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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 21

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Funky Chili and Friends Who Take Their Clothes Off" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mandy and Jim butt heads when they take over the store for a sick Georgie and Ruben. Meanwhile, Audrey panics when Connor rekindles an old flame.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A New Beau and Someone Else's Mom’s House" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Georgie and Mandy take matters into their own hands when Mary starts warming up to Fagenbacher (Matthew Letscher). Also, Audrey struggles to cope with Connor’s absence.

Ghosts - "Up the Creek" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Woodstone’s future is put in jeopardy, Sam and Jay join forces with the ghosts to protect the mansion by securing its place in history.

Ghosts - "Across the Pond" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
A trip abroad could determine Woodstone’s fate. Meanwhile, a major career opportunity takes Sam out of town, leaving others to step in and help with the ghosts.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 18)

Thursday, May 21

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Watch the series finale of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) and Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Andy Cohen interviews Keke and Brooke on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
LaKeith Stanfield (Atlanta) - LaKeith chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laure discusses Death of a Salesman on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Niecy Nash (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy is Sherri's special guest on the final Sherri show, so check your local listings.
Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle stops by for a very special Sherri's Laugh Lounge on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - The Drew Barrymore Show has a little bit extra from Drew-crewers Ross Mathews, Sunny Anderson and Valerie sharing their tips in the kitchen with knife skills 101, so check your local listings.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) and Nick Jonas (Jonas) - Paul and Nick can be heard on the Morning Mash Up on SiriusXM.
Judith Light (Who's the Boss?/Phenom/Transparent) - Judith talks about AMC+'s The Terror: Devil in Silver on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts) - Utkarsh talks about Ghosts on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.