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!
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
Tuesday, August 5
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 4)
Tuesday, August 5
- Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Bill Hader (Barry) - Bill stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Brittany Snow (Ben and Kate) - Brittany appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Kat Sadler (Such Brave Girls) and Lizzie Davidson (Such Brave Girls) - Kat and Lizzie are guests on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Pete Holmes (How We Roll/Crashing), Gillian Jacobs (Love/Community) and Kurt Braunohler (Bob's Burgers) - Pete, Gillian and Kurt are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Alison Brie (Community/GLOW) and Dave Franco (The Afterparty/Scrubs/Do Not Disturb) - Alison and Dave are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11pm on Bravo.
- Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony talks about Sketch on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Anna Chlumsky (Veep) - Anna stops by Live with Kelly and Mark to chat about Smoke, so check your local listings.
- Bowen Yang (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Bowen talks about the Las Culturistas Culture Awards sometime between 7-9am and will also be on in the 9am hour on NBC's Today.
- Matt Rogers (No Good Deed/I Love That for You) - Matt co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Chris talks about The Terminal List: Dark Wolf on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
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)
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