Monday, September 24, 2012
Fox Fall Pilot Review: The Mindy Project - Premieres September 25; 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Award Winners
The Mindy Project - Tuesdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on Fox
Premieres Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at 9:30PM ET/PT
by skees53
Kelly Kapoor has "left the office," and now Mindy Kaling has moved on to a new series and a new life as Mindy Lahiri, an OB/GYN dealing with growing up and succeeding in relationships. It isn't that Mindy is completely hopeless. She's had plenty of relationships and has considered what it would be like to settle down in life... but it seems that things never quite work out as planned. In The Mindy Project, we get to follow Mindy as she navigates through growing up both professionally and personally.
Cast Details:
Mindy Kaling as Mindy Lahiri
Chris Messina as Danny Castellano
Ed Weeks as Jeremy Reed
Anna Camp as Gwen Grandy
Zoe Jarman as Betsy Putch
Amanda Setton as Shauna Dicanio
Stephen Tobolowsky as Marc Shulman
Mindy Kaling plays the starring role of Mindy Lahiri, the OB/GYN "lost in love." Originally a "behind-the-scenes" person, even working as a production assistant on the series Crossing Over With John Edward (a job which she describes as her worst ever), her first big break came when she joined the writing staff of The Office. Eventually, she took on the role of the infrequently appearing Kelly Kapoor in the series, which ended up growing into a much larger role as the series progressed. Kaling also serves as creator, writer, and executive producer of The Mindy Project.
Chris Messina plays Danny Castellano, a fellow OB/GYN. Messina has appeared as a regular on Damages, recurring characters on Six Feet Under and The Newsroom, and made numerous guest appearances on other series.
Ed Weeks plays Jeremy Reed, another fellow OB/GYN. Weeks is new to the American small screen, but he has been around in Great Britain for a while, appearing in series such as The IT Crowd and Hotel Trubble.
Anna Camp plays Gwen Grandy, attorney and friend of Mindy's. Camp has appeared in recurring roles in both True Blood and Mad Men, and has also made appearances in Cashmere Mafia, The Office, Numb3rs, and Glee.
Zoe Jarman plays Betsy Putch, the receptionist who is always trying to impress Mindy. Jarman has appeared in Greek, Huge, The Office, and Modern Family.
Chris Messina as Danny Castellano
Ed Weeks as Jeremy Reed
Anna Camp as Gwen Grandy
Zoe Jarman as Betsy Putch
Amanda Setton as Shauna Dicanio
Stephen Tobolowsky as Marc Shulman
Mindy Kaling plays the starring role of Mindy Lahiri, the OB/GYN "lost in love." Originally a "behind-the-scenes" person, even working as a production assistant on the series Crossing Over With John Edward (a job which she describes as her worst ever), her first big break came when she joined the writing staff of The Office. Eventually, she took on the role of the infrequently appearing Kelly Kapoor in the series, which ended up growing into a much larger role as the series progressed. Kaling also serves as creator, writer, and executive producer of The Mindy Project.
Chris Messina plays Danny Castellano, a fellow OB/GYN. Messina has appeared as a regular on Damages, recurring characters on Six Feet Under and The Newsroom, and made numerous guest appearances on other series.
Ed Weeks plays Jeremy Reed, another fellow OB/GYN. Weeks is new to the American small screen, but he has been around in Great Britain for a while, appearing in series such as The IT Crowd and Hotel Trubble.
Anna Camp plays Gwen Grandy, attorney and friend of Mindy's. Camp has appeared in recurring roles in both True Blood and Mad Men, and has also made appearances in Cashmere Mafia, The Office, Numb3rs, and Glee.
Zoe Jarman plays Betsy Putch, the receptionist who is always trying to impress Mindy. Jarman has appeared in Greek, Huge, The Office, and Modern Family.
Amanda Setton plays Shauna Dicanio, another receptionist who sees Mindy in a different way. Setton has had regular roles on Gossip Girl and was among the last group of people to appear on One Life to Live.
Stephen Toblowsky plays Dr. Marc Shulman, the head of Mindy's practice. He appeared as Ned Ryerson in the film Groundhog Day, and has also appeared in Glee, Seinfeld, Community, and even made some early career appearances in episodes of Designing Women, 227, and Alice, among others.
Stephen Toblowsky plays Dr. Marc Shulman, the head of Mindy's practice. He appeared as Ned Ryerson in the film Groundhog Day, and has also appeared in Glee, Seinfeld, Community, and even made some early career appearances in episodes of Designing Women, 227, and Alice, among others.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" (airs Tuesday, September 25 at 9:30PM ET/PT)
Guest stars: Ed Helms and Bill Hader
Dr. Mindy Lahiri seems to have her life all in order as an established OB/GYN. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend decides to invite her to his wedding, an event where she wasn't exactly expected to show up, and she ends up having a bit too much to drink. She's about to deliver a baby for a patient, but before she can do that, she ends up getting arrested for disorderly conduct.
Luckily for Mindy, her friend Gwen is able to bail her out. But the entire incident forces Mindy to reassess her life. Who is she? Where is she going? What exactly does she want out of life? She begins to realize that it is time for her to begin growing up, and that it is time for her to find the perfect boyfriend who meets her list of requirements, as well as to become a true professional in her own career.
Analysis:
I came out of watching this pilot in a deeply unimpressed mode. Kaling's performance on The Office as Kelly Kapoor has always been one of the highlights of that series, and she did an excellent job in that role. Of course, I can understand that she wasn't interested in being one actress among a rather large ensemble cast and wanted to move on to something new where she could be the focus... but this series, her project so to speak, is not where she is really shining.
To begin, this is a romantic comedy about "will she find love, or will she not?" Throughout all of TV history, we've seen plenty of sitcoms like this pop up on our screen. In fact, this isn't even the only one of this type for this season. But let's be honest with ourselves: how many of these have actually been successful or worth watching, especially in recent history? I thought about this for quite some time, and I really can't think of any. Of course, the format being successful doesn't necessarily mean that the show can't be good, but when the format is almost always poorly executed (as it is done here, once again), it makes for a bad show. And if it is a bad show, it doesn't stand much of a chance for success. I don't want to say that this is a bad show, yet, but I'm not impressed so far.
The series really isn't all that funny, to be honest. There were a few mild chuckles in the pilot episode, but nothing was particularly original or distinctive about the comedy style, and nothing was just laugh out loud funny. Kaling can be a funny person, so I'm not sure why she wasn't so funny here.
About the only good thing that I can say about this show is that Kaling does bring great acting skills to the table. I'm so used to seeing her as the "dingy" Kelly Kapoor on The Office for all of these years, and she has been able to adapt well to being an intelligent doctor... but still with some of those same "dingy" qualities we've come to love over the years (such as getting arrested after her little drunken incident at the beginning of the episode). She really is a great actress, I'm just not sure if this series--a series which she is involved with at every level--is the right fit for her.
Conclusion:
I don't know where this series will go. It probably has been one of the most talked about series of the new season, and Fox has actually been moderately successful with their new series lately. It makes a perfect pairing with New Girl (another recent success story from Fox) and it isn't up against any really fierce competition, so it certainly stands a chance of making it through the season, if not longer. That really doesn't change the fact that it really isn't that great of a series in my view, though.
Still, it may be worth watching a few more episodes to see if this show moves into another direction besides just being about Mindy's love life. Kaling has quite a bit of potential, and it seems unfortunate to see it being wasted in the way that it was in the pilot. I'll be watching a few more (considering that it isn't in a stiff competition slot) and holding out hope... but if a miracle doesn't happen, I'll probably be giving up on this series very early.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 3/5
Funniness: 2/5
Overall: 2.5/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Tuesday, September 25 on our message board.
Related Links:
Preview:
The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards aired last night on ABC. Here are the winners!
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Girls (HBO)
30 Rock (NBC)
Veep (HBO)
Modern Family (ABC)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
WINNER: Modern Family (ABC). Hey, hey, we were right! Racked up a third straight win!
OUTSTANDING LEAD COMEDY ACTOR
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Louis C.K., Louie (FX)
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime)
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)
WINNER: Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (CBS). That was an upset. Thought Parsons would win his third straight even though he probably didn't deserve to for this season.
OUTSTANDING LEAD COMEDY ACTRESS
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl (Fox)
Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO)
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly (CBS)
OUR PICK: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO). I don't think she was deserving, but we were right in picking her.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family (ABC)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family (ABC)
Ty Burrell, Modern Family (ABC)
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family (ABC)
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Max Greenfield, New Girl (Fox)
OUR PICK: Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family (ABC). I thought it would be Ed O'Neill, but Stonestreet is great, too!
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Julie Bowen, Modern Family (ABC)
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC)
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives (ABC)
OUR PICK: Julie Bowen, Modern Family (ABC). Thought Sofia would have it, but Julie wins for the second straight year!
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Mad Men (AMC)
Homeland (Showtime)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
OUR PICK: Homeland (Showtime). We picked the right one in a tough category.
OUTSTANDING LEAD DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Michael C. Hall, Dexter (Showtime)
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)
Damian Lewis, Homeland (Showtime)
OUR PICK: Damian Lewis, Homeland (Showtime). He beat Cranston. Wow.
OUTSTANDING LEAD DRAMA ACTRESS
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife ( CBS)
Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey (PBS)
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men (AMC)
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law (NBC)
Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime)
Glenn Close, Damages (Audience Network)
OUR PICK: Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime). A no doubter and the love for Homeland continues.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTOR
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Jared Harris, Mad Men (AMC)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
OUR PICK: Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad (AMC). We thought Esposito would win but we were close with Aaron Paul.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTRESS
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife (CBS)
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Christine Hendricks, Mad Men (AMC)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS)
OUR PICK: Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PBS). We thought Hendricks or Maggie Smith would win, so we were half right, I guess.
View the full list of winners.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Final Summer Week Sitcom Ratings; Our 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Picks
It's the last day of summer and we will be back with our normal weekly ratings report with the first four nights numbers and analysis next Sunday, but we have the final how the sitcoms did in the summer today. The new TV season begins tomorrow night!
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Sept. 10-16)
Summing it up. The repeats of The Simpsons & Family Guy from last Sunday, and The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, and the new showing of Go On were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as a new The New Normal, The Office ) or just plain old terrible (such as new airings of Up All Night, Parks & Recreation).
Summer Week 17 (Sept. 17-23) How the Sitcoms Did
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Sept. 10-16)
- The Simpsons (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm did 4.3 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. A second repeat followed with 4.15 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, down a tenth week-to-week.
- The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A repeat at 7:30pm did 3.02 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, which is decent for a repeat opposite the NFL.
- Family Guy (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 9pm did 4.36 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which was down a tenth from the previous week. A second repeat at 9:30pm did 4.45 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, down two tenths week-to-week in 18-49.
- American Dad! (Fox) - A repeat at 7pm did 2.66 million and a 1.1 18-49 rating, which is above average.
Monday Sitcoms
- How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A one-hour repeat did 4.18 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, up six tenths in 18-49 from the previous week when it aired at 9:17pm following coverage of the US Open. That was atypical though...this airing was more normal.
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - preempted.
- 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A one-hour repeat of this comedy posted 4.89 million and a 1.6 rating, up eight tenths in 18-49 from the previous week which aired at a later time. This is back to normal but I still question how it will do as an anchor. We'll see tomorrow.
- Mike & Molly (CBS) - preempted.
Tuesday Sitcoms
- The Middle (ABC) - The 8pm repeat did 3.96 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from the previous week.
- Last Man Standing (ABC) - A repeat of this sitcom followed with 3.77 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Its best repeat ratings in the slot this summer. Good sign.
- Go On (NBC) - The third episode premiered to 9.28 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, on par with previous week which is very good--but it had limited competition. So still the jury is out, but it is looking good. This Tuesday will be key.
- The New Normal (NBC) - The third episode of this comedy premiered to 6.08 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, down three tenths from previous week. A bit concerning since there was no competition. If it falls under a 2 this Tuesday, maybe time for a little panicking?
- Happy Endings (ABC) - preempted, season premiere is Oct. 23.
- Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 (ABC) - preempted, season premiere is Oct. 23.
- The Middle (ABC) - A repeat at 8pm did 4.36 million and a 1.1 rating, up two tenths from the previous week. Season premiere will be one-hour this Wednesday!
- Suburgatory (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat at 8:30 posted 3.43 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from the previous week. A second repeat airing at 9:30pm generated 3.45 million and a 1.2 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-48 week-to-week. This show could be big this fall at 9:30pm.
- Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat at 9pm did 4.61 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating, up three tenths from the previous week. Look for a big number for its season premiere. Maybe not a 6.1 18-49 rating like last season, but close to it.
- Guys with Kids (NBC) - preempted, time period premiere is this Wednesday at 8:30.
Thursday Sitcoms
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) 2 airings - A repeat at 8 did 7.91 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths from the previous week in the key demo. A second repeat followed with a great 9.32 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating. Great for summer, and will be one of the top sitcoms in 18-49 and will be the top in total viewers in the new season.
- Two and a Half Men (CBS) 2 airings - A repeat at 9pm did 7.41 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, up three three tenths in 18-49 from the previous week when it aired at 8:30pm. A second repeat followed with 6.81 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating. Good, but I don't think this show will be doing that well this season. Solid, but not a top performer like last season.
- Up All Night (NBC) - The season premiere did awful with just 3.11 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, as many summer sitcom repeats did better than that. Awful.
- The Office (NBC) - The ninth and final season premiere did only 4.28 million and tying a series low with a 2.1 18-49 rating. It's good this show is calling it quits.
- Parks and Recreation (NBC) - The season premiere of this comedy did not perform either with just 3.5 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating.
- None.
- None.
Summing it up. The repeats of The Simpsons & Family Guy from last Sunday, and The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, Modern Family, and the new showing of Go On were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as a new The New Normal, The Office ) or just plain old terrible (such as new airings of Up All Night, Parks & Recreation).
The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards hosted by Jimmy Kimmel airs tonight (Sunday, Sept. 23) on ABC at 8pm ET/5pm PT. As always, here are our picks on who will win. Come on back tomorrow to see who the winners were and how many we got right! Enjoy the show tonight!
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Girls (HBO)
30 Rock (NBC)
Veep (HBO)
Modern Family (ABC)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
OUR PICK: Modern Family (ABC). Hey, hey! Rack up a third straight win!
OUTSTANDING LEAD COMEDY ACTOR
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Louis C.K., Louie (FX)
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Don Cheadle, House of Lies (Showtime)
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock (NBC)
OUR PICK: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory (CBS). Even though I thought he didn't have that great of a season, he'll still probably win. Louis C.K. could surprise.
OUTSTANDING LEAD COMEDY ACTRESS
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl (Fox)
Lena Dunham, Girls (HBO)
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Tina Fey, 30 Rock (NBC)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO)
Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly (CBS)
OUR PICK: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO). I don't think she is deserving, but I bet she wins. I don't think McCarthy will repeat, but Amy Poehler could sneak a win.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTOR
Ed O'Neill, Modern Family (ABC)
Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family (ABC)
Ty Burrell, Modern Family (ABC)
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family (ABC)
Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Max Greenfield, New Girl (Fox)
OUR PICK: Ed O'Neill, Modern Family (ABC). I love Phil Dunphy, yo, but I think Ed O'Neill's Jay had a strong season. Give it to him already!
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING COMEDY ACTRESS
Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
Julie Bowen, Modern Family (ABC)
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC)
Kathryn Joosten, Desperate Housewives (ABC)
OUR PICK: Sofia Vergara, Modern Family (ABC). If Ed and Sofia win, I think that would be great! Would not be surprised to see Julie Bowen win again, but Sofia deserves it too!
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Breaking Bad (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Mad Men (AMC)
Homeland (Showtime)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
OUR PICK: Homeland (Showtime). This is the toughest category. And a category we don't care much about because these are all cable dramas. Network TV has great dramas going unrecognized, I think.
OUTSTANDING LEAD DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Michael C. Hall, Dexter (Showtime)
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Hugh Bonneville, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC)
Damian Lewis, Homeland (Showtime)
OUR PICK: Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC). He is unbeatable. We love former sitcom actors, too.
OUTSTANDING LEAD DRAMA ACTRESS
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife ( CBS)
Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey (PBS)
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men (AMC)
Kathy Bates, Harry's Law (NBC)
Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime)
Glenn Close, Damages (Audience Network)
OUR PICK: Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime). It might be a big night for the Showtime drama.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTOR
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Brendan Coyle, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Jim Carter, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Jared Harris, Mad Men (AMC)
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones (HBO)
OUR PICK: Giancarlo Esposito, Breaking Bad (AMC). We love him more on Once Upon a Time, but he should win it.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING DRAMA ACTRESS
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife (CBS)
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad (AMC)
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey (PBS)
Christine Hendricks, Mad Men (AMC)
Christine Baranski, The Good Wife (CBS)
OUR PICK: Christine Hendricks, Mad Men (AMC). I am thinking Hendricks or Maggie Smith of Downton Abbey will take this. It's going to be all cable in drama this year.
View the full list of nominations. The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards airs LIVE tonight (Sunday, Sept. 23) at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ABC. Come on back for the winners!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Digital Digest: Possible Earlier Release Date for Cagney & Lacey?; CSI - The Twelfth Season DVD Review; Charlie's Angels (2011) - The Complete Series DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! We don't actually have any sitcom news for you this week, but we do have other TV on DVD news of interest for you, along with reviews of CSI - The Twelfth Season and Charlie's Angels (2011) - The Complete Series. Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
We've talked about the Cagney & Lacey - The Complete Series DVD release for quite some time now, and this week, we finally got a "sneak peek" of what is to come from VEI after they were kind enough to send us a promotional screener disc for the set. Essentially, we received a disc which contained seven episodes as chosen by the series producer (yes, it was crammed, but this isn't intended for the general public), the original pilot movie, and a preview of one of the panel interviews which will be included on the release. From the preview we've seen, though, we already feel that we can say that the full set will be a release that is well worth it for fans. But an even more interesting note is that the information we received with the set gives a release date which is about a month earlier than what we've seen anywhere else... in fact, it gives a release date of October 16. Is this new "earlier" release date correct? We don't know yet, but we are hopeful!
Last week, we told you about TGG's release of In the Heat of the Night - The First Season. Now, TGG is planning something a little bit more with In the Heat of the Night - 24 Hour Marathon. The eight disc collection will contain 32 episodes of the classic series, just enough to fill up 24 hours, and come at a $29.96 MSRP. It is set to be released on October 23.
