SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner to Release Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series on Blu-ray; Chloe Fineman Exits Saturday Night Live

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing of a release of an 80s classic sitcom on Blu-ray, the exit of a Saturday Night Live cast member, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Back in the day, when home media releases were huge, Saturday's were for "Digital Digest," and we're kind of going back to that this week as Warner Home Video has announced one of their most unexpected titles, Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series, on Blu-ray. (Blu-ray.com)
• Chloe Fineman is announcing her exit from Saturday Night Live. (Deadline)
• We got used to about 22 minutes of a sitcom on broadcast TV, and some going around or above 30 minutes on streaming, but now Stuart Fails to Saves the Universe is challenging that with much shorter episodes. (Deadline)
• Hal Williams, best known for his roles on Sanford and Son and 227 (among many others), has died at 91. (SitcomsOnline)

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: 227, King of the Hill, Perfect Strangers, Sanford and Son, Saturday Night Live, SitcomsOnline Digest, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

NBC Orders Mike O'Malley Sitcom with Jon Cryer; Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin Premieres Nov. 23; Remembering Mork & Mindy and Perfect Strangers Creator Dale McRaven

NBC has ordered Mike O'Malley's comedy series to series. From Lionsgate Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, with Mike O'Malley writing and executive producing, along with Tom Werner, Wyc Grousbeck, Emilia Fazzalari, George Geyer. The series will star Jon Cryer, Donald Faison, Abigail Spencer, Finn Sweeney, and Sofia Capanna. In the series, after an amicable divorce, Jim and Julia decide to continue to raise their kids at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Navigating the waters of divorce and child-sharing gets more complicated for Jim when the owner of his favorite sports team enters the picture and wins Julia's heart. The sitcom is likely airing sometime in 2023. Stay tuned!

Peacock has released new images for their new comedy Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin that will premiere on Wednesday, Nov. 23 with all 6 episodes from executive producer Elizabeth Banks. In the new series for Peacock, several years after we last saw him in Pitch Perfect, Adam Devine's Bumper Allen moves to Germany to revive his music career when one of his songs becomes big in Berlin. 

Adam Devine will play Bumper Allen, who, after his a cappella TikTok goes viral in Berlin, moves to Germany to pursue his dreams of becoming an international pop star. Flula Borg (Pitch Perfect 2, The Suicide Squad, Curb Your Enthusiasm) will play Pieter Krämer who has transitioned from German a cappella star to discredited German music manager. Sarah Hyland (Modern Family, The Wedding Year) will play Heidi, Pieter and Bumper's cheery and slightly odd American assistant. Lera Abova (Anna) will play Thea Krämer, Piëter's sister and a prominent Berlin DJ and music producer. And Jameela Jamil (The Good Place, She Hulk) will play a bombastic and flashy up-and-coming German pop star and is Pieter's ex-girlfriend and Bumper's main rival at the German Unity Day concert.

Television writer and producer Dale McRaven, who created Mork & Mindy, Angie and Perfect Strangers, has died. He died on September 5 of complications from lung cancer at his home in Porter Ranch, California. Mr. McRaven was 83.

McRaven's early writing credits included The Joey Bishop Show (14 episodes), The Dick Van Dyke Show (9 episodes), That Girl (1 episode), Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (5 episodes), Hey, Landlord (5 episodes), Accidental Family (1 episode), Good Morning World (1 episode), Get Smart (1 episode), Love, American Style (3 episodes), Room 222 (2 episodes), The Partridge Family (15 episodes), The Girl with Something Extra (1 episode), Laverne & Shirley (1 episode), The Practice (1976) (1 episode) and The Betty White Show (1 episode).

He created the short-lived 1974-1975 ABC sitcom The Texas Wheelers. The series, produced by MTM Enterprises, is about the cantankerous but lovable Zack Wheeler (Jack Elam), a long-lost father who returned to raise his children Truckie (Gary Busey), Doobie (Mark Hamill), Boo (Karen Obediear), and T.J. (Tony Becker) in rural Texas after their mother died. He wrote five of the episodes and was an executive producer for six episodes.

McRaven, Garry Marshall and Joe Glauberg created the 1978-1982 ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy. The series stars Robin Williams as Mork, an extraterrestrial who comes to Earth from the planet Ork, and Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell, his human friend, roommate, and eventual love interest. McRaven also worked as a producer and executive producer. He wrote 13 episodes. Mork & Mindy received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy series in 1979.

He co-created with Garry Marshall the 1979-1980 ABC sitcom Angie. The series stars Donna Pescow in the lead role, Robert Hays as her love interest and eventual husband, Doris Roberts as her mother and Debralee Scott as her sister. He was also the executive producer for four episodes of the series.

McRaven created the 1986-1993 ABC sitcom Perfect Strangers. The series chronicles the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton (Mark Linn-Baker) and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean Europe, Balki Bartokomous (Bronson Pinchot). He wrote three episodes of the series. He worked as an executive producer for 16 episodes and as an executive consultant for 125 episodes.

Some of his other writing credits included 9 to 5, Nearly Departed and Grand. His other producing credits included Valentine's Day, The Partridge Family, The Betty White Show, Nearly Departed and Davis Rules.

Mr. McRaven worked on more than 20 sitcoms during his career. We thank him for creating Mork & Mindy, Angie, Perfect Strangers and for his work on other sitcoms. He will be greatly missed.

We also remember stand-up comedian, sitcom writer, producer, and actor David A. Arnold. He worked on The Rickey Smiley Show, Fuller House and That Girl Lay Lay. He died on September 7 at his home in Los Angeles due to natural causes. Mr. Arnold was 54.

Arnold's sitcom writing credits included Meet the Browns (15 episodes), House of Payne (12 episodes), The Rickey Smiley Show (14 episodes), Partners (2014) (1 episode), Zoe Ever After (1 episode), Bigger (1 episode), Fuller House (3 episodes) and Side Hustle (3 episodes)

He created the Nickelodeon comedy That Girl Lay Lay in 2021 and served as showrunner for the series. The series stars That Girl Lay Lay, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Tiffany Daniels, Thomas Hobson, Peyton Perrine III and Caleb Brown. He wrote two episodes. He appeared as Pastor Brown in one episode.

Arnold's other sitcom acting credits included Entourage, Meet the Browns (3 episodes as Darnelle) and Side Hustle.

Some of his other sitcom producing credits included Bigger, Fuller House and Side Hustle.

