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TCA Winter 2009 Press Tour: ABC; TV Land Acquires AFI Life Achievement Awards

This is the final day of the TCA Winter 2009 Press Tour and ABC will get to close it off. In the morning after breakfast we had Disney Channel and Disney XD shows go up to the panel (Aaron Stone, Sonny with a Chance, and JONAS). The ABC executive session followed shortly after with ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson. We learned a lot of new things! Premiere dates for the midseason comedies however were still not announced but the cast of and crew of each had their own panels. If I were to guess, dates for the comedies will be final as soon as Fox announces it is moving American Idol Results to Wednesdays at 9 sometime in March. That would lead ABC to possibly air the comedies in the hour to avoid Idol. I'd guess Scrubs and The Goode Family would fit, though he said Goode might not launch until May now. They could strip Scrubs on two nights even rather than double-pumping on one night, pairing it on Tuesdays with Better Off Ted maybe or Samantha Who? Just my guesses. McPherson all but confirmed that In the Motherhood would air after Dancing with the Stars this spring. That series also has lined up the lucious Stacy Keibler to guest star! McPherson is frustrated by Samantha Who's ratings, as it hasn't retained as much of its Dancing with the Stars lead-in as he would like, but it is still a hilarious show. Personally, I think it is a better fit with Scrubs, something younger for it. Speaking of Scrubs, he says he has been very pleased with the ratings but it seems this will be its last season since Zach Braff is leaving and he can't imagine the show continuing without him. He also stressed he would like to go back to the comedies of the past such as Roseanne and Home Improvement style, so look for comedy in that vein next season. No word on when the final According to Jim episodes will air, as twelve are left. He still is saying never say never ending for this show. A joke I think. And finally as for the hoopla of ABC picking-up King of the Hill, McPherson says it isn't happening!
Other than that, we learned mainly about storyline questions for the hot ABC dramas, so I won't give that away since it could be spoilery for some. Let's just say, if you don't like the Denny-Izzie ghost storyline, keep watching...you have no idea what is happening. He did say he was very happy with Private Practice and the crossover episodes between that and Grey's Anatomy should be big. Still no idea when they are officially airing, but I have a hunch they start on Feb. 12 (or maybe March sweeps?). There are still no airdates for the final Pushing Daisies, Dirty Sexy Money and Eli Stone episodes. There is a rumor saying June, though. McPherson says he loved all three and it is too bad Nielsen didn't either. He was also happy that Marc Cherry decided to extend Desperate Housewives beyond season seven. He was also happy with the Boston Legal finale and it ended their own way, while Dancing with the Stars was a blast, especially Cloris Leachman. The upcoming edition he says has a good core group. Can't wait until it is announced! And as Nina Tasler of CBS said, McPherson is pleased with what NBC did at 10pm. Less of a bidding war now.
After the executive session we had a panel for the upcoming single-camera sitcom Better Off Ted. Then it was time for lunch and a viewing session of Lost with a question & answer with Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse! Probably the most anticipated session of all of TCA. The third episode of the season was screened for the press prior to the q&a, as the press has already saw the first two episodes (like me...it is great stuff!). After that, panels for many other upcoming spring series were up: The Unusals, Castle, In the Motherhood, The Goode Family, and Cupid. Launch dates for the new dramas The Unusuals, Castle, and Cupid were already announced from ABC early last month. To recap, The Unusuals will launch Wednesday, April 8 at 10pm following Lost. Castle will launch with Dancing with the Stars' new season on Monday, March 9 at 10pm, while Cupid will air Tuesdays at 10pm following Dance's results show.

The AFI Life Achievement Awards are moving from USA Network to TV Land starting this year. TV Land has signed a four-year deal to showcase the awards annually. The 37th Annual AFI Life Achievement Awards will be taped on Thursday, June 11, 2009 in Los Angeles and will honor Michael Douglas. The event will be telecast on TV Land PRIME about 6 weeks or so later on Sunday, July 19, 2009 in primetime.
USA Network has had the awards since 2002. Previously the awards were on broadcast television on CBS, NBC, and ABC. The AFI Life Achievement Award is the highest honor for a career in film.

TCA Winter 2009 Press Tour: NBC; Remembering Ricardo Montalban and Steven Gilborn

Today it is NBC's turn at the TCA Winter 2009 Press Tour. You know network TCA tours usually start in the morning (8 or 9am PT) and run through the evening with dinner/party, but as usual, the lately strange NBC has to mess with that. They are skipping the morning (no breakfast or lunch!) and starting at 2pm PT. Cost cutting NBC, indeed. Cheap...they will have a cocktail reception though tonight. Up first is the executive session. Among the items announced are: ER has been ordered for 3 more episodes, giving it a total of 23 episodes for its last season. The two-hour series finale will now be on Thursday, April 2 from 9-11pm instead of March 12. Earlier on that night, a one-hour retrospective will air from 8-9pm ET leading into the two-hour send-off. The following week, April 9, new police drama Southland takes over the ER slot now for 6 episodes. The series comes from ER showrunner John Wells. Previously NBC had slotted Kings to air after ER ends, but now Kings is going to be moved to Sundays at 8PM leading into Celebrity Apprentice starting March 15. On March 1, NBC will air a new special called SNL Short Films (wt) from 7-9pm leading into the Celebrity Apprentice premiere. The untitled Amy Poehler comedy will also launch April 9, airing at 8:30pm replacing Kath & Kim, which has been cut to only 17 episodes and likely will be done for good. New cooking reality series Chopping Block is the series that will air Wednesdays at 8pm starting March 11 (through April 29), following the conclusion of Knight Rider on Feb. 25. Celebrated chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White (UK's Hell's Kitchen) serves up in this new original cooking competition series, in which the British Michelin star chef offers 16 neophyte hopeful chefs/restaurateurs working in pairs a chance to compete in America's greatest restaurant challenge for their chance to open their own Manhattan restaurant. Howdie Do It will air Fridays at 8pm through March 27 now instead of Feb. 20. And a Kung Fu Panda special called Secrets of the Furious Five will air on Thursday, Feb. 26 in the 8pm half-hour.
NBC also announced that 30 Rock, The Office and The Biggest Loser are all safe for next season (2009-10).
Panels followed with the cast and crew of The Untitled Amy Poehler Comedy, MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, The Last Templar, Southland, and Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.
The Amy Poehler comedy stars Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones and comes from Greg Daniels and Michael Schur. The Last Templar is an NBC miniseries airing Jan. 25-26 starring Mira Sorvino, Scott Foley and Victor Garber and comes from Robert Halmi, Sr. And as mentioned above, Southland is the series from ER's John Wells that will air Thursdays at 10pm after ER ends April 2. Among the stars are Tom Everett Scott, Regina King, Ben McKenzie, and Kevin Alejandro. It will be a police show set in Los Angeles.

Today we will also remember two stars who have passed on...Ricardo Montalban and Steven Gilborn. Ricardo Montalban, the suave leading man who was one of the first Mexican-born actors to make it big in Hollywood and who was best known for his role as Mr. Roarke on ABC's Fantasy Island, has died. Montalban died Wednesday (Jan. 14) morning at his Los Angeles home of complications related to old age. Beginning in the mid-1950s, he made the first of many TV appearances. In addition to his role as Chief Satangkai in the 1978 ABC miniseries How the West Was Won, he appeared in the Dynasty spinoff The Colbys on ABC in the late 1980s. More recently, he did a voice on the Disney Channel's animated series Kim Possible. He has also appeared on an episode or two of Family Guy, The Brothers Garcia, The Golden Palace, Chicago Hope, Dream On, Murder She Wrote, Police Story, Hawaii Five-0, Here's Lucy, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, and many more! He was also a fixture on the game show Win, Lose or Draw in the late '80s. But it was Fantasy Island that created his lasting image in front of the Hollywood cameras. Elegantly attired in a white suit and black tie, Montalban created such an iconic -- albeit somewhat kitschy -- figure that he often reprised the character insubsequent films and television shows.
While making Fantasy Island" Montalban also gave one of his best movie performances -- as Khan Noonian Singh in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), a follow-up to a beloved 1967 Star Trek television episode, "Space Seed," that also featured Montalban. Among his other movie credits include Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, and Cannonball Run II.
So, Montalban will be deply missed and we will always remember him saying "Welcome to Fantasy Island." Mr. Montalban was 88.
We have also lost Steven Gilborn. Gilborn is a great character actor that has appeared on many sitcoms and TV series. He is best known for playing the father of Ellen DeGeneres' character on Ellen. He died of cancer in North Chatham, N.Y., on Jan. 2. Gilborn also played the math teacher on The Wonder Years and appeared on MANY sitcoms and TV shows including Rodney, According to Jim, Out of Practice, Complete Savages, 8 Simple Rules, Damages, The Bernie Mac Show, Still Standing, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Malcolm in the Middle, Two Guys and a Girl, NYPD Blue, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Get Real, Action, Maggie Winters, The West Wing, The Practice, Living Single, Boy Meets World, NewsRadio, Mad About You, ER, Empty Nest, Coach, Lois & Clark, Hearts Afire, Dream On, Blossom, Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Vegas, L.A. Law, The Torkelsons, The Golden Girls, Matlock, Knots Landing, Perfect Strangers, Who's the Boss?, Kate & Allie, Columbo and Law & Order. Since 1983 he has been on about everything as you can see. His film credits include Nurse Betty, Doctor Doolittle, The Brady Bunch Movie, The Night Shift and the TV movie The Dreamer of Oz. He has been on so many TV series and movies, that nearly everyone saw him in something at one point. He will be deeply missed. Mr. Gilborn was 72.

