Friday, October 18, 2019
Fri-Yay: Is It Time to Lower Our Expectations for Sitcom Ratings?; Antenna TV's Dennis the Menace Thanksgiving Weekend Marathon

by Vincent
Well, we're nearly a month into the fall TV season, and it's certainly fair to say that it's been a disappointing one for sitcoms. Not one sitcom has really broken out to be a hit - CBS's slate of sitcoms hasn't quite lived up to the network's high ratings standards, NBC's Sunnyside has gotten critical acclaim but is struggling to beat even CW-level ratings (and now has been pulled from the schedule), and Fox and ABC's limited new comedies haven't exactly lit the world on fire either. Really, ABC's mixed-ish is probably the closest you could call a "hit sitcom" this season, and it's not doing amazingly well - plus, it's a spin-off of the already established hit black-ish.
Still, this isn't the first disappointing TV fall in the past few years, and it's following a trend where we're seeing less and less new sitcoms rising to "hit" status year after year. Yes, last fall we had The Conners, and it remains TV's highest-rated sitcom. But even that show, while still pulling in a strong audience, isn't rising up to the megahit levels of The Big Bang Theory or the earlier seasons of Modern Family. It's been so long since we've seen that kind of dominance from sitcom ratings, and it feels like it's been even longer since a fall sitcom that wasn't a spin-off of another series has broken out in a big way. So, is it time to start accepting that sitcoms are simply heading to a more niche place? Perhaps shows like The Neighborhood, Superstore or The Good Place, neither of which could be called "big hits" but pull in solid numbers and have a stable, consistent audience, are the closest we'll get to having a "hit" sitcom. It wouldn't be the worst thing - and with the way TV is going, catering to niches is likely the future. But it will be interesting to see if networks can conform to this new normal, or if they'll just keep hoping soon, things will turn around.
Gather the family together this Thanksgiving weekend for a whole lot of wholesome fun on Antenna TV with a marathon of everyone's favorite mischief-maker and sitcom series, Dennis the Menace. Antenna TV, Nexstar Media Group's multicast entertainment network, will broadcast all 146 episodes in the Dennis the Menace series beginning at 8pm ET on Wednesday, November 27 and continuing through Sunday, December 1. The show follows the lives of the Mitchell family played by Jay North, Herbert Anderson and Gloria Henry. Dennis the Menace regularly airs on Antenna TV weekdays 10am ET/7am PT and Saturdays and Sundays 7:30am ET/4:30am PT.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Monday, January 30
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Pit Stop, How May I Help You?" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Calvin takes Dave’s suggestion to try a new method of promoting his business, he soon comes to regret it. Also, Gemma recruits Tina to rescue her struggling after-school music program.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Bibles to Brothels" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob reconsiders his future at MaxDot and seeks advice from an unexpected source (Joel Murray), while Abishola questions Bob’s erratic behavior.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 30)
Monday, January 30
- Salma Hayek Pinault (30 Rock/The Sinbad Show) - Watch Salma on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. She talks about Magic Mike's Last Dance on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
- Austin Butler (Ruby & the Rockits/Zoey 101) - Austin appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Murray Bartlett (Physical/Looking) - Murray is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Christopher Meloni (Happy/Surviving Jack/Misery Loves Company/The Fanelli Boys) - Christopher will be on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place/Barry) - D'Arcy appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Emma Roberts (Scream Queens/Unfabulous) - Emma is a guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty/Reno 911!/Betas) - Paul will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- D. L. Hughley (The Hughleys/Double Rush) - D. L. guest hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm. He will also be on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- Christa Miller (Shrinking/Cougar Town/Scrubs/The Drew Carey Show) - Christa appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Hilary Duff (How I Met Your Father/Younger/Lizzie McGuire) - Hilary is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face/Russian Doll) - Natasha talks about her new show, her partnership with Maya Rudolph and whether she would do an American Pie reboot on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Sam Jay (Pause with Sam Jay/Bust Down) - Sam appears on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (October-January)
10/04 - Mr. Mayor - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/04 - The Munsters - Marineland Carnival with The Munsters TV Cast
10/18 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete First Season
11/08 - Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/08 - Young Rock - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/15 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Seven / The Complete Season Eight
11/22 - That '70s Show - The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
11/29 - Ghosts - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/06 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Christmas Collection
12/13 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season
12/13 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
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