SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline Digest: Henry Winkler to Star in NBC Legal Comedy Pilot; First Look at Peacock's The Burbs

   Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about a new NBC legal comedy pilot, getting our first preview of a new Peacock dark comedy based upon a classic movie, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Henry Winkler is set to star in a new NBC legal comedy pilot called Last Chance Lawyer. (Deadline)
• We have our first look at Peacock's upcoming dark comedy series The 'Burbs. (Deadline)
• Netflix has ordered a new comedy called I Suck at Girls. (Deadline)
• Bowen Yang is talking about his exit from Saturday Night Live. (CNN)
• The new reality for late night talk is that shows (at least the ones still existing) have to cut their budget, and Jimmy Kimmel Live is doing that by reducing their number of musical guests each week. (Hollywood Reporter)
• We now have a trailer for the upcoming special event for The Muppet Show. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JANUARY 10 - JANUARY 16)

Antenna TV February 2025 Schedule; SNL First Two 2025 Episodes Before 50th Anniversary Event

Antenna TV will make some changes to its schedule beginning on Monday, February 3. Mornings and daytime will be remain the same from 8am-3pm, but early morning will have some shifts, with The Drew Carey Show airing at 5am. Burns & Allen and The Jack Benny Program expands to a hour each from 6-8am, while the morning airings of I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched are dropped. In the afternoons, Maude and Benson are off of weekdays as Alice and Archie Bunker's Place move to 3pm & 4pm. After Family Ties at 5pm, The Drew Carey Show moves from 1am to 6pm. Early primetime remains the same from 7pm-10pm, but Johnny Carson moves out of prime to 11pm, as Becker moves to 10pm. Late night & overnight will have some shifts too from 12am-5am, with Wings, Designing Women, Three's Company from 12-3am and Barney Miller at 4am after The Jeffersons at 3am.

Weekends will have minor changes, but Maude and Benson will be showcased there getting additional slots (Maude Sundays 5-7pm and Benson Saturdays 5-6pm). View the full schedule.

Saturday Night Live will return January 18 with Dave Chappelle making his fourth appearance as host. The Emmy Award winner's latest special, Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer, is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. GloRilla will make her musical guest debut. The multi-platinum selling artist received two Grammy nominations this year for her hit single "Yeah Glo!" Timothée Chalamet will return for his third time hosting Saturday Night Live and first time as musical guest. Chalamet has received SAG, Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations for his performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, now in theaters.

In addition to the broadcast on NBC (11:30 p.m. ET/ 8:30 p.m. PT), Saturday Night Live streams live on Peacock. Stream every season of Saturday Night Live now on Peacock. Saturday Night Live will return mid February to mark its 50th anniversary with a celebratory weekend culminating in a live primetime broadcast, SNL50: The Anniversary Special, on Sunday, February 16.

Remembering TV Legend Norman Lear; Critics Choice Awards Nominees

Emmy-winning producer and screenwriter Norman Lear, who created and produced All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude, Good Times, The Jeffersons and One Day at a Time, has died. He died on December 5 at his home in Los Angeles from cardiac arrest, as a complication of heart failure. Mr. Lear was 101.

Lear developed the 1971-1979 CBS sitcom All in the Family. Based on the British sitcom Till Death Us Do Part, it was produced by Lear and Bud Yorkin. The series received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding New Series in 1971 and for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1972, 1973 and 1978. On February 16, 1991, CBS aired a 90-minute retrospective, All in the Family 20th Anniversary Special, hosted by Lear to commemorate the show's 20th anniversary.

His second big sitcom was Sanford and Son, which aired on NBC from 1972 to 1977. The series, which was based on the British sitcom Steptoe and Son, was about a Watts junk dealer and his son. It was a rating hit throughout its six-season run, finishing in the Nielsen top ten for five of those seasons.

Lear and Yorkin created the 1972-1978 CBS sitcom Maude. The show was the first spin-off of All in the Family, on which Bea Arthur had made two appearances as Maude, Edith Bunker's favorite cousin. Maude is generally considered to be based on Lear's wife Frances, something she herself confirmed, with Charlie Hauck serving as main producer and writer.

