Saturday, January 10, 2026
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)
- Mayberry RFD is the binge this weekend on Catchy Comedy.
- New seasons of Animal Control and Going Dutch arrive Thursday on Fox.
- Antenna TV has a Sunday Special featuring Maude tomorrow.
Saturday, February 08, 2025
SitcomsOnline Digest: English Teacher Renewed at FX; MeTV Toons to Launch House of Hanna-Barbera Programming Block
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we have news of the renewal of an FX series, some AI worries from a Simpsons cast member, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- English Teacher has been renewed at FX. (Deadline)
- Get ready for a lot more variety on MeTV Toons, as the network launches a House of Hanna-Barbera programming block with some lost treasures. (Cord Cutters News)
- The cast of The Simpsons is getting older, and even though we hear rumblings of "this could be the last season" every year, that doesn't seem to be in the plans anytime soon. And now, Hank Azaria is concerned that the voices of the characters may outlast the people voicing them with the use of AI. (Variety)
- There won't be a Bachelorette this upcoming summer. (Deadline)
- In honor of the 85th anniversary, Warner Discovery has launched a 24/7 streaming channel for Tom and Jerry, and it's free to watch. (Cord Cutters News)
- Saturday Night Live is, as fans know, celebrating the 50th anniversary, and ahead of the special event next Sunday night, the first episode will air next Saturday in the regular time slot. (Variety)
- The final season for The Conners is set to begin later next month. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (FEBRUARY 8 - FEBRUARY 14)
- Catchy Comedy has a Mayberry RFD binge this weekend.
- With the Super Bowl airing tomorrow night, Fox will (of course) be using the postgame slot to highlight a series, and rather than a hit scripted series or highly anticipated debut, they've chosen the game show The Floor.
- As previously mentioned, a new 24/7 channel dedicated to Tom and Jerry has launched on YouTube.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
SitcomsOnline Digest: Martin Prequel in the Works; Wendie Malick to Star in Season 3 of Night Court
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we've got news of a Martin prequel, a new regular on Night Court, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- A prequel to the series Martin, in the form of a drama looking at the teenage years of Martin Lawrence, is in the works. (Deadline)
- Wendie Malick is going to be a regular on Night Court next season, in the role of the prosecutor. (TVLine)
- Just when you thought Pat Sajak was gone, it turns out you were wrong, as he'll be back to host another season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune on ABC that haven't even been taped yet. (Entertainment Weekly)
- Jean Smart is set to produce a confederate flag drama series for Max. (Deadline)
- Andy Samberg is talking about why he left Saturday Night Live. (Deadline)
- Benji Gregory, who played Brian Tanner on ALF, has died. (Variety)
- A trailer for season 12 of Futurama has been released. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (JUNE 13 - JULY 19)
- Catchy Comedy has a binge of Mayberry RFD this weekend.
- Big Brother returns to CBS on Wednesday.
- ABC is back with more game show season premieres on Thursday, with season 6 of Press Your Luck and the premiere of Lucky 13.
Saturday, June 17, 2023
SitcomsOnline Digest: Pat Sajak Retiring from Wheel of Fortune; Mike Judge and Greg Daniels Pilot Going Forward at Adult Swim
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about Pat Sajak leaving Wheel of Fortune, a new animated comedy pilot from Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- And so the wheel turns, as Pat Sajak (the last of the game show hosts from the 80s, or even the 90s for that matter) has announced he is leaving Wheel of Fortune. (NPR)
- Amber Ruffin's comedy pilot at NBC is not going forward. (Deadline)
- A Mike Judge and Greg Daniels pilot is going forward at Adult Swim, and no, it's not King of the Hill (though that is being rebooted elsewhere). (Hollywood Reporter)
- Eva Longoria says that what was acceptable on Desperate Housewives over a decade ago would not be acceptable on TV today. (Deadline)
- Stephen Colbert is set to do The Late Show for at least three more seasons. (Deadline)
- Velma has been renewed for a second season. (Variety)
- Quincy, M.E. is headed to getTV. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (JUNE 17 - JUNE 23)
- Antenna TV is celebrating Father's Day tomorrow with a Father Knows Best marathon.
- On Catchy Comedy this weekend, there is a binge of Mayberry RFD.
Saturday, August 28, 2021
SitcomsOnline Digest: Steve Harvey to Become Judge in Unscripted ABC Series; The Goldbergs to Pay Tribute to George Segal
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about a new role for Steve Harvey on ABC, a live episode of The Conners, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- Somebody at ABC thought that having Steve Harvey play a judge in an unscripted series would be a good idea. (Variety)
- Season 4 of The Conners will begin with a live episode. (TV Insider)
- Rachel Maddow isn't leaving MSNBC, but her role may be evolving. (Deadline)
- The Goldbergs is set to pay tribute to George Segal in the season opener. (Deadline)
- A Flintstones "spinoff" of sorts is headed to HBO Max next month. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 3)
- Decades is headed to Mayberry with a weekend binge of Mayberry RFD.
