Monday, September 30, 2019
Freeform Says Everything's Gonna Be Okay with New Comedy; HBO Max Teams Up with Ellen for 4 Projects
Freeform announces Josh Thomas' return to television with Everything's Gonna Be Okay, premiering Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. Critically acclaimed for his series Please Like Me, Thomas once again takes on a multifaceted role as creator, writer, executive producer and star of the 30-minute comedy, which introduces Nicholas (Josh Thomas), a neurotic twenty-something-year-old visiting his dad and teenage half-sisters, one of whom is on the autism spectrum. When Nicholas' trip is extended due to his father's untimely death, the siblings are left to cope with not only a devastating loss, but also the realization that Nicholas is the one who will have to rise to the occasion, move in, and hold it all together. A first-look clip wherein Nicholas proposes guardianship of his sisters, Matilda and Genevieve, is available here.
Navigating autism, budding sexuality, consent, parenthood, adolescence, family and grief, the heartfelt comedy will follow this imperfect family as they discover the importance of finding happiness in the middle of really difficult moments, one awkward conversation at a time.
Neurodiverse actress and activist Kayla Cromer stars as Matilda, a high school senior who is driven to succeed and on the autism spectrum. She is Nicholas' bright and outgoing half-sister who is curious and contemplative; if she doesn't initially understand something, she'll put in the work to figure it out. 17-year-old stand-up comedienne Maeve Press stars as Genevieve, Nicholas' other half-sister who has a unique comedic sensibility; she is clever, dramatic and definitely a little weird. At school she's at odds with her authentic self, hanging around a group of girls who sharply contrast her kind-hearted family and struggling to find her place in the world. Newcomer Adam Faison rounds out the cast of series regulars as Alex, Nicholas' romantic interest introduced in the first episode.
HBO Max, the upcoming direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia set to launch in the spring of 2020, has teamed up with Emmy(R) Award Winner Ellen DeGeneres, ordering three original shows straight to series: Ellen's Home Design Challenge, First Dates Hotel, and Little Ellen, as well as docu-series Finding Einstein in development. DeGeneres announced the pickups last week on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and didn't stop there. She also surprised her audience with a two-year HBO Max subscription in celebration of the news.
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 30, 2019)
For the week of September 30-October 4, 2019, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!
Monday, September 30
- James Spader (The Office) - Watch James on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Christian Slater (Breaking In) - Christian visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Kaitlyn Dever (Last Man Standing) - Kaitlyn stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Kevin Nealon (Man with a Plan/Weeds/Hiller and Diller/Champs) - Kevin is a panelist on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- David Cross (Arrested Development/Running Wilde/Oliver Beene) - David appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Rob Lowe (The Grinder/Parks and Recreation) - Rob chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. He will also be on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- The Cast of The Conners - Sara Gilbert, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Lecy Goranson, Michael Fishman and Emma Kenney are guests on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- America Ferrera (Superstore) - America drops by The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Tituss appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Billy Gardell (Bob Hearts Abishola/Mike & Molly) and Folake Olowofoyeku (Bob Hearts Abishola) - Billy and Folake are guests on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- Skai Jackson (Bunk'd/Jessie) - Skai talks about Reach for the Skai on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on People Now at 12pm.
- The Cast of Transparent - Judith Light, Jay Duplass, Alexandra Billings and Jill Soloway are guests on ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar (mixed-ish/Truth Be Told/Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Mark-Paul talks about mixed-ish on Access Live, so check your local listings.
- Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin performs on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and on the BUILD Series at 11am.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry talks about Alien Superstar on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on the BUILD Series at 1pm.
- Beth Hall (Mom) - Beth is a guest on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) - Catch Phoebe on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Tony Rock (Living Biblically/All of Us) and Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Tony and Patton are panelists on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- Jenny McCarthy (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny stops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
- Michael Strahan (Brothers) and Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - Michael and Keke chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Allison Tolman (Downward Dog) - Allison appears on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Walton Goggins (The Unicorn/Vice Principals) - Walton is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Rami Malek (The War at Home) - Rami talks about Mr. Robot on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin performs on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Billy Gardell (Bob Hearts Abishola/Mike & Molly) and Folake Olowofoyeku (Bob Hearts Abishola) - Billy and Folake are guests on The Real, so check your local listings.
- Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) - Randall talks about Fresh Off the Boat on Access Live, so check your local listings.
- Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette talks about Always a Bridesmaid on Access Live, so check your local listings.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/Welcome to New York) - Jim will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry talks about Alien Superstar on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony talks about Toy Story 4 on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Dawn Wells (Gilligan's Island) - Dawn talks about A Guide to Life: What Would Mary Ann Do? on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
- Skai Jackson (Bunk'd/Jessie) - Skai talks about Reach for the Skai on the BUILD Series at 12pm.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Watch Henry on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Rami Malek (The War at Home) - Rami visits The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Zazie Beetz (Atlanta) - Zazie appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Allison Janney (Mom/Mr. Sunshine) - Allison is a guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Martin Short (Mulaney/The Martin Short Show) and Maya Rudolph (Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Martin and Maya are panelists on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Tony Hale (Veep/Arrested Development) - Tony drops by The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Jason Ritter (The Class) - Jason talks about Netflix's Raising Dion on NBC's Today in the 9am hour, on the BUILD Series at 2pm and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Carly Chaikin (Suburgatory) - Carly talks about Mr. Robot on the BUILD Series at 1pm and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Ed Begley, Jr. (Bless This Mess/Future Man/Gary Unmarried) - Ed is a guest on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
- Nat Wolff (The Naked Brothers Band) - Nat talks about Semper Fi on the BUILD Series at 4pm.
- Danny DeVito (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Taxi) - Watch Danny on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Chris O'Dowd (The IT Crowd/Family Tree) - Chris is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Billy Bob Thornton (Hearts Afire) - Billy Bob visits Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Goliath on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother/Friends from College) - Cobie visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- America Ferrera (Superstore) - America appears on A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
- Deon Cole (grown-ish/black-ish/Angie Tribeca) - Deon is a panelist on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry drops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
- Patricia Heaton (Carol's Second Act/The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Patricia is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Kal Penn (Sunnyside/Deadbeat/We Are men) - Kal appears on The Real, so check your local listings.
- Jason Ritter (The Class) - Jason talks about Netflix's Raising Dion on People Now at 12pm.
- Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi) - Whoopi talks about The Unqualified Hostess: I Do It My Way and You Can Too! on ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
- Jaime Pressly (Mom/Jennifer Falls/I Hate My Teenage Daughter/My Name Is Earl) - Jaime talks about Mom on Access Live, so check your local listings.
- Christian Slater (Breaking In) - Christian talks about Mr. Robot on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Skai Jackson (Bunk'd/Jessie) - Skai talks about Reach for the Skai on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Diana-Maria Riva (Sunnyside/Man with a Plan/Telenovela/Rob) - Diana-Maria is a guest on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
- Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland/Big Day/Just Shoot Me!) - Wendie talks about The Owl House on the BUILD Series at 1pm.
- Danny Pino (Men, Women & Dogs) - Danny talks about Mayans M.C. on the BUILD Series at 2pm.
- Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother/Friends from College) - Watch Cobie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Glenn Howerton (A.P. Bio/The Mindy Project/That '80s Show) - Glenn is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Nicole Byer (Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Kristin Chenoweth (Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT. She also talks about For the Girls on ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
- Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick talks about Big Mouth on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Sean Hayes (Will & Grace/The Millers/Sean Saves the World) - Sean appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Adam Devine (The Righteous Gemstones/Workaholics/Modern Family) - Adam is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Wanda Sykes (The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda drops by The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry talks about his new book on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- Danny Pino (Men, Women & Dogs) - Danny talks about Mayans M.C. on People Now at 12pm.
- William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) - William talks about The Good Place on Couch Surfing at 8am.
- Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Will and director Ang Lee explore Budapest on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother/Free Spirit) - Alyson talks about Lifetime's Abducted: The Mary Stauffer Story and Disney Junior's Fancy Nancy on Access Live, so check your local listings.
- James Spader (The Office) - James talks about The Blacklist on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Lauren Ash (Superstore/Super Fun Night) - Lauren talks about Superstore on NBC's Today in the 9am hour and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Sunday feature! We do listen!
Sitcoms Airing This Week
Sunday, September 29
The Simpsons - "D'oh Canada" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Marge must rescue Lisa when she is mistakenly granted political asylum in Canada while on a vacation to Niagara Falls; Homer takes Maggie to a "Daddy and Me" class.
