Friday, April 15, 2022
Hacks Returns May 12 on HBO Max; IMDb TV Rebrands as Freevee; Remembering Gilbert Gottfried
HBO Max and Universal Television announced the Emmy®-winning and critically-acclaimed Max Original comedy series Hacks will debut its second season Thursday, May 12 with two episodes. The eight-episode season continues with two new episodes a week, concluding June 2. The dark mentorship between legendary Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) and her young, entitled writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) continues to evolve as the two travel across the country workshopping Deborah’s new stand-up act.
Jean Smart, an Emmy®, SAG Awards® and Critics Choice Awards winner for her performance in season one of the series, will return along with Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins and Jane Adams, who were all nominated for Emmys for the first season. Returning cast members Christopher McDonald, Kaitlin Olson, Paul W. Downs, Poppy Liu, Rose Abdoo, Mark Indelicato, Meg Stalter, Angela E. Gibbs, Luenell, Johnny Sibilly, Joe Mande, Ally Maki and Lorenza Izzo also star. New recurring guest stars Laurie Metcalf, Martha Kelly, Ming-Na Wen and Susie Essman, and guest stars Margaret Cho and Devon Sawa join in the new season.
Amazon's free streaming service announced a rebrand to Amazon Freevee, the new name for IMDb TV, beginning April 27. Over the last two years, the ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) service experienced rapid growth - tripling monthly active users - driven by rapid distribution across living room devices and mobile, an increasing slate of Originals, an always updating library of highly sought movies and TV shows, and over 60 FAST channels. Following a successful launch in the UK last September, Freevee will continue its international expansion with a launch in Germany later this year.
Freevee will grow its Originals slate by 70% in 2022, including the spinoff of the longest-running Original series for Prime Video, Bosch: Legacy, premiering May 6; a new home-design series, Hollywood Houselift with Jeff Lewis; Greg Garcia's comedy series Sprung; the Australian crime drama Troppo; and High School, a scripted series adapted for television by Clea DuVall, produced by Plan B, and based on the New York Times best-selling memoir by Grammy-nominated, platinum recording artists Tegan and Sara Quin. Amazon's free streaming service will announce additional greenlights at its NewFronts presentation on May 2.
Additionally, the free streaming service will add exclusive Original movies to its already robust slate, starting with a greenlight order for the workplace rom-com Love Accidentally, starring Brenda Song and Aaron O'Connell. In Love Accidentally, Alexa (Song) and Jason (O'Connell) are competing for a promotion at their advertising firm when each of their significant others breaks up with them. Thinking she has texted a friend, Alexa mistakenly sends Jason a brokenhearted message. The two spark up an anonymous relationship via text with neither aware of who the other really is. When the truth comes out, will they be able to put their rivalry aside and let true love prevail? Love Accidentally also features Denise Richards and Maxwell Caulfield, while Barry Barnholtz, Zelma Kiwi, and Jeffrey Schenck serve as executive producers.
Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried, who guest starred on more than 20 sitcoms, has died. He died on April 12 in Manhattan from recurrent ventricular tachycardia, complicated by type II myotonic dystrophy. Mr. Gottfried was 67.
Gottfried had a recurring role as Lewis Blanchard, Carlton Blanchard's (William Hickey) equally irritating nephew, on three episodes of Wings from 1994 to 1995. Some of his other 1980s and 1990s sitcom guest appearances included The Cosby Show, Night Court (3 episodes as Oscar Brown), A Different World (2 episodes), Herman's Head, Living Single, The Parent 'Hood, Married with Children, Mad About You, Hope & Gloria, In the House, Clueless, Jenny, The Tom Show and Cosby. He played Bert Banner in the 1994 TV movie Saved by the Bell: Wedding in Las Vegas, which was series finale for Saved by the Bell: The College Years.
Some of his later sitcom guest appearances included Son of the Beach (2 episodes as Noccus Johnstein), Becker, Greg the Bunny (2 episodes), Hannah Montana, 30 Rock (voice), 'Til Death (2 episodes), Anger Management, Deadbeat, The Jim Gaffigan Show (2 episodes), Episodes and Crashing.
In 1987, he starred as Norman on the Cinemax sitcom pilot Norman's Corner. It was co-written by Larry David prior to creating Seinfeld. It was the first sitcom pilot to be shot in HD.
Gottfried was a cast member for 12 episodes on the sixth season (1980-1981) of Saturday Night Live. He was a regular on the late night talk show Thicke of the Night in 1983. He was the Saturday night host of USA Network's USA Up All Night from 1989 to 1998.
He was a regular on the Tom Bergeron era of Hollywood Squares from 1998 to 2004. Some of his other television guest appearances included Superboy (2 episodes), Silk Stalkings, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2 episodes).
Gottfried was known for speaking in a loud and grating voice, which was not his natural speaking voice. He was the voice of parrot Iago in the Aladdin animated films and series. He was the voice of Digit LeBoid on the PBS Kids series Cyberchase. Some of his other voice credits included Problem Child, Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (1998), Dilbert, Fairly OddParents, House of Mouse, Justice League Action, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (as Kraang Subprime), Family Guy (2 episodes) and Smiling Friends. He provided the voice of the duck in the Aflac commercials from 2000 to 2011.
He starred as accountant Sidney Bernstein in Beverly Hills Cop II (1987). He played adoption agent Igor Peabody in Problem Child (1990) and Problem Child 2 (1991). In 2014, he played Abraham Lincoln in A Million Ways to Die in the West. The documentary Gilbert (2017) explored his life and career.
Survivors include his wife, Dara Kravitz, and their two children, Lily and Max.
Mr. Gottfried was a strange and funny actor and comedian. His late night talk show appearances were always entertaining. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment that he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.
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Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Sunday, December 22
Bob's Burgers - "The Nightmare 2 Days Before Christmas" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When the power goes out two days before Christmas, The Belchers must spend the holiday at Mr. Fischoeder's family's old hunting lodge.
Krapopolis - "Krapocalypse" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tyrannis is stuck in a time loop trying to save the city.
The Simpsons - "The Man Who Flew Too Much" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The new and improved Pin Pals travel to Capital City for their first ever state bowling championship.
Universal Basic Guys - "The Devil You Know" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mark insists on teaching his son Darren how to throw a handmade boomerang that was gifted to Darren by his father; the two soon find themselves on a trek deep into the Jersey woods; David is the recipient of a sex doll that he swears he didn't order.
The Great North - "The Lies Aquatic Adventure" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
While Beef is away, the Tobin fishing boat goes missing; the Tobin siblings wildly speculate on what could have happened.
Krapopolis - "National Lampoon's The Odyssey!" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The family takes a vacation to Storgos for Shlub's mother's birthday.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Full-Frontal Dottie" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Excited by her physical therapy progress, Dottie insists she is ready to return to MaxDot, much to Bob, Douglas and Christina's dismay.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 16)
Sunday, December 22
- Teyonah Parris (No Good Deed/Survivor's Remorse) - Catch Teyonah on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
New on DVD and 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 UHD)
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)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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