Monday, April 18, 2022

black-ish Finale Celebration This Tuesday; Remembering Liz Sheridan of ALF and Seinfeld

black-ish: A Celebration

Since its debut in 2014, the award-winning ABC hit comedy show black-ish has entertained and educated millions of viewers. The series brought audiences inside the difficult conversations and lived experiences many Black families have in America through the comedic lens of the Johnson family. A new ABC News special profiles the making of the groundbreaking show and explores the profound impact it had on society as it concludes its eighth and final season. The special features interviews with the show's all-star cast, including Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Marsai Martin, Yara Shahidi, Miles Brown, Marcus Scribner, Laurence Fishburne, Jenifer Lewis and Deon Cole - as well as an exclusive look at the final table read and the cast's original audition tapes. black-ish: A Celebration reflects on some of the show's most important episodes, covering topics ranging from Juneteenth to postpartum depression. black-ish stars and guest stars such as Aloe Blacc also discuss their experience working on set, the comedic genius of the show and how they feel about the series ending. Creator and executive producer Kenya Barris and episodic director Eva Longoria talk about the unique chemistry between the cast and crew over years of filming and what they hope will be the legacy of the show. black-ish: A Celebration airs Tuesday, April 19 (9:31-10:00 p.m. EDT) on ABC, next day on Hulu.

The finale airs at 9pm, right before the special. In the finale, as Pops and Ruby prepare to move away, Dre and Bow consider if they should make a big life change as well. Grappling with this idea at work, Dre receives some unexpected advice from Simone Biles, who tells him to follow his heart. The Johnsons prepare for their goodbyes in the series finale.


Liz Sheridan

Actress Liz Sheridan, who was best known for her roles as Raquel Ochmonek on ALF and as Helen Seinfeld on Seinfeld, has died. She died on April 15 at her home in Manhattan, five days after her 93rd birthday.

Liz Sheridan, Josh Blake and John LaMotta on ALF

Sheridan had a recurring role as nosy neighbor Raquel Ochmonek on the 1986-1990 NBC sitcom ALF. Raquel and Trevor Ochmonek (John LaMotta) are the dense neighbors of the Tanner family who never figured out what was going on. Jake Ochmonek (Josh Blake, Seasons 2-3) is their nephew. Sheridan was credited on 34 episodes of the series. The cast of ALF included Paul Fusco (voice only), Max Wright, Anne Schedeen, Andrea Elson, Benji Gregory and Jim J. Bullock (Season 4).

Liz Sheridan, Barney Martin, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jerry Seinfeld on Seinfeld

She had a recurring role as Helen Seinfeld on the 1989-1998 NBC sitcom Seinfeld. Helen Seinfeld is Jerry's (Jerry Seinfeld) overprotective mother. She is married to Morty Seinfeld (Barney Martin - Morty was first played by Phil Bruns in the second episode). Sheridan guest starred on 34 episodes of the series from 1990 to 1998. She was the only secondary character to appear in all nine seasons.

Some of her other sitcom guest appearances included Archie Bunker's Place, Gimme a Break!, Oh Madeline, One Day at a Time, Three's a Crowd, It's Your Move, Newhart, Brothers, Who's the Boss?, Easy Street, Throb, Family Ties, It's a Living, Good Grief, Herman's Head, Empty Nest (2 episodes), Tom, Blossom, Double Rush, Cleghorne! (2 episodes) and Complete Savages. She provided the voice of Mrs. Stillman for seven episodes of the Fox animated series Life with Louie from 1994 to 1997. She was the voice of Mrs. Rothberg for a 2007 episode of American Dad!.

She appeared as Nurse Greta Bayley on three episodes of Santa Barbara in 1985. Some of her other television drama guest appearances included Kojak, The White Shadow, Tucker's Witch, St. Elsewhere, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Riptide, Moonlighting, The A-Team (2 episodes), Hill Street Blues, Remington Steele, Cagney & Lacey, Equal Justice, Murder, She Wrote (1991), Melrose Place, Sliders, Noah Knows Best and Numb3rs.

Andy Griffith and Liz Sheridan in Play the Game

Sheridan starred as Edna Gordon in the 2009 feature film Play the Game, a romantic comedy about a widowed grandfather (Andy Griffith) who learns dating tricks from his serial romancer of a grandson (Paul Campbell). Doris Roberts played Rose Sherman. It was Andy Griffith's final film credit.

She started out in show business as a dancer. She was reportedly engaged to James Dean in 1952. In 2000, she wrote wrote a book, Dizzy & Jimmy: My Life with James Dean: A Love Story, chronicling their time together in the early 1950s. She appeared on stage in plays and musicals on Broadway, co-starring with Meryl Streep and Christopher Lloyd in the 1977 musical, Happy End, before moving to Los Angeles.

Ms. Sheridan was a talented and funny actress. Helen Seinfeld was one of TV's sweetest and nicest moms. Sheridan appeared in over a dozen feature films and 60 television movies, mini-series and series. We thank her for the laughs and entertainment that she brought us during her career. She will be deeply missed.

It's been a sad past two weeks for Seinfeld fans. Estelle Harris, who played Estelle Costanza (George's mother), died on April 2.

Share your memories on our ALF and Seinfeld message boards. View photos in our galleries.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, July 16

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Mac and Dennis Become EMTs" (FXX and FX, 9:00PM ET/PT)
After witnessing EMTs resuscitate a Paddy's patron, Mac and Dennis set out to become the pinnacle of masculinity.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 14)

Wednesday, July 16

  • Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Watch Ronny on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Owen Wilson (Stick) - Owen takes "The Colbert Questionert" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet) - Timothy appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Emily Ratajkowski (Too Much) - Emily is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about Too Much on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Kristen Schaal (What We Do in the Shadows/The Last Man on Earth/Bob's Burgers/Flight of the Conchords) and Flula Borg (Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin) - Kristen and Flula are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana) - Miley discusses her new documentary Something Beautiful ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Freddie Prinze Jr. (Freddie) - Freddie talks about I Know What You Did Last Summer on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Drew and Valerie are highlighting some extra special adoptable dogs with a local humane society on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana) and Montana Jordan (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon) - Emily and Montana are telling Drew about their hilarious Young Sheldon spinoff Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Joey Lawrence (Gimme a Break!/Blossom/Brotherly Love/Run of the House/Melissa & Joey), Matthew Lawrence (Gimme a Break!/Drexell's Class/Walter & Emily/Brotherly Love/Boy Meets World) and Andy Lawrence (Tom/Brotherly Love/Oliver Beene) - The Lawrence brothers talk about their Brotherly Love Podcast Live event in Las Vegas on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Malin Akerman (Dollface/Sin City Saints/Trophy Wife/Childrens Hospital) - Malin is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.


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)
07/22 - 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


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