Wednesday, November 06, 2019
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family & Good Times on Dec. 18; NBC Orders More Superstore Episodes

Live in Front of a Studio Audience, the live broadcast television event that captivated audiences with its all-star cast recreating episodes of All in the Family and The Jeffersons last spring, is set to return to ABC on Wednesday, Dec. 18, with newly recreated, live installments of Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin's Emmy(R) Award-winning series All in the Family and groundbreaking sitcom Good Times, created by Mike Evans, Eric Monte and developed by Lear. The holiday-inspired live event produced by Sony Pictures Television, will reunite executive producers Norman Lear, Jimmy Kimmel, Brent Miller, Will Ferrell and Justin Theroux. Kerry Washington, who portrayed Helen Willis of The Jeffersons in the original special in the spring, will join as an executive producer.
ABC's Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons was nominated for three Emmy Awards, and took home the prize for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). The premiere of ABC's Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear's All in the Family and The Jeffersons on Wednesday, May 22, averaged 14.29 million Total Viewers and a 2.86 rating in Adults 18-49 across all platforms after 35 days of TV playback and reached 23.5 million Total Viewers for its original Wednesday broadcast and two encore airings on Saturday, May 25, and Saturday, Aug. 17. Much more information on the upcoming All in the Family and Good Times special is still to come, including full casting details. What we do know is that the special will air for 90-minutes, live, on Wednesday, Dec. 18, just like the special last spring. And as previously announced, a third Live in Front of a Studio Audience special will air in spring 2020. Perhaps more Norman Lear greats like Maude, One Day at a Time or Sanford & Son?
NBC has ordered four more episodes of its hit comedy Superstore, bringing the the season total to 22 episodes, just like its order the last few seasons. So far in its fifth season, Superstore is averaging a 1.2 rating in adults 18-49 and 3.9 million viewers overall in "live plus seven day" Nielsens. The season premiere has surged to a 2.8 rating in 18-49 and 6.7 million viewers to date when viewing on all platforms is counted, easily tripling the episode's next-day "live plus same day" 0.8 rating in 18-49.
Superstore stars America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Mark McKinney, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nico Santos, Nichole Bloom and Kaliko Kauahi. The comedy centers around Amy, who recently was promoted to be the store manager and is the glue holding the place together, and Jonah, a dreamer determined to prove work doesn't have to be boring. Their fellow associates include the sardonic Garrett, the sweet and clueless Cheyenne (Nichole Bloom) and the perpetually dismissed Sandra. Also on the team are Glenn, who stepped down as manager in an attempt to have more family time, and Dina, the aggressive assistant manager who enforces Cloud 9 policy with an iron fist. Mateo was also part of the team, recently as the self-promoted floor supervisor, until being detained due to his undocumented status.
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
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts