SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

On Friday we told you of the TV One schedule changes happening during the evenings starting Sept. 20, now we can give you the TV One October 2010 schedule, which is part two of their fall schedule. As we mentioned, beginning on Monday, October 4 at 6pm, TV One adds the series premiere of Judge Karen's Court with Judge Karen Mills-Francis. Called "the most colorful judge on TV," by The Los Angeles Times, Judge Karen is known for her trademark burgundy robes and blonde hair along with her razor-sharp wit and compassionate heart. Viewers will embrace Judge Karen's feisty personality and passionate advocacy for families and children. The show will premiere back to back episodes at 6pm & 6:30pm with encores airing the following day at 6am & 6:30am. The morning encores will replace Divorce Court.
Judge Karen's Court will be replacing Good Times in the 6pm hour. Good Times will move to the 5pm hour replacing Sanford & Son, which will still remain in the 3pm half-hour. The only other change is in the 4pm hour, with New York Undercover coming back replacing an hour of Divorce Court, and yes that means it is off the schedule for now.
As for stunts, on Sunday, October 10 beginning at 12pm Noon through 5pm, TV One airs a premiere week marathon of the new courtroom series Judge Karen's Court with Judge Karen Mills-Francis as the presiding judge. On Saturday, October 16 beginning at 1pm through 8pm (encores from 12-6am), it's boys being boys as TV One presents the "Martin - Boys will Be Boyz" Marathon featuring episodes of the popular TV One sitcom focusing on the friendship between Martin Payne and his boy and confidant Tommy. And finally, on Sunday, October 31 beginning at 12 Noon through 8pm, the ghouls and goblins are upon us as Halloween comes to TV One in the form of the TV One "Hallo-Scream" Marathon. TV One showcases Halloween-themed episodes of TV One sitcoms A Different World, The Jeffersons, Martin, Living Single, and The Hughleys. You can watch encores of The Jeffersons Halloween episodes from 3am-5am later that night.
View and discuss the TV One Fall 2010 schedule.

A couple of weeks ago we gave you AmericanLife TV Network's fall schedule and mentioned that among the new series joining the line-up would be '80s drama The Fall Guy starting Oct. 1. ALN has announced that the series will not be joining the schedule after all. As a result, Sue Thomas F.B.eye will remain in the Mon-Thurs 7pm and 10pm ET hours. All of the other new series we mentioned that would join the line-up will still join. They are Power of Attorney, Texas Justice, Cristina's Court, Chicago Hope and ALN Today original series.
It is too bad The Fall Guy is not joining. It is not joining the line-up due to a few episodes having music issues, so ALN has decided to just remove the series before launching. ALN was seeking a replacement from 20th Century Fox, but as of now, it is not happening. We had word that 4 sitcoms would join, but that didn't happen. And then there was word of Boston Public being the replacement, but so far nothing on that. Stay tuned if anything at all is added, but as of now Sue Thomas F.B.eye is staying in its current slots.
View and discuss ALN's Fall 2010 schedule.

Summer is still in session for just another week and it's repeats galore for sitcoms. We will be back with our normal weekly report with the first four nights numbers and analysis in a few weeks as the fall season is on the horizon, but we still will have our regular how the sitcoms did for the rest of the summer, along with a coming week preview! Here are our summer ratings:

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 14, week of Aug. 30-Sept. 5)

• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 episodes - A repeat did 3.54 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating at 8pm, bit lower than usual due to Labor Day weekend. A 7:30pm repeat led into the 8pm repeat doing 2.61 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - 3.28 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating for a repeat at 8:30, down some from usual due to the holiday weekend.
• Family Guy (Fox) 2 episodes - Two repeats did 3.77/4.06 million and a 1.7/1.8 18-49 rating...also down from normal summer numbers.
• American Dad! (Fox) - A repeat at 7pm did just 2.15 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating. The regular 9:30pm airing is not airing currently.

Summer Week 15 (Sept. 6-12)

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 4.37 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating for a repeat. Down from normal summer numbers due to Labor Day.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - preempted.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 8.02 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating for a repeat, down some due to Labor Day.
• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 7.74 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating for a repeat. Lower than usual due to the holiday but still built a bit in 18-49 from its lead-in.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• None.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• The Middle (ABC) 2 episodes - The 8pm repeat did 4.55 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, a bit higher than recent weeks. Then the 8:30pm repeat did 4.5 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, also bit higher than recent weeks.
• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat at 9pm did 4.69 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, ties a summer high in 18-49.
• Cougar Town (ABC) - A summer repeat did 3.08 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, similar to summer levels this summer.

Thursday Sitcoms

• Community (NBC) - preempted for NFL kick-off game.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - preempted for NFL kick-off game.
• The Office (NBC) - preempted for NFL kick-off game.
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) - preempted for NFL kick-off game.

Friday Sitcoms

• None.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Tonight you can watch encores of Fox's animated comedies from 8-10 tonight following NFL coverage. ABC airs repeats of two episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos and one Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Then it will be an all-new The Gates at 10pm. NBC will air the season premiere of Football Night in America followed by the first Sunday night NFL game of the season between the Cowboys and Redskins. CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7pm followed by Sunday edition of Big Brother 12 and then repeats from 9-11 with Undercover Boss at 9 and CSI: Miami at 10.

Coming Week Preview (Sept. 13-18):

For Monday, on ABC, it's the season finale of steady performer The Bachelor Pad from 8-10pm with hosts Chris Harrison and Melissa Rycroft and the season finale of Dating in the Dark at 10pm. NBC will have a repeat of America's Got Talent from 8-10 followed by a new Dateline at 10. On Fox, Lie to Me is all-new on its time of 9pm right after a House repeat. CBS is in repeats with their comedies and CSI: Miami while The CW has season premieres of 90210 and Gossip Girl from 8-10.

On Tuesday, ABC will have a two episode season finale of Wipeout from 8-10pm and the special Last Witness at 10. NBC has a new Minute to Win It at 8, then the penultimate episode of America's Got Talent at 9, leading into the season premiere of Parenthood at 10. Fox is in repeats with two Glee repeats. The CW has the season premieres of One Tree Hill and Life Unexpected. And once again CBS is in repeats with their regular Tuesday, but 10pm will have the special Fashion's Night Out 2010. Cable is good on Tuesdays too with a new episode of the multi-camera sitcom Melissa & Joey at 8 on ABC Family and the two-episode season finale of spy drama Covert Affairs starring the sexy Piper Perabo on USA Network from 9-11pm.

On Wednesday, Fox has the two-hour season finale of MasterChef from 8-10. NBC has the two-hour season finale of America's Got Talent from 8-10 followed by the series preview of upcoming Friday drama Outlaw at 10. ABC has repeats of the comedies and Castle Wednesday at 10pm. CBS will have the season premiere of Survivor: Nicaragua at 8 leading into the two-hour finale of Big Brother 12 from 9-11. The CW has an all-new episode of reality series America's Next Top Model at 8pm followed by week two for drama Hellcats at 9.

On Thursday, ABC will have a special Thursday repeat of Wipeout followed by the thrilling two-hour season finale repeat of Grey's Anatomy from 9-11pm. Fox will have a two-hour repeat of Fringe. CBS has a mini-marathon of encores of The Big Bang Theory from 8-10pm, followed by the normal The Mentalist repeat. NBC has two repeats of The Office from 8-9 then the two-hour season premiere of The Apprentice at 10. And The CW has an all-new Vampire Diaries at 8 leading into episode two of Nikita at 9.

On Friday, ABC has a repeat of Wife Swap at 8, followed by a repeat of ratings hit Primetime: What Would You Do? at 9pm, followed by a new 20/20 at 10. NBC has a two-hour Dateline from 8-10 followed the Friday premiere of new drama Outlaw at 10, which will be the pilot episode that aired Wednesday. CBS will have repeats of Medium and CSI: NY leading into the finale of Flashpoint at 10. Fox has repeats of Human Target & The Good Guys. The CW will have encores of Hellcats and Nikita.

On Saturday, its slow as usual. CBS has a crime repeat leading into two new hours of 48 Hours Mystery from 9-11. Fox will have its usual crime reality with Cops and AMW. ABC has Saturday Night College Football coverage. NBC has an encore of The Apprentice from 8-10 and then a repeat of Parenthood.

Welcome to another edition of Digital Digest! Our normal Digital Digest blogger (skees53) as you know is off for the summer and is missed. We hope to have him back in the next few weeks! As always, we have the latest news, upcoming releases for Tuesday, and our DVD review this week is of ABC Studio's Private Practice - The Complete Third Season. Head on over to the Oceanside Wellness Group for everything that you need!

