Fri-Yay: Brooklyn Nine-Nine Is Addressing Police Misconduct On Its Way Out the Door; Netflix Renews Never Have I Ever for Season 3

Friday, August 20, 2021

Fri-Yay: Brooklyn Nine-Nine Is Addressing Police Misconduct On Its Way Out the Door; Netflix Renews Never Have I Ever for Season 3

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!

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - The Good Ones

by Vincent

Last week, the 8th and final season of Brooklyn Nine-Nine premiered on NBC. It has been 16 months since the show last aired (the 7th season concluded in April 2020 - the show sat out for the regular 2020 - 2021 broadcast season.) Needless to say, a lot has changed in that time, particularly with the topic of police officers. Just a few months after the 7th season ended, the George Floyd video shocked America, and led to a discussion on police brutality and reforming police systems in the US. Brooklyn Nine-Nine threw out all of their previous ideas for the 8th season, hence the long delay in between Seasons 7 and 8. The show's premiere episode last week directly addressed this turmoil. Not only did Rosa quit the police force due to her uncomfortableness helping a system that has wronged so many, but Jake finds himself being called a "pig" and part of the problem.

In some ways, this isn't new territory for the show, which has always depicted the police officers outside of the 99 to be corrupt in many ways. But this was the first time the show seemed to reckon with the fact that its officers could be part of the problem, or at least that its characters reckoned with it. It was an interesting tonal shift for the show, although the second episode of the one-hour premiere was much more traditional Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Still, the final season certainly seems to have a bit of a darker vibe overall. Not only is the show addressing real world issues head on, it broke up Captain Holt and his husband Kevin, in a move that shocked many fans. The show has always been a generally light-hearted sitcom, although it has dipped its toes into serious issues before (such as racial profiling and the Me Too movement), but this feels like the most upfront and personal the show is getting with these issues, and it seems to also be willing to experiment with messing up its characters' personal lives. Typically, planned final seasons of sitcoms tend to be a celebration of shorts, and are often a little lower stakes, meant to celebrate the show that we love and demonstrate where our beloved characters are ending up. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, on the other hand, might be going in another direction. It'll be interesting to see how the show manages to balance these tones as it finishes out its run.

Never Have I Ever

Netflix has renewed Never Have I Ever for a third season. Netflix's Head of Global TV Bela Bajaria broke the news during her TCA remarks. Never Have I Ever is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with 3 Arts Entertainment, Original Langster, and Kaling International. Returning cast includes: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Jaren Lewison, Darren Barnet, Lee Rodriguez, Ramona Young with narration from John McEnroe. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming globally, only on Netflix. Never Have I Ever is a coming-of-age comedy about the complicated life of a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl. In Season 2, Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) continues to deal with the everyday pressures of high school and drama at home, while also navigating new romantic relationships. Never Have I Ever is created by executive producer Mindy Kaling, with Lang Fisher serving as co-creator, executive producer, showrunner and writer. The Universal Television project is also executive produced by 3 Arts Entertainment's Howard Klein and David Miner.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, December 23

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Vote" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dave gathers everyone for a lengthy ballot-palooza party to discuss the merits of every candidate and prop on each of their election ballots. Also, Gemma is determined to run a tight ship as their local precinct captain when polls open at Walcott Academy.

Poppa's House - "Sleepover" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Dr. Ivy Reed joins Poppa’s family for dinner, she begins scrutinizing Nina and Junior’s relationship for potential catastrophe. Junior spends the night at his dad’s house while Nina and Ivy devise a plan over a bottle of wine.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Black Ice" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
On Valentine's Day, when it comes to showing affection, Bob and Abishola have to find a way to meet each other in the middle.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Where's Your Other Wives, Tunde?" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dottie, Auntie Olu and Uncle Tunde must find a way to reconcile when they're forced to eat dinner together; Bob and Abishola have differing opinions on the progress of their relationship.

The Conners - "Rage Against the Machine" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Dan gets injured while covering D.J.'s vending machine route, the decision to sue the company could cost D.J. his job; Jackie is appalled when Becky seeks life coaching from her nemesis.

The Conners - "Smoking Penguins and Santa on Santa Action" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dan is disappointed when everyone but Becky forgets about his birthday; Darlene faces another issue; Dan excludes Jackie from the family Christmas Santa photo for mistreating Louise.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 23)

Monday, December 23

John Mulaney (Mulaney) - Watch John on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Linda Cardellini (No Good Deed/Dead to Me/Guys Like Us) - Linda is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World) - Sabrina appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Rosemarie DeWitt (United States of Tara) - Rosemarie appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Brandon Kyle Goodman (Human Resources) - Brandon is a guest on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Ilana Glazer (Broad City) - Ilana appears on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
Megan Hilty (Sean Saves the World) - Megan appears on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
James Van Der Beek (Friends with Better Lives/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - James chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Tony Shalhoub (We Are Men/Stark Raving Mad/Wings) - NBC's Today has The 70 Club with Tony in the 9am hour.
Jennifer Love Hewitt (Shaky Ground) - Jennifer talks about Lifetime's The Holiday Junkie on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Alexa PenaVega (Ruby & the Rockits) - Alexa talks about Great American Family's Love at the Kettle on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.