Monday, January 24, 2022
Remembering Comedian Louie Anderson; Central Park Returns March 4 on Apple TV+

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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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 7
The Conners - "It's Gonna Be a Great Day" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Darlene celebrates her promotion, hoping it will allow her to spend more time with Ben; Jackie stumbles upon an opportunity to sue the pharmaceutical company responsible for Roseanne's addiction, which sparks a family debate.
The Conners - "Fame, Flying Fists and Cold Feet" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Conners get a taste of fame when their family restaurant is featured in a reality TV show, which inspires Becky to become an influencer; Jackie and Dan meet with a lawyer; Darlene connects with someone at The Lobo Lounge.
The Conners - "Applications, Accusations and a Man-Bag" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Jackie decides to rejoin the police force despite everyone's concerns; Darlene grows more skeptical about Mark's secretive behavior; Dan and Becky wade through uncomfortable conversations about Roseanne's addiction issues and death.
The Conners - "Danny Boy, the Interview, the New Hire, and the Hanging Chad" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dan sidesteps vulnerable emotions surrounding Roseanne's death ahead of an upcoming deposition; Becky prepares for a job interview; Harris impulsively hires a new server at the Lunch Box.
The Conners - "Exercise Bands, Money Plans, and Faraway Lands" (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ahead of the deposition, Dan gets support from Jackie, Becky and Darlene; Mark is presented with an opportunity which leads to a major life decision; Becky and Tyler consider the next step in their relationship.
The Conners - "The Truck Stops Here" (ABC, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Jackie prepares for a series of physical tests in an effort to rejoin the police force; Darlene confronts the insecurities in her marriage with Ben; Dan's deposition stirs up feelings; final farewells are made in true Conner family fashion.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 1)
Friday, June 6
- Paul Rudd (The Shrink Next Door/Living with Yourself/Wild Oats) - Watch Paul on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ike Barinholtz (The Studio/The Afterparty/Bless the Harts/The Mindy Project/Eastbound & Down) - Ike appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- David Oyelowo (Government Cheese), Bokeem Woodbine (Government Cheese/Battery Park) and Simone Missick (Government Cheese) - David, Bokeem and Simone are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney appears on Real Time with Bill Maher at 10pm on HBO.
- Sarita Choudhury (And Just Like That...) - Sarita talks about And Just Like That... on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Mark Hamill (The Texas Wheelers) - Mark chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Brianne Howey (Dollface) - Brianne chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
- Steve Guttenberg (No Soap, Radio/Billy) - Steve talks about Kidnapped by a Killer: The Heather Robinson Story on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew talks about I Don't Understand You on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am and on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- Lena Waithe (Master of None) and Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show/Cosby) - Lena and Phylicia talk about The Chi on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Mark Hamill (The Texas Wheelers) - NBC's Today catches up with Mark in the 9am hour.
- Natasha Rothwell (How to Die Alone/Insecure) - Natasha talks about The White Lotus on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD and 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)
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