CBS is gearing up for a final "mission" on December 11 with Mission: Impossible - The Complete Television Collection. The 56 disc collection will not only include all seven seasons of the original series, but will also include both seasons of the follow up series from the '80s and a bonus disc containing special features new to DVD. It isn't a cheap set, though, and comes at a $379.99 MSRP, but we expect that to be discounted somewhat.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (September 25) has many releases, beginning with Fox's release of Family Guy - Volume 10. We'll have a review of this set soon, and if you're a big fan of the Griffin family, don't forget that you can still enter our contest to win a copy of this set through Sunday evening! ABC Studios wraps up Desperate Housewives with their releases of Desperate Housewives - The Complete Eighth and Final Season and Desperate Housewives - The Complete Collection Deluxe Edition. Meanwhile, CBS ties up the most recent seasons of their CSI franchise series (including the final season for the Miami variety) with CSI - The Twelfth Season, CSI: Miami - The Tenth and Final Season, and CSI: NY - The Eighth Season. Sony goes back to the classic Charlie's Angels series with Charlie's Angels - The Complete Series. Finally, MPI goes for a little variety with Dick Van Dyke from the '70s with Van Dyke and Company - The Complete Series.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
DVD Review: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - The Twelfth Season (CBS DVD/Paramount Home Video, $63.98)
by Todd
CSI's forensic team never says die, even in a season packed with old friends and new faces...beginning with the introduction of CSI supervisor D.B. Russell (Emmy winner Ted Danson). From the start, Russell thinks outside the box in a locked room murder-mystery aboard a casino tram. From there the team, which also includes George Eads, Paul Guilfoyle, Jorja Fox, Eric Szmanda, Robert David Hall, David Berman, Wallace Langham and Elisabeth Hornois, takes on Vegas, including going old school science to solve a mysterious kidnapping during a citywide blackout. And they say goodbye to Catherine Willows (Emmy winner Marg Helgenberger) as they welcome blood expert Julie Finlay (Academy Award nominee Elisabeth Shue). Now in its twelfth season, Emmy and People's Choice Award-winning CSI continues to be the most watched show in the world. See why.
The 6-disc set contains all 22 sizzling episodes from the twelfth season (2011-12) season of the long-running crime drama. The episodes are presented in anamorphic widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1, English Stereo Surround and Spanish Stereo audio available. It has a total running time of approximately 15 hours, 46 minutes. The attractive packaging follows the eleventh season style, with a thin outer cardboard box and clear plastic snapcase. Marg Helgenberger, Elisabeth Shue and Ted Danson are featured on the front cover, with some buildings in the background. There is an embossed CSI: Crime Scene Investigation logo at the top of the box. The outer cardboard box and inner keepcase have the same design basically, with only the back cover photo of the case being slightly less cropped. A clear plastic snapcase slides out from the right of the outer cardboard box. The entire cast is in a montage of photos on the back of the box/case. Paul Guilfoyle, Elisabeth Hornois, George Eads, David Berman, Jorja Fox, Robert David Hall, Eric Szmanda, Marg Helgenberger, Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue are featured in the photo. A short synopsis of the set, a listing of the special features and the DVD specs are provided. Opening up the snapcase, there is a content locator which lists the episodes and the special features on the inside cover. The discs are very plain looking, with just a silver background and the CSI logo on them. Episode titles and the special features are listed on the discs.
The menus are simple and easy to navigate. There are no previews on this release, so it jumps right to the main menus. The main menu opens with some views of Las Vegas that lead to a montage of video clips from the show. A nice instrumental cue plays in the background and then the sequence loops. Options for Episode Selection, Set Up and Special Features (on Disc 6 only) are available at the bottom of the screen. Episode titles are listed vertically in blue boxes on the Episode Selection menu. You can play the deleted scenes for selected episodes from this menu. English 5.1, English Stereo or Español audio options are available on the Set Up menu that features Ted Danson. Some options and special features are not rated any may not be subtitled. As you would expect from such a recent show, the video and audio quality is outstanding. They do a lot of nighttime shooting and make the show look dark and like a theatrical film. There is no disclaimer on the back of the box about any of the episodes possibly being edited or any of the music being changed. Episodes are presented in their original broadcast order and numbered by the production number. The broadcast and production order differed for episodes 3-6 this season. Running times are between 42-43 minutes in length. Hopefully we'll see some seasons released on Blu-Ray in the U.S. at some point.
Here is the episode breakdown by disc, including the runtimes:
Disc 1
Episode 1201 "73 Seconds" (43:18)
Episode 1202 "Tell-Tale Hearts" (43:28)
Episode 1203 "Bittersweet" (42:48)
Episode 1204 "Maid Man" (43:18)
Disc 2
Episode 1205 "CSI Down" (42:08)
Episode 1206 "Freaks and Geeks" (42:08)
Episode 1207 "Brain Doe" (43:28)
Episode 1208 "Crime After Crime" (42:08)
Disc 3
Episode 1209 "Zippered" (43:08)
Episode 1210 "Genetic Disorder" (43:38)
Episode 1211 "Ms. Willows Regrets" (43:28)
Episode 1212 "Willows in the Wind" (43:38)
Disc 4
Episode 1213 "Tressed to Kill" (43:38)
Episode 1214 "Seeing Red" (42:58)
Episode 1215 "Stealing Home" (43:38)
Episode 1216 "CSI Unplugged" (42:38)
Disc 5
Episode 1217 "Trends With Benefits" (43:08)
Episode 1218 "Malice in Wonderland" (43:28)
Episode 1219 "Split Decisions" (42:38)
Episode 1220 "Altered Stakes" (43:28)
Disc 6
Episode 1221 "Dune and Gloom" (42:28)
Episode 1222 "Homecoming" (43:28)
A nice amount and mixture of special features are spread out over the six discs. Once again, there are only two audio commentaries on this set. This has been the norm with all of the CSI franchise releases recently. There are deleted scenes for four episode included. All of the interviews/featurettes can be round on Disc 6. Here is the breakdown by disc:
Disc 1
"Bittersweet" Deleted Scenes (4:26) - Ted talks to Ed Burrows.
Sara talks to Janet Hughes at the hospital. Sara confronts Gina at the hospital. D.B. asks Sara what kind of food she likes.
Disc 2
"Brain Doe" Deleted Scene (1:28) - Catherine talks to Detective Vartaan outside the police department.
Disc 3
"Zippered" Deleted Scene (1:39) - D.B. and Agent Matthew Pratt talk to Drillbit.
"Genetic Disorder" Deleted Scenes (2:03) - D.B. talks to Hodges and Henry at the lab. D.B. and Catherine walk and talk. Dr. Robbins talks to David Phillips.
"Ms. Willows Regrets" Audio Commentary by Marg Helgenberger, Louis Milito (Director), Christopher Barbour (Writer), Wallace Langham, Elizabeth Harnois, David Berman and Jon Wellner
"Willows in the Wind" Audio Commentary by Marg Helgenberger, Alec Smight (Director), Christopher Barbour (Writer), Wallace Langham and Elizabeth Harnois - This was Marg Helgenberer's final episode.
Disc 6
Death, Trucks and Rock 'n Roll (8:34) - Fans can enjoy behind-the-scenes of Dune and Gloom and delve into the world of trophy truck racing. Follow the action as it takes us across the desert to a Hollywood recording studio with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry as he scores the fast-paced action with stellar original music. Interviews include Director Jeffrey Hunt, Executive Story Editor Tom Mularz, Co-Producer Phil Conserva, Stunt Driver Rich Minga, Off Roader Alex Staats, Off Roader Ryan Staats and Joe Perry. The featurette provides some good background information on the episode, but it easily could have been double in length.
A Crime a Dozen: Season 12 of CSI (23:29) - Executive Producers Carol Mendelsohn and Don McGill, along with the cast and crew, discuss the surprising mysteries that make the twelfth season the best season yet. This was a season of big changes with Laurence Fisburne having left after season 11 and Marg Helgenberger leaving sometime in season 12. They talk about the addition of Ted Danson to the cast. Marg Helgenber's exit from the show is discussed. Other topics discussed include Nick's journey this season, the relationships between D.B. and the other characters, Conrad Eckley's daughter, Hodges' mother (Jaclyn Smith), Elisabeth Shue's character, the tram scene, the second episode with three confessions, the helicopter episode, the stolen house episode, the blackout episode, the softball game, and other season highlights. Other interviews include Ted Danson, Executive Producer Louis Shaw Milito, Eric Szmanda, George Eads, Paul Guilfoyle, Jorja Fox, Elizabeth Harnois, Wallace Langham, Elisabeth Shue, David Berman, and Robert David Hall.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas (12:51) - Meet the newest members of the CSI team and hear from the actors who play them as Ted Danson, Elizabeth Harnois and Elisabeth Shue share what it's like to join an already seasoned ensemble. They talk about D.B's character and his family, working with Ted Danson, the introduction of Conrad Eckley's daughter, the addition of Elisabeth Shue to the cast, the Finn character, and the relationship between D.B. and Julie. Other interviews include Carol Mendelsohn, Don McGill, David Berman, George Eads, Wallace Langham, Jorja Fox, Eric Szmanda, Executive Producer Louis Shaw Milito, and Contributing Producer Elizabeth Devine.
A Farewell to Marg (9:33) - Listen to the original cast member and fan favorite Marg Helgenberger as she shares about her departure from her television family after 12 years together. Marg had wanted to leave in Season 10, but she decided to stay another season. They talk about the story arc of Catherine leaving the team. Interviews include Carol Mendelsohn, Jorja Fox, David Berman, Executive Producer Louis Shaw Milito, Wallace Langham, Executive Producer Don McGill, Ted Danson, Elizabeth Harnois, Paul Guilfoyle, Eric Szmanda, and George Eads. After 12 seasons, I thought there would be a more in-depth look at Marg's time on the show. Her departure is mentioned quite a bit in the other featurettes.
Putting on a Freak Show (8:47) - Producer Louis Milito, director Alex Smight and writer Christopher Barbour, as well as the cast and crew, explain what goes into creating a 'freak show' for the episode Freaks and Geeks. They talk about the idea of the episode, building the carnival set on a stage, and the production design and props. Some of the carnival performers are briefly profiled. Other interviews include Production Designer Daniel Novotny, Set Director Andi Brittan, George Eads, Ted Danson, George "The Giant" McArthur, Rania Bossonis, Brianna Belladonna, and Ted Shred. This is a fun behind-the-scenes look at the making of the episode.
A Family Affair (6:54) - Join host, Robert David Hall, as he goes behind-the-scenes and gives a glimpse into the private life of Doc Robbins. I've always loved the Doc Robbins character, so it was nice to learn more about his background and daily life. Interviews include Carol Mendelsohn, Elizabeth Devine, Director Frank Waldeck, Paul Guilfoyle, Eric Szmanda, Don McGill, and Wendy Crewson (Julie Robbins).
Season 12 was a year of transition for the series. Laurence Fishburne and Marg Helgenberger left the show. Fisburne exited after season 11. Helgenberger left in the middle of Season 12. I liked Fisburne's Langston character, but he was no Grissom. There were big shoes to fill. His character just never really fit in with the rest of the team. It was a sad and emotional farewell to original cast member Marg Helgenberger. She had talked about leaving the show in recent seasons, so it wasn't a complete shock. Her final episodes, known as the Willowgy, were the best and most memorable of the season. Thankfully they didn't kill off her character, so I think there's a good chance that she will return down the road in some episodes.
Three new cast members were brought in as regulars this season. I've always been a big fan of Ted Danson since his Cheers days. He brings a lot of offbeat humor to the show. His character is much more likable than Langston. I've loved Elisabeth Shue since her Karate Kid days. She really hasn't done a lot of television work in her career, so it's great to be able to see her on a weekly series now. Her character is very interesting and like a female version of Grissom. I enjoy the new characters, but I hope they don't forget about Nick, Sara and the rest of the team. I know they wanted to introduce the new characters, but longtime fans of the show don't want to see the veteran cast members pushed to the background.
Overall, this is another well produced set like you've come to expect. The featurettes are always very interesting and entertaining. I think the Marg Helgenberger farewell featurette could have been more detailed and focused on her entire 12 years on the series. It's hard to say goodbye to an original CSI team and cast member, who brought so much to the show, in under 10 minutes. It would be nice to see a few more audio commentaries and deleted scenes, but at least they haven't cut them out entirely. Season 13 premieres on CBS on Wednesday, September 26 at 10pm ET/PT.
-- Reviewed by Todd Fuller
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BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
Blog Feature Review: Charlie's Angels (2011) - The Complete Series (Sony, $39.99)
by Pavan
The new Charlie's Angels is now available on DVD-R! The series that was pulled seven episodes is now on DVD-R with all of episodes plus the final unaired episode! Charlie's Angels 2011: The Complete Series arrives on a two-disc DVD-R set from Sony Pictures Television Manufacture-onDemand. Thanks to mysterious billionaire Charlie Townsend, three beautiful women get a chance to escape their checkered pasts. Under the watchful eye of their handler, Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez), Kate (Annie Ilonzeh), Eve (Minka Kelly) and Abby (Rachael Taylor) work for the exclusive Townsend Detective Agency and tackle cases that take them from dangerous drug dens to the glamorous beachfront mansions of Miami.
The series aired Thursdays at 8PM on ABC and premiered on the 35th anniversary of the debut of the 1976 series. The series stars Annie Ilonzeh as Kate Prince, Minka Kelly as Eve French, Rachael Taylor as Abby Sampson, and Ramon Rodriguez as John Bosley. The voice of Charles "Charlie" Townsend is provided by Victor Garber. Recurring is Isaiah Mustafa as Detective Ray Goodson and John Terry as Victor Sampson.
Guest stars include Nadine Velazquez as Gloria Martinez, James Morrison, Elizabeth Pena, Dina Meyer, Peyton List, François Chau and Romeo.
The series was not as bad as everyone made it out to be. It was just fun with a lot of action, but these days people want critically acclaimed dramas. Shows like this are very sparse on network TV these days. The original series was never critically acclaimed either yet it had a nice long run with great ratings. As for this series, the series was canceled quickly and they only produced eight episodes. Only seven of those aired, so we have one leftover episode. Some of the more memorable episodes from the short-run includes the series premiere "Angel with a Broken Wing," where when a mission involving a child slavery ring results in Gloria's (Nadine Velazquez) death, Charlie persuades Abby and Kate to team up with Gloria's friend, Eve however they don't know it, but Abby, Kate and Eve will always support and look out for each other and they also discover that Gloria's death is also tied to the child slavery ring's elusive mastermind, which hits too close to home and very personal for Eve, who wants to seek revenge. In "Bon Voyage, Angels," the Angels take the case of an investigative journalist who disappears on a cruise ship, a case that connects with Kate's past. In an episode based on the classic series' episode "Angels in Chains," the Angels go undercover in Cuban women's prison, in which women are being kidnapped and sold as high-level prostitutes. In "Angels in Paradise," after a family is kidnapped and the Angels are sent to rescue them, they discover there's a bigger plan in the works and at Charlie's urging, Abby reconnects with her father when it appears that he has a connection to this latest case. In the last episode that aired on television, "Royal Angels," when a royal African king is shot and killed, the Angels must protect the king's son (Romeo Miller), who is also a target.
The episodes run all over the place, but it seems unedited still. The series probably ran shorter because it wasn't doing too well and ABC asked them to make it shorter probably. There are no chapter stops per episode, which is unfortunate. See the runtimes for each episode below:
Disc one
1. "Angel with a Broken Wing" 43:09
2. "Runway Angels" 40:58
3. "Bon Voyage, Angels" 42:02
4. "Angels in Chains" 41:01
Disc two
5. "Angels in Paradise" 43:10
6. "Black Hat Angels" 39:45
7. "Royal Angels" 41:32
8. "They Are Not Saints" 40:45
The packaging comes in a standard Amaray case. A nice shot of the Angels in white is used as the cover art, with a white background. The show logo and The Complete Series mention are both above the photo. The back of the case has four episodic images featuring each character along with a nice shot of them all together and a short synopsis of the series and the DVD specs are provided. The same photo of the Angels on the cover art are featured on the spine of the case. Inside the case, there is no artwork, just plain black. It would have been great if they included some episode summaries or additional photos. The discs just have a plain white background, with the Charlie's Angels. Generic!
The menu is very basic like other Sony MOD titles we have reviewed like Emily's Reasons Why Not. It just has various televisions in the background with a blue/green tint. They've used this same generic menu on other Sony on demand releases as mentioned. They couldn’t just insert a cast photo (or a hot photo of Minka Kelly?), even if it was just the same one as the cover art? The episode titles are listed vertically in black text in a teal box on the left side of the screen. There's a "Play All" button or you can view the episodes individually. A film canister type icon is next to the option you highlight that turns yellow upon your selection. Unfortunately, there are no chapter stops within the episodes, which is disappointing to me.
This DVD set is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media, as we mentioned. Thus, the packaging notes that this disc is expected to play back in DVD Video "Play only" devices, and may not play in other DVD devices, including recorders and PC drives. The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. It looks good to me. For the closing logo enthusiasts, we have the Sony Pictures Television logo along with Millar Gough Ink and Flower Films. The audio is an English Dolby Digital track. It sounds fine and it should for a series that premiered just this past season. So there is nothing to worry about here. Unfortunately though, there are no subtitles or closed captioning on any of the episodes. Pretty standard and basic, but both audio and video are perfectly good here. Very good!
Unfortunately, there are no special features included, just like the other Sony MOD titles. This is usually the case with these on manufactured on demand type releases. You just get the episodes here, which are fine I guess, especially for a show that was canned after quickly. No expectations. But this show was just aired this past season, so I'm sure they could have included some interviews that they did before the premiere of the series.
So I finally got to see that final episode produced. It's just a cool show. You know it isn't going to win any awards but the Angels are very easy on the eyes. It’s not that bad, but it certainly isn’t great. I wish the audience tuned in more, but honestly ABC should have moved it to Fridays or something. It would have worked. I’m glad this series was released on DVD, though. Even if it’s just a MOD DVD-R release, it’s still something! This set has flaws, but I think it is expected since it is a cheapened set. The audio and video are certainly not affected. They both are very good. Packaging and menus need improving though, but that’s not a major issue. Special features are never expected on MOD stuff, so if we even got something it would have been surprising...but they really should have included an interview or something. This is definitely a release for just the episodes and you get those! If you watched the series, then I think you should get this set to watch the unaired episode. If you’re a fan of Minka Kelly, then obviously you will want to have this in your collection. She looks great here, but it’s too bad the show never got a chance despite the ratings being not great. If you are a fan of this franchise, this needs to be in your collection with the original series and movies! Hello, Angels!
