaver, MeTV's tribute will include the episodes "Wally's Job," "Wally's Car" and "Wally's Weekend Job." Leave it to Beaver currently airs on MeTV weekdays from 8:00 to 9:00am ET/PT.
Actor Paul Sorvino, who starred as NYPD Sergeant Phil Cerreta on Law & Order, has died. His first TV series starring role was on the short-lived 1975 sitcom We'll Get By. He died of natural causes at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, on July 25. Mr. Sorvino was 83.
Sorvino's first weekly television series starring role was as George Platt on the short-lived 1975 CBS sitcom We'll Get By. The series, which was created by Alan Alda, featured a typical middle-class New Jersey family, the Platts. George Platt worked as a lawyer. He and his wife, Liz (Mitzi Hoag), had three teenage children: Muff (Jerry Houser), Kenny (Willie Aames) and Andrea (Devon Scott).
He starred as Sergeant Bert D'Angelo on the short-lived 1976 ABC police drama Bert D'Angelo/Superstar. He played Detective Ike Porter on the 1987-1988 CBS police drama The Oldest Rookie. He starred as Sergeant Phil Cerreta in 31 episodes of the second and third seasons of the NBC police procedural and legal drama Law & Order from 1991 to 1992. From 2000 to 2002, he starred as Frank DeLucca on the CBS comedy-drama That's Life. He also directed two episodes of That's Life in 2001 and 2002. In 2017, he appeared as Nicolo Rizzuto Sr. on the Canadian crime drama Bad Blood. He played Frank Costello in the Epix crime drama Godfather of Harlem from 2019 to 2021.
Sorvino had a recurring role as Al Miller, the father of Bill Miller (Mark Addy), in four episodes of the CBS sitcom Still Standing from 2004 to 2006. He played Ben "Pop-Pop" Goldberg, the father of Murray Goldberg (Jeff Garlin), in a season two episode of The Goldbergs in 2014. The character was later played by Judd Hirsch. He guest starred as Jack Martino, the father of James "Jimmy" Martino (John Stamos), in a 2016 episode of Grandfathered.
He guest starred as David Addison Sr., the father of David Addison Jr. (Bruce Willis), in a 1986 episode of Moonlighting. Some of his other television drama guest appearances included The Streets of San Francisco, Murder, She Wrote (1989), Star Trek: The Next Generation, Jack & Bobby, Elementary and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.
Sorvino starred as Lucchese crime family caporegime Paulie Cicero (based on real life gangster Paul Vario) in Martin Scorsese's 1990 gangster film Goodfellas. Some of his other film credits included A Touch of Class (1973), Oh, God! (1977), Bloodbrothers (1978), Reds (1981), That Championship Season (1982), The Stuff (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), The Rocketeer (1991), Nixon (1995), Romeo + Juliet (1996) and The Cooler (2003).
Survivors include his wife, Dee Dee Benkie; three children from his first marriage, Mira, Amanda and Michael Sorvino; a brother; and five grandchildren.
Mr. Sorvino was a gifted actor. He often portrayed authority figures on both the criminal and the law enforcement sides of the law. We thank him for the entertainment that he brought us during his long career. He will be sorely missed.
Share your memories on our We'll Get By message board. View photos in our galleries.
Monday, January 31, 2022
Remembering Howard Hesseman of WKRP in Cincinnati and Head of the Class; Nick Renews That Girl Lay Lay for Season 2
Actor Howard Hesseman, who starred as malcontent disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and as history teacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class, has died. He died from complications of colorectal surgery in Los Angeles, California, on January 29. Mr. Hesseman was 81.
Hesseman's early sitcom guest appearances included The Andy Griffith Show (2 episodes), Rhoda, Sanford and Son, Laverne & Shirley, Blansky's Beauties and Husbands, Wives & Lovers. He had a recurring role as Dr. Robert Williams on 13 episodes of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman from 1976 to 1977. He appeared as Craig Plager, a member of the group therapy ensemble who was later revealed to be gay, on five episodes of The Bob Newhart Show from 1974 to 1978. In several other episodes of the show, his voice can be heard as a TV announcer (Augie). He had a recurring role as Mr. Franklin on seven episodes of Soap in 1977.
He starred as anti-disco disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever (real name John R. Caravella) on the 1978-1982 CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. Dr. Johnny Fever is a veteran disc jockey who comes to WKRP after being fired from a major Los Angeles station when he said "booger" on the air. Hesseman prepared for the role by working as a DJ in San Francisco at KMPX-FM for several months. He received two Emmy nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1980 and 1981. He wrote an episode in 1981 and directed an episode in 1982. The cast included Gary Sandy, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Richard Sanders, Frank Bonner, Jan Smithers and Tim Reid.
Hesseman had a recurring role as Sam Royer on 16 episodes of the the last two seasons (1982-1984) of the CBS sitcom One Day at a Time. Sam Royer is the father of Mark Royer (Boyd Gaines), who is Barbara's (Valerie Bertinelli) boyfriend and later husband. Sam Royer later becomes Ann Romano's (Bonnie Franklin) second husband.
He next starred as Charlie Moore on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class. Charlie Moore is a history and social studies teacher at Manhattan's Monroe High School (later changed to Millard Fillmore High School in the final season) who teaches the honors program to intellectual geniuses and helps them aim for their dreams. Hesseman left the series after the fourth season in 1990 and was replaced by Scottish comedian Billy Connolly (in his first major American production) as teacher Billy MacGregor for the final season. The cast included William G. Schilling, Jeannetta Arnette, Leslie Bega (seasons 1-3), Dan Frischman, Robin Givens, Khrystyne Haje, Jory Husain (aka Joher Coleman) (seasons 1–3), Tony O'Dell, Brian Robbins, Kimberly Russell, Dan Schneider, Tannis Valley (seasons 1–3; guest, season 5), Rain Pryor (seasons 3-5), Michael DeLorenzo (seasons 4-5), Lara Piper (seasons 4-5), Jonathan Ke Quan (seasons 4-5) and De'voreaux White (seasons 4-5).
Hesseman reprised his role of Dr. Johnny Fever on nine episodes of the 1991-1993 first-run syndicated sitcom The New WKRP in Cincinnati. He appeared on four episodes in the first season and five episodes in season two. He participated in a four-episode story arc as WKRP's overnight DJ in season two, although he left the station (and the series) before the season ended. He also directed two episodes of the series revival in 1993. The cast included Gordon Jump, Richard Sanders, Frank Bonner, Mykel (Mykelti) T. Williamson, Tawny Kitaen and French Stewart.
Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included 9 to 5 (1982), Love, Sidney (1983), Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998), Three Sisters, That '70s Show (3 episodes as Max), Maybe It's Me, It's All Relative, Oliver Beene, Mike & Molly and Fresh Off the Boat (2 episodes as Mr. Royce). He hosted Saturday Night Live three times in 1979, 1982 and 1983.
He played Judge Robert Thompson on three episodes of Boston Legal from 2006 to 2007. Some of his other drama guest appearances included Dragnet 1967, Mannix, The Blue Knight, Harry O, Family, Switch, Baretta, Delvecchio, Westside Medical, Quincy M.E, The Rockford Files, Murder, She Wrote (1985), The Ray Bradbury Theatre (1992), Burke's Law, The Outer Limits (1997), The Practice, Family Law, The Pretender, Touched by an Angel, Level 9, Thieves, Crossing Jordan, Boomtown, House, Psych, John from Cincinnati (2 episodes), ER, Lie to Me, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Drop Dead Diva and Chicago Med.
Hesseman starred as Captain Pete Lassard in the film Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985). Some of his other film credits included Steelyard Blues (1973), Loose Shoes (1978), Private Lessons (1981), Doctor Detroit (1983), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), My Chauffeur (1986), Flight of the Navigator (1986), Heat (1986), Inside Out (1986), Rubin & Ed (1991), Little Miss Millions (aka Home for Christmas) (1994) and The Sky Is Falling (1999).
Survivors include his third wife of 33 years, actress and acting teacher Caroline Ducrocq.
Mr. Hesseman was a talented and versatile actor. He was funny and memorable on WKRP in Cincinnati and Head of the Class. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our WKRP in Cincinnati and Head of the Class message boards. View photos in our galleries.
MeTV Network Remembers Howard Hesseman
Sunday, February 6 at 4:00 p.m. ET
4:00 p.m. WKRP in Cincinnati
"Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide (Part 1)"
Forced to host a disco dance show on TV, Johnny comes up with a new alter ego; the phony, smarmy "Rip Tide."
4:30pm WKRP in Cincinnati
"Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide (Part 2)
Forced to host a disco dance show on TV, Johnny comes up with a new alter ego; the phony, smarmy "Rip Tide."
Decades will have an all-day binge marathon (48 episodes) of WKRP in Cincinnati on Saturday, February 5.
We also remember child actor Peter Robbins. He was best known for being the first actor to voice Charlie Brown in the Peanuts animated specials. He died by suicide on January 18 in Oceanside, California. He had a lifelong battle with mental illness. Mr. Robbins was 65.
Robbins provided the voice of Charlie Brown, whom he considered to be his childhood hero, in one television documentary, six Peanuts television specials and one movie from 1963 to 1969, including the film A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) and the television specials A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966).
He starred as Alexander Bumstead on the short-lived 1968-1969 CBS sitcom Blondie, which was an updated version of the 1957 TV series that was based on the comic strip of the same name. Alexander Bumstead is the son of Dagwood Bumstead (Will Hutchins) and Blondie (Patricia Harty). The series also starred Jim Backus, Pamelyn Ferdin, Henny Backus, Bobbi Jordan and Bryan O'Bourne.
Robbins played Elmer Dudley in The Munsters episode "Rock-a-Bye Munster" in 1964. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Donna Reed Show, The Farmer's Daughter, The Joey Bishop Show, Love on a Rooftop, F Troop, Get Smart and My Three Sons.
His drama guest appearances included Rawhide, The F.B.I. and Bracken's World. He appeared as Grover Martin in the 1963 film A Ticklish Affair, which starred Shirley Jones, Gig Young and Red Buttons. He played Brandon in the 1967 film Good Times, which starred Sonny & Cher.
Mr. Robbins retired from the entertainment industry in 1972, and later pursued his career in real estate, with brief stints in radio. We thank him for his voice work as Charlie Brown and his appearances on television. He will be missed.
Share your memories on our message board. View photos in our galleries.
Nickelodeon announced that it has greenlit a 13-episode second season of its hit live-action multi-camera buddy comedy That Girl Lay Lay. The series follows Lay Lay (Alaya "That Girl Lay Lay" High), an avatar from a personal affirmation app that magically comes to life, and her best friend Sadie (Gabrielle Nevaeh Green) as they navigate life as teenagers and discover who they truly are. Season one of That Girl Lay Lay shattered records this Fall with premieres delivering double digit gains on Thursday nights and consistent #1 rankings in the time slot across all TV among K6-11. That Girl Lay Lay follows Lay Lay, a virtual hype avatar who magically comes to life after her best friend Sadie wishes on a star. For her work on the series, That Girl Lay Lay is currently nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the "Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)" category. Season two of That Girl Lay Lay will begin production early this year in Los Angeles with a premiere slated for this summer on Nickelodeon.
Season two of the series will bring more music and magical powers as the two best friends continue to go on even more exciting adventures, working to fulfill Lay Lay's desire to experience everything that comes with being a real teenager. That Girl Lay Lay also stars Peyton Perrine III as Sadie's brother, Marky; Tiffany Daniels as Sadie's mom, Trish; and Thomas Hobson as Sadie's dad, Bryce.
Saturday, July 31, 2021
SitcomsOnline Digest: Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Remake for TBS; Schitt's Creek Producer Hoping to Replicate Success with Son of a Critch
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're learning about a reboot of a Norman Lear classic at TBS, a new comedy from the creators of Schitt's Creek, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- It looks like a Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman remake may be happening at TBS. (TVLine)
- Following the success of Schitt's Creek in the United States, the producers and Lionsgate is hoping to replicate that with another Canadian comedy, Son of a Critch. (Deadline)
- There seems to be little interest in a reunion when it comes to finding a network or streaming service for Everybody Loves Raymond. (Deadline)
- Bob Odenkirk had a heart attack on the set of Better Call Saul this week, but says he'll be back soon. (CNET)
- Sarah Silverman is set to host Stupid Pet Tricks, based upon a segment that David Letterman used to have, on TBS. (Variety)
- Love, Victor is getting a third season on Hulu. (Hollywood Reporter)
- Infomerical pioneer Ron Popeil has died. (Deadline)
- Game Show Network has announced a new series, Tug of Words. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (JULY 31 - AUGUST 6)
- You can catch all 12 episodes of The Prince, an animated parody of the royal family, on HBO Max.
