SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

TBS has acquired the off-network rights to 2 Broke Girls, the breakout freshman hit comedy created by Emmy(R) winner/executive producer Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City) and white-hot comedian Whitney Cummings. Television's #1 new series of the 2011-12 season with adults 18-49 and the #1 new comedy among total viewers, 2 Broke Girls is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television and is set to join the TBS lineup in 2015. It is being reported that TBS has paid a record $1.7 million per episode for the series, beating the $1.5 million per episode they bought for The Big Bang Theory and USA Network's $1.5 million per episode signing of Modern Family (which starts in 2013).
2 Broke Girls will return for its second season this fall on CBS. The series is produced by Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with MPK Productions and Warner Bros. Television. TBS' deal for 2 Broke Girls adds another outstanding contemporary comedy to a slate that includes Cougar Town, which is making the move to the network as an original series in 2013, and acquired hit The Big Bang Theory, which is currently dominating the charts as basic cable's #1 sitcom. TBS' roster also includes the original sitcom Men at Work, which premiered in May; Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse, returning with new episodes July 13; Sullivan & Son, premiering July 19; and one-hour comedy Wedding Band, set to premiere later this year.

And cable is not all for 2 Broke Girls. It has already been sold for local broadcast syndication as well with another comedy! Warner Bros. Domestic Television's Mike & Molly and 2 Broke Girls have both been sold to the CBS Television Stations and Weigel for off-network debuts in fall 2014 and 2015, respectively. The CBS Television Stations will serve as the primary launch group, taking the show for their stations in New York (WLNY), Los Angeles (KCAL), Philadelphia (WPSG), Dallas (KTXA), San Francisco (KBCW), Boston (WSBK), Atlanta (WUPA), Detroit (WKBD), Seattle (KSTW), Tampa (WTOG), Miami (WBFS), Pittsburgh (WPCW) and Sacramento, Calif. (KMAX). In addition, both series also have been bought by the Weigel station group for its stations in Chicago (WCIU) and Milwaukee (WDJT-WMLW). As of now, both have already been cleared in 35% of the country. Stay tuned for more clearances as we get closer to Fall 2014 for Mike & Molly and Fall 2015 for 2 Broke Girls. A cable deal is expected to be reached for Mike & Molly by next week...so stay tuned for that announcement. What network do you think will make a run for that? TBS like 2 Broke Girls and Big Bang? FX like Two and a Half Men? ABC Family like The Middle? USA Network like Modern Family? Or a dark horse? Tweet us or Facebook us!

Finally, we leave you today with a review of the live evening comedy show Worst Audition Ever! As we reported last week, the show hit New York City for the first time on Monday (June 18) and we had the honor to be in attendance to see this vibrant show at Joe's Pub. The evening benefited The Actors Fund, so it was for a great organization. Creator/producer Christine Lakin along with producers Alec Ledd, Daniel A. Miles and Corri English have already found success with the show in Los Angeles but doing a New York style show is completely different. The New York show certainly had a New York style to it with all the worst auditions being theater-themed, which New York of course is famous for. The producers did a fabulous job in making the theme very obvious. There were six performers telling their worst auditions ever and each one was completely different from the other. That made the night more interesting, intriguing and of course funny! As we mentioned last week, performing were John West, Jenna Leigh Green, Tyler Maynard, Jena Friedman, Cheryl Stern and Kevin Duda. There were plenty of sitcom references for us sitcom lovers as well...from Saved by the Bell (John West learned to kiss for an audition by watching Zach Morris!) to Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Jenna Leigh Green of course played Libby on the show). I think there was a M*A*S*H reference somewhere in there, too. Wow! As for the audition stories, I think Tyler Maynard stole the show with his hilarious story of one night in New York working at a hotel and being in P. Diddy's "crew" for the night. I don't want to give anything more away, but that one really got the audience dying of laughter. Jenna Leigh Green shared a comical story of auditioning for Wicked as Nessarose. Other worst audition stories from the night included Cheryl Stern in La Cage aux Folles starring Kelsey Grammer and how she had to re-audition for the part when Kelsey left...and didn't get the part! John West shared his story of auditioning for the very first time when he was 12 in Tennessee and learned about homosexuals. Some of his wording in his story was really amusing (rated TV MA, ha). The night was hosted by theater veteran Daniel Reichard and directed by Kristin Hanngi, who was celebrating her birthday on that night!

Worst Audition Ever is a must see. It has the perfect set-up and it is simple. Sometimes simplicity is all that is needed to make a show work well. It makes for a good night of laughs and fun. If you've ever gone to a sitcom taping you know what I mean. While this isn't scripted like sitcoms, it's the inside stories of how auditions work and how sometimes they don't work out that make this very cool. And sometimes they come out hysterical and sharing them to others makes it even better. Painfully true, mutually hilarious and completely cathartic is really the perfect way to describe these worst auditions ever. The New York version was the first time I got to see the show live, and I have to say, I wish I was in attendance for the Los Angeles shows over the last year. Hearing these inside stories is very cool and you just want to hear them all. It's like a TV series you can't miss from the beginning like Lost. Yes this live show doesn't have the storylines being connected for each show, but once you see a few you, you want to go back and see them all and want to see the upcoming ones as well. Thankfully there are some worst auditions on their website for everyone to sample and hopefully the New York show auditions are put up soon for you to see. A TV version of Worst Audition Ever is in the works, so if and when that happens, we'll get to see even more actors/directors telling these inside stories. I see success if it happens and whoever airs it will be lucky to have it. Christine Lakin and company have created this very unique idea and this can go on for many years to come. It's got branding written all over it! When the next evening of comedy is scheduled (in LA, NY or perhaps even another city?), make sure you attend and feel the show in person. It's a great atmosphere (you get to talk with the performers/producers in person after show!) and of course the audition stories are off-the-wall. I'm already dying to know who is coming up next to share their worst audition ever!
Read our story from last week for complete information on Worst Audition Ever. Stay with us for any further news on the show and don't forget to visit their website.

