Friday, July 07, 2017

Fri-Yay: The Carmichael Show Is Canceled; HBO's Vice Principals Returns in September

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

The Carmichael Show

by Vincent

This week, it was announced that NBC has cancelled The Carmichael Show, a critically acclaimed but little watched sitcom that had aired on the network (mostly during the summer) for three seasons. The Carmichael Show's cancellation wasn't entirely a surprise - the show never gained much of an audience despite its acclaim and some valiant efforts by NBC, including slotting it behind hits like Little Big Shots and America's Got Talent. But it's still pretty upsetting, nonetheless - The Carmichael Show was a genuinely great sitcom, and although it never took off in the ratings, it may be a show whose impact will be felt for years to come. That's because The Carmichael Show, in many ways, restored respectability to the multi-camera sitcom. The multi-camera sitcom never truly died (The Big Bang Theory is the biggest sitcom hit of the decade, after all) but, for many years, it was considered to be an old and outdated form. Critics ravaged multi-camera sitcoms, and many considered the form to be "dead" artistically.

However, in the past few years, there has been a boom of multi-camera sitcoms that gain the attention of critics and television fans for their ability to use the format's strengths to their advantage, shows like The Carmichael Show, Mom, and One Day at a Time. All of these shows use the multi-camera format in much of the same way the best shows of the format from years past did - to relate to their audience in a grounded way while telling stories that are fresh, relevant, and in many ways, like nothing else you could find on TV. When used correctly, the multi-camera sitcom can really make the audience feel what it's trying to get across, and create an experience that is both classic, comforting but also capable of educating and making viewers think. (Think of how Roseanne allowed viewers to experience life in the lower middle class, or the way All in the Family brought real life issues into Americans' living rooms for the first time.) The Carmichael Show realized that, and ultimately paved the way for other shows to do the same. If you haven't checked out this underrated sitcom, I really recommend it - whether you're an old-school fan or whether you prefer snappy new sitcoms, anyone can get something from this multi-camera gem.


Vice Principals

HBO has confirmed the debut date for the second season of the comedy series Vice Principals, which will conclude its 18-episode, two-season run with nine new episodes starting Sunday, Sept. 17 at 10:30pm ET/PT. The tumultuous school year at North Jackson High continues and a new semester brings lots of changes. Gamby and Russell are about to learn that the only thing harder than gaining power is holding on to it, as the darkest comedy on television returns to finish what was started. Danny McBride (Gamby) and Walton Goggins (Russell) star in part two of HBO's hit comedy series, created by McBride and Jody Hill and directed by David Gordon Green. McBride, Hill and Green are joined as executive producers by Jonathan Watson and Stephanie Laing. Also starring in Vice Principals are Kimberly Hebert Gregory, Georgia King, Busy Phillips, Shea Whigham and Sheaun McKinney.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, October 30

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Will and a Dead Man’s Wife" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s not ready for his mother to start dating again. Meanwhile, Jim and Audrey struggle to make their wills.

Ghosts - "Halloween 5: The Mummy" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sam and Jay’s Halloween takes a spooky turn when they accidentally unleash a mummy ghost.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 27)

Thursday, October 30

  • Emma Stone (The Curse) - Catch Emma on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Justine Lupe (Nobody Wants This/Cristela) - Justine talks about Nobody Wants This on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Harland Williams (The Geena Davis Show/Simon) - Harland is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) - Steve chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Patti LaBelle (Out All Night) - Patti is whipping up something tasty in the kitchen, plus a special announcement just for the Tam Fam on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Ariana Greenblatt (Stuck in the Middle) - Ariana talks about Now You See Me: Now You Don't on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Leanne Morgan (Leanne) - Leanne co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy talks about her upcoming Hulu series All's Fair on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland/Big Day/Jake in Progress/Just Shoot Me!), Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland/Frasier/Throb) and Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Hot in Cleveland co-stars Wendie Malick and Jane Leeves are surprising Valerie Bertinelli for a cast reunion and to dish on their time working on the hit show on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Joel talks about Apple TV's Loot on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

10/30 - ABC's The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary Special on November 11; NBC 2025 Holiday Specials
10/29 - ABC Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu Renews Only Murders in the Building for Season 6, Now in London
10/28 - Hulu Debuts Trailer for Original Holiday Film; Sidelined Returns for Sequel on Tubi
10/27 - Netflix Grabs Victorious Spinoff Hollywood Arts; Dancing with the Stars Up for 5th Straight Week
10/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 27, 2025)
10/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frankie Muniz Shares Photo Outside Studio for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; Warner Bros. Discovery Still Looking for New Owner
10/24 - USA Network Renews The Rainmaker; Reba Hosting Christmas in Rockefeller Center
10/23 - The CW Holiday Specials Schedule; Apple TV Fraggle Rock Special
10/22 - Apple TV's Shrinking Returns in January 2026; Season 2 of Idris Elba Series Also Returns in January 2026
10/21 - FETV Acquires Here Come the Brides; Netflix's Mo Amer Special Trailer
10/20 - SNL November Guests Lineup; It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2025 Schedule
10/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 20, 2025)
10/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at NBC Comedy Stumble; Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Showrunner Talks When the Inevitable May Happen
10/17 - Apple TV's Palm Royale Returns November 12; Pop Culture Jeopardy! Moving to Netflix
10/16 - Kathleen Madigan Prime Video Special; His & Hers Premiere Date for Netflix
10/15 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Premiere Strong; Sebastian Maniscalco's Hulu Comedy Special Date
10/14 - Tubi's Breaking Bear Premieres March 2026; NBC's Stumble Trailer
10/13 - Jurassic World: Chaos Theory Final Season; Bat-Fam Premieres November 10 on Prime Video
10/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 13, 2025)
10/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Upcoming Paramount+ Sitcom Crutch; Yellowjackets to End After Upcoming Season
10/10 - Prime Video Releases Trailer for The Mighty Nein; Season 2 Premiere Date for Cross
10/09 - Rachel Sennott's I Love LA Comedy Series Trailer; Kaley Cuoco Heads to MGM+
10/08 - Prime Video's Kevin Details; Trailer for Crutch with Tracy Morgan
10/07 - The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer
10/06 - Dancing with the Stars Surging in Viewership, Especially Among Younger Viewers; Remembering Kimberly Hébert Gregory of Vice Principals
10/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 6, 2025)
10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025