Saturday, February 11, 2012

Digital Digest: New Amazon Prime Content; Busy May for Shout! Factory; Beavis and Butt-head - Volume Four DVD/Blu-ray Disc Review


Welcome to Digital Digest! This week has been a very busy week for news on the home media front, including several DVD announcements and even more content available from the ever-expanding Amazon Prime service. And of course, like most weeks, we have a DVD (and Blu-ray this time) review, with Beavis and Butt-head - Volume Four (DVD/Blu-ray). Let's get going!

DIGITAL NEWS

Amazon Prime, the subscription service from Amazon.com which allows you to get free two-day shipping on many items and streaming video for many series, has announced yet another deal to their ever-expanding empire this week. This time, the deal is with Viacom. Admittedly, many of the series included are current Nickelodeon cartoons and certain awful MTV series that we only ever mention here mostly as a joke (GTL, anybody?), but the latest deal does include the TV Land series Hot in Cleveland (no other TV Land series are included, though, yet). Still, the more deals that they sign means more content, which means that they'll likely only expand even further. We will of course, keep you updated as they continue to expand. In the meantime, you can read more about the current new additions here.

Speaking of Amazon Prime, though, there are other additions that have been placed on there in recent months which we have failed to mention, simply because either there was no news announcement or we just overlooked it. Specifically, there are many cartoons from Cookie Jar Entertainment now included on the service, including the complete series of Heathcliff and Inspector Gadget. You can also find series from Classic Media including Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids and Rocky and Bullwinkle. If you subscribe to Amazon Prime, we suggest you head on over there now to see the current offerings, as they often change, and as hard as we attempt to report them, it is difficult to track down all of them.

News on the DVD front this week appeared to be light earlier in the week, but Shout! Factory had a glut of news on Friday, with the biggest being their announcement for Route 66 - The Complete Series. The set will be released on May 22, but if you buy it directly from Shout! Factory, you can get it a month earlier, on April 22. Special features for the 24 disc set have not yet been finalized, but the Shout! Factory website indicates that it will include Paley Festival panel footage, rare commercials, and a Great Cars: Corvette bonus DVD. The first three seasons were previously released by Infinity Entertainment, with some vintage commercials as special features, but some of the episodes were syndicated versions. It remains to be seen if Shout! Factory will include only unedited episodes, but given that they are likely aware of the situation, it probably will not be an issue. You can order the set directly from Shout! Factory by clicking here, or you can order from Amazon.com (which will ship the DVD set a month later, but at a slightly lower price) by clicking here.

In the wake of this news, TVShowsOnDVD.com uncovered even more Shout! Factory releases, with something for all of the first four Tuesdays in May. These begin with Kojak - Season Four (May 1), and continue with Fantasy Island - The Complete Second Season (May 8), Hazel - The Complete Third Season (May 15), and S.W.A.T. - The Final Season (May 22). Both Fantasy Island and S.W.A.T. are new releases for Shout! Factory, and the other two releases are follow-ups of previous Shout! Factory releases.

It appears that Lionsgate's releases of series from ABC Studios is going to continue in the next few months, with a few re-releases of sets that were already released by Disney. Of note for sitcom fans, they will be re-releasing both seasons of Samantha Who?, which was previously released by ABC Studios, but is now out of print. Both Samantha Who? - The Complete First Season and Samantha Who? - The Complete Second and Final Season will become available on May 1. You can read more about this and the other series that are on the way here.

Finally, CBS Home Entertainment is moving ahead with the classic Robert Urich series Vega$, with Vega$ - The Third Season, Volume 1. The three disc set will contain the first eleven episodes of the final season of the classic series.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (February 14) has more Urkel coming to DVD, with Warner Home Video's release of Family Matters - The Complete Second Season. Timeless Media Group brings an interesting (and rare) release with the early 90s sci-fi comedy series They Came From Outer Space - The Complete Television Series. We hope to have reviews of both of these sets very soon. In the animated realm, we have Beavis and Butt-head - Volume Four (DVD/Blu-ray), which we have a review of today in Digital Digest. Additionally, Shout! Factory continues Rocko's Modern Life, with Rocko's Modern Life - Season Two.


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW


Beavis and Butt-head - Volume Four

Blog DVD/Blu-ray Disc Review: Beavis and Butt-head - Volume Four (MTV Home Entertainment, $22.99 DVD/$26.99 Blu-ray)

America's favorite teenage morons are back! Beavis and Butt-head was Mike Judge's popular MTV cartoon series from the '90s that created much controversy (perhaps the most controversial series that had ever aired on basic cable at that point in time, but has certainly been surpassed since then). After just a few brief years on the air, the series ended and Judge went on to his next series, King of the Hill. But now that that series has come to an end, Judge has gone back to his roots with all new episodes of America's favorite culture critics, and the first batch of these new episodes from 2011 are now making their debut on DVD, and Blu-ray Disc as well. The set also marks the first time that a complete season of the series has ever been released in an unedited form.

The set begins with "Werewolves of Highland," where the boys jump right into the current decade by becoming engulfed in Twilight mania. The boys have a misunderstanding about wedding engagement in "Daughter's Hand." In "Tech Support," the boys get a job (accidentally) that even they are capable of handling. Beavis transforms back into his classic alter-ego from the original series in "Holy Cornholio." In "Drones," the boys cause chaos in the middle east during what seems to be an innocent field trip. The boys decide to make their own documentary about obesity in "Supersize Me." Butt-head realizes that it pays to use the toilet at work in "Bathroom Break."

The entire town of Highland is evacuated due to a train derailment in "Doomsday," but one pair of citizens doesn't get the alert to leave. Beavis and Butt-head turn to religion when they learn it could get them out of learning evolution in "Dumb Design." Beavis has a little accident while trying to photocopy his rear-end in "Copy Machine." Beavis and Butt-head become bounty hunters (with poor results) in "Bounty Hunters." In "Massage," the duo decides that they want their own massage parlor. The boys learn that an abortion clinic isn't quite what they think it is in "Whorehouse." The season ends with "Going Down," where Beavis and Butt-head get trapped in an elevator.

The episode included, with runtimes, are as follows:
1. "Werewolves of Highland/Crying" (21:01)
2. "Daughter's Hand/Tech Support" (20:51)
3. "Holy Cornholio" (21:25)
4. "Drones" (21:02)
5. "Supersize Me/Bathroom Break" (20:43)
6. "The Rat/Spill" (20:39)
7. "Doomsday/Dumb Design" (21:04)
8. "Copy Machine/Holding" (20:53)
9. "Used Car/Bounty Hunters" (21:19)
10. "Time Machine/Massage" (20:32)
11. "School Test/Snitchers" (21:23)
12. "Whorehouse/Going Down" (21:03)

Both the DVD and Blu-ray come in very similar (and basic) packaging, using standard cases for their respective formats. On the cover, there is a picture of Beavis and Butt-head with a red background, and nothing more. The back of the case has a photo of both of them on the sofa and a VERY brief description of the set. Inside the case, you'll find the discs, which have a black outline photo of Beavis and Butt-head. The Blu-ray disc only has one disc, but the DVD has two discs, with episodes 1-6 on Disc 1, and episodes 7-12 on Disc 2. The Blu-ray disc also has an insert with the disclaimer that the episodes are presented in their original 4x3 aspect ratio, which we'll discuss a bit more in a minute.

Despite one set being a DVD and the other being a Blu-ray, the menus on each respective set aren't that much different. The main menu has a split screen, with still photos on one side of the screen, and video on the other side of the screen. The theme song plays in the background. The options on the main menu include Play All, Episodes, Special Features (Blu-ray and Disc 2 of the DVD), and Set Up (Blu-ray only). Selecting Episodes will take you to a submenu on the DVD set where you can view four episodes per screen, with two still photo per full episode (one corresponding to each half of the episode). The Blu-ray set isn't much different, except it places these as a pop-up menu over the main menu. Special Features are presented the same way that the episodes are presented on both the DVD and Blu-ray. Set Up, which is only on the Blu-ray set, allows you to turn on English subtitles. Chapters are placed throughout all of the episodes on both sets.

