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Disney+ Announces Brand New The Simpsons Episodes; Remembering the Sitcom Stars and Crew Members We Recently Lost

Disney+ announced three all-new episodes of The Simpsons set to stream exclusively on Disney+ globally this summer, following the series' recent landmark 800th episode milestone. The episodes include double-episode "Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition" streaming June 17, and full-length episodes "Simpsley" streaming July 3, and "Yellow Mirror" streaming August 26.

"Extreme Makeover: Homer Edition"
Premieres June 17, 2026, exclusively on Disney+
In this Disney+ exclusive double-episode, Homer and Marge’s fun couples’ date night goes off the rails when Marge learns Homer left the kids unsupervised with only the doorbell camera as a babysitter. Frustrated with her imperfect husband, a tipsy Marge stirs up a trilogy of fantasies of a different Homer. The special guest stars Betty Gilpin, with musical guests Laufey and Tegan and Sara.

"Simpsley"
Premieres July 3, 2026, exclusively on Disney+
When penniless con-artist Marge Bouvier is sent to Italy to convince wealthy sap Seymour Skinner to come home, she’s tempted by the trappings of his affluent lifestyle. But there’s a big fat fly in the ointment: Skinner’s clingy, dim-witted mooch of a houseguest, Homer Simpsley. Lies, lust and Italian lira are abound in this Disney+ exclusive Simpsons noir.

"Yellow Mirror"
Premieres August 26, 2026. exclusively on Disney+
A defective lamp reveals a heartbreaking truth about what Homer believes is reality, and an AI-powered tablet befriends and controls Maggie. The Simpsons struggle to find the light through two dark tales of the curious and bizarre in this Disney+ exclusive.

The new episodes continue Disney+'s growing collection of exclusive The Simpsons content, including previous installments "Yellow Planet," "The Past and the Furious" and "O C'Mon All Ye Faithful."

Today we remember the sitcom actors, producers, directors and writers we lost in recent months. We thank them for the laughs and entertainment. They will be greatly missed.

Producer Jay Daniel worked on Roseanne and Cybill. He died on May 27 at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center of a pneumonia-related illness. Mr. Daniel was 82.

Daniel was a producer on the 1985-1989 ABC comedy-drama Moonlighting, which stars Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis. He and others shared outstanding drama series nominations in 1986 and 1987. He directed four episodes of the series from 1987 to 1989.

He was a producer on the ABC sitcom Roseanne starting from the third season in 1990 until the sixth season in 1994. He developed and executive produced Cybill, which stars Cybill Shepherd, on CBS from 1995 to 1996. Some of his other sitcom producing credits included ABC's The Naked Truth in 1997, The WB's Maybe It's Me from 2001 to 2002, and ABC's Hot Properties in 1995.

In 1984, he won a Daytime Emmy for outstanding children's informational/instructional special for producing the CBS Schoolbreak Special episode titled "Dead Wrong: The John Evans Story".

Director and actor Howard Storm worked on Mork & Mindy and Valerie (later re-titled Valerie's Family and The Hogan Family). He died at his home in Beverly Hills, California, on May 26. Mr. Storm was 94.

Storm's sitcom acting credits included Hennesey (1959), Love, American Style (1970), The Governor & J.J., That Girl, Funny Face, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, Chico and the Man, Sanford and Son, Rhoda (2 episodes), C.P.O. Sharkey, and Good Grief.

He directed 59 episodes of the ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy from 1978 to 1981. He directed 28 episodes of the NBC sitcom Valerie (later re-titled Valerie's Family and The Hogan Family) from 1986 to 1989.

Some of his other sitcom directing credits included Rhoda (6 episodes), Doc (8 episodes), Fish, Laverne & Shirley (8 episodes), Angie (3 episodes), Taxi (2 episodes), Gimme a Break! (2 episodes), Mr. Merlin, Best of the West (6 episodes), Joanie Loves Chachi, Too Close for Comfort (3 episodes), Amanda's (7 episodes), Perfect Strangers, What a Country! (4 episodes), Me & Mrs. C, (7 episodes), Mr. Belvedere, Just the Ten of Us (2 episodes), She's the Sheriff (2 episodes), ALF, City (13 episodes), Good Grief (11 episodes), Head of the Class (10 episodes from 1990 to 1991), Billy (4 episodes), Major Dad (2 episodes), Daddy Dearest (5 episodes), Everybody Loves Raymond (3 episodes), and Kenan & Kel (4 episodes).

