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.
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
Friday, April 24
Happy's Place - "Everyone's a Critic" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Bobbie lets Isabella try giving the staff a "compliment sandwich" during their performance reviews, nobody is pleased with the outcome.
Happy's Place - "Couples Counseling" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After Bobbie starts serving patrons at the speakeasy, Isabella accuses her of stealing customers, causing the sisters to attend couples counseling; Emmett tries his best to gently break up with Monica.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 20)
Friday, April 24
- Zach Galifianakis (Baskets) - Watch Zach on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Olivia Munn (Perfect Couples) - Olivia is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Paradise on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock) - Rachel is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ellen Burstyn (The Ellen Burstyn Show) - Ellen talks about Poetry Says It Better: Poems to Help You Wake Up on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Nia Long (Uncle Buck/The Cleveland Show/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Nia talks about Michael on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Kathy Griffin (Suddenly Susan) - Kathy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Laura Marano (Austin & Ally/Back to You) - Laura talks about Original Sound on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Ayo Edebiri (Big Mouth/The Bear) and Don Cheadle (The Wonder Years/Black Monday/House of Lies/The Golden Palace) - Ayo and Don talk about Broadway's Proof on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. Don will also be on in the 9am hour.
- Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Kit and Melissa check out How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie and Sunny Anderson are joining Drew for the news and Val is telling Drew about her Lifetime movie on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jill Kargman (Odd Mom Out) - Jill tells Drew about her new movie Influenced on The Drew Barrymore Show, 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)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
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