Mr. Arnold was a talented and funny comedian. He had two Netflix stand-up comedy specials: David A. Arnold: Fat Ballerina (2020) and It Ain't For The Weak (July 2022). He will be sorely missed.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Mork & Mindy, NBC, Obits, Peacock, Perfect Strangers, Pitch Perfect

SitcomsOnline Digest: Perfect Strangers Reboot in the Works; New Head of the Class DVD Release

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're learning about a reboot of a classic 80s sitcom, the cancellation of a Fox series (that wasn't intended to be more than a limited series anyway), and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• It's about to be 1986 all over again, with NBC rebooting Night Court and now HBO Max is looking to reboot Perfect Strangers. (Deadline)
• It's likely no surprise after the lackluster success of the second season, but The Moodys is done on Fox. (TVLine)
• NBC has cancelled Manifest, but it could be back for new episodes elsewhere, such as Netflix. (Deadline)
• The Quibi library was recently added to Roku's lineup, and in two weeks, they've had more viewers than they ever had in their entire time on Quibi. (Deadline)
• A little bit of DVD news (we get so little that we don't even devote a separate section to it anymore), Head of the Class - The Complete Third Season will be released by Warner Archive on July 20. (TV Shows on DVD)
• The Netflix comedy Dad Stop Embarrassing Me kind of went under the radar as a series to begin with, but now it has been cancelled. (Yahoo!) 
• Frank Bonner, who played Herb Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati, has died. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JUNE 19 - JUNE 25)

• Antenna TV is celebrating Father's Day with a marathon of Bewitched episodes focusing on the two different actors who played Darrin (much like the Nick at Nite Dueling Darrins marathon from the late 90s!).
• Decades is having a binge of Taxi this weekend.
• Kevin Can F**k Himself has already debuted on AMC+, but the linear network itself will begin airing it on Sunday.
• The long-awaited fifth season of Rick & Morty also debuts on Sunday on Adult Swim.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Dad Stop Embarrassing Me, Head of the Class, Manifest, Night Court, Perfect Strangers, Quibi, Roku, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Moodys

SitcomsOnline Digest: WarnerMedia Considering Reboots of TGIF Classics for New Streaming Service

• As WarnerMedia prepares their new streaming service, they've already got their eye on potentially rebooting classic TGIF series, including Family Matters, Perfect Strangers, Step by Step, and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (Deadline)
• We mentioned last week that The Office will be moving from Netflix to NBC's own streaming service, but NBC's service will be ad supported, which could be becoming the new normal in streaming. (Deadline)
• Shows on Netflix have a lot of smoking in them, but now, the streaming service is vowing to cut back on the smoking that you see in series. (Variety) 
• The View has been known for having hosts who are constantly in bitter personal feuds and battles with each other, and it seems that is the case once again as Meghan McCain seems to have one foot out the door (though ABC insists she is coming back). (CNN)
• ABC has set their fall lineup premiere dates, complete with Kids Say the Darnedest Things (which definitely isn't hosted by Bill Cosby this time). (SitcomsOnline) 

• All weekend on Decades, it's Remington Steele.
• Hollywood Game Night returns to NBC on Thursday.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Family Matters, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Perfect Strangers, SitcomsOnline Digest, Step by Step

SitcomsOnline Digest: Pluto TV Adds Special Versions of Popular Viacom Channels; Perfect Strangers to Finish on DVD

• Pluto TV, the free linear streaming service, has added several Pluto TV versions of popular Viacom channels, which feature different programming and lineups than the cable TV versions but still have plenty of your favorites from those channels. (Variety)
• If you've got $6 million, then you can buy the house used for the exterior on Full House, but you might be disappointed to find out that the inside looks nothing like the studio set used for the show. (The Mercury News) 
• Kenan Thompson says he isn't leaving Saturday Night Live, even though he has a lot of projects in the works. (Deadline)
• Sony has named a building on their studio lot after Norman Lear. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Not only has black-is been renewed for another season, it appears to be becoming sort of a franchise for ABC. (SitcomsOnline)

• We never quite knew if this would ever come, but Warner Archive is finally completing Perfect Strangers on DVD with Perfect Strangers - The Complete Seventh and Eighth Seasons. It will be released on May 28.

• Decades as a binge of The Streets of San Francisco this weekend.
• Adam Sandler returns to Saturday Night Live roots as host tonight on NBC.
• The Dick Van Dyke Show returns to MeTV on Sunday night.
• Netflix has a new animated comedy, Tuca & Bertie, coming on Friday.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Full House, Perfect Strangers, Pluto TV, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: Facebook Watch Acquires Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and More; Preview of Next Season of Fuller House

• We tend to think of Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime when we think of streaming services, but Facebook Watch is trying to create an identity now, and has acquired Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Firefly to help begin that process. (The Verge)
• Fuller House returns in two weeks, and a preview of the new season has been released. (Deadline)
• Despite the network airing the program firing her husband, it has been confirmed that Julie Chen Moonves will be returning to host Big Brother. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Stephen Hillenburg, creator of Spongebob Squarepants, died this week at age 57. (Variety)
• CBS has put their winter plans into place. (SitcomsOnline)

• Although we aren't certain that this release is indeed happening on Tuesday (it isn't available to pre-order anywhere, including on the Warner Archive website), TVShowsOnDVD is reporting that Perfect Strangers - The Complete Sixth Season is being released on Tuesday.

• Family Guy - Season Sixteen (DVD, $29.98): Even though the older and more iconic animated Fox comedy seems to have been abandoned on DVD once again, the other animated Fox comedy (and the one that arguably was responsible for making TV on DVD a huge deal for over a decade) arrives on DVD in this release.

• Decades is headed back to comedy for their binges this weekend, with The Phil Silvers Show.
• Although it debuted yesterday, F is for Family has returned to Netflix for a third season.
• ABC has A Charlie Brown Christmas scheduled for Thursday.
• Saturday Night Live has a Christmas special scheduled for Tuesday night.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Fuller House, Perfect Strangers, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Orders Multi-Camera Sitcom with Melissa Joan Hart and Sean Astin; Three New Seasons of Bob's Burgers on DVD

• Netflix has given a 20 episode order to No Good Nick, a multi-camera sitcom starring Melissa Joan Hart and Sean Astin. (Deadline)
• Kenan Thompson could finally be leaving Saturday Night Live after all of these years if an idea for a sitcom project that is in the works makes it to air.  (Deadline)
• Speaking of Saturday Night Live, Chevy Chase isn't too pleased with the series these days, though to be fair, a lot of people aren't too pleased with Chevy Chase either these days. (Washington Post)
• The fifteenth season of Grey's Anatomy hasn't debuted yet, but some are wondering if the sixteenth season (which won't even debut for another year) may be the last for the series, after Ellen Pompeo dropped some hints that she may be ready to move on in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. (Deadline) 
• The Emmy Awards were a rating dud this year, and even more so than ever before. But one highlight of the ceremony was a special appearance from Betty White. (CNN)
• Julie Chen... err, Julie Chen Moonves... officially quit her role on the CBS series The Talk this week, but her contract will continue for a while longer on Big Brother, and she seems to be interested in staying in that role. (TV Insider)
• If you didn't watch the Emmys, we have a list of the winners. (SitcomsOnline)

• Blondie - The Complete 1957 Television Series (DVD, $39.98): In an era where rare black and white TV series are hard to come by on DVD, this surprise release brings something new.
• Bob's Burgers - The Complete Sixth Season (DVD, $29.95), Bob's Burgers - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD, $29.95), and Bob's Burgers - The Complete Eighth Season (DVD, $29.95): Though none are available for pre-order yet, TVShowsOnDVD reports that all three of these releases will be available on Tuesday as MOD products.
• Perfect Strangers - The Complete Fifth Season (DVD, $29.98): Warner Archive moves ahead with the next season of the classic TGIF favorite in this DVD release.

