Friday, September 04, 2020
Fri-Yay: Fall Network TV Schedule Is Scarce on Sitcoms; Laff's How I Met Your Mother Labor Day Weekend Launch Marathon

by Vincent
Last week ABC, CBS and NBC announced their fall schedules and return dates, which differed significantly from the fall schedules they announced in the spring. As scripted television has only now begun to slowly ramp up production, there will be few scripted shows returning this month, with most scripted premieres held for October or November - or later. As of now, the only sitcoms scheduled to premiere on network TV this fall are: Superstore (which will return in October and will be the first returning broadcast sitcom to resume airing new episodes post-COVID shutdown), Connecting... (a new "socially distanced" sitcom airing on NBC and taking the spot of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which has yet to resume production and is now being held for 2021), One Day at a Time (which will make its broadcast TV debut airing episodes previously aired on Pop TV this past spring - it has not yet resumed production of new episodes) and Fox's Sunday animation block (which was unaffected by COVID shutdowns.) All other sitcoms on broadcast TV are being held until further notice - that includes Brooklyn Nine-Nine as well as ABC and CBS's entire sitcom slates, although some have resumed production and may be able to return before the end of 2020 (including The Goldbergs and black-ish, the latter will air two Election themed episodes on Oct. 4).
It is certainly going to be a bare fall for sitcoms on network TV. However, it also provides a unique opportunity for those shows that will be returning. TV ratings have overall been higher since the pandemic hit (given there's simply less to do now, although the return of sports is likely to dent those ratings a bit), so perhaps more eyeballs will get to see a show like One Day at a Time, which has had a long journey from its Netflix cancellation to ultimately airing on broadcast TV. Perhaps the future of the show, if enough broadcast viewers flock to it, could be on CBS, where it sort of feels like it was meant to be anyway with the way the show uses traditional sitcom storytelling to tell fresh and original stories. If you haven't checked it (or Superstore) out, now's your chance to catch up on one of the best sitcoms currently on TV.
As we already announced, Laff, the country's first-ever, over-the-air broadcast television network devoted to comedy around-the-clock, has announced the addition of the one of the most-popular sitcoms of all time, licensing the television rights to all nine seasons and 208 episodes of How I Met Your Mother. Now we know the timeslots! Laff will premiere the multiple Emmy Award winning series with a two-day marathon Sunday, Sept. 6 and Monday, Sept. 7 running from 8:00 a.m. – 12 Midnight (ET) both days. How I Met Your Mother will then be seen on Laff every night from 9:00 p.m. to Midnight (ET) starting Tuesday, Sept. 8.
How I Met Your Mother follows Ted Mosby, played by Josh Radnor, as he looks back and tells his children the story of how he met their mom, as told through memories of his friends Marshall (Jason Segel), Lily (Alyson Hannigan) Robin (Cobie Smulders) and Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), narrated by Bob Saget as the older Ted. How I Met Your Mother was a staple of the CBS lineup 2005-2014, earning multiple EMMY, Golden Globe and People's Choice nominations and wins across its nine-year run. How I Met Your Mother joins Laff's sitcom hall-of-fame line-up that includes Home Improvement, That '70s Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, According To Jim, Night Court and more. Laff airs on the broadcast signals of local television stations and corresponding cable carriage and features a programming mix of contemporary off-network sitcoms and popular movies geared toward an audience of adults 18-49. Laff is part of The E.W. Scripps Company.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Saturday, June 10
Act Your Age - "Bahama Drama" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Angela and Keisha's differences come to a head as a storm threatens their tranquil Bahamian vacation; back at the penthouse, Olivia's alone time with Jacob is interrupted by an invited guest.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 5)
Friday, June 9
- Marc Maron (GLOW/Maron) - Watch Marc on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Martin Short (Mulaney/The Martin Short Show) - Martin is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi is a musical guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Sandra Bullock (Working Girl) - Sandra appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
- Zach Braff (Scrubs/Alex, Inc.) - Zach is a guest on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris guest co-hosts a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Jay Ellis (Insecure/The Game) - Jay discusses the motivation behind their new true-crime podcast Freeway Phantom on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig is telling Drew about working with Reese Witherspoon on their new film and the latest season of The Morning Show on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Alfonso Ribeiro (In the House/The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso will be on a repeat of The Jennifer Hudson Show, so check your local listings.
- Daniel Wu (American Born Chinese) - Daniel talks about his role on the Disney+ series American Born Chinese on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
- Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and Jason Alexander (Listen Up!/Bob Patterson/Seinfeld/Everything's Relative/ E/R) - Eric and Jason talk about The Cottage on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Reba McEntire (Reba/Malibu Country) - Reba will be on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
- Geena Davis (The Geena Davis Show/Sara/Buffalo Bill) - NBC's Today catches up with Geena in the 9am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (January-June)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/04 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Fifth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/18 - Blondie - The Complete 1957 Television Series (Blu-ray)
04/25 - Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
05/23 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Eleven / The Complete Season Twelve
05/23 - Go On - The Complete Series
05/23 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (Universal)
05/29 - Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/29 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/30 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
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