Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Peacock Bulks Up on New Comedies; New Saved by the Bell Trailer Released

The highly anticipated action comedy series MacGruber has been picked up to series. Based on the iconic SNL parody sketch, Peacock has ordered eight half-hour episodes. Will Forte will reprise his iconic role as MacGruber and also write and executive produce. The Peacock series is an adaptation of the 2010 feature film and cult favorite of the same title, which will also feature the original creative team behind the camera. After rotting in prison for over a decade, America's ultimate hero and uber patriot MacGruber (Will Forte) is finally released. His mission: to take down a mysterious villain from his past - Brigadier Commander Enos Queeth. With the entire world in the crosshairs, MacGruber must race against time to defeat the forces of evil -- only to find that evil... may be lurking within.
Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Emmy nominee and Broadway star Sara Bareilles is set to lead the Tina Fey and Robert Carlock produced series Girls5eva. When a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 90's gets sampled by a young rapper, its members reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot. They may be grown women balancing spouses, kids, jobs, debt, aging parents, and shoulder pain, but can't they also be Girls5eva? Bareilles will star as Dawn, former member of the short-lived 90s girl group Girls5eva, who is now a bit restless in life managing her family's small Italian restaurant in Queens. When the opportunity arises, Dawn reluctantly gets the band back together for a Girls5eva reunion and it might just be exactly what she needed.
The upcoming comedy Rutherford Falls from co-creators and executive producers Michael Schur, Ed Helms and Sierra Teller Ornelas has set its initial cast with Jana Schmieding, Michael Greyeyes, Jesse Leigh and Dustin Milligan. A small town in upstate New York and the Native American reservation it borders, are turned upside down when local legend and town namesake, Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms) fights the moving of a historical statue. Jana Schmieding will star as Reagan Wells, Nathan's best friend since childhood. Incredibly smart and hopelessly principled, Reagan dreams of making her tribe's modest Cultural Center into a world-renowned museum. Michael Greyeyes (I Know This Much Is True) will star as Terry Tarbell. Terry is the CEO of his tribe's mid-level casino. Shrewd and charismatic, he's also Reagan's boss and has big plans for both her and their tribe. Jesse Leigh (Heathers) will star as Bobbie Yang, Nathan's non-binary teenage intern/executive assistant. Bobbie is an outspoken and ambitious first generation American, doing everything possible to escape their tiny hometown. Dustin Milligan (Schitt's Creek) will star as Josh Cogan, A reporter/podcaster who takes an interest in the goings-on in Rutherford Falls.
Peacock has announced a new weekly topical late-night block with series anchored by Amber Ruffin and Larry Wilmore. Each show will bring even more comedy, timeliness and current news to the service. Each week The Amber Ruffin Show will showcase Amber's signature smart and silly take on the week's news. No matter what's happening in the world, Amber will respond to it with a charming mix of seriousness, nonsense, and evening gowns. The Amber Ruffin Show is a topical late-night show with just the good parts - the comedy. Peacock has ordered nine half-hour episodes which is set to launch in September. Emmy Award-winning producer, actor and comedian Larry Wilmore is bringing his distinct voice to streaming with a new weekly special series. Larry will have real discussions with high profile people from all different backgrounds including sports, politics and entertainment. Each episode will not only cover the election but will also engage in the important conversations of the week. It will be funny, sometimes serious, potentially awkward and most definitely honest. Peacock has ordered 11 episodes of the Untitled Larry Wilmore Show, which is set to launch in September.
Sticking with Peacock, they have released the trailer for the Saved by the Bell revival. It will be a single-camera comedy (the original series was a traditional multi-camera sitcom). When California governor Zack Morris gets into hot water for closing too many low-income high schools, he proposes they send the affected students to the highest performing schools in the state - including Bayside High. The influx of new students gives the over privileged Bayside kids a much needed and hilarious dose of reality. Mario Lopez and Elizabeth Berkley Lauren reprise their roles from the original series, with specials appearances by Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani Thiessen.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Thursday, September 28
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 25)
Thursday, September 28
- George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - Catch George on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. He joins Drew for the entire show opening up about meeting the love of his life Amal, revealing the sweet thing they still do for each other to this day, their engagement story and more on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Eva Longoria (Telenovela) - Eva appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Brockmire/Free Agents/Herman's Head) - Hank is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Diane Morgan (After Life) - Diane appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Sebastian Maniscalco (How to Be a Bookie) and Baron Vaughn (Grace and Frankie/Corporate) - Sebastian and Baron are guests on repeats of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen on CBS between 12:37-1:37am.
- Garcelle Beauvais (Survival of the Thickest/The Jamie Foxx Show) - E! News has an interview with Garcelle at 11pm on E!.
- Kerry Washington (Unprisoned) - Kerry is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 10pm on Bravo.
- Ed Begley Jr. (Young Sheldon/Your Family or Mine/Gary Unmarried/Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central)) - Ed talks about his new book To the Temple of Tranquility...And Step On It! A Memoir on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Tiffani Thiessen (Saved by the Bell/Alexa & Katie/Good Morning, Miami/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Tiffani discusses her latest cookbook, Here We Go Again: Recipes and Inspiration to Level Up Your Leftovers, on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Sam Jay (Bust Down) - Sam talks about her just-released HBO comedy special, Salute Me or Shoot Me, on Sherri, so check your local listings.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (June-October)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
07/18 - South Park - Seasons 21-25 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/25 - The Neighborhood - Season Five
07/25 - Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin - Season One
07/25 - Superstore - The Complete Series
08/22 - Back to Life - Season 1 / Season 2
08/29 - Smiling Friends - Season 1 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/05 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Sixth Season
09/12 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Second Season
09/12 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-6 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/26 - Family Matters - The Complete Series
09/26 - Step by Step - The Complete Series
10/10 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Thirteen / The Complete Season Fourteen
10/17 - ALF - The Complete Series (Deluxe Edition) (Shout! Factory Special Offers)
10/17 - Night Court (2023) - The Complete First Season
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts