Friday, August 09, 2019
Fri-Yay: Pop TV: The Next Home for Great Sitcoms?; The Tonight Show Gets 5 Sunday Specials and Premiere Week Live Episodes

by Vincent
We live in the age of Peak TV, meaning that there's more television on more platforms than ever before. Yes, everyone is making original programming these days, from cable networks to streaming services and even to social media sites. That means great programming can come from some very unlikely places - and one of the biggest provider of quality sitcoms lately has been from Pop TV, formerly known as the TV Guide Network. Yes, the channel whose main purpose was once to tell you what was on the other channels may be on its way to becoming a home of great, high-quality sitcoms.
Right now, Pop TV's effort is spearheaded by Schitt's Creek, which is a family sitcom that has gradually become a fan favorite and accumulated a fan-base due to its quick wit, strong writing and excellent cast performances. The hype has been gradually building over the past few years, to the point that the series was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series this year. It's enough to make Pop TV powerful enough that people are certainly paying attention to it - and that may even increase with the acquisition of One Day at a Time, another fan and critically beloved series that will be airing on the network next fall. Additionally, Pop TV's Florida Girls is another series that has garnered critical attention this summer. The new comedy series, created by Laura Shinn, is a low-key comedy series about working class women in Florida, and yet it also has some of the snappiest comedy writing on television right now. It's another testament to the fact that great comedy could be found anywhere - even, and maybe especially, on the former TV Guide Network.
In a late-night first, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is getting into the gridiron groove with five telecasts that will follow the fall's most exciting sports event, NBC's Sunday Night Football. The first post-Sunday Night Football show will air Sept. 8 at approx. 12:05am ET following a prime AFC match-up when the Pittsburgh Steelers travel to Foxborough, Mass., to take on the World Champion New England Patriots (and late local news). On the west coat, the specials will air at 10:00pm PT. Guests for the first telecast will include Jamie Foxx and Michael B. Jordan, who will share a clip of their new film, Just Mercy. In addition, Kelly Clarkson will appear to discuss her latest project, the daytime series The Kelly Clarkson Show, and singer Kane Brown will perform. The other four "Tonight Show" Sunday telecasts are Oct. 6, 20, 27 and Dec. 1. The Tonight Show will air all five nights following late local news. Check local listings for specific times/markets.
Additionally, the show will broadcast an entire week live on Sept. 23-27, which is the opening week of the new fall season. Fallon recently hosted two live shows from its home studio at 30 Rock after the first Democratic presidential primary debates on June 26 and 27. Prior to that, live telecasts aired following Super Bowl LII and Super Bowl XLIX.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, May 21
Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "The Talk" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
House of Payne is the hilarious comedy about Retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Dyna Woman" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Anastasia relives her childhood and springs into action to combat criminal activity; the family must prepare for the increase in crime.
The Ms. Pat Show - "The Guilt Trip" (BET, 10:30PM ET/PT)
When the family gets derailed on their way to Atlanta for Pat's big show, they wind up at an unusual resort where they all learn a powerful lesson about listening and learning from the past.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 19)
Wednesday, May 21
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Watch Henry on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Tina Fey (The Four Seasons/Only Murders in the Building/30 Rock) - Tina appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- John Krasinski (The Office) - E! News has an interview with John at 11pm on E!.
- Kristin Davis (And Just Like That.../Bad Teacher/Sex and the City) - Kristin talks about And Just Like That... on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Howie Mandel (Good Grief) - NBC's Today catches up with Howie in the 10am hour. He also talks about NBC's America's Got Talent on Access Hollywood with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - It's Drew's big 50th birthday show an entire show filled with surprises as Drew celebrates this big milestone on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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