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

Monday, March 16

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Murder at Sea" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Gemma throws Dave an unforgettable murder mystery birthday party. Meanwhile, Malcolm uses the celebration to introduce Mercedes to his family.

DMV - "Test Drive" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
During Teen Outreach Day at the DMV, Colette pushes Gregg to mentor a disengaged teen. Meanwhile, Vic suspects one of the students may be his biological son, and Barb’s attempt to film a promo with Ceci spirals into chaos.

St. Denis Medical - "Everyone Loves Portland General" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bruce considers a new chapter in his career; Serena uses a baby to get out of work; Matt helps Ron log onto his computer.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "You May Hug Your Hero" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Reggie and Monica restart their youth football camp and face off against their old rivals, Jerry and Tisha Basmati.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 16)

Monday, March 16

  • Zendaya (K.C. Undercover/Shake It Up) - Watch Zendaya on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Trey Parker and Matt Stone (Creators of South Park) - Trey and Matt are guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) and Josh Gad (Wolf Like Me/Avenue 5/The Comedians/1600 Penn/Back to You) - Andrew and Josh are guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Daniel Radcliffe (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Miracle Workers) - Daniel stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Arden Myrin (Free Bert/Working/Still the King) - Andy Cohen interviews Arden on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3am on Bravo.
  • Leanne Morgan (Leanne) - Leanne swings by for a chat on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class) - Jesse talks about Tru on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Nate Berkus joins Drew and Valerie to hit the news on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Chris Appleton gives Drew and Valerie a gray hair makeover.
  • Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy tells Sherri about the hit Scrubs reboot and her new film Freestyle: A Love Story on Sherri, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (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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