Friday, April 02, 2021

Fri-Yay: Remembering Jessica Walter's Excellent Career; Fox's Let's Be Real Special Turns Into Series

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!

Jessica Walter

by Vincent

Last week, we received the tragic news that Jessica Walter has passed away. Walter was an incredible actress with a long and excellent career in both film and TV. However, to sitcoms fans, she was likely known for two iconic roles: Lucille Bluth in the critically acclaimed and fan beloved comedy Arrested Development, and Mallory Archer in the raunchy, long-running animated hit Archer. Walter worked in both roles even in very recent times (Arrested's final season aired in 2018, and Archer is still running) and her death came as a shock, as even in her later work she still did an excellent job at portraying the characters.

Walter's comic talents might not have been immediately evident to those who knew her from her Play Misty for Me days, but the way she could deliver stone-cold classic lines on both Arrested and Archer was unparalleled. So many Lucille Bluth lines became internet memes for a reason - her blunt, in-your-face delivery made for so many classic moments, and she made the hilariously hatable character of Lucille Bluth an instant classic character, and a big part of Arrested's excellent success. She brought the same energy to her Archer character and once again contributed to that show's continued triumphs. I've been rewatching Arrested Development this week and I'm still in awe of just how great of a comic actress she was. Rest in peace, Jessica Walter - your excellent work will live in for many, many years.


Let's Be Real

Executive-produced by Robert Smigel (Triumph The Insult Comic Dog), Fox's satirical-puppet series, Let's Be Real, returns with four all-new episodes, and all-new puppets, beginning Thursday, April 29 from 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) on Fox. Following last fall's comedy special, Let's Be Real returns to Fox this spring with all-new episodes beginning Thursday, April 29 (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT). Executive-produced and written by Robert Smigel (Triumph The Insult Comic Dog), the new series will debut new puppets from the worlds of entertainment and politics, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senator Ted Cruz, Kim Kardashian and LeBron James. Previously featured puppets, such as President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald J. Trump, Former Vice President Mike Pence and Kanye West, also will appear, as the satirical comedy series will cover politics and pop culture in 2021 through topical sketches, celebrity cameos and remote pieces.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, February 17

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 16)

Tuesday, February 17

  • DeRay Davis (My Wife and Kids) - DeRay is a guest on Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Jennifer Garner (Party Down/Camping) - Jennifer talks about The Last Thing He Told Me on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Dove Cameron (Schmigadoon!/Liv and Maddie) - Dove and the cast of 56 Days can be heard on a Town Hall on Morning Mash Up on SiriusXM.
  • Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) and and Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/One Day at a Time) - Drew is hitting the headlines with her co-pilot Ross Mathews, Valerie Bertinelli and Tig Notaro on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. Tig talks to Drew about executive producing the documentary Come See Me in the Good Light.
  • Erika Alexander (Run the World/Living Single/The Cosby Show) - Erika tells Drew about her show Invasion and her podcast ReLiving Single on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Danny Trejo (Saint George) - Danny talks about History's Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

02/16 - Saturday Night Live Returns Following the Olympics on February 28; Fox Pays Tribute to James Van Der Beek on Wednesday
02/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 16, 2026)
02/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for Scrubs Reboot; Tubi to Add 100 Cartoon Series from Warner and Cartoon Network Library
02/13 - Remembering James Van Der Beek of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23; The Way Home Returns for Final Season in April on Hallmark
02/12 - ABC's Scrubs Revival Trailer and Details; XO, Kitty Returns April 2 on Netflix
02/11 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Post Saturday Night Live Encore; Chris Fleming HBO Special
02/10 - Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars Premiere Shifting by Two Weeks; Virgin River Season 7 Trailer
02/09 - Shoresy Returns with Season 5; HBO Max Acquires Schitt's Creek
02/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 9, 2026)
02/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Roku Adds New Channels for Bernie Mac, Blossom, and Cougar Town; Catchy Comedy Introduces Catchy Loves Lucy
02/06 - Rooster Premieres March 8 on HBO; MGM+ Comedy American Classic Trailer
02/05 - NBC Unveils Trailer and Guest Stars for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins; Adult Swim's Anime Series Rooster Fighter Premieres March 14
02/04 - Netflix Renews A Man on the Inside for Season 3; Apple TV Premiere Date for Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed
02/03 - NBC Renews St. Denis Medical and Happy's Place for Season 3; Pilot Orders for Comedy Projects on NBC
02/02 - Remembering Demond Wilson of Sanford and Son, Catherine O'Hara of Schitt's Creek, Yvonne Lime of Father Knows Best, and TV Director Bruce Bilson
02/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 2, 2026)
01/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Orders Pair of Comedy Pilots; Final Episode Airdate Announced for The Late Show
01/30 - Jury Duty Returns March 20 on Prime Video; Katt Williams 4th Netflix Special
01/29 - Season 4 of Ted Lasso Premieres This Summer; Shrinking Renewed for Season 4 as Season 3 Premieres
01/28 - Nikki Glaser's New Hulu Special Premieres April 24; HBO Announces Late-Night Series
01/27 - Trailer for The Muppet Show Special Event; New Evolution of The Handmaid's Tale Series
01/26 - FETV Acquires '70s S.W.A.T. Series; Paramount+ Releases Date for Can You Keep a Secret? Comedy Series
01/25 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 26, 2026)
01/24 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Kenan and Kel Back Together for Upcoming Movie; Amazon Barbershop Series Adds to Cast
01/23 - CBS Renews 10 More Series for 2026-27; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Return Big in January
01/22 - Dancing with the Stars Live Tour Starts TODAY; Beef Returns April 16
01/21 - Prime Video's Bait Premieres March 25; Production Underway on Season 2 of Arctic-set Comedy North of North
01/20 - Baywatch Casting Call for Reboot on Fox; Mike Epps Netflix Special Trailer
01/19 - MGM+ Comedy Series American Classic; Taylor Tomlinson Returns to Netflix
01/18 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 19, 2026)
01/17 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Rockford Files Reboot at NBC; Daniel Stern Fired From ABC Comedy Pilot
01/16 - Ted Season 2 Trailer Released; Remembering T.K. Carter of Punky Brewster, TV Director Tom Cherones, and Others We Recently Lost