SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer

The CW announced the premiere of TV We Love, a new multi-part docuseries debuting Monday, October 13 (8:00–9:00 p.m. ET/PT) on the network. The nostalgic series celebrates eight of America's most iconic television shows and the indelible mark they left on popular culture. Kicking off with a deep dive into I Love Lucy—widely regarded as one of the greatest sitcoms of all time -- TV We Love revisits a lineup of beloved classics including The Brady Bunch, The Love Boat, The Honeymooners, Happy Days, Dynasty, Cheers, and Touched by an Angel.

Across eight episodes, cast members, creators, scholars and television insiders share rare stories, behind-the-scenes secrets, and surprising insights into the creativity and innovation that made these programs unforgettable. More than just entertainment, these series became cultural touchstones, uniting families and generations in front of the television screen.

Featured cast members include Keith Thibodeaux (I Love Lucy); Barry Williams, Christopher Knight (The Brady Bunch) and Gary Cole (The Brady Bunch Movie); Fred Grandy and Ted Lange (The Love Boat); Don Most and Scott Baio (Happy Days); Al Corley, Jack Coleman and Pamela Sue Martin (Dynasty) and Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel). The special also features commentary from Variety Executive TV Editor Michael Schneider, entertainment writer, author and journalist Jim Colucci and super celebrity fans Bob Costas, Carrie Preston, Nicole Sullivan and Kate Flannery.

TV We Love Episode Highlights:

I Love Lucy – Explores the groundbreaking partnership of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, whose comedic brilliance and bold business moves forever changed television.
The Brady Bunch – Barry Williams and Christopher Knight open up about growing up Brady, sharing never-before-told stories of America’s favorite blended family.
The Love Boat – Cast, writers, and directors reveal how star-studded guest lists and high-seas charm made this series a beloved classic.
The Honeymooners – A look into Jackie Gleason’s creative genius and why, 70 years later, his sitcom continues to resonate.
Happy Days – Reliving the stories behind Richie, Fonzie, and the gang, with cast and creators reflecting on its pop culture legacy.
Dynasty – Cast and crew spill the secrets behind the on-set drama, outrageous glamour, and iconic ’80s excess.
Cheers – A trip back to the Boston bar “where everybody knows your name,” with cast and creators sharing the spark that made it one of TV’s greatest comedies.
Touched by an Angel – Roma Downey and executive producer Martha Williamson reflects on the moving stories of faith, hope, and inspiration that captivated millions.

NBC has released images and trailer for the season two launch for Happy's Place. Bobbie (Reba McEntire) inherits her father's tavern (Happy's Place) and is surprised to discover that she has a new business partner, Isabella (Belissa Escobedo), a twentysomething half-sister that she never knew she had.

In Season 2, Happy's Place reopens its doors, and a long-buried secret comes to light that will test loyalties and shake things up inside the tavern. Through it all, Bobbie must remind everyone that family isn't what you're born into, but it's the people that stand beside you, even in the workplace.

Happy's Place Season 2 premieres Friday, November 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and will be available the next day on Peacock. Executive Producers: Kevin Abbott, Reba McEntire, Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis, Matt Berry and Pamela Fryman. Created By: Kevin Abbott and Julie Abbott. Series Regulars: Reba McEntire, Belissa Escobedo, Melissa Peterman, Rex Linn, Pablo Castelblanco, and Tokala Black Elk. Guest Stars: JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Christopher Lloyd, Carol Kane, and Cheri Oteri.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Cheers, Dynasty, Happy Days, Happy's Place, NBC, The Brady Bunch, The Honeymooners, The Love Boat

HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC

The HBO Original Harry Potter series has cast six-time Emmy(R), two-time Tony Award(R), Olivier winner, and BAFTA and Oscar(R) nominee John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore; Tony Award(R), Golden Globe(R), and Olivier winner, and Oscar(R) and Emmy(R) nominee, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall; Emmy(R), Olivier, and BAFTA nominee Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape; and BIFA nominee Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. All will serve as series regulars. Newly announced guest/recurring cast include Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and five-time BAFTA winner Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

The series will be a faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling and will feature an exciting and talented cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters Harry Potter fans have adored for over 25 years. Exploring every corner of the wizarding world, each season will bring Harry Potter and its incredible adventures to new and existing audiences and will stream exclusively on Max where it's available globally, including upcoming markets such as Turkey, the UK, Germany, and Italy, among others. The original, classic, and cherished films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch around the world.

Classic TV Comes to Life: Television Treasures from the Dr. Stewart Berkowitz Collection from Wednesday, April 16, 2025 – Sunday, May 25, 2025 at The Paley Museum, 25 West 52 Street, NYC. Long before the internet, smartphones, and personal computers, nothing captured our collective imagination and wonder like classic television series. Beloved shows like I Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, and Happy Days were touchstones for several generations of Americans. From Lucy Ricardo to Ralph Kramden to Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli, these characters helped shape our childhoods—and our lives. Now The Paley Museum invites you to experience your favorite classic TV shows with life-size figures in authentic costumes. PLUS the set from The Tonight Starring Johnny Carson.

This exclusive exhibit features rare treasures from the collection of the late Dr. Stewart Berkowitz, who turned his love for the TV shows from his youth into a passion for collecting. Dr. Berkowitz spent decades combing the country and lovingly assembling the costumes, props, and artifacts from his most-adored programs, including The Honeymooners (his favorite show of all time), The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Love Boat, The Flying Nun, and Happy Days. As Dr. Berkowitz collected these rare and essential costumes of TV history, he helped bring them to life by commissioning stunning life-like mannequins from designer Greg Maraio.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Flying Nun, Happy Days, HBO, I Love Lucy, Paley Center, The Honeymooners, The Love Boat, Tonight Show

BET+ Renews Churchy for Season 2 and The Ms. Pat Show for Season 5; Remembering Teri Garr

BET+ has renewed the original comedy series Churchy for a second season. The series, originally released on February 15, 2024, broke ground for BET+ quickly becoming the #1 scripted comedy series on the platform in its debut week. Inspired by/drawing from/from the mind of standup comedian "KevOnStage" Fredericks, Corey Carr Jr.'s life takes an unexpected turn when he's bypassed for leadership of his father's mega-church. Determined to prove his worth, Corey packs up his dreams and heads to middle-of-nowhere Lubbock, Texas, with lofty ambitions to build his own ministry from the ground up. However, after quickly stumbling upon the realization that small-town church life is an entirely different ball game, Corey slowly accepts that the path to spiritual leadership might just be funnier and more profound than any sermon could ever teach.

Fredericks is set to reprise his role as "Corey Carr, Jr." an ambitious yet naive new pastor. Season one also starred Anthony Elfoniza, Lexi Allen, London Solomon, Mark J. P. Hood, and Shani Shockley. Casting for season two includes series regulars Quin Walters and Tahir Moore with Nic Few, Tony Baker, and Tabitha Brown also set to appear. Kevin "KevOnStage" Fredericks and Melissa Fredericks will return to executive produce for KevOnStage Studios. LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, and Lezlie Wills are executive producers for SpringHill. The second season will be penned by comedy writers Richard A. Washington & David Murphy. Production for the new season and a premiere will be announced at a later date.

In DJ Khaled’s voice - 'And Another One!' 🎉 BET+ has renewed the Emmy-nominated multi-cam sitcom The Ms. Pat Show for a fifth season, keeping the laughs and realness coming! 🙌🏾 BET Media Group also locked in an extended deal with the one and only Ms. Pat, so you know BET is about to get more unapologetically Black, bold, and hilarious content coming to our screens. Since 2021, The Ms. Pat Show been serving up that raw comedy, and we're here for it all! 🔥 Prepare yourself for an epic new season ahead by catching up on all 4 season streaming on #BETPlus.

