Saturday, November 17, 2012
Digital Digest: Cagney and Lacey Update; The Flintstones - Prime-Time Specials Collection, Volume 2 DVD Review; The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams - Season One DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! This is the last weekend of the year before the big hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins (it'll be Thanksgiving weekend by the time we're back next weekend), but we'll be here all throughout all of that! But until then, we've got your news and a busy weekend of reviews, with The Flintstones - Prime-Time Specials Collection, Volume 2 and The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams - Season One. Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
Last week, we told you that Warner Archive would be releasing the second season of Eight is Enough on DVD very soon, but we didn't know exactly when. This week, however, we can say exactly when. In fact, it was released on DVD this past Tuesday! You can now pick up Eight is Enough - The Complete Second Season (two half season sets bundled together) from Warner Archive's new store for $49.95. Also, you can pick up just Part 1 or Part 2 for $29.95 each, but you'll save money by buying them both together. We just got a review copy of this set, so we'll have a review very soon. By the way, you'll notice that we mentioned Warner Archive's new store. As of this week, Warner Archive has launched their own store, separate from WBShop.com, where you can find and buy all of the latest Warner Archive titles all on one much easier website. And to celebrate the launch of this new site, they are having a 30% off sale on selected items. We suggest going over there and checking it out!
We all know by now that ABC canceled Cougar Town back in May after three season, and the series was then picked up by TBS for new episodes, which will begin in January. In the meantime, ABC has also licensed the DVD rights to the third season, along with the first two, to Lionsgate. We'll see the third season, along with a re-release of the first two, on February 5.
We've been waiting (and waiting) for VEI's release of Cagney and Lacey - The Complete Series, and we didn't seem to be getting anywhere. This week, though, the "special edition" did show up on VEI's new online store! Unfortunately, all of the currency is given in Canadian dollars, but they are very close to the US dollar. What is even more unfortunate is the shipping: expect to spend roughly $20 to get this thing shipped out of Toronto (though still, even with shipping, it costs less than the "non-special" edition being sold elsewhere, whenever that comes into stock). Apparently, though, we're not alone in our frustrations. Even series creator Barney Rosenzweig shares our frustrations with these issues (along with the shrinking number of TV-on-DVD releases on store shelves) in his latest blog entry, and he doesn't hold back, at all. You can purchase the limited edition set here.
By the way, don't forget that "Black Friday" (or really, maybe we should be calling it "Thanksgiving night savings" since many stores have given up on opening at 5 AM, and now just opening up Thanksgiving night!) is coming up next week, and while we've done a full rundown of the specials in the past, there are simply too many specials out there with too many "unknowns" for us to give you all of the details this year! Generally speaking, we can report that just about all of the big box retailers (i.e. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy) have advertised TV-on-DVD titles for under $10, but most are just saying to see the full selection in store. We can report, though, that it seems that the bigger issue this year will be what is NOT on sale, as one advertisement indicated for their $7.99 TV-on-DVD selection "over 100 different titles available." There will be a lot of mystery this year, but we certainly expect you to be able to find some good deals. And by the way, most of these deals will be available through Saturday, and we expect to see just about all of them also offered online. So don't worry... there will be plenty for you!
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (November 20) begins the holiday season slowdown on new releases, but Shout! Factory does have Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Fourth Season (review). Also, Warner Archive has The Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show - The Complete Series.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
DVD Review: The Flintstones - Prime-Time Specials Collection, Volume 2 (Warner Archive, $14.95)
by Pavan
The rest of the Flintstones primetime specials are now available on DVD from Warner Archive Collection! Following a spate of Saturday morning spin-offs, America's favorite Stone Age family returned to network primetime with a full slate of hysterical pre-historical specials from 1977-1981 – no quitting time for Fred! On this DVD we continue the specials! This quartet of prime-time specials sees the Frankenstone family to Bedrock, Fred facing mortality, Wilma joining the big leagues and Fred take up jogging. Continue your collection for more fun from Fred and the gang!
As we mentioned on the volume one review, the primetime specials started in 1977 with A Flintstone Christmas. Last year, Warner Archive Collection gave us that special and also the 1993 A Flintstone Family Christmas special. Then we got The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone (1979) and Flintstones Little Big League (1978) in a primetime specials volume 1 DVD. Now the remaining four specials are out in volume 2! The Flintstones' New Neighbors (1980): When the gruesome Frankenstone family moves in next door to Fred and Wilma, Fred is furious but Wilma insists they welcome their new neighbors. Can Frank Frankenstone turn Fred's views around? Fred's Final Fling (1980): A mix-up in medical records causes Fred to think that he only has 24-hours to live. Dazed by the news, Fred ponders his end and embarks on a 24 -hour "do-good" blitz. Wind-Up Wilma (1981): After Wilma angrily pitches a melon at two thieves stealing her grocery money, the manager of the Bedrock Dodgers signs her up to pitch in the majors. Jogging Fever (1981): After his wife, his boss and the entire town of Bedrock notice Fred's weight gain, he decides to get in shape by running in the big Rockstone Marathon ... and finds out how badly out of shape he really is. Each special has 6 chapter stops each. As for the runtimes, see below:
1. The Flintstones' New Neighbors (24:17)
2. Fred's Final Fling (24:18)
3. Wind-Up Wilma (24:17)
4. Jogging Fever (24:15)
The packaging for this set is pretty standard and similar to volume 1. On the cover, we have an image from the 1980 special The Flintstones' New Neighbors with Fred, Wilm & Dino looking scared to see them. On the bottom there is a mention of the two titles on this Classic Collection set. On the back, there is a nice photo of Fred, Wilma, Pebbles & Dino inside Fred's car, along with a description of the four specials. We also have four episodic images including Wilma in a baseball uniform. Inside the case, it is pretty bland again. There is no artwork on the panels again. There is one disc and it is on the right panel, so the same format as volume one. The disc artwork has Fred & Wilma looking scared to see the new neighbor with the franchise logo imprinted on it. All similar to the Christmas collection that was released last year and volume one for primetime specials.
The main menu isn't very exciting, but it is perfectly functional. The main menu has the same artwork as the cover art, with no music playing in the background. The theme song would have been nice? The special titles are listed right on the main menu and you select from there. We have a Play All option as well. There are no options for anything else, so it is simple. As mentioned, we have 6 chapter stops on all the specials and they have the correct placements. All this is similar to the Christmas collection and Volume 1 primetime specials DVD.
The video and audio quality of this set looks fine, for the most part. All four half-hour specials were from the same era (1980-81), so they both look the same. There are white dots here and there, but it is still good. Not bad for 1980 and 1981. There are no real major problems for all four specials, so don't worry about it. As for the audio quality, it is clear and crisp. Unfortunately there are no subtitles or closed-captioning. The specials originally aired on NBC, as did all the primetime specials from 1977-1981. Nothing much else to say, it is simple and it works.
There are no special features obviously on this set since it is just four specials. Perhaps maybe some promos or other archival items for these two would have been nice to have, but I didn't expect it.
It is good we are finally getting the primetime specials on DVD and finishing them up. These remaining NBC primetime specials are awesome. Now we have all of the 1977-1981 specials on DVD! Nice! Warner Archive is also releasing the 1993 ABC TV-movies The Flintstones - I Yabba Dabba Do! and The Flintstones - Hollyrock-A-Bye Baby, and we will review those in the coming weeks...so stay tuned. Now all the specials are nearly released! Only The Flintstones' 25th Anniversary Celebration, The Flintstone Kids' "Just Say No" Special, and Hanna-Barbera's 50th: A Yabba Dabba Doo Celebration remain, but those are not major ones. Heck, I want The Flintstone Kids or the series from the '70s more. Back to this set, other than my minor nitpicks, this set works and is on par with volume 1. It is simple and is just four half-hour specials, so not much was expected. For die-hard fans, you would be pleased, I think, and if you have volume 1, then this is a MUST. And for casual fans or first-time watchers, you'll like what you see on these four specials. These specials have been rerun on Boomerang a lot, so it is familiar. You won't need to jog over to a store and buy it, just click the link below! Yabba dabba doo, part two!
(4/5 stars)To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Warner Archive
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
DVD Review: The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams - Season One (Timeless Media Group/Shout! Factory, $29.93)
by Todd
The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams features Dan Haggerty as James "Grizzly" Adams, a character loosely based on an actual 19th century woodsman.
After being accused of a crime he did not commit, Adams takes sanctuary in a remote mountain area in the American west, where he discovers and befriends an orphaned grizzly cub. The cub eventually grows into a full-sized grizzly bear that Adams affectionately calls Ben. Together, Adams and Ben learn to survive in the wilderness, assisted by an old trader named 'Mad Jack' (played by Denver Pyle - The Dukes of Hazzard) and a Native American named Nakoma (played by Don Shanks). Impressed with the way Adams has adapted to his environment and his uncanny rapport with animals, Nakoma and Jack come to appreciate Adams' harmonious existence with nature. Unfortunately, Adams need to be watchful for bounty hunters, even as he protects the wildlife he grows to cherish.
Compelling, entertaining and hugely popular, The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams offered its audience a unique viewing experience, vastly different from the sitcoms and dramas that flooded the airwaves at the time.
The Grizzly Adams franchise began with the 1972 novel The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams by Charles E. Sellier, Jr.. A film of the same title followed in 1974. It starred Dan Haggerty, Denver Pyle and Don Shanks. The film became a runaway success and grossed over $65 million on a low budget of $140,000. NBC aired the film in 1976 and garnered a 43% market share. NBC executives then decided to pick it up as a weekly series. The series premiered on February 9, 1977. It was broadcast on Wednesday nights at 8pm. Thom Pace performed the theme song, Maybe. The animal cast included Bozo as Ben the grizzly bear and Mad Jack's ornery mule named Number Seven. A total of 38 episodes were produced during the show's two seasons.
