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Happy Endings - Wednesdays 10:00PM ET/PT on ABC
Premieres Wednesday, April 13, 2010 at a special time of 9:30PM ET/PT

Forget who gets to keep the ring - when a couple splits, the real question is, who gets to keep the friends? Alex and Dave's wedding was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, for them and their long-time friends... until Alex leaves groom-to-be Dave at the altar. The breakup, in the words of one pal, is a "huge game changer" that will complicate everyone's lives and make everyone question their own choices.

Until the unhappy event, perfect couple Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and Dave (Zachary Knighton) were the glue that kept their social circle together: Alex's sister, Jane (Eliza Coupe), a suburban housewife, and her buttoned-up husband, Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.), who are trying to start a family but who are so shocked by what happened they can't maintain their pre-pregnancy no-meat, no alcohol cleanse; Max (Adam Pally), their gay friend; and Penny (Casey Wilson), who worries about never finding the right guy. After the wedding fiasco, the group rallies around good guy Dave.

Alex returns, alone, and tries to explain why she broke up with Dave. Bo, the guy Dave assumes she left him for, isn't the reason for her running away. She'd been questioning her feelings for Dave for some time (probably his "romantic" gift of $40 cash for Valentine's Day didn't help), but just couldn't bring herself to hurt him. Dave points out that this is the sort of thing you discuss before the wedding.

They strike a truce, but it's not going to be easy. Now that they've split, does this group have the stuff to stay together? Or do Max, Brad, Jane and Penny have to choose sides? Suddenly every event is a negotiation. There are a lot of big questions to be answered, but these friends will eventually figure it out. Happy Endings offers a fresh and funny take on modern friendship and what one urban family will do to stay together.


Cast Details:

* Elisha Cuthbert as Alex
* Eliza Coupe as Jane
* Zachary Knighton as Dave
* Adam Pally as Max
* Damon Wayans Jr. as Brad
* Casey Wilson as Penny

Elisha Cuthbert (Alex) burst onto the American scene as Kiefer Sutherland's daughter, Kimberly Bauer, in the critically acclaimed series 24. Her portrayal earned her a nomination for a 2002 Teen Choice Award for Breakout TV Actress. She also received a 2005 SAG nomination as part of the 24 cast in the category of Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Cuthbert starred as Maxine Denver in ABC's series the forgotten, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. The Canadian Cuthbert began her career in entertainment as a model at the age of seven. Soon after, she was cast as a regular in the Nickelodeon series Are You Afraid of the Dark? She also traveled the globe as a correspondent for the award-winning series, Popular Mechanics for Kids. On the big screen Cuthbert starred in The Six Wives of Henry LeFay, opposite Tim Allen and Jenna Elfman. Other film credits include My Sassy Girl, House of Wax, The Girl Next Door, Old School, and more.

Eliza Coupe (Jane) first got industry notice in 2006, when her hilarious and irreverent one-woman show, which she performed at UCB/NYC, was chosen to be presented at HBO's prestigious U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Soon after the festival, Coupe was cast in the feature I Think I Love My Wife, directed by and starring Chris Rock. In 2008, after a meeting with Bill Lawrence, the creator of [scrubs] she was given an 11-episode arc on the show. In 2009, when [scrubs] was renewed for a ninth season, she was added to the show as a series regular set in a med school. She will also be featured in the upcoming movie What's Your Number?, starring Anna Faris. Coupe has also guest starred on HBO's Flight of the Conchords, ABC's Samantha Who?, Fox's Unhitched and the USA Network's Royal Pains.

Zachary Knighton (Dave) starred as Dr. Bryce Varley in ABC's FLASHFORWARD last season. He also starred in the short-lived comedy Life on a Stick and has guest starred on It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Law & Order, Ed and Related. In addition, he has appeared in the TV movie Sally Hemmings: An American Scandal. Knighton's feature film credits include Surfer Dude, with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, The Prince and Me, opposite Julia Stiles and Miranda Richardson and directed by Martha Coolidge, Cherry Falls, with Brittany Murphy and Jay Mohr. He recently completed production on Tug, opposite Yeardley Smith.

Adam Pally (Max) has written and performed in two long running sketch comedy shows at the Upright Citizens Brigade theatre with his sketch comedy group, Hot Sauce. Hot Sauce was an official selection and performer for the Montreal Just for Laugh's Comedy Festival in 2007. Pally has appeared in the feature films Monogamy, The Sophomore, Taking Woodstock and Solitary Man.

Damon Wayans Jr. (Brad) starred in his first major film, Dance Flick, in May 2009, a Paramount spoof that was produced, written and directed by fellow Wayans funny men. In 2005 Wayans followed in his father's (Damon Wayans Sr.) comedic footsteps and braved the world of stand-up under the pseudonym Kyle Green. He appeared alongside his father in the Showtime television series The Underground (2006) and served as a writer on that sketch comedy series. He performed in a few bit roles on his dad's ABC comedy My Wife and Kids, and later landed a job as staff writer on the series at the age of only 20. In January 2008, Wayans was featured on HBO's Def Comedy Jam. Other recent roles include voicing the character of Thunder in the action digital animation film, Marmaduke, as well as the comedy/action film The Other Guys, co-starring Will Farrell, Eva Mendez and Mark Wahlberg.

Casey Wilson (Penny) was a featured player on Saturday Night Live. Her film credits include Christopher Guest's For Your Consideration, Nora Ephron's Julie and Julia, and the Lionsgate comedy Killers, starring Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher, directed by Robert Luketic. Her other TV credits include the Fox sketch comedy pilot, The Right Now Show, by Comedy Death Ray creators Scott Aukerman and B.J. Porter, and MTV's Human Giant, as well as voice work on the animated series Glenn Martin, DDS for Nick at Nite and guest starring on Retired at 35 pilot for TV Land.


