HBO Comedy Betty to Premiere May 1; Molly Shannon Is a Big Deal on Showtime

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

HBO Comedy Betty to Premiere May 1; Molly Shannon Is a Big Deal on Showtime

Based on Crystal Moselle's critically acclaimed feature Skate Kitchen, HBO's new six-episode half-hour series Betty, debuts Friday, May 1 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on HBO. The series will also be available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners' streaming platforms. Starring Dede Lovelace, Moonbear, Nina Moran, Ajani Russell, and Rachelle Vinberg, who all starred in the original film, Betty follows a diverse group of young women navigating their lives through the predominantly male-oriented world of skateboarding, set against the backdrop of New York City.

Opinionated and loyal, Janay (Lovelace) is strong willed and stubborn in ways that both help and hurt her. Honeybear (Moonbear) is a quiet storm. Her flagrant style is a ruse; an armor she wears to hide her emotional struggles. Kirt (Moran) is a lover (to the ladies), a fighter (to the rest of the world), and a little kid in the body of a woman. She's the funniest person alive, but even if she knew it, she wouldn't care. Meanwhile, Indigo (Russell) is a street-savvy hustler trapped in the body of a well-to-do art school drop-out. On the edge of the group is Camille (Vinberg), guarded, perceptive, intelligent and awkward. She wants to be down with the dudes in the skate park and has fought hard for the small space she's carved out with them, but she needs to realize that cool points don't actually add up to the sum of anything, especially in the eyes of the other girls.

Recurring cast include Reza Nader as Farouk, Edmund Donovan as Bambi, Caleb Eberhardt as Donald, Katerina Tannenbaum as Ash, Jules Lorenzo as Yvette and Brenn Lorenzo as Celia.

Molly Shannon

Three-time Emmy nominee Molly Shannon (The Other Two) has signed on to star in the half-hour comedy pilot Big Deal, starring and executive produced by Emmy nominee Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live). If the project is picked up to series, Shannon would appear as a series regular. Bayer co-created Big Deal with Emmy nominee Jeremy Beiler (Saturday Night Live, Inside Amy Schumer), who will also executive produce. Emmy winner Jessi Klein (Inside Amy Schumer, Black Monday, Big Mouth) will serve as showrunner and executive produce along with Michael Showalter (The Big Sick, Wet Hot American Summer, The Lovebirds), who will direct, as well as Annapurna's Megan Ellison and Sue Naegle and Jordana Mollick of Semi-Formal.

Produced by SHOWTIME, Big Deal is a grounded comedy in which Bayer plays a character, inspired by her own past, who overcame childhood leukemia to achieve her lifelong dream of landing a job as a successful home shopping channel host. Shannon will star as Jackie, the charismatic, popular host at the network.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, February 25

Scrubs - "My Return" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
John “J.D.” Dorian unexpectedly finds himself back at Sacred Heart, reuniting him with new and old faces.

Scrubs - "My 2nd First Day" (ABC, 8:32PM ET/PT)
J.D. navigates a new normal, while Elliot and Turk clash over the budget.

Scrubs - "My Return" (ABC, 9:58PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
John “J.D.” Dorian unexpectedly finds himself back at Sacred Heart, reuniting him with new and old faces.

Scrubs - "My 2nd First Day" (ABC, 10:31PM ET/PT)
J.D. navigates a new normal, while Elliot and Turk clash over the budget.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Don't Grow Weary" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Calvin is pulled from each direction as he struggles to balance work and family. Ella must face a puzzling conclusion.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Mighty in Battle" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Vinny has the entire assisted living facility reeking of his special batch of baked goods.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 23)

Wednesday, February 25

Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jackson White (Mrs. Fletcher) - Jackson is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Ahmed Ahmed (Sullivan & Son) and Rondell Sheridan (Raven's Home/Cory in the House/That's So Raven/Cousin Skeeter/Minor Adjustments) - Ahmed and Rondell are guests on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
Piper Curda (I Didn't Do It) and Bobby Moynihan (Mr. Mayor/Me, Myself & I) - Piper and Bobby talk about Hoppers on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Ted McGinley (Shrinking/Hope & Faith/Married with Children/Happy Days) - Ted talks about Shrinking on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Michael Urie (Shrinking/Krapopolis/Partners) - Michael talks about Shrinking on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda tells Sherri about her new film Undercard on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method) - The Drew Barrymore Show has a little extra with father-son duo Michael and Cameron Douglas, so check your local listings.
Halle Berry (Living Dolls) - The Drew Barrymore Show A Little Bit Extra with Drew, Halle Berry and Kristina Zias who are celebrating aging helping a viewer over 50 achieve a glow up look, so check your local listings.
Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talksa about Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Brenda Song (Running Point/Dollface/Dads/The Suite Life on Deck/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Brenda talks about her film Operation Taco Gary on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.