Friday, June 25, 2021

Fri-Yay: Paramount+'s iCarly Revival Is Light-Hearted Fun for Millennial and Gen Z Viewers; HIMYM Director Joins HIMYF

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!

iCarly

by Vincent

Last week, Paramount+ debuted the first three episodes of the iCarly revival. The iCarly revival, which I've discussed previously, follows the cast of iCarly in present-day as twenty-something adults. The show "grew up" with the cast rather than continuing to be a show aimed at children and teens. Although it's still a family-friendly sitcom, it does have some (mild) swear words and alludes to things like drinking and sex, which obviously would be a no-no if the show continued to be on Nickelodeon. As a result, the 2021 version of iCarly is a pretty fun watch. It's not going to make any "best sitcom of all time" lists, but it's an enjoyable combination of a nostalgia trip and an actually fun 2020s sitcom, particularly if you're a younger millennial or older Gen Z viewer who grew up with the show.

iCarly's reboot is a little more interested in commenting on internet culture and the effects it can have than its predecessor, which makes sense given how the internet has changed drastically since the show's original run from 2007 through 2012. The internet has become a more central part of our lives since then, and has contributed to the rise and fall of many, many people in the time since the show ended. The show covers topics such as getting "canceled" and the difficulty of staying relevant as well as becoming a "meme." It also is very interested in commenting on internet trends and memes. At times, it can feel a little too much like pandering to its younger millenial/Gen Z audience. (The most notable example of this is when the show references the popular Miranda Cosgrove 'interesting' meme that anyone in iCarly's core demographic would be familiar with, even if technically that meme came from Drake & Josh and not iCarly.) But at other times, it actually makes some decent points about how the internet can make us feel a little empty. I don't want to oversell the show, because I don't actually think it's attempting to make many deeper points about the perils of fame or anything like, say, a Bo Burnham special would, but it does hit at those points occasionally. Still, for the most part, this is just a fun, breezy watch for anyone who grew up with iCarly, with enough actually funny and solid jokes to make it more than simply a nostalgia trip. It's the perfect easy summer afternoon watch, and while you might not get much out of it if you aren't in the target demo (I'd say anyone born between roughly 1992 and 2000), you'll definitely have fun with it if you are.


Pam Fryman

A familiar face is joining How I Met Your Father, but you won't see her on screen. Pam Fryman is a multi-camera force well-known for notably directing all but twelve episodes of the 9-season smash hit, How I Met Your Mother and now he returns to direct How I Met Your Father. Pam got her start in the business as a high school intern on The Mike Douglas Show. When given the chance to work on a show in Los Angeles, she jumped at the opportunity and worked her way into game shows, soap operas, and eventually primetime sitcoms. She won numerous Daytime Emmy(R) Awards and has been nominated for multiple DGA awards. Her resume includes seminal comedies of the past two decades including Frasier, Friends, King of Queens, Just Shoot Me, and Two and a Half Men. She most recently directed episodes of Carol's Second Act, One Day at a Time & Call Your Mother. In all, Pam Fryman has directed well over 500 episodes of television over the span of her amazing career.

The 10-episode comedy recently receiving a straight-to-series order from Hulu, produced by 20th Television. In the near future, Sophie (Hilary Duff) is telling her son the story of how she met his father: a story that catapults us back to the year 2021 where Sophie and her close-knit group of friends are in the midst of figuring out who they are, what they want out of life, and how to fall in love in the age of dating apps and limitless options. How I Met Your Father is written by Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger. Executive producers include Aptaker, Berger, Carter Bays, Craig Thomas and Pam Fryman. Adam Londy will serve as co-executive producer, and Duff will serve as a producer. How I Met Your Father is a production of 20th Television. And finally, it was recently announced that Chris Lowell was cast as Jesse (character description: smart, a bit of an edge and cynical about love. He's an aspiring musician who works as an Uber driver to make ends meet and lives with his best friend Tom.)


