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, June 20

The Big Bang Theory - "The Decision Reverberation" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
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 - "Albert Einstein and the Story of Another Mary" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Inspired by his hero, Albert Einstein, Sheldon tries his hand at the violin. Also, Mary and Meemaw secretly buy a pregnancy test when Mary thinks she’s pregnant.

Life in Pieces - "Letter Promise Adult Seventy" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Matt and Colleen treat Jen and Greg to a fancy dinner as a “thank you” for writing a recommendation letter, Jen and Greg are mortified when they realize they never wrote it. Also, Sophia asks Tim and Heather to get her a pig; Clementine wants Tyler to stop going to his pediatrician for medical care now that he is an adult; and John’s parents decide to get a divorce.

Life in Pieces - "Clean Pens Grandma Guys" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Jen and Greg hire Edna (Mary Pat Gleason), the cleaning lady who has worked for John and Joan for years, Jen is horrified at her strange habits. Also, Matt, Heather, and Greg race to find the valuable souvenir pens John brought them when they were kids; Lucas is terrified of Joan; and when Tim invites Matt over to watch a sporting event on television, it takes a weird turn.

Baskets - "Baby Chip" (FX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Chip picks up Pedialyte.

Bunk'd - "Who da Boss? Lou da Boss!" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Lou takes over as director of Camp Kikiwaka and welcomes new camper Gwen and camp counselors Noah and Ava.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 17)

Thursday, June 20

Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) - Catch Kumail on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) - Aubrey stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Louie Anderson (Baskets/The Louie Show/Life with Louie) - Louie is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Baskets on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
Bill Pullman (1600 Penn) - Bill visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Cobie Smulders (Friends from College/How I Met Your Mother) - Cobie speaks about the film Spider-man: Far from Home on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Mark Consuelos (Alpha House/Hope & Faith) - Mark guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Brie Larson (United States of Tara/Raising Dad) and Bradley Cooper (Kitchen Confidential) - The Ellen DeGeneres Show has favorite moments with actors who star in superhero films, including Brie and Bradley, so check your local listings.
Diedrich Bader (American Housewife/The Drew Carey Show) - Diedrich appears on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony talks about Toy Story 4 on People Now at 12pm.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) and Tim Allen (Last Man Standing/Home Improvement) - Tom and Tim talk about Toy Story 4 on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Justin Long (The Conners/F Is for Family/Ed) - Justin talks about Life is Short on Access Live, so check your local listings.