Friday, December 10, 2021
Freeform Orders Animated Comedy Praise Petey; The CW Will Ask Would I Lie to You? in New Series
Freeform has ordered the half-hour animated comedy series Praise Petey (working title) from creator, writer and executive producer Anna Drezen (head writer, Saturday Night Live) and executive producer Monica Padrick (Central Park), along with Bandera Entertainment's Mike Judge, Greg Daniels and Dustin Davis, and ShadowMachine's Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico. The series is produced by Disney Television Studios’ 20th Television Animation, with animation by ShadowMachine. Praise Petey (working title) follows Petey, a New York City "it" girl who has it all until her life comes crashing down around her. As luck would have it, a mysterious gift from her father gives her a new lease on life: she’s going to "lean into" modernizing his small-town cult.
The series stars Annie Murphy (Schitt's Creek) as Petey, once the girl who had everything, now she has to use her city smarts to revamp her father’s failing cult and be a better leader than he was, a much more laidback one — a nice one — a girl boss! John Cho (Cowboy Bebop) voices Bandit, a potential love interest for Petey and a cult member since childhood whose mother was a high-ranking member. Kiersey Clemons (The Flash) voices Eliza, a bartender at the local bar and reluctant BFF to Petey, working at her new cult. Christine Baranski (The Good Fight) voices White, Petey’s mother. She's a magazine editor, Manhattan society woman and a terrifying perfectionist who's never eaten, tasted or seen ketchup. Amy Hill (Magnum P.I.) voices Mae Mae, Bandit’s Southern mama oozing with Southern hospitality who happens to be the right-hand woman of a cult leader. Stephen Root (Barry) voices Petey's loving father, a charming, homespun, stone-cold cult leader with some pretty unique ideas about meditation, space, jumping up and down in a field, and how his bloodline is necessary for the salvation of mankind. He may or may not be dead. Praise Petey (working title) will begin production in early 2022.
Actor, writer, comedian Aasif Mandvi (Evil) is set to host The CW's new alternative comedic series, Would I Lie to You? where he also serves as an executive producer. Joining Mandvi are Emmy® nominated actor and comedian Matt Walsh (Veep) and actor and writer Sabrina Jalees (Canada's Got Talent) who have been named team captains, leading opposing pairs of celebrity guests who must determine who is sharing facts and who is full of fiction in each episode on the comedy panel series produced by Truly Original executive producers Glenda Hersh and Steven Weinstock, and Evil executive producers Robert and Michelle King. The premiere of Would I Lie to You? will be announced at a later date.
Based on the original, hit British series of the same name, Would I Lie to You? is a hilarious comedy panel show that elevates the "art of lying," featuring lightning-quick team captains joined by a stellar cast of celebrity guests, including including Brooke Shields (Jane the Virgin), Emmy® nominated actor, writer and talk show host Amber Ruffin (The Amber Ruffin Show), Tony Award-winning actor and singer Laura Benanti (Gossip Girl), actor, writer, comedians Michael Ian Black (Wet Hot American Summer), Andrea Martin (Evil), Julie Klausner (Difficult People), Jordan Klepper (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah), Adam Pally (Happy Endings), Chris Gethard (Space Force), DulcĂ© Sloan (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah), as well as former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara, who weave elaborate tales... that may or may not be the truth. Competing teams, one led by Walsh and the other by Jalees, then ask questions and watch body language to determine which are outrageous but true, and which are made-up stories.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Wednesday, January 22
Shifting Gears - "Job" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Riley, desperate for work, reluctantly takes a job at Matt’s shop. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Stitch secretly stray from Matt’s vision on a high-stakes restomod project.
Abbott Elementary - "Strike" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
City buses have stopped running due to a strike, resulting in many students being absent from school. The teachers at Abbott try to find creative solutions and adapt to hybrid learning. Meanwhile, Gregory and O’Shon strike up a friendship.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 20)
Wednesday, January 22
- Lucy Liu (Joey/Pearl) - Watch Lucy on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Utkarsh Ambudkar (Ghosts/White Famous), Betsy Sodaro (Ghosts/Duncanville/Disjointed/Animal Practice) and Punam Patel (Ghosts/Return of the Mac/Kevin from Work) - Utkarsh, Betsy and Punam are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Morris Chestnut (Out All Night) - Morris talks about Watson on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am, on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour, and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) and Nick Kroll (Big Mouth/The League/Cavemen) - Andrew, Nick and Lin-Manuel Miranda are chatting with Drew about their Broadway show All In: Comedy About Love on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. They're also talking to Drew about parenting advice, how they were raised and how comedy brings people together.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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
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