- Only Murders in the Building, a new Hulu comedy series starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, debuts on Tuesday.
Friday, June 04, 2021
Fri-Yay: Happy Endings Now on Netflix, a Perfect New Comedy Binge; Remembering Arlene Golonka of Mayberry R.F.D.

by Vincent
ABC's Happy Endings is one of the biggest cult favorite sitcoms of the last decade, at least in terms of shows that were canceled far too soon. The zippy single-camera sitcom can best be described as "a faster, weirder version of Friends," and for three seasons it was a beloved factory of fast paced one liners and quotable lines, with cleverness on par with 30 Rock or The Simpsons. However, the show was canceled due to low ratings in 2013. It has lived on as a cult classic on Hulu since then, even getting namedropped in the sitcom-obsessed Marvel miniseries Wandavision a few months ago. Now, the show has the opportunity to reach an even bigger audience as it started streaming on Netflix this month.
While Hulu has expanded and quickly developed a following, there's no denying that Netflix is still the supreme streamer, and a show moved to Netflix has been proven to be able to catapult it to new heights, such as when Community bursted in popularity last year after it began streaming on Netflix, despite being available on Hulu for years. Considering Netflix's algorithm success, it shouldn't be hard for people who watched shows like Community, New Girl or Schitt's Creek - all popular Netflix shows that share DNA with Happy Endings - to discover this gem of a sitcom. Here's to hoping it's the next sitcom to explode in popularity.

Actress Arlene Golonka, who starred as Millie Swanson on Mayberry R.F.D., has died. She died on May 31 in her sleep at a memory care facility in West Hollywood, California, after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. Ms. Golonka was 85.
Golonka's early drama guest appearances included The United States Steel Hour, Naked City (2 episodes), The Defenders, The Doctors (5 episodes), The Doctors and the Nurses (3 episodes), The Big Valley (2 episodes) and I Spy.

Some of her early sitcom guest appearances included Car 54, Where Are You?, The Flying Nun, Accidental Family and Get Smart. She played Millie Hutchins in the eighth and final season of The Andy Griffith Show episodes "Howard's Main Event" and "Howard and Millie." She works at the bakery and becomes engaged to Howard Sprague (Jack Dodson) before they decide to break the engagement.

Her character was named Millie Swanson on The Andy Griffith Show spinoff series Mayberry R.F.D., which premiered on September 23, 1968. The 1968-1971 CBS sitcom aired for 3 seasons and 78 episodes. Millie Swanson was the love interest of Sam Jones (Ken Berry). The cast included Frances Bavier (1968-1970), George Lindsey, Jack Dodson, Paul Hartman, Buddy Foster and Alice Ghostley (1970-1971).
She starred as Stella Sweetzer in the second season of the short-lived 1978-1979 NBC sitcom Joe & Valerie. Stella Sweetzer was the mother of Valerie Sweetzer (Char Fontane). The season two cast included Paul Regina, Lloyd Alan, David Elliott, Donna Ponterotto, Robert Costanzo and Jack Riley.

Golonka appeared as Lieutenant Edwina “Eddie” Ferguson, an attractive but clumsy nurse, in the M*A*S*H episode "Edwina." She played Tina, an escort of one of Archie's old pals (Larry Storch), in the All in the Family episode "Oh Say Can You See." Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included That Girl (3 episodes), Love, American Style (3 episodes), The Mary Tyler Moore Show (2 episodes), The Girl with Something Extra, Maude (2 episodes), The Cop and the Kid (2 episodes), Alice, Carter Country, One Day at a Time, Taxi, The Love Boat (2 episodes), Gimme a Break!, Benson, Valerie, We Got It Made, Growing Pains (2 episodes), 1st & Ten (3 episodes) and Drexell's Class. Her final credit was a 2005 episode of The King of Queens.
Some of her drama guest appearances included Sarge, The Rookies, The F.B.I., Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1972), The Delphi Bureau, Young Dr. Kildare, Cannon, Faraday and Company, The Manhunter, Police Woman, Barnaby Jones (2 episodes), The Streets of San Francisco (2 episodes), The Rockford Files, Police Story, Trapper John, M.D., Fantasy Island (3 episodes), Simon & Simon, Murder, She Wrote (2 episodes), In the Heat of the Night and Matlock (2 episodes).
Her voice credits included Speed Buggy, The New Scooby-Doo Movies, Scooby's Laff-A Lympics and The New Yogi Bear Show.
Some of her film credits included Harvey Middleman, Fireman (1965), Penelope (1966), The Busy Body (1967), Welcome to Hard Times (1967), Hang 'Em High (1968), Airport '77 (1977), The In-Laws (1979), Love at First Bite (1979), The Last Married Couple in America (1980), My Tutor (1983), The End of Innocence (1990) and A Family Affair (2001).
