Saturday, November 20, 2021

SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Orders Last Blockbuster Video Comedy Series; Party Down Revival Set at Starz

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! There is a lot to cover this week, and we've got the highlights, including a comedy series about the last Blockbuster, a revival of a Starz series, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

  • Even though Netflix is the one that delivered that (seemingly) final fatal blow to Blockbuster, they have now ordered a comedy series starring Randall Park about the last surviving store. (IGN)
  • A premiere date has been set for How I Met Your Father. (Deadline)
  • Party Down, a short-lived comedy series from a decade ago that is either very memorable to people or something they've never even heard of, is being revived over at Starz with most of the original cast intact. (TV Series Finale)
  • The children of South Park are all grown up in the South Park: Post Covid special. (Deadline)
  • Dave Frishberg, who wrote Schoolhouse Rock! songs including "I'm Just a Bill," has died. (Entertainment Weekly)
  • Is TV news dead in America? A former New York Times CEO thinks so, as it is not evolving to audiences under the age of 60. (Deadline)
  • Add this to your list of things you never quite saw coming: a Days of Our Lives Christmas movie that will. (TV Insider)
  • One may have thought that Live in Front of a Studio Audience was done following the last "live" special in which the entire hour was interrupted with breaking news regarding the impeachment of Donald Trump, but they're trying again with remakes of episodes of Diff'rent Strokes and Facts of Life. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (NOVEMBER 20 - NOVEMBER 26)

  • Antenna TV is celebrating Thanksgiving weekend with every episode of Coach (unless, of course, your local affiliate preempts for pointless things like a simulcast of their news, in which case a few episodes will be missing).  
  • Decades has a Riptide binge this weekend.
  • Columbo is leaving MeTV on Sunday, and in a rather unusual move by the network (which basically never airs special marathons of anything), they're actually airing a marathon of four episodes tomorrow.
  • Saved by the Bell  returns for a second season on Wednesday on Peacock.
  • South Park: Post Covid Special debuts on Thursday on Paramount+.
  • FXX, which seems to have abandoned all previous programming to become a 16 hour a day version of the Fox Sunday night lineup (the other 8 hours are filled with movies and informercials), is airing Thanksgiving themed episodes of these hits on Thursday.
  • Speaking of FXX, they added Futurama last week, leaving American Dad! as the only major Fox Sunday night animated series not on the lineup... yet (and that may have something to do with TBS airing new episodes).
  • In yet even more Fox animated comedy news (do we have enough of this today?), Adult Swim, oddly enough, is actually bringing King of the Hill back to their lineup starting Monday, sharing the series with new home FXX.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, August 29

Happy's Place - "The Doctor Is Out" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Bobbie praises Steve's progress with his OCD, he decides he's finally ready to quit therapy; Gabby embarks on a side hustle enlisting ambassadors to sell bracelets for a third party.

Happy's Place - "Alarm Bells" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Isabella requests Emmett's help getting a security system installed, Bobbie claims she can protect her sister better than any alarm or man, leading to Bobbie and Emmett having a competition over who's the better protector.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 25)

Friday, August 29

  • Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Timothy Olyphant (Stick/Santa Clarita Diet) - Watch Timothy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Austin Butler (Ruby & the Rockits/Zoey 101/Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide) - Austin is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Jenna Ortega (Stuck in the Middle/Richie Rich) - Jenna appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Clifton Davis (Amen/That's My Mama) - Clifton makes a special appearance on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World) - Co-host Gayle King sits down with Sabrina on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Danielle Pinnock (Ghosts/Young Sheldon) - Danielle talks about Ghosts on a repeat on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • David Zayas (The Bear) - David talks about The Bear and Paramount+'s Dexter: Resurrection on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
  • Regina King (The Boondocks/Leap of Faith/227) - Regina talks about Caught Stealing on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Kel Mitchell (Game Shakers/Kenan & Kel) - NBC's Today catches up with Kel in the 9am hour. He will also be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)

01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)

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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

08/29 - HBO's Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television; Adult Swim Slates Two Series for October
08/28 - NBC's Password Renewed for Season 3 for 2026; Pluto TV Streaming CBS Shows Ahead of Fall Season
08/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Renewed for Season 2 with Fred Armisen; HBO's I Love LA Premieres November 2
08/26 - English Teacher Returns on FX for Season 2; Jesse Williams Prime Video Series Trailer
08/25 - Doc Season 2 Trailer for Fox; Remembering David Ketchum and Jerry Adler
08/24 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 25, 2025)
08/23 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Home Improvement Cast Members to Reunite on Shifting Gears; The Paper to Have Binge Drop
08/22 - Hulu's Futurama Season 13 Trailer; A Man on the Inside Returns November 20 on Netflix
08/21 - George Lopez Coming to COZI TV; The Morning Show Season 4 Trailer
08/20 - Welcome Back, Kotter 50th Anniversary Marathon on Rewind TV; Apple TV+ Palm Royale Season 2 Premieres November 12
08/19 - Antenna TV's Archie Bunker's Place Labor Day Marathon; Larry the Cable Guy Prime Video Special
08/18 - Nobody Wants This Season 2 Premieres October 23; HGTV and Retta Continue Partnership
08/17 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 18, 2025)
08/16 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Plans Retool of Cable Networks; King of the Hill Revival Scores Big Ratings
08/15 - Catchy Comedy Acquires Hot in Cleveland; Netflix's Animated Comedy Strip Law Premieres in 2026
08/14 - Dan Levy's Netflix Comedy Series Cast; Betty la Fea: La Historia ContinĂșa Season 2 Premieres Friday
08/13 - Remembering Danielle Spencer of What's Happening!!; Trailer for Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building
08/12 - Netflix's Comedy Kiss or Die Premieres September 9; Lori Harvey Joins Reasonable Doubt
08/11 - Roku Originals Books a Return Trip with Season 2 Renewal of Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross; Netflix's Fixed Trailer
08/10 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 11, 2025)
08/09 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for The Paper; ABC Gives Pilot Order to Do You Want Kids?
08/08 - Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 2 Premieres September 12; The Paper Trailer for Peacock
08/07 - Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 4 Celebs; Sweetpea Season 2 Stars
08/06 - Molly Shannon Joins Will Ferrell Golf Comedy Series; Netflix's Season 2 of My Life with the Walter Boys
08/05 - Disney+ Musical Comedy Electric Bloom Premieres; NBC Renews American Ninja Warrior for Season 18
08/04 - Remembering Loni Anderson of WKRP in Cincinnati; And Just Like That... to End After 3 Seasons
08/03 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 4, 2025)
08/02 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Family Guy Specials Coming to Hulu; Jimmy Kimmel Rooting for Emmy for Stephen Colbert
08/01 - Long Story Short Gets Season 2 Ahead of Premiere; Netflix's Wayward Premieres September 25
07/31 - Solar Opposites Final Season on Hulu; Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical
07/30 - FETV Acquires The Jeffersons, Uncut; BET+ Comedy Churchy Returns August 21, BET Greenlights Sketch Comedy Series
07/29 - NBC Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; Fox Fall 2025 Premiere Dates