Bob's Burgers - "Long Time Listener, First Time Bob" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Bob meets his personal hero -- a renegade radio DJ who refuses to compromise -- the Belchers get in over their heads while trying to help him stage a comeback.
The Simpsons - "The Winter of Our Monetized Content" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a video of Bart and Homer fighting goes viral, they begin a journey as social media celebrities; Lisa battles the school's new industrialized detention system.
Bless the Harts - "Hug 'N Bugs" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Jenny discovers a secret of Betty's that may help her pay overdue bills; Wayne is hurt when he discovers that Jenny's daughter Violet is featuring her biological father in her comics; Wayne tries to build Violet the tree house of her dreams.
Bob's Burgers - "The Ring (But Not Scary)" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Bob's plan to surprise Linda for their anniversary gets tricky when the kids become involved.
Family Guy - "Yacht Rocky" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When the brewery announces it will be firing one employee, Peter is nervous he will be the one let go; the family departs on a Yacht Rock cruise that doesn't go as expected.
Monday, September 30
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Bully" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Grover gets into a fight with a bully at school, Gemma is torn between her role as principal and wanting to protect her son. Also, Calvin encourages Marty to stand up to his own bully, only to be shocked when he learns who it is.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Nigerians Don't Do Useless Things" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
While Bob waits for Abishola to make the next move, her Auntie Olu and Uncle Tunde make it hard for her by stalking him.
In The Cut - "The Cold Shoulder" (Bounce TV, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Jay and Cheryl's petty fight over a remote leads to a bigger problem. Smitty tries driving for Goober using Kenny's car, but his ratings aren't the best.
Tuesday, October 1
The Conners - "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Darlene continues to struggle with deciding between David and Ben. Becky begins to doubt herself as a mom, and Mark gets in trouble at school when a picture of him and his boyfriend kissing goes viral. Meanwhile, Jackie continues to avoid her problems by keeping busy with everyone else’s.
Bless This Mess - "Phase Two" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mike and Rio attempt to reignite their love life, after getting pressure about it from Beau. Meanwhile, Constance and Rudy grapple with how to unveil their relationship to Constance’s son Brandon, played by Langston Kerman, as he returns to Bucksnort early from his military assignment.
mixed-ish - "The Warrior" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
For Rainbow and Alicia, fitting in at school and standing out at work are hard enough; but with the added pressure from stay-at-home-dad Paul to make the world a little better every day, it might just be impossible.
black-ish - "Every Day I'm Struggling" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Rainbow and Dre realize Junior’s been taking them for granted, they decide it’s time to band together and cut him off for good. Meanwhile, Jack discovers he has a very lucrative talent, only Ruby wants to use it for all the wrong reasons.
Wednesday, October 2
The Goldbergs - "Dana's Back" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Adam gets a surprise from his past … Dana returns to William Penn! Meanwhile, Barry and Erica are finally off to college, until they realize they have nowhere on campus to live.
Schooled - "I'll Be There for You" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Overwhelmed by the love she has for Barry, Lainey wants Coach Mellor to have the same feelings for someone special, which proves challenging. Elsewhere, Principal Glascott is unsure of how to handle difficult librarian Dr. Ness, and CB and Wilma disagree on what should be done with him.
Modern Family - "Snapped" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Claire needs to get everyone out of the house before they make her look bad in front of a reporter from an important women’s business magazine. Meanwhile, Jay invites Manny to a little wine tasting in an attempt to spend some quality time together.
Single Parents - "Graham Fought the Bones and the Bones Won" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Will feels like everything is changing as Sophie returns home from camp a seemingly different person and as he loses out on being room parent to Douglas. Meanwhile, Miggy gets a new temp job at Angie’s law firm to help him earn more money to go toward Jack’s preschool costs, but he ends up discovering he may like the position more than anyone expected.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool" (FXX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Landing in the middle of a focus group after a screening of "Thunder Gun 4: Maximum Cool," the gang is determined to restore glory and traditional American values back into the franchise, even if it involves sabotage.
Thursday, October 3
Young Sheldon - "A Broom Closet and Satan’s Monopoly Board" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Without Dr. Sturgis’ university class, Sheldon must find a new way to stay academically challenged. Also, Mary helps Pastor Jeff avoid temptation with his girlfriend.
The Unicorn - "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Wade suddenly finds himself in a “relationship” he has no interest in when he has trouble turning down a second date. Also, Wade tries to understand when Grace struggles with her social media posts. Nicole Byer guest stars as Meg, Michelle’s sister and a veteran dater who gives Wade advice.
Mom - "Pop Pop and a Puma" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Christy and Adam clash over an incident at the bar, leaving Bonnie in a precarious situation. Also, Jill’s new boyfriend, Andy (Will Sasso), has trouble finding a way to impress her.
Carol's Second Act - "You Give Me Fever" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Carol treats an elderly patient with a fever, Mrs. Zahn (Carol Mansell), and her tests are inconclusive, Carol must find a way to work around Dr. Jacobs and hospital policy to take extra time to observe her. Also, Daniel is embarrassed when his fellow interns find out that he doesn’t know how to do the basic medical skill of drawing blood.
Superstore "Testimonials" - (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Amy attempts to gather glowing character testimony for Mateo's immigration lawyer, but comes up short. Jonah plans an engagement party for Sandra, infuriating Dina, while Glenn and Marcus compete for Mateo's old locker.
Perfect Harmony "Fork Fest" - (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Arthur defies local customs, and the choir pays for his rudeness. For Cash's sake, Ginny vows to say nothing bad about Wayne.
The Good Place "A Girl From Arizona Part 2" - (NBC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Eleanor, Michael, Janet and Tahani have their hands full when the new residents begin to show their true colors. Jason receives some unsettling news.
Sunnyside "The Ethiopian Executioner" - (NBC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Garrett and Griselda suspect Hakim is involved in something suspicious. Brady takes refuge in Jun Ho and Mei Lin's high society life.
Friday, October 4
American Housewife - "Bed, Bath & Beyond Our Means" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Katie’s life is turned upside down when her notoriously elusive boss, Whitney (Kelly Ripa), pops into town and promotes Katie to VP of Events. Meanwhile, a colleague’s death pushes Greg towards an existential crisis.
Fresh Off the Boat - "College" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Y2K is on the horizon. While Grandma Jenny, Emery and Evan look to the future, Louis and Jessica take a trip down memory lane. Eddie, on the other hand, is stuck trying to navigate the present after his first college visit doesn’t exactly go according to plan.
Just Roll With It - "You Decide LIVE!" (Disney Channel, 9:00PM ET/PT)
A Halloween-themed special episode follows the Bennett-Blatt family as they set out to reverse an evil curse and encounter a variety of strange characters and spooky trick-or-treaters along the way.
Saturday, October 5
Henry Danger - "A Tale of Two Pipers" (Nickelodeon, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Henry gets an unexpected visitor claiming to be from the future; when a boy-robot killing machine steps onto the scene, the gang must find a way to save everyone from an apocalyptic future.
Sunday, October 6
The Simpsons - "Go Big or Go Homer" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Homer is demoted and must supervise interns, among whom is a go-getter who asks Homer to be his mentor; when Homer inspires him to start a business of his own, the two find themselves being chased by the mob.
Bless the Harts - "Can't Get There From Here" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When money gets tight, Jenny takes on an undesirable second job to help fund Violet's art school tuition; Wayne comes up with an entirely different plan to make money.
Bob's Burgers - "Boys Just Wanna Have Fungus" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Unable to afford a rare gourmet mushroom for a Burger of the Day, Bob and Gene jump into the cutthroat world of mushroom foraging; Tina's powerful new prescription glasses lead her to believe she has a superpower.
Family Guy - "Bri-Da" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Peter and his friends are sick of forgetting the lucrative business ideas they come up with while drinking, so they strap on Joe's police body cams to record their every move; Quagmire tries to come to terms with an unexpected family development.
Saturday, September 28, 2019
SitcomsOnline Digest: thirtysomething Reboot in the Works; Decades Celebrates Brady Bunch 50th Anniversary
- Another week, another reboot, and this time they're talking thirtysomething (with a new cast, of course, because the original would be sixtysomething by now). (Deadline)
- We will be seeing John Stamos in the ABC production of The Little Mermaid Live! (Entertainment Weekly)
- Steve Levitan, co-creator of Modern Family, has a deal to stay with Fox (now part of Disney; he made news last year when he had a clash with the Fox News division that is no longer associated with Fox) for four more years. (Deadline)
- Actress Linda Porter, who has most recently appeared in several episodes of Superstore, has died at age 86. (People)
- The Viacom cable networks have acquired the rights to air Seinfeld, although in the current era, that isn't as major news as it was when Netflix acquired the streaming rights recently. (SitcomsOnline)
WEEKLY PLANNER (SEPTEMBER 28 - OCTOBER 4)
- Saturday Night Live is back tonight, supposedly without Alec Baldwin (we'll see, he has said that before), but it'll definitely have Woody Harrelson as host.
