Friday, November 10, 2017

Fri-Yay: Bob's Burgers Tops Sunday Night on Fox; WGN America Gives Thanks with M*A*S*H and More!

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!

Bob's Burgers

by Vincent

If there's a show on network TV that is the epitome of the underdog, it's Bob's Burgers. Bob's Burgers debuted in 2011 to relatively little fanfare - at the time, FOX's animation line-up was dominated by Seth MacFarlane shows (and the ever-present Simpsons), and Bob's Burgers stuck out like a sore thumb. Early episodes of Bob's Burgers tried to use some MacFarlane-esque shock humor to blend in with the line-up, but it was clearly it wasn't really what the show was comfortable with. Bob's received a lukewarm critical reception and so-so ratings, but it showed enough promise that FOX renewed it for a second season and some critics began noticing its potential to become something bigger. Seven years later, Bob's Burgers has become something of a low-key phenomenon, a critical and fan darling that's beginning to finally reach mainstream acceptance.

Bob's Burgers started churning out consistently great episodes in its second season, and by its third season it had become established as one of the best comedies on television. The show's blend of off-the-wall humor with sweet family moments yearns back memories of early Simpsons episodes with a bit of an absurdist, Adult Swim-like touch. The show's biggest feature is its relentless optimism and acceptance of just about everyone that turns up in its weirdo family's orbit, and it's that acceptance that has made Bob's Burgers such a hit with its devoted fan-base. It has begun to occupy that same "alternative" young audience space that animated comedies like The Simpsons, South Park, and Family Guy achieved before it, but with a more pronounced sweet spot than any of those shows. Eight seasons in, Bob's Burgers seems to only be getting more popular - it was FOX's highest-rated program last week (beating out The Simpsons and Family Guy). It's been a long road, but Bob's finally seems to be getting the recognition it deserves as the weird, sweet, and incredibly funny comedy that it is.


WGN America celebrates everyday heroes who serve and protect this Veterans Day weekend with back-to-back airings of Men of Honor, a five-hour M*A*S*H marathon, and fan-favorite episodes of Cops and Blue Bloods. Then WGN America cooks up a "Slapsgiving" mini marathon of How I Met Your Mother and a "Be Thankful You're Not on 'Cops' Marathon." Following WGN America's live coverage of McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade, viewers can continue enjoying the long holiday weekend with two America's Funniest Home Videos marathons, another Cops marathon and a movie marathon filled with extraterrestrial fan-favorites.

On Veteran's Day, Saturday, November 11: "Serving with Honor Weekend" featuring a five-hour M*A*S*H marathon starting at 1pm ET, followed by back-to-back airings of Men of Honor. On Monday, November 20: "Slapsgiving" marathon featuring four back-to-back episodes of How I Met Your Mother starting at 1am ET.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 17

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Two Idiots on a Dirt Bike" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s attempt to break up Missy and her new boyfriend backfires. Young Sheldon stars Zoe Perry (Mary) and Raegan Revord (Missy) return.

Ghosts - "Pinkus Returns" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Trevor’s former co-worker, Pinkus (Richie Keen), and his daughter, Abby (Gideon Adlon), show up at Woodstone Mansion, Trevor gets the surprise of his afterlife.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 14)

Thursday, April 17

  • Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Catch Jon on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Asif Ali (Deli Boys) and Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys) - Asif and Saagar are guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Joe stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Will Forte (HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Will is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Conner O'Malley (Shrill) - Conner appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) - Gillian is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James talks about Ransom Canyon on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Lake Bell (Bless This Mess/How to Make it in America/Childrens Hospital) - Lake talks about All About Brains: A Book About People on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - It's Drew's spring cleaning show and Valerie is joining her for a special edition of Drew's News with cleaning headlines on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about the latest season of her hit television show Abbott Elementary on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Mike Epps (The Upshaws/Uncle Buck/Survivor's Remorse) - Mike chats about his We Them Ones Comedy Tour on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

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

04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
04/09 - Paramount+ Orders Season 3 of Colin from Accounts; FX's Adults Premieres May 28
04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May
04/07 - NBC Celebrates Joan Rivers with Special; Remembering Jay North of Dennis the Menace
04/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 7, 2025)
04/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Three Animated Series and Brings Back a Fourth for Four More Seasons; ABC Renews Shifting Gears
04/04 - ABC 2025-26 Season Renewals for Scripted Series; New Season of Phineas and Ferb Returns June 5
04/03 - Fox Renews Animated Hits for 4 Additional Seasons and American Dad! Returns; South Park Season 27 Premieres July 9
04/02 - Rick and Morty Season 8 Premieres May 25; Netflix's Tires Returns June 5
04/01 - Disney Renews Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for Season 2; Prime Video Details Final Season of The Summer I Turned Pretty
03/31 - Prime Video's Dance-World Comedy Étoile; Netflix's Tom Segura Dark Comedy Bad Thoughts
03/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 31, 2025)
03/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Gives Pilot Order to A Different World Sequel; Malcolm in the Middle Reboot Recasts Role of Dewey
03/28 - Pat Sajak's Final Spin on Wheel and Return of Jeopardy! Masters; Remembering George Foreman and Wings Hauser
03/27 - IFC Renews SisterS for Season 2; Netflix Orders Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series
03/26 - Hulu Spring 2025 Slate; The Making of The Americas Special Narrated by Tom Hanks on NBC
03/25 - Deli Boys Now Streaming All Episodes on Hulu; Heartland Season 18 on UP Faith & Family
03/24 - Peacock April Highlights Include Three's Company; Antenna TV's 50 Years on the Beat Barney Miller Anniversary Marathon
03/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 24, 2025)
03/22 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* Coming to DVD; American Dad! Moving Back to Fox
03/21 - Big Mouth Final Season; The Four Seasons Premieres in May on Netflix
03/20 - HBO's Brett Goldstein Comedy Special; Disney+ Adds The Simpsons 24/7 Stream
03/19 - Solar Opposites Final Season This Fall; NBC to Move Grosse Pointe Garden Society to Fridays
03/18 - Game Show Network New Shows Launch April 14; NBC Picks Up 3rd Comedy Pilot, While Bobby Moynihan Joins Tracy Morgan Pilot
03/17 - It's True! Ted Lasso Renewed for Season 4; Jane Goodall Returns for Jane Season 3