The video and audio quality on both releases is excellent, and in fact, this is where I want to make a rare and unusual rant about making a series available on both DVD and Blu-ray. The animation on this series is not really what I would consider to be high-definition. In fact, the episodes on both sets are presented in full-screen, as they aired on MTV. In looking at this set, I'm not sure where the need existed for a Blu-ray release of the set. The DVD is perfectly adequate, and the Blu-ray just seems to be completely unnecessary. Blu-ray releases, if the format is to thrive, should be reserved for series where it'll actually make a difference. This release does not give Blu-ray that opportunity. In any event, everything seems to be fine about the video and audio quality, and as mentioned, the episodes are presented in full-screen. The DVD set includes closed-captioning for the episodes, while the Blu-ray includes English subtitles.

There are a few meager special features on the set, though they honestly weren't that great, with the exception of the first one. That one is "2011 San Diego Comic-Con Panel" (19:15), which, if you've seen these on the many releases of other series (primarily Fox series), you'll know that these are excellent to watch. They give a nice behind-the-scenes insight with those involved with the series. Beavis & Butt-Head interruptions was just plain painful to watch. These are just promotional pieces featuring the boys talking on the phone to cast members of (I hate saying the name of this show) Jersey Shore. The runtimes for these are 1:05, 0:55, 0:51, and 1:59. My advice? Don't even watch them. Finally, there is a "Silence Your Cell Phone" clip (0:17), reminding people to turn off their cell phones at the movies. I'm guessing that this must run before some movies in some theaters, but personally I've never seen it.

For fans of the series, old and new, this set is definitely worth owning. I'm certainly glad that the series is back on the air, and in my opinion, it is actually still a decent show to watch, although it is unfortunate that they do less music critiquing now. It is also great to see that this series is available as a complete and unedited season for the first time ever. It is too bad, though, that we will likely never see this treatment for the earlier episodes of the series, and are stuck with only having 2/3 of the cartoons and nearly none of the music videos. I feel that the DVD set of this release is perhaps better than the Blu-ray, because this series doesn't have anything to offer with Blu-ray. But then again, the Blu-ray isn't that much more expensive for this set. In any event, the Great Cornholio commands you to pick this DVD (or Blu-ray, if you insist) up today!

(4/5 stars)

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

To purchase the Blu-ray release, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page


CLICK OF THE WEEK

I Love TV Intros (www.ilovetvintros.com) - Love is in the air with Valentine's Day coming up in just a few days, and we really planned to bring you a great Honeymooners website as the Click of the Week... but that was thwarted because it turns out that the original pick has malware all over the website (likely unbeknownst to the webmaster). But since we don't have that pick, we've got a great follow-up to the WaveThemes.org, the site that we brought you last week. Suppose, for a moment, that you want more than just a WAV file of a theme song from a series, and instead, want full video openings instead. Well, you COULD do a frantic YouTube search, or you could check out I Love TV Intros.

I Love TV Intros is a very simple website with one mission: to bring you video clips of various TV series from all eras, with a no-frills design. You can go through the website using the alphabetic listing or view series listed by era, and get a list of many different TV series, with video clips of the opening credits playing as soon as you click on the series title. It really is as simple as that. It isn't a bloated website with advertisements everywhere, or a website that will cause your computer to constantly crash (at least it didn't for me). While there are many different series represented here, it is, of course, far from inclusive of a lot of series. And one big drawback is the lack of multiple versions of theme songs for many series. But still, you will find just about every popular TV series here, many less popular series, and some you've never even heard of, and it is all represented in a nice and organized fashion.

That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!

Friday, February 10, 2012

Nick at Nite Valentine's Day Stunt; Sitcom Stars On Talk Shows (Week of February 13, 2012)


Cougar Town

Spend Valentine's Day night with Nick at Nite on Tuesday, Feb. 14, as Nick at Nite brings you Valentine's Day-themed episodes of its hit sitcoms. The stunt will air from 8pm-12am with some encores later in the night. Nick at Nite is hopelessly devoted to love, so it will bring you episodes of Friends, That 70's Show and George Lopez. Buried in late night will be the Valentine's Day episode of Everybody Hates Chris appropriately titled "Everybody Hates Valentine's Day," as Nick at Nite is burying it in late night at approx 2am. While we get two episodes in this stunt of That '70s Show and George Lopez, they do encore later in the night in their encore time periods (12-1am and 2:30-3:30am, respectively). Friends will get four Valentine's/love themed episodes in the stunt (9-10pm and 11pm-12am).
And I have to mention it, watch Friends star Courteney Cox on the third season premiere of Cougar Town on Valentine's Day night at 8:30pm on ABC. I will be headed to the premiere screening at the Paley Center tomorrow in New York City, so if you have any questions you want me to ask Courteney or the cast, please tweet us @SitcomsOnline and we'll see what we can do! Stay tuned for a report from the event, some pictures and possibly live tweeting.


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, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of February 13-17, 2012, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVR's (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, February 13, 2012
  • Adam Pally (Happy Endings) - Watch Adam on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
  • David Alan Grier (Life with Bonnie/DAG/Damon) - David drops by Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
  • Christa Miller (Cougar Town/Scrubs/The Drew Carey Show) - Christa is a guest on Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
  • Busy Philipps (Cougar Town) - Busy dishes on the new season of Cougar Town (returning February 14 at 8:30pm ET/PT on ABC) on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
  • Jerry O'Connell (Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Jerry visits Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
  • Mario Cantone (Sex and the City) - Mario chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Florence Henderson (The Brady Bunch) - Florence guest co-hosts The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
  • Courteney Cox (Cougar Town/Friends) and Josh Hopkins (Cougar Town) - Courteney visits ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am. Courteney and Josh chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. Cougar Town returns Tuesday at 8:30pm ET-PT on ABC.
  • Kevin Nealon (Weeds) - Kevin is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
  • Raven-SymonĂ© (That's So Raven/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/The Cosby Show) - Raven talks about her personal weight-loss journey and shares tips for single girls on Valentine’s Day on ABC's The Revolution at 2pm ET/1pm PT/CT.
  • Jerry O'Connell (Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Jerry appears on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
  • Penny Marshall (Laverne & Shirley) - The Rosie Show airs a repeat of a tribute to Penny Marshall at 7pm on OWN.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
  • Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) - Watch Jon on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
  • The cast of Hot in Cleveland) - The ladies of Hot in Cleveland will be on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
  • Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly) - Catch Billy on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Brandy (The Game/Moesha) - Brandy is a musical guest The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development/The Larry Sanders Show/The Ropers) - Jeffrey stops by the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Maya Rudolph (Up All Night) - Maya visits Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
  • Tracy Morgan (30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
  • Lisa Kudrow (Friends) - Lisa appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Friday, February 17, 2012
  • Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Watch Margaret on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
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!