All 13 season one episodes are included on the 4-disc set. The set is packaged in a double-thick keep case with two discs on each side inside the case. On the cover, we have a photo of Grizzly Adams and Ben. On the back, there is a short summary of the series, along with four episode snapshots. Grizzly Adams, Mad Jack, Nakuma and Ben are pictured. The DVD specs are provided at the bottom of the case. Inside the case, you'll find the discs. Unfortunately, one of the tabs that holds one of the discs had broken during shipment. The disc got scratched pretty badly, but it still plays without any problems. It would have been nice if they used some sturdier packaging. The discs feature a photo of Grizzly Adams and the show logo. Each disc has the episode titles listed on them, but the discs are not numbered, which could lead to some confusion. Unfortunately, there's no episode guide or any inserts included.
Moving on, the main menu is simple and easy navigate. It has a photo of Dan Haggerty holding a rifle over his shoulder. The show logo is next to it. There is a "Play All" button. The episode titles are listed vertically in white text. The episode you highlight has a gold bar over it. Chapters are placed at the appropriate places.
It should be noted that this release doesn't include the 1974 theatrical film. Although the film isn't yet available on DVD, it has been released several times on VHS. The NBC weekly series began on February 9, 1977. In "Adams' Cub," a young girl named Eliza Bowker, traveling to the west with her parents in a covered wagon, gets lost in the vast mountain wilderness. Adams recalls how he met Nakoma, a Native Indian in "Blood Brothers." Adams saves Will Boker (guest star Ken Berry), an entertainer and a magician, from drowning in a river, and takes him back to his cabin in "Fugitive."
When a man named Cartman (guest star Ronny Cox) and his son make a camp at the valley in the mountains, Adams wants to become a great neighbor, but Cartman doesn't want any help from Adams in "Unwelcome Neighbor." Mad Jack accidentally becomes trapped on a raft in rapids and Adams sets up to find the man, but when he finds his personal belongings, Adams is convinced that Mad Jack is gone, and he recalls the first time he met Jack in "Howdy-Do, I'm Mad Jack." Mad Jack accidentally runs into Pinkerton (guest star Don Galloway), a man who wants to bring Adams back to the town for the trial in "Adams' Ark."
While trying to rescue a raccoon, Adams is accidentally buried by a rockslide in "The Redemption of Ben." Norman Fell guest stars. Mad Jack meets a young tenderfoot named Teddy (guest star Charles Martin Smith) in the wilderness, and believes that he is just a clumsy novice, which turns out to be true, when Teddy, or let's say Theodore Roosevelt, attacks Nakoma and Ben and attempts to ride Number Seven in "The Tenderfoot." While escorting Sumi, a young Indian maiden back to the reservation, Mad Jack is stunned to learn that his burro, Number Seven, found a stone of gold in "The Rivals."
Adams, Jack and Nakoma set off into the woods to find a monster, a strange creature that Mad Jack saw in the wilderness, a beast that makes Ben act uncomfortable in "The Unholy Beast." Slim Pickens guest stars as Findhope. Adams' cabin is in danger when a group of beavers, after their valley was destroyed by a forest fire, move into Adams' valley in "Beaver Dam." A tough old settler named Metcalf (guest star Jack Kruschen) and his daughter travel west into the rugged mountain territory, and after a small accident, they end up in Adams' cabin in "Home of the Hawk." Ben and Adams prepare to welcome Mad Jack and Nakuma for the annual feast and celebration, but their preparation is interrupted when an Indian woman arrives, looking for help in "The Storm." Episode summaries courtesy of TV.com .
The video quality isn't the best. They are upfront about it when you first insert a disc. The disclaimer reads: "This program has been reproduced from carefully selected archival films. State of the art technology has been used to present the highest quality production. However, some imperfections in image and sound quality are unavoidable." The episodes really don't look to be remastered, but they are certainly watchable. These episodes are around 35-years-old now. They are presented in their original broadcast order and full screen 1.33:1 ratio. There is a fair amount of dirt, debris, white specks, scratches, film splices, and other digital artifacts. For the closing logo enthusiasts, there are logos for Schick Sunn Classic Productions, Inc. and Viacom (2 versions - the 'V of Doom' purple background logo and at least one episode has the blue background logo). As far as the audio quality, it's not too bad. I didn't notice any major problems with it. No closed captioning is available on the episodes.
The set has a total running time of approx. 620 minutes. Episodes run between 45-46 minutes. Most one-hour dramas of the era ran closer to 48-50 minutes without commercials, so it appears that these are likely syndication prints. When the show was sold into syndication in the 1980s, they trimmed a few minutes to make room for more commercials. The Viacom logos at the end of the credits are also from the 1980s. All of the episodes do include the show's theme song, "Maybe," by Thom Pace.
Here are the episode titles by disc number, including the runtimes:
Disc 1
"Adams' Cub" (46:24)
"Blood Brothers" (46:22)
"Fugitive" (46:16)
Disc 2
"Unwelcome Neighbor" (46:22)
"Howdy-Do, I'm Mad Jack" (46:27)
"Adams' Ark" (45:25)
Disc 3
"The Redemption of Ben" (46:30)
"The Tenderfoot" (46:25)
"The Rivals" (46:23)
Disc 4
"The Unholy Beast" (46:18)
"Beaver Dam" (46:22)
"Home of the Hawk" (46:21)
"The Storm" (46:24)
There are no special features included. It would have been nice to see some original promos or a featurette. The Season Two DVD release will include an interview with Dan Haggerty.
I've seen the 1974 theatrical film and some of the follow-up movies in the Grizzly Adams franchise, but this is really my first time seeing the TV series. I've enjoyed catching up with the series. It's a little slow-paced at times, but there's still a fair amount of action and adventure. The simplicity of the show is definitely part of the appeal. Dan Haggerty was the perfect choice to play Grizzly Adams. When I think of mountain man actors, he's always been one of the first that I think of. Prior to becoming an actor, he had worked as an animal trainer. He worked very well with the animals on the show, especially the grizzly bear. It was also nice to see Denver Pyle in another role before The Dukes of Hazzard. He narrated many of the episodes. Another plus for the series was the beautiful scenery. The show was shot entirely on location in Utah. Finally, the show had a nice music score and the memorable theme song.
Fans have waited a long time for the series to come DVD. Although it's great to see it available in any condition, the set is lacking in several key areas. The packaging is a cheap plastic box that has tabs that can easily break. There are no episode summaries or episode guide booklet included. The discs aren't even numbered, so you would have to check online to see if you are viewing them in the proper order. My main complaint is with the video quality and the use of syndicated/edited episodes. While all of the episodes look to be watchable, they aren't remastered like you've come to expect with many other DVD releases. The episodes are also in the 45-46 minute range when the original episodes were likely 48-50 minutes. They must have lost the original masters, or they were in such poor condition to be unusable. There's really no other reason why they would use these poorer quality and incomplete syndication prints.
Season Two has already been announced for February 19, 2013. Since it's already in production, it seems unlikely that they will be able to make any improvements. Even with a number of issues on the DVD release, it's still an enjoyable series. The Grizzly Adams franchise has always been very popular. If you're a fan of wilderness/adventure TV series, nature and wildlife, this is a show to check out. It's a very family-friendly show. Look for familiar faces such as Ken Berry, Ronny Cox, Norman Fell, Charles Martin Smith, Slim Pickens and Jack Kruschen as guest stars in season one.
To purchase this DVD, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Full DVD Reviews Page
Official Grizzly Adams Site
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Frankie Muniz (Twitter), "Drummer for @Kingsfoil"
Claim to Fame: Malcolm from the "new millennium's" Malcolm in the Middle
Why You Should Follow Him: Who doesn't remember Malcolm in the Middle? The series was a hit for Fox when it debuted over a decade ago, and these days, the series has maintained some slight shelf life in syndication. The series followed a dysfunctional family (with the unexpected super-genious middle child Malcolm) through their everyday life. Since the series was canceled, Frankie Muniz, who played Malcolm, has largely stayed out of the spotlight. He has, however, made some recent TV appearances in some guest roles, and has been enjoying life through race car driving and his current job of being the drummer for Kingsfoil, a band that has been finding a moderate amount of commercial success. It's a different kind of success, but it makes him (once again) a meaningful celebrity. He seems to really enjoy his fans, regardless of why they are fans of him, and doesn't appear to have regrets about anything.
Pick of the Tweets: "7-Eleven is selling fire wood in Phoenix.... That's cute. The thought of needing fire wood in Phoenix. " (November 3, 2012)
Claim to Fame: Malcolm from the "new millennium's" Malcolm in the Middle
Why You Should Follow Him: Who doesn't remember Malcolm in the Middle? The series was a hit for Fox when it debuted over a decade ago, and these days, the series has maintained some slight shelf life in syndication. The series followed a dysfunctional family (with the unexpected super-genious middle child Malcolm) through their everyday life. Since the series was canceled, Frankie Muniz, who played Malcolm, has largely stayed out of the spotlight. He has, however, made some recent TV appearances in some guest roles, and has been enjoying life through race car driving and his current job of being the drummer for Kingsfoil, a band that has been finding a moderate amount of commercial success. It's a different kind of success, but it makes him (once again) a meaningful celebrity. He seems to really enjoy his fans, regardless of why they are fans of him, and doesn't appear to have regrets about anything.
