Friday, December 08, 2017

Fri-Yay: Superstore's Christmas Special; This Is It! One Day at a Time Returns for 2nd Year

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!

Superstore - Christmas Eve

by Vincent

Streaming television has brought us a lot of good things, like the ability to watch episodes whenever we want and a lack of (or at least less) commercials. But one thing that is a bit unfortunate is that, because shows are no longer bound to network schedules, there are less of the classic holiday specials we used to get every year for sitcoms. Sure, there are occasional treats like the Bojack Horseman Halloween episode, but I still really miss the episodes where everything feels just a little more festive coming every year, when you just felt a little more festive.

Thankfully, some sitcoms still put together great holiday episodes, and this year's Superstore Christmas episode "Christmas Eve" is no exception. Superstore is having a great season, filled with its characters going through dark times and truly finding out who it is they want to be. "Christmas Eve" continues that trend as Amy attempts to send off a tough year by challenging her wild past (when she was known as "Crazy Amy", or "Cra-my.") Things especially spiral out of control when Amy finds out her ex-husband Adam has already moved on with someone else. As you might imagine in a sitcom holiday episode, the entire gang comes together for Amy, and the episode ends in a truly heartwarming way - the way a sitcom Christmas episode should.

"Christmas Eve" made me yearn for the days when network TV Christmas specials were a regular occurrence. Sure, they were a little cheesier than most episodes, and maybe not always as funny, but there was something special about seeing your favorite characters get a little festive, and even the most cynical sitcoms seemed just a little bit sweeter in their Christmas episodes. Sure, streaming is great, but I'd like to see some more cable and streaming shows drop holiday specials on us a little more often than they do. Until then, we'll hopefully still have great Christmas episodes like "Christmas Eve" to bring us some holiday cheer.


One Day at a Time

This is it! One Day at a Time returns with its much-anticipated second season Friday, January 26, exclusively on Netflix! Watch Justina Machado, Rita Moreno and the rest of the One Day family announce the Season 2 premiere date and pay hilarious homage to the original series with a frame-for-frame recreation the opening credits HERE. Afterward, enjoy the original One Day at a Time title sequence HERE and marvel at just how exact this reenactment really is.

A reimagining of the iconic Norman Lear's classic sitcom, One Day at a Time is an hilarious and heartfelt comedy that follows three generations of a Cuban-American family navigating the ups and downs of life. A newly-single mom and military veteran journeys through the triumphs and tribulations that come with raising two strong-willed, mega-millennial children, all the while enlisting the "help" of her old-school mother and her building manager-turned-invaluable confidant. Through an contemporary lens, One Day at a Time offers a glimpse at what life looks like, in good times and bad -- and how those around you somehow make it all worthwhile.

One Day at a Time stars Justina Machado, Rita Moreno, Stephen Tobolowsky, Todd Grinnell, Isabella Gomez and Marcel Ruiz. Norman Lear executive produces, with Gloria Calderon Kellett and Mike Royce executive producing and co-showrunning. Michael Garcia and Brent Miller also executive produce. One Day at a Time is produced by Sony Television Productions for Netflix.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, March 6

Happy's Place - "Dart to the Heart" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bobbie tries to help Emmett and Isabella reconnect by forcing them into a darts tournament; Steve celebrates killing a spider until Takoda informs him about Iktomi, the Lakota trickster spirit.

Stumble - "Making Mat" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Courteney must cut one of her Buttons from making mat at Daytona; each of the team shares why Daytona is so important, but Courteney operates with her head over her heart and, after grueling tryouts, renders a heartbreaking decision.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 2)

Friday, March 6

  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Watch Jason on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Joel McHale (Animal Control/The Great Indoors/Community) - Joel is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose talks about Broadway's Fallen Angels on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Robby Hoffman (Hacks) - Robby is part of Joy’s Comedy Corner (comedy special, “Robby Hoffman: Wake Up”) on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Dennis Quaid (Merry Happy Whatever) - NBC's Today catches up with Dennis in the 9am hour.
  • John Slattery (Maggie/Ed) - NBC's Today catches up with John in the 9am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew is joined by Valerie and UFC's Laura Sanko to hit the headlines at the news desk on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

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

03/05 - COZI TV Pairs Up Al Bundy and Hondo at Last; ABC Renews Abbott Elementary for Season 6
03/04 - ABC's Scrubs Returns Big; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Renewed for Season 2
03/03 - Prime Video's Kevin Premieres April 20; Fox Renews Best Medicine
03/02 - Running Point Returns April 23 on Netflix; A Different World Sequel Starts Production
03/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 2, 2026)
02/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner Now Set to Merge with Paramount, Not Netflix; X-Files Reboot Given Greenlight
02/27 - The Comeback Returns for Final Season on March 22; Animal Control Renewed for Season 5; Remembering Lauren Chapin of Father Knows Best and Robert Carradine of Lizzie McGuire
02/26 - AspireTV Gets First Ever Original Sitcom; Sullivan's Crossing Returns for Season 4 in April on The CW
02/25 - Scrubs Returns Tonight, Sneak Peek at Title Sequence; Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Reveals Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter
02/24 - Netflix's Wednesday Season 3 Adds to Cast; Wonder Pets: In the City Returns March 20
02/23 - Celebrities for ABC's Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars; Hallmark's Mistletoe Murders Renewed for Season 3
02/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 23, 2026)
02/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Hulu Orders New Adult Animated Comedy From Creator of Bluey; Casting News for Upcoming CBS Comedy Regency
02/20 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Find Valentine's Magic; Netflix Announces Dang!
02/19 - The Golden Girls Coming to MeTV in March; Adult Swim Announces My Two Cars
02/18 - Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Coming to Disney+; Fox Spring 2026 Schedule and Finale Dates
02/17 - New Animated Comedy from Big Mouth Creators Coming May 22; Scottish Comedy Returns to Hulu February 25
02/16 - Saturday Night Live Returns Following the Olympics on February 28; Fox Pays Tribute to James Van Der Beek on Wednesday
02/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 16, 2026)
02/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for Scrubs Reboot; Tubi to Add 100 Cartoon Series from Warner and Cartoon Network Library
02/13 - Remembering James Van Der Beek of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23; The Way Home Returns for Final Season in April on Hallmark
02/12 - ABC's Scrubs Revival Trailer and Details; XO, Kitty Returns April 2 on Netflix
02/11 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Post Saturday Night Live Encore; Chris Fleming HBO Special
02/10 - Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars Premiere Shifting by Two Weeks; Virgin River Season 7 Trailer
02/09 - Shoresy Returns with Season 5; HBO Max Acquires Schitt's Creek
02/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 9, 2026)
02/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Roku Adds New Channels for Bernie Mac, Blossom, and Cougar Town; Catchy Comedy Introduces Catchy Loves Lucy
02/06 - Rooster Premieres March 8 on HBO; MGM+ Comedy American Classic Trailer
02/05 - NBC Unveils Trailer and Guest Stars for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins; Adult Swim's Anime Series Rooster Fighter Premieres March 14
02/04 - Netflix Renews A Man on the Inside for Season 3; Apple TV Premiere Date for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
02/03 - NBC Renews St. Denis Medical and Happy's Place for Season 3; Pilot Orders for Comedy Projects on NBC