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Hallmark Channel Acquires Mary Tyler Moore Show In April 2012; ABC Family Orders Original Drama From Gilmore Girls Creator


The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and "love is all around" as The Hallmark Channel has acquired the rights to the classic CBS '70s sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show! Who can turn the world on with her smile? Only the great Mary Tyler Moore can, along with the help of the rest of the brilliant cast: Betty White, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Ted Knight, Ed Asner, Gavin McLeod, and Georgia Engel. The series of course was about Mary Richards who was jilted by her fiancé, so she moves to Minneapolis and eventually winds up as Associate Producer of The Six O'Clock News. She also befriends her new neighbor, Rhoda Morgenstern, with whom she is initially at odds.
While Valentine's Day is next week, Hallmark will not premiere the classic sitcom until Sunday, April 1, 2012. The series will premiere with a marathon on Sunday, April 1 (and no, we're not foolin') with an all-day marathon. Details are still to come, but the marathon will also feature the 2000 ABC Monday Night TV movie Mary & Rhoda, starring Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper. In the movie, Mary Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern find themselves alone after the death of Mary's husband and Rhoda's divorce. Both have relocated to New York City and try to jumpstart their dormant careers and reconnect with their daughters. Currently, the classic sitcom airs on the digital network MeTV Network and on cable on FamilyNet, so Hallmark's rights are not exclusive.
Hallmark Channel recently added The Bob Newhart Show to its schedule (started in mornings, now in late night), so it looks like they are adding classic sitcoms (both this and Mary Tyler Moore Show are MTM Enterprises sitcoms). We can't reveal the April 2012 schedule just yet, but stay with us in the coming weeks to see if The Mary Tyler Moore Show does indeed "make it after all" on the regular schedule after this marathon event. More details on the marathon are still to come, too, so stay tuned. You're gonna make it after all!


ABC Family continues to expand its original programming slate, giving the greenlight to the new drama series Bunheads (working title). Executive-produced by Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls) and headlined by Tony Award®-winning actor Sutton Foster, Bunheads is the tale of a Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries a man, moves to his sleepy coastal town, and takes an uneasy role at her new mother-in-law's dance school. Bunheads joins ABC Family's recently announced new original sitcom Baby Daddy and original reality series Beverly Hills Nannies. All three series will begin production in Spring 2012. More details will come, such as more casting and when it will premiere. Stay with us!

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Nick at Nite Splits Up Friends Block; MeTV Network Valentine's Day Marathon, Also Acquires Classic Specials for Easter and Passover


Friends

On Monday Nick at Nite altered their schedule a bit with the most notable change being the weeknight two-hour Friends block from 11pm-1am being split up now to 9-10pm and 11pm-12am. George Lopez airs in between now in the 10pm hour, as it moved back to the hour from 9pm. Nick at Nite keeps trying to move it to 9pm but it keeps coming back to 10pm where it has done historic ratings for them ever since it joined the Nick at Nite line-up over 4 years ago. Elsewhere, That '70s Show is now kicking-off the Nick at Nite block in the 8pm hour, replacing My Wife & Kids. As mentioned an hour each Friends, George Lopez and more Friends airs from 9pm-12am. That '70s Show then airs again in the 12am hour, as it was airing in the 1am hour previously. Now in the 1am hour, The Nanny has returned to a decent hour on Nick at Nite, as it had been only airing in the 5am hour. At 2am, a half-hour of Everybody Hates Chris remains, but then back-to-back George Lopez encores earlier now, replacing My Wife & Kids at 2:30am & 3am. Not to worry, My Wife & Kids airs immediately after at 3:30am and 4am. So it switched with George Lopez's encore. Then at approx. 4:30am, Home Improvement has returned to Nick at Nite with an airing (it will still remain on TV Land, too). Then at approx. 5am, an airing of The Nanny follows leading into the 6-7am hour of Family Matters still. All times on Nick at Nite are approx. after 12am, as they go off-the-clock.
So there you have it, the Nick at Nite weeknight changes. As of now, the weekend line-up is the same as it has been, but that could change. If anything major happens, we'll let you know as soon as we know.


Love is in the air on MeTV Network! On Saturday, February 12, and Valentine's Day itself (Tuesday, February 14, 2012), MeTV is the place for classic television lovers! Two days are lined up with the best Valentine's Day and romance-themed episodes from their collection of 'beloved' series. MeTV found some of the best love-related and romance-themed episodes from each of series featured in this special marathon, all while keeping the network regular program schedule in place. The love and romance begins on Sunday at 11am with The Brady Bunch and will continue with Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, That Girl, The Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy, and M*A*S*H. On Tuesday, we get a bit more series which includes many dramas, too. It starts bright and early at 5am ET with Gomer Pyle and Dobie Gillis and other series follow like Perry Mason and Kojak. Who loves ya baby, indeed! Watch a promo.
On Sunday, April 8, 2012, MeTV Network will celebrate Easter and Passover with the broadcast of two holiday specials, Here Comes Peter Cottontail and Lamb Chop's Passover Special. Rankin/Bass debuted Here Comes Peter Cottontail in 1971 and it is one of the season's most entertaining and must-see Easter classic specials. Lamb Chop's Passover Special, which originally aired in 1996, tells the story of Passover and explains the traditions surrounding the holiday. Here Comes Peter Cottontail will air Sunday, April 8 at 6pm with Lamb Chop's Passover Special immediately following at 7pm.
As mentioned before, MeTV is pleased to work with Broadcast Partners LLC and Classic Media Library to bring programming for the whole family to the Network and have the ability to produce holiday specials such as these with the new additions of Gumby, Mr. Magoo, He-Man and She-Ra to the MeTV library. Stay with us for any other MeTV Network updates, such as what they are known for, classic TV sitcoms and dramas, such as M*A*S*H, Perry Mason, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Bob Newhart Show, That Girl, Gunsmoke, the original Star Trek and Hawaii Five-O series.

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Reba Returns To Lifetime On Tuesdays; NBC Schedules Awake, Dumps The Firm To Saturdays


Reba

Lifetime will bring back Reba to its schedule after just a few weeks off. As we reported, it has been off the schedule since Jan. 30 but will now return next Tuesday (Feb. 14). The sitcom will air once a week in a block from 4-7pm on Tuesday afternoons. How I Met Your Mother currently airs weekdays from 4-5pm, so now it will be preempted on Tuesdays for Reba. From 5-7pm, Reba will replace two airings of Wife Swap, which will shift to Mondays.
Original series wise, Lifetime will launch season six of Army Wives on Sunday, March 4 at 9pm, as 13 all-new episodes will air. Then at 10pm on Sunday, March 4, Lifetime will premiere the second season of Coming Home. Eight episodes have been ordered. The series will move to Fridays at 10pm starting March 23 (following America's Most Wanted at 9pm). It is unclear what will air at 10pm starting March 25, but a good guess is the new series The Client List starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. The new drama has an episode order of ten episodes and would line it up to end at the same time as Army Wives, as that series will be three episodes ahead. As for The Client List, here is what it is about, if you didn't know:
From Executive Producer and starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Client List is about a Texas housewife, who, after being deserted by her husband, is left in deep financial straits and takes a job at a seemingly traditional day spa in a neighboring town. The series will follow her as she delicately balances two starkly different lives -- one as a single mom in a conservative town struggling to provide for her family and the other as a savvy and ambitious businesswoman working with a rowdy, sexy and unpredictable group of women. The series is a follow-up to the high-rated Lifetime TV movie, which aired in July 2010, but is not a direct continuation of the film's storyline. Stay tuned for an official airdate, but March 25 is very likely!

And finally, late last week NBC made an immediate schedule change that will take in effect this week. NBC will premiere its intriguing new drama Awake on Thursday, March 1 at 10:00pm ET/PT, starring Jason Isaacs as a detective who finds he is leading a complex double life that defies reality. The series will continue on Thursdays at 10pm. As a result, struggling drama The Firm will move from Thursdays to Saturdays at 9:00pm ET beginning immediately on Saturday, February 11, where the drama will resume with original episodes until it airs all 22 episodes through mid-May (as of now, that is). For the next few weeks on Thursdays at 10pm, encore episodes of Grimm will air beginning this Thursday (February 9). Yes, encores in sweep.
NBC has ordered 13 episodes of Awake and it should last through mid-May and air every episode, ratings pending, of course.

Monday, February 06, 2012

Fox Announces Tuesday Spring Comedies; TV Land Picks Up Second Season of The Exes, Season 3B of Hot in Cleveland To Air Earlier?