Pick of the Tweets: "7-Eleven is selling fire wood in Phoenix.... That's cute. The thought of needing fire wood in Phoenix. " (November 3, 2012)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Join ALF This Thanksgiving on The Hub; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 19, 2012)
The Hub TV Network celebrates "Fappiano" (the name given to "Thanksgiving" on ALF's home planet Melmac) with a special twelve-hour ALF Thanksgiving Marathon on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, November 22) from 6pm-6am ET, featuring favorite episodes of the beloved sitcom that the whole family can enjoy. Also, over the holiday weekend, the network offers up a feast of other family fare during a "Black Friday" movie marathon Friday, November 23 from 4pm-4am ET featuring Cats & Dogs, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and Monster House. The holiday weekend concludes on Saturday, November 24 with a lineup of new episodes from several Hub Original series including a special holiday-themed musical episode of Pound Puppies (9 a.m. ET), produced by Hasbro Studios.
As for ALF, it features the adventures of Gordon Shumway, a furry, wisecracking alien from the planet Melmac who crash lands into the garage of the Tanner family. The Tanners offer him a home and give him the nickname ALF, short for "Alien Life Form." Created by Tom Patchett (The Carol Burnett Show) and Paul Fusco (also the puppeteer for ALF), the half-hour sitcom rose to popularity in the late 1980s on NBC cementing itself in the pop culture zeitgeist. Ha!
Stay tuned next week when we detail all of the Thanksgiving marathons! We can't believe it is that time of year already!
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 November 19-23, 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, November 19, 2012
- Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Watch Eric on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Jennifer appears on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Katie Aselton (The League) - Katie visits The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Zooey stops by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Natasha Leggero (Free Agents/Are You There, Chelsea?) - Natasha is a guest on Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
- Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Krysten chats on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother/Free Spirit) - Alyson drops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
- Susie Essman (Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Susie appears on Current TV's Joy Behar: Say Anything! at 6pm.
- NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - NeNe guest co-hosts Anderson Live, so check your local listings.
- Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) - Catch Amy on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS. She will also be on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) - Miranda visits Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Jesse stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
- Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Zooey bakes pecan pie on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) - Rico discusses his new book, Reel Life Lessons... So Far, on ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
- Elizabeth Perkins (How to Live with Your Parents (for the Rest of Your Life) - Elizabeth joins the Chew Crew on The Chew on ABC at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun) - Watch Joseph on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Tim Allen (Last Man Standing/Home Improvement) - Tim visits Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) - Amy continues to make the rounds on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) - Alec is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Tune in to see Jennifer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
- Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) - Rico appears on Joy Behar: Say Anything! at 6pm on Current TV.
- Ana Gasteyer (Suburgatory) - Ana guest co-hosts Anderson Live, so check your local listings.
- Natasha Leggero (Free Agents/Are You There, Chelsea?) - Natasha visits The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation/The Office) - Rashida is a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Marilu Henner (Taxi) - Marilu whips up a chocolate almond toffee crunch on Marie on Hallmark Channel at 12pm ET/PT.
- Jay Mohr (Gary Unmarried/Action) - Gary guest co-hosts a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly) - Watch Miranda on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi appears on a repeat of Katie, so check your local listings.
- Kirstie Alley (Cheers/Veronica's Closet) - Kirstie is a guest on a repeat of The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
- Florence Henderson (The Brady Bunch) - Florence competes with Marie in TV trivia on Marie on Hallmark Channel at 12pm ET/PT.
- D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys) - D.L. guest co-hosts Anderson Live, so check your local listings.
- NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - NeNe chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Antenna TV Acquires Diff'rent Strokes, Enters Third Year; MTV2 Picks Up Tracy Morgan Show, The PJ's
Happy Birthday Antenna TV! This January, Antenna TV, Tribune Broadcasting's digital multicast channel, enters its third season on air with clearances on 70 television stations across the country, reaching 61% of TV households, as it turns two years old on Jan. 1. When Antenna TV launched on January 1, 2011, the network made its debut with The Three Stooges. Sticking to that tradition, Antenna TV now airs a Three Stooges Marathon each year on New Year's Day to commemorate the anniversary. This January 1, the marathon will air from 7am-3am ET on New Year's Day.
Whatchoo talkin' bout? The very next day, (Wednesday, January 2, 2013) Antenna TV will add the classic '80s sitcom Diff'rent Strokes to its regular lineup! We hinted that a new show would be coming in January, now it is official! The Gary Coleman sitcom will be airing Mondays & Wednesdays from 9-11pm ET and also on Sunday nights from 10-11pm ET. In addition, current Sunday night staples, WKRP in Cincinnati and Barney Miller, will be moving to weeknights this January! Antenna TV will also add Antenna TV Theater, a Saturday night primetime movie block. We will have more on the actual schedule for January next month, so stay with us!
Whatchoo talkin' bout? The very next day, (Wednesday, January 2, 2013) Antenna TV will add the classic '80s sitcom Diff'rent Strokes to its regular lineup! We hinted that a new show would be coming in January, now it is official! The Gary Coleman sitcom will be airing Mondays & Wednesdays from 9-11pm ET and also on Sunday nights from 10-11pm ET. In addition, current Sunday night staples, WKRP in Cincinnati and Barney Miller, will be moving to weeknights this January! Antenna TV will also add Antenna TV Theater, a Saturday night primetime movie block. We will have more on the actual schedule for January next month, so stay with us!
Antenna TV's 2013 lineup includes classic favorites such as: Leave it to Beaver, Dennis the Menace, Father Knows Best, Adam-12, Dragnet, The Partridge Family, Good Times, Sanford and Son, Maude, Hazel, Benson, All in the Family, Diff'rent Strokes, WKRP in Cincinnati, Barney Miller, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Jack Benny Presets, Gidget, The Flying Nun, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, The Monkees, S.W.A.T, Bachelor Father, McHale's Navy and It Takes a Thief. There are a few current shows missing from this list, but that doesn't mean anything until we see the schedule itself, as this is just a select list of shows. One show we know that will be "resting" for a bit starting in January will be Three's Company as it has aired the most on the network for the last two years. We hope it will rest up and be back later in 2013, but of course you can still watch it right now until the end of December (Mon-Thurs 7-8pm and 11pm-12am ET).
In addition to Tribune and Local TV, since its launch in 2011, Antenna TV has partnered with several broadcast groups including Cox, Gannett, LIN, Media General, Capitol Broadcasting, Hubbard, Gray, Raycom, Sarkes Tarzian, Journal Broadcast Group, Intermountain West, Morris Multimedia, Block Communications, Woods Communications Corp and Paxton Media Group.
Stay with us for the FULL Antenna TV January 2013 schedule as soon as we can announce it. Now, the world don't move to the beat of just one drum...
MTV2 has picked up two more sitcoms for its line-up, but this time two short-lived series. Short-lived comedies The Tracy Morgan Show and The PJs have been added to the schedule, both airing once a week in late night blocks. They were actually added to the schedule last week. The Tracy Morgan Show will primarily air Wednesday nights (early Thursday mornings) from 2-4am ET and The PJs will primarily air Thursday nights (early Friday mornings) from 2-4am ET. Both comedies were last seen on cable network TV One. In fact, Tracy Morgan Show still airs on TV One on Saturday mornings. These comedies won't air daily like the other MTV2 sitcoms like Saved by the Bell, Boy Meets World, Martin and The Wayans Bros., but it is good that they are at least airing them once a week. MTV2 also started airing That '70s Show from time to time in the late night, since MTV stopped airing it. The Tracy Morgan Show and The PJs will be airing more than Malcolm & Eddie and In Living Color, as those two only air from time to time now on MTV2.
The Tracy Morgan Show is about a family man who lives in a small Brooklyn apartment with his wife and two kids deals with the daily headaches of working at an auto garage while dreaming of expanding the business. The PJs is an animated comedy that follows the adventures of the Subbs and their friends, while taking a satirical view of the ups and downs of life in a big-city housing project. The series comes from Eddie Murphy.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Leave it to Beaver Leaves TV Land in December; ABC Family Pilot Phys Ed Begins Production
TV Land will be losing the rights to the sitcom Leave it to Beaver after its November 30 airing. The classic sitcom airs weekday mornings from 9-10am on TV Land but starting Dec. 3, the sitcom's contract is not renewed and it will be off the schedule. The series will be replaced by The Dick Van Dyke Show in the hour, as it moves from 10-11am. I Love Lucy also moves up, going from 11am-12pm to 10am-11am. The series that gains in this schedule change is The Andy Griffith Show, as the series now gets a two-hour block from 11am-1pm instead of just airing 12-1pm. As for Leave it to Beaver, not to worry as it will still be on television on Antenna TV.
Elsewhere on TV Land, they will have movie premieres for Mission Impossible (Sunday, Dec. 2 at 6pm) and Starsky & Hutch (Monday, Dec. 17 at 10:30am) in December, and we mentioned last week about their annual Thanksgiving Laugh More-a-thon (Nov. 22-25), which includes Leave it to Beaver. Also, season four of Hot in Cleveland will premiere on TV Land on Wednesday, November 28 at 10:00pm and the second half of season two of Happily Divorced will begin at 10:30pm on the same night. Stay with us in the coming weeks for the TV Land Merry-thon schedule airing on Christmas Day that will consist of classics like The Andy Griffith Show, M*A*S*H, The Cosby Show, Roseanne, Gunsmoke, Bonanza and modern classics like Everybody Loves Raymond and The King of Queens.