He developed and produced the 1974-1979 CBS sitcom Good Times. The spin-off of Maude was created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans. It was television's first African American two-parent family sitcom. On December 18, 2019, ABC broadcast Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times, produced by Lear and Jimmy Kimmel. It won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special in 2020.

Lear developed the 1975-1985 CBS sitcom The Jeffersons. The show was launched as the second (and longest running) spin-off of All in the Family (after Maude), on which the Jeffersons had been the neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker. On May 22, 2019, ABC broadcast Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons, produced by Lear and Jimmy Kimmel. It won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Special in 2019.

He developed and produced the 1975-1984 CBS sitcom One Day at a Time. It starred Bonnie Franklin as a divorced mother raising two teenage daughters, played by Mackenzie Phillips and Valerie Bertinelli, set in Indianapolis. He also executive produced the 2017-2020 Netflix remake of One Day at a Time, which starred Justina Machado and Rita Moreno as a Cuban-American family living in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Echo Park.

Some of Lear's other sitcom producing credits included Hot l Baltimore (1975), The Nancy Walker Show (1976), All That Glitters (1977), Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-1977), A Year at the Top (1977), Fernwood 2 Night (or Fernwood Tonight (1977), America 2-Night (1978), In the Beginning (1978), Apple Pie (1978), Diff'rent Strokes (1978-1986), The Baxters (1979-1981), Hanging In (1979), a.k.a. Pablo (1984), Sunday Dinner (1991), The Powers That Be (1992-1993) and 704 Hauser (1994). He developed The Dumplings (1976), All's Fair (1976-1977) and Sanford Arms (1977). He directed an episode of The Powers That Be in 1992 and an episode of 704 Hauser in 1994.

He directed, co-produced and co-wrote the 1971 satirical black comedy film Cold Turkey, which starred Dick Van Dyke and a long list of comedic actors. Some of his other film writing credits included Come Blow Your Horn (1963), Divorce American Style (1967) and The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968).

Mr. Lear was a TV legend and pioneer. He produced, wrote, created or developed over 100 shows. He received many awards, including six Primetime Emmys, two Peabody Awards, the National Medal of Arts in 1999, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2017, and the Golden Globe Carol Burnett Award in 2021. We thank him for the many laughs and for the entertainment that he brought us during his legendary career. He will be greatly missed.

Antenna TV today announced that it will air a "Remembering Norman Lear: An Evening of Love and Laughter Marathon" on Wednesday, December 6 starting at 5pm Eastern. This special marathon celebrates Norman Lear, the legendary television producer behind popular sitcoms including All in the Family, Sanford and Son, and One Day at a Time, who died Tuesday at 101.

Antenna TV's "Remembering Norman Lear: An Evening of Love and Laughter Marathon" features curated episodes from One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Maude, and Archie Bunker's Place.

In recognition of Norman Lear's vast accomplishments and influence across television, CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX and The CW will simulcast an on-air in memoriam card tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT honoring the late legendary TV writer and producer.

Catchy Comedy will remember television icon Norman Lear with a look back special hosted by Mr. Lear, The 200th Episode Celebration of All in the Family, airing Friday, December 8th at 8p ET | 5p PT.

Great Entertainment Television will honor the late Norman Lear this weekend with marathons of Good Times and Sanford and Son, starting at 10 am each day.

Saturday, December 9
10A - Sanford and Son, "Crossed Swords"
10:30A - Sanford and Son, "Sanford and Son and Sister Makes Three"
11A - Sanford and Son, "The Puerto Ricans Are Coming!"
11:30A - Sanford and Son, "A Visit From Lena Horne"
12p - Sanford and Son, "Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe"

Sunday, December 10
10A - Good Times, "Too Old Blues"
10:30A - Good Times, "Cousin Cleatus"
11A - Good Times, "A Matter of Mothers"
11:30A - Good Times, "That's Entertainment, Evans Style"
12P - Good Times, "The Dinner Party"

