Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Episodic Review: The Neighbors - "Sing Like a Larry Bird" Airing Tonight on ABC; CBS Season Finale Dates

On the next...The Neighbors:
By: Pavan

ABC's Wednesday night comedy starring Jami Gertz and Lenny Venito airs Wednesday nights at 8:30pm and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (March 13). It's a musical episode with Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken writing the songs! In the episode airing tonight, "Sing Like a Larry Bird," increasingly comfortable exploring the world outside of their gated community, the Bird-Kersees ignore the Weavers' concerns and decide to go to into the city to see a Broadway show. Inspired by the experience, Larry Bird (Simon Templeman) decides to put on a musical of his own, which goes well until Dick Butkus (Ian Patrick) literally missteps. Instead of going to Marty (Lenny Venito) and Debbie (Jami Gertz) for help (as they have done many times before), the Bird-Kersees risk exposing their true identities when they call 9-1-1.

Who needs Les Miserables, when we have the Bird-Kersees! This episode has it all--comedy, drama, romance, and musical numbers. And not every part of the episode is a musical scene, so it has a good mix of music and actual dialogue. I've got to say though that the musical numbers the Bird-Kersee family (aka the aliens) did were outstanding. They were Broadway style and quite frankly, hilarious as hell. I think the Bird-Kersees can definitely smack the cast of Glee! This is one of the top episodes of the series so far and every member of the cast had a lot do in this episode. The Weaver family (aka the humans) didn't sing, but that's OK because that wouldn't have made sense since the Bird-Kersees were the ones curious about Broadway. This episode is not just a musical as I mentioned, but we have so many pop culture references that I couldn't even keep a full list. Cats, Hugh Jackman, Glee, Annie, Jay-Z, The Voice, 3rd Rock from the Sun, ET, and Magic Mike are just some of the very cool references made on tonight's episode. The Voice scene was hilarious as Larry, Jackie and Dick were choosing who they wanted to be part of their musical. And the two big musical numbers in this episode just crushed it and made the episode even better. The actual storylines of the episode were hilarious, too, from Larry & Jackie wanting to see a Broadway show without Marty & Debbie knowing to the Weaver kids rebelling and doing whatever they please. And Reggie Jackson brings the romance with comedy and music, as he ponders between his girlfriend Giselle or Amber Weaver. This one is definitely worth watching not just once but at least twice. It's Les Miserables without all the boring stuff and lots of comedy...and that's how it should be! A-

The Neighbors is a good show! It had a very bad wrap for some reason before it even premiered. I think people forgot about shows like 3rd Rock from the Sun, as that show was very good and was critically praised and it had a similar premise. This series has gotten way better since the early episodes, especially the pilot, so you should definitely catch-up if you haven't seen it since the pilot or episode two. I had a feeling this show would last because it is very mainstream and fits the ABC family comedy brand very well. It's unique and fun every week. I think many people are realizing that now and now no one says this is a bad show. Ratings have been definitely better than anyone ever expected, while not great but it is consistent. I think it will be back for a second season and perhaps it will be a contender for a Friday slot, where I think it could deliver the same ratings as it is now on Wednesdays. After tonight, there are only two episodes left before the season finale. It's truly a shame that tonight's episode is surrounded by repeats on ABC Comedy Wednesday. But maybe that's a good thing because this is the must see show of the night with this musical episode. It has the center of attention tonight and it delivers big time! It's not only going to smack the cast of Glee, but all of its critics from the summer who didn't give this show a chance at all.

View behind the scenes from tonight's episode featuring the work of Academy Award-winning composer Alan Menken:



CBS has announced season finale air dates that will include two-hour finales for Survivor: Caramoan - Fans Vs. Favorites, The Amazing Race, Criminal Minds and Elementary. The first finale will be on Sunday, April 28 at 9:00pm for The Good Wife. The other Sunday series will wrap on Sunday, May 5 with a two-hour finale for The Amazing Race from 8:00-10:00PM, followed by the season finale of The Mentalist at 10. CBS will dedicate Sunday, May 12 for the Survivor: Caramoan - Fans Vs. Favorites season finale from 8-10pm followed bu the live Reunion Show at 10. CBS has not announced what it will air on May 19 for the last Sunday of the TV season. Moving on to Thursday, May 9, the season finale of Two and a Half Men will air at 8:30 leading into the season finale of Person of Interest at 9. The other Thursday series will wrap a week later on May 16 with The Big Bang Theory at 8 (and probably a repeat at 8:30) leading into the two-hour season finale for freshman drama Elementary from 9-11pm. The Friday dramas will wrap-up on Friday, May 10 with Vegas at 9 and Blue Bloods at 10. The season finale of Undercover Boss will air a week later on Friday, May 17 at 8. CBS has not announced what will air 9-11pm on the last Friday of the season.

The Monday sitcom block will half wrap-up on Monday, May 13. The season finale of How I Met Your Mother will air at 8 and 2 Broke Girls at 9, while the other two sitcoms wrap up on the last Monday of the season on May 20 with Rules of Engagement at 8:30 and Mike & Molly at 9:30pm. Hawaii Five-0 will wrap up its season also on May 20 at 10pm. The CBS Tuesday drama line-up will all end their seasons a week early on Tuesday, May 14 with NCIS at 8, NCIS: Los Angeles at 9 and new drama Golden Boy at 10. And finally the Wednesday dramas will end on two separate weeks, with CSI on Wednesday, May 15 at 10 and a two-hour season finale for Criminal Minds from 9-11pm on May 22. No word on what will air at 8pm on both May 15 and 22, since Survivor wraps up its Wednesday airings on May 8. Stay with us for continued updates.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, March 28

The Conners - "Keep On Truckin' Six Feet Apart" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Conners are dealing with the pandemic and life's financial troubles.

The Conners - "Halloween and the Election vs the Pandemic" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Halloween has been canceled, so the family works to create an unforgettable experience.

Son of a Critch - "Airing Out" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The Critches are doing their annual airing-out-the-house ritual; some family secrets are uncovered.

Son of a Critch - "Cabaret" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Mark finally gets the chance to take the stage as a stand-up comedian.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 25)

Thursday, March 28

  • Joey King (Bent) - Joey talks about We Were the Lucky Ones on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
  • Giancarlo Esposito (Bakersfield P.D.) - Giancarlo discusses his starring role in the AMC crime-thriller series Parish on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy stops by to talk about her upcoming starring turn in Ryan Murphy's horror drama Grotesquerie on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about Abbott Elementary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Lorraine Toussaint (Where I Live) - Lorraine is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Father Knows Best - The Complete Series The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (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)

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

03/28 - Netflix's Good Times Animated Comedy Trailer; Too Close for Comfort and Check It Out! Complete Series on DVD
03/27 - The Upshaws Part 5 This April; Max Orders Noah Wyle Medical Drama
03/26 - Apple TV+ Orders Star-Studded Comedy; Elizabeth Banks Joins New Peacock Series
03/25 - Disney Channel Orders Wizards of Waverly Place Revival; Paramount+ Animated Comedy Ark: The Animated Series
03/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 25, 2024)
03/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Sets Premiere Date for Good Times Animated Reboot; NBC Renews Several Popular Series
03/22 - NBC Renews Nearly All Chicago and Law & Order Series; Goosebumps Season 2 Cast Update
03/21 - Hallmark Renews The Way Home; You Final Season Sets Cast
03/20 - Community Arrives on Peacock April 1, Movie Coming Soon; Hulu Premieres New Comedy Dinosaur April 5
03/19 - NBC Summer 2024 Schedule; Starz Drama Rounds Out All-Star Cast
03/18 - Shout! TV Celebrates 25 Years of Farscape; AMC Acquires Snowpiercer
03/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 18, 2024)
03/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Ty Burrell Sitcom in the Works at ABC; CBS Renews Ghosts
03/15 - Netflix Heads to the Arctic for Comedy Series; Neal Brennan's 3rd Comedy Special
03/14 - SNL Announces Second to Last 3 Episode Set of Season; Bill Maher Renewed for 2 More Seasons
03/13 - CBS Renews Ghosts and Fire Country; Apple TV+ Orders Owen Wilson Comedy
03/12 - Roseanne Couch Week on COZI TV; The CW Orders Leighton Meester Series for 2025
03/11 - Every Grey's Anatomy Episode Now on Hulu; You Season 5 Casting Update
03/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 11, 2024)
03/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Tim Allen Headlining ABC Comedy Pilot; NBC Developing Bewitched Inspired Sitcom
03/08 - Amazon Freevee Gets New Comedy Series; Apple TV+ Loot Returns April 3
03/07 - Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik Reprising Their Characters from Big Bang; Monsters at Work Returns for Season 2
03/06 - CBS Orders Multi-Camera Spin-off of Young Sheldon; FETV Acquires Highway Patrol
03/05 - Fox Summer 2024 Schedule, In-Season Finales; CBS Renews Tracker for Season 2
03/04 - Laff Acquires Matthew Perry and Will Arnett Sitcoms; Lisa Whelchel Returns for MeTV Series
03/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 4, 2024)
03/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Pluto TV Adds More Channels Including Universal Action; CBS Renews Young and the Restless for Four More Years
03/01 - Lopez vs Lopez Season 2 Brings Out the Stars; Prime Video's Música Drops April 4
02/29 - Season 3 of Hacks Adds Star Power; Remembering Richard Lewis
02/28 - BUZZR Celebrates Women's History Month in March; 10th Anniversary of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon