Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Kudrow's The Comeback to Make a Comeback on HBO; Bounce Brings Back Family Time and Adds 2 More Sitcoms
A comeback is happening for The Comeback after nearly a decade. "B level" TV star Valerie Cherish was a pioneer of reality television. Now, it's ten years later - there's more TV than ever and she wants back in. Lisa Kudrow (Emmy(R) winner for Friends) returns to star as the embattled Valerie Cherish, a fading TV "It Girl" who was once so desperate to stay in the spotlight that she allowed cameras to follow her every move as she appeared on a new sitcom - with disastrous results. When the comedy series The Comeback returns as a new six-episode limited series this fall, exclusively on HBO, Valerie thinks she has it all figured out this time. She doesn't. Scheduled to begin production in Los Angeles this month, the show was created by Michael Patrick King (Emmy(R) winner for HBO's Sex and the City) and Lisa Kudrow, who will serve as executive producers along with producing partner Dan Bucatinsky (Emmy(R) winner for Scandal).
The first season of The Comeback, which debuted in 2005 on HBO, explored the madness of television, a Beverly Hills lifestyle, the dual roles of wife and stepmom, the trouble with growing older in Hollywood, and the bravery of a comic-tragic 40-year-old actress who was desperate to look like she was keeping her head above it all. The series was singled out by both TIME and Entertainment Weekly as one of the ten best shows of the decade. In the new episodes, Valerie continues her search to attain the spotlight, but this time around, it illuminates a whole new series of problems when she achieves the visibility she wants.
Bounce TV has renewed the half hour situation comedy Family Time created by Bentley Kyle Evans (The Jamie Foxx Show, Martin, Love That Girl!) for a second season. The first season ended in summer 2012, so after two years this show will return to production. Family Time centers around the life and times of The Stallworths, a working class African American family who wins the lottery and jumps from the 'hood to "all good" overnight. This family-next-door consists of two loving parents: Anthony (Omar Gooding) and Lisa (Angell Conwell) Stallworth and their children Ebony (Jayla Calhoun) and Devin (Bentley Kyle Evans, Jr.). Trenton Gumbs (Love That Girl!) serves as a producing partner and season two premieres Fall 2014. In addition, Bounce TV has ordered two new sitcoms. The first is Mann & Wife. Husband and wife team David Mann (Madea's Big Happy Family) and Tamela Mann (Sparkle), stars of the hit Tyler Perry sitcom Meet The Browns, reunite for a new show which series creator and director Roger Bobb (The Rickey Smiley Show) calls "a black Brady Bunch." The new sitcom will premiere in Winter 2015. Casting is to be announced. And finally, new sitcom Sisters is an all-new original sitcom centered around a once-famous R&B group called the "Ladies of Essence" who, after life has thrown each of them a few curve balls, find themselves fabulous, forty and forced to live under the same roof. Produced by Roger Bobb's BobbCat Films, Terri J. Vaughn and Cas Siger's Nina Holiday Entertainment and Chip Hurd, this sitcom will premiere in Summer 2015.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Wednesday, September 27
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Big Thanks Little Thanks" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Leah tasks Sandra with making the Thanksgiving turkey, but Sandra's got no clue how to cook and there are a lot of hangry residents ready to revolt. Anastasia struggles to cope when an old friend passes away.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Super Senior" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Anastasia decides to go back to college, but quickly discovers how much things have changed since she was last on campus. The rival facility across the street challenges the Pleasant Days crew to a walk-a-thon for charity.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "By Any Means Necessary" (BET, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Chilecia becomes Jeremy's good luck charm in poker but it hinders Philip's relationship while voting differences cause an argument between all generations at the facility.
The Ms. Pat Show - "Body Aches and Body Shakes" (BET, 10:30PM ET/PT)
Brandon's past comes back to haunt him when he decides to switch his career path; Terry gets a little too friendly with a colleague at work.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 25)
Wednesday, September 27
- Howie Mandel (Good Grief) - Watch Howie on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/The Ellen Show/Welcome to New York) - Jim is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Spin City/Mad About You) - Richard appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Billy Gardell (Bob Hearts Abishola/Mike & Molly/Yes, Dear) - Billy is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
- Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) and Heather Dubrow (Stark Raving Mad/Jenny/Life with Roger) - Jenny and Heather are guests on Watch What Happens: Live at 3:30am on Bravo. Jenny talks all about the 10th season of the hit Fox reality show, The Masked Singer, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Leslie Odom Jr. (Love in the Time of Corona/Big Dady) - Leslie will be on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso/Krapopolis) - Hannah unpacks her role on the new series Krapopolis on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
- Matthew A. Cherry (Young Love) - Matthew talks about Max's Young Love on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Peter Facinelli (Nurse Jackie) - Peter will be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (June-October)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
07/18 - South Park - Seasons 21-25 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/25 - The Neighborhood - Season Five
07/25 - Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin - Season One
07/25 - Superstore - The Complete Series
08/22 - Back to Life - Season 1 / Season 2
08/29 - Smiling Friends - Season 1 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
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