Freeform Says Everything's Gonna Be Okay with New Comedy; HBO Max Teams Up with Ellen for 4 Projects

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.

Ellen DeGeneres - HBO Max

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.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, November 10

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to New Horizons" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Dave’s silent auction wins lead to a classical concert outing with Gemma and the Butlers that quickly goes off the rails. Meanwhile, Malcolm’s ghostwriting gig takes a surprising turn when Tina encourages him to dive into reality TV for inspiration – sparking an unexpected obsession.

DMV - "Stick Shift" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Ceci accuses Colette of only being kind for the credit, Colette anonymously gives Noa the perfect gift.

St. Denis Medical - "Get Me in the Pod, Brother" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alex and Ron spar over the wisdom of open communication; Joyce brings in a body scanner that proves overly distracting.

The Paper - "Pilot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover the historic Toledo Truth Teller, a Midwestern newspaper, and its publisher's efforts to revive it.

TV We Love - "Happy Days" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The cast and creators of "Happy Days" reflect on its pop culture legacy.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 10)

Monday, November 10

George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - Watch George on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Billy Bob Thornton (Hearts Afire) - Billy Bob appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. He also talks about Landman on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Aaron Tveit (Schmigadoon!) - Aaron is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Chris Kattan (The Middle) - Chris is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
The Jonas Brothers (Jonas/Jonas LA) - The Jonas Brothers talk about Very Jonas Christmas Movie on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Ginnifer Goodwin (Pivoting) - Ginnifer talks about Zootopia 2 on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale/God's Favorite Idiot/American Housewife/The Odd Couple/About a Boy) - Leslie co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour. She tells Drew about the upcoming second season of Palm Royale and making it work long distance with partner Sam Rockwell while shooting The White Lotus in Thailand on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Rainn Wilson (The Office) - Rainn talks about his new book Soul Boom Workbook: Spiritual Tools for Modern Living on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond - Phil is cooking something delicious with Drew in the kitchen from his latest cookbook and telling her about the diner he's opening on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Marilu Henner (Taxi/Evening Shade) - Marilu is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.