SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

All month long TV One will feature music-centric episodes of its sitcoms on Tuesday nights in primetime (with an immediate encore following). The block will air Tuesdays from 8pm-11pm and encore from 11pm-2am. The music-centic episodes launches tomorrow night (Tuesday, Jan. 7) with back-to-back What's Happening!! episodes centered around Stevie Wonder and The Doobie Brothers. Episodes of The Rick Smiley Show, A Different World and The Tracy Morgan Show follow from 9-11pm on Jan. 7 which center around Gladys Knight, Snoop Dogg and others. On Jan. 14 we get another hour of What's Happening!! (with more Doobie Brothers action and music acts on The Gong Show), another episode of The Rick Smiley Show followed by a triple shot of A Different World, which will have Lena Horne guest starring. Tuesday, Jan. 21 will feature two episodes of Living Single, an episode of Everybody Hates Chris, back-to-back A Different World and another Living Single. Music talent guest starring on this night includes Heavy D & The Boyz. And on Tuesday, Jan. 28 we get another hour of Living Single, followed by The Rick Smiley Show at 9, then an episode of A Different World and an hour of Love That Girl from 10-11pm. TV One airs original series centered around music like R&B Divas and Unsung.

Moving on, TV One will officially launch Everybody Hates Chris (which they previewed on New Year's Day) on Friday, Jan. 17 with a marathon from 8pm-2am. The sitcom will then air every Friday night from 8-9pm and encores will be seen later that night from 11pm-12am. As we mentioned, Chris can also be seen on UP Mon-Thurs from 11pm-12am and Saturday afternoons. I think we now officially covered all the details on Chris on TV One and UP! Enjoy!

Dedicated to expanding its network and channel brands and content across multiple platforms and devices, Disney/ABC Television Group announced that the new "WATCH ABC Family" authenticated service will launch today (Monday, January 6, 2014). Similar to DATG's WATCH ABC and suite of WATCH DISNEY services, the new WATCH ABC Family offering will allow viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on demand access to such popular series as Pretty Little Liars, Switched at Birth, The Fosters, Baby Daddy and Melissa & Joey at home and on the go via a wide array of devices. At launch today, the WATCH ABC Family app will be available on iOS and Kindle Fire devices, as well as select Android tablets, including Samsung Galaxy devices. Select Android phones, as well as Blackberry and Windows 8 devices, will be able to access the WATCH ABC Family service later this month. Viewers can also access WATCH ABC Family online at WATCHABCFamily.com.

Also, in support of DATG's growing authenticated WATCH initiative, the availability of free streaming episodes from ABC and ABC Family will change beginning January 6. To watch the most current episodes of ABC and ABC Family shows the day after they air, viewers will log in to the WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family apps, WATCHABC.com, WATCHABCFamily.com and hulu.com with their subscription TV account usernames and passwords. Following an advantaged viewing window for subscription TV customers, on demand episodes will be unlocked for all WATCH ABC users eight days after their initial broadcast. On demand episodes of ABC Family series will only be available to verified customers of participating subscription TV providers.

We mentioned a few months back that TV One has picked up a second season of original sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show, but now we have the exact premiere date. TV One will premiere the second season of the network's original hit sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show on Friday, July 26 at 9:00pm ET. Loosely inspired by the real-life experiences and antics of lauded comedian, TV, and radio personality Rickey Smiley, the series pulls TV One viewers even deeper into "Rickey's World" this season, introducing two additional alter egos to his already beloved, wacky troupe of trademark personalities. Season one introduced audiences to leading man Rickey, a popular, Atlanta-based national radio personality juggling career and life as a single father of three. Fatherhood and radio station duties were often complicated by appearances from hilarious alter egos made popular by the star in his radio and TV routines, including church lady Sister Bernice Jenkins, gospel crooner Joe Willie, and Rickey's Southern Baptist church leader, Pastor Watkins. Joining the chaos in Season Two are Smiley personas Lil' Darryl, a boy in coke-bottle glasses who's been in the fourth grade for nearly 12 years and often shows up at Rickey's door unannounced, and Clarence the Janitor, a Birmingham-area school custodian who wears an elevated orthopedic boot to combat his uneven leg condition and claims to be a "professional soft shoe dancer."

