SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Summer has started so we will be back with our normal weekly ratings report with the first four nights numbers and analysis in the fall, but we still will have our regular how the sitcoms did all summer long! Here are our summer ratings:

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of June 27-July 3)

• American Dad! (Fox) - Final ratings for this night aren't available due to the holiday weekend. A repeat at 7pm did a prelim 1.48 million and a prelim 0.6 18-49 rating, which was very poor and but basically on par with previous week.
  
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A repeat at 8pm did a prelim 2.39 million and a prelim 1.1 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Pretty low, but it was 4th of July weekend.
  
• Bob's Burgers (Fox) - A repeat at 7:30pm did just a prelim 1.61 million and a prelim 0.6 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week but still the loser of the block again because it cannot build from the 7pm lead-in.
• Family Guy (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 9pm did a prelim 2.53 million and a prelim 1.2 18-49 rating, the best of the block again but down from previous week. A second repeat aired at 9:30pm and did a prelim 2.61 million and a prelim 1.2 18-49 rating, basically the same as the first repeat.
  
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A repeat at 8:30pm did a prelim 2.13 million and a prelim 1.0 18-49 rating, down from previous week.

Summer Week 6 (July 4-10)

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) 2 airings - 2.91 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating for a repeat in its normal slot on 4th of July was on obviously lower than the previous week. A repeat at 8:30pm did 3.1 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, down week-to-week.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 4.26 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating for a repeat is down from previous week, due to the 4th of July.
  
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - 4.39 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating for a repeat, down from previous week like the previous 3 half-hours.Weird seeing a 1.1 being the highest of this block, even in repeats on 4th of July.
  

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Raising Hope (Fox) - preempted.
  

Wednesday Sitcoms

• The Middle (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm did 4.16 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. The 8:30pm repeat did a similar 3.86 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, on par with previous week.
• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat at 9pm did a below normal 3.87 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down from previous week.
  
• Happy Endings (ABC) - A repeat at 9:30pm did 2.44 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, down a tad week-to-week, but not bad considering the lead-in was lower than normal.
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A repeat did 6.79 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, which was up from previous week.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - A repeat of this comedy followed at 8:30pm with 5.16 million and 1.4 18-49 rating, which is its best showing in weeks.
  
• Community (NBC) - A repeat only did 2.03 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, which is not good at all but on par with previous week.
• Parks & Recreation (NBC) - A repeat in its new 8:30pm slot did only 2.13 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, but up a lick from 30 Rock the previous week.
  
• The Office (NBC) - A repeat at 9pm did 2.37 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, best of the low rated block and on par with previous week.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A repeat in its new 9:30pm slot didn't do well, doing 1.96 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, lower than Parks & Recreation the previous week and basically all summer.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Tonight you can catch encores of Fox's animated comedies from 7-10pm.

Summing it up. Repeats of The Big Bang Theory, Rules of Engagement, and that's about it, were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as repeats of Modern Family, The Middle) or just plain old terrible (such as the very low NBC Thursday repeats especially, 30 Rock).

Feeling the repeat blues? Look for original sitcoms on cable this summer, with the great Hot in Cleveland on Wednesdays at 10pm followed by week five of the decent and getting funnier Happily Divorced starring Fran Drescher this Wednesday at 10:30pm only on TV Land. Also catch the new Comedy Wednesday on ABC Family with the funny Melissa & Joey at 8pm followed by week three of new comedy State of Georgia starring Raven Symone at 8:30pm! Loretta Devine is very sassy in this series! Also of course House of Payne and Meet the Browns are on TBS Wednesdays. New sitcom airings is the perfect way to beat the summer repeat blues! Watch them!

[Source: Nielsen NTI Ratings. View Travis Yanan's Ratings Website].

It's another slow news week here for us at Digital Digest (after last week's busy week), but we've got more news for you this week. Additionally, we've got a review of Mannix - The Fifth Season from CBS Home Entertainment. Let's roll!


DIGITAL NEWS

The only real news this week is the announcement of the entire series of the (now cancelled) Fox series Running Wilde. Running Wilde - Season One hits the shelves on August 30, from Lionsgate. The set will contain all 13 episodes of the series.

The Donna Reed Show has had an interesting bunch of ups and downs on DVD, but the most recent news that we have heard is that MPI would be releasing the fourth season of the show, at some date to be determined. We don't really have any new information about this, but it appears that this release has come much closer to being confirmed as a reality, as MPI's upcoming release of Here's Lucy - Best Of Collection (which, by the way, we will have a review for sometime very soon) has a preview advertising the fourth season of The Donna Reed Show. That is really all we know right now, but it is still great to know that the set has moved from rumors posted on a message board over a year ago to an actual advertising preview! We'll of course have more on this when we know more.

Some fans have wanted to know "where is the rest of Route 66?" Well, we don't have an announcement for you, at least not today, but the fourth (and final) season of the classic road series appears to POSSIBLY (and we stress, possibly) be in the horizon. This post on IMDb seems to suggest that the fourth season (or a release of the entire series without releasing the fourth season separately) is coming. The information comes from a person who says that they emailed Kirk Hallam, of Roxbury Entertainment (the studio that has been releasing the series) and received this response:

So, assuming that this exchange is legitimate (and we assume that it is), we will hopefully be seeing the rest of the series soon. But we'll let you know when and if we know more.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (July 12) has just one DVD of note on tap, with HBO's release of Entourage - The Complete Seventh Season (also on Blu-ray). We'll have a review of the Blu-ray set soon.


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW

There have been many detectives in the history of television, but none of them put up with all of the problems that Joe Mannix (Mike Connors) had to deal with. Mannix would regularly get beat up, shot at, and even drugged. But no matter what, he'd still get to the bottom of each and every case, often with the help of his secretary Peggy Fair (Gail Fisher). Here is our review of Mannix - The Fifth Season.

DVD Review - Mannix - The Fifth Season
by skees53

Mannix - The Fifth Season (CBS Home Entertainment, $49.98) brings 24 more episodes of the iconic detective drama to DVD in a six disc set. Joe Mannix (Mike Connors) is a detective like no other. While most detectives would do anything to get to the bottom of the case, Mannix would often get into situations that put himself at risk to get the answer, and bounce back just in time for the next case with only a few minor bumps and bruises.

The season begins with "Dark So Early, Dark So Long," where Mannix has to help a high school friend who is accused of murder. Mannix has to help a vineyard worker accused of murder when he visits his hometown in "Wine From These Grapes." Did a writer fake his own death to avoid retaliation? Mannix thinks so in "Days Beyond Recall." A youth baseball coach disappears and Mannix is hired to find him in "Run Till Dark." In "A Choice of Evils," Peggy is kidnapped and her life is threatened, so what will Mannix do to help? Three clients have just fired Mannix in "Murder Times Three," but there may be more to worry about than just losing a job.

In "To Save a Dead Man," Joe gets involved in an old case after a dying man makes a stunning confession. A TV comedian is blackmailed over an incriminating photo of his son (a soldier in Vietnam) in "Nightshade." A toy manufacturer's life is threatened in "Moving Target." Mannix is investigating infidelity when it suddenly turns to a deadly explosion in "A Walk in the Shadows." In "To Draw the Lightning," when a cop shoots the man who killed his partner, was it justified or just an act of revenge? Mannix should know that it isn't safe to transport eight million dollars worth of jewels from London to the United States, but he does it anyway in "Scapegoat." The season ends with "Death in the Fifth Gear," where Mannix gets into a race car accident and lands in a psychiatric clinic... and later becomes a suspect in a murder case.

The episodes all appear to be unedited, with runtimes as follows:

Disc 1:
1. "Dark So Early, Dark So Long" (51:02)
2. "Cold Trail" (51:03)
3. "A Step in Time" (50:49)
4. "Wine From These Grapes" (50:49)

Disc 2:
5. "Woman in the Shadows" (51:01)
6. "Days Beyond Recall" (51:02)
7. "Run Till Dark" (50:49)
8. "The Glass Trap" (51:03)

Disc 3:
9. "A Choice of Evils" (50:50)
10. "A Button for General D" (50:50)
11. "The Man Outside" (50:49)
12. "Murder Times Three" (50:49)

Disc 4:
13. "Catspaw" (50:47)
14. "To Save a Dead Man" (50:48)
15. "Night Shade" (50:48)
16. "Babe in the Woods" (50:48)

Disc 5:
17. "The Sound of Murder" (50:48)
18. "Moving Target" (50:45)
19. "Cry Pigeon" (50:47)
20. "A Walk in the Shadows" (50:48)

Disc 6:
21. "Lifeline" (50:48)
22. "To Draw the Lightning" (50:48)
23. "Scapegoat" (50:48)
24. "Death in the Fifth Gear" (50:48)

The set is packaged in a standard Viva pack, with a picture of Mannix on the cover and a green color scheme. There is a picture of Mannix and Peggy on the back of the case, along with several snapshots of Mannix from the episodes. Inside the case, all of the episodes are listed, along with brief descriptions and airdates for the episodes. The disc artwork is the standard gray CBS DVD artwork with nothing more than the series logo. Each disc contains exactly four episodes.

The menus on the set are no different from the previous sets, with a sequence similar to the opening credits playing at the beginning of each disc, along with the theme song. The theme song continues to play, along with the videos once the episode titles come up on the main menu. The main menu also has an option to Play All and Subtitles. Each episode has chapters placed at all of the appropriate places.

Just like most other CBS Home Entertainment releases, the video and audio quality on this set is excellent. This series has been remastered in high-definition prior to each season being released (a common practice for CBS), and the episodes look and sound excellent with only a few minor artifacts here and there. The audio is presented in mono and is very loud and clear. There is no closed-captioning on the set, but each episode does contain English subtitles.

The set contains no special features once again, which is a shame. With episodes that look this great, this could be a stellar set with good special features. Even something like original promos for the series would have been a nice touch.

I am still fairly new to the series (I only started watching it with last year's release of The Fourth Season), but I'm quickly becoming a fan of the series. I just wish that the sets weren't so barebones. I hope that we see some of the later seasons soon, but there could be a slight delay in that. Recently, there was a report that Mike Connors is actually suing CBS over DVD royalties for the series. Hopefully this legal issue doesn't delay future seasons. But in any case, I think that any fan of classic detective dramas is sure to enjoy this series, and should definitely pick up this great set.

(4/5 stars)

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

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Mannix on TV.com


LOOKING AHEAD

Get ready for more soapy drama next week with our review of the most recent releases of Dynasty, with Dynasty - The Fifth Season, Volume 1 and Dynasty - The Fifth Season, Volume 2. We can never predict what our news will be like on any given week, but we can say for certain that we are going to be really busy with our reviews over the next few months, particularly with releases of the 2010-2011 seasons of current series. So until then, keep it digital!

Living Room Legends: Chats with TV's Famous Faces is a collection of exclusive conversations with some of classic television's most beloved personalities, offering in-depth answers to questions of interest not previously asked, and preserving for posterity the historical significance of their time on some of the most beloved shows in television history.

Living Room Legends is a Pop Culture treasure trove filled with behind-the-scenes details, entertaining anecdotes, then and now photos, and TV trivia galore!

Take a stroll down memory lane with:

Jim Nabors (The Andy Griffith Show/Gomer Pyle, USMC)

Donna Douglas (The Beverly Hillbillies)

Pat Carroll (Cinderella/The Danny Thomas Show)

Rose Marie (The Dick Van Dyke Show)

Shelley Morrison (The Flying Nun/Will & Grace)

Ronnie Schell (Gomer Pyle, USMC)

Tom Lester (Green Acres)

Lucie Arnaz (Here's Lucy)

Janet Waldo (The Jetsons)

Pat Priest (The Munsters)

Phyllis Diller (The Pruitts of Southampton - aka The Phyllis Diller Show)

Chapter Highlights:

Memories of a Mayberry Marine: Jim Nabors
Jim Nabors breaks with tradition and participates in a rare and enlightening interview that recalls his time on two of the most popular sitcoms of the 1960'’s, The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle USMC. Nabors recounts his working relationships with co-stars Andy Griffith, Don Knotts, Frances Bavier, and Ron Howard, his quick ascension to fame after becoming a series regular, and his friendships with comedy legends Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett.
Nabors also shares several comedic tales that transpired after being recognized in public, concluding this memorable visit with another favorite “Living Room Legend.”

Settin’ a Spell with Elly May: Donna Douglas
One of only two original surviving cast members of The Beverly Hillbillies, Donna Douglas grants a very rare interview and gives fans an entertaining look inside one of the biggest sitcom hits in television history.
Douglas recalls a catastrophe that took place the day of her audition, and how it nearly cost her the part of a lifetime. Other recollections include lessons she learned from co-stars Buddy Ebsen and Irene Ryan, and comical adventures that took place when visiting foreign countries to promote the series.
Of course, no chat with “Elly May” would be complete without a few “critter” stories—including an especially funny tale involving a hippopotamus in the “cee-ment” pond.

Make Room for Patty: Pat Carroll
Television, film, and Broadway star Pat Carroll can gratify readers with a story like no other! Entertaining anecdotes from her legendary career include an unexpected Emmy win in the late 1950’s, comical reminiscences from her time as the nasty step-sister on Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, her appearances on television classics such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Laverne & Shirley, and how she became known to a younger legion of fans as the voice of the menacing Ursula in Walt Disney's The Little Mermaid.

A Legend among Legends: Rose Marie
Rose Marie shares stories about an unprecedented career in show business that began as a ballad and blues singer at the age of three.
Recalling special friendships with fellow singers Ethel Merman and Rosemary Clooney, Miss Marie also recounts how she intended to leave The Dick Van Dyke Show after losing her husband of twenty years. She speaks of her fourteen year run on Hollywood Squares, how she discovered Tim Conway, and her candid thoughts on the final Dick Van Dyke Show Reunion that aired in 2004.

Sister Rosario: Shelley Morrison
Shelley Morrison discusses her time on The Flying Nun, the adventures she shared with Sally Field while filming the pilot on location in Puerto Rico, a personal tragedy that marred the excitement of landing a co-starring role on a major ABC sitcom, and the special effects that were created to make Sister Bertrille “fly.”
Morrison also relates how she nailed the audition that won her the coveted role of Rosario Salazar, Karen Walker’s sardonic maid on NBC's Will & Grace, and her current success as a voice-over artist.

The Face Is Slightly Familiar: Ronnie Schell
Most famous for his role as Gomer Pyle's good buddy, Duke Slater, Ronnie Schell expounds on a phenomenal career that began at the Purple Onion in San Francisco, alongside comic Phyllis Diller in the 1950’s, eventually leading to over 50 appearances on The Merv Griffin Show, and guest spots on favorites such as Charlie's Angels, Happy Days, Alice, The Golden Girls, and more.
Schell also shares his thoughts about working with Andy Griffith, Jim Nabors, Ted Bessell, and Marlo Thomas, and why he left as a series regular during the fourth season of Gomer Pyle.

Howdy from Hooterville: Tom Lester
In this fond return to Green Acres, Tom Lester shares what led to his unusual journey from the fields of the Mississippi Delta to the bright lights of Hollywood.
Along with his first impressions of Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor, Lester recalls his friendship with producer Paul Henning, and reveals some little-known facts about a spin-off series written especially for him, that was in the works when Green Acres was abruptly canceled in the spring of 1971.

Loving This Lucie: Lucie Arnaz
Lucie Arnaz, daughter of entertainment legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, discusses her initial reluctance to appear on network television, how she arrived at the decision to accept a co-starring role on Here's Lucy, and the invaluable experience gained from working on a day-to-day basis with her legendary mother.
Arnaz also shares fond memories of Vivian Vance and Gale Gordon, her favorite episodes of Here's Lucy, and what it was like to experience and alter the unflattering stories that permeated the airwaves after the death of her parents.

A Date with Judy Jetson: Janet Waldo
Janet Waldo, best remembered by fans today as the voice of Judy Jetson, gives us an in-depth look at her early days in radio and television, including some behind-the-scenes stories from her classic appearance on I Love Lucy, her time as teenage “Emmy Lou” on Ozzie & Harriet, and how this cartoon icon began her legendary career in television animation at Hanna Barbera.
Waldo also recalls what it was like working with other cartoon legends Mel Blanch, Daws Butler, Penny Singleton, and Jean Vanderpyl, and how much the industry had changed when the original cast was asked to reprise their roles when new episodes of The Jetsons began being produced in 1985.

A Stroll Down Mockingbird Lane: Pat Priest
Pat Priest talks about her many appearances on such TV classics as Dr. Kildare, Perry Mason, Mission: Impossible, and The Lucy Show. She also describes her initial reception from the cast of The Munsters after taking over the role of the previous Marilyn, and relates an unpleasant encounter on the first day of filming with a temperamental Yvonne DeCarlo.
Priest also discusses Fred Gwynne’s hatred of the role for which he is most remembered, Herman Munster, and dispels legendary rumors by explaining the real reason why The Munsters was cancelled at the end of its second season.

The Face That Launched a Thousand Jokes: Phyllis Diller
The iconic Phyllis Diller shares how her stand-up career began without the hideous hairstyles and wacky outfits the public has grown to love. We also find out how Diller’s ten year career as a classical pianist began because of an initial misunderstanding, and the embarrassing incident that happened the night she unexpectedly met her idol, Bob Hope.
Diller candidly reflects on why her two attempts at a weekly television series weren’t successful, and who she credits with giving her that first “big break.”

TV fans of all ages will savor the rich oral history of these small screen classics conveyed by those who were there!

Curl up on the couch and take a nostalgic trip down television lane with Living Room Legends: Chats with TV’s Famous Faces.

About The Author:
Eddie Lucas is a baby-boomer, writer, educator, and vintage TV historian. Lucas, a 1983 graduate of the University of Central Florida, has completed extensive courses in Radio and Television Broadcasting and Journalism, and has spent thousands of hours reading every article, interview, and book available on the history and background of television—its writers, producers, the iconic studios who produced them, such as Desilu and Screen Gems, even down to most minute details, such as episode titles, special guest stars, and original air dates.
Lucas says: “As a classic TV fan and historian, I wanted to find out more about some of our favorite TV shows and the stars that generations of us have grown up watching. I wanted to ask the types of questions that sometimes run around in the back of your mind when you’re watching a particular show or celebrity—the kind that die-hard, as well as casual fans would ask if given the opportunity. It was also important for me to hear what they had to say in their own words, in order to keep what they had to say intact, and not filtered through a press agent or whittled down to fit into a newspaper or magazine article, because many times in those situations, the essence of what they have to say is lost. So I chose an oral history/commentary as a way to preserve the historical significance of their time on some of the most beloved shows on TV.”
Lucas lives in Central Florida.

Living Room Legends: Chats with TV's Famous Faces can be purchased at amazon.com, ginameyers.com, and barnesandnoble.com .

We hope to have a review of this book up on the blog in the upcoming weeks. As you may remember, we reviewed Mr. Lucas's first book, Close-ups: Conversations with Our TV Favorites, back in May 2008. Check that one out for conversations with Alice Ghostley, Elinor Donahue, Marla Gibbs, Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow, Dwayne Hickman, Kaye Ballard, Stanley Livingston, Ernest Thomas, Haywood Nelson, and many others.


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 July 11-15, 2011, 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, July 11, 2011

• Elijah Wood (Wilfred) - Watch Elijah on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS. Wilfred airs on Thursdays at 10pm on FX.
• Denis Leary (The Job) - Denis drops by Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
• George Lopez (George Lopez) - Catch George on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Larry stops by The Joy Behar Show at 10pm ET on HLN.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

• Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) - Roseanne stops by The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Shia LaBeouf (Even Stevens) - Catch Shia on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
• Tracy Morgan (30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Watch Tracy on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Norm Macdonald (The Norm Show) - Norm appears on a repeat of Lopez Tonight at 12am on TBS.
• Denis Leary (The Job) - Denis continues to make the rounds on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric drops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Regina King (227) - Regina chats on The Mo'nique Show at 11pm on BET.
• Marion Ross (Happy Days) - Marion is a guest on The Joy Behar Show at 10pm ET on HLN.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

• Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move)) - Watch Jason on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
• Angela Kinsey (The Office) - Catch Angela on Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jennifer Aniston (Friends) - Jennifer is a guest on a repeat of Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
• Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Margaret chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and later on The Joy Behar Show at 10pm on HLN.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

• Louis C.K. (Louie) - Louis appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
• Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother) - Tune in to see Josh on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:37am on NBC.
• Bob Saget (How I Met Your Mother/Surviving Suburbia/Full House) - Bob stops by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
• Tina Fey (30 Rock) - Watch Tina on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) - Roseanne pays a visit to The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.

Friday, July 15, 2011

• Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle) - Catch Bryan on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Kevin Nealon (Weeds) - Watch Kevin on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
• Tim Daly (Wings) - Tim is a guest on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Lisa Kudrow (Friends) - Lisa drops by LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
• Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) - Roseanne wraps up her appearances this week on The Joy Behar Show at 10pm ET on HLN.

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!

We have a very exciting interview for you today. We have an interview with classic TV star Richard Kline (Larry from Three's Company) about his brilliant career and his role many sitcoms, including Three's Company. We get answers to various questions that you will all want to know about, including his take on today's sitcoms, what game show he would love to do, if he would do a Three's Company movie/reunion and if he would do Dancing with the Stars! As always with all of our interviews, it is in Seven Questions form. So let's first tell you a little bit about Richard Kline (as if you didn't know!).



Richard Kline grew up New York City, attended Queens College and has a Masters in Theatre from Northwestern University. He is known to millions of TV watchers as 'Larry' on the classic sitcom Three's Company. He recently toured the country as The Wizard of Oz in the National Company of Wicked. Previous to that he appeared on Broadway in David Mamet's November directed by Joe Mantello. He is a veteran of stage. After serving as a lieutenant in Vietnam, Richard made his professional debut at the prestigious Lincoln Center Repertory Company in 1971. His many television credits include Gilmore Girls, Judging Amy, That '70s Show, NYPD Blue, Dream On, L.A. Law, Mary Tyler Moore, and Maude.
As a director, Richard won the L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for his direction of Noel Coward's Present Laughter. He has also directed Bruce Davison, Burt Reynolds and Billy Connolly in their television series. Currently Richard, his wife Beverley and their two cats, live in West Orange, NJ. His daughter Colby is an actress/singer living in Los Angeles.