The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced the TV category nominees for the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards. The winners will be revealed at the star-studded Critics Choice Awards gala hosted by Chelsea Handler, which will broadcast LIVE on The CW on Sunday, January 14, 2024 (7:00 - 10:00 pm ET - delayed PT, check local listings). The Morning Show (Apple TV+) leads the television contenders for the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards with six nominations. In addition to Best Drama Series, the show earned several acting nominations including Best Actress in a Drama Series for both Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Billy Crudup was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, while Nicole Beharie and Karen Pittman both earned nods for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Succession (HBO | Max) followed with an impressive five nominations overall, including Best Drama Series. Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong are both nominated in the Best Actor in a Drama Series category, while Sarah Snook garnered a nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series and Matthew MacFadyen is up for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

A Small Light (National Geographic), Abbott Elementary (ABC), Beef (Netflix), Lessons In Chemistry (Apple TV+), Loki (Disney+), Reservation Dogs (FX), and The Bear (FX) tied with four nominations each. The 29th annual Critics Choice Awards will air live on The CW from 7:00 - 10:00 pm ET (delayed PT, check local listings). The Critics Choice Awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, they are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations. The 29th annual Critics Choice Awards show will be executive-produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The Critics Choice Awards are represented by Dan Black at Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Full Comedy nominees are below:

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Barry (HBO | Max)
The Bear (FX)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Poker Face (Peacock)
Reservation Dogs (FX)
Shrinking (Apple TV+)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Bill Hader - Barry (HBO | Max)
Steve Martin - Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Kayvan Novak - What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Drew Tarver - The Other Two (HBO | Max)
Jeremy Allen White - The Bear (FX)
D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai - Reservation Dogs (FX)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Rachel Brosnahan - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Quinta Brunson - Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Ayo Edebiri - The Bear (FX)
Bridget Everett - Somebody Somewhere (HBO | Max)
Devery Jacobs - Reservation Dogs (FX)
Natasha Lyonne - Poker Face (Peacock)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Phil Dunster - Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)
Harrison Ford - Shrinking (Apple TV+)
Harvey Guillén - What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
James Marsden - Jury Duty (Amazon Freevee)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach - The Bear (FX)
Henry Winkler - Barry (HBO | Max)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Paulina Alexis - Reservation Dogs (FX)
Alex Borstein - The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Janelle James - Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph - Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Meryl Streep - Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Jessica Williams - Shrinking (Apple TV+)

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.

SitcomsOnline Digest: Abbott Elementary Given Full Second Season; Preview of New Beavis and Butt-Head Episode

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we are getting new details about the renewal of an ABC sitcom, we're hearing about the classic remake that Norman Lear wants as he approaches 100 years of age this week, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• It should come as little surprise that Abbott Elementary, which proved to be a successful broadcast network sitcom in an era where streaming media dominates, will have a full 22 episodes for season two. (Deadline)
• We're getting a full 9 minute preview of one of the new Beavis and Butt-Head episodes, and it is a literal dumpster fire. (Deadline)
• The TCA Summer Press Tour is going virtual due to rising COVID-19 cases. (Variety)
• As he approaches 100, Norman Lear says that now is the time to redo the Maude abortion episode. (Variety)
• Netflix is coming out with an ad-supported version of the service, but don't expect to find everything that is currently on Netflix on there, as it will contain a pared down selection. (Consequence)
• Taurean Blacque, known for his role on Hill Street Blues, has died at age 82. (Entertainment Weekly)
• The 25th anniversary of South Park is coming up (it actually seems longer than that in some regards), and there will be a concert that will air on Comedy Central and Paramount+ to celebrate. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JULY 23 - JULY 29)

• Antenna TV is celebrating Norman Lear's 100th birthday on Wednesday, though it will only include the shows that they're currently airing.
• The Decades binge this weekend is The Wild Wild West.

Antenna TV's Summer Marathons Include Norman Lear's 100th Birthday Party; New Netflix Comedy From Cobra Kai Creators Sets Cast

Mark the calendar and settle in to watch these upcoming Antenna TV marathons airing in July and August. The Sunday Special will air two more specials this July and August. The Sunday Special: I Dream of Jeannie | Sunday, July 10, 8am – 8pm ET. 12-hour marathon of the best of Jeannie, Major Nelson, and Dr. Bellows. Featured episodes include "Secretary is Not a Toy," "The Greatest Invention in the World," "My Turned-on Master," and "Birds and Bees Do It. The Sunday Special: Barney Miller | Sunday, August 7, 8am – 8pm ET. It's a "best of" Barney and the 12th Precinct. The 12-hour marathon includes episodes titled "The Escape Artist", "Fear of Flying," "Hash," "Power Failure," and "Strip Joint."

