Saturday, August 12, 2023
SitcomsOnline Digest: The Conners Getting Ready for Syndication; Game Shows a Hit for ABC
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about a (sort of) long running broadcast sitcom heading to syndication, some Jeopardy! fall updates, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- The Conners looks to be heading to syndication in 2024, which it is honestly kind of surprising that it is just now happening. (Variety)
- Jeopardy! plans for the fall are in jeopardy, so to speak, as the executive producer grapples with how to handle the WGA strike. (Deadline)
- Johnny Hardwick, the voice of Dale on King of the Hill (and who was also set to return for the reboot), has died at age 64. (TMZ)
- Jodie Sweetin isn't too thrilled that a new movie that she is starring in was sold to Great American Family. (TVLine)
- Game shows are proving to be very successful for ABC lately, perhaps more than they'd hoped. (Deadline)
- We told you a few weeks ago about how Suits has bizarrely become a huge deal in streaming media, setting records for viewership even, and it seems that the climb to the top hasn't even stopped. (Deadline)
- Quincy, M.E. is headed to FETV. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (AUGUST 12 - AUGUST 18)
- Catchy Comedy, with a binge of The Honeymooners this weekend, including lost episodes.
- The final season of Billions premieres tomorrow on Showtime.
- The Upshaws returns for a fourth season on Netflix on Thursday.
Friday, August 11, 2023
FETV Acquires Quincy, M.E.; Apple TV+ Announces Still Up Date

FETV (Family Entertainment Television), home to beloved and timeless television series and movies carried across cable, satellite, and virtual platforms, announced that Quincy, M.E. will join the network's programming lineup beginning Monday, August 28. The show will debut in its regular time slot every night at 7pm ET, leading into Perry Mason at 8pm ET. Quincy, M.E. stars Jack Klugman as Dr. Quincy, a brilliant and passionate medical examiner within the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Quincy, M.E. was the first drama series to regularly feature detailed forensic investigations. The television series ran on NBC for eight seasons from 1976 to 1983.
FETV's current lineup features popular television series such as Emergency!, Leave It to Beaver, Perry Mason, and Adam-12. According to Nielsen, FETV's total audience in primetime (7pm-12am ET) ranks among the top 40 ad-supported cable networks, driven by the success of Emergency!, Perry Mason, and Adam-12. Check https://fetv.tv for full listings and times.

Apple TV+ unveiled a first-look at its upcoming comedy Still Up, and shared that the new eight-episode series will premiere globally on Friday, September 22. Starring Antonia Thomas (The Good Doctor, Small Axe, Lovesick) and Craig Roberts (Red Oaks, Submarine), Still Up will debut with the first three episodes, followed weekly by one episode every Friday through October 27. Still Up is an almost romantic comedy set in the after-hours world of insomniacs Danny (Roberts) and Lisa (Thomas) who have no secrets except their feelings for each other. Also starring in the ensemble cast are Blake Harrison, Lois Chimimba, Luke Fetherston and Rich Fulcher.
Still Up is co-created & written by Steve Burge (Seekers) and Natalie Walter. Bryce Hart (Ten Percent) also writes on the series. It is directed by BAFTA Award nominee John Addis (Lucky Break). Still Up is produced for Apple TV+ by Various Artists Limited, executive produced by BAFTA Award winner Paul Schlesinger (Twenty Twelve), Emmy award winning Phil Clarke (I May Destroy You) and series produced by Arabella McGuigan (Brief Encounters).

Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Paramount+ Renews School Spirits; Quincy, M.E. Premiere Date for getTV

Paramount+ announced that its hit original YA series School Spirits was renewed for a second season. The eight-episode premiere season debuted earlier this year and ranked as the top YA series on the service during its run. Coming off a major cliffhanger, season two will go into production in 2024 and premiere at a later date exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, Australia, the UK, Latin America, Brazil, Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and South Korea. Produced by Awesomeness Studios, season one of School Spirits is centered around Maddie (Peyton List), a teen stuck in the afterlife investigating her own mysterious disappearance. Maddie goes on a crime-solving journey as she adjusts to high school purgatory, but the closer she gets to discovering the truth, the more secrets and lies she uncovers.
School Spirits stars Peyton List (Cobra Kai, Bunk’d) as Maddie Nears, and is based on the upcoming graphic novel by Nate Trinrud & Megan Trinrud, and Maria Nguyen, which is scheduled for publication in 2024 by Clarion Books/HarperAlley. Additional cast members in season one include Kristian Ventura (Reboot, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) as Simon Elroy, Spencer MacPherson (Reign, Degrassi: Next Class) as Xavier Baxter, Kiara Pichardo (The Society, Mother/Android) as Nicole Herrera, Sarah Yarkin (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Happy Death Day 2U) as Rhonda, Nick Pugliese (Dramarama) as Charley, Rainbow Wedell (The Wilds, The Bureau of Magical Things) as Claire Zomer and Milo Manheim (Zombies 3, Prom Pact) as Wally Clark. Josh Zuckerman (The Offer, Oppenheimer) and Maria Dizzia (13 Reasons Why, Orange Is the New Black) have recurring guest star roles as Mr. Martin and Sandra Nears, respectively.

We mentioned last week about Quincy, M.E. coming to getTV. Now we have the timeslot and premiere date! The series premieres Monday, July 17 at 11pm. The classic medical mystery drama joins the ranks of The Rockford Files and Hunter, rounding out the networks late night programming. Airing for eight seasons, Quincy, M.E. follows Jack Klugman's Dr. Quincy, a Medical Examiner in the Los Angeles County Coroners office. His eye for detail in the autopsy room leads him to play detective, picking up clues the police had missed, and catching the killer. Sam Fujiyama, Gary Walberg as Lt. Monahan, and John S. Ragin round out the cast.
Saturday, June 17, 2023
SitcomsOnline Digest: Pat Sajak Retiring from Wheel of Fortune; Mike Judge and Greg Daniels Pilot Going Forward at Adult Swim
Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about Pat Sajak leaving Wheel of Fortune, a new animated comedy pilot from Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- And so the wheel turns, as Pat Sajak (the last of the game show hosts from the 80s, or even the 90s for that matter) has announced he is leaving Wheel of Fortune. (NPR)
- Amber Ruffin's comedy pilot at NBC is not going forward. (Deadline)
- A Mike Judge and Greg Daniels pilot is going forward at Adult Swim, and no, it's not King of the Hill (though that is being rebooted elsewhere). (Hollywood Reporter)
- Eva Longoria says that what was acceptable on Desperate Housewives over a decade ago would not be acceptable on TV today. (Deadline)
- Stephen Colbert is set to do The Late Show for at least three more seasons. (Deadline)
- Velma has been renewed for a second season. (Variety)
- Quincy, M.E. is headed to getTV. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (JUNE 17 - JUNE 23)
- Antenna TV is celebrating Father's Day tomorrow with a Father Knows Best marathon.
- On Catchy Comedy this weekend, there is a binge of Mayberry RFD.
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
getTV Acquires Quincy, M.E.; PBS Documentary Explores the South with Stars Like Billy Bob Thornton

GET has gotten a great "get" - Quincy, M.E.! Coming to GET in July is Quincy, M.E. starring Jack Klugman. In the '70s classic, Jack Klugman plays Dr. R. Quincy, M.E., a Los Angeles County medical examiner who routinely engages in police investigations. The drama originally aired for eight seasons, all for your viewing pleasure beginning next month on GET! The network currently airs sitcoms like Good Times and Sanford & Son, along with dramas such as Ironside, Walker Texas Ranger, Magnum P.I., The Rockford Files, Hunter, Kojak, Fantasy Island and Hart to Hart. Details on timeslot for Quincy, M.E., along with the July schedule, will be announced soon!

The American South is known for its boundless creativity, absorbing personalities and evocative landscapes. Southern Storytellers, a new three-episode series from PBS, Arkansas PBS, and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Craig Renaud, follows some of the region's most compelling and influential contemporary creators to the places they call home - the communities that fertilize the stories they tell in books, songs, poems, plays, and on screens large and small. The documentary series premieres Tuesdays, July 18-August 1, 9-10 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS App. Featured are Billy Bob Thornton, Jesmyn Ward, Jason Isbell, Jericho Brown, Amanda Shires, Lyle Lovett, Angie Thomas, Qui Nguyen, and Mary Steenburgen among featured writers from the worlds of Literature, Music, Film, and Television.
Thursday, July 08, 2021
COZI TV Acquires 3rd Rock from the Sun and Quincy, M.E. This Summer; The Standups to Return to Netflix After Long Hiatus

This summer COZI is going out of this world with the addition of 3rd Rock from the Sun and also with Jack Klugman in Quincy, M.E. this July! Quincy, M.E. actually had a soft launch on Saturday, July 3 at 12pm & 1pm, replacing two-hours of Starsky & Hutch and is airing weekly in this time period. Not to worry, Starsky & Hutch is still two hours, but is now 2-4pm leading into Charlie's Angels from 4-6pm. Back to 3rd Rock, COZI TV announced the national multicast network has acquired digital broadcast rights to the series. The iconic, Emmy Award-winning comedy series will launch on COZI TV on Sunday, July 18 with a special marathon and join the network's regular lineup the next day on July 19 as the sitcom celebrates its landmark 25th anniversary.
Featuring an all-star ensemble cast led by John Lithgow, Jane Curtin, Kristen Johnston, French Stewart and a young, up-and-coming Joseph Gordon-Levitt, along with a who's who of major guest stars, 3rd Rock joins a 24-hour lineup of TV's all-time best shows and pop culture favorites on COZI TV's network of 147 affiliates reaching more than 109 million homes and 90 percent of the country – including all top-10 U.S. television markets – as well as DISH Network (channel 252), fuboTV, HuluLive and YouTubeTV. COZI TV will mark the launch of 3rd Rock on July 18 with a special 10-hour marathon of all 20 first season episodes, the COZI TV 3rd Rock-a-thon, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET. The following day, July 19, 3rd Rock will begin airing its regular COZI TV weekday and weekend time slots covering eight hours per week – Mondays through Fridays from 7 to 8 p.m. ET and Sundays from 5 to 7 p.m. ET and 11 p.m. to midnight ET. From creators and former Saturday Night Live writers Bonnie and Terry Turner, the two-time Emmy Award-winning best comedy about a space alien family trying to figure out the strange ways of Earth continues to enjoy widespread popularity a quarter century after its NBC network premiere.
Looking at the rest of the changes beginning on Monday, July 19, weekday mornings at 9am & 10am, The Six Million Dollar Man replaces an airing each of Charlie's Angels and The Bionic Woman. Then at 11am, Emergency! replaces The Six Million Dollar Man to air back-to-back from 11am-1pm. New addition Quincy, M.E. joins the weekday lineup at 1pm & 2pm replacing an airing of Emergency! and Highway to Heaven. Then up next at 3pm, Little House on the Prairie replaces Highway to Heaven. In the evenings, The Munsters moves up to 6pm & 6:30pm replacing Little House on the Prairie, while new addition 3rd Rock from the Sun replaces The Munsters at 7pm & 7:30pm. If you're wondering Charlie's Angels and The Bionic Woman are off of the weekday schedule but remain airing on Saturdays, while Highway to Heaven will remain on Sundays. And not to worry, Frasier and Roseanne will continue to air in their primetime slots. Moving onto Sundays, starting July 25. The aforementioned Highway to Heaven replaces My Favorite Martian at 6am & 7am, as Martian is now off of the schedule completely. 3rd Rock from the Sun will air a block from 5pm-7pm replacing The Office. In Sunday late night, 3rd Rock will air in the 11pm hour, while The Nanny replaces Will & Grace from 12-2am, but Will & Grace slides to 2-4am replacing The Office. If you're keeping score, The Office binge on Sundays is now reduced to 11am-5pm.

The Standups is returning to Netflix with season 3 with an all-new lineup. Comics Brian Simpson, Dusty Slay, Janelle James, Mark Normand, Melissa VillaseƱor and Naomi Ekperigin are all on tap for the new season. The first two seasons aired in 2017 and 2018, so it's been quiet a while since the show has aired. It takes time and hard work for comics to reach the point of their careers where they are household names -- if they ever achieve that stature. Prior to reaching that level of fame, comics usually spend a lot of time in comedy clubs honing their craft and trying to get noticed by others in the industry who can help boost their profile. A big step in gaining a higher profile is getting a TV special. The Standups gives some of comedy's freshest voices such a stage. Each half-hour episode of the Netflix-original series showcases an up-and-coming comic. Comedy's freshest voices take the stage in LA for half-hour specials packed with sly jokes, hilarious anecdotes and awkward confessions.
Thursday, December 27, 2018
COZI TV January 2019 Schedule; Hallmark Movies & Mysteries January Has 2 New Features
As we mentioned, The Office is coming to COZI TV starting January 1, but now we can share the full COZI TV January 2019 lineup. The Office will air Sunday through Fridays from 10pm-12am. The Nanny remains from 12-2am on M-F, while Will & Grace moves to 2-4am. Will & Grace airs 12-2am on Sunday nights. Among the series returning from hiatus are Dragnet, Lassie, The Lone Ranger and Quantum Leap. With the addition of The Office and these series coming back, the series off the lineup now are The Munsters, Miami Vice, Quincy M.E., The Virginian, Wyatt Earp, The Real McCoys, Murdoch Mysteries and Alias Smith & Jones.
The weekday schedule has now detective series from 8am-1pm, leading into Cozi staple Murder, She Wrote from 1-4pm. Detective series are Magnum P.I., The Rockford Files, two-hour Columbo, and Hart to Hart. Following Murder, Little House on the Prairie is now 4-7pm leading into Frasier from 7-10pm. As mentioned earlier, Dragnet is returning to the lineup, to compliment the new Saturday '70s lineup of Dragnet, Adam-12, Emergency, The Bionic Woman and The Six Million Dollar Man from 2-8pm. Sundays features the '80s with back-to-back hours of Magnum P.I., The A-Team and Quantum Leap from 1-7pm. Those are just some of the changes! View the entire COZI TV January 2019 schedule.
Hallmark Movies & Mysteries presents two all-new movie premieres in January, 2019. The movies star TV staples (and Hallmark vets) Jill Wagner and Taylor Cole. The duo of whodunnits starts with Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness on Sunday, January 20 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by Mystery 101 on Sunday, January 27 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. In Ruby Herring Mysteries: Silent Witness starring Taylor Cole (The Originals, Summerland), Stephen Huszar (Paradise Falls) and Shawn Christian, while attending her sister's wedding at a resort in the mountains outside Seattle, TV consumer reporter Ruby Herring (Cole) becomes involved in a murder mystery when an old family friend drowns under suspicious circumstances. Encouraged by her dad, legendary investigative crime reporter John Herring (Christian), Ruby conducts her own unorthodox investigation, to the consternation of Jake Killian (Huszar), the handsome, by-the-book Seattle P.D. homicide detective assigned to the case.
In Mystery 101 starring Jill Wagner (Wipeout, Hallmark's Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa) and Kristoffer Polaha (Life Unexpected, Hallmark's Pearl in Paradise), Amy (Wagner) is an expert in whodunnits and sizing people up, so when she meets detective Travis (Polaha), investigating a plant theft, Amy deduces he's new in town and divorced by his accent and missing wedding band. Though Travis can't discuss his investigation, he and Amy banter playfully while she waits for her student Lacey, who doesn't show. Fearing Lacey is in trouble when her boyfriend turns up dead, and connecting a colleague's "suicide" with the plant theft, Amy unravels both mysteries, and risks her life. Now Travis must sleuth fast, or his blooming romance with Amy could die on the vine.
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
COZI TV Fall 2016 Has Frasier, Little House and Quincy; Martin Lawrence Gets Showtime Special
COZI TV announced Dr. Frasier Crane's return to America's airwaves this fall, with the iconic television sitcom Frasier officially debuting on the popular, multicast network starting Monday, September 12, airing weekdays from 7-9 PM ET (check local listings). There will also be a marathon on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 10am-11pm ET. Starring Kelsey Grammer and the winner of 37 primetime Emmy® Awards, Frasier has been ranked by TV Guide among the top 50 television shows of all-time. Frasier follows the journey of noted psychiatrist Frasier Crane as he returns home to launch a new phase in his personal and professional lives. Frasier originally aired on NBC starting in 1993, with the series concluding in 2004. Originally launched as an extension of NBC's Cheers, Frasier quickly emerged as one of the most successful spin-off series in television history. Joined by a memorable cast including John Mahoney, Jane Leeves, David Hyde Pierce and Peri Gilpin, fans enjoyed the latest storylines involving the newly-divorced Dr. Crane (Grammer) as he returned to Seattle and embarked on a new career as a radio talk show host.
Frasier joins Little House on the Prairie and Quincy, M.E. as new additions to COZI TV's fall line-up. Originally announced earlier this year, Little House on the Prairie will debut on COZI TV starting Monday, September 19, airing weekdays from 10 AM to noon and again at 5 PM ET. Quincy, M.E. will also debut the same day, airing weekdays at 2 PM ET. (check local listings).
On the heels of a sold-out national tour, comedy great Martin Lawrence hits the stage in this long-awaited stand-up special, Martin Lawrence Doin' Time: Uncut premiering Friday, September 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime on-air, on demand and over the internet. Filmed live at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, Martin Lawrence Doin' Time: Uncut showcases Lawrence's impeccable comedic skills, physicality and engaging wit. Delivering an unforgettable night of impressions and insights, he touches on everything from sex and relationships to President Obama, Bill Cosby, Hollywood and more. Lawrence is back in a big way and will leave viewers in hysterics, from start to finish.
Lawrence, a renowned stand-up comedian, actor, director, producer and writer, came to fame during the 1990s. He quickly established himself as a leading actor, most notably in the hit television sitcom Martin, for which he created such beloved characters as "Sheneneh Jenkins," "Edna (Mama) Payne," "Otis," and "Jerome." For his dynamic performance, he earned two NAACP Image Awards(R) for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series two years in a row - 1995 and 1996. Lawrence's box office-topping credits include Bad Boys and its sequel Bad Boys II opposite Will Smith, and the three-film Big Momma's House franchise. Additional film credits include House Party, Boomerang, A Thin Line Between Love & Hate, Nothing to Lose, Blue Streak, Life, Wild Hogs, and Welcome Home, Roscoe Jenkins.
Tuesday, December 09, 2014
MeTV Winter 2015 Schedule Launches Jan.1; FXX's The League to End After 7 Seasons
The MeTV Network has a new schedule that will launch January 1, 2015. Among the changes include, Quincy, M.E., weekdays at 11:00am ET/PT, stars Jack Klugman as the strong-willed L.A. County medical examiner Dr. Quincy, who along with his expert forensics team uses the combination of fact and reasoning to solve suspicious deaths that usually suggest murder. Carol Burnett and Friends will air weeknights at 11:00pm ET/PT, as the series takes comedy to an entirely new level with a ground-breaking television show featuring skits by Carol Burnett and her comedy troupe of Harvey Korman, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner and Tim Conway. The MeTV Mystery Movie will air weeknights from 12:30-2:30am ET/PT and pays homage to The NBC Mystery Movie, featuring many of the same series broadcast by NBC in the mid-seventies including but not limited to McCloud, Columbo, McMillan & Wife, and Banacek.
Some of MeTV's current shows find new homes and a few fan favorites return to the schedule. The Mary Tyler Moore Show will now be seen weekday mornings at 8:30am ET/PT following The Donna Reed Show. Then The Love Boat returns to port weekday mornings at 9:00am ET/PT. Adventures of Superman will get additional play and lands on weekday afternoons from 4:00-5:00pm ET/PT and will continue to air with Batman on Saturdays beginning at 6pm. The Mod Squad joins the Sunday "Catch Me If You Can" line-up at 5:00pm ET/PT. You can view the complete MeTV January 2015 schedule and see when your fave shows are on exactly!
Shivakamini Somakandarkram! FXX's hit comedy series The League will return for its seventh and final season with 13 episodes in the fall of 2015. The League, which just completed its sixth season, was created by the husband-and-wife team of Jeff Schaffer (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld) and Jackie Marcus Schaffer (Disturbia, Eurotrip) who serve as executive producers and directors. The series is produced by FX Productions. The League has proven its strength as a stand-alone show. Even without a lead-in from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which it had for its first five seasons, The League's Season 6 ratings were in line with the previous season (through 11 episodes) in both P18-49 and Total Viewers. Additionally, among all 84 scripted comedy series in basic/pay cable this year, Season 6 of The League ranks in the Top 20 among all key male demos.
The League follows a group of old friends in a fantasy football league who care deeply about one another - so deeply that they use every opportunity to make each other's lives miserable.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Merry Christmas from SitcomsOnline; Remembering Jack Klugman from The Odd Couple, Quincy M.E.
Onto a bit of sad news, yesterday (December 24, 2012) we lost actor Jack Klugman. He is of course best known to sitcom fans as Oscar Madison on the hit '70s sitcom The Odd Couple, based on the Neil Simon play and film of the same name. The series ran on ABC from 1970-75 and Klugman co-starred with Tony Randall, who played Felix Unger. The series was of course about two divorced men living together -- a neat freak and a slob -- Klugman played Oscar Madison, the slob sportswriter to Tony Randall's overly fussy Felix Unger. The sitcom got solid ratings and received critical acclaim. Klugman won two Emmys for this role (and was nominated three other times) and a Golden Globe, not bad for a man whose first drama teacher told him he was better suited to be a truck driver. The show ran just for five years, but has lived on for decades in syndication. Klugman's co-star Randall passed away in 2004 at age 84. In 2005, Klugman published Tony And Me: A Story of Friendship, a book about his long friendship with Randall which began in 1955 (15 years prior to Odd Couple) when they both appeared on an episode of the CBS series Appointment with Adventure. For Klugman, no cause of death was mentioned, however he battled throat cancer for many years, losing his voice as a result of a 1989 surgery. He spoke in a rasp thereafter.
After The Odd Couple ended, Klugman went on to play another iconic TV character in the NBC drama Quincy, M.E. from 1976-83. In that series, Klugman became just as iconic playing the relentless Los Angeles medical examiner with a talent for forensics. He was nominated four times for an Emmy for this show, but never won. He actually got his start in show business in 1950 and by 1954 he was on the soap opera The Greatest Gift. He had various guest appearances on series in the '50s such as in Gunsmoke, Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchock Presents, and appeared in major movies like 12 Angry Men (1957), playing juror No. 5; Days of Wine and Roses (1962), starring opposite Jack Lemmon; and Goodbye Columbus (1969), based on the novella by Philip Roth, starring Ali MacGraw and Richard Benjamin. He won his first Emmy Award in 1964 for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in the series The Defenders.
He starred in the short-lived NBC sitcom Harris Against the World in the 1964-65 season. After Quincy, he starred with a then-unknown John Stamos in the short-lived sitcom You Again? on NBC from 1986-87. Some of his other TV appearances were on The Virginian, Naked City, The Fugitive, Ben Casey, I Dream of Jeannie, The F.B.I., Love American Style, The Love Boat, Diagnosis Murder, Brother's Keeper, The Outer Limits, Third Watch, Crossing Jordan and Presido Med. He also appeared on many game shows like Match Game, Hollywood Squares, Password Plus, and $25,000 Pyramid. In 1993, he reunited with Tony Randall for the TV-movie The Odd Couple: Together Again, but this time on CBS. He was married to Brett Somers (Match Game), who also guest starred as his ex-wife Blanche in The Odd Couple, from 1953 until her death in 2007 (though they separated in 1974, they never divorced). His survivors include their two sons, Adam Klugman and David Klugman, and two grandchildren. In 2008, he married his longtime girlfriend Peggy Crosby, the ex-wife of Bing Crosby's son, Phillip Crosby.
The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive two-and-a-half hour interview with Klugman in 2004 that you can watch. Mr. Klugman will be deeply missed by fans of The Odd Couple and Quincy, M.E. for sure and all of his other work. We will keep you up to date of any on-air tributes for him. The Odd Couple is coming back to MeTV Network starting December 31, weeknights at 10pm, as we previously reported. So a best bet marathon for that series will be from them. In New York City, local independent station WLNY-TV (10/55) already had planned a marathon of The Odd Couple on New Year's Eve beginning at 12 midnight lasting through New Year's Day at 9pm. Now that marathon gets bittersweet with the passing of Klugman. We'll keep you up to date of any on-air tributes (hopefully someone will air Quincy which was last on Hallmark in 2003-04), so stay with us! Mr. Klugman was 90.
Share your memories on our The Odd Couple message board. View photos in our The Odd Couple and Quincy, M.E. photo galleries.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Digital Digest: China Beach Headed to DVD; Mannix - The Final (Eighth) Season DVD Review; Quincy, M.E. - Season 4 DVD Review
This has been a rather slow and disappointing week for news, but we do have a few items of note. First, TVShowsOnDVD.com announced a big complete series release that many people have been waiting for over the past ten years that'll be coming soon from Time Life and Warner Home Video. The drama series China Beach will be released early next year from Time Life, with a wide retail release coming later. Music rights have held this series up for many years, but it is interesting to note that the press release indicates that "most" of the original music will be intact. This suggests that there will be a few things missing, but hopefully it won't be anything too noticeable.
CBS will be finishing up the crime drama Father Dowling Mysteries in early 2013 with Father Dowling Mysteries - The Third Season. The five disc set will be released on March 12 at a $59.98 MSRP.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Mannix attempts to solve the murder of a photographer in "Picture of a Shadow." In "Desert Sun," a trip to Albuquerque to prove an Indian's accidental death was actually murder turns very ugly for Mannix. Mannix is on the case of solving a mystery involving a plane crash victim who undergoes plastic surgery in "The Survivor Who Wasn't." A bomb kills a starlet's husband in "A Choice of Victims," but was he the intended victim? A war vet is out to prove that anybody can give up military secrets under torture in "A Ward Called Courage." In "Man in a Trap," Joe discovers a fellow detective who was shot took a job for a syndicate boss. Peggy's cousin may be a target for murder in "Chance Meeting." In "Edge of the Web," the son of Mannix's friend is jailed for killing his PhD professor after being denied his degree (and being accused of sleeping with the professor's wife). Look for Gerald McRaney in the unusual role of a college professor in this episode... and as is common for any role played by McRaney, the professor is also a Vietnam vet.
A mother receives a ransom note for her son who has been missing for six years in "A Ransom for Yesterday." Thieves attempt to rob every office in a high-rise in "The Empty Tower." Mannix believes in the innocence of a hitchhiker accused of murder, and takes his case, in "Quartet for Blunt Instrument." In the two-part episode "Birds of Prey," a search for a hero who saved a client's son in South America results in another man's death. Tom Selleck guest stars in "Design for Dying," where a publisher with political ambitions hires Mannix to find out if his wife has committed adultery. A hitman kills a mob boss in "Search for a Dead Man," but the dead body vanishes and he has to hire Mannix to find the corpse to prove he did the job. The series ends with "Hardball," where a ruthless drug dealer takes hostages at a courthouse. John Ritter guest stars.
2. "Game Plan" (49:47)
3. "A Fine Day for Dying" (50:13)
4. "Walk on the Blind Side" (50:45)
6. "Death Has No Face" (50:44)
7. "A Small Favor for an Old Friend" (50:43)
8. "Enter Tami Okada" (50:44)
12. "A Choice of Victims" (50:43)
Disc 4:
13. "A Word Called Courage" (50:47)
14. "Man in a Trap" (50:45)
15. "Chance Meeting" (50:38)
16. "Edge of the Web" (50:44)
18. "The Empty Tower" (50:45)
19. "Quartet for Blunt Instrument" (50:43)
20. "Bird of Prey (Part 1)" (50:49)
22. "Design for Dying" (50:46)
23. "Search for a Dead Man" (50:46)
24. "Hardball" (50:45)
CBS has kept the packaging for this set consistent with previous releases. Once again, the set uses a Viva case. On the cover, there is a large head shot of Mannix, the series logo, and of course, there are eight bullets to indicate that this is the eighth season. You'll find a few episode snapshosts and a brief series description on the back. Inside, you'll find the six discs, each containing the standard CBS gray artwork with the series logo. Each disc contains four episodes. Episode titles, descriptions, and original airdates are printed inside the case.
It is always a time to celebrate when a long running series is completed on DVD, especially when we've gotten (mostly) flawless releases. What is even nicer about this series, though, is that we have about two and a half seasons worth of episodes (including this seasons) that have been withheld from syndication over the years, so owning these DVDs is really the only way to even see a lot of these episodes... and for the younger fans who are too young to remember when the series originally aired, that is like getting brand new episodes of the series. I'm still disappointed in the lack of special features that we got throughout the releases, but the important thing, I suppose, is that every episode is now available on DVD for everybody to enjoy. Fans of crime dramas are sure to enjoy this, and if you just want to see something that you'll probably never see on TV, this set in particular is definitely worth picking up.
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Amazon.com
Related links:
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Mannix on TV.com
DVD Review: Quincy, M.E. - Season 4 (Shout!, $39.97)
by skees53
NBC was well-known for their Mystery Movie franchise that they had in the '70s. From this franchise, we got a lot of "series" (which were actually just a bunch of movies) including Columbo, McMillan and Wife, McCloud, and more. However, one of the movie series in this franchise ended up being turned into a regular weekly series... that was Jack Klugman's series, Quincy, M.E., the series about the "original crime scene investigator." Klugman played the role of Dr. Quincy (first name was never fully given), a Los Angeles Medical Examiner who would always get to the bottom of each and every crime. Now, Shout! Factory is releasing the fourth season (some would call it the third season, which is technically more correct, but we'll use the title that the studio uses to avoid confusion) on DVD for the very first time.
Quincy heads off for some rest and relaxation in "The Last Six Hours," but it seems that crime will follow him wherever he goes. A race-car driver is killed in "Speed Trap," so was it a homicide? Quincy tries to get a seven-year-old re-evaluated as autistic in "Test for Living." An Affirmative Action doctor is blamed when a patient dies after a surgical operation in "Death by Good Intention." In "Images," Quincy announces that well-known anchor woman (played by Jessica Walter) died in a fire... except she ends up mysteriously appearing at the press conference. Quincy becomes part of an investigation in his own office in "Even Odds." In "Dead and Alive," anonymous messages begin turning up informing a model that someone close to her is in danger of being murdered. Quincy's latest flame moves into a new apartment... and finds two mummified bodies already living there... in "No Way to Treat a Body."
In "A Night to Raise the Dead," Quincy's latest investigation has him trying to dig up an entire cemetery. A malpractice lawyer is after Quincy in "A Question of Death." In "House of No Return," Quincy poses as a murdered PI to find out why the man was killed. A star athlete dies from a drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea in "A Small Circle of Friends," leading Quincy to demand a round-up of prostitutes. In "Depth of Beauty," Quincy gets involved in the world of cosmetic surgery. Quincy investigates a doctor who will give any prescription for the right price in the two-part episode "Walk Softly Through the Night." Quincy has to perform autopsies on all of the bodies of the deceased in a plane crash in "Aftermath."
In "Dark Angel," two cops are accused of beating a suspect to death, and Quincy has to prove (or disprove) that. Quincy has to find out why a 17-year-old girl died after undergoing an abortion in "Physician, Heal Thyself." Quincy thinks a lot about life after a spat with his girlfriend in "Promises to Keep." In "Semper-Fidelis," Quincy autopsies the body of a Marine who died in an accident during training... or did he? An autopsy of a construction worker finds much more in "An Ounce of Prevention." In "The Death Challenge," a magician dies during a stunt, so was it an accident or murder? The season ends with "The Eye of the Needle," where Quincy clashes with a holistic medicine doctor after the death of one of her patients.
Disc 1:
1. "The Last Six Hours" (49:15)
Disc 2:
5. "Images" (49:48)
6. "Even Odds" (49:16)
7. "Dead and Alive" (49:14)
8. "No Way to Treat a Body" (49:15)
Disc 3:
9. "A Night to Raise the Dead" (49:45)
10. "A Question of Death" (49:02)
11. "House of No Return" (49:22)
12. "A Small Circle of Friends" (49:44)
Disc 4:
13. "The Depth of Beauty" (49:13)
14. "Walk Softly Through the Night (Part 1)" (49:54)
15. "Walk Softly Through the Night (Part 2)" (48:43)
16. "Aftermath" (49:47)
Disc 5:
17. "Dark Angel" (49:16)
18. "Physician, Heal Thyself" (49:53)
19. "Promises to Keep" (49:11)
20. "Semper-Fidelis" (49:13)
Disc 6:
21. "An Ounce of Prevention" (49:15)
22. "The Death Challenge" (49:18)
23. "The Eye of the Needle" (49:14)
As usual, Shout! kept the packaging style for this set in line with the packaging that Universal used for their releases (although Shout! did switch to Viva cases for their release). The cover art has two photos of Quincy with a blue background, and offers the tagline "The Original Crime Scene Investigator." On the back, there is a brief description of the season, along with a few episode snapshots. Inside, you'll find the six discs, each containing the series logo on a blue background. Episodes titles, descriptions, and airdates are printed inside of the case.
The menus for this set are very simple, but elegant. There is just one menu, the main menu, which has a photo of Quincy, and gives options of Play All and lists all of the episodes. Once you select an episode, it plays immediately. There are chapters throughout each episode.
The set looks fine in regards to video and audio quality. A lot of these older Universal series tend to look pretty good, even without a lot of restoration. There are still minor issues here and there, but nothing too big. The audio is presented in mono. And the episodes are all closed-captioned.
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What It Is: Modern Seinfeld is one of the most unusual things we've seen pop up on Twitter. It first appeared on December 9... just a few days ago... and has gone viral in just the past few days, gaining attention from prominent national press and already gaining nearly 200,000 followers (perhaps it'll go past that by the time you read this) in that short period of time. Created by comedian Jack Moore, editor of BuzzFeed Sports, and also a self-professed Seinfeld addict, the Twitter feed brings back to the sitcom about "nothing" back to life, in the form of Tweets about episodes of the series that "could" happen in this modern era. Even if you aren't a fan of the series, it is still a fun Twitter feed to read, and the viral effect of it has shown how fast things can spread over the internet.
Pick of the Tweets: "Jerry breaks up with his gf (Jenna Fischer) because she over-identifies with Liz Lemon. George tries to pick up women on the subway." (December 11, 2012)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, September 20
Scrubs - "My V.I.P." (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
J.D. and Dr. Park are forced to work together when a member of the hospital board experiences a mysterious health crisis; Turk helps Elliot navigate a newfound romance; the interns practice vulnerability with patients.
Scrubs - "My Best Friend's Barbecue" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While J.D. is upset to not be invited to Turk and Carla's annual barbecue, he takes the opportunity to nurture his friendship with Carla at work; Turk teaches the surgical interns how to deliver bad news.
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Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 14)
Friday, September 18
- Sandra Bullock (Working Girl) - Watch Sandra on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Stavros Halkias (Tires) - Stavros appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Matthew McConaughey (Brothers) and Woody Harrelson and (Brothers/Cheers) - Matthew and Woody talk about Brothers on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
- Jane Krakowski (Schmigadoon!/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/30 Rock) - Jane talks about Celebrity Name That Tune on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Lili Reinhart (Surviving Jack) - Lili and and Tom Bateman talk about The Love Hypothesis on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building/Mulaney/I'm a Big Girl Now/The Associates) - Martin talks about You Had to Be There on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
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