Rejoining Smiley for the 13-episode second season is a stellar ensemble cast including: Ray J as Kenny, Rickey's morning show producer and protégé; J. Anthony Brown as Rickey's radio station manager Maurice, aka "Mo-Sweets" from his earlier rap career; veteran actress Roz Ryan as Aunt Sylvia; Jay Lewis (Lil JJ) as Rickey's 18-year-old son Brandon; Ajiona Alexus as Rickey's 16-year-old daughter De'Anna; Gabriel Burgess as his youngest son Aaron; Noree Victoria as his business manager Simone Renee Jackson; and Demetria McKinney as Rickey's uber-career oriented ex-wife, Monica. Additionally, Season Two will feature a jam-packed lineup of celebrity guest stars and special appearances including: Kenya Moore, Cynthia Bailey, Syleena Johnson, Angie Stone, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, Antonia "Toya" Carter, Porsche Stewart, Creflo Dollar, Benji Brown, Dottie Peoples, Ann Nesby, Carl Payne, Corey Holcomb, Charlie Murphy, David Banner, Pierre, Joe Claire, Lil Scrappy, Momma Dee, and Doug E Fresh among others.

Television writer and producer George Burditt, who worked on Three's Company, has died. He died on June 25 in Burbank, California. Mr. Burditt was 89.

Burditt wrote over thirty episodes of Three's Company. He also worked as an executive story consultant on over fifty episodes from 1976-1979. He served as a producer on the show for the final three seasons from 1981-1984. In addition to his credits on Three's Company, he worked on the spin-off series. He wrote eight episodes of The Ropers and three episodes of Three's a Crowd, which he also served as an executive producer on for its one season. He was interviewed for the E! True Hollywood Story in 1998 and the A&E Biography special on Three's Company in 2009.

His other sitcom writing credits included All in the Family, Sanford and Son, The Jeffersons and Doc. He earned four Emmy nominations for his writing on the variety series The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1972 and 1974) and Van Dyke and Company (1976 and 1977). His other production credits included Silver Spoons and 227.

Survivors include his wife Joyce, a television writer and one of the creators of Diagnosis Murder; three children; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. His son Jack Burditt is an Emmy-winning producer and writer of Frasier and 30 Rock and the creator of Last Man Standing. We thank him for the laughs he brought us on Three's Company. It's always sad when we lose a member of the Three's Company family. He will be missed.

TV One, on the heels of a record-breaking 2012 fall launch, has announced a second season pick-up of its original hit sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show. The second season of The Rickey Smiley Show is scheduled to begin production in April with a 26-episode order and is slated to premiere in the summer of 2013. The September 2012 premiere of The Rickey Smiley Show, which catapulted TV One to a network ratings high, garnered a 1.08 HH rating, delivering 621,000 homes and among P25-54, earned a 0.75 rating, delivering 468,000 viewers. The second original episode airing at 9:30pm improved on the premiere, garnering a 1.12 HH rating, delivering 642,000 homes and among 25-54, earned a 0.83 rating with a delivery of 515,000 viewers. Over the four telecasts of the premieres and encores, The Rickey Smiley Show had a gross average audience of nearly 2.3 million viewers.

