SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

• This is the big one many have been waiting for, Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair arrives on Hulu on Friday.
• The final season of Hacks arrives Thursday on HBO Max.
• Saturday Night Live returns on NBC tonight, with host Jack Black and musical guest Jack White.
• The Office is returning to TBS after a seven year hiatus starting Monday night at midnight.
• We forgot to mention this last week, but if you're interested in other sitcoms from the same era as The Office, E! Entertainment (which has reportedly lost the rights to The Office as it moves to TBS) is now airing Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother (which has been absent on cable for a little while).
• Antenna TV has a Hazel marathon tomorrow

• Catchy Comedy has a binge of Good Times and That's My Mama tomorrow.
• Meanwhile, Antenna TV has a Sunday Special featuring Benson.

by Vincent

After a several year wait, the third season of Master of None arrived on Netflix a few weeks ago. Master of None's third season looked very different than its first two, though, as the series now centers around Lena Waithe's character Denise, and her relationship with her wife. Additionally, the show took a far more serious and somber tone in Season 3, marking one of the more intense genre shifts of a show in recent times.

To be fair, Master of None was never really a straight sitcom at all, or even a strictly comedy series. It was always an artful mix of comeic moments, drama and self-realization. But it was far more comedic in Seasons 1 and 2, offering many moments of pure and genuine comedy. Season 3 features very few examples of this (to the point where I'd say straight up dramas like Breaking Bad, Mad Men or The Sopranos may very well have more comedic moments), and although I did enjoy the relationship aspects, I found myself feeling like the show could've stood to be a little lighter. Lena Waithe and Naomi Ackie are great, and sold their relationship well. But the endless drama did make the season a bit of a slog at times, with some admittedly great moments. Overall, Master of None Season 3 is a decent way to spend an afternoon or evening, but if you're expecting the sharp comedy mixed with dramatic moments of Seasons 1 and 2, you may be disappointed.

Lifetime is offering an inspiring new take on a beloved classic with the greenlight of the event movie series Highway to Heaven starring Grammy® winner Jill Scott (First Wives Club), who also Executive Produces, as the new angel Angela who comes down to Earth to help people in crisis. It also stars Barry Watson (7th Heaven/The Loudest Voice) as Junior High School principal Bruce to whom Angela reveals her true identity. In cooperation with Cindy Landon and the Michael Landon Estate, the wheel of movies are inspired by the highly-rated 80s drama that ran over 100 episodes between 1984 – 1989. With a constant theme throughout of love and kindness, the reboot aims to inspire hope and community as it addresses contemporary social and emotional issues, this time with a female angel as the anchor of the movie series. This marks a reunion for Lifetime and Jill Scott, who previously starred in the Emmy® nominated Flint centered on the water crisis, the all-African American reboot of Steel Magnolias and Sins of the Mother. Barry Watson also returns to Lifetime for his first non-holiday movie role for network, having previously starred in A Very Nutty Christmas and The Santa Con.

Lifetime's Highway to Heaven follows Angela (Jill Scott), an angel sent back to Earth by God, to help others in need. In the premiere movie, Angela assumes the role of a temporary school counselor and finds herself working alongside the principal Bruce (Barry Watson) as she intervenes in the lives of a troubled student Cody (Ben Daon, The Astronauts) and his father Jeff (Robert Moloney, Riverdale/You Me Her) after the tragic loss of Cody's mother, Melissa (Ashley Ross, A Series of Unfortunate Events). As Angela seemingly works miracles with Cody and Jeff, Bruce is in disbelief when he learns of the divine nature of Angela's work. The first movie installment of the Highway to Heaven series is produced by Rain Productions and Propagate for Lifetime. Jonathan Baruch and Rob Wolken executive produce for Rain Productions; Ben Silverman, Howard T. Owens, Gregory Lipstone and Rodney Ferrell executive produce from Propagate; Howard Braunstein is executive producer; Jill Scott and Shawn Gee also executive produce. Stacey K. Black directs from an original script by executive producer/writer Cathryn Humphris and award-winning playwright Angelica Chéri. Cindy Landon and Wayne Lepoff are executive producing on behalf of Michael Landon's estate.

Actor and television director Frank Bonner, who was best known for his role as sales manager Herb Tarlek on WKRP in Cincinnati, has died. He died on June 16 at his home in Laguna Niguel, California, of complications from Lewy body dementia. Mr. Bonner was 79.

