Friday, November 03, 2017

Fri-Yay: The Best Show You Aren't Watching; Baskets Returns Jan. 23 on FX

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!

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

by Vincent

Of all of the shows on TV right now, the one I look forward to the most may be Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is one of (if not the?) funniest show on television, stringing together lines of dialogue capable of standing with classic Simpsons episodes or 30 Rock when it comes to all-time great comedy writing. Even if it were just a funny sitcom, it'd be one of the very best shows on TV. However, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has elevated itself not just as a funny sitcom but also as a genuinely deep and dark look into the reality of life with an untreated mental illness - and in its third season (the show's darkest yet), it's better and bolder than ever.

On the surface, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend could easily look like a careless series that makes fun of a mentally ill woman and makes her the butt of the joke. Its title, while meant to be ironic, can certainly give off that vibe. And when it premiered, many critics feared that was exactly what it was. But over the course of its flawless first season, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend proved that it takes its heroine Rebecca Bunch's problems very seriously. The show would often portray her at her lowest (most notably during the heart wrenching musical number "You Stupid Bitch", in which Rebecca tells herself "you ruined everything, you stupid bitch" over and over.) Over the course of the rest of the series, the show would portray Rebecca as trying to use various new goals and new personas to escape the reality of her mental illness and depression.

I won't spoil anything, but events transpired at the end of the second season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend that have made Season 3 the darkest season yet, dealing with Rebecca's issues head on. Yes, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is a hilarious show - but honestly, I haven't been on the edge of my seat with dread and anticipation this much with a TV show since Breaking Bad. Crazy Ex-Girlfriend is like a funnier, more musical version of Breaking Bad, and it's the best show you aren't watching.


Baskets

Yippie Kie Yay! The third season of Baskets, the acclaimed comedy series starring Zach Galifianakis, will return to FX on Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at 10 PM ET/PT. Nothing brings a family together like a family business - or at least that was the plan. Welcome to the Baskets Family Rodeo, where Christine is the President and CEO despite never having seen a rodeo before. Chip has his first full-time gig since Arby's, but can barely transfer a phone call, let alone recruit much-needed clowns. And even though Dale is the only one in the family who has run a business, he can't get anyone to listen to him - his family, the employees, or the horses.

Baskets was co-created by Executive Producers Jonathan Krisel (Emmy(R) Award-nominated writer and director, Portlandia, Saturday Night Live, Man Seeking Woman), Louis C.K. (Emmy Award-winner, Louie), and Zach Galifianakis (Emmy Award-winner, Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis; Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); The Hangover and its sequels). M. Blair Breard, Dave Becky, Marc Gurvitz, Andrea Pett-Joseph, and Anna Dokoza are also Executive Producers. The series is produced by FX Productions.

The cast of Baskets features Zach Galifianakis as twins "Chip & Dale Baskets," Louie Anderson as "Christine Baskets" (Primetime Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Baskets, and two-time Daytime Emmy winner for Outstanding Performer in an animated Program, Life with Louie and The Louie Show), and Martha Kelly as "Martha."


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, June 6

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 5)

Tuesday, June 6

  • Mayim Bialik (Call Me Kat/The Big Bang Theory/Blossom/Molloy) - Catch Mayim on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle/The Louie Show) - Bryan is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Oliver Hudson (Splitting Up Together/Rules of Engagement/My Guide to Becoming a Rockstar) - Oliver and his sister Kate are guests on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Mark Consuelos (Alpha House/Hope & Faith) - Mark appears on Watch What Happens: Live at 10pm on Bravo.
  • Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face/Russian Doll) - Natasha talks about Poker Face on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
  • Mädchen Amick (Freddie) - Mädchen breaks down what's coming up on the series Riverdale on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
  • Poorna Jagannathan (Never Have I Ever) and Richa Moorjani (Never Have I Ever) - Poorna and Richa give the Tam Fam the scoop on the final season of Never Have I Ever on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette appears on a repeat of The Jennifer Hudson Show, so check your local listings.
  • Ron Funches (Loot/Poweless/Undateable) - Ron is a guest on a repeat of The Jennifer Hudson Show, so check your local listings.
  • Luna Blaise (Fresh Off the Boat) - Luna talks about Manifest on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Patricia Arquette (High Desert) - Patricia talks about High Desert on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Tammy Townsend (K.C. Undercover/Sherri/Rock Me, Baby) - Tammy discusses her starring role in the new BET+ series Average Joe on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Eva Longoria (Telenovela) - Eva will be on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Melissa Joan Hart (Melissa & Joey/Sabrina the Teenage Witch/Clarissa Explains It All) and Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster/Sabrina the Teenage Witch) - NBC's Today catches up with Melissa and Soleil in the 9am hour.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (January-June)

Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI) Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI) Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series

01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/04 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Fifth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/18 - Blondie - The Complete 1957 Television Series (Blu-ray)
04/25 - Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
05/23 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Eleven / The Complete Season Twelve
05/23 - Go On - The Complete Series
05/23 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (Universal)
05/29 - Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/29 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/30 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

06/06 - New Superman Animated Series Coming to Adult Swim; TV Stars Come Together in Netflix Film
06/05 - Shout! TV's ALF Reunion; Hulu's This Fool Season Two Premieres July 28
06/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 5, 2023)
06/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Declares Rating Victories for 22-23 Season; Australian Version of The Office in the Works
06/02 - HBO Renews Somebody Somewhere for a Third Season; Remembering Marlene Clark of Sanford and Son and Other Sitcom Stars We Recently Lost
06/01 - MeTV's Marry Me Block on June 4; TBS Sets Miracle Workers: End Times Premiere Date for July 10
05/31 - Amazon Freevee's Jury Duty Gets Special Release; Stars on Mars Fan Experience
05/30 - 75th Emmy Awards Nominations on July 12; Final Season of HBO's How to with John Wilson
05/29 - Memorial Day 2023 TV Sitcom Marathons
05/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 29, 2023)
05/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Wins 2022-2023 Ratings Game; Netflix Ends Sharing of Passwords
05/26 - Prime Video Renews Priyanka Chopra Series; Sex and the City 25th Anniversary Event in NYC
05/25 - Brady Bunch House on the Market; The Family Stallone Gets 2nd Season
05/24 - Antenna TV's Father Knows Best Father's Day Fest Marathon; Netflix Gets Glamorous This June
05/23 - CBS Summer 2023 Reality Schedule; Apple TV+ Announces Peanuts Programming
05/22 - More Details on Zoey 102; New Lifetime Movie Series Coming July 8
05/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 22, 2023)
05/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Showtime Looking to Bring Back Two Old Favorites; Disney+ Removing Content
05/19 - Futurama Triumphantly Returns July 24; Final Season of Physical Drops August 2; Primo Premieres May 19 on Amazon Freevee
05/18 - The CW Upfront 2023-24: Fall 2023 Schedule; Netflix Upfront 2023
05/17 - Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2023; Sarah Silverman HBO Special Premieres May 27
05/16 - ABC Upfront 2023-24: Fall 2023 Schedule; FX's Summer 2023 Slate
05/15 - FOX Announces 2023-24 Programming Slate; iCarly Season 3 Premieres June 1
05/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 15, 2023)
05/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Night Court Season Finale Brings Back a Familiar Face; Comedy Central Renews Digman! for Second Season
05/12 - NBC Upfront 2023-24: Fall 2023 Schedule; Hulu Orders Deli Boys from Onyx Collective
05/11 - CBS Upfront 2023-24: Fall 2023 Schedule; The CW Summer Lineup Has Comedies
05/10 - Minx Returns in July on STARZ; Never Have I Ever Final Episodes Premieres June 8, Trailer Drops
05/09 - The CW Acquires Son of a Critch; FX's The Bear Returns June 22
05/08 - NBC's Hot Wheels Gets Celeb Judges; Zooey Deschanel's Max Series Premieres May 23
05/07 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 8, 2023)
05/06 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Week of Writers' Strike Already Sees Early Casualties; Fox Cancels Call Me Kat