Friday, March 23, 2018

Fri-Yay: No Season 4 for Rick and Morty?; Ashlynn Yennie Cast in TV Thriller Buried Secrets

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!

Rick and Morty

by Vincent

This week, TV internet was abuzz with news that Rick and Morty hasn't been renewed for a fourth season yet. Technically, this isn't really news - Adult Swim hasn't cancelled the series, its fate simply remains on the bubble, just as it has since Season 3 ended in October. And yet, Dan Harmon confirming on Twitter that Adult Swim has yet to pick up the smash hit animated comedy for a fourth season came as a surprise, because I guess everyone just...assumed it had been renewed? To be fair, this includes myself. It makes sense - Rick and Morty is a huge, blockbuster hit for Adult Swim. It's their highest rated series ever. This season averaged about 3 million viewers and a 1.4 in the 18-49 demo. Those are numbers that beat out most primetime network comedies these days, nevermind a late-night series on a basic cable network. Plus, it took two years for the Rick and Morty team to complete work on Season 3, even with an early renewal. (Rick and Morty was picked up for a third season before its second season had even finished airing.) That means that even if Season 4 were picked up tomorrow, it would likely be several years before we saw it on TV. Even stranger is that Season 3 was both Rick and Morty's highest-rated season and arguably its buzziest, what with McDonald's Sczechuan sauce causing a mini national crisis. It would make sense to capitalize on that buzz and try to order up a fourth season as soon as possible. So what's the hold up here?

Well...the internet likes to speculate, and some speculation has been about possible behind-the-scenes tension. After all, it was after its third season that Dan Harmon was fired from Community for disruptive behind-the-scenes behavior. (He was later hired back for Seasons 5 and 6.) There have also been rumors of Roiland and Harmon clashing, and that their clashing is partially what led to the unusually long wait between Seasons 2 and 3. Until we get any details, all of this remains speculation. And if I had to bet, I would bet that Adult Swim won't let their biggest hit ever quietly end with a whimper after only 3 seasons. But it is odd that the network has waited this long to pick the series up for a fourth season given its astronomical success, and the fact that Harmon is freely tweeting about the network's lack of renewal adds to the mystery. I guess us Rick and Morty fans are just going to have to wait and see about what the future holds for the series - but no matter what happens, we'll at least always have those magnificent three seasons that we've already gotten.


Ashlynn Yennie

Time for a SitcomsOnline Scoop! Actress Ashlynn Yennie (The Wrong Neighbor, Submission, The Human Centipede) has been cast as the lead in the new thriller film Buried Secrets from Marvista Entertainment, directed by Kenny Gage and Devon Downs. Adam Rockoff wrote the picture with Kimberly A. Ray producing. The Executive Producer is Michael Moran. Also starring in the thriller with Ashlynn are Paige Searcy, Chris McKenna, Garrett Weston and Lofton Shaw. Ashlynn Yennie was last seen in the TV movie thriller The Wrong Neighbor last year that aired on Lifetime, where a recently separated father and his teenage daughter become the deadly obsession of their neighbor (played marvelously by Ashlynn Yennie) -- a beguiling, deranged young woman willing to do whatever's necessary to take her rightful place as their wife and mother. No details yet on the plotline for Buried Secrets, though. There is no premiere date set yet for Buried Secrets, or a network, but usually Marvista Entertainment films air on Lifetime in the U.S. You'll have to stay with us for continued updates on Buried Secrets.


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.

Complete TV Listings


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)

Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Ghosts - Season One Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Ten Growing Pains - The Complete Series

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)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

03/23 - Antenna TV's Earth Day My Favorite Martian Marathon; Neil Patrick Harris Returns on How I Met Your Father
03/22 - Game Show Network Orders Tom Cavanagh Hosted Game Show; A Black Lady Sketch Show Returns for Season 4
03/21 - All That Stars to Reunite for Good Burger 2; Jim Belushi Returns For Another Season of Growing Belushi
03/20 - 2023 90s Con Recap in Hartford; Bel-Air Gets Season 3 on Peacock
03/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 20, 2023)
03/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: New Sitcoms for Terry Crews and Wendi McLendon-Covey; Zachary Levi Holding Out Hope for Chuck Movie
03/17 - AXS TV Acquires The Monkees for Retro Night Block; HBO Max's The Other Two Returns in May
03/16 - Monk Returns with One Final Case on Peacock; John Mulaney Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
03/15 - Apple TV+ Orders Comedy with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey; CBS 2023 Season Finale Dates
03/14 - Disney+ Comedy American Born Chinese Premieres May 24; Tim Robinson Comedy to Return May 30 on Netflix
03/13 - New Girl Coming to Hulu and Peacock; Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 2
03/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 13, 2023)
03/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Beavis and Butt-Head Gets Second Season Renewal; Roles Cast in Bedrock Series
03/10 - Act Your Age Opens as Biggest Launch in Bounce History; Starz Comedy Blindspotting Returns April 14
03/09 - Mary Tyler Moore Film Premieres This May on HBO; Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head Returns for Season 2
03/08 - HBO's Barry Returns April 16; Schmigadoon! Trailer for Season 2
03/07 - American Dad! Season 18 Premieres March 27; Hulu's Tiny Beautiful Things Launches April 7
03/06 - Antenna TV Spring 2023 Schedule; Rewind TV Spring 2023 Schedule
03/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 6, 2023)
03/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rachael Ray to End After 17 Seasons; Fox Renews Krapopolis for Third Season
03/03 - The Thundermans Return; TMZ's New Game Show
03/02 - Fox Renews Krapopolis for Season 3; Disney Channel's New Comedy Saturdays
03/01 - HBO Max Chuck Lorre Comedy Sets Production; New Shonda Rhimes White House Series
02/28 - Apple TV+ Releases Trailer for Ted Lasso S3; More on Chris Rock's Netflix Special
02/27 - Modern Family Star Heads to Season 2 of The Santa Clauses; 29th Annual SAG Awards Winners
02/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 27, 2023)
02/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Goldbergs to End After 10 Seasons; Decades to Rebrand as Catchy Comedy
02/24 - BUZZR's African American Greats Marathon; Hulu and Onyx Collective Comedy Completes Cast
02/23 - Kerry Washington Comedy on Hulu March 10; Mo'Nique's Comedy Special Premieres April 4 on Netflix