The series aired Thursdays at 8PM on ABC and premiered on the 35th anniversary of the debut of the 1976 series. The series stars Annie Ilonzeh as Kate Prince, Minka Kelly as Eve French, Rachael Taylor as Abby Sampson, and Ramon Rodriguez as John Bosley. The voice of Charles "Charlie" Townsend is provided by Victor Garber. Recurring is Isaiah Mustafa as Detective Ray Goodson and John Terry as Victor Sampson.
Guest stars include Nadine Velazquez as Gloria Martinez, James Morrison, Elizabeth Pena, Dina Meyer, Peyton List, François Chau and Romeo.
The series was not as bad as everyone made it out to be. It was just fun with a lot of action, but these days people want critically acclaimed dramas. Shows like this are very sparse on network TV these days. The original series was never critically acclaimed either yet it had a nice long run with great ratings. As for this series, the series was canceled quickly and they only produced eight episodes. Only seven of those aired, so we have one leftover episode. Some of the more memorable episodes from the short-run includes the series premiere "Angel with a Broken Wing," where when a mission involving a child slavery ring results in Gloria's (Nadine Velazquez) death, Charlie persuades Abby and Kate to team up with Gloria's friend, Eve however they don't know it, but Abby, Kate and Eve will always support and look out for each other and they also discover that Gloria's death is also tied to the child slavery ring's elusive mastermind, which hits too close to home and very personal for Eve, who wants to seek revenge. In "Bon Voyage, Angels," the Angels take the case of an investigative journalist who disappears on a cruise ship, a case that connects with Kate's past. In an episode based on the classic series' episode "Angels in Chains," the Angels go undercover in Cuban women's prison, in which women are being kidnapped and sold as high-level prostitutes. In "Angels in Paradise," after a family is kidnapped and the Angels are sent to rescue them, they discover there's a bigger plan in the works and at Charlie's urging, Abby reconnects with her father when it appears that he has a connection to this latest case. In the last episode that aired on television, "Royal Angels," when a royal African king is shot and killed, the Angels must protect the king's son (Romeo Miller), who is also a target.
The episodes run all over the place, but it seems unedited still. The series probably ran shorter because it wasn't doing too well and ABC asked them to make it shorter probably. There are no chapter stops per episode, which is unfortunate. See the runtimes for each episode below:
Disc one
1. "Angel with a Broken Wing" 43:09
2. "Runway Angels" 40:58
3. "Bon Voyage, Angels" 42:02
4. "Angels in Chains" 41:01
Disc two
5. "Angels in Paradise" 43:10
6. "Black Hat Angels" 39:45
7. "Royal Angels" 41:32
8. "They Are Not Saints" 40:45
The packaging comes in a standard Amaray case. A nice shot of the Angels in white is used as the cover art, with a white background. The show logo and The Complete Series mention are both above the photo. The back of the case has four episodic images featuring each character along with a nice shot of them all together and a short synopsis of the series and the DVD specs are provided. The same photo of the Angels on the cover art are featured on the spine of the case. Inside the case, there is no artwork, just plain black. It would have been great if they included some episode summaries or additional photos. The discs just have a plain white background, with the Charlie's Angels. Generic!
The menu is very basic like other Sony MOD titles we have reviewed like Emily's Reasons Why Not. It just has various televisions in the background with a blue/green tint. They've used this same generic menu on other Sony on demand releases as mentioned. They couldn’t just insert a cast photo (or a hot photo of Minka Kelly?), even if it was just the same one as the cover art? The episode titles are listed vertically in black text in a teal box on the left side of the screen. There's a "Play All" button or you can view the episodes individually. A film canister type icon is next to the option you highlight that turns yellow upon your selection. Unfortunately, there are no chapter stops within the episodes, which is disappointing to me.
This DVD set is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media, as we mentioned. Thus, the packaging notes that this disc is expected to play back in DVD Video "Play only" devices, and may not play in other DVD devices, including recorders and PC drives. The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. It looks good to me. For the closing logo enthusiasts, we have the Sony Pictures Television logo along with Millar Gough Ink and Flower Films. The audio is an English Dolby Digital track. It sounds fine and it should for a series that premiered just this past season. So there is nothing to worry about here. Unfortunately though, there are no subtitles or closed captioning on any of the episodes. Pretty standard and basic, but both audio and video are perfectly good here. Very good!
Unfortunately, there are no special features included, just like the other Sony MOD titles. This is usually the case with these on manufactured on demand type releases. You just get the episodes here, which are fine I guess, especially for a show that was canned after quickly. No expectations. But this show was just aired this past season, so I'm sure they could have included some interviews that they did before the premiere of the series.
So I finally got to see that final episode produced. It's just a cool show. You know it isn't going to win any awards but the Angels are very easy on the eyes. It’s not that bad, but it certainly isn’t great. I wish the audience tuned in more, but honestly ABC should have moved it to Fridays or something. It would have worked. I’m glad this series was released on DVD, though. Even if it’s just a MOD DVD-R release, it’s still something! This set has flaws, but I think it is expected since it is a cheapened set. The audio and video are certainly not affected. They both are very good. Packaging and menus need improving though, but that’s not a major issue. Special features are never expected on MOD stuff, so if we even got something it would have been surprising...but they really should have included an interview or something. This is definitely a release for just the episodes and you get those! If you watched the series, then I think you should get this set to watch the unaired episode. If you’re a fan of Minka Kelly, then obviously you will want to have this in your collection. She looks great here, but it’s too bad the show never got a chance despite the ratings being not great. If you are a fan of this franchise, this needs to be in your collection with the original series and movies! Hello, Angels!
(3/5 stars)
Related links:
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Alan Thicke (Twitter), sitcom superdad from the '80s
Claim to Fame: Canadian-born TV actor best known for his role of Jason Seaver on Growing Pains and successful TV theme composer from the '70s and '80s, now a contributor to The Huffington Post and self-proclaimed as "the Lost Kardashian"
Why You Should Follow Him: You wouldn't think that a sitcom dad from the '80s would work his way into pop-culture in 2012 too much. In fact, it seems that sitcom dads have a tendency to just fade away once the series fades away. But Alan Thicke is determined to remain a relevant part of pop-culture all of these years later, and let's just say, the man is addicted to Twitter. He has embraced Twitter to give him relevance in the modern era. If you follow him, you can expect to see up to a dozen tweets per day where he discusses everything going on in his world, as well as with his family.. And we don't just mean his real life family, he also likes to give shout outs to his TV family, including making quips and jokes during the Kirk Cameron controversy earlier this year... but most of it is all in fun and humor.
Fake Pick of the Tweets: "I don't understand politics - I'm just a sitcom actor. Barely know how to read," followed by "Anyone remember Triple-Stuf Oreos? Or was that just something I dreamed? #hungry" (These didn't really happen, this was just a Conan O'Brien parody... but if you read Thicke's tweets, it won't seem too unbelievable.)
Real Pick of the Tweets: "Don't recall being at the HIMYM 100th episode party. A sure sign it must have been a good one!" (March 11, 2012)
Claim to Fame: Canadian-born TV actor best known for his role of Jason Seaver on Growing Pains and successful TV theme composer from the '70s and '80s, now a contributor to The Huffington Post and self-proclaimed as "the Lost Kardashian"
Why You Should Follow Him: You wouldn't think that a sitcom dad from the '80s would work his way into pop-culture in 2012 too much. In fact, it seems that sitcom dads have a tendency to just fade away once the series fades away. But Alan Thicke is determined to remain a relevant part of pop-culture all of these years later, and let's just say, the man is addicted to Twitter. He has embraced Twitter to give him relevance in the modern era. If you follow him, you can expect to see up to a dozen tweets per day where he discusses everything going on in his world, as well as with his family.. And we don't just mean his real life family, he also likes to give shout outs to his TV family, including making quips and jokes during the Kirk Cameron controversy earlier this year... but most of it is all in fun and humor.
Fake Pick of the Tweets: "I don't understand politics - I'm just a sitcom actor. Barely know how to read," followed by "Anyone remember Triple-Stuf Oreos? Or was that just something I dreamed? #hungry" (These didn't really happen, this was just a Conan O'Brien parody... but if you read Thicke's tweets, it won't seem too unbelievable.)
Real Pick of the Tweets: "Don't recall being at the HIMYM 100th episode party. A sure sign it must have been a good one!" (March 11, 2012)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Friday, September 21, 2012
CBS Fall Pilot Review: Partners - Premieres September 24; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 24, 2012)
Partners - Mondays at 8:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Monday, September 24, 2012 at 8:30PM ET/PT
by skees53
Remember the NBC series Will & Grace, the successful sitcom about a heterosexual woman and gay man sharing their lives together in New York City? Well, 14 years later, creators David Kohan and Max Mutchnick have come together once again to create a new series for CBS, this time about two guys, one heterosexual and the other homosexual, sharing their lives as lifelong friends and "partners" in an architectural firm, fulfilling their lifelong dreams.
Louis (Michael Urie) and Joe (David Krumholtz) had been friends for as long as they can remember, starting out designing homes out of popsicle sticks in 1988 (as the series tells us at the very beginning). They've both lived their own lives and have different views on many things, including their love lives, but through it all, they've managed to stick together as friends through it all while running their own business as Partners.
Cast Details:
For the first time in a while, we've got a cast of established actors. They are as follows:
* Michael Urie as Louis
* David Krumholtz as Joe
* Sophia Bush as Ali
* Brandon Routh as Wyatt
Michael Urie plays Louis, the gay partner of the firm. Urie has played in a few movies, including Beverly Hills Chihuahua, but is probably best known from his role of Marc St. James in the ABC series Ugly Betty. Most recently, Urie has made his debut on the Broadway stage in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
David Krumholtz plays Joe, the straight partner of the firm. Krumholtz has appeared in movie franchise such as The Santa Clause and Harold & Kumar, as well as movies such as 10 Things I Hate About You, Superbad, and Ray. Krumholtz may be best known, however, from his role of Charlie Eppes in the CBS crime drama Numb3rs.
Sophia Bush plays Ali, Joe's girlfriend (and fiancé by the end of the first episode). She has appeared in the movies Van Wilder and John Tucker Must Die, but is best known for being one of the few cast members to appear in all nine seasons of the series One Tree Hill.
Brandon Routh plays Wyatt, Louis' "Jewish doctor" (he's really a nurse and not even Jewish) boyfriend. Routh has made one time appearances in series including Will & Grace, Chuck, and Cold Case, but he also has the distinction of being one of the few actors to play Superman/Clark Kent on the big screen, as he did in the 2006 film Superman Returns.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" (airs Monday, September 24 at 8:30PM ET/PT)
Directed by James Burrows
The pilot episode begins with a little bit of history of the relationship between Louis (Michael Urie) and Joe (David Krumholtz), going back to 1988. Through flashbacks, we discover that as kids, the two friends had big dreams in life to be architects. Fast forward to 2012 (and we do that in just a few short minutes), Louis and Joe are together. In the pilot episode, we learn about the love lives of Louis and Joe, which is the first (of many) things that we see that they don't have in common. Louis is in a relationship with Wyatt (Brandon Routh), a nurse who is Presbyterian (don't worry, Louis is letting the entire world know that his boyfriend is really a Jewish doctor...), and Joe is in a relationship with Ali (Sophia Bush).
Joe doesn't quite know where the relationship with Ali is going, and decides to turn to Louis for a little bit of help. The conclusion? It is time to break things off with Ali. But when the time comes to actually do that, he ends up going in the complete opposite direction and ends up proposing to her. Unfortunately, Louis didn't quite get this message and ends up fouling up everything after he reveals Joe's real intentions to Ali, and now Louis is no longer in the good graces of Joe... unless of course he can figure out a way to fix the situation he fouled up.
Analysis:
I actually came out a bit more impressed with this series after watching the pilot than I was going into watching it. Before watching it, the only thing that really grabbed my attention was that David Krumholtz was one of the stars, and I really enjoyed watching him as the genius mathematician Charlie Eppes in the CBS crime drama Numb3rs. But something that bothered me a bit was the early comparisons to Will & Grace, and personally, I always found that series to be like a person scratching a nail across a chalkboard. Fortunately, I have to say that this series really does seem to work.
To start with, the main characters are very likable people. They're sort of like a Felix and Oscar or even a Larry and Balki duo, where one is like the adult and the other is the child. And like those previous sitcom duos, they do have their bad times as we see in the pilot, but in the end, they manage to get through it, because they realize that they need to stick together despite it all. There is one thing that does throw me off a bit about this duo, though, and it is seeing David Krumholtz's character as the "adult." Perhaps that is because this is one of Krumholtz's first real mature roles. After all, he's played an elf in The Santa Clause movie franchise, he was the "younger brother" in Numb3rs, and he played in the Harold & Kumar movie franchise... which I don't think I need to say a whole lot more about that. Michael Urie does an excellent job as the more childish one (though honestly, in the flashbacks, it seems to set him up as the more mature one). The moment at the end of the pilot where Louis goes to Ali to try to repair the damage that he caused with her relationship with Joe really shows how this series wants to make it clear that this series is going to make sure that they stick together no matter what.
The writing on the pilot is above average, with a well-written script and some funny moments to be found throughout the episode. I honestly can't say that I've seen too many new well-written sitcoms in a while (although I like some of them, I'm honestly not overenthusiastic about any of the new sitcoms from last season, even the ones that were successful), but this is certainly one of them. One thing that did bother me about the production of the first episode, though, is that I felt that the "audience reactions" were a bit overplayed. No, it wasn't one of those obnoxious "let's use a laugh track after every word" things as made popular by Tyler Perry, but there were just too many effects going on, and it isn't really necessary for a sitcom that would appeal to a more mature audience.
Conclusion:
I have to admit that I liked this pilot, but I'm hoping that we get a little more diversity than just relationship issues as we move past the pilot. The series really doesn't strike me as a series that has to be all about relationships, and I think that there are a lot of directions that the series can go in from here. It'll also get old if the series continues to play on the sexual orientation of the main characters. Again, this is fine for episodes about relationships, but it would be really nice to see a series have a leading character who is gay without making his character just be the gay guy. The pilot, though, did do a decent job of not making that the focus of the character Louis, and focused on him just trying to be a good friend to Joe. Hopefully, that will continue.
So, will the series last? I kind of hope to see it go on for a while, although in a way, it reminds me a bit of the ill-fated CBS series from last fall, How to Be a Gentleman. I think that the Monday night time slot will help this series gain the viewers that it needs to at least make it through long enough to see if this is what viewers want to see. I'm rooting for this series for now, but I think a lot remains to be seen as to how it develops through the next few episodes.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Monday, September 24 on our message board.
Related Links:
Preview:
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 September 24-28, 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, September 24, 2012
- David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me) - Watch David on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Jesse appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Ellie Kemper (The Office) - Ellie visits The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Andrew Rannells (The New Normal) - Andrew is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Vicki Lawrence (Mama's Family) - Vicki, Carol Burnett and Tim Conway chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly) - Billy is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi will discuss the emotional battle with anorexia and bulimia that nearly ruined her career on Katie, so check your local listings.
- Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Margaret drops by The Jeff Probst Show, so check your local listings.
- Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory/8 Simple Rules) - Catch the lovely Kaley on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy/American Dad!/The Cleveland Show) - Seth stops by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - Jerry appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Anthony Anderson, Zach Cregger and Jesse Bradford - The cast of Guys with Kids are guests on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC. Anthony and Jimmy Fallon will also be on NBC's Today between 7-9am, while the trio will be on between 10-11am. Finally, the trio appears with Jimmy Fallon on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
- NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - NeNe appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings. She will also be on NBC's Today between 10-11am.
- Zooey Deschanel (The New Girl) - Zooey visits The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
- Maggie Elizabeth Jones (Ben and Kate) - Maggie is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
- Suzanne Somers (Three's Company/Step by Step/She's the Sheriff) - Tune in to see Suzanne on Current TV's Joy Behar: Say Anything! at 6pm ET and 9pm ET.
- Ty Burell (Modern Family/Back to You/Out of Practice) - Ty kicks off Modern Family Week by hosting ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
- Sofia Vergara (Modern Family/Hot Properties/The Knights of Prosperity) - Watch Sofia on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS. She also talks about the long road to her overnight success on Katie, so check your local listings.
- Kirstie Alley (Cheers/Veronica's Closet) - Kirstie is a guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) - Jim visits The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Penny Marshall (Laverne & Shirley) - Penny is part of the panel on Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun) - Joseph drops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings. He will later be on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Julie Bowen (Modern Family) - Julie guest co-hosts ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am. She later chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Ty Burrell (Modern Family/Back to You/Out of Practice) - Ty appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Justin Kirk (Animal Practice/Weeds) - Justin talks about Animal Practice on NBC's Today between 7-9am and 10-11am.
- Anthony Anderson (Guys with Kids/All About the Anmdersons) - Anthony is a guest on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
- Sofia Vergara (Modern Family/Hot Properties/The Knights of Prosperity) - Sofia guest co-hosts ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am. Catch Sofia on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Penny Marshall (Laverne & Shirley) - Penny discusses her book, My Mother Was Nuts, on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT. She will also be on Tavis Smiley on PBS, but check listings for time.
- Cloris Leachman (Raising Hope/The Facts of Life/The Mary Tyler Moore Show) - Cloris stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men) - Jon is a guest on The Jeff Probst Show, so check your local listings.
- Ellen Barkin and NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - Ellen and NeNe appear on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
- Sherri Shepherd (Less Than Perfect/Sherri) - Watch Sherri on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Lenny Venito (The Neighbors/The Knights of Prosperity) - Lenny stops by Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena visits ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am. Later she visits The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings. Finally, she appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope) - Martha is a guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother/Free Spirit) - Alyson appears on a repeat of Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
- Chelsea Chandler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea chats on Katie, so check your local listings.
- Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) - Soleil appears on NBC's Today between 7-9am.
- Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Eric guest co-hosts ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Nick at Nite Original Sitcom See Dad Run Regular Night and Time; FEARnet Acquires Tales from the Crypt
Nick at Nite will premiere its brand-new live-action family sitcom executive produced by and starring Scott Baio, See Dad Run on Sunday, Oct. 14, at 8pm (ET/PT). This will be its normal night and time, as Nick at Nite will still air the pilot of See Dad Run on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 9pm (ET/PT), as previously planned. After that, the series will move to its regular Sundays at 8pm (ET/PT) time slot beginning Oct. 14. A multi-camera scripted half-hour, the series follows David Hobbs (Baio, Happy Days, Charles in Charge) an actor who, after ten years of starring as America's favorite TV dad, becomes a stay-at-home father while his soap star wife (Alanna Ubach, Legally Blonde) makes her return to the limelight. Mark Curry (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) also stars as David's friend, Marcus. In the premiere episode, "See Dad Lose Janie," David runs into a hiccup with his stay-at-home dad responsibilities when he misplaces Janie (Bailey Michelle Brown) and must scramble to get her back before Amy finds out. Rounding out the cast are Ryan Newman (Zeke and Luther) as David's oldest daughter, Emily and Jackson Brundage (One Tree Hill) as David's son, Joe. Additionally, Ramy Youssef plays David's assistant, Kevin. 20 episodes have been ordered.
After airing its pilot episode on Oct. 6, beginning the next day (Oct. 7), the first episode of See Dad Run will be available for streaming on Nick On Demand and Nick at Nite On Demand and downloadable on iTunes, PlayStation, Xbox, Amazon and Vudu. Viewers can keep up with the show on Twitter by following the network's @nickatnitetv handle and by liking the Nick at Nite Facebook page. Also, in support of the regular Oct. 14 premiere, NickatNite.com has launched its See Dad Run show site, which includes trailers, character information, sneak peek photo galleries and message boards as well as a "Which Hobbs Kid Are You?" quiz. Full episodes will also be made available after each premiere. See the series promo:
The Emmy Award-winning anthology horror series Tales from the Crypt returns to network television starting Friday, October 5, when FEARnet debuts TV versions of the groundbreaking program on its linear channel and presents original episodes on its VOD platform. This marks the first time that Tales from the Crypt can be seen on network TV since 2004, when it was previously syndicated. On TV, Tales from the Crypt episodes will premiere Friday nights in a two-hour block on FEARnet from 10pm-12m ET/7pm-9pm PT and will be re-aired on Mondays in the same time period. The 93 produced episodes will play in order, beginning with season one and continuing through its seventh, and final, season.
The original cable versions of Tales from the Crypt, running from 1989 to 1996, are now available for the first time since their first airing, for FEARnet's VOD platform. Starting Wednesday, October 10, the premiere episodes will launch on FEARnet's VOD platform, which is currently available in more than 26 million homes. On FEARnet's industry-leading VOD Channel, the episodes will be presented in their original unedited format. Four episodes will be added to the VOD library every Wednesday, ensuring that there will always be something new and fresh for viewers to watch. Each episode will remain in the VOD library for six weeks.
Last month FEARnet launched a new weekend animation block that includes The Real Ghostbusters, so FEARnet is getting into the series programming game.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
TBS Adds Jeff Foxworthy Show; Worst Audition Ever Gets 3-Month Run In L.A.
TBS has made a slight addition to its fall 2012 schedule. They will be adding another sitcom, but not until November. The sitcom is the 1995-97 sitcom The Jeff Foxworthy Show. The 41-episode sitcom has not been on the air since it aired on CMT and Nick at Nite quite a few years back. TBS will air the series on Saturday mornings in a four-episode block from 5-7am beginning early morning on Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. It will be replacing four airings of Married...with Children, which will remain every other morning from 5-7am. No other schedule changes will be made to the fall schedule that we announced.
The sitcom aired its first season on ABC before moving to NBC in its second season. Stand-up comic Jeff Foxworthy stars as a hardworking, self-proclaimed "redneck," striving to keep up with his fledgling heating and air business, his wife, kids and his well to do in-laws. Blue collar comedy at its finest! Haley Joel Osment and Jonathan Lipnicki played Foxworthy's sons. The sitcom only lasted two seasons but it has been featured on cable in syndication and both seasons are out on DVD. Catch the sitcom coming to Saturday mornings on TBS this November! Stay with us for any further updates!
After a successful one-year anniversary in Los Angeles and a sold-out charity benefit in New York City (which we were happily on hand for!), Worst Ever Productions is proud to present their first monthly run of Worst Audition Ever this fall at the Cavern Club in Silverlake, CA - produced by Christine Lakin (Step by Step), Alec Ledd, Daniel A. Miles, and Corri English. Of course if you don't know (we mentioned the NY show in June), it is an evening of comedy about a group of artists (actors, directors, dancers, etc.) telling their real stores 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 three-month run began last night actually, but you can still go tonight (Sept. 19) at 8PM for the last September show. Actors/writers performing this month are Kristen Cummins & Dee Dee Miller (The Mark & Mike Show, Troubled Ambition), Stephen Bienskie (Silence! The Musical), Kathy Deitch (Wicked), Ross Patterson (FDR: American Badass!), Jeff Skowron (NCIS, The Burg), Jeff Hiller (Silence! The Musical, 30 Rock), Patrick Bristow (The Groundlings, Ellen), Wyatt Fenner (Bones), Hanna LoPatin (writer on Partners, UCB), and Rob Nagle (Mad Men, Eli Stone). A new group of artists will participate every month! The October shows are scheduled for Wednesday, October 17 at 8PM and Thursday, October 18 at 8PM. And the November shows are scheduled for Tuesday, November 13 at 8PM and Wednesday, November 14 at 8PM. Tickets are only $20 online or you can buy at the door...so it is well worth the price. Believe me, I went to the New York City show in June and had a blast!
Christine Lakin is the Creator/Producer and is a friend of this website. Christine is also of course an actor and probably known best to fans of sitcoms as Al Lambert on the long-running TGIF sitcom Step By Step for ABC. She has also appeared in dozens of TV shows and films including Family Guy, Melissa & Joey, Stevie TV, You Again, Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve. She wrote, produced and stars in the webseries Lovin' Lakin on Hulu, which is a SitcomsOnline.com favorite webseries! She is a nominated choreographer and a member of The Troubadour Theater Company.
In addition to producing this three-month run of Worst Audition Ever, Christine is starring in the L.A. version of Silence! The Musical, a hilarious parody based on the Academy Award-winning film. She plays Clarice, the same role as Jodie Foster in the film. The musical runs every Thurs-Sun at The Hayworth Theatre in Los Angeles through early November. The Los Angeles Times calls Christine "the secret weapon of the production." Make sure you buy tickets and see Christine in action in that as well!
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
This TV Fall 2012 Schedule Has Inspector Gadget; ABC Family Orders Three Pilots, Including Two Sitcoms
This TV has announced its Fall 2012 schedule and changes are being made to its "This Is For Kids" morning block. The block is weekdays from 7-10am and features animated series from the Cookie Jar Toons archive. Of note to us is that they will bring back animated comedy Inspector Gadget, voiced by Don Adams, back to its schedule and air it weekdays at 7am beginning Oct. 1. Wowsers! New additions to the line-up include Sabrina, the Animated Series, which will air weekday mornings at 9am. Rounding out the block is Hurricanes, Action Man, Metajets, Prostars, Stargate Infinity, Flight Squad and Horseland. Only the latter is five days a week, at 9:30am, while those other series are either Mon, Wed, Fri or Tues, Thurs. Leaving the schedule will be The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills, Super Duper Sumos and Liberty's Kids. On weekends, animated series include Country Mouse & City Mouse Adventures, Danger Rangers, Emily of New Moon, Mona the Vampire and Madeline.
Besides the animated series, there are no other changes, so you can expect weekdays from 4am-7am to remain the same with vintage retro TV series with The Outer Limits, Highway Patrol, Sea Hunt, The Patty Duke Show, and Mister Ed. On Sundays, Bat Masterson remains at 7am, while Stargate SG-1 remains at 9pm & 10pm. The rest of the schedule is filled with movies or E/I programming.
This TV is a free over the air digital station that brings you award winning films, box office hits, cult classics, retro TV series and all your favorite Hollywood stars! Whether it's on satellite, your local cable provider, or your over-the-air digital signal, it doesn't get better than This!
ABC Family has greenlit three additional pilots to add to its production slate -- Terminales, a one hour drama pilot adapted from a successful Televisa series, and two new sitcom pilots, Phys Ed and Continuing Fred. The three pilots will go into production this fall along with the previously announced drama pilots The Fosters (working title), from executive producer Jennifer Lopez, and Socio, from executive producer Gavin Polone. The two sitcom pilots are in consideration to join the network's successful sitcom hour of Melissa & Joey and Baby Daddy. Here are the details on the sitcom pilots: Phys Ed is a half-hour multi-camera comedy pilot about a high school's star jock who returns to teach at his former alma mater only to find that, even though he's changed, nothing else really has. The pilot is written and-executive produced by David H. Steinberg. It is produced by Prodco, Inc. Continuing Fred is a half-hour multi-camera sitcom pilot about 20-something Winifred "Fred" Harris, a newly-graduated slacker with an overbearing family who surprisingly finds purpose when she begins to teach at a local elementary school. Written by Bill Daly (Mike and Molly), the pilot is also produced by Prodco, Inc.
Stay with us if any of these pilots heads to series. Most likely most will, given ABC Family's track record of picking up pilots.
Monday, September 17, 2012
ION Television Fall 2012 Schedule; MeTV Celebrates the 40th Anniversary of M*A*S*H
This Fall, ION Television will be adding quite a few new series. We have mentioned them all before that they were coming...except for one series. On Sunday, Sept. 23, House will launch on ION and it is airing every Sunday night from 8pm-1am. The rest of the new series will launch the week of October 1, including the previously unannounced series. That series is a sitcom. The sitcom is Married...with Children! The series starring Ed O'Neill as Al Bundy will premiere on ION Television on Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 11:00am & 11:30am leading into the Rocky movies marathon from 12pm-8pm. Those movies will lead into the premiere of ION's new weekly series, WWE Main Event on Wednesdays at 8pm. Married...with Children will normally air as a filler on weekend afternoons, as it doesn't have a set time period. The sitcom is replacing George Lopez as filler and will be paired with My Name is Earl from time to time. The other new series on ION this fall are: NUMB3RS every Thursday from 12pm-10pm and Saturdays from 6pm-1am and Law & Order: Criminal Intent airing every Sunday from 4pm-8pm. Psych will be leading the schedule completely.