Storm's sitcom writing credits included The Partridge Family, All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show, and Happy Days.

In 1985, he directed his only feature film, Once Bitten, starring Lauren Hutton and Jim Carrey in his first major lead role.

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on August 20, 2008.

Actor Grizz Chapman had a recurring role as Grizz in 30 Rock. He died on on May 22. Mr. Chapman was 52.

Chapman appeared as Grizz in 80 episodes of the NBC sitcom 30 Rock from 2006 to 2013. Warren "Grizz" Griswold is a gentle giant member of Tracy Jordan's (Tracy Morgan) entourage. He was a recurring character during the first two seasons. He was credited as a series regular in seasons three and four.

Some of his other television credits included Blue Bloods, The Blacklist, and The Good Fight.

Writer and producer Jeffrey Lane worked on Mad About You and Bette. He died on May 20 following a long illness in New York. Mr. Lane was 71.

Lane wrote an episode of The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd in 1987. He wrote four episodes of The Slap Maxwell Story from 1987 to 1988. He initially came up with the concept of Ink, but he was replaced by Diane English at the last minute.

He wrote 15 episodes of the NBC sitcom Mad About You and worked as an executive producer from 1992 to 1995. He created and executive produced the 2000-2001 CBS sitcom Bette, which starred Bette Midler.

Some of his other television writing credits included Ryan's Hope, Lou Grant, Dynasty (1982), Cagney & Lacey (12 episodes), and Boone.

Actor Donald Gibb starred as Leslie "Dr. Death" Krunchner in the HBO sitcom 1st & Ten. He died from complications of throat cancer at his home in Texas on May 12. Mr. Gibb was 71.

Gibb starred as linebacker Leslie "Dr. Death" Krunchner in the 1984-1991 HBO sitcom 1st & Ten. The sports-themed series follows the on-and off-field antics of the fictional American football team, the California Bulls. Gibb, Cliff Frazier, Prince Hughes, and Reid Shelton were the only cast members who appeared in all six seasons of the series.

He starred as Scab, Lorraine Popowski's (Rosie O'Donnell) illiterate biker friend, in the short-lived 1992 Fox sitcom Stand by Your Man. The series also starred Melissa Gilbert, Sam McMurray, Rick Hall, Rusty Schwimmer, Ellen Ratners, and Miriam Flynn.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Alice, Just Our Luck, Benson, The Facts of Life, 227, My Two Dads (2 episodes), Dear John, Night Court (1990), Doctor Doctor, Sons and Daughters (2 episodes), True Colors, Cheers, Harry and the Hendersons (2 episodes), Daddy Dearest, Hearts Afire, Empty Nest (2 episodes), Boy Meets World, Muddling Through, Seinfeld, Murphy Brown, Kirk, Unhappily Ever After, Weird Science (3 episodes), Homeboys in Outer Space, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Step by Step (6 episodes), Arli$$, The Steve Harvey Show, and Veronica's Closet.

He starred as as the hulking, dimwitted fraternity brother Frederick "Ogre" Palowaski in Revenge of the Nerds (1984), Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise (1987), and Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love (1994). He starred as Ray Jackson in Bloodsport (1988) and Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996).

Actor Dennis Rush had a recurring role as Howie Pruitt in The Andy Griffith Show. He died whilst en route to a hospital in San Diego on May 9. Mr. Rush was 74.

Rush was best known for his role as Howie Pruitt, Opie Taylor's (Ron Howard) friend, in seven episodes of the CBS sitcom The Andy Griffith Show from 1963 to 1965. He played Howie Williams in a season five episode.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Lucy Show Going My Way, and My Favorite Martian. Some of his other television credits included The Deputy, General Electric Theater, Checkmate (2 episodes), Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Wagon Train (7 episodes), Perry Mason, Laramie (3 episodes), Breaking Point, Kraft Suspense Theatre, and The Magical World of Disney (2 episodes).

