Monday, June 08, 2020

TBS Presents Tournament of Laughs; More on HBO's Perry Mason Launch

Tournament of Laughs - Jason Sudeikis

TBS is serving up the ultimate comedic match with a seven-episode greenlight for Tournament of Laughs, set to premiere on Sunday, June 21 at 10:00pm ET/PT. Hosted by Jason Sudeikis (We're the Millers, Saturday Night Live), the series will present 32 comedians facing off in a hilarious, single-elimination bracket-style tournament, with each episode featuring multiple match-ups. The comics will go head-to-head virtually to out-funny one another with Sudeikis acting as the master of ceremonies and providing color commentary.

Featured comedians include Jeff Ross, Margaret Cho, Gilbert Gottfried, Judah Friedlander, Michael Rapaport, Jim Norton, Fortune Feimster, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, Natasha Leggero, Cameron Esposito, Godfrey, The Sklar Brothers, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Josh Wolf, Clayton English, Yamaneika Saunders, Gina Yashere, Tim Dillon, Moshe Kasher, Jessica Kirson, Paul Rodriguez, Sarah Tiana, Matteo Lane, Beth Stelling, Vladimir Caamano, Ian Edwards, Aida Rodriguez, Megan Gailey, Preacher Lawson, Piff The Magic Dragon and an additional two performers to come. Each week the comics will create, produce, self-film, and star in their own videos - from stand-up sets to song parodies and everything in-between. After the episode has aired, the home audience will decide who moves forward, via phone and online voting, with the winning comics returning for the next round. The final episode will feature an expert comedy panel charged with crowning a winner in the championship match-up for the last laugh and bragging rights as tournament champion. In addition, a charitable donation will be made to the United Nations Foundation's COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and Black Lives Matter.


Perry Mason - Matthew Rhys

1931, Los Angeles. While the rest of the country struggles through the Great Depression, this city is booming! Oil! Olympic Games! Talking Pictures! Evangelical Fervor! And a child kidnapping gone very, very wrong. Based on characters created by author Erle Stanley Gardner, drama series Perry Mason, starring Emmy(R) winner Matthew Rhys, debuts Sunday, June 21 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT) exclusively on HBO. The series follows the origins of American fiction's most legendary criminal defense lawyer, Perry Mason. When the case of the decade breaks down his door, Mason's relentless pursuit of the truth reveals a fractured city and just maybe, a pathway to redemption for himself. The series will also be available to stream on HBO GO, HBO NOW, and on HBO via HBO Max and other partners' platforms.

Perry Mason stars Matthew Rhys as Perry Mason, a low-rent private investigator who is living check-to-check and is haunted by his wartime experiences in France and suffering the effects of a broken marriage; John Lithgow as Elias Birchard "E.B." Jonathan, a struggling attorney and a semi-regular employer of Mason; Juliet Rylance as Della Street, E.B. Jonathan's creative and driven legal secretary; Tatiana Maslany as Sister Alice McKeegan, the leader of the Radiant Assembly of God, preaching to a hungry congregation and a radio audience across the country; Chris Chalk as Paul Drake, a beat cop with a knack for detective work; and Shea Whigham as Pete Strickland, who is hired by Mason as an extra set of eyes on his various investigations.

The series also stars Stephen Root, Gayle Rankin, Nate Corddry, Veronica Falcón, Jefferson Mays, Lili Taylor, Andrew Howard, Eric Lange, and Robert Patrick. 


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, October 30

Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)

Wednesday, October 30

  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
  • Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
  • Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
  • Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Ropers - The Complete Series Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (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)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

10/29 - The Simpsons Monday Night Football Disney+ Telecast; Prime Video Announces The Sticky
10/28 - Fortune Feimster Gets 3rd Netflix Special; Cruel Intentions Series for Prime Video
10/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 28, 2024)
10/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Matlock Renewed for Second Season; Happy's Place Off to a Solid Start
10/25 - Peacock's Based on a True Story Returns November 21; CBS to Honor Jerry Mathers at Awards Show
10/24 - Family Guy's Gift of the White Guy Holiday Special; Laid Arrives December 19 on Peacock
10/23 - Bad Sisters Season 2 Returns November 13; Trailer for Hulu's Interior Chinatown
10/22 - Goosebumps: The Vanishing Premieres January 10; Michelle Buteau Gets 2nd Netflix Special
10/21 - Fox Adds Martin Short to Grimsburg; Secret Level Cast Announced by Prime Video
10/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 21, 2024)
10/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rick and Morty Renewed for Two More Seasons; A Look at Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover
10/18 - Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 3; Guest Voices for Phineas and Ferb New Season
10/17 - Watson Premieres January 2025 on CBS; Anthony Jeselnik Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
10/16 - Lifetime's It's a Wonderful Lifetime 2024 Schedule; YouTube Sitcom Gets Season 4
10/15 - Tom Papa Is Home Free on Netflix; Apple TV+ Reveals Season 2 Details for Silo
10/14 - ABC Halloween 2024 Schedule; Reba Creates Happy's Place Theme Song
10/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 14, 2024)
10/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Spinoff of The Big Bang Theory in the Works; Velma Canceled by Max
10/11 - Netflix Renews Nobody Wants This; Alicia Silverstone to Lead Acorn TV Series
10/10 - Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls Returns November 21; FETV Acquires Laramie
10/09 - HBO's Seth Meyers Special Debuts October 26; New Late Night Comedy Series Focuses on Crazy Florida
10/08 - Somebody Somewhere Returns for Final Season; Virgin River Season 6 Drops for Holiday Season
10/07 - Vice TV Announces Black Comedy in America Series; Netflix Stars Team Up for Netflix Movie
10/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 7, 2024)
10/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Cancels That '90s Show; Who's the Boss? Reboot Not Moving Forward at Freevee
10/04 - Family Guy Halloween Special: Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Cheater; What We Do in the Shadows Returns for Final Season
10/03 - Jack Whitehall Holiday Comedy Special; Leighton Meester Joins Apple TV+ Series
10/02 - The Franchise Launches Sunday on HBO; Remembering John Amos of Good Times
10/01 - No Good Deed Premieres in December on Netflix; SNL Season 50 Opens Strong
09/30 - TV One Acquires black-ish; Whitney Cummings to Host Friends Game Show Event
09/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 30, 2024)