"Seven Questions with Richard Kline"

SitcomsOnline: It is an honor interviewing you! Three's Company is my favorite TV series of all-time, so this is extra special to me! TV audiences have been watching you on TV since the '70s and I think just about everyone who watches TV, film or theater have seen you in something. But it is Three's Company of course that has been etched into everyone's brain when they think of Richard Kline. What was it about the character of Larry Dallas that people just love and how did the character become a regular on the show in late season two after that memorable guest appearance in season one (on the episode "No Children, No Pets")?
Richard Kline: In cast introductions at our live tapings, Larry was introduced as the "used car salesman with a heart of gold." There's an oxymoron if there ever was one except that it was true. Larry was never overtly mean or criminally conniving, he just had a fixation on women and money which pretty much explains the driving force behind most heterosexual males in the '70s and '80s...OK in the history of the world. I think there was some glee in how Larry got Jack in or out of trouble, but bottom line I think you knew he would do anything for Jack, the girls and Mr. Furley if they asked.

SitcomsOnline: Your career in television is very impressive. Besides Three's Company, you were a series regular on sitcoms like It's a Living, Inside Schwartz, His & Hers, and you have also made many guest appearances on many TV sitcoms and dramas over the years like The Ropers, Three's a Crowd, Maude, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Silver Spoons, One Day at a Time, Love Boat, Family Matters, Step by Step, Hunter, Matlock, Columbo, That '70s Show, Sabrina and many many more. I have seen many of these and you are always spot on! What were your favorite ones and some memorable experiences from these guest appearances?
Richard Kline: I had great in-house training watching Bea Arthur and the rest of the Maude cast, which I did three times. My most memorable guest role was in the show St. Elsewhere...highly dramatic with the background being I was a Vietnam vet, which of course, I was in real life.

SitcomsOnline: What people may not know about you is that you also direct sitcoms. You've directed sitcoms like Harry and the Hendersons, Evening Shade and more (I also remember you were supposed to direct the pilot of John Ritter's 1992-95 series Hearts Afire when it was called Capitol Hill). What is it about directing that is appealing to you? It seems many sitcom actors like to direct, as we saw with Scott Baio, Jim Belushi, Larry Joe Campbell, among others. You also teach in your acting workshop, so I think it is great that you are sharing your skills and wisdom with aspiring actors!
Richard Kline: Directing is appealing because you are in control and responsible for more than yourself (as an actor). Your creativity expands beyond that and with professional actors to direct you collaborate with them on finding the ultimate piece of business or line readings that bring the comedy home. I love working with non-pros as well to see the progress they make class after class (in my acting workshop).



SitcomsOnline: I have to mention game shows as well. You were a fixture on game shows in the '80s doing just about every game show like Password, $100,000 Pyramid, and Hollywood Squares. What drew you to these and is there one game show you always wanted to do? You are very smart so I can see why you wanted to showcase your knowledge and skills!
Richard Kline: I was a contestant on the then $10,000 Pyramid in 1974 when it filmed in New York. It was always my wish to appear on it once I became a "celebrity" and I did the show seven or eight times. I would REALLY like to do Jeopardy! but I'm afraid I would take all their money!

SitcomsOnline: It is unlikely a Three's Company reunion would ever take place on TV now since John Ritter is no longer with us and of course Suzanne still not speaking with Joyce. But would you do a retrospective with Joyce DeWitt, Priscilla Barnes and Jenilee Harrison reuniting and talking about the series and John Ritter as we near the 35th anniversary of the series next spring? Or perhaps make a cameo in a Three's Company feature film which is supposedly in the works starring James Franco, after his "concept art" short film at Sundance this year (which you screened)? You could certainly still play Larry, I think! But who would be your second choice?
Richard Kline: I would work with James Franco anytime. I think without John, the Ropers, Don Knotts, and a no show Suzanne, any kind of reunion would be ill-advised.

SitcomsOnline: What do you think of the current sitcoms and what are your favorites? Do they compare to the sitcoms like Three's Company and others from that era? It seems more of the comedies these days are going to single-camera, instead of the traditional studio audience multi-camera sitcoms. As a sitcom teacher and veteran of comedy, what do you think?
Richard Kline: Like most, if not all of the dramatic shows in recent years, single camera shows just look better--the digital technology, the lighting and the expertise of the directors. Four camera, video-taped shows of the '70s and '80s had a certain "look" that now can only be described as "nostalgic." My favorite current sitcoms are Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, early episodes of 30 Rock, and How I Met Your Mother.



SitcomsOnline: What is next for Richard Kline? We love your cameos in the Adam Sandler films and can't wait for the next one in Jack & Jill this fall! I know you were in a Fox drama pilot this past development season, you also do a lot theater (like Wicked, City of Angels and November), and teach in your sitcom acting workshop, but any chance of a return to sitcoms as a regular or perhaps doing Dancing with the Stars? Larry Dallas had moves, so I'm sure you would be great at it! You could put on the Larry Dallas fro and yell "Jack-o" while doing a cha-cha-cha!
Richard Kline: *Interview drops pretense and gets carried away (LOL).* Inquiries are in to Dancing with the Stars. I am doing a musical this fall (October) directed by David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) and starring Tyne Daly!

Our thanks to Richard Kline. We are very grateful he gave some of his time just for us! We wish him continued success in his top-notch career. For more information on Richard Kline, continue to stay with us for info and don't forget to view his official website. And if you're interested in getting into the acting business, you will want to take Richard Kline's Acting Workshop. You'll learn a lot from a veteran of comedy! Anyway, stay tuned right here on the blog for continued news and updates for Richard and everything Three's Company!

We will soon have a special Seven Questions interview with Richard's Three's Company co-star Joyce DeWitt (Janet)! I will be seeing Joyce's off-Broadway play on Saturday and we will chat then. And don't forget to enter our contest to win two free tickets to see this play! One of you lucky readers out there will get to meet Joyce DeWitt (Janet from Three's Company) very soon! Joyce is now starring in the off-Broadway play Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage and one lucky fan will win two tickets to go and see the play and meet Joyce after the show! So if you're in the NY-NJ-CT area and can easily get to New York City, please enter our contest on Facebook and let us know why you want to come and see the play and tell us one thing you love about Joyce DeWitt! Entries end Friday, July 22 at 11:59pm ET! So enter today!



Moving on to some news, NBC has announced its Fall 2011 premiere dates, as they were the only ones who haven't yet. The premiere begin Tuesday, September 13 with new episodes of Parenthood at 10:00pm -- following the final performance episode of America's Got Talent. On Wednesday, September 14, the new comedies Up All Night and Free Agents will debut following the season finale of America's Got Talent at a special time in the 10:00pm hour. Both series will then premiere in their regular time periods with their second original episodes on Wednesday, September 21 in the 8:00pm hour. The rest of the premieres are mostly during premiere week (Sept. 19-25), with The Sing-Off launching its new season on Monday, Sept. 19 from 8-10pm leading into new drama The Playboy Club at 10:00pm. We mentioned Parenthood launches its new season on Sept. 13, but Tuesday reality series The Biggest Loser will launch a week later on Tuesday, Sept. 20 from 8-10pm. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, the two new comedies open the night on its normal night and time leading into the season premieres of Harry's Law at 9pm and Law & Order: SVU at 10pm.
Thursday, Sept. 23 has the comedy block returning with season premieres of Community, Parks & Recreation and The Office leading into new comedy Whitney at 9:30pm and new drama Prime Suspect at 10pm. All of the Friday series will not launch until Friday, October 21 with the season premiere of Chuck leading into new series Grimm at 9pm. Dateline will air at 10pm, but it will be two-hours to start the season from 9-11pm, with something undetermined airing at 8pm. More to come at a later date, I'm sure. Saturdays will feature encore of dramas starting Sept. 24 with encores of Harry's Law, Prime Suspect and Law & Order: SVU. And Sundays in the fall of course will have Sunday Night NFL Football beginning Sunday, Sept. 11.
We will have our day-by-day schedule soon, but for now view the press release.

We have a very exciting interview for you today and we also have a very cool giveaway. We have an interview with teen star Nick Robinson (ABC Family's Melissa & Joey) about his young career and his role on this hit ABC Family comedy. We get answers to various questions that you will all want to know about, including if he ever saw Melissa Joan Hart's and Joey Lawrence's other series and who his dream guest stars would be! As always with all of our interviews, it is in Seven Questions form. So let's first tell you a little bit about Nick Robinson.



Starring alongside Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence on ABC Family's Melissa & Joey, Nick Robinson plays pre-adolescent, Ryder Scanlon, who lives with his aunt (Hart) and older sister (played by Taylor Spreitler) after a scandal places their mother and father in prison. Robinson proves to be quite the scene-stealer with his talent for dropping witty one-liners, which is a tough feat in a cast of noteworthy sitcom veterans like Hart and Lawrence.
Robinson may be new to the small screen but is no stranger to performing. His professional career began at the age of 11 when he began performing with the Seattle ACT Theatre where he performed numerous lead roles in plays such as A Christmas Carol, To Kill A Mockingbird, and Lost in Yonkers, directed by Tony Award winner Brian Yorkey.
A native of Seattle, WA, Robinson is the oldest of 5 siblings, an avid swimmer, snow skier, soccer player, and golfer. Robinson also lends his hand at playing the ukulele and is a passionate supporter of muscular dystrophy.



"Seven Questions with Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson"

SitcomsOnline: Hi Nick, we are very excited for more all-new episodes of Melissa & Joey this summer on ABC Family! We have to ask, what's your story of getting the part of Ryder Scanlon?
Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson: Well, I'm from Seattle and about two years ago we came to L.A. Melissa and Joey was only my second audition. We kept flying back and forth from Seattle to L.A. because I kept getting callbacks. I was actually on a flight back to Seattle when I got the call. We had to keep quiet the whole flight home. It was completely surreal.

SitcomsOnline: This is your first big break, so congrats on that! How is it working with TV veterans Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence? What have been your most memorable moments with them so far?
Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson: It was pretty nerve wracking at first, and I didn't know what to expect but Melissa and Joey have been great about showing me the ropes. It's a really great set to work on. One of my favorite moments was on April Fools Day when we saran-wrapped Joey's dressing room door. He dodged it at the last second. We got it on video though; it's pretty funny.

SitcomsOnline: You're so young, but do you remember watching Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence on their previous TV series like Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Clarissa Explains It All or going beyond your age, Blossom?
Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson: I definitely remember watching reruns of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a kid. I also remember the animated series! Blossom was a little before my time but I watched a couple episodes after hearing I was going to work with Joey Lawrence. It was good. Whoa!

SitcomsOnline: What's in store this summer on Melissa & Joey on the remaining 18 episodes of season one? We watched an advanced screener of the summer premiere a few weeks ago and it is very funny, so kudos to you and the rest of the cast! Can we expect some more cool guest stars like last summer/fall, where you got to act with the legendary Katherine Helmond from past sitcoms such as Soap and Who's the Boss?
Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson: Oh yeah, the new episodes have a lot of great guest stars including Andy Lawrence and Megan Hilty who starred in Wicked on Broadway just to name a few. We've been lucky with an incredibly talented guest cast. The new episodes also have some love interests, which was a lot of fun to shoot.

SitcomsOnline: You also get to work with a fellow teenager in Taylor Spreitler, who plays your older sister, on Melissa & Joey. I know you must learn a lot from Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, but learning from someone close to your own age could be even more rewarding. How is it working with Taylor? It seems you two probably get a long very well.
Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson: Taylor and I have developed a brother-sister relationship a lot like what you see on screen. She was my first friend when I came to L.A. and we went to school on set together. She is really fun to have on set.

SitcomsOnline: We hope we have some Ryder-centric episodes in the cards! What do you think would be a good storyline for Ryder? And who would be your dream guest star?
Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson: I think a good storyline would be for Ryder to get his drivers license since I just got mine in real life. A dream guest star for me would have to be Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, or James Franco.

SitcomsOnline: Do you plan on pursing any other acting jobs when Melissa & Joey goes on a production hiatus? Are movie roles something you see yourself doing in the immediate future or long-term?
Melissa & Joey's Nick Robinson: Yes, I recently completed a Disney movie called Frenemies in Toronto. I would love to continue to make the transition into movies. I'll just take it one step at a time!

Our thanks to Nick Robinson. We wish him the best of luck on the new episodes of Melissa & Joey and his career. Melissa & Joey airs Wednesdays at 8/7 central only on ABC Family! For more information on Nick Robinson and Melissa & Joey, continue to stay with us for info and don't forget to view the Melissa & Joey website. Follow Nick on Twitter and "like" him on Facebook. So, stay tuned right here on the blog for continued news and programming updates for this network.

We have a special Seven Questions interview tomorrow as well, keep reading today's blog to see what that will be!



One of you lucky readers out there will get to meet Joyce DeWitt (Janet from Three's Company) very soon! Joyce is now starring in the off-Broadway play Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage and one lucky fan will win two tickets to go and see the play and meet Joyce after the show! So if you're in the NY-NJ-CT area and can easily get to New York City, please enter our contest on Facebook and let us know why you want to come and see the play and tell us one thing you love about Joyce DeWitt! Entries end Friday, July 22 at 11:59pm ET! So enter today!
This will be a fan's dream come true and you'll be in store for a great day or night of laughs, as Miss Abigail's Guide To Dating, Mating & Marriage has been critically acclaimed! I will be seeing the play and meeting Joyce on Saturday and we will have a full recap next week along with "Seven Questions with Joyce DeWitt," you won't want to miss this!
Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage (now starring Joyce DeWitt from Three's Company) is the story of Miss Abigail, the most sought-after relationship expert to the stars, and her sexy sidekick Paco, as they travel the world teaching Miss Abigail's outrageously funny and spot-on tips on how to date, mate and marry! During this 90-minute comedy, you're guaranteed to laugh-out-loud and learn a thing or two...like how to have a perfect kiss (it's all about lip position)...what you should and should not talk about on a date (don't mention your troll doll collection)...and how to let a man think he wears the pants. Let Miss Abigail take you back to a simpler time, before booty calls and before speed-dating...back when the divorce rate wasn't 50% and when 'fidelity' was more than an investment firm! So, grab your girlfriends, your date, your mate (or even your ex!) and GET TICKETS for Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating & Marriage TODAY. The play is located at Sofia's Downstairs Theater on 221 West 46th Street, New York, NY. The showtimes are Wednesdays at 2PM; Thursdays at 8PM; Fridays at 8PM; Saturdays at 2PM & 8PM; and Sundays at 3PM & 7:30PM.
Once again, if you're in the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area, enter for a chance to win two free tickets to see this play! All you have to do is go on our Facebook page and let us know why you want to come and see the play and tell us one thing you love about Joyce DeWitt! Entries end Friday, July 22 at 11:59pm ET! So enter today!



And keeping the Three's Company theme, we recently interviewed Richard Kline from (Larry from Three's Company) and we'll have that interview posted tomorrow for you! See what he has to say about the state of today's sitcoms, if a reunion is possible and if he would do Dancing with the Stars!

This August on TV Land there won't be any regular schedule changes (at least not yet), but plenty of stunts including the season finales of Hot in Cleveland and Happily Divorced. The season finale of Happily Divorced (Wednesdays at 10:30pm) is Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2011 at 10:30pm. The August 2011 episodes are #108 "Burial Plots" on Aug. 3, #109 "Be Careful What You Wish For" on Aug. 10, and the season finale #110 on Aug. 17. As of now, the only description we have is for the Aug. 10 episode: Fran informs Peter that the honeymoon phase of their divorce is over and she sets him up with her hairdresser (guest star Charles Shaughnessy). They hit it off but Fran feels left out so she invites herself on their next date only to realize that the date is more than she bargained for. Before the season finale airs, the weekend of Aug. 13-14 will give you THREE chances to watch all 9 episodes of Happily Divorced thus far. Saturday, Aug. 13 from 6:30am-11am and 4:30pm-9pm and on Sunday, Aug. 14 from 8pm-12:30am, as we get ready for the season finale on Aug. 17.
For Hot in Cleveland (Wednesdays at 10pm) the season finale is on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011 at 10pm. The August 2011 episodes are #222 "Arch Enemies" on Aug. 3, #218 Too Hot For TV (clip show) on Aug. 10, #217 "Indecent Proposals" on Aug. 17, #219 "Bridezelka" on Aug. 24 and the season finale #220 "Elka's Big Day" on Aug. 31. Among the guest stars in August are Buck Henry, Huey Lewis and Cedric the Entertainer. The weekend before the season finale, watch the "Hot in Cleveland Weekend" on TV Land on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011 from 9am-9pm and Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011 from 9am-12am! More info on this will be released soon, but you'll have two seasons worth of episodes here!
The only other item of note on TV Land August 2011 is the feature film premiere of the blockbuster hit Titanic on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011 from 9pm-12:30am. This is the only movie airing on TV Land in August, a far cry from what they used to air, as the Monday morning movies will be removed.

A couple of weeks ago we announced the Nick at Nite summer marathons line-up that start July 4. Everything is still on target, but Wednesday nights (starting July 6) will see some time changes and the return of Home Improvement. Wednesdays from 11pm-2am will be Married...with Children, not the planned 11pm-3am slot because Nick at Nite cannot air the series from 2am-7am because TBS has rights during those hours. So because of that, instead of starting Family Matters earlier, they will just bring back Home Improvement and air it from 2am-4am on Wednesday nights leading into Family Matters from 4am-7am. Previously Family Matters was scheduled from 3am-7am. So, it's not a big change, but it does bring back Tim Allen and family on Nick at Nite after a couple of weeks off. They will remain on TV Land as well on Tuesday nights from 2am-5am. The Nick at Nite summer line-up started yesterday with George Lopez Mondays (11pm-5am). Watch the premiere of Married...with Children on Nick at Nite, tomorrow night at 11pm!

Happy 4th of July to all of you out there! We hope you are enjoying the day off on our country's birthday! It's time to relax and watch some TV on this holiday! We are known for letting you know what marathons are airing on TV on holidays and we will do the same for this 4th of July as well!
Among the marathons we have already mentioned include a Bewitched marathon on TV Land starting at 11am, Hallmark Channel's The Golden Girls marathon starting at 3pm, and MTV2's Martin marathon beginning at 8am. But of course there is more! Some of the other marathons airing this weekend are the Firefily marathon on Science Channel from 8am-2am, Comedy Central's It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia marathon from 9pm-12am, GMC's The Waltons marathon from 10am-11pm, ABC Family's Switched at Birth catch-up marathon from 3pm-7pm, Oxygen's Roseanne marathon from 6am-6pm, TV One's Love That Girl marathon from 12pm-9pm, One Tree Hill marathon on SOAPnet from 11am-6pm, Chiller's Harper's Island marathon 11am-5pm, ION's Criminal Minds marathon 9pm-1amm, another The Golden Girls marathon but on WE tv from 8pm-1am, USA Network has a marathon of Royal Pains today starting at 6pm and it won't be a 4th of July without The Twilight Zone marathon on Syfy from 8am-4am!
Other notables include A&E's Hoarders marathon starting at 7am, Law & Order marathon on TNT beginning at 12 noon, a 24-hour marathon of Murder She Wrote on Hallmark Movie Channel starting at 6am, and a Cake Boss marathon TLC. Firweworks in primetime are on NBC (Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular) at 9pm and CBS (The Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular) at 10pm.
Our friends at TV Tango have compiled a FULL LIST of marathons today! Bring out your lawn chair, throw some burgers on the BBQ, and watch some television. TV Tango has your complete guide to Independence-Day themed programming as well as series and movie marathons on TV for the entire Fourth of July Weekend.

Summer has started so we will be back with our normal weekly ratings report with the first four nights numbers and analysis in the fall, but we still will have our regular how the sitcoms did all summer long! Here are our summer ratings:

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of June 20-26)

• American Dad! (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 7pm did 1.44 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, which was very poor and down some from previous week. A second repeat in the later airing of 9:30pm did 3.19 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, basically on par week-to-week.
  
• The Simpsons (Fox) - A repeat at 8pm did 2.77 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Pretty low.
  
• Bob's Burgers (Fox) - A repeat at 7:30pm did just 1.53 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, on par really from previous week but I think it is the loser of the block again because it cannot build from the 7pm lead-in.
• Family Guy (Fox) - A repeat at 9pm did 3.63 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, the best of the block again and on par with previous week. Even being the best of the block, this is a below normal performance for this series.
  
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A repeat at 8:30pm did 2.83 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, down some from previous week.

Summer Week 5 (June 27-July 3)

Monday Sitcoms

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) 2 airings - 4.15 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating for a repeat in its normal slot was on par with previous week. A repeat at 8:30pm did 3.84 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, down some week-to-week.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 6.09 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating for a repeat is still considerably lower than its ratings from last summer and down some from previous week.
  
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - 5.59 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating for a repeat, is again down some from previous week.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Raising Hope (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 9pm did 2.01 million and only a 0.8 18-49 rating, down from previous week. A second repeat at 9:30pm did just as bad with 2.11 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, and also down from previous week.
  

Wednesday Sitcoms

• The Middle (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm did 3.61 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, its lowest rating of the summer so far. The 8:30pm repeat went up to 3.9 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, and that was on par with previous week.
• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat at 9pm did 4.37 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, down some from previous week.
  
• Happy Endings (ABC) - A repeat at 9:30pm did 2.72 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, down a tad week-to-week
  

Thursday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A repeat did 6.73 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, which has been around the levels it has been doing this summer.
• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - A repeat of this comedy followed at 8:30pm with 5.02 million and 1.1 18-49 rating, which could be better.
  
