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, November 19

The Conners - "Slappy Holidays" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Chaos ensues when Dan finally gets the entire family together for Thanksgiving dinner. Mixed feelings about the Lunch Box continue to build tension in the house, and Harris makes an unexpected move. Guest starring is Eliza Bennett as Odessa.

Bless This Mess - "Six Out of Six" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mike and Rio are at odds with each other when they consider having a kid of their own; and they soon get a taste of the parenting life when they are forced to take care of Portia’s six piglets. Meanwhile, Kay and Beau may have found common ground during the annual Euchre tournament party.

mixed-ish - "Weird Science" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Rainbow’s passion for science deflates when her peers convince her that science isn’t cool. During Career Day, Rainbow code-switches and pursues journalism in order to fit in, only to find that the local news anchor attending the fair has also been hiding a part of herself. Meanwhile, Harrison works to mold a testimony from Denise who struggles to be anyone but herself, and Santamonica tries to steal the spotlight back after Johan suffers an injury.

black-ish - "O Mother Where Are Thou?" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Dre discovers that Lynette (guest star Loretta Devine) is an art aficionado like himself, the two quickly bond and become close, but he begins to feel guilty since he is spending more time with her than Ruby. Meanwhile, Junior introduces Bow to virtual reality.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 18)

Tuesday, November 19

Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) - Catch Michael on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Josh Gad (The Comedians/1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony/The Mindy Project) - Anna appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Rainn Wilson (The Office) - Rainn visits A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Ron Funches (Powerless/Undateable) - Ray and Ron are panelists on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) - Thomas drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin appears on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. She will also be on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Yara Shahidi (grown-ish/black-ish) - Yara is a guest on a repeat of LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Helen Hunt (Mad About You/It Takes Two) and Paul Reiser (Mad About You/Red Oaks/The Paul Reiser Show/My Two Dads) - Helen and Paul are guests on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Son of Zorn/Suburgatory) - Cheryl visits The Real, so check your local listings.
Olivia Holt (I Didn't Do It/Kickin' It) - Olivia appears on The Real, so check your local listings.
Tisha Campbell (Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) - Tisha guest co-hosts The Real, so check your local listings.
James Wolk (The Crazy Ones) - James stops by The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Kristin Davis (Sex and the City) - Kristin is a guest on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
Ashley Williams (The Jim Gaffigan Show/Good Morning, Miami) - Ashley talks about Holiday Hearts on People Now at 12pm.
The Cast of black-ish - The cast of black-ish are guests on a repeat of ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom talks about A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Tamera Mowry-Housley (Sister, Sister/Roommates) - Tamera will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Nicole Byer (Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole is a guest on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Andrea Barber (Fuller House/Full House) - Andrea appears on the BUILD Series at 1pm.
Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) - Soleil appears on the BUILD Series at 4pm.
Lena Waithe (Master of None) - Lena will be on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am.