Bonner's early television drama guest appearances included The Young Lawyers, Mannix, Nichols, The F.B.I., Hawkins, Emergency!, Cannon (2 episodes), Police Woman, Most Wanted and Man from Atlantis. His early sitcom guest appearances included Nancy in 1970 and Love, American Style in 1974.

He starred as Herb Tarlek on the 1978-1982 CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. Herb Tarlek is the boorish, tasteless and vain sales manager at WKRP, who is sometimes referred to as "Little Guy" to Mr. Carlson's "Big Guy". He often wears loud plaid suits, with his belt matching his white shoes. Bonner also directed six episodes of the series from 1980 to 1982. The cast included Gary Sandy, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Richard Sanders, Tim Reid, Jan Smithers and Howard Hesseman.

Bonner starred as Father Robert Hargis on the 1988-1990 ABC sitcom Just the Ten of Us. Father Robert Hargis is the affable headmaster of St. Augustine's Academy, an all-boys private Catholic school in Eureka, California. Bonner also directed eight episodes of the series. The cast included Bill Kirchenbauer, Deborah Harmon, Heather Langenkamp, Jamie Luner, Brooke Theiss, JoAnn Willette Matt Shakman, and Heidi Zeigler.

He reprised the role of Herb Tarlek on the 1991-1993 first-run syndicated sitcom The New WKRP in Cincinnati. Gordon Jump (Arthur Carlson) and Richard Sanders (Les Nessman) also reprised their roles from the original show, while Howard Hesseman reprised the role of Dr. Johnny Fever on a recurring basis (four episodes in the first season, then five in season two). Bonner also directed seven episodes of the series. The cast included Mykel T. Williamson (Mykelti Williamson), Kathleen Garrett (1991-1992), Michael Des Barres (1991-1992), Tawny Kitaen (who also sadly recently died on May 7), Hope Alexander-Willis (1991-1992), Lightfield Lewis (1991-1992), Wendy Davis (1991), John Chappell, Marla Jeanette Rubinoff and French Stewart (1992-1993).

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included The Facts of Life (as Garth Kiley in The Facts of Life Goes to Paris), Gimme a Break! (2 episodes), The Love Boat, Newhart, New, Love American Style (1986), Punky Brewster, Night Court (2 episodes), Harry and the Hendersons, Evening Shade, The Mommies, Saved by the Bell: The New Class (4 episodes as Mr. Harrington and 1 episode as Mr. Spalding) and City Guys.

Bonner directed all 105 episodes of the 1997-2001 NBC Saturday morning sitcom City Guys. Some of his other sitcom directing credits included Family Ties, Frank's Place, The Van Dyke Show, Who's the Boss?, Head of the Class (2 episodes), The Famous Teddy Z (2 episodes), Evening Shade, You Take the Kids, Harry and the Hendersons (11 episodes), Fudge, The Mommies (4 episodes), Campus Cops, Saved by the Bell: The New Class (4 episodes) and USA High (19 episodes).

He had a recurring role as Det. R.T. Mooney in five episodes of the ABC police drama Sidekicks in 1986. Some of his other drama guest appearances included Fantasy Island, Legmen, Simon & Simon, Matt Houston, Crazy Like a Fox, Scarecrow and Mrs. King (3 episodes), Blacke's Magic and Murder, She Wrote.

Mr. Bonner did a wonderful job with his role as Herb Tarlek. He was a classic character with his humor and loud plaid suits. We thank him for his work as both an actor and as a director of many sitcom episodes. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our WKRP in Cincinnati message board. View photos in our galleries.

We also remember character actor Ned Beatty. He was best known for his work in more than 160 films, but he also starred in two short-lived sitcoms and had a recurring role as Ed Conner on Roseanne. He died at his home in Los Angeles of natural causes on June 13. Mr. Beatty was 83.

Beatty's early television drama guest appearances included The Waltons, The Marcus-Nelson Murders (TV movie pilot for Kojak), The Rockford Files (3 episodes), Lucas Tanner, Gunsmoke, Petrocelli, The Rookies, Hawaii Five-0, The Streets of San Francisco, Delvecchio and Lucan. He appeared as Colonel Hollister in the 1975 M*A*S*H episode "Dear Peggy."

He starred as Nick Szysznyk on the short-lived 1977-1978 CBS sitcom Szysznyk, which ran for two seasons and 15 episodes (4 unaired). Nick Szyszynk was a retired marine who takes a new job as playground supervisor at the Northwest Community Center in a poor neighborhood in Washington, D.C. The cast included Olivia Cole, Susan Lanier (2 episodes), Leonard Barr, Jarrod Johnson, Barry Miller, Scott Colomby and Thomas Carter.

Beatty starred as Herbert Francis "Bert" Greenblatt on the short-lived 1993 CBS sitcom The Boys. The series was about a horror novelist who moves into a house and starts hanging out with the friends of the man who recently died there. Bert was a loud, antagonistic retired fireman. The series also starred Chris Meloni, Isabella Hoffmann, Doris Roberts, John Harkins and Richard Venture.

He had a recurring role as Ed Conner, the father of Dan Conner (John Goodman), in six episodes of the ABC sitcom Roseanne from 1989 to 1994. His other sitcom guest appearances included The Golden Palace as Tad Hollingsworth in 1993 and Go On as Coach Spence, which was his final television role in 2013.

He starred as Detective Stanley Bolander ("The Big Man") on the first three seasons of the NBC police drama Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993 to 1995. Some of his other drama guest appearances included Murder, She Wrote (1984), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985), Highway to Heaven (2 episodes), B.L. Stryker, Road to Avonlea, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Law & Order.

Beatty appeared in more than 160 films during his career, which spanned from 1972 to 2013. He made his film debut as Bobby Trippe in Deliverance (1972). He received his only Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Arthur Jensen in the acclaimed film Network (1976). He played Otis Berg, Lex Luthor's (Gene Hackman) inept henchman, in Superman: The Movie (1978) and Superman II (1980). In 1993, he starred as Daniel Ruettiger, Sr., the father of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger (Sean Astin), in Rudy. Some of his other credits included All the President's Men (1976), The Toy (1982), Stroker Ace (1983), Back to School (1986) and Toy Story 3 (2010) as the voice of Lotso. See his full listing of credits on IMDB.

Mr. Beatty was a talented and versatile character actor. He made everything he appeared in much better. We thank him for the entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be deeply missed.

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

It's going to be "A Very Merry MeTV" holiday season this season on the MeTV Network. The festivities begin on Sunday, November 17 with Thanksgiving episodes and will air every Sunday thereafter until Dec. 22, all from 5pm-8pm. You'll see holiday episodes of sitcoms such as Diff'rent Strokes, Happy Days, Mama's Family, The Brady Bunch, The Jeffersons, WKRP in Cincinnati, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Taxi and many more! Christmas Eve (Dec. 24, 1am-3am) and Christmas Day (Dec. 25, 11am-1pm) will see a two-hour block of Holiday Greetings from The Ed Sullivan Show. But that's not all! Oh-ho-ho-ho, no! MeTV also sprinkled the schedule with other holiday episodes that will air during their normal schedule of shows like ALF, The Facts of Life and Gilligan's Island. For now, view the full "A Very Merry MeTV" Sunday evening block schedule:

Sunday, November 17
5:00pm Diff'rent Strokes
5:30pm Diff'rent Strokes
6:00pm The Love Boat
7:00pm Happy Days
7:30pm Mama's Family

Sunday, November 24
5:00pm Saved By The Bell
5:30pm The Brady Bunch
6:00pm Cheers
6:30pm Cheers
7:00pm M*A*S*H
7:30pm WKRP In Cincinnati

Sunday, December 1
5:00pm The Beverly Hillbillies
5:30pm Laverne & Shirley
6:00pm The Love Boat
7:00pm M*A*S*H
7:30pm M*A*S*H

Sunday, December 8
5:00pm The Honeymooners
5:30pm The Odd Couple
6:00pm A Very Brady Christmas (1988, Movie)

Sunday, December 15
5:00pm WKRP In Cincinnati
5:30pm The Jeffersons
6:00pm The Love Boat
7:00pm The Love Boat

Sunday, December 22
5:00pm The Andy Griffith Show
5:30pm The Bob Newhart Show
6:00pm The Mary Tyler Moore Show
6:30pm The Dick Van Dyke Show
7:00pm Taxi
7:30pm Cheers

Global comedy superstar Ricky Gervais, in his unique and legendary fashion, will resume hosting duties for a record fifth time at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Gervais hosted the Golden Globes in 2010-12 and returned for a fourth time in 2016. The three-hour telecast will air live on NBC coast to coast Sunday, January 5, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT from The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. The Golden Globes serve as the official kickoff to the 2020 awards season. 25 categories - 14 in film and 11 in television - are voted on by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Creator and star of The Office UK and Extras, Ricky Gervais has won three Golden Globes, two Primetime Emmys and seven BAFTAS. The Office is the most successful British comedy of all time, shown in more than 90 countries with seven remakes. The NBC version is the most successful U.S. remake of a British show in more than 30 years.

Considered the most influential British comedian since Charlie Chaplin, Gervais is an award-winning stand-up comedian, with five international tours to date. His live stand up show Fame became the fastest selling UK stand-up show in history. Gervais can most recently be seen in the dark comedy After Life, which he created, directs, stars in and executive produced. The series premiered March 8 worldwide on Netflix and will return for a second season in 2020.

Summertime means yard work. But why toil outside? Stay in and watch two city folk work the soil. As of yesterday (May 27), Green Acres has now moved to a new time, five days a week - weeknights at 9:30PM replacing WKRP in Cincinnati. That is not the only fresh crop arriving in The Summer of Me. Two rarely aired pieces of television history are coming to MeTV this coming weekend -- the 1985 iteration of The Twilight Zone (Saturdays at 12:30am and Sundays 12am, replacing the original Twilight Zone) and the 90-minutes episodes of Wagon Train every weekday at 3:30pm (essentially replacing an airing of The Rifleman). Then, on Saturdays, MeTV presents The Three Stooges at 6PM | 5C (replacing The Wild, Wild West), with two thematically tied shorts presented in full, unedited and without commercial interruption.

More details on Stooges: On Saturday, June 1, legendary comedy troupe and masters of mirth The Three Stooges will join MeTV's lineup of memorable entertainment television. Over 13 weeks, these specially selected and themed broadcasts will present full-length, unedited shorts without commercial interruption, packaged into an hour-long presentation that highlights the many "best of" moments from the beloved comedians. Airing Saturdays at 6PM | 5C, weekly themes include "Crème de la Curly," "Just Say Moe," "Pie...I Oughta!" and "Shemp Cocktail," featuring the classic combo of the Stooge trio -- laidback Larry, hotheaded Moe, man-child Curly, along with dimwitted Shemp.

Disney Channel has picked up a second season of the popular live-action daughter/father comedy Sydney to the Max, starring 13-year-old actress/musical artist Ruth Righi in the title role of Sydney. Geared for kids ages 6-14 and families, the series is set in the present day with flashbacks to the 1990s and follows outgoing middle schooler Sydney Reynolds, who lives with her single dad Max (Ian Reed Kesler, Suits), in the house he grew up in, along with her progressive grandmother Judy (Caroline Rhea, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Disney's Phineas and Ferb). As Sydney's preteen pursuits begin to expand, Max's flashbacks of his childhood help him gain a better perspective of his daughter's experiences. Created and executive produced by Mark Reisman (Frasier, Wings, The Exes), production on season two will commence later this summer.

New episodes from season one will return on Tuesday, June 18 from 8:00-8:30 p.m. EDT on Disney Channel and in the DisneyNOW app. Also starring are Jackson Dollinger as young Max, Ava Kolker as Sydney's best friend Olive, and Christian J. Simon as young Max's best friend Leo.

Are you ho-ho-hoping to see some Christmas episodes this season? Have we got an overstuffed sack of presents for you. For seven weeks, MeTV will present three hours of holiday episodes every Sunday, from 5PM-8PM Eastern time for their annual "A Very Merry MeTV" 2018. You'll see favorites like ALF, The Jeffersons, The Facts of Life, Diff'rent Strokes, The Love Boat and even the TV movie A Very Brady Christmas. The full Sunday holiday line-up is below!

