TVSquad

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

Who would buy Hammertime on DVD? I'm actually asking. Is that something that you would actually watch again after you've already watched it on TV?

There are some good complete series sets being released this week, though: Andy Richter's Andy Barker, P.I., a Rome gift set, Farscape, and a new box for The Sopranos.

• 7th Heaven - Season 9
• Andy Barker, P.I. - Complete Series
• Ben 10: Alien Force - Vol. 5
• Drawn Together - Complete Series

I've never seen Ashlee Simpson-Wentz act. I know she played a janitor or something on 7th Heaven, but I kind of missed the entire eleven-year run of that series. I've also never purchased and Ashlee Simpson album, so while I have heard her sing, or you know, not sing, I can't say I'm a huge fan. So I don't really know why I'm excited to hear she's joining the cast of CW's revamped Melrose Place, but I am.

I watched the original Melrose Place off and on, and while it was perfect mid-90s soapy goodness, I don't really feel that there's a burning need for its return. However, the new 90210 is doing pretty well for the fledgling CW, so I certainly can't blame them for taking the next logical step in bringing back its spinoff.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

I should be happy when there are a ton of new DVDs but nothing I want to buy, because I'll save some money. But this has been happening a lot lately. I mean, there must be something being released soon that I must own. I might have to get the Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie if it wasn't included in the complete series set I have.

Kinda amazed that My Two Dads has been released on DVD, though I shouldn't be because it seems like a lot of shows are making their way to DVD now. It makes me hopeful that other sitcoms from that era will be released too.

• 7th Heaven - Season 8
• Chowder - Vol. 2
• Doctor Who - The Androids of Tara, Key To Time, The Armageddon Factor, The Power of Kroll, The Pirate Planet, The Stones of Blood, and The Ribos Operation (all Special Editions)

Sometimes a celebrity dies who wasn't just a TV star, they actually had a hand in almost every aspect of television over a very long period of time. We lost two such stars over the weekend.

For example, fans of NCIS will know Nina Foch (right) from her role as Ducky's mother on the show. But did you know she also starred in several vintage horror movies back as early as the early 40s, such as Return of the Vampire and Cry of the Werewolf? She also had the honor of being the very first murder victim on Columbo, in 1968's Prescription: Murder (done in by hubby Gene Barry). She also appeared in several other TV shows, such as Bull, Just Shoot Me, Dharma & Greg, Murder She Wrote, L.A. Law, Hunter, Lou Grant, Barnaby Jones, Hawaii Five-0, That Girl, and a ton of others. She appeared in Spartacus, The Ten Commandments, An American in Paris and others. She was even the associate director on The Diary of Anne Frank.

Foch passed away in Los Angeles on Friday at age 84.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

Wow, this is quite a week for TV fans of all types. You can get the complete series sets for The Sopranos and I Dream of Jeannie, and anniversary sets for such TV classics as The Cosby Show and The Long Ranger. I even see a season 2 set for Mister Peepers! I didn't even know there was a season 1 set already released, so I'll have to look into that.

The Studio One anthology is a real gem, and I'll have a review of it later this week.

• 7th Heaven - Season 7
• Band of Brothers - Miniseries (Blu-Ray)
• Chuck - Season 1 (Blu-Ray)
• The Cosby Show - 25th Anniversary
• Father Knows Best - Season 2
• Firefly - Complete Series (Blu-Ray)
• I Dream of Jeannie - Complete Series
• Little House on the Prairie - Complete Series
• The Lone Ranger - 75th Anniversary
• M Squad - Complete Series

What's happening on other blogs via the interweb.

• Hmmm...maybe we are a little closer to a strike after all.
• Is a cast member of Ugly Betty leaving the show for CBS' new show Harper's Island?
• TV Newser has reactions to the death of Tony Snow.
• Yes fans, it looks like there will be a Sex and the City sequel.
• Stephen Collins says that Hallmark Channel would be a perfect place for a 7th Heaven movie.
• Ed McMahon is recovering from yet another neck surgery.
• Variety has some ideas on how to improve The CW.
• Broadcasting & Cable has a roundtable of TV critics: what if they ran the networks?

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Army Wives - Season 1
• Bleach - Season 1 (Uncut)
• The Boondocks - Season 2
• Broken Trail - Complete Miniseries
• Comedy Central Home Grown
• Da Vinci's Inquest - Season 3
• The Dukes of Hazzard - Movie Collection
• Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes - Season 1
• The Fugitive - Season 2, Vol. 1
• Hawaii Five-0 - Season 4
• Home Improvement - Season 8
• The Incredible Hulk - When Monsters Meet
• Into Alaska - Collection 1
• John Adams - Complete Miniseries
• McLeod's Daughters - Season 6
• My Boys - Season 1
• The Odd Couple - Season 4
• 7th Heaven - Season 6
• Soap - Complete Series
• TekWar - TekWar
• What's Happening - Complete Series

I talked with Haylie Duff this afternoon. She has a new show on MTV called Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods. Ten young women from across the country will compete for a starring role in the hit Broadway show.

Read on to find about what Haylie said about the finalists, the judges, and her own stint on Broadway as Amber Von Tussie in Hairspray.

