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, October 30

Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)

Wednesday, October 30

Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.