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.
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.
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
Friday, April 10
Happy's Place - "Emotional Real Estate" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Bobbie struggles to find the perfect buyers for Happy's house, Gabby has the solution and thinks of her mother, Val; Steve convinces Emmett that he should be dressing much nicer for his upcoming date with Monica.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)
Friday, April 10
- Jason Segel (Shrinking/How I Met Your Mother/Undeclared) - Watch Jason on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- John Mulaney (Mulaney) - John is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Elizabeth Banks (30 Rock/Scrubs) - Elizabeth and Matthew Macfadyen talk about The Miniature Wife on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm. Elizabeth will also be on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about Searching for France on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Michelle Pfeiffer (Margo's Got Money Troubles/Delta House) - Michelle talks about Margo's Got Money Troubles and The Madison on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock) - Rachel talks about The Rocky Horror Show on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) - Ray sits down with Sherri to talk about his star turn in Broadway's All Out on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Keanu Reaves (Swedish Dicks) and Matt Bomer (Mid-Century Modern) - Keanu, Matt and the cast of Outcome are guests on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
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