Fri-Yay: Modern Family Announces Next Season Will Be Its Last; The Kominsky Method Gets Three Veterans for Season 2

Friday, February 08, 2019

Fri-Yay: Modern Family Announces Next Season Will Be Its Last; The Kominsky Method Gets Three Veterans for Season 2

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

The end of yet another sitcom has been announced - Modern Family was renewed for an 11th and final season this week on ABC, with confirmation that the 2019-2020 TV season will be the final one for the landmark family comedy. It's yet another announced ending in a year that is seeing a lot of veteran comedies announcing their end. Just this year alone, we have The Big Bang Theory, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Broad City, You're the Worst and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend coming to an end. Next year, we already have the confirmed ending for Modern Family. There's quite a lot of sitcoms coming to their close within the next year or so - confirming that it's the end of an era for TV comedy.

As the decade draws to a close, it's not particularly surprising to see shows bowing out, but it certainly serves as proof that things are going to begin changing for sitcoms. The loss will be particularly felt by the end of Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory, arguably the two biggest sitcoms on network TV for the better part of this decade. As these two huge shows begin to wind down, there's really nothing in the works that immediately suggests it'll be taking their place as the commercial center of the sitcom universe. There are other hit sitcoms, to be sure - ABC still has a solid roster of family comedies (though the rest of their slate is beginning to age as well), CBS has Big Bang spin-off Young Sheldon pulling in big numbers, and of course there's The Conners still doing quite well. But nothing has burst onto the scene quite as much as those two shows did at their peak. Perhaps as we move deeper into the streaming age, huge, landmark sitcoms like these two on broadcast television might become a thing of the past, and sitcoms will become more and more niche-orientated. Time will tell - but until then, enjoy this last year of Modern Family while you can.

Jane Seymoud, Jacqueline Bisset and Paul Reiser

Jane Seymour, Jacqueline Bisset & Paul Reiser join Michael Douglas & Alan Arkin in season 2 of The Kominsky Method. The trio of actors will be joining Douglas and Arkin in the second season as recurring guest stars in multiple episodes. Jane Seymour plays Madelyn, a seventy-something, well-to-do woman who Norman (Arkin) had a mad love affair with in the Sixties before he met his wife. Fifty years later, they meet and start again. Jacqueline Bisset plays Gabrielle, Mindy's (Sarah Baker) mom and Sandy's (Douglas) French ex-wife who delights in still being able to push the buttons of her ex-husband. Ans Paul Reiser plays Martin, a sixty-something high school teacher who gets romantically involved with Sandy's (Douglas) daughter, Mindy (Baker).

The sun isn't setting yet on the once famous Sandy Kominsky and his longtime agent Norman Newlander. Academy Award(R) Winners Michael Douglas (Kominsky) and Alan Arkin (Newlander) continue their journey as two friends tackling life's inevitable curveballs as they navigate their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty. Both comedic and emotional, The Kominsky Method is a half-hour single camera comedy created by 8-time Emmy Award Nominee Chuck Lorre. Lorre, Al Higgins and Michael Douglas executive produce the series which is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Sunday, October 2

The Simpsons - "Pixelated and Afraid" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Homer and Marge are lost in an icy wilderness, they must push themselves to their limits to survive.

Bob's Burgers - "Frigate Me Knot" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Linda encourages Teddy to attend a farewell ceremony for the ship on which he served in the Navy, but it means confronting his Navy pals and his past.

The Simpsons - "One Angry Lisa" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Lisa gets called for jury duty; Marge becomes obsessed with her exercise bike.

The Great North - "Cillian Me Softly Adventure" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
During Lone Moose's Disaster Day event, Wolf and Honeybee have their very first fight.

Bob's Burgers - "The Reeky Lake Show" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The family's Labor Day lake trip takes a turn when the Belchers find themselves trapped in their cabin, hiding from what lurks outside.

Family Guy - "Bend or Blockbuster" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Resolved to enjoy a family movie night, the Griffins take a road trip to Bend, Ore., to rent a VHS from the last Blockbuster in existence.

The Villains of Valley View - "Havoc-Ween" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Amy brings her mischievous body-snatching Grandma to a party. Vic and Eva scam kids out of their candy untill they come across a villain even bigger than themselves.

Raven's Home - "The Girl Who Cried Tasha" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Alice uses a spell to bring her doll, Tasha, to life; when Tasha refuses to return to being a doll, Alice must enlist the help of Booker, Ivy and Neil.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 26)

Friday, September 30

Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/George and Leo/Chicago Sons/Simon/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Quinta is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Kevin Hart (The Big House/Undeclared) - Kevin appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Alison Brie (GLOW/Community) - Alison will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Mario Cantone (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Mario chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
David Alan Grier (Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!/The Cool Kids/The Carmichael Show/Bad Teacher/Life with Bonnie/DAG) - David appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Topher Grace (Home Economics/That '70s Show) - Topher is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Billy Eichner (Friends from College/Difficult People/Parks and Recreation) - Billy stops by to chat and play a rousing game of Never Have I Ever with a twist on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jim Rash (Community/Help Me Help You/Thanks/Katie Joplin) - Jim appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Jason Alexander (Seinfeld/Bob Patterson/Listen Up!/Hit the Road) - Jason shares stories from his hit sitcom on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
Alfonso Ribeiro (In the House/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso dishes about the new season of Dancing with the Stars on Disney+ on Sherri, so check your local listings. He will also be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick talks about Don't Worry Darling and Little Big Boys on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew is a guest on Sherri, so check your local listings.