Fri-Yay: Comedy Central Cuts Comedies; NBC Schedules More Mid-Season 2019 Shows, Includes Return of A.P. Bio

Friday, December 21, 2018

Fri-Yay: Comedy Central Cuts Comedies; NBC Schedules More Mid-Season 2019 Shows, Includes Return of A.P. Bio

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!

by Vincent

Last week, Comedy Central cancelled both Detroiters and Another Period. It was, frankly, a shame - both shows, particularly Detroiters, were truly weird, funny, and creative in ways the best Comedy Central shows are. As Comedy Central cancels these two series and also looks to the end of Broad City next year, it leaves me wondering: what does the future look like for the comedy-focused cable network? For the past five years or so, the network has enjoyed something of a creative renaissance, with shows like Broad City, Review, Nathan for You, Inside Amy Schumer, Another Period and Detroiters giving the network a lot of excellent, creative series and allowing it a reputation for being a home for daring and experimental comedy. Now, though, most of those shows have either been cancelled (Review, Nathan for You, Detroiters, Another Period), will be ending soon (Broad City) or on a seemingly never-ending hiatus (Inside Amy Schumer).

So what's left? Well, the network still has Corporate, which is in a similar vein as the network's past shows, but other than that...it certainly seems as if it may be moving away from the constant stream of high-quality originals it once had. It's unfortunate, especially for a show like Detroiters, cut down in its prime. There is currently an online movement to get another network to pick up Detroiters - and while it seems like a bit of a long shot for a small scale cult hit, I'm hoping that zany comedy like Detroiters can find a home somewhere.

A.P. Bio

The sixteenth season of The Voice will premiere on Monday, February 25, 2019 from 8:00-10:00pm ET/PT with new coach John Legend joining Kelly, Blake and Adam on the panel. It will be followed on Monday nights by The Enemy Within, the new drama starring Jennifer Carpenter and Morris Chestnut at 10:00pm ET/PT. Both will air through May 20. The Voice will also air on Tuesdays from 8:00–9:00pm ET/PT through March 5. On February 26, it will be followed by the third season premiere of World of Dance from 9:00–11:00pm ET/PT. The Voice will return to Tuesday nights when live episodes begin on April 23 and will air from 8:00–9:00pm ET/PT through the rest of the season thru May 21.

World of Dance moves to its normal time period Sunday, March 3 where it will air from 8:00–10:00pm ET/PT followed by the second season of Good Girls at 10:00pm ET/PT through May 12. The second season of comedy A.P. Bio will premiere on Thursday, March 7 at 8:30pm ET/PT where it will air through May 16. Following This Is Us on Tuesday, March 12, NBC will premiere the new drama The Village at 10:00pm ET/PT. It will air in that time period following the remaining three episodes of This Is Us and then will move to 9:00PM ET/PT from April 2-May 14 followed by New Amsterdam which is at 10:00pm ET/PT.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, February 24

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Getting Lucky" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Calvin and Dave join Lamar (Kevin Pollack) on a road trip to the casino. Also, Tina and Gemma babysit Daphne while Marty desperately tries to spend time with Courtney alone. Series star Tichina Arnold directs this episode.

Poppa's House - "Slumber Party" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Poppa dodges an invitation to a family slumber party, Junior attempts to change his mind by making him jealous of everyone attending. Charo guest stars as herself. Wendy Raquel Robinson returns as Catherine. Geoffrey Owens returns as J.J.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 24)

Monday, February 24

Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Chris on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Woody Harrelson (Cheers) - Woody stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Wendell Pierce (The Odd Couple/The Michael J. Fox Show/The Weber/The Brian Benben Show/The Gregory Hines Show) - Wendell appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He talks about the latest season of Raising Kanan on Starz on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Sam Waterston (Grace and Frankie) - Sam makes a special appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Christian Slater (Breaking In) - Christian is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Zosia Mamet (Laid/Girls) - Zosia appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Tichina Arnold (The Neighborhood/Survivor's Remorse/Happily Divorced/Everybody Hates Chris/Martin) and Essence Atkins (Poppa's House/Marlon/Mr. Box Office/Are We There Yet?/Half & Half/Smart Guy/Under One Roof) - Tichina and Essence are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS. Tichina appers on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Jon Hamm (Grimsburg/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Jon appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11pm on Bravo.
Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris is a guest on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Kate Hudson (Running Point) - E! News has an interview with Kate at 11pm on E!.
Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) - NBC's Today catches up with Eric in the 9am hour.
Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons and Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - CBS Mornings has CBS deals with Anthony and Cedric sometime between 7-9am.
Clifton Davis (Amen/That's My Mama) - Nancy Giles goes behind the scenes of CBS' new series Beyond the Gates with actors Clifton Davis, Tamara Tunie, Daphnée Duplaix and Karla Mosley on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Brockmire/Free Agents/Herman's Head) - Hank chats with the hosts and performs with the EZ Street Band on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso) - Phil talks about the new season of Ted Lasso on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Halle Berry (Living Dolls) - Halle is hitting the headlines with Drew and Ross and opening up about finding love again on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Then, Halle is opening up about her experience with menopause and the new platform Respin she made to help women through it.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer and Freddy Rodriguez chat about their podcast Dos Amigos on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.