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Welcome to Digital Digest! This week, we've got two reviews, with both Once Upon a Time - The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray) and Perry Mason - Season 9, Volume 2. Let's get going!

DIGITAL NEWS

The big news this week comes from CBS, as they've announced three major complete series sets of classic series on DVD. On November 5, the studio will release the complete series of three series that they've already released individual seasons of (but these new releases will come in new streamlined packaging, and in some cases, include new special features). For fans of sitcoms, there is Family Ties - The Complete Series. Fans of high school drama will be glad to see Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Complete Series. Finally, the classic series Hawaii Five-O comes to DVD with Hawaii Five-O - The Complete Series. We have to be a bit careful for that last one, though... it isn't really the complete series, because it is still missing the second season episode "Bored, She Hung Herself" (which has not been seen in the United States since it originally aired). As usual, these will all include special features that were not included on the original releases, so there are sure to be some complaints! Nonetheless, it is great to see complete series sets.

Meanwhile, Warner Archive has another release coming on Tuesday that is sure to be good news for fans of a classic family comedy-drama series, as they release Eight is Enough - The Complete Fourth Season. As usual, the set will be released as two volumes in one, and it doesn't appear that there will be an option to buy just one of the volumes (but it probably isn't necessary anyway).


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (August 13) is a busier than usual day for releases. For sitcoms, Universal has The Mindy Project - Season One and CBS has Family Ties - The Seventh and Final Season. We'll have a review of the latter by the end of the weekend. Also, ABC has Once Upon a Time - The Complete Second Season (DVD/Blu-ray), and CBS wraps up Perry Mason with Perry Mason - Season 9, Volume 2. We have reviews of Once Upon a Time and Perry Mason in today's Digital Digest.


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW



Blog Blu-ray Review: Once Upon a Time - The Complete Second Season (ABC Studios, $79.99)
by Pavan

The magic is back! Relive the complete second season of ABC's Once Upon A Time now on DVD and Blu-ray Disc, the hit series that boasts unforgettable characters and a tangled web of romance, action and enchantment. The curse is broken, magic has arrived, and there's no telling what – or who – will be unleashed! Now the exiled fairy tale characters must grapple with a flood of awakened memories as they come to grips with their new "reality." Old loyalties will be tested, new heroes will emerge, and vengeful villains will wreak havoc. Amidst the backdrop of previously unexplored lands and a newly magical Storybrooke, love and sacrifice will set the stage for the ultimate battle between good and evil. From Storybrooke to Fairy Tale Land and beyond, experience all the mystery, romance, action and adventure of the second season of Once Upon a Time, featuring all 22 remarkable episodes and exclusive bonus features, this must-own, five-disc boxed set is pure enchantment on an epic scale. This review will cover the Blu-ray disc version.

Once Upon a Time stars stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Meghan Ory as Red Riding Hood/Ruby and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold. Recurring stars are Michael Raymond-James as Baelfire/Neal Cassidy, Barbara Hershey as Cora/Queen of Hearts, David Anders as Dr. Whale, Raphael Sbarge as Jiminy Cricket/Archie Hopper, Jamie Chung as Mulan, Sarah Bolger as Princess Aurora, Ethan Embry as Owen Flynn/Greg Mendell, Eion Bailey as Pinocchio/August Wayne Booth, Beverly Mitchell as Granny, Tony Amendola as Geppetto/Marco, Lee Arenberg as Grumpy/Leroy, Sonequa Martin-Green as Tamara, Alan Dale as King George and Sebastian Stan as The Mad Hatter/Jefferson.

We think the second season is superb and action-packed. The series continues to be a Sunday staple at 8pm on ABC. The writers of Lost has brought this series to us and this is the only show that has even come close to that show since that series ended. Jennifer Morrison is great and beautiful while Ginnifer Goodwin and Lana Parrilla are superb and have great chemistry. The addition of Emilie de Ravin is excellent as well as Colin O'Donoghue. We wish the Emmy's would have recognized this show, especially Robert Carlyle. Every episode has to be seen in order, but I will try to pick the most memorable episodes. WARNING: Don't read the descriptions if you have yet to start the second season! In the season premiere, "Broken," the people of Storybrooke realize who they really are... and set out to confront Regina, who they believe is responsible, while in the fairytale world, Prince Phillip and Mulan rescue Aurora from her sleeping curse, but a mysterious wraith stalks Phillip and he may be forced to make the ultimate sacrifice. In "The Crocodile," in the real world, Belle decides to leave Gold when she realizes that he isn't being honest with her, however someone else from her past threatens her future, while in the fairytale world, Rumplestiltskin discovers that his wife Milah isn't dead as he believed and goes to confront the pirate captain that took her. In "Tallahassee," Mary Margaret and Hook scale the beanstalk to recover the compass from the Giant, but as she climbs, Emma remembers the one time that she fell in love and was abandoned... unaware of the whole story of what happened.

In "Queen of the Hearts," while David lies in a coma, Gold and Regina plan to make sure that no one comes to Storybrooke through the portal, while Emma and Mary Margaret race Cora and Hook to the portal, and in the land that was, Regina makes a startling revelation to her mother. In "The Cricket Game," Regina tries to show the people of Storybrooke that she has changed, but things go awry when she's accused of murder and in the fairytale world, Snow and James must decide what to do with the Evil Queen. In "Tiny," Hook takes David and Mary Margaret to his ship and reveals Cora's secret weapon: Anton the Giant and when they free him, he mistakes David for James, the man who betrayed him in the Enchanted Forest, and goes on a rampage, while Emma takes Henry and Gold out of Storybrooke, and in the fairy tale world, Anton has his first encounter with humans... including one named Jack. In the next episode "Manhattan," in New York, Emma confronts Gold's son Bae, only to discover that he is her ex-lover, Neal, while in Storybrooke, Hook helps Cora and Regina locate Rumplestiltskin's dagger and in the fairytale world, Rumplestiltskin goes off to war and receives a cryptic warning from a blind seer. In "Welcome to Storybrooke," Gold is forced to intervene when Regina comes up with a way to get revenge on Mary Margaret and bring Henry back into her life, meanwhile 28 years ago, Regina wakes up in Storybrooke, the town created by her curse, but soon discovers two outsiders that could pose a threat to her plans. In "The Evil Queen," Regina comes up with a plan to use a failsafe built into her curse to destroy Storybrooke and its residents while she and Henry escape to the Enchanted Forest, when Henry rejects her, Regina turns to Hook... who has allies of his own, meanwhile in the fairytale world, Regina has Rumpelstiltskin disguise her as a peasant so that she can find the renegade Snow and kill her. On the thrilling season finale, "And Straight On 'Til Morning," while Regina tries to delay the end of Storybrooke after Greg and Tamara set off the failsafe, David and Hook race to get the magic beans and create a portal so the townspeople can evacuate, while decades ago in Neverland, Hook takes Bae under his wing and must decide whether to give him up to the Lost Ones or not.

The episodes on this set are all unedited, obviously, with the episodes at 43 minutes. Here are the runtimes for this set:

Disc 1
1. "Broken" - 43:02
2. "We Are Both" - 43:02
3. "Lady of the Lake" - 43:03
4. "The Crocodile" - 43:01
5. "The Doctor" - 43:04

Disc 2
6. "Tallahassee" - 43:01
7. "Child of the Moon" - 43:03
8. "Into the Deep" - 43:04
9. "Queen of Hearts" - 42:56
10. "The Cricket Game" - 43:03

Disc 3
11. "The Outsider" - 43:02
12. "In The Name of the Brother" - 42:58
13. "Tiny" - 43:02
14. "Manhattan" - 43:02

Disc 4
15. "The Queen is Dead" - 43:03
16. "The Miller's Daughter" - 43:01
17. "Welcome to Storybrooke" - 43:03
18. "Selfless, Brave and True" - 43:03

Disc 5
19. "Lacey" - 43:04
20. "The Evil Queen" - 43:03
21. "Second Star to the Right" - 42:53
22. "And Straight On 'Til Morning" - 43:04

Let's now move on to the packaging for this Blu-ray set! We have a thin outer box holding the Blu-ray case. The cover art for both has the Once Upon a Time logo in the middle with head shots of Hook, Evil Queen, Rumpelstiltskin, Emma, Snow White and Prince Charming on top, while below the logo we have a shot of Emma from her backside looking on to the dark sky that is coming to Storybrooke. There is a mention of The Complete Second Season right above the series logo. The cover of the outer box is actually a hologram, so if you move it a little, the Emma looking on shot turns into Hook's ship. Very cool. The back of both the outer box and case has three episodic photos and a nice gallery photo of Red Riding Hood, Belle and Henry. We also have info on the series and set as well, with a bonus features box. The color scheme is purple. Inside the Blu-ray case we go, there is no insert booklet this time on the left showcasing other ABC TV DVDs. Oh well, not a big deal. As far as the discs itself go, disc one is on a little plastic holder that you can flip like a page in a book. Disc two is on the back of that little plastic holder. Discs three and four are the same way in a second little plastic holder, while disc five is on the right panel itself. All similar to the previous set. All five discs are in a dark blue color with the series logo and showscases our beloved characters. Disc one has episodes 1-5 and we have artwork of Henry & Emma. Disc two has 6-10 and we see artwork of The Evil Queen. Disc three has episodes 11-14 and we have artwork of Snow White and Prince Charming. Disc four has episodes 15-18 and we have artwork of Rumpelstiltskin. And disc five has episodes 19-22 and we artwork of Hook. As for the panels, we have nice cast photo that extends onto both panels itself. There is also a disc-by-disc breakdown below the cast photo on the panels listing episode titles per disc.

The menu screen is very cool and great like season one's menu. Blu-ray menus are so much different I think, and they are better than regular DVDs. Background music from the show is playing in the background, as we have artwork of the woods in dark blue (similar to the title card on the series). Each disc has a different item in the woods (Hook's ship, a beanstalk, a dog, a jeep and the clock tower). We have options for Episodes, Bonus Features, Set Up, Season Play and Sneak Peeks. When we select Episodes, on Blu-ray there are no sub-menus, so a pop-up box pops up and you choose the episode with the titles listed. Bonus Features options pops-up all the extras on that disc, including the deleted scenes. The Set Up pop-up has the option for Languages and Subtitles, with audio in English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio or English 2.0 Dolby Digital and subtitles in English, Thai, Chinese, Espanol, Portuguese, and French. Season Play is very cool, it is a feature exclusive to the Blu-ray Disc releases. This feature allows you to never have a problem keeping track of where you are (which episode, disc, time stamp) on the season of the show. This feature prevents you from getting lost as to which episode you were on when trying to come back and continue watching an entire season of a show. VERY cool! Sneak Peaks is just on disc five for The Lone Ranger, Peter Pan, Mulan andMarvel's Avengers Initiative . Disc one has auto trailers for Revenge Season 2 DVD, Castle Season 5 DVD, ABC TV on DVD and The Little Mermaid Blu-ray.

The video is great, as it should be in full HD (1080p widescreen)! This is the Blu-ray version so it is flawless. Everyone should own a Blu-ray player as the video quality is just superb and you feel like you are right inside the show. I have watched all 22 episodes on ABC in HD and it looks even better in Blu-ray! The audio is very good in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. That is the best you can get so you know it will be clear and crisp. Each episode has 8 chapter stops. We also hear the closing theme, as on ABC there are next week's promos playing over the credits. There is not much else to say, and that's a good thing!

As for special features, we have a WHOLE lot here. Each disc has special features once again. We have audio commentary on each disc. There is a warning that lets us know these should be viewed after you watch each episode, because the commentaries contain spoilers. On disc one, we have audio commentary for the season premiere "Broken" from series stars Ginnifer Goodwin and Josh Dallas. They even have great chemistry while doing an audio commentary. They are such a perfect couple. On disc two, we have audio commentary for the episode "Queen of Hearts" co-creators/executive producers Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and star Lana Parrilla! On disc three we have audio commentary for the episode "Manhattan" from Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz and star Robert Carlyle! Even being under the weather, Robert is a class act. On disc four, we have audio commentary for the episode "The Miller's Daughter," from writer Jane Espenson. But wait, there's more! We have another episode with audio commentary on disc four, "Welcome to Storybrooke" from writers Ian Goldberg and Andrew Chambliss. And the final audio commentary is on disc five for the season finale "And Straight On 'Til Morning" from co-executive producer David H. Goodman and star Colin O'Donoghue! So we have six episodes with audio commentary (up from the five we had on season one) and these six are really great classic episodes!

The rest of the bonus features are on disc five. The first one is exclusive to Blu-ray, titled "A Fractured Family Tree" (7:08) narrated by ABC's Modern Family star Sarah Hyland (Hayley!). We explore the tangled magical genealogy behind the series' fairytale family and interviewed are Josh Dallas, Jared Gilmore, Jennifer Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin, Michael Raymond-James, Lana Parrilla, and Robert Carlyle. This was REALLY well done Sarah is really fun to listen to. It's only for Blu-ray! Next up we have "Good Morning Storybrooke" (12:08) this is a Good Morning America style series but in Storybrooke. GMA? No it's GMS! You'll see your favorite Once characters even appear like Belle, Red Riding Hood and Dr. Whale! Then next we have "Sincerely, Hook" (5:22) where we set sail with Colin O'Donoghue (Killian Jones/Captain Hook) and learn more about the man behind the hook! Then next up we have "Girl Power" (13:04) where we enjoy a high impact look at Storybrooke's fearless females as they fight for love and justice between the realms of magic and reality. Interviewed are Ginnifer Goodwin, Lana Parrilla, Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz (co-creators), Andrew Chambliss (producer), Jane Espenson (consulting producer), Josh Dallas, Christine Boylan (producer), Jennifer Morrison, Jared Gilmore, Dave Hospes (stunt coordinator), Michael Raymond-James, Emilie de Ravin, Robert Carlyle, Jamie Chung, and Keegan Connor Tracy.

We aren't done yet! We have "Fairest Bloopers Of Them All" (3:12), which are of course often hilarious outtakes fans won't want to miss. We get a minute more worth of bloopers this season, too! And finally we have deleted scenes. It isn't many as say Revenge has, but still good stuff! The deleted scenes are around 10 1/2 minutes or so. We have eight deleted scenes, which is just off of the nine we got from the first season's set. Great to see stuff that didn't make the show!

I highly do recommend this Blu-ray set for any Once fan or even any fair tale fan. It is such an interesting take on those classic fairy tale characters we all know and love. The show makes you think, and I love that. This is really a great show and I hope you all buy this Blu-ray disc (or even the DVD). There are many special features that will keep you glued for many more hours than just the 22 episodes. The quality of Blu-ray sets is just superb and this one is among the best of this year again. We don't have as many special features as the first season set, but it is still jam-packed with many extras. If you haven't started this season or need to catch-up, this is the perfect time to do so before the new season premieres Sunday, Sept. 29 at 8/7c on ABC. Catch up now! If you're still on the fence then you are crazy. You'll be hooked (no pun intended) I'm sure. Be prepared to be spellbound because magic is coming to Storybrooke in season two but there is no magic needed to order this set by clicking on the links below!

(5/5 stars)

To purchase Once Upon a Time - The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

To purchase Once Upon a Time - The Complete Second Season on DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Once Upon a Time on TV.com 


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
 


Blog DVD Review: Perry Mason - Season 9, Volume 2 (CBS, $45.98)
by skees53

Perry Mason is about to rest his case once and for all in Perry Mason - Season 9, Volume 2. It has been a long journey of nine seasons (and eighteen DVD releases!) since the first volume of the first season was released in July 2006, but CBS made it their priority to get all 271 episodes of the classic series on DVD, and now we have them all! For those unfamiliar with the series, it follows defense attorney Perry Mason (Raymond Burr) as he takes on some of the biggest cases out there, where somebody has been murdered and it seems to be a foregone conclusion that the wrongly accused defendant will be convicted... but that won't happen with Mason by their side!

The second half of the season begins with "The Case of the Midnight Howler," where Perry becomes a witness in a murder case where he believes the accused is innocent. Perry must decide if a woman is a grieving widow or a wronged wife capable of murder in "The Case of the Vanishing Victim." A pro golfer is found dead in "The Case of the Golfer's Gambit." In "The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise." the police zero in on one of Perry's clients in their effort to find a cop killer. A fishing trip is interrupted when the wife of Perry's client is found dead in "The Case of the Scarlet Scandal." The series goes to color (for one episode, at least) in "The Case of the Twice Told Twist." In "The Case of the Avenging Angel," an aspiring British pop star is accused of killing his promoter. A jeweler is caught with the body of a jewel thief in his trunk in "The Case of Tasrina's Tiara."