Survivors include her sister, Zorine; nieces Stephanie, Susan, Amy, Debra, Lisa, Karen and Crissy; and nephews David and Michael.

Ms. Golonka was a talented, cute and bubbly actress. If you enjoy The Andy Griffith Show, the first season of Mayberry R.F.D. is worth checking out on DVD or digitally. It has some of the same Mayberry charm. Hopefully they will release the other two seasons on DVD or put them on a streaming service at some point. We thank her for the laughs and entertainment she brought us. She will be deeply missed.
Share your memories on our Mayberry R.F.D. message board. View photos in our galleries.
Thursday, April 09, 2020
May is The Month of Mayberry on MeTV; The Happy Days of Garry Marshall Special Airing May 12 on ABC

MeTV proudly presents "The Month of Mayberry," a month-long celebration of all the memorable television series featuring Mayberry and its beloved characters. During this special event, viewers can tune-in to see specially selected episodes of The Andy Griffith Show (including rare color episodes), the beloved spin-off Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., and the spin-off series Mayberry R.F.D., along with the made-for-TV reunion movie Return to Mayberry. And that's not all...check out guest appearances by Don Knotts on Matlock, Jim Nabors on The Carol Burnett Show, all your fave Mayberry actors on The Love Boat, and more! See the full details below:
Kickoff:
Sunday, May 3 - Premiere episodes and pilots!
The Andy Griffith Show "The New Housekeeper" 5PM | 4C
The Andy Griffith Show "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." 5:30PM | 4:30C
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. "Gomer Overcomes the Obstacle Course" 6PM | 5C
Mayberry R.F.D. "Andy and Helen Get Married" 6:30PM | 5:30C
Week 1: May 4–10
Weekdays, May 4–8
The Andy Griffith Show - The Color Years "The Best of the Color Episodes" 7AM | 6C
Mayberry R.F.D. "The Best of Mayberry R.F.D." 7:30AM | 6:30C
Matlock "Special Guest Don Knotts" 10AM | 9C
The Andy Griffith Show "All About Andy" - The Best of Sheriff Andy Taylor 8PM | 7C, 8:30PM | 7:30C
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. "The Best of Gomer" 9PM | 8C
The Carol Burnett Show "Special Guest Jim Nabors" 11PM | 10C
Sunday, May 10
The Love Boat 5PM | 4C "Crew Confessions / Haven't I Seen You? / Reunion" Don Knotts romances Julie Newmar!
The Love Boat 6PM | 6C "Hidden Treasure/Picture from the Past/Ace's Salary" Andy Griffith sets sail with...Andy Warhol!
Week 2: May 11–17
Weekdays, May 11–15
The Andy Griffith Show - The Color Years "The Best of the Color Episodes" 7AM | 6C
Mayberry R.F.D. "The Best of Mayberry R.F.D." 7:30AM | 6:30C
Matlock "Special Guest Don Knotts" 10AM | 9C
The Andy Griffith Show "The Fife Is Right" - The Best of Barney Fife 8PM | 7C, 8:30PM | 7:30C
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. "Jim Nabors Sings" 9PM | 8C
The Carol Burnett Show "Special Guests Ken Berry and Ronnie Schell" 11PM | 10C
Sunday, May 17
The Love Boat 5PM | 4C "Farnsworth's Fling / Three in a Bed / I Remember Helen / Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia / Gopher Farnsworth Smith (Part 1)" Jim Nabors plays Wayne Bouton, the Valet.
The Love Boat 6PM | 5C "Farnsworth's Fling / Three in a Bed / I Remember Helen / Merrill, Melanie & Melanesia / Gopher Farnsworth Smith (Part 2)" Jim Nabors plays Wayne Bouton, the Valet.
Week 3: May 18–24
Weekdays, May 18–22
The Andy Griffith Show - The Color Years "The Best of the Color Episodes" 7AM | 6C
Mayberry R.F.D. "The Best of Mayberry R.F.D." 7:30AM | 6:30C
Matlock "Special Guest Don Knotts" 10AM | 9C
The Andy Griffith Show "Opie Dokie" - The Best of Ron Howard's Opie Taylor 8PM | 7C, 8:30PM | 7:30C
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. "Guest Stars Week" 9PM | 8C
Sunday, May 24
The Love Boat 5PM | 4C "Tony and Julie / Separate Beds / America's Sweetheart" Gomer Pyle's Ronnie Schell portrays Mr. Scott, the Director.
The Love Boat 6PM | 5C "Third Wheel / Grandmother's Day / Second String Mom" Mayberry R.F.D.'s Ken Berry sets sails on the Pacific Princess.
