SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we've got developments on the upcoming reboot of Coach, news of a new Netflix series reuniting That '70s Show cast members, news of DVDs of The Michael J. Fox Show, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

• It looks like The Michael J. Fox Show, which aired in the 2013-2014 season on NBC, will finally be coming to DVD after all. TVShowsOnDVD.com announced this week that The Michael J. Fox Show - The Complete First Season will arrive on DVD July 7.
• As we mentioned earlier this week, Sisters - Seasons 1 and 2 will arrive on DVD on September 15.

Who to Follow: Danny Masterson (Twitter), "i been workin on the railroad,all the live long day... i been workin on the railroad jus to pass the time awaaaay..."

Claim to Fame: We're featuring another That '70s Show cast member this week (after Kurtwood Smith from last week), and it just so happens that this one actually did make news this week with the announcement of a new Netflix series. But going back to the beginning, Danny Masterson's first role was on an episode of Jake and the Fat Man. From there, he appeared as a guest star on series such as Cybill, Roseanne, Party of Five and NYPD Blue, along with a string of B (if not C) movies in the early 90s. His first big role (and true claim to fame) came in 1998 with the role of Hyde on That '70s Show. Most recently, he starred for three seasons on the TBS sitcom Men at Work. This week, it was announced that he will reunite with Ashton Kutcher in an upcoming Netflix series.

Late last week NBC announced it has pulled (and canceled) both of its remaining freshman Thursday comedies on the schedule. Sean Saves the World and The Michael J. Fox Show will not be returning after the Winter Olympics as planned, instead NBC will now air new episodes of Hollywood Game Night on Thursday nights in the 9pm hour (following Community and Parks & Recreation) starting February 27. Sean Saves the World already had its episode cut from 18 to 15, and now the remaining two episodes are unscheduled. 13 of the 15 episodes have aired. As for The Michael J. Fox Show, 22 episodes were ordered and only 15 have aired, with seven episodes still left to air. No word on if and when NBC will burn-off either of the show's remaining episodes. If it happens, it might be on a Saturday night, in the summer or just placed on nbc.com. Both really struggled in the ratings, with The Michael J. Fox Show on Jan. 16 doing less then 2 million total viewers (1.992 million) and just a 0.59 18-49 rating, both historic lows for NBC Thursday originals. We'll let you know if they schedule these remaining episodes. Stay with us.

Production has begun on TV Land's newest sitcom pilot, Younger, starring Tony® Award winner Sutton Foster (Bunheads) Hilary Duff (Lizzie McGuire), Debi Mazar (Entourage) and Miriam Shor (GCB). The single-camera project, which is written, executive produced and directed by Darren Star (Sex and the City), is based on the novel Younger by Pamela Redmond Satran. Patricia Field, who worked with Star on Sex and the City, will be a costume consultant on the production. The Younger pilot follows 40-year-old Liza (Foster), a suddenly single mother who tries to get back into the working world, only to find out it’s nearly impossible to start at the bottom at her age. When a chance encounter with a 20-something guy at a bar convinces her she looks younger than she is, Liza tries to pass herself off as 26 – with the help of a makeover, courtesy of her best friend Maggie (Mazar). Armed with new confidence, she lands a job as an assistant to the temperamental Diana (Shor) and teams up with her new co-worker and fellow 20-something Kelsey (Duff) to make it in the career of her dreams.

TV Land also recently announced the series pick-up of another single-camera sitcom, Jennifer Falls, starring Jaime Pressly. The network's current original sitcoms includes hit series Hot in Cleveland, The Exes, The Soul Man and Kirstie, all multi-camera sitcoms starring pop culture icons and fan favorites including Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves, Kristen Johnston, Donald Faison, Wayne Knight, David Alan Basche, Kelly Stables, Cedric "The Entertainer," Niecy Nash, Wesley Jonathan, Kirstie Alley, Michael Richards, Rhea Perlman and Eric Petersen. We will let you know if and when Younger will get a series pick-up, but for now, this is just a pilot order. Stay tuned.

ABC was up at the TCA Winter 2014 Press Tour on Friday and we have the full scoop! Paul Lee, president, ABC Entertainment Group, announced premiere dates for the new drama series Black Box on Thursday, April 24 at 10:00 p.m. ET following the conclusion of the season of Scandal on April 17, along with a new season of Dancing with the Stars launching on Monday, March 17 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET, and the pick-up of an all-new Disney•Pixar holiday special, Toy Story That Time Forgot for the 2014 holiday season, following the recent success of Toy Story OF TERROR! The network also announced a special two-night Bachelor event featuring everyone's favorite Bachelor, Juan Pablo Galavis, on Monday, Feb. 24 and Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET, and new drama Mind Games will now premiere two weeks earlier than planned, now on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 10:00 p.m. ET, following night two of the Bachelor event. Killer Women will end two weeks earlier and no word if the final two episodes will air at a later date. Other previously announced mid-season entries will remain unchanged (Mixology on Wed. Feb. 26 at 9:30pm and Resurrection Sun. March 9 at 9pm). Panels with cast and crew of ABC Family's The Fosters, ABC's Resurrection, Black Box, Suburgatory, Mind Games, Nashville, and Mixology were held.

