Friday, April 27, 2018
Fri-Yay: Why Brooklyn Nine-Nine Deserves a Renewal; Celebrity Version of Undercover Boss Starts May 11
by Vincent
It's the end of April, which means in the next few weeks TV networks will be making final decisions on what will or won't be making their schedules next year. One of the many shows on the bubble is delightful sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which is ending its fifth season and remains as delightful as ever. And yet, ratings for the series have been steadily declining at a rate even faster than most network TV shows of the era. Even though ratings have perked up some since the show returned to the Sunday slot where it once stood tall, Brooklyn Nine-Nine still remains firmly on the bubble as we head into May upfronts. In fact, creator Dan Goor said that he wrote this year's finale as a "possible series ender" if need be (typically, Brooklyn seasons have ended with cliffhangers each year.)
It would be a real shame if Brooklyn Nine-Nine was cancelled without being given a proper goodbye, especially since the show has shown little signs of decline, a rarity for a sitcom this long into the game. Network sitcoms aren't as plentiful as they were, especially good network sitcoms, and we need to hold onto the great ones for as long as we can. Brooklyn is not only a consistently funny show with a winning cast with the likes of Andy Samburg, Andre Braugher, Terry Crews, Chelsea Peretti and...well, basically everyone, but it's quietly become a progressive one too, with several LGBT characters and excellent diversity representation. And it manages to do so without ever feeling preachy or pandering, but rather just by making these ideals ingrained in the fabric of the show. Plus, Brooklyn's characters are just so damn likable. There's few makeshift families on TV I'd rather spend time with than the quirky oddballs of the 99th precinct. Fox will likely make its final decision on the show's fate within the next few weeks, and whether it has a 6th season on Fox or somewhere else, the show deserves at least another season to properly send off its characters. It would be a shame to let a show like Brooklyn 99 end on a whimper when it deserves to be celebrated and cheered.
CBS announced that the first season of Undercover Boss: Celebrity Edition, from the team behind the two-time Emmy Award-winning series Undercover Boss, will premiere Friday, May 11 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Celebrities at the top of their chosen fields are going undercover to find talented people and make dreams come true. The nation's best singers, athletes, models and business icons embark on talent searches to pay it forward to deserving yet-to-be-discovered individuals. The first four celebrities appearing this season are: Gabby Douglas (Olympian), Idina Menzel (singer and actress), Bethany Mota (YouTube sensation), and NFL legend Deion Sanders. (Additional stars and airdates will be announced at a later date.) The celebrities were each disguised with state-of-the-art prosthetic makeup and custom-made wigs, which took an average of two and a half hours to apply.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Monday, February 10
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the e-Neighborhood" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A new community social app shakes up the neighborhood. Also, Marty and Courtney attend a family class with Daphne and unexpectedly bump into Marty’s high school sweetheart.
Poppa's House - "Dirty Laundry" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Junior and Poppa’s relationship hits a rough patch when Junior agrees to film a commercial for JJ’s foam roller company, only to be ridiculed by Poppa on his podcast.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 10)
Monday, February 10
- Betty Gilpin (GLOW/Nurse Jackie) - Watch Betty on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Will Ferrell (The Office) - Will is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Paula Pell (Girls5eva/Mapleworth Murders/A.P. Bio) - Paula appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Zach Cherry (Duncanville/I Feel Bad/Crashing) and Pete Holmes (How We Roll/Crashing) - Zach and Pete are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Amy Schumer (Life & Beth) and Brianne Howey (Dollface) - Amy and Brianne are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
- Scott Foley (The Goodwin Games/A.U.S.A./Scrubs) - Scott stops by Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- George Wallace (Clean Slate/The Parkers/Arli$$/Tall Hopes) - George talks about Clean Slate on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Melanie Lynskey (Two and a Half Men/Togetherness) and Lauren Ambrose (The Return of Jezebel James) - Drew is chatting with Yellowjackets cast Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress and Lauren Ambrose about working as cast of women in their forties, supporting each other as working moms and the newest season of their thrilling show on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Plus, they're playing a rousing round of confession session and Drew is trying to match their fun revealing facts to the right person.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
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