Friday, September 20, 2019

Fri-Yay: Primetime Emmy Predictions for Comedy; Paramount Heads to Paris for New Comedy

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

Ted Danson - The Good Place

by Vincent

As you may or may not know, this Sunday is the Emmys. The Emmys may not always be the best barometer of quality TV, but they nonetheless hold a lot of prestige and can bring attention to shows that may be in need of it. So in this column, I'll share with you my predictions for this year's Emmys in the comedy categories!

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson as Andre "Dre" Johnson, Sr. on black-ish (Episode: "Purple Rain") (ABC)
Don Cheadle as Mo Monroe on Black Monday (Episode: "365") (Showtime)
Ted Danson as Michael on The Good Place (Episode: "The Worst Possible Use of Free Will") (NBC)
Michael Douglas as Sandy Kominsky on The Kominsky Method (Episode: "Chapter One: An Actor Avoids") (Netflix)
Bill Hader as Barry Berkman / Barry Block on Barry (Episode: "The Truth Has a Ring to It") (HBO)
Eugene Levy as Johnny Rose on Schitt's Creek (Episode: "Rock On!") (Pop TV)
My Prediction: Personally, I don't think anyone can top Ted Danson in terms of pure sitcom acting. The man is still at the top of his game in a totally unique role, and if it were up to me, he'd be getting the nod. I do think he has a decent shot, since he's the most established comedy name on the list. It's also possible voters become enamored by Bill Hader since they tend to love HBO. Still, I think my prediction is Ted Danson for this one.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate as Jen Harding on Dead to Me (Episode: "I've Gotta Get Away") (Netflix)
Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam "Midge" Maisel on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Midnight at the Concord") (Prime Video)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer on Veep (Episode: "Veep") (HBO)
Natasha Lyonne as Nadia Vulvokov on Russian Doll (Episode: "Nothing in This World Is Easy") (Netflix)
Catherine O'Hara as Moira Rose on Schitt's Creek (Episode: "The Crowening") (Pop TV)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Fleabag on Fleabag (Episode: "Episode 1") (Prime Video)
My Prediction: As much as I would love Catherine O'Hara to take this one for her great work on Schitt's Creek, it's very hard for me to see voters resisting giving Julia Louis-Dreyfus one final title as Selina Meyer.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Alan Arkin as Norman Newlander on The Kominsky Method (Episode: "Chapter Two: An Agent Grieves") (Netflix)
Anthony Carrigan as NoHo Hank on Barry (Episode: "Past = Present x Future Over Yesterday") (HBO)
Tony Hale as Gary Walsh on Veep (Episode: "Veep") (HBO)
Stephen Root as Monroe Fuches on Barry (Episode: "berkman > block") (HBO)
Tony Shalhoub as Abe Weissman on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "We're Going to the Catskills!") (Prime Video)
Henry Winkler as Gene Cousineau on Barry (Episode: "What?!") (HBO)
My Prediction: There's less of a clear winner for me on this one, but I think Tony Shaloub will take it, due to both his prestige and the fact that voters seem to love The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Vote for Kennedy, Vote for Kennedy") (Prime Video)
Anna Chlumsky as Amy Brookheimer on Veep (Episode: "Pledge") (HBO)
Sian Clifford as Claire on Fleabag (Episode: "Episode 3") (Prime Video)
Olivia Colman as Godmother on Fleabag (Episode: "Episode 4") (Prime Video)
Betty Gilpin as Debbie Eagan on GLOW (Episode: "Mother of All Matches") (Netflix)
Sarah Goldberg as Sally Reed on Barry (Episode: "The Audition") (HBO)
Marin Hinkle as Rose Weissman on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: "Simone") (Prime Video)
Kate McKinnon as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (Episode: "Host: Liev Schreiber") (NBC)
My Prediction: This is the hardest category for me to predict, as I see no clear frontrunners. I'm going to go a bit left field and pick Olivia Colman. The Emmys often have one left-field choice, and I think Fleabag has earned enough hype and this category is wide open enough that Colman could be it this year.

Outstanding Comedy Series
Barry (HBO)
Fleabag (Prime Video)
The Good Place (NBC)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Russian Doll (Netflix)
Schitt's Creek (Pop TV)
Veep (HBO)
My Prediction: Ah, yes...the big prize, and to me it's probably a choice between Veep and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. (If it were up to me, it'd be between The Good Place and Schitt's Creek...but, well, it's not.) Both of these shows have won before, but Maisel won last year when Veep was ineligible due to its extended hiatus while Julia Louis-Dreyfus was battling breast cancer. So the question is, will the Emmys jump back on Veep one last time or have they fulled moved onto Maisel? Or perhaps a dark horse like HBO's Barry could sneak into the top spot? Personally, I'm betting on a victory lap run for Veep.

Next week, I'll check in and see how I did, but you can check for yourself this Sunday - the winners will be announced during the ceremony, which starts at 8pm!


Emily in Paris

French actors Philippine Leroy Beaulieu, Lucas Bravo, Samuel Arnold, Camille Razat and Bruno Gouery have been cast as series regulars in Darren Star's newest scripted series, Emily in Paris, starring Golden Globe-nominated Lily Collins. Kate Walsh (The Umbrella Academy, 13 Reasons Whyand Grey's Anatomy), in a recurring role, will play Emily's (Collins) co-worker and mentor who still lives in Chicago. William Abadie and Arnaud Viard also join the cast in recurring roles. Previously announced Tony Award-nominated actress, Ashley Park, rounds out the list of series regulars in the 10-episode half-hour dramedy. The Paramount Network series is currently in production in Paris, France. Emily in Paris, the newest series from perennial hit-maker Darren Star (Younger, Sex and The City, Beverly Hills 90210, Melrose Place), follows Emily (Collins), a driven twenty-something from the Midwest who moves to Paris for an unexpected job opportunity. Tasked with bringing an American point of view to a venerable French marketing firm, cultures clash as she adjusts to the challenges of life in a foreign city, while juggling her career, new friendships and love life.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, May 15

Happy's Place - "Social Discontent" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Steve and Isabella begin shooting marketing content for the tavern, they quickly realize Bobbie has a case of camera madness, causing them to recast her with a local influencer.

Happy's Place - "The Name Game" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie doesn't want Gabby to get her hopes up too soon about her potential pregnancy, but accidentally rains on her parade in the process; Isabella hires Takoda's band to play at the tavern unaware he's in a death metal band.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 11)

Friday, May 15

  • Goldie Hawn (Good Morning World) - Watch Goldie on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Asif Ali (Deli Boys/Wrecked/Mr. Robinson) and Saagar Shaikh (Deli Boys) - Asif and Ali are guests on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • John Krasinski (The Office) - John talks about Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks about Abbott Elementary and Lisa Ann Walter: It Was an Accident with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Ross are covering the headlines with pals Valerie and Nate Berkus on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Belmont Cameli (Saved by the Bell (2020-2021) - Belmont and Ella Bright talk about Off Campus on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton co-hosts NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Jackie Tohn (Nobody Wants This/GLOW) - NBC's Today catches up with Jackie in the 10am hour.
  • Y'lan Noel (Insecure) - Y'lan talks about Netflix's Nemesis on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)

11/04/25 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11/25 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02/25 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16/25 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16/25 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (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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