We haven't had much RTV news lately, but they will be adding some new programs next week (Monday, June 25). Joining the retro line-up will be The Real McCoys, The Joey Bishop Show, Hopalong Cassidy, The Colgate Comedy Hour, Tarzan and The Adventures of Jim Bowie. Of course with these additions, there will be some shows that will of course be leaving the schedule to make way for these new acquisitions. Off the line-up come next week will be The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Rifleman, Daniel Boone, and Peter Gunn.
The new schedule will feature Hopalong Cassidy and The Real McCoys weeknights in the 6pm hour, replacing Daniel Boone. Tarzan will air weekdays at 11:30am and paired with Cisco Kid at 11a. The Joey Bishop Show will air on Saturdays at 5:00pm & 5:30pm, replacing The Rifleman. Other new show schedule includes Colgate Comedy Hour on Saturdays at 7pm and The Adventures of Jim Bowie on Sundays at 3pm. That's about it, you can still find series like The Bill Cosby Show, Route 66, Naked City, Movin' On, Highway to Heaven, Starsky & Hutch and Police Story on the schedule.

The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA), an offshoot of the Broadcast Film Critics Association, announced the winners of the 2nd annual Critics' Choice Television Awards. The star-studded gala awards dinner to acknowledge and honor the best in television was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel earlier on Monday night. Homeland took home the prize for Best Drama Series while Community won in the Best Comedy Series category. Best Reality Series went to Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations, while Best Reality Show-Competition went to The Voice. Other awards: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon was honored as Best Talk Show, Archer was honored as Best Animated Series, and Sherlock was honored as Best Movie/Miniseries. NBC was the most awarded network with five wins followed by ABC and AMC, which tied with three wins each. The following is the comedy portion wins (click the link below to see more wins):

Best Comedy Series
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Community (NBC)
Girls (HBO)
Modern Family (ABC)
New Girl (Fox)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
WINNER: Community (NBC)

Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Don Cheadle (House of Lies, Showtime)
Louis C.K. (Louie, FX)
Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm, HBO)
Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope, Fox)
Joel McHale (Community, NBC)
Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory, CBS)
WINNER: Louis C.K. (Louie, FX)

Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, Fox)
Lena Dunham (Girls, HBO)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep, HBO)
Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope, Fox)
Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Ashley Richards (Awkward, MTV)
WINNER: TIE - Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, Fox) and Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation, NBC)

Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Ty Burrell (Modern Family, ABC)
Max Greenfield (New Girl, Fox)
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Danny Pudi (Community, NBC)
Jim Rash (Community, NBC)
Damon Wayans, Jr. (Happy Endings, ABC)
WINNER: Ty Burrell (Modern Family, ABC)

Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Julie Bowen (Modern Family, ABC)
Alison Brie (Community, NBC)
Cheryl Hines (Suburgatory, ABC)
Gillian Jacobs (Community, NBC)
Eden Sher (The Middle, ABC)
Casey Wilson (Happy Endings, ABC)
WINNER: Julie Bowen (Modern Family, ABC)

Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series
Becky Ann Baker (Girls, HBO)
Bobby Cannavale (Modern Family, ABC)
Kathryn Hahn (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Justin Long (New Girl, Fox)
Paul Rudd (Parks and Recreation, NBC)
Peter Scolari (Girls, HBO)
WINNER: Paul Rudd (Parks and Recreation, NBC)

See a full list of winners from other TV genres. And visit their official website for more details on these awards and who votes.

Fox has set the fall premiere dates for its new and returning series. The 2012-2013 season begins with the spectacular return of The X Factor, last fall's No. 1 new unscripted series. The hit music competition series, featuring Simon Cowell, Britney Spears, L.A. Reid and Demi Lovato, will launch with a two-night season premiere event on Wednesday, Sept. 12 from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT and Thursday, Sept. 13 from 8-9PM ET/PT). Featuring new cast members including Kate Hudson and Sarah Jessica Parker in multi-episode story arcs, the fourth season of Glee launches on a new night and time Thursday, Sept. 13 at 9:00 PM ET/PT, following The X Factor. With McKinley's senior class graduated and Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) off to NYADA, change is in the air this fall for the Glee club.
Fan-favorite Bones will enter its eighth season on Monday, Sept. 17 at 8:00 PM ET/PT, followed by the series premiere of the compelling new drama The Mob Doctor at 9:00 PM ET/PT. The Mob Doctor stars Jordana Spiro (My Boys) as a brilliant, life-saving surgeon indebted to the mob.
It's two for Tuesday, Sept. 25, when New Girl returns for Season Two with two all-new episodes - a special episode at 8:00 PM ET/PT and the season premiere at 9:00 PM ET/PT - and two new comedies, Ben and Kate at 8:30 PM ET/PT and The Mindy Project at 9:30 PM ET/PT, join the Tuesday comedy block. Ben and Kate stars newcomer Dakota Johnson and Nat Faxon (Bad Teacher, Academy Award-winning co-screenwriter of The Descendants) as a pair of odd-couple siblings - one a responsible single mom; the other a youthful free spirit - who reunite to help raise Kate's daughter, Maddie (Maggie Jones, We Bought A Zoo). Created and written by Mindy Kaling (The Office), The Mindy Project stars Kaling as a skilled OB/GYN trying to balance both her personal and professional life. The following week, on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 8:00 PM ET/PT, Raising Hope returns to the Tuesday night lineup with all-new misadventures of the Chance family.
Fringe returns for an unparalleled fifth and final season Friday, Sept. 28 at 9:00 PM ET/PT, following an all-new episode of Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares at 8:00 PM ET/PT. Three episodes will air for three weeks in a row before Touch, starring Kiefer Sutherland and Maria Bello (Prime Suspect, A History of Violence), makes its Season Two debut Friday, Oct. 26 at 8:00 PM ET/PT.
Sundays get animated beginning Sept. 30, with the season premieres of The Simpsons at 8:00 PM ET/PT, Bob's Burgers at 8:30 PM ET/PT, Family Guy at 9:00 PM ET/PT and American Dad at 9:30 PM ET/PT. Then, on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 PM ET/PT, The Cleveland Show rejoins the Animation Domination lineup.
View the full premiere date list and more notes.

Moving on, we haven't blogged about this yet, but our good friend Chris Mann of Retroality.tv has posted episodes 11 and 12 of his podcast Reimagine That! Both episodes feature an interview with Greg Lott, Farrah Fawcett's secret longtime lover. He opens up in this Retroality.TV exclusive about Ryan O'Neal's contentious new tell-all book, Both of Us. Here, in the first segment of his explosive three-part interview, Lott -- who famously confronted O'Neal in public on camera after the Love Story star reportedly barred Lott from contacting Farrah in her final months in spring 2009 -- strongly refutes O'Neal's less-than-flattering written portrayal of Fawcett, the celebrated Tinseltown couple's tumultuous relationship and her role in raising their troubled son, Redmond, now 27.
Fawcett's college sweetheart before the ethereal beauty left The University of Texas for Hollywood stardom in 1968, Lott lost touch with the iconic TV angel-turned-Emmy-nominated Burning Bed and Golden Globe-nominated Extremities star during his two incarcerations on drug trafficking charges in the early 1970s and early 1980s. Lott resumed contact with Farrah during her separation from Lee Majors in the late 1970s and again following her split with O'Neal in the late 1990s. As documented by Farrah's love letters to Lott, the longtime friends maintained a private love affair during the final 11 years of her life.
In this installment of Lott's in-depth interview, the onetime UT Longhorn football star also sounds off on controversy surrounding Ryan O'Neal's 2008 felony drug-possession arrest and subsequent guilty plea, Fawcett's living trust and Ryan's related legal troubles with The University of Texas, and Farrah's stormy relationship with producer-director James Orr, who was convicted in 1998 on a misdemeanor charge of beating Fawcett in 1997.
Also ... on a much lighter note, Chris spotlights two new Tinseltown tomes, Suzanne Sumner-Ferry's The Day the Stars Stood Still: A Memoir about Logan Fleming, the Former Top Wax Artist of Movieland Wax Museum and Patty Farmer's The Persian Room Presents: An Oral History of New York's Most Magical Night Spot.
Listen to episode 11 of Reimagine That!

In the second of three parts, Greg Lott opens up exclusively to Retroality.TV about his secret love affair with the late Farrah Fawcett, whom he first romanced in the mid-1960s during their tenure at the University of Texas.
Here, Lott tells how he was cut out of the TV angel's life -- reportedly by Ryan O'Neal -- two and a half months before the iconic actress succumbed to cancer on June 25, 2009. He also opens up about his role in the UT's investigation into Fawcett's estate -- namely, O'Neal's possession of a highly valuable Andy Warhol portrait of the Charlie's Angels star that the UT contends Fawcett bequeathed to her alma mater upon her death. (The UT sued O'Neal last year, demanding he relinquish the artwork, which the Love Story star contends he owns. That case is headed to trial this fall.) Lott also reveals his thoughts about Fawcett's friend Alana Stewart and questions the origin of the Stewart-helmed charity The Farrah Fawcett Foundation, which is currrently under investigation by the California Attorney General's Office of Charitable Trust.
On a lighter note ... host Chris Mann discusses the multi-generational allure of the 1978-91 TV hit Dallas (revived this month on TNT) and -- thanks to a Jenilee Harrison segue -- marvels at the ongoing youth appeal of the 1977-84 classic series Three's Company. As he prepares a special anniversary edition of his 1998 tell-all book Come and Knock on Our Door (due in late 2012 or, if 36th anniversaries count, 2013), Chris salutes the "next generation" of Company fans, including 14-year-old aspiring documentary filmmaker Isaiah Reaves, 23-year-old funnygal-slash-Chrissy Snow-spoofmeister Ashlee Anno and 30something radio producer/"Three's Company Throwdown" trivia king Andy Hermann.
Listen to episode 12 of Reimagine That!

The Larry Sanders Show is coming to VH1 Classic this July! The very well written comedy starring Garry Shandling and Jeffrey Tambor will start airing on the cable network on July 1. The 1992-1998 HBO comedy will air Sun-Thurs at 11:30 p.m. leading into an hour of Married...with Children at midnight, which has done well it seems for the network. The Larry Sanders Show was last seen on IFC starting in January 2011, but it hasn't aired recently. The series is a comedic behind the scenes look at a late night talk show and won multiple Emmy Awards, including one for Rip Torn for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Back to IFC, the only off-network series they air now are Malcolm in the Middle, The Three Stooges, Freaks and Geeks, Action and Arrested Development. Both Larry Sanders and Married...with Children are owned by Sony Pictures Television.
And speaking of Married...with Children, VH1 Classic's sister network CMT started airing the sitcom again in marathon blocks here and there. One aired last Tuesday in the daytime with some more to come, like next Friday (June 29) from 1:30pm-4pm and a 4th of July marathon on Wednesday, July 4 from 12pm-8pm. There is word some more sitcoms could be coming to CMT in the near future...what do you think they could be? Sound off on Twitter and Facebook! For now, enjoy Larry Sanders (on VH1 Classic) and Married...with Children (on VH1 Classic and CMT).

We have some sad news to report. Actress and comedian Yvette Wilson, best known for her role as Andell Wilkerson on the UPN sitcom Moesha and its spinoff The Parkers, has died. She died of cervical cancer on June 14. Ms. Wilson was only 48.

Wilson began her career as a stand-up comedian. She made a couple of appearances on In Living Color in 1992-1993 before she got her big break on the 1993-1994 ABC sitcom Thea. She played the character of Lynette, Thea's sister, in all 19 episodes. The short-lived show featured Brandy Norwood in her first regular television series role. Brandy and Yvette would later appear together again in Moesha. She played the supporting character of Andell Wilkerson on Moesha in 105 episodes over 4 seasons from 1996-2000. Her character owned The Den, a popular restaurant where Moesha and her friends hung out after school. After four seasons on the show, she left to appear on the spinoff series The Parkers. She played the same Andell Wilkerson character. This time she was the best friend of Mo'Nique's character Nikki Parker and owned a restaurant and bar named Andell's. She appeared in 101 episodes from 1999 until the show was cancelled in 2004. In 1997, she guest starred in an episode of The Jamie Foxx Show. She also appeared on HBO's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam. Wilson's film credits included Poetic Justice, House Party 3, Friday, and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood.

Ms. Wilson was a talented and funny actress. She will be deeply missed. Post your condolences on our Moesha or The Parkers message board.

As we previously mentioned, GMC (Gospel Music Channel) acquired Moesha in April. It can been seen Saturdays at 1-5pm (the times seem to vary, so check your listings). The Parkers airs weekdays on BET at 12-1pm and 5-6pm. They have previously scheduled marathons set for this Saturday (6/23) at 8am-5pm and Sunday (6/24) at 11am-2pm.

Summer has now started. 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) - A repeat at 8 did 3.01 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, on par week-to-week.
• The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A repeat at 7:30 just did 2.23 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, but it was up a tenth from previous week.
• Bob's Burgers (Fox) - A repeat at 8:30 did 2.69 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating and on par with previous week.
• Family Guy (Fox) - A summer repeat at 9 did 3.44 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, but down three tenths from previous week.
• American Dad! (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat followed at 9:30 doing 2.98 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, but that was down two tenths from previous week. A repeat earlier in the night at 7 did just 2.03 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, but it was up a tenth week-to-week at least.

• How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat did 4.82 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Has gone up the past two airings.
• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat of this comedy did 5.51 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, also up two tenths from previous week, and has also gone up each week its past two airings.
• Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A repeat did 6.4 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par with previous week, so no uptick for this show.
• Mike & Molly (CBS) - 5.77 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating for a repeat was up a tenth from previous week. And this show also has gone up in the past two airings.

• Last Man Standing (ABC) - preempted for NBA Finals.
• New Girl (Fox) - Repeats return in August but on Thursdays.

Wednesday Sitcoms

• The Middle (ABC) - A repeat at 8 did 3.66 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, on par with previous week.
• Suburgatory (ABC) - A repeat at 8:30 posted 3.04 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth week-to-week. Full retention from lead-in at least.
• Up All Night (NBC) - A repeat at 8:30 did just 2.36 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, on par with previous week.
• Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat did 4.19 million and a 1.4 rating, on par with previous week. This is below normal still.
• Happy Endings (ABC) - preempted
• Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 (ABC) - preempted.

• The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A repeat at 8 did 7.8 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down a tenth from the previous week. Nice. Should stay above a 2 all summer, though it has gone down each week in its past two airings.
• 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat did 6.11 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up a tenth from previous week. Solid especially if the lead-in was slightly down week-to-week.
• The Office (NBC) - preempted. 
• Parks and Recreation (NBC) - preempted.

Friday Sitcoms

• Whitney (NBC) - A repeat at 8pm did a prelim 2.23 million and a prelim 0.6 18-49 rating, down just a tenth from previous week's prelim ratings. Not good.
• Community (NBC) - A repeat of this did no better with a prelim 1.65 million and a prelim 0.5 18-49 rating, but on par with previous week's prelim ratings.

Saturday Sitcoms

• Rules of Engagement (CBS) - A Saturday repeat at 8 did just a prelim 1.54 million and a prelim 0.3 18-49 rating, down two tenths from previous week's prelim ratings. Wow, terrible.
• How to Be a Gentleman (CBS) - A new burn-off episode at 8:30 did a prelim 1.45 million and a prelim 0.3 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week's prelim ratings. Really really bad!

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

Summing it up. Repeats of The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls-Thurs were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as repeats of How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men) or just plain old terrible (such as  repeats of Whitney, How To Be A Gentleman, Community).

Feeling the repeat blues? Look for original sitcoms on cable this summer, with ABC Family's sophomore season of Melissa & Joey at 8pm this Wednesday. What an underrated family comedy it is. New comedy Baby Daddy starring Chelsea Kane will premiere at 8:30pm this Wednesday, June 20! We've seen two episodes and it is pretty funny, so tune in! TBS airs Men at Work Thursdays at 10pm, with Sullivan & Son coming in late July. Also premiering Wednesday, June 20 is TV Land's Hot in Cleveland spin-off series The Soul Man starring Cedric the Entertainer at 10pm followed by the season two premiere of The Exes at 10:30pm. TV Land will also air season two of Retired at 35 on Tuesdays starting next Tuesday, June 26 at 10pm. FX and Charlie Sheen will come together in a new sitcom titled Anger Management airing Thursdays at 9pm starting June 28. Even on digital TV, Bounce TV will launch new comedy Family Time starring Omar Gooding tomorrow night, Monday, June 18 at 9pm. All of these are multi-camera comedies, too! New sitcom airings is the perfect way to beat the summer blues!

Welcome to the last Digital Digest of the "official" spring season! We're here once again with all of your usual news (hopefully some of which is true news to you), a look ahead at Tuesday's releases, and reviews! This week, we've got a double feature for reviews (and we will have plenty more double features for the summer months), with reviews of Scandal - The Complete First Season and Rocko's Modern Life - Season Three. Let's get going!

DIGITAL NEWS

We absolutely love Warner Archive for always bringing us so much positive news in a time where other studios are bringing gloom and doom when it comes to DVDs, and just this past Tuesday, they treated us to an unexpected surprise (although it was much less of a surprise if you've been reading their Facebook page or our edition of Digital Digest from two weeks ago!) as they released Alice - The Complete First Season (read our review). The good news this month doesn't stop with Alice, though! With the chaos of this sudden release, something else that has been discussed much less is the release of the sixth season of Night Court, which we first told you about in December. We knew it would be coming, but yesterday, we got a very pleasant surprise as Pavan, our reviewer for releases of the series, unexpectedly received a copy of Night Court - The Complete Sixth Season! The set is not slated to be available to order until June 26, but we have it now... so expect a review of the set very soon.

Speaking of Warner Archive, if you buy those Alice DVDs any time in the very near future (and you should, it is a nice collection of episodes), you'll be in for a pleasant surprise once you receive the set. Although it has not exactly been fully acknowledged by Warner Archive, one thing that we noticed in our review copy of the set is that the DVDs definitely did not look like DVD-R media, but rather regular pressed DVDs (i.e. the same type of DVDs available at retailers). It wasn't mentioned in the review, because we weren't really sure about it, but Friday morning, there was a bit of discussion on Home Theater Forum about this same issue. So, last night, after somebody brought the discussion over to the Warner Archive Facebook page, they addressed this matter (though not fully answering exactly why this is happening, but acknowledging that it is indeed happening), stating:

"Your comment earlier today on HTF was fairly accurate. Your wisdom is commendable."

