Friday, January 12, 2018

Fri-Yay: What Does the Future Hold for Fox Sitcoms?; TCA 2018 Winter Press Tour: TBS and HBO

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!

Fox

by Vincent

As you may have heard, Disney has recently acquired 20th Century Fox studios. While the Fox network itself will not be owned by Disney, the change in ownership is likely to have a huge effect on the network's programming - most of the channel's programs are owned by 20th Century Fox studios, which now is no longer part of the same corporation as the network itself. In simpler terms, Disney now owns the large majority of Fox's programming, and has the ability to move their shows around to one of the networks they actually own, rather than leaving them on Fox.

So what does this mean for Fox's current comedy line-up? In this week's article, I'll look at each veteran Fox sitcom and try to determine what its future could possibly hold in the murky Fox/Disney situation.

The Simpsons - The crown jewel of Fox's comedy line-up has always been its animated comedies, and The Simpsons is the centerpiece of that line-up - it started the line-up and still remains the highest-rated show (and therefore, Fox's highest-rated comedy.) And yet, The Simpsons is owned by 20th Century Fox - and is therefore now a Disney property. Yes, Bart Simpson is now a Disney character. As weird as it sounds, I'm sure Disney is thrilled to have the cash cow that is The Simpsons as part of their line-up, but most of the profit from the series at this point is coming from merchandising, streaming, and syndication. In the past ten years, The Simpsons has found itself in danger of cancellation several times due to the skyrocketing cost of its voice actors. Given that the show is getting close to its 30th season and that it no longer sees its merchandising and syndication revenue, I wouldn't be surprised to see Fox pull the plug on new episodes of the series as Disney moves its back-end to Hulu (which it now majority owns.)

Family Guy - Seth MacFarlane himself has voiced concern over the fact that the foul-mouthed adult cartoon Family Guy is now a Disney property, but Disney has apparently assured him that its values the series and won't be molding it to fit Disney's family-friendly reputation. As for Fox, although the series is aging and has sagged in the ratings since its heyday in the mid-late 2000s, it still remains a strong player and launching pad - my guess is it'll stick around the line-up for a whole.

Bob's Burgers - Bob's Burgers has slowly but steadily seen itself rise from low-rated underdog to cult favorite, and it's finally showing in the series' ratings, which have beaten and tied The Simpsons and Family Guy on several occasions this year. Reruns on Adult Swim are also doing incredibly well, so Disney is probably happy to acquire the Belchers into their vault. I could even see Disney taking advantage of Bob's cult status and moving it to one of their own networks, although perhaps Fox has noticed Bob's momentum and wants to keep it around to replace The Simpsons as the network's crown jewel.

The Last Man on Earth - Although Last Man started its life as a buzzy ratings hit, its audience has slowly eroded over the course of its run. It's owned by 20th Fox, and its ratings have skirted on truly terrible this season - if there's any show that could get lost in the Disney/Fox merger, it's this one.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Brooklyn 99 is another once well-rated series that has seen its audience collapse over the past year or so. However, Brooklyn 99 is not owned by 20th Century, but by NBCUniversal. If a lot of 20th Century productions wind up leaving Fox this year, it's possible to see them wanting to keep Brooklyn around to fill some gaps even with its low ratings. It's also possible NBCUniversal will try the show on another network - perhaps TBS, which has successfully acquired network comedies before (Cougar Town, American Dad!) and premiered the show in syndication this month.

The Mick - The Mick was a surprise success last year, but has struggled to keep up the momentum in its sophomore season. It's another 20th Century Fox production, so it's questionable whether or not Disney will see the need to expand on a show with middling ratings.

Those are just my guesses - obviously I'm no industry insider, but based on the shows' ratings and ownership, I think some guesses could be made about where the shows are headed. Either way, it'll certainly be interesting to see where everything ends up when this Disney/Fox merger is all said and done.


TBS

The cable portion of the TCA 2018 Winter Press Tour has begun. Among the networks that have presented so far includes TBS. TBS gets animated on Monday nights starting with American Dad! returning to TBS on Monday, February 12 at 10pm ET/ PT with 22 new episodes. In addition, the network has ordered two more seasons of the top-rated animated hit American Dad!. The series premiered on the Fox broadcasting network in 2005 before moving to TBS in 2014. Then, on Monday, February 26, TBS will debut the new animated intergalactic space saga Final Space on at 10:30pm PT/ ET immediately following American Dad! for an hour-long animation block. Olan Rogers stars in the animated series alongside Fred Armisen, Tom Kenny, David Tennant, Tika Sumpter, Steven Yeun and Coty Galloway.

Comedy superstar and multiple Emmy® nominee Tracy Morgan returns to television with TBS starring in The Last O.G., a new comedy series that he executive produces alongside creator and executive producer Jordan Peele. Beginning April 3, episodes will air Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The Last O.G. centers on Tray (Morgan), an ex-con shocked to see just how much the world has changed when he is released from prison for on good behavior after a 15-year stint. Returning to his newly gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, he discovers that his former girlfriend, Shay (played by emerging, breakout star actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish), has married an affable, successful white man (Ryan Gaul) who is helping raise the twins (Taylor Mosby & Dante Hoagland) Tray never knew existed. Wanting nothing more than to connect with his kids, but having neither the money to support them nor himself, Tray falls back on the skills he learned in prison to make ends meet while treading on unfamiliar territory. The Last O.G. also stars Cedric the Entertainer as the head of the halfway house where Tray is staying, and Allen Maldonado as Tray's cousin Bobby, who helps him adjust to life on the outside.