Week 4: May 25–31
Weekdays, May 25–29
The Andy Griffith Show - The Color Years "The Best of the Color Episodes" 7AM | 6C
Mayberry R.F.D. "The Best of Mayberry R.F.D." 7:30AM | 6:30C
Matlock "Featuring Mayberry Favorites Betty Lynn, Aneta Corsaut and Jack Dodson" 10AM | 9C
The Andy Griffith Show "The Bee Team" - The Best of Aunt Bee, Otis, Ernest, Gomer and Goober 8PM | 7C, 8:30PM | 7:30C
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. "Favorite Characters" 9PM | 8C
Sunday, May 31
Return to Mayberry (1986) 5PM | 4C The cast comes back together again for this charming reunion special.

In a one-of-a-kind, heartfelt tribute to a Hollywood legend, the stars of some of TV and film's most iconic titles, including Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Mork & Mindy, Pretty Woman and The Princess Diaries, come together to celebrate The Happy Days of Garry Marshall, airing Tuesday, May 12 from 8:00–10:00 p.m. EDT on ABC. In this special, Marshall's family and friends share their favorite memories of the creative genius behind some of the most memorable series in television history. It was 1974 when Marshall created his first series for ABC and introduced America to "The Cunninghams." Each week, millions gathered around the television set for Happy Days, shared in the hilarious hijinks of Laverne DeFazio and her best friend, Shirley Feeney, on Laverne & Shirley, and witnessed the "out-of-this-world" adventures of a Martian named Mork on “Mork & Mindy.”
Not only was Marshall a force in television, he directed a wide range of critically acclaimed feature films including Pretty Woman, Beaches, Runaway Bride and The Princess Diaries, creating countless memories for generations around the world. Join stars Richard Gere, Hector Elizondo and Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman); Ron Howard, Don Most, Marion Ross, Anson Williams and Henry Winkler (Happy Days); Cindy Williams, David Lander and Michael McKean (Laverne & Shirley); Pam Dawber (Mork & Mindy); Barbara Hershey (Beaches); and Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway and Chris Pine (The Princess Diaries) for an evening full of laughs and heartfelt memories about a man who put family first and spent his life and career making us laugh.
Additional appearances in The Happy Days of Garry Marshall include ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and actors Abigail Breslin, Yvette Nicole Brown, Cary Elwes, Jennifer Garner, Kate Hudson, Ashton Kutcher, Rob Lowe and John Stamos, as well as Marshall's wife, Barbara, and their children Scott, Kathleen and Lori, who share never-before-heard stories about Marshall, including a look back at the start of his career in Hollywood. Tune in Tuesday, May 12!
Monday, December 03, 2018
Comedy Central Orders Awkwafina Comedy; Remembering Ken Berry of F Troop, Mayberry R.F.D. and Mama's Family
Comedy Central is working with ascendant multi-hyphenate Awkwafina, as the #1 brand in comedy ordered 10 episodes of her self-titled scripted series. Awkwafina is a half-hour scripted narrative starring writer, actor and rapper Awkwafina (Ocean's 8, Crazy Rich Asians) as a twenty-something living in Queens, striving for a larger than life existence while living with her father and grandmother. Awkwafina, Karey Dornetto (SMILF, Portlandia) and Teresa Hsiao (Family Guy, American Dad) wrote the pilot directed by Lucia Aniello (Broad City, Rough Night). The cast is rounded out by Bowen Yang as Awkwafina's more successful cousin, BD Wong as her father, and Lori Tan Chinn as her grandmother.
Looking ahead, Comedy Central has a stacked year to offer fans with a programming slate that will feature new and returning series including: the premieres of scripted half-hour series Robbie, The Other Two and South Side; sketch-comedy series Alternatino with Arturo Castro; stand-up series This Week at the Comedy Cellar and The New Negroes; new series from Jordan Klepper and Anthony Jeselnik; along with the final season of Broad City, the return of the critically acclaimed Corporate, and new seasons of The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Tosh.0, Drunk History, The Jim Jefferies Show and much, much more.
Actor Ken Berry, who starred in F Troop, Mayberry R.F.D. and Mama's Family, has died. He died on December 1 in Burbank, California. Mr. Berry was 85.
Berry's early television guest appearances included Talent Patrol, Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, Playboy's Penthouse and Harrigan and Son. He had a recurring role as Woody, a bellhop at a New York hotel called the Bartley House, in the CBS sitcom The Ann Sothern Show from 1960 to 1961. He appeared in seven episodes of Ensign O'Toole as Calucci / Lt. Melton from 1962 to 1963. Some of his other 1960s sitcom guest appearances included The Jim Backus Show, Peter Loves Mary, Hennesey, The Gertrude Berg Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show (two episodes), Hazel, No Time for Sergeants (three episodes), The Lucy Show and The Andy Griffith Show (four episodes as Sam Jones).
His first sitcom starring role was as Captain Wilton Parmenter in the 1965-1967 ABC sitcom F Troop. He was the gallant although laughably clumsy military governor of the territory and commander of Fort Courage. The series, which ran for two seasons, also starred Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, Melody Patterson, Frank de Kova, Don Diamond, James Hampton, Bob Steele and Joe Brooks.