In other words, Warner Archive is now doing a limited run on some of their multi-disc sets as pressed DVDs, which are highly preferred over the standard DVD-R media typically used for MOD offerings! We can confirm that both Alice and the soon-to-be-released Night Court are using pressed discs (for now, at least), and although we did not review the set, apparently Without a Trace - The Complete Third Season is also using pressed DVDs for early orders. Warner Archive has not really addressed why they are doing this, but considering that they are doing this primarily for multi-disc releases, it is likely due to the fact that releases receive the most publicity when they are first announced, and having a supply of pressed DVDs ready to be shipped is preferable (and likely more economically feasible) to burning multiple copies as they are ordered. In any event, we hope that Warner Archive keeps this up, and we would love to see them try to continue this model beyond just the earliest batches!

Believe it or not, we're not completely finished with our Warner Archive news for this week... although our last piece of news falls a bit more under the category of "rumor from those with inside knowledge," and it relates to a release that may come from the regular retail division of Warner Home Video. This week, somebody asked Warner Archive on Facebook if they have any plans for the sitcom Chico and the Man. The short version of their response was that there are no plans for a release, but the longer version... well, just read for yourself:

"This is under consideration for mass-market release, pending resolution of outstanding clearance matters."

Now, we certainly encourage readers to be cautious with that bit of information, because it suggests that the DVDs are most likely not in the physical production phase right now, and a lot can happen between now and an actual release. But the great news here is that the series is under serious consideration, and if it makes it to DVD, it could actually be available from regular retail outlets. Of course, we don't expect an announcement on this any time very soon (and just to be clear, we may never hear an announcement on it if clearance issues are too challenging to clear), but it is great to know that the series is at least on the radar.

Finally last week, we discussed the Sony MOD title Emily's Reasons Why Not - The Complete Series potentially missing an entire episode. It had appeared that a seventh episode existed, "Why Not to Look in Bridal Magazines," which appeared to have aired in some countries... but this episode is not included in the set. However, the online information regarding international airings of this episode were completely incorrect. Upon posting our review, we found out some information relayed directly to an author of an upcoming book of episode guides of short lived series, from series producer Alicia Kirk regarding this "missing episode." Kirk informed the author that the episode was never produced. So, clearly it is very important to not always trust all of the information that you find online... but we hope that you'll trust this information!

UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW

Tuesday (June 19) is not a particularly exciting day for releases, but there are two releases from Shout! Factory (neither of which we will be reviewing), with Hey Dude - Season Three and The Sarah Silverman Program - The Complete Series. Also, Lionsgate has Tyler Perry's House of Payne - Volume Nine, which we should have a review of soon.

NBC announced the premieres and sneak peeks of its new Fall 2012 primetime schedule that capitalize on the launch and promotional platforms provided by the network's coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, the finale of America's Got Talent and the return of The Voice and Sunday Night Football. Most of the new fall shows will premiere in advance of the start of the season.
The rollout of NBC's Fall 2012 season begins with commercial-free sneak previews of the new comedies Go On (Wednesday, August 8) after the evening's coverage of the 2012 Summer Olympic Games and Animal Practice on Sunday, August 12, following the Closing Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics. One day after the conclusion of the Olympics, NBC will debut the new competitive series Stars Earn Stripes with a special two-hour episode on Monday, August 13 (8-10 p.m. ET), followed on the same night with the advance season premiere of Grimm (10-11 p.m. ET). Stars Earn Stripes will only run though September 3, because...continuing NBC's launch strategy, The Voice returns on September 10 (8-10 p.m.), handing-off to encore sneak peeks of the premieres of Animal Practice (10-10:30 p.m. ET) and Go On (10:30-11 p.m. ET).
The NFL Kick-Off Special 2012 and first NFL game of the season is on Wednesday, September 5, followed by Football Night in America (7:00-8:15 p.m.) and Sunday Night Football's (8:15-11 p.m.) return in their regular timeslots on September 9 kick off a launch week that includes the September 11 time-period premiere of Go On (9-9:30 p.m.) followed by the series premiere of The New Normal (9:30-10 p.m.), a sneak peek of Guys With Kids on September 12 (10-10:30 p.m.) after the next to last episode of America's Got Talent, and the season premiere of Parenthood on September 11 (10-11 p.m.). To provide additional sampling, the new comedy The New Normal will re-broadcast its first episode on Thursday, September 13 (10-10:30 p.m. ET), following the season finale of America's Got Talent.
Among other new NBC series for fall, the drama Revolution premieres on Monday, September 17 (10-11 p.m. ET); and the drama Chicago Fire debuts on Wednesday, October 10 (10-11 p.m. ET), due to a Presidential Debate on October 3. Animal Practice will start in its regular day and time on Wednesday, September 26 (8-8:30 p.m. ET) followed by the time period premiere of Guys with Kids (8:30-9 p.m. ET). As for returning series not yet mentioned, Up All Night, The Office and Parks and Recreation return on Thursday, Sept. 20 from 8:30-10, as 30 Rock will not launch until Oct. 4. Law & Order: SVU will launch with a two-hour season premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 9-11pm, as the following week is a debate, as mentioned. Grimm has its regular night premiere on Friday, Sept. 14. And finally, Whitney and Community will not return until Friday, October 19 from 8-9pm.
View the FULL day-by-day schedule for NBC After the Olympics.


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 June 18-22, 2012, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVR's (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!