Raising Hope
Fox has officially announced the Tuesday night sitcom spring schedule that they planned back at upfront. The full-night of sitcoms on Fox Tuesday will begin Tuesday, March 6. First up, second year comedy Raising Hope will move to a new time of 8:00pm for five weeks. Then at 8:30pm will be the return of multi-camera sitcom I Hate My Teenage Daughter for five weeks. For Raising Hope, two episodes will remain to air after these five weeks, so Fox could use them on another night when needed. For I Hate My Teenage Daughter, only four episodes have aired and after these five air, nine of the thirteen would have aired. Fox could also air the remaining four episodes of this season if needed on another night. The two comedies will replace Glee, which will go on a seven week break after its Feb. 21 airing. A special American Idol will air on the last Tuesday of February sweep on Feb. 28. Glee will return to the Fox line-up on Tuesday, April 10 until the end of the season for its final seven episodes of the season.
At 9pm, Fox will keep its comedy anchor New Girl at 9pm but it will now lead-in to the second season of Breaking In. Fox has ordered 13 episodes for the second season and it will likely air 10 episodes through May 8. Not sure when the others would air, unless they use them on another night or something. The second year sitcom will have new cast member Megan Mullally (Will & Grace) shaking up the Contra Security team. Odette Annable will be a recurring star now as she is now on Fox's House.
Stay with us for any further updates on when the remaining episodes of these comedies will end up airing. As the Breaking In theme goes, "we got your back!"

The Exes

TV Land has picked up its hit original sitcom, The Exes, for a second season. The Exes, written by Frasier scribe Mark Reisman, stars critically-acclaimed actors Donald Faison (Scrubs), Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, Hot in Cleveland), David Alan Basche, Kelly Stables (Two and a Half Men) and Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock From The Sun). Season two is set to premiere in June of this year along with the network's new original sitcom, Have Faith (working title), starring Cedric "The Entertainer" and Niecy Nash. To date, The Exes has averaged an audience of 1.5 million total viewers, earning a 0.65 Adults 25-54 rating and a 0.81 among Women 25-54 (Source: Nielsen, 11/30/11-1/25/12, Wed 10:30p-11p, most current data). Guest stars this season have included Judith Light (Who's The Boss?), Diedrich Bader (The Drew Carey Show), Janina Gavankar (True Blood), Ken Marino (Party Down) and NBA star Amar'e Stoudemire. The season one finale aired last Wednesday (Feb. 1) at 10:30pm.
So what does this mean for the June launches? As of now it was supposed to be Hot in Cleveland season 3B and Have Faith on Wednesday nights starting June 6, but now it looks like it will be The Exes season two and Have Faith? Or will TV Land open a second night of comedy this summer? We know that Happily Divorced season two moved up and will launch on March 7 at 10:30pm, following repeats of Hot in Cleveland. So perhaps TV Land will air the second half of the third season of Hot in Cleveland now starting March 7 at 10pm after just a two week break (the first half ends on Feb. 15)? We're not sure yet, but we'll let you know. We also await the season two premiere of Retired at 35, as that was originally penciled in for June, but is now delayed. If they open a second night of comedy in June, they could premiere that in June as planned.

Sunday, February 05, 2012

Week 20 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did

2011-12 Week 20 TV Ratings (first four nights, Mon-Thu):

Households: #1. CBS 6.5 rating/10.2 share; #2. Fox 6.1/9.4; #3. ABC 4.2/6.6; #4. NBC 2.9/4.6; #5. The CW 1.0/1.6
Total Viewers: #1. Fox 10.38 million; #2. CBS 10.28 million; #3. ABC 6.33 million; #4. NBC 4.5 million; #5. The CW 1.55 million.
Adults 18-49: #1. Fox 3.6 rating/9.6 share; #2. CBS 2.4/6.3; #3. ABC 1.9/5.2; #4. NBC 1.5/4.0, #5. The CW 0.7/1.8

Week 20 (Jan. 30-Feb. 5) Analysis: Week 20 (already?) had lots of repeats Mon-Wed, but Thursday was the start of February sweeps and everyone was new again. The first four night network averages has CBS and Fox sharing top honors, with CBS on top in HH, but Fox on top in total viewers/18-49. But it's very close. And it doesn't matter since NBC has the Super Bowl tonight and will come back and win the week, even though NBC is way back in fourth place right now. ABC follows in third everywhere. And then like mentioned, NBC is back in fourth place but the Super Bowl awaits tonight. More on the prediction of week 20 below. As for last week, week 19, Fox won the week in 18-49, while CBS took home the honors for HH/viewers. Fox was second in HH/viewers, while CBS was second in 18-49. NBC edged out ABC for third across the board in all categories with a boost from the NFL Pro Bowl.

On Monday, it was a Fox victory as usual Monday leader CBS was in repeats repeats again. First, on ABC, The Bachelor started it off from 8-10pm with 8.17 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, just of a tenth from previous week's season high. Added competition tomorrow might hurt the show a bit, but I don't think it will be down much, if at all. At 10pm, Castle was a repeat and did 6.71 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating. New episode tomorrow looks very good and the ending is supposed to be really good. Tune in. For CBS, How I Met Your Mother was a repeat doing 7.23 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, which is a solid and up some from previous week's encore. Then a repeat of the breakout hit 2 Broke Girls followed doing a better 7.82 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, with nice builds from the lead-in like usual and up a tenth week-to-week. At 9pm, a repeat of Two and a Half Men did 10.13 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, which is great and also up a tenth week-to-week. A repeat of Mike & Molly followed and did 8.45 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, which is solid but down a tenth from previous week. A repeat of Hawaii Five-0 was next doing 7.45 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Fox started with a new House at its new time of 8pm with 8.73 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, which is solid but down some from previous week's timeslot premiere. New drama Alcatraz was next at 9pm and did 8.44 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, off some from previous week. It has held up well, but now new episodes will air against it for the next four weeks at least. Can it remain here? NBC started it off with the finale of game show Who's Still Standing? and did 6.48 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week. Fear Factor was supposed to be new at 9pm, but they aired a repeat instead due to the content of one segment, and did just 3.98 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. Few episodes remain and will air as specials later this month on a Sunday. Rock Center with Brian Williams was next at 10 and did a terrible 3.29 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, down 100% from previous week's debate themed episode. Why is this show airing? Leno did better even. The CW was all-new, at 8pm the 100th episode of the why-is-it-still-on Gossip Girl did 1.39 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, which is only up a tenth from previous week. At 9pm a new Hart of Dixie did 1.54 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, also up a tenth from previous week.

On Tuesday, Fox took home the crown again over repeats. At CBS, they had a repeat of NCIS do 13.04 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which was off a tenth from previous week. Then they aired a repeat of NCIS: Los Angeles at 9pm and did 11.13 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. At 10pm, a repeat of Unforgettable did 7.85 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which was good enough to win its time period over other repeats. ABC started with a repeat of comedy Last Man Standing with Tim Allen leading the night off doing 5.52 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. At 8:30pm another repeat followed, doing 5.68 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Not bad, and both half-hours are new this Tuesday, so make a note. Kim Kardashian guests. Then Celebrity Wife Swap had its season finale and did 5.43 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, which was a season low. I think they might have one episode left to air still at some point. At 10pm Body of Proof was a repeat and did 5.19 million but just a 1.0 18-49 rating. The River premieres with a two-hour premiere this Tuesday (Feb. 7)--and I saw it already and it is amazing. The second hour will spook you out! Fox started with a new Michael Jackson-themed Glee and did 9.07 million and a 3.7 18-49 rating, which was above average and the best ratings for this show since its season premiere. Then at 9pm, new comedy New Girl was new and did a solid 7.29 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, as it didn't build from its lead-in for I believe the first time. Maybe because the lead-in was above normal? Still good. Then Raising Hope was new and low like usual with just 4.62 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. It will be moving to 8pm for 7 weeks after February sweeps is over, which will probably break the series. NBC was next with The Biggest Loser from 8-10pm doing 6.11 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week when it was one-hour only. Parenthood was a repeat and did just 2.34 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, as this is one show that should never repeat. The CW started it off with a new 90210 and did 1.38 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, not good but on par with previous week. Then at 9pm, Ringer returned with a new episode and did 1.4 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, not good.

