Fri-Yay: 2019 New Sitcoms; Hulu Acquires Popular Comedy Letterkenny

Friday, June 07, 2019

Fri-Yay: 2019 New Sitcoms; Hulu Acquires Popular Comedy Letterkenny

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

Next year promises to be an interesting one for new sitcoms. Several networks are preparing to lose big, landmark series - The Big Bang Theory, of course, has ended, and Modern Family will also be ending after next season. In this column I'll be taking a look at what the networks will be doing to replenish their sitcom stock in 2019.

ABC is clearly going to be relying on Kenya Barris (creator of black-ish) to rocket them into a new era. mixed-ish, the Rainbow-centric spinoff of black-ish, will be the networks big new comedy premiere. It seems ABC is really dedicated to it, pairing it with its parent series for a Tuesday launch. That means half of ABC's Tuesday comedy line-up will be produced by Kenya Barris. The other half will be The Conners and the decently rated sophomore Bless This Mess. It may wind up being that Tuesday overtakes Wednesday as ABC's dominant comedy night.

CBS is also going with a storied producer for its future - the network will be debuting Chuck Lorre's (creator of Big Bang Theory) new comedy Bob Loves Abishola on Mondays at 8:30. It will also be premiering the new Patricia Heston vehicle Carol's Second Act on Thursdays at 9:30. Young Sheldon (which moves into the lead-off slot). CBS is counting on these big names to fill its big holes, and we'll have to see if it works out for them.

Letterkenny

Hulu announced that following the acquisition of award-winning Canadian fan favorite and Crave Original comedy series Letterkenny, the show will return as a Hulu Original. In a new licensed deal with New Metric Media and DHX Media, Hulu will now have exclusive U.S. streaming rights to all upcoming seasons of the series. Created by and starring Jared Keeso, the half-hour comedy revolves around the dustups Wayne (Keeso) and his pals get into with their small-town rivals. For the hicks, skids and hockey players of Letterkenny, getting your ass kicked is a legitimate concern on a day-to-day basis. In the upcoming six-episode seventh season premiering Monday, October 14, the Hicks start an agricultural call-in show. Fans can still binge the first six seasons of Letterkenny on Hulu, now under the new Hulu Original moniker.

In addition to Wayne (Keeso), Key residents of Letterkenny are Daryl (Nathan Dales), Wayne's free-spirited younger sister Katy (Michelle Mylett), and Wayne's buddy, Dan (K Trevor Wilson) - while Dylan Playfair and Andrew Herr are Hockey Players Jonesy and Reilly. Tyler Johnston and Evan Stern are Skids Stewart and Roald, Mark Forward is the temperamental Coach, and Tiio Horn is the badass leader of The Natives, Tanis.

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.