Actress Teri Garr, who starred in Good & Evil, Good Advice and Women of the House, has died. She died from complications of multiple sclerosis at her home in Los Angeles, California, on October 29. Ms. Garr was 79.

Garr had a recurring role as Amber in four episodes of the 1973-1974 NBC sitcom The Girl with Something Extra. Some of her early sitcom guest appearances included That Girl (2 episodes), The Andy Griffith Show, Mayberry R.F.D., The Mothers-in-Law, Room 222, M*A*S*H, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, The Odd Couple, The Bob Newhart Show (2 episodes as Miss Brennan), Paul Sand in Friends and Lovers and Maude.

She starred as Denise Sandler in the short-lived 1991 ABC sitcom Good & Evil, which was created by Susan Harris. Good & Evil was the saga of two sisters – one "good", the other "evil" – and the backstabbing, jealously and power struggles that occurred between them. Denise Sandler, the evil sister, was heir to her mother Charlotte (Marian Seldes)'s cosmetics empire Sandler Cosmetics. The series also starred Margaret Whitton, Mark Blankfield, Lane Davies, Mary Gillis, Seth Green, Sherman Howard, Lane Smith, Brooke Theiss, Marius Weyers and William Shockley.

Garr starred as Paige Turner in the second season of the 1993-1994 CBS sitcom Good Advice. Dr. Susan DeRuzza (Shelley Long) is a successful marriage therapist and the author of a best-selling book on the subject, Giving and Forgiving. Paige Turner is Susan's flighty, self-centered older sister, who had just moved to Los Angeles and became the new inept receptionist. The cast included Treat Williams, George Wyner, Christopher McDonald (season 1), Peter Onorati (season 2), Ross Malinger, Estelle Harris (season 1), Lightfield Lewis and Henriette Mantel (season 2).

She starred as Sissy Emerson in the short-lived 1995 CBS sitcom Women of the House. The spin-off of Designing Women starred Delta Burke, reprising her role of Suzanne Sugarbaker. Sissy Emerson is Suzanne's press secretary, a washed up reporter who had turned to the bottle a few years earlier, but was starting to clean up her act. The cast included Patricia Heaton, Valerie Mahaffey (episodes 1-4, 7), Julie Hagery (episodes 5-6), Lisa Rieffel (episodes 8-12), Jonathan Banks, Brittany Parkyn and William Newman.

Garr had a recurring role as Phoebe Abbott, the estranged birth mother of Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), in three episodes of the NBC sitcom Friends from 1997 to 1998. Some of her other sitcom credits included Dream On (2 episodes), Murphy Brown, The Larry Sanders Show, Frasier (voice), Men Behaving Badly, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Life with Bonnie, Greetings from Tucson and Crumbs. She stared as Talon Kensington in the 1986 CBS comedy miniseries Fresno.

She had her breakthrough appearing as secretary Roberta Lincoln in the Star Trek episode "Assignment: Earth" in 1968. Some of her other televison guest appearances included Mr. Novak, Dr. Kildare, Batman, It Takes a Thief (2 episodes), Banyon, Barnaby Jones, McCloud (6 episodes), Tales from the Crypt, ER, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Felicity, Strong Medicine and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Garr was a regular cast member on The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour from 1971 to 1974, dancing and acting in comedy sketches. In 1972, she landed a regular role on The Ken Berry "WOW" Show, a summer replacement variety series. She hosted Saturday Night Live three times in 1980, 1983, and 1985. She was a frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Late Night with David Letterman.

She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her comedic role as Sandy Lester, an acting student, in Sydney Pollack's romantic comedy Tootsie (1982). Some of her other film credits included The Conversation (1974), Young Frankenstein (1974), Oh, God! (1977), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), The Black Stallion (1979), One from the Heart (1982), Mr. Mom (1983), Firstborn (1984), After Hours (1985), Let It Ride (1989), Mom and Dad Save the World (1992), Dumb and Dumber (1994), Prêt-à-Porter (1994), Michael (1996) and Ghost World (2001).

Ms. Garr was a talented, funny and lovely actress. She was always a great late night talk show guest. She made everything she appeared in much better. We thank her for the laughs and entertainment she brought us during her career. She will be deeply missed.

We also remember singer and actor Jack Jones. He sang the opening theme song for The Love Boat from 1977 to 1985. He died from leukemia at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, on October 23. Mr. Jones was 86.

The Love Boat theme song was composed by Charles Fox with lyrics by Paul Williams. It was sung by Jack Jones in the opening sequence of the first eight seasons (1977-1985) and, in a different arrangement, by Dionne Warwick in the last season (1985-1986) and the four specials that followed it. Jones lip-syncs the song in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), appearing in a cameo as a lounge singer as Ted (Robert Hays) escapes from the hospital.

He provided the vocals to the theme song ("The Kind of Girl She Is") of the short-lived 1971 CBS sitcom Funny Face, which starred Sandy Duncan.

Jones played himself in the episode "The Vegas Show" of It's a Living in 1980. Some of his other sitcom credits included Hey, Jeannie! (pilot), The Love Boat, Get a Life and Night Court (1990). Some of his other television credits included Code 3, General Electric Theater, The Rat Patrol, McMillan & Wife, Police Woman, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Sweepstakes and Buddy Faro.

He won two Grammy Awards and received five nominations for Grammys. His recordings included "Lollipops and Roses", "Wives and Lovers", "The Race Is On", "The Impossible Dream" and "Call Me Irresponsible".

Television writer and producer Alan Sacks was the co-creator of Welcome Back, Kotter. He died from lymphoma in New York on October 22. Mr. Sacks was 81.

Sacks helped develop and co-create the ABC sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter with Gabe Kaplan in 1975, based on Kaplan's stand-up routine about his high school buddies in Brooklyn. He was also a producer for first season (1975-1976).

He worked as a production executive and producer on Chico and the Man from 1974 to 1975, a show created by Welcome Back, Kotter executive producer James Komack.

In 1986, he wrote and produced the skateboarding film Thrashin', which starred Josh Brolin, Robert Rusler and Pamela Gidley.

Television writer and producer Sherry Coben was the creator of Kate & Allie. She died from cancer at her home in New Milford, New Jersey, on October 16. Ms. Coben was 71.

Coben created the 1984-1989 CBS sitcom Kate & Allie. The series stars Susan Saint James and Jane Curtin as two divorced mothers who decide to live together and raise their children in the same home. Curtin won two consecutive Emmy Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series, while Saint James was nominated in the same category three times. The cast included Ari Meyers, Allison Smith and Frederick Koehler.

She wrote for the ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope from 1980 to 1981. She was a writer and producer of the 1996 CBS Saturday morning children's sitcom Bailey Kipper's P.O.V.. The series starred Michael Galeota, John Achorn, Meg Wittner, Andi Eystad and Joey Zimmerman.

Actor Ron Ely starred as Tarzan in the 1966-1968 NBC series Tarzan. He died at the home of one of his daughters in Los Alamos, California, on September 29. Mr. Ely was 86.

Ely starred as Mike Madison in the CBS adventure/drama series The Aquanauts in 1961. He was best known for portraying Tarzan in the 1966-1968 NBC adventure series Tarzan. He also directed an episode of the series in 1967. He starred as Mike Nelson in the 1987-1988 syndicated revival of Sea Hunt.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Father Knows Best, How to Marry a Millionaire, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (as Dobie's older brother in the Pilot), The Courtship of Eddie's Father and The Love Boat (3 episodes).

He guest starred in five episodes of Fantasy Island from 1979 to 1984. Some of his other television credits included Steve Canyon, The Millionaire, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Thriller, Ironside, Marcus Welby, M.D. (1974), Wonder Woman, Matt Houston, Hotel, Blacke's Magic, Superboy, Tarzán, The Hat Squad, L.A. Law, Hawkeye, Renegade (2 episodes) and Sheena.

Ely starred as Clark "Doc" Savage Jr. in the 1975 action film Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.

We thank them for their work on television and in films. They will be greatly missed.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: BET+, Churchy, Friends, Kate and Allie, Obits, The Love Boat, The Ms. Pat Show, Welcome Back Kotter, Women of the House

Fox M*A*S*H Special on January 1; MeTV Lasts on the Last Marathon

In the all-new two-hour special, M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television, premiering Monday, January 1 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Fox, join the men and women who made M*A*S*H as they celebrate one of the most beloved, enduringly popular, often quoted and influential comedies ever created. As the definitive look at the 14-time Emmy-winning television classic, the special centers around new interviews with original cast members Alan Alda (Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce), Gary Burghoff (Cpl. Walter "Radar" O'Reilly), William Christopher (Father Francis Mulcahy), Jamie Farr (Cpl./Sgt. Maxwell Q. "Max" Klinger), Mike Farrell (Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt), Wayne Rogers (Capt. "Trapper" John McIntyre) and Loretta Swit (Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan) and series executive producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe. In these intimate, highly personal remembrances, the creation and evolution of the show's iconic characters are revealed, alongside rare and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, photos and stories.

Writer/producer Larry Gelbart, as well as additional series stars Larry Linville (Maj. Frank Burns), Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman T. Potter), McLean Stevenson (Lt. Col. Henry Blake) and David Ogden Stiers (Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III) are remembered through a vibrant collection of clips from the series as well as in rarely-seen archival interviews. With unique experiences, observations and memories from 11 seasons of M*A*S*H, this special will make audiences laugh, touch their heartstrings, and leave them on a nostalgic high while celebrating the sustained brilliance of the iconic sitcom.

The M*A*S*H two-and-a-half-hour series finale that first aired on CBS in 1983 remains the highest rated telecast in television history, delivering an incredible 77 audience share and 60.2 rating. To-date, the show has never left the air, continuously running in syndication, on basic cable and now streaming on Hulu. The series was produced by 20th Television. M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television is directed by John Scheinfeld (Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback, The U.S. vs. John Lennon and What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears?) with Scheinfeld and Andy Kaplan as Executive Producers. Viewers can watch M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television next day on Hulu, Fox.com, On Demand and FOX Entertainment's streaming platform, Tubi. On Demand is available for customers of Cox Contour TV, DIRECTV, DISH, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Optimum, Spectrum, Verizon FiOS, XFINITY, YouTube TV and many more.

MeTV bids a fond farewell to 2023 with The Lasts on the Last, an afternoon celebration of finale and final season episodes from memorable classic TV shows including The Andy Griffith Show, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, Mama's Family, The Love Boat, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Leave it to Beaver! See how these beloved stories concluded on Sunday, December 31 starting at 12P | 11C on MeTV and running through 6:30P.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Andy Griffith Show, Brady Bunch, Fox, Gilligan's Island, Leave it to Beaver, M*A*S*H, Mama's Family, MeTV, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Love Boat

MeTV's Back to School with Me Stunt; Remembering Johnny Hardwick and Shelley Smith

Go "Back to School with Me" with special academic episodes Sunday, August 27! Bid goodbye to carefree summer days with a full day of shows featuring classrooms, sports, tests and teachers! Grab your pencils and pack your lunch for this full day event reliving all the fun of the going back to school, from first class to graduation. And don’t forget your homework! Make the end of summer a little easier with a full day of episodes about learning, teachers, sports and all things back-to-school on MeTV. It all starts Sunday, August 27 at 9A | 8C!

9A | 8C: Saved By The Bell: "The Last Weekend" — It's the last day at the beach resort and Zack and Stacy are hoping to spend it together. Carosi, however, doesn't approve of their romance. Meanwhile, a secret admirer is sending Slater love letters.
9:30A | 8:30C: Saved By The Bell: "The Fight" — Zach and Slater might turn back into rivals when they fall for a new girl from Idaho. Who'll be the one to have a date with her?
10A | 9C: The Flintstones: "Flintstone of Prinstone" — Fred attends night classes and is drafted to be a quarterback on the school football team.
10:30A | 9:30C: The Flintstones: "The Bowling Ballet" —Fred secretly becomes a ballet pupil in order to regain his form for a big bowling match
11A | 10C:The Flintstones: "High School Fred" — Wilma thinks Fred is about to be promoted when Mr. Slate sends Fred to school for two weeks.
11:30A | 10:30C: The Jetsons: "Elroy's Mob" — Elroy brings home the wrong report card by mistake, angering his father, which causes Elroy to run away with Astro.
12P | 11C: The Brady Bunch: "Today, I am a Freshman" —It's the beginning of another school year, and Marcia panics about becoming a freshman, going as far as pretending to be sick. However, after Mike and Carol see through her act, they insist she'd enjoy school if she were involved in extracurricular activities. Marcia then proceeds to join every group or club available. Meanwhile, Peter tries to build a model volcano on the patio.
12:30P | 11:30C: The Brady Bunch: "Getting Greg's Goat" — After he and his teammates swipe a rival school's mascot in retaliation for theirs being stolen first, Greg is tasked with watching Raquel, a goat. Things get out of control when Raquel proves to be hard to handle, easy to feed and not easy to catch.
1P | 12C: Leave It to Beaver: "Wally's Test" — An upcoming test in history, Wally's weakest subject, has Wally studying all weekend and has Larry and Eddie coming up with a plan that will give them good grades on the test.
1:30P | 12:30C: Leave It to Beaver: "Beaver's I.Q." — After learning that he's going to be taking an I.Q. test, Beaver hits the books, scared after his friends tell him that if he doesn't pass he will be sent to "dumb school."
2P | 1C: The Beverly Hillbillies: "Jethro Goes to School" — Jethro announces that Pearl has sent the family a letter. In this letter, Pearl says how she hopes her son is doing well in school. Jed realizes that Jethro should be in the fifth grade and tells him they have to find a school that day. While driving around Beverly Hills, they stop at the first school they see, Mrs. Potts’ exclusive private school.
2:30P | 1:30C: The Beverly Hillbillies: "Jethro's Graduation" — Jethro is very excited about graduating from the sixth grade. But in order to prevent embarrassment, Mrs. Potts gets help from Drysdale and Diana to get Jethro to miss his sixth grade graduation. She schemes to turn Jed and Jethro’s watches back 45 minutes.
3P | 2C: Gilligan's Island: "The Friendly Physician" — A mad scientist lands on the island and takes the castaways to his castle to perform strange experiments on them. Soon they are locked in a dungeon and trapped in the wrong bodies.
3:30P | 2:30C: Gilligan's Island: "A Man With a Net" — Lord Beasley Waterford, a famous butterfly collector, lands on the island searching for the world's rarest butterfly, the pussycat swallowtail. 4P | 3C: Mama's Family: "Mama Learns to Drive" — Fed up with having to chauffeur Mama all over town, the family decides to teach her to drive. But when Mama finally gets her license, the family is too afraid to let her use their cars!
4:30P | 3:30C: Mama's Family: "Educating Mama" — When Bubba enrolls in night school, the family convinces Mama to join him and earn her high school equivalency diploma.
5P | 4C: The Love Boat: "Isaac's Teacher" — Isaac hides from his high-school teacher; a man tries to please his seal; a wife who thinks she's dying wants to choose her successor.
6P | 5C: The Andy Griffith Show: "The Education of Ernest T. Bass" — Ernest T. is back in Mayberry to get his diploma. He is so determined that Andy convinces Helen to allow him to attend class, but Ernest T. isn't exactly classroom material.

