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

Tuesday, February 7

Night Court - "The Apartment" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
In desperate need of a new apartment, Abby turns to Gurgs and her unconventional real estate skills; Dan helps Olivia prepare for the biggest case of her career and a shot at redemption.

American Auto - "Celebrity" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Payne loses their spokesperson, Katherine and the team go to great lengths to woo a new celebrity -- Andy Richter -- only to have second thoughts.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 6)

Tuesday, February 7

Salma Hayek Pinault (30 Rock/The Sinbad Show) - Catch Salma on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Your Place or Mine on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Paula Pell (Girls5eva/Mapleworth Murders/A.P. Bio) - Paula will be on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Good Place/Barry/Downward Dog) - Kirby appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Elon Gold (Stacked/In-Laws) - Elon is a guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea guest hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
Ashton Kutcher (The Ranch/Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton will be interviewed on E! News on E! at 11pm.
Alison Brie (GLOW/Community) - Alison is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Fortune Feimster (Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Fortune joins Tamron to chat about her Netflix comedy special Good Fortune and her new tour Live Laugh Love! on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Alan Cumming (Schmigadoon!/God, the Devil and Bob) - Alan is talking to Drew about his new show and the time he swam in Drew's pool when she wasn't home on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Yvette Nicole Brown (The Mayor/The Odd Couple/Community) - Yvette will be on The Jennifer Hudson Show, so check your local listings.
Ron Funches (Loot/Poweless/Undateable) - Ron appears on The Jennifer Hudson Show, so check your local listings.
Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet) - Drew is a guest on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am. She will also be interviewed on E! News on E! at 11pm.
Zoe Chao (The Afterparty/Love Life) - Zoe talks about Your Place or Mine on ABC's Good Mornning America some time between 7-9am.
Nick Jonas (Jonas) - NBC's Today catches up with Nick in the 9am hour.