Friday, January 29, 2021
Fri-Yay: We Need to Be More Patient with New Sitcoms; Norman Lear to Receive The Carol Burnett Award at The Golden Globe Awards
by Vincent
A few weeks ago, NBC's Mr. Mayor premiered, the latest from the minds of Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, the brilliant creators of the modern classic 30 Rock and the hysterical Netflix comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. As much as I loved 30 Rock and really enjoyed Kimmy Schmidt, I wasn't a big fan of the first few episodes of Mr. Mayor, which you could see in my review for the site a few weeks ago. However, I'm still more than willing to give the show a chance, because I see the potential in the series, both because of its creators and its all-star cast. And yet, I see many people have already given up on the show. It's a trend I've seen with many sitcoms in recent years. So I have to ask: why are we expecting sitcoms to be fully formed out of the gate, when so few are?
A big part of it, I think, is the streaming era, where shows tend to come out of the gate more fully formed, as seasons and sometimes entire series are often planned out from the start. But traditional sitcoms simply don't work that way. They film a pilot, then often don't get to work with new episodes for several months or even a year. During that time, the show is testing what does and doesn't work, sometimes relying on viewer feedback once its earliest episodes roll in, as well as things like focus tests and network suggestions. That's why so many of the best sitcoms, from The Office to Parks & Recreation to Seinfeld, start off so different than what they become. So to those of you giving up on Mr. Mayor, I urge you to give it a chance. If we keep ditching sitcoms early on and not giving them time to grow, we'll only have less and less sitcoms that stick around for more than a season.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced that Norman Lear will receive the Carol Burnett Award at The 78th Annual Golden Globe Awards. The television pioneer and political activist and philanthropist will become the third-ever recipient and accept the honor during the telecast airing on Sunday, Feb. 28 from 5-8 p.m. PT / 8-11 p.m. ET live on NBC. Chosen by the HFPA Board of Directors, the Carol Burnett Award is presented annually to an honoree who has made outstanding contributions to the television medium on or off the screen. As the television landscape continues to evolve with more thought-provoking programming, diverse roles and best in class content, the HFPA established the Carol Burnett Award to celebrate the medium's new Golden Age. Equivalent to its film accolade counterpart, the Cecil B. deMille Award, the top honor was first introduced at the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards. Previous recipients include Ellen DeGeneres (2020) and its namesake, Carol Burnett (2019).
Lear has had a dynamic career in television and film, and as a political and social activist and philanthropist. He is a World War II combat veteran, 2017 Kennedy Center Honoree, recipient of the National Medal of Arts in 1999, Peabody Lifetime Achievement Award winner in 2016 and a proud member of the inaugural group of inductees to the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1984. He has won six Primetime Emmy Awards. Lear began his television career in 1950 writing and producing programs, including The Colgate Comedy Hour and The Martha Raye Show before co-founding Tandem Productions where he took on roles as executive producer, writer and director for more than two decades. He was nominated for an Academy Award(R) in 1967 for his script for Divorce American Style. In 1970, CBS signed with Tandem to produce All in the Family, which earned four Emmys for Best Comedy Series, as well as the Peabody Award in 1977. All in the Family was followed by a succession of other television hit shows that include Maude, Sanford and Son, Good Times, The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Lear's shows were nominated for and won many Golden Globe Awards.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Monday, March 18
The Neighborhood - (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Worth the Cooties" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After Christina kicks Abishola and Dottie out for making light of her pre-pregnancy preparations, Christina bonds with Douglas and Abishola spends a fun day with Dottie. Also, when Bob, Goodwin and Kofo are stumped on a work issue, Bob insists they go out to lunch to loosen up.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 18)
Monday, March 18
- Christina Applegate (Dead to Me/Up All Night/Samantha Who?/Jesse/Married with Children) - Watch Christina on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Carrie Preston (Crowded/Happyish/Emeril) - Carrie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock) - Rachel appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Sasheer Zamata (Home Economics/Woke/Robbie) and John Hodgman (Up Here/Married) - Sasheer and John are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa will be on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am.
- Brett Gelman (Camping/Fleabag/Married/Go On) - Brett talks about The Terrifying Realm of the Possible: Nearly True Stories on CBS Mornings some time between 7-9am.
- William Shatner ($h*! My Dad Says) - NBC's Today catches up with William in the 9am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)
11/07 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Sixth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/14 - Leave it to Beaver - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/05 - Father Knows Best - The Complete Series
12/05 - The Odd Couple - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/12 - The Dick Van Dyke Show - The Complete Series
12/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
12/12 - That Girl - The Complete Series
12/15 - Letterkenny - Season 11
12/19 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Official Restored Complete Series
12/22 - Three's Company - The Official 40th Anniversary Collection (includes The Ropers and Three's a Crowd)
01/09 - South Park - Seasons 11-15 (Blu-ray)
01/16 - Ghosts (UK) - Season Five
02/13 - Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/27 - The Really Loud House - Season One
03/12 - Ghosts (UK) - The Complete Series
03/12 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
03/12 - Rick and Morty - Season 7 (Blu-ray Steelbook) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest
Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts