Tyler "Madea" Perry has been tapped to play the man (I presume the man, anyway) in charge of Starfleet Academy in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek prequel.... Elisabeth Hasselbeck returns to The View on Monday, with her newborn son in tow. Oops, did I spoil the "surprise guest"?.... "Torn" crooner Natalie Imbruglia, having "simply grown apart" from her husband of four years, Silverchair singer Daniel Johns, has split from him.... Barney & Friends marks 20 years of gangly kids lip-synching badly with the direct-to-DVD special Celebrating Around the World, streeting Jan. 29. Have I mentioned that I take a certain pride in having never exposed my sons to the purple dino? — Matt Mitovich
read more
Ratatouille topped last week's DVD sales chart, while I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry was the No. 1 rental pick. My sons checked out the Rat last week, but weren't wowed by it. "Too many damn frogs in this film," scoffed Jared, who with Jacob turned 5 on Tuesday.Elsewhere, DVD releases have been set for The Bourne Ultimatum (Dec. 11), Resident Evil: Extinction (Jan. 1), Barney & Friends: Celebrating Around the World (Jan. 29, 2008) and Perfect Strangers: The Complete First and Second Season (Feb. 28) — and yes, I shall be ridiculous, thank you.
read more
New characters! New episodes! New seasons! Check out our helpful guide to our favorite returning kids shows on broadcast, cable and satellite.
PreschoolFirst up, Sesame Street (PBS) celebrates the start of Season 37 next week by adding the magical Abby Cadabby, a delightful (if mistake-prone) sprite who represents the first new female Sesame Muppet in more than 13 years. [Look for a TVGuide.com Insider Q&A with Abby on Monday, Aug. 14.] Barney & Friends (Sept. 15, PBS) also waited 13 years to introduce Riff, their new dino character, whose musical imagination helps usher in an era of more varied tunes. New playmates will also populate the worlds of
read more