Wednesday it was Fox with the win again with Idol leading the way over repeats. First, CBS started the night off with the annual Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials doing 8.58 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is solid. Then at 9pm, a repeat of Criminal Minds did 8.18 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating. And at 10pm a repeat of CSI did 7.44 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating. ABC was in repeats again for its Laugh On comedy block with The Middle doing 4.9 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down from previous week. Suburgatory followed at 8:30pm with 4.23 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which was also down from previous week. The mega hit Modern Family was next at 9pm and it did 7.64 million and 2.7 18-49 rating for a repeat, which is good and up some from previous week as Idol viewers fled here. At 9:30pm, Happy Endings was a repeat and did 5.14 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, up some from previous week for a classic season one episode repeat. New Valentine's themed episodes of the comedies air this Wednesday! Should do very well! At 10pm a repeat of the addicting Revenge did 3.31 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, which is on par with previous week and the next weeks are new episodes (Feb. 8 and 15) and they will be big, especially the 15th. Fox aired American Idol in the 8pm hour doing 18.48 million and a 6.0 18-49 rating, down another half a point from previous week and it hasn't stopped dropping yet. Still by far the best of the night. Fox then aired another Mobbed special and did only 7.87 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating out of the big lead-in, as looks like viewers fled to Modern Family. Look for them to do the same this Wednesday, so perhaps Modern Family will be close to season highs? Greg Kinnear guests. NBC opened the night with a new episode of the terrible series Whitney doing 4.33 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week's series low, but this is still not good. Week four of Are You There, Chelsea followed with only 4.04 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week but as with the lead-in still low and it will be facing new episodes of ABC comedies this week. At 9pm, Harry's Law was preempted for a repeat of Law & Order: SVU doing 4.76 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is down a tenth from previous week but just as good as a new Harry's Law. Ouch Kathy Bates. And at 10pm, Law & Order: SVU was a repeat at its normal time and did 5.84 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up some from previous week and won its timeslot against other repeats. The CW had a new One Tree Hill at 8pm doing 1.52 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. Then at 9pm a new Remodeled did only 690,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating, only up a tenth from previous week's encore in this slot. Eeck.

Thursday it was Fox over CBS once again on the first night of February sweep. Starting with ABC, they opened the night with a a new episode of Winter Wipeout doing 5.96 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating. At 9pm, a new Grey's Anatomy aired doing 9.71 million and a 3.6 18-49 rating, up some from its last new episode a few weeks back. At 10pm, Private Practice was next and did 6.55 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating. CBS opened with a new The Big Bang Theory at 16.54 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, great and on par with the previous week even with Idol airing opposite it again. In fact, it beat that show in its first half-hour for the third straight week and did a series high in total viewers! Wow. Then week four of Rob was next doing 11.06 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, down some from previous week. Still decent, but it could be better. A new episode of Person of Interest did 15.1 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, which is solid and a series best. A new episode of The Mentalist followed and did 13.78 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, good for first place on broadcast. Fox aired American Idol at 8pm doing 17.41 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, great and on par with previous week. It's just not a juggernaut anymore. Then a new episode of The Finder at 9pm did 6.87 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, down some from previous week as ABC, CBS were new and NBC aired The Office. NBC was all-new with a new 30 Rock up first doing just 3.23 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, for another series low. Then Parks and Recreation was next doing only 3.6 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from its series low. The Office was next and did just 5.31 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, for a season low at least and possibly a series low. At 9:30pm Up All Night was new and did just 3.7 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, as its not better than even Whitney. What a mess NBC is into. At 10pm, a new episode of new drama The Firm did only 2.97 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, for a series low and now it is moving to Saturdays at 9pm starting this week. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries was new and did 2.74 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, still below normal. Then at 9pm, drama The Secret Circle did just 1.74 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, The CW usual it seems.

Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but ABC and CBS tied for the Friday night win. ABC was solid with Shark Tank, while Kitchen Nightmares was solid for Fox at 8pm. At 9pm What Would You Do? was down, but not out. And 20/20 won the hour at 10pm and the best of the night with CBS' Blue Bloods. NBC's premiere of Who Do You Think You Are was low while Grimm was down. Fox had Fringe do terrible at 9pm and it doesn't look like another season is coming.
Saturday numbers have had a three-way tie for first with very low ratings for CBS, ABC and Fox. Cops on Fox lead the way for the night. NBC was dead last, as the NFL Honors special did nothing.

Tonight ABC's regular Sunday of AFV, Once Upon a Time, Desperate Housewives and Pan Am is preempted for repeats of AFV and The Middle & Modern Family. NBC has the Super Bowl which should do historic ratings followed by the post-Super Bowl airing of The Voice. Should do better than last year's Glee, but likely not better than Undercover Boss from two years ago. But that depends on how well the game does, I guess. CBS has repeats of 60 Minutes, Undercover Boss, NCIS and CSI: Miami. CBS will likely be fourth place though. Fox has repeats of Animation Domination all night.

As for the week (week 20), it will be NBC with the come from behind win thanks 100% to the Super Bowl. Without it, it would be way back in fourth for the week as it had some historic lows. CBS will be second in HH/viewers, with Fox likely second in 18-49... vice versa for third. ABC will have to settle for fourth place. As for the coming week (week 21), NBC has The Voice coming back starting tonight and then part two tomorrow night from 8-10pm leading into new drama Smash, which is a critical darling already, but can it deliver ratings? I think it will premiere decently, but it won't be a big hit after that. ABC will premiere new drama The River on Tuesday with a two-hour premiere from 9-11pm, and I have seen it and think it is great. Hopefully horror works on broadcast TV. Should open well. First full week of February sweep, probably the most exciting week since the middle of November! Enjoy!

Week 20 How the Sitcoms Did

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 19 -- Jan. 23-29)

  • The Simpsons (Fox) - An all-new episode did 5.03 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, which is OK. No direct NFL lead-in to help anymore.
  • Napoleon Dynamite (Fox) - An all-new episode was way down from its two-episode premiere and did 4.42 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating. Needs to do better than that.
  • The Cleveland Show (Fox) - An all-new episode at 7:30pm did just 2.75 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Too early for this series to air, especially following a horrendous repeat lead-in.
  • Bob's Burgers (Fox) - A repeat at 7pm did only 1.72 million and as 0.7 18-49 rating. Horrible.
  • Family Guy (Fox) - A new episode was the best of the animated block doing 5.92 million and a 3.1 18-49 rating, which seems to be the normal ratings of late when NFL doesn't boost it.
  • American Dad! (Fox) - A new episode at 9:30pm did 4.77 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating, not great but not terrible either.

Monday Sitcoms

  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat did 7.23 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, which is solid and up from previous week's repeat.
  • 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat did 7.82 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which is good and up a tenth from previous week.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 10.13 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating for a repeat is great and also up a tenth from previous week.
  • Mike & Molly (CBS) - A repeat did 8.45 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, solid but down a tenth from previous week. The only show from CBS Monday comedies to go down.

Tuesday Sitcoms

  • Last Man Standing (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat in its 8pm half-hour did 5.52 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week. A second repeat at 8:30pm did 5.68 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up some from previous week. Two all-new episodes this week, including one with special guest Kim Kardashian!
  • Cougar Town (ABC) - Returns Feb. 14 at 8:30/7:30c! Tune in and spread the word. Penny Can!
  • New Girl (Fox) - A new episode did 7.29 million and a 3.5 18-49 rating, similar to what it has done recently but the lead-in was higher this week.
  • Raising Hope (Fox) - A new episode did just 4.62 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating. Not good and it will be leading off the new Fox comedy block in March at 8pm, so that's not going to be pretty.