ABC Family begins production this week in Los Angeles on the multi-camera comedy series pilot Phys Ed, starring Ryan Sypek (Wildfire), Kate Lang Johnson (Persons Unknown), Sunkrish Bala (I Just Want My Pants Back, Notes from the Underbelly), Samm Levine (Freaks and Geeks), and Chelsea Harris (Just Jordan). We mentioned the casting news last month, but now production has begun on the pilot.
Phys Ed is a half-hour multi-camera comedy about a high school's star jock, Ed (Sypek), who returns to teach at his former alma mater only to find that, even though he's changed, nothing else really has. Ed's new colleagues include Janie (Johnson), a Government/Civics teacher at the school who was ignored by Ed in high school and now finds herself cautiously drawn to his affections; nerdy and needy chemistry teacher Matt (Levine), who quickly befriends Ed and provides him with the latest faculty gossip; popular English teacher Alan (Bala), who likes being the alpha male at school and feels an overpowering need to put Ed in his place, just as if they were still both in high school; and Wendy (Harris), a hot history teacher and cheerleading coach who is rumored to be having an affair with Alan.
The pilot is written and executive-produced by David H. Steinberg (American Pie 2) and directed by Ted Wass (Melissa & Joey). It is produced by Prodco, Inc. Ryan Sypek is an ABC Family alum, having starred in the network's first original scripted series Wildfire. As we mentioned before, should Phys Ed get picked-up to series, we will let you know...but for now this is just a pilot order.
Thanksgiving comes a week early on ABC Comedy Wednesday! A four-course meal of Thanksgiving comedy starts tonight beginning at 8/7c!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
FamilyNet Merges with Rural TV on January 1, 2013; ABC Picks Up Full Season of Nashville
Rural Media Group, Inc., the parent company for both RFD-TV/RFD HD and Rural TV, is proud to announce that it has purchased FamilyNet, a 32-year-old basic cable channel currently distributed into 14.8 million U.S. homes, from Interactive Television And Gaming Networks, LLC (formerly Comstar Media). The move takes RMG's total distribution into over 61,000,000 homes through its cable and satellite carriers in all 50 states. The program schedules of Rural TV and FamilyNet will be formally merged into one network on January 1, 2013. As of now, some of the series from FamilyNet have already started popping-up on Rural TV, including primetime sitcoms Mr. Belevdere, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart from 8-10pm ET, airing right now on both networks. Rural TV also airs Highway to Heaven weeknights at 10pm and Bonanza on Saturday nights.
The acquisition of FamilyNet brings, for the first time, Rural Media Group's popular rural-themed program library to many major U.S. cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Houston, Dallas, and Los Angeles, plus the countryside of Kansas, Oklahoma, Michigan, North Carolina, Texas, and California. In addition, the expanding list of quality advertisers and sponsors who seek family-oriented programming and demographics now have another choice with a proven track record that delivers a large, and growing, Nielsen-rated audience. FamilyNet was bought by Comstar in December 2009, after Comstar bought AmericanLife TV Network. It later reprogrammed AmericanLife into YouToo TV, with a social media focus, allowing viewers to upload their own videos.
Stay with us for further information on Rural TV and to see if any more series programming will air on the network after the merger is complete on January 1! Will we see other FamilyNet series like Remington Steele? Stay tuned!
ABC has picked up a full season of new drama Nashville. Nashville joins previously announced full season orders for new comedy The Neighbors and returning second-year drama series Scandal. No decision yet on fellow ABC new dramas Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue, while new comedy Malibu Country is only in its second week, but is headed for a full-season pick-up. Stay tuned. Nashville airs Wednesday nights at 10:00 p.m. ET on the ABC Television Network.
Nashville stars Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Eric Close as Teddy Conrad, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O'Connor, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Robert Ray Wisdom as Coleman Carlisle and Powers Boothe as Lamar Wyatt.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Antenna TV's Leave it to Beaver Thanksgiving Marathon; NBC Previews New Comedy 1600 Penn in December
Gee Wally! This year, the best part of Thanksgiving isn't the turkey, but the 'Beaver' when Antenna TV airs a 27-hour Leave it to Beaver marathon on Thursday, November 22, 2012. Beginning at Midnight ET (9pm PT on Wednesday), Antenna TV - which airs on 70 affiliates across the U.S. reaching 61% of TV households - will air 54 back-to-back episodes of the classic sitcom Leave it to Beaver, featuring America's most traditional family on the day we spend time with our families the most--Thanksgiving!
This quintessential sitcom defines the "golly gee" wholesomeness of 1950s and '60s TV, where dad Ward Cleaver always gets home in time for dinner, mom June cleans the house wearing a dress and pearls, and kids Wally and Theodore (aka the Beav) always learn a lesson by the end of the episode. Wally's friend, Eddie Haskell, causes trouble while kissing up to Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver.
In addition, on Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday, November 21), Antenna TV will run Thanksgiving themed episodes of Hazel, Father Knows Best, Good Times and All in the Family beginning at 8pm ET through 10pm ET, followed by the famous WKRP in Cincinnati "Turkeys Away" episode, not once, not twice, but FOUR times in a row from 10pm-12am ET!
View an episode list for the entire Leave it to Beaver marathon, plus also a list of the Thanksgiving episodes marathon on Thanksgiving Eve! Stay tuned for information on further holiday Antenna TV marathons as we get closer to Christmas and New Year's! More classic TV is to come, including a brand new addition to the line-up this January!
NBC is giving an upcoming new mid-season comedy a sneak peek next month after the final performance show of the season for NBC's The Voice. That show concludes its third season with a live two-hour finale on Tuesday, December 18 from 9-11 p.m. ET, but the finale also will be preceded with a live, 90-minute final performance episode on Monday, December 17 from 8-9:30 p.m. ET -- which will be followed by a sneak preview of NBC's new comedy series 1600 Penn at 9:30 p.m. ET. We gave you the NBC mid-season 2013 schedule a few weeks ago and none of that is changing, just that we're getting a sneak peek premiere of 1600 Penn on Dec. 17.
1600 Penn stars Bill Pullman (Independence Day), Jenna Elfman (Dharma and Greg) and Josh Gad (Broadway's The Book of Mormon) – and concerns a typical American family who just happen to live in the White House. The series will premiere in its regular day and time a little over three weeks later on Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 9:30 p.m. ET. The sneak peek episode that airs on Dec. 17 will also re-air the night of the premiere (Jan. 10) at 8:30pm.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Week 7 TV Ratings and Analysis; How the Sitcoms Did
2012-13 Week 7 TV Ratings (first four nights, Mon-Thu):
Households: N/A
Total Viewers: N/A.
Adults 18-49: N/A
Total Viewers: N/A.
Adults 18-49: N/A
Week 7 (Nov. 5-11) Analysis: The week is a little better but the #1 market New York is still excluded from the ratings because of the storm from the previous week. Tuesday's ratings had Election coverage, so that boosted NBC and ABC big over their normal line-ups. We don't have the final first four night averages for the networks, but we do have final program ratings for the first four nights, which you will see below. We can project that CBS has the lead in HH/viewers and NBC has the lead in adults 18-49 thanks to a three-night The Voice. ABC or CBS is probably second in adults 18-49, while Fox is likely stuck in fourth. ABC is probably second in HH/viewers, followed by NBC and Fox. When the week is done, NBC will likely hang on and win the week in 18-49 thanks to the NFL tonight. CBS and ABC will battle for second. More on that later. As for last week, week 6, NBC won the week among adults 18-49 after losing to Fox the previous week. CBS took second, while ABC was in third and Fox was well back in fourth. Among total viewers, CBS took that crown after Fox took it the previous week. NBC and ABC battled for second, with NBC with the edge in total viewers and they were tied in households. Fox was well back in fourth.
Monday had NBC on top in adults 18-49, while ABC took the total viewer crown. Starting with ABC, a two-hour Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars did 13.48 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Castle followed with 10.02 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. New York is still excluded because of the Hurricane. For NBC, a two-hour The Voice, did 11.93 million and a night best 4.5 18-49 rating, but down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. A new Revolution followed with 7.34 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a series low. Next up was CBS, they returned with new episodes, as How I Met Your Mother did 7.22 million and 2.8 18-49 rating, as it was below normal. A new episode of Partners did 5.67 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is not good but at least it has been consistent and not fallen much from its premiere. A new 2 Broke Girls followed with 9.01 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, which is solid and has a great jump from its lead-in, but this show also did better at 8:30 last season. Next, a new Mike & Molly garnered 8.78 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, which is solid. A new Hawaii Five-0 at 10pm did 7.53 million and a 2.0 18-49, as this show has really fallen this season. Fox was next with a new Bones doing 7.3 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is not what it used to do, but good enough. A new episode of dud The Mob Doctor did only 3.4 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating. The CW aired a new 90210 at 8 with just 850,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating, as that is horrible. And a new Gossip Girl followed with just 660,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating, which is horrendous.
On Tuesday, it was time to elect our next President of the United States, as the big four covered the Presidential Election, with NBC and ABC on top. Starting with CBS, its normal schedule of NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles and Vegas was preempted for CBS Campaign 2012 coverage which posted 7.83 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating in primetime, for third in battle of network coverage. ABC didn't have Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars, comedies Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and drama Private Practice as ABC Your Voice, Your Vote 2012 coverage did very well with 10.38 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating in primetime, which was a solid second place of all networks. NBC didn't air The Voice or its comedies Go On & The New Normal, along with Parenthood, but they came out on top with NBC Decision 2012 coverage with 12.01 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating in primetime. Fox preempted its comedies Raising Hope, Ben and Kate, New Girl and The Mindy Project for coverage of Election doing only 4.04 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating in primetime. The CW preempted Hart of Dixie at 8pm for a special repeat of Arrow on a special night and did 1.38 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, which is not too bad. New series Emily Owens MD followed with a repeat doing 970,000 viewers and a 0.2 18-49 rating, which is low.
Wednesday had The Voice invading on a special night and it was down but not out. First, CBS started the night off with week eight of Survivor: Philippines at 10.31 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, back up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds followed at 9 with 12.09 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, up one tenth in 18-49 from last previous week. A new CSI at 10 did 10.33 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. This is an aging line-up. ABC started off the night with an all-new episode of The Middle doing 9.04 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which is very solid. A new episode of The Neighbors followed with 6.87 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It is doing good enough, and is a broad appealing show. At 9pm, a new episode of Modern Family did 12.43 million and a 4.8 18-49 rating, up six tenths in 18-49 from previous week, as more markets were back on this week because of the storm (but not New York yet). At 9:30, a new Suburgatory posted 7.55 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, up a solid five tenths in 18-49 from previous week. A new Nashville concluded the night at 10pm with 6.07 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Another consistent show. On Fox, a live two-hour The X Factor did 7.03 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week, as NBC's competing singing series crushed it. Speaking of NBC, The Voice invaded Wednesday doing 10.47 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, which is below normal. New comedy Guys with Kids and Law & Order: SVU were preempted. Week five of Chicago Fire followed at 10 taking advantage of a stronger lead-in doing 7.03 million and 2.2 18-49 rating, up six tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Because of that, NBC picked-up a full season. I don't think it deserved that yet, as it was playing with fool's gold for one night. The CW had week five of Arrow and it did 3.75 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, up three tenths in 18-49 from the previous week. This is a solid hit for the network. A new Supernatural at 9pm followed and did 2.32 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Wednesdays continue to look solid for The CW.
Thursday it was CBS with the nightly win with its regular line-up. Starting with ABC, a new Last Resort did 5.98 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which could be better for this well-produced show from Shawn Ryan. At 9pm, ABC went on top with a new Grey's Anatomy doing 9.26 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating. And at 10pm, the addicting Scandal did 6.06 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, as it has been consistent. CBS opened with a new the Big Bang Theory at 16.68 million and a 5.1 18-49 rating, which was down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's season high. The total viewer count was a Thursday high for the series. #1 comedy (or scripted series) again, nipping by Modern Family by a few tenths in 18-49. A new episode of Two and a Half Men followed with 14.07 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, up four tenths from previous week, tying a season high. Then Person of Interest was new and did 14.87 million and a 2.9 rating, even with previous week again, but skewed older. At 10pm, a new Elementary posted 10.9 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. I don't understand why this show will air after the Super Bowl this season. Fox had a a one-hour The X Factor and did 6.33 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, even in 18-49 from previous week when it was two-hours. NBC aired a third night of The Voice but this time just for an hour and did 8.83 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, down from normal but way better than what NBC normally does in this hour by far. 30 Rock and Up All Night were preempted. At 9pm, The Office got a little boost but still it was low with 4.83 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating. At 9:30, Parks & Recreation followed with 3.46 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which isn't good. At 10pm, Rock Center with Brian Williams posted 3.86 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries had a new airing and did 3.02 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week. New series Beauty and the Beast followed at 9pm and did 1.84 million and a 0.7 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. The CW ordered a full season late Friday after these numbers, which honestly can be better.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but ABC took the top spot again on Friday in 18-49 while CBS finished first in total viewers. A new Last Man Standing and Malibu Country on ABC were down some from previous week but still were solid, but Undercover Boss for CBS jumped to first in the time period. Shark Tank was #1 at 9pm and the night once again in 18-49. NBC had to settle for second at 9pm with Grimm. Fox's Kitchen Nightmares and Fringe continued to be low.
Saturday belonged to ABC as College Football action took home the top spot, over Fox's college football coverage by a lot. CBS and NBC drama repeats trailed big.
Monday had NBC on top in adults 18-49, while ABC took the total viewer crown. Starting with ABC, a two-hour Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars did 13.48 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Castle followed with 10.02 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. New York is still excluded because of the Hurricane. For NBC, a two-hour The Voice, did 11.93 million and a night best 4.5 18-49 rating, but down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. A new Revolution followed with 7.34 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week for a series low. Next up was CBS, they returned with new episodes, as How I Met Your Mother did 7.22 million and 2.8 18-49 rating, as it was below normal. A new episode of Partners did 5.67 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, which is not good but at least it has been consistent and not fallen much from its premiere. A new 2 Broke Girls followed with 9.01 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating, which is solid and has a great jump from its lead-in, but this show also did better at 8:30 last season. Next, a new Mike & Molly garnered 8.78 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, which is solid. A new Hawaii Five-0 at 10pm did 7.53 million and a 2.0 18-49, as this show has really fallen this season. Fox was next with a new Bones doing 7.3 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, which is not what it used to do, but good enough. A new episode of dud The Mob Doctor did only 3.4 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating. The CW aired a new 90210 at 8 with just 850,000 viewers and a 0.4 18-49 rating, as that is horrible. And a new Gossip Girl followed with just 660,000 viewers and a 0.3 18-49 rating, which is horrendous.
On Tuesday, it was time to elect our next President of the United States, as the big four covered the Presidential Election, with NBC and ABC on top. Starting with CBS, its normal schedule of NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles and Vegas was preempted for CBS Campaign 2012 coverage which posted 7.83 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating in primetime, for third in battle of network coverage. ABC didn't have Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars, comedies Happy Endings and Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 and drama Private Practice as ABC Your Voice, Your Vote 2012 coverage did very well with 10.38 million and a 3.4 18-49 rating in primetime, which was a solid second place of all networks. NBC didn't air The Voice or its comedies Go On & The New Normal, along with Parenthood, but they came out on top with NBC Decision 2012 coverage with 12.01 million and a 4.3 18-49 rating in primetime. Fox preempted its comedies Raising Hope, Ben and Kate, New Girl and The Mindy Project for coverage of Election doing only 4.04 million and a 1.6 18-49 rating in primetime. The CW preempted Hart of Dixie at 8pm for a special repeat of Arrow on a special night and did 1.38 million and a 0.4 18-49 rating, which is not too bad. New series Emily Owens MD followed with a repeat doing 970,000 viewers and a 0.2 18-49 rating, which is low.
Wednesday had The Voice invading on a special night and it was down but not out. First, CBS started the night off with week eight of Survivor: Philippines at 10.31 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, back up three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Veteran drama Criminal Minds followed at 9 with 12.09 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, up one tenth in 18-49 from last previous week. A new CSI at 10 did 10.33 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. This is an aging line-up. ABC started off the night with an all-new episode of The Middle doing 9.04 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating, which is very solid. A new episode of The Neighbors followed with 6.87 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. It is doing good enough, and is a broad appealing show. At 9pm, a new episode of Modern Family did 12.43 million and a 4.8 18-49 rating, up six tenths in 18-49 from previous week, as more markets were back on this week because of the storm (but not New York yet). At 9:30, a new Suburgatory posted 7.55 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, up a solid five tenths in 18-49 from previous week. A new Nashville concluded the night at 10pm with 6.07 million and a 2.0 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Another consistent show. On Fox, a live two-hour The X Factor did 7.03 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, down a tenth from previous week, as NBC's competing singing series crushed it. Speaking of NBC, The Voice invaded Wednesday doing 10.47 million and a 3.8 18-49 rating, which is below normal. New comedy Guys with Kids and Law & Order: SVU were preempted. Week five of Chicago Fire followed at 10 taking advantage of a stronger lead-in doing 7.03 million and 2.2 18-49 rating, up six tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Because of that, NBC picked-up a full season. I don't think it deserved that yet, as it was playing with fool's gold for one night. The CW had week five of Arrow and it did 3.75 million and a 1.3 18-49 rating, up three tenths in 18-49 from the previous week. This is a solid hit for the network. A new Supernatural at 9pm followed and did 2.32 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. Wednesdays continue to look solid for The CW.
Thursday it was CBS with the nightly win with its regular line-up. Starting with ABC, a new Last Resort did 5.98 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which could be better for this well-produced show from Shawn Ryan. At 9pm, ABC went on top with a new Grey's Anatomy doing 9.26 million and a 3.3 18-49 rating. And at 10pm, the addicting Scandal did 6.06 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, as it has been consistent. CBS opened with a new the Big Bang Theory at 16.68 million and a 5.1 18-49 rating, which was down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week's season high. The total viewer count was a Thursday high for the series. #1 comedy (or scripted series) again, nipping by Modern Family by a few tenths in 18-49. A new episode of Two and a Half Men followed with 14.07 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, up four tenths from previous week, tying a season high. Then Person of Interest was new and did 14.87 million and a 2.9 rating, even with previous week again, but skewed older. At 10pm, a new Elementary posted 10.9 million and a 2.2 18-49 rating, down two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. I don't understand why this show will air after the Super Bowl this season. Fox had a a one-hour The X Factor and did 6.33 million and a 2.3 18-49 rating, even in 18-49 from previous week when it was two-hours. NBC aired a third night of The Voice but this time just for an hour and did 8.83 million and a 3.0 18-49 rating, down from normal but way better than what NBC normally does in this hour by far. 30 Rock and Up All Night were preempted. At 9pm, The Office got a little boost but still it was low with 4.83 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating. At 9:30, Parks & Recreation followed with 3.46 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating, which isn't good. At 10pm, Rock Center with Brian Williams posted 3.86 million and a 1.0 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week. The CW's big gun Vampire Diaries had a new airing and did 3.02 million and a 1.5 18-49 rating, on par in 18-49 with previous week. New series Beauty and the Beast followed at 9pm and did 1.84 million and a 0.7 rating, up a tenth in 18-49 from previous week. The CW ordered a full season late Friday after these numbers, which honestly can be better.