Two women switch identities (and die) in "The Case of the Fanciful Frail." In "The Case of the Unwelcome Well," a foreman is the prime suspect when a greedy oil man is killed. Perry is on the hunt for a killer who looks exactly like him after losing a case in "The Case of the Dead Ringer." In "The Case of the Misguided Model," a model (Mary Ann Mobley) is at the center of a murder case. Perry has to determine if a new head of a crime commission has gone above the law in "The Case of the Positive Negative." In "The Case of the Crafty Kidnapper," a gossip columnist turns up dead, and his assistant is accused. The volume (as well as season AND series) ends with "The Case of the Final Fade-Out," where an egotistical TV star has a fatal final act. Dick Clark guest stars.

As usual, it seems that the episodes are unedited, with runtimes as follows:

Disc 1:
1. "The Case of the Midnight Howler" (51:58)
2. "The Case of the Vanishing Victim" (51:53)
3. "The Case of the Golfer's Gambit" (51:55)
4. "The Case of the Sausalito Sunrise" (51:55)

Disc 2:
5. "The Case of the Scarlet Scandal" (51:58)
6. "The Case of the Twice-Told Twist" (51:46)
7. "The Case of the Avenging Angel" (51:57)
8. "The Case of Tsarina's Tiara" (51:56)

Disc 3:
9. "The Case of the Fanciful Frail" (51:57)
10. "The Case of the Unwelcome Well" (51:55)
11. "The Case of the Dead Ringer" (51:58)
12. "The Case of the Misguided Model" (51:56)

Disc 4:
13. "The Case of the Positive Negative" (51:56)
14. "The Case of the Crafty Kidnapper" (51:54)
15. "The Case of the Final Fade-Out" (51:57)

The set comes in a standard Viva case, as most of the releases of this series have. The cover has (what else?) a large photo of Perry, and on the back, there are some episode snapshots and a brief description of the season. Inside, you'll find the four discs, and a listing of episodes, along with descriptions and airdates.

The menus on the set are nothing too fancy, and are just like previous sets. There is a large photo of Perry, along with a list of episodes, a Play All option, and a Subtitles option. There are no special effects or anything on the menus. Once you select an episode, it plays right away, with chapters placed all throughout each episode.

As was the case with the previous 17 volumes, the video and audio quality is nothing short of spectacular. Everything looks great in the glorious black and white (except for the color episode, of course, which looks great in color), and the audio is perfectly loud and clear. Each episode has English subtitles.

The special features have been the biggest letdown on these volumes of this series. There is one small one on this set, but it was a carryover from the 50th anniversary release. Basically, it is just an introduction to the episode "The Case of the Twice-Told Twist" (0:35), where Barbara Hale explains why the episode is in color. It isn't anything major.

I never would have imagined that this series would make it onto DVD from beginning to end given how many episodes there were, but it did happen after all. It is very rare to see that level of commitment for any series on DVD. The best part is that a lot of care and effort was put into bringing fans the best quality episodes possible. I don't recall ever seeing any problems with any of these DVDs (aside from the fact that special features were pretty much nonexistent). Now that we've finished the regular series, perhaps CBS can move forward releasing the 30 made-for-TV movies that aired between 1985 and 1995. Granted, they weren't as good as the original series, but I'd like to see the "complete" Perry Mason nonetheless. Fans of the series are going to want to pick this up, and if you've never seen the series, you can catch some (not all) of the episodes in syndication and perhaps you too will want to own this set.

(4/5 stars)

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

Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com DVD Reviews Page
Perry Mason on TV.com


FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Adrienne Barbeau (Facebook/Twitter/Blog), "you can tell this is my official page (adrienne barbeau, actress & author) because i'm the only one who knows my sons' soccer team name."
Claim to Fame: Barbeau had one of the most interest starts in her road to fame, as a go-go dancer who worked for the mob in New York City (seriously), but it wasn't long before she began to get roles on Broadway, and for TV fans, was cast as Maude's daughter Carol in the series Maude. She has also guest-starred in many series, including Kojak, Grey's Anatomy, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Dexter, and Revenge, among others.
Why You Should Follow Her: Barbeau is sort of like one of those unsung actresses out there. We all recognize her, but (unless you're a fan of Maude), you don't stop to think too much about her. But the reality is that she is still actively working (in some of TV's biggest hits), and she even has two sixteen year old twins sons (she jokes that she was the only one in the maternity ward who also had an AARP membership when she gave birth to them at age 51). She seems to be really in touch with her fans, and who knows? Maybe the "biggest thing" in her career has yet to happen.
Pick of the Facebook Posts: "I was watching my boys play varsity soccer yesterday at Mar Vista Park in Santa Monica when a twenty-something young man came up and asked me if I was the actress who’d played Mrs. Neidermeyer on an episode of The Wayans Brothers. My jaw dropped." (March 5, 2013)

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

The MeTV Network has announced its "Fall for Me" fall 2013 schedule which will make its debut Monday, September 2, 2013. Joining the MeTV schedule for their maiden voyage on the network are two seaworthy series: Gilligan's Island and The Love Boat. Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip....and set a course for adventure! Other brand new shows to the "Fall for Me" schedule, as well as the MeTV library, include the slapstick Civil War-era comedy F Troop, Wanted: Dead or Alive, starring Steve McQueen and beginning in November, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour joins the Sunday Night Noir line up. Among the key highlights for the schedule includes an exciting prime time line up, featuring back to back episodes of Gilligan's Island Monday through Thursday at 8PM, followed at 9 PM by the return of Hogan's Heroes. Then, F Troop joins the ranks at 9:30 PM. Each weeknight beginning at 10 PM, see back-to-back episodes of five classic sitcoms: The Mary Tyler Moore Show on Mondays, Taxi on Tuesdays, The Bob Newhart Show on Wednesdays, Rhoda on Thursdays and The Dick Van Dyke Show on Fridays. New this fall on Fridays in primetime beginning at 8 PM, it's the "MeTV Made for TV Movie." Every Friday night, MeTV will present a made for TV movie based on these iconic shows: Perry Mason, Columbo, The Mod Squad, The Brady Bunch, Canon, Vegas, Diagnosis Murder and The Andy Griffith Show.

While there are new additions to the line-up, there will also be series returning to the schedule. Those shows are Hogan's Heroes, The Untouchables, Rawhide, Cannon, Twilight Zone, Taxi, The Bob Newhart Show, I Love Lucy, Remington Steele, The Streets of San Francisco and The Rockford Files. To make room, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, She-Ra: Princess of Power, The Odd Couple, The Mothers-In-Law, The Lucy Show, Burke's Law and That Girl will be off the schedule, while MeTV discontinues the Sunday MeTV Showcase and they say goodbye to Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie (latter two will move to Antenna TV in late Fall). This fall's MeTV schedule has more than 60 different classic TV programs every week. No other Network has as much variety or as many of the most beloved series of all time. Gilligan's Island and The Love Boat were two of the most requested series from MeTV viewers of all ages...and now they are joining the schedule.

View the COMPLETE MeTV "Fall for Me" Fall 2013 schedule. And discuss your thoughts as well!


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 Aug. 12-16, 2013, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, August 12, 2013

• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Watch Ashton on a repeat of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls) - Jennifer visits LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Malin Akerman (Trophy Wife) - Malin is a guest on The Better Show, so check your local listings.
• Peter Facinelli (Nurse Jackie) - Peter joins Carla Hall and Daphne Oz to make a salted caramel banana waffle sandwich on a repeat of The Chew on ABC at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Rob Lowe (Parks and Recreation) - Rob chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Kristen Johnston (The Exes/3rd Rock from the Sun) - Kristen stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Sherri Shepherd (Less Than Perfect/Sherri) - Sherri guest co-hosts a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

• Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls) - Catch Kat on a repeat of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!) - David is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Lisa Kudrow (Friends/The Comeback/Web Therapy) - Lisa visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Elizabeth Perkins (How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) - Elizabeth discusses her new documentary project on a repeat of Home & Family at 10am on Hallmark Channel.
• Dawn Wells (Gilligan's Island) - Dawn discusses working on the beloved show and reveals her favorite memories on a repeat of Marie at 1pm on Hallmark Channel.
• Jennifer Finnigan (Better with You) - Jennifer joins The Couch to shed light on the dark side of international adoption on WLNY 10/55 in New York between 7-9am.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

• Steve Carell (The Office) - Watch Steve on a repeat of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Beth Behrs (2 Broke Girls) - Beth appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Sara Gilbert (Roseanne/The Big Bang Theory) - Sara chats on New York Live on WNBC at 12:30pm. She will also be on WLNY 10/55 in New York between 7-9am to discuss her new book The Imperfect Environmentalist.
• Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory/Blossom) - Mayim vists The Better Show, so check your local listings.
• Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena drops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Scott Baio (See Dad Run/Charles in Charge/Happy Days) and Ryan Newman (See Dad Run) - Scott and Ryan are guests on a repeat of Home & Family at 10am on Hallmark Channel.
• David Henrie (Wizards of Waverly Place - David talks about his project working with comedians Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock and David Spade in Grown Ups 2 on a repeat of Marie at 12pm on Hallmark Channel.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

• Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) - Catch Jim on a repeat of The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Bob Saget (How I Met Your Mother/Full House) - Bob appears a repeat of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton visits Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Debi Mazar (Entourage) - Debi guests on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Jim Rash (Community) - Jim chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) - Roseanne appears on a repeat of The Doctors, so check your local listings.
• Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) - Eric is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Angela Kinsey and Oscar Nunez (The Office) - Angela and Oscar share behind-the-scenes stories about the highly-anticipated series finale on a repeat of Home & Family at 10am on Hallmark Channel.
• Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) - Danica will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.

Friday, August 16, 2013

• Michael Cera (Arrested Development) - Watch Michael on a repeat of The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena is a guest and performs on a repeat of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Andy Dick (Less Than Perfect/NewsRadio) - Andy appears on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Kat Dennings (2 Broke Girls) - Tune in to see Kat on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Kristen Johnston (The Exes/3rd Rock from the Sun) - Kristen is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) - Yvette guest co-hosts a repeat of The Jeff Probst Show, so check your local listings.

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 can't release the Hallmark Channel Fall 2013 schedule just yet, since it starts in October, but we do have a preview of what is to come. As we previously announced, Home Improvement is joining the Hallmark Channel schedule. The award-winning and much loved comedy, Home Improvement, starring Tim Allen, joins the line-up of TV’s classic comedy series on the Hallmark Channel, with a 10-hour Labor Day marathon on Monday, September 2, starting at 10am ET/PT. Follow the trials and tribulations of Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor, the host of the do-it-yourself TV show, "Tool Time," as he balances life with his wife Jill, played by Patricia Richardson, and their three mischievous boys: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). Although he is an excellent salesman and TV personality, Tim Taylor is spectacularly accident prone – particularly due to his personal mantra of "More Power!" - often causing massive disasters on and off the set to the dismay of co-workers and family, leading him to regularly seek advice from his loyal co-host Al (Richard Karn) and his know-it-all neighbor Wilson (Earl Hindman). The sitcom will join the regular Hallmark line-up in October and we will announce the timeslots at a late date.

Elsewhere, The Daytime Emmy® nominated Home & Family, the most unique, original program on cable television, returns to Hallmark Channel on Monday, September 30 @ 10am/9C for its second season with all new shows. The nationally syndicated series The Better Show is coming to The Hallmark Channel on Monday, September 30 as well and will air weekdays at 1PM. In primetime, catch the drama-filled season finale of Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove on Saturday, October 12 at 8pm ET/PT, as the series will continue to air every Saturday until then. The potential new primetime series Dead Letters will premiere Saturday, October 5 at 9pm ET/PT starring Eric Mabius. Then the following week will have a new series premiere following the Cedar Grove finale, Hallmark Channel's Newest Original Primetime Series When Calls the Heart will have a 2-hour special extended pilot Saturday, October 12 at 9pm ET/PT. The series will star Lori Loughlin, Maggie Grace, Stephen Amell, and Jean Smart. And finally, movie premieres include: Dear Dumb Diary on Friday, Sept. 6 at 8; Garage Sale Mystery starring Lori Loughlin on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 8; The Watsons Go To Birmingham starring Anika Noni Rose, David Alan Grier on Friday, Sept. 20 at 8; and The Hunters starring Victor Garber, Michelle Forbes, Alexa Vega on Friday, Oct. 25 at 8. Stay with us soon for the full Hallmark Channel Fall 2013 schedule, which will begin in October with the addition of Home Improvement to the line-up. Since we didn't technically give you a Fall 2013 schedule today, we will be back tomorrow with the MeTV Fall 2013 schedule, which we couldn't release today. Come on back!


The Paley Center for Media will present the 9th annual PaleyFestPreviews: Fall TV on September 6–13, 2013 at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, and on September 7-8 at The Paley Center for Media in New York. Citi has been named official card of the week-long festival and TV Guide Magazine returns for the sixth year as the festival's media partner. PaleyFestPreviews: Fall TV, will feature screenings of the most highly anticipated news shows of the fall season, including: CBS: We Are Men, Mom, The Millers, The Crazy Ones, and Hostages; The CW: The Tomorrow People, Reign, The Originals; Fox: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Sleepy Hollow, Dads, Almost Human, Enlisted; ABC: The Goldbergs, Back in the Game, Trophy Wife, Super Fun Night, Lucky 7; NBC: Ironside, Sean Saves the World, Welcome to the Family, The Michael J. Fox Show, and The Blacklist.

The Beverly Hills location will include interactive panel conversations featuring the stars and producers of new series including We Are Men, The Tomorrow People, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Back in the Game, Trophy Wife and Ironside. Panel conversations will be streamed live globally during each program at paleycenter.org/live. Viewers are invited to follow the conversation and submit questions on Twitter @paleycenter using the hash tag #PaleyFest. Additionally, in Beverly Hills the festival will feature two special programs, a "Fall Farewell" salute to the SHOWTIME® drama Dexter®, on Thursday, September 12, featuring members of the cast & creative team for a screening and conversation; and a "Fall Flashback," Reflections: China Beach 25 Years Later, featuring a reunion of the cast & creative team, on Friday, September 13. Sponsorship for the “Fall Farewell” event is provided by Samsung Smart TV. All programs in Beverly Hills will begin at 7:00 pm PT and are open to the public, with the exception of the Fox program which will begin at 5:30 pm. Tickets to the 2013 PaleyFestPreviews: Fall TV events, as well as to the "Fall Farewell": Dexter® and "Fall Flashback: China Beach 25th Anniversary Reunion" will go on sale to Paley Center Members on Saturday, August 10 at 9:00 am PT, and will go on sale to the general public on Monday, August 12 at 9:00 am PT. For ticket prices and further information on each of the programs please visit the Paley Center website: www.paleyfest.org.

Tickets to the 2013 PaleyFestPreviews: Fall TV events in New York are free and open to members and to the general public, but tickets must be reserved in advance. Paley Center Members may RSVP right now, and the general public may RSVP beginning on Friday, August 9 at 12:00 pm ET. For further information on each of the programs please visit the Paley Center website: www.paleyfest.org. You can view the full schedule for both the Beverly Hills and New York screenings on their website as well.

We usually cover Cloo for their Cloo Classics stunts and they will continue marathons here and there. As you know, Cloo really doesn't have a set strip schedule, as they air block marathons, so we will do our best to cover everything. They key highlight on the schedule is from Wednesday, September 25 through Sunday, September 29 from 6am-6am ET, Cloo will present a Charlie's Angels Farewell marathon, as the long-running drama is leaving all of the Universal-owned networks. Charlie's Angels was airing regularly on Universal HD and had many marathons on Cloo as well. We'll discuss Universal HD at a later date, but Cloo will say goodbye to the series (not "Hello, Angels") with a marathon salute. So join Cloo as they celebrate a beloved Cloo Classic and say adieu to their favorite female private eyes. On Mondays, there still will be All-Day "Cloo Classics" MacGyver Marathons, which recently got extended from 8am-6am, as the 8am-1pm Cloo Classic Sitcoms were dropped. The rest of the schedule will feature the dramas we are used to like Monk, The Unit, NCIS, Burn Notice, House, CSI, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Law & Order: SVU. The only thing regular on the schedule is Monk at 6am and The Unit at 7am on weekdays, and NCIS on most days at 8am. The sitcom 'Til Death is off of the Sunday morning line-up now, as it was airing from 6-7am.

Weekends will see marathons in the fall. There is a 24-hour House marathon on Sunday, Sept. 1. On Saturday, Sept. 7, it's the Burn Notice "Best of Sam Axe" marathon beginning at 6am, also featuring Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe (11p ET). The weekend ends with a marathon of Royal Pains on Sunday, Sept. 8. The weekend of Sept. 14-15 will be catch-up marathons of sister network USA Network's original series Covert Affairs and Suits. And finally the next weekend will be Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Law & Order: SVU for the weekend of Sept. 21-22. And as mentioned the Charlie's Angels Farewell Marathon is Sept. 25-29. So, yes nothing new on Cloo this Fall, but we had to mention the Charlie's Angels Farewell marathon. Stay with us for what will replace it on Universal HD.

