Fri-Yay: The Roseanne Reboot and the Trend of Rebooting Old Sitcoms; 227 Marathon on 2/27 on Antenna TV

Friday, January 26, 2018

Fri-Yay: The Roseanne Reboot and the Trend of Rebooting Old Sitcoms; 227 Marathon on 2/27 on Antenna TV

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!

by Vincent

One of my most anticipated upcoming network comedies is the Roseanne reboot. For anyone who isn't aware, Roseanne will be returning to TV screens this spring in March with its original cast, and creators have said that, like the original series, it will offer a real and in-depth look at issues American families are facing today. Even though I've been generally skeptical of reboot culture, I'm kind of looking forward to the Roseanne reboot. Roseanne was one of the best working class sitcoms of all time, taking a magnifying glass to working class family life in a way that few shows had done before. In our current political climate, there is a serious divide among working class families along political lines, and it will be interesting to see how Roseanne deals with that divide. There are, arguably, even more hot button political topics involving working class families today than there were during Roseanne's original run (and there were a lot then!), so it will be incredibly interesting to see if the show is up to the task of handling it.

CBS also announced today that it would be airing a rebooted Murphy Brown for at least 13 episodes during the 2018-2019 TV season. Similar to Roseanne, Murphy Brown covered many controversial topics that feel just as, if not more, relevant today than during the show's original run, particularly related to female empowerment and feminism. Murphy Brown, like Roseanne, will see star Candace Bergen returning to her role, so it's possible it will once again recapture the spark the original series had. Still, part of me wonders – why don't we focus on the current sitcoms and allow them to cover these polarizing topics? Some shows are already doing a great job of this, like NBC's Superstore or Netflix's One Day at a Time – which is technically a reboot in and of itself, but feels different enough from the original that it's, essentially, a new series.

Still, it'll be fun to see some familiar faces on TV again – and if Roseanne and Murphy Brown can recapture some of their own magic, maybe I'll warm to the idea of TV remakes. I'm not a fan of Fuller House and I've found the Will & Grace reboot to be patchy with some decent moments, but perhaps Roseanne and Murphy Brown will be the shows to change my mind.

227

Celebrate the classic comedy of 227 on 2/27 when Antenna TV, Tribune Broadcasting's multicast entertainment network airs an 18-hour/36-episode marathon of 227 on Tuesday February 27, 2018. Join Mary, Lester, Brenda, Sandra and the neighbors of 227 Lexington Place on Antenna TV for a "best of" marathon from 5a-11pm ET on 2/27. 227 regularly airs on Antenna TV weekdays at 3pm ET, and weekends at 1:30pm ET. 227 aired on NBC from 1985-1990 originally and starred Marla Gibbs, Hal Williams, Alaina Reed-Hall, Jackée Harry, Regina King, Helen Martin, and Curtis Baldwin. The series had 110 episodes in five seasons.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, December 22

Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion Pt. 2 (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
CBS is gifting viewers an extra special holiday present this season, the brand-new EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND: 30TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION PT. 2,” airing Monday, Dec. 22, (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+.*

This one-hour show gives viewers who loved the first special another opportunity to reminisce and revisit the laughter and joy from the original CBS series. The brand-new broadcast follows the success of EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND: 30TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION, which originally aired Monday, Nov. 24, with an encore presentation Friday, Nov. 28, garnering 10.08 million live plus 7-day multiplatform viewers across both broadcasts and streaming.

Hosted by Emmy Award-winning actor Ray Romano and series creator Phil Rosenthal, this fresh hour brings fans closer than ever to the original series, with exclusive stories and heartfelt memories shared by beloved cast members gathered together to honor one of TV’s most iconic sitcoms. Ray Romano and Phil Rosenthal share their thoughts on the magic of being back on set and reuniting with the cast. Additionally, viewers can enjoy never-before-seen content, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage. Plus, guest stars, writers and producers will provide unique insights into the creation and legacy of this beloved series.

St. Denis Medical - "Get Me in the Pod, Brother" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alex and Ron spar over the wisdom of open communication; Joyce brings in a body scanner that proves overly distracting.

The Paper - "I Love You" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
With Marv camped out in the newsroom while his office is painted, Ned and the staff find their unresolved attitudes toward authority bubbling up; Esmeralda and Ken plot a betrayal that leaks.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 22)

Monday, December 22

Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Watch Kenan on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Tony Shalhoub (We Are Men/Stark Raving Mad/Wings) - Tony appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Ron Funches (Loot/Powerless/Undateable) and Jeff Garcia (Mr. Box Office) - Ron and Jeff are guests on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Andy Cohen interviews Kate on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo. She also talks about Song Sung Blue on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Jamie Lee Curtis (The Sticky/Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee talks about Ella McCay with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu talks about The Copenhagen Test on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Hugh Jackman (Human Resources) - Hugh talks about Song Sung Blue on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kyle Richards (Down to Earth) - Kyle gives Sherri a sneak peek at the 15th season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Paul and Jack Black are telling Drew all about their hilarious adaptation of Anaconda on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Odessa A'zion (I Love LA/Fam) - Odessa tells Drew about her role in new movie Marty Supreme and hit series I Love LA on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Melissa Gilbert (Stand by Your Man) - Melissa is guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:10am.