Fri-Yay: Superstore to End - What Does That Mean for NBC Comedy?; FXX Gets 4 More Years of Sunny

Friday, December 11, 2020

Fri-Yay: Superstore to End - What Does That Mean for NBC Comedy?; FXX Gets 4 More Years of Sunny

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

Last week, it was announced that NBC was ending Superstore at the conclusion of its current sixth season. The announcement came as a big surprise, as while Superstore's ratings have taken a hit this season, it's still one of NBC's only remaining comedies, and is still a generally solid performer that gets critical acclaim and fan support. Superstore was undergoing a major shift as its lead actress America Ferrera departed the show at the beginning of the season, and it also was getting a lot of acclaim for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The move makes some amount of sense - losing a lead actor has often spelled the downfall of many sitcoms, such as fellow NBC comedies The Office and Scrubs before it - but it still comes as a surprise to see NBC send off what is arguably its flagship comedy with only a limited amount of time for a goodbye.

It also poses the question of where NBC's comedy brand is headed. Just a few years ago, NBC seemed to have once again have a strong comedy line-up with the acclaimed and popular pairing of Superstore and The Good Place, in addition to the hyped Will & Grace reboot and the fan beloved Brooklyn Nine-Nine, borrowed from Fox. But now, The Good Place has ended on its own terms, Will & Grace was cancelled again due to a huge downturn in ratings, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine's future is questionable after the series put its writing on hold after the Black Lives Matter movement, which put a question mark on TV's portrayal of police. Brooklyn 99 announced in the spring it scrapped all of its scripts for Season 8 and is trying to tackle the movement head on, but as of now Season 8 does not have an anticipated premiere date, and it seems possible the show may sit out of the 2020-2021 TV season, or at the very least might not return until late spring. NBC has a few promising comedies premiering in 2021, including Tina Fey's Mr. Mayor (starring Ted Danson) and the Young Rock comedy series. Those two shows will have to hold up the fort as NBC undergoes yet another comedy transformation.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been renewed for four additional seasons. With season 15 due next year, Sunny will set the record as the longest-running live-action comedy series in television history, bypassing The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. Sunny's remarkable run has also racked up more than 1.5 billion hours viewed since its premiere in 2005. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia follows the misguided dreams and blundered schemes of everyone's favorite bar owners - The Gang at Paddy's Pub - Mac (Rob McElhenney), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Dee (Kaitlin Olson) and Frank (Danny DeVito).

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, December 11

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Bitin’, Spankin’ and a Load of Yankee Psychobabble" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie and Mandy get upset when Audrey disciplines CeeCee without their permission.

Ghosts - "The Life and Times of Esther Greene" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Now a successful podcaster, Todd Pearlman returns to profile Sam and Isaac’s book, but becomes obsessed with Jay. Meanwhile, Pete tries to get to the bottom of why Alberta changed her name, forcing her to admit a hidden truth.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 8)

Thursday, December 11

Jamie Lee Curtis (The Sticky/Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Catch Jamie Lee on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Rachel Sennott (I Love LA/Call Your Mother) - Rachel appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Elon Gold (Stacked/In-Laws) - Elon is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
Zooey Deschanel (Physical/New Girl) - Andy Cohen interviews Zooey on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo. She also talks about Merv on Live with Kelly and Mark (check your local listings) and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
Lucien Laviscount (Emily in Paris) - Lucien talks about Emily in Paris on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Kyra Sedgwick (Call Your Mother/Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Kevin Bacon (I Love Dick) - Kyra and Kevin talk about The Best You Can with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Loretta Devine (Family Reunion/The Carmichael Show) and Lela Rochon (The Wayans Bros.) - Co-host Gayle King sits down with Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon, original cast of Waiting to Exhale, on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Lea Michele (The Mayor) - Lea talks about Broadway's Chess on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. She also performs in the 10am hour.
Daryl McCormack (Bad Sisters - NBC's Today catches up with Daryl in the 9am hour.
Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) - Brooke co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Mila Kunis (Family Guy/That '70s Show) - Mila tells Drew about her role in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Ashley Park (Emily in Paris) - Emily tells Drew about what to expect in season five of Emily in Paris on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Joey McIntyre (Return of the Mac/The McCarthys) - Joey talks about Roku's Jingle Bell Wedding on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.