Voice actor, comedian, writer and producer Johnny Hardwick, who was best known as the voice of Dale Gribble on King of the Hill, has died. He was found dead at his home Austin, Texas, on August 8. Mr. Hardwick was 64.

Hardwick provided the voice of Dale Gribble on the Fox animated sitcom King of the Hill. The 1997-2010 series centers on the Hills, an American family in the fictional city of Arlen, Texas, as well as their neighbors, co-workers, relatives, classmates, friends, and acquaintances. Dale Gribble is the Hills' chain-smoking, balding, conspiracy-theorist next-door neighbor and Hank's (Mike Judge) best friend. As a result of his paranoia, Dale does not trust the government or "the system". He owns his own pest control business, Dale's Dead Bug, and is also a licensed bounty hunter and President of the Arlen Gun Club. Dale is married to Nancy Hicks-Gribble (Ashley Gardner), a weather reporter and later an anchorwoman for the Channel 84 news. The cast also included Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon, Brittany Murphy (1997-2009), Stephen Root, Toby Huss, Jonathan Joss, Lauren Tom, Breckin Meyer, and Tom Petty.

At the time of his death, he was set to reprise the role again in the upcoming revival. It was later revealed that he had recorded "a couple" of new episodes for the revival prior to his death.

He was also its staff writer, story editor and producer from 1997 to 2002. He had three Prime Time Emmy Award nominations, and in 1999 he won an Emmy for producing King of the Hill.

Mr. Hardwick did a great job performing the memorable role of Dale Gribble. We thank him for his work on King of the Hill. He will be greatly missed.

Fashion model and actress Shelley Smith, who starred as Sara James on The Associates, has died. She suffered a cardiac arrest on August 5. She died at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital in Los Angeles, California, on August 8. Ms. Smith was 70.

Smith starred as Sara James on the 1979-1980 ABC sitcom The Associates. The series, which was based on the novel of the same name by John Jay Osborn Jr., was the first bonafide starring vehicle for Martin Short and centered on a small group of young novice lawyers who worked at a Wall Street law firm. It was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. The cast included Wilfrid Hyde-White, Joe Regalbuto, Alley Mills, and Tim Thomerson.

Some of her sitcom guest appearances included The Stockard Channing Show, Angie, The Love Boat (2 episodes), Diff'rent Strokes, and Webster.

She starred as Capt. Carolyn Engel on the 1983-1984 NBC military drama For Love and Honor. Some of her other television guest appearances included Tenspeed and Brown Shoe, The Phoenix, Hart to Hart (2 episodes), Fantasy Island, Hotel, Lady Blue, The New Mike Hammer, Hunter, Magnum, P.I. (2 episodes), Simon & Simon (4 episodes), Dragnet (1989), and Murder, She Wrote (2 episodes).

Ms. Smith was a talented and lovely actress. The Associates had a great cast and was critically acclaimed, but it never found a big audience airing against One Day at a Time. It's too bad ABC didn't give it more of a chance in another time slot. We thank her for work on television. She will be deeply missed.

We also remember actor Nicolas Coster. He had a recurring role as David Warner, the father of Blair Warner, on The Facts of Life. He died on June 26 at a hospital in Florida. Mr. Coster was 89.

Coster had a recurring role as David Warner, Blair Warner's (Lisa Whelchel) father, in five episodes of The Facts of Life from 1982 to 1988. His ex-wife, Monica Warner, was played by Marj Dusay in eight episodes from 1981 to 1987.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included No Time for Sergeants, Wendy and Me, Occasional Wife, On Our Own (1978), Husbands, Wives & Lovers (1978), Grandpa Goes to Washington, One Day at a Time, When the Whistle Blows, Police Squad!, Teachers Only (2 episodes), 9 to 5 (3 episodes), Hooperman, Who's the Boss?, Nurses, Coach, 3rd Rock from the Sun (2 episodes), and Crumbs.

Coster starred as Robert Delaney on Another World from 1970 to 1980. He played Anthony Makana in five episodes of One Life to Live. He starred as Lionel Lockridge on Santa Barbara from 1984 to 1993. The role earned him four Daytime Emmy nominations. He starred as Mayor Jack Madison on the digital soap The Bay from 2010 to 2019. The role won him his first Daytime Emmy in 2017. He also worked as a producer from 2010 to 2014.

He played John Eldridge in the 1965 CBS primetime serialized drama Our Private World. He starred as Chief J.E. Carson on The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (also known as Lobo). In 1983, he starred as Dr. Morris Whitford on the short-lived ABC medical drama Ryan's Four.

Some of his other television guest appearances included The Defenders, The Green Hornet, Charlie's Angels, Little House on the Prairie, Baretta, Family, The Rockford Files, Wonder Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Dallas (3 episodes), Hart to Hart, Quincy, M.E. (1982), Simon & Simon (3 episodes), Magnum, P.I. (1983), Hardcastle and McCormick, T.J. Hooker, Knight Rider (1983), L.A. Law, thirtysomething (1989), Murder, She Wrote (1989), Life Goes On, Star Trek: The Next Generation, MacGyver, Matlock, Law & Order (2 episodes), and Cold Case.

Mr. Coster was a fine character actor. He was a familiar face on many television shows during his long career. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment that he brought us on television. He will be sorely missed.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Andy Griffith Show, Gilligan's Island, King of the Hill, Leave it to Beaver, Mama's Family, ME-TV, Obits, Saved by the Bell, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Brady Bunch, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, The Love Boat

MeTV January 2023 Schedule; Party Down Returns to Starz

MeTV Network will be making some schedule changes starting in January, mainly on weekends. One weekday change is that The Beverly Hillbillies will replace Gomer Pyle at 9PM. The Wild Wild West will replace Maverick on Saturdays at 10AM, while Svengoolie expands to 8 to 10:30PM on Saturdays, followed by Sventoonie. The first 2 1/2 hour Svengoolie will be The Raven (1963). Sunday afternoon Block Parties will be no more, but 10am-6pm will now feature one-hour blocks of Full House, The Flintstones/The Jetsons, The Brady Bunch, Leave it to Beaver, The Beverly Hillbillies, Gilligan's Island, Mama's Family and The Love Boat. View the full MeTV January 2023 schedule.

STARZ announced the long-awaited return of the hit comedy series Party Down is set to premiere on Friday, February 24 at midnight on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms and internationally on the LIONSGATE+ premium streaming platform in the UK, Brazil and Latin America. On linear, it will debut on STARZ at 9:00 PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. The third season will consist of six new episodes and to celebrate its return, a first look teaser and photo reuniting the Party Down catering crew is available.