Now, final numbers for Friday and Saturday are not available, but ABC took the top spot again on Friday in 18-49 while CBS finished first in total viewers. A new Last Man Standing and Malibu Country on ABC were down some from previous week but still were solid, but Undercover Boss for CBS jumped to first in the time period. Shark Tank was #1 at 9pm and the night once again in 18-49. NBC had to settle for second at 9pm with Grimm. Fox's Kitchen Nightmares and Fringe continued to be low.
Saturday belonged to ABC as College Football action took home the top spot, over Fox's college football coverage by a lot. CBS and NBC drama repeats trailed big.
Tonight are new episodes for ABC Sunday (AFV, Once Upon a Time, Revenge and 666 Park Avenue). Look for a solid night and Once will be again the top series on the night excluding NFL. ABC should be third tonight again as the top two for the night has help from the NFL. NBC will be #1 with the NFL game tonight with the Bears and Texans. CBS has a new Amazing Race following 60 Minutes. Then there are new episodes of The Good Wife and The Mentalist. This will be a fourth place finish. Fox's animation block has new episodes of The Simpsons, Bob's Burgers, Family Guy following NFL overrun, so that will be good for second place.
As for the week (week 7), CBS should be first in HH/viewers. The 18-49 crown will go to NBC as they had a good week with three nights of The Voice, Election coverage and now NFL tonight. NBC will battle with ABC for second in HH/viewers. And Fox will have to settle for fourth in HH/viewers. In 18-49, second place is up for grabs, but Fox could take it over ABC and CBS, especially if the NFL overrrun is huge. As for the coming week (week 8), look for more November sweep action. The season premiere of Whitney is this Wednesday on NBC and next Sunday has the 40th anniversary of The American Music Awards on ABC.
Week 7 How the Sitcoms Did
Last Sunday Sitcoms (counts for Week 6 -- Oct. 29-Nov. 4)
- The Simpsons (Fox) 2 airings - An all-new episode at 8pm did 5.54 million and a 2.6 18-49 rating, as it seems it has been forever since this night aired for Fox. A repeat earlier in the night at 7pm did 3.1 million and a 1.4 18-49 rating, which is actually not too bad.
- The Cleveland Show (Fox) - A new episode at 7:30pm did 3.95 million and a 1.9 18-49 rating, which is not that great.
- Bob's Burgers (Fox) - A new episode at 8:30pm dud only 3.92 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, not good.
- Family Guy (Fox) - A new episode was way below normal with 5.11 million and a 2.5 18-49 rating. Not even the best of the night for Fox, wow.
- American Dad! (Fox) - A new episode did only 3.99 million and a 1.8 18-49 rating, as the night in whole for Fox was lackluster.
Monday Sitcoms
- How I Met Your Mother (CBS) - A new episode did 7.22 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, which is below normal.
- Partners (CBS) - A new episode did 5.67 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, as it has actually been pretty steady and not dropped much. Still CBS could do better here.
- 2 Broke Girls (CBS) - 9.01 million and a 3.2 18-49 rating is solid but this show was doing better last season at 8:30.
- Mike & Molly (CBS) - A new episode did 8.78 million and a 2.8 18-49 rating, which is solid.
Tuesday Sitcoms
- Raising Hope (Fox) - preempted for Election coverage.
- Ben & Kate (Fox) - preempted for Election coverage.
- New Girl (Fox) - preempted for Election coverage.
- Go On (NBC) - preempted for Election coverage.
- Happy Endings (ABC) - preempted for Election coverage.
- The Mindy Project (Fox) - preempted for Election coverage.
- The New Normal (NBC) - preempted for Election coverage.
- Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (ABC) - preempted for Election coverage.
- The Middle (ABC) - After a week off, a new episode did a very good 9.04 million and a 2.7 18-49 rating.
- Whitney (NBC) - season premiere is this Wednesday.
- The Neighbors (ABC) - Week seven of this new series did 6.87 million and a 2.1 18-49 rating, up two tenths in 18-49 from previous week. People were blasting it before it even aired, yet it has gotten a full season and has done OK.
- Guys with Kids (NBC) - preempted.
- Modern Family (ABC) - A new episode did 12.43 million and a 4.8 18-49 rating, up six tenths in 18-49 from previous week. That's more like it, as the big Northeast cities were excluded the previous week thanks to the storm.
- Suburgatory (ABC) - A new episode did 7.55 million and a 2.9 18-49 rating, up five tenths from previous week. I think it will continue to do solid and perhaps do better in the winter. Thinking low 3's.
Thursday Sitcoms
- The Big Bang Theory (CBS) - Week seven did a monster 16.68 million and a 5.1 18-49 rating, which was down a tenth in 18-49 from previous week but the total viewers was a Thursday high. Skewed older, weird.
- Two and a Half Men (CBS) - A new episode of the veteran comedy did 14.07 million and a 4.0 18-49 rating, up four tenths in 18-49 from previous week and tied its season high.
- 30 Rock (NBC) - preempted for The Voice again.
- Up All Night (NBC) - preempted again. Despite the low ratings, they received an order for three additional episodes. They will be switching to a multi-camera format for the final episodes of the season, which could help their ratings a bit.
- The Office (NBC) - A new episode at 9 was boosted by The Voice, but still only did 4.83 million and a 2.4 18-49 rating. It should have ended last season.
- Parks & Recreation (NBC) - A new airing only did 3.46 million and a 1.7 18-49 rating. It's like Arrested Development with low ratings, but this show doesn't win the awards that show did.
- Last Man Standing (ABC) - Week two did a prelim 7.31 million and a prelim 1.6 18-49 rating, down three tenths in 18-49 from previous week's prelim rating. Still solid!
- Malibu Country (ABC) - The second episode of this new comedy did a prelim 7.25 million and a prelim 1.6 18-49 rating as well, but down six tenths in 18-49 from the premiere's prelim 18-49 rating. Also still solid for a Friday.
- None
Summing it up. The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, Two and a Half Men, 2 Broke Girls, Suburgatory, Mike & Molly, How I Met Your Mother, The Middle were impressive for the week. Everything else was OK (such as The Office, The Neighbors, Partners) or just plain old terrible (such as Parks & Recreation).
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Digital Digest: Night Court, Eight is Enough, Return of the Beverly Hillbillies, and more to DVD; The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5 (Volumes 1 and 2) DVD Review
Welcome to Digital Digest! We've got a lot of news for you this week (quite a change from the past few weeks), along with our review of The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5 (Volumes 1 and 2). Let's get going!
DIGITAL NEWS
Get ready to cue the sax as bang the gavel as Night Court returns to DVD once again! This week, Warner Archive brought the series one season closer to completion with their release of Night Court - The Complete Seventh Season! We'll have more about this set in the upcoming weeks as we learn more information. By the way, remember last week when we said that we had a Warner Archive announcement that we couldn't disclose just yet? Well, you're probably thinking that Night Court was, in fact, that release. However, it is not! We can now tell you that this "mystery release" coming soon from Warner Archive (we don't exactly know when it'll be out, but we anticipate it being very soon) is the second season of Eight is Enough. We'll have more on this when the time is appropriate, but for now, we can tell you that it'll be released as two separate volumes on the same date.
MPI released My Favorite Martian - Season 3 on DVD a few weeks ago, but the set came with an insert that provided a bit of news... and we honestly don't have a whole lot of details about two of the releases mentioned on it. First, it showed packaging for the made for TV movie Return of the Beverly Hillbillies. This was recently made available as a MOD offering on amazon.com, but this MPI offering, whenever it appears, could be more interesting. The problem is, we really have no clue about any details regarding this. We have even fewer details about the packaging shown for Petticoat Junction: Return to Hooterville. Honestly, we're not sure what it is (Is it a retrospective? A collection of episodes?), but it has a banner on it that says "50th Anniversary Collection" which leads us to believe that it may just be a collection of episodes, perhaps similar to the set they released a few years ago. You can see the entire insert (the remaining releases are things that have been out for a while) below.
Mill Creek made a few announcements this week, including one surprise announcement of a complete series of something that they've never released before. On January 8, they'll release the final two seasons of one of the Carsey-Werner sitcoms with 3rd Rock from the Sun - The Complete Season Five and 3rd Rock from the Sun - The Complete Season Six. The big surprise, though, is their announcement of Hearts Afire - The Complete Series. The show itself isn't new to DVD, but the season sets were previously released by Image, which makes this Mill Creek announcement surprising.
Shout! Factory has made many licensing deals, few of which are ever completely surprising, but this week they made a licensing deal which is, in fact, surprising. This week, the studio announced a licensing deal with Warner to release season 2 through 5 of MADtv. This is huge, since Warner almost never does these licensing deals (although they did make a similar one for Max Headroom and Norm with Shout! a few years ago). The deal also includes the animated Beetlejuice series.
Finally, we have some MOD news this week, as Fox recently released Raising Hope - The Complete Second Season as a MOD title. The first season was released as a standard release, so it seems likely that it didn't perform as well as hoped... but nonetheless, fans will get more of the series on DVD.
Shout! Factory has made many licensing deals, few of which are ever completely surprising, but this week they made a licensing deal which is, in fact, surprising. This week, the studio announced a licensing deal with Warner to release season 2 through 5 of MADtv. This is huge, since Warner almost never does these licensing deals (although they did make a similar one for Max Headroom and Norm with Shout! a few years ago). The deal also includes the animated Beetlejuice series.
