SitcomsOnline Digest: Sitcoms Present and Past Deal with Current Racial Issues; Binge Watch Past Favorites on Roku Channel

Saturday, June 27, 2020

SitcomsOnline Digest: Sitcoms Present and Past Deal with Current Racial Issues; Binge Watch Past Favorites on Roku Channel

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing more about how current events are shaping some of our sitcoms (as well as some old ones), looking at some series that you can binge watch online (for free!) and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

If you're planning to binge watch every episode of your favorite NBC sitcom from last decade, you'll need to do that on DVD if you want to watch every episode, as episodes of 30 Rock, Community, Scrubs, and a scene from The Office have been scrubbed from streaming platforms (and in some cases will be pulled from syndicated reruns as well) due to containing blackface. (Variety)
Brooklyn Nine-Nine has scrapped the previously written scripts for four planned episodes for the upcoming season in light of current events. (BBC)
Meanwhile, The Simpsons and Family Guy will no longer have white actors playing nonwhite roles, which most notably means Mike Henry will no longer voice Cleveland on Family Guy. (Deadline)
Another series has arrived on streaming media with missing episodes: South Park is missing 5 episodes on HBO Max due to depictions of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. (Deadline)
We're all watching streaming media these days, but lets face it, some of us still enjoy linear viewing experiences, and Amazon appears to be taking that into consideration. (Deadline)
REELZ has a several episodes of upcoming programs featuring the lives and untimely deaths of past sitcoms stars. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JUNE 27 - JULY 3)

Most of these shows aren't new to the service, but if you've got a Roku, you can binge watch many shows that aren't available on other streaming services for free with commercials, including Head of the Class, Growing Pains, Starsky & Hutch, Rules of Engagement, The Carol Burnett Show, and more.
Decades is going west with The Wild Wild West this weekend.
There are some shifts in the Antenna TV lineup this weekend.