Ted Danson Back at NBC, This Time with Kristen Bell; Showtime Picks Up Jim Carrey Produced Comedy

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Ted Danson Back at NBC, This Time with Kristen Bell; Showtime Picks Up Jim Carrey Produced Comedy

Two-time Emmy Award winner Ted Danson and acclaimed actress Kristen Bell have been cast in NBC's new Michael Schur comedy series Good Place. Bell plays Eleanor, a woman from New Jersey who comes to realize that she hasn't been a very good person. She decides to turn over a new leaf by learning what it actually means to be "good" or "bad," and then trying to make up for her past behavior. Danson plays Michael, who, through an unlikely set of circumstances, comes to be Eleanor's guide through her self-designed self-improvement course. Danson is widely known for his iconic role as bartender Sam Malone on the 28-time Emmy-winning NBC comedy Cheers. Over the course of the show's historic 11-season run, Danson was nominated for 11 Emmys, winning twice. He was also nominated for eight Golden Globes and won twice. Besides Cheers, Danson has made his mark on several other acclaimed comedies, including HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm and Bored to Death. Most recently, he is coming off his role as a Minnesota state trooper in the critically applauded FX drama Fargo and also recently starred in CBS' CSI. Bell has extensive television experience, most notably the lead role in the popular drama Veronica Mars, which ran from 2004-07. She has many other TV credits, including Deadwood, Heroes, Party Down, Gossip Girl, Parks and Recreation and House of Lies. On the film side, Bell recently starred as the voice of Anna in Disney's box office hit Frozen, which grossed more than $400 million at the domestic box office. NBC ordered 13 episodes of Schur's Good Place last August during the network's TCA day.

I'm Dying Up here

SHOWTIME announced the pickup of a new one-hour comedy series I'm Dying Up Here. Set in L.A.'s celebrated, infamous stand-up comedy scene of the 1970s, during which the careers of many of the comedy superstars began, the series delves into the inspired and damaged psyches that are required to stand alone in front of an audience and make them laugh. From executive producer Jim Carrey, I'm Dying Up Here stars Academy Award(R) winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter, Louie), Ari Graynor (For A Good Time Call), Clark Duke (Hot Tub Time Machine, The Office), Michael Angarano (The Knick), Andrew Santino (Mixology), RJ Cyler (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl), Erik Griffin (Workaholics) and Stephen Guarino (Happy Endings) as part of a large ensemble cast. The comedy follows up and coming comedians in LA in the 1970s, who are mentored by "Goldie" (Leo), a brassy comedy club owner who rules over her business with an iron fist and nurtures her comedians with tough love. Graynor, Santino, Cyler, Griffin and Guarino star as the main stand-ups at the club. Angarano and Duke play ballsy young comedians from Boston who move to L.A. with the hopes of making it big. Emmy(R) Award nominee Alfred Molina (Chocolat), Sebastian Stan (Captain America: The Winter Soldier, The Martian), Oscar nominee Robert Forster (Jackie Brown), Jon Daly (Kroll Show), Al Madrigal (About A Boy, The Daily Show), Emmy nominee Dylan Baker (The Good Wife), Brianne Howey (Horrible Bosses 2), Ginger Gonzaga (Togetherness) and Oscar nominee Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull) guest star.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, December 13

Happy's Place - "Dear Jack" (NBC, 9:15PM ET/PT)
When Bobbie catches Isabella doing a slow-fade breakup with her long-distance boyfriend, she convinces her to send a Dear John letter; Steve brings in a review praising Chef Emmett's cooking and acknowledging the tavern's bartender, "Abby."

Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Dateline" (NBC, 9:45PM ET/PT)
When George's controversial new appliance turns up dead, he mounts a true-crime investigation; Chance tests the bounds of honesty with his family.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Splitting the Hairs" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob, Douglas and Christina try to get Dottie to make a will; Abishola and Kemi's friendship is tested after Abishola catches Kemi in a lie.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "There's My Nigerians" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While Bob and Abishola struggle to pull Dottie out of her depression, Auntie Olu and Uncle Tunde come over to lift her spirits.

Children Ruin Everything - "Bedtime" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When James finds an old game console, he and Astrid attempt to find free time to play; but a bedtime routine threatens to eat up all the time between when the kids are supposed to be in bed and when Astrid and James have to go to bed themselves.

Children Ruin Everything - "Drama" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Astrid and James struggle to hold onto their identities while raising their two young children in the city.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 9)

Friday, December 13

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Watch Kerry on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Space Force/Silicon Valley) - Jimmy appears on repeats of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC and on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Milana Vayntrub (Other Space), Jessica Lowe (Wrecked) and Jason Ritter (Another Period/The Class) - Milana, Jessica and Jason are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Richard Kind (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Spin City/Mad About You) and Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - NBC's Today catches up with Richard and Fred in the 9am hour.
Zosia Mamet (Laid/Girls) - Zosia talks about Laid on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Christian Slater (Breaking In) and Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Christian and Sarah are sitting down with Drew to talk all about working together on Dexter: Original Sin on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Lisa Kudrow (No Good Deed/HouseBroken/Web Therapy/The Comeback/Friends/Mad About You) - Lisa talks about chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Tom Selleck (The Closer) and Donnie Wahlberg (Return of the Mac) - Tom and Donnie discuss the series finale of Blue Bloods on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Nancy McKeon (The Facts of Life/Can't Hurry Love) - Nancy will be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.