Friday, February 23, 2018
Fri-Yay: What Show Could Use a Revival?; Trial & Error Adds Kristin Chenoweth for Season 2
by Vincent
With revival fever sweeping the networks, I figured I'd take this week's column to think about what shows I think could use a revival. Honestly, for the most part I don't think that most shows really need a revival, but there are certain sitcoms that I've been yearning for more, either because they were taken off the air too soon or just because I think they could work in today's TV climate. A few of those shows are:
Happy Endings - If there's one show I would genuinely love to see come back, it's this one. This was such a smart, rapid-fire and genuinely funny show with an immensely talented cast that deserved more than the three seasons it got on ABC. Its run as it is now is nearly perfect, and it's possible additional seasons would ruin that perfect track record (I'm looking at you, Arrested Development Season 4) but honestly? I don't care. If there's a chance for anything as non-stop hilarious as the first three seasons, I'm willing to take that risk.
Cheers - Cheers is one show whose premise could essentially be recycled over and over again - a bunch of people hang out at a bar. While it's pretty unlikely that the original cast could be reunited in any form, I think a Cheers: The Next Generation or something could actually work. What does the bar look like in the 2010s? What kind of people frequent it? Most revivals have featured the same cast members, but arguably the best one - One Day at a Time - has rebooted the concept entirely. I think this could really work with Cheers.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air - It's pretty unlikely that Will Smith would ever consider this, but it'd be interesting to see a Fresh Prince where Will becomes something similar to what he is in real life, and takes on a streetwise kid the way his Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivan did when he was just starting. Essentially, it could be like Fuller House done right. (Unfortunately, it'd have to be without James Avery, who passed away a few years ago.)
Bewitched - A modern Bewitched could be genuinely kind of interesting, which is probably why there was a movie done in a similar vein in the 2000s. The movie, though, never took its concept seriously enough. Bewitched was, at times, a somewhat sly commentary on gender roles in the 1960s, so I'd be curious to see what it could do with modern topics like feminism and gender equality - of course, dressed up in a sparkly magic spell.
All in all, I'd rather see networks come up with original content rather than sputtering out endless remakes. But if they had to remake some of these shows, I wouldn't complain, as long as they were done right.
Did she or didn't she? Multi-talented Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth has been cast as Lavinia Peck-Foster in the second season of NBC's irreverent comedy series Trial & Error. Who is Lavinia Peck-Foster? The first lady of East Peck is a larger-than-life grand dame - at least in her own mind. She is an eccentric heiress known for her flamboyant outfits, large hats and hairless cat, Fluffy, who has not left the confines of Peck Gardens in ages. Lavinia calls on Josh Segal and Associates - the team that got off Owl Murderer Larry Henderson - to defend her after she was found with her husband, Edgar, stuffed into a suitcase in the back of her car. The premiere for the second season of Trial & Error will be announced at a later date, with 10 episodes ordered. The series stars John Lithgow, Nicholas D'Agosto, Sherri Shepherd, Jayma Mays, Steven Boyer and Krysta Rodriguez.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Friday, March 24
Lopez vs. Lopez - "Lopez vs Cheating" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a visiting veterinarian takes an interest in Mayan, she worries that she might be destined to repeat the Lopez legacy of cheating, dating all the way back to her Aztec ancestor Tonto Tecate-Can.
Grand Crew - "Wine & Ojai" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The crew takes a trip to Ojai, and there's wine.
Saturdays - "Skates, Lies & Videos" (Disney Channel, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Paris, Ari and Simone learn that a music video is being recorded at Saturdays; they decide they have to be in it, but they have to age up to look 18.
Saturdays - "Come Back to Me" (Disney Channel, 9:30PM ET/PT)
London begins his new job as the rink's DJ and starts to embarrass Paris; Paris hatches a plan to turn London's world upside-down so her world can be right-side up again.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 20)
Friday, March 24
- Kieran Culkin (Go Fish) - Watch Kieran on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Method Man (Method & Red) - Method Man appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Skylar Astin (Ground Floor) - Skylar is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Woody Harrelson (Cheers) - Woody appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Michael Urie (Shrinking/Partners) - Michael appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Toni Collette (United States of Tara) - Toni will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Mario Cantone (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Mario is joining Drew in the kitchen to make a sweet potato pie and dish on behind-the-scenes details from Sex and the City on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local lisitngs.
- Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym joins Sherri on the couch to talk about their NAACP Image Award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas and her sitcom Act Your Age on Bounce TV on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Chyler Leigh (That '80s Show) - Chyler talks about Hallmark's The Way Home on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)
11/08 - Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/08 - Young Rock - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/15 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Seven / The Complete Season Eight
11/22 - That '70s Show - The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
11/29 - Ghosts - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/06 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Christmas Collection
12/13 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season
12/13 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
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