Friday, June 21, 2019
Fri-Yay: The Amazing Superstore Season 4 Finale; Netflix Has Healing Powers
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
Now that Upfronts are over, and we have a better idea of the outlook of network sitcoms for the next year, I can take a moment to talk about how much I loved the Superstore finale. I know I talk about Superstore a lot, but I feel it's one of the best (maybe the very best?) example of a great, traditional comedy on the air right now, and I also don't feel it gets nearly enough attention for weaving traditional sitcom stories with relevant character work that feels cutting for our times.
The season finale, in which (spoiler alert if you aren't caught up with the show through the Season 4 finale, you Live+35 days viewers) Mateo's undocumented status is finally discovered, is a great example. In some ways, it's a typical "character has a secret" sitcom plot, with all of the characters struggling and failing to try to get Mateo out of the store and not captured by ICE agents. But then it ends in a very dark place - Mateo is, indeed, taken into detention by ICE agents. It's such a perfect example of how the series plays to conventional sitcom tropes, but then spins them on their head with a dark dose of the reality these characters are living. If you aren't watching Superstore, please catch up over the summer and see where this great, relevant sitcom is going when it returns in the fall for Season 5.
Netflix has ordered 8 episodes of The Healing Powers of Dude, a family live action (single-camera) comedy series co-created by Erica Spates and Sam Littenberg-Weisberg (Coop and Cami Ask the World, Victorious and Mystery Girls) with half of the episodes directed by Richie Keen (It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Fist Fight, Teachers). When Noah, an 11-year-old boy with social anxiety disorder, has to start middle school, he turns to a mutt named Dude, a sarcastic emotional support dog who might need Noah as much as Noah needs him. The series stars Tom Everett Scott (That Thing You Do!), Larisa Oleynik (10 Things I Hate About You and The Secret World of Alex Mack), Laurel Emory (Heartstrings), Mauricio Lara (The Conners, Young Sheldon, Teachers), Sophie Jaewon Kim, Dude the Dog, and newcomer Jace Chapman.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Sunday, August 18
Last Man Standing - "One Flew Into the Empty Nest" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Vanessa wants to board a foreign exchange student, Mike must work overtime to impress her father; Kristen and Ryan try to remain cool when Boyd invites a girl over.
Last Man Standing - "Bride of Prankenstein" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mike and Chuck find the perfect target for a prank while working late to set up a security system at the store on Halloween; Mandy, Kyle, Kristen and Ryan hold a séance.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 12)
Friday, August 16
- Lenny Clarke (Are You There, Chelsea?/It's All Relative/The Job/The John Larroquette Show/Lenny) - Watch Lenny on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Billy Eichner (Difficult People) - Billy appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Mark Hamill (The Texas Wheelers) - Mark is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Happyish/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Niecy Nash (Getting On/The Soul Man/Reno 911!) - Niecy talks about When They See Us on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Tate Donovan (Partners) - Tate appears on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Christopher Abbott (Girls) - Christopher is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Sherri/Less Than Perfect) - Sherri appears on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry is a guest on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
- Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette guest co-hosts a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
- Loretta Devine (Family Reunion/The Carmichael Show) - Loretta talks about Family Reunion on Couch Surfing at 8am.
- Leah Remini (Kevin Can Wait/The Exes/Family Tools/The King of Queens) - Leah will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon talks about Sextuplets on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace prepares a warm, zesty zoodle salad on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
- Marilu Henner (Evening Shade/Taxi) - Marilu appears on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (June/July/August)
06/04 - The Brady Bunch - 50th Anniversary The Brady-est Brady Bunch TV & Movie Collection
06/18 - Will & Grace (The Revival) - Season Two (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Man with a Plan - Season Two
07/09 - Broad City - Season 5
07/09 - Broad City - The Complete Series
07/09 - Life in Pieces - The Complete Fourth Season
07/09 - Speechless - The Complete Third Season
07/16 - Eight Is Enough - The Complete First Season
07/17 - The Practice (1976) - The Complete Series (WBShop.com)
07/23 - Brockmire - The Complete First Season
07/23 - What I Like About You - The Complete First Season
07/30 - The Good Place - The Complete Third Season
08/06 - Caroline in the City - The Third Season
08/06 - Caroline in the City - The Fourth Season
08/13 - I Love Lucy - Colorized Collection
08/13 - Leave it to Beaver - Seasons One and Two
08/20 - Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Season Six
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