Fri-Yay: The Good Place Nearing the End; TBS Orders More Misery Index

Friday, December 06, 2019

Fri-Yay: The Good Place Nearing the End; TBS Orders More Misery Index

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!

by Vincent

This week, I'd like to give a special shout out to the 4th and final season of The Good Place. I was able to catch up with the excellent series this past weekend, and I was reminded of just how inventive, funny and lovable it is. I'm really going to miss it when it's gone after Jan. 30, but I'm also glad it gets to go out on its own terms on a high note. And so far, this season has been a really high note.

To be fair, the season got off to somewhat of a rough start, at least in terms of Good Place standards. It wasn't a bad stretch of episodes by any means, but it was a little repetitive and "just okay." It felt like the show was repeating some of the same beats from Season 1, and although the characters were still funny, the new characters left something to be desired. And yet, I should've known there was a plan all along. Around the 5th episode, things really started to pick up, and now, the entire world of the show has yet again been busted open. It's incredible just how often the show successfully pulls the rug out from under us at this point. I won't spoil the plot details here, but the show is going to some really exciting and intense places. As we enter the last few episodes of the series, I'm comfortable calling The Good Place one of the shows of the decade. If it sticks the landing, it'll cement its place as that. So far, it really looks like it's going to.

Misery Index

TBS is ordering another dose of misery with a second season of the outrageously entertaining comedy game show The Misery Index hosted by Jameela Jamil (The Good Place). Currently in its first season, the original series is a top-five new cable comedy and has reached nearly 28 million viewers across linear, VOD, and digital platforms. Inspired by the card game Sh*t Happens, The Misery Index is the only game show where contestants can make a fortune out of other people's mis-fortune. Teams compete against each other by attempting to rate hilarious and miserable real-life events based on the "misery index," a ranking system created by a team of therapists. Jameela Jamil will return as host along with stars of truTV's Impractical Jokers, comedy troupe The Tenderloins – Brian "Q" Quinn, James "Murr Murray, Joe Gatto and Sal Vulcano – as panelists.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, April 16

The Conners - "Danny Boy, the Interview, the New Hire, and the Hanging Chad" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Dan sidesteps vulnerable emotions surrounding Roseanne’s death ahead of an upcoming deposition. Meanwhile, Becky prepares for a job interview, and Harris impulsively hires a new server at the Lunch Box.

Abbott Elementary - "Please Touch Museum" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abbott Elementary goes on a schoolwide field trip to the Please Touch Museum, which has some of the older kids skeptical.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 14)

Wednesday, April 16

Rashida Jones (Sunny/BlackAF/Duncanville/Angie Tribeca/Unhitched/The Office) - Watch Rashida on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Kate is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!) - Alan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Skylar Astin (Ground Floor), Jason Ritter (Another Period/The Class) and Riki Lindhome (Another Period/Enlightened) - Skylar, Jason and Riki are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Hannibal Buress (Broad City/30 Rock) - Hannibal appears on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney at 10pm on Netflix.
The cast of Abbott Elementary - E! News chats with the cast of Abbott Elementary at 11pm on E!.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Michael B. Jordan (The Assistants) - Michael talks about Sinners on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Brockmire/Free Agents/Herman's Head) - NBC's Today has the Citi Concert Series: Hank Azaria & The EZ Street Band in the 9am hour.
Yvonne Orji (Insecure) - Yvonne talks about Pop the Balloon on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Soleil Moon Frye (Punky Brewster/Sabrina the Teenage Witch) - Soleil and Angel Carter Conrad, the late Aaron Carter's twin sister, whose new documentary The Carters gives an intimate look inside the Carter family with never-before-seen footage on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Lake Bell (Bless This Mess/How to Make it in America/Childrens Hospital) - Lake talks about All About Brains: A Book About People on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is joining Drew for a brand-new Drew's News on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa talks Abbott Elementary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.