SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Renews Trial & Error; Three Cast Members Exit Saturday Night Live

Saturday, May 27, 2017

SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Renews Trial & Error; Three Cast Members Exit Saturday Night Live

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! The news has died down a bit this week, but we do have one post-upfront renewal for a comedy on NBC, we're hearing about some departures from Saturday Night Live, and we're still trying to figure out what ABC was thinking with that Dirty Dancing revival. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

It took a little while to happen, but NBC ultimately decided to renew Trial & Error for a second season. (Entertainment Weekly)
Viacom's cable networks (which have had significant woes in recent years with declining ratings and being moved to cable packages that few people subscribe to) are going through a realignment, and Deadline has a guide to where you can find some of the original programming that has been or will be moved. (Deadline)
When Saturday Night Live returns in the fall, it will be without three cast members who've been a significant part of the show for several years. (Daily Mail)
ABC hyped their remake of Dirty Dancing one of their highlights for the season, and it did bring in viewers, but it was not very well received by viewers at all. (Vox)
The past few months have caused quite a shakeup in cable ratings, with long-time number three network MSNBC taking top honors and long-time number one network Fox News falling to number three. (Variety)
Jared Martin, best known for his role of Dusty Farlow on Dallas, died this week at age 75. (Hollywood Reporter)
The timing seems a little odd, given that the trial for the star of the series is set to begin soon and jury selection happened this week, but The Cosby Show has returned to cable on TV One (after first returning to the broadcast digital network Bounce TV a few months ago) for the first time in years this week. (SitcomsOnline)

TUESDAY (MAY 30) HOME MEDIA RELEASE

Hart to Hart - The Complete Series (DVD, $159.99): Shout! Factory brings together every season of the classic series (though not the post-series reunion movies) in this set.

FOLLOW ME

Who to Follow: Lauren Adams (Twitter), "Gretchen on Netflix Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. NYC. Pizza. Onassis Comedy. Insta: imlaurenadams."

Claim to Fame: Lauren Adams is not exactly a household name, and you won't find her name in the credits of any broadcast or cable network TV series. But she has found her first claim to fame on the Netflix comedy, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, as well as the Hulu comedy Deadbeat. In Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, she plays Kimmy's fellow former cult member, Gretchen, who often finds herself missing the cult lifestyle and wanting to relive it however she can, something that ultimately leads to an unexpected crossover that we won't spoil here in the third season of the series (now streaming on Netflix). We don't know what's next for her character, but of all of the cult members, her story is interesting enough to have her own spinoff based upon the events in the most recent season of the series. While these may be her first roles, we certainly anticipate that they won't be her last, and we'll be seeing her in more comedy series and movies over the years.

Pick of the Tweets: "Happy unbreakablekimmyschmidt day! So honored to be a part of this show! Enjoy some #bts photos… (link)" (May 19, 2017)

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, April 1

St. Denis Medical - "Anything to Push Zaluva" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron's teasing makes Joyce question whether her friendship with a pharmaceutical rep is genuine; Alex has trouble letting Serena take on a new task; Matt finds a mentor in Bruce.

Night Court - "Hot to Trot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby's friendship with her ex-boyfriend's mother leads to romantic complications; when Julianne's wealthy aunt passes away, the gang vies for a piece of her inheritance.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Love At First Swipe" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
C.J. and Janine receive marital advice from an unlikely source; Peanut seeks help with his newfound online lover.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Failure 2 Launch" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Assisted Living is the new situation comedy by Tyler Perry about three generations who must make a new start in the rural backwoods of Georgia.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Tuesday, April 1

Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Catch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kevin is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Vinny Thomas (Platonic), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Lopez vs Lopez/Corporate) - Vinny, Paul and Aparna are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) and Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Chase and Kathryn are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9:30pm on Bravo.
Will Ferrell (The Office) and Jennifer Coolidge (2 Broke Girls/Joey) - E! News has interviews with Will and Jennifer at 11pm on E!.
Román Zaragoza (Ghosts) - Román talks about Ghosts on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Michael Angarano (Laid/I'm Dying Up Here/Will & Grace) and Michael Cera (Life & Beth/Arrested Development/I Was a Sixth Grade Alien) - Michael and Michael talk about Sacramento with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah talks about Hacks on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Tasha Smith (Survival of the Thickest/Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse/The Tom Show/Boston Common) and Tone Bell (Survival of the Thickest/Fam/Disjointed/Truth Be Told/Bad Judge/Whitney) - Tasha and Tone talk about the new season of Netflix’s Survival of the Thickest on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Kathryn Hahn (The Studio/Tiny Beautiful Things/Central Park/Happyish/Transparent/Free Agents) - Kathryn is dishing on her new comedy series The Studio on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about Netflix's Running Point on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty) - Paul is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.