SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline Digest: The Rockford Files Reboot at NBC; Daniel Stern Fired From ABC Comedy Pilot

   Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a slow week, but we've got news of a reboot, more media merger drama, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• There was a lull for a while, but it seems reboots are hot again, and now NBC wants to reboot The Rockford Files. (Deadline)
• Following a recent arrest, Daniel Stern has been fired from the ABC pilot comedy, Do You Want Kids? (Deadline)
• It's the media merger story that never ends (or really just one big story, as Paramount constantly seems to be involved in some merger discussion somewhere), but as Netflix and Warner are trying to merge, Paramount just won't take no for an answer. (Hollywood Reporter)
• T.K. Carter, known for his role of Mike on Punky Brewster, has died. (AP News)
• In case you missed the Golden Globe Awards, we have the TV winners. (SitcomsOnline)

• The new Netflix comedy Free Bert debuts on Thursday.
• New seasons of game shows Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble (with new host Craig Ferguson) debut Thursday on The CW.
• Catchy Comedy has a binge of The Royal Family and That's My Mama tomorrow.

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

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Labels: Do You Want Kids?, Free Bert, Golden Globes, Paramount, Punky Brewster, Rockford Files, Warner Bros

Ted Season 2 Trailer Released; Remembering T.K. Carter of Punky Brewster, TV Director Tom Cherones, and Others We Recently Lost

The trailer is out! All episodes of Ted Season 2 premiere Thursday, March 5 only on Peacock. It's 1994, and senior year of high school is underway for Ted the foul-mouthed teddy bear and his best friend, likable but awkward John Bennett. Together they live in a working-class Boston home with John's parents (Matty and Susan) and cousin (Blaire). Matty is a blustering, blue-collar Bostonian who sees himself as the unequivocal boss of the house and doesn't like anyone challenging him, particularly his liberal-minded niece. Susan is kind, selfless, and almost pathologically sweet when it comes to caring for her family. Blaire is an outspoken college student who often finds herself at odds with her more traditional-minded relatives. Starring Seth MacFarlane, Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, Giorgia Whigham. 8 episodes will air.

The hit comedic prequel series to the Ted films finds us in the '90s, and Ted the bear's (Seth MacFarlane) moment of fame has passed. He's now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts with his best friend, 17-year-old John Bennett (Max Burkholder), along with John's parents, Matty and Susan (Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach) and cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham). Ted may be a lousy influence on John, but at the end of the day, he's a loyal pal who's always willing to go out on a limb for friendship. Following its January 11, 2024 launch, season one of Ted broke records as Peacock's most-watched original title and was the #1 Original Streaming Comedy in the U.S. for more than two consecutive months (per Nielsen). The series was also a global hit becoming the biggest U.S. comedy launch on Sky in the UK in 15 years.

In addition to the live-action prequel series, Peacock is expanding the Ted universe with the upcoming Ted: The Animated Series (WT), which will pick up where the Ted films left off and will feature Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Barth, Kyle Mooney, and Liz Richman voicing the roles. Both series are produced by UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, Fuzzy Door, and MRC, the latter of which also produced the original Ted films.

Actor T.K. (Thomas Kent) Carter, who starred as Mike Fulton in Punky Brewster and as Mylo Williams in Good Morning, Miss Bliss, has died. He died at his home in Duarte, California, on January 9. Mr. Carter was 69.

Carter's first starring role on television was as Shabu in the short-lived 1983 ABC sitcom Just Our Luck. Created by brothers Lawrence and Charles Gordon, it was considered a modernized version of the 1960s sitcom I Dream of Jeannie and starred Richard Gilliland as Keith Barrow, a mild-mannered TV weatherman for KPOX-TV, and Carter as a hip, fun-loving 3,000-year-old genie who is freed by Gilliland after being imprisoned in his bottle for nearly two centuries. It also starred Ellen Maxted, Rod McCary, Richard Schaal, Hamilton Camp, and Leonard Simon.

He starred as Mike Fulton in the second season (1985-1986) of the NBC sitcom Punky Brewster. Mike Fulton is a hip fourth grade elementary school teacher. He formed a close relationship with Punky and her friends, and was also portrayed as a social crusader of sorts. Carter first appeared as Mike Fulton in the final one-hour episode in Season 1, titled "Fenster Hall". It was a failed attempt to create a spin-off of Punky Brewster.

Carter starred as Mylo Williams in the 1988-1989 Disney Channel sitcom Good Morning, Miss Bliss (also known as Saved by the Bell: The Junior High Years). The series focuses on the life of junior high school teacher Miss Carrie Bliss (Hayley Mills) at John F. Kennedy Junior High in Indianapolis. Mylo Williams is a maintenance supervisor. It also starred Dennis Haskins, Joan Ryan, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Max Battimo, Dustin Diamond, Heather Hopper, and Lark Voorhies.

He starred as Clarence Hull in the 1993-1994 Fox sitcom The Sinbad Show. The series follows the life of David Bryan (Sinbad), a carefree bachelor who works as a video game designer, who becomes a single parent when he adopts two orphaned children, Zana (Erin Davis) and L.J. Beckley (Willie Norwood), who face several issues which they work through together. Clarence Hull is David's best friend and former roommate, who had to move out when the kids moved in. The cast included Nancy Williams, Hal Williams, and Salma Hayek (3 episodes in 1993).

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Good Times (2 episodes), The Jeffersons, 227, Family Matters, A Different World, Moesha, The Gregory Hines Show, The Steve Harvey Show (4 episodes), The Nanny, Everybody Hates Chris, and Love That Girl!. He had a recurring role as Cliff in five episodes of Dave in 2023.

Carter made his acting debut in a 1976 episode of Police Woman. Some of his other television credits included Quincy, M.E. (1978), The Waltons, NYPD Blue, In Justice, How to Get Away with Murder, Saints & Sinners, Stumptown, and The Company You Keep (3 episodes as Pike). He played the role of drug addicted Gary McCullough in the 2000 HBO miniseries The Corner.

He provided the voice of Alex for the 1984 ABC animated series Turbo Teen. Some of his other voice credits included Jem, The Transformers, and What a Cartoon! (3 episodes).

Carter starred as the rollerskating chef Nauls in John Carpenter's The Thing (1982). Some of his other film credits included Corvette Summer (1978), Seems Like Old Times (1980), Southern Comfort (1981), Doctor Detroit (1983), Runaway Train (1985), Ski Patrol (1989), and Space Jam (1996).

Mr. Carter was a talented and funny actor. He was known for his comedic performances in around 70 television series and films. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment that he brought us in his career. He will be greatly missed.

Emmy-winning television director and producer Tom Cherones, who worked on Seinfeld, Ellen and NewsRadio, has died. He died of complications from Alzheimer's disease at his home in Florence, Oregon, on January 5. Mr. Cherones was 86.

Cherones was best known for his work on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld, where he directed 80 of the 86 episodes of the first five seasons. For his work directing the series, he won a Directors Guild of America Award and a Primetime Emmy Award as producer in 1993. He appeared uncredited as the fictional director on the 'Jerry' set in "The Pilot" and as Man in Coffee Shop in "The Finale" in 1998.

He directed 23 episodes of Ellen from 1994 to 1995 and 57 episodes of NewsRadio from 1996 to 1999. Some of his other sitcom directing credits included My Sister Sam, Just in Time, Annie McGuire, Boston Common, Caroline in the City (9 episodes), The Faculty (3 episodes), Men Behaving Badly, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Ladies Man, Oh, Grow Up (5 episodes), and The Pitts.

