Fri-Yay: What Can Sitcoms Do Better Next Year?; New Nick Sitcom Coming Later This Year

Friday, March 09, 2018

Fri-Yay: What Can Sitcoms Do Better Next Year?; New Nick Sitcom Coming Later This Year

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!

A.P. Bio

by Vincent

It's pretty fair, at this point, to say that this was a bust year for new sitcoms. After NBC's AP Bio has gotten off to a slow start both commercially and critically, it becomes the latest in a long line of disappointing network comedies. Is this the end for network comedies? Have streaming and cable finally overtaken the network sitcom we all know and love? Well...maybe not. Every time there's an off year for sitcoms, it seems that armies of people become ready to bury the network sitcom, and yet it always comes back eventually. Still, it'd be nice to have a solid new slate of sitcoms next year. Here are some things I'd like to see from upcoming network sitcoms.

Interesting concepts. The best comedy on network TV right now is The Good Place, and while that show works largely because of its excellent cast and top-notch writing, its truly unique concept certainly helps. The show feels absolutely nothing like anything else on TV, and it's managed to still be a critical and commercial success. I would love to see more of The Good Place's innovation on network television. After all, its success proves that show can be as original and mind-blowing as The Good Place and still pull in a large enough audience to be an easy renewal every year. So what's network TV's excuse?

Ensemble comedies. Over the past few years, the ensemble comedy has sort of fallen by the wayside. The one major exception is NBC's Superstore, another of the few critical and commercially successful comedies left on broadcast TV. A few years ago, ensemble series were all the rage, from Community to The Office to Happy Endings to Cougar Town. I'd love to see them make a comeback. A good ensemble comedy can feel like hanging out with a cherished group of friends week after week.

High quality multi-camera sitcoms. The multi-camera sitcom has experienced a small creative resurgence with shows like The Carmichael Show (rest in peace...), One Day at a Time and Mom, but it still feels like networks aren't really giving them much effort. Even CBS, long the staple of the multi-camera sitcom, is focusing its attention more on its single-cams as of late than its multi-cams. But when done right, a multi-camera sitcom can be something special, broad enough to appeal to a wide audience but specific enough to really appeal to audience its crafted for. It would be great to see a show like One Day at a Time on broadcast television. Perhaps the Roseanne remake will do the trick. Which leads me to...

Less remakes. C'mon, networks - I get that it's tempting, but how long can this remake trend really last? After all, even Will & Grace has come down quite a bit since its big start. Remakes aren't sustainable, but new ideas and new talent is.

Cousins for Life

Nickelodeon announced it has greenlit a new live-action series, Cousins for Life (20 episodes), from veteran creators and executive producers Kevin Kopelow and Heath Seifert (Austin & Ally, All That). The new buddy comedy centers on 12-year-old cousins Stuart (Dallas Young) and Ivy (Scarlet Spencer), best friends who come from very different backgrounds, and learn to navigate life under one roof with their families. Cousins For Life begins production in Los Angeles this summer, and the series is scheduled to air later this year.

After Stuart's mom is deployed overseas, his fun-loving dad Clark (Ishmel Sahid) decides to move the family to Portland to live with his uptight brother Lewis (Ron G.) and his family, which includes Stuart's confident, socially active cousin Ivy and her younger, overly-curious brother Leaf (Micah Abbey). Now living in a brand new city, Stuart embarks on a variety of endeavors with Ivy that lead to hilarious adventures. Although the cousins do not always see eye-to-eye, Ivy and Stuart learn they are better together, and when they team up, they are unstoppable.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Saturday, August 17

Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons' (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Hosted by television icon Norman Lear and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, directed by 10-time Emmy® winner James Burrows and produced by Sony Pictures Television, the special takes viewers down memory lane, recreating an original episode from each of the Emmy Award-winning series. (Rebroadcast. OAD: 5/22/19)

Star power includes Woody Harrelson (Archie Bunker), Marisa Tomei (Edith Bunker), Jamie Foxx (George Jefferson), Wanda Sykes (Louise Jefferson), Kerry Washington (Helen Willis), Ellie Kemper (Gloria Stivic), Will Ferrell (Tom Willis), Marla Gibbs reprising her original role (Florence Johnston), Ike Barinholtz (Meathead), Sean Hayes (Mr. Lorenzo), Amber Stevens West (Jenny Willis Jefferson), Jovan Adepo (Lionel Jefferson), Anthony Anderson (Uncle Henry), Stephen Tobolowsky (Mr. Bentley), Jackée Harry (Diane Stockwell), Fran Bennett (Mother Jefferson) and a musical performance by Jennifer Hudson.

All About "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After the star-studded sitcom special “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons,’” “Nightline” will take a special look at the cultural and historical significance of the two iconic series. Participants in the sitcom special along with modern-day comedians, television stars and journalists reminisce about each show’s groundbreaking impact and legacy.

The prime-time special features interviews with “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons” creator Norman Lear; host and executive producer Jimmy Kimmel and stars Anthony Anderson, Ike Barinholtz, Jackée Harry, Ellie Kemper and Kerry Washington; comedians and actors Raven-Symoné, David Alan Grier, Lil’ Rel and John Amos; original “The Jeffersons” cast member Marla Gibbs; and journalists Deborah Roberts, Chris Connelly, Marc Lamont Hill and Joe Levy.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 12)

Friday, August 16

Lenny Clarke (Are You There, Chelsea?/It's All Relative/The Job/The John Larroquette Show/Lenny) - Watch Lenny on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Billy Eichner (Difficult People) - Billy appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Mark Hamill (The Texas Wheelers) - Mark is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Happyish/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Niecy Nash (Getting On/The Soul Man/Reno 911!) - Niecy talks about When They See Us on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Tate Donovan (Partners) - Tate appears on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Christopher Abbott (Girls) - Christopher is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Sherri/Less Than Perfect) - Sherri appears on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry is a guest on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette guest co-hosts a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
Loretta Devine (Family Reunion/The Carmichael Show) - Loretta talks about Family Reunion on Couch Surfing at 8am.
Leah Remini (Kevin Can Wait/The Exes/Family Tools/The King of Queens) - Leah will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon talks about Sextuplets on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace prepares a warm, zesty zoodle salad on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
Marilu Henner (Evening Shade/Taxi) - Marilu appears on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.