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
Friday, November 26
Sydney to the Max - "Any Given Sunday Brunch" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A sociable middle schooler navigating the challenges of growing up and her protective single father learn they have more in common than they realize.
Gabby Duran & the Unsittables - "The Fault in Our Star Night" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
A girl finally finds her moment to shine when she inadvertently lands an out-of-this-world job to baby-sit an unruly group of very important extraterrestrial children who are hiding out on Earth with their families, disguised as everyday kids.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 22)
Friday, November 26
- Kal Penn (Sunnyside/Deadbeat/We Are Men) - Watch Kal on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Paul Rudd (Living with Yourself/Friends/Wild Oats) - Paul appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Dan Aykroyd (Soul Man) and Ernie Hudson (Grace and Frankie/The Last Precinct/Highcliffe Manor) - Dan and Ernie are guests on a repet of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/The Office) - Ellie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Seinfeld) - Larry is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Dove Cameron (Schmigadoon!/Liv and Maddie) - Dove will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Sherri Shepherd (Mr. Iglesias/Trial & Error/Sherri/Less Than Perfect) - Sherri guest hosts a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
- Yvonne Orji (Insecure) - Yvonne appears on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
- Fortune Feimster (Kenan/Sunnyside/Champions) - Fortune is a guest on a repeat of The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Jennifer Aniston (Friends/Muddling Through/Ferris Bueller/Molloy) - Jennifer appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Kristin Chenoweth (Schmigadoon!/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin performs on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (August-November)
08/20 - The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet - Deluxe Edition (100 Episodes) (Time Life)
08/20 - The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet - Standard Edition (50 Episodes) (Time Life)
08/24 - The Jim Gaffigan Show - Season 2
09/07 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray)
10/19 - Maude - The Complete Series (2021 Release)
11/02 - The Honeymooners Specials - A Christmas Carol
11/02 - Mom - The Eighth and Final Season
11/02 - Punky Brewster (1984-88) - The Complete Series (2021 Release)
11/02 - Sex and the City - The Complete Collection (Blu-ray)
11/09 - Saved by the Bell (2020) - Season One
11/09 - Younger - The Complete Series
11/16 - Kevin Can F*** Himself - Season 1 (Blu-ray)
11/23 - Dead Pixels - Seasons One and Two
11/30 - I Dream of Jeannie - The Complete Series (Mill Creek) (2021 Release) (Blu-ray)
More TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts
Sitcoms Online Main Page
Follow Us on Twitter
Follow Us on Facebook
Follow Us on Instagram
Subscribe to the RSS Feed
Subscribe to the Email Digest
Contact Us