Friday, February 22, 2019

Fri-Yay: The Other Two Is Our First Great New Comedy Series of 2019; Remembering Peter Tork of The Monkees, MeTV to Air Tribute on Sunday (Feb. 24)

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!

The Other Two

by Vincent

A few weeks ago, I talked briefly about The Other Two, a series that premiered on Comedy Central in January. The show is now five episodes into its debut season, so I wanted to look back at it and talk about all of the great stuff it's doing. Frankly, The Other Two is my pick for best new comedy series not just of 2019, but perhaps in several years. It gives me very similar feelings that shows like Broad City, BoJack Horseman and You're the Worst did when they premiered back in 2014 - this is a show that is fresh, new, and offers a great perspective, and could pave the way for the next era of great comedy.

The Other Two is a comedy centered around the two siblings of Chase Dreams, a viral teen sensation whose success stands in stark contrast to his older siblings. The show is funny, lively and has great performances from its entire cast, but it's also an interestingly structured series that's a little bit different than cable comedies of recent years. In some ways, The Other Two is more in line with a traditional sitcom than other recent Comedy Central series such as Corporate and the dearly departed Detroiters. It's not quite as visually inventive as Corporate, or as off-the-wall as Detroiters, going for a bit more of a broad audience. But that's part of what makes the show as special as it is.

The Other Two is going for strong relatability and familial situations that we can all look at and connect our own lives to. In some ways, The Other Two is a family sitcom through and through, and it certainly uses those beats often - and yet, its humor is very much in line with shows like Broad City or BoJack Horseman - self-deprecating, snarky, and creative. We've never really seen a series try to merge the world of a family sitcom with heartwarming values with the sardonic, edgy nature of a cable sitcom, and it's fascinating to see The Other Two straddling those two worlds so well. It's a series I'll definitely be keeping my eye on, and since the show has been a moderate ratings success that has already earned a second season, I'm interested to see if its influence will expand and set a tone for the next crop of cable comedies.


Peter Tork

Musician and actor Peter Tork, best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist of The Monkees, has died. He died on February 21 at his home in Mansfield, Connecticut, from complications of adenoid cystic carcinoma. Mr. Tork was 77.

The Monkees were formed in Los Angeles in 1965 by Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider specifically for the sitcom The Monkees. Davy Jones had a long-term contract with Screen Gems to appear in television programs. He was shortlisted for the auditions and identified in advance as a potential star for the series. Daily Variety and The Hollywood Reporter ran an ad to cast the remainder of the band/cast members for the TV series on September 8-10, 1965. Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork were chosen out of 437 applicants. Tork was the last chosen and oldest member of the group.

The Monkees

The Monkees premiered on NBC on September 12, 1966. The series follows the adventures of four young men (The Monkees) trying to make a name for themselves as a rock 'n roll band. Tork played the lovable dummy, a persona he had developed as a folk singer in New York's Greenwich Village. Although the series ran for only 2 seasons (1966 to 1968) and 58 episodes, it remains hugely popular to this day. They received two Emmy Awards in 1967: Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy (James Frawley). Tork directed the episode Monkees Mind Their Manor in 1968.

The band was originally active from 1966 to 1971. They released six albums, four of which went to No. 1 on the Billboard chart. Some of their big hits included: (Theme From) The Monkees; Last Train to Clarksville; I'm a Believer; (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone; A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You; Pleasant Valley Sunday; Daydream Believer; and Valleri. In 1968, they appeared in the feature film Head. They appeared in the 1969 NBC TV special 33 1⁄3 Revolutions per Monkee. The band reunited in 1986 and toured intermittently with different lineups for a number of years. Tork, Dolenz and Jones appeared in The Brady Bunch Movie in 1995.

Peter Tork in Boy Meets World

Tork made guest appearances in several television series. He appeared as himself in a 1995 episode of Wings where he bids against Helen (Crystal Bernard) for the Monkeemobile. He played Topanga Lawrence's (Danielle Fishel) father, Jedidiah Lawrence, in two episodes of Boy Meets World in 1995. His other sitcom guest appearances included California Dreams and The King of Queens. He guest starred as Chris in two episodes of 7th Heaven in 1998 and 2001.

Mr. Tork was a man of many talents. It's sad that we've lost two of the four Monkees. We thank him for the great music and entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our The Monkees message board. View photos in our galleries.

MeTV Remembering Peter Tork

MeTV Network pays tribute to the career of actor and musician Peter Tork with a special presentation of The Monkees airing on MeTV this Sunday, February 24, beginning at 5:00pm ET/PT through 6:00pm ET/PT.

Peter Tork will forever be remembered as the keyboardist and bass guitarist for The Monkees, the 60s pop/rock band that was formed specifically for the eponymous television show that originally aired from 1966 to 1968. Beloved for the TV show's comedy and music, The Monkees musical hits include I'm a Believer (featured in this MeTV tribute), Daydream Believer, Last Train to Clarksville and Pleasant Valley Sunday.

Tork got his start in the 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene before landing the coveted role in the TV series that would bring him national stardom alongside fellow band members, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Davy Jones. Throughout the series, Tork would write some of their hit songs, including For Pete's Sake, used as the show's closing credits during the second season.

Tork's musical influence continued on even after the show, collaborating with George Harrison on his 1968 soundtrack album Wonderwall. In the late 1980s, The Monkees experienced a resurgence in popular culture and embarked on several reunion tours. After the 2012 death of Davy Jones, the surviving members released Good Times! in 2016 and earned their first Top 20 album in 25 years.

The schedule for MeTV's Tribute to Peter Tork includes:

Sunday, February 24, 2019 (All Times are Eastern/Pacific)

5:00- 5:30pm ET/PT - One Man Shy

A wealthy debutante hires the Monkees to play at her coming out party, where Peter falls instantly in love with her. The girl's rich suitor begins a campaign to show her what a bad boy Peter is and the Monkees reply with their own plot, to show what a fine person Peter is. Monkee music includes Valleri and I'm a Believer.

5:30- 6:00pm ET/PT - The Devil and Peter York

Based loosely on Stephen Vincent Benet's fantasy novel (and the Oscar-winning 1941 RKO movie it spawned) The Devil and Daniel Webster. At Mr. Zero's Pawn Shop, Peter falls in love with a golden harp. Learning Peter has no money, Zero produces a contract, which Peter signs. At the pad, Micky, Mike and Davy remind him that he can't play the harp and urge him to return it. Suddenly, Zero appears in a puff of smoke, and, at his command, Peter plays beautifully. Zero disappears and the boys are immediately booked into a harp act, which is an instant overnight success.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Sunday, December 10

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 4)

Friday, December 8

  • Eddie Murphy (The PJs) - Watch Eddie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building/High Fidelity/People of Earth/Selfie) - Da'Vine appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • John Caponera (The Good Life) - John is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
  • Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Triumph the Insult Comic Dog aka Robert Smigel chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Noah Galvin (The Real O'Neals) and Molly Gordon (Ramy) - Noah and Molly talk about Theater Camp on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Eric Stonestreet (The Santa Clauses/Modern Family) - Eric talks about The Santa Clauses on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan sits down with Sherri to talk about his new book, When I Was Your Age, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-December)

Family Matters - The Complete Series Step by Step - The Complete Series ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

That Girl - The Complete Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


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11/16 - Whoa Mama! Urkel Is Back for the Holidays!; Hulu Gets Such Brave Girls Comedy
11/15 - COZI TV's A Very COZI Christmas Schedule; Young Sheldon to End This Season on CBS
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11/13 - Antenna TV 2023 Holiday Marathons Schedule; Rewind TV 2023 Holiday Marathons Schedule
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