And finally, NBC was up yesterday (Sunday) to close out the broadcast networks for this year's winter press tour. No real scheduling moves were announced, but The Michael J. Fox Show is coming off a dreadful showing last Thursday at 9:30 so NBC is switching timeslots with Sean Saves the World at 9 for this Thursday (Jan. 23). On the heels of the very successful airing of The Sound of Music Live! in December 2013, NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt announced that the network will present a new television production of the classic musical Peter Pan as a live telecast on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014. Multi-award-winning producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who produced The Sound of Music Live! will again executive produce the production. Casting is currently on a fast track. NBC has given a 10-episode straight-to-series order for Emerald City in 2014-15, a reimagining of the classic Frank L. Baum books that have inspired everything from The Wizard Of Oz to Wicked. NBC is also ordering eight episodes of the miniseries The Slap for 2014-15, based on the critically-acclaimed Australian project of the same name that aired in 2011. And in terms of pilots, NBC announced two pilot orders: State of Affairs (drama starring Katherine Heigl) and Untitled Amy Poehler project (aka Old Soul, comedy starring Natasha Lyonne).

NBC also announced the final guests and first guests for its late night line-up. Jay Leno announced that he will kick-off his last week of guests for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno with his heir to the Tonight Show desk, Jimmy Fallon on Monday, Feb. 3. Leno will conclude his incredible 22-year run with a return visit from his first-ever guest, Billy Crystal, who joins Leno on his farewell night, Thursday, Feb. 6. Leno's final show as host will feature both Crystal and music from country superstar Garth Brooks. Crystal visited Leno on the host's first night at the helm of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on May 25, 1992. Other guests for the week include Betty White, Charles Barkley, Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey, Blake Shelton and Lyle Lovett. As for the first guest news, Will Smith and U2 have been booked as the guests for the premiere of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, set for Monday, February 17 from Studio 6B in Rockefeller Center. And finally, Late Night With Seth Meyers premieres Monday, February 24 at 12:35am in new Studio 8G from Rockefeller Center and will feature Amy Poehler as the first guest.


The 20th SAG Awards were held Saturday night on TNT & TBS. Here were the winners from the ceremony:

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire, HBO)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, AMC)
Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom, HBO)
Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones, HBO)
Kevin Spacey (House of Cards, Netflix)
WINNER: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad, AMC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series
Claire Danes (Homeland, Showtime)
Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad, AMC)
Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Asylum, FX)
Kerry Washington (Scandal, ABC)
Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey, PBS)
WINNER: Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey, PBS)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock, NBC)
Ty Burrell (Modern Family, ABC)
Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Netflix)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory, CBS)
Don Cheadle (House of Lies, Showtime)
WINNER: Ty Burrell (Modern Family, ABC)

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie, Showtime)
Tina Fey (30 Rock, NBC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep, HBO)
Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory, CBS)
Julie Bowen (Modern Family, ABC)
WINNER: Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep, HBO)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Homeland (Showtime)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
WINNER: Breaking Bad (AMC)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
30 Rock (NBC)
Arrested Development (Netflix)
Modern Family (ABC)
Veep (HBO)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
WINNER: Modern Family (ABC)

Lifetime Achievement Award
Rita Moreno

The Michael J. Fox Show - Thursdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 9:00PM and 9:30PM ET/PT

by Todd

Look who's making the news again. One of NY's most beloved news anchors, Mike Henry (Michael J. Fox, Spin City, Family Ties), put his career on hold to spend more time with his family and focus on his health after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's. But now five years later, with the kids busy growing up and Mike growing restless, it just might be time for him to get back to work. Having never wanted Mike to leave in the first place, his old boss Harris Green (Wendell Pierce, Treme, The Wire) jumped at the chance to get him back on TV. The trick, as it's always been, was to make Mike think it was his idea. After several - okay, many - failed attempts, Mike's family, anxious to see him out of the house, finally succeeded in getting him to "run into" Green. Now their plan is in motion. He'll be back to juggling home, family and career, just like the old days - only better.