Monday, June 18, 2012

• Steve Carell (The Office) - Watch Steve on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World opens in theaters on June 22.
• Denis Leary (The Job) - Denis appears on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) - Aubrey stops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Niecy Nash (The Soul Man/The Cleveland Show/Reno 911!) - Niecy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Suzanne Somers (Three's Company/Step by Step/She's the Sheriff) - Suzanne joins The Revolution on ABC at 2pm ET/1pm PT/CT.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric visits ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

• Steve Carell (The Office) - Catch Steve on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric visits Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC. He will also be on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on you local stations.
• Mark Feuerstein (Good Morning, Miami) - Mark is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Kate Flannery (The Office) - Kate appears on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Mila Kunis (That '70s Show) - Mila stops by Jimmy Kimmel Live!: Game Night at 8pm on ABC.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

• Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) - Watch Alec on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Denis Leary (The Job) - Denis drops by Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Seinfeld) - Julia visits LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
• D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys) - D.L. guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
• Steve Carell (The Office) - Steve appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Jerry O'Connell (Carpoolers/My Secret Identiy) - Jerry is a guest on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Tahj Mowry (Baby Daddy/Smart Guy) - Tahj stops by The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.

Thursday, June 21, 2012

• Courteney Cox (Cougar Town/Friends) - Courteney chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She will also be on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
• Steve Carell (The Office) - Steve continues to make the rounds on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11pm.
• Beth Behrs (2 Broke Girls) - Beth appears on LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
• Tracey Gold (Growing Pains) - Tracey discusses anorexia on Anderson, so check your local listings.

Friday, June 22, 2012

• Denis Leary (The Job) - Watch Denis on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
• Patricia Heaton (The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Patricia chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
• Kevin Nealon (Weeds) - Kevin appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
• Noureen DeWulf (Anger Management) - Noureen dishes on her new FX sitcom, Anger Management, and reveals what it's like working with Charlie Sheen on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.

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!

INSP will air a "TV's Greatest Dads" line-up in honor of Father's Day airing on Saturday, June 16. On INSP they have some of TV's greatest dads of all-time. Join INSP for a tribute featuring all the best episodes of the dads you love. TV's Greatest Dads airs Saturday, June 16 starting at 6pm ET with back-to-back hours of Little House on the Prairie featuring Charles Ingalls. Then in primetime, it is back-to-back episodes of The Waltons featuring John Walton Sr. Then The Big Valley takes over with back-to-back episodes at 10pm and 11pm. At midnight, join Ben Cartwright in an episode of Bonanza. And finally, end the night with two sitcoms! At 1am, it's Howard Cunningham's 45th birthday on Happy Days, followed by Marcia entering her dad Mike Brady as Father of the Year on The Brady Bunch at 1:30am!
Vote for your favorite INSP TV Dad! Will it be Mike Brady, Mr. C or someone else? Tune in and find out on Saturday night on INSP! Watch a video preview of the stunt below:

The MyNetworkTV programming service has added House to Tuesday nights along with the procedurals, NUMB3RS and White Collar to Wednesday and Thursday nights, respectively, to the 2012-13 television season. House, which just ended its long run, will make its MyNetworkTV debut with back-to-back episodes each Tuesday night. Wednesday nights will see NUMB3RS join the line-up with back-to-back episodes. White Collar, one of cable television's most popular dramas, will make its broadcast debut with back-to-back episodes each Thursday night. On Mondays, MyNetworkTV will present the return of back-to-back episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and on Fridays, back-to-back episodes of Monk will remain on the schedule. We were hoping for a sitcom or two, but it wasn't meant to be, I guess.
As a result of these three new additions, three series will have to leave the schedule. Popular drama Cold Case will be leaving Tuesday nights, while Burn Notice and Without a Trace will be replaced on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Burn Notice is leaving because it is headed to broadcast weekend syndication this fall, while both House and NUMB3RS will both be leaving broadcast syndication this fall, since it will move to MyNetworkTV.
Premiere dates for the new season on MyNetworkTV have not been announced yet, but usually they premiere their new series the first week of October. Stay tuned!

Start spreading the news! The hilarious live evening of comedy Worst Audition Ever is headed to the Big Apple for a night of big laughs! After a successful year-long run in Hollywood (six versions and about a dozen shows), Worst Ever Productions is proud to present its first installment of the cult-hit evening of comedy Worst Audition Ever in New York City at Joe's Pub - produced by the talented creator Christine Lakin (Step by Step), the equally talented Alec Ledd (aka Alaa Khaled), along with Daniel A. Miles and Corri English. The ticket proceeds from this performance of Worst Audition Ever will be donated to The Actors Fund. Christine Lakin tells us, "New York was something we always wanted to do to represent actors from the other coast. I couldn't think of a better cause to conjoin with it than The Actors Fund. I'm also a board member of the Hollywood SAG-AFTRA so it seemed fitting." The night of laughs in New York is this Monday (June 18, 2012) at 9:30PM. More info is below but Christine tells us "doing it in New York is a totally different beast because the way people audition in New York is so different than the way people audition in Los Angeles. New York is primarily theater based and LA is very much a film and television world. The things people are asked to do in a musical theater audition can feel so outlandish to somebody who makes their living in film and television and I think that is what a lot of this crowd in NY is going to really impart with their stories."

So what is this show about? Forget the terrible auditions on reality competition shows like American Idol, this show has stories of true auditions from known artists and they are funnier without bashing anyone. Worst Audition Ever is an evening of comedy about a group of artists (actors, directors, dancers, etc.) telling their real stories about the all too familiar audition process. The format is simple - a blank stage with one microphone - making the shared stories truly intimate and personal. For anyone who has ever had an embarrassing moment "putting themselves out there" in the name of art, Worst Audition Ever presents a wry and candid evening of some of the most awkward moments in artistic vulnerability – because pain is best served funny and with cocktails. The show was conceived around a circle of friends drinking beer and telling war stories about their artistic lives. The darkly funny, off-the-wall material that ensued is what conceptualized the show. Some of LA's funniest comedians have graced the stage revealing their awful, hysterical tales. Painfully true, mutually hilarious and completely cathartic, Worst Audition Ever has built an underground following playing small clubs in Los Angeles and building a viral fan base since April 2011.

Many celebrities have done the show in Hollywood over the past year including Danielle Fishell (Boy Meets World), James Denton (Desperate Housewives), Kelly Stables (The Exes), Matt Moy (2 Broke Girls), Autumn Reeser (ABC's upcoming Last Resort), Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and director Andy Fickman (You Again). The stories they share are hilarious and at the same time easy to listen to! Danielle Fishell shared her audition stories for the horror movie Cabin Fever and the soap The Bold and the Beautiful--on the same day and two genres she requested never to do! Kelly Stables shared a comical story about an audition on the short-lived sitcom Cavemen where she had to play... a cave boy! And director Andy Fickman shared stories of auditions he witnessed including a mom filling in for a sick eight year-old for the part of an eight year-old...gotta love stage moms. Priceless fun!

Future plans are already underway for the show, as Christine tells us, "we are currently developing a TV pilot around the idea. And I would ultimately like to do two big shows a year in LA and two in NY. If people want us to come somewhere and put on a show, we're very open to that." The possibilities and laughter are endless for Worst Ever Productions! But for now, don't miss out seeing the show in person. As mentioned earlier, if you're in the New York metro area, your chance to see this entertaining and comical show is this coming Monday (June 18) at 9:30PM (doors open at 9) at Joe's Pub at 425 Lafayette Street near Astor Place. The New York show will have a New York/theater feel to it with the show being hosted by Daniel Reichard (Jersey Boys original cast, The Midtown Men). Christine says, "theater, as any actors knows is probably one of the most brutal industry in some way--it's physically demanding, it's over and over every night, it's relentless, but people do it because they really really love it." And reciting their worst auditions ever for the NY themed show will be: Tyler Maynard (Altar Boyz, Little Mermaid), Kevin Duda (The Book of Mormon, Les Liaisons Dangereuses), Jena Friedman (writer for Late Night With David Letterman), Jenna Leigh Green (Wicked, For the Record: Baz Luhrman), John West (The Drowsy Chaperone, Newsical the Musical), Cheryl Stern (La Cage Aux Folles, Candide). Directing for the evening will be Kristin Hanggi (Rock of Ages, Surf the Musical). As a preview to this evening in NY, Christine says, "there is a story this time around for an actress who did a part for over a year and then was asked to re-audition...for her part! This was a part she did for many many performances on Broadway, and then was asked to re-audition and then didn't get it. It's so unfathomable that you can't even believe people go through that kind of pain, which is why we have to laugh at it." It's certainly going to be a night of New York style fun, so come out and watch! I think for those who have seen the show in LA, know it is really cool and they wouldn't want to miss any show!

Finally, the new Worst Audition Ever website is now up and running and is very well designed. It has all the information you need on this comedic show, with videos of past performances, pictures, and of course a schedule of upcoming shows. There's even a theme song! For a preview of what this show is like, check out a video montage of past performances below.

Tickets for the June 18 show in NY are $20 with a two drink minimum and can be purchased at the Worst Audition Ever website's Tickets section.

Related links:

Worst Audition Ever Official Website
Joe's Pub Official Website
Worst Audition on Facebook
Worst Audition on Twitter
Worst Audition on YouTube
Our Seven Questions Interview with Christine Lakin from August, 2011

Moving on, Todd has a look back at the career of Frank Cady.

Frank Cady, a character actor best known for his role as storekeeper Sam Drucker on Petticoat Junction, Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies, has died. Cady died on June 8 at his home in Wilsonville, OR. No information on cause of death has been provided. Mr. Cady was 96.

Cady's acting career in Hollywood began with appearances in plays in Los Angeles. This led to movie roles in D.O.A., Father of the Bride, The Ashphalt Jungle, When Worlds Collide, Ace in the Hole (aka The Big Carnival), Rear Window, The Bad Seed and 7 Faces of Dr. Lao. Some of his early sitcom appearances included Life with Luigi, December Bride, Private Secretary and The Gale Storm Show. In 1960, he played the town drunk in an episode of Make Room for Daddy that served as the pilot episode of The Andy Griffith Show. Cady played the role of neighbor Doc Williams on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet in 60 episodes over 12 years.

His best known role was as general-store owner Sam Drucker on Petticoat Junction, Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies. He became the only actor to play a recurring character on three television sitcoms at the same time when he did it in 1968-69. Cady first appeared as Sam Drucker on Petticoat Junction in 1963. He was on the show for the entire 7 season run and appeared in approximately 166 of the sitcom's 222 episodes. In 1965, he began appearing on Green Acres. During the 6 season run of the show, he appeared in 142 or more episodes. His final acting appearance was in the 1990 television movie Return to Green Acres. Cady made 10 appearances on The Beverly Hillbillies in 1968-70. His character operated a bank in the later episodes of the series. Visit his IMDB page for a complete listing of his film and television credits.

Cady's wife, Shirley, died on August 22, 2008, at age 91. They had been married 68 years. He is survived by two children — daughter, Catherine Turk; son, Steven Cady; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. His Sam Drucker character was so friendly and beloved. He has said that he was playing himself, so it seemed like he was a wonderful and genuinely nice man. In addition to his lengthy acting career, he earned a degree from Stanford University and served in the military in World War II. Mr. Cady lived a long and productive life. He will be deeply missed.

As we reported last week, Green Acres is coming to MeTV starting next week. They will air it Wednesdays at 9:00pm & 9:30pm as part of Hillbillies & Hooterville Wednesdays and on Saturdays at 6:00pm & 6:30pm. MeTV already airs The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction, so they have all three of his series covered. They have been paying tribute this week with episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction featuring his Sam Drucker character.

What are your favorite Frank Cady memories? Discuss them on our message board.

Well kiss my grits! We first broke the news about ten days ago that Warner Archive was hinting that they are releasing Alice: The Complete First Season as a MOD title, but now we have an actual release date! And that date is...TODAY! Talk about working fast! We broke the news yesterday evening (early to rise, indeed!) on Twitter, Facebook and our message boards that the first season will be released today, June 12. All 24 episodes from the freshman season will be available to finally own!
"...And if things work out she's going to stay awhile." And they sure did, resulting in "new girl" Alice sticking around for a triumphant nine-season (1976-1985 on CBS) run that saw this new style sitcom become the standard bearer for the next generation of TV comedy. Alice is the story of Alice Hyatt (Linda Lavin), a recently widowed single mom who finds herself working as a waitress at an Arizona diner while caring for her pre-teen son, Tommy (Philip McKeon). The inimitable Vic Tayback plays Mel, the gruff owner of the diner, while Beth Howland and Polly Holliday play her co-workers, neurotic Vera and no-nonsense Flo. This 3-disc, 24-episode collection collects the entire first season of the Bicentennial-era break-out hit, including the rarely seen pilot episode featuring Alfred Lutter from Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, the film inspiration for Alice. Guest stars include Batman's Adam West, Victor Buono, and Dark Shadow's Lara Parker.

