Monday, January 18, 2016

Netflix Announces Premiere Dates, Including Ashton Kutcher Sitcom; Tracy Morgan Joins FX Comedy Pilot

Netflix

Netflix, the world's leading Internet TV network, announced premiere dates for several upcoming comedy series and kids series; the renewal of its acclaimed drama Marvel's Jessica Jones for a second season; and casting on the highly-anticipated series Black Mirror. That latter series: British star Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Beyond the Lights, Concussion and Doctor Who) and Canada's Mackenzie Davis (The F Word, Halt and Catch Fire and The Martian) have been cast in lead roles in one of the episodes of the Netflix original series Black Mirror. Owen Harris (Kill Your Friends) will direct the episode. Created and written by Charlie Brooker, the series is produced by House of Tomorrow, and Charlie Brooker and Annabel Jones serve as executive producers. Among the other pick-ups:

Flaked - Premieres globally Friday, March 11, 2016 at 12:01am PT. Flaked is the serio-comic story of Chip, a celebrated long-time resident of the insular world of Venice, California who falls for the object of his best friend's fascination. Soon the tangled web of half-truths and semi-bullshit that underpins his all-important image and sobriety begins to unravel. Five-time Emmy Award nominee Will Arnett plays Chip, a man doing his honest best to stay one step ahead of his own lies. The series also stars David Sullivan, Ruth Kearney and George Basil. Executive producers Will Arnett and Mark Chappell co-created and co-wrote the 8-episode series.

The Ranch - first 10-episodes premiere globally Friday, April 1, 2016 at 12:01am PT. Set in present day on a Colorado ranch, this multi-camera sitcom stars Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Sam Elliott and Debra Winger. The show follows Colt's (Kutcher) return home after a brief and failed semi- pro football career to run the family ranching business with his older brother Jameson "Rooster" (Masterson) and father Beau (Elliott), whom he hasn't seen in 15 years. Winger stars as Colt's and Rooster's mother, Maggie, who runs the local town bar. The Ranch is executive produced by Don Reo (Two and Half Men, My Wife and Kids) and Jim Patterson (Two and a Half Men, Mike and Molly). Kutcher and Masterson serve as executive producers and co-executive producer respectively.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - second installment premieres globally Friday, April 15, 2016 at 12:01am PT. After living in a cult for fifteen years, Kimmy (Ellie Kemper - The Office) decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City. Armed with just a backpack, light-up sneakers, and a couple of way-past-due library books, she's ready to take on a world she didn't even think existed anymore. Wide-eyed but resilient, nothing is going to stand in her way. She quickly finds a new job (working for 30 Rock's Jane Krakowski), a new roommate (Tituss Burgess - 30 Rock), and a new beginning. The cast also includes Lauren Adams, Sara Chase, Sol Miranda and Emmy winner Carol Kane (Taxi, The Princess Bride). The first season of this acclaimed comedy was nominated for an Emmy(R) award.

Grace and Frankie - second installment premieres globally Friday, May 6, 2016 at 12:01am PT. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin star as Grace and Frankie, two women whose lives are suddenly turned upside down when their husbands, played by Martin Sheen ("Robert") and Sam Waterston ("Sol"), reveal they are gay and leave them for each other. Both sparring partners and partners-in-crime, they form an unlikely bond to face an uncertain future together and discover a new definition of "family," with laughter, tears and plenty of mood enhancers along the way. From executive producers Marta Kauffman (Friends) and Howard J. Morris (Home Improvement), the hilarious and heartbreaking comedy takes on aging with gusto - from joint pain to joint rolling and blind dates to night blindness - and offers a poignant look at how life's turning points show us who we really are. The series also stars Brooklyn Decker, Ethan Embry, Baron Vaughn and June Diane Raphael.

Among the other notable announcements were: Orange is the New Black - fourth installment premieres Friday, June 17, 2016 at 12:01am PT; new drama Stranger Things starring Wynonna Ryder - premieres globally Friday, July 15, 2016 at 12:01am PT; and new drama The Get Down - part-one premieres globally Friday, August 12, 2016 at 12:01am PT. These announcements already join the other series already announced, including new comedy Love (Feb. 19) and a new season of House of Cards (March 4).


Tracy Morgan

Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan has closed a deal to develop and star in a comedy pilot for FX Networks to be written by Jordan Peele and John Carcieri. A career criminal is released from prison after 15 long years, hoping to reintegrate into a society that long ago left him behind. Now a man whose only expertise is making grilled cheese with an iron must navigate a modern world of political correctness, internet, and self-driving cars. Morgan (30 Rock, Cop Out), Peele (Key and Peele, MADtv, Wanderlusts), Carcieri (Eastbound & Down, Vice Principals) will serve as Executive Producers of the untitled pilot along with Eric Tannenbaum (Two and a Half Men, The Odd Couple) and Joel Zadak (Key and Peele, Dark Minions). The half-hour pilot episode will be produced by FX Productions and is tentatively set to begin production this summer.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, June 28

Mind Your Business - "The Boy Is Mine" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alfonso tries to maintain his newfound bromance after Aaliyah breaks up with his new friend; Kim goes the extra mile to inject luxury into their lifestyle to impress the moms of a Black Excellence club.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 23)

Friday, June 27

  • Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory/Happy Family/Welcome to New York/Cybill) - Watch Christine on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) and Fortune Feimster (FUBR/Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Tig and Fortune are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Reneé Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - NBC's Today Citi Concert Series features Reneé sometime between 7-9am and catches up with her in the 9am hour.
  • Topher Grace (Home Economics/That '70s Show) - NBC's Today catches up with Topher in the 9am hour.
  • Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) - Liza talks about The Bear on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Liz Gillies (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/Victorious) - Liz is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

06/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Comeback Returning for a Third and Final Season; South Park to Remain on HBO Max
06/27 - The White Lotus Star Teams Up with Netflix; Remembering Bobby Sherman, Lynn Hamilton, and Rick Hurst
06/26 - The CW's Fall Movie of the Week; First Look at New York Comic Con 2025
06/25 - Netflix Renews Ransom Canyon for Season 2; My Life with the Walter Boys First Look for Season 2
06/24 - Marc Maron Gets Second HBO Comedy Special; Outlander Prequel Renewed for Season 2 Ahead of Series Premiere
06/23 - MeTV Summer Changes, Adds Adventures of Superman; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Summer Guest Hosts
06/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 23, 2025)
06/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Night Court Officially Dead After Not Finding New Home; Weigel Announces New WEST Network
06/20 - Great American Media Announces New Danica McKellar Movie; Jennifer Love Hewitt ID True Crime Series
06/19 - Bad Thoughts Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix; Zarna Garg Gets Hulu Special This July
06/18 - Weigel Broadcasting Announces WEST Network with Classic TV Westerns; Hulu's Season 2 of Such Brave Girls
06/17 - Gary Coleman's Ex-Wife on A&E Series; Digman! Returns July 9 on Comedy Central
06/16 - Hulu's Chad Powers Teaser; Prime Video's Jesse Williams Series
06/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 16, 2025)
06/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Mulls Airing The Paper on Primetime Lineup; Fox Revives Baywatch Reboot Talk
06/13 - My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Renewed for 2 More Seasons; Hanna-Barbera Developing Adult Animated Series
06/12 - Comedy Superstar Jack Black Is the King of Comedy at Nickelodeon; Doc Adds Felicity Huffman
06/11 - Celebrities for Celebrity Family Feud Season 11; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Starts Production
06/10 - Warner Bros. Discovery Separates Company; Peacock's Jennifer Garner Series Adds to Cast
06/09 - Comedian Ms. Pat Gets Season 3 of Courtroom Series; Disney Branded Television Animated Slate
06/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 9, 2025)
06/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels Alert: Missing Persons Unit and The Cleaning Lady; Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune Headed to Streaming
06/06 - Hulu's First Look at Amanda Knox Drama; Prime Video Lands Spy Thriller
06/05 - Disney's Electric Bloom Gets Premiere Date; Conan to Guest on NBC's Late Night
06/04 - Netflix Announces Haunted Hotel with Comedic Voices; Prime Video Unveils Trailer for Thriller
06/03 - Netflix's Nobody Wants This Returns October 23; The CW Renews All American for Final Season
06/02 - Remembering Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H, Valerie Mahaffey of Young Sheldon, and The Simpsons Composer Alf Clausen
06/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 2, 2025)
05/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: New King of the Hill Reboot Details; CBS Makes Late Night Changes
05/30 - FX's Adults Pilot Available on Social Platforms; BET and BET+ Premiere New Tyler Perry Series in June
05/29 - Netflix's New Chuck Lorre Sitcom Leanne; Apple TV+ Season 4 Premiere of The Morning Show
05/28 - Max Renews Hacks for Season 5; Byron Allen Coming Back to CBS Late Night