TV Land is Scorching This Summer as New Originals, Classic Hits and Hot Programming Events Kick Off Beginning in May

NEW YORK, May 18 -- TV Land is in high gear as it kicks off the summer with new originals, the addition of Benson and event programming throughout August. As part of its continuing commitment to original programming, over the course of the summer, TV Land will premiere brand new episodes of TV Land's Top Ten and unveil the new series My First Time. In addition, the network will showcase a What's Happening!! 30th Anniversary Marathon and movies such as Grease, Caddyshack and Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company.

Below is a detailed list of summer programming for TV Land:

ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING

TV Land's Top Ten (special)

Wednesday, May 31 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

TV Land's Top Ten series celebrates television for the passionate TV viewer. By culling the best moments from hit TV shows and commentary from stars, experts and those in the know, each special counts down a different Top Ten. Episodes to air throughout the summer include Dynamic Duos, TV Spin-offs, TV Weddings, Brady Bunch episodes, Musical Moments and TV Cops.

* May 31: Dynamic Duos -- Who says TV doesn't teach good values? Teamwork is the bedrock of these relationships as Batman and Robin, Laverne and Shirley and Lucy and Ethel show viewers the importance of bonding. Following this installment, the network will air The Andy Griffith Show and I Love Lucy, in which Andy and Barney and Lucy and Ethel prove they are there for each other through thick and thin.

* June 7: TV Spin-offs -- Sometimes a character is so good they need their own show. This episode celebrates the greatest spin-off series' of all time. After the premiere of this original special, the network will air some of the most popular spin-offs such as Good Times, The Andy Griffith Show, Green Acres, Benson and What's Happening Now.

* June 14: TV Weddings -- There's no better place to get married than on TV. And there's nothing easier to get hooked on than a good wedding story. This episode crashes the best TV Weddings of all time. Happy couples include Joe and Rhoda, Daphne and Niles and Luke and Laura. Additionally, the network will celebrate "TV Land Weddings Week" from Monday, June 12-Friday, June 16, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. ET/PT, so take a walk down the aisle as the network celebrates the best of TV weddings. Marking the occasion will be our very own TV Land couples celebrating their unions -- Joanie and Chachi, Thelma and Keith and Kelly and Woody.

* July 22: Brady Bunch Episodes -- You grew up with them and you know the episodes almost by heart. But which episodes made our Top Ten list? The road trips to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon? The special appearances by Davy Jones and Joe Namath? From getting caught smoking to pork chops and apple sauce and everything in between, there's so much to choose from! This special premieres during "The Brady Bunch Weekend Event", a 48-hour marathon taking place July 22-July 23, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET/PT. The marathon also includes an encore presentation of the original special, Still Brady ... After All These Years.

* August 16: Musical Moments -- Some of the greatest musical moments of all time have been captured on TV. This episode highlights the best of the best from the Beatles and Elvis to Madonna and Michael.

* August 23: TV Cops -- Whether cracking open a case or cracking you up, the TV Cop is one of the most beloved TV characters. In this countdown, we list our favorite men and women in blue. Squad members include Andy Taylor, Lennie Briscoe, Sgt. Suzanne "Pepper" Anderson, Joe Friday and that strange man in the rumpled rain coat.

First Time (series)

Wednesday, June 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT

In this six-part series, TV Land will revisit the first major career milestones of some of America's most celebrated performers. Bolstered by original interviews with each star profiled, every 30-minute episode of My First Time will feature some of the biggest talents in Hollywood and trace their first "big break." Additionally, each show will contain footage of that first scene that put them in the public eye. In some cases, these will be performances that the stars themselves would probably rather forget.

ACQUISITIONS

Benson (show launch)

Saturday, June 3 (launches with a 48-hour weekend marathon)

TV Land welcomes Benson to the network's line-up this summer, kicking off with a 48-hour marathon of the series' most memorable episodes. This spin-off from Soap stars Robert Guillaume as a butler -- Benson -- who is sent by his boss, Jessica Tate to live with her widowed cousin, a governor. Guillaume received an Emmy for his role as the butler who also guides the governor on all his personal and political decisions. Benson's regular timeslot will be 11 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.

227 (show launch)

Monday, July 3

227 centers around the residents of apartment building No. 227, located in an African American neighborhood in Washington, DC. Mary Jenkins (Marla Gibbs) and her best friend Rose (Alaina Reed-Hall) enjoy nothing more than sitting on the stoop of their building sharing life's problems with each other and gossiping about the other tenants in the building, especially Sandra (Jackee) the sassy vixen in the building. Mary is kept busy by her husband, Lester (Hal Williams) and adolescent daughter Brenda (Regina King), who is struggling with growing up with her boyfriend, Calvin (Curtis Baldwin). Calvin's opinionated grandmother, Pearl (Helen Martin) also resides in the building and often joins in the talks between the two friends whether she is asked to or not.

The Jeffersons (show launch)

Saturday, September 2

This Emmy award-winning landmark sitcom is the longest-running African-American sitcom to date. Although the Jefferson characters made several appearances as the Bunkers' neighbors in All in the Family, it wasn't until an episode entitled "The Jeffersons Move Up" that they actually received their own show. It was in this episode that George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley) is blessed with a new-found fortune, enabling him to expand his Queens-based dry cleaners business to include more locations, so he moves his wife, Weezy (Isabel Sanford) and son, Lionel (Mike Evans later replaced by Damon Evans) to a luxurious apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. One week later, The Jeffersons moved to their own series on CBS which aired for ten years. Other friends, family and neighbors include: George's in-laws and upstairs- neighbors, Tom and Helen Willis (Franklin Cover and Roxie Roker); Jenny Willis-Jefferson (Berlinda Tolbert) -- Lionel's wife; Harry Bentley (Paul Benedict), the British neighbor across the hall; Florence Johnston (Marla Gibbs), The Jeffersons wise-cracking and unproductive housekeeper; Ralph Hart (Ned Wertimer), the tip-hungry doorman and Mama Jefferson (Zara Cully), George's doting mother who dislikes Louise.

STUNTS

"The Andy Griffith Show 48-Hour Weekend Marathon"

May 20-May 21, 6 a.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT

Tune in for 48 hours of the best episodes from the series.

"Top Ten: TV Cars Marathon"

Wednesday, May 24, 10 p.m. - 1:30 a.m., ET/PT

From the Batmobile to the General Lee to KITT, there have been so many fascinating cars in TV history, so TV Land is counting down the best ones in this encore presentation of the original Top Ten special. Following Top Ten, the network will showcase episodes of Miami Vice, Knight Rider and The Munsters.

"Bonanza and Little House on the Prairie Marathon"

May 27-May 28,

Bonanza, 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET/PT

Little House on the Prairie, 8 p.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT

Join TV Land as it goes West for this marathon.

"Bonanza, Gunsmoke and All in the Family Weekend Marathon"

June 10-June 11

June 10, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET/PT, Bonanza

June 11, 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT, Gunsmoke

June 11, 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT, All in the Family

TV Land viewers are treated to a weekend marathon of these series.

"Top Pops with Top Ten: TV Dads"

Thursday, June 8, 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. ET/PT

Encore on Father's Day, Sunday, June 18, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. ET/PT

Celebrate Father's Day as TV Land pays tribute to TV's best Dads with an encore of Top Ten: TV Dads followed by episodes featuring the dads who made the list.

"Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Sanford and Son Weekend Marathon"

June 17-June 18, 6 a.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT

June 17, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET/PT, Bonanza

June 18, 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT, Gunsmoke

June 18, 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT, Sanford and Son

TV Land viewers are treated to a weekend marathon of these series.

"Bonanza, Gunsmoke and Three's Company Weekend Marathon"

June 24-June 25, 6 a.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT

June 24, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. ET/PT, Bonanza

June 25, 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT, Gunsmoke

June 25, 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. ET/PT, Sanford and Son

TV Land viewers are treated to a weekend marathon of these series.

"Friday Night Movies"

July 7-August 18, 10 p.m. ET/PT

TV Land takes viewers to the movies for six weeks this summer.

The schedule is:

July 7: Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company

July 14: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

July 21: Caddyshack

July 28: Top Gun

August 4: Hoosiers

August 18: Grease

"What's Happening!! 30th Anniversary Marathon"

Sunday, August 6

Join Raj, Rerun, Dwayne and the whole gang as TV Land celebrates the show's 30th Anniversary.

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TV Land Productions was created in 2003 to develop original programming that complements the network's successful acquired programming slate. TV Land Productions has also produced The TV Land Awards Show: A Celebration of Classic TV (March 2003, 2004 and 2005), the Emmy-nominated The Dick Van Dyke Show, Revisited, the network's first original special for broadcast, which premiered on CBS in May 2004, the Emmy-nominated Still Brady ... After All These Years reunion special in September 2004 and Chasing Farrah (Spring 2005), the original reality series that followed iconic Hollywood actress and sex symbol Farrah Fawcett. Over the last year, the network premiered a variety of original series and specials in 2005 including: TV Guide and TV Land Present: The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments, Living in TV Land, TV Land Confidential and Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg. For more information about TV Land's original Wednesday night line-ups, visit http://www.tvland.com.

Now seen in over 85 million U.S. homes, TV Land's program mix features popular dramas, sitcoms, westerns, Retromercials and a TV-referential interstitial environment, all programmed with a specific audience in mind -- the first generation of Americans to grow up watching television and features all-time Classic hits like All in the Family, I Love Lucy, The Andy Griffith Show, and Bonanza.

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