Order today from Warner Archive and also view a clip from the DVD above! Stay with us later in the week for our DVD review of Alice: The Complete First Season. And as always, join us Saturday for our weekly Digital Digest for a complete wrap-up of the week's digital news!

The new Dallas premieres tomorrow night on TNT with a two-episode premiere starting at 9/8c, but fans craving the original series or new fans curious to see the classic series after watching the revival will have a chance to watch the classic series! Cable network CMT, which has previously aired a few marathons of the classic, will salute the classic series by airing a marathon of the original series the day after the premiere of the updated reboot. CMT will air the first five episodes of the classic Dallas from 12pm-5pm on Thursday, June 14. They also have plans to air additional episodes next week, as of now Tuesday at 6 and 7PM (but they could expand that).
Dallas had it all. Beautiful women, expensive cars, and men playing Monopoly with real buildings. It had the best trans-season cliffhanger in history that had the whole world asking "Who shot J.R.?" Dallas is an important part of American History, if not world history. Tune in to the new series on Wednesday at 9/8c on TNT and then relive the first five episodes of the classic series on CMT on Thursday from 12-5pm ET! The new Dallas stars Josh Henderson, Jesse Metcalfe, Jordana Brewster, Julie Gonzalo and Brenda Strong, and they will be joined by iconic stars from the original series Patrick Duffy, Linda Gray and Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing.

Later this summer the Summer Olympic games will air for a little over two weeks and will dominate the TV landscape on Universal-owned networks. One Universal-owned network however will not run the Olympic games and instead will air all-day 24-hour movie and series marathons during The Olympics from July 27 to August 12! Now that's COOL and the way we like it! That network is Cloo (formerly known as Sleuth). On Friday, July 27, 2012 beginning at 6am ET, a "Cloo Classic Olympics" marathon featuring classic Paramount sitcoms The Odd Couple, Bosom Buddies, Taxi, Mork & Mindy, Laverne & Shirley, Happy Days, Family Ties and Get Smart kicks-off the two-week stunt on Opening Day of The Olympics. This is a REAL treat as only Get Smart has aired on the network in the past with two mini-marathons. Check out the episode info for the sitcom marathon below. After a marathon of Psych on Saturday and movies on Sunday, the classics return on Monday, July 30! Monday has a "Cloo Classic Olympics" MacGyver marathon, another Paramount series. On Tuesday, July 31, it's a "Cloo Classic Olympics" T.J. Hooker marathon, which is being borrowed from sister network Universal HD.
Marathons of Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order: CI, House and "Cloo Classics" (including fan favorite Mannix, which has had success in marathon form on Cloo) continue in August during The Olympics. We will have more on the August portion in the coming weeks, so check back with us! Looks like some more cool "Cloo Classics" marathons are to come! I'm betting we see a Charlie's Angels marathon in there, but if you can't wait for one, Universal HD will air a 4th of July marathon of the classic '70s series on Tuesday, July 3 from 6am-6am! But back to Cloo, as we said, we will have more on the August marathons soon!
For now view the episode info for the must-see sitcom marathon on Friday, July 27!

It's hot as Schmidt this summer, so Fox is celebrating the breakout comedy hit with the New Girl True American Summer Bus Tour, a fun-filled fan experience traveling to 19 cities across the U.S. that began this past Friday in Boston, MA, at locations around historic Faneuil Hall, Downtown Crossing and Beacon Hill, as well as Crane Beach, Revere Beach and the UMass Boston campus. The tour lands in New York City, Wednesday, June 13 to Thursday, June 14; Philadelphia on Friday, June 15; and the Jersey Shore on Saturday, June 16. The full list of tour stops is below. Throughout the summer, the party school bus that Jess borrowed for Schmidt's birthday will tour the country, appearing at such hot spots as concerts, bars and beaches. Stop by the bus to party like a "True American," watch exclusive videos, and receive a grab bag of cool New Girl gifts, including your very own pair of Jess' signature eyeglasses. Plus, create your own New Girl T-shirt with logos and catchphrases from the show, like "Pink Wine Makes Me Slutty" or "Schmidt Happens." Fans and their friends can reenact the show's opening theme song segment in a one-of-a-kind photo which they can share on their social media sites. Visitors also can play "douchebag jar" pong for additional prizes, all while snacking on Jess' famous cupcakes!
For more information and specific locations, head over to www.facebook.com/newgirlonFOX and www.facebook.com/newgirlsummertour. Follow the tour on Twitter @NewGirlonFOX and join the discussion at #NewGirlBusTour.

New York City
Wednesday, June 13:
10:00 AM-3:00 PM - South Street Seaport
6:30-10:00 PM - Three Sheets Saloon (134 West 3rd Street, NYC)

Thursday, June 14
10:00 AM-3:00 PM - Rockaway Beach and Long Beach
6:30-10:00 PM - Off The Wagon (109 Macdougal St, NYC)

The New Girl True American Summer Bus Tour will continue in the following cities:
City Dates
Philadelphia, PA June 15
Jersey Shore, NJ June 16
Charlotte, NC June 18-19
Atlanta, GA June 22-24
Orlando, FL June 28
Tampa, FL June 29-30
Miami, FL July 3-5
Chicago, IL July 12-15
Oklahoma City, OK July 20-22
Dallas, TX July 25-26
Austin, TX July 27-28
Phoenix, AZ Aug. 3
Las Vegas, NV Aug. 4-5
San Diego, CA Aug. 10-12
Los Angeles, CA Aug. 15-19
San Francisco, CA Aug. 24-26
Seattle, WA Aug. 31-Sept. 3