You may have noticed we said 11am for ION. Yes, the weekday line-up will now be starting at 11am beginning Monday, Oct. 1! So ION Television is starting two hours earlier than now. The schedule will be filled with block programming. On Mondays, Without a Trace will air from 11am-4pm, followed by Criminal Minds from 4pm-1am. Each night on ION Television at 1am will now be a movie. On Tuesdays, ION will air more Criminal Minds from 11am-11pm, leading into back-to-back Flashpoint airings from 11pm-1am. The Wednesday block will start a week later since a Rocky movie marathon is airing Oct. 3, but starting Oct. 10 the schedule will kick-off with the qubo Kids block moving to the 11am hour every Wed-Fri, instead of 8-9am. Wednesdays from 12pm-6pm will be a Flashpoint block leading into Leverage at 6pm & 7pm. As mentioned, WWE Main Event will air at 8pm before ION goes back to Leverage from 9pm-1am. On Thursdays, we have the already mentioned NUMB3RS from 12pm-10pm leading into Criminal Minds from 10pm-1am. On Fridays, Without a Trace gets another daytime block airing from 12-4pm. After that, its Cold Case from 4pm-11pm. Leverage closes out Fridays from 11pm-1am.
Onto the weekends, the Saturday schedule will kick-off at 1pm with either filler airings of Married...with Children or My Name is Earl leading into movies. As mentioned, NUMB3RS will air on Saturdays from 6pm-1am. On Sundays, once again at 1pm will be either filler airings of Married...with Children or My Name is Earl leading into a movie. Law & Order: Criminal Intent will air from 4-8pm, followed by House from 8pm-1am. It's certainly a drama-filled schedule, with some sitcom filler here and there.
View the full ION Television Fall 2012 schedule. Stay with us for any further updates!
Today (Monday, September 17) marks the 40th anniversary of the 1972 launch of the iconic military medical sitcom M*A*S*H. To commemorate the occasion, The MeTV Network will air the first two episodes of the series: "Pilot" and "To Market, to Market" tonight at 7PM Eastern/6PM Central. During the rest of the week, MeTV will acknowledge the milestone with M*A*S*H facts and trivia. The MeTV Network now clears more than 83% of the country, serving 136 affiliates.
Set during the Korean War, M*A*S*H is a medical drama/black comedy following the stories of U.S. military doctors and support staff stationed overseas. In addition to treating patients and encountering combat, the team of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital endures dramatic tension often occurring between enlisted men and drafted soldiers. After an 11-season run, more than 105 million viewers tuned in for the finale in 1983, a record that held until 2010.
Elsewhere, TV Land is also celebrating the 40th anniversary with a stunt starting at 5pm today with the first episode and the series finale. And M*A*S*H stars on Murder, She Wrote continues all this week with Jamie Farr today, Loretta Swit on Tuesday, Wayne Rogers on Wednesday, and David Ogden Stiers on Thursday. Tune in Mon-Thurs mornings at 8AM/7C for the rest of September!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Summer Week 16 Sitcom Ratings; New Sitcoms On Cable This Week
We're nearing the end of summer and we will be back with our normal weekly ratings report with the first four nights numbers and analysis in 2 weeks, but we still will have our regular how the sitcoms did in the summer until then. Here are our summer ratings:
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Sept. 3-9)
Summing it up. The repeats of The Simpsons & Family Guy from last Sunday, and The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, and the new showing of Go On were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as premieres of The New Normal, Go On) or just plain old terrible (such as repeats of How I Met Your Mother, Apartment 23).
Feeling the repeat blues? Well the new season starts Sept. 24 - in eight days! Original sitcoms on cable this summer are winding down. TBS had the season finale of new sitcom Sullivan & Son this past Thursday at 10pm. It was just renewed for a second season, too! And everything else has ended for the summer. All of those series were multi-camera comedies, too! New sitcom airings was the perfect way to beat the summer blues! But now we gear up for the new fall season!
Summer Week 16 (Sept. 10-16) How the Sitcoms Did
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for week of Sept. 3-9)
- The Simpsons (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 8pm did 5.19 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up a solid 1.2 points in 18-49 from previous week thanks to an NFL lead-in. A second repeat followed with 4.55 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up nine tenths week-to-week.
- The Cleveland Show (Fox) - preempted.
- Family Guy (Fox) 2 airings - A repeat at 9pm did 4.46 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which was up seven tenths from the previous week. A second repeat at 9:30pm did 4.66 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, up seven tenths week-to-week in 18-49. Great!
- American Dad! (Fox) - preempted.
Monday Sitcoms
- How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A repeat did only 2.63 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, down six tenths in 18-49 from the previous week, but it aired at 9:17pm following coverage of the US Open.
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - preempted.
- 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - A repeat of this comedy was delayed until 10:17 and posted 3.14 million and a 0.8 rating, down seven tenths in 18-49 from the previous week. US Open really messed up the night, didn't it?.
- Mike & Molly (CBS) - preempted.
- The New Normal (NBC) - The series premiere following The Voice premiere was sampled with 6.88 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating. Not bad, but we have to wait until the actual fall season to see how it is really doing.
- Go On (NBC) - Another encore of the pilot did 4.9 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating.
Tuesday Sitcoms
- The Middle (ABC) - The 8pm repeat did 3.74 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from the previous week.
- Last Man Standing (ABC) - A repeat of this sitcom followed with 2.9 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, also up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week.
- Go On (NBC) - The second episode premiered to 9.73 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating, after the first Tuesday airing of The Voice. Very good--but it had limited competition. So still the jury is out, but it is looking good.
- The New Normal (NBC) - The second episode of this comedy premiered to 6.96 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating, on par with its premiere the previous night. Still a long way to go, as the other networks haven't premiered yet.
- Happy Endings (ABC) - A repeat at 9pm did 2.14 million and a 0.8 18-49 rating, which was on par week-to-week. This show has a loyal audience.
- Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23 (ABC) - A repeat at 9:30pm posted 1.8 million and a 0.6 18-49 rating, also on par with the previous week. Just some exposure for a series that only aired six episodes this past season.
- The Middle (ABC) - A repeat at 8pm did 3.61 million and a 0.9 rating, down a tenth from the previous week.
- Suburgatory (ABC) 2 airings - A repeat at 8:30 posted 2.93 million and a 0.9 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with the previous week. A second repeat airing at 9:30pm generated 2.77 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, also on par in 18-48 week-to-week. This show could be big this fall at 9:30pm.
- Modern Family (ABC) - A repeat at 9pm did 3.69 million and a 1.3 rating, on par with the previous week again.
- Guys with Kids (NBC) - The series premiere of this sitcom posted 6.25 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating after the penultimate episode of Got Talent. Not bad, but not great. NBC has had too many sneak peeks out of time periods, so not sure if viewers will find most of these shows come actual TV premiere week.
- The New Normal (NBC) - An encore of the pilot, from Monday, did 3.8 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating. Just some extra exposure.
Thursday Sitcoms
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - A repeat at 8 did 6.94 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, down a tenth from the previous week in the key demo. Great for summer.
- Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A repeat at 8:30pm did 5.31 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, but down three tenths in 18-49 from the previous week.
- The Office (NBC) - preempted.
- Parks and Recreation (NBC) - preempted.
- Guys with Kids (NBC) - An encore of the series premiere did 3.3 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating.
- Go On (NBC) - An encore of the second episode, from Tuesday, posted 3.06 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating. Not bad.
- Rules of Engagement (CBS) - preempted.
Summing it up. The repeats of The Simpsons & Family Guy from last Sunday, and The Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men, and the new showing of Go On were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as premieres of The New Normal, Go On) or just plain old terrible (such as repeats of How I Met Your Mother, Apartment 23).
Feeling the repeat blues? Well the new season starts Sept. 24 - in eight days! Original sitcoms on cable this summer are winding down. TBS had the season finale of new sitcom Sullivan & Son this past Thursday at 10pm. It was just renewed for a second season, too! And everything else has ended for the summer. All of those series were multi-camera comedies, too! New sitcom airings was the perfect way to beat the summer blues! But now we gear up for the new fall season!
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, October 21
Scrubs - "My Best Friend's Birthday" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Turk is determined to have a fun birthday with J.D. and Elliot; the interns are challenged during the night shift.
Abbott Elementary - "The Tryouts" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The step team tries out for a major competition; Melissa and Barbara take a special ed certification course; Janine, Gregory and Jacob welcome a new substitute.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 19)
Wednesday, October 21
- Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Watch Billy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Josh Charles (Best Medicine/Sports Night) - Josh appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Kate Berlant (Ghosted/Search Party) - Kate is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Natasha Leggero (Broke/Dice/Another Period/Free Agents) and Jimmie Walker (Good Times/At Ease/Bustin' Loose) - Natasha and Jimmie will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia appears on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Giancarlo Esposito (Bakersfield P.D.) - Giancarlo talks about The Only Living Pickpocket in New York on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Max Casella (Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Max talks about Jimmy on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Sara and Erin Foster (Producers of Nobody Wants This) - Sara and Erin talk about Nobody Wants This on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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