Jim Carrey's Comedy Kidding Gets Released Early; Tracey Ullman's Show Returns for Season 3

Tuesday, September 04, 2018

Jim Carrey's Comedy Kidding Gets Released Early; Tracey Ullman's Show Returns for Season 3

Kidding - Catherine Keener and Jim Carrey

Showtime has released the series premiere of its new comedy Kidding early across multiple platforms. The series stars Golden Globe winner Jim Carrey in his first series regular role in more than two decades. Kidding reunites Carrey with Oscar(R) winner Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) and is created by Dave Holstein (Weeds, Raising Hope). The premiere episode is available for free now on YouTube, Facebook and SHO.com. The 10-episode season of Kidding will premiere on Sunday, September 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT after Shameless. Early sampling for Kidding is part of the Showtime Free Preview Weekend that was available to over 71 million households and lasted through Monday, September 3. Viewers nationwide are able sample the network's award-winning programming on SHOWTIME, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND(R), SHOWTIME ANYTIME(R) and select distributors' TV Everywhere portals.

Kidding centers on Jeff, aka Mr. Pickles (Carrey), an icon of children's television and a beacon of kindness and wisdom to America's impressionable young minds and the parents who grew up with him. But when this beloved personality's family begins to implode, Jeff finds no fairytale, fable or puppet will guide him through this crisis, which advances faster than his means to cope. The result: A kind man in a cruel world faces a slow leak of sanity as hilarious as it is heartbreaking. The series also stars Oscar, Emmy(R) and Golden Globe nominee Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Judy Greer (Married), Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Catherine Keener (Get Out), Cole Allen and Juliet Morris. Throughout the season, Jeff begins to push back against the limits of the well-oiled machine that is "Mr. Pickles' Puppet Time," and of his executive producer, Seb (Langella). Seb fears Jeff's mental state could ruin the branding empire they've built, and thus begins preparing the show for a life after Jeff, while Deirdre (Keener), the head puppet maker, grapples with her own professional and personal issues, including with her daughter, played by Morris. Greer stars as Jeff's estranged wife, and their son is played by Allen. Guest stars include Justin Kirk (Weeds), Ginger Gonzaga (I'm Dying Up Here, Mixologoy) and Tara Lipinski.

The Tracey Ullman Show

A longtime HBO favorite returns with six new episodes of her Emmy(R)-nominated series when Tracey Ullman's Show kicks off its third season Friday, Sept. 28 (midnight-12:30 a.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Emmy(R) winner Ullman stars as a wide array of famous faces and everyday people in the sketch comedy show, which looks at modern life and current social figures through a comedic lens. The series is also available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners' streaming platforms.

Over the course of the new season, Ullman uses her signature brand of sharp satire to shape-shift into a range of public figures and offbeat original characters. She reprises her characterizations of Dame Judi Dench, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Jerry Hall, and introduces her takes on British Prime Minister Theresa May, French First Lady Brigitte Macron and U.S. First Lady Melania Trump, among others. More topical than ever before, Tracey Ullman's Show satirizes today's culture, including television's latest obsession with strong but messy female characters, the future possibilities for smart-home devices, life in a post-Brexit world and the absurdity of the 24-hour news cycle.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, August 17

Abbott Elementary - "Pilot" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
In this workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal — are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible educators may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don’t love the school district’s less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.

Abbott Elementary - "Work Family" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Jacob reveals a detail about his personal life, Janine realizes she doesn’t know the other teachers as well as she thought. Meanwhile, as Gregory’s stern teaching approach is causing his whole class to underperform, Barbara and Melissa teach him how to relax and make his lessons more fun.

Abbott Elementary - "Step Class" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Janine is thrilled when Ava asks to help her teach the after-school step class, but the two don’t see eye to eye on how to run the program. Later, when Barbara, Melissa and Jacob plan an “eat-off” to decide who makes the best pizza in Philadelphia, Gregory is forced to reveal a secret.

Abbott Elementary - "Desking" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When the students start participating in a new online trend that causes disruption to the school, the teachers band together to put an end to it. Meanwhile, Mr. Johnson provides comforting life advice to Gregory; and later, the teachers finally meet Jacob’s boyfriend, Zach, who joins in to help stop the students “desking”.

Wellington Paranormal - "Mobots" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Officer Minogue meets Officer O'Leary's mom when they use her house for a stakeout to investigate why a mass quantity of obsolete electronics goes missing.

Wellington Paranormal - "The Invisible Fiend" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Minogue and O'Leary investigate a mysterious home invasion with no visible signs of entry, managing to arrest an invisible creature and bring it back to the station for questioning.

grown-ish - "You Don't Know Me" (Freeform, 10:00PM ET/PT)
The girls enlist Junior's help to find their shady roommate, Lauryn, who has a habit of mysteriously disappearing; Junior wonders if Annika is starting to catch feelings for him; Aaron suspects that Doug isn't being honest with him.

Everything's Trash - "Rom-Coms Are Mostly Trash" (Freeform, 10:30PM ET/PT)
After Phoebe suddenly sees Michael in a new light, she attempts to set him up with Malika, who already has her eye on an old flame; Jayden worries that he and Jessie have lost their spark, so they decide to spice things up.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 15)

Wednesday, August 17

Alison Brie (GLOW/Community) - Watch Alison Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Sasheer Zamata (Home Economics/Woke) - Sasheer appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi co-hosts The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan will be on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) - Zazie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Susan Walters (Dear John/The War Next Door) - Susan is a guest on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Blair Underwood (The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Kel Mitchell (Game Shakers/Kenan & Kel) - Kel appears on a repeat of The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect/Suddenly Susan) - Sherri guest hosts a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Josh Peck (Grandfathered/Drake & Josh) and Rhea Perlman (Cheers/Pearl/Kirstie) - Josh and Rhea talk about Netflix's 13: The Musical on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
Murray Bartlett (Physical/Looking) - Murry talks about White Lotus on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.