TCA Winter 2009 Press Tour: CBS; More Bush Speech Updates; DejaView in Canada Adds More Sitcoms

Today it is CBS's turn at the TCA Winter 2009 press tour. At the executive session, CBS chief Nina Tassler said an additional episode of The Mentalist could be ordered, and they are not going to move the show to Sundays at 10pm, despite it airing there this coming week after the AFC Championship Game. In other news, CBS has officially canceled last summer's Swingtown, which is not a surprise. CBS is moving forward with the NCIS spin-off and plans to do a backdoor pilot within NCIS this spring. CBS is also planning on a variety show or special starring musician John Mayer for this year. Fox is also developing a variety show hosted by the Osbourne family later this year.
After the executive session, panels for upcoming murder mystery drama Harper's Island and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson followed. CBS focused mainly on Showtime and other ventures after that. After the Showtime Executive Session, which we won't cover, Showtime's United States of Tara, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, The L Word, Tracy Ullman's State of the Union, The Tudors, and Nurse Jackie had panels. Wow, a lot...more than CBS itself.
There was also a presentation on TV.com, which is owned by CBS Interactive. CBS Interactive went you on a guided tour of the leading online destination for video and community, including a look at new and future developments for the site. Speaking of TV.com, be sure to check out their great videos! My personal favorite is their interview with CBS's Kaley Cuoco, who is quite frankly wearing something very stunning! They also have Full Episodes of TV series, so check it out!
Stay tuned tomorrow for NBC's portion of the TCA tour and ABC on Friday!

Yesterday we gave you updates on CBS and Fox's plan for Thursday, as President Bush will have his farewell address at 8pm ET for 15 minutes, messing up all the network's plans. ABC will have to preempt Ugly Betty as a result, just like Fox is doing with Bones. After the President's address, ABC will air a repeat of Scrubs at 8:15/7:15c, joined in progress, followed by another repeat of Scrubs at 8:30/7:30c. Both repeats will likely be repeats of last night's episodes. So, Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice will still be all-new and air on time everywhere. I think ABC decided on this so they can have a 15 minute head start on CSI in the east and central, as CBS is delaying programming to those zones by 15 minutes. As for mountain and pacific time, ABC will air two repeats of Scrubs in their entirety. View the ABC schedule for Thursday in all time zones, if you're confused in what I'm saying. In other ABC schedule news, they will preempt Samantha Who? once again this coming Monday (Jan. 19). This is the second week in a row that will happen, as this past Monday (Jan. 12), the sitcom didn't air either. Why? Because The Bachelor is doing very well in its two-hours and is very compatible with new series True Beauty at 10pm. Honestly, I don't think Samantha Who? will return to 9:30pm on Mondays anytime son. I think either it will return when Dancing with the Stars returns in March OR it will be paired with Scrubs on Tuesdays starting next month. We'll keep you up to date. ABC is up at the TCA tour on Friday, and we should find out then maybe, along with ABC's other mid-season sitcom plans (In The Motherhood, The Goode Family, Better Off Ted).
As for NBC's Thursday plans, they will air a repeat of My Name is Earl after Bush's address at 8:15/7:15c, joined in progress. Then at 8:30pm, they will move the new My Name is Earl episode that was scheduled at 8pm ET/PT to 8:30pm, preempting Kath & Kim totally. As for mountain and pacific zones, you all will get the full repeat of Earl then the new one following it.

The Canada cable station DejaView, which features lots of classic TV, has changed their schedule a bit. Their last change was in the fall. They have added North of Sixty (Canadian series), One Day at a Time, Silver Spoons, Mad About You, but have also removed My Secret Identity, Maude, Charles in Charge, Facts of Life, Kate & Allie. The Canadian series North of Sixty airs weekdays at 7am, 10am, and 11pm, all replacing My Secret Identity. It also airs weekends at 6am and 11pm, replacing My Secret Identity. One Day at a Time airs now weekdays at 4pm, 9pm, and 3am, all replacing Good Times, which slides down a half-hour replacing Maude, so Maude is gone totally. The other new series have joined the weekend schedule with Silver Spoons airing back-to-back episodes at 10am and 4am, 10am hour replacing Charles in Charge and 4am hour replacing Facts of Life/Kate & Allie. Mad About You airs on weekends back-to-back at 1pm and 2am.
DejaView's key shows continues to be Three's Company, Cosby Show, All in the Family, Who's the Boss? and Roseanne.
View the full new DejaView winter 2009 schedule.

TCA Winter 2009 Press Tour: Fox - Prison Break Canceled; Bush Farewell Speech in Primetime on Thursday; Remembering Cheryl Holdridge

Fox is up today at the TCA winter 2009 press tour. They started with a Simpsons 20th anniversary themed breakfast! Big pink donuts! Cool! The Executive Session followed and we found out some stuff. The biggest news is that Fox's Prison Break is being canceled after this season. The series will come to an end and will likely have stories wrapped-up with a true finale. However, the series will be moved to the graveyard...airing Fridays at 8:00PM starting Friday, April 17, replacing the likely also canceled Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. Six episodes are in the can to air for Prison, but Fox could shoot two more to wrap things up for good. Looks like no mention of a spin-off, too. Fox also has scheduled its Mitch Hurwitz animated comedy Sit Down, Shut Up on Sunday, April 19 at 8:30PM, replacing King of the Hill. It seems we have seen the last of King of the Hill, as Fox is labeling its last airing on Sunday, April 12 a "series finale," which is odd because many episodes still remain in the can despite Fox canceling the series a few months back. Could the series be moved to ABC after all? We shall see. Fox also has game show The Moment of Truth ready to go, but hasn't scheduled it. Perhaps it could air in the summer. And it seems it is true that sitcom 'Til Death has been renewed for NEXT season (2009-10) for another 22 episodes. Sony gave Fox a cheap deal they couldn't resist. Fox only has aired four episodes from this season's 24 episode order. Fox did air three leftovers from last season as well, so seven episodes in all have aired this year before Fox pulled the series in early October due to low ratings. My guess is the 20 that remain for this season will be burned off in the summer, as it seems Fox wouldn't waste their in-season schedule for this series again. This is clearly a financial deal, as the series would have enough episodes for syndication. In other news, medical procedual House will celebrate its 100th episode on Feb. 2. That was fast.
Panels for Lie to Me and 24 followed. The upcoming Sunday animated comedy Sit Down, Shut Up followed with a lunch presentation. After the lunch, panels for American Idol, Osbournes: Reloaded Variety Series, Dollhouse, FX's Rescue Me, House, and the upcoming musical drama Glee followed.
It is still early...we will have constant updates here, if anything major is announced. So keep checking back multiple times a day this whole week!

And in a scheduling note, President Bush is scheduled to have a 15 minute farewell speech in primetime on Thursday (Jan. 15) at 8PM ET. So because of this Fox will move the season premiere of Bones back a week to January 22 to 8PM and airing a second episode at 9PM. It is unclear still what will air following Bush's short speech this Thursday. However, Kitchen Nightmares will still air and be all-new this Thursday, but will be preempted next Thursday for Bones' two-hour stunt.
CBS will be on 15-minute delay for East/Central stations. So, a repeat of CSI will start at 8:15/7:15c, a new CSI won't start until 9:15/8:15c and Eleventh Hour won't start until 10:15/9:15c. In Mountain and Pacific time zones, the shows will air in their normal timeslots. As of this writing, the other networks have not announced what they will do yet. Keep checking back though.

Cheryl Holdridge, the beautiful blond actress who first gained fame as a Mouseketeer on TV's The Mickey Mouse Club in the 1950s, has died. Holdridge died Tuesday (January 6) at her home in Santa Monica after a two-year battle with lung cancer. After The Mickey Mouse Club, the actress played Julie Foster, Wally's girlfriend, on Leave it to Beaver and guest starred on series such as The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Donna Reed Show, Dr. Kildare, The Rifleman, Bachelor Father, My Three Sons, Bewitched, Dennis the Menace, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Wagon Train, and reprised her role as Julie Foster on the '80s revival of Leave it to Beaver called Still the Beaver.
Cheryl hasn't acted much since the '60s, but will be remembered for her work on these '50s and '60s TV series from classic TV fans. She will be missed. She was only 64.

