Friday, March 18, 2022

Fri-Yay: Abbott Elementary Renewal - Does This Spell a Bright Future for ABC Sitcoms?; The Flight Attendant Returns April 21

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!

Abbott Elementary

by Vincent

This week, it was announced that ABC renewed Abbott Elementary for a second season. Abbott Elementary has been a commercial success, averaging a 2.9 rating in MP35 ratings (which tracks ratings over the course of 35 days of all linear/digital usage). Its streaming numbers are quite impressive. There is a lot of hope that this could be ABC's new flagship sitcom, which it was in need of after the end of Modern Family and the popularity decline of The Conners (which is in its fourth season).

So once again, it seems ABC is the place to be for high quality and popular sitcoms. This has been nearly a decade of dominance in comedy for ABC, and it shows no signs of stopping soon. CBS may be coming close if it develops more shows like Ghosts, the other big bright shining star of this season. But for now, ABC is leading the way (with more unique comedies potentially on their way like the pilot Josep).


The Flight Attendant - Kaley Cuoco

Season two of the critically acclaimed Max Original dark comedy series The Flight Attendant debuts Thursday, April 21 with two episodes on HBO Max. The eight-episode season continues with two new episodes on Thursday, April 28, followed by one episode weekly concluding Thursday, May 26. In the new season, Cassie Bowden (Kaley Cuoco) is living her best sober life in Los Angeles while moonlighting as a CIA asset in her spare time. But when an overseas assignment leads her to inadvertently witness a murder, she becomes entangled in another international intrigue. The season filmed in Los Angeles, Berlin and Reykjavik. Returning series regulars Kaley Cuoco, Zosia Mamet, Griffin Matthews, Deniz Akdeniz and Rosie Perez. Returning recurring guest stars T.R. Knight, Yasha Jackson and Audrey Grace Marshall. The season also stars new series regulars Mo McRae, Callie Hernandez and JJ Soria, as well as new recurring guest stars Alanna Ubach, Cheryl Hines, Jessie Ennis, Mae Martin, Margaret Cho, Santiago Cabrera, Sharon Stone and Shohreh Aghdashloo.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, March 6

Happy's Place - "Dart to the Heart" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bobbie tries to help Emmett and Isabella reconnect by forcing them into a darts tournament; Steve celebrates killing a spider until Takoda informs him about Iktomi, the Lakota trickster spirit.

Stumble - "Making Mat" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Courteney must cut one of her Buttons from making mat at Daytona; each of the team shares why Daytona is so important, but Courteney operates with her head over her heart and, after grueling tryouts, renders a heartbreaking decision.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of March 2)

Friday, March 6

  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move/Silver Spoons) - Watch Jason on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Bradley Whitford (Perfect Harmony/Trophy Wife) - Bradley appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Joel McHale (Animal Control/The Great Indoors/Community) - Joel is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose talks about Broadway's Fallen Angels on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Robby Hoffman (Hacks) - Robby is part of Joy’s Comedy Corner (comedy special, “Robby Hoffman: Wake Up”) on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Dennis Quaid (Merry Happy Whatever) - NBC's Today catches up with Dennis in the 9am hour.
  • John Slattery (Maggie/Ed) - NBC's Today catches up with John in the 9am hour.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Cafe Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew is joined by Valerie and UFC's Laura Sanko to hit the headlines at the news desk on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (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

03/06 - The Four Seasons Returns on May 28; More Details on I Suck at Girls
03/05 - COZI TV Pairs Up Al Bundy and Hondo at Last; ABC Renews Abbott Elementary for Season 6
03/04 - ABC's Scrubs Returns Big; Netflix's Little House on the Prairie Renewed for Season 2
03/03 - Prime Video's Kevin Premieres April 20; Fox Renews Best Medicine
03/02 - Running Point Returns April 23 on Netflix; A Different World Sequel Starts Production
03/01 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 2, 2026)
02/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner Now Set to Merge with Paramount, Not Netflix; X-Files Reboot Given Greenlight
02/27 - The Comeback Returns for Final Season on March 22; Animal Control Renewed for Season 5; Remembering Lauren Chapin of Father Knows Best and Robert Carradine of Lizzie McGuire
02/26 - AspireTV Gets First Ever Original Sitcom; Sullivan's Crossing Returns for Season 4 in April on The CW
02/25 - Scrubs Returns Tonight, Sneak Peek at Title Sequence; Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Reveals Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter
02/24 - Netflix's Wednesday Season 3 Adds to Cast; Wonder Pets: In the City Returns March 20
02/23 - Celebrities for ABC's Celebrity Jeopardy! All-Stars; Hallmark's Mistletoe Murders Renewed for Season 3
02/22 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 23, 2026)
02/21 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Hulu Orders New Adult Animated Comedy From Creator of Bluey; Casting News for Upcoming CBS Comedy Regency
02/20 - ABC Wednesday Comedies Find Valentine's Magic; Netflix Announces Dang!
02/19 - The Golden Girls Coming to MeTV in March; Adult Swim Announces My Two Cars
02/18 - Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special Coming to Disney+; Fox Spring 2026 Schedule and Finale Dates
02/17 - New Animated Comedy from Big Mouth Creators Coming May 22; Scottish Comedy Returns to Hulu February 25
02/16 - Saturday Night Live Returns Following the Olympics on February 28; Fox Pays Tribute to James Van Der Beek on Wednesday
02/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 16, 2026)
02/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Trailer Released for Scrubs Reboot; Tubi to Add 100 Cartoon Series from Warner and Cartoon Network Library
02/13 - Remembering James Van Der Beek of Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23; The Way Home Returns for Final Season in April on Hallmark
02/12 - ABC's Scrubs Revival Trailer and Details; XO, Kitty Returns April 2 on Netflix
02/11 - The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins Gets Post Saturday Night Live Encore; Chris Fleming HBO Special
02/10 - Celebrity Jeopardy! All Stars Premiere Shifting by Two Weeks; Virgin River Season 7 Trailer
02/09 - Shoresy Returns with Season 5; HBO Max Acquires Schitt's Creek
02/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 9, 2026)
02/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Roku Adds New Channels for Bernie Mac, Blossom, and Cougar Town; Catchy Comedy Introduces Catchy Loves Lucy
02/06 - Rooster Premieres March 8 on HBO; MGM+ Comedy American Classic Trailer
02/05 - NBC Unveils Trailer and Guest Stars for The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins; Adult Swim's Anime Series Rooster Fighter Premieres March 14