Thursday, October 19, 2017
Freeform Announces Comedy Block for Wednesdays; The Simpsons Documentary Airs on Fox Sunday
Freeform, Disney's young adult television and streaming network, announced the premiere dates for its highly anticipated comedies grown-ish and Alone Together. Starting Wednesday, January 3 at 8:00pm EST, catch the one-hour debut of grown-ish from executive producer Kenya Barris and starring black-ish actress Yara Shahidi reprising her role as Zoey. The following week on Wednesday, January 10 at 8:30 p.m. EST, catch the premiere of Alone Together, the irreverent buddy comedy from executive producers Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone, starring comedians Esther Povitsky and Benji Aflalo. The network announced an expanded lineup with four branded nights of original series. In addition to Freeform's Wednesday night comedy block, the network will roll out various programming blocks over the next few months as outlined below:
• Monday nights will consist of unscripted originals kicking off with the series premiere of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings in the spring.
• Tuesday nights will be dedicated to original dramas beginning Q1 with The Fosters, leading into Shadowhunters on April 3. The Bold Type and Famous in Love will carry out the drama block for the remainder of the year.
• Thursday nights will exclusively consist of genre programming beginning January 18 with the two-hour season premiere of Beyond, leading into the March 29 premiere of Siren. Thursday nights will also be home to Marvel's Cloak & Dagger later in the year.
Twenty-five years after The Simpsons' "Homer at the Bat" originally aired, America's favorite family once again forays into America's favorite pastime. In advance of the network's 20th year broadcasting the World Series, Fox Sports announced that a comedic "Simpsonized" documentary, Springfield of Dreams: The Legend of Homer Simpson, will air adjacent to regional NFL broadcasts on Sunday, Oct. 22 on Fox. The World Series, presented by YouTube TV, begins Tuesday, Oct. 24 on Fox. The one-hour special celebrates the legendary episode "Homer at the Bat," in addition to Homer Simpson's induction into The National Baseball Hall of Fame earlier this year. A satire of Ken Burns' epic documentary, Baseball, the special features interviews with eight Major League Baseball players appearing in the original episode, along with baseball historians, sportscasters, and iconic personalities, such as Fox Sports' Joe Buck, sports announcer Bob Costas, author George Will, Dr. Oz, fashion consultant and television personality Tim Gunn and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio. Current Yankee slugger and Major League Baseball AL MVP candidate Aaron Judge also appears in the special.
Additionally, the feature contains six minutes of never-before-seen original animation from The Simpsons, including character "interviews" with Homer, Moe, Chief Wiggum and Apu, voiced by Dan Castellaneta and Hank Azaria. Fox Sports features live regionalized NFL coverage at 1:00 PM ET and 4:05 PM ET with NFL broadcasts available in both competing teams' home markets, as well as select additional cities around the country. Viewers with an NFL matchup airing at 1:00 PM ET get to watch the documentary at 4:30 PM ET; viewers with an NFL matchup airing at 4:05 PM ET get to watch the documentary at 3:00 PM ET. Springfield of Dreams: The Legend of Homer Simpson also airs on Friday, Oct. 20 at 6:00 PM ET on FS1.
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.
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.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third 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