DIGITAL NEWS

It was a short week for news, due to the Labor Day holiday weekend. We have some sitcom DVD news for you. Shout! Factory has announced Leave it to Beaver - Season 5 for Dec. 14 at a $37.97 MSRP. View the packaging and a list of features. We already knew this, but Shout! Factory has now officially announced The Larry Sanders Show - The Complete Series for Nov. 2. View the official press release. We also get an official confirmation from ABC Studios for The Golden Girls - 25th Anniversary Complete Collection. Yes, we knew about this one, too, but now the official press release is out. View that release and the packaging art.

Punky Brewster and Blossom will be both getting single-disc releases from Mill Creek Home Entertainment. Punky Brewster - TV Flashbacks: Turn Your World Around is coming out Oct. 12 with 10 classic episodes for just $9.98 MSRP. Read more about this set and these Mill Creek single disc sets that they have done in the past as well. Now Punky has been complete on DVD already, but Blossom's first two seasons are only out as of now. So it is a bit strange Mill Creek is going to do a single-disc best-of set already. Blossom - TV Flashbacks: 10 Very Special Episodes. This set is also out on Oct. 12 with 10 special episodes from 1990-91 at a $9.98 MSRP. Read more about this set.

In cable comedy news, United States of Tara - The Second Season will be out on Dec. 28 from Showtime DVD. View the packaging and the bonus interviews included. And finally, TVShowsonDVD.com is reporting that Nurse Jackie - Season 2 will be out soon. No date is given, but read the story.

For more information on titles that we won't cover with full or blog DVD reviews, you can head on over to the news section of TVShowsOnDVD.com for all of the latest details.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (September 14) will have a lot of sitcom releases. Warner Home Video is releasing The Big Bang Theory - The Complete Third Season, and you can read our review of this nice set here. Shout! Factory is releasing Designing Women - The Complete Fourth Season and look for our review of this soon. Shout! Factory is also releasing Leave it to Beaver - Season Four and you can read our review of that hopefully soon, too! And finally Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing Rules of Engagement - The Complete Third Season and we will have a review of that shortly, too.


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW



DVD Review: Private Practice - The Complete Third Season
by Pavan

Private Practice - The Complete Third Season (ABC Studios, $45.99) brings the third season of the Grey's Anatomy spin-off starring Kate Walsh on DVD with all 23 episodes! Relive every moment of the medical drama and the challenges that Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) and her co-workers at Oceanside Wellness Group face every day have bonded them into a tight-knit family, but big changes may be just around the the corner.
The series will once again return to its Thursdays at 10PM timeslot on ABC this coming season following Grey's Anatomy. The series stars Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery (Obstetrics & Gynecology, Genetic Counseling), Tim Daly as Dr. Pete Wilder (Complementary Medicine), Audra McDonald as Dr. Naomi Bennett (Endocrinology & Fertility), Paul Adelstein as Dr. Cooper Freedman (Pediatrics), KaDee Strickland as Dr. Charolotte King (Chief of Staff at the nearby hospital), Chris Lowell as Dell Parker (Receptionist/Nurse), with Taye Diggs as Dr. Sam Bennett (Internal Medicine), and Amy Brenneman as Dr. Violet Turner (Psychiatry). Among the recurring stars are Brian Benben, Geffri Maya, Hailey Sole, Michael Patrick Thornton, Agnes Bruckner, Caterina Scorsone, Christina Chang, Stephen Lunsford and James Morrison. Among the special guests this year are Amanda Detmer, JoBeth Williams, Stephen Collins, Amanda Foreman, and from Grey's Anatomy cross-overs Chandra Wilson & Eric Dane.

This third season was excellent and filled with lots of drama. I think it was probably their best season both with the medical cases and the personal stories. The season was very well written. The fourth season premieres on Sept. 23 and we cannot wait for that. Anyway, as for season three, some memorable episodes include the season premiere, "A Death in the Family," where after Pete discovers Violet dying on the floor of her home, having barely survived a violent attack from her patient, Katie, he rushes her to the hospital where Addison and Naomi fight to save her life, while the whereabouts and condition of Violet's stolen baby are unknown. In "Right Here, Right Now," Miranda Bailey (Grey's Anatomy's Chandra Wilson) brings a kidney transplant patient to Los Angeles, and Addison isn't the only Oceanside Wellness doctor pleased to see her. In "Strange Bedfellows," Katie Kent is apprehended and on trial and Violet is asked to testify against her attacker, but she struggles with whether or not she can face her attacker in court. In the classic episode, "The Hard Part," Addison and Sam go for a hike in Malibu, and must perform urgent field care when they stumble upon an expecting couple, trapped in their car after an accident. In the two-part episode "The Parent Trap/Blowups," Addison performs a complex in utero surgery, proving not only her talents to her father but also finally giving them some common ground and later a terrible explosion at Dell's house lands Betsey and Heather in the hospital, and everyone is pushed to the limit trying to save their lives. In "Another Second Chance," Desperate to help his pregnant daughter, Mark (Eric Dane) follows Addison back to Oceanside Wellness, Dell and Naomi struggle to raise their children under the same roof, and Violet and Cooper heatedly disagree on how to treat a patient. In "Til Death Do Us Part," as Violet continues to help Sam with Maya's wedding, Naomi refuses to take part as she works with Addison and Pete to save the life of a 25-week-old premature baby. In "Second Choices," after her open-ended escape to Costa Rica, Violet has finally returned home and to the practice and everyone treads a little lightly around her, especially Pete and Addison who have mixed feelings about Violet's desire to reconnect with Lucas. And in the thrilling season finale, "The End of a Beautiful Friendship," Maya and her unborn baby are fighting for their lives on the operating table, and Addison, Amelia and Fife try everything humanly possible to save them, while Sam operates on an incoming crash victim and later makes a grim discovery and then later an unexpected death occurs.

The episodes run usually close to 43 minutes, unedited of course with all the great music intact. There are about 7 chapter stops per episode. View the episode runtimes:

Disc 1
1. "A Death in the Family" 43:05
2. "The Way We Were" 43:00
3. "Right Here, Right Now" 43:01
4. "Pushing the Limits" 43:05

Disc 2
5. "Strange Bedfellows" 42:56
6. "Slip Slidin' Away" 43:07
7. "The Hard Part" 43:06
8. "Sins of the Father" 43:05
9. "The Parent Trap" 41:58

Disc 3
10. "Blowups" 44:08
11. "Another Second Chance" 43:07
12. "Best Laid Plans" 43:04
13. "Shotgun" 43:04
14. "Love Bites" 43:03

Disc 4
15. "'Til Death Do Us Part" 43:06
16. "Fear of Flying" 43:07
17. "Triangles" 43:04
18. "Pulling the Plug" 42:30
19. "Eyes Wide Open" 43:05


Disc 5
20. "Second Choices" 43:05
21. "War" 43:07
22. "In the Name of Love" 43:05
23. "The End of A Beautiful Friendship" 43:05

Packaging has an outer box that you can remove from the top or bottom then you'll see the keep case inside. We previously had a digipak, but now ABC Studios has changed it to a keep case. Both the outer box and keep case have the same cover, a cast photo of them on the beach with medical tools. The show logo is on the top in white wording in a purple background. The back of the box and keep case has that purple background with information on the set and has some episodic screen shots from episodes that feature all eight of our stars. There is also a section detailing the bonus features box with technical specifications also. Opening the case, on the left side we see a pocket that holds inserts and on the pocket itself we have a disc-by-disc breakdown with episode titles and bonus features and nice promotional photos, as last time. There are two inserts in the left side pocket. We don't get an episode booklet again. There are inserts for other ABC Studios products and an insert for Blu-ray. We have two little plastic holders, that we can flip like a page on a book. The first holder holds disc one in the front, and disc two in the back. The second holder holds disc three in the front, and disc four in the back. Disc five is on the right panel itself. Each disc matches the set's color scheme, that purple background and has nice character artwork. Disc one has episodes 1-4 with artwork of Addison. Disc two has episodes 5-9 and has artwork of Cooper & Charlotte. Disc three has episodes 10-14 and has artwork of Violet & Pete. Disc four has episodes 15-19 and has artwork of Naomi & Sam. Disc five has episodes 20-23 plus bonus features and has artwork of Dell. When you remove the discs, the panels have nice artwork of different characters, as mentioned.

