Thursday, January 19, 2017
TCA 2017 Winter Press Tour: NBC, Includes Will & Grace Revival
NBC is rounding out the TCA 2017 Winter Press Tour. The biggest news was a classic sitcom that is indeed coming back. "Honey ... What is this? What's going on? What's happening?" NBC is officially bringing back television's favorite foursome with a 10-episode limited run of Will & Grace during the 2017-18 season. Stars Eric McCormack, Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally - each of whom received at least one Emmy Award for their respective performances throughout the series - will be back, and original series creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan will act as showrunners and executive producers. Legendary director James Burrows, who directed every episode of the show during its initial eight-year run, is on board to direct and executive produce. Debuting in 1998, the show's popularity climbed steadily, ultimately becoming the highest-rated sitcom in the adults 18-49 demo from 2001-05, and garnering an audience of more than 18 million for its series finale in 2006. In addition to taking its place in the cultural zeitgeist as a critic and fan favorite, Will & Grace was nominated for 83 Emmy Awards, winning 16 of them including Outstanding Comedy Series. Universal Television will produce and distribute the 10 all-new episodes.
Other NBC TCA updates include: To the delight of a massive and passionate fan base, NBC has ordered two minimum 18-episode seasons of its Tuesday night drama sensation This Is Us. The Pearson family will be spending a few more birthdays with NBC. Next, NBC will offer audiences a preview of Chicago Justice, the newest installment of superproducer Dick Wolf's highly successful Chicago franchise, on Wednesday, March 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The preview will immediately follow a crossover event between Chicago Fire at 8 p.m. and Chicago P.D. at 9 p.m. that is set to introduce a storyline which seamlessly flows into Chicago Justice. The premiere of Chicago Justice will air in its normal 9 p.m. Sunday timeslot beginning March 5. Finally, NBC has ordered 20 more episodes of its edge-of-your-seat new alternative hit The Wall, executive produced by NBA superstar LeBron James and Maverick Carter and hosted by Chris Hardwick.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Thursday, September 28
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 25)
Thursday, September 28
- George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - Catch George on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. He joins Drew for the entire show opening up about meeting the love of his life Amal, revealing the sweet thing they still do for each other to this day, their engagement story and more on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Eva Longoria (Telenovela) - Eva appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Brockmire/Free Agents/Herman's Head) - Hank is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Diane Morgan (After Life) - Diane appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Sebastian Maniscalco (How to Be a Bookie) and Baron Vaughn (Grace and Frankie/Corporate) - Sebastian and Baron are guests on repeats of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
- Garcelle Beauvais (Survival of the Thickest/The Jamie Foxx Show) - E! News has an interview with Garcelle at 11pm on E!.
- Kerry Washington (Unprisoned) - Kerry is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 10pm on Bravo.
- Ed Begley Jr. (Young Sheldon/Your Family or Mine/Gary Unmarried/Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)) - Ed talks about his new book To the Temple of Tranquility...And Step On It! A Memoir on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Tiffani Thiessen (Saved by the Bell/Alexa & Katie/Good Morning, Miami/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Tiffani discusses her latest cookbook, Here We Go Again: Recipes and Inspiration to Level Up Your Leftovers, on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Sam Jay (Bust Down) - Sam talks about her just-released HBO comedy special, Salute Me or Shoot Me, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (June-October)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
07/18 - South Park - Seasons 21-25 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/25 - The Neighborhood - Season Five
07/25 - Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin - Season One
07/25 - Superstore - The Complete Series
08/22 - Back to Life - Season 1 / Season 2
08/29 - Smiling Friends - Season 1 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
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