• Community (NBC) - A repeat only did 2.04 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, which is not good at all.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A repeat at 8:30pm did only 1.97 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating. If you haven't heard me yet, syndication won't be pretty for this show this fall, as it repeats poorly.
  
• The Office (NBC) - A repeat at 9pm did 2.42 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, best of the low rated block.
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) - A 9:30pm repeat didn't do well, doing 2.01 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, but this is what it has been doing all summer so far.
  

Friday Sitcoms

• None.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Tonight you can catch encores of Fox's animated comedies from 7-10pm.

Summing it up. Repeats of The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, and last week's Family Guy were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as repeats of Mike & Molly, How I Met Your Mother) or just plain old terrible (such as the very low NBC Thursday repeats, Raising Hope).

Feeling the repeat blues? Look for original sitcoms on cable this summer, with the great Hot in Cleveland on Wednesdays at 10pm followed by week four of the decent Happily Divorced starring Fran Drescher this Wednesday at 10:30pm only on TV Land. Also catch the new Wednesday on ABC Family with the funny Melissa & Joey at 8pm followed by week two of new comedy State of Georgia starring Raven Symone at 8:30pm! Loretta Devine is very sassy in this series! Also of course House of Payne and Meet the Browns are on TBS Wednesdays. New sitcom airings is the perfect way to beat the summer repeat blues! Watch them!

[Source: Nielsen NTI Ratings. View Travis Yanan's Ratings Website].

Happy Independence Day weekend and welcome to Digital Digest! We've done all of the complaining that we could possibly do over the past few weeks about how insanely slow the news has been on the home media front, but much to our surprise, we've actually got a busy week this week! We've also got a review of the Warner Archive DVD release of Challenge of the Gobots - The Original Miniseries. Let's get rolling!

Mill Creek Entertainment has been on a steady path lately of releasing "best of" sets of Shout! Factory series as well as their own releases of various series from the Carsey-Werner library (which we'll have more on that in just a bit!) but August isn't being totally left out! August 23 brings many sitcom sets from Shout! Factory from the public domain territory (which means that we won't be reviewing them, but they may be of interest to some fans). First up is The Betty White Collection - America's Funny Lady, a 40 episode collection of episodes of the series Life With Elizabeth and A Date With the Angels. The Beverly Hillbillies - Meet the Clampetts is a 40 episode collection of that classic series. For Lucy fans, there is Lucy - A Legacy of Laughter, with 30 episodes of the series The Lucy Show. And if you just like classic TV in general, there is Family TV Classics - 45 Episode Collection, with 45 classic episodes of series including The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Adventures Ozzie and Harriet, Petticoat Junction, and more. None of this stuff is new to DVD, but these are new collections for those who may not already own the series. I would expect the quality of these programs to be questionable and replaced theme music, as these are public domain sets. Each of these sets will come at a very low $9.98 MSRP, and I suspect that they will be easily found for even lower prices. All in all, it is a good value--considering what you are getting.

But we are hardly done with Mill Creek! They've got an even busier September coming up with their first batch of Carsey-Werner DVD releases! September 13 will see releases of the first two (separate) seasons of four different Carsey-Werner series, meaning eight DVD season sets total, in addition to one best-of set. And each of these sets will contain unedited episodes (although we are cautious about this, because although we believe they will be broadcast length episodes, we haven't heard whether original music will be restored on the episodes, and Mill Creek has typically fallen short in this area). Series in the first batch include Roseanne (season 1 and season 2), That '70s Show (season 1, season 2, and Biggest Hits), Grounded for Life(season 1 and season 2), and 3rd Rock from the Sun (season 1 and season 2). Roseanne and That '70s Show season sets will come at a $14.98 MSRP (the Biggest Hits set of That '70s Show will only be $5.98) and the sets of Grounded for Life and 3rd Rock from the Sun will come at a very low $9.98 MSRP. However, original press releases suggested that complete series sets of some or all of these series will come sometime in 2012, so if you are interested in that, you may be able to get an even better deal.

We knew that the series Modern Family would be coming to DVD for Modern Family - Season Two, it was only a question of when. Now, we know it'll be on September 10. But that isn't all! There will also be a Blu-ray Disc release of the set on the same day. Both are available to pre-order now.

Remember the short-lived CBS series Mad Love? Honestly, I don't, because I never even got a chance to see it before it was canceled. But if you liked it or want a chance to see what you missed, it is coming soon to DVD! August 30 will bring the complete series to DVD in Mad Love - The DVD Edition.

Challenge of the Gobots – The Original Miniseries (Warner Archive, $19.95) is the latest Hanna-Barbera entry from the Warner Archive program, one highly requested by fans… or at least a start to that request: the five episodes that kicked off the animated Challenge of the Gobots series in 1984. The Gobots were a popular toy line imported from Japan, produced here in America by Tonka (which has now been merged into Hasbro, the same company that owns Transformers). Many, however, saw both the toys and the series as a cheap ripoff of Transformers. Both featured robots that can change themselves into cars or other vehicles. Both had animated series that ran roughly the same amount of episodes, and both spawned 1980s animated feature films. However, Transformers is the one that’s beloved and remembered today with revival series and movies… while Gobots is largely either forgotten or made fun of. But is all that ribbing worthwhile?

The show’s plot is thus. There are two opposing forces of Gobots on the planet Gobotron: the Guardians (good guys) and the Renegades (bad guys). The Guardians’ leader was Leader-1 and the Renegades’ was Cy-Kill. Thousands of years ago, Gobotron was filled with a humanlike races called Gobings. Civil war erupted between the Guardians and Renegades, which climaxed with an asteroid crashing into the planet. One genius left among the population was able to save everyone else who had survived by building robot bodies and transferring the Gobings brains into them. That genius, known as the Last Engineer, then put himself into suspended animation as the war between the Guardians and Renegades raged on in the Gobot suits. Eventually, the Renegade leader decides to come to Earth to build some sort of secret weapon, and accidentally encounters three NASA astronauts who get wrapped up in the Gobots’ war.

The plot is a little too contrived, and not very believable. The toy line didn’t sell that well either. But the show does have its core fan base, and it is one of several shining examples of the 1980s fad of turning toys into TV shows created solely for selling said toys.The miniseries aired in syndication in the fall of 1984 and was apparently popular enough to generate a regular series the next year. The shows appear to be completely uncut, and even include the commercial bumpers (“Challenge of the Gobots will return after these messages.”) The fifth episode is about 30 seconds shorter, but I suspect that was so it could include an extra commercial or promo for the toys or for the coming series. Here are the episode runtimes.

1. The Battle for Gobotron (21:59)

2. Target Earth (21:58)

3. Conquest of Earth (21:57)
4. Earthbound (21:57)

5. The Final Conflict (21:28)

The single disc comes in a Viva Eco-box, a thinner plastic with certain sections punched out to make it more recyclable. The outer box features the “Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection” banner, along with the show’s logos and some of the characters in an action pose beneath. The back cover has more of the characters and s description of the show’s plot. The packaging matches all the other Hanna-Barbera Warner Archive titles well. The disc itself has a blue background with the show’s logo and one of the Gobots from the front cover. The packaging is attractive, considering it’s coming from the Warner Archive.

