Fri-Yay: You're the Worst Going Out on a High Note; The CW Picks Up 10 Returning Series for 2019-20

Friday, February 01, 2019

Fri-Yay: You're the Worst Going Out on a High Note; The CW Picks Up 10 Returning Series for 2019-20

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

There are a lot of sitcoms coming to an end in 2019 - from Broad City to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and also to You're the Worst. Today, I'll be spotlighting the final season of FXX's You're the Worst, which is proving to be an incredibly strong one as the sitcom reaches its conclusion. You're the Worst has been a bit of a quiet favorite over its five season run - it never attracted the amount of viewers of a show like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but those who were on its wavelength were incredibly passionate about it, particularly in the show's strong first and second seasons. The series was an incredibly funny but also heartfelt look at what it's like to be in a relationship when you're kind of broken - and it got a lot more real in its second season, when it revealed one of its central characters of its main couple, Gretchen, suffers from depression. The second season was one of the best TV seasons of the 2010s - funny, heartfelt and intricately written. The show hasn't quite reached those heights since - the third season attempted to look at Jimmy in a similar way that the second looked at Gretchen, but it never quite felt as vital as that season, never quite reaching the level of depth that Gretchen's arc did. In Season 4, the show's couple spent most of the time broken up, which felt like something the show needed to do but also made the show feel a bit split and scattered, struggling to find a central focus as strong as Jimmy and Gretchen's relationship.

Now, though, in its final season, You're the Worst is doing an excellent job of bringing everything to a conclusion, and it's doing it by remembering its characters depths and allowing them to be as real and funny as possible. Ultimately, what makes the show such a special one is its willingness to go to places that other shows wouldn't - whether that's in its characters behavior or in the show's format (such as in the premiere, which centers mostly around a fictional story that Jimmy and Gretchen are telling.) It's great to see the show gain its mojo back and once again focus on the depth of its characters, proving that it's a show we'll really miss once its gone.

The CW

The CW Network has given early renewals to ten of its primetime series for the 2019-2020 season. The series being ordered for the 2019-2020 broadcast year include second seasons of The CW's freshman hits Charmed and Legacies, as well as new seasons of Arrow (Season 8), Black Lightning (Season 3), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (Season 5), Dynasty (Season 3), The Flash (Season 6), Riverdale (Season 4), Supergirl (Season 5), and the veteran hit Supernatural (Season 15). Specific premiere dates for each series will be announced at a later time.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, January 23

Shifting Gears - "Accommodations" (ABC, 9:02PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Matt joins Riley at Carter’s high school open house, where he’s unsettled to learn about the “accommodations” made for his grandson’s anxiety. Meanwhile, Riley reconnects with Caitlin, a former classmate, and sets her up with Gabriel.

Only Murders in the Building - "Sparring Partners" (ABC, 9:33PM ET/PT)
Closing in on the killer, Mabel takes her investigative talents into the ring; Oliver and Charles duke it out over a birdcage only to end up confronting their deepest paternal struggles.

Only Murders in the Building - "I Know Who Did It" (ABC, 10:12PM ET/PT)
The question of who did it remains, along with a few more questions that have been raised.

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "An Old Mustang" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Georgie worries that he’s leaving Connor out of his new project with Jim. Meanwhile, Mandy and Audrey struggle to decorate CeeCee’s nursery without fighting.

Ghosts - "The Primary Source" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Sam’s book publisher requires source material for her biography on Isaac, she and Jay take a field trip to find a diary he claims he hid when he was alive.

Animal Control - "Baby Kangaroos and Chickens" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank and Victoria compete to win Fiona's affections at the new kennels' fundraiser; Emily gets some very bad advice from Bettany on her speech; Patel and Shred find themselves facing the world's most charming squatter.

Going Dutch - "Korfball" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Everyone in town is talking about the upcoming Korfball match between the Americans and the Dutch; the colonel refuses to lose to the Dutch and Quinn brings out her high school alter ego "The Rocket" to make her dad proud.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)

Thursday, January 23

James Marsden (30 Rock) - Catch James on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Fortune Feimster (FUBAR/Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Fortune appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - Denis stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) - Britt is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!), Paul F. Tompkins (The Great North/BoJack Horseman/DAG) and Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Thomas, Paul and Joe are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Al Madrigal (Lopez vs Lopez/About a Boy/Gary Unmarried/Welcome to The Captain) - Al appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason and his wife Jenny Mollen are telling Drew about their new show Dinner and a Movie that features an episode focusing on 50 First Dates on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.