Wednesday Sitcoms
  • The Middle (ABC) - A repeat did 4.9 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, which is below normal for a repeat.
  • Suburgatory (ABC) - A repeat did 4.23 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, down some from previous week.
  • Whitney (NBC) - A new episode did just 4.33 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which is at least better than its series low the previous week.
  • Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC) - Week four did only 4.04 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up for the first time...but still not good.
  • Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did 7.64 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, up from previous week and very solid for a repeat.
  • Happy Endings (ABC) - A repeat did 5.14 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, up some from previous week and not bad at all for a repeat.

Thursday Sitcoms

  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A new episode did 16.54 million and a 5.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week and it beat Idol head-to-head again. It was a series high in total viewers, too. Wow.
  • Rob (CBS) - Week four did 11.06 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating, which is solid against Idol but down some from previous week. I think Rules of Engagement would have done a bit better.
  • 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode at 8pm did just 3.23 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, for another series low. NBC is saying that the ratings were low because of a listings error for DVR users.
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) - A new episode at 8:30pm did only 3.6 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, up from its series low.
  • The Office (NBC) - A new episode did just 5.31 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, as I believe that 18-49 rating is a series low, too.
  • Up All Night (NBC) - A new episode did just 3.7 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, which isn't good and Whitney style in this time period.

Friday Sitcoms

  • None.

Saturday Sitcoms

  • 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A Saturday repeat did a prelim 3.34 million and a prelim 0.8 18-49 rating, better than previous week's comedy encore.
  • Rob (CBS) - A Saturday repeat did a prelim 2.92 million and a prelim 0.7 18-49 rating, on par really with previous week's comedy encore.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are Fox's animated comedies from 7-10pm but animated encores. ABC has repeats of The Middle and Modern Family from 9-11pm on a special night/time.

Summing it up. Mix of new and repeat of The Big Bang Theory, New Girl, Rob, Two and a Half Men, 2 Broke Girls, Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, Happy Endings were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Office, Mike & Molly) or just plain old terrible (such as 30 Rock, Raising Hope).

Saturday, February 04, 2012

Digital Digest: MPI to Finish Lucille Ball Specials; CSI: Grave Danger Blu-ray/DVD Review


Saturday has arrived once again, and you know what that means: it is time for another Digital Digest. This week, we've got all of your regular features, as well as a review of a Blu-ray release of a popular CBS crime drama, with the Blu-ray/DVD combo release of the Quintin Tarantino episode of CSI, with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Grave Danger.


DIGITAL NEWS

It seems like it was just last week--and that is because it was just last week--that the Tyler Perry sitcom Meet the Browns - Season Four was released. So naturally, it is already time to announce the next set, and it has indeed been announced with Meet the Browns - Season Five. The set is scheduled to be released on April 27.

Lucille Ball fans will be pleased to know that MPI is set to release their final release of The Lucille Ball Specials on March 20, when they release The Lucille Ball Specials - Lucy Moves to NBC. The single disc release contains Lucille Ball's last TV special, which featured guest stars such as Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Jack Klugman, and even Gary Coleman, and as a bonus feature, you'll find a lost sitcom pilot that Lucille Ball directed for NBC in the early 80s, Bungle Abbey. We should have a review of this DVD some time next month.

Next month, the classic series 21 Jump Street gets a feature film adaptation in theaters with the Columbia Pictures/MGM 21 Jump Street film starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. Mill Creek Entertainment, though, the studio which released the classic series on DVD, is getting in on the action as well. On March 6, look for the value priced 21 Jump Street - 21 Classic Episodes to hit store shelves. It isn't available to order yet, but if you are really interested in the series, you may just want to skip this set and go for the 2010 release of 21 Jump Street - The Complete Series, which can be obtained for around $20 (or less).

If you own an Xbox 360 and you use the popular Sony website Crackle, your experience is about to become even easier than ever before. There is now "an app for that" (to steal a term from Apple) to use Crackle on the Xbox 360, but it is made even better by the fact that it is able to respond to verbal voice commands using Xbox Kinnect. You can read more about it here.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (February 7) brings no new sitcom releases, but there are still some nice releases on the plate. First, Shout! Factory has Police Woman - The Complete Second Season, as well as Rocko's Modern Life - Season Two. We hope to have a review of Rocko soon. Also, CBS Home Entertainment has the DVD debut of Father Dowling Mysteries, with Father Dowling Mysteries - The First Season. You can see our review of this set from last week's Digital Digest.

BLOG FEATURE REVIEW


CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Grave Danger

Blog DVD Review: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Grave Danger (CBS DVD, $24.99)
by Todd


Director Quentin Tarantino brings his edgy, pulse-pounding style of filmmaking to CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in this gripping, feature-length offering from the acclaimed, top-rated crime-drama series. A reunited CSI team must race desperately against the clock when one of their own is abducted and subsequently buried alive - a diabolical plot that grows more intense and claustrophobic with each new shocking twist and heart-stopping turn. Guest stars John Saxon, Andrew Prine and Lois Chiles and cameo appearances by Tony Curtis and Frank Gorshin add to the suspense and excitement of this unforgettable CSI thriller.

"Grave Danger" is the two-hour fifth season finale that aired on CBS on May 19, 2005. The thrilling story begins when CSI team member Nick Stokes is suddenly abducted and buried alive. As his team receives random demands, they are directed to a website where they are forced to helplessly watch as Stokes desperately struggles to free himself from his underground coffin. The CSI team reunites with a single mission in mind: to save one of its own. The episode has a teleplay by Naren Shankar, Anthony E. Zuiker and Carol Mendelsohn and a story by Quentin Tarantino. All of the main cast members of the fifth season are featured in the episode: William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Gary Dourdan, George Eads, Jorja Fox, Eric Szmanda and Robert David Hall. Guest stars include John Saxon as Walter Gordon, Andrew Prine as Judge Bill "Cisco" Stokes (Nick's father), Lois Chiles as Jillian Stokes (Nick's mother), and Tony Curtis and Frank Gorshin as themselves in cameo appearances. This was Frank Gorshin's final television appearance. He died two days before this episode aired.

The standalone Blu-ray/DVD combo release comes in a standard Blu-ray case. It features a shot of George Eads in the underground coffin on the cover. William Petersen is featured on the back of the case. A short synopsis of the release and a listing of the Blu-ray/DVD specs are provided. Inside the case, Anthony Zuiker, creator of CSI provides a few words on the episode and Quentin Tarantino. The DVD has the CSI logo and a light gray background. The Blu-ray release features the CSI logo and a light blue background.

The menus are similar to what you see on the full season releases. They open with a montage of video clips of from the episode. The show's theme song, Who Are You by The Who, is played in the background. It loops after about 35 seconds. There are options to play the episode, set up and the special feature on both discs. The DVD has the options on the right side of the screen, while they are on the left on the Blu-ray. When you select Set Up or Special Feature on the DVD, it takes you to a sub-menu. There are on-screen menus for Set Up and Special Feature on the Blu-ray. You can choose English 5.1 Surround or Español from the Audio Options. English for the deaf and hard of hearing and Español subtitles are available.

Moving on to the video and audio, the episode looks and sounds outstanding. This is my first time seeing a CSI episode on Blu-ray. I'm very impressed with the quality. It's just a visually stunning episode with the way it was filmed. The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition. The DVD is in its original widescreen 16:9 format. The episode appears to be unedited, with a running time of 1:25:14. Both the Blu-ray and DVD feature English 5.1 or Spanish Stereo tracks. This episode used quite a few songs. All of them appear to be here. There are some memorable ones like Bob Neuwirth's Lucky Too and Outside Chance by The Turtles. Chapters are placed at the appropriate places.