The Rickey Smiley Show stars comedian and nationally syndicated radio personality Rickey Smiley. In the series loosely based on his life, Smiley plays a popular national radio personality who is a single father trying to balance his family life - including his ex-wife - and career in the spotlight. The half-hour multi-camera comedy also stars multi-platinum artist and actor Ray J as Kenny, Smiley's morning show producer and protégé; J Anthony Brown as Rickey's radio station manager Maurice, aka "Mo-Sweets" from his earlier rap career; veteran actress Roz Ryan as Aunt Sylvia; Jay Lewis as Rickey's 18-year-old son Brandon; Ajiona Alexus as Smiley's 16-year-old daughter De'Anna; Gabriel Burgess as his youngest son Aaron; Noree Victoria as his business manager Simone Renee Jackson; and Demetria McKinney as Rickey's uber-career oriented ex-wife, Monica. The series also features several celebrity guest stars and special appearances from many of the original characters Smiley has made famous on his radio show over the years, including Mrs. Bernice Jenkins, Lil' Daryl, Minister Joe Willie and Beauford. The Rickey Smiley Show is produced for TV One by BobbCat Films. Executive producers include veteran television and film producer Roger Bobb (Tyler Perry's House of Payne & Meet the Browns), series star Rickey Smiley, Yolanda Starks-White, and Ward White. Executive in charge of production for TV One is Tia Smith.

Stay with us in the coming days as we announce a classic comedy coming to the TV One Friday Night Classic Comedy line-up this spring, joining recent addition What's Happening!!, and other series like The Jeffersons. And stay with us for continued updates ob The Rickey Smiley Show and all things TV One!



On the next...New Girl:
By: Todd

Fox's Tuesday adorkable sitcom starring Zooey Deschanel airs Tuesday nights at 9:00pm and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (March 19). We have Odette Annable (Fox's Breaking In, House) guest starring! In the episode airing tonight, "Quick Hardening Caulk," Jess (Zooey Deschanel) comes to a conclusion about her romantic feelings for Nick (Jake Johnson) and she struggles to tell him - until she's hopped up on pain medication. But after admitting her feelings, she finds out he may have been keeping something from her. Meanwhile, Schmidt (Max Greenfield) becomes obsessed with buying a fish, which Winston (Lamorne Morris) sees as a metaphor for Schmidt's unresolved feelings toward Cece (Hannah Simone). And, Nick plans a bar promotion to impress the bar owner (guest star Odette Annable).

The episode opens with Schmidt and the gang drinking at the bar. They are surprised when Nick gives them a check. Nick comes up with a promotion of a guys' night out. Nick's ambition at the bar makes Jess want him even more. Later, Schmidt and Winston see the new bar manager, Shane, kissing Nick at the bar. Schmidt and Winston then go the aquarium where Schmidt spots a beautiful and exotic fish. The gang is surprised when Schmidt brings an aquarium into the apartment. Jess takes Nick to the hardware store to pick up some supplies, including some quick hardening caulk, for the promotion at the bar. Jess is accidentally knocked out by a piece of wood. While she is hopped up on pain medication, she does a Judy Garland impersonation and shows him her true feelings. Schmidt and Winston take their search for the elusive lion fish to the ocean, but trouble strikes for Schmidt. Jess surprises Nick at the bar where she sees a secret has been kept from her. Cece later visits Schmidt and brings him a gift. Finally, Jess and Nick get in a huge argument at the apartment over what she witnessed at the bar.



Jess finally admits she has feelings for Nick in tonight's all-new episode. This is one of the best episodes in recent months. Everything just clicks in a very entertaining and funny episode. The relationship between Jess and Nick has been building for weeks and has taken many twists and turns. Their chemistry together makes them one of TV's best couples. The beautiful Odette Annable, who was recently seen in Fox's Breaking In, makes her first appearance as the hot new bar manager, Shane. She is only in a couple of short scenes, but she is expected to make more appearances later this season. That Nick is one lucky guy to have her all over him. Her feelings for Nick could lead to some problems for Jess down the road. It would have been unrealistic to expect smooth sailing for Jess and Nick. The secondary story of Schmidt and Winston searching for a lion fish is also a fun one. There's some great physical comedy in this episode. It is one of the show's strengths, along with a great cast and solid writing. B+