Then Antenna TV will celebrate a living legend's 100th birthday! "Norman Lear's 100th Birthday Party" | Wednesday, July 27, 10am – 10pm ET. Celebrate the 100th birthday of television producer and writer Norman Lear with a 12-hour marathon featuring episodes from Lear-developed and created shows including Maude, Archie Bunker's Place, One Day at a Time and The Jeffersons. And finally it's a "Crossover Marathon" | all-day on Friday, August 19. Many of your favorite Antenna TV stars made cameo or guest star appearances on other Antenna TV shows including Linda Lavin of Alice on Barney Miller, Dick York of Bewitched on Father Knows Best, Carroll O'Connor of Archie Bunker's Place on That Girl and so many more. Tune in for these great summer marathons!

Shelley Hennig & Nick Zano will star in Netflix's Obliterated, an action-comedy from the creators of Cobra Kai that revolves around an elite special forces team. Hennig plays by the book CIA agent Ava Winters & Zano plays Chad McKnight, the head of a SEAL team with a wild reputation. 8 episodes have been ordered. Obliterated is a high octane action-comedy that tells the story of an elite special forces team who thwarts a deadly threat to Las Vegas. After their celebratory party, filled with booze, drugs and sex, the team discovers that the bomb they deactivated was a fake. The now intoxicated team has to fight through their impairments, overcome their personal issues, find the real bomb, and save the world.

Antenna TV's Always Mother's Day Marathon; The Real Celebrates Mother's Day with Classic TV Guests

Every day is Mother's Day at Antenna TV. Moms, sit back, relax, and settle in for a day watching your favorite television moms with Antenna TV's "Always Mother's Day Marathon." The all-day marathon features curated episodes about becoming a mother to mothers and grandmothers from shows including Burns and Allen, The Partridge Family, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Alice, Bewitched, Maude, Three's Company, Family Ties and more. The "Always Mother's Day Marathon" begins at 8 am ET on Sunday, May 8, on Antenna TV. You'll see some very cool moms like Elyse Keaton, Endora and Mother Jefferson or moms of your fave Antenna TV characters like Janet Wood, Maude, Benson & Mel.

The ladies of The Real are gearing up for a classic TV special on Friday (May 6, check local listings), right before Mother's Day! Just in time for Mother's Day, The Real is hanging out with Marla Gibbs (227, The Jeffersons). Plus, another classic TV favorite Jo Marie Payton (Family Matters, The Proud Family) joins The Real for Girl Chat! The hosts will also salute legendary TV moms. The Real is co-hosted by singer and actress Adrienne Bailon, comedian and actress Loni Love, television host and fashion stylist Jeannie Mai, and actress and model Garcelle Beauvais.

Norman Lear Classics to Stream on Amazon Prime Video and IMDb TV; Cristela Alonzo to Host Hidden Temple on The CW

Prime Video and IMDb TV, Amazon's premium free streaming service, announced a licensing deal with Sony Pictures Television which will provide both streaming services a suite of classic television series from legendary producer Norman Lear. This collection marks the largest volume of Norman Lear complete series content ever available to stream. 227 and Diff'rent Strokes will launch on Prime Video today (Thursday, July 15), and will be available to Prime members at no additional cost to their membership. Additional titles including The Jeffersons, Sanford & Son and Sanford will launch on Prime Video later in 2021. In addition, All in the Family, Good Times, Maude and the original One Day at a Time will launch today (Thursday, July 15), on IMDb TV. This will be the first time that episodes of Maude and all seasons of All in the Family are available to stream.

At nearly 99 years of age, Norman Lear's dynamic career in Hollywood has encompassed both the Golden Age and Streaming Era. Lear and his team have captivated hundreds of millions of viewers with their television shows. At one point, Lear was responsible for seven of the top 10 shows in America. Most recently, Lear executive produces and co-hosts LIVE in Front of a Studio Audience... , alongside Jimmy Kimmel. The series set record ratings for ABC and won the Emmy award for Outstanding Variety Special for two consecutive years. In addition to television, he's the executive producer of two feature films in theaters now, I Carry You With Me and Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided to Go For It.

