Boldly going where no network has gone before, TV Land will begin airing new installments of LIVING IN TV LAND on Wednesday, March 22 with LIVING IN TV LAND: WILLIAM SHATNER IN CONCERT. This 60-minute sneak peek at the series offers an intimate look at Emmy Award-winner and pop culture icon William Shatner as he walks viewers through television´s first musical-reality hybrid show combining musical performances with segments exploring the reality of his every day life. TV Land will air an encore presentation of this episode on Wednesday, March 29 in its regularly scheduled timeslot of 10 p.m. and the series will air as half-hour installments through May 3, 2006.
LIVING IN TV LAND began as a special in August 2004 with LIVING IN TV LAND: DICK VAN PATTEN, a tongue-in-cheek look at a day in the life of the EIGHT IS ENOUGH star. The series takes a look at the daily ins and outs of Barry Williams (THE BRADY BUNCH); Fred Willard (FERNWOOD 2NITE, ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY) Sherman Hemsley (THE JEFFERSONS), Adam West (BATMAN) and Davy Jones (THE MONKEES).
"We are thrilled to be able to bring our viewers this intimate look at William Shatner, who has personified television heroes for the last forty years," states Sal Maniaci, Senior Vice President, Development and Original Production, TV Land and Nick at Nite. "Living in TV Land provides a candidly honest look at these actors and icons that we never really get to see."
Backed by rock & roll piano man Ben Folds, William Shatner takes the stage in front of a live audience to perform biographical songs from his recent album entitled HAS BEEN. The spoken-word songs provide musical bridges which take viewers into the reality of his everyday life. Cameras follow Shatner through his various life events including the Emmy Awards where he won for best supporting actor, Las Vegas for a STAR TREK convention, the set of BOSTON LEGAL, a Hollywood horse show for a riding competition and even to a maternity ward where he becomes a grandfather. In addition to appearances by Candice Bergen, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew, LIVING IN TV LAND: WILLIAM SHATNER in Concert boasts performances with rocker Joe Jackson and country superstar Brad Paisley.
The series roll-out is as follows (all times on Wednesday´s at 10 p.m. ET/PT):
Wednesday, March 29
Encore presentation of LIVING IN TV LAND: WILLIAM SHATNER in Concert
Wednesday, April 5
LIVING IN TV LAND: BARRY WILLIAMS
In the 35 years since he played America´s favorite older brother, "Greg Brady," on THE BRADY BUNCH, Barry Williams has maintained a successful career on Broadway, TV, film and radio, TV Land cameras capture Williams when the devoted baseball fan is offered the opportunity to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodgers Stadium. As he pulls out his baseball mitt and prepares for his moment of truth, his TV Land friends stop by to help support him. Also appearing in this installment are: Brady castmates Christopher Knight and Susan Olsen, Mackenzie Phillips (ONE DAY AT A TIME), Jeff Conaway (TAXI) and Julie McCullough (GROWING PAINS).
Wednesday, April 12
LIVING IN TV LAND: ADAM WEST
In this episode of LIVING IN TV LAND, Adam West faces a nemesis he can´t drop with a resounding POW! TV Land cameras follow his appearance on a top- rated morning show, where he meets TV and radio personality Ralph Garman, one of Adam´s biggest fans. When Ralph shows Adam his genuine Batman cowl, Adam pegs it for a knock-off. Ralph is crushed - until Adam mentions he has an authentic cowl at his home in Idaho. When Ralph asks Adam if he would try on the real cowl and pose for a picture, Adam refuses. But superfan Ralph knows that Adam West never turns down a challenge. So he throws down the gauntlet, challenging Adam to any contest the Batman star chooses. Adam, an expert angler, chooses a fly-fishing competition, and Ralph chooses the location. From the moment the contest is set, Adam is obsessed, whether he´s doing voice work for THE FAMILY GUY or visiting the Batmobile and his most famous "Catwoman," Julie Newmar. Even the tranquility of his home in Sun Valley, Idaho is thrown off by a needling phone call from Ralph claiming he´s found a fishing hole that´s sure to give him a "home field advantage."
Wednesday, April 19
LIVING IN TV LAND: FRED WILLARD
Fred Willard (FERNWOOD 2NITE, BEST IN SHOW, ANCHORMAN) is honored with an Emmy nomination for his role on the hit sitcom EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND. TV Land cameras follow Fred´s every move through the frantic days leading up to television´s biggest night to the red carpet to after The Emmys take place. As his schedule gets busier in the days leading up to the Emmy Awards, the pressure of the nomination starts to take its toll, but Fred´s friends and co-stars are there to offer him support. Ray Romano, Brad Garrett, Peter Boyle (EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND); Martin Mull (FERNWOOD 2NITE); John Goodman (ROSEANNE); Joanne Worley (LAUGH IN) and George Wendt (CHEERS) all make appearances in this installment.
Wednesday, April 26
LIVING IN TV LAND: SHERMAN HEMSLEY
Sitcom star Sherman Hemsley (THE JEFFERSONS, AMEN) puts together a band to play some of his original music, makes an appearance at a Hollywood collectors show and gets hoodwinked into cooking dinner for his former castmates and friends by his JEFFERSONS co-star and close friend Marla Gibbs in this episode of LIVING IN TV LAND. Appearing in this episode are also: Sally Struthers (ALL IN THE FAMILY), Stanley Livingston (MY THREE SONS), Jay North (DENNIS THE MENACE), Cassandra Peterson (ELVIRA), Berlinda Tolbert (THE JEFFERSONS) and AMEN´s Anna Maria Horsford, Clifton Davis and Roz Ryan.
Wednesday, May 3
LIVING IN TV LAND: DAVY JONES
Best known as an entertainer and pop idol, what most fans don´t know about Davy Jones is that he has a passion for horses as the owner of an entire stable of racing thoroughbreds. TV Land cameras follow Davy on his rural Pennsylvania stable as he trains his favorite horse, T.E. Jones for the most important race of his young career. Viewers also get a peek into Davy´s everyday routine in Pennsylvania, watch as he sorts through photos and memorabilia to go into the Davy Jones Museum and finally travel to Kentucky with him for T.E. Jones´ big day.