Some of his producing credits included The Roller Girls (4 episodes), The Two of Us, Maggie (1982), Amanda's, Growing Pains (10 episodes), My Sister Sam (4 episodes), Just in Time (5 episodes), Annie McGuire, and Seineld (82 episodes from 1990 to 1994). He worked as a unit manager on Welcome Back, Kotter from 1976 to 1977.

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on June 6, 2011.

Mr. Cherones directed nearly 200 sitcom episodes. Several of his Seinfeld episodes are considered highlights of the series, including "The Chinese Restaurant," "The Parking arage," and "The Contest," with the latter featured in rankings of the greatest television episodes of all time. We thank him for his work on television. He will be sorely missed.

We also remember cartoonist Scott Adams. He served as executive producer and showrunner for the animated sitcom Dilbert. He died following a battle with prostate cancer at his home in Pleasanton, California, on January 13. Mr. Adams was 68.

He developed and served as executive producer and showrunner, along with Seinfeld writer Larry Charles, for the 1999-2000 animated sitcom Dilbert. The series is an adaptation of the comic strip of the same name. It follows the adventures of a middle-aged white-collar office worker, named Dilbert, who is extremely intelligent in regards to all things that fall within the boundaries of electrical engineering. It won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Main Title Design in 1999. The voice cast included Daniel Stern, Chris Elliott, Larry Miller, Gordon Hunt, Kathy Griffin, Jackie Hoffman, Jason Alexander, and Tom Kenny.

Mr. Adams received recognition for his work, including the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award and Newspaper Comic Strip Award for 1997 for his work on Dilbert. We thank him for his work on Dilbert, which he created in 1989. He will be missed.

Composer Guy Moon worked on the 2009-2013 Nickelodeon sitcom Big Time Rush. On January 8, he was hit by a vehicle while riding a scooter in Wilmington, California. He died of traumatic injuries at the scene. Mr. Moon was 63.

Moon's sitcom composer credits included Square Pegs (4 episodes), Baby Boom, The Famous Teddy Z, Man of the People, California Dreams, Movie Stars, Big Time Rush (69 episodes), Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, and 100 Things to Do Before High School.

Some of his animated composer credits included The Addams Family (1992-1993), 2 Stupid Dogs, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest, Cow and Chicken, The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, Back at the Barnyard, and Johnny Test.

Mr. Moon received four Emmy nominations for his work on The Fairly OddParents. We thank him for the music. He will be sorely missed.

Actress Marcia Rodd starred in The Dumplings, 13 Queens Boulevard, and The Four Seasons (1984). She died on December 27, 2025. Ms. Rodd was 87.

Rodd starred as Stephanie in the short-lived 1976 NBC sitcom The Dumplings. Joe (James Coco) and Angela Dumpling (Geraldine Brooks) are a very happily married and overweight couple who are very much in love with each other and with life, never have a bad thing to say about one another, and exude good cheer and enthusiasm. Stephanie is Angela's sister. The series also starred George S. Irving, George Furth, Mort Marshall, Jane Connell, and Wil Albert.

She starred as Elaine Dowling in the short-lived 1979 ABC sitcom 13 Queens Boulevard. The series was about the diverse residents of a Queens apartment complex. The major residents of the complex were Felicia and Steven Winters (Eileen Brennan and Jerry Van Dyke) who have been happily married for over 15 years. Elaine Dowling is a divorcee who was Felicia's best friend. It also starred Helen Page Camp, Susan Elliot, Louise Williams, Karen Rushmore, and Frances Lee McCain.

Rodd starred as Claudia Zimmer in the short-lived 1984 CBS sitcom The Four Seasons. The series was based on the 1981 film The Four Seasons, which was written and directed by and starred Alan Alda. It also Jack Weston, Tony Roberts, Barbara Babcock, Allan Arbus, Joanna Kerns, Beatrice Alda, Elizabeth Alda, and Lori Carrell.

Some of her sitcom guest appearances included The New Dick Van Dyke Show, All in the Family (2 episodes), Good Heavens, Phyllis, All's Fair, Maude, M*A*S*H, Archie Bunker's Place, Maggie (1981), Laverne & Shirley, Night Court (1984), Gimme a Break!, Off the Rack, Too Close for Comfort, New Love, American Style (2 episodes), Empty Nest, Open House, Doogie Howser, M.D., and Home Improvement.

She had a recurring role as E.J. Riverside in 14 episodes of Trapper John, M.D. from 1980 to 1986. She had a recurring role as Alice Kovacs in four episodes of Flamingo Road in 1981. Some of her other television credits included Medical Center (2 episodes), Barnaby Jones, Quincy, M.E. (1979), Insight (2 episodes), Bret Maverick, Lou Grant (2 episodes), Highway to Heaven (1985), Murder, She Wrote (2 episodes), 21 Jump Street (3 episodes), Hunter, Renegade, Sisters, ER, Family Law (3 episodes), Without a Trace, The Young and the Restless (2 episodes), Grey's Anatomy, and Hunters.

Rodd made her film debut in Alan Arkin's 1971 film Little Murders. She received acclaim for her role as Portland Angel in Jonathan Demme's Handle with Care (1977). She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 1973 for her performance as Maud in the musical Shelter.

Ms. Rodd was a talented and versatile actress. She played the role Maude's daughter Carol Traynor in the pilot episode of Maude. The role was eventually played by Adrienne Barbeau in the series after Rodd opted out to pursue theatre. She also played Ann's upstairs neighbor in the unsold pilot for One Day at a Time when it was called Three to Get Ready. We thank her for her work on television and in films. She will be deeply missed.

Character actor Richard Dimitri starred as the twin characters Bertram and Renaldo in When Things Were Rotten. He died in Los Angeles on December 18, 2025. Mr. Dimitri was 83.

Dimitri played the dual roles of twins Bertram and Renaldo in the short-lived 1975 ABC sitcom When Things Were Rotten. The series was created by Mel Brooks and set in 1197 as a parody of the Robin Hood legend. The series starred Dick Gautier as the handsome and heroic Robin Hood. It also starred Dick Van Patten, Bernie Kopell, Henry Polic II, Misty Rowe, David Sabin, and Ron Rifkin.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Welcome Back, Kotter (1976), Trying Times, and Hearts Afire. He starred as Frank Topo in the 1977 NBC miniseries Seventh Avenue. Some of his other television credits included Starsky and Hutch, Hawaii Five-O (3 episodes in 1978 and 1979), and Tenspeed and Brown Shoe.

He starred as Troy Lassiter in The World's Greatest Lover (1977), as Roman Troy Moronie in Johnny Dangerously (1984), and as Tony Cheeseburger in Let It Ride (1989).

Mr. Dimitri was a talented character actor. He later worked as an art and antiques dealer. He will be greatly missed.

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

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Labels: Obits, Peacock, Punky Brewster, Seinfeld, Ted

Remembering Bob Uecker of Mr. Belvedere, Punky Brewster Creator David W. Duclon, and Others We Recently Lost

Hall of Fame broadcaster, professional baseball catcher, and actor Bob Uecker, who starred as George Owens in Mr. Belvedere, has died. He died in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, on January 16. He was diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer in 2023. Mr. Uecker was 90.

Uecker starred as sportswriter George Owens in the 1985-1990 ABC sitcom Mr. Belvedere. The series is based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel Belvedere, which was later adapted into the 1948 film Sitting Pretty. The series follows posh English butler Lynn Belvedere (Christopher Hewett) as he struggles to adapt to the Owens household in suburban Pittsburgh. It also starred Ilene Graff, Rob Stone, Tracy Wells, and Brice Beckham.

