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

Monday, June 2

The Neighborhood - "Bienvenidos a Nosotros" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Marty prepares to head back to work but isn’t emotionally prepared to send Daphne to daycare. Meanwhile, Gemma notices an issue with the grade Grover’s receiving in his Spanish class.

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Pickleball" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The new neighbors who moved into Miss Kim’s old house are keeping the Butlers and Johnsons up all night. Meanwhile, Courtney tells Marty she is going on a date.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 1)

Monday, June 2

  • Owen Wilson (Stick) - Watch Owen on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Brett Goldstein (Shrinking/Ted Lasso) - Brett appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Dakota Johnson (Ben and Kate) - Dakota is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Christopher Sieber (It's All Relative/Two of a Kind) - Christopher is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Roy Wood Jr. (Sullivan & Son) - Roy is a guest on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Leanne Morgan (Leanne) - Leanne guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - NBC's Today catches up with Lisa in the 10am hour.
  • Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael is a guest on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Drew Sidora (Mind Your Business/The Game) - Drew appears on New York Living on New York Living at 10:05am.


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)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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

06/02 - Remembering Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H, Valerie Mahaffey of Young Sheldon, and The Simpsons Composer Alf Clausen
06/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 2, 2025)
05/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: New King of the Hill Reboot Details; CBS Makes Late Night Changes
05/30 - FX's Adults Pilot Available on Social Platforms; BET and BET+ Premiere New Tyler Perry Series in June
05/29 - Netflix's New Chuck Lorre Sitcom Leanne; Apple TV+ Season 4 Premiere of The Morning Show
05/28 - Max Renews Hacks for Season 5; Byron Allen Coming Back to CBS Late Night
05/27 - Antenna TV Summer 2025 Schedule; Rewind TV Summer 2025 Schedule
05/26 - Memorial Day 2025 TV Sitcom Marathons
05/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 26, 2025)
05/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Zach Braff Joins Scrubs Reboot; 7th Heaven Reboot in the Works
05/23 - Discovery Channel's Shark Week with Tom Bergeron; Apple TV+ Season 2 of Hit Series
05/22 - TV Legend Henry Winkler's New HISTORY Series; The CW Renews Family Law
05/21 - Remembering George Wendt of Cheers; Platonic Season 2 First Look
05/20 - The CW Renews Trivial Pursuit and Scrabble; Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life on Netflix May 26
05/19 - North to Shore Festival Returns This June in NJ; S.W.A.T. Sets Spinoff Series
05/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 19, 2025)
05/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Picks Up New Dan Levy Comedy; First Look at King of the Hill Reboot Artwork
05/16 - Michael J. Fox to Guest Star on Shrinking; The CW Picks Up Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent
05/15 - 2025 Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront; 2025 Netflix Upfront
05/14 - Chad Powers Premieres September 30 on Hulu; Upfront Premiere Dates for FX on Hulu
05/13 - ABC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Ted: The Animated Series Coming to Peacock
05/12 - NBC Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule; Fox Upfront 2025-26: Fall 2025 Schedule
05/11 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 12, 2025)
05/10 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Cancels Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez; ABC Renews Duo of Game Shows
05/09 - Peacock Orders Dig from Amy Poehler; Apple TV+ Comedy Stick Premieres June 4; Remembering Ruth Buzzi
05/08 - CBS 2025-26 Schedule; Animal Control and Going Dutch Renewed by Fox
05/07 - Netflix's A Man on the Inside Bulks Up Cast for Season 2; The Studio Renewed by Apple TV+
05/06 - Netflix's Long Story Short Announces Cast; NBC Renews All Chicago Series for 2025-26
05/05 - Antenna TV's The Partridge Family Mother's Day Marathon; Rewind TV's 227 40th Anniversary Marathon
05/04 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of May 5, 2025)
05/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Cancels The Equalizer; Wisteria Lane Offshoot of Desperate Housewives in the Works
05/02 - USA and SYFY Announce Summer Premieres; CBC in Canada Renews 5 Series, Including Wild Cards