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
Tuesday, December 5
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 4)
Tuesday, December 5
- Bill Burr (F Is for Family/Townies) - Catch Bill on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock/Scrubs) - Elizabeth appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Emma Stone (The Curse) and Ramy Youssef (Ramy/See Dad Run) - Emma and Ramy talk about Poor Things on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan chats about When I Was Your Age on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Jane Seymour (B Positive/The Kominsky Method/Let's Get Physical/Modern Men) - Jane talks about Acorn TV's Harry Wild on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings. She will also be on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Issa Rae (Insecure, Aida Osman (Rap Sh!t and KaMillion (Rap Sh!t) - Issa talks about her starring role in the upcoming film, American Fiction, and introduces Sherri to the stars of her show, Rap Sh!t, Aida Osman and KaMillion, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar (mixed-ish/Truth Be Told/Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Mark-Paul appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-December)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
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