Finally, we have some MOD news this week, as Fox recently released Raising Hope - The Complete Second Season as a MOD title. The first season was released as a standard release, so it seems likely that it didn't perform as well as hoped... but nonetheless, fans will get more of the series on DVD.
UPCOMING WEEK PREVIEW
Tuesday (November 13) is a huge re-release day, where there isn't actually anything completely new to home media, but instead things upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray or are simply re-released in new packaging. There are two big complete series sets being released on Blu-ray for the very first time, with The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) and Friends - The Complete Series (Blu-ray). Warner Home Video re-releases another complete series on DVD with The Flintstones - The Complete Series. And finally, Inception has a re-release of The Real McCoys - Complete Season 2.
BLOG FEATURE REVIEW
DVD Review: The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5, Volumes 1 and 2 (CBS, $45.98 each or $89.98 together)
by skees53
Lt. Mike Stone (Karl Malden) returns to fight crime in San Francisco in The Streets of San Francisco - Season 5 (Volumes 1 and 2), but this time, he is without his original partner. By the fifth season, Michael Douglas was beginning to see his own career take off (a successful career that continues even through this day), so the producers wrote off the character of Steve Keller, explaining that he had taken a job teaching at a local college, and introduced a new partner for Stone: Inspector Dan Robbins (Richard Hatch). These changes weren't popular for the series at all, and this season ended up marking the last for the series... but regardless, the fifth season still produced many excellent episodes (nearly all of them) that are worth watching again.
The final season begins with the two-part episode "The Thrill Killers," where a murder trial becomes a hostage situation. Michael Douglas appears in this episode as a "special guest star" to explain why he leaves the police force. A millionaire wants his daughter's murderer... dead or alive... in "Dead or Alive." Stone could be the target of a murderer in "The Drop." The father of a 16 year old girl is murdering her "johns" one-by-one in "No Minor Vices." A singer-songwriter could be a murderer in "In Case of Madness." In "'Til Death Do Us Part," Stone is charged with protecting a former bookkeeper's wife. In "Child of Anger," Stone and Robbins have a bigger mystery on their hand after the daughter of a clothing designer confesses to murdering her latest fling. Stone and Robbins are in hot pursuit of a motorcycle gang wreaking havoc on the city in "Hot Dog." Paranoia leads to a cop being shot in "Castle of Fear." In "One Last Trick," a prostitute goes back to work to smoke out the killer of a "coworker." In "Monkey is Back," Stone has to stay one step ahead of an ex-con who is released and now out for revenge.
Volume 2 begins with "The Cannibals," where a mobster steals loot from his father and buys immunity from the Feds by offering to testify against his dad. Stone investigates a domestic violence situation that leads to more complications in "Who Killed Helen French?" In "A Good Cop... But," Stone needs to find a cop killer before it is too late. A dirty copy places a weapon on a drug dealer he roughed up in "Hang Tough." In "Innocent No More," Stone wants to get violent youth gang members tried as adults. Stone has doubts when an ex-con in the midst of rehabilitation is accused of murder in "Once a Con." Stone is on the search for a man who escapes from a mental institution looking for the wife that he allegedly killed in "Interlude." A bodybuilder's short fuse leads to murder in "Dead Lift." A divorce gets very complicated in "Breakup." In "Let's Pretend We're Strangers," Robbins gets romantically involved with a public defender, which throws some more complications into a case she is representing. A San Quentin guard is on the hunt for convicts who escaped under his watch in "Time Out." The series ends with "The Canine Collar," where a jewel thief is determined to find a missing dog collar containing stolen diamonds.
Typically, I like to list guest stars with the episodes, but there were way too many in this set... so we'll just list a few here: Susan Dey, Patty Duke, Norman Fell, Paula Kelly, Doris Roberts, Dick Van Patten, Marion Ross, Ron Glass (the ones listed so far were just in the first episode of the season), Tom Bosley, Max Gail, Dabney Coleman, Eugene Roche, Parker Stevenson, Maureen McCormick, Desi Arnaz Jr., Gerald McRaney, Don Johnson, Ned Beatty, Mark Hamill, Carl Weathers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Pernell Roberts, and many, many more!
Although there are standard disclaimers on the packaging, the episodes seem to be unedited. I couldn't say for sure, though. One slight exception is the season premiere, which originally aired as a two hour episode, but from what I understand everything is still there, it is just that the episode was split in to two parts. Runtimes are as follows:
Volume 1:
Disc 1:
1. "The Thrill Killers (Part 1)" (50:11)
2. "The Thrill Killers (Part 2)" (48:14)
3. "Dead or Alive" (50:16)
4. "The Drop" (49:46)
Disc 2:
5. "No Minor Vices" (50:15)
6. "In Case of Madness" (50:15)
7. "Till Death Do Us Part" (50:17)
8. "Child of Anger" (50:15)
Disc 3:
9. "Hot Dog" (49:03)
10. "Castle of Fear" (50:16)
11. "One Last Trick" (50:14)
12. "Monkey is Back" (49:04)
Volume 2:
Disc 1:
1. "The Cannibals" (50:15)
2. "Who Killed Helen French" (50:16)
3. "A Good Cop... But" (50:15)
4. "Hang Tough" (50:14)
Disc 2:
5. "Innocent No More" (50:01)
6. "Once a Con" (50:16)
7. "Interlude" (50:18)
8. "Dead Lift" (50:07)
Disc 3:
9. "Breakup" (49:16)
10. "Let's Pretend We're Strangers" (50:14)
11. "Time Out" (49:44)
12. "The Canine Collar" (50:05)
Both of these sets have standard packaging that is very much in line with the previous releases. Both volumes have cover art with Hatch and Malden (different poses) with San Francisco skylines in the background. The back of each Viva case has a few episode snapshots and a brief description of the episodes on the particular volume. Inside the case for each volume, you'll find the three discs, each containing four episodes. The discs are the standard CBS discs with the series title and episodes listed on a gray background. Episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are listed inside each case.
Volume 1:
Disc 1:
1. "The Thrill Killers (Part 1)" (50:11)
2. "The Thrill Killers (Part 2)" (48:14)
3. "Dead or Alive" (50:16)
4. "The Drop" (49:46)
Disc 2:
5. "No Minor Vices" (50:15)
6. "In Case of Madness" (50:15)
7. "Till Death Do Us Part" (50:17)
8. "Child of Anger" (50:15)
Disc 3:
9. "Hot Dog" (49:03)
10. "Castle of Fear" (50:16)
11. "One Last Trick" (50:14)
12. "Monkey is Back" (49:04)
Volume 2:
Disc 1:
1. "The Cannibals" (50:15)
2. "Who Killed Helen French" (50:16)
3. "A Good Cop... But" (50:15)
4. "Hang Tough" (50:14)
Disc 2:
5. "Innocent No More" (50:01)
6. "Once a Con" (50:16)
7. "Interlude" (50:18)
8. "Dead Lift" (50:07)
Disc 3:
9. "Breakup" (49:16)
10. "Let's Pretend We're Strangers" (50:14)
11. "Time Out" (49:44)
12. "The Canine Collar" (50:05)
Both of these sets have standard packaging that is very much in line with the previous releases. Both volumes have cover art with Hatch and Malden (different poses) with San Francisco skylines in the background. The back of each Viva case has a few episode snapshots and a brief description of the episodes on the particular volume. Inside the case for each volume, you'll find the three discs, each containing four episodes. The discs are the standard CBS discs with the series title and episodes listed on a gray background. Episode titles, descriptions, and airdates are listed inside each case.
The menus for the set are basic and functional, just like all of the previous releases. On the main menu of each disc, there are stills of Malden and Hatch, while the theme song and clips from episodes play in the background. Options on the main menu include Play All, Episodes, and Subtitles. There are animated transitions to each menu. Upon selecting Episodes, you get a menu where all of the episode titles are listed. Chapters are placed throughout each episode.
Like the previous releases, the episodes on this set have been remastered. However, something is just not quite right about the remastering this time. The first two episodes of the season (which actually aired as a double length episode originally, but are split up here) really do not look all that great, with a lot of artifacts on the video. However, the remainder of the set appears to be fine, and the audio is fine throughout. Each episode has English subtitles.
The video and audio quality of the episodes on this set is excellent. The episodes do show some age, of course, but I honestly do feel that they look and sound as good as anybody could possibly expect. Unfortunately, the set is lacking on subtitles or closed-captioning.
I was hoping that they'd end the series with a "bang" considering that there have been no special features on any of the sets, but unfortunately, they didn't. It would have been nice to have had some sort of special feature about the introduction of Hatch's character in this season.
Once again, we've got another series wrapped up on DVD! It is always nice when these series get completed on DVD, but also a little sad because it marks the end, at least for now. In general, I think CBS did a great job with this series as far as quality (with a few exceptions, most of the episodes of this series have looked absolutely flawless on DVD), but they certainly did manage to disappoint on the special features. In any event, this is one of those series that I never would have expected to see completed on DVD a few years ago, and in the early days of DVD, I would have never even expected to see it on DVD. Now, the whole series is complete. I actually first discovered the series on DVD, and I've been impressed with the series. It goes without saying that the first four seasons with Michael Douglas were better seasons, but I honestly don't think that this season was bad at all, and it is a shame that it had to end here. If you are a fan of crime dramas in general (particularly the "big ones" of the '70s), you really can't go wrong with this set.