Unfortunately, there is only a single special feature found on both the Blu-ray and DVD discs. CSI: Tarantino Style is the same 17-minute featurette that was previously included on the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - The Complete Fifth Season DVD release. It's presented in full frame video and features lots of on-set footage. Interviews include Carol Mendelsohn, William Petersen, Quentin Tarantino, Anthony E. Zuiker, George Eads, Richard Berg, Marg Helgenberger, Robert David Hall, Gary Dourdan, John Saxon and Mark Byers. They talk about how they got Quentin Tarantino involved with the episode and how it was to shoot it. The cast shares their experiences working with him. This is a decent featurette, but it easily could have been more detailed and twice as long.

Grave Danger is one of my favorite episodes of the CSI series. I only saw it once before on the night it originally aired, but it remains just as thrilling and gripping watching it now. It's just an outstanding and well crafted episode that plays like a movie. It features excellent directing, writing, acting, music and production values. Quentin Taranino received an Emmy nomination for his work on the episode. It was one of the highest rated episodes of the series with over 30 million viewers.

This is a pretty lackluster release for such an entertaining episode. It was previously released as a standalone DVD and on The Complete Fifth Season. We get the same special feature on the new Blu-ray/DVD combo that was on the other set. More special features like audio commentaries or deleted scenes would have been welcome and added value to this release. I'm surprised that they didn't include a commentary on the original fifth season release, but I think it would have been easy to record one now. This set just seems overpriced for what you are getting on it. You can buy the complete fifth season on DVD for only a few dollars more. A "best of" Blu-ray release of 8-10 episodes would be much more popular and have better value. Only the first and ninth seasons have been released on Blu-ray in the U.S., so it would be great to see more seasons released in the future, especially the early years when the show was at its best.

(2/5 stars)

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CLICK OF THE WEEK

Wave Theme Songs (www.wavethemes.org) - It isn't really necessary to say a whole lot about this website, because it isn't a site that brings a full range of everything TV related. In fact, it only focuses on one thing: theme songs. But that focus on theme songs is what makes this website so great. The website is one of, if not THE, most complete databases of theme songs that you'll find on the internet. In fact, there are literally THOUSANDS (no joke) of theme songs that can be downloaded from this website, in a compressed form, and then opened and played in WAV format. The site doesn't get updated quite as often as it did in its heyday (the last listed update was in summer 2011), but it is not abandoned by any means. So if you are every trying to find an audio file of almost any theme song, this is definitely the place to go, and that is why it is our Click of the Week.

That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!

Friday, February 03, 2012

ABC Family Orders New Sitcom Baby Daddy; Sitcom Stars On Talk Shows (Week of February 6, 2012)


ABC Family

ABC Family continues its record breaking momentum as it grows its line-up of groundbreaking original programming. The network has given the greenlight to the new comedy series, Baby Daddy, which is the highest testing comedy pilot in the network's history! We previously mentioned that it was ordered to pilot and now it is a series order, so you'll see it on ABC Family this year! Also, ABC Family is jumping back into the reality space with Beverly Hills Nannies. Additionally, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, starring Golden Globe® nominee Shailene Woodley, was greenlit for a record breaking 5th season, taking it into over 100 episodes. Movie wise, Tori Spelling and Tia Mowry have been tapped to star in The Mistle-Tones, the holiday movie which will anchor the network's well known annual '25 Days of Christmas' event. The movie begins production in Utah in February.
Baby Daddy, the network’s highest testing comedy pilot ever, stars Chelsea Kane (Dancing with the Stars), Tahj Mowry (Smart Guy) and Derek Theler (90210). From executive producer Dan Berendsen (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch), the half-hour series is about a young man who becomes a surprise dad to a baby girl when she's left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. He decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother, his brother Danny (Theler), his best buddy Tucker (Mowry) and his close female friend, Riley (Kane), who is harboring a secret crush on him. Baby Daddy, a multi-camera comedy, will begin production in Spring and will shoot in front of a live audience in Los Angeles. It will likely start airing this summer possibly alongside the network's hit sitcom Melissa & Joey starring Melissa Joan Hart and Joey Lawrence, which is waiting for a season premiere date for season two. No word yet on the other ABC Family sitcom pilot they had in contention titled Village People starring Jennie Garth.
As for Beverly Hills Nannies, it is a docuseries following the lives of a group of nannies working for families in the most exclusive zip code in the country. Evolution Media, the production company known for The Real Housewives series will produce the series. The series will go into production in Spring as well. In the movie The Mistle-Tones, Holly (Tia Mowry), blessed with an amazing singing voice, is all set to audition for the newly vacated spot in a legendary local Christmas group which was founded by her late mother years ago. Shocked and upset when the slot goes to the barely talented best friend of the group's leader, Marci (Tori Spelling), Holly sets out to create her own musical group, The Mistle-Tones. After challenging their rivals to a sing-off on Christmas Eve, Holly finds herself on a journey to the real meaning of Christmas--with some new friends and a new love thrown in for good measure...


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, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of February 6-10, 2012, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVR's (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, February 6, 2012
  • Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope) - Watch Martha on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Debra Messing (Will & Grace) - Debra stops by LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
  • Atticus Shaffer (The Middle) - The young and talented Atticus visits ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am and later he will be on LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
  • Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) - Jim appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
  • Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) - Miley is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
  • Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell) - Mario guest co-hosts The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
  • Jennifer Esposito (Spin City/Samantha Who?) - Tune in to see Jennifer on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
  • Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - Jennifer visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
  • Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Catch Chelsea on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Zooey chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Tiffani Thiessen Saved by the Bell) - Tiffani is a guest on The Nate Berkus Show, so check your local listings.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
  • Christina Applegate (Up All Night/Samantha Who?/Married with Children) - Watch Christina on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Julie Bowen (Modern Family) - Julie visits The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
  • Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea continues to make the rounds on The Rosie Show at 7pm on OWN.
  • Ellie Kemper (The Office) - Ellie appears on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Lisa Kudrow (Friends) - Lisa drops by NBC's Today between 9-10am ET/PT.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
  • Courteney Cox (Cougar Town/Friends) - Catch Courteney on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC. Cougar Town returns on Tuesday, February 14 at 8:30pm ET/PT on ABC.
  • Lisa Kudrow (Friends) - Lisa stops by the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Zooey continues to make the rounds on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
  • Jerry O'Connell (Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Jerry guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly on Thursday and Friday, so check your listings.
  • Will Arnett (Up All Night/Arrested Development) - Tune in to see Will on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Friday, February 10, 2012
  • David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me) - Watch David on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea wraps up her appearances this week on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
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!

Thursday, February 02, 2012

The Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers Reunion Video; CBS Schedules Mid-Season Crime Drama


Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers
At long last the day has come! As we have mentioned a few times on this blog already, including breaking the story first, Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers (both from the long-running hit '70s/'80s sitcom Three's Company) reunited in early December for Suzanne Somers' CafeMom.com web series Breaking Through, and as scheduled, the reunion has gone viral today! We can now finally watch these together for the very first time since 1981--after 31 long years of not speaking or seeing each other. "I'm glad we're going to do this," said Joyce DeWitt, and then Suzanne Somers replied, "I'm really glad to get to know you all over again." Among the items they discussed are their stories from the Three's Company set, shared memories of their late co-star John Ritter and even sang a bit of the Three's Company theme song!

Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers

But enough of me talking, head on over to CafeMom.com (or their YouTube page) and watch this historical reunion! Hopefully this is just the first of many reunions to come as fans are still hoping for retrospective reunion on TV. Come on TV Land or ABC, let's reunite the remaining cast members on television!

