Monday, January 18, 2016
Netflix Announces Premiere Dates, Including Ashton Kutcher Sitcom; Tracy Morgan Joins FX Comedy Pilot
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).
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, July 12
Mind Your Business - "Love Child" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alfonso and Aaliyah's world is flipped upside down when their mother's secret love child comes into town, while Mia tries to figure out who is sending her gifts every hour on the hour.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 7)
Friday, July 11
- Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Fairview/Corporate) and Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Aparna and Whitney are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Malachi Barton (Stuck in the Middle) and Meg Donnelly (American Housewife) - Malachi and Meg discuss Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires and perform on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. They will also be on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton talks about Black Coffee and Ice Water on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) and Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - CBS News contributor Lisa Ling talks with Margaret and Joel on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Tamron Hall (repeat) has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE sitdown with actress/director/author Krysten Ritter who recently released her new thriller/mystery novel Retreat, so check your local listings.
- Maggie Q (Pivoting) - Maggie Q talks about Prime's Ballard on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Tisha Campbell (Act Your Age/Uncoupled/Outmatched/Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) and Wendy Raquel Robinson (Poppa's House/The Game/Here We Go Again/The Steve Harvey Show/Minor Adjustments) - Tisha and Wendy chat about their film Operation: Aunties on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings. They will also be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
- David Zayas (The Bear/Saint George) - David appears on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.
New on DVD and 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)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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