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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, April 6

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Gemma Johnson's Day Off" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Gemma reaches her limit at work, and when a car issue forces her to slow down, an unexpected break helps her rethink what she really wants next. Meanwhile, Marty and Malcolm’s plans are thrown off course when unexpected opportunities arise, and Dave embraces a new career path.

The Neighorhood - "A Farewell Special" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
CBS presents The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special, an Entertainment Tonight production, airing Monday, April 6 (8:30-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+. Hosted by Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier and filmed on location on The Neighborhood's stages, the special celebrates the acclaimed CBS comedy's final season, honoring eight seasons, 156 episodes, and eight unforgettable years of laughter, heart and community, leading up to the series finale on May 11.

This celebratory event features exclusive new interviews with the cast reflecting on their journey, revisiting early days on set, and looking back at the show's evolution and cultural impact. From its heartfelt exploration of friendship and family to its comedic take on life in a changing community, The Neighborhood has become a beloved part of CBS' comedy legacy.

The special includes never-before-seen footage and archival interviews from the ET Vault, offering fans a nostalgic look at the series' most iconic moments and the relationships built along the way. Viewers will get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the emotional final days of production, including the cast and crew's last table read, intimate moments from the final tapings, and heartfelt goodbyes.

Additionally, The Neighborhood: A Farewell Special brings audiences inside the cast's final wrap party, capturing the laughter, speeches, memories, and surprises that marked the end of an era. To cap off the evening, fans will get an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming series finale, with the cast and producers sharing what viewers can expect as the Butlers and Johnsons say farewell to the neighborhood they've called home for nearly a decade.

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to New Horizons" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Dave’s silent auction wins lead to a classical concert outing with Gemma and the Butlers that quickly goes off the rails. Meanwhile, Malcolm’s ghostwriting gig takes a surprising turn when Tina encourages him to dive into reality TV for inspiration – sparking an unexpected obsession.

St. Denis Medical - "We Make Time" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a doctor becomes a patient, his co-workers rally around him, whether he likes it or not; Matt and Serena need to talk.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "The Loyalty Swamp" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tobin's past comes back to haunt him; Reggie and Brina struggle to set a wedding date.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)

Monday, April 6

Jason Segel (Shrinking/How I Met Your Mother/Undeclared) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - Lisa appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Keanu Reaves (Swedish Dicks) - Keanu is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He also talks about Outcome on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
Melissa Gilbert (Stand by Your Man) - ABC's Good Morning America has George Stephanopoulos' exclusive interview with Melissa sometime between 7-9am.
Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie talks about Big Mistakes on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Kerry chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Mindy Kaling (Running Point/The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy talks about Mindy's Book Studio on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry and Rebecca King-Crews make an exclusive announcement on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. Terry will also be on in the 9am hour.
Sterling K. Brown (Starved) and Ryan Michelle Bathe (First Wives Club/Retired at 35) - Sterling and his wife Ryan Michelle tell Sherri about the highly anticipated new season of Paradise now streaming on Hulu & Disney+ on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
Amanda Peet (Brockmire/Togetherness/Bent) - Amanda talks season 2 of Your Friends & Neighbors and her new film Fantasy Life on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.