He appeared as himself in episodes of Who's the Boss? in 1986, D.C. Follies in 1987, and LateLine in 1998. In 2002, he was the voice of the "head of Bob Uecker" in the Futurama episode "A Leela of Her Own". He voiced a parody of himself named Bob Yucker in an episode of the 2021 Disney+ series Monsters at Work.

Uecker hosted two syndicated television shows, Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports and Bob Uecker's War of the Stars. He hosted Saturday Night Live during its 10th season on October 13, 1984. He was a ring announcer for Wrestlemania III (1987) and the ringside announcer, commentator, and interviewer at WrestleMania IV (1988).

He became a regular fixture on late night talk shows in the 1970s and 1980s, facetiously dubbed "Mr. Baseball" by TV talk show host Johnny Carson. He made more than 60 appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Uecker appeared in a series of Miller Lite commercials starting in the 1980s. In one commercial from that decade, Uecker was seen preparing to watch a baseball game when an usher informs him he is in the wrong seat. Uecker pompously remarks, "I must be in the front row", which became another of his catchphrases.

He starred as play-by-play announcer Harry Doyle in the film Major League (1989) and its two sequels, Major League II (1994) and Major League: Back to the Minors (1998). He coined the popular sports catchphrase "Juuust a bit outside", to downplay an extremely wild pitch from Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn (played by Charlie Sheen).

Uecker played backup catcher for the Milwaukee Braves (1962-1963), St. Louis Cardinals (1964-1965), Philadelphia Phillies (1966-1967), and Atlanta Braves (1967) for six seasons from 1962 to 1967. He won a World Series with the Cardinals in 1964.

He served as the primary broadcaster for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB) for 54 seasons from 1971 to 2024. He called games for ABC in the 1970s and early 1980s and NBC in the 1990s. He was honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame with its 2003 Ford C. Frick Award in recognition of his broadcasting career.

Mr. Uecker was a national treasure. He was a comedic genius with his self-deprecating wit and deadpan delivery. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment that he brought us during his legendary career. Mr. Baseball will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Mr. Belvedere message board. View photos in our galleries.

Television writer and producer David W. Duclon, who created Punky Brewster, has died. He died in Franklin, Illinois, on January 15, after a long illness. Mr. Duclon was 74.

Duclon created the 1984-1986 NBC and 1987-1988 first-run syndicated sitcom Punky Brewster. The series is about a young girl (Soleil Moon Frye) being raised by a foster parent (George Gaynes) in Chicago. The cast included Cherie Johnson, Susie Garrett, Ami Foster, Casey Ellison (seasons 1-2, guest star season 3), Eddie Deezen (season 1), Dody Goodman (season 1), and T.K. Carter (season 2). He was the maternal uncle of Cherie Johnson.

He served as an executive producer for the 1984-1988 series and the 2021 Peacock revival. He directed four episodes of the original series in 1987. He provided the voice of Spirit Voice in a 1988 episode.

Duclon developed the 1979 CBS sitcom Working Stiffs, which starred James Belushi and Michael Keaton. He developed the 1982-1986 NBC and 1986-1987 first-run syndicated sitcom Silver Spoons with Ron Leavitt and Michael G. Moye. Duclon, Robert Illes, and James R. Stein created the 1984-1985 NBC sitcom Double Trouble. He and Gary Menteer creted the 1987-1988 Fox sitcom Second Chance (later retitled Boys Will Be Boys), which starred Matthew Perry. He created the 1994-1995 ABC sicom On Our Own.

Some of his other sitcom writing credits included The Odd Couple (4 episodes), Happy Days (2 episodes), Busting Loose (4 episodes), Laverne & Shirley (4 episodes), Makin' It, Working Stiffs (9 episodes), The Jeffersons (8 episodes), Diff'rent Strokes, Silver Spoons, Built to Last (2 episodes), Family Matters (27 episodes), Malcolm & Eddie (4 episodes, also 1 episode as a director), Yes, Dear (2002), and Eve (5 episodes).

Some of his sitcom producing credits included The Ted Knight Show, Makin' It, Working Stiffs, Laverne & Shirley, The Jeffersons, Silver Spoons, Second Chance/Boys Will Be Boys, On Our Own (1994-1995), Family Matters, Guys Like Us, Malcolm & Eddie, and Eve.

As an actor, he appeared in three episodes of The Odd Couple and a 1976 episode of Laverne & Shirley.

Mr. Duclon was a prolific sitcom writer and producer from the 1970s to 1990s. We thank him for his work creating, writing, directing and producing many sitcoms. He will be missed.

We also remember filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor David Lynch. He co-created Twin Peaks and the short-lived 1992 ABC sitcom On the Air. He died at his daughter's home in Los Angeles on January 16. His death certificate, publicly reported in February 2025, concluded that the immediate cause of death was cardiac arrest, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cited as the underlying cause. Dehydration was also mentioned as a significant contributor. Mr. Lynch was 78.

Lynch and Mark Frost created the 1990-91 ABC surrealist mystery-horror drama Twin Peaks. He was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. He co-wrote and directed its film prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), and a third season on Showtime in 2017. He directed six episodes of the original series and all 18 episodes the reivival series. He also portrayed FBI agent Gordon Cole in both series.

Lynch and Frost created the short-lived 1992 ABC sitcom On the Air. The series follows the staff of a fictional 1950s television network, Zoblotnick Broadcasting Company (ZBC), as they produce a live variety program called The Lester Guy Show—often with disastrous results. Lynch directed the pilot episode. ABC aired only three of the seven episodes filmed, but the first and only season was broadcast in its entirety in the United Kingdom and several other European countries. The series starred Ian Buchanan, Nancye Ferguson, Miguel Ferrer, Gary Grossman, Mel Johnson Jr., Marvin Kaplan, David L. Lander, Kim McGuire, Marla Rubinoff, and Tracey Walter.

He provided the voice of Gus the Bartender in 23 episodes of the Fox animated sitcom The Cleveland Show from 2010 to 2013. He voiced Gus in a 2010 episode of Family Guy and himself in a 2016 episode. In 2012, he appeared as Jack Dahl in the three-part "Late Show" arc on FX's comedy-drama Louie.

Some of his film directing credits included Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Dune (1984), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild at Heart (1990), Lost Highway (1997), The Straight Story (1999), Mulholland Drive (2001), and Inland Empire (2006).

Mr. Lynch was awarded numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival in 2006 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2019. We thank him for his work on television and in films. He will be sorely missed.

Actress Leslie Charleson was best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine in the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital. She died in Los Angeles on January 12. She had experienced several falls, which caused problems with her mobility, and had been hospitalized from one of them the week before her death. Her death certificate, publicly reported in February 2025, concluded that the immediate cause of death was sequelae of blunt head trauma, which was the result of a previous head injury. Ms. Charleson was 79.

Charleson's career began on the short-lived ABC daytime soap opera A Flame in the Wind in 1964. In 1966, she joined the cast of As the World Turns as Alice Whipple. She starred as Iris Donnelly Garrison in the CBS daytime soap opera Love Is a Many Splendored Thing from 1967 to 1970.

She joined the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital in 1977. She was a series regular from 1977 to 2010 before becoming a recurring cast member from 2010 to 2023. For her role, she received four Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series nominations: in 1980, 1982, 1983 and 1995. She appeared as Monica Quartermaine in 27 episodes of Port Charles from 1997 to 2001.

Charleson guest starred as Mrs. Dorothy Kimber in the 1975 episode of Happy Days titled "Get a Job". She played Katherine in a 2001 episode of Dharma & Greg. She appeared as herself in a 2004 episode of Friends.

Some of her other television guest appearances included N.Y.P.D., The Wild Wild West, Mannix, Adam-12, O'Hara, U.S. Treasury (1972), Search, The Rookies, Emergency!, Medical Center, Ironside, The F.B.I., Marcus Welby, M.D. (2 episodes), Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (2 episodes), Kung Fu, Medical Story, Cannon (3 episodes), Barnaby Jones, The Streets of San Francisco (2 episodes), McMillan & Wife, The Rockford Files (2 episodes), and Diagnosis: Murder.

Ms. Charleson was the longest-serving cast member of General Hospital. We thank her for her work on television. She will be deeply missed.

Actor Robert Machray had a recurring role as Captain Dobbins in Cheers. He died of complications from dementia and two strokes at his home in North Hollywood, California, on January 12. Mr. Machray was 79.

Machray appeared as Captain Dobbins in four episodes of the NBC sitcom Cheers from 1990 to 1993. Captain Dobbins is a fire marshal who is often the victim of pranks at Cheers. He appeared in several "Bar Wars" episodes, in which the Cheers gang thought he was an agent of Gary's Olde Town Tavern, only to be proved wrong.

He had a recurring role as Magistrate in three episodes of the short-lived 1999 CBS sitcom Thanks. Some of his other sitcom credits included Operation Petticoat, Three's Company, Down Home, Roseanne, Love & War, Sister, Sister (1995), Maybe This Time, Suddenly Susan, Townies, The Drew Carey Show, Titus, That's My Bush!, Girlfriends, Kitchen Confidenial, and Parks and Recreation.

Mr. Machray was a familiar face in many sitcoms. We thank for his work on television. He will be missed.

Character actress Gwen Van Dam guest starred in many sitcoms. She died in West Los Angeles on December 19, 2024. Ms. Van Dam was 96.

She played Mrs. Watson in the 1971 episode of The Brady Bunch titled "Her Sister's Shadow". Some of her other sitcom credits included Maude, House Calls, Who's the Boss?, 227, Doogie Howser, M.D. (1991), 227, Bakersfield P.D., Malibu, CA (1999), Joey, Wilfred, The League, New Girl, Angie Tribeca, Modern Family, Workaholics, Insecure, and Grace and Frankie. Her final appearances were two episodes as Hazel Carrey in the 2024 Hulu action comedy Interior Chinatown.

Ms. Van Dam was a veteran character actress for 70 years. She had 140 television and film credits during her career. We thank her for work on television. She will be deeply missed.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:45 PM

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Labels: Cheers, Family Matters, Mr. Belvedere, Obits, Punky Brewster, Silver Spoons

NBCUniversal to Launch FAST Channels, Sitcoms & More; Tracy Morgan's Max Special Debuts Aug. 17

NBCUniversal announced new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) linear content offerings from across the NBCU Television & Streaming portfolio and NBCUniversal Global Distribution library. For the first time ever, viewers can access programming across all NBCUniversal genres centered on popular titles and categories available anytime at no additional cost. Curated with content from past seasons of iconic series including Saturday Night Live, The Real Housewives franchises, Top Chef, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, along with hit library television series including Little House on the Prairie, Murder, She Wrote and Saved by the Bell, along with genre-based sitcoms, action, crime, westerns, and monster movie content will also launch as dedicated FAST channels.

NBCUniversal has inked agreements with Amazon Freevee and Xumo Play for the entire FAST content portfolio. Xumo Enterprise, the business-to-business arm of Xumo that provides content owners, distributors and advertisers with tools and services to succeed in FAST, will power the distribution of NBCUniversal's new FAST channels on third party services starting with Amazon Freevee. With the new launches, NBCUniversal is adding to its industry leading lineup of current channels including Dateline 24/7, NBC News NOW, and Local NBC and Telemundo news stations. The new entertainment, news, sports, and Spanish Language FAST channels include: Bravo Vault, E! Keeping Up, Million Dollar Listing Vault, Oxygen True Crime Archives, Real Housewives Vault, SNL Vault, Top Chef Vault, News, Sports, Telemundo Channels, Rotten Tomatoes, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bad Girls Club, Lassie, Little House on the Prairie, Murder, She Wrote, Saved by the Bell, TNBC (Punky Brewster, City Guys, Hang Time, Major Dad and more), The Lone Ranger, Universal Action (Magnum P.I., Knight Rider, The A-Team and many others), Universal Crime (Columbo, Kojak, The Rockford Files and more), Universal Westerns (The Virginian, Tales of Wells Fargo among many others), and Universal Monsters (movies). These channels join NBCUniversal’s lineup of previously announced FAST channels including NBC News NOW, TODAY All Day, Dateline 24/7, LX, NBC and Telemundo Local Stations, and Sky News International. Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service, also has a robust FAST channels offering featuring content from across the company's portfolio.

The Max Original stand-up comedy special Tracy Morgan: Takin' It Too Far debuts Thursday, August 17 on Max. Two-time Emmy®-nominated actor and comedian Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, The Last O.G.) leaves it all on the stage in his first Max stand-up special taped live from the Wilbur Theater in Boston, Massachusetts. Grateful and hyped, the comedian owns his set and unabashedly tackling topics such as dating in his 50s (along with the unexpected side effects that comes with it), his dysfunctional family, attempting to reverse gentrification in Brooklyn, and the very public 2014 car accident that left him with multiple broken bones, a traumatic brain injury, and a substantial settlement. Executive produced by Emmy and GRAMMY® winner Rikki Hughes, Tracy Moran: Takin' It Too Far showcases a seasoned comedy veteran in his most edgy and fearless special yet.

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

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Labels: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, City Guys, Hang Time, Lassie, Little House on the Prairie, Major Dad, Max, Murder She Wrote, NBC, Punky Brewster, Saturday Night Live, Saved by the Bell

SitcomsOnline Digest: Peacock Cancels Punky Brewster Reboot; The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet Arrives on DVD from Time Life

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're learning about the cancellation of a Peacock reboot of a classic series, DVDs of a classic sitcom, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Peacock has cancelled Punky Brewster after just one season. (Yahoo! News)
• After years of hearing it was coming and a Kickstarter, there is finally some progress on DVDs for The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, with a 100 episode collection now available from Time Life (but it's not cheap). (Time Life)
  
• Anthony Anderson is talking about the end black-ish and more to Deadline. (Deadline)
• In part 3 of our ongoing saga of how nobody wants Mike Richards as host of Jeopardy!, he is now out before he could even start, and Hollywood could not be more thrilled. (Deadline)
  
• Lifetime's updated take on Highway to Heaven has a premiere date set. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (AUGUST 21 - AUGUST 27)

• Season 12 of Archer debuts on Wednesday on FXX.
  
• Decades has a binge of The Love Boat this weekend.
  
• ABC's latest Superstars episode focuses on John Ritter on Wednesday at 10pm.
  

