Thursday, November 04, 2021

NBC Slates Comedy Previews in December, Including American Auto & Grand Crew; It's Always Sunny to Surpass Ozzie & Harriet for Live-Action Comedy

Kenan & Mr. Mayor

As a holiday gift to its comedy fans, NBC will air original episodes of all five of its comedy series - three returning and two new shows - during the week of Dec. 13-17 to whet the appetite of viewers looking forward to the network's highly anticipated 2022 comedy slate. All three of NBC's sophomore comedies - Young Rock, Kenan and Mr. Mayor - are returning Dec. 15, as previously announced, for holiday-inspired special episodes before they make their return to the primetime lineup in the new year to begin their second seasons.

American Auto & Grand Crew

NBC's two new comedies will also air on the network in December, and then be available on digital platforms leading into its timeslot premiere early next year. American Auto - from Superstore executive producer Justin Spitzer - will air its first two episodes in a special preview on Monday, Dec. 13 at 10 p.m. following a live two-hour telecast of The Voice. Then, on Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 8-9 p.m., Grand Crew - from Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Insecure writer Phil Augusta Jackson - will preview its first two episodes as well before The Voice finale. Premiere dates and times for all five comedy series will be announced shortly as part of NBC's midseason scheduling release.

American Auto, a new workplace comedy that takes the wheels off the automobile industry, stars Ana Gasteyer, Jon Barinholtz, Harriet Dyer, Humphrey Ker, Michael Benjamin Washington, Tye White and X Mayo. Grand Crew, a new comedy that proves life is better with your crew, stars Nicole Byer, Justin Cunningham, Aaron Jennings, Echo Kellum, Grasie Mercedes and Carl Tart.


It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's record-breaking 15th season will premiere Wednesday, December 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FXX, and stream the next day on FX on Hulu. The premiere will include the first two episodes of the 15th season, which makes Sunny the longest-running live-action comedy series in television history, bypassing The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. Sunny's remarkable run has also racked up more than 1.8 billion hours viewed since its premiere in 2005.

The record-breaking 15th season of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is its most ambitious yet. In the seismic wake of Covid-19 and all things 2020, The Gang stands at a crossroads in this strange new world. The rules are changing quicker than anyone can keep up with, despite herculean efforts from "Mac" (Rob McElhenney), "Charlie" (Charlie Day), "Dennis" (Glenn Howerton), "Dee" (Kaitlin Olson) and "Frank" (Danny DeVito) to continue business as usual. Now, they must face the music and decide who they'll become in the cultural upheaval that is 2021. Across the span of eight episodes - and the Atlantic Ocean - we find them answer in a way only they could think to. Like a fine Irish whiskey, Sunny's distinct flavor has gotten richer and intensified through the years. First barreled in 2005, the show has become a landmark for dark comedy and American satire, uniting the most devoted of fans from all over the country and abroad, and this monumental 15th season is truly one to crack open and celebrate. Continuing to deliver some of the hardest laughs on television while tackling society's most pressing issues, Sunny turns its fearless focus both outward and inward: to a national and international level but also to a deeply personal level. This is a season that sees The Gang try to exploit pandemic aid, sidestep cancel culture, evade criminal justice, reflect on their origins, and reconcile their identities and homeland roots.

Oh, and did we mention this is season 15? Sunny now breaks the record and becomes the longest-running live-action sitcom of all time. The show is executive produced by McElhenney (creator), Day, and Howerton, along with David Hornsby, Megan Ganz, Rob Rosell, Nick Frenkel, and Michael Rotenberg. None of this could be possible without the unyielding faith and courage of FX, who took a gamble on a small, homegrown show and now have cultivated one of the most vital, boundary-breaking comedies in American history. So, raise that snifter and cheers: To Sunny! Yes, it burns a little, and that's what you want.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Tuesday, May 30

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 29)

Tuesday, May 30

  • Salma Hayek Pinault (30 Rock/The Sinbad Show) - Catch Salma on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Jennifer Aniston (Friends/Muddling Through/Ferris Bueller/Molloy) - Jennifer appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Nick is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He stops by to chat about his new stand-up comedy special, Little Big Boy, on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Happyish/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Ronald Gladden (Jury Duty) - Ronald will be on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your listings.
  • Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) - Hannah is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
  • Reid Scott (Veep/My Boys/It's All Relative) - Reid appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
  • Jurnee Smollett (Wanda at Large/On Our Own) - Jurnee talks about her new film Lou on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Henry Winkler (Barry/Arrested Development/Out of Practice/Monty/Happy Days) - Henry will be on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • John Owen Lowe (Unstable) - John talks about Netflix's Unstable on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD/Blu-ray (January-June)

Growing Pains - The Complete Series Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Twelve Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI) Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI)

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)
04/04 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Fifth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
04/18 - Blondie - The Complete 1957 Television Series (Blu-ray)
04/25 - Cheers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
05/23 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - The Complete Season Eleven / The Complete Season Twelve
05/23 - Go On - The Complete Series
05/23 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (Universal)
05/29 - Gimme a Break! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/29 - Kate & Allie - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/30 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
06/13 - Mayberry R.F.D. - The Complete Series
06/13 - Night Court (1984-1992) - The Complete Series
More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD Releases / DVD Reviews Archive / SitcomsOnline Digest


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