Friday, March 07, 2025

Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy Government Cheese; Remembering Saved by the Bell and TV Producer Peter Engel

Government Cheese

Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for Government Cheese, starring multi-award-winner David Oyelowo, who also serves as executive producer. The 10-episode comedy will make its global debut on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, April 16, with the first four episodes, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through May 28, 2025. Simone Missick, Jahi Di'Allo Winston and Evan Ellison star alongside Oyelowo in the Apple Original series hailing from creators Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr.

Government Cheese is a surrealist family comedy set in 1969 San Fernando Valley that tells the story of the Chambers, a quirky family pursuing lofty and seemingly impossible dreams, beautifully unfettered by the realities of the world. When Hampton Chambers (Oyelowo) is released from prison, his long-awaited family reunion doesn't go quite as he'd planned. During his absence, Hampton's wife Astoria (Missick) and sons Einstein (Ellison) and Harrison (Di'Allo Winston) have formed an unconventional family unit, and Hampton's return spins their world into chaos.

The ensemble cast also includes Jean-Michel Richaud, London Garcia, Djilali Rez-Kallah, Bokeem Woodbine, Jeremy Bobb, Louis Cancelmi, Julien Heron, Louis Ferreira, Thomas Beaudoin and Kyle Mac, with John Ortiz and Adam Beach.




Peter Engel

Television producer Peter Engel, who worked on Saved by the Bell, Hang Time and City Guys, has died. He died on March 4 at his home in Santa Monica, California. Mr. Engel was 88.

Engel's early television producing credits included the 1971 CBS variety series The Ice Palace, which had an ice skating theme. He was an executive producer of the 1974-1975 NBC soap opera How to Survive a Marriage. He was a producer of the short-lived 1976-1977 NBC sitcom Sirota's Court, which starred Michael Constantine, Cynthia Harris, and Fred Willard.

He was an executive producer of the 1988-1989 Disney Channel sitcom Good Morning Bliss. Starring Hayley Mills as teacher Miss Carrie Bliss, the series takes place at the John F. Kennedy Junior High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. The original pilot aired on NBC in the regular primetime timeslot of The Facts of Life. He also wrote an episode in 1988.

Peter Engel - Saved by the Bell

After one season on the air on the Disney Channel, the show was retooled as Saved by the Bell, which aired on NBC from 1989 to 1993. The show follows a group of high school friends and their principal at the fictional Bayside High School in Los Angeles. The series ran for four seasons and 86 episodes. Engel also wrote 12 episodes of the series. The series starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Dustin Diamond, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, Lark Voorhies, and Dennis Haskins.

Engel was an executive producer of the 1993-1994 NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell: The College Years. The series follows Zack Morris, Screech Powers and A.C. Slater, and their three female suitemates, including Kelly Kapowski, in the dorms at college. It was the only series of the franchise to air in primetime.

He was an executive producer of the 1993-2000 NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell: The New Class. The show had the same concept as the original series but featured a new group of students roaming the halls of the fictional Bayside High School. At seven seasons, it was the longest-running incarnation of the franchise. Engel appeared as Murray in a 1997 episode.

Engel worked as an executive producer of the 1992-1996 NBC sitcom California Dreams. The series centers on the friendships of a group of teenagers (shifting toward a multi-ethnic makeup beginning with the show's second season) who form the fictional titular band.

He was an executive producer of the 1995-2000 NBC sitcom Hang Time. The series centers on the exploits of the Deering Tornados boys' varsity basketball team of the fictional Deering High School in the fictional Midwestern town of Deering, Indiana. Engel became the showrunner for the second season, resulting in extensive changes to the show. He appeared as The Commissioner in a 1997 episode.

Engel created and executive produced the 1997-1999 USA Network sitcom USA High. The series revolves around six friends enrolled at the American Academy boarding school in Paris, France. He played Chancellor Engel in a 1999 episode.

He created and executive produced the 1997-2001 NBC sitcom City Guys. The series centers on two teenagers from different backgrounds who both attended Manhattan High School that became best friends.

Engel was an executive producer of the 1998-2001 NBC sitcom One World. The series centers on the Blakes, a family mostly made up of six racially diverse foster teenagers living under one roof under the care of parents Dave, a former professional baseball player and Karen, a sculptor.

He and Carl Kurlander co-created the 1998-2000 first-run syndicated sitcom Malibu, CA. The show centers on the lives of twin brothers Scott (Trevor Merszei) and Jason Collins (Jason Hayes), who move to Malibu, California, from New York City to live with their father, Peter (Edward Blatchford).

In 2001, he was an executive producer of the short-lived NBC comedy-drama All About Us. The series focuses on the development of four teenage girls who live and attend high school in Chicago.

After producing teen-focused series for NBC, Engel transitioned to producing reality television series. He was an executive producer of 28 episodes of the NBC reality series Last Comic Standing from 2004 to 2014. The series received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program in 2004.

He was one of the executive producers for 11 episodes of the 2020-2021 Peacock sitcom Saved by the Bell. The series is set 26 years after Zack and Kelly's wedding, with the main characters of the original series reunited in their 40s and trying to navigate their lives.

I Was Saved by the Bell: Stories of Life, Love, and Dreams That Do Come True

In 2016, he released a memoir titled I Was Saved by the Bell: Stories of Life, Love, and Dreams That Do Come True. He opened up for the first time about his life, from personal and professional highlights to the serious challenges that shaped him.

Mr. Engel was one of the most prolific producers in television with more than 1,000 episodes produced under his banner. He was the architect behind Saved by the Bell, which he executive produced through all of its many incarnations, and which led to his many other teen series. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment that he brought us on Saved by the Bell and his many other sitcoms. He will be greatly missed.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Wednesday, April 30

Krapopolis - "Mazed and Kingfused" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT)
Hippo accompanies Shlub on his journey to Minos; Ty gets glued to his throne.

Grimsburg - "Crystal Ball" (Fox, 9:31PM ET/PT)
When Flute goes for surgery to have a second testicle put in, he finds an unexpected side effect.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 28)

Wednesday, April 30

  • Allison Janney (Mom/Mr. Sunshine) - Watch Allison on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Adam DeVine (The Righteous Gemstones/Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin/Workaholics/Modern Family) - Adam appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Chase Sui Wonders (The Studio/Bupkis) - Chase stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Tim Baltz (The Righteous Gemstones) and Lennon Parham (Minx/Bless This Mess/Schooled/Playing House/Best Friends Forever) - Tim and Lennon are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Lisa Ann Walter (Abbott Elementary/Emeril) - E! News has an interview with Lisa at 11pm on E!.
  • Molly Shannon (I Love That for You/The Other Two/Divorce/Kath & Kim/Craking Up), Marc Maron (GLOW/Maron) and Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Molly, Marc and Ronny are guests on Everybody's Live with John Mulaney at 10pm on Netflix.
  • Geena Davis (The Geena Davis Show/Sara/Buffalo Bill) - Geena talks about The Girl Who Was Too Big for the Page on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am, on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT and on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
  • Jaleel White (Family Matters/Grown Ups) - Jaleel talks about The Flip Side on CBS Mornings Plus sometime between 7-9am.
  • Da'Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders in the Building/High Fidelity/People of Earth/Selfie) - Da'Vine talks about Shadow Force on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Ke Huy Quan (Head of the Class/Together We Stand) - Ke and Drew are reminiscing about acting as children and becoming close with Steven Spielberg on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. He's also telling Drew about choreographing stunts for Hugh Jackman, how he met his wife of over twenty years and making an acting comeback for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
  • JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Animal Practice/Better with You/Reba) and Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - The Drew Barrymore Show (repeat) has a Date Dish Competish with JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Kee Huy Quan, Sarah Fennel and Marc Murphy. Drew's got a date dish competish and Sarah Fennel, Ke Huy Quan and JoAnna Garcia Swisher are judging the whole thing. Team Drew and Pilar Valdes are taking on Valerie Bertinelli and Marc Murphy using three mystery ingredients to make a date night dish. Then, Drew is chatting with Joanna Garcia Swisher about season four of her show Sweet Magnolias.
  • Dennis Quaid (Merry Happy Whatever) - NBC's Today catches up with Dennis sometime between 7-9am.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda co-hosts NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Mike Epps (The Upshaws/Uncle Buck/Survivor's Remorse) - NBC's Today catches up with Mike in the 10am hour.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

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)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

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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04/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 28, 2025)
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04/25 - Classic TV's Biggest Auction; Remembering Will Hutchins and Wink Martindale
04/24 - Jerrod Carmichael's 4th HBO Comedy Special; HBO's Pee-wee as Himself Premieres May 23
04/23 - Apple TV+ Announces Comedy Series Prodigies; ABC Renews Unscripted Series Slate
04/22 - Hallmark Channel's May For Moms Month; Prime Video Gets Korean Comedy Action Series
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04/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 21, 2025)
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04/17 - BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July
04/16 - And Just Like That... Season 3 on Max This May; MGM+ Comedy Series Adds Big Stars
04/15 - HBO's Harry Potter Series; Classic TV Comes to Life in NYC
04/14 - TV Stars Lineup for Summer of 69 Hulu Film; Jessica Kirson Comedy Special
04/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 14, 2025)
04/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: FX Sets Premiere Date for Adults; Netflix Picks Up Monopoly Themed Reality Competition Series
04/11 - Bounce TV Renews Mind Your Business; AMC Networks 2025 Upfront Highlights
04/10 - David Spade's Prime Video Comedy Special; Brett Goldstein's HBO Comedy Special Filmed in New Jersey
04/09 - Paramount+ Orders Season 3 of Colin from Accounts; FX's Adults Premieres May 28
04/08 - Prime Video's New Comedy Overcompensating; Nine Perfect Strangers Returns on Hulu in May
04/07 - NBC Celebrates Joan Rivers with Special; Remembering Jay North of Dennis the Menace
04/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 7, 2025)
04/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Renews Three Animated Series and Brings Back a Fourth for Four More Seasons; ABC Renews Shifting Gears
04/04 - ABC 2025-26 Season Renewals for Scripted Series; New Season of Phineas and Ferb Returns June 5
04/03 - Fox Renews Animated Hits for 4 Additional Seasons and American Dad! Returns; South Park Season 27 Premieres July 9
04/02 - Rick and Morty Season 8 Premieres May 25; Netflix's Tires Returns June 5
04/01 - Disney Renews Wizards Beyond Waverly Place for Season 2; Prime Video Details Final Season of The Summer I Turned Pretty
03/31 - Prime Video's Dance-World Comedy Étoile; Netflix's Tom Segura Dark Comedy Bad Thoughts
03/30 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 31, 2025)