Friday, January 08, 2021
Fri-Yay: Why One Day at a Time Cancelation Is a Mistake; COZI TV Remembers Tanya Roberts with Charlie's Angels Special
by Vincent
If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll know I was and still am a huge champion of the Netflix (turned Pop TV) revival of One Day at a Time. The sitcom is, in my mind, still the golden standard of what a revival should be, utilizing the bones of Norman Lear's original sitcom to tell a story that is modern, diverse and very relevant to our times. It shows Norman Lear, after nearly 50 years of making sitcoms, still has an eye for sharp, cutting and relevant comedy. Unfortunately, Pop TV quietly canceled the sitcom in December, and a few weeks later it was announced that Sony would not be looking for an unprecedented home for the streaming series. In some ways, it's not a surprise. One Day at a Time's network Pop TV decided shortly after picking it up that it would be retiring from the scripted entertainment game, and the show's tryout on CBS drew very few viewers. The writing had been on the wall for a while, especially after Pop TV cut the fourth season short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and announced it would not be completing the rest of the season.
However, the fact that One Day at a Time could not find an audience is something that I find a little sad for the state of the sitcom in the year 2021. There is no reason a show like One Day at a Time, which deals with relevant and relatable topics and has a sense of humor that is both clever but also broad enough to reach wide audiences, couldn't exist in 2021. In a way, it shows the tough spot the sitcom is in right now. With streaming services looking more towards longer-form content, they are often forgetting that sitcoms can sometimes be their bread and butter. They're the shows that keep people coming back, as seen by the outcry when Netflix removed The Office (something I'll be covering in my column next week.) Hopefully, networks and streaming services realize the power of the sitcom soon and we don't end up with more shows like One Day at a Time, cut down well before their time.
On Saturday, January 9, starting at 3 p.m. COZI TV will air a three-hour special of Charlie's Angels in remembrance of the late Tanya Roberts, who passed away this week at the age of 65. The Saturday special will showcase the first three episodes of season five that introduced us to Roberts' character, Julie Rogers. Roberts appeared in Charlie's Angels for one season (1980-81), playing Private Detective Julie Rogers. She was the sixth actress to play one of the Angels, following in the footsteps of Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, Cheryl Ladd and Shelley Hack.
Saturday, January 9 Tanya Roberts Special schedule (check local listings):
3:00 p.m.: Charlie's Angels, Angel in Hiding (Part 1)/Season 5
4:00 p.m.: Charlie's Angels, Angel in Hiding (Part 2)/Season 5
5:00 p.m.: Charlie's Angels, To See an Angel Die/Season 5
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)
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