In celebration of the upcoming 25th anniversary of the celebrated sitcom Roseanne, WE tv is expanding the iconic franchise's on-air presence beginning Monday, August 12, with extended blocks of episodes airing Mondays through Fridays from 5pm ET until 8pm ET and weekly "Roseannathons" on Sundays from 10am ET until 4pm ET. The expanded run, through September 22, is in addition to the regular weekday airings of classic episodes from 10am ET until 1pm ET, which will continue. Plus, as part of the celebration, cast members from the series will be submitting their personal picks for their favorite episodes, which will run throughout the campaign. Roseanne will also have a greater presence at WEtv.com, including new photo galleries, fan favorite video clips, quizzes and polls, as well as a homepage "spotlight," and an interactive "Top Ten" feature where fans can comment and vote on their favorite Roseanne moments from the series' history. WE tv's social media team will also be celebrating the anniversary on Twitter and Facebook, with new sharable Roseanne content.

Roseanne, which made its television debut on October 18, 1988, is, at its heart, a show about ordinary people who face day-to-day survival with a sense of humor and absurdity. At the epicenter presides the inimitable Roseanne Conner (Rosanne Barr). Her observations on life's little travails, be they sarcastic or incorrigibly honest, unerringly hit home. She is the type who is always ready to charge into the fight. Dan's (John Goodman) the one hauling back on the reins. His secret weapon to disarm her is a sense of humor just as caustic as her own. The bottom line is that, through it all, they truly do respect and love one another. Over the nine years as the children grew, so did the challenges. Roseanne would quit her job at the factory (Season 2) and take several jobs to make ends meet, including a hair washer at a beauty salon, magazine telemarketer and a waitress at the local mall (Seasons 3-4). Working in a restaurant would eventually inspire Roseanne to open up her own diner with the help of her sister Jackie (Lauri Metcalf), mom Bev and friend Nancy (Seasons 5-8). Through the tough times Dan and Roseanne have only one thing on their minds, the welfare of their kids, who mean everything to them - an enduring theme that holds as much significance to audiences today as it did 25 years ago.

Late last week we gave you the FX Fall 2013 schedule and we promised we would give you the FXX launch schedule this week... and we will deliver that to you today! FXX will launch on Monday, Sept. 2, 2013 with a marathon of Parks & Recreation, as we already mentioned. The marathon of the comedy will air from 7am-12am, as the sitcom makes its off-network debut (it will also be on WGN America this Fall and the upcoming new network Esquire). The next show airing on launch day will be four episodes of the '90s comedy Mad About You from 12am-2am. We mentioned a couple of times that FXX will air some older comedies and this is one of them. The schedule is more than just the previously announced How I Met Your Mother, Sports Night, Freaks & Geeks, Rescue Me and Arrested Development. The actual regular schedule will launch on Tuesday, Sept. 3, with the Michael J. Fox (and later Charlie Sheen) comedy Spin City airing seven days a week from 7-9am. Spin City was previously on FX but it hasn't aired in recent months. Then the new acquisition Mad About You will air weekdays from 9am-11am. From 11am-1pm (except at 12pm) will be another new buy with the sitcom The Hughleys starring D.L. Hughley. Encores of Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell will air in the 12pm half-hour. From 1pm-5pm, we get more sitcoms, as back-to-back episodes of Sports Night, Arrested Development, How I Met Your Mother and Parks & Recreation will air for an hour each. At 5pm, another encore of Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell will air leading into Anger Management reruns. From 6pm-2am, the schedule varies each day. From 6-8pm on Mondays, a block of Anger Management will air, while movies will air on Tuesday and Wednesday, and Parks & Recreation rounds out the week on Thursdays and Fridays. From 8-11pm, Parks & Recreation will air Mondays, while How I Met Your Mother airs on Thursdays. Movies air the rest of the week in the block, with originals on Wednesdays from 10-11pm of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League (both premiere on Sept. 4).

In late night on weeknights, the Mon-Thurs talk show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell will air at 11pm starting on Sept. 4. From 11:30am-2am the schedule really varies with a mix of Mad About You, Rescue Me, encores of Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League, along with Arrested Development and Sports Night. On weekends, it is mostly filled with movies, but both days start off with comedies. Freaks & Geeks will air on Saturday mornings from 9am-12pm. while the rest of the comedy line-up are more plays of series they air during the week like Spin City, Mad About You, Sports Night, How I Met Your Mother and Arrested Development. Other notable items for FXX Fall 2013 includes as mentioned the new seasons of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League now moved to FXX on Wednesdays from 10-11pm into the Mon-Thurs run of Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. The line-up will launch after the broadcast premiere of the movie Bad Teacher on Sept. 4 from 8-10pm. The broadcast premiere of Friends with Benefits will air the following week (Sept. 11) into the block. The rest of the month has premieres of Hall Pass and 30 Minutes or Less - all airing Wednesdays at 8.

View the full FXX launch schedule premiering in fall 2013 starting Sept. 3. Discuss your thoughts of the schedule there as well.

Emmy® Award-winning actress Jaime Pressly has been cast in the lead role for TV Land's new sitcom pilot Jennifer Falls. Pressly, best known for her work on the NBC series My Name is Earl, will play the lead character, Jennifer Doyle, in this multi-camera pilot. Jennifer Falls revolves around a career woman and mother (Pressly) who must move back in with her own mom after being let go from her high-powered, six-figure salary job. With her teenage daughter in tow, Jennifer has to face her new life, trying to reconnect with old friends in her hometown and making ends meet as a waitress in her brother's bar. The pilot is written, created and executive produced by Matthew Carlson (The Wonder Years, Malcolm in the Middle), with Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis (Reba, The Exes) also serving as executive producers.

TV Land's current line-up of original sitcoms airs Wednesdays at 10pm ET/PT and includes the hit series Hot in Cleveland, The Exes and The Soul Man. The series have received several awards and accolades including two 2013 Creative Arts Emmy® nominations: one for Hot in Cleveland and the other for The Exes. All of these series star pop culture icons and fan favorites including Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Wendie Malick, Jane Leeves, Kristen Johnston, Donald Faison, Wayne Knight, David Alan Basche, Kelly Stables, Cedric "The Entertainer," Niecy Nash and Wesley Jonathan. This December, TV Land will debut its newest original series, Kirstie, which stars Kirstie Alley, Michael Richards, Rhea Perlman and Eric Petersen. Stay with us for continued updates on Jennifer Falls, because right now it is just a pilot order. Should it be ordered to series, we will let you know. Stay tuned!

It's a new week and our second week of looking at the fall 2013 schedules for cable TV and digital TV. Today we will take a look at WGN America's fall 2013 schedule. The newest addition to its schedule will be the off-network debut of Parks & Recreation. We announced already that the comedy was coming, but now we have the airtimes! Parks & Recreation will air in primetime on Monday nights at 9:00pm & 9:30pm and also Mon-Sat nights at 12:30am & 1:00am to add to WGN America's late night comedy block. There will be no other new additions to the schedule, but most of the other comedies will remain including How I Met Your Mother, Rules of Engagement, 30 Rock, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Futurama, 'Til Death and Dharma & Greg - all airing after 11pm. Two series will be leaving the schedule, though. Scrubs and The New Adventures of Old Christine will depart, as Scrubs was a staple for many years. While the comedy airings are all in late night, some primetime blocks will remain from 8-10pm including How I Met Your Mother on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays; Rules of Engagement on Wednesdays, and now Parks & Recreation joins Mondays but 9-10pm only.

There will more drama airings of their older series as well, as Matlock, In the Heat of the Night and Walker Texas Ranger now will also air on Saturday mornings beginning at 11am. Their weekday airings remain untouched, but Walker will now just be twice on weekdays rather than three times, as Law & Order: Criminal Intent gets a second hour on weekdays. View the full WGN America Fall 2013 schedule beginning this September. Discuss what you think on that link as well!

ABC concluded the TCA summer 2013 press tour yesterday (well PBS still is left, but we are not covering PBS). Paul Lee, president, ABC Entertainment Group, announced the premiere dates for new midseason series Resurrection and The Quest, along with spring premiere dates for key returning series, now structured into split seasons to allow for fewer or no preemptions or repeats. New drama Resurrection will premiere on Sunday, March 9 at 10:00 pm ET (a week after the Oscars), taking over the timeslot for Betrayal when that show's season concludes. New alternative series The Quest will debut on Thursday, January 2 with a special two-hour premiere from 8:00-10:00 pm, ET, moving into the timeslot held by Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, following its winter finale. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland will return with its second half of its 13 episodes after The Quest finishes its run, but there is no announced date yet. Continuing the network's commitment to the split season strategy announced at this year's Upfront presentation, key returning series Grey's Anatomy, Nashville, Once Upon a Time, Revenge and Scandal will return in the spring, following their winter finales, with all new episodes that will run with few or no repeats to their season finales in May. The returning series' winter finale dates will be announced at a later time, but the spring returns have been announced with Nashville returning from its winter hiatus on Wednesday, Feb. 26. Grey's Anatomy and Scandal will return on Thursday, Feb. 27 and the ABC Sunday stapes Once Upon a Time and Revenge will return on Sunday, March 9 a week after the Oscars and leading into the new premiere of the aforementioned Resurrection.

ABC also announced their own "Shark Week." ABC's hit series Shark Tank, fresh from a TCA Award win for Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming and a 2013 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality Program, is eating up ABC's primetime schedule with a special "Shark Tank Week," beginning Sunday, September 8 at 8:00pm. "Shark Tank Week" will conclude on Friday, September 13 at 9:00 pm, gearing up for the Season 5 premiere the following week, on Friday, September 20 at 9:00pm ET on ABC. The Sharks thoughtfully fished out six episodes from the past four seasons. Night one will have Mark Cuban's favorite episode. Night two will have Lori Greiner's favorite episode. Tuesday will have Robert Herjavec's pick, while day four it is Barbara Corcoran turn. Day five will feature Daymond John's pick and the "Shark Tank Week" concludes wonderfully with Mr. Wonderful's (Kevin O'Leary) pick. Shark Tank became a ratings force this past season, regularly finishing as Friday night's No. 1 program on the major networks among Adults 18-49. In addition, the series grew 17% year over year to deliver its highest-rated season ever.

The panels for ABC started with the syndicated series Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, which now has Cedric the Entertainer hosting. A panel for the new comedy Trophy Wife followed. The executive session with Paul Lee was up next into the Once Upon a Time in Wonderland panel. Super Fun Night was the last panel before lunch, as then critics got to see a screening of the Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot during lunch! Then it was back to more panels, with upcoming Sunday drama Betrayal leading it off. Throwback comedy The Goldbergs was next in all of its 1980's glory. Another new Tuesday series was next with Lucky 7 holding its panel. New ABC Comedy Wednesday comedy Back in the Game followed leading into the highly anticipated panel for Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. And finally the night concluded with the All-Star Cocktail Reception.


Finally, The Television Critics Association (TCA) has announced the winners for its 2013 TCA Awards. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, stars of Comedy Central's hit series Key & Peele, hosted the annual invitation-only event, held at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Saturday night in conjunction with the TCA's summer press tour. The non-televised ceremony bestowed awards in 12 categories to recipients in comedy, drama, reality, miniseries, news and youth programming. Members of the TCA, a media organization of more than 220 professional TV critics and journalists from the United States and Canada, voted AMC's celebrated Breaking Bad this season's Program of the Year and honored FX's freshman drama, The Americans, with the award for Outstanding New Program. Cable series continues to dominate awards shows, however CBS' The Big Bang Theory and NBC's Parks and Recreation both were award-winners, tying for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy.
Below is the complete list of the 2013 Television Critics Association winners.

Individual Achievement in Drama
Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, BBC America)

Individual Achievement in Comedy
Louis C.K. (Louie, FX)

Outstanding Achievement in News and Information
The Central Park Five (PBS)

Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming
Shark Tank (ABC)

Outstanding Achievement in Youth Programming
Bunheads (ABC Family)

Outstanding New Program
The Americans (FX)

Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries and Specials
Behind the Candelabra (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement in Drama
Game of Thrones (HBO)

Outstanding Achievement in Comedy
(Tie) The Big Bang Theory (CBS) AND Parks & Recreation (NBC)

Career Achievement Award
Barbara Walters (ABC)

Heritage Award
All in the Family (CBS)

Program of the Year
Breaking Bad (AMC)

View the full list of nominated programs to see who these winners beat out.

We're in the dog days of summer, but there are still sitcom airings, new and repeats. 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:

• The Simpsons (Fox) 2 airings - A summer repeat at 8pm did 2.86 million and a 1.39 18-49 rating, even with previous week. A 7:30pm repeat leading in did 1.83 million and a 0.86 18-49 rating, down slightly from previous week.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - preempted.
• Bob's Burgers (Fox) - An encore airing at 8:30pm did 2.55 million and a 1.29 18-49 rating, even with previous week.
• Family Guy (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 9pm posted 3.18 million and a 1.60 18-49 rating, even with previous week. The 9:30pm repeat did 3.5 million and a 1.65 18-49 rating, up six tenths from previous week's Animation HD preview.
• American Dad (Fox) - A repeat at 7pm did 1.5 million and a 0.69 rating 18-49 rating, even with previous week.

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat at 8pm did 3.49 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, even with previous week.
• Raising Hope (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm did 1.67 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. The 8:30pm repeat did 1.48 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week.
• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat at 9pm did 4.51 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, even with previous week.
• New Girl (Fox) - A repeat at 9 did only 1.25 million and just a 0.5 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It doesn't repeat well for an anchor at all. 
• Mike & Molly (CBS) 2 airings - The regular 9:30pm encore did 4.89 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 week-to-week. A repeat at 8:30pm did 3.95 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, up one tenth from 2 Broke Girls repeat in the slot.
• The Mindy Project (Fox) - A repeat on Fox did 1.11 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating at 9:30pm, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week.

• None.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• The Middle (ABC) - A summer repeat did 3.73 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, even with previous week.
• Suburgatory (ABC) - A repeat at 8:30pm did 2.85 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week.
• Modern Family (ABC) - At 9pm, a summer repeat did 3.19 million and a 0.9 rating, even with previous week. It hasn't repeated that well the last few weeks it seems.
• The Neighbors (ABC) - A summer repeat did 2.22 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating at 9:30pm, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. Good exposure for the fall when it moves to Fridays.

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A repeat at 8 did 8.03 million and a 2.1 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week and a clear leader in sitcoms for the week.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A repeat at 8:30pm did 6.65 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up a tenth tenth in 18-49 from previous week.
• The Office (NBC) - preempted. 
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) - preempted.
• New Girl (Fox) - A repeat at 9pm did 1.7 million and a 0.7 18-49 rating, down 1.6 tenths from last week's Hell's Kitchen season finale. Glee doesn't repeat well. It did just 1.55 million and a 0.5 18-49 rating at 8pm.
• The Mindy Project (Fox) - A repeat at 9:30pm did 1.5 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating.

Friday Sitcoms

• None.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.

Airing tonight (Sunday) are repeats of Fox Animation Domination from 7-10pm.

Summing it up. Repeats of The Big Bang Theory & Two and a Half Men was impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as repeats of 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly) or just plain old terrible (such as repeats of New Girl and The Mindy Project).



Feeling the repeat blues? Look for original sitcoms on TV this summer. Some highlights include: On cable, Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy are all-new this Wednesday beginning at 8pm. TV Land has all-new episodes of the summer season of Hot in Cleveland this Wednesday at 10pm, followed by a new The Exes at 10:30pm and a brand new The Soul Man at 11pm only on TV Land. BET has a new episode of The Game on Tuesday at 10pm. TBS airs an all-new episode of Sullivan & Son Thursday at 10. Nick at Nite has the Scott Baio sitcom See Dad Run every Sunday at 8pm but a repeat is tonight, while Wendell & Vinnie airs at 8:30pm with a repeat this week. New episodes of Sam & Cat and The Haunted Hathaways air every Saturday beginning at 8pm on Nick! FX's Charlie Sheen sitcom Anger Management airs Thursdays at 9:30pm and is brand new this week. New sitcom airings are the perfect way to beat the summer blues! Look for our daily rundown of what sitcoms are airing each night every day at the bottom of the blog story so you don't miss anything!

Welcome to Digital Digest! We have all of your regular news and features this week, along with a review of Fridays - The Best Of. Let's get started!

DIGITAL NEWS

We all knew that How I Met Your Mother - The Complete Season Eight would inevitably come to DVD, and this week, TVShowsOnDVD.com has a date! According to the "all things TV-on-DVD" website, the set will be released on the already crowded date of October 1, at a $39.98 MSRP. Once again, there will not be a Blu-ray release, as there was for season four (but no seasons beyond that).

Meanwhile, Lionsgate is preparing to put out more of Charlie Sheen's current sitcom Anger Management out on both DVD and Blu-ray, with Anger Management - Volume 2 (DVD, Blu-ray). Amazon.com gives a release date of September 10 for these releases, but other sources give a release date of October 15 for the title. While we can't say with certainty which one is more accurate, we're inclined to believe it is the October date, given that this was just recently announced. We'll have more once we know more.


UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (August 6) brings us two new releases. First up is Sony's release of Community - The Complete Fourth Season (review). Also, Shout! Factory has Fridays - The Best Of, which we review today in Digital Digest.


BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
 


Blog DVD Review: Fridays - The Best Of (Shout! Factory, $39.99)
by skees53

In the '70s, NBC brought new comedy to late nights on Saturday with Saturday Night Live. It wasn't the type of sketch comedy that had graced the screens in the past. Instead, it was a series that sought to see how far you can push the envelope and brought in musical guests every week that appealed to the younger generation, the youth who didn't quite see things the way that their parents saw things. It turned out to be very successful (so much so that it is still on the air today, almost 40 seasons later), and of course, with success comes imitators. And in the 1979-1980 season, one of those imitators came to life on ABC with their live comedy series (also with popular music guests of the time), Fridays.

From the very beginning, though, Fridays tried to make it clear that it was absolutely, positively, NOT Saturday Night Live. The problem is that it sort of was, with the same sort of cast, a weekly musical guest, and even a weekly news segment called "Friday Edition" (almost like "Weekend Update"). Or so it seemed on the surface. While Saturday Night Live was "live from New York" and had these elements and wasn't afraid to push the button, Fridays was a different animal, "live from Hollywood," and seemed to skew even younger, and was much less afraid to go "over the top." The series lasted for 58 episodes over three seasons on ABC, and sixteen episodes are now available for the first time ever on DVD from Shout! Factory.

As usual, it is hard to talk about every great moment in each episode on this set, so we'll stick to some highlights. The set begins with the first episode of the series, where we are given an explanation of why the series is NOT Saturday Night Live... complete with a sketch that mocks SNL. The Clash is the musical guest in episode 3, which includes the controversial sketch "Diner of the Living Dead." In episode 8, Friday Edition has an interview with Jimmy Carter (in the form of John Roarke), and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers performs. We go to the 1980 Republican National Convention (sort of) in episode 10. In episode 15, we get to see a spoof of "Duck Soup." Devo is the guest in episode 20, where the transition between Carter and Reagan administration is depicted. Episode 21 has a Star Wars parody... with the character of Woody Allen.

We get a Candid Camera political parody in episode 23, along with a performance from Pat Benatar. In episode 24, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is parodied in The Ronny Horror Picture Show, a tale about liberal couple Brad and Janet arriving at the home of Ronald Reagan. The famous Andy Kaufman marijuana sketch appears in episode 31... and an apology follows in episode 32. William Shatner brings a bit of Star Trek parody with him in episode 39. In episode 41, we get to see a Raiders of the Lost Ark parody. Episode 49 features Valerie Harper. The set ends with episode 50, which features a Hollywood Squares parody.

The episodes on this set are NOT unedited. While most of the episodes seem to be intact, it seems that Shout! has decided to remove some (though not all) of the musical performances in the episodes, and perhaps other material as well. The runtimes for the episodes are all over the place, and are as follows:

Disc 1:
1. Kenny Loggins (44:48)
3. The Clash (41:28)
8. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (48:05)
10. Graham Parker and the Rumour (45:19)

Disc 2:
15. The Cars (36:49)
19. Dire Straits (46:17)
20. Devo (32:22)
21. March 13, 1981 episode (37:51)

Disc 3:
23. Pat Benatar (39:34)
24. December 12, 1980 episode (34:18)
31. Andy Kaufman (38:04)
32. Billy Crystal (46:10)

Disc 4:
39. William Shatner/Kim Carnes (38:30)
41. Karen Allen/Stray Cats (39:25)
49. Valerie Harper/The Cars (52:37)
50. Tab Hunter/KISS (44:59)

The set is packaged in a standard Viva case, as most recent Shout! Factory releases have been. The cover has a cast photo along with a TV and the series logo in the background. On the back of the case, there is a brief description of the series, along with a few episode snapshots. Inside the case, you'll find the five discs, along with a very nice episode booklet. The booklet has a brief introduction to the series from John Moffitt, then includes a detailed listing of every sketch for every single episode included in the set.

The menus on the set are nice, though nothing too special. The main menu has a cast photo similar (but not identical) to the one seen on the cover, with a ticket that has options of Play All and Episode List on it. When you select Episode List, you get a choice four episodes on each disc, with the original airdate and guest stars (if any) listed. Once you select an episode, you get another menu, where you can either play the episode or go to an individual sketch on the episode. Chapters are placed all throughout each episode.

There is literally nothing to be impressed about concerning the video and audio quality of this set. It really doesn't look that great. Of course, this series was never really intended to be seen after the original airing anyway, but the video quality is just sort of dull and the audio has some dropouts and defects in it. Still, I'd take this over not seeing it on DVD at all. The episodes are not closed-captioned or subtitled.

There are quite a few special features on this set, all on Disc 5. "Actors' Conversation" (58:58) is an interview feature that includes John Roarke, Darrow Igus, Bruce Mahler, Michael Richards, Melanie Chartoff, Brandis Kamp, and others talking about their memories of the series. They talked about how they were discouraged from using cue cards and were expected to memorize their lines (and improvise if they forgot) as well as talking about memories of individual episodes. At the beginning of this feature, John Moffit talks about  Maryedith Burrell wasn't able to participate in that interview, but she does appear in her own separate interview (13:34). We get more of the same in "Writers' Interview" (58:55), where just the writers sit down and talk about their experience on the series. In "Andy Kaufman Incident - What Really Happened?" (9:05), John Moffitt and the cast talks about the famous Andy Kaufman moment, where he broke character in the middle of a sketch and got into a fight with everybody else, and whether or not it was real. So was it? Watch this and find out! "Photo Gallery" (5:32) is exactly what it sounds like, a lot of photos from the series to enjoy while the theme music plays in the background. Finally, "Fridays on the News" (8:00) is actual new footage with Paul Moyer from KABC at the time (he recently retired from KNBC) going behind-the-scenes on the set of Fridays. It is rather interesting to note that in this rather informal interview, Moyer is very openly smoking a cigarette on the set with the writers... a much different time, yet it was only about 30 years ago!

I have mixed feelings about this release. I am glad that Shout! Factory released it, for sure, as this is one of those series that I've never seen that I've always wanted to see. However, I'm disappointed that there are few (if any) completely unedited episodes on this set, some running only near 30 minutes. I know that musical performances are difficult to license, but given that this was a best-of release that contained sixteen handpicked episodes, I assumed that everything would be intact. Not the case, at all. Still, it was nice to actually see the show on DVD, and I did enjoy what actually was on this set. This aired mostly in an era where Saturday Night Live was just plain awful and appeared to be bordering on cancellation, and I can see how this series would have been more enjoyable at the time. To me, it almost felt like watching the first five seasons of Saturday Night Live, extended into the '80s with a new cast (despite the fact that Fridays tried to make it clear that it wasn't Saturday Night Live). Despite the flaws with this set, I think that any fan of edgy sketch comedy is sure to enjoy this set, even with the imperfections.

(3.5/5 stars)

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FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Danica McKellar (Twitter), "Acting, Math, Yoga & Mommyhood! ...and occasional random thoughts from deep inside my brain..."
Claim to Fame: Danica McKellar first came to fame with her role as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years, but following that, she didn't really have any other major regular roles on series. Nonetheless, she found her own success when she decided to get a degree in mathematics, and now she is a role model writing best-selling books about encouraging young girls to show interest in mathematics.
Why You Should Follow Her: While you probably won't be hearing much about her current acting career (or lack thereof) on Twitter, she is still an actress that we all loved and adored when she was a child, and it is great to see that she has grown up to do something even more positive. Her Twitter feed is full of nothing but positive messages and adoration for her fans, no matter why they love her. She isn't completely out of the acting game, so it is possible that we could see her somewhere once again in the future.
Pick of the Tweets: "A nostalgic examination of the cultural impact of WC... @NewYorker: "I Love Winnie Cooper" http://nyr.kr/11BGwlE" (April 24, 2013)