He appeared in the last few episodes of The Andy Griffith Show as Sam Jones, a widowed farmer with a young son, in 1968. Berry continued to play the character in the spin-off series Mayberry R.F.D., which premiered on CBS on September 23, 1968. It ran for three seasons and 78 episodes until the rural purge of 1971. The series also starred Frances Bavier (1968-1970), George Lindsay, Jack Dodson, Paul Hartman, Arlene Golonka, Buddy Foster and Alice Ghostley.
Berry had a long working relationship with Carol Burnett. He made 19 guest appearances on The Carol Burnett Show from 1968 to 1978. They appeared together in the 1972 CBS color remake of Burnett's Broadway hit, Once Upon a Mattress. He played Phillip, Eunice's brother, in the 1982 CBS TV movie Eunice, which was based on The Carol Burnett Show sketch, The Family.
He starred as Vinton Harper in Mama's Family, which was a spin-off from The Carol Burnett Show. Vinton was the youngest of Thelma Harper's three children. He was married to Naomi Oates Harper. The series aired for two seasons on NBC from 1983 to 1984 and four seasons in first-run syndication from 1986 to 1990. It starred Vicki Lawrence, Rue McClanahan (1983-1984), Dorothy Lyman, Eric Brown (1983-1984), Karin Argoud (1983-1984), Betty White (1983-1984, 1986), Allan Kayser (1986-1990) and Beverly Archer (1986-1990).
Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Love, American Style, The Brady Bunch, The Love Boat, Gimme a Break!, Small Wonder, The Golden Girls and Maggie Winters.
He appeared in television dramas. He provided comic relief as Dr. John Kapish in 25 episodes of Dr. Kildare, which starred Richard Chamberlain, from 1961 to 1964. Some of his drama guest appearances included Michael Shayne, General Electric Theatre, Mr. Novak, Burke's Law, Combat!, The Rogues, Rawhide, 12 O'Clock High, Medical Center, Ellery Queen, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams, Little House on the Prairie, CHiPs and Fantasy Island.
Some of his film credits included the 1969 musical comedy Hello Down There, Guardian of the Wilderness and Disney's Herbie Rides Again and The Cat from Outer Space.
Berry was also an accomplished dancer and singer. He appeared on Broadway in The Billy Barnes Revue and headlined as George M. Cohan in the musical George M!. Some of his other theater credits included The Music Man, I Do! I Do!, Sugar and 1993's From the Top with Carol Burnett. In 1970, he released an album called Ken Berry RFD. He appeared in two episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1964 as dance instructor Tony Daniels. He had his own short-lived summer musical variety series called The Ken Berry "Wow" Show on ABC in 1972. He worked as a choreographer on several episodes of Mama's Family.
He was interviewed for the Archive of American Television for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on March 7, 2012.
Mr. Berry was a man of many talents as an actor, dancer and singer. He stated in interviews that he was most proud of his work on F Troop, but he made everything he appeared in much better. He just seemed like a genuine, likable man. We thank him for the many laughs and hours of entertainment that he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on our F Troop, Mayberry R.F.D. and Mama's Family message boards. View photos in our galleries.
Thursday, May 05, 2016
MeTV's The Summer of Me Schedule and Dawn Wells Joins as Ambassador; Hulu 2016 Upfront
MeTV is proud to welcome actress Dawn Wells aboard as the first ever MeTV Marketing Ambassador. Famous and beloved for her role as Mary Ann on the TV series Gilligan's Island, Ms. Wells now sets sail to represent MeTV on the air and around the country to her many fans and MeTV viewers. More than just a "three hour tour," Dawn Wells will serve as the MeTV Marketing Ambassador for the coming year, bringing her talent, warmth and generous spirit to a variety of MeTV appearances, performances and events. First up, Dawn will be the on-camera network hostess for The Summer of Me, MeTV's annual programming event that brings a splash of summer sizzle to their Memorable Entertainment Television lineup. To celebrate, Gilligan's Island joins the weeknight comedy lineup at 9:30pm ET/PT, beginning Monday, May 30, Memorial Day. Viewers will find Dawn featured in special promotional announcements, tune-in advertisements and clever interstitial elements all around the network. Unlike her TV character Mary Ann, Dawn won't be stranded on a remote island. As MeTV Marketing Ambassador, Dawn will be traveling the country making personal appearances visiting MeTV affiliates and advertisers, and appearing on TV, radio, online and in print, all to help fans of all ages connect with MeTV.
The changes to the MeTV schedule for The Summer of Me starting on Monday, May 30, 2016, Memorial Day are below:
· The Lucy Show replaces I Love Lucy Monday-Friday at 6:30am ET/PT. I Love Lucy remains on Sundays from 4:00- 5:00pm ET/PT.
· Mayberry R.F.D. replaces Gilligan's Island as the cover show on the B-Feed for those stations that can't air The Andy Griffith Show Monday-Friday from 8:00-9:00pm ET/PT.
