Monday, January 24, 2022

Remembering Comedian Louie Anderson; Central Park Returns March 4 on Apple TV+

Louie Anderson

Emmy-winning actor, game show host and stand-up comedian Louie Anderson, who starred as Christine Baskets on Baskets, has died. He died on January 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada, of complications from large B-cell lymphoma. Mr. Anderson was 68.

Life with Louie

Anderson created and produced the 1994-1998 Fox animated series Life with Louie. The first two episodes aired in primetime on December 18, 1994, before moving to Saturday mornings on Fox Kids in 1995. The series was based on Anderson's childhood with 10 siblings, a sweet-hearted mother and a loud, war-crazed father. He provided the voices of Little Louie and Andy Anderson, Louie's difficult, but caring father. He won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program in 1997 and 1998.

The Louie Show

He starred as Dr. Louie Lundgren on the short-lived 1996 CBS sitcom The Louie Show. Dr. Louie Lundgren is a psychotherapist dealing with his friends and family in Duluth, Minnesota. The series also starred Bryan Cranston, Kate Hodge, Paul Feig, Laura Innes, Nancy Becker Kennedy and Kimmy Robertson.

Family Feud - Louie Anderson

Anderson was the host of Family Feud from 1999 to 2002. He was a regular panelist on Funny You Should Ask from September 2018 until the show went on hiatus in 2020. He appeared on The New Hollywood Squares and Hollywood Squares. In 2013, he appeared on the ABC reality competition series Splash.

Baskets - Zach Galifianakis and Louie Anderson

He starred as Christine Baskets on the 2016-2019 FX comedy-drama Baskets. Christine Baskets is the mother of identical twin brothers Chip Baskets and Dale Everett Baskets (Zach Galifianakis). Anderson received three consecutive nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and won once in 2016 for the role.

Anderson played Lou Appleton on the Perfect Strangers unaired pilot episode. When the show was picked up, he was replaced by Mark Linn-Baker in the role of Appleton (whose first name was then changed from Lou to Larry) as the producers didn't think the chemistry between Anderson and Bronson Pinchot was quite right.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Trying Times, Grace Under Fire, Love & War, Scrubs, Half & Half, Joey, Young Sheldon, Search Party (5 episodes as Bob) and Twenties (2 episodes). His drama guest appearnces included Remington Steele, Chicago Hope, Touched by an Angel, Ally McBeal, Nash Bridges and V.I.P. (2001).

Coming to America - Eddie Murphy and Louie Anderson

He starred as Maurice in the 1988 film Coming to America and the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America. Some of his other film credits included Quicksilver (1986), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), The Wrong Guys (1988), Mr. Wrong (1996), Cook Off! (2007) and Sandy Wexler (2017).

His survivors include his sisters Lisa and Shanna Anderson.

Mr. Anderson was a gifted comedian and performer. His late night talk show appearances were always very funny. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his career. He will be sorely missed.

Share your memories on our Baskets message board. View photos in our galleries.

Jim Drake

We also remember television and film director Jim Drake. He worked on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-1977), Gimme a Break!, The Golden Girls and Night Court. He died on January 10 in Freeland, Washington. Mr. Drake was 77.

Some of his sitcom directing credits included Alice (2 episodes), Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (157), Fernwood Tonight (8), The Facts of Life (3), Sanford (26), Gimme a Break! (14), Buffalo Bill (9), We Got It Made (6), Domestic Life (5), Double Trouble (5), Newhart (5), It's Your Move (4), The Golden Girls (8), Who's the Boss? (5), Roomies (5), Boys Will Be Boys (9), Night Court (63), Dave's World (24), The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (7) and The Suite Life on Deck (2).

He directed the films Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) and Speed Zone (1989).

In addition to his wife Brigit, he is survived by his daughter Christina, son Kevin and his daughter River, stepdaughter Christel Layton and husband Bob and their daughter Katrina, his brother Tom, and also by his first wife Kirsten.

Mr. Drake received Emmy nominations for his work on Buffalo Bill in 1983 and The Golden Girls in 1986. We thank him for bringing us many sitcom episodes from 1976 to 2008. He will be greatly missed.



Central Park

Apple TV+ announced that Central Park, the critically acclaimed, hit animated musical comedy series, will return with eight all-new episodes on Friday, March 4 on Apple TV+. From creator, writer and executive producer Loren Bouchard, Josh Gad and Nora Smith, the second season of the series will debut three new episodes on March 4, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday thereafter through April 8, 2022. Central Park stars a renowned voice cast that includes Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Kathryn Hahn, Tituss Burgess and Stanley Tucci. New guest stars featured this season include Aparna Nancherla, Billy Porter, Catherine O'Hara, Ellie Kemper and Naomi Ekperigin. In a first look at the second half of the new season, Josh Gad and Rory O'Malley reunite for a catchy musical number called "You are the Music." The song is written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez and also features Tituss Burgess and Emmy Raver-Lampman.

As season two of Central Park unfolds with eight new episodes, the Tillerman family continues to navigate living in and caring for the world's most famous park. Molly experiences the trials and tribulations of adolescence, Cole is challenged by a truly embarrassing moment at school, Paige continues to chase down the Mayor's corruption story, and Owen juggles managing the park, his staff, and his family all with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, Bitsy inches ever closer to her sinister goal of claiming Central Park as her own; with Helen by her side, eternally wondering whether she's made it into Bitsy's will. Every step of the way, we are guided along by our friendly, fumbling, fiddler narrator, Birdie. The complete first season and the first half of the second season of Central Park are now streaming on Apple TV+. Since its global debut, the series has been recognized with Emmy Award nominations for stars Leslie Odom Jr., Tituss Burgess and Stanley Tucci, and an NAACP Image Awards nomination in the Outstanding Animated Series category.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Saturday, June 28

Mind Your Business - "The Boy Is Mine" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Alfonso tries to maintain his newfound bromance after Aaliyah breaks up with his new friend; Kim goes the extra mile to inject luxury into their lifestyle to impress the moms of a Black Excellence club.

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