Pilot Plot:

We were given three of the first four episodes that are airing for review--the pilot and the third and fourth episodes airing.

#1 "Pilot" (#100, Airs April 13, 2011)
Forget who gets to keep the ring - when a couple splits, the real question is, who gets to keep the friends? Alex and Dave's wedding was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives, for them and their long-time friends... until Alex leaves groom-to-be Dave at the altar. The breakup, in the words of one pal, is a "huge game changer" that will complicate everyone's lives and make everyone question their own choices.

Guest starring are Mikaela Hoover as Jackie, Ryan Sypek as Todd and Travis Van Winkle as Bo.
"Pilot" was written by David Caspe and directed by Anthony & Joe Russo.

#3 "Your Couples Friends & Neighbor" (#108, Airs April 20, 2011)
Jane insists that she and Brad befriend a sophisticated couple, Dianne and Carl (guest stars Danielle Schneider, Brett Gelman), but Brad resists the idea. Max and Dave can't figure out why food and other things are disappearing from their apartment. Alex confides to Max that Dave walks and eats in his sleep, but the truth is far stranger. Meanwhile, Alex starts dating a cute artist (Michael Mosley) she just happens to meet hanging around Max and Dave's place.

Guest starring are Brett Gelman as Carl, Jim Hazelton as Clark, Danielle Schneider as Dianne and Michael Mosley as Malcolm.
"Your Couples Friends & Neighbor" was written by Josh Bycel and directed by Fred Savage.

#4 "Mein Coming Out" (#107, Airs April 27, 2011)
The gang tries to convince Max to come out to his parents (guest stars Alan Rachins and Caroline Aaron) when the two visit Chicago and Max has to scramble yet again to get one of the ladies to pose as his girlfriend. Meanwhile Penny meets the man of her dreams, Doug. He's good looking, funny, successful... and he's got a rather "infamous" last name.

Guest starring are Caroline Aaron as Pauline Blum, Greg Cromer as Doug Hitler, and Alan Rachins as Howard Blum. Co-starring are Nathan Barnatt as Roger, Jonathan Emerson as Preston and Matthew Rocheleau as waiter.
"Mein Coming Out" was written by Gail Lerner and directed by Jeff Melman.


Analysis:

This comedy has an interesting premise. It starts off with a wedding and a runaway bride, but that's not funny as you know. The funny comes what happens after that. In this comedy, we have a group of six friends that consists of two sisters, an interracial couple, a gay man, and a heart-broken man who was going to marry one of the sisters. That's not your ordinary style of friends, but who said there are rules on who should be your friends? This comedy is in the vein of some past short-lived ABC sitcoms like Notes from the Underbelly, Big Day, but also very comparable to the hit comedy Cougar Town and even [scrubs]. This show so far is clearly better than Notes from the Underbelly & Big Day, and will be very compatible with Cougar Town, which will be leading into the show in its regular time.

Anyway, on to some analysis of the three episodes I saw. They are all good! The pilot sets it up well and we get to know the characters very well. Elisha Cuthbert plays the lead role of Alex, who is the runaway bride leaving Zachary Knighton's Dave character at the altar. What happens after that changes everything for this group of six friends. Will things ever be the same again? Alex and Dave's friends try to get things back to normal during Penny's "30th" (or should we say, 26th?) birthday party. Alex and Penny are sisters, but there isn't much mention of it. Things don't go too well at the party, but a lot of funny comes up and the pilot ends on a sweet note. Damon Wayans, Jr. plays the role of Brad, who is married to Jane, played by Eliza Coupe. Wayans is the spitting image of his father and is very funny here. Eliza Coupe who played Dr. Denise "Jo from Facts of Life" Mahoney during the final years of [scrubs] has great lines and plays off well with Wayans. The sixth friend is Max, played by Adam Pally, and he is gay and delivers hilarious smart lines.

The second episode airing was not available for review, but it airs immediately after the pilot at 10pm at its normal time. I'll be sitting in front of my TV waiting for it! We did get episodes three and four which air the next two weeks (April 20 and 27). Both episodes expand on the pilot and bring out the funny! In episode three, Jane wants Brad to be friends with a sophisticated couple, but Brad resists the idea. But the better plot in the episode is someone is staying in Max and Dave's apartment (in the ceiling!) because food and other things go missing and they can't figure out why they are disappearing. Michael Mosley guest stars playing a mysterious person that Alex goes out with...until Dave and Max find out. Mosley starred with Coupe on [scrubs], but they don't have many scenes on this together after playing a couple on [scrubs]. The fourth episode airing is probably the best one (but I really like the third one a lot too). In this episode, everyone tries to convince Max to come out to his parents but he gets one of the ladies to pose as his girlfriend. Oh boy do we get funny stuff here. And the second storyline is about Penny meeting a man with an "infamous" last name. I won't give much away, but this show is just smartly written. It has the silly factor like Cougar Town and [scrubs] and heck even similar to Friends. It could probably be the new single camera Friends, but this show has a lot of heart, too, and that is always a good thing in comedy.


Conclusion:

The story lines are fresh, smart, and funny! All six characters are unique and in terms of quality, is the best friendship-Friends-like comedy since that show. The cast is all young, so it should fit well with the young-skewing Cougar Town. Elisha Cuthbert is not only attractive with nice beach blonde hair, but I never knew her voice was so intriguing. You can listen to it all day and not be tired of it. I can't explain it, but it's enduring, innocent and sexy at the same time. Penny and Max are probably the funniest on the show and steal all the scenes they are in! But all six actors are exceptional here and are great in their roles. Each character gets to shine in these three episodes that I see, so don't just base it on the pilot and don't come back. Sampling is more than just one episode, and the reward for watching at least three or four episodes will be fulfilling because it is REALLY funny.

After a special preview airing after Modern Family, the series will air at 10pm following Cougar Town. It will get sampled tomorrow for the premiere and should do well. I hope viewers stick after that, but having the compatible Cougar Town as a lead-in is a plus. Happy Endings should win its 10pm half-hour each week in adults 18-49 (opposite crime dramas). 13 episodes have been produced, but seven are scheduled to air this season. Should the show do well, you'll see the remaining six likely added on to the second season order. I think ABC made the right move putting this in the 10pm slot...it should do better than The Whole Truth or Off the Map and fits like a glove with Cougar Town. More comedy is always a good thing! Should it hit, ABC could possibly pair those comedies in the 10pm hour next fall...but that's thinking way too ahead. For now watch these six friends figure out what to do when a big change happens. It's the best Friends-like comedy since Friends and it goes even beyond Friends with even smarter dialogue (wow, that sentence had three Friends mentions). Let's hope it can find an audience, because it won't disappoint.


Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

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

-- Reviewed by Pavan on 04/12/11

Discuss the show after you watch it on Wednesday, April 13 on our message board.

Related Links:

ABC.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Happy Endings Photo Gallery

Preview:



In some sad news, CMT has canceled original sitcom Working Class after just one season. The sitcom aired on Friday nights at 8pm on CMT for 10 weeks of 12 episodes. Unfortunately the ratings were not too good, but we really liked the sitcom and will miss it. The series' first episode did decent but from there it seemed to have gone down. Melissa Peterman and the legendary Ed Asner were great in it. CMT released the following statement on Facebook: "Unfortunately, CMT will not be pursuing a second season of Working Class. We're sad to see it go, but you can still catch Melissa Peterman in new episodes of The Singing Bee" (which premieres this Friday).
The series followed Carli Mitchell (Melissa Peterman), a single mom from a rough and tumble background, trying to give her three kids a better life by moving them to an upscale suburb. She quickly finds that making the transition to "the good life" is harder than she thought. She's unwittingly befriended by her cranky neighbor, Hank (Ed Asner), her only "career" prospect is a glorified deli job at the local grocery store, and the man she falls for not only already has a girlfriend - but he's also her boss, Rob (Patrick Fabian). With her ladies-man brother, Nick (Steve Kazee), to help her out (when he's not acting like one of the kids himself), Carli faces the challenges of parenting, dating, and making friends in her new community by doing more with less, staying true to herself and approaching each day with a touch of working class.

CMT scheduled Married...with Children once again this past weekend, after airing in November and December. The series has bounced around on the Viacom networks airing on Spike TV, TV Land, Comedy Central and CMT over the past few years. It was last seen on TV Land about a month or so ago on weekends and will now resurface on sister network CMT. The Viacom deal as you know is separate from the TBS deal, which has the overnight rights (2am-7am), while Viacom has 7am-2am. Anyway, CMT aired the series in primetime on Friday night after the season finale of Working Class, which had guest star David Faustino (Bud Bundy). The block aired from 9am-12am and was encored the next day (Saturday) from 3-6pm. That isn't the only Married...with Children sighting! This week, it will air in primetime on Thursday (April 7) from 8pm-10:30pm. Then starting April 16, it looks like it will air on Saturdays from 2pm-6pm. It is too bad it isn't airing regularly, but we still have TBS in the overnight/mornings and of course on broadcast on Antenna TV, if you get that station.
This weekend also had a filler airing of Green Acres on Saturday from 2-3pm. Green Acres has only aired on CMT once before at the start of 2011 in their new year marathon. Stay tuned if they air it again, but as of now, nothing is scheduled. Stay with us!

ReelzChannel announced viewers will be able to watch both Calista Flockhart series Brothers & Sisters and Ally McBeal from the beginning as the network will restart both shows. Today, (Monday, April 4, 2011) at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT viewers will see Season 1, Episode 1 of the hit drama series Brothers & Sisters and next week on Monday, April 11 at 1pm ET/ 10am PT viewers will see Season 1, Episode 1 of the wildly popular one-hour comedy Ally McBeal.
Brothers & Sisters airs weeknights on ReelzChannel at 10pm ET/7pm PT and on Sundays at 12pm ET/9am PT & 1pm ET/10am PT. The show is a family drama following the lives of the Walker family through the complicated maze of American life today. Currently in its fifth season on ABC, the series stars Dave Annable as Justin Walker, Sally Field as Nora Holden, Calista Flockhart as Kitty Walker, Rachel Griffiths as Sarah Walker, Luke Macfarlane as Scotty Wandell, Gilles Marini as Luc Laurent, Matthew Rhys as Kevin Walker, Ron Rifkin as Saul Holden and Patricia Wettig as Holly Harper.
Ally McBeal airs weekdays on ReelzChannel at 1pm ET/10am PT. The show stars Calista Flockhart as a quirky, self-questioning lawyer who is uneasy about various elements of her life inside and outside of the courtroom and the law firm where she works. Amplifying the workplace antics is the first unisex bathroom on television, which is the setting for many memorable scenes in the show.

CMT's original sitcom, Working Class, starring Melissa Peterman and Ed Asner, will kick-off its season one finale night Friday, April 1, with two new back-to-back episodes premiering at 8:00 p.m., ET/PT and 8:30 p.m., ET/PT.
In the first episode of the one-hour finale block, Carli brings an internet date (Guest star David Faustino, Married... with Children) to Rob's housewarming party, hoping to prove that she is a good catch. In the episode immediately following, Carli accepts an "employee of the month" award from Parker Foods, setting the stage for a flashback to when she first interviewed for the job (Guest star Martin Mull, Roseanne and 'Til Death).
The series has a 12 episode order for the first season and will complete it by airing two episodes on April 1. The Singing Bee 3, which is hosted by Working Class star Melissa Peterman, takes over the time period beginning April 8. No word yet on a second season of the sitcom, but odds are that it will get a second season. Stay tuned!

In a last minute scheduling move, BET has added a weekend marathon of sitcom Girlfriends for this coming week, March 19-20. Girlfriends will air this Saturday (March 19) from 8am-6:30pm into a mini-block of The Game. Then the marathon continues on Sunday (March 20) with a block from 10:30am-3:30pm. Girlfriends airs weekdays on BET in the 12 noon hour. It also airs at various times on weekends in the early afternoon. Elsewhere at BET, there will be a full season four marathon of all 13 episodes of The Game on Saturday, April 2 from 3pm-9:30pm. The season finale will air on Tuesday, March 29 at 10pm. But the following Tuesday (April 5) a special "Twitter" encore episode (not sure what it is yet) of the finale is scheduled at 10pm leading into the finale of freshman sitcom Let's Stay Together at 10:30pm. Then on Tuesday, April 12, there will be a special all-new The Mo'nique Show at a special time of 9pm with the cast of The Game reuniting leading into new series Toya at 10pm. No word on a fifth season of The Game or a second season of Let's Stay Together, but based on the strong TV ratings for The Game, it is very likely a new season will be ordered! The jury is out though for Let's Stay Together. Stay tuned!

With Charlie Sheen announcing he is going into rehab (which will be in his home oddly), CBS has ordered two more episodes each of Rules of Engagement and Mike & Molly, bringing both series to 26 episodes each. They will need to fill the void of Two and a Half Men, since it doesn't look like that sitcom will make any more new episodes this season. It is unclear right now if these two extra episodes of both series will air in the Two and a Half Men timeslot (Mondays a 9) or not. Rules of Engagement is slated to move to Thursdays beginning Feb. 24, so not sure if CBS is rethinking that now. CBS has new sitcom Mad Love premiering on Feb. 14 at 8:30. Perhaps Rules will air on Monday, Feb. 21 at 9pm to promote its Thursday move starting Feb. 24? We'll let you know if that is the case.
Two and a Half Men has aired 14 episodes so far and two more episodes are completed and will air on Feb. 7 and Feb. 14. After that, it will be repeats or replaced by other sitcoms like Rules or Molly. There will still be a lot of scheduling updates to come on this situation. So you'll have to stay with us here on the blog, on our message board and Twitter for any breaking updates. Here is the official statement from CBS and Warner Bros. from last week:
Statement from CBS Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television and Executive Producer Chuck Lorre
"Due to Charlie Sheen's decision to enter a rehabilitation center, CBS, Warner Bros. Television and executive producer Chuck Lorre are placing Two and a Half Men on production hiatus. We are profoundly concerned for his health and well-being, and support his decision."

The Friday, January 28, 8:00 p.m. premiere episode of CMT's first scripted sitcom, Working Class, starring TV veteran Melissa Peterman and Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Ed Asner, was the highest rated and most watched series debut in CMT history among 18-49 and total viewers, with 1.2 million Total Viewers. The show also posted a 0.5 18-49 rating. The 8:00 p.m. premiere was up 198% from the prior four week time period average.
Working Class airs every Friday at 8:00 PM, ET on CMT. The 12-episode season follows Carli Mitchell (Melissa Peterman), a single mom from a rough and tumble background, trying to give her three kids a better life by moving them to an upscale suburb. She quickly finds that making the transition to "the good life" is harder than she thought. Guest stars Reba McEntire and John Schneider appear on this week's (Feb. 4) episode.

BET has slated some sitcom marathons in February. On Saturday, Feb. 5, it is "Bernie Mac Saturday" with a marathon of the sitcom Bernie Mac from 9am-8pm leading into the BET premiere of the big screen movie Mr. 3000 starring Bernie Mac. On Saturday, Feb. 12, it's a "Weekend of Love" with love-themed episodes of sitcoms Everybody Hates Chris, Bernie Mac, Jamie Foxx Show, Girlfriends and The Game from 9am-4:30pm. This will be followed by Love movies such as Love 4 Sale, Love Don't Cost a Thing, Love & Basketball, Love & Other 4-Letter Words, and Love in the Nick of Tyme. On Saturday, Feb. 19 for President's Day Weekend, BET presents a Jamie Foxx Show marathon from 9am-10pm leading into a Girlfriends block from 10pm-12am. And finally on Sunday, March 6, BET presents an Everybody Hates Chris marathon from 10am-6pm part of a Terry Crews Takeover weekend, leading into the BET premiere of the movie First Sunday.


Don't forget tonight is the premiere of new original sitcom Working Class on CMT. Melissa Peterman stars as Carli Mitchell, a vibrant, sexy single mom with two ex-husbands, three kids and a negative checking account balance in the hilarious new sitcom, Working Class. The talented cast also includes TV legend Ed Asner as Carli's cranky, opinionated neighbor/co-worker, along with Steve Kazee and Patrick Fabian. Plus, there will be amazing guest stars all season long, including Reba, John Schneider, Ryan Stiles, Martin Mull, Kathy Kinney, Lesley Ann Warren and more. It's sure to be a blast for the whole family! Preview a clip on Facebeook on the "Sneak Peek" tab, plus behind-the-scenes content and more. And also Valpak and CMT are sponsoring the "Working Class Payday Giveaway" Sweepstakes for a chance to win $1,000! Enter today!

It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars (but we won't cover movie stars like Tom Hanks or John Travolta, since they won't be talking about their past sitcoms likely), so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of Jan. 31-Feb. 4, 2010, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! So get your DVR's (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, January 31, 2011

• Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Amy on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Ed O'Neill (Modern Family/Married...with Children) - Catch Ed on the Tavis Smiley Show on PBS, so check you listings for time.
• Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly) - Watch Billy on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory/Roseanne) - Watch Johnny on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Watch Jesse on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so you'll have to check listings for time and station.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

• Matthew Perry (Mr. Sunshine/Friends) - See Matthew as he visits ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and later on Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation/George Lopez) - Catch Nick on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Lisa Kudrow (Friends/The Comeback) - Catch Lisa on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings and then later on HLN's The Joy Behar Show at 9pm.
• Kevin Nealon (Weeds) - Watch Kevin on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on your local affiliate.
• Suzanne Somers (Three's Company/Step by Step/She's the Sheriff) - Watch Suzanne on CBS daytime series The Talk at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Candace Cameron (Full House) - Watch the former child star on NBC's TODAY show sometime between 7-11am.
• Tisha Campbell-Martin (My Wife & Kids/Martin/Rita Rocks) - Catch Tisha on The Mo'nique Show on BET at 11pm.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

• Matt LeBlanc (Episodes/Friends/Joey) - Watch Matt on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm.
• Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Jennifer visits The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on NBC at 11:35pm.
• Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) - Watch Jim on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS at 12:37am.
• Matthew Perry (Mr. Sunshine/Friends) - Watch Mr. Sunshine himself on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
• Mindy Kailing (The Office) - Watch Mindy on Lopez Tonight at 12am on TBS.
• Jean Smart (Samantha Who?/Designing Women) - Catch Jean, who is appearing on a recurring basis on CBS on $#*! My Dad Says, on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Candace Cameron (Full House) - Watch Candace on The Joy Behar Show on HLN at 9pm.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

• Matt LeBlanc (Episodes/Friends/Joey) - Watch Matt on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS at 12:37am.
• Lisa Kudrow (Friends/The Comeback) - Catch Lisa on Conan on TBS at 11pm.
• Mike O'Malley (Yes, Dear) - Watch Mike on Conan as well on TBS at 11pm.
• Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly) - Big Billy visits Lopez Tonight on TBS at 12 midnight.
• Jim Belushi (According to Jim) - Watch Jim on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Watch Valerie with her husband on The Nate Berkus Show, so check listings.

Friday, February 4, 2011

• None.

Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!

The TCA (Television Critics Association) Winter 2011 press tour begins today with the first of three days for cable networks from Jan. 5-7. The broadcast networks will start on Monday (Jan. 10) with ABC, then Fox on Jan. 11, NBC on Jan. 13 and CBS and The CW on Jan. 14. PBS is in between on Jan. 8-9, but we will not cover them here. FX ends the press tour on Jan. 15.
Up today at the TCA press tour will be MTV Networks, TV Guide Network, National Geographic Networks, TV One, Weather Channel, ESPN and Comcast Entertainment Group.
For MTV Networks, we had TV Land, CMT among the networks. Yesterday we announced the TV Land February 2011 schedule and among the highlights were a two-part Hot in Cleveland episode airing Feb. 16 and 23. It's a cross-promotion! ABC Daytime and TV Land have joined forces to create an unprecedented network event where characters from ABC Daytime's All My Children and TV Land's Hot in Cleveland cross over to continue a storyline established on last season's Hot in Cleveland. The story revolves around Wendie Malick's character, Victoria Chase, and her industry-nemesis, Susan Lucci. The two-part Hot in Cleveland episodes will air on TV Land with guest stars Susan Lucci, Michael E. Knight and Darnell Williams on February 16 and 23 at 10:00 p.m., ET/PT, and the All My Children episode will air on ABC at 1:00 p.m., ET/12:00 p.m., PT on February 24 with guest star Wendie Malick. Meanwhile, CMT promoted their upcoming original sitcom Working Class (premieres Friday, Jan. 28) starring Melissa Peterman and Ed Asner. The show will also feature multiple guest stars throughout the season, including recently-announced Reba, whose on-screen reunion with Melissa Peterman will air in February. Additional guest stars include David Faustino (Married with Children), Kathy Kinney (The Drew Carey Show), Martin Mull (Roseanne), John Schneider (The Dukes of Hazzard), Ryan Stiles (Whose Line Is It Anyway) and Lesley Ann Warren (Desperate Housewives), as well as CMT's own Evan Farmer from CMT Top 20 Countdown.
TV One reminded everyone that their original sitcom Love That Girl premieres Monday (Jan. 10). Love That Girl! stars Tatyana Ali (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) as Tyana, a young divorcee who returns home to Southern California for a second chance in life and a career in her father's real estate business. When her unemployed brother Latrell, an aspiring stand-up comedian, unexpectedly moves in with her, the world that she was trying to create is suddenly turned upside down, and life will never be the same. Meanwhile, TV One also announced a three-week event titled "Way Black When." Way Black When is TV One's Black History Month initiative. Over the course of three weeks, five nights per week, this high-energy one-hour talk show will showcase Black pop culture icons – actors, comedians, athletes, musicians, and many more --- from Black Power through Hip Hop. Guiding a live studio audience and television viewers on their trip back through 'blackness' will be three hosts who embody each decade's essence. Sinbad will conduct a fantastic voyage through the 70's; Niecy Nash keeps it moving and groovin' through the 80's; and Chris 'Kid' Reid picks up with 90's hip hop. Each night, guests who characterize the specific week's decade will be showcased along with a musical act and a comedian who provide the tunes and the tone of the time. We will have more info on this on our monthly TV One schedule highlights when February 2011 is announced.