· Gilligan's Island replaces Laverne & Shirley Monday-Friday at 9:30pm ET/PT, as mentioned above.
· Emergency replaces F Troop on Sundays from 7:00-8:00am ET/PT.
At the Hulu Upfront Presentation at Madison Square Garden Theater, the premium on-demand streaming service announced that its subscriber base has grown over 30% year over year and will reach 12 million subscribers in the U.S. by this month. They unveiled new content deals and ground breaking advertising partnerships with Nielsen and Millward Brown that will deliver more efficient, first-to-market measurement tools for advertisers and marketers. Since its premiere on Hulu in March, The Path has drawn acclaim from critics and fans. Stars Aaron Paul, Michelle Monaghan and Hugh Dancy took to the stage at Hulu's Upfront presentation today to reveal that Hulu has officially greenlit the series for a second season order. The series follows a family at the center of a controversial cult as they struggle with relationships, faith and power. The finale episode of season one will air May 25 and all past episodes are available to stream on Hulu.
After ordering season four of The Mindy Project, the comedy series from best-selling Author and Creator Mindy Kaling has continued to garner acclaim and captivate fans on Hulu. They have now announced that Hulu has officially picked up the series for a fifth season. The Mindy Project is a single-camera comedy series created by and starring Emmy(R)-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling that follows a skilled OB/GYN navigating choppy waters of both her personal and professional life. In addition, Hulu announced a second election special from Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog that will debut exclusively on the service later this year. Following the success of Triumph's Election Special 2016, Robert Smigel will return as the voice and creator of Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog for a brand new special that will be premiere just in time for the election. Triumph's Election Special, The Mindy Project and The Path join Hulu's growing original programming slate, which includes drama series Shut Eye, Chance and The Handmaid's Tale.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
SitcomsOnline Digest: A Remake of The Odd Couple with Matthew Perry?; Mayberry RFD to DVD
- In case you thought that the TV series reboot era was done, it isn't. So, how about Matthew Perry as Oscar Madison in a CBS remake of The Odd Couple? It could happen. The search is still on for the perfect Felix. (TV Guide)
- Saturday Night Live has been without an African American female cast member for several years now, an issue which recently gained attention when Kerry Washington hosted an episode... but it seems that there are now plans to not only change this, but in fact add a new cast member by January. (Hollywood Reporter)
- The end of a few channels that used to be more dominant on cable lineups is rapidly approaching, as G4 and SoapNet prepare to leave the air for good in about two weeks. (TV Guide)
- Binge-watching of TV series is pretty big on Netflix, according to a Harris Interactive poll. (Deadline)
- It looks like a Happy Endings got something of a happy ending itself, as VH-1 will be airing reruns of the series starting later this year. (SitcomsOnline)
HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
- Occasionally, a very surprising release is announced on DVD. This week, Warner Home Video (not Warner Archive) announced that they will be releasing Mayberry RFD - The Complete First Season on DVD on April 8.
- Mill Creek possibly (we say possibly, because it is possible that the date for this new pair of releases is incorrect) isn't finished with their January 21 release slate, which is already incredibly loaded. Now, they've added two Sony releases to this, with Facts of Life - The Complete First Season and Starsky & Hutch - The Complete First Season.
- Family Guy - Volume Twelve (DVD, $39.98): Despite being the twelfth volume, the three-disc set contains all 22 episodes of the eleventh season of the Fox series, and finally brings DVDs for the series up to the most recently completed season.
Monday, May 07, 2012
SitcomsOnline.com 2012-13 Upfront Preview: NBC; Remembering George Lindsey, The Andy Griffith Show's Goober Pyle
NBC is still looking for a series hit besides The Voice. That show returned with a bang in February after the Super Bowl but it slowly went down big, but still is NBC's top series by far.
Here is the SitcomsOnline.com NBC 2012-13 preview:
New Series Already Picked-Up: Go On (comedy) and Hannibal (drama).
Already Renewed Returning Series: Sunday Night Football, Smash & Grimm.
Likely Returning Series: Parenthood, The Biggest Loser, The Voice, Law & Order: SVU, The Office, Community, Parks & Recreation, Celebrity Apprentice, Off Their Rockers, 30 Rock and of course Dateline.
Likely To Be Canceled or Already Canceled: Are You There Chelsea, Awake, Bent, Best Friends Forever, Escape Routes, Fear Factor, Fashion Star, The Firm, Prime Suspect, Chuck, Whitney, Up All Night, The Sing-Off, Who's Still Standing, Free Agents, Playboy Club, Harry's Law, and Rock Center.
Likely New Series Pick-Ups (our picks): 1600 Penn (comedy for fall), Downwardly Mobile (comedy for fall), Guys With Kids comedy for fall), Revolution (drama for fall), County (drama for fall), Chicago Fire (drama for fall), Notorious (drama for mid-season), Save Me (comedy for mid-season), and Friday Night Dinner (comedy for mid-season).