Sunday, November 11, 2018
5:00pm The Jeffersons-Father Christmas
5:30pm The Facts Of Life-It's A Wonderful Christmas
6pm-8pm Little House on The Prairie-Bless All the Dear Children

Sunday, November 18, 2018
5:00pm Diff'rent Strokes-Thanksgiving Crossover 1
5:30pm Diff'rent Strokes-Thanksgiving Crossover 2
6:00pm The Love Boat-Man Of The Cloth
7:00pm M*A*S*H-Yalu Brick Road
7:30pm WKRP In Cincinnati-Turkey's Away

Sunday, November 25, 2018
5:00pm The Jeffersons-The Christmas Wedding
5:30pm The Jeffersons-All I Want for Christmas
6pm-8pm The Ed Sullivan Show-Holiday Greetings

Sunday, December 2, 2018
5:00pm The Jeffersons-984 W 124th Street Apt 5C
5:30pn The Jeffersons-George Finds a Father
6pm-8pm A Very Brady Christmas

Sunday, December 9, 2018
5:00pm ALF-ALF's Special Christmas 1
5:30pm ALF-ALF's Special Christmas 2
6:00pm The Love Boat-The Christmas Presence
7:00pm M*A*S*H-Dear Sis
7:30pm M*A*S*H-Twas The Day After Christmas

Sunday, December 16, 2018
5:00pm Happy Days-Guess Who's Coming To Christmas
5:30pm Happy Days-Christmas Time
6:00pm The Love Boat-The Christmas Cruise 1
7:00pm The Love Boat-The Christmas Cruise 2

Sunday, December 23, 2018
5:00pm Laverne & Shirley-Christmas Eve at Booby Hatch
5:30pm Laverne & Shirley-Oh, Come All Ye Bums
6:00pm The Love Boat-Santa, Santa, Santa
7:00pm M*A*S*H-Dear Dad
7:30pm M*A*S*H-Death Takes a Holiday

Netflix has picked up BoJack Horseman for a 6th season! Will Arnett voices BoJack, the failed legendary 90's sitcom star from the favorite family sitcom Horsin' Around, who has been trying to find his way through a muddle of self-loathing, whisky and failed relationships. Now, in the presence of his human sidekick Todd (Aaron Paul) and his feline agent and ex-paramour Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), BoJack is primed for his comeback...

Created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. The series is Executive Produced by Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Steven A. Cohen and Noel Bright. Will Arnett (The Millers, Arrested Development) and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) also serve as Executive Producers. BoJack was designed by graphic artist Lisa Hanawalt and is animated by LA-based ShadowMachine. The show is a Tornante Production, brought to life by Michael Eisner's The Tornante Company. BoJack Horseman Season 5 premiered on Netflix on September 14, 2018.

Baby, if you've ever wondered, wondered whatever became of Me... Wonder no more, WKRP in Cincinnati is coming to The MeTV Network starting Monday, April 2, 2018! The sitcom will air weeknights at 9:30PM ET. More info is still to come, along with the rest of the network's line-up come April 2, but you can expect WKRP every weeknight at the very least. WKRP in Cincinnati was last seen on Antenna TV for a few years starting in April 2012, so now MeTV will be the new home for the gang at WKRP. The sitcom is about the misadventures of the staff of a struggling radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio. Among the stars on the series are Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Jan Smithers and Tim Reid. Stay with us for continued updates on this story and all things MeTV.

Patience is a virtue, but rest easy knowing there is more Black Mirror on the way. Netflix on Monday announced that its utterly addictive, Emmy Award-winning anthology series has been renewed for a much-anticipated Season 5. Black Mirror is an anthology series that taps into our collective unease with the modern world, with each stand-alone episode a sharp, suspenseful tale exploring themes of contemporary techno-paranoia leading to an unforgettable - and sometimes unsettling - conclusion. Without questioning it, technology has transformed all aspects of our lives; in every home; on every desk; in every palm - a plasma screen; a monitor; a Smartphone - a Black Mirror reflecting our 21st Century existence back at us. The series is created and written by Charlie Brooker, and executive produced by Brooker and Annabel Jones.

by Vincent

Last year, One Day at a Time was one of the most surprisingly wonderful shows of 2017. In a year of seemingly endless reboots and navel-gazing at TV's past, One Day at a Time was perhaps the only remake that took its original series and made it feel current rather than being obsessed with the past. With an all new cast and little actual ties to the original series other than in structure, One Day at a Time transcended the label of "sitcom remake" and became a wonderful sitcom in its own right. By tackling social issues such as sexuality, mental illness, and veterans' rights in a way that also had a strong focus on character and never felt cloying, One Day at a Time felt truly special.