TV Land Changes Late Afternoons; TCA Winter 2009 Tour: Cable; 66th Annual Golden Globe Winners

TV Land will be making last minute schedule changes beginning today. We relayed you these changes on our message board, but would like to make it more widespread here. TV Land will alter its late afternoon schedule beginning today at 4pm. Weekdays in the 4pm hour will now be Green Acres, as the series returns to weekdays. The Beverly Hillbillies returns to early evenings, airing in the 5pm hour, causing Hogan's Heroes to move into the 6pm hour, shifting the Andy Griffith two-hour block to 7-9pm rather than 6-8pm. The 8pm Andy hour replaces Cosby Show, but Cosby Show is still heavily featured in PRIME. Rural sitcoms now air weekdays 4pm-9pm and 60s shows in general from 1-9pm with Hillbillies (1-2pm) and westerns still on from 1-4pm. TV Land will also change their late night schedule a bit. Sanford & Son and The Jeffersons will each take an hour from 2-4am, replacing Three's Company. Three's Company will remain on Saturday nights from 2-4am. So now on weekdays, we get Paid Programming in early mornings from 6-9am, '70s sitcoms from 9am-12pm, lunch hour at home at noon with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, '60s TV from 1-9pm with westerns and sitcoms, TV Land PRIME from 9pm-2am, and '70s sitcoms from 2-4am.
We still have more changes, though! Monday nights now starting tonight will be Andy Griffith Show from 7pm-1am, while Tuesdays from 11pm-2am will be M*A*S*H/M*A*S*H specials. The Cosby Show will air in the 9pm hour, but on Tuesdays it will also air in the 10pm hour, which means Scrubs is totally off primetime now because of these Monday and Tuesday night changes. It wasn't airing Wed-Fri anyway. The final batch of changes are for Sundays, with the Beverly Hillbillies block being extended to 2pm, so 10am-2pm now rather than 10am-12pm. The Brady Bunch will air late Sundays now from 2am-4am instead of Beaver, which will remain 5-7pm earlier in the day.
Head on over to our TV Land January 2009 thread to see these changes, the rest of January info we announced, and to discuss this!

The Television Critics Association's (TCA) winter 2009 press tour began last week. We haven't covered it yet because the cable portion (Jan. 8-10) has been very stale and nothing really noteworthy has come out of it. Coming up tomorrow the broadcast networks begin their portion, with Fox on Tuesday, CBS on Wednesday, NBC on Thursday, and ABC on Friday. Here is a recap of cable:
Cable portion started midday on Thursday, Jan. 8, after PBS's 1 1/2 day tour. WE tv kicked off the cable portion with a lunch session. WE tv was followed by fellow Rainbow Networks AMC, IFC, and Sundance. Among the highlights were Breaking Bad launching its second season on AMC later this year. The National Geographic Channel closed out the day.
On day two (Friday), select MTV Networks are on hand: Nickelodeon, Spike TV, Comedy Central, LOGO and MTV. Among the highlights were Nickelodeon's upcoming CGI series Penguins of Madagascar, launching in March. A&E was next as it promoted The Beast, the new drama starring Patrick Swayze. He was not on hand, as you all know, as he was hospitalized for pneumonia. He is batling Pancreatic Cancer. His series launches this Thursday. Comcast's E! and style. followed, as E! announced Keeping Up with the Kardashians returns in March. HBO followed with many new series and movies announcements, along with returning series announcements such as for In Treatment. Discovery Networks closed out the day as Discovery Channel, TLC, and Animal Planet relayed their upcoming programming.
Finally on Saturday, we had BET, BBC America, Starz, Travel Channel, and Current. This was a total bore with nothing really noteworthy, and many cable networks were not here including TV Land, Nick at Nite, Lifetime, Hallmark, ABC Family, and more. No wonder it wasn't exciting!
Stay tuned this week for updates from the broadcast portion...which will be much better.

The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were last night. For the television portion, cable ruled big time in drama as HBO won nearly everything. AMC won one award. 30 Rock was the only show that won for broadcast and swept comedy. Here are the television winners:

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 Rock (NBC)
Californication (Showtime)
Entourage (HBO)
The Office (NBC)
Weeds (Showtime)
WINNER: 30 Rock (NBC)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who? (ABC)
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty (ABC)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife (USA Network)
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds (Showtime)
WINNER: Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)
Steve Carell, The Office (NBC)
David Duchovny, Californication (Showtime)
Kevin Connolly, Entourage (HBO)
Tony Shalhoub, Monk (USA Network)
WINNER: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Dexter (Showtime)
House (Fox)
In Treatment, (HBO)
Mad Men (AMC)
True Blood (HBO)
WINNER: Mad Men (AMC)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
January Jones, Mad Men (AMC)
Anna Paquin, True Blood (HBO)
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer (TNT)
WINNER: Anna Paquin, True Blood (HBO)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Michael C. Hall, Dexter (Showtime)
Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)
Hugh Laurie, House (Fox)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors (Showtime)
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment (HBO)
WINNER: Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment (HBO)

View the FULL list of television nominees and winners...and to discuss this.

Week 16 (First Four Nights) Numbers; How the Sitcoms Did

Week 16 numbers (first three nights final averages, Mon-Wed):
NOTE: We don't have final network averages for Thursday, so we cannot give you first four nights, but we do have first three. Final program ratings for Thursday are available in our analysis/how the sitcoms did, though.

Households: CBS: 7.4/11.6; Fox: 6.3/9.7; NBC: 5.7/9.0; ABC: 5.2/8.1; The CW: 1.5/2.3; MNT: 0.8/1.2.
Total Viewers: CBS: 11.76 million; Fox: 10.18 million; NBC: 9.2 million; ABC: 7.94 million; The CW: 2.26 million; MNT: 1.28 million.
Adults 18-49: Fox: 3.4/8.9; NBC: 3.0/7.8; CBS: 3.0/7.6; ABC: 2.7/6.9; The CW: 1.1/2.7; MNT: 0.4/1.1.

