Friday, November 06, 2020
Fri-Yay: Superstore Tackles the Pandemic in a Smart, Funny Way; Family Ties Cast to Reunite

by Vincent
Last week, NBC's Superstore returned for Season 6. It was a big premiere for the show for several reasons. Amy, the show's lead character played by America Ferrera, will be departing the show after the second episode, so the premiere partly serves as the beginning of her farewell. And, notably, the premiere was the show's first episode after production was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it addressed the pandemic's impact on its characters. And it did so brilliantly, putting together the best piece of media I've seen regarding the pandemic and one of the show's best episodes to date.
Superstore has always been a show not afraid to tackle big issues while also remaining funny and light-hearted, so it's not surprising that the show did such a great job tackling the issue of the virus. Additionally, given the show's setting in a retail store, the pandemic uniquely affects its characters, and it's sure to make us realize that. The characters are called "essential workers" but don't receive the same treatment from the public or their bosses as other essential workers do. The way the characters have to be at the front lines of the pandemic but don't get the tools to properly protect themselves is very real. And yet, the show still remained funny and managed to make some really funny jokes about the pandemic more successfully than I may have expected. I was very unsure about shows handling the pandemic, but if they can take Superstore's lead, they'll be making some really strong content.

The Keatons are in the house! Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley announced that Meredith Baxter (Elyse Keaton), Michael Gross (Steven Keaton), Michael J. Fox (Alex P. Keaton), Tina Yothers (Jennifer Keaton), Marc Price (Irwin "Skippy" Handelman), and Scott Valentine (Nick Moore), will reunite on Stars in the House on Tuesday, November 10 at 8PM ET to discuss all things Family Ties, and reminisce about their time on one of the most beloved sitcoms in television history.
The reunion episode will stream exclusively on PEOPLE social platforms Facebook and Twitter, as well as on PeopleTV's Facebook and Twitter, and on the Stars In The House YouTube channel, and StarsInTheHouse.com, where fans may tune in to ask questions and donate to The Actors Fund for a chance to have their names read by the stars on air. Of course, there will be live music. Family Ties joins the incredible line-up of casts that Seth and James have brought together to sing, share stories, and raise money to help those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic, including Night at the Museum, Scandal, Knots Landing, Melrose Place, Frasier, Glee, 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives, SCTV, White Collar, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Taxi, Fame, and Star Trek: Voyager.
Stars In The House airs new episodes Mondays-Saturdays at 8PM ET on its YouTube channel and StarsInTheHouse.com. For more information and to see upcoming guests, please visit starsinthehouse.com and follow @StarsInTheHouse, Seth (@SethRudetsky) and James (@JamesWesleyNYC) on Twitter and Instagram.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, April 15
Scrubs - "My Celebration" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A chaotic day at Sacred Heart forces the doctors and interns to face burnout, life-changing decisions, and their relationships with one another.
Abbott Elementary - "Night Out" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Janine and Gregory have a night out. Meanwhile, Melissa, Barbara and Mr. Johnson have a movie night.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 13)
Wednesday, April 15
- Bob Odenkirk (The Larry Sanders Show) - Watch Bob on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Paul Walter Hauser (The Afterparty) - Paul appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Zendaya (K.C. Undercover/Shake It Up) - Zendaya is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Zoe Lister-Jones (Slip/Life in Pieces/Friends with Better Lives/Whitney) - Andy Cohen interviews Zoe on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo. She also talks about Peacock's The Miniature Wife on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Ramy Youssef (#1 Happy Family USA/Ramy/See Dad Run) - Ramy is a guest on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Kimberly Williams-Paisley (According to Jim) - Kimberly talks about 9-1-1: Nashville on Live with Kelly and Mark (check your local listings) and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair talks about A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) and Amy Sedaris (No Activity/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/Strangers with Candy) - Aubrey, Amy and John Waters talk about Kevin with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry talks about Terry's Many Hats on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Jennie Garth (Mystery Girls/What I Like About You) - Jennie shares her new book, I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose & Embracing Reinvention, and opens up about a deeper emotional truth hiding behind what people thought they knew about her, reinventing herself, and leading a movement of women who are choosing themselves on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- Andie MacDowell (Four Weddings and a Funeral/Cuckoo) - NBC's Today catches up with Andie in the 9am hour.
- Lena Dunham (Girls) - Lena talks about her new memoir Famesick on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
- Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/The Louie Show) - Bryan talks about coming back for the Malcolm in the Middle reboot, his daughter starring in The Pitt and some of his most iconic roles over the years on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive
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