Fri-Yay: The Return of Superstore; Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition Premieres April 21

Friday, March 08, 2019

Fri-Yay: The Return of Superstore; Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition Premieres April 21

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

This week, Superstore returns to the NBC Thursday line-up after a long hiatus. I've talked about this show a lot, but I just wanted to once again give a shout-out to what I believe is the best comedy series on television right now. Superstore is a seriously thoughtful sitcom in the midst of another excellent season, and it frankly deserves way more attention that it's currently getting.

So what makes Superstore so good? What I really love about the series is the way it grounds itself in the world of Cloud 9, and the way it has populated that world in a way that is ripe with thoughtful characterization and a lived-in universe not unlike previously great workplace sitcoms like Parks and Recreation or The Office. Just as Pawnee and Dunder-Mufflin felt like their own, real places on those shows, Cloud 9 feels like one on Superstore, as the series has devoted so much time to creating a lovable world of characters. Additionally, the cast's performance is incredible - from leads America Ferrera and Ben Feldman to every member of the supporting cast and even to bit players, everyone is giving it their all, in a way everyone on a great ensemble series does.

Superstore is a super special show. It's going to make a great companion to Brooklyn Nine-Nine - there's nowhere else on TV you'll find a better block of comedy in one night. And yet, Superstore doesn't seem to get the attention that Brooklyn 99 does. While Superstore is already renewed for a fifth season, I'd really like people to start taking more notice in just how absolutely fantastic the show is.

Worst Cooks in America

Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence are back to lead a new star-studded cast of cooking-challenged celebrities through culinary boot camp in the return of Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition on Sunday, April 21st at 9pm (all times ET/PT) on Food Network. In the seven-episode season, Anne and Tyler each lead a team of stars through a series of high-pressure cooking drills where only the most-improved recruit left standing is awarded $25,000 for the charity of their choice and bragging rights for their chef mentor. This season's celebrity recruits are: Jim J. Bullock (Too Close for Comfort), Morgan Fairchild (Falcon Crest), Tonya Harding (Dancing with the Stars), Jonathan Lipnicki (Stuart Little), Taryn Manning (Orange is the New Black), Alec Mapa (Ugly Betty), Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry) and Jimmie Walker (Good Times).

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, September 8

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Sting" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Calvin and Marty send Courtney on a mission to find out information about Fuse Box’s impressive new rival. Meanwhile, Malcolm attends an event for his creative writing program at USC, where he scores a meeting with a book agent, Lisa (Angelique Cabral).

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Your Own Medicine" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Dave’s disastrous attempt to dunk a basketball, Calvin takes care of his injured neighbor. Also, Gemma befriends a cool mom group while babysitting Daphne.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 8)

Monday, September 8

Christopher Guest as Nigel Tufnel (Family Tree/Morton & Hayes), Michael McKean as David St. Hubbins (Laverne & Shirley), Harry Shearer as Derek Smalls (The Simpsons) and Rob Reiner as Marty DiBergi (All in the Family/Morton & Hayes) - Watch Spinal Tap on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Fred Armisen (Los Espookys/Forever/Final Space) - Fred appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Langston Kerman (English Teacher/Bust Down/South Side/Bless This Mess) - Langston is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) and Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building/Mulaney/I'm a Big Girl Now/The Associates) - Steve and Martin are guests on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Charlie Sheen (Anger Management/Two and a Half Men) - ABC's Good Morning America has part two of Michael Strahan's interview with Charlie sometime between 7-9am.
Marilu Henner (Evening Shade/Taxi) - Marilu talks about A Husband to Die For: The Lisa Aguilar Story on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Katie Lowes (How We Roll) - Katie and Jamie Ray Newman talk about the summer's most talked about show The Hunting Wives on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Rainn Wilson (The Office) - Rainn talks about Code 3 on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet) - Drew will be on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Oscar Nuñez (The Paper/The Office), Alex Edelman (The Paper) and Gbemisola Ikumelo (The Paper) - Oscar, Alex and Gbemisola talk about Peacock's The Paper on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Holly Robinson Peete (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/For Your Love/Like Family/Love, Inc.) - NBC's Today catches up with Holly in the 9am hour.
Malin Akerman (Dollface/Sin City Saints/Trophy Wife/Childrens Hospital) - Malin talks about Netflix's The Hunting Wives on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Valerie appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Halle Berry (Living Dolls) - Halle is celebrating aging helping a viewer over 50 achieve a glow up look on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.