Elsewhere at TBS, they have renewed the hit unscripted series Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker's Wild and Drop the Mic for second seasons. And television's fastest growing late night show and ad supported television's #1 late night show among young adults has been renewed for two new seasons by TBS. The Emmy Award-winning Full Frontal with Samantha Bee will return Wednesday, February 7 in its usual timeslot at 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

HBO

Among HBO's announcements was the dark comedy series Barry, starring Bill Hader, kicks off its eight-episode season Sunday, March 25 at 10:30pm ET/PT on HBO. Alec Berg (HBO's Silicon Valley) and Hader (Saturday Night Live) serve as co-creators, executive producers, directors and writers. Other cast regulars include Stephen Root (HBO's All the Way), Sarah Goldberg (Hindsight), Glenn Fleshler (HBO's True Detective), Anthony Carrigan (Gotham) and Henry Winkler (Arrested Development). Barry is a dark comedy starring Bill Hader in the title role of a depressed, low-rent hitman from the Midwest who falls in love with acting while on a job in LA. Barry's handler, Fuches (Stephen Root), hires him out to the violent Chechen mob in Los Angeles, led by Goran Pazar (Glenn Fleshler) and his right-hand man, Noho Hank (Anthony Carrigan).


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, August 17

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 11)

Friday, August 15

  • Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Leanne Morgan (Leanne) - Leanne appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Bill Hader (Barry) - Bill is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Brittany Snow (Ben and Kate) - Brittany appears on a repeat of 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 a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) - Maria appears on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken/Community) - NBC's Today catches up with Ken in the 10am hour.
  • Tia Mowry (Family Reunion/The Game/Sister, Sister) - Tia has a big announcement to help you plan your summer vacation on a repeat on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. Plus, she catches us up on family and her hit TV show Tia Mowry: My Next Act.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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)

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

08/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Plans Retool of Cable Networks; King of the Hill Revival Scores Big Ratings
08/15 - Catchy Comedy Acquires Hot in Cleveland; Netflix's Animated Comedy Strip Law Premieres in 2026
08/14 - Dan Levy's Netflix Comedy Series Cast; Betty la Fea: La Historia ContinĂșa Season 2 Premieres Friday
08/13 - Remembering Danielle Spencer of What's Happening!!; Trailer for Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building
08/12 - Netflix's Comedy Kiss or Die Premieres September 9; Lori Harvey Joins Reasonable Doubt
08/11 - Roku Originals Books a Return Trip with Season 2 Renewal of Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross; Netflix's Fixed Trailer
08/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 11, 2025)
08/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for The Paper; ABC Gives Pilot Order to Do You Want Kids?
08/08 - Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 Premieres September 12; The Paper Trailer for Peacock
08/07 - Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 4 Celebs; Sweetpea Season 2 Stars
08/06 - Molly Shannon Joins Will Ferrell Golf Comedy Series; Netflix's Season 2 of My Life with the Walter Boys
08/05 - Disney+ Musical Comedy Electric Bloom Premieres; NBC Renews American Ninja Warrior for Season 18
08/04 - Remembering Loni Anderson of WKRP in Cincinnati; And Just Like That... to End After 3 Seasons
08/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 4, 2025)
08/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy Specials Coming to Hulu; Jimmy Kimmel Rooting for Emmy for Stephen Colbert
08/01 - Long Story Short Gets Season 2 Ahead of Premiere; Netflix's Wayward Premieres September 25
07/31 - Solar Opposites Final Season on Hulu; Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical
07/30 - FETV Acquires The Jeffersons, Uncut; BET+ Comedy Churchy Returns August 21, BET Greenlights Sketch Comedy Series
07/29 - NBC Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; Fox Fall 2025 Premiere Dates
07/28 - Events Planned for The Golden Girls 40th Anniversary; Family Guy Holiday Specials Return to Hulu
07/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 28, 2025)
07/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount/Skydance Merger Approved; CBS Orders New Comedy From Producers of Ghosts
07/25 - TV One Honors Malcolm-Jamal Warner; Comedy Central Season 3 of Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head; Remembering Kenneth Washington of Hogan's Heroes
07/24 - Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Premieres September 9; Apple TV+ Stick Renewed for Season 2
07/23 - Apple TV+ Ted Lasso Season 4 Details; NBC Orders Stumble to Series
07/22 - Remembering Malcolm-Jamal Warner of The Cosby Show and Malcolm & Eddie; Futurama Season 13 Drops September 15
07/21 - Hallmark Channel Acquires Gilmore Girls; Freida Pinto to Star in Netflix Series
07/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 21, 2025)
07/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Late Show; Gilmore Girls Headed to Hallmark
07/18 - ABC Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to End in May 2026
07/17 - Netflix's Geek Girl Season 2 Starts Production; The CW Picks Up Sullivan's Crossing for Season 4
07/16 - Antenna TV's Still Dreaming of Jeannie 60th Anniversary Marathon; 77th Primetime Emmy Nominations