Fri-Yay: Friends Reunion Special Thoughts; Breeders Renewed for Season 3 on FX

Friday, May 28, 2021

Fri-Yay: Friends Reunion Special Thoughts; Breeders Renewed for Season 3 on FX

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!

Friends: The Reunion

by Vincent

This week, HBO Max premiered the long awaited Friends reunion special. It was originally supposed to be released alongside HBO Max's release in May 2020 a year ago, but COVID production delays pushed it back to May 2021. Still, the hype and buzz was very much there. Articles on the Friends reunion dominated the internet this week. Was it worth the hype? Well, that depends on how much of a Friends fan you are. For the casual viewer, the Friends reunion is just a bunch of actors talking with each other. For a diehard fan, seeing the cast together again discussing behind the scenes secrets and their experiences is exactly what you were asking for.

The Friends reunion is the most hyped sitcom reunion in a while, not including revivals (where the series is actually revived). Last year, casts of sitcoms like The Office, Community and Happy Endings got together and discussed their shows with each other, and sitcom stars are reuniting on podcasts or YouTube channels all of the time. But this is the first hyped special launched reunion special in a while (since The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion last holiday season). And there is an art and a fun to these specials, something sweet about seeing these people in the same room again after all these years. It wasn't mind blowing TV, but for a Friends super fan, it's a fun way to spend an evening for sure.

Breeders

Breeders, the comedy series that explores the challenges of modern parenting, has been renewed for a third season on FX. The series starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard, which recently completed its second season, is set to return next year. Breeders explores the parental paradox that you'd happily die for your children, but quite often also want to kill them.

In season two, now available to stream on FX on Hulu, "Luke" (Alex Eastwood) is now 13 years old and "Ava" (Eve Prenelle) is 10, serving up brand new parenting challenges for "Paul" (Martin Freeman) and "Ally" (Daisy Haggard). Luke's increasing anxiety and Ava's growing independence add some new and uncharted complications into the existing chaotic mix of stretched resources, lack of time and the fine art of winging it while looking like you know what you're doing. Paul's parents, "Jackie" (Joanna Bacon) and "Jim" (Alun Armstrong) are older too, as is Ally's mother "Leah" (Stella Gonet), leading Paul and Ally to find that they now have to parent the generation above them as well as the generation below. And at the center of all this is Paul and Ally's relationship. Can they survive the new pressures as they just-about survived the old ones? Or is there a finite number of ropes you can find yourself at the end of?

Breeders is produced by Avalon (Starstruck, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Everything's Gonna Be Okay, Flatbush Misdemeanors) and FX Productions for FX Networks and Sky Originals. Academy Award(R)-nominee and double Emmy(R) Award-winner Simon Blackwell is showrunner. Breeders is created by Blackwell, double Emmy Award and Directors Guild of America Award winner Chris Addison and Emmy and BAFTA(R)-winning Martin Freeman, who also stars alongside Daisy Haggard. Executive producers are Blackwell, Addison, Freeman, Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, David Martin, Jon Thoday, Toby Welch and Michael Wiggs. Ben Palmer is co-executive producer.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Wednesday, June 29

The Conners - "Patriarchs and Goddesses" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Darlene continues to navigate her breakup with Ben, and when she and Becky head to the movies and see Ben on a date, Darlene can’t stop herself from interfering and making everyone uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Dan offers to talk with Aldo’s dad, Jesse (Joe Walsh), when he doesn’t approve of Harris and Aldo’s relationship.

The Goldbergs - "The William Penn Years" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Never a sports enthusiast, Adam finds himself in a pickle with his peers when he’s recruited to film his high school’s highly awaited last football game of the year and fails to capture his team’s winning touchdown. Meanwhile, Beverly discovers her neighbor Arnie Wolfy (Dan Lauria) is moving and she’s determined to buy his spacious home and move the family in. Murray’s long-standing and unresolved conflict with Arnie challenges Beverly’s plans, but the family comes to appreciate home is where the heart is.

Abbott Elementary - "Student Transfer" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After a negative teacher review, Janine gets a confidence boost when a student gets transferred from Melissa’s class into hers, but it turns out the student proves to be too much to handle. While trying to forge a friendship with an uninterested Gregory, it is revealed that Jacob is constantly getting roasted by his students. The two bond after Gregory unintentionally gives Jacob the idea to incorporate the roasts in an educational way.

Home Economics - "Box of King-Size Candy Bars, $48.99)" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Trick or treat is not the only question on the Hayworths’ minds as they debate the best neighborhood for a spooktacular Halloween. Meanwhile, Connor navigates sharing the holiday with his ex-wife, Emily.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 27)

Wednesday, June 29

Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Steve Carell (Space Force/The Office/Come to Papa/Watching Ellie) - Watch Steve on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Minnie Driver (Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Garcelle Beauvais (The Jamie Foxx Show) - Garcelle is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 3:30am on Bravo.
Simu Liu (Kim's Convenience) - Simu chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Sophia Bush (Partners) - Sophia will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Raven-Symoné (Raven's Home/That's So Raven/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/The Cosby Show) - Raven-Symoné appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Ed Helms (The Office) and Randall Park (Fresh Off the Boat) - Ed and Randall are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Chelsa Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/Luis) - Charlie will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Ron Howard (Arrested Development/Happy Days/The Andy Griffith Show) and Clint Howard (Gung Ho) - Ron and Clint are guests on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Jason Biggs (Outmatched/Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason appears on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) and Finesse Mitchell (Outmatched/A.N.T. Farm) - Kym and Finesse guest co-host a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Wendi McLendon-Covey (The Goldbergs/Rules of Engagement/Reno 911!) - Wendi is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
Joey King (Bent) - Joey appears on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
Mira Sorvino (Shining Vale) - Mira talks about the film Most Guys Are Losers on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Michelle Buteau (Enlisted/China, IL) - Michelle will be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
Kim Fields (The Upshaws/Living Single/The Facts of Life/Baby, I'm Back) - Kim talks about Netflix's The Upshaws on Access Daily, so check your local listings.