Friday, February 15, 2019

Fri-Yay: One Day at a Time Is As Charming As Ever in Its 3rd Season; Bounce Acquires Moesha and The Game

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!

One Day at a Time

by Vincent

Last Friday, Netflix premiered the third season of One Day at a Time, also known as the best traditional sitcom on television. I've talked a lot about the show over the years, and I'm going to be talking about it again, because the remake of the Norman Lear sitcom is just as warm, inviting, funny and vital in its third season. The show once again tackles some big issues, from sexuality to the #MeToo movement and even to drugs - but does so without ever feeling heavy-handed and while always being warm, approachable, and enjoyable.

There's so much to like about One Day at a Time. Its central family is incredibly lovable, the kind of family you kind of wish you were in yourself after a weekend binge of the series. Part of it is the excellent writing, but another part is the portrayal of the cast. The cast is absolutely attuned to their roles by this point - even the younger members of the ensemble, who have shaken off any early series jitters and now feel completely lived into their roles. The entire show - from the writing to the acting - just feels like an incredibly well-oiled machine at this point. It's also a machine that does a great job bringing tribute to the traditional multi-camera sitcom format, a format that increasingly feels as if it's being lost to the wind (especially with The Big Bang Theory in its twilight, although perhaps The Conners can pick up some of the slack.) One Day at a Time is the only proof you need that the multi-camera sitcom can still be a viable and enriching art form when given the proper care and respect. It uses the format for both its jokes and its drama - just like in the best multi-camera sitcoms, the audience laughter in hilarious moments is just as vital as the moment when things get "real" and you can hear a pindrop.

So please, please, please give One Day at a Time a chance if you haven't already. Although we never really know how Netflix shows are doing, the service seems to have gotten the cancellation bug in the past year, with so many shows receiving the ax or announcing their end. While some of those shows (like Kimmy Schmidt or Orange is the New Black) felt like they were near a natural conclusion, One Day at a Time is the type of show that I want to see run for years and years. It has plenty of life left in it, and the Alvarezes are the kind of family I want to spend so much more time with. The series gets critical acclaim, but doesn't seem to have the general popularity of some of Netflix's other shows such as Stranger Things or 13 Reasons Why. So please - give the show a chance and ensure us plenty of more years of this wonderful sitcom to come, especially if you're a fan of the traditional multi-camera sitcom. In 2019, the format doesn't get any better than this.


Moesha & The Game

Bounce has licensed the broadcast television rights to the popular and NAACP Image Award-winning series Moesha and The Game in a multi-year agreement with CBS Television Distribution. Bounce lands all six seasons (127 episodes) of Moesha and all nine seasons (147 episodes) of The Game and will air the shows back-to-back weeknights with Moesha from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. and The Game between 8:00 - 9:00 p.m. effective immediately starting on Monday (Feb. 18, all times Eastern).

Moesha, one of the first sitcoms to center around an African-American teenage girl, stars R&B superstar Brandy Norwood as Moesha Mitchell, who's juggling school, friendships and romance in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. After previously being the female head of the household, Moesha must learn to love and trust her father's new wife while doing her best to be the "glue" that helps hold her family together. Moesha also stars Sheryl Lee Ralph, Countess Vaughn, Shar Jackson, William Allen Young, Marcus T. Paulk, Ray J, Lamont Bentley and Yvette Wilson. The series aired on UPN between from 1996 until 2001.

The Game follows the wives and girlfriends of pro football players and the power plays they use to get their guys the best agents, the best endorsements, the best merchandising deals - even the "in" charity. Tia Mowry stars as Melanie Barnett whose boyfriend, Derwin (Pooch Hall), is the new third-string wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers. As she deals with egos, groupies and image consultants, Melanie is finding out how "the game" is played among the women behind the athletes. Wendy Raquel Robinson, Hosea Chanchez, Coby Bell, and Brittany Daniel round out the cast. The series, created by Mara Brock Akil, was a spin-off of the long-running hit series Girlfriends. It premiered on The CW in 2006 for three seasons and then moved to BET, where it set cable television ratings records.


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.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

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
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

04/02 - Rick and Morty Season 8 Premieres May 25; Netflix's Tires Returns June 5
04/01 - Disney Renews Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for Season 2; Prime Video Details Final Season of The Summer I Turned Pretty
03/31 - Prime Video's Dance-World Comedy Étoile; Netflix's Tom Segura Dark Comedy Bad Thoughts
03/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 31, 2025)
03/29 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Gives Pilot Order to A Different World Sequel; Malcolm in the Middle Reboot Recasts Role of Dewey
03/28 - Pat Sajak's Final Spin on Wheel and Return of Jeopardy! Masters; Remembering George Foreman and Wings Hauser
03/27 - IFC Renews SisterS for Season 2; Netflix Orders Live-Action Scooby-Doo Series
03/26 - Hulu Spring 2025 Slate; The Making of The Americas Special Narrated by Tom Hanks on NBC
03/25 - Deli Boys Now Streaming All Episodes on Hulu; Heartland Season 18 on UP Faith & Family
03/24 - Peacock April Highlights Include Three's Company; Antenna TV's 50 Years on the Beat Barney Miller Anniversary Marathon
03/23 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 24, 2025)
03/22 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* Coming to DVD; American Dad! Moving Back to Fox
03/21 - Big Mouth Final Season; The Four Seasons Premieres in May on Netflix
03/20 - HBO's Brett Goldstein Comedy Special; Disney+ Adds The Simpsons 24/7 Stream
03/19 - Solar Opposites Final Season This Fall; NBC to Move Grosse Pointe Garden Society to Fridays
03/18 - Game Show Network New Shows Launch April 14; NBC Picks Up 3rd Comedy Pilot, While Bobby Moynihan Joins Tracy Morgan Pilot
03/17 - It's True! Ted Lasso Renewed for Season 4; Jane Goodall Returns for Jane Season 3
03/16 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 17, 2025)
03/15 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Neighborhood Renewed for Eighth and Final Season; NBC Picks Up New Cheerleading Comedy
03/14 - NBC Comedy Pilots Wheeling & Dealing; Hulu's Got to Get Out
03/13 - Prime Video Comedy Series Overcompensating Premiere Date; Eric Stonestreet Joins Dexter: Resurrection
03/12 - Hacks Season 4 Premieres April 10; Nickelodeon Orders Wylde Pak
03/11 - The Neighborhood Renewed for Final Season; Max's The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast
03/10 - Netflix Renews Running Point for Season 2; Apple TV+ Trailer for The Studio
03/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 10, 2025)
03/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Tracy Morgan to Star in NBC Pilot from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock; Nobody Wants This Returning for Second Season
03/07 - Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy Government Cheese; Remembering Saved by the Bell and TV Producer Peter Engel
03/06 - The CW Spring Premiere Dates; Henry Winkler Heads to HISTORY Channel
03/05 - Hacks Brings Out the Stars in Season 4; NBC Orders Pilot with Tracy Morgan
03/04 - Apple TV+ Side Quest Launches March 26; Krysten Ritter Joins Dexter: Resurrection
03/03 - HBO's The Rehearsal Returns April 20; Sharon Horgan Signs Deal for HBO Comedy Series
03/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 3, 2025)