COZI TV Columbo Toast on New Year's Day, Brings Back McMillan and Wife, Banacek and McCloud; Better Things Final Season Premieres Feb. 28

Monday, December 20, 2021

COZI TV Columbo Toast on New Year's Day, Brings Back McMillan and Wife, Banacek and McCloud; Better Things Final Season Premieres Feb. 28

COZI TV is offering a special toast to Columbo fans from coast-to-coast this New Year's Day – and keeping the spirits flowing on Saturdays throughout the year. The national multicast network will kick off 2022 with a Columbo marathon beginning at 8:00am ET on Saturday, January 1, 2022 and continuing throughout the day. One week later on Saturday, Jan. 8, Peter Falk returns in a new, weekly "Columbo and Company" Saturday block complete with six hours of the beloved television drama along with new episodes of McMillan and Wife, Banacek and McCloud; all part of NBC's iconic Mystery Movie "wheel" series from the early 1970s. Check local listings for details, but "Columbo and Company" will air on Saturdays from 8am-3pm and with more Columbo in Saturday primetime starting at 8pm. These dramas join previously announced sitcoms Amen (weekdays 3-4pm) and Gimme a Break! (weekdays 4-5pm) starting January 3.

Columbo made its television series debut September 15, 1971 on NBC. The series ran for a total of 10 seasons, shifting to ABC for its final three seasons, along with various specials through its time on television. Peter Falk won four Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the rumpled, cigar-smoking homicide detective Lieutenant Columbo homicide detective throughout its run. Directors of the series through its 10 seasons included Steven Spielberg, Ben Gazzara, and Jonathan Demme along with many celebrity guest appearances.

Better Things

The acclaimed and award-winning comedy series Better Things, directed by, produced by and starring Pamela Adlon, will premiere its fifth and final season on Monday, February 28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX and streaming on Hulu. The premiere event will feature the first two episodes of the fifth season, followed by a new episode each subsequent week. In its fifth and final chapter, Better Things focuses on 'the road ahead' for its unconventional, unfiltered heroine, Sam Fox (Pamela Adlon), so devoted to her life as a working actor and single mother of three that she's left little time for that one elusive thing: herself. As she navigates three daughters, each coming of age; the challenges of her chosen career; and her mother's increasing signs of aging (as well as her own) - Sam embraces each moment, and each member of her family, with a fierce love, raw honesty and biting humor. As each of the Fox women come of age into the next phase of their life, they are inspired to reevaluate themselves, learn from the past and find their own direction.

Pamela Adlon stars in Better Things for which she is also an executive producer, writer and the sole director for season five. In addition to Adlon, the series stars Mikey Madison, Hannah Riley, Olivia Edward and Celia Imrie. Better Things is produced by FX Productions. The final season will also feature guest stars Lena Waithe, Ron Cephas Jones, Danny Trejo, Marty Krofft, Clive Russell, Casey Wilson, Rainbow Sun Francks, Angela Kinsey, Kevin Michael Richardson, Nelson Lee, Lennon Parham and Usman Ally, as well as the return of Diedrich Bader, Kevin Pollak, Rosalind Chao, Judy Gold, Cree Summer, Alysia Reiner, Greg Cromer, Dominic Burgess, Matthew Glave and Mario Cantone.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, March 12

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Big Birthday and Tequila Shots" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Mandy struggles to celebrate Georgie’s 21st birthday after hitting a rough patch in her career.

Ghosts - "St. Hetty’s Day 2: The Help" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
A St. Patrick’s Day staffing emergency gives Hetty the chance to step into an unlikely role at the restaurant as she regains her once-a-year ability to be seen and heard by the living. Meanwhile, Kyle returns to watch over the ghosts and finds himself caught in an amusing supernatural dynamic.

Animal Control - "Squirrels and Fat Cats" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Frank uncovers Emily and Shred's secret romance during a break-in at city supply; Victoria and Patel confront his daughter's school bully.

Going Dutch - "Tinker, Tailor, Colonel, Spy" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Rick takes a sabbatical from the CIA and returns to the base, hoping to rekindle his strained relationship with Capt. Maggie; paranoia runs high when a mole is suspected to be operating inside the base.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 9)

Thursday, March 12

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.
Minnie Driver (Emily in Paris/Speechless/About a Boy) - Minnie is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Robert Smigel (Let's Be Real) - Robert stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Kristin Chenoweth (Stumble/Trial & Error/Kristin) - Kristin is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Jennifer Tilly (Out of Practice) - Andy Cohen interviews Jennifer on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan talks about Broadway's Death of a Salesman with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Ariana DeBose (Schmigadoon!) - Ariana joins Tamron to talk about her fashion evolution and her role in the all-star cast of the new series Scarpetta on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Lauren Graham (The Z-Suite/M.Y.O.B./Conrad Bloom/Townies/Good Company) - Lauren talks about Reminders of Him on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - NBC's Today catches up with Valerie in the 10am hour.
Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil and Lily Rosenthal join Drew for a taste test of weird foods and talk about their children's book Just Try It! Someplace New! (A Phil & Lil Book) on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.