- Decades celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Brady Bunch this weekend with a marathon that includes several Brady related TV series.
- MeTV begins airing The Flintstones on Monday.
- For those who love animated comedies, Fox's Sunday night lineup returns tomorrow with new episodes, along with a new series, Bless the Harts, and on top of that, Cartoon Network has a new season of Robot Chicken.
Friday, September 27, 2019
Fri-Yay: Primetime Emmy Results for Comedy; AFV Gets 30th Anniversary Special
by Vincent
Well, a week ago I tried to predict the Emmys winners, thinking, as usual, the Emmys voters would play it fairly safe. Needless to say, I was quite wrong! This was, apparently, one of those years the Emmys voters have every 3 years or so where they decide to go a little left field, which, well, sort of messed up my predictions. Let's go back through each of my picks just to see how wrong I really was...
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
My Prediction: Ted Danson
Winner: Bill Hader
I thought Ted Danson would take this one, but in reality, it went to Bill Hader, for HBO's Barry. Truthfully, I thought it was kind of a dead heat between the two actors, but because I prefer The Good Place, I went with my own tastes for this one. Clearly, it steered me wrong. However, Bill Hader is totally deserving as well and Barry is a great, unique series, so this was certainly not an unpleasant way for me to get a category wrong.
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
My Prediction: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Winner: Phoebe Waller-Bridge
I was not expecting the Emmys to show as much love for Fleabag as they did, but they sure did. Phoebe Waller-Bridge gets the nod here, and it's incredibly deserving, although I'm still frankly shocked JLD didn't get the nod as Selena one last time. Voters didn't seem to love Veep's final season - I guess the year off really did hurt it with Emmys audiences, and it was also arguably the show's weakest season yet. So, again, not displeased with this choice.
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
My Prediction: Tony Shaloub
Winner: Tony Shaloub
Hey, I got one right! It wasn't as big of a night for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as many predicted it would be, but Shaloub still easily wins this category, not surprising given he's probably the biggest name of the bunch. Again, a deserving win even if Maisel's second season was a little inconsistent.
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
My Prediction: Olivia Colman
Winner: Alex Borstein
Well, the one category that I actually picked Fleabag to win, it didn't. Go figure. Mrs. Maisel ruled the Supporting categories, but I still think Borstein is kind of a surprising choice here. She's great, but it feels like her performance on Mrs. Maisel is one of the more undersung ones, so I'm (pleasantly) surprised that Emmy voters rewarded her, especially since overall the night wasn't a rousing success for the show.
Outstanding Comedy Series
My Prediction: Veep
Winner: Fleabag
Again, I wasn't predicting the Emmys to sour on Veep as much as they did, given how Game of Thrones manages to come back and sweep every year despite taking off years. I also wasn't expecting Fleabag to be as big of a winner as it was, although I did see it as a potential dark horse candidate if the Emmy voters tired of Veep and Mrs. Maisel (which it seems like they did). It's a fun, good win, though - one that hopefully will bring more attention to a show that was critically beloved but didn't get the same amount of audience love. All in all, it was a pretty interesting night, at least as far as the Emmys go.
In celebration of AFV's milestone 30-year anniversary, ABC will air AFV: America, This is You!, on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 8:00-9:00 p.m. EST on ABC, following an all-new episode of AFV. It can also be viewed the next day on ABC.com, the ABC app and Hulu. The special retrospective will take a closer look at the history of the iconic series, including how it originated, the evolution over 30 seasons and its significant influence on pop culture, as well as how changes in technology impacted the show. Additionally, the episode will unlock some of the most memorable video clips in AFV's coveted vault, revealing interviews with past contestants all grown up and how their appearances affected their lives. Audiences can also expect to see some familiar faces, including current host Alfonso Ribeiro and former hosts Bob Saget and Tom Bergeron, reminiscing about AFV's legacy and their individual styles of hosting.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Seinfeld Moving from TBS to Viacom Networks in 2021; Tell Me a Story Returns Dec. 5 with New Cast
Viacom announced the acquisition of Seinfeld from Sony Pictures Television, in a deal that features the exclusive cable rights for all 180 episodes of the iconic series. Beginning in October 2021, the full library of Seinfeld episodes will air amongst Viacom's entertainment brands, including Comedy Central, Paramount Network and TV Land. Additionally, catch-up episodes will be available through Viacom brands via authenticated video on demand, websites and apps. The deal was closed for an undisclosed sum and a loaf of marble rye after a spirited Festivus feats of strength competition. The move to Viacom networks means TBS will be losing the rights to the series by Fall 2021. TBS has aired the sitcom since 2002, in what was an original 4 year deal for $1 million an episode. TBS has renewed the comedy multiple times after that first deal.
An Emmy and Golden Globe-winner for Best Comedy Series, Seinfeld is one of the most popular, most award-winning and longest-running comedy series of all time. Jerry Seinfeld stars as a stand-up comedian whose life in New York City is made even more chaotic by his quirky group of friends who join him in wrestling with life's most perplexing, yet often trivial questions. Often described as "a show about nothing," Seinfeld mines the humor in life's mundane situations like waiting in line, searching for a lost item, or the trials and tribulations of dating. Co-starring are Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Jerry's ex-girlfriend and current platonic pal, Elaine Benes; Jason Alexander as George Costanza, Jerry's neurotic hard-luck best friend; and Michael Richards as Jerry's eccentric neighbor, Kramer.
And they all lived happily ever after... or did they? CBS All Access, CBS' digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, announced that season two of its psychological thriller Tell Me a Story will premiere on Thursday, Dec. 5. Created by Kevin Williamson, Tell Me a Story takes the world's most beloved fairy tales and reimagines them as a dark and twisted psychological thriller. Exploring an entirely new set of fairy tales and characters, the 10-episode second season will feature the stories of three legendary princesses - "Beauty and the Beast," "Sleeping Beauty" and "Cinderella" - like you've never seen them before. We'll meet the Pruitt family as they navigate love, loss, romance and terror against the iconic backdrop of Music City - Nashville, Tenn.
Filmed on location in Nashville, season two stars Paul Wesley (The Vampire Diaries) as Tucker Reed, Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix, Jessica Jones") as Rebecca Pruitt, Odette Annable (House, Supergirl) as Maddie Pruitt, Eka Darville (Jessica Jones) as Beau Morris, Matt Lauria (Kingdom, Friday Night Lights) as Jackson Pruitt, Natalie Alyn Lind (The Gifted, The Goldbergs) as Ashley Rose Pruitt, and Ashley Madekwe (Salem, Revenge) as Simone Garland. In addition, Danielle Campbell (The Originals) returns to Tell Me a Story this season in a recurring role, as Olivia Moon. Garcelle Beauvais (Spider-Man Homecoming) as Veronica Garland, Caleb Castille (Wu Tang: An American Saga) as Ron, and Christopher Meyer (The Affair) as Derek round out the cast with recurring roles.
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
NBC Fall Pilot Review: Sunnyside - Premieres Thursday (Sept. 26); CBS Fall Pilot Review: Carol's Second Act - Premieres Thursday (Sept. 26)
Sunnyside - Thursdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT
by Vincent
Sunnyside is a sitcom about a city councilman who lost his way amidst the power and glamour of politics. When his downward spiral got him busted for public intoxication (and downright stupidity), it was all caught on tape and ended his career. Now, Garrett's crashing with his sister, Mallory, and wondering where it all went wrong. That is, until he's hired by a diverse group of hopefuls who dream of becoming American citizens and believe he can help - giving him a new sense of purpose and a chance for redemption, as long as he remembers where he came from.
Cast Details:
Kal Penn as Garrett Modi
Diana Maria Riva as Griselda
Joel Kim Booster as Jim Hao
Kiran Deol as Mallory
Poppy Liu as Mei Lin
Moses Storm as Brady
Samba Schutte as Hakim
Kal Penn (Garrett) is known for playing Lawrence Kutner on the television program House, as well as the character Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar film series. He is also recognized for his performance in the film The Namesake and the ABC/Netflix drama Designated Survivor.
Diana Maria Riva (Griselda) is an actress known for her guest appearances on Murder One, Party of Five, The X Files, NYPD Blue, The Drew Carey Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, CSI, Less Than Perfect and Castle.
Joel Kim Booster (Jim) is a stand-up comedian known for his Comedy Central Presents special.
