Friday, March 25, 2022

Fri-Yay: Renewal Decisions Await for a Strong Freshman Class of Sitcoms; Apple TV+ Announces Bad Sisters; Remembering Scoey Mitchell

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!

The Wonder Years

by Vincent

As we enter the spring, it's getting closer and closer to the time where networks will decide whether or not shows will be canceled or renewed for the next season. As we look at a strong freshman class of comedies - in my opinion, the strongest in the past 10 years - it begs the question, which sitcoms will stick around for another season? Some sitcoms have already been renewed - breakout hits ABC's Abbott Elementary and CBS' Ghosts. However, many remain on the bubble.

The sitcoms still waiting on a renewal decision include ABC's The Wonder Years, which premiered to solid ratings and some hype but has seen much of that dwindle over the course of the season. Still, it seems like a good bet that ABC will give the fledging reboot another shot next season. On NBC, critically acclaimed American Auto and Grand Crew are still awaiting decisions as they have performed just OK. While they have been well reviewed, they haven't gotten the hype and commercial success of Abbott or Ghosts, and they seem like true bubble shows. Here's to hoping NBC sees their potential and gives them another shot. On Fox, newbies Welcome to Flatch and Pivoting haven't captured the same amount of attention as other freshman comedies this season. Still, I could see Fox giving one of them a chance at Season 2, particularly Pivoting which was well-reviewed despite low ratings. Welcome to Flatch has only aired two episodes (but the first 7 or so are available to stream before the Fox premiere), but the reviews aren't very good and its ratings have been even lower than Pivoting. Still, in the streaming age, you can never count any series out. Either way, let's hope some of the other sitcoms join the success stories of Ghosts and Abbott Elementary and make it to a second season.


Bad Sisters

Apple TV+ announced the title and cast, and unveiled a first-look at Bad Sisters, its highly anticipated 10 episode series from Emmy Award-nominee and BAFTA Award-winning star and creator Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe, Shining Vale) which is set to debut later this year. A delicious blend of both dark comedy and thriller, Bad Sisters follows the lives of the Garvey sisters bound together by the premature death of their parents and a promise to always protect one another. In addition to Horgan, the series will star Anne-Marie Duff (Suffragette, The Salisbury Poisonings), Eva Birthistle (Brooklyn, The Last Kingdom), Sarah Greene (Frank of Ireland, Dublin Murders) and Eve Hewson (Behind her Eyes, The Luminaries) as the Garvey sisters.

The ensemble cast also includes Claes Bang (Dracula, The Northman), Brian Gleeson (Frank of Ireland, Peaky Blinders), Daryl McCormack (Good Luck to you Leo Grande, Peaky Blinders), Assaad Bouab (Call My Agent, The Pursuit of Love) and newcomer Saise Quinn (Monster). Bad Sisters is produced by Merman productions and ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. The series will mark Horgan's first project to premiere from a first-look deal with Apple TV+ and her Merman production company.

Scoey Mitchell

Actor, writer and director Scoey Mitchell (usually credited as Scoey Mitchlll), who starred on the 1970 sitcom Barefoot in the Park and had a recurring role on Rhoda, has died. He died of kidney failure on March 19 in a hospice-care facility in Torrance, California. Mr. Mitchell was 92.

Barefoot in the Park

Mitchell starred as Paul Bratter on the short-lived 1970 ABC sitcom Barefoot in the Park. The series was based on Neil Simon's Broadway play of the same name that was later a 1967 film starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. It was the the first American television sitcom since Amos 'n' Andy to have a predominantly black cast (Vito Scotti is the sole major white character). Paul Bratter is a newlywed attorney for the law firm Kendricks, Keene & Klein living in lower Manhattan with his wife Corie (Tracy Reed). After Mitchell was fired due to "differences of opinion" with the series' producers, the series was canceled after 12 episodes. It also starred Thelma Carpenter, Nipsey Russell, Harry Holcombe and Vito Scotti.

Scoey Mitchlll as Justin - Rhoda

He had a recurring role as Justin Culp, Joe Gerard's (David Groh) wrecking company field employee, in nine episodes of the CBS sitcom Rhoda from 1974 to 1976. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Get Smart, The Mothers-in-Law, Here Come the Brides, That Girl, The Odd Couple (uncredited), Doc, Taxi, Stockard Channing in Just Friends and A New Kind of Family.

Mitchell created and produced the short-lived 1986-1987 NBC sitcom Me & Mrs. C. He also directed four episodes and wrote five episodes of the series, which was about a sixtyish white widow (Ethel Conklin - Mrs. C) taking in a young black girl (Gerri Kilgore) as a boarder. He appeared in two episodes as Reverend Kilgore. In 1984, he co-directed and wrote the TV movie Me & Mrs. C. The series starred Peg Murray, Misha McK, Gary Bayer and Ellen Regan.

