New Sitcom Starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict Coming to NickMom; Episodic Review: New Girl - "First Date" Airing Tonight on Fox

Thursday, April 04, 2013

New Sitcom Starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict Coming to NickMom; Episodic Review: New Girl - "First Date" Airing Tonight on Fox

NickMom has ordered 13 episodes of Instant Mom (working title), the primetime TV block's first original scripted comedy series, starring Tia Mowry-Hardrict. The half-hour, multi-camera series is set to premiere later this year on NickMom and repeat on Nick at Nite. The series was originally set for Nick at Nite, as we mentioned last summer, but now it will premiere on NickMom and encore on Nick at Nite. The network is currently airing reruns of Yes, Dear after 10pm to test the sitcom waters. NickMom, as you know, is a new primetime ad-supported TV block for moms that airs on the Nick Jr. channel. The block features a mix of original long and short-form programming, including talk shows, stand-up and sketch comedy, docu-series and more. As for this sitcom, production will commence in Los Angeles this Spring with the series premiere scheduled for later in 2013. Stay tuned for premiere date and time.

Instant Mom follows young party girl Stephanie (Mowry-Hardrict) who trades in cosmos for carpools when she marries an older man, Charlie (Michael Boatman, Spin City), with three kids. Stephanie slowly grows into her role as a full-time stepmom while struggling to maintain some sense of her fun-loving, slightly irresponsible life. Sheryl Lee Ralph (Moesha) stars as Stephanie's mother Maggie and rounding out the cast are the three kids played by Sydney Park, Tylen Williams and Damarr Calhoun. The series is created by Warren Bell (Victorious, According to Jim) and Jessica Butler (In Plain Sight) and executive-produced by Howard Gould (The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Cybil) and Aaron Kaplan (Nickelodeon's Wendell & Vinnie, The Neighbors). View behind the scenes images from the pilot taping.

On the next...New Girl:
By: Vincent

Fox's Tuesday adorkable sitcom starring Zooey Deschanel airs on a special night tonight, Thursday at 9:00pm after American Idol and we have just watched the next episode that airs tonight (April 4). Will they or won't they? In the episode airing tonight, "First Date," Jess (Zooey Deschanel) and Nick (Jake Johnson), who are caught between friendship and something more, try to break out of relationship-limbo by going on a "first" date. Once Schmidt (Max Greenfield) and Winston (Lamorne Morris) realize a full-on Jess/Nick romance might be happening, they swoop in to try to sabotage the date. To complicate matters even further, Jess and Nick run into Jess' ex-boyfriend, Russell (guest star Dermot Mulroney), on their night out.

This is a pretty monumental episode of New Girl, with Nick and Jess finally addressing their feelings for each other and going out on a date. The show has played their relationship perfectly up to this point - pretty much every sitcom these days brings in a "will they/won't they" arc at some point, but New Girl's is the most compelling one in a long time. A lot of people have compared Nick and Jess to Sam and Diane from Cheers - and I can definitely see the comparison. They're simultaneously fascinated by and frustrated with each other, and they could just as easily be a disastrous couple as they could a perfect one. That's what's made their growing attraction to each other so interesting to watch, and it's all on perfect display in Date Night. Throw in a very funny subplot with Schmidt and Winston, and you have yet another excellent episode in what's been an incredibly strong sophomore season. B+

Check out a video preview:

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, November 24

Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Hosted by Emmy Award-winning actor Ray Romano and series creator Phil Rosenthal and featuring cast members Brad Garrett, Patricia Heaton, Monica Horan, Madylin Sweeten and Sullivan Sweeten, this new entertainment special celebrates the legacy of the hit comedy with one of television's most beloved families.

DMV - "There Is No I in DMV" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Barb takes the team on a field trip to the rival North Hollywood branch to learn the secrets of their success. She begins to doubt herself after meeting their charismatic manager, Beau (Randall Park). Meanwhile, Gregg and Vic get in Colette’s head that Noa prefers risk-takers.

St. Denis Medical - "A Strong Cup of Coffee" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alex is eager to impress her old charge nurse, Pam, who comes back to St. Denis; Serena and Matt try to solve a patient's mystery illness.

The Paper - "Buddy and the Dude" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Ned tags along on Mare's consumer sting story after Esmeralda tells him a bunch of things that get in his head; Oscar has to stick his neck out in a budget meeting; Detrick and Nicole play two truths and a lie until it blows up.

TV We Love - "Cheers" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
A look back at the Boston bar "where everybody knows your name," with cast and creators of "Cheers" sharing the spark that made it one of TV's greatest comedies.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 24)

Monday, November 24

Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Watch Jim on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. Tamron Hall has A DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Jim, a superstar who has taken everyday life and turned it into something unforgettable, so check your local listings. He joins the Tam Fam to talk about his brand-new special Live from the Old Forester: The Bourbon Set, which was filmed live on Louisvilles Whiskey Row, as well as parenting his five kids and more.
Daniel Radcliffe (Miracle Workers) - Daniel appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Merrily We Roll Along on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Taran Killam (Stumble/Single Parents) - Taran is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda sits down with ABC News’ Will Ganss on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect/Suddenly Susan) - Sherri chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Ke Huy Quan (Head of the Class/Together We Stand) - Ke stops by to talk Disney's Zootopia 2 on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Laurie Metcalf (The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie drops by the studio to talk Little Bear Ridge Road on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Brockmire/Free Agents/Herman's Head) - NBC's Today catches up with Hank in the 9am hour.
Lunell (Crutch/Lopez) - Luenell tells Sherri about her role on Tracy Morgan's new Paramount+ show Crutch on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Jake Lacy (High Fidelity/The Office/Better with You) - Jake talks about Peacock's All Her Fault on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.