The CW to Expand to 6 Nights; Netflix Gets 5th Season of Grace and Frankie

Thursday, February 15, 2018

The CW to Expand to 6 Nights; Netflix Gets 5th Season of Grace and Frankie

For the upcoming 2018-2019 season, The CW Network will expand its primetime schedule to include Sunday night, growing its line-up of original first-run programming from five nights to six nights. When the new season launches in October 2018, The CW will offer 12 hours of primetime series each week, Sunday-Friday (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT). The CW launched in 2006 as America's fifth broadcast network, with programming targeting younger viewers, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. The CW, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, will broadcast a six-night, twelve-hour primetime lineup, Sunday through Friday, beginning in Fall 2018, as mentioned. The CW's primetime programming is also available to stream for free, without authentication, on the ad-supported cwtv.com and The CW app, now available on every major OTT platform. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block and a three-hour Saturday morning kids block. The CW's digital network CW Seed launched in 2013 and offers original short-form digital content as well as past seasons of fan-favorite television series.

Grace and Frankie

Netflix announced the renewal of its hit show Grace and Frankie for a fifth season. The series, produced by Skydance Television and starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Martin Sheen, and Sam Waterston, will return in 2019. In addition, RuPaul joins the cast as a guest star in season five as 'Benjamin Le Day,' a formidable and quick-witted adversary who faces off with Grace and Frankie. Season 4 of Grace and Frankie premiered globally on January 19.

Grace and Frankie's third season earned nine major television nominations, the most of any prior season, including Primetime Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for both Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, a Writers Guild Award nomination, an NAACP Image Award nomination, as well as a Costume Designers Guild and two Makeup and Hairstyling Awards. In Grace and Frankie, Jane Fonda ("Grace") and Lily Tomlin ("Frankie") star as two women whose lives are turned upside down when their husbands reveal they are gay and leave them for each other. Both sparring partners and partners-in-crime, Grace and Frankie form an unlikely and unbreakable bond and face their uncertain futures head-on, hand-in-hand. Together with their ex-husbands and children, they discover the true definition of "family," with laughter, tears and plenty of mood enhancers along the way.

The comedy stars Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sam Waterston, Martin Sheen, Brooklyn Decker, June Diane Raphael, Ethan Embry, and Baron Vaughn.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, November 22

Happy's Place - "Happy's House" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bobbie agrees to take Isabella to Happy's house in search of a connection to their late father, leading Bobbie to worry about what they may find; Gabby hopes to strike it rich by searching through Happy's penny collection looking for a rarity.

Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Orlando" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Rosie's spoiled nephew Orlando visits, Mayan sets out to expose Rosie's cultural gender bias; George wants to teach Chance the value of hard work, but, instead, helps him create a toxic work environment.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Whacking the Mole" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Abishola has a romantic dream about Bob, she tries to suppress her feelings for him and pays the price.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Ralph Lauren and Fish" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob and Abishola finally go on a proper date, which is interrupted by Dottie's medical emergency.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Tough Like a Laundromat Washing Machine" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob hires Abishola to take care of Dottie in his home while she recovers; Dottie has a hard time dealing with her limitations and takes it out on Abishola.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Useless Potheads" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
With Abishola only helping part-time, Bob, Douglas and Christina struggle to take care of Dottie.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Wiz-Taken Identity" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Billie struggles with a spell, Roman says he could do it if he was a wizard: to prove him wrong, Billie uses a Power Glass to transfer her powers to Roman.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - " Ain't Gnome Party Like a Wizard Party" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Justin embraces mortality to live with his family; his new challenge arises when Alex introduces Billie, a wizard-in-training, seeking Justin's mentorship.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 18)

Friday, November 22

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Watch Kerry on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Space Force/Silicon Valley) - Jimmy is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Ariana Grande (Sam & Cat/Victorious) - Ariana appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Andy Richter (Andy Barker, P.I./Quintuplets/Andy Richter Controls the Universe), Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!) and Aparna Nancherla (Lopez vs Lopez/Search Party/Corporate) - Andy, Thomas and Aparna are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - Keke talks about her new book Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Drew is joined by the hilarious Andrew to celebrate all things Thanksgiving on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Rosie Perez (Human Resources/Search Party) - Rosie tells Sherri about her new Apple TV+ psychological thriller Before on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace will be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.