- Decades has Daniel Boone going all this weekend.
Saturday, February 06, 2021
SitcomsOnline Digest: More Guest Hosts Lined Up for Jeopardy; Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Reboot?
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we are hearing about new guest hosts for Jeopardy!, a reboot of a show that has mosty been forgotten, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- More guest hosts are lined up for Jeopardy!, including Anderson Cooper, Savannah Guthrie, and Dr. Oz. (CBS News)
- Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman may have not been the most memorable show out there, but it looks like a reboot may be in the works. (Variety)
- A trailer for the Punky Brewster reboot has been released. (Deadline)
- Lou Dobbs has been the highest rated talent for Fox Business, but he's now out of a job. (CNN)
- Is a companion network for Antenna TV in the works? Maybe... (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (FEBRUARY 6 - FEBRUARY 12)
- The Equalizer (a reboot of it, anyway) debuts after the Super Bowl on Sunday night on CBS.
- Don't care about football? There is a Puppy Bowl and a Kitten Bowl as an alternative.
- E! has a marathon of Saved by the Bell all weekend long.
- Decades has an Early Edition binge this weekend.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Digital Digest: More of The FBI from Warner Archive; Diagnosis Murder and The Mod Squad Complete Series Releases
Welcome to Digital Digest! As we mentioned last week, we're working on revamping this weekly feature into something new, and we hope to have that very soon! In the meantime, we're back with our abridged version of Digital Digest with all of your news, a preview of Tuesday's releases, and our Follow Me feature. Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
Warner Archive seems to be one of our few sources of "good news" on the classic TV front lately, typically delivering the news on the date that the product ships... and this week, the "good news" from them came in the form of a new release of the series The FBI. On Tuesday, Warner Archive released The FBI - The Complete Sixth Season as an online exclusive. As has become a typical practice for the studio, of course, the MOD product has been released in a "limited" pressed DVD edition, so these are not DVD-R copies of this release. We hope to have a review of this release soon as part of our regular reviews.
Canadian studio VEI has been bringing us some great complete series releases in the past few years of abandoned series, and for the past year, they've been talking about releases of Diagnosis Murder and The Mod Squad. Of course, VEI has also never really been able to give much in terms of a firm release date on anything (likely due to being a smaller studio that has to deal with a lot of outside production), but this week, they finally announced that both of these releases will be ready to ship next week! On Tuesday, fans will see Diagnosis Murder - The Complete Series and The Mod Squad - The Complete Series. Both releases are also available to order on amazon.com, however the releases purchased on there are not expected to ship for another month, and come at a much higher price.
Speaking of earlier releases, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman is coming to DVD in December, as we all know. But Shout! Factory is letting fans get those DVDs a month earlier if they order them directly from the Shout! Factory website. Expected to ship on or before November 5, you can get in on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman - The Complete Series a month before everybody else does.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (October 22) is a light release date, with a trio of "best of" releases from MPI. The releases include The Doris Day Show - Best of Collection, Family Affair - Best of Collection, and The Mothers-in-Law - Best of Collection. Also, as we previously mentioned, VEI will begin shipping Diagnosis Murder - The Complete Series and The Mod Squad - The Complete Series on Tuesday.
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Patricia Heaton (Twitter), "Actress, Wife and Mother to four incredible boys..."
Claim to Fame: Patricia Heaton started out as a stage actress and slowly evolved into television when she picked up a role on thirtysomething, where she appeared for six episodes. She followed up with roles in three very short-lived sitcoms, with stars including Linda Lavin and Delta Burke, but her big break came in 1996 when she was cast as Debra Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond. After that, she went on to the (mostly panned) Fox sitcom Back to You in 2007, but her fortunes increased once again when she was cast in the starring role on the ABC series The Middle, a role that she has comfortable held since 2009. While she is no stranger to controversy on Twitter
Pick of the Tweets: "I love that you can watch TV while you iron (yesterday it was Jane Eyre) and not feel like a couch potato." (July 16, 2013)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
DIGITAL NEWS
Warner Archive seems to be one of our few sources of "good news" on the classic TV front lately, typically delivering the news on the date that the product ships... and this week, the "good news" from them came in the form of a new release of the series The FBI. On Tuesday, Warner Archive released The FBI - The Complete Sixth Season as an online exclusive. As has become a typical practice for the studio, of course, the MOD product has been released in a "limited" pressed DVD edition, so these are not DVD-R copies of this release. We hope to have a review of this release soon as part of our regular reviews.
Canadian studio VEI has been bringing us some great complete series releases in the past few years of abandoned series, and for the past year, they've been talking about releases of Diagnosis Murder and The Mod Squad. Of course, VEI has also never really been able to give much in terms of a firm release date on anything (likely due to being a smaller studio that has to deal with a lot of outside production), but this week, they finally announced that both of these releases will be ready to ship next week! On Tuesday, fans will see Diagnosis Murder - The Complete Series and The Mod Squad - The Complete Series. Both releases are also available to order on amazon.com, however the releases purchased on there are not expected to ship for another month, and come at a much higher price.
Speaking of earlier releases, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman is coming to DVD in December, as we all know. But Shout! Factory is letting fans get those DVDs a month earlier if they order them directly from the Shout! Factory website. Expected to ship on or before November 5, you can get in on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman - The Complete Series a month before everybody else does.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (October 22) is a light release date, with a trio of "best of" releases from MPI. The releases include The Doris Day Show - Best of Collection, Family Affair - Best of Collection, and The Mothers-in-Law - Best of Collection. Also, as we previously mentioned, VEI will begin shipping Diagnosis Murder - The Complete Series and The Mod Squad - The Complete Series on Tuesday.
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Patricia Heaton (Twitter), "Actress, Wife and Mother to four incredible boys..."
Claim to Fame: Patricia Heaton started out as a stage actress and slowly evolved into television when she picked up a role on thirtysomething, where she appeared for six episodes. She followed up with roles in three very short-lived sitcoms, with stars including Linda Lavin and Delta Burke, but her big break came in 1996 when she was cast as Debra Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond. After that, she went on to the (mostly panned) Fox sitcom Back to You in 2007, but her fortunes increased once again when she was cast in the starring role on the ABC series The Middle, a role that she has comfortable held since 2009. While she is no stranger to controversy on Twitter
Pick of the Tweets: "I love that you can watch TV while you iron (yesterday it was Jane Eyre) and not feel like a couch potato." (July 16, 2013)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Digital Digest: Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman DVD News; Scandal - The Complete Second Season DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! It's Labor Day weekend, but we're here just like we are every other weekend with your news and our regular features, including a review of Scandal - The Complete Second Season. Let's get started!
DIGITAL NEWS
Mill Creek announced a new partnership with Sony to release certain series on DVDs this week, but it really isn't anything new... at all. While the deal will include several classic sitcoms including Bewitched, The Jeffersons, Charlie's Angels, and more, it appears that the arrangement will exclusively be re-releases of products that Sony has already released. But, of course, it is possible that this arrangement could be expanded in the future and we'll see more.
DIGITAL NEWS
Mill Creek announced a new partnership with Sony to release certain series on DVDs this week, but it really isn't anything new... at all. While the deal will include several classic sitcoms including Bewitched, The Jeffersons, Charlie's Angels, and more, it appears that the arrangement will exclusively be re-releases of products that Sony has already released. But, of course, it is possible that this arrangement could be expanded in the future and we'll see more.
Not every Sony series has been abandoned, however, and studios like Shout! Factory continue to bring us some of their classic series. The latest announcement brings something huge to DVD with Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman - The Complete Series. The 38 (yes, 38) disc set brings the entire series to DVD on December 3, although it is not yet clear how "complete" this release will be. The runtime listed on amazon.com (which is not always correct, for what it is worth) says 8100 minutes, which would suggest roughly 350 episodes, or maybe fewer episodes and some special features. There were 325 episodes of the series under the Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman title and an additional 130 under the Forever Fernwood title. We won't speculate one way or the other what the situation is, but we'll definitely follow up when we do know.
MPI has been rather quiet in regards to releases in recent months, but it appears that a few "best of" DVDs will be coming from the studio in October. On October 22, the studio will release "best of" collections for The Doris Day Show, Family Affair, and The Mothers-in-Law.
Finally, it isn't too late to enter our contest to win a copy of the limited edition release of Mama's Family - The Complete Series. Complete contest details, including how to enter and rules, can be found here.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (September 3) has plenty of great releases. First up, Universal has the final season of The Office in The Office - Season Nine (DVD/Blu-ray), as well as the release of Parks and Recreation - Season Five on DVD. Meanwhile, ABC has their release of Scandal - The Complete Second Season, which we review in today's Digital Digest. Of course, the biggest release for next week (perhaps one of the biggest of the year) doesn't exactly "come out" on Tuesday, but is set to begin shipping next week, and that one is StarVista Entertainment's Mama's Family - The Complete Series. We are eagerly anticipating this set, and hope to have a review as soon as possible.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog DVD Review: Scandal - The Complete Second Season ABC Studios, $45.99)
by Pavan
Scandal is back for a second season and it's better than ever, people! Experience every breathless, jaw-dropping moment as Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and her team of "gladiators in suits" turn up the heat and raise the stakes in Scandal: The Complete Second Season. For Olivia Pope and Associates, cleaning up other people's messes takes a shattering personal toll. Season 2 blows the lid off Quinn's identity, exposes Huck's dark past, and uncovers Olivia's darkest secret - something so shocking and enormous that it threatens the entire nation. From boardrooms to bedrooms, relive all 22 episodes of Scandal's explosive second season - plus exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features in this riveting 5-disc set.
The second season stars Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, Columbus Short as Harrison Wright, Guillermo Diaz as Huck, Darby Stanchfield as Abby Whelan, Katie Lowes as Quinn Perkins, Tony Goldwyn as President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, Bellamy Young as Mellie Grant, Joshua Malina as David Rosen and Jeff Perry as White House Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene. However, there are many recurring stars such as Scott Foley as Jake Ballard, Kate Burton as Vice President Sally Langston, Dan Bucatinsky as James Novak, Brenda Song as Alissa, Norm Lewis as Senator Edison Davis, Gregg Henry as Hollis Doyle, Debra Mooney as Supreme Court Justice Verna Thornton and Matt Letscher as Billy Chambers. The series aired for the last seven weeks of the season and delivered solid and steady rating. Guest stars include Kurt Fuller as Grayden Osborne, Eric Mabius, Lisa Edelstein, and Andrea Bowen. The series has always generated buzz and acclaim, with trending topics on Twitter during every episode, but this second season exploded in the ratings (especially after the eighth episode of the season) and became the #1 drama on television at 10pm. We mentioned back on our first season review that look for a bright future for this acclaimed series that will keep getting better. And we were right!
Anyway, as for this set, there are many memorable episodes in this suspenseful juicy series. All 22-episodes are a must see and is easy to watch. It's just so good and there is nothing like it on television. You'll be hooked. So catch up or start today as season three will start October 3 at 10|9c on Thursday nights! The season starts off with the episode "White Hat's Off," where Quinn's true identity is revealed and as the Pope & Associates team digs deeper into her past they find that she may be their biggest scandal yet, while Cyrus and First Lady Mellie put President Grant in a compromising position during a live television interview and a Rhode Island Congressman requires Olivia's help. In "Defiance," Harrison leads the team on the case of billionaire's son who is worried about his father's mental state, while Olivia works with a senator who had an affair with a 21 year old and is now resigning from his position and Cyrus and Mellie plan a birthday gala for President Grant, as the Pope & Associates team digs deeper into an investigation into rigged voting machines. The series really exploded during the episode "Happy Birthday, Mr. President," as President Grant is rushed to the hospital following the attempt on his life, as a series of flashbacks reveals more about Olivia's time in the White House and her relationship with the president, while despite Olivia's best efforts to retain the office of president for President Grant, Vice President Langston is inaugurated as president to serve until President Grant recovers. In the powerful episode "One for the Dog," while Huck is being held in an underground location and being tortured after being framed for shooting the president, the president is still in a coma, but to save Fitz's presidency Mellie forges his signature saying he is awake and ready to head back to office, but Acting President Sally Langston isn't buying it, so Olivia does what she does best and manages the crisis.
