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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Monday, July 21
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Big Sleep" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
As Marty and Courtney struggle to get their newborn to sleep, the entire Butler family suffers along with them. While Calvin prefers to let the new parents figure it out, Tina insists on jumping in to help with Baby Daphne any way she can. When searching for their old baby swing, Dave finds an old list he made of cool things to do before age 40, which sends him spiraling as he realizes he hasn’t accomplished any of them.
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to Great Beyond" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Butlers and Johnsons receive shocking news about their neighbor that changes their outlook on life.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 21)
Monday, July 21
- Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear/Girls) - Watch Ebon on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Pamela Adlon (Better Things/King of the Hill/The Facts of Life) - Pamela appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Sandra Oh (Arli$$) - Sandra is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Dave Franco (The Afterparty/Scrubs/Do Not Disturb) - Dave stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Jerrod Carmichael (The Carmichael Show) - Jerrod appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) and Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Maria and Doug are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Megan Stalter (Too Much/Hacks) - Meg appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
- Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo. She also talks about Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
- Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling talks about Washington Black on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Kristen Johnston (Leanne/Mom/The Exes/3rd Rock from the Sun) - Kristen talks about Netflix's Leanne on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio) - NBC's Today catches up with Chase in the 9am hour.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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