The menu screen has clips in the background with background music from the series playing in the background audio wise, similar to last time. The options on the main menu are Play All, Episode Selection, Set Up, Bonus Features (disc five), and Sneak Peeks (disc one). But before the main menu screen comes on disc one, we get some auto sneak peeks of other DVDs: ABC on DVD, Grey's Anatomy Season 6, Desperate Housewives Season 6, and Castle Season 2. Sneak Peeks option is only found on disc five on the main menu and has previews of many titles like Cougar Town, Prince of Persia, A Christmas Carol, Blu-ray titles, and ABC: Great Stories. Set Up section has the option of subtitles in English, French or Spanish and how you can register your DVD. The Episodes option gives us the episode number, title and a screenshot. Bonus Features option is only on disc five and it has all the extras listed. All of the sub-menus have different background music once again.

The video is digitally mastered and is in widescreen and looks very good! The audio is great and sounds very good, as it is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. This is from the 2009-10 season, so it had better be good. Now as I discussed in the Grey's Anatomy Season 6 DVD Review, only the crossover episodes that aired as its own episode are here. So on the Grey's DVD, if it was under a Grey's episode, it is on that DVD only and not on the Private Practice DVD. So we don't get the Grey's Anatomy episodes "Invasion" (in which we see Dr. Bailey at the end of the episode saying she is going to California), and "Blink" (with Addison in Seattle helping Mark). It would have been nice if we had those episodes as extras at least! Buy the Grey's Season 6 DVD, I guess.

Moving on the bonus features. Technically this isn't a bonus, but on disc one we have an ABC Starter Kit (4:44) that recaps what has happened so far. A nice little fresher! All of the other extras are on disc five! We have a featurette titled "Kate's Top 8" (12:15). This is a very good extra that has Kate Walsh giving the eight best things about season three. Interviewed are Kate Walsh, Brian Haynes (location manager), Audra McDonald, Taye Diggs, KaDee Strickland, Chris Lowell, Shonda Rhimes & Betsy Beers, Amy Brenneman, Paul Adelstein, Cynthia Bergstrom (costume designer) and Tim Daly.
Then we have "Deleted Scenes" listed with episode titles so you know where they are from! We do NOT have optional audio commentary on these deleted scenes from Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers like last time, though. Too bad. If my counting skills are correct, we have about 13 deleted scenes, down from the 23 the previous season. "The Way We Were" (1:49), "Pushing the Limits" (0:57), "Slip Slidin' Away" (0:58), "The Hard Part" (1:35), "Another Second Chance" (1:09), "Best Laid Plans" ((0:29, 1:19), "Shotgun" (1:17), "Triangles" (0:45), "Pulling the Plug" (0:42), "Eyes Wide Open" (1:11), "Second Chances" (1:23), and "War" (1:01). Finally, we have some "Bloopers" (4:25)...yes, bloopers! See all the goofs and play on the set! The timing is up a lick from the last set, too, but really on par.

I recommend this series and set...it is an ABC Studios DVD, so it is good and filled with special features. I think we don't get as many special features as last time, though, which is strange. The packaging changed from digipak to a keep case. Not sure if that is good, but at least overlapping discs are gone. This season was great and perhaps my favorite so far. You'll want to tune in for sure on Sept. 23 for the fourth season premiere, but you need to refresh yourself, catch up with these 23 season three episodes first! Lots of changes happened this season. Mostly sad stuff, but there are light moments that will have you smile. Check into Oceanside Wellness and you'll be treated well!

(4/5 stars)

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Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Official Website
Private Practice TV.com Page

LOOKING AHEAD

Come on back right here next week for more news and reviews. Next week we will have another good blog review for you. And don't forget to read our full DVD reviews, as many sitcoms are coming fast now as we enter the fall season. So please stay with us! Stay healthy and keep it digital!

TV Land and TV One are both making last minute schedule changes. TV Land's changes are beginning this Monday (Sept. 13), while TV One starts their changes on Monday, Sept. 20. The changes are to early evenings really for both networks. First, TV Land will bring back the evening All in the Family airings at 6pm & 6:30pm, while continuing to air it weekday mornings at 9am. Sanford & Son's evening airings moves out of the 6pm hour and into the 7pm and 8pm hours! Sanford & Son is replacing Cosby Show (and then later the planned Roseanne starting Sept. 20) in the 7pm hour and The Nanny in the 8pm hour. Everything else remains the same as we previously announced.
As for TV One, they will make changes starting Sept. 20. Sanford & Son will now remain in the 5pm hour, instead of the planned Half & Half, as will Good Times in the 6pm hour instead of the planned Good News. And finally Martin will remain in the 8pm & 11pm hours, instead of the planned Good Times at 8:30/11:30. There will be more TV One changes in October when Judge Karen's Court comes, so stay with us next week for that.
For now, view the updated TV Land and TV One Fall schedules.

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 Sept. 13-17, 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, September 13, 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Hallmark Channel will add more programming hours to its line-up this October starting Monday, Sept. 27, 2010! Everyday from 4-6am, paid programming will be removed and we get two additional hours of sitcom airings! Airing seven days a week in the 4-6am hours will be more Who's the Boss? starting Sept. 27. It will also remain in its weekdays 6-8pm slot as well (the 4-6am airings are encores of the weekday 6-8pm airings), and this will be the first time Hallmark will air the sitcom on weekends as a regular, too (even though it is only early mornings). The weekend airings from 4-6am will start from the first episode and be a separate rotation from the weekday airings. No other changes will be made to the regular schedule in October, so as a recap, for weekdays we have paid programming from 6-8am, The Golden Girls 8-10am, Martha Stewart's "Home" block from 10am-6pm, Who's the Boss? from 6-8pm, Little House on the Prairie at 8pm, the Hallmark Movie at 9pm, more The Golden Girls from 11pm-1am, Cheers from 1am-4am, and more Who's the Boss? from 4am-6am. And on weekends we have I Love Lucy from 6-9am, then a bunch of movies the rest of the day, followed by more I Love Lucy from 1am-4am and Who's the Boss? from 4am-6am. It's too bad I Love Lucy is not on weekdays, too, but at least it is airing unlike other series like The Partridge Family, M*A*S*H and Touched by an Angel.
We also have some interesting marathon news for you! First up, on Saturday, October 2, 2010 there will be a 24-hour marathon of Little House on the Prairie starting at 6am! Since there is no more paid programming from 5-6am, this is now possible! Then later in the month on Halloween (Sunday, October 31, 2010), join Hallmark with two classic sitcom marathons and a classic movie! A family of friendly monsters have misadventures never quite realising why people react to them so strangely. Join the Hallmark Channel for a Halloween Marathon at 1313 Mockingbird Lane with classic episodes of The Munsters from 6am-4pm. Then at 4pm, the movie Mad Monster Party? (1967) will air. The movie is about when Dr. Frankenstein decides to retire from the monster-making business, he calls an international roster of monsters to a creepy convention to elect his successor. Stars the voices of Boris Karloff and Phyllis Diller. But wait, after that movie, another sitcom marathon will air from 6pm-3am. It's another '60s classic sitcom, The Addams Family, the misadventures of a blissfully macabre family. Join the Hallmark Channel for a creepy, kooky, mysterious and spooky, Halloween marathon. After these marathons, will The Munsters and The Addams Family join the Hallmark regular schedule? It doesn't seem like it, but if they do, we will let you know of course. These shows usually get Halloween marathons over the years, such as on WGN America, but they never join the regular schedule.
One other note, on Friday, October 29, 2010 at 8pm, the new special Tricking and Treating with Martha Stewart will air. Looking for some sensationally spooky ways to decorate your home for Halloween? Martha shares her tips on making this Halloween come alive. Brendan Fraser guest stars.
View the UPDATED Hallmark Channel Fall 2010 schedule with the addition of these October updates.

TNT and TBS are going into production on four series pilots, including projects from such successful producers and writers as Dean Devlin (TNT's Leverage and The Librarian movie trilogy); Marco Schnabel (TNT's The Librarian movie trilogy); Kenneth Biller and Mike Sussman (Star Trek: Voyager); Allan Loeb (The Switch, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps); and Cynthia Cidre (The Mambo Kings, A Killing in a Small Town). TNT has lined up pilots for a pair of unique crime procedural pilots, Perception (working title) and an untitled Allan Loeb project. The network is also moving forward on a pilot for Dallas, an updated version of the classic TV series. Meanwhile, TBS has a pilot in the works for Brain Trust (working title), a comedic detective series.
These are just pilot orders, so it doesn't mean they will be picked-up to series. If they do, we will let you know. Here is info on the two pilots that are geared for us really: Dallas is from executive producer Cynthia Cidre, writer of the acclaimed film The Mambo Kings and creator/executive producer of the TV series Cane, has crafted an update of the long-running series about the Ewings of Southfork, whose betrayals, jealousies and passions have made them famous. The story focuses on the offspring of bitter rivals and brothers JR and Bobby Ewing, who clash over the future of the Ewing dynasty while the fate of Southfork itself weighs in the balance. This project, based upon the iconic series created by David Jacobs, comes to TNT from Warner Horizon Television.
As for TBS's Brain Trust (working title), Dean Devlin, executive producer of TNT's hit series Leverage, is teaming up with Marco Schnabel for this pilot about Detective Billy Doyle, whose career and life have hit rock bottom after he accidentally ends his partner's career. Doyle's life gets turned around, however, when a recent murder case gets unexpected and unconventional help from three hyper-smart geniuses from a private think tank. If Doyle can survive the chaos and keep these new partners in line, they just may be the antidote to resurrect his career and, ultimately, his life. Brain Trust (working title) is being produced for TBS by Devlin's Electric Entertainment.

ION Television will add more programming hours in October 2010! ION will now program the 12am hour every night starting Monday, Sept. 27. Additionally, starting Saturday, Oct. 2 and Sunday, Oct. 3, ION will add two additional hours on weekends, adding the 1pm & 2pm hours. Weekdays 1pm & 2pm will still be paid programming. So what will be in these new hours? Weeknights at 12am will have more Criminal Minds on Monday & Tuesday nights, while Without a Trace airs the rest of the week in the hour from Wed-Fri nights. On weekends, the 12am hour will be a continuation of movies, while the afternoon 1-3pm block will be mostly movies with some filler time for My Name is Earl and M*A*S*H. Both of those comedies are no longer weekend regulars and will just be filler.
The rest of the ION October 2010 schedule is the same as it is now, which means lots of Ghost Whisperer, Criminal Minds and Without a Trace on weekdays and movies on weekends. Movies for the month are premieres of Changing Lanes (2002), Snake Eyes (1998), Scarface (1983), The Assassination of Jesse James by The Coward Robert Ford (2007), Proof Of Life (2000) and Hide and Seek (2005). Plenty of encores of these will air as well, along with Hard To Kill (1990).
View the full ION Television October 2010 schedule. And stay tuned still for more fall schedules as we still have Centric, GMC and a few others to give out.

On Sept. 30, 1960, at 8:30 p.m. on ABC, Hanna-Barbera introduced America to the first-ever prime time, animated half-hour series - The Flintstones - which
ran for six seasons on ABC. Seen by many as an animated homage to Jackie Gleason's The Honeymooners, the modern Stone Age family has since inspired multiple spin-off series, scores of animated specials and TV movies, and two live-action feature films that each grossed more than $100 million at worldwide box-offices.
In celebration of this landmark series, Boomerang, Cartoon Network's all-classics commercial-free network, is saluting The Flintstones with a day & date airing of the original first episode, "The Flintstone Flyer," followed by an evening of Flintstone programming with two additional landmark episodes, "The Hot Piano" (9 p.m.) and "The Blessed Event" (9:30 p.m.) and the Columbia Pictures animated feature film, The Man Called Flintstone (10 p.m.)...and a full 24-hour marathon on Saturday, Oct. 2, of the 50 Greatest Flintstone episodes hand-selected by Boomerang programmers starting at 6 a.m. Episodes that will air include "Ann-Margrock Presents" and "Little Bamm-Bamm."
Additionally, CartoonNetwork.com will showcase a free online game, Bedrock Bowling, which challenges players to help Fred improve his game and earn a perfect score.

Today we will give you TV Land's October 2010 schedule, which we are dubbing TV Land Fall 2010 Schedule Part 2, because we promised in Part 1 another sitcom is joining the line-up in the fall. And we can FINALLY reveal that the classic sitcom joining TV Land will be I Dream of Jeannie! The sitcom returns to TV Land in an all-new deal from The Program Exchange. TV Land welcomes back I Dream Of Jeannie with a marathon of the funniest episodes featuring Jeannie up to her old antics and poor Tony just trying to stay on for the ride. Along the way, see how the magic and mistakes, sparks and fireworks and scheming and plotting eventually led them from genie and master to husband and wife. Don't blink or you'll miss the magic! The weekend launch marathon is on Saturday, October 23 from 9am-9pm and on Sunday, October 24 from 9am-8pm.
I Dream of Jeannie joins The Jeffersons and Good Times (both of those are airing weekdays in the 10am hour starting Sept. 22) in sitcoms returning to TV Land in all-new deals. While Jeannie gets a launch marathon in late October, it won't air as a regular, as of now, until early November. So you will have to wait a bit longer to see when it will air as a regular. Bewitched will likely return from its hiatus with Jeannie.
Original series wise, She's Got the Look finishes its season on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 10pm with the season finale, while the following week will have Harry Loves Lisa launch on Oct. 6. Harry Loves Lisa showcases the couple’s highs and lows as Harry Hamiln attempts to jumpstart his acting career, Lisa Rinna struggles with the tabloids and they both try to keep their clothing store Belle Gray afloat. The series offers full access to their lives as celebrities and shows that despite their many differences, this Hollywood marriage has managed to survive thanks to their values and undeniable chemistry. Whether Harry rolls his eyes or wrings his hands and Lisa is frustrated by his caution and frugality, Harry truly does love Lisa and the feeling is mutual. Their secret to marital bliss is acceptance...and a sense of humor.
Other TV Land October 2010 highlights include the continuation of The Andy Griffith Show's 50th anniversary marathon on Monday, Sept. 27 from 8am-6pm and the weekend of Saturday, Oct. 2 and Sunday, Oct. 3 from 4pm-8pm. October 3 is the actual anniversary of the series debut. "Dressing Up For Halloween" stunt on Halloween (Sunday, Oct. 31) starting at 2:30pm with movie airings of Mrs. Doubtfire and Tootsie. TV Land movie premieres for the month are Tootsie, The Princess Bride, Romancing the Stone, Mrs. Doubtfire and Airplane!
View the FULL TV Land October 2010 schedule and highlights. As of now, there are no changes to the regular schedule. I Dream of Jeannie is expected to join the schedule in November with the return of Bewitched. If TV Land changes anything in October, we'll let you know, so stay with us!

Moving on to ABC Family, they will have their annual 13 Nights of Halloween this October. They will kick-off the event on Tuesday, October 19 at 8pm with an all-new Halloween-themed episode of original sitcom Melissa & Joey titled "A Fright in the Attic." Each night in primetime and all-day on weekends will feature Halloween related programming including Halloween episodes of That '70s Show, America's Funniest Home Videos, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and movies such as The Goonies, Teen Witch, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, The Spiderwick Chronicles, and TMNT. ABC Family will also premiere animated shorts--the nine-minute Disney's Trick or Treat and twelve-minute Disney's Lonesome Ghosts.
See the full 13 night schedule for ABC Family's 2010 edition of 13 Nights of Halloween.

Happy Labor Day everyone! We hope you enjoy the day off and are enjoying the TV marathons we listed yesterday.Today we will have a special blog review of HBO Home Video's Flight of the Conchords - The Complete Collection. Flight of the Conchords is the Emmy nominated comedy starring Bret McKenzie and Jermaine Clement as a folk singing duet from New Zealand making their way across a couple of continents and into New York City. See Seth Thrasher's Blog DVD Review of Flight of the Conchords - The Complete Collection:

Flight of the Conchords - The Complete Collection (HBO, $49.98) is now on DVD, and we have a problem. I don't get the show. I'll crack at a bit now and then, but time and time through each episode, I just sit there scratching my head wondering why I'm still watching this. I know, there are quite a few fans of this show sitting at your computers right now reading this, expecting me to be able to talk about the show, which episodes I liked best, etc...but I just didn't like it. I've spent most of the weekend watching the show and trying to get into it...I just can't do it. Normally, here at Sitcoms Online, we attempt to match up DVD reviews with reviewers who like the show in question. Due to scheduling conflicts, that was impossible in this case. It's a shame, too, as in the hands of someone who loves, or even likes, this show - this could have been a great review indeed. Instead, you get me for the next five minutes.

