SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Ready to Bring Back Will & Grace for Limited Series Reboot; black-ish Spinoff in the Works

Saturday, January 21, 2017

SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Ready to Bring Back Will & Grace for Limited Series Reboot; black-ish Spinoff in the Works

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! The TCA Winter Press Tour has wrapped up this week, with one big highlight coming from NBC. Additionally, there is news of a possible spinoff for black-ish, the death of an NCIS: Los Angeles star, and more.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

Will & Grace is officially coming back as a limited series reboot on NBC, and while we don't know how successful it'll be, some are expecting the somewhat different dynamics of this one compared to other reboots (with the difference being how similar it will be to the original series) might be the recipe for success. (Vulture)
black-ish could be on the verge of getting what every successful sitcom gets: a spinoff. (Deadline)
In many ways, the presidency of the United States can be defined by certain TV series that were popular in the era, from The Dick Van Dyke Show defining the Kennedy administration to Parks & Recreation defining the Obama administration. Vox takes a look at those and everything in between. (Vox)
We're hitting something close to a decade on how long it has been since Nicollette Sheridan was fired from Desperate Housewives, yet the lawsuits still continue. One was dismissed this week. (Deadline)
Actor Miguel Ferrer, who has been appearing on crime dramas going all the way back to Magnum, P.I. and Miami Vice and most recently had a main role on NCIS: Los Angeles, died this week at age 62. (New York Times)
It was announced this week that the cable network Esquire Network will be shutting down and transitioning to an on demand service, and that may also be the future for many other digital cable networks that people aren't really watching. (CNN Money)
Jerry Seinfeld is moving his web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, to Netflix. (SitcomsOnline)

TUESDAY (JANUARY 24) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B01N90AT92/happydaysonline8-20

Hooperman - Season One (DVD, $34.99) and Hooperman - Season Two (DVD, $34.99): Both seasons of the 80s comedy-drama series starring John Ritter and created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fischer arrives on DVD in this release.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Debra Messing (Twitter), "You liked Will & Grace? Miss Perception? Well, Happy New Year: TRAVELERS is streaming right now @netflix!"

Claim to Fame: For our Follow Me last week, we featured Eric McCormack, who played Will on the NBC series Will & Grace. Little did we know that this week, that series would be making news, as NBC announced the limited run reboot, so this week, we're presenting the other half of that duo, Debra Messing (who played Grace). But that series wasn't her first series in which she played a title half of a duo in which the show was named after the characters, as her first regular TV role came in the Fox series that was rather short-lived, but somehow still lives on today in reruns, Ned and Stacey (she played Stacey). In 2012, she had a starring role in the NBC series Smash, a rare series for her in which her character name was not Smash. But most recently, she appeared in the role of Laura on the NBC series The Mysteries of Laura, continuing her tradition of playing title characters in TV series.

Pick of the Tweets: "NOW it's true!! Wasn't official until yesterday!" (in response to the news of the Will & Grace reboot) (January 18, 2016)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, January 31

Night Court - "Dan v. Dating" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
With Abby's encouragement, Dan attempts to venture back into the dating world, but reigniting his love life proves more complicated than anticipated; Gurgs and Olivia search for a new office and find something they weren't expecting.

American Auto - "Most Hated CEO" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Ian and Sadie attempt to rehab Katherine's image from the pawl controversy by staging a phony video with Katherine's family and a visit to "Late Night with Seth Meyers."

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 30)

Tuesday, January 31

Pamela Anderson (Stacked/Home Improvement) - Catch Pamela on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Christ) - Terry is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Sally Field (Gidget/The Flying Nun/The Girl with Something Extra) - Sally will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Scott Caan (Entourage) - Scott appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
D. L. Hughley (The Hughleys/Double Rush) - D. L. guest hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm. He talks about taking over the responsibilities as guest host of The Daily Show on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Kal Penn (The Santa Clauses/Sunnyside/We Are Men) - Kal gives all the details about the upcoming ABC special Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Tia Mowry (Family Reunion/The Game/Sister, Sister) - Tia will be on The Jennifer Hudson Show, so check your local listings.
Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect) - Sherri talks about her new talk show on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
Jennifer Grey (Red Oaks/It's Like, You Know...) - Jennifer talks about her Lifetime film Gwen Shamblin on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on NBC's Today in the 10am hour..
Kyla Pratt (Call Me Kat/The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder/Let's Stay Together/One on One) - Kyla talks about the new Disney+ series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Harry Hamlin (Movie Stars) - Harry talks about AMC's Mayfair Witches on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Reyn Doi (That '90s Show) - Reyn will be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 8:50am.
Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet) - Drew appears on NBC's Today some time between 7-9am.
Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!) - NBC's Today catches up with Nathan in the 9am hour.