TCA Summer 2017 Press Tour: Fox; HBO Renews Comedies Ballers and Insecure

Wednesday, August 09, 2017

TCA Summer 2017 Press Tour: Fox; HBO Renews Comedies Ballers and Insecure

Fox was up yesterday at the TCA Summer 2017 press tour. Among the announcements were Fox's next live musical event, A Christmas Story, will air Sunday, Dec. 17 from 7:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed LIVE on Fox. From Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, the three-hour live television event, inspired by the holiday classic feature A Christmas Story and the Tony Award-nominated Broadway production A Christmas Story: The Musical, will be executive-produced by award-winning film, television and theater producer Marc Platt (Grease: Live, La La Land). The epic adaptation will be filmed at the historic Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank. Emmy Award nominee Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live, Bridesmaids) will star as the mother of nine-year old "Ralphie Parker." Additional casting information to be announced soon.

Up next, Emmy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated actor Peter Krause (The Catch, Six Feet Under) has been cast in a lead role in Fox's provocative new drama, 9-1-1, from creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk (the American Horror Story" franchise, Nip/Tuck). The series will premiere in 2018. Krause joins previously announced Academy and Emmy Award nominee Angela Bassett (American Horror Story, What's Love Got to Do with It), in a new series that will begin with the fateful question, "9-1-1, what's your emergency?" The procedural drama explores the high-pressure experiences of police, paramedics and firefighters who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives.

Fox has ordered the new singing competition series The Four, it was announced. The Four begins where most competitions end: with the four finalists. Four super-talented and fiercely competitive singers, chosen from their auditions by the show's panel of music industry experts, will try to defend their coveted spots on the stage, as they are challenged individually by new singers determined to replace them. Each week, if any of the four are outperformed, they'll go home and their challengers will take their place. Expert panelists and additional information regarding The Four will be announced soon.

Ballers

With both series seeing record viewership this season, HBO has renewed the comedy series Ballers for a fourth season and Insecure for a third season. Looking at the whirlwind lifestyles and real-life problems of former and current football players, Ballers stars Dwayne Johnson as ex-superstar Spencer Strasmore, who has reinvented himself as a financial manager for today's players in sun-soaked Miami. The hit comedy series returned for its ten-episode third season Sunday, July 23, exclusively on HBO. Other cast regulars for the current season include: Rob Corddry, John David Washington, Omar Benson Miller, Donovan Carter, Troy Garity, London Brown, Jazmyn Simon and Dulé Hill.

Insecure

Created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, Insecure follows the friendship of two black women as they deal with their own real-life flaws while attempting to navigate different worlds and cope with an endless series of uncomfortable everyday experiences. Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis and Lisa Joyce star in the show, which returned for its eight-episode second season also on Sunday, July 23.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Sunday, July 25

Where Have All the Theme Songs Gone? (CNN, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Don Lemon reviews the most popular TV theme songs in history with Gary Portnoy of "Cheers", Christopher Knight from "The Brady Bunch", Fran Drescher from "The Nanny", and composer Kurt Farquhar.

History of the Sitcom - "Working for Laughs" (CNN, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Work families can be even funnier than our biological ones, since the endless array of wacky sitcom characters on the job offers hilarious insights into the state of the American workplace.

Duncanville - "Crimes and Misters Demean Her" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Jack coaches Jing's little league soccer team, but when he feels he's too easy on the kids he calls on Duncan to yell at the team to get them to win; Annie takes Kimberly to work with her after she has a falling out with her friends.

HouseBroken - "Who's Going to the Vet?" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Chief eats Jill's vibrator, he's taken to the vet and ends up leading his own version of group therapy; Tabitha goes to live with The Gray One and learns she has to sing and dance if she wants to survive.

The Simpsons - "The 7 Beer Itch" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Marge and the kids take a seaside vacation, Homer is unwittingly tempted by a British femme fatale.

The Great North - "My Fart Will Go on Adventure" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While the family prepares for Wolf and Honeybee's wedding, an unexpected guest RSVPs.

Bob's Burgers - "Y Tu Tina También" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Tina is forced to listen to Spanish audio lessons in the library to improve her grade, she develops an unexpected crush; Louise and Gene want to dunk Mr. Frond at the Wagstaff Spring Fair.

Family Guy - "The Marrying Kind" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Stewie gets a mail order bride and experiences domestic life; Peter and Chris become addicted to free hotel breakfast buffets.

Wellington Paranormal - "She-Wolf" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Officers O'Leary and Minogue investigate what they believe are dog attacks, but stumble upon something more mysterious.

Dead Pixels - "The Chair" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Alison becomes concerned over Meg's physical downturn and tries to sway her to a healthier regime; everyone worries about Nicky.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 19)

Friday, July 23

Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Watch Kim on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso/Son of Zorn/The Cleveland Show) - Jason will be on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Christine Baranski (Happy Family/Welcome to New York/Cybill) - Christine appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Minnie Driver (Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Sarah Levy (Schitt's Creek) - Sarah appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Leah Remini (Kevin Can Wait/The Exes/Family Tools/The King of Queens) - Leah is a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.