Since I'm remarkably unqualified to tell you which episodes are my preference, let's skip ahead a bit. Guest stars over the course of the series include Judah Friedlander (30 Rock), John Hodgman ("PC" in the long-running Mac vs. PC ad campaign), Kate Pierson of The B-52s, Will Forte (MacGruber, Saturday Night Live), actor John Turturro, Kristen Wiig (MacGruber, Saturday Night Live), musician Art Garfunkel, actress Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe on 24), and Lucy Lawless (Xena, Battlestar Galactica). Quite the lineup for a series that only ran two years on HBO. Episodes run in the neighborhood of 27 minutes and don't appear to be edited in any way, shape, or form. See runtimes:

Flight of the Conchords: One Night Stand: 29:54

Sally: 27:40
Bret Gives Up the Dream: 27:43
Mugged: 27:18
Yoko: 25:20
Sally Returns: 27:25
Bowie: 27:19

Drive By 25:46
Girlfriends: 28:05
What Goes On Tour: 25:26
New Fans: 26:35
The Actor: 28:27
The Third Conchord: 27:06

A Good Opportunity: 26:22
The New Cup: 26:55
The Tough Brets: 27:36
Murray Takes It to the Next Level: 27:24
Unnatural Love: 26:07
Love is the Weapon of Choice: 27:17

Prime Minister: 27:52
NewZealandTown: 24:59
Wingmen: 26:57
Evicted: 27:46

Packaging is...well-layered. First is the outer box. If you've bought any sort of DVD in the last several years, you're likely familiar with them. They're made of a paper-like cardboard and often feature images and/or words on them that have some association with the set itself. The back side of this "box" has many words indeed – and even a few pictures. The front cover features the show's scruffy-haired protagonists walking with enlarged heads in front of a NYC skyline drawn like a scratchy cartoon.

But wait! When you buy this set, you also get smaller cases inside the box--three of them. Two are those mean little thick plastic cases that I've complained about 431 times now. One is a slim case. Package I like + Packages I don't like = Confusion. I mean, the thick cases ARE awful, so I should probably waste 75 characters complaining about that. Yet, I face a conundrum, for the Conchords 2005 HBO special is included in a slim case, and I'm supposed to waste 75 characters talking about how I love said cases. Let's compromise – I'll waste 200 characters and not talk about anything at all. Also, the two season cases feature plastic sleeves with portions of the artwork on them. That's different and unique. Discs are largely in a similar style as their respective packages. Menus are well-done and feature a style similar to that of the packaging. I genuinely do appreciate a well-done menu since it takes a whole lot of time and effort on the part of the creative personnel involved.

Video quality is quite good, but then again if you screw up the video quality on a set from three years ago, you're patently incompetent. Seriously, what am I going to say, that the video was converted to black and white for your annoyance and that because of compression issues, the video is upside-down? Yeah, older sets occasionally have issues, but they ARE older and video in an analog medium does degrade over time. Audio is also fine – again, expected, given the age of the show. There are chapter stops at the end of each act within the episode. Not scene, act. If the difference escapes you, look up the definitions for each. The season sets are straight prints of the previous season sets, so all details from those sets still apply. I'm not going to waste time writing about the special features from the second season set given that another reviewer did a much better job writing about them in the review of that set.

The third set is more interesting to me, and for some reason I actually found it slightly more appealing – it's the Conchords' 2005 HBO special. They joke, they sing, they do all sorts of crazy things. And since they're not trying to make a half-hour television episode, their shtick is slightly more appealing. They're still not my cup of tea there, but for someone who didn't like the show they just spent 750 words reviewing; it's a somewhat nicer change of pace. Simple menu. Video quality is a step down since it's older and filmed in good old fashioned standard definition, but it's still quite good.

So, should you buy this complete collection? Well, number one, why are you taking the advice of a man who has admitted on no fewer than three occasions that I don't like this show. Still, in an attempt to provide a useful service for those of you who've made it to the end:

* If you have the money, like the show, and don't have the individual sets: Buy this.
* If you have the money, like the show, and have the individual sets: Don't
* If you have the money, and don't like the show: Why are you even reading this.
* If you don't have the money: Well, then, I guess it's a moot point right now. When you do, consult above guide.

I didn't like the show, but you may very well. For those who do, this set is RECOMMENDED.

-- Reviewed by Seth Thrasher
(4.5/5 stars)

To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Flight of the Conchords TV.com Page

We are preempting the weekly TV ratings for a special look at TV marathons airing this Labor Day weekend, so you know in advance! Most of you are probably outdoors this last "unofficial" weekend of summer with your family & friends, but for those of you who are in need of some TV marathons...you've come to the right place as usual!
We have mentioned many of these already, but it's a good reminder if you have forgotten! First, we will cover today (Sunday). As we first reported, Who's the Boss? marathon will run all day today on The Hallmark Channel from 6am-4am! AMC will have a Three Stooges marathon from 5am-9am this morning. Centric will have a Jamie Foxx Show marathon all day today from 9am-3am. Other notable marathons on this Sunday are Criminal Minds marathon on A&E from 5pm-10pm, The X-Files marathon on Chiller from 8pm-2am, House marathon on Sleuth from 6am-6pm, Six Feet Under marathon on Universal HD from 6am-6pm, and for movie lovers The Sound of Music movie marathon on ABC Family from 3pm-11pm.
On Labor Day itself tomorrow (Monday), we have mentioned some of these already like BET's The Game marathon from 10am-10pm, FX's Two and a Half Men launch marathon from 12pm-12am, TV Land's Bewitched & The Nanny marathons airing from 8am-10pm, TBS's The Office marathon from 10am-8pm, Hallmark Channel's I Love Lucy marathon from 8am-4am, ION Television's Shark marathon from 3pm-10pm, TeenNick's Degrassi marathon from 6am-6am, ABC Family's Secret Life of the American Teenager catch-up marathon from 11am-8pm leading into the summer finale at 8pm and TV One's Lincoln Heights marathon from 10am-8pm. Other marathons of note on Labor Day are the Futurama marathon on Comedy Central from 9pm-1:30am, Hoarders on A&E from 8am-11pm, Fear Factor on Chiller from 6am-6am, SOAPnet's Labor of Love marathon for Beverly Hills 90210 from 11am-6pm, TNT's Bones marathon from 12pm-8pm, and USA's NCIS from 12pm-9pm.
View a full list of TV marathons for this holiday weekend from our buddies at TVTango.com!

Welcome to another edition of Digital Digest! Our normal Digital Digest blogger (skees53) as you know is off for the summer and is missed. As always, we have the latest news, upcoming releases for Tuesday, and our DVD review this week is of Universal Home Video's Parenthood - Season 1. Invite all of your family to today's Digital Digest!

DIGITAL NEWS

It was another slow week for sitcoms. Actually even slower than ever. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has officially announced The Boondocks - The Complete Third Season which is out on Nov. 9. View the packaging and a list of features. Universal Home Video has announced The Office - Overtime: Digital Shorts Collection coming out on Nov. 16. This single-disc release collects all 6 "webisode" series into one place, plus a "minisode." View the details on this set. And finally, this isn't really concrete news, but Shout! Factory will release Spin City - The Complete Fourth Season early next year (2011). Yeah, not much to say, but it is at least in the works.

Drama wise there was nothing really to note. Very slow week, and let's hope everything picks up after Labor Day. Enjoy the weekend!

For more information on titles that we won't cover with full or blog DVD reviews, you can head on over to the news section of TVShowsOnDVD.com for all of the latest details.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (September 7) will have a few sitcom releases. Shout! Factory is releasing The Norm Show - The Complete Series, and you can read our review of this nice set here. Universal Home Video is releasing The Office - Season 6 on both DVD and Blu-ray and looks for our review of the Blu-ray early next week! Lionsgate/ABC Studios is releasing Less Than Perfect - Season One and you can read our review of that hopefully by early next week, so stay tuned! And finally Lionsgate/ABC Studios is re-releasing Boy Meets World's first three seasons on DVD (Season 1 / Season 2 / Season 3). The content of these DVDs are the same as the previous releases from 2004-05 but smaller packaging. Read our reviews of those original ABC/Disney sets: Season 1 / Season 2 / Season 3. We hope to have reviews of the Lionsgate sets, but they really are the same thing.


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW



DVD Review: Parenthood - Season 1
by Todd

Parenthood - Season 1 (Universal, $39.98) From executive producers Ron Howard (Apollo 13), Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind) and Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights) comes the refreshingly original hit series that critics hail as "hilarious and heartbreaking" (In Touch Weekly) and "in a class of its own" (Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times). Featuring an all-star ensemble cast, including Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls), Peter Krause (Six Feet Under), Dax Shepard (Baby Mama) and Craig T. Nelson (Coach), Parenthood follows four grown siblings of the far-from-perfect Braverman clan as they try to balance kids and careers, dreams and commitments, and romance or a total lack thereof. Join some of the best actors on television for a genuinely funny and heartwarming journey through the most challenging and rewarding role of a lifetime -- being a parent.
The series airs on Tuesdays at 10PM on NBC and stars (alphabetically) Bonnie Bedelia as Camille Braverman, Joy Bryant as Jasmine Trussell, Max Burkholder as Max Braverman, Erika Christensen as Julia Braverman-Graham, Lauren Graham as Sarah Braverman, Miles Heizer as Drew Holt, Sam Jaeger as Joel Graham, Peter Krause as Adam Braveman, Craig T. Nelson as Craig T. Nelson, Monica Potter as Kristina Braverman, Savannah Paige Rae as Sydney Graham, Sarah Ramos as Haddie Braverman, Dax Shepard as Crosby Braverman, and Mae Whitman as Amber Holt. Recurring and guest stars include Mike O'Malley as Jim Kazinsky, Erinn Hayes as Racquel, Marguerite Moreau as Katie, Tom Amandes as Dr. Pelikan, Jason Ritter as Mark Cyr, Minka Kelly as Gaby, and Asher Book as Steve.

Parenthood premiered on March 2, 2010 with over 8 million viewers. The show often won or finished second in its timeslot. A total of 13 episodes were produced for the first season. In the "Pilot," when Sarah moves back home with her parents, she sparks a rollercoaster reunion of the Braverman clan--four grown siblings who can handle the day-to-day struggles and joys of parenthood in their own peculiar ways. Adam and Kristina try to come to turns with their son's behavior while Crosby and his son just try to make it through lunch in "Man Versus Possum." Max loses his school; Sarah loses her car; Julia loses her cool at her daughter's swim class; and Crosby loses a boy, but finds his son in "The Deep End of the Pool." Adam and Kristina discover Haddie's secret boyfriend, Drew discovers his manhood and Julia and Joel discover just how hard it is to have a date night in "Whassup."

Adam helps Max play baseball, Julia helps Sydney play princess, and while Haddie's relationship is out in the open, Sarah's feelings for Amber's teacher stay private in "The Situation." Kristina can't stop worrying long enough to enjoy sex, Julia can't help getting jealous of another mother and Crosby can't find a way to tell hi mom and dad about their new grandson in "The Big 'O'." Sarah reveals her secret relationship, Career Day reveals Julia and Kristina's doubts about their life choices and Adam's attempt to get everyone together reveals just how challenging family time can be in "What's Going Down There?" Sydney's obsession could be a sign of problems ahead; Amber's ex is Sarah's problem today; and Zeek takes Adam on a road trip to a problem that's been building for a long, long time in "Rubber Band Ball." As Sarah tries to get Amber excited about college and Julia tries to teach Sydney about lying, Kristina gets back to work, leaving Adam in charge and over his head in "Perchance to Dream."

Sarah keeps Zeek's money trouble secret from Camille, while Crosby and Jasmine keep their relationship secret from Jabbar. And while Julia makes enemies on the soccer field, Adam and Kristina struggle to find Max a friend in "Namaste No More." Zeek moves in with Adam's family while Camille moves in on her art teacher. Amber feels guilty about betraying Haddie as Crosby contemplates the unimaginable--settling down in "Solace." The Bravermans' war over Haddie and Amber jeopardizes a family walk for autism, a bedroom incident could ruin Jasmine's audition and Julia learns the truth about angels and "Team Braverman." When Amber runs away, the feuding family unites to search for her. Julia asks an old flame for help with Zeek, and Crosby feels torn between his two families--the new one moving to New York and the Bravermans of Berkeley.

The episodes run usually in the 42-43 minute range (with the pilot clocking in at nearly 50 minutes). The "Previously On" recaps are included at the start of the episodes. There is a disclaimer on the back of the packaging which states "Music may differ from televised version." One thing that has been changed on the DVD is the original theme song "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan. It has been replaced by "When We Were Young" by Lucy Schwartz. This is the theme song they use internationally and online. For a listing of songs by episode, see the TV.com episode guide. Chapter stops are included within the episodes. See the runtimes for each episode below:

Disc 1
1. "Pilot" 49:58
2. "Man Versus Possum" 43:12
3. "The Deep End of the Pool" 43:12
4. "Whassup" 42:14

Disc 2
5. "The Situation" 43:11
6. "The Big 'O'" 43:11
7. "What's Going on Down There?" 43:38
8. "Rubber Band Ball" 43:00
9. "Perchance to Dream" 43:08

Disc 3
10. "Namaste No More" 43:12
11. "Solace" 42:38
12. "Team Braverman" 43:26
13. "Lost and Found" 43:45

Packaging has a nice orange and white outer box with various photos on the front cover. On the back cover, there is a large photo of the Braverman clan and 2 smaller photos. A synopsis of the set, the bonus features, and the DVD specs are listed. The main Digipak slides out from the right of the outer cardboard box. It has the same photos as the outer box. Episode summaries and various photos are found inside the box. Special features are noted by disc. Underneath the disc holders, there is a large photo of the Braverman clan that stretches out across the 3 panels. The discs are just plain silver with the Parenthood logo on them. Each disc holds 4-5 episodes. A paper sheet promoting the second season with quotes from various publications is included.

The menus are colorful and easy to navigate. They have various still shots from the episodes and a yellow show logo and background. A song from the show plays for about 30 seconds and then loops. There are options for Play All, Epiosde Index, Bonus, Setup and Previews (only on Disc 1). The option you highlight is underlined green and turns red upon your selection. Choosing Episode Index takes you to another meu where there are still images from each episode. You can turn on/off the commentary for the "Pilot" episode here or play the deleted scenes by episode. The Bonus menu has a photo of Peter Krause and the lovely Monica Potter. You can turn on the subtitles for the deaf & hard-of-hearing on the Set Up menu. It features a photo of Dax Shepard holding a birthday cake with various cast members in the background. The Previews section (5:52) has promos for Eureka, In Plain Sight, Miami Vice, The Office, Parks and Recreation, Psych, The A-Team, Knight Rider and Magnum P.I..

The video is excellent and in anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 format. This is a gorgeously shot show with many outdoor scenes around the Los Angeles area. The audio is an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Music plays an intergral part of the show. There are at least 4-9 songs used in each episode. On the back of the packaging, there is a disclaimer that says "Music may differ from televised version." Hopefully nothing major is missing. The original theme song, "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan, is not included as previously mentioned. The set has a total running time of approximately 9 hours, 28 minutes. English subtitles for the deaf & hard-of-hearing are available for the episodes. The Bonus Features are not rated and not all subtitled.

Moving on to the bonus features. They include an audio commentary on the "Pilot" episode, deleted and extended scenes, and a behind-the-scenes featurette. These bonus features should offer a good introduction to the show. It would have been to nice to have some additional audio commentaries by the cast and crew. Another bonus feature that would have been interesting to watch would be the original pilot with Maura Tierney.

Disc 1
"Pilot" Commentary with Executive Producer/Writer Jason Katims and Director Thomas Schalamme - They talk about shooting the original pilot with Maura Tierney who had to leave due to her breast cancer treatment, how Lauren Graham was cast, how they reshot some scenes, the filming locations in northern California for the pilot, and the comparisons between the originally shot pilot vs. the newly shot pilot. A pretty good commentary, although there's some dead air during some scenes.

Disc 2
Deleted and Extended Scenes featuring never-seen-before footage
"The Big 'O'" Deleted Scenes (9:01) - Unfortunately, there is no commentary on the deleted scenes. These scenes were probably just cut because of timing or pacing issues.
"What's Going on Down There?" Deleted Scenes (3:01)
Perchance to Dream Deleted Scene (1:53)

Disc 3
"Namase No More" Deleted Scene (1:31)
"Team Braverman" Deleted Scenes (4:04)
"Lost and Found" Deleted Scene (1:50)

Get to Know Your Parents Featurette (13:06) - Go beind the scenes of Parenthood and explore the characters with help from the cast as they explain what attracted them to the seies and how they approach their roles. This featurette includes interviews with Writer/Executive Producer Jason Katims, Peter Krause, Miles Heizer, Executive Producer Brian Grazer, Executive Producer Ron Howard, Bonnie Bedelia, Sam Jaeger, Dax Shepard, Sarah Ramos, Erika Christensen, Mae Whitman, Lauren Graham, Craig T. Nelson, Monica Potter, Tyree Brown, Savannah Paige Rae and Max Burkholder.

I'm a big fan of Ron Howard's 1989 Parenthood movie. The 1990 TV comedy-drama with Ed Begley, Jr., Jayne Atkinson, Thora, Leonardo DiCaprio and David Arqutte was pretty good but short-lived. I didn't get to watch the 2010 version in the spring, but I have enjoyed catching up with it on DVD.
This is a nicely put together show with an all-star ensemble cast. There are so many recognizable actors who you've probably seen in other TV series and movies. If you enjoy Brothers and Sisters, you will probably like this show as well. There aren't many quality family dramas on the air today, so it's great to see this one have some success in season one. Hopefully they can continue to build an audience in season two. The show has a nice mix of drama and comedy. Many people should be able to relate to the characters and storylines. There is a lot of reality in the show and the cast seems to have great chemistry.

The Season 1 DVD set is a pretty nice one. It has some attractive packaging and the episodes look and sound great. There aren't many special features, but they should provide some good background information on the production of the show and the characters. The only concern with this set is with possible music substitutions. This show usually has 4-9 songs used per episode. They did replace the original theme song, "Forever Young" by Bob Dylan, on the DVD with the theme they use internationally and on nbc.com and hulu.com - "When We Were Young" by Lucy Schwartz. That's not a major loss, but hopefully they were able to clear most of the other songs that were used within the episodes. Catch up with television's most heartfelt family drama before the critcially acclaimed series returns on September 14. Tune in on Tuesday nights at 10PM on NBC! Go Bravermans!

(4/5 stars)

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Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Official Website
Parenthood TV.com Page

LOOKING AHEAD

Come on back right here next week for more news and reviews. Next week we will have another good blog review for you. And don't forget to read our full DVD reviews, as many sitcoms will be coming fast very soon as we near September. So please stay with us! Keep it in the family and of course keep it digital!

Today we have a very special blog book review for sitcom fans and John Ritter fans. With Love and Laughter, John Ritter is actress Amy Yasbeck's most enduring memory of the life she shared with her husband, John Ritter. He was one of America's most popular and beloved film and television actors and no stranger to this website. We welcomed him into our homes weekly with his Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Jack Tripper on Three's Company and his hit comedy 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, along with many many other roles. In this powerful memoir Amy Yasbeck shares her deeply personal and ultimately hopeful journey of surviving the devastating loss of her husband. Yasbeck looks back with anecdotes and memories from both John's life and her own. Here are the unforgettable times she shared with a man who was adored for finding humor in everyday encounters, never failing to energize and entertain everyone around him. His philosophy was summed up by his favorite autograph for his fans, With Love and Laughter, John Ritter. Amy Yasbeck's powerful story reminds us that love never dies...and the laughter doesn't have to end.

See my Blog Book Review of With Love and Laughter, John Ritter:



With Love and Laughter, John Ritter - by Amy Yasbeck (Simon & Schuster, $26.00) was how John Ritter usually signed autographs and now it will be a hit book! In this wonderful, loving, funny and sad book, we get personal stories and details from life of John Ritter in the words of his wife, Amy Yasbeck. There are all kinds of very interesting and detailed stories in this book and the book has about 249 pages, but you breeze right through it because it is very well-written and so enduring. You can't put it down and I'm sure when you all get it, you'll see why. Amy does a very good job in the writing and picks the perfect stories. We get personal stories from both her life before John and with John. And of course we get stories from some of John's acting work. We all know he was the nicest guy and Amy proves that even more with her stories. The man was also very smart. John was of course funny, caring, nice and smart. You'll see all those qualities in these stories.

The book has twenty-six chapters, but of course there is no chapter thirteen. Amy hilariously notes that actors are superstitious, so chapter thirteen is a no-no! Ha that number thirteen is to be feared! There is also a seven-page pre-face before chapter 1. The book starts off with some background information on John's childhood life in chapter one and in chapter two we get info on Amy's childhood life in Ohio. The next chapter delves into John's early roles guest starring on shows like Kojak. Amy gives us a hilarious story from that role, when they caught a rerun of that episode in 1997. Chapter four is titled "Daddy No Beard." That is what his daughter Stella called him whenever she saw a rerun of Three's Company on Nick at Nite. Stella was used to the bearded John Ritter. Even Stella is funny! This chapter discusses Three's Company. The next chapter has Amy detailing her move to New York in 1983. I never knew about this story at all, so it was very fascinating. We get a taste of how Amy got into "the business."

Chapter six is titled "Icon Tact." Among the items discussed in this chapter are why John Ritter never hosted Saturday Night Live, despite being offered to host it. The next chapter we get more of Amy's early work and then in chapter eight is where Amy meets John on September 25, 1989 at Dennis Dugan's house. Dugan directed the feature film Problem Child, which starred both John and Amy. In Chapter nine, we move into the 1990's! The chapter starts off with John and Amy's guest appearance on The Cosby Show. We get so many behind-the-scenes stories here. The chapter also highlights stories from Hearts Afire, where John met his good buddy Billy Bob Thornton.

Without detailing every chapter, the best of the book has great stories like Amy on Wings, John working with Andy Griffith on the TV-movie Gramps (Amy also worked with Andy on Matlock), their summer trip in Italy & France in 1996, going to Elizabeth Taylor's house in 1997, more of John's TV movies like Last Man on the List & Holy Joe, the cool stories and treatment at World's Greatest Magic IV, the birth of Stella and why they named her Stella, the marriage, the play The Dinner Party with Henry Winkler, a hilarious recall on Henry & John's early 90s TV movie The Only Way Out, living in New York in 2000, Clifford the Big Red Dog, 8 Simple Rules and John's final day. There are also over 25 nice color photos in the middle of the book, from John & Amy in Venice, Hawaii, with Stella, and more!

The last few chapters talks about life after John, including the Ritter Rules, which are life-saving reminders to recognize, treat, and prevent thoracic aortic dissection. The John Ritter Foundation for Aortic Health is saving so many lives and is a great tribute to John Ritter. In the book, Amy also mentions in detail on how John's brother Tom was saved from an aortic dissection. This foundation is truly saving lives and will for many years to come! Chapter twenty-six is titled, "John But Not Forgotten," and he certainly will never be forgotten.

Fans of John Ritter and Amy Yasbeck will surely want to get this book. It is a great read and so interesting. I think fans of television/sitcoms in general will enjoy it. There are so many interesting behind-the-scenes stories that television fans will find cool. The book is out this coming Tuesday (Sept. 7), so I hope you have pre-ordered it? If not, please click the link below and pre-order today! This book needs to be in the top 10 best-sellers because it really deserves to be! Catch Amy Yasbeck promoting the book on the following programs/locations:

- Tuesday, September 7, 2010
KTTV-Fox, Los Angeles GOOD DAY L.A. 9:00AM
- Monday, September 13, 2010
NBC, DAILY CONNECTION 12:30PM
- Tuesday, September 14, 2010
NBC, TODAY Show 8:00AM
- Tuesday, September 14, 2010
ABC, THE VIEW 11:00AM ET/10:00AM CT/PT
- Tuesday, September 14, 2010
HLN, THE JOY BEHAR SHOW 9:00PM
- Thursday, September 16, 2010
PREMIERE RADIO NETWORK 8:00AM
- Thursday, September 16, 2010
SIRIUS XM Radio 11:30AM
- Saturday, September 18, 2010
BARNES & NOBLE 2:00PM
7800 Montgomery Rd in Cincinnati, OH
- Monday, September 20, 2010
Syndicated, RACHAEL RAY SHOW 10:00AM (WABC)
- Monday, September 20, 2010
Syndicated, BETTER TV (check local listings)
- Thursday, September 23, 2010
BARNES & NOBLE 7:00PM
189 The Grove Drive in Los Angeles, CA

-- Reviewed by Pavan

(5/5 stars)

To purchase this book, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com


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 Sept. 6-10, 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, September 6, 2010

