Friday, October 23, 2020
Fri-Yay: Archer Goes Back to Its Roots for Season 11; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Reunion Tonight

by Vincent
Though the years, Archer has gone through many changes. What started out as an animated spy comedy slowly morphed into many different shows, from a show about dealing cocaine to a noir detective series to a space odyssey, with sometimes little rhyme or reason given for the shifts. More recently, Archer has spent the last several seasons with its lead character in a coma, and having each season be a different hallucination. This year, though, the show has snapped back to normal - and although it isn't as sharp as it was in its first handful of seasons, it's the funniest it's been in years.
I always admired Archer's willingness to abandon its original premise and do whatever it's creator felt like doing. After it's fourth season, which showed some natural signs of decline, the show switched it up to be a Miami Vice-esque crime comedy, and its changed every year since (going back to a spy agency for a season, then to a detective show, then starting the multi-year coma saga). Still, though, some years it felt like Archer was straining to stay interesting and cover genres it didn't really have its heart in. Now that it can settle down and truly address its main characters, it’s gotten much funnier and easier to watch - and it's been a delight during a time when fresh episodes of shows are just tricking in.
The International Myeloma Foundation (IMF), celebrating their 30th anniversary as the first and largest myeloma-specific foundation in the world, announced that Ray Romano and his Everybody Loves Raymond castmates will reunite for a special evening to honor co-star Peter Boyle and re-create scenes from the sitcom that ran from 1996-2005. In addition to Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Monica Horan and co-creator and Executive Producer Phil Rosenthal will participate in the two-hour event, along with special guests and bonus content.
The IMF 14th Annual Comedy Celebration will take place tonight (Friday, October 23) at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT. It is particularly special for the organization this year, as October marks the IMF's 30-year anniversary. To tune in to this table read and celebrate 30 years of service to the myeloma community, the event will be available to stream on IMF's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/IMFMyeloma, IMF's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/myeloma and on the organization's event website at comedy.myeloma.org.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Peter Boyle Research Fund, named for the beloved actor who died in 2006 after a four-year battle with multiple myeloma - a complex and often misdiagnosed cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. It is the second most common blood cancer in the world. Through laughter, the event honors Boyle and raises crucial funds to find a cure for myeloma. The Peter Boyle Research Fund has supported the IMF's innovative research programs since the fund's inception in 2007. For the 14th year, Loraine Alterman Boyle serves as Event Chair for the annual IMF Comedy Celebration in honor of her late husband. Since 2007, the annual event has featured more than 50 celebrity comedians and musical performers, and raised $8 million.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, July 3
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Sportsbook and a Breakup" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mandy finds out Meemaw runs an illegal sportsbook and decides she wants in on the action. Meanwhile, Georgie struggles to keep Mandy’s new job a secret.
Ghosts - "His Girl Shiki" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Pete makes good on his promise to find someone for Sasappis by bringing in a wisecracking 1940s screenwriter who also has the ability to roam.
Bob's Burgers - "The Shell Game" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bob competes in a competition to inherit Mr. Fischoeder's 100-year-old tortoise.
Grimsburg - "Molly" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Flute forgets to buy Stan a gift for his birthday, he steals an AI doll from the evidence locker; Wynona is forced to confront her ex-boyfriend.
Family Guy - "Row v. Wade" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Brian wins a boat on "The Price is Right" and decides to sail to Texas to help women seeking legal abortions.
The Great North - "Silence of the Dams Adventure" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Honeybee accidentally revives an old Lone Moose curse, sending a terrifying creature after her and the Tobins.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 30)
Thursday, July 3
- Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) - Catch Steve on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Zach Cherry (Duncanville/I Feel Bad/Crashing) - Zach is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Joel McHale (Animal Control/The Great Indoors/Community) - Joel appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Sandy Honig (Three Busy Debras), Mitra Jouhari (Clone High/Three Busy Debras) and Alyssa Stonoha (Three Busy Debras) - Sandy, Mitra and Alyssa are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Rob Lowe (Unstable/The Grinder/Parks and Recreation/A New Kind of Family) - Rob discusses cancer research and how it changed his life with GMA lifestyle contributor Lori Bergamotto on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Laurence Fishburne (black-ish) - Laurence chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Justin Bartha (The New Normal/Teachers) - Justin talks about Nuked on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke guest co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down), Britt Lower (Ghosted/Man Seeking Woman/Big Lake) and Ben Stiller (Arrested Development) - Adam, Britt and Ben talk about Severance on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, 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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