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

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Labels: black-ish, Jeopardy, Ozzie and Harriet, Punky Brewster, SitcomsOnline Digest, Time Life

78th Golden Globe Winners; Soleil Moon Frye Hulu Documentary Premieres March 12

The 78th Golden Globes took place last night (February 28), coast to coast from 5 pm to 8 pm PT/8-11 ET on NBC. The event was hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, returning for the fourth time, after hosting in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Fey and Poehler shared duties from their respective cities, with Fey on the East Coast and Poehler on the West Coast. Fey was live from New York’s Rainbow Room, while Poehler was live from the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, and nominees, from various locations around the world. The big television winners were from Schitt's Creek in comedy and The Crown for drama. Best Television Actor in a Comedy was not for Schitt's Creek though, as Jason Sudeikis took it for Ted Lasso. See the full list of winners.

As a teenager in the 90s, Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster, Sabrina the Teenage Witch) carried a video camera everywhere she went documenting her group of friends as they grew up in Hollywood and New York City. Now you can see footage exclusively on Hulu 3/12 in the new documentary kid 90. Soleil Moon Frye will share what it was like as a teenager in the '90s carrying a video camera everywhere she went. She has documented hundreds of hours of footage and has opened the vault and presenting a true time capsule of a group of friends growing up in Hollywood and New York City in the '90s, balancing childhood and fame pre-internet and social media explosion. David Arquette, Balthazar Getty, Brian Austin Green, Stephen Dorff, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Harold Hunter, Justin Pierce, Danny Boy O'Connor, Jenny Lewis and Jonathan Brandis appear in the film. This documentary takes place after Punky Brewster ended and before she appeared on Sabrina.

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

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Labels: Golden Globes, Hulu, Punky Brewster, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Schitt's Creek, Ted Lasso

Punky Brewster Gets WWE Stars; DuckTales to End with 90-Minute Series Finale

WWE Superstars Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair are set to guest star on an episode of Peacock's Punky Brewster, from UCP and Universal Television, divisions of Universal Studio Group. The new and highly-anticipated Punky Brewster series will premiere on Peacock on Thursday, February 25. In the episode, Punky (Soleil Moon Frye) takes Izzy (Quinn Copeland) to meet two of her favorite WWE Superstars. Beginning this March, Peacock will be the new home of WWE Network. In this continuation of the iconic 80s sitcom about a bright young girl raised by a foster dad, Punky is now a single mother of three trying to get her life back on track when she meets Izzy, a young girl in the foster system who reminds Punky a lot of her younger self. Soleil Moon Frye (Punky) and Cherie Johnson (Cherie) will reprise their original roles. The series also stars Freddie Prinze Jr. (Travis, Punky's ex-husband), Quinn Copeland (Izzy), Noah Cottrell (Diego), Oliver De Los Santos (Daniel), and Lauren Lindsey Donzis (Hannah).

Disney's critically acclaimed DuckTales will solve some mysteries and rewrite history with an epic 90-minute series finale special Monday, March 15, (7:00 p.m. EDT/PDT), on Disney XD and ungated in DisneyNOW. Executive produced by Matt Youngberg and co-executive produced by Francisco Angones, the Emmy® Award-nominated DuckTales team wrapped production after 75 episodes and more than 15 shorts. The series continues to be available on Disney Channels and Disney+ around the world. In the U.S., the series is the #1 ratings driver on Disney XD and has reached over 234 million views on social media and YouTube since its launch in 2017. Culminating in a memorable, dramatic reading of the iconic DuckTales main title song, the cast met one final time via Zoom during the recent holiday season—David Tennant ("Scrooge McDuck"), Danny Pudi ("Huey"), Ben Schwartz ("Dewey"), Bobby Moynihan ("Louie"), Kate Micucci ("Webby Vanderquack"), Beck Bennett ("Launchpad McQuack"), Toks Olagundoye ("Mrs. Beakley") and Paget Brewster ("Della Duck").

In the finale titled "The Last Adventure!," the future of adventuring hangs in the balance as the Duck family uncovers earth-shattering secrets in a final standoff with the Fiendish Organization for World Larceny (F.O.W.L.). Returning guest voices include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Giancarlo Esposito, Julie Bowen, Jaime Camil, Jameela Jamil, Catherine Tate, Stephanie Beatriz, Paul F. Tompkins, Jim Rash, Margo Martindale, Jason Mantzoukas, John Hodgman, Retta, Kimiko Glenn, Libe Barer, Jaleel White and Amy Sedaris. Noël Wells and Riki Lindhome guest star as sisters, June and May, respectively. The DuckTales series finale special will encore non-stop for 24 hours following its premiere. Leading up to the finale, Disney XD will debut new episodes every Monday beginning Feb. 22 (7:00 p.m. EST/PST) and will present a week-long DuckTales marathon of every aired episode beginning Monday, March 8 (7:30 p.m. EST/PST). In addition, three new "Chibi Tiny Tales" shorts, featuring Chibi-style versions of favorite DuckTales characters, will roll out beginning Friday, Feb. 26, on Disney XD, DisneyNOW and Disney Channel YouTube.

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

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Labels: Disney XD, DuckTales, Peacock, Punky Brewster

SitcomsOnline Digest: More Guest Hosts Lined Up for Jeopardy; Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Reboot?

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we are hearing about new guest hosts for Jeopardy!, a reboot of a show that has mosty been forgotten, and more. Let's get going! 

• More guest hosts are lined up for Jeopardy!, including Anderson Cooper, Savannah Guthrie, and Dr. Oz. (CBS News) 
• Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman may have not been the most memorable show out there, but it looks like a reboot may be in the works. (Variety) 
• A trailer for the Punky Brewster reboot has been released. (Deadline)
• Lou Dobbs has been the highest rated talent for Fox Business, but he's now out of a job. (CNN)
• Is a companion network for Antenna TV in the works? Maybe... (SitcomsOnline)  

WEEKLY PLANNER (FEBRUARY 6 - FEBRUARY 12)

• The Equalizer (a reboot of it, anyway) debuts after the Super Bowl on Sunday night on CBS.
• Don't care about football? There is a Puppy Bowl and a Kitten Bowl as an alternative.
• E! has a marathon of Saved by the Bell all weekend long.
• Decades has an Early Edition binge this weekend.

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

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Labels: Antenna TV, Jeopardy, Mary Hartman, Punky Brewster, SitcomsOnline Digest

New Punky Brewster Series Drops Feb. 25 on Peacock; Solar Opposites Returns for 2nd Season on Hulu March 26

The new and highly-anticipated Punky Brewster sitcom will premiere on Peacock on Thursday, February 25, 2021. All ten episodes will drop at once. In this continuation of the iconic 80s sitcom about a bright young girl raised by a foster dad, Punky is now a single mother of three trying to get her life back on track when she meets Izzy, a young girl in the foster system who reminds Punky a lot of her younger self. Soleil Moon Frye (Punky) and Cherie Johnson (Cherie) will reprise their original roles. The series also stars Freddie Prinze Jr. (Travis, Punky's ex-husband), Quinn Copeland (Izzy), Noah Cottrell (Diego), Oliver De Los Santos (Daniel), and Lauren Lindsey Donzis (Hannah). All episodes of the original Punky Brewster, which ran for four season from 1984-88, are streaming now on Peacock. From UCP and Universal Television, divisions of Universal Studio Group, the new Punky Brewster is written and executive produced by Steve and Jim Armogida (School of Rock, Grounded For Life). Frye serves as executive producer alongside original series creator David Duclon (Punky Brewster, Family Matters, Silver Spoons) and Emmy-winning producer Jimmy Fox (The Arrangement, United Shades of America) of Main Event Media, an All3Media America company.

Adult animated comedy series Solar Opposites returns for a second season with 8 all-new episodes on March 26, only on Hulu. Co-created by Justin Roiland (Rick & Morty) and Mike McMahan (ex-writer's assistant on Rick & Morty), Solar Opposites centers around a team of four aliens who escape their exploding home world only to crash land into a move-in ready home in suburban America. They are evenly split on whether Earth is awful or awesome. Korvo (Justin Roiland) and Yumyulack (Sean Giambrone) only see the pollution, crass consumerism, and human frailty while Terry (Thomas Middleditch) and Jesse (Mary Mack) love humans and all their TV, junk food and fun stuff. Their mission: protect the Pupa, a living super computer that will one day evolve into its true form, consume them and terraform the Earth. On season two of Solar Opposites, the Solar Opposites take it bigger, funnier, and more opposite than ever before. The series stars Justin Roiland, Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone and Mary Mack.

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

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Labels: Hulu, NBC, Peacock, Punky Brewster, Solar Opposites

SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailers for Punky Brewster and Saved by the Bell Reboots Released; Party of Five Reboot Canceled

• In case you missed it, Peacock (which launched this week for Comcast subscribers but will come later for the rest of us) released trailers of some of their new series that will be launching in the upcoming months, including their reboots of Punky Brewster and Saved by the Bell. (Deadline)
• Despite it being in development for what seemed like an eternity, the party is over for the Party of Five reboot after just one season. (Vulture) 
• There are more "Stars in the House" reunion specials with casts from Dallas, China Beach, Pop's One Day at a Time, and more, which you can see here. (Deadline)
• Saul Turteltaub, who had writing and producing credits for series including Sanford & Son, What's Happening!!, Kate & Allie, and That Girl, among others, has died at age 87. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Actor Brian Dennehy has died at age 81. (CNN)
• Netflix is releasing the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt interactive special next month. (SitcomsOnline)

• Antenna TV has a binge of It's a Living today, and Wings tomorrow.
• Decades has a binge of Father Dowling Mysteries this weekend.
• The final episode of Will & Grace airs Thursday night on NBC.

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

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Labels: Party of Five, Peacock, Punky Brewster, Saved by the Bell, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: Punky Brewster Reboot Officially a Go; Freeform Renews Pair of Series

• It's official: Punky Brewster is being rebooted. (Rolling Stone)
• Grown-ish and Good Trouble have been renewed for another season. (Deadline) 
• For those who were watching scripted series on Facebook Watch (and we're not sure that many were), it looks like they're moving away from those. (Variety)
• The Brady Bunch cast seems to be primed to be the next big stars of HGTV, as Maureen McCormick has now been named as the host of a new series there. (Deadline)
• It looks like we may not be hearing Hank Azaria as Apu telling us "thank you come again" anymore. (BBC)  
• WGN America is bringing back the news (they previously aired a simulcast of the Chicago newscast) with a three hour nightly national newscast that will air from 7-10 every night. (WGN)
• American Dad! is getting two more seasons on TBS. (SitcomsOnline)
• NBC is getting ready to launch their Peacock streaming service, and now we know what the plans will look like. (SitcomsOnline)

• This weekend on Decades is a binge marathon of The Rookies.
• Antenna TV celebrates the anniversary of Barney Miller on Thursday.
• Carter returns to WGN for a second season on Monday.
  

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

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Labels: American Dad, Brady Bunch, Good Trouble, grown-ish, Punky Brewster, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Rookies

Fri-Yay: Sitcoms in 2020; Peacock Streaming Services Programming Update

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

As we enter a new decade, it's reasonable to ask: what direction are sitcoms headed in? The last few years of the 2010s saw the end of many long-running and beloved comedy series. This year we will see more sitcoms ending, such as The Good Place, BoJack Horseman and Modern Family. It might be the end of an era in many ways, but here’s a few notable events coming up this year that I'm looking forward to.

1. The finales of BoJack Horseman and The Good Place. As sad as I am to lose two of my favorite shows on TV, if there's any shoes that I think could pull off an amazing ending, it's these two. These shows are not only extremely funny, but their plotting and character development was out of this world. I'm really interested to see where they go next.

2. One Day at a Time's debut on Pop TV. We've seen plenty of examples of TV sitcoms going to streaming services - but this will be the first time seeing the reverse happening. One Day at a Time always felt a little out of place on Netflix and more like it would be at home on old-fashioned TV anyway - let's see if it’s still the extremely funny, thoughtful and lovable series when it moves to cable this March.

3. AP Bio's move to NBC's Peacock (more news on this below). I liked but didn't love AP Bio on NBC, and felt like it never quite lived up to its potential. I'm interested to see if the series can take off to the level I know it’s capable of on its new home without as much network influence. It hasn't always worked that way when sitcoms move to streaming networks, but maybe this will work out for the show.

4. The new Ted Danson series being directed by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock on NBC. As a 30 Rock super fan I'm really excited for this, especially given how good Danson was on The Good Place.

These are just some of the most exciting sitcom events I'm pumped for this year. I'm really interested to see what else this year has in store for sitcoms!

At a Comcast investor presentation held in the iconic Studio 8H of 30 Rock, NBCUniversal unveiled Peacock, a free premium ad-supported streaming service with subscription tiers offering more than 600 movies and 400 series, as well as compelling live and on-demand content across news, sports, late night, and reality. From world-class originals and treasured hits, to blockbuster films and streaming channels, Peacock will offer consumers everything fans love to watch, all in one place. Xfinity X1 and Flex customers will have early bird access to Peacock Premium starting April 15. And beginning July 15, taking full advantage of the massive promotional opportunity of the Tokyo Olympics, Peacock Free and Peacock Premium will be available nationally on popular web, mobile and connected-TV devices. The company expects to reach 30-35 million active accounts by 2024.

Taking a different strategic approach, the company announced a tiered offering that gives consumers broad access to Peacock across web, mobile and connected-TV devices:

· Peacock Free: This free, ad-supported option will provide fans everywhere with more than 7,500 hours of programming. Peacock Free includes next day access to current seasons of freshman broadcast series, complete classic series, popular movies, curated daily news and sports programming including the Olympics, Spanish-language content, select episodes of marquee Peacock originals and tent-pole series, as well as curated Peacock streaming genre channels such as "SNL Vault," "Family Movie Night" and "Olympic Profiles."

· Peacock Premium: Bundled at no additional cost to 24 million Comcast and Cox subscribers, this ad-supported option will additionally include full season Peacock originals and tent-pole series, next day access to current seasons of returning broadcast series, early access to late night talk shows, and additional sports - such as the Premier League - totaling more than 15,000 hours of content. Also available for $4.99 per month on all popular connected mobile and web devices for non-bundled customers.

Peacock will stream the ratings juggernaut brands from Dick Wolf's Wolf Entertainment, including Law and Order, Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med. These dramas are consistently among the top-rated shows on television and among the most-streamed shows across platforms. Peacock will also stream Paramount Network hit series Yellowstone, the record-breaking drama, licensed from ViacomCBS. Yellowstone is co-created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, and is co-produced by David Glasser's 101 Studios. Additionally, Two and a Half Men and The George Lopez Show from Warner Brothers were announced. As previously announced, Peacock will offer some of the most popular NBC and classic TV series of all time, including 30 Rock, The A-Team, Battlestar Galactica, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cheers, Covert Affairs, Crossing Jordan, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, Friday Night Lights, House, Jeff Foxworthy Show, King of Queens, Leave it to Beaver, Magnum P.I., Married... With Children, Miami Vice, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, Psych, Roseanne, Saturday Night Live, Saved by the Bell, Superstore and Will & Grace. Peacock will feature a library of top kids shows that range from new friends to characters beloved for generations including Care Bears, Curious George library, He-Man & Masters of the Universe, Punky Brewster (Animated), Sabrina the Teenage Witch, She-Ra and Woody Woodpecker.

Additional newly announced Peacock originals include Tina Fey-produced original series Girls5Eva, about a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 90's that reunites to give their pop star dreams one more shot; international series from NBCUniversal International Studios, including drama thriller The Capture, fresh off its rating success on the BBC in the UK, and comedy Lady Parts, launching on Channel 4 in the U.K., as well as three highly anticipated new comedies from Sky Studios: Intelligence starring David Schwimmer, Code 404 and Hitmen; a racing series from Dale Earnhardt Jr.; and a behind-the-scenes documentary series that follows USA Basketball superstars on their journey to Tokyo, produced in partnership with the NBA. Previously announced Peacock scripted originals include comedies such as Rutherford Falls, Saved by the Bell, A.P. Bio, Punky Brewster and the movie spinoff Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, as well as dramas Dr. Death, Battlestar Galactica, Brave New World, Angelyne and Armas de Mujer.

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

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Labels: AP Bio, Fri-Yay, George Lopez, NBC, Peacock, Punky Brewster, Saved by the Bell, Two and a Half Men

SitcomsOnline Digest: Casting in Place for Punky Brewster Reboot; Happy Days Cartoon Spinoffs to Arrive on DVD

• Casting has been rounded out for the Peacock reboot of Punky Brewster. (Deadline)
• South Park hasn't given up on mocking China at all. (Deadline)
• Speaking of South Park, HBO Max has gotten the prized streaming rights to the series, for $500 million. (Engadget)
• If you remember the 90s, then you remember the game Minesweeper. Now it's being considered for a game show format. (Deadline)
• Bernard Slade, who created The Partridge Family and was a key figure in many classic sitcoms from Screen Gems in the 60s and 70s, has died at age 89. (New York Times)
• ABC has picked up full seasons of some of their series. (SitcomsOnline)  

• TVShowsOnDVD has reported that a pair of animated spinoffs of Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley are coming to DVD in MOD form, with The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang and Laverne & Shirley in the Army set for release on Tuesday. Neither seem to be available to order just yet.

• Decades is celebrating Carl Reiner (who will be accepting an award from The Paley Center for Media in a few weeks) this weekend as they present some of his work on The Dick Van Dyke Show as well as other shows.
• This sort of slipped past us last week, but TV One is bringing back part of TGIF as they are now airing Family Matters every Friday night at 8, before it settles into a regular daily timeslot on November 11.
• ABC has The Little Mermaid Live! on Tuesday night.
• It isn't exactly as Christmas-y as what Hallmark and Lifetime have going on, but Freeform has started their Kickoff to Christmas, which will lead in to the more Christmas-y 25 Days of Christmas programming.

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

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Labels: Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Peacock, Punky Brewster, South Park

SitcomsOnline Digest: Cherie Johnson to Reprise Role in Punky Brewster Sequel; Pop TV Renews Florida Girls

• Cherie Johnson has been cast to reprise her role in the Punky Brewster sequel. (Deadline)
• Florida Girls has been renewed for a second season by Pop TV. (Deadline) 
• Diahann Carroll, who made history twice with her roles on Julia and later Dynasty, has died at age 84. (Hollywood Reporter)
• The competition is on with Netflix and Disney, as Disney has now banned Netflix ads for their networks. (The Verge)
• LMN has 25 new movies on the way this fall. (SitcomsOnline)  

• Another full week of season premieres is coming, as series on The CW (which tends to start their fall season a bit later) kick off many of their new seasons throughout this week.
• The newest version of Kids Say the Darnedest Things comes to ABC tomorrow night.
• Nickelodeon reboots Are You Afraid of the Dark? on Friday night.
• Decades has a weekend full of Movin' On.

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

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Labels: Dynasty, Florida Girls, Julia, Punky Brewster, SitcomsOnline Digest

NBC Streaming Service Peacock Sets Reboots of Saved by the Bell & Punky Brewster; The Big Bang Theory Coming to HBO Max, While TBS Renews Through 2028

NBCUniversal announced "Peacock" (www.peacocktv.com) as the name for its new streaming service. Peacock is a nod to NBC's iconic logo and NBCUniversal's rich legacy of creating beloved films, TV series, characters and franchises that have been at the epicenter of pop culture and will continue to define the future of entertainment. Peacock will deliver a world-class slate of originals while also offering treasured hits from the vaults of NBC, including The Office and Parks and Recreation, two of the most-watched streaming series. The service will also feature blockbusters and critically-acclaimed films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination and Hollywood's biggest studios. In addition, Peacock will tap into NBCUniversal's unmatched ability to deliver a broad range of compelling topical content across news, sports, late-night and reality.

Peacock rolls out in April of 2020 with over 15,000 hours of content and takes center stage at the end of July during the 2020 Summer Olympics. As previously announced, Peacock will be both advertising and subscription supported. Details on pricing and distribution will be announced closer to launch. The platform's new original comedies include Rutherford Falls, co-created by Emmy and Peabody Award-winner Mike Schur, Ed Helms, and Sierra Teller Ornelas, and starring Ed Helms; Straight Talk, from Emmy(R) Award nominee Rashida Jones and NAACP Image Award(R) winner Jada Pinkett Smith; reboots of two beloved series - Saved By the Bell, from Emmy(R) Award winner Tracey Wigfield (30 Rock), featuring original cast members including Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez, and Punky Brewster, starring Soleil Moon Frye as a grown-up version of her former character; an all-new season of A.P.Bio, starring Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt; and the second movie spinoff from the long-running series Psych. And drama wise, a reboot of the critically acclaimed and award-winning Battlestar Galactica, from Golden Globe(R) winner and Emmy-nominated Mr. Robot and Homecoming EP Sam Esmail.

In addition to the exclusive streaming rights to the beloved NBC sitcoms The Office and Parks and Recreation, some of the most popular NBC and classic TV series of all time will be available on Peacock, including 30 Rock, Bates Motel, Battlestar Galactica, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cheers, Chrisley Knows Best, Covert Affairs, Downton Abbey, Everyone Loves Raymond, Frasier, Friday Night Lights, House, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, King Of Queens, Married... With Children, Monk, Parenthood, Psych, Royal Pains, Saturday Night Live, Superstore, The Real Housewives, Top Chef and Will & Grace.

HBO Max, the upcoming streaming platform from WarnerMedia set to launch in the spring of 2020, has secured the first-ever U.S. streaming rights to all 12 seasons of the massive comedy hit, The Big Bang Theory. All 279 episodes will be available on HBO Max when it launches in spring of 2020. In addition, TBS has extended its agreement to continue airing the show through 2028. The Big Bang Theory, created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, premiered on CBS in September 2007. Two hundred and seventy-nine episodes later, the longest running multi-camera comedy series in U.S. TV history ended its 12-season run as the year's most viewed entertainment series, the first show to be able to make that claim in 21 years. The series received 55 Emmy® nominations and 10 wins, and seven Golden Globe® nominations.