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Up today on our annual look at the fall 2010 cable schedules is BET! BET will be airing a lot of sitcom stunts in September in lieu of their fall 2010 schedule that starts on Oct. 4. First up, this weekend for Labor Day, they will air Everybody Hates Chris on Saturday, Sept. 4 from 10am-7pm and season three episodes of The Game from 10am-10pm on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 6) itself. Every Saturday in September will feature a sitcom stunt with Sister, Sister on Saturday, Sept. 11 from 10am-5pm, the launch marathon of new acquisition City Guys on Saturday, Sept. 18 from 10am-6pm. City Guys hasn't been seen on cable since WGN many years ago. Then on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 10am-5:30pm it is a block of One on One. On Saturday, October 2 from 12pm-6pm, BET will air a sitcom marathon of sister network Centric's sitcom The Steve Harvey Show leading into the BET premiere of new sitcom acquisition Bernie Mac from 6pm-8pm. And yes, Bernie Mac will be shared with cable network FX.
So, we have so far two new sitcom acquisitions for BET: City Guys and Bernie Mac. In this blog's title I mentioned there are THREE new sitcoms. The other one is... The Cosby Show! Yes, the classic family comedy will have a five-day marathon from Monday, Sept. 27 through Friday, Oct. 1 from 11am-5pm each day! The Huxtables will not be joining the BET regular schedule it seems the following week. Why? It will be joining sister network Centric's primetime fall schedule starting Sept. 27! Centric currently airs sitcoms The Steve Harvey Show & The Jamie Foxx Show along with dramas The A-Team & Miami Vice and animated comedy The Proud Family. They also air Smart Guy stunts. We will have Centric's fall 2010 schedule soon for you, so stay tuned for regular times for The Cosby Show, including a launch marathon of their own on Sunday, Sept. 26. And don't be surprised if you see Cliff and the gang pop-up on BET from time to time.
Anyway, back to the BET Fall schedule. The schedule starts on Monday, Oct. 4 with Bernie Mac in the 10am hour, replacing One on One. Maybe that will move to Centric? We shall see. An hour each of The Game and Everybody Hates Chris remains at 11am & 12pm. Then a movie airs at 1pm leading into The Game's new afternoon timeslot of 3pm, as now Bernie Mac will air in the 4pm hour leading into Everybody Hates Chris in the 5pm hour. On Saturdays, we have City Guys airing usually from 9am-11pm, followed by the return of Sister Sister from 11am-1pm. An hour each of Everybody Hates Chris & The Game airs at 1pm & 2pm leading into Bernie Mac from 3pm-5pm. And finally on Sundays, the only thing of note is Everybody Hates Chris in the 1pm hour leading into Bernie Mac from 2-4pm.
View and discuss the FULL BET Fall 2010 schedule and stay tuned in the coming days for sister network Centric's fall schedule which will have The Cosby Show!


Pretty soon it will be that time of year again...the start of the new TV season. So let's get ready for that with annual network preview specials to inform us on what is new and returning! See our Fall 2009 preview from last year.

First up we will look at ABC. ABC's Fall 2010 preview special is actually in two half-hours. They have been titled ABC 2010 Red Carpet Premiere Event: Laugh ON and ABC 2010 Red Carpet Premiere Event: No Ordinary Dramas hosted by Cameron Mathison and Nancy O'Dell with reports from Rico Rodriguez of Modern Family. It started airing on local ABC affiliates last weekend (Aug. 28-29). It can be aired between August 28-Sept. 19, 2010 on local stations, so check your local listings. Both half-hours will air nationally on ABC on Sunday, September 19 back-to-back at 5pm ET/4pm CT/3pm MT-PT. The first fall preview special is about the new fall dramas that will be joining the line-up in September including No Ordinary Family, My Generation and two 10:00 PM dramas: Detroit 1-8-7 and The Whole Truth. And the second special highlights ABC Laugh On Wednesday featuring returning hits, The Middle, Modern Family and Cougar Town as well as new comedies; Better Together, Happy Endings and Mr. Sunshine. These specials will air on ABC-owned cable networks as well, as of now ABC Family has scheduled them both on Monday, Sept. 13 at 12am ET/11pm CT. Both specials are on abc.com as well: Laugh ON and No Ordinary Dramas.
The CBS Fall 2010 preview special, simply titled again CBS Fall Preview will be a primetime special previewing CBS's new fall lineup, to be hosted by the stars of the new Wednesday drama The Defenders - Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell - will be broadcast on Monday (Sept. 6) from 8:30-9:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. The preview will feature sneak peeks of the five new additions to CBS's primetime schedule this fall: the drama series Hawaii Five-0, The Defenders and Blue Bloods and the comedy series $#*! My Dad Says and Mike & Molly. Hosts Jerry O'Connell and Jim Belushi will introduce the video previews for each new series with a fun mix of banter during what appears to be a wardrobe fitting for their Vegas lawyer characters, surrounded by bold suits and pinky rings galore.
The NBC Fall 2010 preview special (titled once again The NBC Primetime Preview) has aired on their cable owned networks & local NBC affiliates since Aug. 7 and will continue to run through Sept. 27 (in NYC on WNBC Sat Sept. 4 at 7pm). The lively 30-minute cavalcade will feature exclusive, behind-the-scenes views to be delivered across a wide gamut of NBC Universal media platforms beginning August 7 through September 27. The program will run nearly 500 times over broadcast and cable platforms. The annual Fall program will be offered to NBC's 232 television stations (check local listings) as well as other channel entities such as USA, Syfy, Bravo, UniHD, Chiller, mun2, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen, Sleuth, NBC2Go, on-demand and broadband. NBC stations will also make it available on their websites while NBC.com will feature it as well. NBC stations can also run it on their websites while NBC.com is also running it as well. In addition, the program will be once again screened on selected American Airlines flights (estimated to be shown on approximately 11,000 flights). Watch now online.
The Fox Fall 2010 preview special has already started airing on local Fox affiliates (in NY WNYW Sat Sept. 4 at 3pm). It will only run on local Fox affiliates again and not on Fox in primetime. No information is available as of this writing on who is hosting and what the special features. No idea yet also if it will be on fox.com.

The CW's Fall 2010 TV preview special called The 2010 CW Fall Preview Special is available online and is airing on local CW affiliates (such as NY's WPIX on this Friday Sept. 3 at 5:30pm)! It is hosted by Kristoffer Polaha of Life UneXpected and Robert Buckley of One Tree Hill. Watch it now online.

I think we have the news of the year folks! A new digital broadcast station is coming soon from Tribune Broadcasting and will feature classic TV shows and movies! Tribune Broadcasting has announced the launch of Antenna TV, a classic television and general entertainment movie network to air as a digital multicast on Tribune's broadcast stations beginning January 3, 2011. Tribune markets include New York's WPIX, Los Angeles' KTLA and Chicago's local WGN. The Chicago affiliate for Antenna TV will be WGN-DT 9.2. Antenna TV will also be offered for national distribution to non-Tribune stations. Stay with us in the coming months for an official list of stations.
Antenna TV will offer a combination of movies and classic television shows including: Three's Company, All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Good Times, Too Close for Comfort, Benny Hill, Maude, The Partridge Family, The Nanny, and Married...with Children. And even more cool stuff like Three's Company's short-lived spin-offs The Ropers and Three's a Crowd will air within Three's Company itself! That sounds very cool and unique! More to come on this in the coming months. Black & white classic television series will air in the overnight and includes classics like Father Knows Best, Dennis the Menace, The Donna Reed Show, and on weekends The Three Stooges. As you may have noticed, the series are mostly from Sony Pictures Television and a few from Don Taffner's DLT Entertainment. More shows will be announced soon, so stay tuned.
A schedule isn't ready for release yet but there will be movies in the daytime and sitcoms starting at 5pm and going through the overnight hours. NO paid programming will be on this digital multicast at all, as it is 24/7 entertainment! There will be a lot of themed events, including holiday marathons. This is going to be a delight for sitcom and classic TV fans! Many of these series have not aired on local syndication in years, so this will be fun to watch in a new way on digital television! This station comes from the same people who run the cable network WGN America and the digital station THIS TV, so you bet Antenna TV will be good. Stay with us for further updates and we will be the first to let you know the launch schedule when ready! And special thanks as always to Sean Compton, president of programming for Tribune Broadcasting, for his help and information!

Moving back to our look at the fall 2010 cable schedules, today we will give you details on CMT. We normally only cover CMT when they air a television series or sitcom. After three years, The Dukes of Hazzard is returning to CMT! The series returns in style with a 3-day marathon starting Friday, Sept. 10! The marathon airs that Friday from 8pm-3am and that Saturday & Sunday both from 2pm-3am. The series will then join the regular schedule on Monday, Sept. 13 and air weeknights at 7pm & 11pm. In other series updates, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will air air 2-4pm and 1-3am weeknights with primetime airings on Tuesday nights. Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? airs weeknights at 6:30pm and 12-1am. Trading Spouses usually airs once a week sometime in the daytime. That's about it for CMT, as the rest of the schedule is filled with music, originals and movies.

And finally, we have an update for you to the Hallmark Channel Fall 2010 schedule we relayed the other day. Weeknights at 8pm starting Tuesday, Sept. 7 will now be Little House on the Prairie, rather than Touched by an Angel. This means Touched is off the schedule for now. Little House will now be exclusive to Hallmark as it won't share the series with TV Land anymore, since TV Land's contract expired yesterday. Now Hallmark can air the series anytime and not just 6am-6pm. As a result, Hallmark will air a marathon of Little House on the Prairie on Saturday, Sept. 4 from 6am-4am. The Cheers marathon originally slated for this day is no longer scheduled, but Who's the Boss? and I Love Lucy remain on Sept. 5-6.
View the updated Hallmark Channel Fall 2010 schedule. And stay with us for further updates, as usual.