Fri-Yay: Are Ghosts and The Wonder Years the Saving Graces of Network Comedy?; Ghosts Receives Full Season Order

Friday, October 22, 2021

Fri-Yay: Are Ghosts and The Wonder Years the Saving Graces of Network Comedy?; Ghosts Receives Full Season Order

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!

by Vincent

It's no secret that broadcast comedy has been in a rough state for a few years. There really hasn't been a hit, either critically or commercially, in some time now. But this year, network TV has two sitcoms drawing solid reviews, some acclaim, and even decent ratings. Those shows are The Wonder Years on ABC, which has gotten strong reviews and is doing a respectable job of holding the audience of the rest of the evening, and Ghosts on CBS, which a lot of critics and fans have given very strong reviews to, and has also pulled in respectable numbers - particularly for a high concept sitcom, on CBS of all places. (Not typically known for their daring, high concept comedies.)

These shows aren't exactly, say, Cheers or Modern Family, which were massive hits that many say "saved" the sitcom genre in their time. But maybe in 2021, a well liked sitcom with respectable reviews is the closest we can get to those massive hits. Either way, I hope both shows continue to impress.

Ghosts

Speaking of Ghosts... CBS has given a full-season order to Ghosts for the 2021-2022 broadcast season. The CBS Original series premiered Thursday, Oct. 7 with a special one-hour debut. In Live+7, its debut has the largest lift of all new and returning comedy premieres this season, adding +2.2 million viewers, bringing total viewers to 7.76 million. Ghosts airs Thursdays (9:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and is available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Ghosts is a single-camera comedy starring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar as Samantha and Jay, a cheerful freelance journalist and up-and-coming chef from the city, respectively, who throw both caution and money to the wind when they decide to convert a huge rundown country estate they inherited into a bed & breakfast - only to find it's inhabited by the many spirits of deceased residents who now call it home. The departed souls are a close-knit, eclectic group that includes a saucy Prohibition-era lounge singer (Danielle Pinnock); a pompous 1700s militiaman (Brandon Scott Jones); a '60s hippie fond of hallucinogens (Sheila Carrasco); an overly upbeat '80s scout troop leader (Richie Moriarty); a cod-obsessed Viking explorer from 1009 (Devon Chandler Long); a slick '90s finance bro (Asher Grodman); a sarcastic and witty native from the 1500s (Román Zaragoza); and a society woman and wife of an 1800s robber baron who is Samantha's ancestor (Rebecca Wisocky), to name a few. If the spirits were anxious about the commotion a renovation and B&B will create in their home, it's nothing compared to when they realize Samantha is the first live person who can see and hear them.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 30

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A New Scoreboard and a Horse’s You Know What" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie and Fagenbacher (Matt Letscher) go head to head when Fagenbacher tries to sabotage Georgie’s attempt to honor his dad. Additional guest stars include Zoe Perry as Mary, Lance Barber as George Sr. and Raegan Revord as Missy.

Ghosts - "Under New Management" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When new pressures threaten Sam and Jay’s control over Woodstone, they’re forced to navigate unexpected challenges to protect its future. Meanwhile, a long-absent ghost returns, reopening emotional connections that complicate new relationships.

Animal Control - "Lost Dogs and Bar Flies" / "French Bulldogs and White Broncos" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Roman Park takes Frank's beloved dog away from him; in an effort to get his dog back, Frank and Shred find themselves on a late-night rescue mission; Frank scrambles to find a date for a romantic sunset horse ride; Patel hosts a "sip 'n snip."

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 27)

Thursday, April 30

Desi Lydic (Awkward) - Catch Desi on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Olivia Rodrigo (Bizaardvark) - Olivia appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Adam Scott (Ghosted/Veep/Parks and Recreation/Party Down) - Adam is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Hokum on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour and on the Morning Mash Up on SiriusXM.
Juliette Lewis (Camping/I Married Dora) - Juliette drops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
B.J. Novak (The Office) - B.J. talks about The Devil Wears Prada 2 on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Co-host Gayle King talks with the cast of The Devil Wears Prada 2 on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Wilmer Valderrama (That '70s Show) - Wilmer tells Sherri about his role on NCIS on CBS on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Kate Hudson (Running Point) and Justin Theroux (Running Point) - Kate joins Drew to chat about season two of Running Point with co-star Justin Theroux on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie and Drew chat with Wolfgang Van Halen and his wife Andraia about his new music, plus a performance from his band on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
John Goodman (The Conners/The Righteous Gemstones/Roseanne/Center of the Universe/Normal, Ohio) - NBC's Today catches up with John in the 9am hour.
Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) - Jack talks about HGTV's Zillow Gone Wild on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Jess Hilarious (Rel) - Jess is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.