In "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot," 10 months after discovering the truth behind Defiance, Fitz is still struggling to figure out whom he can actually trust, while Olivia is trying to move on with her life, and she meets a handsome stranger, Jake Ballard (Scott Foley), who sparks her interest, but when Fitz and Olivia are forced to be in the same room again, real sparks fly and things get heated. In "Snake in the Garden," Hollis Doyle calls Olivia in when his daughter is kidnapped under suspicious circumstances, while Olivia and Jake continue their relationship whilst Quinn and Huck's friendship strengthens, but problems at the White House spring up as Cyrus fights to be back in the president's corner whilst Mellie confronts Fitz and the mole is exposed and taken care of, though all is not as one might expect. In the amazing episode "Seven Fifty-Two," secrets from Huck's life before Pope and Associates are revealed, as Olivia and Fitz engage in an emotionally charged conversation, unaware of the fact that someone could be watching, and Olivia's team comes together to help one of their own, while Cyrus is becoming increasingly skeptical of Jake, and Mellie makes a decision that could bring down the White House. In "Any Questions?" Cyrus is at the center of a big scandal at the White House, while Olivia is betrayed by someone close to her and Fitz announces his re-election campaign. And in the juicy and thrilling season finale, "White's Hat Back On," as they get closer to uncovering the mole's identity, Olivia and her team find themselves in an increasingly dangerous situation as the latest White House scandal pushes Cyrus over the edge, while David is instrumental in uncovering the identity of the mole and a secret about Olivia's life hits the media.
Episodes are usually around 43 minutes and unedited (with a few extended episodes at 45, 46, and 50 minutes each), as they should be. Runtimes are below:
Disc 1:
1. "White Hat's Off" (43:00)
2. "The Other Woman" (43:01)
3. "Hunting Season" (43:00)
4. "Beltway Unbuckled" (42:58)
5. "All Roads Lead to Fitz" (43:02)
Disc 2:
6. "Spies Like Us" (42:59)
7. "Defiance" (43:01)
8. "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" (43:00)
9. "Blown Away" (43:00)
10. "One for the Dog" (43:00)
Disc 3:
11. "A Criminal, a Whore, an Idiot and a Liar" (43:01)
12. "Truth or Consequences" (43:01)
13. "Nobody Likes Babies" (45:00)
14. "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" (43:01)
Disc 4:
15. "Boom Goes the Dynamite" (43:01)
16. "Top of the Hour" (43:01)
17. "Snake in the Garden" (43:00)
18. "Molly, You In Danger, Girl" (43:01)
19. "Seven Fifty-Two" (46:01)
Disc 5:
20. "A Woman Scorned" (43:00)
21. "Any Questions?" (43:01)
22. "White Hat's Back On" (43:00) (EXTENDED FINALE also available: 50:25)
The DVD once again comes in a case held by an outer thin box. The thin outer box is in black with another nice facial shot of Olivia Pope with what appears to be President Grant looking at her and the series logo at the bottom and the complete second season mention is on the top. The back of the thin outer box has info on the set and series, with nice quotes from TVLine and EW. We have a nice cast photo as well. There is also a box showcasing the bonus features as well. When we remove the outer box, we get to the case. The case has the same artwork as the thin box, both cover and back, so everything is the exact same. Inside the case we have a cool cutouts of each cast member on the panels itself. There is also a disc-by-disc breakdown below the photos on the panels listing episode titles per disc. As for the discs themselves, disc one is on a little plastic holder that you can flip like a page in a book, while disc two is on back side of that holder. Same goes true for discs three and four, but disc five is on the right panel itself, though. Each disc is in the black design with the series logo in red and has character artwork. Disc one holds episodes 1-5 and has the same shot of Olivia as the cover art. Disc two holds episodes 6-10 and has artwork of both Fitz and Olivia. Disc three holds episodes 11-14 and has artwork of Cyrus and Mellie. Disc four holds episodes 15-19 and has artwork of Huck and Quinn. And finally disc five holds episodes 20-22 plus the bonus features and has artwork of Harrison, Abby and David Rosen. There is no insert booklet showcasing other ABC TV DVDs that are coming soon as we had for the season one set.
The menu design is once again great! We first have a shot of the White House, then we see clips from the series playing in the background as we have background music from the show playing (with the trademark camera snapshot sounds mixed in). Before the main menu, we have auto trailers on disc one for Revenge Season 2, ABC TV dramas on DVD, Castle Season 5 and Once Upon a Time Season 2. Back to the main menu, the options are: Play All, Episode Selection, Bonus Features, Set Up and Sneak Peeks. Sneak Peeks is only on disc five and has different trailers (ABC Image promo and Lone Ranger). Set Up gives us the option for subtitles in English, French, Espanol, and Portuguese. You can also register your DVD here. Bonus Features is just on disc five and lists what is available, while Episode Selection gives us an episode number and title. This is pretty much similar to the first season set.
Video and audio quality are both outstanding, similar to the first season and other recent ABC TV DVDs we have reviewed like Revenge. We have Digital Dolby 5.1 surround sound and it is perfect. For the video, we are in widescreen (1.78:1), enhanced for 16x9 televisions. It is excellent quality but that is expected for newer/current series. As I keep saying, if anything goes wrong with audio/video for current series, then there is a major problem. Each episode has 7 chapter stops, so it is easy to jump through an episode if you are looking for something in particular, like any steamy scene between Olivia and the President--viewer discretion advised, indeed! This is not Blu-ray, but it is still excellent!
