Friday, August 14, 2020
Fri-Yay: A.P. Bio Returns in September on Peacock; Two Comedy Central Comedies Moving to HBO Max

by Vincent
This week, NBC released the trailer for the third season of A.P. Bio, which will air exclusively on Peacock. For those who don't know, A.P. Bio aired its first two seasons on NBC Thursday nights, but was cancelled after Season 2 due to low ratings. However, the show, which stars Always Sunny's Glenn Howerton and popular comedian Patton Oswalt, was able to gain something of a cult following, which convinced NBC to bring it back as a flagship streaming exclusive for its budding service Peacock. So is it worth your time? A.P. Bio is probably Peacock's highest caliber original series thus far, so it's worth it to see if the series is worth checking out.
Personally, I'd recommend checking out A.P. Bio on Peacock this fall, for a few reasons. I liked, but didn't love, the first two seasons of the show - I felt it always had the feeling of the show just on the verge of breaking out and embracing its potential. The show had some funny jokes, but it often felt torn between going full out dark like Howerton's other show Always Sunny and grounding itself as a network television show. Some of that was likely the result of being on NBC - there's a limit to how "dark" a series can really get, and that limit sometimes seemed to restrain the show. However, I'm interested to see if the move to a streaming service and subsequent removal of the "rules" of network TV will free the show up creatively and allow it to really be the dark, oddball show it seems to want to be. Another good reason to check out A.P. Bio is...well, sitcoms might be in short supply this fall. Television production is still mostly at a standstill, and so far network sitcoms haven't provided a premiere date or even an idea of when they will return. So if you're looking for new sitcom content this fall, A.P. Bio might be one of your only options. And if it can improve on its solid first two seasons, it just might be a pretty good alternative.
HBO Max has announced that the upcoming seasons of the critically acclaimed comedies The Other Two and South Side from Comedy Central Productions are joining the streaming platform as new Max Original series. The first seasons of The Other Two and South Side will land on the platform in 2021 followed by brand new seasons to stream exclusively as Max Original series. Matching the Max Originals mandate for unique stories that speak to a younger skewing demographic,
The Other Two, created by former Saturday Night Live co-head writers, follows two millennial siblings as they navigate their teenage brother's rise to internet fame and South Side, shot on location in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, is an authentic, comedic look at two friends, ready to take one world, once they stop working at the local rent-to-own. As part of this deal, HBO Max has become the exclusive streaming home to the semi-autobiographical comedy Awkawfina is Nora from Queens, from the Golden Globe Award Winner(R) Awkwafina (Nora Lum). Season one is available to stream now on HBO Max. Season two will premiere and air in its entirety on Comedy Central next summer before becoming available on HBO Max.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Saturday, May 17
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 12)
Friday, May 16
- Lunell (Lopez) - Watch Luenell on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. She will also be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:39am.
- Benito Skinner (Overcompensating) - Benito appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) and Jerry O'Connell (We Are Men/Do Not Disturb/Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Mayan and Jerry are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Luke Kirby (Étoile) and Gideon Glick (Étoile/The Other Two) - Luke and Gideon talk about Étoile on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley talks about his new series Tucci in Italy with GMA co-anchor Michael Strahan on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm. He will also be on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Howie Mandel (Good Grief) - Howie talks about America's Got Talent on Live with Kelly and Mark (check your local listings) and on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your lcoal listings.
- Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa talks about her latest project Mama I'm a Big Girl Now on Sherri, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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