Nick at Nite Unveils Roll-Out of New Hit Sitcoms When Home Improvement, A Different World, Newsradio and Designing Women Join Line-Up Beginning July 2006 Through September 2007
The Cosby Show Spin-Off A Different World Kicks off New Slate in July
NEW YORK, May 2 -- Nick at Nite -- the #1 basic cable
network among Adults 18-49 -- will add even more hit shows to its line-up
of popular comedies like The Cosby Show, Fresh Prince of Bel Air and
Roseanne with the addition of A Different World, Designing Women, Newsradio
and Home Improvement, it was announced today at the MTV Networks Upfront
Presentation at The Theatre at Madison Square Garden. The new series
rollout will begin in July, 2006 and continue through September, 2007.
"Nick at Nite is the premier destination for sitcoms like Home
Improvement that have a strong appeal to the Nick at Nite audience," states
Larry W. Jones, President, TV Land and Nick at Nite. "These programs
represent the perfect fit for our viewers and we are thrilled to add them
to our already stellar line-up."
For 2006 year to date, Nick at Nite is pacing to record its
highest-rated and most-watched year ever among its target A18-49 audience
on a total programming day basis. Driven by the continued success of modern
hit sitcoms The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, The Cosby Show and Roseanne, the
network is currently the number-one basic cable network among Adults 18-34,
Women 18-49, Women 18-34 and Women 25-54.
The shows premiering on the network beginning July include:
A Different World (July 19, 2006) -- This ensemble comedy was a
spin-off of the hugely popular The Cosby Show and aired on NBC from 1987 to
1993. Set at the fictitious, historically black Hillman College in the
South, it centered around Denise Huxtable (Lisa Bonet), one of the four
daughters on The Cosby Show. Denise is constantly trying to adjust to the
changes of living away from home on her own as well as deal with her
roommates Jaleesa (Dawnn Lewis), a young divorcee and Maggie (Marisa
Tomei), a free-spirited and naive girl who also happens to be one of the
only white students on campus. Other characters in the series include
Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy), a rich Southern belle; Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem
Hardison), a nerdy but fast-talking New Yorker, his best friend Ron Johnson
(Darryl Bell) and Walter Oakes (Sinbad), who was the dorm director. There
were various changes after the first season when Lisa Bonet left the
series. Debbie Allen took over as producer and director after the first
season, turning the show into one which explored more social and political
issues. Controversial topics such as AIDS, racial discrimination, date rape
and the 1992 Los Angeles uprisings were all addressed, and several new
characters were added, such as: Kim Reese (Charnele Brown), a pre-med
student; Mr. Gaines (Lou Myers), the cafeteria cook; Col. Taylor (Glynn
Turman), the campus ROTC commander; Freddie Brooks (Cree Summer), an
environmental activist and Lena James (Jada Pinkett), a feisty freshman
from Baltimore. The series also gave more prominence to the romantic
relationship of Dwayne and Whitley, who became the show's main stars.
Newsradio (July, 2006) -- This sitcom, which aired on NBC from 1995 to
1999 showcases the hilarious antics at WNYX, a whimsical #2 all news radio
station in New York City. Dave Nelson (Dave Foley) has just been brought in
from Wisconsin as the news director by the station's owner, Jimmy James
(Stephen Root). A bit overwhelmed by his new job, Dave must also deal with
his new co-workers who are rather eccentric and witty. The staff includes:
on-air anchors Bill (Phil Hartman) and Catherine (Khandi Alexander) who are
constantly sniping at each other, Matthew (Andy Dick), an inept reporter,
Beth (Vicky Lewis), a crazy secretary and Joe (Joe Rogan), the maintenance
man. Rounding off the staff is Lisa (Maura Tierney), a smart and ambitious
writer who actually should have gotten Dave's job. The two end up beginning
an on- again off-again romance that becomes the hot topic of conversation
among their friends and colleagues. The untimely death of Phil Hartman led
the show to cast Jon Lovitz in 1998 as Max Lewis, a new on-air personality.
Designing Women (October, 2006) -- This critically-acclaimed series
stars Dixie Carter, Delta Burke, Jeanne Smart and Annie Potts as four
outspoken Southern women running Sugarbaker and Associates, an interior
decorating business in Atlanta. The show, which aired on CBS from 1986 to
1993, focuses on their personal and professional lives, as they deal with
their business, romances and friendship. Julia Sugarbaker (Carter)is the
founder of the business and the classy and smart one of the bunch. Her
sister Suzanne (Burke), is a former beauty queen who uses her flirtatious
ways to charm both clients and men, Mary Jo (Potts), is a recently divorced
mom with two kids and Charlene (Smart) is the trusting business manager who
has never been married. Anthony (Meshach Taylor) is their outspoken
deliveryman/handyman, who also happens to be an ex-con, but constantly
gives his opinion on everything going on in the ladies' lives.
Home Improvement (September, 2007) -- This comedy stars Tim Allen as
Tim Taylor, host of a TV show in Detroit called Tool Time. Ironically,
Tim's accident prone nature lands him in the emergency room more often than
not. Right-hand-man Al Borland (Richard Karn) -- his flannel-wearing
co-host -- is usually there to help him out, and Tim's neighbor Wilson
(Earl Hindman) whose face is usually hidden behind a fence, is often doling
out advice. Jill (Patricia Richardson) is Tim's wife, who is studying to be
a psychiatrist and also dealing with Tim's crazy antics. The two are
raising three sons - Mark, Randy and Brad (Taran Noah Smith, Jonathan
Taylor Thomas and Zachery Ty Brian), who viewers get to see grow up
throughout the series' run. Over the course of the series, which aired on
ABC from 1991 to 1999, Pamela Anderson, Heidi Keppert and Debbe Dunning all
play the Tool Time girls on Tim's show.
For more information about Nick at Nite's originals line-ups, visit
http://www.nickatnite.com . Nick at Nite and all related logos and titles
are trademarks of Viacom International, Inc.
Currently seen in more than 88 million U.S. homes, Nick at Nite
features timeless hit comedies: The Cosby Show - this Emmy Award-winning
sitcom is one of the network's highest-rated shows: Full House -- this
popular family comedy is one of the highest-rated and most popular
syndicated programs in television; and Roseanne, one of the most talk-about
and celebrated sitcoms in television history.
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SOURCE Nick at Nite
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