Friday, July 23, 2021
Fri-Yay: 2021 Emmy Nominations Heavy on New Comedies, Light on Traditional Sitcoms; That Damn Michael Che Gets a Second Season

by Vincent
The 2021 Emmy nominations were announced last week, and there are six series up for the Outstanding Comedy Series nominations. Those series are: black-ish, Cobra Kai, Emily in Paris, Hacks, The Flight Attendant, The Kominsky Method, Pen15 and Ted Lasso. If you haven't heard of most of these shows, you may not be alone - almost all of these series are either new or haven't been nominated previously. It's a fresh group of new nominees now that previous Emmy favorites like Modern Family, The Good Place, and Schitt's Creek have ended, and other favorites like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel did not produce episodes during the eligibility period this year. Not only is it heavy on new series, but it's light on what one might call traditional sitcoms. Really, only black-ish can be called a traditional comedy, while the other shows are more in the "dramedy" category.
Because of this, it's really hard to guess which shows will win the Outstanding Comedy Series award. Traditionally, the Emmys like to award traditional comedies over "dramadies", although that's been changing with shows like Fleabag and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel taking home the top prize in recent years. Furthermore, not a single series nominated has previously won the award (although black-ish has been nominated many times). It sort of feels like a year where the Emmys struggled to pick series to get behind - reflecting what an overall down year it's been for sitcoms. It'll be interesting to see which direction the Emmys go in, because at this point I truly have no idea.
HBO Max has renewed the Max Original comedy series That Damn Michael Che for a second season. The series debuted in May of this year and stars Michael Che (Saturday Night Live). Season one is available to stream now. Season one of this groundbreaking new original comedy series uses sketches and vignettes to illustrate what it feels like to experience various everyday situations including racial profiling, unemployment, falling in love and more, from Michael's perspective.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight
Friday, March 24
Lopez vs. Lopez - "Lopez vs Cheating" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When a visiting veterinarian takes an interest in Mayan, she worries that she might be destined to repeat the Lopez legacy of cheating, dating all the way back to her Aztec ancestor Tonto Tecate-Can.
Grand Crew - "Wine & Ojai" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The crew takes a trip to Ojai, and there's wine.
Saturdays - "Skates, Lies & Videos" (Disney Channel, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Paris, Ari and Simone learn that a music video is being recorded at Saturdays; they decide they have to be in it, but they have to age up to look 18.
Saturdays - "Come Back to Me" (Disney Channel, 9:30PM ET/PT)
London begins his new job as the rink's DJ and starts to embarrass Paris; Paris hatches a plan to turn London's world upside-down so her world can be right-side up again.
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)
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)
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