OUR FALL 2012 PREDICTION:
Mondays
8:00PM The Voice
10:00PM Smash
Tuesdays
8:00PM Downwardly Mobile (NEW!)
8:30PM Guys With Kids (NEW!)
9:00PM Revolution (NEW!) / The Voice Results
10:00PM Parenthood
Wednesdays
8:00PM Community
8:30PM 30 Rock
9:00PM County (NEW!)
10:00PM Law & Order: SVU
Thursdays
8:00PM 1600 Penn (NEW!)
8:30PM The Office
9:00PM Go On (NEW!)
9:30PM Parks & Recreation
10:00PM Chicago Fire (NEW!)
Fridays
8:00PM Dateline
9:00PM Grimm
10:00PM Hannibal (NEW!)
Saturdays
8:00-11:00PM Repeats
Sundays
7:00PM Football Night in America
8:00PM Sunday Night Football
COMMENTS: NBC once again needs major revamping and I still don't think they have any pilots that can do that. Comedy is certainly the way to go, as their drama pilots look to be weak. They still need to prove it will work on air as even buzz-worthy pilots have fizzed. It is all about scheduling and promotion and NBC has been very poor at that since about 2004. Once again they will have the Summer Olympics this summer and NBC will use that as a platform to launch new series. NBC has already picked-up new comedy Go On starring Matthew Perry and I think it will launch early after the Olympics sometime in August. Let's go over day-by-day on what I think will happen. Mondays will have a fall version of The Voice and it will be interesting to see who will return. It might be overkill to air a singing competition show like this twice a year, but NBC really needs it. At 10pm, while not doing that great, Smash is back for a second season and will likely stay put to grow the show. On Tuesdays, The Biggest Loser is likely going to switch to one edition a year, and it will probably return in early 2013 instead of this fall. NBC should air multi-camera comedies to start the night off. Perhaps the return of Roseanne and John Goodman in their new comedy followed by Jimmy Fallon produced comedy to open the night off? At 9pm, NBC could air new JJ Abrams drama Revolution right after the Olympics are over and run it through mid or late October before starting The Voice Results at 9pm. Parenthood is likely sticking at 10pm for probably half a season.
Wednesdays right now is a hot mess again, save for SVU. Perhaps two comedies to start the night off is the way to go in the fall. The final seasons of Community and 30 Rock maybe? The young-skewing comedies could lead into a new young drama like County, which is a medical drama. NBC is likely bringing back SVU at 10pm for maybe the last time? On Thursdays, the comedies are very low rated or declining like The Office. This night needs some new comedy blood. Perhaps more family flare? 1600 Penn could be a good option to lead-off. The Office is not really an anchor anymore, so it could slide down to 8:30pm, giving the new Matthew Perry sports comedy Go On a chance at 9pm. At 9:30pm, Parks & Recreation would follow for at least the fall. Perhaps the Dick Wolf drama Chicago Fire would air at 10pm and it would be promoted a lot the night before on Dick Wolf's SVU. Fridays will likely have Grimm air at 9pm. Perhaps Dateline could move to 8pm, so NBC could try a drama out of the surprise success (in Friday terms) of Grimm? Hannibal would be a good option for them at 10pm. And Saturdays is just repeats, like always.
Rounding out the fall schedule is of course NBC's fall savior Sunday Night Football and this sport keeps getting more popular every year. What would NBC do if they didn't have the NFL? Anyway even with The Voice and the Super Bowl NBC is nearly in fourth place as they have a tenth of a rating point lead right now over ABC for third place. Will that last over the next few weeks of this current season? Who knows. For next season, NBC STILL needs to find SOME other hits to even compete with CBS, Fox and ABC. There is no Super Bowl for them next season to save their season. Go with family fare comedies or comedies in general and perhaps NBC will see a bit of a rise next season.
Remember, next Monday (May 14) is the actual date when we will find out NBC's plans for the 2012-13 season. So, come on back next Monday and we will let you know the details and you can see how much we were right (or wrong). Stay tuned next week for the official fall line-ups for all the networks. I love this time of year!
Discuss your thoughts on our prediction and feel free to make suggestions of your own!
Stay tuned tomorrow for our prediction for Fox!
Veteran character actor George Lindsey, best known for his role as Goober Pyle on The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D. and Hee Haw, has died. Lindsey died early Sunday morning (May 6) in Nashville, TN, after a brief illness. Mr. Lindsey was 83.
