Friday, January 31, 2020

Fri-Yay: The Good Place Officially Ends; Starz Picks Up Comedy with Amber Stevens West

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!

The Good Place

by Vincent

Yesterday, The Good Place ended its four year run on NBC. While I haven't seen the finale yet at the time of writing this blog post, I have a lot to say about the season up to this point and particularly about last week's amazing penultimate episode.

The Good Place has always been a very philosophical series, but it honestly really surprised me with how deep it got last week in its discussion of the afterlife and "Heaven" (or the good place.) The show essentially argued that human life is shaped by the knowledge that we're going to die, so the "good" place is really not so good after all - without that strive to do great, it becomes a big pile of mush. Frankly, part of me wishes this concept had been explored a little longer. I could've done a whole season watching the good place crew fix...well, the good place. But nevertheless, I'm happy the show appears to be going out high and on its own terms. The show has always remained an absolute mind-bending delight, stretching the sitcom form as wide as it could possibly go. Now I'm interested to see if any series steps up in its place. I certainly hope so - the show is leaving behind a big gap in its absence. There's really no series with the level of humor and insight that The Good Place has right now. Still, I'm beyond overjoyed that the series was able to make it this long at all, so cheers to The Good Place and the end of one of TV's very best sitcoms.


Amber Stevens West

Starz announced it has given an eight-episode series order for Run the World. The half-hour comedy is created and written by Leigh Davenport (The Perfect Find, untitled Wendy Williams biopic) who will executive produce with showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser (Lionsgate's Dear White People, Living Single) and Lionsgate Television, where Bowser's SisterLee Productions is under an overall deal. Millicent Shelton (black-ish, P-Valley) directed the pilot. Run the World is the story of a group of Black, vibrant, fiercely loyal best friends who work, live and play in Harlem as they strive for world domination. At its core, it's an unapologetically female show about enviable friendship and not only surviving - but thriving together.

The previously announced cast include Amber Stevens West (The Carmichael Show, Happy Together) as "Whitney," Andrea Bordeaux (NCIS: Los Angeles) as "Ella," Bresha Webb (A Fall from Grace, Marlon) as "Renee," Corbin Reid (Valor) as "Sondi" and Stephen Bishop (Moneyball, Imposters) as "Matthew."

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, October 19

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Pow Wow at the Paynes" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ella is hesitant to tell Lisa what she thinks about her jewelry line.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Yolo" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Philip and Sandra hatch plans to make workaholic Jeremy take a timeout for family.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 18)

Tuesday, October 19

  • Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Catch Kumail on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Meredith Hagner (Search Party/Men at Work) - Meredith appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Nick is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • B.J. Novak (The Office) - B.J. appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Eve (Eve) - Eve talks about her role in Queens on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
  • Leah Remini (Kevin Can Wait/The Exes/Family Tools/The King of Queens/Fired Up) - Leah guest hosts The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
  • Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) and Clint Howard (Gung Ho) - Ron and Clint are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
  • Issa Rae (Insecure), Yvonne Orji (Insecure) and Kendrick Sampson (Insecure) - Issa, Yvonne and Kendrick talk about the final season of Insecure on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Alicia Silverstone (American Woman) - Alicia talks about The Baby-Sitters Club on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Melissa Joan Hart (Melissa & Joey/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Clueless) - Melissa is a guest on The Doctors, so check your local listings.
  • Jamie Foxx (Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!/The Jamie Foxx Show) - Jamie talks about his upcoming memoir on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
  • Alyson Hannigan (How I Met Your Mother/Free Spirit)- Alyson talks about Food Network's Outrageous Pumpkins on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
  • Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina talks about Lifetime's Switched Before Birth on NBC's Today in the 9am hour and on Access Daily, so check your local listings.

New on DVD/Blu-ray (June-October)

Head of the Class - The Complete Third Season Family Ties - The Complete Series (2021 Release) Hot in Cleveland - The Complete Series (2021 Release) Young Sheldon - The Complete Fourth Season Maude - The Complete Series (2021 Release)

06/08 - The Critic - The Complete Series
06/08 - Fuller House - The Fifth and Final Season
06/08 - Fuller House - The Complete Series
06/08 - Our Cartoon President - Season 3
06/15 - The Office - Season 1 (Blu-ray) / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9
06/15 - Parks and Recreation - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/07 - No Activity - Season 2
07/13 - The Unicorn - Season 2
07/20 - Head of the Class - The Complete Third Season
07/27 - Family Ties - The Complete Series (2021 Release)
07/27 - Hot in Cleveland - The Complete Series (2021 Release)
07/27 - The Neighborhood - Season Three
08/20 - The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet - Deluxe Edition (100 Episodes) (Time Life)
08/20 - The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet - Standard Edition (50 Episodes) (Time Life)
08/24 - The Jim Gaffigan Show - Season 2
09/07 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Fourth Season (Blu-ray)
10/19 - Maude - The Complete Series (2021 Release)
More TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest

Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

10/19 - One Final Family Reunion on Netflix; Apple TV+ Announces Premiere Date for Harriet the Spy
10/18 - GAC Family Acquires Classic Sony Sitcoms; Remembering Betty Lynn from The Andy Griffith Show
10/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 18, 2021)
10/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Could a Looming Strike Shut Down TV Production?; GAC Family Acquires Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, Silver Spoons, and More
10/15 - Dickinson Final Season Date Announced; Superstar: Robin Williams to Air Next Week (Oct. 20)
10/14 - Antenna TV's Bewitched 24-Hour Halloween Marathon; Rewind TV's Sabrina Witch-O-Ween Marathon
10/13 - Head of the Class Reboot Premieres Nov. 4, Guest Stars Robin Givens; The Bear Coming to FX
10/12 - CBS Picks Up First 2 New Series for Full Seasons; On My Block Spinoff Series Cast Set
10/11 - Netflix Orders That '90s Show Featuring Red and Kitty; Nash Bridges Movie Premieres Nov. 27 on USA Network
10/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 11, 2021)
10/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Orders That '70s Show Spinoff Featuring Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith; Nash Bridges Revival Movie Premiere Date Set
10/08 - Fri-Yay: CBS’s Ghosts Is the Most Interesting New Comedy of the Year; Insecure to Hold Festival for Final Season
10/07 - Mini Desperate Housewives Reunion on Hallmark Christmas Movie; The Kids Tonight Show Premieres Oct. 14
10/06 - And Just Like That... We Get a Premiere Date; The CW Holiday Specials Schedule
10/05 - New Peanuts Holiday Special on Apple TV+, PBS to Air Classic Holiday Specials; COZI TV Acquires Heartland
10/04 - Disney Channel Orders Season 5 of Raven's Home; Freeform Picks Up Phoebe Robinson Comedy
10/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 4, 2021)
10/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 11 Premiere Date Set; Lori Loughlin Returns to TV Role
10/01 - Fri-Yay: The Fall 2021 Sitcom Line-up Is Pretty Bare; Bounce Renews Johnson for Season 2
09/30 - It's a Wonderful Lifetime Expands with 35 New Movies; Hulu & Lifetime Acquire Castle
09/29 - Curb Your Enthusiasm Returns Yet Again; Archer Returning for Lucky Season 13 on FXX
09/28 - Nick at Nite Acquires Mike & Molly; NBC Orders Night Court to Series
09/27 - MeTV Network Halloween Schedule; HBO Max Renews The Other Two for Third Season
09/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 27, 2021)
09/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Night Court Reboot Gets Series Order; Season Premiere Date Set for The Orville
09/24 - Fri-Yay: Ted Lasso Wins Big at The Emmys; CBS Expands Ghosts Premiere to One-Hour; Remembering Willie Garson of Sex and the City, Director Jay Sandrich
09/23 - TBS, TNT and truTV Launch Fall-O-Ween, a Programming Block of Halloween Classics; HBO Max Comedy from Mindy Kaling Debuts November 18
09/22 - Paramount+ Renews Rugrats for 2nd Season; Eva Longoria Producing Disney Sci-Fi Comedy
09/21 - Family Guy, King of the Hill, The Cleveland Show and Futurama Joining FXX; HBO Max's Ten Year Old Tom Details
09/20 - 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards Winners; Turner Celebrates Latinx Heritage Month with George Lopez, Tacoma FD and More
09/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 20, 2021)