He created and produced the short-lived 1989-1990 NBC sitcom 13 East, which was set at the nursing station of Ward 13 East, at a large hospital. Mitchell also directed seven episodes. The series starred Diana Bellamy, Jan Cobler, Barbara Isenberg, Ellen Regan, Timothy Wade, Marie Denn, Wayne Powers, Rosemarie Jackson, Eric Glenn and Philip Proctor.

His career began on the CBS comedy/variety series The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour in 1967. He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show six times from 1968 to 1970. He was a regular on the 1969 ABC comedy/variety series What's It All About, World?.

Some of his television drama guest appearances included The Six Million Dollar Man, Joe Forrester, Police Story (2 episodes), Baretta (2 episodes) and Lou Grant.

Scoey Mitchell - Match Game

He frequently appeared on game shows in the 1970s, including The Hollywood Squares, Tattletales, Password Plus, Match Game, Match Game PM and Super Password (1988).

Mitchell played Richard Pryor's father in the 1986 film Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling.

He is survived by his sister, Mary Warren, and brother, jazz pianist Billy Mitchell of Pasadena, California.

Scoey Mitchell

Mr. Mitchell was a talented and funny actor. After retiring from the business in the 1990s, he collected and refurbished classic automobiles. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment he brought us an actor, writer and director. He will be greatly missed.

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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, October 4

none scheduled

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 30)

Friday, October 4

  • Halle Berry (Living Dolls) - Watch Halle on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Will Ferrell (The Office) - Will and Harper Steele (Will & Harper) are guests on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This/Central Park/The Good Place) - Kristen appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) - Tien is a guest on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Sarah Paulson (Leap of Faith) - Sarah can be heard on The Morning Mash Up on SiriusXM.
  • George Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez/Lopez/Saint George/George Lopez) and Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - NBC's Today catches up with George and Mayan in the 10am hour.
  • Paul Scheer (Black Monday/Fresh Off the Boat/The League) - Paul is telling Drew all about his new memoir and answering questions from his wife June Diane Raphael on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy talks about the highly-anticipated premiere of Grotesquerie on FX on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Deon Cole (grown-ish/Angie Tribeca/black-ish) - Deon sits down to chat about his new comedy special and touring with Martin Lawrence on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Yvette Nicole Brown (Act Your Age/The Odd Couple/Community/The Big House) - Yvette guest co-hosts The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
  • John Stamos (UnPrisoned/Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progress/Full House/You, Again?) - John talks about his memoir If You Would Have Told Me on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Victoria Justice (Victorious/Zoey 101/) - Victoria discusses her film Depravity on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT and on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Paul Reiser (Mad About You/Red Oaks/Married/My Two Dads) - Paul is a guest on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

The Ropers - The Complete Series Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD) Young Sheldon - The Complete Series Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - 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

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10/03 - Jack Whitehall Holiday Comedy Special; Leighton Meester Joins Apple TV+ Series
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10/01 - No Good Deed Premieres in December on Netflix; SNL Season 50 Opens Strong
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09/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 30, 2024)
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09/27 - Apple TV+ Shrinking Season 2; FETV Highway Patrol 10-4 Day Marathon
09/26 - Max's Velma Halloween Special; Apple TV+ Peanuts Holiday Specials This Holiday Season
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09/18 - Australian The Office Coming to Prime Video; You're Laughing at CBS
09/17 - 76th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Emmys Draw Largest Audience in 3 Years
09/16 - George Lopez Gets Prime Video Special; Netflix Orders His & Hers
09/15 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 16, 2024)
09/14 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Tim Meadows to Star in New Sitcom DMV; Casting for The Office Followup Series
09/13 - ALF Anniversary Marathon on Shout! TV; HBO Orders Tim Robinson Comedy
09/12 - MeTV Halloween 2024 Events; CBS' Nate Bargatze Holiday Special
09/11 - HBO Orders Rachel Sennott Comedy to Series; Jaleel White Hosts New Game Show Flip Side
09/10 - CBS Fall 2024 Preview Special; The Franchise Premieres October 6 on HBO
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09/08 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 9, 2024)
09/07 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Only Murders in the Building Renewed for Fifth Season; Plex Adds Knots Landing and More
09/06 - Hulu's Child Stars Documentary; Keke Palmer Heads to The 'Burbs for Peacock
09/05 - Dancing with the Stars Season 33 Cast; Tia Mowry We TV Docuseries
09/04 - Nick at Nite Acquires Modern Family; SNL Stars Go Live on Peacock Next Thursday