Michael J. Fox as Mike Henry
Betsy Brandt as Annie Henry
Conor Romero as Ian Henry
Juliette Goglia as Eve Henry
Jack Gore as Graham Henry
Katie Finneran as Leigh Henry
Wendell Pierce as Harris Green
Ana Nogueria as Kay Costa

Michael J. Fox (Mike Henry) won three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for his role as Alex P. Keaton in Family Ties. He returned to television in 1996 as Mike Flaherty in Spin City where he earned an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. His many film credits include the Back to the Future trilogy, The Hard Way, Doc Hollywood, The Secret of My Success, Bright Lights, Big City, Light of Day, Teen Wolf, Casualties of War, Life with Mikey, For Love or Money, The American President, Greedy, The Frighteners and Mars Attacks!

Betsy Brandt (Annie Henry) is best known for her role as Marie Schrader in Breaking Bad. Her television credits include Private Practice, Boston Legal, CSI, NCIS, Parenthood, ER, Fairly Legal and Without a Trace.

Conor Romero (Ian Henry) has guest starred in Person of Interest. His film credits include The Cake Eaters, American Gangster and Rivers Wash Over Me.

Juliette Goglia (Eve Henry) is best known for portraying Sierra in That's So Raven and Hannah West in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Her other television credits include Joan of Arcadia, Two and a Half Men, Vanished, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Shake It Up and Good Luck Charlie.

Jack Gore (Graham Henry) has guest starred in 30 Rock and appeared in the film We Are What We Are.

Katie Finneran (Leigh Henry) recently co-starred in I Hate My Teenage Daughter. Her other television credits include Wonderfalls, The Inside, Bram and Alice, Frasier, Sex and the City and Oz.

Wendell Pierce (Harris Green) is best known for his portrayal of Det. Bunk Moreland on five critically acclaimed seasons of The Wire.. He played trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme. His other television credits include The Weber Show, The Gregory Hines Show, Maloney, The Brian Benben Show, Num3rs, Law & Order, Third Watch, New York Undercover and I'll Fly Away.

Ana Nogueria (Kay Costa) has appeared in television shows such as The Battery's Down, Baby Daddy and Blue Bloods.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (airs Thursday, September 26 at 9:00PM ET/PT)
After battling Parkinson's disease, New York newsman Mike Henry is ready to return to work.

In the pilot episode, we meet Mike Henry and his family. His daughter, Eve, records her father and other family members describing him for her school project. Mike cooks dinner for his family, but they have other plans. Annie leaves for work and asks Mike to take the kids to school. Mike is recognized by several people on the street and happens to run into his former boss and news director Harris Green. Harris tells him he should come back to work. Mike and Annie talk about him going back to work. The next day they are scheduled to receive a dishwasher. After his medicine doesn't kick in, Mike accidentally dials 911. The cops respond to the call 45 minutes later.

Later that night, Mike makes an announcement to the family that he's thinking about going back to work. The next day Harris walks Mike into an exploratory meeting where he meets Kay, a segment producer. Mike also runs into Matt Lauer and views a promo of him returning to the TV station. Meanwhile, Eve's video of her father is shown in the classroom, but the teacher doesn't care for it. Eve tells Ian that her teacher failed her on the school project because he thinks she's a phony. Mike later tells Annie that he is back in. He covers a few news stories, including talking to a councilman and a fire. Harris tells Mike that the Today show wants Mike to introduce his story about the 911 scandal on the Today Show. Mike's story is interrupted by some breaking news, however. Harris and Annie then talk about how their plan of having Harris run into Mike worked. The episode concludes with a nice family moment.

"Neigbhor" (airs Thursday, September 26 at 9:30PM ET/PT)
At Annie's request, Mike confronts a noisy (and attractive) upstairs neighbor (guest star Tracy Pollan), who seems to develop a bit of a crush on him. Though Annie thinks it's cute, Mike refuses to admit he enjoys the added attention. To Eve's chagrin, Ian tries to court her new friend from school. After enjoying the perks of being mistaken for a single mom during a day out with Graham, Leigh considers letting the ruse play out a little longer.

Analysis:

Michael J. Fox makes his return to NBC in this single-camera comedy. He will also serve as an executive producer with Sam Laybourne and Will Gluck. The show is produced by Sony Pictures Television and Olive Bridge Entertainment. The Michael J. Fox show was the first new sitcom to be scheduled for the 2013-14 season. It received a straight-to-series order for a full season of 22 episodes in August 2012. The series also stars Betsy Brandt (Breaking Bad), Conor Romero (American Gangster), Juliette Goglia (Easy A), Jack Gore and Katie Finneran (I Hate My Teenage Daughter).

The pilot episode introduces us to Mike Henry and his family. Their daughter, Eve, has a school project and uses her phone camera to record the family members describing their father. Annie arranges for Mike's former news director and boss Harris Green to run into Mike on the street. Mike eventually accepts the offer to return to the TV station. Overall, it's a decent pilot that provides the necessary premise of the show and introduction to the characters. The chemistry between the family members isn't really there yet. Although it has some heartwarming family moments, there really aren't many laugh-out-loud lines or scenes. There are quite a few jokes and references to Parkinson's disease. They aren't done in a mean way. They just show how one person accepts and deals with the disease. There were far fewer references to Parkinson's in the other episodes available for review.

In the second episode airing tonight, Neighbor, a noisy upstairs neighbor causes a conflict between Mike and Annie. Michael J. Fox's real life wife Tracy Pollan guest stars as Kelly. There's an instant spark between them that reminds me of when they first met on Family Ties. Fox and Brandt just seem to lack the same kind of chemistry as a married couple in the first couple of episodes. Maybe that is something they can develop as they work together more. The secondary story involves Eve inviting her new friend Reese from school who she thinks may be a lesbian. Ian tries to court her without much success. The third storyline has Leigh taking Graham to a park to talk to other moms for a story she is writing for Us Weekly. This episode focuses more on Mike's family life. There is just one scene at the newsroom. The scenes with Tracy Pollan are the highlight of the episode. There are some funny moments in the second episode, but the show still has more room to grow.

They've assembled a nice cast. Other than Michael J. Fox, Wendell Pierce and Katie Finneran, the cast lacks many television comedy credits. Michael J. Fox still has it. He has always had a gift of comedy. Parkinson's has just sadly slowed him down in recent years, but he appears re-energized here. Fans may be disappointed he's not appearing as a character like Alex P. Keaton or Mike Flaherty, but he's playing another very likable character and a good family man. Betsy Brandt was a bit of a surprise choice to play Annie because she's mostly known for her work in dramas. Wendell Pierce plays a very funny character. He's a bit underused in the first few episodes. I would like to see more scenes at the newsroom with him. Juliette Goglia is the standout among the actors playing the children. She shows some good comedic and dramatic skills. Katie Finneran is a fine actress, but I find her character to be a bit annoying and unnecessary. In other casting news, Anne Heche is set to appear in an upcoming multi-episode arc as Mike's nemesis and the new anchor at the TV station, Susan Rodriguez-Jones. Candice Bergen and Charles Grodin are also scheduled to appear as Mike's parents as guest stars and potentially in recurring roles.

Conclusion:


Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, September 26, 2013 at 9:00PM and 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

NBC.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

The Michael J. Fox Show Photo Gallery

Preview:

Buckle up for more belly laughs as NickMom premieres the second season of the stand-up comedy series, NickMom Night Out, on Monday, Oct. 14, at 10 pm (all times ET/PT). Hosted by Sherri Shepherd (The View) and taped in front of a live studio audience in New York City, the series features stand-up comedians putting a spotlight on the chaos and hilarity that comes with being a parent. Previous NickMom Night Out hosts include Tisha Campbell-Martin (LA), Judy Gold (NY), Caroline Rhea (Orlando, Fla.), and Bonnie McFarlane (Chicago). NickMom Night Out is executive produced by Bob Mittenthal (Double Dare), co-executive produced by Brian Baldinger and Jim Burns (co-creator MTV Unplugged) serves as consulting producer. NickMom Night Out season two launches with a premiere week (Mon, Oct. 14 - Saturday, Oct. 19, at 10 pm), followed by weekly premieres every Saturday Oct. 26 - Nov. 30, at 10 pm.

And as a reminder, Instant Mom, the new original live-action family sitcom starring and produced by Tia Mowry-Hardrict (Sister Sister, Tia & Tamera), will join the NickMom lineup on Sunday (Sept. 29) at 10 pm (ET/PT). The multi-camera, scripted half-hour series features Mowry-Hardrict as Stephanie, a party girl who trades in Cosmos for carpools when she marries Charlie (Michael Boatman, Spin City), who already has three kids. Sheryl Lee Ralph (Moesha) stars as Stephanie's mother Maggie, and rounding out the cast are Charlie's three kids played by Sydney Park (CSI: NY), Tylen Williams and Damarr Calhoun. Instant Mom will premiere first on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on Nick at Nite. Additionally, new seasons of talk/variety show Parental Discretion with Stefanie Wilder-Taylor and docu-comedy Take Me To Your Mother starring Andrea Rosen will roll out in 2014.