Fri-Yay: Modern Family Announces Next Season Will Be Its Last; The Kominsky Method Gets Three Veterans for Season 2

Friday, February 08, 2019

Fri-Yay: Modern Family Announces Next Season Will Be Its Last; The Kominsky Method Gets Three Veterans for Season 2

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

The end of yet another sitcom has been announced - Modern Family was renewed for an 11th and final season this week on ABC, with confirmation that the 2019-2020 TV season will be the final one for the landmark family comedy. It's yet another announced ending in a year that is seeing a lot of veteran comedies announcing their end. Just this year alone, we have The Big Bang Theory, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Broad City, You're the Worst and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend coming to an end. Next year, we already have the confirmed ending for Modern Family. There's quite a lot of sitcoms coming to their close within the next year or so - confirming that it's the end of an era for TV comedy.

As the decade draws to a close, it's not particularly surprising to see shows bowing out, but it certainly serves as proof that things are going to begin changing for sitcoms. The loss will be particularly felt by the end of Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory, arguably the two biggest sitcoms on network TV for the better part of this decade. As these two huge shows begin to wind down, there's really nothing in the works that immediately suggests it'll be taking their place as the commercial center of the sitcom universe. There are other hit sitcoms, to be sure - ABC still has a solid roster of family comedies (though the rest of their slate is beginning to age as well), CBS has Big Bang spin-off Young Sheldon pulling in big numbers, and of course there's The Conners still doing quite well. But nothing has burst onto the scene quite as much as those two shows did at their peak. Perhaps as we move deeper into the streaming age, huge, landmark sitcoms like these two on broadcast television might become a thing of the past, and sitcoms will become more and more niche-orientated. Time will tell - but until then, enjoy this last year of Modern Family while you can.

Jane Seymoud, Jacqueline Bisset and Paul Reiser

Jane Seymour, Jacqueline Bisset & Paul Reiser join Michael Douglas & Alan Arkin in season 2 of The Kominsky Method. The trio of actors will be joining Douglas and Arkin in the second season as recurring guest stars in multiple episodes. Jane Seymour plays Madelyn, a seventy-something, well-to-do woman who Norman (Arkin) had a mad love affair with in the Sixties before he met his wife. Fifty years later, they meet and start again. Jacqueline Bisset plays Gabrielle, Mindy's (Sarah Baker) mom and Sandy's (Douglas) French ex-wife who delights in still being able to push the buttons of her ex-husband. Ans Paul Reiser plays Martin, a sixty-something high school teacher who gets romantically involved with Sandy's (Douglas) daughter, Mindy (Baker).

The sun isn't setting yet on the once famous Sandy Kominsky and his longtime agent Norman Newlander. Academy Award(R) Winners Michael Douglas (Kominsky) and Alan Arkin (Newlander) continue their journey as two friends tackling life's inevitable curveballs as they navigate their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty. Both comedic and emotional, The Kominsky Method is a half-hour single camera comedy created by 8-time Emmy Award Nominee Chuck Lorre. Lorre, Al Higgins and Michael Douglas executive produce the series which is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Thursday, April 25

The Big Bang Theory - "The Decision Reverberation" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Koothrappali is worried people won’t take him seriously in his own field after publishing a paper that suggests he may have discovered alien life. Also, Leonard wants to be the principal investigator on a plasma physics study.

Young Sheldon - "A Political Campaign and a Candy Land Cheater" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Unhappy that school funds are going towards football rather than academics, Sheldon decides to run for class president.

Mom - "Triple Dip and an Overhand Grip" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Bonnie and Tammy revisit childhood memories on a trip to their old foster home. Also, Christy and Jill regret accepting a date with two guys from their AA meeting.

Life in Pieces - "Misery Turd Name Pills" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
While Joan is bedridden recovering from surgery, she persuades Sophia to spend time with her, which she quickly regrets. Also, Jen and Greg select a name for their new baby only to learn that Matt and Colleen chose the same one; Colleen and Matt invite the family over to get to know Morgan (Joey King); and Heather has a new business idea.

Superstore - "Quinceañera" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Jonah (Ben Feldman) struggles to find his place at Amy’s (America Ferrera) daughter Emma’s quinceañera, while Dina (Lauren Ash) proves very popular with some teenage boys. Cheyenne (Nichole Bloom) and Mateo (Nico Santos) are obsessed with seeing Amy cry.

A.P. Bio - "Sweet Low Road" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When budget cuts threaten to gut Whitlock and put his job in jeopardy, Jack recruits Mary, Stef, and Michelle to take down the Superintendent. Durbin plans an appeal to the heart, while the students plan an appeal to the soul.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - "Tickling Clocks" (NBC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
In an episode that takes place in real time, Jake and the squad must track down a hacker who has infiltrated the Nine-Nine's servers. Rosa deals with relationship issues. Hitchcock and Scully attempt to cook the perfect lasagna.

Abby's - "Mail Bin" (NBC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Abby finds a letter from her estranged father in a pile of unopened mail and opens up to the group about their fraught relationship.

Better Things - "The Unknown" (FX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Sam gets theatrical.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 22)

Thursday, April 25

Paul Rudd (Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later/Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp/Wild Oats) - Catch Paul on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Susan Kelechi Watson (Louie) - Susan is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Lake Bell (Bless This Mess/Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp/How to Make It in America) - Lake visits E!'s Busy Tonight at 11pm.
Steve Lemme and Kevin Heffernan (Tacoma PD) - Steve and Kevin are guests on E!'s Busy Tonight at 11pm.
Bradley Cooper (Kitchen Confidential) - Bradley stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Diedrich Bader (American Housewife/Veep/The Drew Carey Show) - Diedrich visits The Real, so check your local listings.
Margo Martindale (The Millers) - Margo appears on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James talks about Life in Pieces on People Now at 12pm.
Alfonso Ribeiro (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/In the House/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso is a guest on Access Live, so check your local listings.
Laurie Metcalf (The Conners/The McCarthys/Getting On/Roseanne) - Laurie talks about Hillary & Clinton on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
Queen Latifah (Living Single) - Queen Latifah appears on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on the BUILD SERIES at 3pm.
Ali Wentworth (Nightcap) - Ali is a guest on ABC's Strahan & Sara at 1pm.
Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) and Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) - Billy and Ben talk about Standing Up, Falling Down on the BUILD Series at 1pm.