• Decades will be airing Hawaii Five-0 for this weekend's Binge.
• On Monday night, you can catch the season premieres of The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon on CBS.
• The ABC Wednesday night sitcom lineup kicks off this week with season premieres of The Goldbergs, American Housewife, Modern Family, and the series premiere of Single Parents.
• The new season of South Park debuts on Wednesday night on Comedy Central, and you can catch it on the network (almost) all day long until then.
• The season premieres of Murphy Brown and Mom will air on Thursday on CBS.
• NBC has the hourlong season premiere of The Good Place on Thursday.
• On Friday, The Cool Kids will debut on Fox, along with the season premiere of Last Man Standing.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Bob's Burgers, Grey's Anatomy, No Good Nick, Perfect Strangers, Saturday Night Live, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: Roseanne Spinoff One Step Closer to Reality; Netflix to Air New Season of Lucifer

• A Roseanne spinoff is getting one step closer to reality now, as a deal appears to be in the works in which Roseanne Barr will sign an agreement to let the show go on without receiving on-going residuals. (Hollywood Reporter)
• It seems that Roseanne Barr's name was submitted for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series just before the controversy broke out. (Deadline)
• If you don't want a spoiler, don't click on this story, but this is how Danny Masterson was written out of the Netflix series The Ranch. (Deadline)
• Are we finally reaching the end of the trash TV talk show era? Perhaps, as it was announced this week that The Jerry Springer Show will halt production for at least next season (potentially for good) after a nearly three decade run, and only air in reruns on The CW. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Streaming services have often come to rescue canceled network series, and this week, Netflix rescued Fox's Lucifer. (Deadline)
• Although the show itself will continue to air for a few more months, The Chew said farewell to fans on Friday with the last taped episode of the series. (People)
• There was speculation that WGN America was trying to get out of the scripted television business in the lead up to a potential merger of parent company Tribune with Sinclair (which has yet to happen), but this week, two new original series were announced for the cable network. (SitcomsOnline)

• Perfect Strangers - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD, $29.95): Larry and Balki return to DVD with this release of a classic TGIF favorite from Warner Archive.

• The Gong Show and Match Game return to ABC on Thursday.
• Decades will be airing Daniel Boone all weekend long.
• The final season of Shades of Blue debuts Sunday night on NBC.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Lucifer, Perfect Strangers, Roseanne, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Ranch

SitcomsOnline Digest: So Now What for Roseanne?; ABC Contemplating Sue Heck Spinoff for The Middle

• We're sure everybody knows the whole story about Roseanne by now. But is anybody seriously surprised that Roseanne ended up going down because of a controversy with the star, or are we just surprised it happened so soon? (People)
• Meanwhile, it seems that a Roseanne spinoff starring Sara Gilbert's character of Darlene may be under consideration, although there are some obstacles, including concerns that Roseanne would still receive residuals. (Vulture)
• If a spinoff about Roseanne's daughter doesn't work out, could 2019 finally be the "year of Sue Heck?" Maybe, as ABC is contemplating a spinoff of The Middle starring Eden Sher. (Deadline)
• Speaking of The Middle, that series recently ended after nine seasons, and Vox is asking the exact same thing that we've been asking all of these years: why didn't the series ever get the level of love and attention that it deserved? (Vox)
• It seems that the TV adaptation of Heathers has been talked about forever, and was even given a premiere date on Paramount Network (after originally being planned for TV Land), but now it seems it has been scrapped completely. (Deadline)
• Antenna TV is going to celebrate Father's Day with a Silver Spoons marathon. (SitcomsOnline)

• Warner Archive is stepping it up on the TGIF shows, and here is one that we seem to have overlooked last week: Perfect Strangers - The Complete Fourth Season will arrive on June 19.

• South Park - The Complete Twenty-First Season (DVD, $29.98; Blu-ray, $39.98): All of these seasons later, and Comedy Central is still cranking out more seasons of the popular Comedy Central series.

• Every channel that was airing Roseanne has pulled the series, but if you absolutely need your Roseanne fix, it seems it is still streaming on Amazon Prime for the time being.
• While we're at it, The Cosby Show (side note: why is it that Carsey Werner has this sort of luck with their stars?) is still on Amazon Prime too.
• Younger and Teachers both return to TV Land for new episodes on Tuesday.
• This weekend's binge on Decades is Here Come the Brides.
• The last half of the final season of Nashville begins Thursday on CMT.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Heathers, Perfect Strangers, Roseanne, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Middle

SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC to Air Brooklyn Nine-Nine Next Season as Fox Appears to Move in New Direction; New Perfect Strangers DVDs Coming Soon

• You may have noticed on your social media feed that people are screaming bloody murder and talking about a cultural war (OK, maybe not quite that big, but close) after Fox made a decision to cancel most of their live-action sitcoms (and the prospects are bad for the remaining live-action series), ostensibly to make room for series that fit in better with their new pickup, Last Man Standing... (SitcomsOnline)
• ... meanwhile, in the very early of this morning, NBC announced that they have become the hero of the day for fans of the most popular of the series canceled by Fox, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, by picking it up for a sixth season... (Entertainment Weekly)
• ... and we can't go without a third story about all of this. It has been rumored for weeks, but this week, Fox has officially announced they indeed will be airing a new season of Last Man Standing. (Time)
• The Big Bang Theory is coming back for a twelfth season, but will that be the final season? (Deadline)
• Rick and Morty was renewed for 70 more episodes, and without a fixed schedule as to when those episodes will air, so most people expect that to mean about ten more seasons worth of episodes. (Hollywood Reporter)
• If you're having trouble keeping track of what has been renewed or canceled, just bookmark this Vox article, which updates everything as news comes in one way or the other, and there have been a lot this week that we simply didn't have time to cover. (Vox)
• Norman Lear has been working on a new project, Guess Who Died, that was planned for NBC, but the network has officially passed on the pilot. (Deadline)
• It appeared that Disney would be the one to acquire 21st Century Fox, but now Comcast is trying to get in on the battle as well to take over 21st Century Fox. (Forbes) 
• Antenna TV is making a few lineup changes. (SitcomsOnline)

• Details are still sparse, but TVShowsOnDVD.com reports that the fourth season of Perfect Strangers is coming soon from Warner Archive.
• Mill Creek announced that they would be releasing Happy Endings - The Complete Series on August 7, both on DVD and Blu-ray.

• Rick and Morty - Season Three (DVD, $24.99; Blu-ray, $29.98): It has been renewed for 70 more episodes, so these won't be the last as some have feared, but you can catch up on the most recent season with this release.

• 13 Reasons Why returns for a second season on Netflix on Friday.
• Amy Schumer is the host for the new episode of Saturday Night Live tonight.
• Antenna TV starts their new lineup on Monday, which you can see here.
• This weekend, the binge on Decades is Father Dowling Mysteries.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Happy Endings, Last Man Standing, Perfect Strangers, Rick & Morty, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Big Bang Theory

SitcomsOnline Digest: Mad About You Reboot One Step Closer to Reality; The Simpsons Addresses Concerns About Character of Apu

• Admittedly, unlike most series that have been or will be rebooted, Mad About You has not been all that successful in syndication, but that isn't stopping this idea of a reboot from moving forward. (Entertainment Weekly)
• It was mentioned several months ago that The Simpsons would deal with the complaints about stereotypes of the character of Apu, but they did just that this week and it seems to have not gone over particularly well. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Deadline is always keeping us updated on all of the comings on goings of pilot season each and every week. (Deadline)
• Tim O'Connor, who starred in Peyton Place (in addition to appearing in many other series), has died at age 90. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Carol Burnett can never win too many awards, and her latest is a Peabody. (Variety)
• The second season of Trial & Error has a premiere date on NBC. (SitcomsOnline)

• Perfect Strangers - The Complete Third Season (DVD, $29.99): It's been a very long wait, but the third season of the classic sitcom arrives on DVD in this release.