Moses Storm (Brady) is an actor known for his guest roles on This Is Us and Arrested Development.
Sambra Schutte, Kiran Duol, and Poppy Lui are new actors. Sunnyside will be their first major roles.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, Sep. 26 at 9:30PM ET)
A former New York City Councilman finds his calling when he meets a group of immigrants in search of the American dream.
Analysis:
Sunnyside is another one of those shows where I'm more interested in the show's future than with the show's present. What I mean by that is that there is a lot here that I could see myself eventually loving, especially with Mike Schur at the helm and a cast led by Kal Penn and some very promising comic actors. The premise is also one that feels very appropriate for America in 2019, and could provide some moments of genuine meaning, and yet is also fun and light-hearted enough to be, well, a sitcom, and one that makes you laugh a lot. The cast and characters are a lot of fun, and I couldn't wait to see, by the end of the pilot, where this was going, and how it will develop.
The problem, then, is that the pilot is just...okay. Which isn't bad - the amount of comedy pilots that are truly great are far and few between, and most just offer a glimmer of hope, which Sunnyside does. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to laugh just a bit more at the pilot. The jokes are a little flimsy and feel half-baked - which, again, isn’t uncommon for a comedy pilot. Still, I won't say I wasn't expecting the pilot to be just a bit better than it was. Despite that, the seeds are absolutely there for this to be a great series - I just hope viewers give it a chance to arrive at where it's going, rather than being turned off by a decent-but-not-great pilot.
Conclusion:
I'm very confident that Sunnyside is going to eventually turn into a great, must-watch sitcom. It has very similar DNA and sensibility to shows like The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation, and in about five or six episodes, I'm sure it will be must-watch TV. All of the characters are fun, the premise is great, and the writing shows promise. The pilot isn't necessarily a must-see, and it leaves a lot to be desired in the laughs department, but the foundation is there for a great show. Let's hope it lives up to that potential.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.
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Carol's Second Act - Thursdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT
by Todd
Emmy Award winner Patricia Heaton stars in new a comedy about a woman who embarks on a unique second act after raising her children, getting divorced and retiring from teaching: pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. At age 50, Carol is a medical intern and must sink or swim with peers who are half her age. It’s her enthusiasm, perspective and yes, even her age, that may be exactly what will make her second act a great success.
Cast Details:
Patricia Heaton as Carol Kenney
Ito Aghayere as Dr. Maya Jacobs
Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Daniel Kutcher
Sabrina Jalees as Lexie
Kyle MacLachlan as Dr. Stephen Frost
Ashley Tisdale as Jenny Kenney
Patricia Heaton (Carol Kenney) is a three-time Emmy winner who has played not one, but two beloved TV moms. She starred as Debra Barone in the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996-2005 and as Frances "Frankie" Heck in the ABC sitcom The Middle from 2009-2018. She twice won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Everybody Loves Raymond. Her other sitcom starring roles include the Fox sitcom Back to You and the ABC sitcom Room for Two.
Ito Aghayere's (Dr. Maya Jacobs) television guest appearances include Orange Is the New Black, The Knick, The Unforgettable, Forever, BrainDead, Elementary, The Blacklist, Master of None and Instinct.
Jean-Luc Bilodeau (Daniel Kutcher) starred as Ben Wheeler in the ABC Family/Freeform sitcom Baby Daddy. He made his starring debut as Josh Trager in the science fiction drama Kyle XY.
Sabrina Jalees (Lexie) has made guest appearances on Search Party, Transparent, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, Last Comic Standing, Adam Devine’s House Party and Best Week Ever.
Kyle MacLachlan (Dr. Stephen Frost) is best known for his role as Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks. Some of his other television credits include Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, How I Met Your Mother, Portlandia, The Good Wife, Believe and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..
Ashley Tisdale (Jenny Kenney) starred as Maddie Fitzpatrick in the Disney Channel sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Her other starring credits include Hellcats and Clipped. She will appear in the upcoming Netflix comedy Merry Happy Whatever.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, Sep. 26 at 9:30PM ET)
Carol Kenney enthusiastically begins her first day as an internal medicine intern, but has a rocky start when she disregards direct orders from her boss in order to help a patient. Also, Carol meets Dr. Frost, a senior attending physician who may be the ally Carol needs in her second act.
Carol's Second Act is a multi-camera sitcom from Halpern/Haskins Productions, FourBoys Entertainment, Kapital Entertainment and CBS Television Studios. Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins; Patricia Heaton, Adam Griffin, David Hunt and Rebecca Stay (Four Boys Entertainment); Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor (Kapital Entertainment); and Pamela Fryman (pilot only) are executive producers for CBS Television Studios.
Analysis:
This is one of the better pilot episodes that I've watched in recent seasons. There has been a lack of quality new multi-camera sitcoms the last few years. Carol's Second Act is an old school sitcom shot in front of a studio audience. The premise of the series is pretty basic. It's basically a sitcom version of Grey's Anatomy with a 50-year-old intern working with some younger interns. There are plenty of jokes and one-liners, with most of them about Carol's age or her short stature. They seem to have an endless supply of jokes about Carol being older, but I think they will eventually want to mix things up a little bit more in the future episodes. There is one good dramatic scene in the premiere episodes. All of the scenes in the first two episodes are at the hospital. It would be nice to see them elsewhere as a change of pace.
They have assembled a talented cast with a mix of TV veterans and some promising newcomers. This is set up to be very much a vehicle for Patricia Heaton. She's in nearly every scene. They do a nice job of giving the other cast members a good amount of lines and a chance to shine. Newcomer Ito Aghayere plays Dr. Maya Jacobs, the Chief Resident in charge of Carol and the other three interns. The scenes between Maya and Carol are very tense and funny. They are some of the highlights of the episode. Aghayere could be one of the breakout stars of the season.
The other interns with Carol include Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Daniel Kutcher, Sabrina Jalees as Lexie Gilani and Lucas Neff as Caleb Summers. They all do a solid job and have some good chemistry together. Kyle MacLachlan plays Dr. Steven Frost, the accomplished senior attending physician who finds Carol charming. He's mostly known for his work in dramas, but he shows he has some good comedy skills as well. Ashley Tisdale plays Carol's daughter, Jenny Kenney. She has just one brief scene at the end of the "Pilot" episode. She is a pharmaceutical rep who has an arrangement to have an office at the hospital, so we see more of her in the second episode. Bonnie Dennison was originally cast in the role, but maybe they decided to make it an expanded role. Cedric Yarbrough from Speechless appears in a few scenes of the "Pilot" before being introduced as the nurse Dennis in the second episode.
Conclusion:
Patricia Heaton makes a welcome return to CBS. It's a great TV moment when she first appears on screen. The audience gives her a big round of applause. She became a household name and won two Emmy Awards for her role as Debra Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005. She had another good run for eight seasons as Frankie in The Middle. It's interesting that she plays a 50-year-old when she's really a very youthful looking 61 in real life. She has a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Whatever her secret is, she should try to bottle it. It would be pretty easy for her to slow down or retire, but she clearly loves to act and work. It's way too early to say that this sitcom will have a run of nine seasons like her other two major hits, but it's easy to envision her winning another Emmy or two for her hilarious role as Carol Kenney.
Carol's Second Act is one of the most promising new sitcoms of the season. It wouldn't be surprising if it's the highest rated new sitcom this fall. It has a strong and likable cast, funny writing and a great timeslot on CBS' rebuilt Thursday night lineup. The end of The Big Bang Theory leaves a big hole in their schedule, but they have a solid crop of new comedies. This may not be an immediate blockbuster hit, but it wouldn't be shocking if it's anchoring their comedy lineup in a season or two. They say laughter is the best medicine. This series delivers plenty of good, clean laughs. The doctor is in Thursday nights on CBS!
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 4/5
Overall: 4/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.
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Tuesday, September 24, 2019
NBC Fall Pilot Review: Perfect Harmony - Premieres Thursday (Sept. 26); CBS Fall Pilot Review: The Unicorn - Premieres Thursday (Sept. 26)
Perfect Harmony - Thursdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT
by Vincent
Perfect Harmony is a comedy about finding inspiration in the most unlikely places. When former Princeton music professor Arthur Cochran unexpectedly stumbles into choir practice at a small-town church, he finds a group of singers that are out of tune in more ways than one. Despite the ultimate clash of sensibilities, Arthur and his newfound cohorts may just be the perfect mix of individuals to help each other reinvent and rediscover a little happiness, just when they all need it most.