This fall TV One won't be making many schedule changes, but they will premiere a new original sitcom on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 9pm with a two-episode premiere. The Rickey Smiley Show, as we previously mentioned, is a hilarious and heart-warming multi-camera sitcom starring comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley, who plays a character loosely based on his own life - a popular, local DJ based in Atlanta, who is a single father to three children. The show's stories are inspired by Rickey's challenges and triumphs raising his children by himself while still trying to have a personal life. In addition to his personal life, the series takes viewers behind-the-scenes of his radio station, which is a hot-bed of office politics, back stabbing, sexual innuendo, social issues, celebrity appearances, music and, of course, humor. The all-star cast includes Ray J (Moesha, One on One), J. Anthony Brown (Like Family), Lil JJ (Just Jordan), Roz Ryan (Amen), Noree Victoria and Demetria McKinney (Tyler Perry's House of Payne).

Stunts airing in September on TV One include a Martin marathon on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 3) from 7am-9pm. A marathon of Hawthorne will air Sunday, Sept. 9 from 12pm-8pm. On Tuesday, Sept. 18, TV One will present a special marathon of encores of original sitcom Love That Girl 10am-2:30pm, followed by Martin 2:30pm-9pm to lead into the two-episode premiere of original sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show. As far as the regular schedule goes, not many changes to report but Friday nights will now be a set schedule of sitcoms in primetime starting at 8pm with back-to-back episodes of Good Times, The Jeffersons, Amen, That's My Mama, Living Single, Martin, and Half & Half through 3am. TGIF! From 3-6am, there will be a two-hour block of Eve. Previously there were stunts on Friday nights of most of these sitcoms and some others like Flip Wilson and Richard Pryor Show. The rest of the weekday daytime line-up remains intact, see the schedule below.

View the full TV One Fall 2012 schedule. And stay with us for continued updates should anything change or be added to the schedule.

TBS is turning up the volume on comedies with its newest original series, Wedding Band, starring Brian Austin Green (Beverly Hills 90120, Desperate Housewives), Harold Perrineau (Lost, Oz), Peter Cambor (NCIS: Los Angeles, Notes from the Underbelly) and Derek Miller (Secret Girlfriend). The series follows four friends - three single, one married, all with day jobs - who escape their daily stress and responsibilities by playing "weekend rock gods" in Seattle's premier wedding and events band, Mother of the Bride. This hour-long comedy series also stars Melora Hardin (The Office), Jenny Wade (The Good Guys) and Kathryn Fiore (MADtv). TBS's Wedding Band is set to air Saturdays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), beginning Nov. 10 for ten episodes. Airing on Saturday nights is a pretty questionable call. The series had been announced as a series order for awhile now (since May 2011) so perhaps TBS didn't like how the subsequent episodes were coming out? Just a speculation since the night it is airing is very strange.

Delivering equal parts comedy and heart, Wedding Band centers on the bromance between four likable but occasionally reckless young men who can't figure out their own lives. One thing they have figured out, however, is that weddings are the wildest parties in town. After all, the groupies are bridesmaids, the drinks are free and the best part, there's a paycheck waiting at the end of the night. And it's not just weddings. Mother of the Bride also brings the party to bar mitzvahs, high-school reunions and even bachelorette parties. On lead vocals and playing the crowd is perennial bachelor Tommy (Green). Shredding it on guitar is his best friend and married father of two, Eddie (Cambor). Behind Eddie on drums - and everything else in life - is his rock-obsessed brother, Barry (Miller), whose mission is to bring the arena-rock spectacle to black-tie events. New to the band is Stevie (Perrineau), a bassist and session musician who's jammed with all the big rock giants, "from AC to ZZ," but he's never been an official member of a band until Mother of the Bride. Together these four guys provide the soundtracks to other people's lives. But now the band is ready to take things to the next level. That means attracting the attention of top event Roxie Rutherford (Hardin), and her novice associate Rachel (Wade) and keeping Eddie out of trouble with his wife, Ingrid (Fiore).