Character actor Bill Erwin, whose nearly seven-decade Hollywood career included his memorable role as the grumpy old man on television's Seinfeld, has died. He actually died the morning of Dec. 29, 2010 at his home in suburban Los Angeles' Studio City, according to his son Mike Erwin in Jacksonville, OR. He died of age-related causes.
Erwin's Hollywood career dates back to 1941, when he appeared in the movie You're in the Army Now. His scores of credits include guest roles on The Twilight Zone, Gunsmoke, I Love Lucy, The Danny Thomas Show, Leave it to Beaver, Bachelor Father, The Andy Griffith Show, Mister Ed, Maverick, The Fugitive, Mannix, Perry Mason, My Three Sons, The Jeffersons, Dallas, The Waltons, Eight is Enough, Here Come the Brides, Mayberry R.F.D., Get Smart, The Golden Girls, Highway to Heaven, Moonlighting, Growing Pains, Just the Ten of Us, Punky Brewster, Married with Children, Full House, E/R, The Dukes of Hazzard, Wagon Train, The Rifleman, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Who's the Boss?, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mad About You, Michael Richards Show, The Drew Carey Show, Grace Under Fire, Suddenly Susan, Cybill, Living Single, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, The John Larroquette Show, Knots Landing, Falcon Crest, Quantum Leap, So Little Time, Just Shoot Me!, The West Wing, Monk, The King of Queens, Everwood and his last TV appearance in 2006 on My Name is Earl. But his old man character Sid Fields on Seinfeld, which got him an Emmy nomination in 1993, is perhaps his most memorable role.
The only series he was a regular in was the short-lived CBS 1979 sitcom Struck by Lightning with Richard Stahl. The series lasted just 3 episodes. Mr. Erwin lived a long life and will be deeply missed. Nearly everyone must have seen him in at least one role. He just turned 96 last month.

We have also lost Ann Francis. Ms. Francis died on Sunday (Jan. 2, 2011) in Santa Barbara, CA. The cause was complications of pancreatic cancer, according to her daughter Jane Uemura. Ms. Francis had surgery and chemotherapy after she learned she had lung cancer in 2007. She was recurring on ABC's My Three Sons in 1971, but it was her title role on the ABC crime drama Honey West in 1965 that made her a name. She was nominated for an Emmy and won a Golden Globe for the role. She was a movie star in the '50s and '60s but when her movie career declined, Ms. Francis became active in television. She appeared in dozens of series, including Mission: Impossible, Gunsmoke, The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Route 66, Rawhide, The Untouchables, Cannon, Columbo, Charlie's Angels, Riptide, Simon & Simon, Fantasy Island, Dallas, CHiPs, Quince ME, Hawaii Five-0, The Love Boat, Crazy Like a Fox, Hardcastle and McCormick, Matlock, Jake and the Fatman, The Golden Girls, Murder She Wrote, Burke's Law, Wings, Home Improvement, The Drew Carey Show, Nash Bridges, Fantasy Island 99, and her last role in 2004 on Without a Trace.
She wasn't know for sitcoms, but she was quite a popular TV actor, mainly in dramas. Her TV series Honey West airs nationally on the Me-TV Network. As a tribute this Saturday (Jan. 8) at 8 PM ET/7PM CT (through 2am ET/1am CT), Me-TV Network will honor award-winning actress Anne Francis with a special tribute. Francis, whose career spanned more than 50 years, was known for her prolific work in both film and television. This tribute carries on the Me-TV tradition of paying homage to the lives and careers of classic TV stars. The Me-TV tribute begins and ends with the crime-drama Honey West, featuring Francis in the starring role as a sultry and resourceful private eye who uses James Bond-like methods to solve her cases. The show, produced by Aaron Spelling, won Francis a Golden Globe. Francis was also a frequently featured guest-star on many of Me-TV's western and crime dramas. Saturday's tribute includes several of these classic TV appearances sandwiched in between four episodes of Honey West, these classic TV appearances are from Cannon, Rawhide, Gunsmoke and The Untouchables.
Ms. Francis will be deeply missed. She was a gifted actress. Ms. Francis was 80.

TV Land has announced the February 2011 schedule and highlights. TV Land will only make one schedule change in February 2011 to its regular line-up. Returning to the schedule will be Boston Legal on Tuesday, Feb. 8, airing Tues-Fri at 8:00am replacing encores of All in the Family and Sanford & Son. Those two will still be seen weekdays in the 6pm hour and 7-9pm, respectively. Other than that, there are no schedule changes, but as usual we have plenty of stunts and marathons! TV Land's original comedy block continues on Wednesdays at 10pm with season two of Hot in Cleveland and season one of Retired at 35. Guests for the month on Hot in Cleveland include Sherri Shepherd, Carl Reiner, Jack Wagner, Melanie Griffith, Grady Sizemore, Susan Lucci, and Michael E. Knight. Guests for Retired at 35 in February include John O'Hurley and Fred Willard. As a reminder, the series both premiere on Wednesday, Jan. 19, as we previously mentioned. There will be catch-up marathons for both Hot in Cleveland (Sunday, Feb. 20 from 8pm-1am) and Retired at 35 (Saturday, Feb. 26 from 8-11pm) in February, in case you miss any episode!
Elsewhere, who needs the Super Bowl when you have the Connor Bowl! Watch 7 classic episodes of Roseanne against the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011 from 7pm-10:30pm with some encores airing until 12am! TV Land will do some cross-promotion as well with sister network CMT, by airing the pilot episode of CMT's original sitcom Working Class on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 8:30pm following an encore of Hot in Cleveland. TV Land will also air a special Black History Month special titled AfriCobra on Monday, February 7 at 8:30pm leading into the Monday movie.
TV Land movie premieres for February are Trading Places, Something's Gotta Give, and 1941. Encore airings for the month are Ghost and Ghostbusters. That's about it for February, but there are some one-time-only time adjustments such as Bewitched on a few weekends.
View and discuss the full TV Land February 2011 schedule and highlights.

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today the television and motion picture nominations for the 2011 Producers Guild Awards. The winners in each category will be announced at the Producers Guild Awards ceremony on Saturday, January 22nd at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Additionally, the Guild will pay tribute to several special individual honorees during the 22nd Annual Producers Guild Awards ceremony including Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman (Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television).

The television nominees are:

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:
30 Rock (NBC)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Glee (Fox)
Modern Family (ABC)
The Office (NBC)

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Dexter (Showtime)
Lost (ABC)
Mad Men (AMC)
True Blood (HBO)

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:
Murder on the Orient Express (PBS)
Pillars of the Earth (Starz)
Temple Grandin (HBO)
The Pacific (HBO)
You Don’t Know Jack (HBO)

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Travel Channel)
Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel)
Intervention (A&E)
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (Bravo)
Undercover Boss (CBS)

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment and Competition Television:
The Amazing Race (CBS)
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
Top Chef (Bravo)

The CMT original sitcom Working Class that we have mentioned a few times now has a premiere date part of a new comedic Friday! CMT kicks off 2011 in comedic style with two brand new half-hour series, Working Class and Meet the In-Laws, and the return of the hit series, My Big Redneck Wedding all premiering on Fridays in January.
Working Class, starring Ed Asner and Melissa Peterman, makes its network debut Friday, January 28 at 8:00 p.m., ET/PT, followed by a special second, all-new episode at 8:30 p.m., ET/PT. Working Class stars Melissa Peterman as a single mom, Carli, who tries to give her kids a better life by moving them to an upscale suburb. She quickly finds that making the transition to "the good life" is harder than she thought. TV legend Ed Asner stars as the cranky, misanthropic neighbor and co-worker, Hank; while TV newcomer and Broadway vet, Steve Kazee, plays Carli's ladies-man brother. The series has a 12 episode order.
Hosted by Pauly Shore, CMT's new series, Meet the In-Laws premieres Friday, January 21 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT and will move to its regular timeslot of Friday nights at 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, February 4 following sitcom Working Class. Meet the In-Laws follows two lovebirds from differing backgrounds who agree to move in to the home of their fiancée's parents. While there, the son or daughter-in-law must live by the house rules and participate in family activities and meals in an attempt to acclimate to their new family dynamic. Shore adds his comedic flare to the series by delivering his commentary throughout each episode. The series has a 10 episode order.
Viewer favorite My Big Redneck Wedding will return for a fourth season immediately following the premiere of Meet the In-Laws on Friday, January 21 at 9:30 p.m., ET/PT. The show will then move to its regular timeslot of Friday evenings at 9:00 p.m. ET on Friday, February 4 following Working Class and Meet the In-Laws. Comedian Tom Arnold is back to host this all-new season of My Big Redneck Wedding, which follows couples who are not afraid of professing their love to each other in redneck style, with over-the-top, down-home wedding celebrations.

As of November 1, Denver station KCDO (channel 3) is no longer an RTV (Retro Television) affiliate after being one for over a year. We mentioned back in June that they added more classic TV in addition to the RTV programs, but now they are not an RTV station. The good news is that they are still airing classic TV with programming from the 60s-80s. They will have programs from CBS Paramount still and now also Sony Pictures Television, including Hawaii Five-0, Mission: Impossible, The Odd Couple, The Streets of San Francisco, Star Trek, The Monkees, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Get Smart, The Beverly Hillbillies, and more, all mixed in the schedule with various infomercials and a package of movies. However, over time KCDO hopes to cut back on vintage programming and add more locally produced content, so enjoy this while it lasts.
Thanks to reader Jeff Herman for keeping us updated on this.

A couple of months ago we told you about CMT ordering their first original sitcom titled Working Class starring Melissa Peterman, now they have announced that TV legend Ed Asner is joining the cast!
CMT's first scripted sitcom, Working Class, is set to begin taping in Los Angeles today (October 19) starring TV veteran Melissa Peterman (Reba/Singing Bee). Peterman will be joined by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Ed Asner, who is making his return to series television, his first since his role on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip in 2006. The new 12 episode multi-camera series will premiere in January 2011 on CMT. We don't have a night and time yet, so stay with us for that.
Working Class focuses on Carli (Melissa Peterman), a single mom from a rough and tumble background, trying to give her kids a better life by moving them to an upscale suburb. She quickly finds that making the transition to "the good life" is harder than she thought. Not only do her three kids seem to want the same luxuries as their friends, her only career prospect is a glorified deli job at the local grocery store, and the man she falls for already has a girlfriend and is also her boss (Patrick Fabian) To make matters worse, Carli finds herself unwittingly befriended by her cranky, misanthropic neighbor, Hank, (Ed Asner) who is also the butcher at the grocery where she works. With her ladies-man brother, Nick, (Steve Kazee) to help her out, Carli faces the challenges of parenting, dating, and making friends in her new community by doing more with less, staying true to herself, and approaching each day with a touch of working class. The kids are Lachlan Buchahan as Scott, Courtney Merritt as Pam, and Cameron Castaneda as Will.
Working Class is executive produced by Jill Cargerman (Spin City/Gary Unmarried) and Bryan Johnson of The Film Syndicate.

ABC has announced a new spin-off of Dancing with the Stars, along the return of V and a premiere date for Winter Wipeout, which we told you about last week.
You've seen what happens when celebrities take on the ballroom, now see what happens when they hit the ice on blades of steel in Skating with the Stars. The new series from BBC Worldwide Productions pairs a celebrity with a world class ice skater as they prepare to compete in front of a live audience in a televised ice skating competition. The skating pairs will be critiqued by a panel of expert judges and will receive a set of scores based on artistry and technique and by viewers at home, with one couple being eliminated each week. Skating with the Stars will kick off its six-episode run with a live premiere episode on Monday, November 22 from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ET following the final performance show of season eleven of Dancing with the Stars. The Skating with the Stars all-star cast will be revealed on-air Tuesday, November 2 during the live Dancing with the Stars Results show. The series will air for two-hours on Monday, Nov. 22, then will air for 90-minutes on Mondays, Nov. 26 & Dec. 6 from 8pm-9:30pm, then for an hour each on Mondays, Dec. 13 and 20 in the 8pm hour (leading into classic Castle encores from 9-11) , with its season finale on Tuesday, Dec. 21 from 8-9pm.
V, the thrilling drama series about the world's first alien encounter that captivated viewers last season, will make its highly-anticipated season premiere on Tuesday, January 4 at 9:00 p.m., ET on ABC. The series will have a 10-episode order. Simultaneously appearing over every major city in the world, the Visitors (or V's) arrived offering us the wonders of their technology and promoting peace. While the world quickly embraced the V's as saviors, an FBI Counter Terrorist Agent, and others making up the resistance group called The Fifth Column, quickly discovered that the Visitors are not who they said they were. Will humanity stop being fooled and realize the Visitors true intentions before it becomes too late and they take over Earth? Season 2 will feature more character and lizard reveals, more details about the V's mythology, while along the way featuring even more action and more plot twists. Viewers can expect a roller coaster ride week-to-week.
In other ABC schedule updates, ABC's family superhero drama No Ordinary Family will move to the 9pm hour on Tuesdays starting Nov. 30 for three weeks following classic holiday specials. The Powell family will have even more strength in a later hour and airing after compatible holiday specials. As of now, the series will move back to the 8pm hour on Tuesday, Jan. 4 when V launches, but this could still change...so stay tuned. Also, I expect the move to 9pm to happen even before Nov. 30, so stay tuned if that happens also. And ABC has announced that Winter Wipeout will air Thursdays at 8pm starting Jan. 6 for all of January and February. Goodnight and big "snow" balls! Finally, ABC has announced a big holiday specials slate, which we will detail in our annual network holiday specials next month. But you can get a preview before hand, by viewing our list of ABC Holidays Specials/Winter Programming. Keep checking back with us, as we still have some timeslots to figure out for ABC (such as Wed at 10, if The Whole Truth is pulled soon).

NBC has given full-season pickups to three of its new Fall 2010-11 series, dramas The Event and Law & Order: Los Angeles and sitcom Outsourced, despite all three series struggling in the ratings. The Event and Law & Order: Los Angeles both had a good showing from their premiere episodes, but have gone down steadily since then. Sitcom Outsourced also started decently and has dropped from the premiere, but not as sharply.
The Event airs Mondays at 9, Law & Order: Los Angeles airs Wednesdays at 10, and Outsourced airs Thursdays at 9:30. NBC's two other scripted series whose fate have yet to be revealed are Undercovers and Chase, which both also have underperformed. Both could see some additional episodes though, as NBC doesn't have many options in mid-season in the drama department. NBC's Outlaw is already canceled and new reality series School of Pride premiered to low ratings last Friday.
EDIT: As of 3pm ET, NBC just picked-up Chase for a full season as well, despite low ratings. In addition, NBC picked-up 11 more episodes of low rated veteran, but consistent, Chuck. It will have 24 episodes this season. With these freshman series, NBC has ordered a full season of low rated shows (see Trauma and Mercy) in the past, so it might be one season and done for some of these shows, especially Chase and Outsourced. Still nothing official on Undercovers, but more scripts have been reportedly ordered.

And also we will have a tribute to the late Tom Bosley tomorrow on the blog...so please come back for that. He will be deeply missed. Visit our Happy Days website.

The cable network ReelzChannel TV is a cable and satellite network delivering daily original programming that is all about movies and entertainment, including the celebrities, fashion, music and stories behind the stories. They launched in September 2006 and is currently reaching more than 50 million homes nationwide. Anyway, they have acquired a few TV series and have begun airing them on the network. They have acquired the sitcom NewsRadio and are airing it seven days a week at 7:00pm & 7:30pm ET. The sitcom has been airing on the network since July 19. We are sorry for the delay in letting you know. They are airing two different cycles, one cycle at 7pm and another at 7:30pm. NewsRadio was last seen on and off on WGN America and also TV Guide Network had rights. It was also on Nick at Nite, TBS and A&E some years back.
ReelzChannel has also acquired the comedic legal series Ally McBeal! The Calista Flockhart series started on Reelz on August 2 and is airing five days a week on weekdays at 3pm and 4pm ET. Like with NewsRadio, there are two different cycles, one cycle at 3pm and another at 4pm. Ally McBeal has not been seen on cable since it left FX. It aired on FX from about 2001-2004, but it never garnered good ratings for them.
Reelz also airs Carson's Comedy Classics weekdays at 10am & 10:30am. That's highlights from the first 20 years of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. The rest of the ReelzChannel schedule has original series and movies air every night at 8pm & 11pm (and on weekends at 2pm & 5pm).
ReelzChannel TV is carried via satellite on DIRECTV (Channel 238) and DISH Network (Channel 299). Local cable channel information is available on the website's home page through a zip code look-up.
This is ReelzChannel's new fall schedule with the addition of Ally McBeal and NewsRadio. They will be adding 3rd Rock from the Sun in October. 3rd Rock from the Sun was last seen on TV Land. Timeslots for the series has not been revealed yet. We'll let you know as soon as we know! And come on back here tomorrow for an all-new fall 2010 schedule!

CMT has ordered 12 episodes of its first scripted comedy, Working Class, a half-hour, family-oriented sitcom starring Melissa Peterman. Set to premiere on CMT in January 2011, Working Class follows the life of a single blue collar mom, who has recently moved her family to a rich suburban neighborhood to try and provide a better life for her kids, while proudly retaining her 'working class' roots.
Peterman has been a staple of CMT recently, hosting CMT's #1-rated series of 2009, The Singing Bee, and she recently starred in her first televised special Melissa Peterman: Am I The Only One for CMT. She has also starred in sitcoms such as Reba as well guest appearances on Surviving Suburbia, Rita Rocks, Just Shoot Me! and Living with Abandon. She has hosted CMT's Comedy Stage, as well as the annual Hollywood Bowl's The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long. Peterman was recently signed to Big Machine Records to release her first comedy album and is currently on tour with Reba, George Strait and Lee Ann Womack.
Working Class is written and executive produced by Jill Cargerman (Spin City/Gary Unmarried) and will be produced internally. Brad Johnson and Bob Kusbit will oversee the series for CMT.