Cast Details:
Bradley Whitford as Arthur Cochran
Anna Camp as Ginny
Will Greenberg as Wayne
Tymberlee Hill as Adams
Geno Segers as Shep
Rizwan Manji as Jax
Bradley Whitford (Arthur) is an actor best known for his portrayal of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the NBC political drama The West Wing. He is also known for many other roles, including Dan Stark in the Fox police buddy-comedy The Good Guys, antagonist Eric Gordon in the film Billy Madison, and Dean Armitage in the popular horror film Get Out. He also starred opposite Malin Akerman in the TV comedy Trophy Wife.
Anna Camp (Ginny) is an actress best known for her role as Aubrey Poson in the Pitch Perfect movie series. She is also known for her role as Sarah Newlin on HBO's True Blood and for recurring roles on Mad Men, The Good Wife and The Mindy Project.
Will Greenberg (Wayne) is an American actor, and Perfect Harmony will be his first major acting role.
Tymberlee Hill (Adams) is an American actress and comedian, best known for her roles on comedy programs such as Drunk History, The Hotwives and Search Party.
Geno Segers (Shep) is known for his roles as Chayton Littlestone on Cinemax's Banshee, Mason Makoola in the Disney XD television series Pair of Kings, and Kincaid on MTV's Teen Wolf.
Rizwan Manji (Jax) is an American actor known for his role on NBC's Outsourced and ABC's Better off Ted.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, Sep. 26 at 8:30PM ET)
When former Princeton music professor Arthur Cochran unexpectedly stumbles into choir practice at a small-town church, he finds a group of singers that are out of tune in more ways than one. Despite the ultimate clash of sensibilities, Arthur and his newfound cohorts may just be the perfect mix of individuals to help each other reinvent and rediscover a little happiness, just when they all need it most.
Analysis:
Well, I'm just going to come out and say it: Perfect Harmony has a real odd premise. You have to give the show credit for just getting out there with such a unique premise and committing to it. After watching years and years of sitcom pilots that essentially follow the same formula - so many "see how this family is just a little quirky" or "this group of 20-somethings sure love to hang out with each other" - Perfect Harmony is at least something I haven't seen before: a sitcom about a church choir. It's an odd concept, one that I can't expect NBC to actually expect to draw a huge audience. Still, even with its odd premise, there are comparisons that immediately come to mind. In some ways, it feels a little like a more comedic, more adult version of Glee - it certainly has that same "people from different walks of life come together by the power of music" vibe. You could even make Pitch Perfect comparisons (which Perfect Harmony shares a major star with in Anna Camp.) Even Community comes to mind, with its "privileged jerk learns how to love through an unconventional group of oddballs" vibe. In fact, that's probably my biggest gripe with the series. For as seemingly strange as the concept is, the show itself feels kind of by-the-numbers and "been there, done that," which I didn't expect from a show about, well, a neighborhood church choir.
Perfect Harmony has an all-star cast, and they do their best, combined with the admittedly different premise, to make the show worth watching. And the show, frankly, isn't an unpleasant watch - the jokes are fun enough, it has a quick and zippy pace, and it's pleasant enough to pass the time. But it also feels content to basically be "Glee, but with church choirs," and the problem with that is that we've all already seen and gotten over Glee. Like what that show became, Perfect Harmony is a show that seems like it's a lot of gloss with not as much substance as it likes to think it has. It's sort of like junk food - it's not bad, and it'll satisfy you for a little, but then you realize you could be doing more with your time. I'd like nothing more than a weird church choir show to live up to its potential, but from what I've seen of Perfect Harmony, it seems content with being just "okay."
Conclusion:
Perfect Harmony is not a bad or unpleasant series, and if you're sitting down to watch Superstore and The Good Place live, it's just good enough to keep you from changing the channel in between the two shows. The cast is very enjoyable to watch, there are some very good jokes, and the show's overall vibe is light and fun. But it's also a show that feels like it could be more than just "kind of fun" with a weird premise and a great cast, and from what I've seen so far, there's not much indication that the show has much of a desire to find that potential.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 3/5
Funniness: 3/5
Overall: 3/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT on our message board.
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The Unicorn - Thursdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT
by Todd
The Unicorn is a single-camera comedy about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who help Wade (Walton Goggins) embrace his "new normal" in the wake of the loss of his wife one year ago. As a sometimes ill-equipped but always devoted single parent to his two adolescent daughters, he is taking the major step of dating again. To Wade's amazement, he's a hot commodity with women, and his friends explain that he’s the perfect single guy – a "unicorn": employed, attractive and with a proven track record of commitment. With his daughters and best friends rooting him on and hoping he'll find happiness again, Wade and his healing heart are ready to try life... and love... again.
Cast Details:
Walton Goggins as Wade
Rob Corddry as Forrest
Michaela Watkins as Delia
Omar Benson Miller as Ben
Maya Lynne Robinson as Michelle
Ruby Jay as Grace
Makenzie Moss as Natalie
Devin Bright as Noah
Walton Goggins (Wade) stars as Baby Bill Freeman in HBO's The Righteous Gemstones. He earlier starred in the HBO comedy Vice Principals. He received an Emmy nomination for his portrayal of Boyd Crowder on the Peabody Award-winning drama series Justified. His other starring roles include The Shield, Six and Deep State.
Rob Corddry (Forrest) currently stars as Joe Krutel in the HBO comedy-drama Ballers. He is a four-time Emmy Award winner for his work on the satirical comedy series Childrens Hospital, which he created, starred in and executive produced. Some of his other sitcom credits include The Winner, Community, Happy Endings, Ben and Kate and Speechless.
Michaela Watkins (Delia) is best known for starring on the Hulu series Casual and on the short-lived ABC sitcom Trophy Wife. Some of her sitcom guest appearances include The New Adventures of Old Christine, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Enlightened, New Girl, Modern Family, Married, Transparent and The Goldbergs.
Omar Benson Miller (Ben) currently stars as Charles Greane in the HBO comedy-drama Ballers. He was a regular on CSI: Miami as Walter Simmons. Some of his other television credits include The West Wing, Sex, Love & Secrets, Eleventh Hour. He was the voice of Raph in Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Maya Lynne Robinson's (Michelle) appeared as Geena Williams-Conner in the first season of ABC's The Conners. Some of her other television credits include Nightwing: Escalation, Monogamy, HTMAST, Gurl and Mom.
Ruby Jay (Grace) had the leading role as Holly Hobbie in Holly Hobbie. Some of her other television credits include Grey's Anatomy, Modern Family and Fancy Nancy.
Makenzie Moss (Natalie) has made guest appearances in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, About a Boy, Blunt Talk and black-ish.
Devin Bright (Noah) has made guest appearances in Toddler vs. Toddler, Underground, Hap and Leonard and Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters.
Pilot Plot:
"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, Sep. 26 at 8:30PM ET)
Walton Goggins stars in a comedy about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who helps Wade (Goggins) embrace his “new normal” in the wake of the loss of his wife one year ago.
Guest Stars: Natalie Ceballos as Tracy Wilvers, Bianca Kajlich as Danielle
The Unicorn is a single-camera comedy produced by CBS Television Studios and is executive produced by Bill Martin, Mike Schiff, Aaron Kaplan, Dana Honor, Wendi Trilling, Peyton Reed and John Hamburg (pilot only). Hamburg directed the pilot from a script by Martin and Schiff. The series is based on the real-life experience of Grady Cooper, a friend of show creators Martin and Schiff.
Analysis:
The "Pilot" episode is well produced with a nice mix of comedy and poignant moments. It's very fast-paced with many different scenes and shooting locations. The funniest scene is when Wade makes his online dating profile and starts receiving responses. Another amusing thing are the dogs on the counters and tables. Maybe that's more common than it seems, but you don't see it very often on television. It's interesting that they originally wanted to make this a multi-camera sitcom in front of a studio audience instead of a single-camera comedy. The only real issue I have is how they edited it with too many quick cutaways and jump shots. It has more of a look and feel as a multi-camera sitcom. I think they just tried to cram in as much background story and explain the premise of "the unicorn" as they could in 22 minutes. Hopefully they will slow the pace down and have longer scenes in future episodes. Composer Gabriel Mann's upbeat music also stands out and enhances the episode.
The cast has many experienced TV veterans and several promising newcomers. Walton Goggins is a versatile and underappreciated actor who usually plays unlikable characters, so it's great to see him play a nice guy as a change of pace. Rob Corddry and Michaela Watkins have played a married couple before in the film In a World..., so they have great chemistry, comedic timing and expressions. Corddry's Ballers co-star Omar Benson Miller is solid in his role, as is relative newcomer Maya Lynne Robinson. Ruby Jay and Makenzie Moss look to have sizable roles as Wade's daughters. They are natural young actresses and could pass as real-life sisters. The lovely Natalie Ceballos and Bianca Kajlich from Rules of Engagement make notable guest appearances in the "Pilot" episode. Wade is quite the babe magnet. They have some other good guest stars in upcoming episodes such as Nicole Byer (as Michelle's sister), Christina Moore and Betsy Brandt. It's a bit unusual for comedies to get many recognizable guest stars so early in their first season.