Lindsey appeared as the grinning Goober Pyle on television for nearly 30 years. He got his big break in television in 1964 when he guest starred as the slow-witted but kindly Goober Beasley in the fifth season of The Andy Griffith Show. The character's name was later changed to Goober Pyle. It was established that he was the cousin of Gomer Pyle played by Jim Nabors. Jim Nabors and George Lindsey appeared in only one episode of The Andy Griffith Show together: Fun Girls. When Jim Nabors left to do the spin-off series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. in 1964, the beanie-wearing Goober became a regular character. Lindsey appeared in 86 episodes of the show from 1964 until 1968 when it left the air. In 1965, he appeared in an episode of Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. called A Visit from Cousin Goober. He continued to appear as the character in 44 episodes of The Andy Griffith Show spin-off series Mayberry R.F.D. from 1968-1971. In 1971, he appeared in an episode of The New Andy Griffith Show on CBS. From 1972-1992 he appeared as Goober Pyle in 44 episodes of the country music variety program Hee Haw. His other Goober Pyle portrayals included the 1978 television movie Goober & the Truckers Paradise and the 1986 television reunion movie Return to Mayberry.
He had a number of other television and film roles during his career. His television guest appearances included The Rifleman, The Great Adventure, Twilight Zone, The Tycoon, Daniel Boone, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Gunsmoke, Banacek, Love, American Style, Movin' On, M*A*S*H, Fantasy Island, CHiPs and NewsRadio. Lindsey's film roles included Cannonball Run II and Take This Job and Shove It. He voiced characters in the Walt Disney animated films The Aristocats, Robin Hood and The Rescuers.
Lindsey was born in Fairfield, AL and raised in Jasper, AL. He helped raise over $1,000,000 for the Alabama Special Olympics during a 17-year period by hosting an annual celebrity golf tournament in Montgomery, AL. He established and perpetuated the George Lindsey Academic Scholarships at University of North Alabama. In 1992, the University of North Alabama awarded him an honorary doctorate. Goober Pyle was such a likable character who made everyone laugh. Mr. Lindsey was a fine actor and an even better man for his kindness and generosity over the years. He will be deeply missed.
What are your favorite Goober Pyle moments? Share them on our Andy Griffith Show message board. View some George Lindsey photos in our photo galleries.
For Chicago viewers only:
Me-Too is airing a tribute to George Lindsey all this week at 12 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. with episodes of The Andy Griffith Show that feature stories around Goober.
Mr. Lindsey was best-known as the grinning gas station employee in The Andy Griffith Show from 1964 to 1968, as well as in Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. as the title character's cousin in the Andy Griffith spin-off TV series.
Below are titles of the episodes featured in this week's tribute to George Lindsey during the regularly scheduled broadcast times and dates of The Andy Griffith Show on Me-Too.
Monday, May 7
12:00 p.m. Eat Your Heart Out
10:30 p.m. Fun Girls
Tuesday, May 8
12:00 p.m. Goober's Replacement
10:30 p.m. Goober Takes a Car Apart
Wednesday, May 9
12:00 p.m. Mind Over Matter
10:30 p.m. Andy & Helen Have Their Day
Thursday, May 10
12:00 p.m. Goober Makes History
10:30 p.m. Goober & The Art of Love
Friday, May 11
12:00 p.m. Goober the Executive
10:30 p.m. The Lucky Letter
Viewers can watch Me-Too on WCIU-TV 26.4, Xfinity 247/358, RCN 22, WOW 171 and AT&T U-verse 48.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Monday, August 17
The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Babies and Bathwater" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dave’s ambitious home improvement plans take a turn, prompting Calvin to step in, while Malcolm seeks Gemma’s help to overcome writer’s block. Meanwhile, Tina’s suggestion for Daphne sparks a parenting dilemma for Courtney.
The Neighorhood - "Welcome to the Hoodwink" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tina grows concerned about Malcolm’s romantic choices. Meanwhile, Calvin and Dave’s street smarts are put to the test.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Frank Marries a Corpse" (FX and FXX, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The guys help Frank with his cold feet ahead of his wedding to Sam; Dee tries to scare Sam off the nuptials with testimonies from The Waitress, Artemis and Snail.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Dennis and Dee Don't Get Rich" (FX and FXX, 9:32PM ET/PT)
The Reynolds twins push themselves to the limit to secure Sam's transfer of wealth; Charlie and Frank plan a proper memorial for Bonnie during the annual Mummers Parade.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 17)
Monday, August 17
- Rosie O'Donnell (SMILF/Stand by Your Man/Gimme a Break!) - Rosie guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) - Watch Hannah on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Ana Gasteyer (American Auto/People of Earth/Lady Dynamite/Suburgatory) - Ana appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Will stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Adam Ferrara (The Job) and Harland Williams (The Geena Davis Show/Simon) - Adam is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
- Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Isla Fisher (Wolf Like Me), Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) and Anna Faris (Mom) - Isla, Michelle, Anna and Leslie Mann talk about Spa Weekend on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere/Nightcap) - Jeff talks about Apple TV's Widow's Bay on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Emeril Lagasse (Emeril) - Sunny Anderson gets a big surprise from Drew – cooking with the legendary Emeril Lagasse on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jennifer Aniston (Friends/Muddling Through/Ferris Bueller/Molloy) - Drew is chatting with Jennifer about the new season of The Morning Show, her kids cookbook, Cook with Clydeo, and her haircare line 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)
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