On September 14, 1987, NBC’s owned-and-operated stations decided to launch a bold experiment, airing a different sitcom every weeknight leading in to prime-time. It was a disaster. Before streaming, where you can watch what you want when you want – or what day you want, there was a time where local stations did something called “checkerboarding”. As you know, prime-time […]
CBS’ “press release” sounds awfully familiar to letter Merlin Media sent to them last year It appears CBS has borrowed a trick from Randy Michaels’ playbook. On the heels of CBS unsuccessfully trying to stop ABC from airing Big Brother rip-off Glass House, The Church Of Tisch sent out a mock press release on Wednesday, unveiling the “upcoming launch of […]
For the first time in many years, syndication is going to have an original sitcom – or two. Entertainment Studios announced Monday it has finished casting its new sitcom Mr. Box Office, one of two first-run sitcoms its planning to launch in syndication this fall. And the talent appearing in these shows are not no-name actors – no, these are […]
This past week, we saw the passing of two classic TV stars. Last Saturday, actress Barbara Billingsley passed away at the age of 94. Billingsley was best known for playing June Cleaver in Leave It To Beaver, which premiered on CBS on October 4, 1957 and moved to ABC in 1958, where it ran for five more seasons. Billingsley also […]
Disney/ABC’s weekly action-adventure hour Legend of the Seeker is going to have an adventure of its own – trying to find new outlets after a major station group carrying the show declined to renew it. In a memo obtained by TV By The Numbers, Tribune Broadcasting said it would not renew the sci-fi/fantasy action hour after two seasons. Tribune is […]
WARNING: Contains spoilers. It’s a time-honored tradition among animated comedies to rip on Canada, so it’s no surprise South Park put the entire country on strike in last Wednesday’s episode to poke fun at the WGA labour (yes, labour) mess. When the South Park boys found out Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel (who’s Canadian) was replaced by Jim […]