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TV Media Weekly | June 23 - 29, 2018 By Adam Thomlison TV Media Q: I'm sorry, "Married... With Children" had a spinoff? A: Yes, the notorious but also hugely successful sitcom had at least one spinoff. I say "at least" because it may have had two or even four, depending on your defi- nition of spinoff. "Top of the Heap" was a real se- ries that launched in 1991, as an episode of "Married... With Chil- dren" (what's known as a back- door pilot). It featured future "Friends" star Matt LeBlanc as a poor guy living with his dad, trying to get rich by working at a country club. It aired for just seven episodes in total before being canceled. Well, sort of canceled. It was re- vived a year later, appearing under the title "Vinnie & Bobby," having dropped the father character and changed a few other plot points. This version, too, lasted just a handful of episodes before getting the ax. There were also two attempted spinoffs that were never picked up to series. Q: I am wondering why Hall- mark Channel's original shows such as "When Calls the Heart" aren't repeated as often as their original movies? A: Hallmark takes an innovative approach to its back-catalog of programming, which makes some sense since its catalog is unlike anyone else's. Programming-wise, Hallmark is very much a movie producer. It's been making two-hour heart- warmers since way back in the days of the four-channel TV uni- verse. Now that those days are gone, though, Hallmark is making bold moves in today's infinite-channel cable universe. That includes pro- ducing TV shows as well as movies. However — and this is where it differs from most TV producers — Hallmark's catalog is still made up of mostly movies, and so, to finally answer your question, it's treating the shows as being more valuable, because they're more rare. Bill Abbott, CEO of Hallmark Channel's parent company, has said that repeating the shows less often has driven up their value. And he plans to capitalize on that value online. "Now we're sitting in a position where we have quite a bit of con- tent that can't be seen anywhere else that we can take and go over the top with," he said in an inter- view with Broadcasting and Cable magazine. ("Over the top" is an in- side-industry term for non-TV broadcasts, most notably web streaming.) Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Hollywood Q&A By Andrew Warren TV Media C akes are a food for some of life's most special oc- casions. Birthdays, bap- tisms, retirement par- ties, baby showers — cakes have a place at all of them, and is it any wonder why? They're sweet, they're delicious and they can be shaped and deco- rated in so many delightful ways. For many, the most important cake of all is the one that's served on one of life's most spe- cial days. Wedding cakes are se- rious business, and Food Net- work is seeking out the best wedding cake bakers in "Wed- ding Cake Championship," pre- miering Monday, June 25. In the premiere of the new se- ries, six baking duos enter the kitchen prepared to show off what they can do over two chal- lenging rounds. First, the teams tackle cake toppers, and the winners earn a special advan- tage in the elimination round. Then, they're tasked with de- signing a cake for a real couple. "Wedding Cake Champion- ship" isn't the only cake-based competition on Food Network, but it is the only one exclusively focused on those most special of baked goodies. After each challenge, the teams face a judging panel that includes "Chopped" judge Maneet Chauhan, acclaimed baker Kim- berly Bailey and celebrity wed- ding planner David Tutera. In the premiere, the judges are joined by TLC's "Say Yes to the Dress" host Randy Fenoli, who helps in- troduce the first challenge. As for the hosts, the series has recruited a sporty duo to fill the role. Former Olympic figure skat- ers Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir earned rave reviews for their com- mentary during the figure skating events at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, and they've reunited here. In each week's episode, a single team will be sent packing until only three remain for the finale. At stake is a decadent $25,000 prize for the winning duo, but earning that won't be easy. In the finale's final challenge, the bakers will have to create a cake for Lipinski and her husband's first wedding anniversary, and they're a couple looking for the most impressive and over-the-top cake imaginable. Wedding cakes are serious business, but that doesn't mean that they can't be fun. "Wed- ding Cake Championship" pre- mieres Monday, June 25, on Food Network. Bakers tackle wedding cakes in new Food Network competition 10 | Cooking this week Sunspot 2 x 2" Vicker's Graphics 2 x 1.5" Tech Repairadise 2 x 1.5" Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir host "Wedding Cake Championship"

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