Ten years later, most of the Party Down catering team have moved on, including actor/bartender Henry Pollard (Adam Scott, Severance, Parks and Recreation). After a surprise reunion, the gang find themselves once again stoically enduring the procession of random parties and oddball guests all over Los Angeles. Scott reprises his role alongside original cast members Ken Marino (The Other Two, Veronica Mars), Jane Lynch (Glee, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Martin Starr (Knocked Up, Silicon Valley), Ryan Hansen (Bless this Mess, Veronica Mars) and Megan Mullally (Will & Grace, The Great North). Previously announced new cast members joining in on the fun include Jennifer Garner (The Adam Project, Yes Day) Tyrel Jackson Williams (Thunder Force, Brockmire) and Zoë Chao (Love Life, The Afterparty). James Marsden (Disenchanted, Dead to Me) is set to recur as a guest star.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Full House, Gilligan's Island, Gomer Pyle USMC, Leave it to Beaver, Mama's Family, ME-TV, Party Down, Starz, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Brady Bunch, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, The Love Boat

NBC Fall 2022 Premiere Dates; Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell Head to The Real Love Boat

NBC will begin its 2022-23 season with Sunday Night Football, on Thursday, Sept. 8. On the heels of the NFL kickoff, season two of Capital One College Bowl, hosted by Peyton Manning, will debut the following night with back-to-back episodes from 8-10pm before settling into the 8pm hour for early fall. Dateline NBC will air on Fridays from 9-11pm with the season premiere on Sept. 16. The Sunday premiere of Sunday Night Football will be on Sept. 11. Scripted programming will launch the week of Sept. 19 and will include the premiere of the reimagined Quantum Leap, starring Raymond Lee, on Mondays at 10pm, along with other dramas such as New Amsterdam, Chicagos and Law & Orders. Last season's drama La Brea will return on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 9pm. The Voice will air on two nights as usual starting Monday, Sept. 19. On Friday, Nov. 4, family comedies join the Friday 8-9pm lineup with the premiere of Lopez vs. Lopez, starring and executive produced by George Lopez, followed by the third season of Young Rock, starring and executive produced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

CBS announced Rebecca Romijn (Paramount+' Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) and Jerry O'Connell (CBS' The Talk) as co-hosts of The Real Love Boat. The husband-and-wife team will take the helm guiding viewers through the dating adventure series inspired by The Love Boat, the hit scripted series in the '70s that used Princess Cruises ships as its setting. The series sets sail Wednesday, Oct. 5 (9:00-10:00 PM, PT/ET), following Survivor (8:00 PM PT/ET) and leading into The Amazing Race (10:00 PM, PT), to create the Network's all-reality night.

The series brings singles together to sail the Mediterranean on a luxury cruise ship while looking for love. Destination dates, challenges and surprise singles will test the couples' compatibility and chemistry. Like the beloved original scripted series, the indispensable crew members, including captain and cruise director, will play pivotal roles in the matchmaking and navigation of the romantic (and sometimes turbulent) waters ahead. After nearly one month at sea, one winning couple will dock in the final port and take home a cash prize plus a once-in-a-lifetime trip courtesy of Princess Cruises, the series' exclusive cruise line partner.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: CBS, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Law and Order, Lopez vs. Lopez, NBC, The Love Boat, Young Rock

MeTV Network Adds The A-Team for The Summer of Me; HBO Max Renews Two Comedies for Season 2

This summer, MeTV is adding some action to its weeknight line-up! 80's blockbuster The A-Team is joining the schedule and airing weeknights at 6pm starting Memorial Day - Monday, May 30. It will replace The Addams Family and Happy Days, which are off the regular line-up. The only other change to the line-up is on Sundays. A new five-hour block titled "The Summer of MeTV Sunday Block Party" where a different show will be showcased every week on Sunday afternoons from noon to 5PM eastern starting Sunday, June 5. No details yet on which shows will pop up all summer long, but from the hints in the promo below, we may see series like The Monkees, Mama's Family, I Love Lucy, Cheers, Laverne & Shirley and Gidget pop up. That's fun as none of those series are on the current regular line-up! As a result of the new Sunday Block Party block, Full House will move to Sundays at 5:00pm & 5:30pm replacing The Love Boat. View and discuss the 2022 The Summer of Me line-up.

HBO Max has renewed the comedy series Minx for a second season. The first season, from creator and showrunner Ellen Rapoport, Feigco Entertainment and Lionsgate Television, debuted in March on HBO Max and topped Esquire's list of "Best TV Shows of 2022 (Thus Far)." All ten episodes are available on HBO Max. Minx is set in 1970s Los Angeles and centers around Joyce (Ophelia Lovibond), an earnest young feminist who joins forces with a low-rent publisher (Jake Johnson) to create the first erotic magazine for women. Season One Cast: Ophelia Lovibond, Jake Johnson, Idara Victor, Jessica Lowe, Lennon Parham, Michael Angarano and Oscar Montoya.

HBO Max has renewed the comedy series Julia for a second season. The series, which debuted March 31 on HBO Max, concludes its first season on May 5. Julia is inspired by Julia Child's extraordinary life and her long-running television series, The French Chef, which pioneered the modern cooking show. Through Julia’s life and her singular joie de vivre, the series explores a pivotal time in American history – the emergence of public television as a new social institution, feminism and the women’s movement, the nature of celebrity and America’s cultural evolution. At its heart, the series is a portrait of a loving marriage with a shifting power dynamic. Season One Cast: Sarah Lancashire as Julia, David Hyde Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, Brittany Bradford, Fran Kranz and Fiona Glascott. Guest stars included Isabella Rossellini, Judith Light, Robert Joy, Erin Neufer, Jefferson Mays, James Cromwell and Adriane Lenox.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: A-Team, Addams Family, Full House, Gidget, Happy Days, HBO Max, I Love Lucy, Julia, Laverne and Shirley, Mama's Family, ME-TV, Minx, The Love Boat, The Monkees

Reelz Announces May Premieres, Including Love Boat Special; Hulu Hockey Comedy Shoresy Premieres May 27

REELZ announced its May 2022 premieres with 14 new originals including the tragic passings of revered TV stars Ricardo Montalbán, Telly Savalas and James Garner. The new original special The Love Boat: Happily Ever After celebrates the charming TV series with its stars including Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Fred Grandy, Cynthia Lauren Tewes, Jill Whelan and Ted McGinley discussing how fast moving romance on a slow moving ship became must-see TV. The May 2022 lineup begins on Sunday, May 1 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT with The Love Boat: Happily Ever After about the unexpected smash hit show that captivated audiences of all ages and its hijinks on the high seas are just as appreciated now as they were four decades ago. Now in The Love Boat: Happily Ever After stars from the show including Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Fred Grandy, Cynthia Lauren Tewes, Jill Whelan and Ted McGinley share their experiences of its signature blend of romance, drama and laughs along with stories of filming at exotic ports of call and many guest stars who would later become big stars including Tom Hanks, Courteney Cox and Michael J. Fox. Also celebrated for its stellar guest stars and its own island-sized dose of escapism the TV series Fantasy Island showed viewers a unique resort island with an equally enigmatic host in Mr. Roarke played by Ricardo Montalbán. His onscreen charisma was bolstered by the physicality he brought to his roles and he was known to be a fit and healthy man so what happened to bring about his fatal catastrophic heart failure? On Sunday, May 1 at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Ricardo Montalbán" examines his life with a look at the health issues he faced and whether a childhood condition impacted his health later in life.

If he was a fictional character on the 1970s crime drama series Kojak Scarfo would no doubt have been a tough case for Lt. Theo Kojak. The charming detective with his famous bald head was known for fiercely going after criminals and was played brilliantly by Telly Savalas. On Sunday, May 15 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Telly Savalas" celebrates his storied career and investigates his final days including what caused the sudden decline in his health as he appeared to be leading a full and busy life just weeks before his passing. So what is the truth behind the death of TV's favorite detective? Also premiering on Sunday, May 15 is the story of another star who like Savalas exuded a signature magnetism on screen. Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "James Garner" at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT shows how he dazzled audiences for more than 50 years starting with his undeniable charm as the cheeky and reluctant hero on 1950s hit Maverick. As a stoic and private man Garner secretly battled with ill health for more than 30 years but what exactly caused his heart to fail and did a lapse in medical care ultimately seal his fate?