• Johnny Galecki will reprise his role of David on the reboot of Roseanne on Tuesday night on ABC.
• Whether you're sick of hearing the name Roseanne or get excited every time you hear it, the original series will begin airing on Paramount Network on Wednesday.
• It's a 77 Sunset Strip marathon for Decades this weekend.
• In case you missed it, the revival of Lost in Space debuted on Netflix yesterday.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Mad About You, Perfect Strangers, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Simpsons

SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Looking to Bring Back Last Man Standing; New Perfect Strangers DVDs Coming Soon

• Can you really call it a reboot if it hasn't even been gone for a full season? Nonetheless, Fox is rumored to be looking to bring back new episodes of Tim Allen's series, Last Man Standing, along with other series (such as That '70s Show and Malcolm in the Middle) that don't even make sense to reboot. (TMZ)
• Speaking of Last Man Standing, reruns of it are being added to the WGN lineup. (SitcomsOnline)
• Even though it is hard to tell how ratings will be once the initial buzz wears off, the reboot of Roseanne did well enough to convince ABC to pick up a second season. (ABC News)
• No need to panic, One Day at a Time has been renewed by Netflix. (Deadline)
• We're just weeks away from knowing what the 2018-2019 broadcast network season will look like, and now is a good time to take another look at where some of your current TV favorites stand from a renewal/cancellation point of view. (Deadline)
• For the past two decades, Dan Schneider (who is also known for his Head of the Class fame) has brought some of the biggest hits to Nickelodeon, and has been referred to as the "Norman Lear of kids television." This week, the network has suddenly parted ways with him, for reasons that aren't clear. (Washington Post)

• We can't believe it, but it's finally happening: Perfect Strangers is moving forward on DVD, with Perfect Strangers - The Complete Third Season arriving on April 17 from Warner Archive.

• The Last O.G., which stars Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish, debuts Tuesday night at 10:30 on TBS.
• WKRP in Cincinnati will begin airing every weeknight at 9:30 starting Monday on MeTV.
• Some minor changes come to the Antenna TV lineup on Monday as well, with an extra helping of Alice in primetime.
• What's the weekend without a binge on Decades? Up this weekend: Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.
  

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 2:30 PM

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Labels: Last Man Standing, One Day at a Time, Perfect Strangers, Roseanne, SitcomsOnline Digest

TCA Summer 2017 Press Tour: Cable Day 3 - Hulu Revives TGIF with 5 Classics; TBS and TNT Updates

Happy Fri-Yay! We have to preempt our weekly Fri-Yay feature because we want to make this a #FlashbackFriday and say TGIF! Hulu announced a groundbreaking agreement with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution that will make over 800 episodes from TGIF - America's favorite Friday night sitcom lineup from the 1990s - available to stream on SVOD for the first time ever in the U.S., only on Hulu. The company also revealed a second season pickup for its critically acclaimed drama series, Harlots, as well as a new original documentary feature around one of the world's most popular female icons, Barbie. In a new agreement with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Hulu has acquired the exclusive, streaming, subscription video on-demand rights to all episodes of iconic series Full House, Family Matters, Step by Step, Perfect Strangers and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. The pact, which includes over 800 episodes, will mark the streaming SVOD debut of America's favorite Friday night lineup from the 1990s. The full libraries of all five beloved Warner Bros. comedies will launch exclusively in the U.S. on Hulu Friday, September 29, 2017 on the heels of the 30th Anniversary of Full House and the 25th Anniversary of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. "TGI-Hulu!"

Turner's TBS has taken another step toward earning its comedy series merit badge by ordering a fourth season of the hit series Angie Tribeca, starring Rashida Jones. And in a shameless attempt to grab some much-deserved awards attention, the fourth season will welcome a new cast member: two-time Emmy(R) winner Bobby Cannavale (Boardwalk Empire) who has proven time and time again that he is irresistible to the Academy. Fingers crossed!

This fall, TBS will enter the next phase of its ongoing brand evolution with a slate of three new original series, plus the eagerly anticipated second season of a returning favorite. Leading the pack on Tuesday, Oct. 24 will be TBS's new scripted comedy The Last O.G, starring and created by superstar and multiple Emmy(R) nominee Tracy Morgan alongside creators and executive producers Jordan Peele and John Carcieri. This marks the exciting return of Morgan to series television as he stars opposite Tiffany Haddish, who is hot off the heels of the box office success Girls Trip. TBS will also add (mostly) friendly competition to the mix with the new head-to-head celebrity rap battle competition Drop the Mic, hosted by Method Man and Hailey Baldwin and based on the popular segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden, premiering Thursday, Oct. 26. Fans can also expect a comedy-driven reboot of a classic game show with Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker's Wild, coming this fall. And finally, starting Sunday, Nov. 19, TBS will once again lead in to Thanksgiving Week with the season 2 premiere of the critically acclaimed series Search Party.

More round-up from TCA includes: Actress and comedian Amy Sedaris cordially invites you into her home with the premiere of her new comedy series At Home with Amy Sedaris, which truTV announced will premiere on Tuesday, October 24 at 10:30pm ET/PT. Award-winning actress Michelle Dockery will be back on the bad side when she returns as thief and con artist Letty Raines, whose life is always one wrong turn or one bad decision away from implosion in the hit TNT drama Good Behavior. Juan Diego Botto, Terry Kinney, Lusia Strus and Joey Kern also star in the seductive drama, which was created by Chad Hodge and Blake Crouch and is based on a series of books by Crouch. The second season of Good Behavior is slated to premiere across TNT's television, mobile and digital platforms on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). Turner's TNT has renewed its original drama Animal Kingdom for a third season coming in 2018 as strong multiplatform viewing helped make the series cable's only Top 20 drama this year to show growth among Adults 18-49 in its second season. Emmy(R) and Tony(R) winner Ellen Barkin, Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Molly Gordon and Carolina Guerra star.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Angie Tribeca, Family Matters, Full House, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Hulu, Perfect Strangers, Search Party, Step by Step, TBS, TCA Summer Tour, The Last O.G., TNT

SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Developing New Singing Competition; New DVDs on the Way for Green Acres and Perfect Strangers

• When ABC announced they would be reviving former Fox reality singing competition series American Idol, Fox responded by more or less saying "fine, nobody cares about a singing competition series anyway." Now, we're hearing that Fox is working on developing a new reality singing competition series that just skips straight to the finalists instead of airing weeks of audition rounds. (Variety)
• It probably didn't happen by calling an 800 number that flashed on the screen and giving their credit card information to an operator, but TV shopping network QVC purchased rival HSN this week. (CBS News)
• The current CBS reboot of Hawaii Five-0 has found itself down by two cast members for the upcoming season, and although the executive producer of the series claims they were offered "unprecedented" salary increases, they left because they were being offered less money than their co-stars, and they believe that disparity based upon their race. (Deadline)
• The HBO series Game of Thrones could be getting much longer episodes (as in 80 minute feature length episodes) in the eighth season, though the seventh season hasn't even aired yet. (Deadline)
• Antenna TV still has several series slated to air on the network at some point later this year, and one that wasn't previously announced was Welcome Back, Kotter. (SitcomsOnline)  