There are some special features on this set as well! They are all on disc five. First up, we have an Extended Finale for "White Hat's Back On" (50:25) and this is actually listed inside the Episode Selection menu rather than Bonus Features. Yes, we get seven more minutes of footage from the season finale! It is even more amazing and a must-see! The rest of the extras are listed inside Bonus Features. The first one is the featurette "A Closer Look: President Grant's Assassination Attempt" (4:50). We get an inside peek at how one of season two's most pivotal scenes was shot (pun intended!). This is the episode that skyrocketed the series into a top series status. It's a very good and informative featurette and has interviews with Shonda Rhimes (creator/executive producer), Betsy Beers (executive producer), Oliver Bokelberg (director), Don Ruffin (stunt supervisor), Rajeev Dassani (visual effects supervisor), Tony Goldwyn, and Bellamy Young. Then we have a second featurette and this one is called "Being Huck" (8:02). In this inspiring piece, spend the day with Huck himself (Guillermo Diaz) and get to know the man behind the eclectic yet oddball character. This is probably the better featurette because it is longer and has more feedback. Interviewed are Guillermo Diaz, Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington, Betsy Beers, and Darby Stanchfield. Next up we have A LOT of deleted scenes. 38 of them, in fact. We didn't have any for the first season but now we have many on this set. Here are the episodes and timings: #201 (1:31), #202 (0:50), #204 (0:25, 0:55), #205 (0:44), #206 (0:47), #207 (0:16), #209 (1:08, 0:28, 0:41), #210 ((0:29), #211 (0:33, 1:39, 1:11), #212 (0:59), #213 (0:38, 0:43, 0:46, 0:42, 1:01, 0:30, 1:00, 0:41, 0:37), #215 (1:00), #217 (0:34, 0:16), #218 (0:55), #219 (0:36, 2:27, 0:41, 1:33, 1:07), #220 (0:25, 0:39, 0:56) and #221 (0:18, 0:37). And finally we have season two "Outtakes" (4:40). We didn't have any bloopers for the first season set, but we have some here! Fans will laugh out loud at these funny, unseen uncensored moments from the set of this hit series. They are sure having fun!
This is a nicely done set for an even better show. You have a month to watch, catch-up, or refresh yourself on all 22 episodes and be ready for season three, which begins Thursday, Oct. 3 on ABC. The series just gets better and better, and juicer and juicer. Kerry Washington and guest star Dan Bucatinsky have been nominated for Emmy's and they should win them, especially Kerry. As for the DVD, it is well done and similar to the first set and previous ABC TV DVDs. We get great audio/video, menus, packaging and special features. I think the features are better than the first season with deleted scenes and bloopers added, along with the extended finale. The featurettes could have been better as we only have two, while the first set had three. I still wish this series had audio commentaries though. That's my only real gripe, but that is not a big deal. ABC Studios knows how to make good DVDs, especially for their current series. If you haven't watched this series yet, you're crazy. Everyone should be watching this show for great television. If you need to catch-up, you need to do it right now. It is very well written and acted. So as Hollis Doyle would say "Git!" and click below to buy this DVD. It's pure electric and so fast-paced! Suit up!
(4/5 stars)
To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Scandal on TV.com
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Scott Baio (Twitter), "Actor and my wife & I have a foundation for special needs children and to raise awareness to expanded newborn screening."
Claim to Fame: We all know the answer to this. While he is probably now famous just for being Scott Baio, his original claim to fame came when he played Chachi on Happy Days, and later Charles on the '80s series Charles in Charge. But he isn't out of the game at all, as he continues his sitcom tradition in his Nick@Nite series, See Dad Run.
Why You Should Follow Him: He is the quintessential sitcom actor of the '80s... is there really any other reason needed? But in case there is, you'll find that he does use Twitter somewhat actively (not multiple times per day, but enough to keep his fans happy) and he only seems to use it for positive things that everybody can enjoy. On top of that, he runs a great foundation (as his tagline suggests) focused on a certain childhood birth defect known as GA-1, with The Bailey Baio Angel Foundation, and he keeps his fans up-to-date on the happenings of that organization.
Pick of the Tweets: "Subway commercial for a "spicy Italian lover" combo. My kid says "ooooh I'm a spicy Italian lover"! #Trouble" (July 21, 2013)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
MPI has been rather quiet in regards to releases in recent months, but it appears that a few "best of" DVDs will be coming from the studio in October. On October 22, the studio will release "best of" collections for The Doris Day Show, Family Affair, and The Mothers-in-Law.
Finally, it isn't too late to enter our contest to win a copy of the limited edition release of Mama's Family - The Complete Series. Complete contest details, including how to enter and rules, can be found here.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (September 3) has plenty of great releases. First up, Universal has the final season of The Office in The Office - Season Nine (DVD/Blu-ray), as well as the release of Parks and Recreation - Season Five on DVD. Meanwhile, ABC has their release of Scandal - The Complete Second Season, which we review in today's Digital Digest. Of course, the biggest release for next week (perhaps one of the biggest of the year) doesn't exactly "come out" on Tuesday, but is set to begin shipping next week, and that one is StarVista Entertainment's Mama's Family - The Complete Series. We are eagerly anticipating this set, and hope to have a review as soon as possible.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog DVD Review: Scandal - The Complete Second Season ABC Studios, $45.99)
by Pavan
Scandal is back for a second season and it's better than ever, people! Experience every breathless, jaw-dropping moment as Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and her team of "gladiators in suits" turn up the heat and raise the stakes in Scandal: The Complete Second Season. For Olivia Pope and Associates, cleaning up other people's messes takes a shattering personal toll. Season 2 blows the lid off Quinn's identity, exposes Huck's dark past, and uncovers Olivia's darkest secret - something so shocking and enormous that it threatens the entire nation. From boardrooms to bedrooms, relive all 22 episodes of Scandal's explosive second season - plus exclusive, never-before-seen bonus features in this riveting 5-disc set.
The second season stars Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, Columbus Short as Harrison Wright, Guillermo Diaz as Huck, Darby Stanchfield as Abby Whelan, Katie Lowes as Quinn Perkins, Tony Goldwyn as President Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III, Bellamy Young as Mellie Grant, Joshua Malina as David Rosen and Jeff Perry as White House Chief of Staff Cyrus Beene. However, there are many recurring stars such as Scott Foley as Jake Ballard, Kate Burton as Vice President Sally Langston, Dan Bucatinsky as James Novak, Brenda Song as Alissa, Norm Lewis as Senator Edison Davis, Gregg Henry as Hollis Doyle, Debra Mooney as Supreme Court Justice Verna Thornton and Matt Letscher as Billy Chambers. The series aired for the last seven weeks of the season and delivered solid and steady rating. Guest stars include Kurt Fuller as Grayden Osborne, Eric Mabius, Lisa Edelstein, and Andrea Bowen. The series has always generated buzz and acclaim, with trending topics on Twitter during every episode, but this second season exploded in the ratings (especially after the eighth episode of the season) and became the #1 drama on television at 10pm. We mentioned back on our first season review that look for a bright future for this acclaimed series that will keep getting better. And we were right!
