Friday, October 01, 2021
Fri-Yay: The Fall 2021 Sitcom Line-up Is Pretty Bare; Bounce Renews Johnson for Season 2
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
by Vincent
Last week officially began the 2021-2022 television season. And if you're like me, you’ve wondered...where are the sitcoms? This fall's line-up is pretty light on sitcoms, with NBC dropping its comedy block entirely (for now - Mr. Mayor, Young Rock and Kenan are all set to return midseason), and Fox sticking with only its animated line-up for now. CBS and ABC will be premiering their sitcom line-ups this fall (ABC already did last week) but it certainly seems like the lightest year for new sitcoms in quite some time. The only new sitcom that has any kind of buzz is ABC's Wonder Years reboot, which did premiere to decent ratings and reviews last week. But overall, it's certainly a light fall for sitcom fans.
Truthfully, it does seem to be getting to the point where sitcoms are becoming less common on broadcast TV and more common on steaming services. NBC seems to be moving much of its comedy content to Peacock, such as AP Bio, and the buzziest new sitcom of the year is Ted Lasso on AppleTV. Is there hope for the broadcast sitcom? The next few years will be very telling.
Bounce, the leading broadcast and multi-platform entertainment network serving African Americans, announced that the hit new original series Johnson will be returning for a second season in 2022. Johnson earned more than two million viewers across its debut in August 2021, setting a Bounce viewership record for a half-hour series. Johnson's first season finale will air this Sunday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m. ET with a primetime play for the west coast at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT. All episodes are available on Bounce's streaming service Brown Sugar.
Johnson is a dramedy that focuses on life-long best friends, all of whom share the same last name, centering around their intriguing and sometimes complicated journey of love, friendship, heartbreak and personal growth. Told from the Black male perspective, but inclusive of all men, the series looks to shine a new light on hot-button stereotypes and misconceptions. Shot in Atlanta, the show integrates the culture of the city by featuring some of its most popular landmarks into storylines. The series is produced in partnership with Eric C. Rhone and Cedric The Entertainer's A Bird & A Bear Entertainment, Deji LaRay (the show's creator) and Thomas Q. Jones' Midnight Train Productions. Johnson's ensemble cast is led by D.L. Hughley, LaRay (Bosch, Greenleaf), Jones (P. Valley, Luke Cage), Philip Smithey (Switched At Birth, The Rookie) and Derrex Brady (NCIS, First). LaRay and Jones serve as showrunners and executive producers; Rhone, Cedric The Entertainer and Reesha L. Archibald serve as executive producers.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, October 20
Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "The Status Quo" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Standing at a crossroads, Philip grapples with fear, revenge, and courage; with support from his community and justice within reach, he begins reclaiming his voice while danger still looms.
The Ms. Pat Show - "Nobody's Star" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Pat battles insecurity, Denise scrambles to hide her secret plus-one at Pat's big movie premiere, Janelle needs advice from Junebug and Terry seeks answers from his long-lost aunt.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 19)
Tuesday, October 20
- Amy Schumer (Life & Beth) Catch Amy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) - Quinta appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Owen Thiele (Adults/Overcompensating/Dollface) - Owen is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Natasha Leggero (Broke/Dice/Another Period/Free Agents) and Jimmie Walker (Good Times/At Ease/Bustin' Loose) - Natasha and Jimmie will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Jane Leeves (Hot in Cleveland/Frasier/Throb) - Jane talks about Daphne & Me: My Life on Frasier (And a Bit More) on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Connie Britton (Phony/SMILF/Lost at Home/The Fighting Fitzgeralds/Spin City) and Sam Nivola (Phony) - Connie and Sam talk about Phony on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA3 at 1pm. Connie will also be on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Debi Mazar (The Pentaverate/Younger/Entourage/Working) and Romeo Miller (Romeo!) - Debi and Romeo talk about The Mob on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Katt Williams (The Tracy Morgan Show/My Wife and Kids) - Katt talks about Nine Lives, No Wives, and 69 Concubines on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Holland Taylor (Brothers/Two and a Half Men/The Naked Truth/The Powers That Be/Bosom Buddies) - Holland tells Drew about starring the hit new show Brothers on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Kathleen Munroe (Call Me Fitz) - Kathleen is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York.
- Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Chris talks about The Terminal List on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
- Jackie Tohn (Nobody Wants This/GLOW) - Jackie talks about Nobody Wants This on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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