* Part One - Three's Company Reunion with Suzanne Somers and Joyce DeWitt (8:39)
* Part Two - Remembering John Ritter (6:01)
* Part Three - The Best Three's Company Moments (7:00)

Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers


CBS has finally announced a premiere date for their mid-season series NYC 22 (formerly known as The Rookies then The 2-2). The series is a new character-driven police drama and will premiere Sunday, April 15 at 10:00 PM ET/PT on CBS. NYC 22 follows six diverse NYPD rookies as they patrol the gritty streets of upper Manhattan. With unique backgrounds, personalities and reasons for being on the force, the new cops will make their share of rookie mistakes while they figure out how to relate to their boss, each other and the people they swore to protect.
Among the stars are Terry Kinney and Adam Goldberg, who were both last seen on the short-lived ABC character-driven police series The Unusuals. Robert De Niro is among the executive producers of NYC 22 for CBS Television Studios in association with Tribeca Productions. NYC 22 replaces CSI: Miami, which will have completed its full run of original episodes for the season. It is unclear how many episodes CBS plans to air of this new series, since it is starting late in the season.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Reimagine That! Talks To Richard Kline About the Joyce DeWitt/Suzanne Somers Reunion; Just My Show Interviews Cosby Show's Geoffrey Owens

Richard Kline
It's an all-podcast blog today! On the eve of pop culture's historic Joyce DeWitt-Suzanne Somers peace summit, er, YouTube reunion following their legendary 31-year estrangement, Three's Company co-star Richard Kline -- TV's lovably libidinous Larry Dallas -- breaks his silence on Chris Mann's Reimagine That! about their reconciliation and offers his insights into Suzanne's contentiou$ 1981 exit from their hit 1977-84 sitcom. The accomplished stage and screen actor/director/acting coach also reveals how he's coped with the loss of his dear friend, Three's Company star John Ritter, who tragically passed away in 2003. As the breakthrough sitcom reaches its 35th anniversary this spring, Kline reveals his previous plans for a stage version of the wacky roommate farce and describes his experience as James Franco's special guest last year during the Oscar-nominated actor's bizzare Sundance presentation Three's Company: The Drama. Finally, find out the hysterical comment Richard made to a PerezHilton.com story quoting Suzanne as saying that "everybody's gone from that show."
Also, host and Three's Company tell-all author Chris Mann offers an exclusive, in-depth historical analysis of Suzanne and Joyce's separation -- including Joyce's repeated efforts to reconcile in the last 15 years -- as well as failed attempts at/missed opportunities for Three's Company reunions from the mid-'90s onward. You won't get this detailed backstory anywhere else, folks! Finally, Reimagine That! resident dream weaver Yvonne Ryba shares fascinating insights about inspirational dreams. So go listen to this MUST-LISTEN podcast from the great Chris Mann! And stay with us tomorrow for the highly anticipated reunion between Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers, as it goes viral! What a birthday present for me (Pavan) as today's my birthday.
(Back in July, we at SitcomsOnline.com also interviewed Richard Kline, so you might want to check that out as well!)

Geoffrey Owens

Next, our buddy Eric of Just My Show is back for another classic TV podcast featuring an interview with a classic TV star! Just My Show kicks off its seventh season with special guest Geoffrey Owens (Elvin!) from The Cosby Show! Find out everything you ever wanted to know about Elvin and one of the greatest TV comedies of all-time. From joining the Cosby Show cast to its racial impact and its historic finale...it's all at Just My Show! Was Elvin really a male chauvinist or what? You'll find out here! Plus, remembering Kotter's Robert Hegyes, John Parr revisits St. Elmo and more in the latest edition of New News About Old Stuff.
So without further adieu, listen to this must-listen podcast with Elvin!


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, November 3

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Not Afraid" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Determined to face his fears alone, Philip returns to school; his family's covert intervention nearly lands them in jail, forcing everyone to confront trust, boundaries and unconditional love.

Lot Patrol - "" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
A squad of security guards patrol a Hollywood studio, wrangling unhinged actors, rogue crew members, and their own dysfunctional lives.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 2)

Tuesday, November 3

  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland/Frasier/Throb) - Andy Cohen interviews Jane on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
  • Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry talks about Hexed and Detective Duck: The Mystery of the Flash Flood on ABC's GMA3 at 1pm.
  • Emma Roberts (Scream Queens/Unfabulous) - Emma drops by for a chat about FX's American Horror Story on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Justine Lupe (Nobody Wants This/Cristela) - Justine talks about Nobody Wants This on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • David Zayas (The Bear) and Dominic Fumusa (Nurse Jackie) - David and Dominic will be on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Awkwafina (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Awkwafina talks about The Unlikely Chef on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
  • Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer talks about NCIS on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Timothy Simons (Nobody Wants This/HouseBroken/Veep) - Timothy can be heard on the Morning Mashup on SiriusXM.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray) The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

11/03 - Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas 2026 Schedule; HBO Renews Youth for Season 2
11/02 - Details on Only Murders Season 6; Haunted Hotel Renewed for Season 3
11/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of November 2, 2026)
10/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Criminal Minds Coming to an End; Baywatch Premiere Date Set
10/30 - VH1 to Bring Back America's Funniest People Starring Ms. Pat; Remembering Barbara Barrie and Patrick Stewart
10/29 - Peacock's Dig Trailer and Artwork; The CW 2026 Holiday Programming with A Very Brady Christmas, A Flintstone Christmas and More
10/28 - ABC 2026 Holiday Programming; Remembering Susan Saint James of Kate & Allie
10/27 - Fox's Baywatch Premieres January 6; aspireTV's First Sitcom Premieres January 7
10/26 - COZI TV's Halloween Schedule with Roseanne, George Lopez, The Munsters and More; Chloe Radcliffe: Eyes Down Here Stand-up Special
10/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 26, 2026)
10/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Reboots in the Works for Coach and Glee; Saturday Night Live Sets November Hosts
10/23 - Prime Video Renews Carrie for Season 2; Remembering Richard Riehle of Grounded for Life
10/22 - Abbott Elementary Returns Big After 7 Day Viewing; BET Renews ComicView: Rooftop Series
10/21 - Charmed Joining Hulu This Huluween; Prime Video's Comedy Variety Series Hosted by Nick Kroll
10/20 - Hulu's Phony Premieres Today; Janelle James Netflix Comedy Special Drops November 10
10/19 - Lil Kev Season 2 Premieres December 9; It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2026 Schedule
10/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 19, 2026)
10/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Hulu Picks Up Reboot for The X-Files; Roseanne Self-Produces New Sitcom
10/16 - Christa B. Allen in Night of January 16th Play Through Sunday; Remembering Sitcom Writer and Producer Bernie Orenstein
10/15 - Guest Stars for Peacock's Comedy Dig; Apple TV Renews Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed for Season 2
10/14 - HBO Brings Back Girls for 5 Episodes; Hulu's The X-Files Picked Up to Series
10/13 - Full Cast for Three's Company Live Reading in New York City; High Potential to Air After Super Bowl on ABC
10/12 - Bob's Burgers Holiday Special on Hulu; The Rookie and The Rookie: North Wednesdays on ABC in January
10/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 12, 2026)
10/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Colin Jost and Danny Chun to Launch Free Streaming Comedy; Paramount/Warner Merger Completed
10/09 - Apple TV Comedy Stick Returns November 4; News from New York Comic Con 2026 Day One
10/08 - FETV Acquires I Dream of Jeannie and The Bionic Woman; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 3, Before Season 2 Launch
10/07 - More Live Three's Company Readings; Lucy Hale is Scarlett Holmes for Roku in 2027
10/06 - NBC's Happy Place Season 3 Trailer; Apple TV's Imperfect Women Renewed for Season 2
10/05 - A Different World to Return for Season 2 on Netflix; Prime Video's Barbershop Comedy Series Premieres February 10
10/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 5, 2026)
10/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: A Different World Renewed for Second Season; A First Look at Ted: The Animated Series