Anyway, as for this set, there are many memorable episodes in this suspenseful juicy series. All 22-episodes are a must see and is easy to watch. It's just so good and there is nothing like it on television. You'll be hooked. So catch up or start today as season three will start October 3 at 10|9c on Thursday nights! The season starts off with the episode "White Hat's Off," where Quinn's true identity is revealed and as the Pope & Associates team digs deeper into her past they find that she may be their biggest scandal yet, while Cyrus and First Lady Mellie put President Grant in a compromising position during a live television interview and a Rhode Island Congressman requires Olivia's help. In "Defiance," Harrison leads the team on the case of billionaire's son who is worried about his father's mental state, while Olivia works with a senator who had an affair with a 21 year old and is now resigning from his position and Cyrus and Mellie plan a birthday gala for President Grant, as the Pope & Associates team digs deeper into an investigation into rigged voting machines. The series really exploded during the episode "Happy Birthday, Mr. President," as President Grant is rushed to the hospital following the attempt on his life, as a series of flashbacks reveals more about Olivia's time in the White House and her relationship with the president, while despite Olivia's best efforts to retain the office of president for President Grant, Vice President Langston is inaugurated as president to serve until President Grant recovers. In the powerful episode "One for the Dog," while Huck is being held in an underground location and being tortured after being framed for shooting the president, the president is still in a coma, but to save Fitz's presidency Mellie forges his signature saying he is awake and ready to head back to office, but Acting President Sally Langston isn't buying it, so Olivia does what she does best and manages the crisis.
In "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot," 10 months after discovering the truth behind Defiance, Fitz is still struggling to figure out whom he can actually trust, while Olivia is trying to move on with her life, and she meets a handsome stranger, Jake Ballard (Scott Foley), who sparks her interest, but when Fitz and Olivia are forced to be in the same room again, real sparks fly and things get heated. In "Snake in the Garden," Hollis Doyle calls Olivia in when his daughter is kidnapped under suspicious circumstances, while Olivia and Jake continue their relationship whilst Quinn and Huck's friendship strengthens, but problems at the White House spring up as Cyrus fights to be back in the president's corner whilst Mellie confronts Fitz and the mole is exposed and taken care of, though all is not as one might expect. In the amazing episode "Seven Fifty-Two," secrets from Huck's life before Pope and Associates are revealed, as Olivia and Fitz engage in an emotionally charged conversation, unaware of the fact that someone could be watching, and Olivia's team comes together to help one of their own, while Cyrus is becoming increasingly skeptical of Jake, and Mellie makes a decision that could bring down the White House. In "Any Questions?" Cyrus is at the center of a big scandal at the White House, while Olivia is betrayed by someone close to her and Fitz announces his re-election campaign. And in the juicy and thrilling season finale, "White's Hat Back On," as they get closer to uncovering the mole's identity, Olivia and her team find themselves in an increasingly dangerous situation as the latest White House scandal pushes Cyrus over the edge, while David is instrumental in uncovering the identity of the mole and a secret about Olivia's life hits the media.
Episodes are usually around 43 minutes and unedited (with a few extended episodes at 45, 46, and 50 minutes each), as they should be. Runtimes are below:
Disc 1:
1. "White Hat's Off" (43:00)
2. "The Other Woman" (43:01)
3. "Hunting Season" (43:00)
4. "Beltway Unbuckled" (42:58)
5. "All Roads Lead to Fitz" (43:02)
Disc 2:
6. "Spies Like Us" (42:59)
7. "Defiance" (43:01)
8. "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" (43:00)
9. "Blown Away" (43:00)
10. "One for the Dog" (43:00)
Disc 3:
11. "A Criminal, a Whore, an Idiot and a Liar" (43:01)
12. "Truth or Consequences" (43:01)
13. "Nobody Likes Babies" (45:00)
14. "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" (43:01)
Disc 4:
15. "Boom Goes the Dynamite" (43:01)
16. "Top of the Hour" (43:01)
17. "Snake in the Garden" (43:00)
18. "Molly, You In Danger, Girl" (43:01)
19. "Seven Fifty-Two" (46:01)
Disc 5:
20. "A Woman Scorned" (43:00)
21. "Any Questions?" (43:01)
22. "White Hat's Back On" (43:00) (EXTENDED FINALE also available: 50:25)
The DVD once again comes in a case held by an outer thin box. The thin outer box is in black with another nice facial shot of Olivia Pope with what appears to be President Grant looking at her and the series logo at the bottom and the complete second season mention is on the top. The back of the thin outer box has info on the set and series, with nice quotes from TVLine and EW. We have a nice cast photo as well. There is also a box showcasing the bonus features as well. When we remove the outer box, we get to the case. The case has the same artwork as the thin box, both cover and back, so everything is the exact same. Inside the case we have a cool cutouts of each cast member on the panels itself. There is also a disc-by-disc breakdown below the photos on the panels listing episode titles per disc. As for the discs themselves, disc one is on a little plastic holder that you can flip like a page in a book, while disc two is on back side of that holder. Same goes true for discs three and four, but disc five is on the right panel itself, though. Each disc is in the black design with the series logo in red and has character artwork. Disc one holds episodes 1-5 and has the same shot of Olivia as the cover art. Disc two holds episodes 6-10 and has artwork of both Fitz and Olivia. Disc three holds episodes 11-14 and has artwork of Cyrus and Mellie. Disc four holds episodes 15-19 and has artwork of Huck and Quinn. And finally disc five holds episodes 20-22 plus the bonus features and has artwork of Harrison, Abby and David Rosen. There is no insert booklet showcasing other ABC TV DVDs that are coming soon as we had for the season one set.
The menu design is once again great! We first have a shot of the White House, then we see clips from the series playing in the background as we have background music from the show playing (with the trademark camera snapshot sounds mixed in). Before the main menu, we have auto trailers on disc one for Revenge Season 2, ABC TV dramas on DVD, Castle Season 5 and Once Upon a Time Season 2. Back to the main menu, the options are: Play All, Episode Selection, Bonus Features, Set Up and Sneak Peeks. Sneak Peeks is only on disc five and has different trailers (ABC Image promo and Lone Ranger). Set Up gives us the option for subtitles in English, French, Espanol, and Portuguese. You can also register your DVD here. Bonus Features is just on disc five and lists what is available, while Episode Selection gives us an episode number and title. This is pretty much similar to the first season set.