Analysis: We're back after the last two weeks off with our weekly report! Week 16 so far has seen regular programming return for the most part, but football--both pro and college, has dominated. We don't have final network averages through Thursday, but final ratings through Wednesday is above. Through the first four days I can project, Fox has the lead in all categories thanks to a huge BCS Championship Game on Thursday night, with CBS second, ABC third, and NBC fourth through the first four days.
Last week, NBC won a slow week 15 in HH, viewers, and 18-49, thanks to a huge NFL Playoff game on Saturday night that did over 27 million. CBS and Fox was battling for second, with CBS second in HH, while Fox was second in viewers/18-49. ABC was fourth in HH/viewers, but third in 18-49, leaving CBS in fourth.
Monday CBS was in repeats, as Fox aired a BCS football game and won the night. Fox aired the Fiesta Bowl between Texas and Ohio State and did a nice 17.06 million, as Fox averaged 16.31 million in primetime. CBS was in repeats and started with repeats of their comedies then ended with a repeat of CSI: Miami. The Big Bang Theory did 8.5million, not bad for a repeat. A repeat of How I Met Your Mother followed with 7.23 million, but a drop from the lead-in. #1 sitcom Two and a Half Men followed with a below normal 11.56 million for a repeat showing, while a Worst Week repeat did just 7.04 million. At 10pm a repeat of CSI: Miami did 10.4 million, seems a bit below repeat levels. ABC was next (but was second for the night in 18-49), with the season premiere of The Bachelor with a solid 8.74 million followed by the series premiere of True Beauty at 7.61 million, but it built from the lead-in in 18-49. Good start. NBC was next with the second night of the two-night, two-hour premiere of Superstars of Dance at 9.67 million, down a bit from previous night...but better than the normal Chuck and Heroes. Reality dud Momma's Boys was next at just 5.32 million, but still better than what NBC was doing here in the fall. The CW was next with the return of Gossip Girl doing 2.96 million and a new One Tree Hill did 2.66 million. Gossip Girl lost head-to-head with ABC Family's Secret Life of the American Teenager, as that did 4.44 million...ouch for The CW.
Tuesday CBS was all-new and won the night despite skewing old. CBS's NCIS started the night off with 19.1 million for a new episode. New drama The Mentalist followed with 19.62 million yet another series high. A new episode of Without a Trace did 13.13 million, down a lot from its previous new episode three weeks ago. NBC was next with the season premiere The Biggest Loser at 11.92 million, up from the last cycle's finale a bit and that was three weeks ago...how can this show come with a new season after just three weeks? NBC followed at 10pm with Law & Order: SVU at 10.82 million...solid, but should be better. ABC was 3rd on this night, the premiere of Homeland Security USA did 7.77 million, but skewed a bit older than thought. The ABC premiere of Scrubs followed with nice showings of 6.74 million and 6.61 million, up from its numbers from NBC last year. What was more impressive was it skewed very young, with 80% of its audience in 18-49 for the hour. Scrubs lead into the season premiere of the addicting hidden-camera series Primetime: What Would You Do at 10pm doing a solid 7.02 million, and skewing very young as well, in fact it tied CBS for the hour in 18-49 despite CBS doubling it in viewers. Fox was next with a repeat of House at 5.51 million and a repeat of Fringe with 3.64 million. The CW aired new 90210 and did 2.8 million, really should be doing better than this, and a new episode of Privileged only did 1.67 million, as this series is in danger of coming back next year.
Wednesday saw CBS and ABC battle. CBS started with sitcoms, but repeats of Old Christine did a decent 7.89 million and a repeat of Gary Unmarried did 7.13 million, though it didn't build from the lead-in like it usually does. Criminal Minds and CSI: NY were preempted, so CBS lost big ratings, but did OK with the 35th Annual People's Choice Awards at 9.41 million. ABC was next but it started off slow with two Scrubs repeats from the previous night doing 4.53 and 4.29 million, yet, still on par really with Pushing Daisies' latest airings. A Special Edition of 20/20 - Vanished: Missing in Milwaukee was next and did a solid 7.95 million, that really was an interesting special. ABC saw big ratings for Barbara Walters Special: Patrick Swayze - The Truth doing 12.55 million, but skewed older than thought. NBC opened the night with the dud Knight Rider doing only 5.74 million, yet it seems like it went up, a repeat of Law & Order: SVU did a solid 7.47 million much better than the usual Life episode. Law & Order followed at 10pm doing 10.26 million, better than usual...notice this show is one of those shows that is not a priority for viewers, because it only goes up when CSI: NY is not on. Without a Trace is another example of a show that is not a priority anymore. Fox was next with two Bones repeats at an OK 6.64 and 6.52 million. Fox can live with repeats on Tuesday and Wednesday this week thanks to two college football games and the huge NFL playoff game on Saturday night. The CW premiered new series 13: Fear is Real at just 2.4 million, wonder how it will do against Idol next week? A repeat of 90210 followed with 1.05 million.
Thursday saw Fox dominate with the BCS National Championship Game. The game did 26.78 million as Florida beat Oklahoma State. ABC was next with all-new episodes! An all-new Ugly Betty did 7.54 million, down from usual but not too bad airing against the BCS game, a new Grey's Anatomy was next and did 13.87 million, also slightly off from usual, followed by the Thursday premiere of Private Practice doing a solid 8.98 million at 10pm. CBS opened with a repeat of CSI: NY and did 8.57 million, not too bad, a repeat of CSI did a solid 11.0 million, and a repeat of Eleventh Hour followed with 7.65 million, a bit concerning as retention was not as good usual. NBC was fourth and they were primarily all-new. A new My Name is Earl did just 5.61 million, followed by a new Kath & Kim at just 4.13 million, a repeat of The Office did 4.67 million, followed by a new 30 Rock at 5.37 million. ER was next and all-new with 7.34 million, not too good. Smallville repeat on The CW did 2.24 million followed by a Supernatural repeat at 1.89 million.
Now, as usual final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but CBS won Friday with new episodes of Ghost Whisperer at 8, season premiere of Flashpoint, and a new NUMB3RS at 10pm. NBC saw OK numbers for the premiere of Howdie Do It at 8pm while 20/20 on ABC did good at 10pm.
Saturday was big because of the NFL. Fox won the night easily as the game between the Cardinals/Panthers scored big, as the Cardinals upset the Panthers to head to the NFC Championship Game next Sunday at 3pm.
Tonight the big four will all have something to tout about likely. CBS will have an overrun of the NFL playoff game spilling into primetime to boost their 8-11pm shows. NBC has the Golden Globes, which I don't think people will care too much to watch. Fox has the return of 24, but Fox doesn't have the luxury of an NFL lead-in. And ABC's outstanding regular Sunday line-up is all-new with AFV, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters. The countdown is on for the Housewives' 100th episode next Sunday!
As for the week, Fox will easily win the week in HH, viewers and 18-49. Why wouldn't they? They had huge football games and didn't need any scripted (besides tonight) or even unscripted new programming. CBS will finish second, ABC should be third but NBC is in contention also, it depends on the Globes tonight. What to look for this week...oh god American Idol returns. Don't watch this year please, I beg you!

Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Dec. 29-Jan. 4)

• The Simpsons (Fox) - preempted.
• King of the Hill (Fox) - preempted.
• Family Guy (Fox) - preempted.
• American Dad (Fox) - preempted.
  

Monday Sitcoms

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - 8.5 million for a repeat. So good!
• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - 7.23 million for a repeat...not bad, but doesn't repeat as well as its lead-in does.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - 11.56 million for a repeat...yet still the #1 sitcom airing of the week.
• Worst Week (CBS) - 7.04 million only for a repeat. The show will likely be gone for good after Feb. 9...sad, though.

Tuesday Sitcoms

• Scrubs (ABC) 2 episodes - 6.74 million and 6.61 million for the first two episodes on ABC, while that doesn't sound like much...it is an improvement from what it did on NBC the last few years. Also, the show did very well in 18-49, doing a 3.1 and a 3.2 rating.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• Old Christine (CBS) - 7.89 million for a repeat...not bad.
• Gary Unmarried (CBS) - 7.13 million for a repeat...strange it didn't build from the lead-in like it normally was doing.
• Scrubs (ABC) - Two special encores from previous night did an OK 4.53 and 4.29 million.
• Under One Roof (MNT) - Only 740,000 viewers for its return. Why is this airing against House of Payne on TBS? That show does like 4 million every week on cable.

Thursday Sitcoms

• My Name is Earl (NBC) - A new episode only mustered 5.61 million...but still highest NBC sitcom of the night.
• Kath & Kim (NBC) - 4.13 million for a new episode...ouch. Get rid of it!
• The Office (NBC) - 4.67 million for a repeat...the only repeat of the bunch.
• 30 Rock (NBC) - A new episode only did 5.37 million as the show got hurt with no Office as a new episode. Back to the old days of bad ratings again!

Friday Sitcoms

• Everybody Hates Chris (The CW) - 1.41 prelim million for a new episode...should be better.
• The Game (The CW) - 1.39 prelim million for a new episode. This show would be better say on Wednesdays instead.

Saturday Sitcoms

• None.
  

Airing tonight (Sunday) are repeat of Fox's animated comedies from 7-8 only.

Summing it up. Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, and Scrubs were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as repeats of Old Christine, Gary Unmarried) or just plain old terrible (such as Kath & Kim, Under One Roof).

Blog DVD Review: Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Chipettes (1/13)

It is Saturday, so that must mean it is time for the weekly Blog DVD Reviews. This week we take a look at Paramount Home Entertainment's Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Chipettes. This set features 6 episodes from the Alvin and the Chipmunks original series from 1983-87 and all the episodes have the Chipettes, the female version of the Chipmunks! See my Blog DVD Reviews of Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Chipettes:

