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
Wednesday, March 3
The Goldbergs - "Mr. Ships Ahoy" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
As William Penn’s new Quaker Warden, Beverly is thrilled to have co-workers for the first time and sets out to make them all love her. To her dismay, it’s more difficult to win them over than she anticipated, as her reputation of being a difficult school parent precedes her. Meanwhile, Geoff competes in the “Mr. Ships Ahoy” beauty pageant to prove to Erica that he can be seen as desirable by other women.
American Housewife - "The Guardian" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Katie and Greg secretly put Kathryn (Wendie Malick) through a series of tests to see if she would make a good guardian for Anna-Kat in the unlikely event something should happen to them. Meanwhile, after tracking down J.D.’s (Jake Choi) potential egg donors, Tami (Holly Robinson Peete) and Katie scheme to learn more about them.
The Conners - "A Stomach Ache, a Heartbreak and a Grave Mistake" (ABC,
9:00PM ET/PT)
Mark is stressed out and feeling sick, convinced he has COVID-19. Meanwhile, Becky and Harris team up to confront Josh who has been “ghosting” Harris; and when Jackie visits Roseanne’s grave, she finds an appalling headstone right next to it and sets out to make it right.
Call Your Mother - "Feelings" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Jean and Danny’s relationship grows complicated emotionally and physically as they try to resist their feelings for one another until his divorce is final. As Celia is moving into Freddie’s apartment, Freddie is disappointed to learn that Celia plans to keep her place as a backup plan, causing some hard conversations between the two.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 1)
Wednesday, March 3
- Ben Schwartz (Space Force/Parks and Recreation) - Watch Ben on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS. He will also be on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Annaleigh Ashford (B Positive) - Annaleigh appears on Watch What Happens: Live at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Kyra Sedgwick (Call Your Mother) - Kyra is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio talks about Coming 2 America on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
- Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly/Samantha Who?) - Melissa appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Kristen Bell (The Good Place) and Dax Shepard (Bless This Mess) - Kristen and Dax are guests on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
- Jermaine Fowler (Superior Donuts) - Jermaine will be on The Real, so check your local listings.
- Awkwafina (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens) - Awkwafina appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
- Hillary Duff (Younger/Lizzie McGuire) - Hillary talks about My Brave Little Girl on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (October-February)
10/13 - The Jetsons - The Complete Series (Diamond Collection)
10/13 - Our Cartoon President - Season Two
10/23 - Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - The Complete Collection
10/27 - The Flintstones - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/27 - Head of the Class - The Complete Second Season (WBShop.com)
11/10 - Letterkenny - Seasons 5 & 6
11/10 - The Office - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/10 - Schitt's Creek - The Complete Collection
11/17 - Carol's Second Act - The Complete Series
11/17 - Robbie - Season 1
11/24 - Corporate - Season 1
11/26 - Man with a Plan - Season Four
12/01 - The Neighborhood - Season Two
12/15 - Avenue 5 - The Complete First Season
01/22 - Corporate - Season 2
01/22 - Corporate - Season 3
02/02 - Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In - The Complete Series (2021 Retail Release)
02/16 - Fam - The Complete Series
02/23 - Betty White's Pet Set - The Complete Series
03/02 - Blue Mountain State - The Complete Series
03/02 - Happy Together - The Complete Series
03/02 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-4 (DVD) (Blu-ray)
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