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Saturday, March 25

Act Your Age - "The Cupid Shuffle" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Angela, Bernadette and Keisha get set up by a celebrity matchmaker; Jacob commits to telling Olivia his true feelings.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 20)

Friday, March 24

  • Kieran Culkin (Go Fish) - Watch Kieran on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Method Man (Method & Red) - Method Man appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Skylar Astin (Ground Floor) - Skylar is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Woody Harrelson (Cheers) - Woody appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Michael Urie (Shrinking/Partners) - Michael appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Toni Collette (United States of Tara) - Toni will be on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
  • Mario Cantone (And Just Like That.../Sex and the City) - Mario is joining Drew in the kitchen to make a sweet potato pie and dish on behind-the-scenes details from Sex and the City on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local lisitngs.
  • Kym Whitley (Act Your Age/Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym joins Sherri on the couch to talk about their NAACP Image Award-winning podcast Two Funny Mamas and her sitcom Act Your Age on Bounce TV on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Chyler Leigh (That '80s Show) - Chyler talks about Hallmark's The Way Home on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (November-March)

Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Ghosts - Season One Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Ten Growing Pains - The Complete Series

11/08 - Frasier - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/08 - Young Rock - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/15 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Seven / The Complete Season Eight
11/22 - That '70s Show - The Complete Series (Mill Creek)
11/29 - Ghosts - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/06 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - 70th Anniversary Ultimate Christmas Collection
12/13 - And Just Like That... - The Complete First Season
12/13 - Hogan's Heroes - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/03 - Andy Richter Controls the Universe - The Complete Series (2023 Release)
01/27 - Master of None - Season Three / The Complete Series
02/21 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Nine / The Complete Season Ten
02/28 - Growing Pains - The Complete Series
03/28 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

03/24 - Rewind TV Celebrates Mork & Mindy's 45th Anniversary on Earth Day; Disney's 6th Season of Raven's Home on April 9
03/23 - Antenna TV's Earth Day My Favorite Martian Marathon; Neil Patrick Harris Returns on How I Met Your Father
03/22 - Game Show Network Orders Tom Cavanagh Hosted Game Show; A Black Lady Sketch Show Returns for Season 4
03/21 - All That Stars to Reunite for Good Burger 2; Jim Belushi Returns For Another Season of Growing Belushi
03/20 - 2023 90s Con Recap in Hartford; Bel-Air Gets Season 3 on Peacock
03/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 20, 2023)
03/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: New Sitcoms for Terry Crews and Wendi McLendon-Covey; Zachary Levi Holding Out Hope for Chuck Movie
03/17 - AXS TV Acquires The Monkees for Retro Night Block; HBO Max's The Other Two Returns in May
03/16 - Monk Returns with One Final Case on Peacock; John Mulaney Gets 3rd Netflix Comedy Special
03/15 - Apple TV+ Orders Comedy with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey; CBS 2023 Season Finale Dates
03/14 - Disney+ Comedy American Born Chinese Premieres May 24; Tim Robinson Comedy to Return May 30 on Netflix
03/13 - New Girl Coming to Hulu and Peacock; Apple TV+ Renews Shrinking for Season 2
03/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 13, 2023)
03/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Beavis and Butt-Head Gets Second Season Renewal; Roles Cast in Bedrock Series
03/10 - Act Your Age Opens as Biggest Launch in Bounce History; Starz Comedy Blindspotting Returns April 14
03/09 - Mary Tyler Moore Film Premieres This May on HBO; Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head Returns for Season 2
03/08 - HBO's Barry Returns April 16; Schmigadoon! Trailer for Season 2
03/07 - American Dad! Season 18 Premieres March 27; Hulu's Tiny Beautiful Things Launches April 7
03/06 - Antenna TV Spring 2023 Schedule; Rewind TV Spring 2023 Schedule
03/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 6, 2023)
03/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Rachael Ray to End After 17 Seasons; Fox Renews Krapopolis for Third Season
03/03 - The Thundermans Return; TMZ's New Game Show
03/02 - Fox Renews Krapopolis for Season 3; Disney Channel's New Comedy Saturdays
03/01 - HBO Max Chuck Lorre Comedy Sets Production; New Shonda Rhimes White House Series
02/28 - Apple TV+ Releases Trailer for Ted Lasso S3; More on Chris Rock's Netflix Special
02/27 - Modern Family Star Heads to Season 2 of The Santa Clauses; 29th Annual SAG Awards Winners
02/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 27, 2023)
02/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Goldbergs to End After 10 Seasons; Decades to Rebrand as Catchy Comedy
02/24 - BUZZR's African American Greats Marathon; Hulu and Onyx Collective Comedy Completes Cast