Fri-Yay: How Much Do Live Ratings Still Mean?; Disney+ Gets Proud Family Revival Series

Friday, February 28, 2020

Fri-Yay: How Much Do Live Ratings Still Mean?; Disney+ Gets Proud Family Revival Series

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

As we enter the mid stretch of yet another network TV season, I realized I hadn't checked ratings nearly as much this season as I had in the past. It's not as if I'm not watching shows on network TV anymore, but it seemed to me like live ratings were just getting so much lower that it was hard to really pay them any real attention to them. And sure enough, when I checked, the numbers had gotten so low, particularly in the 18-49 demo, that it was somewhat comical. Ratings that would've been cause for immediate cancellation even just 2 or 3 years ago are now some of the best ratings on network TV. At this point, so few people are sitting down and watching live television that it's hard to even think of anyone in my life who does watch it, other than for sports and live events.

So how much do these ratings still mean? Truly, they do still have some significance - truly awful live ratings is what got shows like NBC's Sunnyside cancelled - but more and more I see networks citing live plus on demand ratings and Live+7 ratings (calculated after 7 days of DVR usage). Part of this is likely because it makes the numbers sound better from a PR standpoint - but I'd like to also think that some of it is simply because networks realize they need to make money another way, because live ratings simply aren't measuring how most people are watching TV anymore. Hopefully, it makes beloved but little watched series (which describes far more shows today than it did 10 years ago) make it past first year cancellation.

The Proud Family

Disney+ has ordered the long-anticipated revival of the groundbreaking animated series The Proud Family which, 18 years after its Disney Channel premiere, is still beloved for its characters, stories and multilayered humor and for its messages about inclusion and cultural diversity in a smart, modern way. The new animated family sitcom The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is currently in production at Disney Television Animation with Academy Award-winning creator/executive producer Bruce W. Smith and executive producer Ralph Farquhar, who led the original series, at the helm, reuniting them with Calvin Brown, Jr. who is co-executive producer and story editor. All previous seasons of The Proud Family are currently available on Disney+.

Picking up the story of its central character Penny Proud, the new series will also include her madcap family: parents Oscar and Trudy, twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, and her grandmother Suga Mama (and Puff!). Of course, it would not be The Proud Family without Penny's loyal crew Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez and Zoey Howzer, among others. Reprising their voice roles are: Kyla Pratt as Penny Proud, Tommy Davidson as Oscar Proud, Paula Jai Parker as Trudy Proud, Jo Marie Payton as Suga Mama, Karen Malina White as Dijonay Jones, Soleil Moon Frye as Zoey Howzer and Alisa Reyes as LaCienega Boulevardez. Cedric the Entertainer will also return as Uncle Bobby Proud.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, May 7

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Little Schmoozin’ and a Nose for the News" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s plan to get on the news sparks a feud between Mandy and a rival weathergirl. Meanwhile, Mandy tries to use the conflict to help her career.

Ghosts - "Gate-gate" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When an emotion‑driven decision puts Woodstone at risk, Sam and Jay step up to defend what they’ve built. Meanwhile, Isaac struggles to adjust to new surroundings, only to realize that some connections are too important to leave behind.

Animal Control - "Roosters and Moles" / "Donkeys and Weasels" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Templeton is nominated for Animal Control officer of the year, Frank sets out to rescue 24 animals in 24 hours; Victoria and Patel try to find ways to replace pet food that was destroyed in a fire.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 4)

Thursday, May 7

Molly Gordon (The Bear/Ramy) - Catch Molly on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
John Krasinksi (The Office) - John appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny makes a special appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback/No Good Deed/HouseBroken/Web Therapy/Friends/Mad About You) - Lisa stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about The Comeback on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Casey Wilson (The Righteous Gemstones/Black Monday/The Hotwives/Marry Me/Happy Endings) and Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andy Cohen interviews Casey and Andrew on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
Garcelle Beauvais (The Other Black Girl/Survival of the Thickest/The Jamie Foxx Show/Merry Happy Whatever) - NBC's Today catches up with Garcelle in the 9am hour.
Julie Bowen (Modern Family/Ed) - NBC's Today catches up with Julie in the 10am hour.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie talks about Lifetime's Love, Again on NBC's Today in the 10am hour. She is covering the news sunny-side up with Drew and Ross on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Kellee Stewart (My Boys) - Kellee shares her fertility journey on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Regina Hall (Black Monday/Grandfathered/Married/Second Generation Wayans) - Regina tells Drew all about her action-packed film One Battle After Another on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Teri Hatcher (The Odd Couple/Sunday Dinner/Karen's Song/The Love Boat) - Teri is whipping up a delicious meal in the kitchen with her Desperately Devoted Podcast Co-Hosts onscreen daughter Andrea Bowen and real-life daughter Emerson Tenney on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Fabrizio Guido (Running Point) - Fabrizio talks about Netflix's Running Point on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Jessica Hecht (Special/Red Oaks/What About Joan?/The Single Guy) - Jessica is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.