Tell your mom... Shoresy premieres May 27 on Hulu! Shot on location in Sudbury, the hockey comedy series Shoresy features bench boss Jared Keeso in the titular role, alongside a cast of certified beauticians and absolute legends - from sci-fi stars to real life big hitters. Tasya Teles (The 100) stars as Nat, with Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat (Tribal) as Sanguinet, Blair Lamora (Paranormal Nightshif t) as Ziigwan, and Keilani Rose (Flimsy) tapped as Miigwan. From, Blainville, QC, rapper Jonathan-Ismael Diaby stars as Dolo, with former Montral Canadien, author, and actor Terry Ryan as Hitch. Ryan McDonell (The Crossing) stars as Michaels, with Max Bouffard (Letterkenny) as JJ Frankie JJ, and former Kahnawake Condor and MMA fighter Andrew The Canon Antsanen joining the cast as Goody. Legendary all-time tough guy Jon Nasty Mirasty, former 'Canes centre Brandon Nolan, and three time Stanley Cup winner, Jordan Nolan star as Jim, Jim, and Jim, respectively, with Listowel's Keegan Long as Liam, and North Bay’s Bourke Cazabon as Cory.

The debut season of Shoresy guest stars Laurence Leboeuf (Transplant), Scott Thompson (Kids in the Hall), Jonathan Torrens (Trailer Park Boys), Jacob Tierney (Letterkenny), Camille Sullivan (Trigger Me"), Eliana Jones (Northern Rescue), Kim Cloutier (Letterkenny), Michala Brasseur (Grand Army, The Handmaid's Tale) as well as social media star and podcaster Lysandre Nadeau.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Fantasy Island, Hulu, Kojak, ReelzChannel, Rockford Files, Shoresy, The Love Boat

HBO Max Renews And Just Like That...for Season 2; CBS Orders The Real Love Boat

HBO Max announced that And Just Like That... has been renewed for a second season. The series, from executive producer Michael Patrick King, alongside stars and executive producers Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, delivered the strongest debut of any Max Original series to date. The Max Original And Just Like That..., the new chapter of the groundbreaking HBO series Sex and the City, from executive producer Michael Patrick King, follows Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. The series stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Sara Ramírez, Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, Karen Pittman, Chris Noth, Mario Cantone, David Eigenberg, Willie Garson, and Evan Handler.

U.S. network CBS and Australian broadcaster Network 10 jointly announced they have ordered localized versions of The Real Love Boat, a reality dating competition series inspired by The Love Boat, the hit 1970s scripted one-hour comedy series that used Princess Cruises ships as its setting. Production begins summer 2022, and both versions are expected to air in the U.S. and Australia later this year. The The Love Boat IP is owned by CBS Studios which, along with CBS and Network 10, are Paramount Global brands.

The Real Love Boat brings singles together to cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury cruise ship while looking for love. Destination dates, challenges and surprise singles will test the couples' compatibility and chemistry. Like the beloved original scripted series, the indispensable crew members including "captain" and "cruise director" will play pivotal roles in the matchmaking and navigation of the romantic (and sometimes turbulent) waters ahead. After almost a month at sea, only one winning couple will make it to the final port and take home a cash prize plus a once-in-a-lifetime trip courtesy of Princess Cruises, the series' exclusive cruise line partner.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: And Just Like That..., CBS, HBO Max, Sex and the City, The Love Boat

Fri-Yay: Networks Have a Few Promising Comedies for 2022; Betty White Tribute Marathons on CMT, MeTV, TV Land, Decades, Hallmark, etc.

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay (but today it's on a Monday to open up 2022)! 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

This TV season, there were a handful of new sitcoms on network TV that I was looking forward to. However, nearly all of them (with the exception of CBS' Ghosts) were held for mid-season, as the networks seem to be prioritizing unscripted shows over sitcoms again. That said, there are two sitcoms that I'm interested in: NBC's American Auto and ABC's Abbott Elementary (both had special preview premieres in December).

American Auto technically already premiered (in a preview role), and the first two episodes have been entertaining. The show is very much in vein of Superstore (which it shares a creator with), and like that show, I expect a few episodes for it to really find its voice. I still miss Superstore and felt it really had another good season or two left in it, so if American Auto can take after it, I'd be very happy. The show does need to find its own identity beyond just being "the new Office/Superstore," but solid performances from its promising cast make it one to keep an eye on.

I'm also very interested in Abott Elementary (which also had its preview premiere in December, that encores tonight at 10pm, episode two premieres tommorow at 9). There have been few sitcoms to take place in elementary schools, so it seems like an interesting new setting for a workplace comedy. It also has gotten really solid reviews and seems to have a very talented cast. With so many sitcoms having ended in the past 2 years, there really haven’t been many new sitcoms to step up and fill their shoes. Let's hope the spring 2022 class can reach that goal.

Betty White tributes started on Saturday, with TV Land airing the first marathon titled "Celebration of Betty White" with marathon blocks of The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland rotating all weekend starting 6pm on Saturday and continuing to 6am this morning. TV Land Sitcoms channel on Pluto TV has been airing non-stop Hot in Cleveland all weekend. NBC re-aired Betty's SNL guest host appearance from 2010 on Saturday at 11:35pm. The Hallmark Channel aired a tribute last night titled "The Lost Valentine: Remembering Betty White," an encore of their Hallmark Hall of Fame movie from 2011 from 8-10pm, followed by a The Golden Girls block from 10pm-1am. But there are much more tributes and marathons to come! Today (January 3) all-day from 9am-4am ET, CMT will celebrate the iconic Betty White with The Golden Girls All-Day Marathon featuring back-to-back episodes of some of the best Rose Nylund episodes of all-time. DECADES airs the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Betty White on Friday, January 7 at 9pm ET and select episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and encore presentations of her Celebrity Roast all weekend long beginning Saturday, January 8 at 12pm ET.

MeTV will air a Sunday block for Betty White with four episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, two episodes of Mama's Family and a guest appearance from The Love Boat on Sunday, January 9 from 2-6pm ET/PT. There were planned 100th birthday marathons already scheduled, as we mentioned a few weeks back, but MeTV has moved those Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes to Jan. 9 instead and will no longer do a 100th birthday salute on the 16th. As of now, Hallmark Channel is still airing the Golden Girls marathon from Jan. 15-17.

This Saturday, January 8 starting at 9 a.m. ET, Game Show Network will air an 8-hour marathon of Match Game episodes featuring the golden girl of game shows and America's sweetheart, Betty White. Buzzr will begin their celebration of Betty White on Saturday, January 8, at 10:30 am EST with episodes of Match Game and Match Game PM. They will feature more game shows on January 16 and 17. Keep it right here with continued updates as we get more information from other TV networks/services.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Abbott Elementary, ABC, American Auto, Betty White, BUZRR, CMT, Decades, Fri-Yay, Golden Girls, GSN, Hot in Cleveland, Mama's Family, Mary Tyler Moore Show, ME-TV, NBC, Superstore, The Love Boat, The Office, TV Land

MeTV Summer 2021 Schedule, Monk Joins Lineup; HBO Max Sets Cast for Period Comedy

MeTV has announced its summer 2021 schedule. There are minor changes to the lineup, with the majority of them happening on Sundays. MeTV will air the Tony Shalhoub series Monk in primetime on Sundays at 8pm and 9pm beginning Sunday, July 18. The series will join the lineup following fellow detective Columbo from 6-8pm to form a detective block. The Gilligan's Island Three-Hour Tour is being cut to a two-hour instead from 2-4pm instead of 2-5pm, as Mama's Family will now move to the earlier 4pm hour. So the only show off the lineup on Sundays is M*A*S*H, but that series still airs weeknights. The Love Boat will now move up to Sundays at 5pm. Back to primetime, The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show and Carol Burnett and Friends will now air in the 10pm hour following Monk. And the final Sunday change is The Honeymooners taking one of the The Twilight Zone half-hours at 12am. The only change to the weekday lineup will be The Carol Burnett Show being swapped out for Carol Burnett & Friends instead at 11pm. View the full MeTV Summer 2021 schedule.

HBO Max, the direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia, has set its cast for the period comedy Our Flag Means Death. Oscar(R) winner and multi-Emmy(R) Award nominee Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows, Jojo Rabbit) will executive produce the series and direct the pilot. Series creator and showrunner David Jenkins (People of Earth) executive produces with Emmy(R) nominated producer Garrett Basch (The Night Of, What We Do in the Shadows) and Dan Halsted. Our Flag Means Death is loosely based on the true adventures of Stede Bonnet (Rhys Darby), a pampered aristocrat who abandoned his life of privilege to become a pirate. The series also stars the previously announced Academy Award(R) winner Taika Waititi as "Blackbeard," history's most feared and revered pirate. Waititi is directing the pilot. Kristian Nairn (Game of Thrones, The Little People, internationally renowned DJ) as "Wee John Feeney." Nathan Foad (Bloods) as "Lucius." Samson Kayo (Truth Seekers, The Bubble, Death to 2020) as "Oluwande." Rory Kinnear (Bond, Penny Dreadful, The Imitation Game) as "Captain Nigel Badminton" and "Chauncey Badminton." Con O'Neill (The Batman, The Way of the Wind, Chernobyl) as "Izzy." Vico Ortiz (Vida, Everything's Gonna Be Okay, American Horror Story: 1984) as "Bonifacia." Our Flag Means Death is executive produced by Waititi, series creator and showrunner David Jenkins, Emmy(R)-nominated producer Garrett Basch and Dan Halsted.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Columbo, Gilligan's Island, HBO Max, M*A*S*H, Mama's Family, ME-TV, Monk, Our Flag Means Death, The Carol Burnett Show, The Honeymooners, The Love Boat

Remembering Gavin MacLeod of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat; Mr. Big Returns in New Sex and the City Chapter

Actor Gavin MacLeod, who starred as Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and as Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat, has died. He died on May 29 at his home in Palm Desert, California, after a period of ill health. No cause of death was given. Mr. MacLeod was 90.

MacLeod made his television debut in 1957 on the crime drama The Walter Winchell File. Some of his early drama guest appearances included The Thin Man, U.S. Marshal, Steve Canyon, Manhunt, Peter Gunn (2 episodes), Mr. Lucky (2 episodes), Men Into Space, The Untouchables (5 episodes), Dr. Kildare, Death Valley Days (2 episodes), Perry Mason (3 episodes), Rawhide, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Ben Casey, The Rat Patrol, Combat!, Death Valley Days (2 episodes), The Big Valley (3 episodes), It Takes a Thief (3 episodes) and Hawaii Five-0 (2 episodes).

His first sitcom starring role was as Joseph "Happy" Haines on the ABC sitcom McHale's Navy. He appeared on the show for the first two seasons from 1962 to 1964 before leaving to appear in the film The Sand Pebbles (1966). He also played Seaman Joseph Haines in the films McHale's Navy (1964) and McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force (1965). The series cast in the first two seasons included Ernest Borgnine, Joe Flynn, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine, Gary Vinson, Billy Sands, Edson Stroll, Jane Dulo (1962-1964) and Yoshio Yoda.

MacLeod's breakout role was as Murray Slaughter on the 1970-1977 CBS sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which ran for 7 seasons and 168 episodes. Murray Slaughter was the head writer of WJM-TV's Six O'Clock News in Minneapolis. MacLeod received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor in 1975 and 1977 for the role. The series also starred Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Ted Knight, Valerie Harper (1970-1974), Cloris Leachman (1970-1975), Georgia Engel (1972-1977) and Betty White (1973-1977).

He next starred as Captain Merrill Stubing on the 1977-1986 ABC sitcom The Love Boat, which ran for 9 seasons and 250 episodes. Merrill Stubing was the captain of the luxury passenger cruise ship MS Pacific Princess. MacLeod received three Golden Globe nominations for the role in 1979, 1981 and 1982. The series also starred Bernie Kopell, Fred Grandy, Ted Lange, Lauren Tewes (1977-1984), Jill Whelan (1979-1986), Pat Klous (1984-1986) and Ted McGinley (1984-1986). MacLeod reprised the role of Captain Merrill Stubing in a 1998 episode of Love Boat: The Next Wave.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Munsters, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., The Andy Griffith Show (2 episodes), My Favorite Martian (2 episodes), The Flying Nun, Hogan's Heroes (4 episodes), Love, American Style (1974), Rhoda (as Murray Slaughter), The King of Queens (2 episodes), That '70s Show (2 episodes) and The Suite Life on Deck (2 episodes).

Some of his other drama guest appearances included Wonder Woman, Charlie's Angels, Hotel, Murder, She Wrote (1990), Burke's Law, Oz, JAG and Touched by an Angel.

MacLeod's first credited film role was as The Lieutenant in I Want to Live! (1958). Some of his other film credits included Operation Petticoat (1959), Twelve Hours to Kill (1960), The Sword of Ali Baba (1965), The Sand Pebbles (1966), A Man Called Gannon (1968), The Thousand Plane Raid (1969) and Kelly's Heroes (1970).

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on January 3, 2003.

Mr. MacLeod had a great run for a combined 16 seasons on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat. He was very funny and memorable in his roles as Murray Slaughter and Captain Merrill Stubing. He was a dependable actor who made everything he appeared in much better. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Love Boat message boards. View photos in our galleries.

Chris Noth will reprise the role of Mr. Big in the HBO Max original series And Just Like That... This new chapter of the groundbreaking HBO series Sex and the City follows Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) as they navigate the journey from the complicated reality of life and friendship in their 30s to the even more complicated reality of life and friendship in their 50s. The ten-episode, half-hour series is scheduled to begin production in New York this summer. Credits: Executive producers Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Julie Rottenberg, Elisa Zuritsky, John Melfi and Michael Patrick King. Writers include King, Samantha Irby, Rachna Fruchbom, Keli Goff, Rottenberg and Zuritsky. The HBO series Sex and the City was created by Darren Star and based on the book Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell. Previously Announced Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis and Sara Ramírez.

Two-time Golden Globe® nominee and SAG Award® nominated actor Chris Noth rose to prominence as Detective Mike Logan on the original Law and Order, where he spent five seasons before going on to set hearts aflutter as the iconic Mr. Big on HBO's groundbreaking series Sex and the City. Noth garnered his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy playing the unattainable bachelor who gradually evolves into the love of Carrie Bradshaw's life. Meanwhile, Mr. Big became a central point for the Carrie character and the series as a whole, with their tumultuous storyline launching two blockbuster movies Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2, in which he also starred. Next came a critically lauded turn as the flawed and powerful Peter Florrick opposite Juliana Margolis on the CBS hit drama The Good Wife. Noth's complex performance earned him a second Golden Globe nod – this one for Best Actor in a Drama, as well as two SAG nominations for Best Ensemble. He recently starred opposite Sam Worthington and Paul Betany in Discovery's Manhunt: Unabomber and the final season of the FX series Tyrant. Currently Noth can be seen on the popular CBS drama The Equalizer opposite Queen Latifah.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: And Just Like That..., HBO Max, Mary Tyler Moore Show, McHale's Navy, Obits, Sex and the City, The Love Boat

Young Sheldon Starts on Nick at Nite on Monday; Pluto TV Adds 6 More Classic TV Channels

As we mentioned a few months back, Nick at Nite has acquired the rights to Young Sheldon. The comedy series will begin airing this Monday (Nov. 30). The first night it will air from 9pm-12am, before settling into the every night from 9pm-10:30pm slot leading into a night of Friends from 10:30pm-5am. Mom will air from 5am-6am and Nick at Nite concludes with a half-hour of Full House at 6am. Young Sheldon will also have a marathon on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 9pm-5:30am.

In the single camera, half-hour comedy Young Sheldon, viewers get the chance to meet the iconic, eccentric and extraordinary Sheldon Cooper in childhood in East Texas, as the young once-in-a-generation mind (series star Iain Armitage) embarks on his innocent, awkward and hopeful journey toward the man he will become in The Big Bang Theory. In addition to Armitage, Young Sheldon stars Zoe Perry, Lance Barber, Montana Jordan, and Raegan Revord, with Annie Potts (Ghostbusters) and Jim Parsons, who narrates as the voice of Sheldon. Created by Chuck Lorre & Steven Molaro, the series is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc., in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Pluto TV once again added more 24/7 free channels to its lineup. As of November 24, Pluto TV added six more channels to its platform, adding over 60 seasons of classic TV series. Here are the throwback shows you'll find on Pluto TV as of earlier this week:

Garry Marshall
Ayyyy! Flashback to simpler (and funnier) times with the 24/7 channel that brings you three classic sitcoms created by the legendary Garry Marshall. Titles on this channel will include: Happy Days (11 seasons), Laverne & Shirley (8 seasons), and Mork & Mindy (4 seasons).

Wings
Welcome to Nantucket and thank you for choosing Sandpiper Air. Watch Tim Daly, Steven Weber, Crystal Bernard, Thomas Haden Church, and Tony Shaloub in the hit sitcom from the creators of Cheers, 24 hours a day (8 seasons).

Family Ties
The Emmy-winning sitcom that defined the '80s and made Michael J. Fox a superstar is now streaming on Pluto TV all day, every day. Also starring Meredith Baxter, Michael Gross, Justine Bateman, and Tina Yothers (7 seasons).

The Love Boat
Come aboard, we're expecting you. The crew of the S.S. Pacific Princess is here for you and their all-star passengers 24 hours a day on the one channel that brings you the iconic TV classic (9 seasons).

The Beverly Hillbillies
Y'all come back now to the original fish-out-of-water sitcom, The Beverly Hillbillies! Watch Jed, Granny, Jethro, and Elly May in the classic comedy, now available any time of day on their own channel (9 seasons).

Mission: Impossible
Your mission, if you choose to accept it: watch a channel dedicated to the original '60s spy thriller series starring Peter Graves, Martin Landau, and Leonard Nimoy. And it won’t self-destruct in five seconds (7 seasons).

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Family Ties, Friends, Garry Marshall, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Mission Impossible, Mork & Mindy, Nick at Nite, Pluto TV, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Love Boat, Wings, Young Sheldon

Remembering Alex Trebek; Decades Changes Schedule in December with The Odd Couple and The Love Boat Added

Canadian-American television personality and game show host Alex Trebek, who was best known as the longtime host of Jeopardy!, has died. He died at his home in Los Angeles on November 8 after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Mr. Trebek was 80.

Trebek's television career began in 1961 in his native Canada where he worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC). His first hosting job was on a music program called Music Hop in 1963. He hosted the Toronto version of the high school quiz show Reach for the Top from 1966 to 1973. In 1969, he hosted the game show Strategy. He hosted the short film series Pick and Choose in 1971. He hosted I'm Here Til 9, the local morning drive radio show on CBC Toronto, from 1971 to 1972.

He moved to the United States in 1973. He hosted the 1973-1974 NBC daytime game show The Wizard of Odds. A year later he began hosting NBC's High Rollers from 1974 to 1976. It was brought back from 1978 until 1980. Between his stints on High Rollers, he hosted the short-lived CBS game show Double Dare from 1976 to 1977, which was produced by Mark Goodson—Bill Todman Productions. He hosted the second season of the syndicated game show The $128,000 Question from 1977 to 1978. He hosted the syndicated Pitfall from 1981 to 1982. After High Rollers was cancelled in 1980, he moved to NBC where he hosted Battlestars (1981-1982) and later The New Battlestars (1983).

Trebek began hosting the syndicated game show Jeopardy! when it was revived in 1984. He hosted the series for 36 years and over 8,000 episodes from 1984 until his death. His last day filming in the studio was on October 29. His final broadcast will air on Christmas Day on December 25. Trebek received the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host seven times (1989, 1990, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2019, and 2020) for his work on Jeopardy!. The series has won a record 39 Daytime Emmy Awards as well as a Peabody Award. He hosed Super Jeopardy! in 1990. In January 2020, he hosted ABC's primetime tournament Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time.

He hosted the NBC daytime game show Classic Concentration from 1987 to 1991. This was his second show for Mark Goodson. In 1991, he made broadcast history by becoming the first person to host three American game shows at the same time when he began hosting NBC's To Tell the Truth. He hosted the show from February to March 1991.

Trebek also made appearances in numerous television series, in which he usually played himself. Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Mama's Family, Cheers, Pacific Station, The Golden Girls, The Larry Sanders Show, Dave's World, The Nanny, Blossom, Seinfeld, Ned and Stacey, Ladies Man, How I Met Your Mother and Hot in Cleveland. His voice credits included Rugrats, The Simpsons, Arthur and Family Guy. Some of his other television guest appearances included Vega$ (as Arthur Martin, credited as Alex Trebeck), Beverly Hills 90210, The X-Files, Baywatch and Orange Is the New Black.

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on August 22, 2007.

Mr. Trebek was a true game show host legend. It will be hard to imagine Jeopardy! without him. He made learning trivia fun and cool. We thank him for the many hours of entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

ABC aired a 20/20: Alex Trebek Remembered special last night (November 8). It's available on their website and on demand.

Share your memories on our Game Shows message board. View photos in our galleries.

Decades is making some schedule changes beginning Monday, Nov. 30. Since The Jeffersons is moving to Antenna TV this January, it will be off the lineup on Decades. The Odd Couple will be joining the lineup and will air weekdays at 5pm & 5:30pm. Then at 6pm, The Love Boat will be airing every weeknight, followed by The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show at 7pm, which will also air from 7-8am in the morning, too. Only other schedule change is 6-7am with back-to-back airings of The Millionaire. The weekdays 9am-5pm "Television Across the Decades" sitcom line-up from the '50s to the '80s will remain as is (The Lucy Show, The Donna Reed Show, Family Affair, Petticoat Junction, I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show/Newhart). The late fringe sitcoms will also remain as is from 10pm-5am and you can still see Decades Weekend Binges all weekend long. The Jeffersons will get one final Weekend Binge Dec. 5-6. View the full Decades schedule that begins Nov. 30.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: 20/20, ABC, Decades, Jeopardy, Obits, Odd Couple, The Jeffersons, The Love Boat, The Millionaire