• This is something that we definitely didn't see coming, but Shout! Factory announced this week that they would finally be finishing up Green Acres on DVD, with Green Acres - The Complete Series. Few details about it are known at this time, but the 24 disc set will be released on October 17.
• Another big surprise that we discovered this week courtesy of TVShowsOnDVD.com is that Warner Archive will be continuing Perfect Strangers on DVD, though exact details aren't known just yet.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 2:30 PM

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Labels: American Idol, Green Acres, Hawaii Five-0, Perfect Strangers, SitcomsOnline Digest

TV Land Picks Up More Season 2 Episodes of Happily Divorced; Perfect Strangers: The Video Game

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

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

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Happily Divorced, Perfect Strangers, TV Land

New Original Sitcom Coming to TBS This Summer; Reimagine That! Interviews Bronson Pinchot from Perfect Strangers About His New Series

TBS has given the greenlight to the new multi-camera comedy series Sullivan and Son, starring popular comedian Steve Byrne and executive-produced by Vince Vaughn (The Break-Up), Peter Billingsley and showrunner Rob Long (Cheers). Byrne also serves as producer on the series, which comes to TBS from Vaughn's Wild West Picture Show Productions, in association with Warner Horizon Television. The pilot was co-written by Byrne and Long, with Ted Wass (Soap, Blossom) directing. TBS has ordered 10 episodes of the series, which is slated to premiere this summer. They ordered it to pilot in October, as we mentioned, so it went well and now will be a series!
Sullivan and Son takes place in a popular and legendary neighborhood bar in a working-class neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Penn. Filled with locals and regulars, Sullivan & Son is the unofficial "town hall" to the neighborhood. As the series opens, Steve Sullivan (Byrne) is a successful corporate attorney from New York who brings his girlfriend, Ashley (guest star Brooke Lyons - 2 Broke Girls) for a visit just as his Irish-American father, Jack Sullivan (Dan Lauria - The Wonder Years), and Korean mother, Ok Cha (Jodi Long), are preparing to sell the bar and retire. Upon arrival, Steve reconnects with his best friend, Owen (Owen Benjamin); gets accosted by his long-suffering, under-appreciated younger sister, Susan (Vivian Bang); endures offensive comments from gruff barfly Hank (Brian Doyle Murray - Saturday Night Live); and gets hit on by tipsy cougar Carol (Christine Ebersole - Royal Pains). He even feels a rekindled romantic spark with his former sweetheart, Melanie (Valerie Azlynn). It doesn't take Steve long to realize that what he really wants out of life is to return to the old neighborhood and take over Sullivan & Son, even if it means giving up a lavish Manhattan lifestyle with the gorgeous Ashley. And so begins Steve's quest for a more meaningful and rewarding life behind the bar.
In addition to Sullivan and Son, TBS recently announced that this summer, the network will premiere the new buddy multi-camera comedy series Men at Work, starring Danny Masterson, James Lesure, Michael Cassidy and Adam Busch, which was ordered to pilot in August, as we mentioned. 10 episodes will air. Also this year, TBS will launch The Wedding Band, a new one-hour scripted comedy series starring Brian Austin Green, Harold Perrineau, Peter Cambor and Derek Miller, Melora Hardin, Jenny Wade and Kathryn Fiore. We mentioned of the pick-up back in May. And 10 episodes of this one-hour comedy have been ordered as well. Stay with us for premiere dates for all three original TBS series!



Our good pal Chris Mann as posted his latest episode of his podcast series Reimagine That! With Chris Mann and he has interviewed one of the funniest and nicest sitcom actors ever--Bronson Pinchot (Perfect Strangers). Nothing's going to stop Chris Mann now! If that's not enough, Bronson reimagines unscripted entertainment by giving his very first "inter'nude!" And no Chris is not being ridiculous! You'll have to take a listen to this for sure! TV's Balki Bartokomous -- who came back this weekend in the premiere of his new DIY home-restoration series, The Bronson Pinchot Project -- goes "au naturel" in this hysterical interview that exposes his thoughts on everything from reality TV, his love of Wizard of Oz, overcoming childhood adversity and sharing his "deeply personal and very secret" connection with Balki and Perfect Strangers fans. In addition, he shares his creative passion for renovating vintage houses and buildings, and discusses his memorable experience getting a disturbing "house dream" analyzed on Bio's Celebrity Nightmares Decoded. Since Bronson is in the middle of filming his new DIY series, the interview was cut a bit short but it is hysterical, fun and a great listen! The Bronson Pinchot Project airs every Saturday at 10:30pm on DIY!
Also earlier in the podcast, Chris gives his assessment of Suzanne Somers' recent reconciliation with Joyce DeWitt -- for more info, see his new Retroality.TV blog post (a MUST read, folks!)-- and previews his upcoming two-part interview with Little House on the Prairie star turned bestselling author and childhood abuse survivor Alison Angrim.
Finally, Reimagine That!'s resident dream weaver, Yvonne Ryba, interprets some of her fascinating "house dreams" while trying to make sense of Chris's bizarre, circa-early-Eighties dream involving TV's Janet Wood and Chrissy Snow, his front porch and a stampeding bull(!). This podcast has it all, doesn't it? So hope nothing is going to stop you now in listening to this podcast! Go and listen to episode six!

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Chris Mann, Men at Work, Perfect Strangers, Sullivan and Son, TBS

Digital Digest: The Fugitive - The Final (Fourth) Season, Volume One DVD Review

Welcome to Digital Digest, where we bring you news each and every week along with DVD/Blu-ray Disc reviews and other features! We hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving, and we have a lot of great news to be thankful for this week! Plus, we have a review of The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume One, from CBS Home Entertainment. Let's get started!

DIGITAL NEWS

This week, we start with some news that we have missed, but it is about a DVD release that is only a few weeks away! For those who have been purchasing The Lucille Ball Specials that MPI Home Video has been releasing, there is another DVD containing two of these specials coming up on December 16... that is only a few weeks away! The Lucille Ball Specials - Happy Anniversary & Goodbye/What Now, Catherine Curtis? will debut on DVD in a single disc on December 16 at a $14.98 MSRP. This was announced some time ago, but the release date was unknown at the time. Now, we know. We'll have a review of this in a few weeks!

That isn't the only DVD coming soon, though. Fans of the series The New Adventures of Old Christine will be pleased to know that The New Adventures of Old Christine - The Complete Fourth Season is coming soon, and very soon at that! On December 7, Warner Archive will be releasing the next-to-last season of the series, as an exclusive DVD-R product to their website. We don't have all of the details yet, but we are definitely glad to see the series continue on DVD, even if it isn't a wide retail release.