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

Yesterday Fox was up at the TCA Summer 2013 press tour. Among the key announcements were special guest voices on its animated comedies and an American version of a British drama that was a hit this past season. You will hear the voices of Kristen Wiig, Zack Galifianakis, Conan O'Brien, Ashton Kutcher, Zooey Deschanel, Bryan Cranston, Mariah Carey, Megan Mullally, Aziz Ansari, Elisabeth Moss, Stan Lee, Anderson Cooper, Daniel Radcliffe, Liam Neeson, Judd Apatow, Will Arnett, Rachel Maddow, Alison Brie, Mark Cuban, Alan Thicke, Eva Longoria and Jeff Daniels on Fox's four animated comedies (The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, American Dad!) this coming season. On Family Guy, Two and a Half Men stars Ashton Kutcher and Jon Cryer both make guest-voice appearances as their show's respective characters. Boldly continuing its push for quality long-form event series, Fox announced a series order for Broadchurch (working title), an American version of the the U.K.'s most-watched new drama of the year. Produced in partnership with Shine America, and to be executive-produced by the original series' creator, Chris Chibnall (Dr. Who, Camelot), the gripping crime series is scheduled to begin filming in January, for broadcast during the 2014-2015 season. The drama follows the tragic and mysterious death of a young boy found dead on an idyllic beach surrounded by rocks and a jutting cliff-face, from where he may have fallen. And finally, miss the first season of The Mindy Project? Wish you'd seen Nick and Jess' first kiss on New Girl? Now you can break that summer diet and fill up on all of your favorite returning Fox dramas and comedies during the Fox Summer Binge! Beginning Sunday, Aug. 11, fans can indulge in the most recent seasons of Bones, New Girl, The Mindy Project, Raising Hope, Glee, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy, American Dad and The Simpsons on Fox On Demand through participating cable and telco providers nationwide before they return this fall. In addition, full episodes of these seasons can be streamed online on Fox.com and through the Fox NOW app, which is currently available on iOS, Android phones, Windows 8, Roku, Xbox and Samsung devices. Episodes will be released in chronological batches every Sunday – in most cases, five to six episodes at a time – through September, making it easy for fans to discover or catch up on many of Fox's most popular series before the new season begins. And finally, Fox said The Following season two and new series Rake will launch in January, while comedy Us & Them and drama Gang Related will get an April launch and should go into the summer as 24: Live Another Day and Wayward Pines premiere in the summer.

Among the panels for Fox were with the cast and producers of Dads, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The X Factor, Almost Human, Sleepy Hollow and Enlisted. The final day for the broadcast portion will be on Sunday with ABC. We'll bring you a recap on Monday. Today it is all about FX, while tomorrow is the annual TCA Awards.


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 Aug. 5-9, 2013, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, August 5, 2013

• Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle) - Watch Bryan on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Lisa Kudrow (Web Therapy/The Comeback/Friends) - Lisa appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton will be on ABC's (Good Morning America between 7-9am.
• Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Keshia Knight Pulliam (The Cosby Show) - Keshia reminisces on her time in the long-running hit comedy and opens up about her nonprofit Kamp Kizzy, an organization dedicated to empowering young women, on a repeat of Marie at 12pm on Hallmark Channel.
• Charlie Sheen (Anger Management/Two and a Half Men/Spin City) - Charlie takes the reins and puts Katie in a hidden camera surprise on a repeat of Katie, so check your local listings. Katie's no-holds barred interview: Will he ever marry again? And how does he feel about being a grandfather? Plus: his honest thoughts on how his private life played out in the public eye.
• Ana Gasteyer (Suburgatory) - Ana guest co-hosts a repeat of Anderson Live, so check your local listings.
• Melissa Joan Hart (Melissa & Joey/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) and Joey Lawrence (Melissa & Joey/Brotherly Love/Gimme a Break!) - Melissa and Joey are guests on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

• Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Catch Tony on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS. He will also be on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Seinfeld) - Julia appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Nick visits Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Tom Arnold (Roseanne/Tom/The Tom Show) - Tom speaks candidly about his own issues with infertility, and his joy of finally becoming a father on a repeat of Katie, so check your local listings.
• Patrick Duffy (Step by Step) - Patrick is a guest on a repeat of Anderson Live, so check your local listings.
• Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) - Tune in to see Yvette on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

• Anna Faris (Mom) - Watch Anna on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton visits The Colbert Report at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
• Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) - Yvette guest co-hosts The Chew on ABC at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Jennifer Aniston (Friends) - Jennifer stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT. She will also be on ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
• Niecy Nash (The Soul Man/Reno 911!) - Niecy chats on Joy Behar: Say Anything! at 9pm on Current
• David Alan Grier (Life with Bonnie/DAG) - David is a guest on Joy Behar: Say Anything! at 9pm on Current.
• Sarah Hyland (Modern Family) - Sarah appears on a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

• Jamie Foxx (The Jamie Foxx Show) - Catch Jamie on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Robin Williams (The Crazy Ones/Mork & Mindy) - Robin visits The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Jennifer Aniston (Friends) - Jennifer drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Paul Scheer (The League) - Paul appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Free Agents) - Hank guests on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Penny Marshall (Laverne & Shirley) - Penny is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Josh Gad (1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh stops by ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
• Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory/Blossom) - Mayim chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She will also be on New York Live at 12:30pm on WNBC.

Friday, August 9, 2013

• Kevin James (The King of Queens) - Watch Kevin on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton stops by LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development) - Portia appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Jennifer Aniston (Friends) - Jennifer is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Alan Alda (M*A*S*H) - Alan is among the guests on This Was Your Life on ‘The View’ Joy Behar on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Sinbad (A Different World/The Sinbad Show) - Sinbad visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Christina Applegate (Up All Night/Samantha Who?/Married with Children) - Christina discusses breast cancer on a repeat of The Doctors, so check your local listings.

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!

It's day four of our look at the fall 2013 cable and digital TV schedules, and today we will bring you the FX fall schedule. They will be actually adding some older series for a change. Starting Tuesday, Sept. 3, FX turns back the clock and brings back a series that they aired before -- Buffy the Vampire Slayer! The hit Sarah Michelle Gellar drama will air every morning (seven days a week) at 7am & 8am (unless a movie preempts an airing), as it returns for the first time on FX since 2008. Even more surprising is the next acquisition. FX has picked-up the cable rights to the 1994-98 sitcom Ellen starring Ellen DeGeneres! This will be an FX premiere as the series has never aired on the network. Ellen will air mornings Mon-Sat from 9-11am, but also a movie could preempt and airing or two on random days. Ellen has aired on other networks like Lifetime and Oxygen, but hasn't aired anywhere in quite some time. Back to Buffy, the series has aired on many networks since it left FX, including the Viacom world (MTV, TeenNick, Logo) and NBCUniversal (Chiller and Oxygen). The series continues to air on Chiller and will continue to air, but it seems that Viacom networks will lose the drama to FX.

Elsewhere on the FX fall schedule it will be status quo. From 11am-8pm will be movies, How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men, with no real set schedule. Ideally, FX likes to air How I Met Your Mother from 5-7pm and Two and a Half Men from 2-3pm and 7-8pm, but that's not always the case. In primetime, there are movies and original series (like Anger Management) thru 11pm. Encores of originals or a movie fill the rest of the schedule out from 11pm to the wee hours. We mentioned that How I Met Your Mother will be airing on the new FX spin-off network FXX, but as you can see it will still be on FX as well. You'll find the sitcom on both FX and FXX this fall. We will announce the FXX schedule sometime next week and it will have some older series that will surprise you as well. Stay tuned! Highlights for FX Fall 2013 include a Two and a Half Men Labor Day marathon on Monday, Sept. 2 from 7am-5:30pm. The season finale of Wilfred is on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 10. The 90-minute season premiere of Sons of Anarchy on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 10 following the broadcast premiere of the movie X-Men: First Class. The broadcast premiere of Moneyball on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 7. The season premiere of American Horror Story: Coven is on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 10 following the broadcast premiere of Paranormal Activity. The following week as the broadcast premiere of Paranormal Activity 2. Other movie premieres include The Green Lantern.

Discuss the FX Fall 2013 schedule on our message board. And stay with us for the FXX launch schedule very soon!

MTV2 has added the Melissa Joan Hart sitcom Sabrina, the Teenage Witch to its line-up to compliment similar series Boy Meets World and Saved by the Bell as of July 27. The sitcom is primarily used on Saturdays from about 7-11am. It will pop-up on some weekdays as well in the mornings from 9am-12pm to lead into the regular Saved by the Bell (12-2pm) and Boy Meets World (2-4pm) airings. Other sitcoms MTV2 airs are Wayans Bros., Everybody Hates Chris, Martin and the sketch comedy In Living Color. They have quietly removed Smart Guy and Living Single after being added in April, while Martin has been reduced heavily. Sabrina, the Teenage Witch continues to air on The Hub, airing Mon-Thurs at 2am so this is a shared deal with The Hub. Smart Guy continues to air on Up, while Living Single is still on TV One with Martin. Stay with us for continued updates and to see what MTV2 looks like in the fall, if any changes.