Friday, January 26, 2018
Fri-Yay: The Roseanne Reboot and the Trend of Rebooting Old Sitcoms; 227 Marathon on 2/27 on Antenna TV
by Vincent
One of my most anticipated upcoming network comedies is the Roseanne reboot. For anyone who isn't aware, Roseanne will be returning to TV screens this spring in March with its original cast, and creators have said that, like the original series, it will offer a real and in-depth look at issues American families are facing today. Even though I've been generally skeptical of reboot culture, I'm kind of looking forward to the Roseanne reboot. Roseanne was one of the best working class sitcoms of all time, taking a magnifying glass to working class family life in a way that few shows had done before. In our current political climate, there is a serious divide among working class families along political lines, and it will be interesting to see how Roseanne deals with that divide. There are, arguably, even more hot button political topics involving working class families today than there were during Roseanne's original run (and there were a lot then!), so it will be incredibly interesting to see if the show is up to the task of handling it.
CBS also announced today that it would be airing a rebooted Murphy Brown for at least 13 episodes during the 2018-2019 TV season. Similar to Roseanne, Murphy Brown covered many controversial topics that feel just as, if not more, relevant today than during the show's original run, particularly related to female empowerment and feminism. Murphy Brown, like Roseanne, will see star Candace Bergen returning to her role, so it's possible it will once again recapture the spark the original series had. Still, part of me wonders – why don't we focus on the current sitcoms and allow them to cover these polarizing topics? Some shows are already doing a great job of this, like NBC's Superstore or Netflix's One Day at a Time – which is technically a reboot in and of itself, but feels different enough from the original that it's, essentially, a new series.
Still, it'll be fun to see some familiar faces on TV again – and if Roseanne and Murphy Brown can recapture some of their own magic, maybe I'll warm to the idea of TV remakes. I'm not a fan of Fuller House and I've found the Will & Grace reboot to be patchy with some decent moments, but perhaps Roseanne and Murphy Brown will be the shows to change my mind.
Celebrate the classic comedy of 227 on 2/27 when Antenna TV, Tribune Broadcasting's multicast entertainment network airs an 18-hour/36-episode marathon of 227 on Tuesday February 27, 2018. Join Mary, Lester, Brenda, Sandra and the neighbors of 227 Lexington Place on Antenna TV for a "best of" marathon from 5a-11pm ET on 2/27. 227 regularly airs on Antenna TV weekdays at 3pm ET, and weekends at 1:30pm ET. 227 aired on NBC from 1985-1990 originally and starred Marla Gibbs, Hal Williams, Alaina Reed-Hall, Jackée Harry, Regina King, Helen Martin, and Curtis Baldwin. The series had 110 episodes in five seasons.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Monday, June 2
The Neighborhood - "Bienvenidos a Nosotros" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Marty prepares to head back to work but isn’t emotionally prepared to send Daphne to daycare. Meanwhile, Gemma notices an issue with the grade Grover’s receiving in his Spanish class.
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Pickleball" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The new neighbors who moved into Miss Kim’s old house are keeping the Butlers and Johnsons up all night. Meanwhile, Courtney tells Marty she is going on a date.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 1)
Monday, June 2
- Owen Wilson (Stick) - Watch Owen on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Dakota Johnson (Ben and Kate) - Dakota is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Christopher Sieber (It's All Relative/Two of a Kind) - Christopher is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Roy Wood Jr. (Sullivan & Son) - Roy is a guest on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- Leanne Morgan (Leanne) - Leanne guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - NBC's Today catches up with Lisa in the 10am hour.
- Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael is a guest on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Drew Sidora (Mind Your Business/The Game) - Drew appears on New York Living on New York Living at 10:05am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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