Writer, producer, actor and comedian Cristela Alonzo (Cristela, Cars 3) is set to host The CW's new fall series Legends of the Hidden Temple, slated to debut on Sunday, October 10 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT). Alonzo made history in 2014 when she became the first Latina to create, produce and star in her own network sitcom, Cristela, for ABC. During that same year, she split her time between Los Angeles and New York City to serve as one of ABC's favorite guest hosts on their hit daytime talk show, The View. In 2017, Alonzo made history again when she became the first Latina lead in a Disney Pixar film when she voiced the part of Cruz Ramirez in Cars 3. Her first stand-up special, Lower Classy, is currently streaming on Netflix. Alonzo's memoir, Music to My Years, was released in October of 2019 by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.

Antenna TV Summer 2021 Schedule; The CW Fall 2021 Premiere Dates

This summer on Antenna TV, there will be some changes to the lineup but they will not affect the weekday schedule. All the changes are for their weekend lineup beginning Saturday, July 3, 2021. The Saturday morning lineup gets a makeover from 5-9am, with The Ropers and Three's a Crowd coming back to the schedule airing Saturdays 5-6am, leading into an hour each of Alice, Barney Miller and Benson from 6-9am. These changes replace The Paul Lynde Show, Lotsa Luck and What's Happening Now!!, as all three series are leaving the schedule. Moving on to evening, both Saturdays and Sunday from 5-7pm will now be an hour each of Maude and Archie Bunker's Place, as they also come back to the lineup replacing the What's Happening Now!! block. The rest of the lineup will remain as it is currently (the previously announced Spring 2021 lineup).

The CW Network has unveiled premiere dates for its Fall 2021 primetime schedule beginning in October. The CW's new season premieres return to the fall starting with Penn & Teller: Fool Us on Friday, October 1 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT). Season three of Nancy Drew premieres a week later on Friday, October 8 (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT). The CW's new regularly scheduled Saturday primetime programming, begins with new back-to-back episodes of fan favorite Whose Line Is It Anyway? Saturday, October 9, (8:00-8:30pm & 8:30-9:00pm ET/PT) followed by the second season of World's Funniest Animals (9:00-9:30pm & 9:30-10:00pm ET/PT). The series debut of the reimagined Legends of the Hidden Temple is set to debut on Sunday, October 10 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), followed by the premiere of the new U.S. version of Killer Camp (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT).

The CW's Monday-Thursday lineup premieres being with the seventh season of DC's Legends of Tomorrow that is set to premiere Wednesday, October 13 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), followed by the third season of Batwoman (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT). Salvatore Boarding School is back to in-person school as the fourth season of Legacies is set to premiere on Thursday, October 14 (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT). The CW's multiplatform hit series All American gears up for its fourth season premiere on Monday, October 25 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT), followed by the series premiere of the reimagined 4400 (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT). Walker returns with its season two premiere on Thursday, October 28 (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT). The eighth season of The Flash (8:00-9:00pm ET/PT) and the sixth season of Riverdale (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT) both start their new seasons with special five-episode events beginning Tuesday, November 16. As previously announced, the iHeartRadio Music Festival will air on consecutive nights Saturday, October 2 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT) and Sunday, October 3 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT.

Fox Picks Up 2nd Season of Bless the Harts; Remembering Bill Macy of Maude

SitcomsOnline Digest: Sunnyside Becomes First Casualty of 2019-2020 TV Season; Our Miss Brooks Arrives on DVD

• It's a little earlier than we've had in the past few years, but NBC has become the first one to cancel a sitcom this season, Sunnyside, though the episodes already produced will continue on Hulu (and who knows, maybe it'll find an audience to go beyond the initial production order). (Variety)
• It hasn't exactly been a big "hit" for the network by any means, but Fox has went ahead and renewed Bless the Harts anyway, presumably hoping that it'll grow an audience from nothing in the way Bob's Burgers did. (Deadline)
• Bill Macy, who played the role of Walter on Maude, has died at age 97. (Hollywood Reporter)
• It looks like Clueless may be making a return, but now as a drama instead of a sitcom. (Deadline)
• Nobody talks much about cable or broadcast channels acquiring series now, but it's a big deal to hear which streaming service is going after something, and now the war is on for Community, believe it or not. (Deadline)
• ABC has a week of Halloween programming coming up. (SitcomsOnline)  

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

• This is a pair of releases that comes as a complete surprise to us: CBS has released (in MOD format) Our Miss Brooks - Season 1, Volume 1 and Our Miss Brooks - Season 1, Volume 2.

WEEKLY PLANNER (OCTOBER 19 - OCTOBER 25)

• Antenna TV remembers Bill Macy with a Maude marathon today from 1-10pm.
• Decades has a weekend full of Twin Peaks.
• The final season of the Will & Grace revival comes to NBC on Thursday earlier than planned, thanks to the unofficial cancellation of Sunnyside.

SitcomsOnline Digest: Reboots of Norman Lear Shows in the Works?; Disney and Fox Merger Approved by Shareholders

• To add to the current era of reboot fever, Norman Lear has signed a deal with Sony in which some of his classic series such as All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times, and Maude could be reimagined into new series. (Entertainment Weekly)
• Nashville has been sort of forgotten since ABC cancelled it and new episodes began airing on CMT, but the final episode of the series recently aired, and Connie Britton returned to be part of it. (Vulture)
• Judith Light has been cast in Queen America, an upcoming Facebook Watch series. (Deadline)
• CBS has been known for the drama programming that they have aired over the years, but lately, the drama has spilled over into the leadership. This week, there are sexual misconduct allegations against Les Moonves, which may potentially lead to a total restructuring of CBS and Viacom. (The New Yorker)
• Meanwhile, shareholders of Disney and Fox have both approved the merger of the two entertainment companies, though there are still a few more hurdles to go through before everything is finalized. (Variety)
• We're almost convinced that she is doing something new every week so that we'll cover her at least once a week, but Roseanne went on Hannity this week to attempt to explain things yet again. (NPR)
• Married... with Children and The Steve Harvey Show will be joining the getTV lineup in the fall. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

• This is definitely not a release that we would have anticipated, but ClassicFlix is bringing all 26 episodes of the 1957 TV series Blondie to DVD in Blondie - The Complete 1957 Television Series, which will arrive on September 18.

WEEKLY PLANNER (JULY 28 - AUGUST 3)

• Hunter will be airing on Decades all this weekend.
• The reality competition show Making It debuts on NBC on Tuesday.
• Casual will return to Hulu on Tuesday with the final season.
• The second season of Alone Together arrives Wednesday on Freeform.

Antenna TV Fall 2017 Schedule; Amazon Gets More Fleabag for 2019

Antenna TV Adds Prime Stacks for Week of Aug. 21; GLOW Gets Season 2 on Netflix

SitcomsOnline Digest: Virtual Reality Experience for Simpsons 600th Episode; Coffee Shops Transform Into Luke's Diner

• The 600th episode of The Simpsons is approaching us sooner than expected, and the series is planning a virtual reality experience in connection with it. (Deadline)
• Over 200 coffee shops all across the country turned into Luke's Diner (from Gilmore Girls) on Wednesday as part of a special promotion. (LA Times)
• Iconic sitcom writer Austin Kalish, who wrote over 100 episodes including the groundbreaking two-part Maude episode "Maude's Dilemma," died this week at age 95. He is survived by his wife (an iconic sitcom writer in her own regard), Irma Kalish. (New York Times)
• Saturday Night Live had the best season premiere ratings it has seen in 22 years. (Hollywood Reporter) 
• getTV is adding a pair of "redneck" sitcoms to their lineup starting Tuesday, with The Jeff Foxworthy Show and The Bill Engvall Show. (SitcomsOnline)

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Norman Lear's Favorites Marathon on Antenna TV; New Lost in Space Coming to Netflix

Antenna TV January 2016 Schedule with Johnny Carson; Amazon Announces Many Series Orders

SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Looking to Do Musical Version of Dirty Dancing; More Releases from Shout! Factory