Video and audio quality are both outstanding, similar to the first season and other recent ABC TV DVDs we have reviewed like Revenge. We have Digital Dolby 5.1 surround sound and it is perfect. For the video, we are in widescreen (1.78:1), enhanced for 16x9 televisions. It is excellent quality but that is expected for newer/current series. As I keep saying, if anything goes wrong with audio/video for current series, then there is a major problem. Each episode has 7 chapter stops, so it is easy to jump through an episode if you are looking for something in particular, like any steamy scene between Olivia and the President--viewer discretion advised, indeed! This is not Blu-ray, but it is still excellent!
There are some special features on this set as well! They are all on disc five. First up, we have an Extended Finale for "White Hat's Back On" (50:25) and this is actually listed inside the Episode Selection menu rather than Bonus Features. Yes, we get seven more minutes of footage from the season finale! It is even more amazing and a must-see! The rest of the extras are listed inside Bonus Features. The first one is the featurette "A Closer Look: President Grant's Assassination Attempt" (4:50). We get an inside peek at how one of season two's most pivotal scenes was shot (pun intended!). This is the episode that skyrocketed the series into a top series status. It's a very good and informative featurette and has interviews with Shonda Rhimes (creator/executive producer), Betsy Beers (executive producer), Oliver Bokelberg (director), Don Ruffin (stunt supervisor), Rajeev Dassani (visual effects supervisor), Tony Goldwyn, and Bellamy Young. Then we have a second featurette and this one is called "Being Huck" (8:02). In this inspiring piece, spend the day with Huck himself (Guillermo Diaz) and get to know the man behind the eclectic yet oddball character. This is probably the better featurette because it is longer and has more feedback. Interviewed are Guillermo Diaz, Shonda Rhimes, Kerry Washington, Betsy Beers, and Darby Stanchfield. Next up we have A LOT of deleted scenes. 38 of them, in fact. We didn't have any for the first season but now we have many on this set. Here are the episodes and timings: #201 (1:31), #202 (0:50), #204 (0:25, 0:55), #205 (0:44), #206 (0:47), #207 (0:16), #209 (1:08, 0:28, 0:41), #210 ((0:29), #211 (0:33, 1:39, 1:11), #212 (0:59), #213 (0:38, 0:43, 0:46, 0:42, 1:01, 0:30, 1:00, 0:41, 0:37), #215 (1:00), #217 (0:34, 0:16), #218 (0:55), #219 (0:36, 2:27, 0:41, 1:33, 1:07), #220 (0:25, 0:39, 0:56) and #221 (0:18, 0:37). And finally we have season two "Outtakes" (4:40). We didn't have any bloopers for the first season set, but we have some here! Fans will laugh out loud at these funny, unseen uncensored moments from the set of this hit series. They are sure having fun!
This is a nicely done set for an even better show. You have a month to watch, catch-up, or refresh yourself on all 22 episodes and be ready for season three, which begins Thursday, Oct. 3 on ABC. The series just gets better and better, and juicer and juicer. Kerry Washington and guest star Dan Bucatinsky have been nominated for Emmy's and they should win them, especially Kerry. As for the DVD, it is well done and similar to the first set and previous ABC TV DVDs. We get great audio/video, menus, packaging and special features. I think the features are better than the first season with deleted scenes and bloopers added, along with the extended finale. The featurettes could have been better as we only have two, while the first set had three. I still wish this series had audio commentaries though. That's my only real gripe, but that is not a big deal. ABC Studios knows how to make good DVDs, especially for their current series. If you haven't watched this series yet, you're crazy. Everyone should be watching this show for great television. If you need to catch-up, you need to do it right now. It is very well written and acted. So as Hollis Doyle would say "Git!" and click below to buy this DVD. It's pure electric and so fast-paced! Suit up!
(4/5 stars)To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Scandal on TV.com
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Scott Baio (Twitter), "Actor and my wife & I have a foundation for special needs children and to raise awareness to expanded newborn screening."
Claim to Fame: We all know the answer to this. While he is probably now famous just for being Scott Baio, his original claim to fame came when he played Chachi on Happy Days, and later Charles on the '80s series Charles in Charge. But he isn't out of the game at all, as he continues his sitcom tradition in his Nick@Nite series, See Dad Run.
Why You Should Follow Him: He is the quintessential sitcom actor of the '80s... is there really any other reason needed? But in case there is, you'll find that he does use Twitter somewhat actively (not multiple times per day, but enough to keep his fans happy) and he only seems to use it for positive things that everybody can enjoy. On top of that, he runs a great foundation (as his tagline suggests) focused on a certain childhood birth defect known as GA-1, with The Bailey Baio Angel Foundation, and he keeps his fans up-to-date on the happenings of that organization.
Pick of the Tweets: "Subway commercial for a "spicy Italian lover" combo. My kid says "ooooh I'm a spicy Italian lover"! #Trouble" (July 21, 2013)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, August 20
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Pregnancy Test and an Old Man’s Gallbladder" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie’s jealousy rears its head when Mandy gets sent on an overnight work trip with her ex and current boss, Scott (Christopher Gorham). Meanwhile, Jim and Audrey panic when they find a pregnancy test in Connor’s trash.
Ghosts - "Under New Management" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When new pressures threaten Sam and Jay’s control over Woodstone, they’re forced to navigate unexpected challenges to protect its future. Meanwhile, a long-absent ghost returns, reopening emotional connections that complicate new relationships.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 17)
Thursday, August 20
- Rosie O'Donnell (SMILF/Stand by Your Man/Gimme a Break!) - Rosie guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) and Megan Mullally (Will & Grace/Breaking In/Rachel Gunn, M.D./The Ellen Burstyn Show) - Catch Nick and Megan on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Michelle Pfeiffer (Margo's Got Money Troubles/Delta House) - Michelle appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Rhea Seehorn (Whitney/I'm with Her) - Rhea is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. NBC's Today catches up with Rhea in the 9am hour.
- Billy Eichner (Friends from College/Difficult People/Parks and Recreation) - Billy appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Jill Kargman (Odd Mom Out) - Jill is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) and Shawn Wayans (The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon and Shawn talk about Scary Movie on a repeat of The View at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Milana Vayntrub (Other Space) - Milana is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 10:50am.
- Lucy Liu (Joey/Pearl) - Drew is joined by BFF Lucy Liu to hear all about her new film Rosemead on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/29/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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