Alvin & the Chipmunks: The Chipettes (Paramount, $16.99) brings the six best episodes from the original 1983-87 series featuring the Chipmunks' female counterpart, The Chipettes! This is the second set that we get the actual original series on DVD, so fans will be very happy once again. Rejoin Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor as they join their friends and love interests Alvin, Simon & Theodore!
We have had many Chipmunk sets, some even re-released. Basically, we have had Chipmunks Go To The Movies sets (which featured episodes like "Daytona Jones and the Pearl of Wisdom," "Robomunk," "Star Wreck," "Batmunk," and "Funny...We Shrunk the Adults"). We have also had holiday themed sets such as Valentine's, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas specials releases. Paramount has also released the Chipmunk Adventure feature film from 1987. And my personal favorite was the Alvinnn! Edition, which was the first set to have episodes from the original 1983-87 series. 14 of them!
This set has six more episodes from the original 1983-87 series. The original 1983-87 series had two 11-minute episodes or so in a half-hour. So as with the Alvinnn edition, we don't get the actual "full episodes," but one 11-12 minute episode from a full episode...and we get 6 of those mini-episodes. The episodes run around 12 minutes (lowest is 11:30, highest is 12:05) counting the opening theme, and all of the episodes have the catchy opening theme! On the Alvinnn edition we didn't get the episode title card screen after the opening credits, on this set...we do and on all six, too! Unfortunately, there are no closing credits for the six episodes. Weird. Each episode has 3 chapter stops on this set. Episodes on this set are: "May the Best Chipmunk Win," "Operation Theodore," "Sisters," "The Greatest Show-Offs on Earth," "My Fair Chipette," and "Tell it to the Judge." These are six very good ones and you get to see some good songs sung by the Chipettes! Isn't it fun watching the Chipettes working at the hospital in "Operation Theodore?"
Packaging is simple and in the same line as the previous sets--a nice simple case with the discs inside, but this time there is NO insert for Chipmunks.com, odd. Cover art featuretes the Chipettes obviously, with them around lockers with pictures of Alvin, Simon, & Theodore stuck to a locker door. Back of the case we have info on the set and the Chipettes, with another shot of the Chipettes at their lockers, and a poster stuck on to one locker saying Alvin for President. There is also a locker on the left side, which is Brittany's locker, listing the episodes on this set, a poster for Brittany for President, and two screenshots. Disc art has the same artwork as the cover art. All the artwork seems to be from the post-1987 version, and not the original series artwork for some reason. This is been the case for all the sets it seems. Oh well.
The menu screen has the same artwork has the packaging's back side, which I mentioned above. Options are Play All, Episode Selection and Previews. This is an improvement because usually the episodes are listed on the main menu. An auto-trailer for Alvin sets come before the main menu starts and also the same trailer can be found in the Previews option on the main menu. At least we don't get any other trailers. The Episode Selection menu is neat. The episode titles are listed on the locker doors. Simple yet effective.
The video and audio are OK at best, some episodes look good (not great though), some don't. They are certainly not remastered or anything, like I have mentioned before. They are watchable, though. So it is worth the buy, especially since this series is not on television anymore. The copies are a bit better than VHS that you may have recorded from the original run or 90s syndication.
I highly do recommend any fan to pick up this set. We are now getting episodes of the classic series from 1983-87, as this is the second set to feature them. Those are the best and most memorable episodes. I just wish they start giving us season sets. It isn't that hard, is it? They obviously have the rights to the original episodes. Though I hope when and if they make season sets, they remaster and clean up the episodes a bit for the fans. I really want a complete first season or at least break them up into half seasons and release them. I want to see "The C Team" episode on DVD! Mr. T in animation! Anyway, if you haven't gotten any of these Chipmunk sets yet, this is a good start, along with the Alvinnn Edition we mentioned before. Why? Because both sets are classic Alvin! Alvinnnnnnnnnnnnnn!
-- Reviewed by Pavan
(4/5 stars)

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2009 Sitcoms on DVD Preview

Welcome to our 4th Annual Sitcoms on DVD Preview and Predictions Issue! First, we will look at some of the releases that have been officially announced or rumored to be coming to DVD in 2009. Then we will offer some of our own predictions of some new and returning sitcoms that we feel have some chance to be released later this year.

Making their debut on DVD in 2009 will be Blossom, California Dreams, Hope & Faith, Malcolm & Eddie, Mr. Belvedere, My Two Dads, My Wife and Kids and Rhoda. Hopefully we will have news on many more in the upcoming months.

Returning favorites that have been announced include Barney Miller, Becker, The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched Caroline in the City, Cheers, Dave's World, The Donna Reed Show, Family Ties, Girlfriends, House of Payne, Just Shoot Me, The Love Boat, Married with Children, My Three Sons, The Nanny, Night Court, The Partridge Family, Reba, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Spin City and 'Til Death.

The links below go to Amazon.com where you can pre-order these titles at up to 30% off their list price. We are an affiliate of Amazon.com and receive a commission for each sale. Please consider ordering through our links. Thanks for your support!

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January 2009:



01/13 - Tyler Perry's House of Payne - Volume Three

Tyler Perry's award-winning television show - Tyler Perry's House of Payne - returns to DVD with 20 more hilarious episodes about a multi-generational family forced to all coexist under one roof. Currently the #1 cable sitcom on television, the show premiered on TBS in June 2007 as the highest-rated ad-supported cable sitcom telecast of all time, received an unprecedented 100 episode pick-up by the network and won the Image Award for Best Comedy Series, Best Actor (LaVan Davis) and Best Supporting Actor (Lance Gross). The 3-disc DVD set contains a host of bonus features including a character profile, bloopers and the featurette "Everyone Loves a Player." Tyler Perry's House of Payne: Volume Three will be available day and date with the DVD releases of Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys and Tyler Perry's The Marriage Counselor: The Play.



01/13 - Reba - Season Five

Reba is back, and the Hart household is crazier than ever! Country music superstar and Grammy® winner Reba McEntire returns as the feisty-yet-frazzled head of the uproariously unpredictable Hart family when Reba - Season Five debuts on DVD January 13th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Returning with her hilarious "down-home" antics, McEntire stars as a single suburban mom trying to juggle her career, family and relationships with pizzazz - but this time around, everyone has issues! While Cheyenne and Van struggle to save their rocky marriage, Brock is in danger of losing his home, and Barbara Jean is simply driving the rest of the family insane! And still, with a little tough love and a whole lot of determination, Reba manages to keep her extended brood together, proving that she really is a survivor in the hilariously heartfelt Season Five of Reba.



01/13 - 'Til Death - The Complete Second Season

The brash comedy series, 'Til Death: The Complete Second Season comes to DVD January 13 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The FOX series stars three-time Emmy winner Brad Garrett (Ratatouille, TV's Everybody Loves Raymond), Golden Globe® nominee Joely Fisher (TV's Desperate Housewives, Ellen), Kat Foster (TV's The Book of Daniel), and Eddie Kaye Thomas (American Pie trilogy). Also, J.B. Smoove (TV's Curb Your Enthusiasm, Saturday Night Live) joins the cast this season as Kenny, a helpless divorcee. The two-disc DVD set contains all 18 episodes produced for the second season and exclusive bonus materials including a blooper reel and a Pre-Show Antics with Brad Garrett featurette packed with behind-the-scenes laughs. 'Til Death: The Complete Second Season will be available for $29.95 SRP.



01/20 - My Three Sons - The First Season - Volume Two

Welcome back to Bryant Park, as the Douglas clan returns for more fun and laughter in My Three Sons: The First Season - Volume Two. Fred MacMurray stars as widower Steve Douglas, a pipe-smoking suburbanite who brings up three growing boys with a little help from their grandpa (William Frawley) and family dog Tramp. Smart, funny and extremely well-written, this hilarious 18-episode collection not only features the rarely-seen first season adventures of Mike (Tim Considine), Robbie (Don Grady), and Chip (Stanley Livingston), but a heaping helping of the fatherly advice that made Steve Douglas one of TV Guide's "Top Ten Greatest Dads" of all time!



01/27 - Blossom - Seasons 1 & 2

America's beloved quirky duckling was Blossom Russo, a smart and perky young girl with an endless array of funky fashion sense; and who in the world could forget her floppy flowered hats! Blossom, her best friend named Six, dim-witted brother Joey and her family were introduced with Blossom, the enormously popular sitcom starring Mayim Bialik (Beaches, Curb Your Enthusiasm), Jenna von Oÿ (The Parkers), Ted Wass (Soap), Michael Stoyanov, Barnard Hughes, and Joey Lawrence in the role that made him an international teen heartthrob.

Marking 18 years after Blossom's initial premiere on network television, Shout! Factory will release the long-awaited Blossom: Seasons One and Two on January 27, 2009. The 6-DVD collector's set contains all 37 memorable episodes from the first two seasons and exclusive bonus content with all-new interviews and commentaries by Mayim Bialik, Jenna von Oÿ, Joey Lawrence, Ted Wass and the creative team, The original Blossom TV pilot, A Very Special Show, A Very Special Style, and much more! Available for the first time, Blossom: Seasons One and Two, two seasons of this Emmy®-nominated series in one very special deluxe box set, is priced to own at $49.99.

Read our review of Blossom - Seasons 1 & 2



01/27 - Cheers - The Eleventh Season

It's the cozy little bar where everybody knows your name... raise a glass to Cheers - the Emmy award-winning smash-hit television series that kept the laughs uncorked for 11 seasons. In Cheers - The Final (Eleventh) Season, it's finally last call, as the milestone comedy ends its historic run with Sam (Ted Danson) rebuilding the bar after Rebecca (Kirstie Alley) sets it on fire. Meanwhile, Norm (George Wendt) gets audited, Cliff (John Ratzenberger) gets promoted, and Lillith (Bebe Neuwirth) leaves Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) in order to live in a biosphere. And as Woody (Woody Harrelson) runs for city council and Carla (Rhea Perlman) sees her daughter get married, Sam invites Diane Chambers back to Boston, then pretends he's married to Rebecca! The uproarious sitcom goes out with a bang, with a 28-episode set. A toast to Cheers... and many happy returns!



01/27 - The Love Boat - Season Two - Volume One

Set sail again for love and adventure with Volume One of the Second Season of The Love Boat. Join Captain Stubing (Gavin MacLeod), Doc (Bernie Kopell), Gopher (Fred Grandy), Isaac the Bartender (Ted Lange), Julie your Cruise Director (Lauren Tewes) and a cast of wacky and memorable guest stars that will keep you rolling with laughter for hours. Take your seat at the Captain's table and escape reality with this 4-disc set, complete with the first 13 romantic and campy episodes that are sure to keep you in stitches as you hit the high seas for a tidal wave of laughter.

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February 2009:



02/03 - Becker - The Second Season

Just what the doctor ordered - television's angriest physician is back on DVD! Fans love Ted Danson (TV's Cheers) as Becker, the Bronx doctor whose ranting and raving drives his friends and co-workers nuts! This season, when John Becker goes to the rescue of his blind friend Jake (Alex Désert) he gets shot, but meets an attractive doctor while recuperating. And as diner owner Reggie (Terry Farrell) goes back to college, office manager Margaret (Hattie Winston) is flabbergasted when wacky employer Linda (Shawnee Smith) takes in the diner's most annoying customer. This 3-disc set contains all 24 Season Two episodes of the smart and funny series Becker, on DVD for the very first time. But don't let Dr. Becker get started. He'll end up telling you where it hurts!



02/03 - Bewitched - The Complete Seventh Season

Everyone's favorite witch returns when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment debuts Bewitched: The Complete Seventh Season on DVD February 3. The Emmy-nominated seventh season stars Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick Sargent and Agnes Moorehead. Guest stars this season include Golden Globe®-nominee Cesar Romero (TV's Batman, If a Man Answers), Golden Globe®-winner Vic Trayback (TV's Alice), Emmy Award®-winner Imogene Coca (National Lampoon's Vacation, TV's Your Show of Shows), Emmy Award®-nominee Alice Ghostley (TV's Designing Women), Bernard Fox and Emmy Award®-nominee Paul Lynde (TV's The Hollywood Squares). The DVD includes all 28 episodes in a four-disc boxed set and will be available for $39.95 SRP.



02/03 - Dave's World - The Second Season

Write on! Harry Anderson is back for a hilarious second season of Dave's World, the comedy series based on the writings of Pulitizer Prize-winning humorist Dave Barry. From fricasseed pet rabbits and bachelor auctions to randy mothers-in-law and tree house voyeurs, Miami newspaper columnist Dave Barry (Anderson) is never lacking for material, thanks to the zany antics of his wife (DeLane Matthews), children (Zane Carney and Andrew Ducote) and wacky best friends (Shadoe Stevens and Meschach Taylor). Featuring 25 episodes jam-packed with laughter, great guest stars, charm and wit, Dave's World: The Second Season is an uproarious 3-disc DVD collection no Dave Barry fan can afford to miss!



02/03 - Night Court - The Complete Second Season

Your court date has been set for February 3, 2009, the day Warner Home Video (WHV) releases the second season of the hilarious 80's classic comedy Night Court on DVD. The magic trick performing, Mel Torme-loving Judge Harry T. Stone (Harry Anderson) is ready to preside over another season full of crazy cases and off-the-wall defendants along with the help of his equally wacky staff. Titled Night Court: The Complete Second Season, this three-disc collector's set will include all 22 episodes from the series' sophomore season. This release will retail for $29.98 SRP.

Judge Stone and his motley crew of courtroom characters, including the unscrupulous and sexually charged district attorney Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), bailiff "Bull" Shannon (Richard Moll) and fellow bailiff Selma (Selma Diamond), return for a rollicking second season of dispensing justice to the assorted nuts of night court. Joining them in the courtroom this year are "Noo Yawk" savvy defender Billie Young (Ellen Foley) and Vietnam vet Mac Robinson (Charles Robinson), the court clerk. Cases on the docket for Season Two include an invisible man, a mogul madman, a lovelorn nun, hookers, pickpockets, flashers, wackos, weirdos, gonzos and great guest stars including Michael Richards, Stella Stevens, Jack Gilford, John Astin, Lou Ferrigno and as substitute defender Christine Sullivan, played by Markie Post, who will become a full-time cast member in the show's third season.



02/03 - The Partridge Family - The Complete Fourth Season

The grooviest rock n' roll family ever takes their final bow when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment debuts The Partridge Family: The Complete Fourth Season on DVD February 3. Top guest stars this season include Gordon Jump (TV's WKRP in Cincinnati), Cheryl Ladd (TV's Charlie's Angels), Emmy® Award winner Pat Harrington, Jr. (TV's One Day at a Time), and Jackie Coogan (TV's The Adams Family). The three-disc set contains all 22 episodes from the fourth season and will be available for $29.95 SRP.



02/10 - Life with Derek - Let the Games Begin!

Includes Four Hilarious, Fun-Filled Episodes of the Hit Series as seen on the Disney Channel Plus the DVD Exclusive "House of Games" Interactive Challenge and a "Life With Derek" Locker Poster! Derek (Michael Seater) and Casey (Ashley Leggat) are two 15-year-olds who are used to being in charge. That is, until their parents get married and the two end up living under the same roof along with their younger siblings Lizzie (Jordan Todosey), Edwin (Daniel Magder) and Marti (Ariel Waller). Who will win as Derek and Casey battle for control of their house, their school and their world? Let the games begin!



02/10 - Wizards of Waverly Place - Supernaturally Stylin'

iscover why Wizards of Waverly Place is charming fans everywhere! Enjoy hilarious episodes from the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Series and join stars Selena Gomez and the cast for an exclusive look at their personal styles plus visit the show s fabulous costume closets! Wizards-in-training Alex Russo (Gomez) and her brothers Justin and Max are having an awesome time experimenting with their supernatural powers but they still have a lot to learn! You ll be spellbound as they stir up outrageously funny situations such as using the Freeze Frame spell so Alex can make her mark in the fashion industry; figuring out the quirky side effects of Wizard Wear; and saving Justin when he falls into puppy love and turns into a werewolf! As these cool kids juggle their ordinary lives with their extraordinary powers, it s a sure thing there will be more magic and mayhem brewing with the Wizards of Waverly Place!



02/17 - The Beverly Hillbillies - The Official Third Season

Jed (Buddy Ebsen), a poor Ozarks mountaineer, is out hunting when he accidentally discovers an oil gusher on his property. Suddenly stinking rich, he packs up his family and moves to Beverly Hills. Now, living high on the hog in a mansion with a genuine "cement pond," Granny (Irene Ryan) is determined to get beautiful Elly May (Donna Douglas) married off to a suitable beau while Jed does his best to steer his nethew Jethro (Max Baer, Jr.) with his sixth grade "ed-a-ma-ca-tion," toward solid career opportunites. The official third season makes its DVD debut in this 5-disc set that's loaded with all 34 laugh-out-loud episodes of the legendary series!



02/17 - Sabrina, the Teenage Witch - The Fifth Season

Melissa Joan Hart is back as Sabrina Spellman, television's most popular teen witch! This season, Sabrina's enrolled in college in Boston, where she discovers just how hard it is juggling school, romance, and three new roommates: straight-talking Roxie (Soleil Moon Frye, TV's Punky Brewster), resident advisor Morgan (Elisa Donovan), and science geek Miles (Trevor Lissauer). Still working at the coffeehouse with her secret crush Josh (David Lashcer), Sabrina is surprised when Aunt Hilda (Caroline Rhea), decides to buy the popular establishment. And since Aunt Zelda (Beth Broderick) now teaches at Sabrina's college, talking cat Salem (voiced by Nick Bakay) is able to conjure up even more outrageous schemes! Included on 3 discs are all 22 digitally remastered episodes of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch - The Fifth Season.



02/24 - Futurama - Into the Wild Green Yonder (Blu-ray

Off we go, into the wild green yonder! Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents the fourth and final feature-length epic of the animated sci-fi comedy Futurama when Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder arrives on DVD and Blu-ray February 24. Joining the saga this time as guest stars are illusionist Penn Jillette, hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, talk radio superstar Phil Hendrie, and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. In addition, fans of the series will be thrilled and relieved to finally discover the truth about "Number 9 Man," a deeply mysterious character from the earliest days of the series.

Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder is jam-packed with bonus features, including audio commentary from Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, writers and animators, a making-of mockumentary, deleted scenes, How to Draw Futurama, "Bender's Movie Theater Etiquette," "Zapp Brannigan's Guide to Making Love at a Woman" and much more. The Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $29.98 U.S. / $37.98 Canada and on Blu-ray for $39.98 U.S. / $49.98 Canada.



02/24 - Girlfriends - The Sixth Season

Life, love and comedy collide again for the sexiest and most sophisticated girlfriends in L.A. in Girlfriends: The Sixth Season on DVD. Experience all 21 fabulous episodes in a special 3-disc set. Executive Produced by Kelsey Grammer (Cheers, Frasier) and created by Mara Brock Akil, the hilarious sixth season sees the girlfriends on the verge of losing a dream, losing their patience, and, for one, possibly losing her child. And only with laughter, strength, and friendship will they find their way to keep what's theirs and help each other smile through it all.



02/24 - Just Shoot Me - The Complete Third Season

Just Shoot Me: The Complete Third Season makes its fashionable return to DVD February 24 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The Emmy® Award and Golden Globe® nominated NBC series, with its always on-target, sometimes off-beat humor, features a top-notch ensemble cast lead by Golden Globe®-nominee David Spade (TV's Rules of Engagement), Golden Globe®-nominee Laura San Giacomo (Pretty Woman), Academy Award®-nominee George Segal (1966, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?), Emmy® Award-nominee Wendi Malick (TV's Dream On) and Enrico Colantoni (TV's Veronica Mars). The three-disc set which contains all 25 episodes of the third season will be available for $39.95 SRP.



02/24 - My Wife and Kids - Season 1

The 2001-2005 ABC sitcom makes its debut on DVD. Michael Kyle (Damon Wayans) longs for a traditional life, but his day trader wife Janet (Tisha Campbell-Martin) and three brooding children make his dream just that - a dream. Watch how it all began with the complete first season. With Wayans at the helm, this is no ordinary family comedy. My Wife and Kids was a mid-season replacement in 2001. The 13 episodes will run 264 minutes. Special features are still being finalized.

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March 2008:



03/03 - My Two Dads - Season One

The 1987-1990 NBC sitcom makes its debut on DVD. The series starred Paul Reiser, Greg Evigan, Staci Keanan, Florence Stanley, Dick Butkus and Vonni (Giovanni) Ribisi. All 22 episodes from the first season will be included on this 4-disc set, which runs 495 minutes. Special features are are still being finalized.



03/10 - Caroline in the City - The Second Season

Art continues to imitate life as Caroline in the City returns for its second uproarious season. It's been three months since Caroline (Lea Thompson) called off her wedding, but America's favorite cartoonist hasn't changed a bit as she continues to look for love in all the wrong places while meddling in the lives of her very best friends. Co-starring Malcolm Gets as her sharp-tongued assistant Richard, Eric Lutes as hunky ex-boyfriend Del and Amy Pietz as her wisecracking pal Annie, Caroline in the City: The Second Season is a tasty 25-episode collection flavored with wit, laughter and a dashof romance.



03/10 - Family Ties - The Fifth Season

In Family Ties: The Fifth Season, Steven (Michael Gross) and Elyse Keaton (Meredith Baxter Birney) still emobdy the spirit of the 1960s, while supporting their kids - Alex (Emmy winner Michael J. Fox), Mallory (Justine Bateman), Jennifer (Tina Yothers) and young son Andrew (Brian Bonsall) - in the more conservative 1980s. This season, the Keaton parents have learned to accept their older children, but find it hard to accept the fact that they are practically grown up, with lives of their own: Alex is a junior in college and has a bank job; Jennifer fronts an all-girl rock band; and Mallory has left the mall behind for college, where she studies - what else? - fashion! But whatever era they support, the Keatons will always support each other - on Family Ties!



03/10 - Get Smart - Season 2 (HBO Home Video)

Maxwell Smart is back...And Loving it! And so is Agent 99, The Chief, Fang and the rest of the fearless Get Smart gang. Here is the legendary, Emmy Award-winning spy-spoof series inspired by the comic genius of Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, digitally restored, remastered and brought to you by HBO Home Entertainment.

The madcap misadventures only get funnier in Season 2 as Max and 99 pursue their elusive KAOS adversaries around the world from Greenland to the scorching sands of the Sahara desert- and come face-to-face with their dastardly foes…in a Bedoin tent…at the stylish "Pussycat Club"…and deep beneath the eaves in a secret KOAS submarine. This classically funny 4-DVD set collects all 30 episodes from the hit second season of Get Smart , including the hilarious spy parody "Bronzefinger," and the three-part comic masterpiece, "A Man Called Smart."



03/10 - South Park - The Complete Twelfth Season (Blu-ray)

All fourteen uncensored episodes from South Park's twelfth season are now available in this exclusive three-disc set. In this collection, South Park follows the new President-elect from his acceptance speech to his first official day of duty as Commander in Chief. The boys keep busy helping a pop-princess who's down on her luck, negotiating a truce for striking Canadians, and preventing giant rodents from destroying the world. For them, it's all part of growing up in South Park.



03/17 - Barney Miller - The Complete Third Season

Barney Miller: The Complete Third Season makes its DVD debut March 17 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The Emmy Award® winning classic ABC comedy series stars Hal Linden (TV's Search for Tomorrow, The Other Woman) as everyone's favorite cop, along with a top-notch ensemble featuring Abe Vigoda (The Godfather), Emmy Award® nominee Max Gail (TV's Sons & Daughters), Emmy Award® nominee Ron Glass (TV's Firefly), Jack Soo (Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Green Berets), James Gregory (The Manchurian Candidate), Ron Carey (History of the World: Part I) and Emmy Award® nominee Steve Landesberg (TV's Head Case). Watch all 22 memorable episodes on your own schedule, in a three disc set available for $29.95 SRP.



03/17 - Mr. Belvedere - Seasons 1 and 2

The 1985-1990 ABC sitcom finally arrives on DVD. The series starred Christopher Hewett, Bob Uecker, Ilene Graff, Rob Stone, Tracy Wells and Brice Beckham. The 5-disc set will contain all 29 episodes from the first two seasons and run 660 minutes. No word yet if there will be any special features. Streaks on the china, never mattered before, who cares.



03/17 - Married with Children - The Complete Tenth Season

Married...With Children, the show that puts the "fun" in dysfunctional, is back on DVD with The Complete Tenth Season March 17 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The three-disc set features all 26 episodes of the top-rated iconic comedy series' next-to-last season, starring the always irreverent and politically incorrect Bundys -- Ed O'Neill (TV's John from Cincinnati), Katey Sagal (TV's 8 Simple Rules), Christina Applegate (TV's Samantha Who?), and David Faustino (National Lampoon's Pucked). The DVD will be available for $39.95 SRP.



03/17 - The Nanny - The Complete Third Season

The Nanny: The Complete Third Season makes its DVD debut March 17 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Emmy Award® nominee Fran Drescher (TV's Living with Fran, The Beautician and the Beast) stars as Nanny Fran in the popular CBS comedy series about the nasal-voiced flashy girl from Flushing Queens who moves in with a proper British millionaire widower and his three kids. Charles Shaughnessy, Daniel Davis, Lauren Lane, Nicholle Tom, Benjamin Salisbury, Madeline Zima, and Renee Taylor also star. The three disc set contains all 27 episodes including the animated "Oy to the World" holiday episode, and will be available for $39.95 SRP.



03/24 - Room 222 - Season One

Room 222 was a popular school drama/comedy that aired on ABC from 1969-1974. The series starred Lloyd Haynes, Denise Nicholas, Michael Constantine, Karen Valentine, Howard Rice, Judy Strangis, Heshimu and Pendrant Netherly. Shout! Factory is releasing all 26 episodes from the first season on 4 discs. The running time is approximately 660 minutes.



03/31 - California Dreams - Seasons 1 and 2

The 1992-1996 NBC series makes its debut on DVD. Shout! Factory is releasing the first two seasons on a 5-disc set. Special features will include a reunion featurette, chapter access to the music videos in the episodes and possibly more.



03/31 - Hope & Faith - Season 1

Kelly Ripa and Faith Ford star as sisters Hope and Faith in this hilarious ABC Family comedy. Re-live all the laughs with all 25 episodes of the first season, available for the first time on DVD. Hope (Ford), a down-to-earth wife and mother of three lives life quietly in an Ohio suburb, until her celebrity sister, Faith (Ripa), comes barging into town. Faith single-handedly stirs up drama with the family; just as her ex-soap opera character did on TV. You can take the diva off daytime, but can’t take the drama out of the diva. This family comedy will keep you laughing all episode long.

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April 2008:



04/14 - Malcolm & Eddie - Season One

Malcolm & Eddie aired on the UPN from 1996-2000. The series starred Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Eddie Griffin. Shout! Factory is releasing all 22 episodes (510) minutes on a 5-disc set. The special features are still being finalized.



04/21 - Rhoda - Season One

Rhoda was a spin-off from The Mary Tyler Moore Show that aired on CBS from 1974-1978. The series starred Valerie Harper, Julie Kavner, David Groh, Nancy Walker, Harold J. Gould and several other semi-regulars. Shout! Factory is releasing all 25 episodes (720 minutes) on a 5-disc 35th Anniversary Edition release.



04/28 - Spin City - The Complete Second Season

Shout! Factory is releasing all 24 episodes (540 minutes) from the second season. Jennifer Esposito joined the cast as a recurring character. The special features are still being finalized.

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Other Sitcoms Expected on DVD in 2009:

The Dana Carvey Show - Shout! Factory is said to working on a release for the short-lived 1996 ABC comedy/variety series which had Steve Carrell, Stephen Colbert and Robert Smigel as regulars.
The Donna Reed Show - Arts Alliance America is preparing to release the second season in time for Mother's Day 2009 (before May 10th).
Grace Under Fire - First Look originally had Season 1 scheduled for a October 7, 2008 release, but they have pushed it back to sometime in 2009.

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Special thanks to the fine folks at TVShowsOnDVD.com for the artwork and information in compiling this preview.

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2009 Predictions:

These are my predictions and opinions only for 2009. Some of them probably have zero chance, but I still have them on my wish list. None of these titles have been officially announced.

Returning and New Shows:

According to Jim - I think we'll see season 2. This is the final season (season 8) airing on ABC currently.
All in the Family - It's time for Sony to finish up the remaining seasons already.
Benson - I'm hoping we see Season 2 this year.
Bewitched - Only the 8th season is left to be released.
The Big Bang Theory - Season 2 of this popular CBS sitcom should be released in the fall. Pavan watches it just for Kaley Cuoco.
The Bill Engvall Show - Maybe a Season 2-3 combined release?
Blossom - I think we'll see Season 3 if the Seasons 1-2 set sells well.
Boy Meets World - Now that Lionsgate has acquired the rights, hopefully we'll see the remaining seasons.
Charles in Charge - Hopefully we'll see the remaining seasons soon.
Coach - I think we'll see another season.
Dennis the Menace - I picked it last year. I think it would be ideal for MPI.
Diff'rent Strokes - The wait for season 3 has been agonizing.
A Different World - The Cosby Show is finished, so now it is time for the spin-off series.
8 Simple Rules - I think we'll see Season 2 at some point this year.
Everybody Hates Chris - Another season in the fall.
The Facts of Life - I don't understand what the holdup for Season 4 has been.
Family Ties - I think we'll see Season 6 in the fall.
Frank's Place - It has been mentioned as a possibility for a DVD release, although it would have music changed.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - Where are Seasons 5-6?
Gary Unmarried - If it gets picked up for a second season, a first season DVD release seems likely.
George Lopez - Very popular show on Nick at Nite. Would be nice to see Season 3 on DVD. Whatcha!
Gimme A Break - Hopefully we see another season or two from VEI in Canada.
Happy Days - I think we'll see Season 5 in the fall.
House of Payne - A big hit on TBS.
How I Met Your Mother - Season 4 should be released in the fall.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - A popular sitcom on F/X.
The Jeffersons - It would be nice if Sony released these a bit faster.
Laverne & Shirley - I'd like to see this and Happy Days released at a quicker rate.
Leave it to Beaver - It would be a perfect fit for Shout! Factory if they could get the rights to it to release the remaining seasons.
Love, American Style - I think Season 2 will be released in 2009.
The Lucy Show - I thought we would see the start of it in 2008...so far nothing.
Married with Children - Just the 11th season left to be released.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show - The fans are desperate for the remaining seasons. Hopefully somebody makes it happen.
Mister Peepers - There are quite a few episodes left to be released.
Mork & Mindy - Just one more season to complete the series.
My Boys - A Season 2-3 release would be nice since the seasons are so short.
My Name Is Earl - We should see another season in the fall. I hope NBC finds room for it on their schedule.
The New Adventures of Old Christine - A solid hit for CBS.
The Office - Another season in the fall.
One Day at a Time - It was recently removed from Comcast's TubeTime channel. I'm not sure if that is a good or bad sign.
Perfect Strangers - Hopefully we will see season three this year.
Rules of Engagement - If does well on CBS and gets picked up for a full season, I could see Season 3 being released.
Samantha Who? - Season 2 should be released in the fall.
Scrubs - This is likely the last season on ABC, so the series should be complete on DVD eventually.
Silver Spoons - It was recently removed from Comcast's TubeTime service. The 80's sitcoms have been very slow to release.
The Simpsons - Many seasons to go, but they've been released at a good rate.
Spin City - Hopefully we will get the third season later in the year.
That Girl - Shout! Factory has done a nice job with the releases so far.
30 Rock - A very funny and underrated show should be on DVD again before the fall season.
Two and a Half Men - TV's #1 rated sitcom keeps chugging along.
What's Happening Now!! - Not as popular as What's Happening, but would be nice to have it complete on DVD.
Wings - Only Season 8 is left to be released.
Worst Week - I think Season 1 will be released if it gets picked up for a second season.
The Wonder Years - The first season had only six episodes. It could be given a trial run. Music licensing rights are a major issue, but hopefully a company like Shout! Factory could work on this set. Has been the #1 most requested unreleased show at TVShowsonDVD.com for quite awhile by a wide margin.

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What do you predict we'll see on DVD in 2009? What shows do you still have hope to see released? Post your comments on our message board.

35th Annual People's Choice Awards Winners; ION Announces Original Series; WWE Coming to WGN America on Thursdays in April

The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards aired last night on CBS. Here are the television portion winners:

FAVORITE TV DRAMA
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (CBS)
Grey's Anatomy (ABC)
House (Fox)
WINNER: House (Fox)

FAVORITE TV COMEDY
Samantha Who? (ABC)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Ugly Betty (ABC)
WINNER: Two and a Half Men (CBS)

FAVORITE ANIMATED COMEDY
Family Guy (Fox)
The Simpsons (Fox)
South Park (Comedy Central)
WINNER: The Simpsons (Fox)

FAVORITE SCI-FI / FANTASY SHOW
Heroes (NBC)
Supernatural (The CW)
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)
WINNER: Heroes (NBC)

FAVORITE COMPETITION / REALITY SHOW
American Idol (Fox)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
WINNER: Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

FAVORITE GAME SHOW
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox)
Deal Or No Deal (NBC/Syndicated)
JEOPARDY! (Syndicated, CBS Television Distribution)
WINNER: Deal Or No Deal (NBC/Syndicated)

FAVORITE MALE TV STAR
Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy, ABC)
Hugh Laurie (House, Fox)
Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men, CBS)
WINNER: Hugh Laurie (House, Fox)

FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?, ABC)
Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters, ABC)
Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: SVU, NBC)
WINNER: Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?, ABC)

FAVORITE TALK SHOW HOST
Ellen DeGeneres (Syndicated, Warner Bros.)
David Letterman (CBS)
Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa (Syndicated, ABC Studios)
WINNER: Ellen DeGeneres (Syndicated, Warner Bros.)

FAVORITE SCENE-STEALING GUEST STAR (NEW CATEGORY)
Luke Perry on Law & Order: SVU, NBC
Britney Spears on How I Met Your Mother, CBS
Robin Williams on Law & Order: SVU, NBC
WINNER: Robin Williams on Law & Order: SVU, NBC

FAVORITE TV DRAMA DIVA (NEW CATEGORY)
Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko on Saving Grace, TNT
Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin on Weeds, Showtime
Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson on The Closer, TNT
WINNER: Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson on The Closer, TNT

FAVORITE NEW TV DRAMA
90210, The CW
Fringe, Fox
The Mentalist, CBS
WINNER: The Mentalist, CBS

FAVORITE NEW TV COMEDY
Gary Unmarried, CBS
Kath & Kim, NBC
Worst Week, CBS
WINNER: Gary Unmarried, CBS

View the full list of winners and also view video highlights from the event last night.


Meanwhile, ION Television will launch an original series this year. ION Television has acquired the exclusive U.S. rights to the critically acclaimed and award-winning original TV series, Durham County. The network has secured all U.S. television, digital media rights, internet streaming and video-on-demand rights for the program. ION Television will debut the procedural crime one-hour series to its audience in 2009.
Durham County stars Hugh Dillon, star of the CBS police action series Flashpoint. In Durham County, Dillon plays Detective Mike Sweeney, a homicide detective who moves his family to suburban Durham County to start over after his partner is killed and his wife Audrey (Hélène Joy) is diagnosed with breast cancer. However, he soon discovers that his neighbor and childhood nemesis Ray Prager (Justin Louis) may be a serial killer, setting off an intense showdown between the two complex men and their families.
With eerie crime storylines, Durham County, along with the CBS hit show Criminal Minds (which joins ION in Fall 2009), will offer Positively Thrilling primetime appointment viewing on ION Television. Durham County comes from ITV Global Entertainment.

WGN America will adde WWE wrestling to its Thursday primetime line-up starting in April. WGN America and World Wrestling Entertainment enter the ring with a new television partnership. WWE Superstars, a first run, original program will air exclusively on WGN America, Tribune Broadcasting's national Superstation.
The action-packed WWE Superstars, part of a new multi-year agreement with WGN America, will be produced by WWE and will feature 'Superstars and Divas' from the entire WWE roster.
The hour-long weekly program, scheduled to debut in April 2009, will provide WGN America viewers the chance to see Superstars and Divas from all three WWE franchises in one program. WWE Superstars is scheduled to air on Thursday nights at 8 and 11pm ET with an additional run on the weekend (Saturday afternoons).
WWE Superstars will replace the Thursday night Movie Underground on WGN America in the 8pm hour and the 11pm encore will replace two episodes of Scrubs on the night. Saturday afternoon time encore has not yet been announced. We will have more details on the schedule, as we get it.