Kristin Sample: So tell me about the show.
Haylie Duff: It premieres tonight on MTV. And I'm excited about it. We've got a lot of really talented girls and there's a great prize at the end of the season. So, the stakes are high and we're all excited about it.

There's news about CBS's Mike Birbiglia's Secret Public Journal, and from the sounds of it, this may be a real sleeper -- that's if you believe in the quality of the casting. Joining Mike in the show are comic Bob Odenkirk, actress Rachel Blanchard and former deejay Phil Hendrie.

Mike Birbiglia's Secret Public Journal, based on his stand up comedy, includes Blanchard (7th Heaven) as his significant other, an aspiring doctor and the sensible one of the couple. Phil Hendrie, best known as a popular radio talker but was also on The Unit in a supporting role, has been cast as Mike's abrasive doctor. But perhaps the best news for this CBS project is adding Bob O to the company as Mike's big brother. In everything I've ever seen him do, Odenkirk is a riot. He's a two-time Emmy winner for his comedy writing.

The buttoned down mind of Bob Newhart is coming back to TV. In August, Hallmark Channel will present Newhart in Herb's Murders, a two-hour original TV movie. And that's not all. Hallmark, which yesterday announced Jane Seymour in a detective movie called Dear Prudence, has other old TV favorites slated for original telefilms.

There's former 7th Heaven star Stephen Collins will star in The Ride of Her Life; Jacqueline Bisset has a holiday pic in the works called Thanksgiving Reunion, which will air in November; and Pam Grier, Florence Henderson (The Brady Bunch) and Donna Mills (Knots Landings) will headline Ladies of the House, about three women from the same church who team up on a home renovation project.

Looks like the Hallmark Channel is making a bid to play with the bigger networks.

The cable network has gone on a Christmas shopping spree and bought several shows from CBS Television Distribution, including I Love Lucy, Cheers, 7th Heaven, 12 holiday movies, and more episodes of Touched By An Angel and Matlock. 7th Heaven starts in January, Cheers later next year, and then I Love Lucy will start in early 2009.

This is good news for fans who like the channel but are overdosing on reruns of Murder, She Wrote and those mystery movies that star John Larroquette and Lea Thompson.

(S11E22) For some reason I have a case of deja vu right now. That must be due to the fact that 7th Heaven already had a series finale last year. We all thought that was the last we would see of the Camdens, at least in first-run episodes that is. However, by some miracle (or greed, you take your pick) the executives over at the brand new CW network decided to bring the show back one more time.

It was probably the biggest mistake they could've made. The 7th Heaven that premiered on the CW back in September barely resembled the show that was one of the most popular on the old WB. Other than Lucy and the twins (whose acting skills made the Olsen twins look like master thespians while they were on Full House) there was barely a Camden left. The rest of the cast was filled out with Martin and Sandy, and three new teens who became part of the extended family.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by the season finale/live reunion of Survivor.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7.
• At 7:30, FOX has a new King of the Hill.
• At 8, The CW has the series finale of 7th Heaven.
• At 9, FOX has a new Family Guy, then a new American Dad.
• Emeril goes food shopping on a new Emeril Live, at 9 on Food Network.
• TNT has an NBA playoff game at 9, the Jazz vs. the Warriors.
• HBO has a new ep of The Sopranos at 9, then a new Entourage.
• At 10, Lifetime has a new episode of Blood Ties.
• MSNBC has this morning's Meet the Press at 10, if you missed it.
• Comedy Central has a new Mind of Mencia at 10, then a new Reno 911.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 10.
• Also at 10: FOX News has a new episode of The 1/2 Hour News Hour.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then new episodes of The Amazing Race, Cold Case, and Without A Trace.
• NBC has a new, two hour Dateline at 7.
• FOX has a new, one hour King of the Hill at 7, then a new Simpsons.
• At 8, The CW has a new 7th Heaven.
• There's a new Nature on PBS at 8.
• Walter Isaacson talks about his new book Einstein on CSPAN 2 at 8.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Emeril Live.
• At 9, FOX has a new Family Guy, then a new American Dad.
• HBO has a new Sopranos at 9, then a new Entourage.
• At 10, Comedy Central has a new Mind of Mencia, followed by a new Reno 911.
• BBC America has a new Footballers Wives: Overtime at 10.
• Showtime has a new ep of The Tudors. It's on at 10 too.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover and Desperate Housewives.
• CBS has a new 60 Minutes at 7, then a new Amazing Race and the movie Crossroads: A Story of Forgiveness.
• NBC has a new, two-hour Dateline at 7, then new episodes of Deal Or No Deal and The Apprentice (live finale).
• There's a new War At Home on FOX at 7, followed by new episodes of King of the Hill and The Simpsons.
• At 8, The CW has a new 7th Heaven.
• ESPN has the Red Sox/Yankees game at 8.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Emeril Live, then a new Iron Chef America.
• At 9, Discovery has a new Planet Earth.
• HBO has a new Sopranos at 9, then a new Entourage.
• The TV Land Awards airs at 9 too.
• At 10, Comedy Central has new eps of Mind of Mencia and Reno 911.
• BBC America has a new Footballer's Wives: Overtime at 10.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.