So it means a lot when I say One Day at a Time's second season may even be an improvement on its already excellent debut season. The series is slightly less serialized in its second season, making it feel even more like the past Norman Lear shows it's inspired by (Lear is an executive producer of the series, after all) - and yet, the lack of structure (although the season does have some structure, certainly more than most, say, '70s Lear sitcoms did) allows the show to put its characters through many varieties of situations that inform who they are and their own personal choices. The series also digs deeper into its characters this year - we learn more about their past and their journeys, even for characters like Schneider who have mostly been presented as comic relief. And yet, even through all of this, One Day at a Time always felt happy and joyous, even when dealing with some pretty intricate and heavy topics. Frankly, One Day at a Time feels a little bit like the sitcom version of a warm hug. It's comforting and makes you feel better even when things are rough. What could be better in our current society?

Oh, and yes, it has a live studio audience. No, it's not distracting. Please don't let that turn you off of this incredible show.

Actor Louis Zorich, who was best known for his role as Paul Reiser's father, Burt Buchman, in Mad About You, has died. He died in his sleep on January 30 in New York City. Mr. Zorich was 93.

Zorich starred as Jules Berger in the 1991-1993 CBS dramedy Brooklyn Bridge, which was set in the middle 1950s in Brooklyn. He was married to Sophie Berger (Marion Ross) and was the grandfather of Alan Silver (Danny Gerard). The Gary David Goldberg created series also starred Amy Aquino, Peter Friedman, Matthew Louis Siegel, Adam LaVorgna, Jenny Lewis, Jake Jundef, Aeryk Egan and David Wohl. It won a Golden Globe for Best Television Comedy or Musical and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1992.

He appeared in the recurring role as Burt Buchman in 70 episodes of the NBC sitcom Mad About You from 1993 to 1999. He was married to Sylvia (Cynthia Harris) and was the father of Paul (Paul Reiser). His signature line when he visited Paul and Jamie's (Helen Hunt) apartment was "It's me, Burt! Burt Buchman--your father!" The series also starred Anne Elizabeth Ramsay, Leila Kenzie (1992-1998), Richard Kind (1992-1993, occasional 1994-1999) and John Pankow.

Some of his television guest appearances included Encounter, Hudson's Bay, Cannonball, Naked City, Route 66, Kojak, Ryan's Hope, The Equalizer, Spenser: For Hire, Kate & Allie and Law & Order.

Survivors include his wife, actress Olympia Dukakis; their three children, Peter, Stefan and Christina; and nephew, Chris Zorich (former NFL player).

Mr. Zorich was a fine actor. He was very good as the family patriarch in Brooklyn Bridge. It would be great to revisit that series on DVD one day. It was always fun when he stopped by to visit on Mad About You. He will be greatly missed.

We also remember director, writer and television showrunner Hugh Wilson. He was the creator of WKRP in Cincinnati and Frank's Place. He died on January 14 in Charlottesville, Virginia, from lung cancer and emphysema. Mr. Wilson was 74.

Wilson created WKRP in Cincinnati for CBS in 1978. The series was based upon his experiences working in advertising sales at Top 40 radio station WQXI in Atlanta. The popular sitcom ran for four seasons from 1978 to 1982. It starred Gary Sandy, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Richard Sanders, Frank Bonner, Jan Smithers, Tim Reid and Howard Hesseman. The catchy theme song was written by Wilson and performed by Steve Carlisle. Wilson also wrote 14 episodes, provided the story for three episodes and directed two of the episodes.

He later created the sequel series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, which aired for two seasons in first-run syndication from 1991 to 1993. The series starred Gordon Jump, Richard Sanders, Frank Bonner, Mykelti Williamson, Tawny Kitaen and French Stewart. Howard Hesseman appeared in a recurring role.

In 1986, he created the short-lived NBC sitcom Easy Street. The series starred Loni Anderson, Jack Elam, Lee Weaver, Dana Ivey, James Cromwell and Arthur Malet.

Wilson worked with Tim Reid again in the critically acclaimed, but short-lived dramedy Frank's Place. The series aired on CBS for one season in 1987-1988. It also also starred Robert Harper, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Francesca P. Roberts, Frances W. Williams, Virginia Capers, Tony Burton, Charles Lampkin, Lincoln Kilpatrick, William Thomas Jr. and Don Yesso. Wilson also worked as writer s and directed seven episodes of the series. He won an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series" in 1988.

He created the short-lived 1989-1990 CBS sitcom The Famous Teddy Z. The series starred Jon Cryer, Milton Selzer, Jane Sibbett, Alex Rocco, Tom La Grua, Erica Yohn and Josh Blake.

His other directing credits included The Tony Randall Show (also a producer), Easy Street and The Famous Teddy Z. He directed the films Police Academy, Burglar, Guarding Tess, The First Wives Club, Blast from the Past and Dudley Do-Right.

Some of his other sitcom writing credits included The Bob Newhart Show, The Tony Randall Show and The Famous Teddy Z.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him on November 26, 2015.

Survivors include his wife, five children and four grandchildren.

We thank Mr. Wilson for the great sitcoms he brought us over the years. He will be missed.

• VEI has been very busy with a lot of complete series lately, and this week, even more were announced. For sitcom fans, however, there is really only one of interest: Evening Shade. No date has been given for this release yet, and we suspect that it won't arrive until later next year.

This April, Antenna TV is adding two '70s classics to its line-up! As we mentioned, One Day at a Time and The Jeffersons are coming in 2015, but now we have a date. Both will launch on the schedule on Monday, April 6, 2015! But first, The Jeffersons will have a "Movin' On Up To 40" Marathon for its 40th anniversary on Saturday, April 4 from 8pm through Sunday, April 5 8pm. It is 24-hours of George & Weezy! Before we get back to the new schedule, on Wednesday, April 1, Antenna TV will present a Three Stooges April Fools Day marathon beginning at 12 midnight through 3am the next day on Thursday, April 2. That's 27 hours of those fumbling fools! Now onto the new schedule! There will be time changes as usual throughout the line-up. The Jeffersons will air weeknights at 10pm & 10:30pm leading into One Day at a Time at 11pm & 11:30pm. The Jeffersons will also air Sundays at 7pm & 7:30pm, while One Day at a Time airs at 9pm & 9:30pm on Sunday nights. Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Flipper, and The Partridge Family are returning to the schedule, back on weekends. Flipper on Saturdays from 3-4pm, Partridge Family on Saturdays from 5-6pm, and Hitchcock on both nights from 2-3am. With all of these new additions and returnees, only two shows will be off the line-up: Circus Boy & WKRP in Cincinnati. The latter was removed from its weeknights from 7-8pm hour recently for the return of Sanford & Son.

The rest of the line-up is mainly time changes. The weeknights from 5pm-1am will now be classic '70s sitcoms with an hour each of Three's Company, Barney Miller, Sanford & Son, Good Times, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time and more Three's Company. On Sundays, the '70s line-up airs from 4pm-11pm with All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, The Jeffersons, Sanford & Son, One Day at a Time, and Three's Company. Speaking of Three's Company, weekend play has been added, airing on weekends from 10-11pm, while its spin-offs The Ropers and Three's a Crowd will air Saturdays 7-8pm and Sundays 12-1pm. Discuss and view the full new Antenna TV spring 2015 schedule here!

Sticking to our digital multicast network theme, COZI TV, the network designed to deliver viewers an easy-to-watch, comfortable and familiar viewing experience, announced it has signed an affiliation agreement with Meredith Corporation, bringing its iconic shows and movies to viewers in seven new markets later this spring. Additionally, WFFP in Lynchburg, Virginia has signed on as a COZI TV affiliate and will be launching the network in the coming weeks. Under the agreement with Meredith, COZI TV will be launching this spring on the multicast channels of seven local stations owned by Meredith, including WGCL in Atlanta, KPHO in Phoenix, KPTV in Portland, WSMV in Nashville, WHNS in Greenville, WNEM in Flint and WSHM in Springfield, Massachusetts. COZI TV has also reached an agreement with WFFP in Lynchburg, which is owned by Morning Star Broadcasting. With this latest expansion, COZI TV is now available in approximately 80 million U.S. homes or over 70 percent of the country. COZI TV now has 74 affiliates, serving nine of the top 10 U.S. television markets.