This is another of the Hanna Barbera sets with a main menu. The menu features the same picture featured on the outer box, with options of Play All and selecting episodes 1 through 5. The episode titles aren’t included anywhere, but they are listed on the outer box. I’ll let that slide for this five-episode set, but if there are any future ones with episodes from the regular series, that could become a problem of not easily being able to figure out which episode you are watching. There are no closed captions or subtitles. Chapter stops are placed at commercial breaks, a major improvement from past archive sets that either had no chapter stops or were placed randomly.

I’m very impressed with the video and audio quality. One note that’s mentioned all throughout the disc artwork is that these five episodes have been remastered from the original film elements—something no other Hanna-Barbera Warner Archive title can claim. As a result, the picture quality is quite clear, and colors are very vibrant. There is some film grain from time to time, occasionally heavy, but as the show was mastered to film (a tad unusual for the 1980s,) that is to be expected and is actually a bit endearing. The audio, while mono, is also very crisp and clear. I hope similar efforts can be given to future sets from the Warner Archive.

There are no special features whatsoever. While this is common with Warner Archive sets, some sort of featurette on the show’s creation or on how the toys were imported from Japan would have been very helpful, especially to someone like me who isn’t familiar with the show.

Overall, Challenge of the Gobots isn’t a completely terrible show, but the plots are a little contrived and corny. The animation, being 1980s Hanna-Barbera, isn’t always the best either. But I think people who remember watching this show back in the day will enjoy this disc. Transformers fans, too, I think may enjoy it, if for nothing else to make fun of it. The show is definitely a throwback to a different time. Nostalgia fans are probably the only ones who will get a huge kick out of it. Despite all that, and despite the lack of special features, Warner did do a good job of presenting this miniseries on DVD and the episodes look marvelous. Now the question remains if any of the remaining 60 episodes will be released as well. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

(3/5 stars)

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We'll be back next week with more Digital Digest, and we have plenty of reviews in the upcoming weeks... in fact, we have so many coming up that we may even do two reviews some weeks. Look for reviews of Mannix - The Fifth Season as well as Dynasty - The Fifth Season, Volume 1 and Dynasty - The Fifth Season, Volume 2 in the upcoming weeks. Until then, keep it digital!

ABC Family's new Comedy Wednesday line-up premiered to decent ratings on Wednesday. Melissa & Joey returned with all-new episodes and surged over last fall's finale in all demos. It was Wednesday's number one primetime cable telecast in Females 12-34 and ranked number one across all cable at 8:00pm in target categories. And the series premiere of new comedy State of Georgia is ABC Family's number two comedy launch ever in Adults 18-49. It ranked as cable's number one program in the half-hour in target 18-34, 18-49 and 12-34 demos.
Melissa & Joey aired opposite NBC's finale of The Voice, but the summer premiere delivered the series' number two telecast of all time in Teens 12-17 (310,000 viewers), ranked as Wednesday's No. 1 telecast in Prime in Females 12-34 (639,000 viewers), and was the No. 1 cable telecast in its time period in Adults 18-34 (518,000 viewers), Women 18-34 (391,000 viewers), Women 18-49 (593,000 viewers) and Females 12-34. It placed among Wednesday's Top 5 prime cable telecasts in Women 18-34 (No. 3), Women 18-49 (No. 4) and Viewers 12-34 (No. 5). And The summer premiere outperformed its fall finale (10/26/10) across the board, including by 18% in Adults 18-34 (518,000 vs. 439,000 viewers), by 29% in Women 18-34 (391,000 vs. 304,000 viewers), by 18% in Women 18-49 (593,000 vs. 504,000 viewers), by 23% in Viewers 12-34 (829,000 vs. 672,000 viewers) and by 44% in Females 12-34 (639,000 vs. 445,000 viewers). And it outperformed its episodes to date (8/7-10/26/10) average by double-digit percent margins in Women 18-34 (+15% - 391,000 vs. 341,000 viewers), Viewers 12-34 (+17% - 829,000 vs. 708,000 viewers) and Females 12-34 (+29% - 639,000 vs. 496,000 viewers). The summer premiere averaged 1.54 million total viewers.
Meanwhile, the series premiere of State of Georgia followed and also against an extremely competitive landscape that included the finale of NBC's The Voice," ABC Family's newest original series debuted as the network's No. 2 comedy launch of all time in Adults 18-49 (737,000 viewers), behind only last summer's launch of Melissa & Joey, and easily ranked No. 1 across all cable in the half hour in Adults 18-34 (458,000 viewers), Women 18-34 (345,000 viewers), Women 18-49 (553,000 viewers), Viewers 12-34 (720,000 viewers) and Females 12-34 (571,000 viewers). The Raven Symone comedy ranked among Wednesday's Top 5 cable programs in Females 12-34 (No. 4) and Women 18-34 (No. 5). The series premiere averaged 1.32 million total viewers, holding a good chuck of its lead-in ratings.
Watch week two of both comedies next Wednesday starting at 8/7 central! It's good comedy fun with great casts and original comedy airings in the summer if a good thing!


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 July 4-8, 2011, 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, July 4, 2011

• Mike O'Malley (Yes, Dear) - Watch Mike on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric drops by Tavis Smiley on PBS, but check listings for time.
• Jennifer Aniston (Friends) - Catch Jennifer on Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
• Niecy Nash (The Cleveland Show/Do Not Disturb/Reno 911!) - Tune in to see Niecy on a May repeat of Lopez Tonight at 12am on TBS.
• Shia LaBeouf (Even Stevens) - Shia appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Fran Drescher (Happily Divorced/The Nanny) - Fran is a guest on a repeat of The Gayle King Show at 10am on OWN.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

• Lisa Kudrow (Friends) - Lisa stops by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly)) - Catch Billy on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Ellie Kemper (The Office) - Watch Ellie on an all-new Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jada Pinkett Smith (A Different World) - Jada drops by on a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
• Jennifer Aniston (Friends) - Tune in to see Jennifer on a repeat of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
• Kevin James (The King of Queens) - Kevin is a guest on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings. Zookeeper opens in theaters on July 8.
• Betty White (Hot in Cleveland/The Golden Girls/The Mary Tyler Moore Show) - Catch Betty on a repeat of The Gayle King Show at 10am on OWN.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

• Betty White (Hot in Cleveland/The Golden Girls/The Mary Tyler Moore Show) - Watch Betty on a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
• Louis C.K. (Louie) - Catch Louis on a repeat of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
• Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Larry drops by LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
• Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) - Ray stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Raven Symone (State of Georgia/That's So Raven/The Cosby Show) - Raven visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

• Kevin James (The King of Queens) - Kevin continues to make the rounds on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Anthony Anderson (All About the Andersons/The Bernie Mac Show) - Anthony appears on a repeat from April on Lopez Tonight at 12am on TBS.
• Jennifer Anniston (Friends) - Jennifer stops by LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
• John O'Hurley (Seinfeld) - John visits The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) - Kevin drops by The Mo'nique Show at 11pm on BET.
• Jenna Elfman (Accidentally on Purpose/Courting Alex/Dharma & Greg)) - Jenna guest co-hosts The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.

Friday, July 8, 2011

• Molly Shannon (Kath & Kim) - Catch Molly on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
• Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Watch Tom on a repeat of Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm. Larry Crowne is now in theaters.
• Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle) - Bryan chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move) - Jason appears on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly, so check your listings.
• Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development/The Larry Sanders Show/The Ropers) - Jeffrey is a guest The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Kevin James (The King of Queens) - Kevin talks about his movie, Zookeeper, on Today on NBC between 10-11am.

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!