(4/5 stars)To purchase Volume 1, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase Volume 2, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
To purchase Volumes 1 and 2 together, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com
Related links:
SitcomsOnline.com Main Reviews Page
The Streets of San Francisco TV.com Page
FOLLOW ME
Who to Follow: Bob Saget (Twitter), "I like long walks on the beach...and then to be dragged through the sand by an off-road vehicle, and then hurled off a catapult."
Claim to Fame: Danny Tanner from Full House, original host of America's Funniest Home Videos, and currently the voice of future Ted on How I Met Your Mother.
Why You Should Follow Him: For a long time, I always had a pretty low opinion of Bob Saget. His claim to fame began with his days on Full House where he played the squeaky clean good father Danny Tanner, and I always believed that his range was just incredibly limited to being one of TV's lamest characters (regardless of what anybody thinks of Full House, Danny Tanner was pretty lame). It wasn't until I saw Saget's appearance on Saturday Night Live in the mid '90s (see his opening monologue) that I realized that Saget has much more dynamic appeal than he demonstrated on Full House, and is actually a very funny person. When you follow his Twitter feed, you get some of his comedic gold every single day, and it is certainly worth reading. You'll find a lot of Tweets on topics including his (seemingly depressing) dating life, his 87 year old mother, politics,
Pick of the Tweets: (well, at least of the G-rated ones) "Excited my grandmother's coming to visit today. A little scared too, cause she passed away fifteen years ago." (June 1, 2011)
Claim to Fame: Danny Tanner from Full House, original host of America's Funniest Home Videos, and currently the voice of future Ted on How I Met Your Mother.
Why You Should Follow Him: For a long time, I always had a pretty low opinion of Bob Saget. His claim to fame began with his days on Full House where he played the squeaky clean good father Danny Tanner, and I always believed that his range was just incredibly limited to being one of TV's lamest characters (regardless of what anybody thinks of Full House, Danny Tanner was pretty lame). It wasn't until I saw Saget's appearance on Saturday Night Live in the mid '90s (see his opening monologue) that I realized that Saget has much more dynamic appeal than he demonstrated on Full House, and is actually a very funny person. When you follow his Twitter feed, you get some of his comedic gold every single day, and it is certainly worth reading. You'll find a lot of Tweets on topics including his (seemingly depressing) dating life, his 87 year old mother, politics,
Pick of the Tweets: (well, at least of the G-rated ones) "Excited my grandmother's coming to visit today. A little scared too, cause she passed away fifteen years ago." (June 1, 2011)
That's all for this week. Until next time, keep it digital!
Friday, November 09, 2012
Pioneers of Television Returns to PBS on January 15, 2013; Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 12, 2012)
PBS has announced that Pioneers of Television will return for a third season starting January 15, 2013. PBS' Emmy-nominated series brings to life the stories of television's most beloved stars, telling backstage tales of America's favorite shows. Stars interviewed in the upcoming episodes include Carol Burnett, Lynda Carter, Joan Collins, Diahann Carroll, Richard Chamberlain, Patrick Duffy, Lou Ferrigno, Tina Fey, Louis Gossett Jr., Larry Hagman, Cloris Leachman, Joan Rivers, Leslie Uggams, Rachel Ward, Adam West and Betty White, among many others. Emmy Award-winning radio personality, television host and producer Ryan Seacrest will be narrating the new season's four episodes.
Season three premieres on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at 8pm ET. "Funny Ladies" offers surprising new insights about television's most-beloved variety star Carol Burnett. The episode also looks at the backstory behind Lucille Ball's breakthrough, I Love Lucy and the sitcom stars who followed, including Mary Tyler Moore, Betty White and Marla Gibbs. Featured television stand-ups include Joan Rivers and the late Phyllis Diller—whose final interview was for this episode. The episode also includes interviews with contemporary actresses Tina Fey and Margaret Cho.
The second episode, "Primetime Soaps," is scheduled to air on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, at 8pm ET. Dallas and Dynasty kicked off the nighttime soap frenzy in the late 1970s, a phenomenon that continued through the last season of Knots Landing in 1993. The episode offers surprising new details about the legendary Who Shot J.R. episode of Dallas, and reveals the backstage personalities that shaped Dynasty and Knots Landing. Interviewees in this episode include Larry Hagman, Joan Collins, Linda Evans, Diahann Carroll, Linda Gray, Patrick Duffy, Michele Lee, Joan Van Ark and Donna Mills.
"Superheroes" will be the focus of the third episode of the season. It's set to air on Tuesday, January 29, 2013, at 8pm ET. "Superheroes" crosses many eras: Superman in the 1950s, Batman in the '60s, Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk in the '70s and The Greatest American Hero in the '80s. The episode features in-depth interviews with Adam West, Burt Ward, Julie Newmar, Lynda Carter, Lou Ferrigno, William Katt and others. It also includes comments from Robert Culp about his show The Greatest American Hero, recorded just days before he passed away.
Finally, "Miniseries" will be broadcast on Tuesday, February 5, 2013, at 8pm ET. Miniseries still rank among the top-rated programs in television history. Roots was the biggest — interviewees about that groundbreaking series include stars LeVar Burton, Louis Gossett Jr., Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, John Amos, Georg Stanford Brown and Ed Asner. This episode also considers the very first miniseries, Rich Man, Poor Man as stars Peter Strauss and Susan Blakely offer fresh insights. All of the key stars from the landmark miniseries The Thorn Birds (the most-watched romance) provide surprising commentary about the romance seen by more viewers than any other in TV history. These new interviews with Richard Chamberlain, Rachel Ward and Bryan Brown mark the 30th anniversary of one of television's biggest events.
Pioneers of Television premiered on PBS on January 2, 2008. A total of eight episodes were produced during the show's first two seasons. Each episode melds compelling new interviews with iconic clips and never-before-seen photos to offer an insider's look at television’s biggest celebrities. If you missed any of the episodes, both seasons are currently available on DVD. Pioneers of Television - Season 1 includes episodes on late night, sitcoms, game shows and variety. Season 2, which was narrated by Kelsey Grammer and aired in 2011, includes episodes on science fiction, westerns, crime dramas and local kids' tv. These are very entertaining and informative specials. They are well-produced and offer lots of interesting trivia. If you're a fan of television history or documentaries in general, they are a must see. Read our reviews of Season 1 and Season 2 for more details.
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 November 12-16, 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, November 12, 2012
- Adam Pally (Happy Endings) - Watch Adam on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle) - Bryan appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea drops by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC. She will also be on NBC's Today between 10-11am.
- Martha Plimpton (Raising Hope) - Martha is a guest on Chelsea Lately on E! at 11pm.
- Vicki Lawrence (Mama's Family) - Vicki and Tim Conway visit Marie on Hallmark Channel at 12pm ET/PT.
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney stops by NBC's Today between 7-9am and 10-11am.
- Marissa Jaret Winokur (Retired at 35) - Marisa talks about her remarkable weight-loss journey on ABC's Good Morning America between 7-9am.
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Watch Whitney on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC. She will also be on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. Whitney returns on Wednesday, November 14 at 8:30pm ET/PT.
- Christina Applegate (Up All Night/Samantha Who?/Married with Children) - Christina is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12am on ABC.
- Sally Field (Gidget/The Flying Nun) - Sally appears on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC. Lincoln opens in wide release in theaters on November 16.
- Finesse Mitchell (A.N.T. Farm) - Finesse chats on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon at 12:37am on NBC.
- Joel McHale (Community) - Joel stops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Debi Mazar (Entourage) - Debi appears on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
- Candace Cameron Bure (Full House) - Candace talks about her new romantic comedy (Hallmark Channel's Puppy Love) on Marie on Hallmark Channel at 12pm ET/PT.
- Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) - Watch Alec on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Helen Hunt (Mad About You) - Helen appears on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Glenn Howerton (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/That '80s Show) - Glenn visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi/Bagdad Cafe) - Whoopi is a guest on Current TV's Joy Behar: Say Anything! at 6pm.
- Marilu Henner (Taxi) - Marilu (Hallmark Channel's Hitched for the Holidays) whips up a chocolate almond toffee crunch on Marie on Hallmark Channel at 12pm ET/PT.
- Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Catch Zooey on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Tim Allen (Last Man Standing/Home Improvement) - Tim visits The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Nolan Gould (Modern Family) - Nolan drops by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Max Greenfield (New Girl/Modern Men) - Max is a guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Lucy Punch (Ben and Kate/The Class) - Lucy stops by The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
- Sally Field (Gidget/The Flyning Nun) - Sally chats on Tavis Smiley on Thursday and Friday, so check your local listings.
- Nadine Velazquez (My Name Is Earl/The League) - Nadine talks about her movie Flight on Marie on Hallmark Channel at 12pm ET/PT.
- Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) - Danica visits NBC's Today between 10-11am.
- Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Watch Zooey on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
- Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother/Free Spirit) - Alyson is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check listings.
- Chris Elliott (Get a Life) - Chris appears on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
- Jay Mohr (Gary Unmarried/Action) - Jay guest co-hosts The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Sally Field (Gidget/The Flying Nun) - Sally chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen) - Ellen drops by Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
- Rob Reiner (All in the Family) - Rob visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Cedric the Entertainer (The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show - Cedric is a guest on Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, August 28
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 24)
Friday, August 28
- Glen Powell (Chad Powers/Scream Queens) - Watch Glen on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- John Leguizamo (The Brothers Garcia) - John appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Donnell Rawlings (Twenties) - Donnell is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 11:35pm on CBS.
- LaKeith Stanfield (Atlanta) - LaKeith appears on a repeat of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Laura Dern (F Is for Family/Enlightened) - Drew chats with the legendary Laura Dern on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
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)
09/29/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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