Friday, April 19, 2019
Fri-Yay: Can One Day at a Time Be Saved?; ABC Honors All in the Family and The Jeffersons For One-Night Only and It's LIVE!

by Vincent
About a month ago, you may recall the fanfare on the internet over the cancellation of One Day at a Time. Well, as it turns out, the company that makes the series (Sony Pictures) and sold it to Netflix has spent that month looking for another home for the series. In an interview with Deadline, Sony's entertainment chief says he is "reasonably confident" that the series will find another home and that it has "a number of interested buyers." The suitor that was initially interested (CBS All Access) unfortunately cannot continue to pursue the series, as Netflix apparently has a rule that a linear platform cannot acquire the rights for one of its series for three years. This seems like an archaic and ridiculous rule for what is supposed to be a forward-thinking streaming service. It rings especially hollow when you consider how much Netflix seemed to feel bad about cancelling the show, and how they claimed it was important to get these stories to be told. If that were the case, then why wouldn't Netflix leap at the opportunity to have the story be told by a service that believes they can bring more eyeballs to the series?
Still, if there are other potential platforms interested in the series, let's hope they can make it work. If other streaming services remain unavailable, it leaves me to wonder which network would be the best fit for the series. I could certainly see One Day at a Time fitting nicely with ABC's socially-conscious family sitcom line-ups along series like black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat, but its multi-camera sitcom format might work better on CBS, where it could make a nice partner for Mom. And yet, the show's critical acclaim could make it at home on NBC alongside similarly critically lauded sitcoms like The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Superstore. And we haven't even considered cable networks - could a network like TBS or FX have an interest in the series? It's not out of the question...but frankly, I don't really care where it ends up, as long as we get to see more episodes of the show. Here's to hoping something can work out.
ABC's late-night host Jimmy Kimmel presents a live, 90-minute prime-time event in tribute to classic television sitcoms. Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's 'All in the Family' and 'The Jeffersons' teams Kimmel with television icon Norman Lear and executive producers Brent Miller, Will Ferrell, Adam McKay and Justin Theroux. This special, airing live Wednesday, May 22 from 8:00-9:30 p.m. EDT, on The ABC Television Network, will take viewers down memory lane, recreating an original episode from each of the Emmy® Award-winning series All in the Family and The Jeffersons. This legendary night of television will be hosted by Lear and Kimmel, and directed by 10-time Emmy winner James Burrows.
All in the Family and The Jeffersons were groundbreaking shows that changed American television. In this new, one-night-only event, Woody Harrelson will take on the role of Archie Bunker, alongside Marisa Tomei who will be playing Edith Bunker, with Jamie Foxx and Wanda Sykes playing George and Louise Jefferson. Ellie Kemper will play Gloria Stivic; Will Ferrell will appear as Tom Willis, and Justina Machado is set to play Florence Johnston. More stars will be named later.
From 1971 through 1979, All in the Family was in the homes of millions of Americans, tackling controversial subjects for the first time such as women's rights, racism and homosexuality. The series followed Archie Bunker as the highly opinionated, working-class family man who viewed the world on his terms. When not arguing with his liberal son-in-law, Archie took refuge in his wife, Edith, who tried to understand Archie's conservative ways and outdated beliefs. The award-winning series shaped ongoing political and social conversations among American families in the post-civil rights era.
The success of All in the Family launched The Jeffersons, running from 1975 to 1985. It was the first television series to feature an interracial couple, and it would go on to be one of the longest-running African-American shows on TV. The series followed George and Louise Jefferson moving on up to the east side and showcasing what it was like to be successful in a predominantly white world. The series changed the landscape and helped shift conversations about race and class, paving the way for other African-American actors and TV shows.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, April 29
St. Denis Medical - "This Place Is Our Everything" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A storm causes chaos in the Emergency Department; Alex is torn between an obligation to her husband and her co-workers' needs; Joyce goes on a spending spree with found money.
Night Court - "Blood Moonstruck" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On the night of the blood moon, Abby and Gurgs help Julianne with a surprising romantic prospect; Wyatt finds himself in hot water when he fills in as Dan's replacement.
Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Adjust Your Crown, Sis" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Ella sponsors the membership of the new wife of a longtime dea-con into her social club, Incomparable Crowns, she begins to suspect something may be going on behind closed doors in the new marriage.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Ay-Bay-Bay" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Leah wants to try for another baby, but when Jeremy plays hard to get, Leah hatches a plan to seduce him; Mr. Brown has to babysit Kimberly's grandson who appears to be the perfect angel, until he reveals himself to be a mischievous handful.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 28)
Tuesday, April 29
- Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Watching Ellie/Seinfeld/Day by Day) - Catch Julia on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Mo Amer (Mo/Ramy) - Mo is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Mary Lynn Rajskub (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/How to Be a Gentleman/Veronica's Closet/The Larry Sanders Show) - Mary appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Tina Fey (The Four Seasons/Only Murders in the Building/30 Rock) - Tina stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about The Four Seasons on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Tim Bagley (The Great North/Teachers/Grace and Frankie/Web Therapy/Stril Mall) and Andy Richter (Andy Barker, P.I./Quintuplets/Andy Richter Controls the Universe) - Tim and Andy are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Paul Feig (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/The Louie Show/The Jackie Thomas Show/Dirty Dancing) - Paul talks about Another Simple Favor on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda talks about the Wanda Sykes: Please & Thank You Tour on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls/The Office) - Ed talks about SNAFU: The Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screwups on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. He will also be on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Essence Atkins (Poppa's House/Marlon/Mr. Box Office/Are We There Yet?/Half & Half/Smart Guy/Under One Roof) - Essence joins Tamron Hall for a candid conversation on everything from her recent abstinence journey to her career longevity as a working mom, so check your local listings.
- Bill Bellamy (Mr. Box Office/Men, Women & Dogs/Cousin Skeeter) - Bill will be on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley drops by Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Jaleel White (Family Matters/Grown Ups) - Jaleel talks about his CBS game show, Flip Side, and shares stories from his memoir, Growing Up Urkel, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Erika Alexander (Run the World/Living Single/The Cosby Show) and Kim Coles (Living Single/The Geena Davis Show) - Erika and Kim join Sherri to discuss their latest projects, so check your local listings.
- Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - NBC's Today catches up with Joe in the 9am hour.
- Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) and Erika Henningsen (The Four Seasons) - Will and Erika talk about The Four Seasons on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael is a guest on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Harry Hamlin (Movie Stars) - Harry appears on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
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
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