Monday, January 03, 2022

Fri-Yay: Networks Have a Few Promising Comedies for 2022; Betty White Tribute Marathons on CMT, MeTV, TV Land, Decades, Hallmark, etc.

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay (but today it's on a Monday to open up 2022)! 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!

American Auto

by Vincent

This TV season, there were a handful of new sitcoms on network TV that I was looking forward to. However, nearly all of them (with the exception of CBS' Ghosts) were held for mid-season, as the networks seem to be prioritizing unscripted shows over sitcoms again. That said, there are two sitcoms that I'm interested in: NBC's American Auto and ABC's Abbott Elementary (both had special preview premieres in December).

American Auto technically already premiered (in a preview role), and the first two episodes have been entertaining. The show is very much in vein of Superstore (which it shares a creator with), and like that show, I expect a few episodes for it to really find its voice. I still miss Superstore and felt it really had another good season or two left in it, so if American Auto can take after it, I'd be very happy. The show does need to find its own identity beyond just being "the new Office/Superstore," but solid performances from its promising cast make it one to keep an eye on.

Abbott Elementary

I'm also very interested in Abott Elementary (which also had its preview premiere in December, that encores tonight at 10pm, episode two premieres tommorow at 9). There have been few sitcoms to take place in elementary schools, so it seems like an interesting new setting for a workplace comedy. It also has gotten really solid reviews and seems to have a very talented cast. With so many sitcoms having ended in the past 2 years, there really haven’t been many new sitcoms to step up and fill their shoes. Let's hope the spring 2022 class can reach that goal.


Betty White

Betty White tributes started on Saturday, with TV Land airing the first marathon titled "Celebration of Betty White" with marathon blocks of The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland rotating all weekend starting 6pm on Saturday and continuing to 6am this morning. TV Land Sitcoms channel on Pluto TV has been airing non-stop Hot in Cleveland all weekend. NBC re-aired Betty's SNL guest host appearance from 2010 on Saturday at 11:35pm. The Hallmark Channel aired a tribute last night titled "The Lost Valentine: Remembering Betty White," an encore of their Hallmark Hall of Fame movie from 2011 from 8-10pm, followed by a The Golden Girls block from 10pm-1am. But there are much more tributes and marathons to come! Today (January 3) all-day from 9am-4am ET, CMT will celebrate the iconic Betty White with The Golden Girls All-Day Marathon featuring back-to-back episodes of some of the best Rose Nylund episodes of all-time. DECADES airs the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Betty White on Friday, January 7 at 9pm ET and select episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and encore presentations of her Celebrity Roast all weekend long beginning Saturday, January 8 at 12pm ET.

MeTV will air a Sunday block for Betty White with four episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, two episodes of Mama's Family and a guest appearance from The Love Boat on Sunday, January 9 from 2-6pm ET/PT. There were planned 100th birthday marathons already scheduled, as we mentioned a few weeks back, but MeTV has moved those Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes to Jan. 9 instead and will no longer do a 100th birthday salute on the 16th. As of now, Hallmark Channel is still airing the Golden Girls marathon from Jan. 15-17.

This Saturday, January 8 starting at 9 a.m. ET, Game Show Network will air an 8-hour marathon of Match Game episodes featuring the golden girl of game shows and America's sweetheart, Betty White. Buzzr will begin their celebration of Betty White on Saturday, January 8, at 10:30 am EST with episodes of Match Game and Match Game PM. They will feature more game shows on January 16 and 17. Keep it right here with continued updates as we get more information from other TV networks/services.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, October 9

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Big Decisions" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tensions rise when Georgie finds out the truth about Mandy’s boss, and Georgie does all he can to buy the tire store before Jim sells it.

Ghosts - "The Devil Went Down to Woodstone" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sam and Jay host a big party for the launch of Sam and Isaac’s vampire book.

English Teacher - "Lake Trip" (FX, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Evan and Malcolm take a vacation while the other teachers administer standardized tests back at school.