• It looks as if these musical remakes of classic movies on broadcast networks have become the latest trend in television, as ABC is now jumping in with a planned musical version of Dirty Dancing. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Some sitcom fans may not like Survivor, but apparently Survivor fans (or at least contestants) love sitcoms, as a previous Survivor winner is now working with Greg Garcia (best known for My Name is Earl and Raising Hope) to develop a sitcom for CBS. (Deadline)
• NBC struck ratings gold again with the TV movie Coat of Many Colors this week, including scoring their best total-viewer ratings (excluding sports and musical events) in the timeslot since the finale of ER in 2009. (Rolling Stone)
• Actress Marjorie Lord, who was best known for playing matriarch Kathy on Make Room for Daddy, has died at age 95.  (Entertainment Weekly) 
• Willard Scott has been semi-retired from Today for almost two decades, but now he is ready to retire for good. (Today)
• Golden Globe nominations were announced this week, and as has become more common, the leaders in nominations were not the broadcast television networks. (SitcomsOnline) 

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SitcomsOnline Digest: The Muppets Headed for a Reboot; TBS to Use Unique Strategy to Debut Angie Tribeca

• It looks as if ABC's The Muppets will be undergoing some retooling now that a new showrunner is being put into place. (Vulture)
• The first season of the TBS series Angie Tribeca will debut on January 17, but instead of just airing one episode a week for the first 10 weeks, they'll be dumping them all at once so that fans can binge watch, and it will even be presented commercial free. (Variety)
• George Barris, the creator of the Batmobile from the TV series Batman, has died at age 89. (NPR)
• The much anticipated Twin Peaks revival has had a lot of bumps in the road, and now there is another one, as it has now been pushed to 2017. (CNN)
• Believe it or not, Greatest American Hero may be the next in line for a reboot. (Deadline)
• MeTV has big plans to showcase classic Christmas episodes beginning November 16. (SitcomsOnline)
• Not to be left out, Antenna TV has plans for special marathons and events over the November and December holidays as well. (SitcomsOnline) 

NOVEMBER 10 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

• The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Remastered Series (DVD, $199.98): Sure, the series has been released and re-released many times on DVD, but this time, the remastered versions of the episodes are arriving on DVD (after having already appeared on Blu-ray three years ago) for the first time.
• Maude - The Complete Third Season (DVD, $26.99): For those who skipped out on the complete series, here is another chance to own the third season on DVD.
• WKRP in Cincinnati - The Complete Final (Fourth) Season (DVD, $26.99): The final episodes of the classic sitcom arrive on DVD in this release, with most of the original music intact.

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SitcomsOnline Digest: The Mindy Project Out and Undateable In (And Completely Live) for 2015-2016 Season; VEI Announces Huge Slate of Releases

• The Mindy Project is dead on Fox, but it hasn't been knocked out just yet, as Hulu may pick up the series for another season or two. (Hollywood Reporter) 
• It isn't completely surprising that NBC renewed the series Undateable for a third season, but what is surprising is the one condition of that renewal: the entire third season will be broadcast live on the east coast. (Entertainment Weekly)
• John Stamos may be about to become a very busy man now that Fox has picked up his sitcom Grandfathered for next season. (Deadline)
• The CW passed on the reboot of Tales From the Darkside, but it looks like some other networks (and Hulu) may be interested. (Deadline) 
• Grace Lee Whitney, best known for her role on Star Trek, died this week at the age of 85. (CNN)
• It looks like there won't be an end to The Simpsons anytime soon, as the series has been renewed for two more seasons. (SitcomsOnline) 

RECENT REVIEWS ON SITCOMSONLINE.COM

• Wanda at Large - The Complete First Season: Warner Archive brings the very short first season of this series to DVD in this single disc release. It is a very basic release that contains the six episodes of the first season, but there are no real problems with the DVD.

MAY 12 HOME MEDIA RELEASES

• Bob's Burgers - The Complete 4th Season (DVD, $29.95): The series that managed to become a staple on the Sunday night Fox lineup returns for another season as a MOD release.
• Mister Ed - The Final Season (DVD, $16.97): The short sixth (and final) season of the series about a talking horse arrives on DVD in this release.

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