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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, February 18
St. Denis Medical - "Buffalo Bruce and Matty the Kid" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
An emotional support animal is loose in the halls of St. Denis; Alex goes big for Serena's birthday to mixed results.
Night Court - "Pension Tension" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby is thrilled when Roz temporarily returns to her job as bailiff, but must make things right when Roz starts ruffling everyone's feathers; Dan co-opts Gurgs' assistant to help realize his dream of becoming a best-selling author.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 17)
Tuesday, February 18
- Joe Manganiello (How I Met Your Mother) - Catch Joe on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Alan Ritchson (Blue Mountain State) - Alan appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Danny Pudi (Going Dutch/Mythic Quest/Powerless/Community), Jessie Ennis (Mythic Quest) and Ashly Burch (Final Space) - Danny, Jessie and Ashly are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Harry Hamlin (Movie Stars) - E! News has interviews with Harry and Lisa Rinna at 11pm on E!.
- Nicole Ari Parker (And Just Like That.../Second Time Around) - Nicole will be on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- F. Murray Abraham (Mythic Quest) - F. Murray talks about Beckett Briefs: From the Cradle to the Grave on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Connie Britton (SMILF/Lost at Home/The Fighting Fitzgeralds/Spin City) - Connie discusses Zero Day on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Halle Berry (Living Dolls - NBC's Today catches up with Halle sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
- Zachary Levi (Less Than Perfect/Telenovela) and Patricia Heaton (Carol's Second Act/The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Zachary and Patricia talk about The Unbreakable Boy on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Lizzy Caplan (Party Down/The Class/The Pitts) - NBC's Today catches up with Lizzy in the 10am hour.
- Mekki Leeper (St. Denis Medical/Jury Duty) - Mekki is chatting with Drew about the hit new comedy of the season, his stand up, how he met his girlfriend and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Luke Wilson (No Good Deed/Enlightened) - Luke is a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Leighton Meester (Single Parents/Making History) - Leighton appears on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (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
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive
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