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

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Labels: AP Bio, Battlestar Galactica, Cheers, Everybody Loves Raymond, Frasier, HBO Max, Married with Children, NBC, Parks and Recreation, Peacock, Punky Brewster, Saved by the Bell, TBS, The Big Bang Theory, The Office

SitcomsOnline Digest: A Sequel for Punky Brewster?; The Good Place Coming to an End After Fourth Season

• It seems the latest idea in reboot/sequel world is Punky Brewster, as a followup to that series is apparently in the works with Soleil Moon Frye playing an older Punky as a single mother who encounters a young girl who reminds her of herself. (Variety)
• The Good Place has already been renewed for a fourth season, but it is already being planned as the last season as well. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Alec Baldwin says he's "so done" with playing Trump on Saturday Night Live, but given that he has said that before, he may not be serious. (Rolling Stone) 
• The Ranch is coming to an end at Netflix. (Variety)
• With solid ratings for Live in Front of a Studio Audience, ABC is considering making it a sort of recurring thing. (Deadline)
• James Holzhauer may have fallen just short of beating Ken Jennings Jeopardy record earnings, but Jennings believes it is inevitable that there will be some sort of tournament where he goes head to head with Holzhauer. (ABC News)
• It's almost time for a little more Christmas at Hallmark, where you can enjoy all of your favorite Christmas movies (except the ones with Lori Loughlin now, presumably) for over 1/4 of the year. (SitcomsOnline) 

• This weekend on Decades, it's Barnaby Jones.
• On ABC, the summer lineup of game shows has several season and series premieres throughout the week. 
• The sixth season of Younger, the last holdout of the original series at TV Land, debuts Wednesday night.
• The fourth season of Baskets debuts Thursday on FX.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:30 PM

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Labels: Live in Front of a Studio Audience, Punky Brewster, Saturday Night Live, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Good Place

SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Ready to Reboot Beverly Hills, 90210; Tubi Announces Acquisition of Series from NBCUniversal Library

• It's official, Fox is bringing back Beverly Hills, 90210, with many members of the original cast. (Variety)
• Tubi, a free streaming service, has announced some acquisitions from NBCUniversal that will soon be added to the service, including Punky Brewster, The A-Team, the original Magnum PI, and more. (Multichannel)
• Actress Katherine Helmond, known for her roles of Jessica Tate on Soap, Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss?, and also had recurring roles on Coach and Everybody Loves Raymond, has died at age 89. (Deadline) 
• Actor Nathaniel Taylor, known for his role of Rollo on Sanford & Son, has died at age 60. (Variety)
• As if those two deaths aren't enough, Beverley Owen, who played the original Marilyn Munster in the first 13 episodes The Munsters, has also died at age 81. (USA Today)
• The CW reboot of Dynasty is now losing its Alexis, as Nicolette Sheridan announced she is leaving the series. (Deadline)
• It's hard to believe, but The Masked Singer has been a huge hit for Fox for some reason. (Variety)
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine has been renewed for second season on NBC (and seventh season overall). (SitcomsOnline)

• Hangin' with Mr. Cooper - The Complete Second Season (DVD, $29.99): Warner Archive continues with releases of this TGIF favorite on DVD.

• Decades is airing Police Woman all this weekend.
• Good Girls returns for a second season Sunday night on NBC.
• NBC has the season premiere of A.P. Bio on Thursday.
• After airing a tribute to Peter Tork with two episodes of The Monkees last Sunday at 5 PM, the series will now remain on the MeTV lineup in that timeslot.

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

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Labels: A-Team, Beverly Hills 90210, Magnum, Punky Brewster, Sanford and Son, SitcomsOnline Digest, Soap, The Munsters, Who's the Boss?

Original X-Files Coming to MyNetwork TV in Fall 2016; Remembering George Gaynes of Punky Brewster, Police Academy, Hearts Afire & More

The X-Files has a new chapter currently on Fox, and now original episodes of Chris Carter's 1993-2002 series will join the MyNetworkTV primetime line-up this fall. MyNetwork TV will air two episodes back-to-back from the original The X-Files on a designated weeknight on MyNetworkTV. More info on which night will come during MyNetwork TV's upfront in a few months. MyNeywork TV's line-up currently has Law & Order SVU, The Walking Dead, The Closer, The Mentalist and Bones - all back-to-back on one weeknight each. Additionally, the original series starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson is also cleared for weekend syndication on the Fox Television Stations this fall. The new chapter of The X-Files concludes its six-episode season on Monday Feb. 22 at 8pm on Fox.

Actor George Gaynes, who starred as Commandant Eric Lassard in the Police Academy series and as Henry Warnimont in Punky Brewster, has died. He died at his daughter's home in North Bend, Washington on February 15. Mr. Gaynes was 98.

His early television guest appearances included The Defenders, Hawaiian Eye, Cheyenne, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Empire, The Gallant Man, East Side/West Side, Bonzana, Mannix, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O, Columbo, Search, The Six Million Dollar Man, Cannon and McMillian & Wife. His early sitcom guest appearances included The Patty Duke Show, Hogan's Heroes, WKRP in Cincinnati and Cheers. He also directed the final episode of WKRP in Cincinnati in 1982.

Gaynes starred as the curmudgeonly but lovable foster parent Henry Warnimont in Punky Brewster. His character was a building manager and widower. The series aired on NBC from 1984-1986 before moving to first-run syndication in 1987-1988. It starred Soleil Moon Frye, Cherie Johnson, Susie Garrett, Ami Foster and Casey Ellison. He voiced the character in the animated spin-off series It's Punky Brewster, which aired on NBC from 1985-1986. Gaynes was interviewed for the E! True Hollywood Story on Punky Brewster in 2006.

He later starred as Senator Strobe Smithers in the first (1992-1993) season of Hearts Afire, which starred John Ritter and Markie Post. His other main roles included General Hospital in 1980 where he played Frank Smith, the mob boss brought down by Luke Spencer. He starred as high-powered theatrical producer Arthur Feldman in The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd from 1989-1991. His real-life wife, Allyn Ann McLerie, co-starred as his love interest in the series. Some of his later guest appearances included Hotel, Matlock, Chicago Hope and Sliders.

Gaynes starred as Commandant Eric Lassard in all seven Police Academy films. He was head of the Metropolitan Police Academy (sometimes also called the Midcity Police Academy). He reprised the role in an episode of Police Academy: The Series in 1998.

Some of his other film credits included The Way We Were, Nickelodeon, Altered States, Tootsie, To Be or Not to Be, Micki & Maude, Vanya on 42nd Street, The Crucible, Wag the Dog and Just Married.

Survivors include his wife Allyn Ann McLerie, their daughter Iya Gaynes Falcone Brown, one granddaughter and two great-granddaughters.

Mr. Gaynes was a talented and versatile actor. He was wonderful in the Police Academy franchise and in Punky Brewster. He will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our Punky Brewster message board. View photos in our galleries.

We also remember television and film composer Ray Colcord. He died on February 5 at his Studio City, California home after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Mr. Colcord was 66.

Colcord was the composer for many sitcoms in the 1980s and 1990s. His credits included Silver Spoons, Double Trouble, Women in Prison, The Charmings, The Facts of Life, 227, My Two Dads, The Torkelsons, Where I Live, Dinosaurs, Maybe This Time, Hiller and Diller, You Wish, Boy Meets World, Family Affair and Lost at Home. Most recently, he was working on Disney Channel's Girl Meets World.

His film credits included The Devonsville Terror, The Sleeping Car, The Paper Brigade, Amityville Dollhouse, Wish Upon a Star, Heartwood and The King's Guard.

Survivors include his wife Madeleine, to whom he was married since 1983, son Alex and brother Marc.

Mr. Colcord's music enhanced the sitcoms and films he worked on. His first season theme for Boy Meets World was excellent. He will be greatly missed.

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

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Labels: MyNetwork TV, Obits, Punky Brewster, X-Files