While we are speaking of Warner Archive, in our review of their Classic TV Christmas Collection, we noted that the episode of Perfect Strangers included in the set is a syndicated version of the episode. In response, they issued the following statement:

We thought we were releasing the Christmas DVD with the most complete original master of the Perfect Strangers episode "The Gift of the Mypiot," but apparently we included the syndicated version that is approximately two minutes shorter. Currently, we are reviewing the many master tapes we have to see if we can find the complete episode, and if we do have it, we will replace the current episode with the more complete one. The good thing about manufacturing-on-demand is that we are able to make rolling changes to our line since we are not stuck with tens of thousands of copies in a warehouse. That said, we will keep you posted with details on if we locate the correct master, and how we are rolling it out. Also- we honestly appreciate when fans point these kinds of errors out, because we are committed to releasing the best quality products we can. Thanks!

So what does this long and verbose statement mean? Simply put, in a nutshell, they thought that they had included the unedited version, and are trying to find the correct version. And if they do find it, then they will replace the edited version with the unedited version on future orders of the DVD set. Hopefully, they will find it (and perhaps be able to do something for those who have already purchased the set). There is still no word on what they plan on doing with Night Court - The Complete Fourth Season, but as of this writing, it is still unavailable to order from their website.

Mill Creek announced a few weeks ago that they would be releasing several "best of" and "volume" sets of series previously released by Shout! Factory, and in January, they will be delivering once again. January 18 will bring My Two Dads - You Can Count on Me!, Simon & Simon - The Best of Season Two, and thirtysomething - Season One, Volume One. All of these are episodes of series that have already been released, but now you can get them at a much lower price for just a few of the episodes. They all have a $14.98 MSRP, but you'll likely be able to find them in the $5-10 price range as most Mill Creek DVD sets are. And yes, they will likely come in those atrocious paper sleeves that Mill Creek has been using for all of their DVD sets.

Mill Creek will also be releasing some more series from their Stephen J. Cannell library, including 21 Jump Street - The Complete Fourth Season and Stingray - The Complete Series on the same day. This is the second time that both sets have been released, but for Stingray, this is the first time it has been released as an American release (previously, it was released for Canada by VEI). These will also have a $14.98 MSRP.

Finally, we end with two news items from CBS Home Entertainment, the first regarding the legal drama Matlock. Matlock - The Sixth Season is coming January 25 at a $49.99 MSRP. Meanwhile, the primetime soap opera that mixed catfights and caviar, Dynasty, will be coming with a new release on March 22. Presumably, this will be the first half of the fifth season of the series, unless CBS Home Entertainment changes their release model.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Get prepared for another slow week of releases on Tuesday (November 30), but at least they are both very good sets. From Universal, we have Parks & Recreation - Season Two. This is a very hilarious show, and a very good DVD set. I encourage you to read our review of the set. CBS Home Entertainment has another installment of The Lucy Show - The Official Third Season. Unfortunately, we haven't received this to review yet, but we are sure that it'll be an "all-star" DVD set as well, and will not disappoint any fan of Lucy out there. We'll have a review of it as soon as we get it on our main review page.


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW

The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume One
by skees53

A man who is on the run from the law is a fugitive, but Richard Kimble (David Janssen) is no ordinary fugitive. Having escaped from death row (thanks to a train wreck) for being wrongly convicted of killing his wife, Kimble is determined to go on a journey to prove his innocence, and along the way, he runs in to others who need his help too. Check out our review of The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume One.


The Fugitive - The Fourth and Final Season, Volume One (CBS Home Entertainment, $39.98) is the first installment of the final season in Richard Kimble's (David Janssen) quest to prove that he is not guilty of killing his wife. The fourth season, the first (and only) one to be broadcast in color, finally brings closure to the series, but before we get there, this set contains the first 15 episodes of the journey to that closure.

There are many twists and turns in the storyline to get us here, and it all began in the first season when a fortunate train wreck helped Kimble to escape from prison. Kimble, a former physician, was on a train to go to his execution for killing his wife, a crime that he did not commit. Once the train crashes, he struggles with trying to prove his innocence, but in the meantime, he has to move from town to town to avoid the inevitable, going back to death row. The time clock is ticking and Kimble has to do whatever is possible to prove his innocence before he gets caught. Along the way, he supports himself by helping others in whatever way possible, just hoping that he doesn't get caught.

The fourth season begins with "The Last Oasis," where Kimble finds a (temporary) home at an Indian reservation, where he is offered a job as a teacher. Kimble is caught on security camera and fears that he may be caught, and in the process becomes a witness to a murder in "Death is a Door Prize." Kimble finds a quiet town in "A Clean and Quiet Town," but not all is well for him when he discovers the town is run by the mob, and they are out to get him. Kimble is accused of murder while working as an apartment building janitor in "Sharp Edge of Chivalry." In "Joshua's Kingdom," Kimble tries to uphold his duties as a doctor against a father unwilling to use medicine. Kimble has to intervene in a labor strike when the union leader may be on a hit list in "Wine is a Traitor."
Kimble helps a woman struck by a car in "Nobody Loses All the Time," but as it turns out, she happens to be the girlfriend of the man he believed framed him for murder. Kimble is arrested during a union strike in "Right in the Middle of the Season." Can Kimble kill to protect his innocence in his wife's murder? A motorcycle gang offers to help in "The Devil's Disciples." In "The Blessings of Liberty," another doctor is wanted for murder after offering illegal abortions. Kimble has an offer from a mobster to kill his pursuer in "The Evil Men Do." The set ends with "Run the Man Down," where stolen money threatens to cause more trouble for Kimble.

There are many great guest stars in this set, including Hope Lange, Lois Nettleton, Tom Skerritt, Dabney Coleman, Julie Sommars, Ed Asner, and more.

Having never seen this series prior to this review, I don't know if the episodes are unedited or not. However, most episodes on the set look fine. There were some major issues with music replacement on a previous set, and this set says that it contains music edits. However, I don't know how severe they are, and they mostly seem fine. The episodes even have their original "Next, The Fugitive, in color" tags at the beginning. Runtimes are as follows:

Disc 1:
1. "The Last Oasis" (51:36)
2. "Death is a Door Prize" (51:23)
3. "A Clean and Quiet Town" (51:36)
4. "Sharp Edge of Chivalry" (51:37)

Disc 2:
5. "Ten Thousand Pieces of Silver" (51:37)
6. "Joshua's Kingdom" (51:35)
7. "Second Sight" (50:37)
8. "Wine is a Traitor" (50:36)

Disc 3:
9. "Approach with Care" (51:37)
10. "Nobody Loses All the Time" (51:36)
11. "Right in the Middle of the Season" (51:36)
12. "The Devil's Disciples" (51:35)

Disc 4:
13. "The Blessings of Liberty" (51:27)
14. "The Evil Men Do" (51:06)
15. "Run the Man Down" (51:34)

Like the previous releases, this set is in a Viva pack, with a picture of Dr. Kimble on the cover. The back has another picture of Kimble, along with several snapshots from the series, and basic information about the season. Inside the case, there are four discs (no artwork except the series logo) which contain four episodes each, except for Disc 4, which contains three episodes. There are episode descriptions and airdates for all of the episodes, as well.

As for the menus, they are VERY basic, with just various stills of Kimble, and a listing of all of the episodes on the disc, along with a Play All option and a Set Up option. Set Up allows you to turn on the English subtitles. Chapters are placed throughout each episode.

