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 / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, April 22

St. Denis Medical - "Bruce-ic and the Mus-ic" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
At the annual fundraiser, Alex and her husband, Tim, try to have a wild, kid-free night; Ron and Joyce butt heads over hosting duties; Bruce sets out to win this year's "Dancing with the Caregivers" competition.

Night Court - "Passing the Bar" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Abby gets more than she bargained for when she offers to help Wyatt's friend stay sober for the night; Dan and Julianne battle for the best prize in Gurgs' annual evidence locker lottery.

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Piece by Piece" (BET, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Calvin teams up with his ex-wife Miranda to get to the bottom of why Laura broke off their engagement; Calvin works with Ella to repair his relationship with Calvin Jr.; Curtis and Floyd attempt to get publicity for their barbecue sauce brand.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Tough Love" (BET, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Phillip makes a decision, Jeremy rethinks the way he handled the recent argument between them; everybody worries about Phillip's safety; Jeremy wonders if his tough love did more harm than good; Mr. Brown goes through a breakup.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 21)

Tuesday, April 22

  • Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Catch Will on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Dove Cameron (Schmigadoon!/Liv and Maddie) - Dove appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Keegan-Michael Key (Schmigadoon!/Friends from College/Playing House/Gary Unmarried) - Keegan-Michael makes a special appearance on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Rob Delaney (Bad Monkey/Catastrophe) - Rob appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite/Benched) - Maria is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) - Eva talks about Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon talks about The Accountant 2 on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
  • Terry Crews (Everybody Still Hates Chris/Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry is hitting the headlines with Drew and Ross Mathews on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Valerie are covering the latest headlines and hearing from a dance group of all senior citizens on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Susan Kelechi Watson (Louie) - Susan talks about Netflix’s unique murder mystery The Residence on a repeat of Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Daniella Pineda (The Detour) - Daniella is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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