Friday, June 21, 2019
Fri-Yay: The Amazing Superstore Season 4 Finale; Netflix Has Healing Powers

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, January 17
The Simpsons - "The Road to Cincinnati" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Odd couple Skinner and Chalmers embark on an 800-mile car ride to Cincinnati to attend an administrator's convention.
Bob's Burgers - "Mommy Boy" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Linda joins a women's business group, Gene gets possessive of her time; Louise and Tina want to learn how to fight.
The Simpsons - "Sorry Not Sorry" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Lisa calls her teacher, Ms. Hoover, a hack and refuses to apologize; Lisa learns Ms. Hoover's private pain.
The Simpsons - "The Dad-Feelings Limited" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Comic book guy and his wife, Kumiko, debate having a baby; his origin story is revealed.
Bob's Burgers - "Yachty or Nice" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When the Belchers get an unexpected invitation to cater the Glencrest Yacht Club's holiday boat parade, Bob wonders if there's a catch; Louise has her eye on the present-loaded Santa Schooner.
Family Guy - "CutawayLand" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Peter and Lois accidentally set up a cutaway gag together, which somehow transports them into the cutaway itself.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 11)
Friday, January 15
- Cole Sprouse (The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody/Grace Under Fire) - Watch Cole on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Amy Poehler (Duncanville/Parks and Recreation) - Amy is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Jennifer Love Hewitt (Shaky Ground) - Jennifer appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Regina King (The Boondocks/227) - Regina talks about One Night in Miami on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch/The Brady Brides) - Maureen and Dan Vicky talk about about the nostalgic HGTV home renovation series Frozen in Time on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings. They will also be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Jenna Ortega (Stuck in the Middle) - Jenna talks about her uplifitng book It's All Love on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Malcolm-Jamal Warner (The Cosby Show/Here and Now/Malcolm & Eddie/Listen Up!) - Malcolm-Jamal talks about Fox's The Resident on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
- George Lopez (Lopez/Saint George/George Lopez) - George chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-January)
09/01 - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Season 14
09/01 - What We Do in the Shadows - The Complete Second Season
09/01 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray)
09/15 - Mom - The Complete Seventh Season
09/15 - South Side - Season 1
09/22 - Brockmire - The Complete Second Season
09/22 - Brockmire - The Complete Third Season
09/22 - Brockmire - The Complete Fourth Season
09/22 - Man with a Plan - Season Three
09/29 - The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete Series (2020 Release)
10/13 - The Jetsons - The Complete Series (Diamond Collection)
10/13 - Our Cartoon President - Season Two
10/23 - Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - The Complete Collection
10/27 - The Flintstones - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/27 - Head of the Class - The Complete Second Season (WBShop.com)
11/10 - Letterkenny - Seasons 5 & 6
11/10 - The Office - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/10 - Schitt's Creek - The Complete Collection
11/17 - Carol's Second Act - The Complete Series
11/17 - Robbie - Season 1
11/24 - Corporate - Season 1
11/26 - Man with a Plan - Season Four
12/01 - The Neighborhood - Season Two
12/15 - Avenue 5 - The Complete First Season
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