Friday, April 20, 2018
Fri-Yay: Superstore is Doing the Will They/Won't They Story Arc Right; Laff Pays Tribute to Harry Anderson
by Vincent
Will They/Won't They story arcs are one of the cornerstone of sitcoms. They've been done since essentially the dawn of the genre, but perhaps became especially prevalent with Sam and Diane on Cheers and then Ross and Rachel on Friends. Since then, it seems like having two characters who seem like they're going to get together but have various hurdles in their way is a requirement for all sitcoms.
However, in recent years, the trend has veered towards putting characters together sooner than later, which isn't always the case. On Superstore, the central will they/won't they couple - Jonah and Amy - show no real signs of actually making a commitment as the show moves towards the end of its third season, which separates it from recent arcs like Jess and Nick on New Girl (perhaps the most iconic example of the form in the current era), although there have certainly been hints. What makes Superstore's approach especially interesting, though, is that it's just as interested in the dark sides of the will they/won't they as the warm and fuzzy romantic moments.
For example, the most recent Superstore showed Jonah's girlfriend Kelly being left alone as the lights turn off as Cloud 9 waiting for Jonah to show up for their date - instead, he's off with Amy at a country club. We see Jonah and Amy talking and laughing at the country club - then immediately cut to the consequences of that warm moment. Even darker, the show actually had Amy get divorced after the second season, for reasons not related to Jonah, but given that Amy and Jonah kissed for the first time around the time Amy ended her marriage, it's easy to draw the lines and wonder if it had some sort of impact. Adding fuel to the fire, Superstore has spent much of its third season detailing just how tough of a time Amy is navigating her life after her divorce. While her marriage was unhealthy and the divorce was a positive, it doesn't sugarcoat how difficult it can be to reshape your life when it's been shaped a certain way for so long.
Laff, the country's first-ever, over-the-air broadcast television network devoted to comedy around-the-clock, will pay tribute to Harry Anderson with a 12-episode "All Rise for Harry" Night Court Marathon this Saturday, April 21 starting at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Anderson, who passed away Monday at the age of 65, was a three-time EMMY® nominee as the star of Night Court, playing Judge Harold "Harry" T. Stone who presided over the nocturnal judiciary proceedings and its wacky cast of characters - both on trial and on staff. Anderson first gained national attention after he guest starred as grifter Harry "The Hat" Gittes on the first season of Cheers. That role, which he would reprise several times, led to his landing the lead role on the bench of Night Court.
Night Court was a staple of NBC's primetime line-up from 1984 to 1992. The popular series also featured John Larroquette's multiple EMMY®-winning performance as Dan Fiedling, the court's narcissistic prosecutor. The show also co-starred Markie Post, Richard Moll as the iconic court officer Bull, Selma Diamond and Marsha Warfield among others. Night Court can be seen on Laff weekdays at 3:00 p.m. (ET) with four episodes back-to-back. Laff features a hall-of-fame line-up of hit sitcoms which, in addition to Night Court, includes Roseanne, That '70s Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Drew Carey Show, Spin City, Grace Under Fire, Ellen and more. Home Improvement, starring Tim Allen, comes to Laff this fall.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Monday, April 29
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Name Drop" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Marty and Courtney's baby name gets spread around because nobody can keep a secret; Dave is assigned the ever-complicated task of assembling the diaper changing table.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Olu! I Popped!" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Bob and Abishola plan a trip to Las Vegas for Kemi’s wedding and Kemi and Chukwuemeka get into an argument over his mother.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 29)
Monday, April 29
- Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men/Togetherness) - Watch Melanie on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about The Tattooist of Auschwitz on NBC's Today some time between 7-9am.
- Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. She will also be on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
- Gayle Rankin (GLOW) - Gayle appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Caroline Rhea (Sydney to the Max/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Pride & Joy) - Caroline is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Jim stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Caroline Rhea (Sydney to the Max/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Pride & Joy) - Caroline is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Rachael Harris (Surviving Jack/In the Motherhood/Notes from the Underbelly) - Rachael appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet) - Co-host Gayle King sits down with Drew on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- Laura Benanti (Younger/The Detour/Go On/Starved) - NBC's Today catches up with Laura in the 9am hour.
- Rocky Carroll (Roc/Welcome to New York) - Rocky tells Sherri about the hit CBS show NCIS on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers/Frasier) - Bebe talks about Cabaret at the Kit Cat Club on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Nicole Ari Parker (And Just Like That.../Second Time Around) - Nicole discusses her Gymwrap sweat band line on Access Daily with Mario & Mit, so check your local listings.
- Seth Rogen (Platonic/Undeclared) - Seth is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Brandon Scott Jones (Ghosts/The Other Two/The Good Place) - Brandon talks about Ghosts on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
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