Friday, March 22, 2019
Fri-Yay: Original Comedies at Netflix; ABC Announces April Finales, Including TGIF
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
With the cancelation of One Day at a Time last week, one can stand to wonder what the state is of sitcoms on Netflix. Frankly, sitcoms are the one area that it feels like the streaming giant hasn't necessarily figured out yet at this point in time. When it comes to animated comedies, the streaming service has done a lot better - Bojack Horseman and Big Mouth being two examples. But it feels as if none of the service's sitcoms have reached the height of its dramas. Sure, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt was very popular for a while, but it didn't last - the show will be ending after four seasons. The same could be said for Fuller House, which started off with a lot of hype but couldn't quite become a long-running smash the way its predecessor was. So will we ever see a streaming sitcom blow up the way network comedies have the potential to?
Honestly, I do have my doubts. Part of me feels as if the Netflix model just doesn't work as well for sitcoms. A sitcom is a show that gives you comfort - it's a show that you unwind with weekly at the end of a long day. It's not a show you feel the need to dust off in a 72-hour binge and then forget about for a year. Yet, that's what the Netflix algorithm demands, and it's shows that are well-suited to that kind of viewing that tend to stick around on the service. But maybe I can be proven wrong - maybe the right show just hasn't been discovered yet. Still, with a great show like One Day at a Time apparently not succeeding on the service, it's hard for me to get my hopes too high up.
The ABC Television Network has announced season finale dates for scripted series ending their prime-time runs in April. The first finale is on Tuesday, April 9 with the season finale of Splitting Up Together at 9:30pm. The series premiere of Bless This Mess premieres the following week (Tuesday, April 16), as we previously mentioned. Then on TGIF, on Friday, April 12, Fresh Off the Boat has its season finale at 8:00pm. That is followed by the season finale of Speechless at 8:30pm. No word yet on what ABC will air 8-9pm on Friday nights in May, but the NBA Playoffs are on April 19 and the 2019 NFL Draft is on April 26. Finally, ABC's hit freshman drama The Rookie will have its first season finale on Tuesday, April 16 at 10pm. ABC has not announced yet what will air Tuesdays at 10pm for the reminder of the season. Stay tuned for the other season finale dates for May when ABC announces them.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, January 14
Shifting Gears - "Friend" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Matt’s reunion with a high school friend stirs up more than nostalgia when he meets their equally opinionated spouse. Meanwhile, Riley spirals when Klatch gets a negative Yelp review. Tuc Watkins, Jim Rash and Jesse Williams guest star.
Abbott Elementary - "Mall Part 2: Questions & Concerns" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Growing pains hit Abbott Elementary as the PTA pressures Janine and Gregory for answers. Meanwhile, Jacob and Barbara become suspicious of Mr. Morton.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 12)
Wednesday, January 14
- Laura Dern (F Is for Family/Enlightened) - Watch Laura on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about The Traitors on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Monique Coleman (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Monique discusses the 20th anniversary of High School Musical on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim discusses The Upshaws on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan can be heard on The Morning Mash Up on SiriusXM.
- Kyle Chandler (What About Joan?) - Kyle talks about The Rip on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That.../Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - NBC's Today catches up with Sarah in the 10am hour.
- Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken/Community) - Ken tells Sherri about the ever-popular The Masked Singer on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie and Ross Mathews are joining Drew for a memory bank segment reflecting on their biggest moments on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Kumail tells Drew about his comedy special Night Thoughts on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jackie Hoffman (Only Murders in the Building/Starved) - Jackie is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
- Anissa Borrego (Stumble) and Jarrett Austin Brown (Stumble) - Anissa and Jarrett talk about Stumble on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
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