Conclusion:
The Unicorn has the potential to be a sleeper hit of the season. It has all of the ingredients needed for success. They have a talented cast and crew, a nice blend of comedy and drama and a plum timeslot on the most-watched broadcast network. I wasn't initially a big fan of The Unicorn as a title for a series because I wasn't familiar with it being a term in the online dating world as describing the perfect single guy. The title makes it seem that being a good single father is a rare thing, but that's clearly not always the case. Many widowed fathers should be able to relate to the Wade character, which is played very well by the underrated Walton Goggins. Wade is somebody that will be easy to root for as the season progresses. Goggins usually plays unlikable psychopath characters, so it's great to seeing him in a likable, comedic role as a sweet, caring father.
CBS is giving people plenty of opportunities to sample The Unicorn with it being available for streaming early on CBS.com, the CBS mobile app, Amazon Prime, Apple TV and on Roku. They really couldn't ask for a better timeslot between Young Sheldon and Mom, the #2 and #3 rated comedies from last season. The Unicorn is a very funny, charming and heartwarming family comedy that viewers should enjoy once they discover it.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 3.5/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT on our message board.
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Monday, September 23, 2019
CBS Fall Pilot Review: Bob Hearts Abishola - Premieres Monday (Sept. 23); ABC Fall Pilot Review: mixed-ish - Premieres Tuesday (Sept. 24)
Bob Hearts Abishola - Mondays at 8:30 PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Monday, September 23, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT
Folake Olowofoyeku as Abishola
Christine Ebersole as Dottie
Matt Jones as Douglas
Maribeth Monroe as Christina
Vernee Watson as Gloria
Shola Adewusi as Olu
Barry Shabaka Henley as Tunde
Maribeth Monroe (Christina) is best known for her role of Alice on Workaholics. She has also had roles in The Good Place and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Vernee Watson (Gloria) has had a long career in TV, first playing Verna Jean Williams on Welcome Back, Kotter. She also appeared in both seasons of Carter Country, but is known to more contemporary audiences as Aunt Vy from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Nurse Althea on The Big Bang Theory.
Shola Adewusi (Olu) is new to American audiences, but she has had a career in British TV and film for the past two decades.
Barry Shabaka Henley (Tunde) is an American actor who has appeared in recurring roles in early 90s sitcoms including The Royal Family and Roc.
In the pilot episode, we meet Bob, a sock salesman who has a heart attack and encounters nurse Abishola in the hospital. Being lonely in life, Bob begins to get to know Abishola and begins to having romantic feelings for her, but does she feel the same way?
Bob is still doing everything he can to get Abishola to like him, but an extra challenge comes along when Abishola's aunt and uncle get involved.
"A Bird May Love Fish" (Airs October 7 at 8:30PM ET)
Bob wants to get to know Abishola a bit better, and attempts to do so by getting to know her culture a little better.
In fact, it isn't just Olowofoyeku. This series has a great cast that seems to go together pretty well. And of course, Billy Gardell is an actor who is meant for a broadcast network sitcom, so he fits right in place here. It's also nice to see some faces that have been around for a while, such as Christine Ebersole and Vernee Watson.
Like most Chuck Lorre sitcoms, it doesn't exactly bring out big laughs or even a well-written script for that matter. But that's not always necessary. It's one of those shows that you can just kind of sit down and watch while you do something else and enjoy. If you miss a moment, you won't miss much, but you can still follow along with the story.
Basically, it's another Chuck Lorre sitcom. You either love them or you hate them (personally I'm somewhere on the fence as they can be funny, but also tend to bring out all of the most annoying things that one can find in a broadcast network sitcom), but regardless, most series with his name on it have had a history of success. Broadcast TV is where he belongs, as his critically panned Netflix series Disjointed proved (though The Kominsky Method is going a bit better), and this could potentially be something that we see on the air for years to come if it attracts that CBS sitcom audience. Airing on the lineup after The Neighborhood, another sitcom that deals with people from different backgrounds, may also be good to keep it going. I don't think this is going to be my favorite new show of the season and I'm not even sure that I'll watch it regularly, but I'll certainly check in on it from time to time.
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 3.5/5
Funniness: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Monday, September 23, 2019 at 8:30PM ET/PT on our message board.
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mixed-ish - Tuesdays at 9:00PM ET/PT on ABC
Premieres Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 9:00PM ET/PT
by Pavan
The black-ish franchise expands with its newest spinoff mixed-ish, coming to ABC this Tuesday. Rainbow Johnson recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the '80s, and the dilemmas they face to acclimate in the suburbs while staying true to themselves. Bow's parents Paul and Alicia decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. As her parents struggle with the challenges of their new life, Bow and her siblings navigate a mainstream school in which they're perceived as neither black nor white. This family's experiences illuminate the challenges of finding one’s own identity when the rest of the world can't decide where you belong.
Cast Details:
Tika Sumpter as Alicia Johnson
Christina Anthony as Denise
Arica Himmel as Bow Johnson
Ethan William Childress as Johan Johnson
Mykal-Michelle Harris as Santamonica Johnson
Gary Cole as Harrison Johnson
Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Paul) made his television debut as Zack Morris in the popular teen sitcom Saved by the Bell. Since then, he has had an extensive and successful television career starring in a number of shows, including last season on The Passage and Pitch for Fox; ABC's Commander in Chief, alongside Geena Davis; the critically acclaimed ABC classic drama NYPD Blue; TNT's Raising the Bar; and TNT's Franklin & Bash with Breckin Meyer.
Tika Sumpter (Alicia) has established herself as one of Hollywood's rising talents. She most recently starred in David Lowery's The Old Man & The Gun, opposite Robert Redford, Danny Glover and Sissy Spacek; Tyler Perry's Nobody's Fool, opposite Tiffany Haddish; and the independent feature An Acceptable Loss, opposite Jamie Lee Curtis. Next, Sumpter will star in Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog, alongside Jim Carrey and James Marsden. Sumpter is known for her work on OWN's highest-rated series The Haves and the Have Nots. She stars as Candace Young in the one-hour drama written, directed and produced by Tyler Perry. She can also be heard on the new hit TBS animated show Final Space with Fred Armisen. Her past television credits include the CW's Gossip Girl, BET's The Game and the Daytime Emmy Award-winning soap opera One Life to Live, which garnered her an NAACP Image Award nomination.
Christina Anthony (Denise) is a multitalented actress, writer, vocalist and improviser. She is originally from the Chicago comedy scene and is best known as an alum of the Second City e.t.c. Chicago, where she co-wrote three award-nominated sketch revues and performed thousands of shows for Chicago audiences. Her favorite on-camera roles as an actress include Key & Peele (Comedy Central), Mash Up (Comedy Central), Bajillion Dollar Propertie$ (Seeso), Take My Wife (Seeso), Bunk'd (Disney), Why Women Kill (CBS All Access), ER (NBC) and The Dilemma (Universal).
Arica Himmel (Bow) was born and raised in New York City, where she made her theatrical debut off-Broadway in The Layover (Second Stage Theatre). Himmel guest-starred on God Friended Me and recurred on Thanksgiving with Amy Sedaris and Chris Elliott. She played a supporting role in Before You Know It with Mandy Patinkin and Mike Colter, which premiered in competition at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.
Ethan William Childress (Johan) was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the youngest child of four. He was enrolled in a charter school for the arts and began to thrive as an actor, eventually realizing that this was his calling. He decided to give up playing on a competitive soccer team to focus on acting, and it was soon after that his parents enrolled him in an actor showcase to help him pursue it full time.
Mykal-Michelle Harris (Santamonica) is a bright young face in Hollywood, who can be seen in HBO's Big Little Lies as young Bonnie. She is known for her roles on A Kid Called Mayonnaise, Little Big Shots and The Affair, as well as multiple festival short films. Harris was born in New Jersey and discovered her love for acting at a very young age. When she was just 3 years old, she recorded a viral video, "Like Serena," that landed her on CNN and Good Morning America, and catapulted her into the industry with runway shows and global commercials.
Gary Cole (Harrison) was most recently seen in the seventh and final season of award-winning HBO series Veep, starring opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfuss. Best known for his film roles in classic cult comedies such as Office Space, Pineapple Express, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Gary Cole is a veteran of both the screen and the stage. Additional film credits include American Pastime, Breach, The Ring 2, Crazy in Love, Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!, I Spy, One Hour Photo, The Gift, A Simple Plan, Kiss the Sky, The Brady Bunch Movie and Clint Eastwood's In the Line of Fire.
"Becoming Bow" (airs Tuesday, September 24 at 9:00PM ET/PT)
Young Rainbow Johnson recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the '80s, and the dilemmas they face to acclimate in the suburbs while staying true to themselves. Bow's parents, Paul and Alicia, decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. Their experiences illuminate the challenges of finding one's own identity when the rest of the world can’t decide where you belong. black-ish stars guest star: Anthony Anderson as Andre "Dre" Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson Jr., Miles Brown as Jack Johnson and Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson.
Analysis:
This spin-off of black-ish is set in 1985 when Bow was 12 years old. This episode was originally slated to be backdoor pilot episode inside of black-ish last season, but ABC held it to be the actual pilot episode of mixed-ish. It follows the Johnson family and being a mixed family in the '80s. The Johnsons were living in a commune but now are moving to the suburbs, where interracial families weren't as common. Bow's parents were one of the first interracial couples in the country to get married and also have children, so this tackles some serious topics. Bow has two younger siblings, as we know from black-ish, Johan and Santamonica.
The pilot episode sets up the tone and vibe of this comedy very nicely. The entire family has great chemistry and Arica Himmel, who plays Bow, is outstanding. Mark-Paul and Tika are great as Bow's parents and just as good as Beau Bridges and Anna Deavere Smith portray on black-ish. Although they don't really look like each other, especially Tika and Anna. The kids who play Johan and Santamonica are also fantastic and do Daveed Diggs and Rashida Jones justice from black-ish. The great Gary Cole as Harrison is superb as well from a character we didn't know much about yet.
Conclusion:
Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):
Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 3.5/5
Overall: 4/5
Discuss the show after you watch it on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 9:00PM ET/PT on our message board.
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Sunday, September 22, 2019
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 23, 2019)
For the week of September 23-27, 2019, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!
Monday, September 23
- Elizabeth Banks (Scrubs/30 Rock) - Watch Elizabeth on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Liza Koshy (Liza on Demand) - Liza visits Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Rob Corddry (The Unicorn/Ballers/The Winner) - Rob stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Lake Bell (Bless This Mess/How to Make It in America) - Lake appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Joel McHale (Community/The Great Indoors), Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite) and Erik Griffin (Workaholics) - Joel, Maria and Erik are panelists on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- Judith Light (Transparent/Phenom/Who's the Boss?) - Judith drops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. She also talks about the Transparent series finale and The Politician on the BUILD Series at 1pm.
- Billy Gardell (Bob Hearts Abishola/Mike & Molly) and Folake Olowofoyeku (Bob Hearts Abishola) - Billy and Folake chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- John Goodman (The Conners/Roseanne/Normal, Ohio) - John is a guest on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Amanda Seales (Insecure) - Amanda guest co-hosts The Real, so check your local listings.
- Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi) - Whoopi will be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Alison Tolman (Emergence) - Alison talks about Emergence on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Lauren Lapkus (Crashing/Clipped) - Lauren talks about Between Two Ferns: The Movie on the BUILD Series at 12:15pm.
- Billy Bob Thornton (Hearts Afire) - Catch Billy Bob on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Allison Tolman (Downward Dog) - Allison appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. She will also be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi) - Whoopi visits The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Michael Rapaport (Awkward/The War at Home) - Michael is a panelist on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- Anna Faris (Mom) - Anna drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Anna Camp (Perfect Harmony/The Mindy Project) - Anna chats on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Amanda Seales (Insecure) - Amanda guest co-hosts The Real, so check your local listings.
- Lauren Lapkus (Crashing/Clipped) - Lauren talks about Between Two Ferns: The Movie on People Now at 12pm.
- Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother/Friends from College) - Cobie talks about Stumptown on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Kal Penn (Sunnyside/Deadbeat/We Are Men) - Kal talks about Sunnyside on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Hayley Orrantia (The Goldbergs) - Hayley is a guest on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
- Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke appears on the BUILD Series at 2pm.
- William Jackson Harper (The Good Place) - William talks about The Good Place on the BUILD Series at 3pm.
- Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother/Friends from College) - Watch Cobie on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. She will also be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) - Jameela appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about The Good Place on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Walton Goggins (The Unicorn/Vice Principals) - Walton visits The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He will also be on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am.
- Kal Penn (Sunnyside/Deadbeat/We Are Men) - Kal stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Sunnyside on People Now at 12pm.
- Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones/Vice Principals) - Edi is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ashley Tisdale (Carol's Second Act/Clipped/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Ashley drops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Taran Killam (Single Parents) - Taran appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Anna Faris (Mom) - Anna is a guest on A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
- Bill Engvall (The Bill Engvall Show) - Bill is a panelist on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- Liza Koshy (Liza on Demand) - Liza talks about Liza on Demand on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan (check your listings) and on the BUILD Series at 2:45pm.
- Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken/Community) - Ken appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) - Rico is a guest on The Real, so check your local listings.
- Amanda Seales (Insecure) - Amanda guest co-hosts The Real, so check your local listings.
- Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Will talks about Gemini Man on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Lisa Kudrow (Friends/The Comeback/Web Therapy) and Jamie Lee Curtis (Anything But Love) - NBC's Today has Women's Health Today with Lisa and Jamie Lee sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour..
- Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs/Rules of Engagement/Reno 911!) - Wendi is a guest on Access Live, so check your local listings.
- Avan Jogia (Victorious) - Avan talks about Mixed Feelings on the BUILD Series at 11am.
- Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley talks about Perfect Harmony on the BUILD Series at 1pm.
- Christian Slater (Breaking In) - Catch Christian on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Woody Harrelson (Cheers) - Woody visits Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/Welcome to New York) - Jim stops by A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
- Jameela Jamil (The Good Place) - Jameela is a guest on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm. She also talks about The Good Place on the BUILD Series at 2pm.
- Matt Walsh (Veep) - Matt is a panelist on Lights Out with David Spade at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
- Al Franken (LateLine) - Al drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke appears on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
- Dylan McDermott (LA to Vegas) - Dylan is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. He also talks about The Politician on the BUILD Series at 11am.
- Patricia Heaton (Carol's Second Act/The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Patricia talks about Carol's Second Act on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan (check your listings), on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am and on People Now at 12pm.
- Beth Behrs (The Neighborhood/2 Broke Girls) - Beth appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) - Randall stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette visits The Real, so check your local listings.
- Amanda Seales (Insecure) - Amanda guest co-hosts The Real, so check your local listings.
- Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley talks about Perfect Harmony on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Kal Penn (Sunnyside/Deadbeat/We Are Men) - Kal talks about Sunnyside on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
- Liza Koshy (Liza on Demand) - Liza appears on ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
- Alfonso Ribeiro (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/In the House/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso talks about America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on the BUILD Series at 1pm.
- Iain Armitage (Young Sheldon) and Annie Potts (Young Sheldon/Love & War/Designing Women) - Iain and Annie are guests on Access Live, so check your local listings.
- Gregory Harrison (The Family Man) - Gregory talks about Chesapeake Shores on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
- Cassidy Freeman (The Righteous Gemstones) - Cassidy talks about The Righteous Gemstones on the BUILD Series at 4pm.
- Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Watch Anthony on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney), Natasha Leggero (Another Period/Dice/Free Agents) and Henry Winkler (Barry/Out of Practice/Happy Days) - Whitney, Natasha and Henry make special appearances on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Patricia Heaton (Carol's Second Act/The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Patricia stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy appears on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
- Rainn Wilson (The Office) - Rainn is a guest on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
- Brandon Micheal Hall (The Mayor/Search Party) - Brandon visits LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Mario stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Amanda Seales (Insecure) - Amanda guest co-hosts The Real, so check your local listings.
- Reba McEntire (Reba/Malibu Country) - Reba appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/Welcome to New York) - Jim talks about American Dreamer on Couch Surfing at 8am.
- Alfonso Ribeiro (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/In the House/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso talks about America's Funniest Home Videos on ABC's GMA 3: Strahan, Sara & Keke at 1pm.
- Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Margaret talks about The Margaret Cho Podcast on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Judith Light (Transparent/Phenom/Who's the Boss?) - Judith talks about Transparent and The Politician on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Seth Green (Dads/Four Kings/Greg the Bunny) - Seth talks about Changeland on Access Live, so check your local listings.
All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Sunday feature! We do listen!
Sitcoms Airing This Week
Sunday, September 22
none scheduled
Monday, September 23
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Re-Rack" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
One year after the Johnsons moved next door to the Butlers, Dave is eager to take on a bigger role in Calvin’s annual Yardecue and prove how much a part of the community he’s become. But Calvin’s reaction makes it clear that, while the relationship between the two families has grown, the friendship between Calvin and Dave still has a way to go.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Pilot" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Bob, a middle-aged compression-sock businessman from Detroit, unexpectedly falls for his cardiac nurse, Abishola, a Nigerian immigrant, while recovering from a heart attack and sets his sights on winning her over.
In The Cut - "America's Got Skillz, Part 2" (Bounce TV, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Smitty moves on to the next round and turns on Jay and Kenny; Cheryl's girls' night takes a turn after two of the women find out they're dating the same man.
Tuesday, September 24
The Conners - "Preemies, Weed and Infidelity'" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
In the wake of Emilio’s deportation, Jackie steps into the role of a paternal figure and creates a meticulous birth plan for Becky; but as the Conners know, nothing ever goes according to plan. Meanwhile, Darlene is tangled in a complex love triangle with David and Ben, and – like her mother – Harris is caught up in a problem of her own.
Bless This Mess - "459" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mike and Rio host the big event of college football season: the town’s Huskers kickoff party. But no one in Bucksnort believes they can pull it off. They might be right when Rio loses Portia, the pig that’s been selected for the lucky pig race. Beau and Kay frantically try to hide the fact that they’ve split up, with mixed results.
mixed-ish - "Becoming Bow" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
A young Rainbow Johnson recounts her experience growing up in a mixed-race family in the ‘80s, and the dilemmas they face to acclimate in the suburbs while staying true to themselves. Bow’s parents, Paul and Alicia, decide to move from a hippie commune to the suburbs to better provide for their family. Their experiences illuminate the challenges of finding one’s own identity when the rest of the world can’t decide where you belong.
black-ish - "Pops the Question" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Summer was a season of change for the Johnsons. The twins are headed into eighth grade, and Junior is out on his own managing social media for Migos. Meanwhile, Pops reveals that he is getting married.
Wednesday, September 25
The Goldbergs - "Vacation" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Before Erica and Barry go off to college, Beverly insists the family take a road trip to go on vacation to Disneyland in Anaheim, California. But like the film, things do not go as planned as they travel across the country. Meanwhile, Erica worries more and more about her relationship with Geoff when he teases “we need to talk” and won’t tell her anything until the family returns from their adventure.
Schooled - "Dangerous Minds" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The summer is over. On her first day back, Lainey is excited to be back at William Penn Academy, but Mellor warns her that being a pal to her students is not a good idea. Meanwhile, Principal Glascott introduces the newest science teacher to the faculty, but CB is skeptical of her no-nonsense approach.
Modern Family - "New Kids on the Block" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Haley is determined to follow the advice in her parenting books with the twins, but Phil and Claire think their old methods are better. Meanwhile, Manny is set to direct Jay’s dog bed commercial in the hopes of winning his ex-girlfriend back.
Single Parents - "Summer of Freedom" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
The kids are away for the summer, and the gang looks forward to their freedom. But three months later, it looks like summer is a bust with Will doing all the things on the “Angie and Will’s List of Summer Fun” with Tracy Freeze; Angie obsessing over writing the world’s longest email to her ex; and Douglas inexplicably ghosting Poppy on their first date.
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "The Gang Gets Romantic" (FXX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Mac concocts a scheme to attract single women to rent Dennis' bedroom while Frank and Charlie make similar plans to draw in young, European coeds, but neither ad attracts their intended target.
Thursday, September 26
Young Sheldon - "Quirky Eggheads and Texas Snow Globes" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
After Dr. Sturgis (Wallace Shawn) experiences a nervous breakdown, Mary worries Sheldon is headed down a similar path. Also, Georgie discovers he has a knack for sales.
The Unicorn - "Pilot" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Walton Goggins stars in a comedy about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who helps Wade (Goggins) embrace his “new
normal” in the wake of the loss of his wife one year ago.
Mom - "Audrey Hepburn and a Jalepeño Pepper" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
While Bonnie struggles to enjoy her perfect honeymoon with Adam, Christy makes some questionable changes at the bar while they’re away.
Carol's Second Act - "Pilot" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Carol Kenney enthusiastically begins her first day as an internal medicine intern, but has a rocky start when she disregards direct orders from her boss in order to help a patient. Also, Carol meets Dr. Frost, a senior attending physician who may be the ally Carol needs in her second act.
Superstore "Cloud 9.0" - (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Amy tries to help her employees cope with Mateo's ICE detention - and with the introduction of a new robot co-worker that makes them fear they could be replaced.
Perfect Harmony "Pilot" - (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When former Princeton music professor Arthur Cochran unexpectedly stumbles into choir practice at a small-town church, he finds a group of singers that are out of tune in more ways than one. Despite the ultimate clash of sensibilities, Arthur and his newfound cohorts may just be the perfect mix of individuals to help each other reinvent and rediscover a little happiness, just when they all need it most.
The Good Place "A Girl From Arizona" - (NBC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
With Eleanor assuming the role of the architect, the group adapts to the challenges facing them when four test subjects inhabit a new neighborhood under their supervision.
Sunnyside "Pilot" - (NBC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
A former New York City Councilman finds his calling when he meets a group of immigrants in search of the American dream.
Friday, September 27
American Housewife - "The Minivan" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
As the Otto family ushers in a new era, Katie and Greg make the emotional decision to sell the family minivan. Meanwhile, Oliver suffers a setback that forces him to rethink how to accomplish his goals.
Fresh Off the Boat - "Help Unwanted" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After Brandi Chastain scores the World Cup-winning goal against China and rips off her jersey to celebrate, Evan gets his first case of “the tingles,” and now Louis and Eddie must team up to give him the talk. Meanwhile, Jessica and Honey are learning what it means to be best friends, and we learn a whole lot more about Marvin’s family.
Raven's Home - "Cali Dreams" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The kids head to LA with the whole family to compete in the finals of a music competition; when their competition doesn't play by the rules, the family comes together.
Just Roll with It - "And Gator Makes Five" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Blair and Owen are forced to share a room when Gator gets in a fight with his mom and moves into the Bennet-Blatt house for a few days, putting the kids on edge.
Saturday, September 28
Henry Danger - "Sister Twister Part 2" (Nickelodeon, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Ray's memories accidentally get erased, Schwoz devises a plan to send Henry deep inside Ray's brain to get them back.
Sunday, September 29
The Simpsons - "D'oh Canada" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Marge must rescue Lisa when she is mistakenly granted political asylum in Canada while on a vacation to Niagara Falls; Homer takes Maggie to a "Daddy and Me" class.
Bob's Burgers - "Long Time Listener, First Time Bob" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Bob meets his personal hero -- a renegade radio DJ who refuses to compromise -- the Belchers get in over their heads while trying to help him stage a comeback.
The Simpsons - "The Winter of Our Monetized Content" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a video of Bart and Homer fighting goes viral, they begin a journey as social media celebrities; Lisa battles the school's new industrialized detention system.
Bless the Harts - "Hug 'N Bugs" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Jenny discovers a secret of Betty's that may help her pay overdue bills; Wayne is hurt when he discovers that Jenny's daughter Violet is featuring her biological father in her comics; Wayne tries to build Violet the tree house of her dreams.
Bob's Burgers - "The Ring (But Not Scary)" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Bob's plan to surprise Linda for their anniversary gets tricky when the kids become involved.
Family Guy - "Yacht Rocky" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When the brewery announces it will be firing one employee, Peter is nervous he will be the one let go; the family departs on a Yacht Rock cruise that doesn't go as expected.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Saturday, December 7
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 2)
Friday, December 6
- Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Watch Ralph on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Ben Stiller (Arrested Development) - Ben is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time/Happily Divorced/9 to 5) - Rita appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Hilary Swank (Camp Wilder) - NBC's Today catches up with Hilary in the 10am hour.
- The Cast of Sex Lives of College Girls - The Sex Lives of College Girls creator Mindy Kaling is joining Drew on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Then, the case of the show, Pauline Chalamet, Alyah Chanelle Scott, Amrit Kaur, Mia Rodgers and Gracie Lawrence are all chatting about the latest season of the hit show.
- Ryan Destiny (grown-ish) and Brian Tyree Henry (HouseBroken/Atlanta) - Ryan and Brian talk about their new film The Fire Inside on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Steve Howey (Reba) - Steve talks about NBC's Happy Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
- Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Krysten discusses her film Sonic 3 on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Melissa Joan Hart (Baby Daddy/Sabrina the Teenage Witch/Clarissa Explains It All) - Melissa is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K UHD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (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)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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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