English Teacher - "Accreditation" (FX, 9:30PM ET/PT)
The teachers get evaluated by outside observers in an effort to earn the school a better rating.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 6)

Thursday, October 9

  • Kaitlin Olson (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia/The Mick) - Catch Kailtin on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Ryan Reynolds (Two Guys and a Girl) - Ryan is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Bridget Everett (Somebody Somewhere) and Heather Dubrow (Stark Raving Mad/Jenny/Life with Roger) - Andy Cohen interviews Bridget and Heather on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 11pm on Bravo.
  • Greta Lee (HouseBroken/Russian Doll) - Greta talks about Tron: Ares on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am, on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm, and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Kenzi Richardson (Vampirina: Teenage Vampire) - Kenzi talks about Vampirina: Teenage Vampire on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Chloe Fineman (Big Mouth/Search Party) - Chloe chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Jennifer Lopez (South Central) - Co-host Gayle King sits down with Jennifer on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya talks about Loot on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • John Corbett (And Just Like That.../Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/United States of Tara/Lucky/Sex and the City) - John and DeVon Franklin tell Sherri about their new film Soul In Fire on Sherri, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

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) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season

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

10/09 - Rachel Sennott's I Love LA Comedy Series Trailer; Kaley Cuoco Heads to MGM+
10/08 - Prime Video's Kevin Details; Trailer for Crutch with Tracy Morgan
10/07 - The CW's TV We Love Docuseries; Happy's Place Season 2 Trailer
10/06 - Dancing with the Stars Surging in Viewership, Especially Among Younger Viewers; Remembering Kimberly Hébert Gregory of Vice Principals
10/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of October 6, 2025)
10/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels The Great North; Everybody Loves Raymond Cast Set to Reunite for 30 Year Anniversary
10/03 - MeTV Acquires Everybody Loves Raymond; Hazbin Hotel Season 2 Trailer
10/02 - CBS Presents Everybody Loves Raymond: 30th Anniversary Reunion; Apple TV+ Renews Peanuts Specials Through 2030
10/01 - The CW's Six Brand New Movies Starting November 16; Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special Details
09/30 - Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025
09/29 - Netflix Renews Haunted Hotel for Season 2; Christmas Comedy Series Sicilia Express
09/28 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 29, 2025)
09/27 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Cast Comes Together for First Table Read for Reboot; Monopoly Game Show Moving Ahead
09/26 - Netflix Adds to Cast for Running Point Season 2; Stiller & Meara Apple TV+ Documentary
09/25 - Adam Pally HBO Comedy Special; Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns with Huge Ratings
09/24 - Weigel's Newest Diginet WEST Launches Monday, September 29; New Baywatch Coming to Fox in 2026-27
09/23 - DMV Trailer for CBS; Mo Amer Returns to Netflix
09/22 - SNL Season 51 Guests for First Episodes; Prime Video's Bat-Fam Series
09/21 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 22, 2025)
09/20 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Paper to Get Linear Run on NBC; Saturday Night Live Announces New Hosts
09/19 - NBC Schedules The Paper and Stumble in November; Remembering Patricia (Pat) Crowley of Please Don't Eat the Daisies
09/18 - UPtv Acquires The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Camp Rock 3 Coming Soon to Disney
09/17 - FETV Acquires The Munsters Effective September 29; Apple TV+ The Morning Show Renewed for Season 5
09/16 - Disney's SuperKitties Adds to Voice Cast; Netflix Renews The Hunting Wives for Season 2
09/15 - 77th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Letterman TV Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/14 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 15, 2025)
09/13 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount Looking to Merge with Warner Bros. Discovery; Samsung TV+ Adds Late Night with David Letterman
09/12 - Emmy Awards to Create Special Moments; Ricky Gervais Netflix Animated Comedy Alley Cats Coming in 2026
09/11 - Remembering Polly Holliday of Alice and Flo; Prime Video's Overcompensating Renewed for Season 2
09/10 - Netflix Renews Leanne for Season 2; Hazbin Hotel Returns October 29
09/09 - HBO Comedy The Chair Company; Trailer for Disney's Vampirina: Teenage Vampire