Friday, March 27, 2020
Fri-Yay: Review of One Day at a Time Season 4 Premiere; NBC Sets Will & Grace Finale Night and Special I Love Lucy Episode
by Vincent
In the midst of a global pandemic, we can at least still turn to sitcoms for comfort. The fourth season of One Day at a Time premiered this week on Pop TV (and simulcast on TV Land and Logo), which was notable not just because it's a great show but because it was the first episode following the sitcom's transition from streaming service to weekly television series. The fourth season premiere, "Checking Boxes," was the first time the show had to adjust to regular TV rules such as time limits and commercial breaks. It was also the opportunity for the show to draw in a new audience, which is probably why "Checking Boxes" felt very much like the show resetting itself mildly for any new viewers who may not have caught the show on Netflix. The episode's opening scene has special guest Ray Romano taking census information for the Alvarezes, which serves as a quick way to get all of the information needed about the family for anyone who is just now checking the series out. The scene is also a little sillier and broader than the show typically is, incorporating two meta jokes (one being the opening line that takes a shot at Netflix - Alex bemoans "there's nothing good on Netflix anymore" - and another is a play on Everybody Loves Raymond). Both are funny jokes, especially the Netflix crack, but it's a little odd for One Day at a Time, a very classic-style sitcom that has never really tipped its toes in meta, self-referential humor before. Still, it's likely a way to draw some attention for the show, which I'm totally fine with.
The rest of "Checking Boxes" is very much in line with typical One Day at a Time, as Penelope has the census worker causing a spiral and fret about ending up alone. It will take some time to get used to the placement of commercial breaks, as well as the much, much shorter theme song. But for the most part, everything else from One Day at a Time transfers perfectly from streaming to over-the-air TV. The characters are still the same, the writing is sharp with a dose of heart, and the acting is top-notch, with chemistry flowing endlessly through the cast. "Checking Boxes" isn't necessarily top-tier One Day at a Time, but it's a warm, friendly introduction for anyone just jumping on board now, and it's a great welcome back for a show that at one time seemed to be good as gone. It made me incredibly excited that this show is back, and interested to see where it goes from here.
Will & Grace, one of NBC's most beloved comedy series of all time, is set to air its series finale on Thursday, April 23 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Leading into the series finale episode, NBC will air a Will & Grace retrospective special, hosted by Eric McCormack at 8:30 p.m. (following the season finale of Brooklyn Nine-Nine at a special time of 8:00 p.m.) In the special, McCormack will show clips of past and present episodes that highlight the series' most iconic and memorable moments. The retrospective will also feature emotionally-charged reactions from Will & Grace superfans and celebrities who will share stories about what the show has meant to them. The special will cover the litany of guest stars who have appeared as well as the groundbreaking and TV history-making moments the show has created over the years, including the first male-to-male kiss on network television. Elton John and Norman Lear will also make special appearances.
In the season finale episode, "It's Time," with the apartment packed up, Will (Eric McCormack) is determined to not reminisce about his life in the city or his ex, McCoy (guest star Matt Bomer). Grace (Debra Messing), on the verge of giving birth, keeps having false alarms of going into labor. At the behest of Stan, Karen (Megan Mullally) goes to the top of the Statue of Liberty to get closure with her ex-husband. Jack's (Sean Hayes) dream of taking a bow on a Broadway stage becomes a very real possibility. Minnie Driver and Brian Jordan Alvarez guest star. The special I Love Lucy-inspired episode, titled "We Love Lucy," will air Thursday, April 9 at 9 p.m. The episode features stylized recreations of the classic "Vitameatavegamin," "Chocolate Factory" and "Grape-Stomping" scenes featured in I Love Lucy, with Grace, Karen and Jack each imagine themselves as, with Will as the Ricky to all of them. Lucie Arnaz and Leslie Jordan guest star.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, October 22
Happy's Place - "Pilot" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Bobbie inherits her late father's tavern, Happy's Place, she's shocked to learn that she also has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew existed.
Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Final Answer" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Jazmine gets caught up in a cheating scandal at school; Curtis enlists the help of a vlogger to promote his food truck.
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Complete TV Listings
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 21)
Tuesday, October 22
- Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere) - Catch Bridget on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Jenny Slate (The Great North/Big Mouth/Married/Bob's Burgers) - Jenny appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Josh Peck (Grandfathered/Drake & Josh) - Josh is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building/Wizards of Waverly Place) and Jennie Garth (Mystery Girls/What I Like About You) - E! News has interviews with Selena and Jennie at 11pm on E!.
- Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Billy talks Before on NBC's Today some time between 7-9am.
- Judith Light (Who's the Boss?/Phenom/Transparent) - NBC's Today catches up with Judith in the 9am hour.
- David Henrie (Wizards Beyond Waverly Place/Wizards of Waverly Place/How I Met Your Mother/The Pitts) and Janice Leann Brown (Wizards Beyond Waverly Place) - David and Janice talk about Wizards Beyond Waverly Place on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
- Tony Danza (Taxi/Who's the Boss?/Hudson Street/The Tony Danza Show) - Tony talks about Power Book III: Raising Kanan and The Stars of Tomorrow Project on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Damon Wayans Jr. (Poppa's House/Happy Together/New Girl/Happy Endings) - Damon talks about Poppa's House on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- David Mann and Tamela Mann (Tyler Perry's Assisted Living/Mann & Wife/Meet the Browns) - David drops into Sherri's Laugh Lounge and talks about his Mann To Man - Love, Your Mind series on YouTube on Sherri, so check your local listings. Tamela performs a song off her new album Live, Breathe, Fight on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) and Pamela Anderson (Stacked/Home Improvement) - Drew and Valerie Bertinelli are going makeup free for the whole episode in honor of the amazing Pamela Anderson joining them and embracing bare beauty. Plus, Pamela is making a mouthwatering recipe from her brand-new cookbook on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Jackie Tohn (Nobody Wants This/GLOW) - Jackie talks about Netflix's Nobody Wants This on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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