The series looks and sounds great, and there are few (if any) issues with the video and audio quality. The color does allow SOME of the minor imperfections to show up (since the previous sets were of black and white episodes), but the only real issue is some minor grain and debris. The sound is very loud and clear, as well. Each episode contains English subtitles.

There is one special feature on this disc, and it can be found on Disc 4. "Composer Dominic Frontiere: A Season of Change" (10:37) is a brief featurette that talks about Dominic Frontiere, the new musical composer for this season of the series. Really, this is basically just an interview with him, where he talks about his beginnings, this series, and other series that he worked on. Still, it is nice to see that this set wasn't totally neglected for special features.

This was my first time watching the series, and at first, I thought that it was awful. And if you don't know the backstory, then it probably IS awful. But I recently picked up Season One, Volume One at Big Lots (in their $6) DVDs and watched the pilot, and with a better understanding of what is going on, I realized how great this series actually is. So, if you've never seen the series before, I would strongly recommend NOT starting with this season, but instead to start from the beginning. I think fans of this type of series will enjoy the series. It is a lot like a version of The A-Team from the 60s. So what is in store for Dr. Kimble next? Find out when CBS Home Entertainment releases the final volume of the series!

(4/5 stars)

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Related links:
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LOOKING AHEAD

We'll be back next week with more news and reviews! As we approach the holiday season, our news will probably slow down, although this week proves that it doesn't exactly come to a halt! Until then, keep it digital!

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Blog DVD Reviews, Digital Digest, Lucille Ball, Old Christine, Perfect Strangers

Digital Digest: Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson DVD Review

Welcome back to another week of Digital Digest! This week, along with our regular news and updates, we celebrate the return of a former reviewer who is rejoining us today with a review of Respond 2's mega-set, Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson! And it may not even be Halloween just yet, but we've got some Christmas DVD news for you as well! Let's get going!

DIGITAL NEWS

There have been a few compilations of Christmas episodes released on DVD in the past few years, including the upcoming Christmas Treats DVD from CBS Home Entertainment. But we have an even bigger treat coming sometime next month from Warner Archive (Warner's manufacture-on-demand program) with their just announced Classic TV Christmas Collection! While we don't have specific details on the episodes or cost just yet, we do know that it will be released on November 9, and we also know which series will be included, and some of them have never been released on DVD! The DVD includes episodes from Veronica's Closet, Suddenly Susan, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Welcome Back, Kotter, Dr. Kildare, Mama's Family, Eight is Enough, Perfect Strangers, Alice, and CHiPs! The best part is that, with the exception of Perfect Strangers, none of these series have had any of their Christmas episodes released on DVD, so just about everything on the set should be new to DVD! It isn't available to order just yet, but should be soon. We do have artwork, which is shown below:



That isn't all for Warner Archive, though! Later in November, on November 30, they are releasing the animated spinoff of The Dukes of Hazzard, The Dukes! Details are a little murky on this release right now, but we assume that it will be a release of the entire series, consisting of 20 episodes.

In other news, Shout! Factory has plans to release a few single disc releases of series that they've already released, including Adam-12 - Season Two, Volume One; Dragnet - Season Two, Volume One; and Spin City - Season One, Volume One. They will all be released on January 11 at a low MSRP of $7.93. Each of these will contain ten episodes, which, unless that episode count is incorrect, suggests that these will not be exact copies of discs from the previous releases.

Finally, we go back to the department of current series on TV that we all knew were coming to DVD anyway, as Amazon.com puts up even more pre-order listings for the current seasons of various series on DVD. This week, NBC/Universal is in the spotlight, with pre-orders appearing for The Office - Season Seven (also on Blu-ray Disc), 30 Rock - Season Five, and Parenthood - Season Two! No release dates or other information is known just yet, but we'll have details when we get them, of course!

UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

There isn't much coming out on Tuesday (October 26) in the realm of sitcoms, but there are a few other releases of note, including the 15 disc set, Tonight - 4 Decades of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, which we have a review of today in Digital Digest. Additionally, we have C.S.I.: NY - The Complete Sixth Season on the way, and The Twilight Zone - Fan Favorites, which contains nineteen popular episodes of the series.

BLOG FEATURE REVIEW

Respond2 Entertainment has compiled a once-in-a-lifetime collection of the greatest moments in Tonight Show history in one 15-disc set - Tonight: 4 Decades From The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. Perfect for the Johnny Carson or Classic Television fan on the holiday list, Tonight features over 50 shows hand-selected by the original Producer as the best episodes from the show's 30-year run, covering the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's! The collectable set features over 30 hours of material that has never before been released on DVD including rescued footage from shows originally airing in the 1960's (virtually all episodes and other content from the 1960's were lost) and all-new interviews with some of Carson's most celebrated and regular guest stars including Actress Loni Anderson, Comedian David Brenner, and fan-favorite animal handler Jim Fowler! Here is our review of Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

DVD Review: Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
by Greg Brobeck

I'd like to start off this review by first saying it's great to be back writing reviews again after such a long absence (6 years!). I want to thank the staff for so cordially inviting me back. - Greg

Tonight: 4 Decades of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (Respond2 Entertainment, $119.99) features 56 episodes of the classic late night talk/variety show hosted by the late, great Johnny Carson for 30 years, in a beautiful 15-disc set. The episodes were hand-picked by one of the show's producers and are intended to give an overview of the best of the show's three decades on the air. This includes great comedy moments with Johnny with such memorable segments as "Tea Time Movie" and "The Great Carnac" and memorable guest appearances that really make up a "who's who" of Hollywood, including the likes of Burt Reynolds, The Muppets, Muhammed Ali, Robin Williams, David Letterman, and then-Governor Bill Clinton just to name a few.

The set includes great moments, including Don Rickles continuously interrupting Frank Sinatra to throw insults, the TV debuts of greats like Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres, and great musical performances from everyone from the Jackson Five to Bette Midler to Luciano Pavarotti. Not to mention hilarious sketches from the Mighty Carson Art Players.

I should explain, though, what this set is and what it is not. This set is not a "greatest moments" set. You will not find such things as Ed Ames throwing a tomahawk at a chalk drawing's crotch, the potato chip lady, or Johnny's last show. All of those can be found on other great DVD sets from Respond2/Carson Entertainment, and very little of those contents seem to be duplicated here. This set is a great sampling of the best shows from Johnny's 30 hears at the helm. These episodes give a great look back at what it would have been like to settle down at 11:30 p.m. to be entertained by Carson and crew.

The episode list speaks for itself on the amount of star power on this set. However, the episodes do seem to be heavily edited from their original broadcasts on NBC. The show was originally one hour and forty-five minutes, reduced to 90 minutes, and then eventually 60 minutes, meaning without commercials each show unedited should be at least 45 minutes long with older ones being even longer. Most of the episodes here on this set were edited down to around 30 minutes, unfortunately, but still include the best parts of the episodes:

Disc 1:
1. December 31, 1965 - Woody Allen, The Muppets (31:35)
2. September 23, 1971 - Della Reese, Bob Uecker (28:26)
3. May 19, 1972 - Adelle Davis, Robert Blake, Gwen Davis (33:01)
4. September 15, 1972 - Vikki Carr, Peter Falk, Albert Brooks (30:08)

Disc 2:
5. November 13, 1972 - Mayor Lindsay, Muhammad Ali, Harry Chapin (30:54)
6. September 12, 1973 - Joan Embery, Bette Midler, David Steinberg (30:10)
7. February 20, 1974 - Joan Embery, David Brenner (33:20)
8. April 9, 1974 - The Jackson 5, Jerry Van Dyke (30:15)

Disc 3:
9. September 2, 1974 - Doris Day, Rodney Dangerfield, Burt Mustin (31:19)
10. September 26, 1974 - Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Art Carney (41:15)
11. May 6, 1975 - Luciano Pavarotti, Maude Tull (26:27)
12. September 19, 1975 - Don Rickles, Robert Blake(29:40)

Disc 4:
13. September 23, 1975 - Glen Campbell, Fernando Lamas (29:48)
12. December 9, 1975 - Carol Burnett, Burt Convy, Tom Dreesen (30:18)
13. July 28, 1976 - Burt Reynolds, Robert Blake (38:56)
14. November 12, 1976 - Frank Sinatra, Don Rickles, Olivia Newton-John (29:24)

Disc 5:
17. May 4, 1977 - Chevy Chase, Richard Pryor (37:06)
18. June 14, 1977 - Alice Cooper, Jay Leno (33:05)
19. September 9, 1977 - Sid Caesar, Eubie Blake (31:24)
20. March 24, 1978 - Donna Pyle, Milton Berle (30:21)

Disc 6:
21. May 2, 1978 - Sammy Davis Jr. (30:17)
22. February 21, 1980 - Steve Landesberg, Loni Anderson (29:59)
23. September 26, 1980 - Steve Martin, The Mighty Carson Art Players (27:53)
24. November 11, 1980 - David Letterman (28:53)

Disc 7:
25. March 4, 1981 - David Brenner (31:58)
26. March 5, 1981 - Slim Whitman (29:41)
27. March 18, 1981 - Richard Benjamin, Garry Shandling (31:27)
28. May 5, 1981 - Jimmy Buffett, Thalasa Cruso (33:13)

Disc 8:
29. October 14, 1981 - Robin Williams (27:18)
30. October 28, 1981 - Lance Burton, Reba McEntire, Dick Cavett (28:33)
31. October 30, 1981 - Michael Landon (30:06)
32. November 12, 1981 - Dom DeLuise, Jerry Seinfeld, Betty White (28:12)

Disc 9:
33. November 19, 1981 - Suzanne Pleshette, Luciano Pavarotti (27:36)
34. November 25, 1981 - Kenny Rogers (27:53)
35. August 31, 1982 - Bill Maher, Joe Garagiola (24:07)
36. December 31, 1982 - Tina Turner, Joe D'Auria & Jonathan Brown (29:39)

Disc 10:
37. January 5, 1983 - Teri Garr, B.B. King (31:34)
38. May 17, 1983 - Albert Brooks, Brooke Shields (31:33)
39. September 8, 1983 - Bill Cosby, Chuck Mangione (33:00)
40. January 4, 1984 - Dabney Coleman, Paul Rodriguez (27:55)

Disc 11:
41. May 17, 1984 - Garry Shandling, Stephane Grappelli (28:29)
42. May 24, 1984 - John Denver, Michael Davis (25:53)
43. November 20, 1984 - Robert Blake, Louie Anderson (31:39)
44. November 22, 1985 - Jim Fowler, Marty Pollio, Ruben Blades (29:32)

Disc 12:
45. December 17, 1985 - Bette Midler (29:28)
46. March 27, 1986 - Billy Crystal, Buddy Rich (31:47)
47. April 18, 1986 - David Letterman (30:00)
48. June 27, 1986 - David Letterman, Judge Wapner (26:48)

Disc 13:
49. November 26, 1986 - George Carlin, Barney Odom (& Flat Nose) (28:14)
50. January 8, 1987 - Robert Goulet, Waddie Mitchell, Baxter Black (29:07)
51. May 21, 1987 - Eddie Murphy, Ellen DeGeneres (23:47)
52. July 28, 1988 - Bill Clinton, Joe Cocker (30:05)

Disc 14:
53. July 29, 1988 - Michael Landon, k.d. Lang (28:26)
54. November 23, 1989 - Lea Johnson, Tom Wilson (28:07)
55. January 18, 1990 - Joan Embery, Art Donovan (28:59)
56. April 6, 1990 - Jeff Dunham, B.B. King (32:44)

Disc 15 - Special Features:
* Rescued Gems of the 1960s (1:03:51)
* Interviews: The Guests Remember (1:10:57)

The packaging for this set is simply gorgeous. It comes in a sturdy cardboard box with a hinged lid, with the name of the set and a picture of Carson in later days with silver hair. The lid opens up to reveal four removable fold-outs that contain the discs and a booklet. Each fold-out is similar to the outside box, except the picture of Carson is from the same era as the episodes contained therein. The only complaint I have is that some of the discs overlap, meaning you have to take one out to get to another, but this can be overlooked. The booklet has a nice history of Carson and the show with some interesting photos, and a look at some of what you can expect from the set.

The menus are very simple... perhaps too simple. You get the Tonight Show logo, a picture of Johnny, and a list that simply says "Episode 1," "Episode 2," etc. You have to refer to the booklet or the fold-out to determine which episode you want to select. There is a "Play All" button on each disc. After you select your episode, you're then taken to a generic slate giving the airdate and the guests, followed by a generic intro created for this set. The episodes themselves begin with Ed McMahon shouting "Heeeere's Johnny!"

Video and audio quality seems to be good on this set for the most part, especially considering the age of these shows. The show tapes have been kept in a secret salt mine somewhere in the Midwest and the great care taken for them shows. There does seem to be some heavy compression issues with some shows, however. Some sequences seemed very pixilated on my TV screen. Audio is fine. Most of the episodes are in their proper mono sound. Stereo television was introduced in the mid-1980s, and all episodes from that point on are in their proper stereo sound. There unfortunately are no subtitles or closed captions.

The special features are quite interesting. Carson and NBC did not begin maintaining a library of the shows until 1973, so most shows from before then have been lost to time. However, some great bits have managed to survive in clip form. The first special feature is called "Rescued Gems of the 1960s" and is just that. Nearly two hours worth of classic clips from 1960s episodes either thought long lost, or that only survived as clips. The clips are separated by chapter marks. Next is "Interviews: the Guests Remember" which is an interesting piece with frequent guests Loni Anderson, David Brenner, Jim Fowler, and Baxter Black reminiscing about their memories with Carson.

I can recommend this set to pretty much any true Carson fan or to anyone who was either alive and wants to re-experience the Carson viewing experience or wants to see what it was like. The shows contained are highly enjoyable and give a great overview of Carson's three decades as host. On the other hand, I'm not sure I could recommend it to the extremely casual Carson fan who only wants a collection of Carson's most memorable moments. For that there are a number of other great DVDs out there at a less expensive price. Heeeeere's Johnny!

(4/5 stars)

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LOOKING AHEAD

Halloween weekend is less than seven days away, and we'll have few tricks and hopefully a lot of treats for you next weekend! We will have some Halloween themed reviews coming up, and, even though we have no "sweeps" standards to be held to, we have some special November sweeps style stunts coming up! Stay tuned and keep it digital!

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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