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

Wednesday, April 2

The Conners - "Fame, Flying Fists and Cold Feet" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The Conners get a taste of fame when their family restaurant is featured in a reality TV show, which inspires Becky to become an influencer. Meanwhile, Jackie and Dan meet with a lawyer, and Darlene connects with someone at The Lobo Lounge.

Abbott Elementary - "Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The Abbott teachers turn their open house into a carwash to help raise money for the school.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 31)

Wednesday, April 2

Adam DeVine (The Righteous Gemstones/Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin/Workaholics/Modern Family) - Watch Adam on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Michael B. Jordan (The Assistants) - Michael appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about Sinners on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) - Hannah stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Rob Delaney (Bad Monkey/Catastrophe) - Rob appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Sasheer Zamata (Home Economics/Woke/Robbie) and Greta Titelman (Fantasmas/Search Party/Los Espookys) - Sasheer and Greta are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney at 10pm on Netflix.
Jennifer Lopez (South Central) and Jamie Foxx (Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!/The Jamie Foxx Show) - E! News has interviews with Jennifer and Jamie at 11pm on E!.
Chris Perfetti (Abbott Elementary) - Chris talks about Abbott Elementary on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny talks about Dying for Sex with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Judy Greer (Kidding/Married/Mad Love/Miss Guided/Arrested Development) - NBC's Today catches up with Judy in the 9am hour.
Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Glen Powell (Scream Queens) and Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Bad Teacher/Sex and the City) - NBC's Today catches up with Glen and Kristin in the 10am hour.
Tasha Smith (Survival of the Thickest/Tyler Perry's For Better or Worse/The Tom Show/Boston Common) - Tasha, who stars in Netflix's Surival of the Thickest, joins Tamron Hall to discuss how she found her freedom by sharing her story on her own terms and learning to embrace self-love, so check your local listings.
Gabourey Sidibe (Difficult People/The Big C) - Gabourey talks about starring in the new Lifetime movie Give Me Back My Daughter on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Seth Rogen (The Studio/Platonic/Undeclared) - Seth is joining Drew to tell her all about his new show The Studio on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.