Friday, January 14, 2022

Fri-Yay: Cobra Kai Continues to Be a Delight; Fox Announces Premiere Date for Welcome to Flatch, Hulu to Release First 7 Episodes on Same Day

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

Cobra Kai

by Vincent

Cobra Kai continues to be one of my most strange loves. The show is extremely cheesy in almost every way. The characters are exaggerated, the situations are unbelievable, and the whole world of the show seems captivated by... teenagers doing karate. And yet, much like the movies it is based on, Cobra Kai's cheesy and goofy dedication to itself is what makes it so delightful.

In a world where every show wants to be an important event, Cobra Kai being dedicated to being silly is actually a breath of fresh air. It's such an easy watch, the type of show where you just turn off your brain and enjoy. While it's not a sitcom in the traditional sense, it really feels like one in the way it has a cast of characters in a crazy and exaggerated world. Plus, it's funny! Every episode gets a few laughs out of me. In its own weird way, Cobra Kai might just be the funniest show on TV right now.


Welcome to Flatch

All-new single-cam docu-com Welcome to Flatch premieres on linear television on Thursday, March 17 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Fox. That same day, Fox also will unlock the first seven episodes of the series across non-linear platforms, including Hulu, Fox Now and On Demand, so you can binge most of the series before Fox even airs the first episode that day. Inspired by BBC Studios' BAFTA-winning BBC format, This Country, Welcome to Flatch is a half-hour comedy written and executive-produced by Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City, The Greatest Showman) and directed and executive-produced by DGA Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Paul Feig (The Office, Bridesmaids), who also wrote two episodes.

When a documentary crew sets out to explore the lives of residents in a small American town - their dreams, their concerns - they stumble upon the midwestern town of Flatch, which is made up of many eccentric personalities. It's a place you want to visit and maybe even stay. If there was a decent motel. Which there is not. The documentary crew finds worthy subjects in cousins and best friends KELLY MALLET (newcomer Holmes) and LLOYD "SHRUB" MALLET (Sam Straley, "The Kids Are Alright") who let the documentary crew in on their lives and local current events. JOSEPH "FATHER JOE" BINGHOFFER (Seann William Scott, "Lethal Weapon," "American Pie" franchise) is the local minister who also attempts to guide Kelly and Shrub. He moved to Flatch with his former girlfriend, CHERYL PETERSON (Aya Cash, You're The Worst), who is the editor of the local newspaper, "The Flatch Patriot." Other Flatch residents include MICKEY ST. JEAN (newcomer Justin Linville), who relentlessly attempts to become Shrub's best friend; Kelly's frenemy, NADINE GARCIA-PARNEY (Taylor Ortega, Succession), who runs the Flatch Historical Society; and MANDY MATTHEWS (newcomer Krystal Smith), a magnetic force of nature who lives life on her own terms. The first seven episodes of Welcome to Flatch will be released on Hulu, Fox Now and On Demand on Thursday, March 17 at 12:01 AM.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, June 27

Happy's Place - "Ho-Ho-Howey" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When the tavern's health insurance is threatened to be canceled, Gabby has a plan; she'll persuade her friend Danny to host his company party at Happy's, but the catch is everyone must call Bobbie "Gabby" and Gabby "Bobbie."

Happy's Place - "Dear Jack" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Bobbie catches Isabella doing a slow-fade breakup with her long-distance boyfriend, she convinces her to send a Dear John letter; Steve brings in a review praising Chef Emmett's cooking and acknowledging the tavern's bartender, "Abby."

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 23)

Friday, June 27

  • Christine Baranski (The Big Bang Theory/Happy Family/Welcome to New York/Cybill) - Watch Christine on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) and Fortune Feimster (FUBR/Kenan/Bless the Harts/Champions) - Tig and Fortune are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Reneé Rapp (The Sex Lives of College Girls) - NBC's Today Citi Concert Series features Reneé sometime between 7-9am and catches up with her in the 9am hour.
  • Topher Grace (Home Economics/That '70s Show) - NBC's Today catches up with Topher in the 9am hour.
  • Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) - Liza talks about The Bear on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Liz Gillies (Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/Victorious) - Liz is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.


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)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (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

06/27 - The White Lotus Star Teams Up with Netflix; Remembering Bobby Sherman, Lynn Hamilton, and Rick Hurst
06/26 - The CW's Fall Movie of the Week; First Look at New York Comic Con 2025
06/25 - Netflix Renews Ransom Canyon for Season 2; My Life with the Walter Boys First Look for Season 2
06/24 - Marc Maron Gets Second HBO Comedy Special; Outlander Prequel Renewed for Season 2 Ahead of Series Premiere
06/23 - MeTV Summer Changes, Adds Adventures of Superman; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Summer Guest Hosts
06/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 23, 2025)
06/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Night Court Officially Dead After Not Finding New Home; Weigel Announces New WEST Network
06/20 - Great American Media Announces New Danica McKellar Movie; Jennifer Love Hewitt ID True Crime Series
06/19 - Bad Thoughts Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix; Zarna Garg Gets Hulu Special This July
06/18 - Weigel Broadcasting Announces WEST Network with Classic TV Westerns; Hulu's Season 2 of Such Brave Girls
06/17 - Gary Coleman's Ex-Wife on A&E Series; Digman! Returns July 9 on Comedy Central
06/16 - Hulu's Chad Powers Teaser; Prime Video's Jesse Williams Series
06/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 16, 2025)
06/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Mulls Airing The Paper on Primetime Lineup; Fox Revives Baywatch Reboot Talk
06/13 - My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman Renewed for 2 More Seasons; Hanna-Barbera Developing Adult Animated Series
06/12 - Comedy Superstar Jack Black Is the King of Comedy at Nickelodeon; Doc Adds Felicity Huffman
06/11 - Celebrities for Celebrity Family Feud Season 11; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Starts Production
06/10 - Warner Bros. Discovery Separates Company; Peacock's Jennifer Garner Series Adds to Cast
06/09 - Comedian Ms. Pat Gets Season 3 of Courtroom Series; Disney Branded Television Animated Slate
06/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 9, 2025)
06/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels Alert: Missing Persons Unit and The Cleaning Lady; Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune Headed to Streaming
06/06 - Hulu's First Look at Amanda Knox Drama; Prime Video Lands Spy Thriller
06/05 - Disney's Electric Bloom Gets Premiere Date; Conan to Guest on NBC's Late Night
06/04 - Netflix Announces Haunted Hotel with Comedic Voices; Prime Video Unveils Trailer for Thriller
06/03 - Netflix's Nobody Wants This Returns October 23; The CW Renews All American for Final Season
06/02 - Remembering Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H, Valerie Mahaffey of Young Sheldon, and The Simpsons Composer Alf Clausen
06/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of June 2, 2025)
05/31 - SitcomsOnline Digest: New King of the Hill Reboot Details; CBS Makes Late Night Changes
05/30 - FX's Adults Pilot Available on Social Platforms; BET and BET+ Premiere New Tyler Perry Series in June
05/29 - Netflix's New Chuck Lorre Sitcom Leanne; Apple TV+ Season 4 Premiere of The Morning Show
05/28 - Max Renews Hacks for Season 5; Byron Allen Coming Back to CBS Late Night
05/27 - Antenna TV Summer 2025 Schedule; Rewind TV Summer 2025 Schedule