TCA 2017 Winter Press Tour: NBC, Includes Will & Grace Revival

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

Wednesday, October 28

The Goldbergs - "It's All About Comptrol" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Geoff and Erica come to a point in the relationship where they realize they are in different places in college; and Geoff makes an important decision while Beverly tries to find a new purpose in her life as she seeks political office as the city comptroller.

American Housewife - "Graudation" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Katie goes to great lengths to appease Principal Ablin (Jerry Lambert) in order to ensure Taylor graduates high school. Meanwhile, Greg finishes ghost writing the final chapter of Lonnie’s (Matt Shively) book. And while Oliver is devastated to learn Cooper’s (Logan Pepper) family will be moving out of Westport, Anna-Kat tells Franklin (Evan O’Toole) she is ready to venture outside her comfort zone and plans to attend sleep-away camp during summer break.

The Conners - "Halloween and The Election vs. The Pandemic" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Mary is devasted that Halloween has been canceled by the city, so Darlene and Becky enlist Jackie and the rest of the family to create an unforgettable experience. Meanwhile, Mark goes toe-to-toe with another kid at school who doesn’t believe in wearing a mask on “The Conners.” Michael Fishman, who stars as D.J. Conner, makes his directorial debut.

black-ish - "Dre at Home Order" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Dre underestimates how hard of an adjustment operating during a pandemic will be for the Johnsons. Meanwhile, Junior’s attempts to bring his girlfriend closer to the family are stymied by the new realities of social distancing.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Been a Long Time" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
House of Payne is the hilarious comedy about Retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella. Together the loving couple navigate the problems of life with their quirky modern day family.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "A Huge Debt" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Leah tries tracking Sandra's cell phone when she comes up missing.

Family Time - "Notorious D-O-G" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Lisa brings home a stray, despite Tony's aversion to dogs; Lisa's and Vivian's Soul Sisters Catering secure their biggest gig yet.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 26)

Wednesday, October 28

Gillian Jacobs (Community/Love) - Watch Gillian on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Ken Jeong (Community/Dr. Ken) - Ken appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Bette Midler (Bette) - Bette is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about New York Restoration Project’s Hocus Pocus Hulaween on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS. She chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Anna Faris (Mom) - Anna appears on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) - Natasha is a guest on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
D. L. Hughley (The Hughleys) - D. L. appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Rickey Smiley (The Rickey Smiley Show) - Rickey will be on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Thomas Middleditch (B Positive/Silicon Valley) - Thomas is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Mario Cantone (Sex and the City) - Mario appears on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Emma Roberts (Scream Queens/Unfabulous) - Emma will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your loca listings.
Michael Fishman (The Conners/Roseanne) - Michael talks about the season premiere of The Conners, directing his first episode and why he has become a mental health advocate on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
China Anne McClain (Tyler Perry's House of Payne/A.N.T. Farm) - China will be on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Ilana Glazer (Broad City) - Ilana is a guest on ABC's GMA3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) - Jameela talks about TBS's The Misery Index on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.