Businessman, television producer, media proprietor, and philanthropist Ted Turner founded CNN and WTBS. He died following a long battle with Lewy body dementia at his 29,000-acre (12,000 ha) Avalon Plantation home in Lamont, Florida, on May 6. Mr. Turner was 87.

In 1965, he founded Turner Broadcasting System. He founded CNN, the first 24-hour cable news channel, and WTBS, which pioneered the superstation concept in cable television. He also founded the television networks TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network, and Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

He appeared as himself in a 1997 episode of the HBO sports comedy series Arli$$.

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on June 12, 1999 and December 6, 1999.

Television writer, director and producer David Kendall worked on Growing Pains and Boy Meets World. He died on May 2. Mr. Kendall was 68.

Kendall's sitcom writing credits included Just the Ten of Us, Growing Pains (32 episodes), Kelly Kelly (7 episodes), Family Affair (2 episodes in 2002), and Girl Meets World. Kendall and Bob Young created the 2010-2015 Freeform sitcom Melissa & Joey.

He directed 13 episodes of Boy Meets World from 1995 to 1999. Some of his other sitcom directing credits included Kelly Kelly, Sister Sister (1999), Clueless, Smart Guy, Odd Man Out (9 episodes), Even Stevens, That's So Raven, Phil of the Future (6 episodes), Hannah Montana (5 episodes), Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (9 episodes), Just Jordan (3 episodes), Zoey 101 (5 episodes), Cory in the House (2 episodes), Jonas, iCarly (14 episodes), Big Time Rush (4 episodes), Victorious (6 episodes), Pair of Kings (9 episodes), The Thundermans (4 episodes), Dog with a Blog (3 episodes), Melissa & Joey (7 episodes), Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn (2 episodes), Kirby Buckets (9 episodes), Stuck in the Middle (15 episodes), Bizaardvark (14 episodes), Game Shakers (11 episodes), Henry Danger (9 episodes), Coop and Cami Ask the World (8 episodes), and Sydney to the Max (11 episodes).

Kendall served as showrunner for the second and third seasons of Boy Meets World. Some of his sitcom producing credits included Growing Pains, Kelly Kelly, Boy Meets World, and Melissa & Joey.

Actress Gwen Farrell Adair had a recurring role as various nurses in M*A*S*H. She died in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, on April 30. Ms. Farrell Adair was 93.

She appeared as various nurses in 26 episodes, including the series finale, of the the 1972-1983 CBS sitcom M*A*S*H. Her credited roles included Nurse Butler, Nurse Wilson, Nurse Able, and Nurse Gwen. The series, produced by 20th Century-Fox Television, follows a team of doctors and support staff stationed at the "4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War (1950–1953).

Actor Patrick Muldoon guest starred in episodes of Who's the Boss? and Saved by the Bell. He died at his home in Beverly Hills from a heart attack on April 19. Mr. Muldoon was 57.

Muldoon appeared as Matt, Samantha's (Alyssa Milano) boyfriend, in two episodes of Who's the Boss? in 1990. He had a recurring role as Jeffrey "Jeff" Hunter, the manager of the teens' favorite hangout spot The Max, in three episodes of Saved by the Bell in 1991. He is famously remembered as the guy who caused a rift between the show's beloved couple, Zack Morris and Kelly Kapowski, when he briefly dated Kelly.

He starred as Austin Reed on Days of Our Lives from 1992 to 1995 and again from 2011 to 2012. He played Richard Hart in 35 episodes of Melrose Place from 1995 to 1996.

Muldoon played Zander Barcalow in the 1997 Paul Verhoeven-directed film Starship Troopers.

Actor Rif Hutton had a recurring role as Dr. Ron Welch in Doogie Howser, M.D. from 1989 to 1993. He died from brain cancer at his home in Pasadena, California, on April 18. Mr. Hutton was 73.

Hutton had a recurring role as Dr. Ron Welch in 17 episodes of the ABC medical sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D. from 1989 to 1993. The series stars Neil Patrick Harris in the title role as a teenage physician who balances the challenge of practicing medicine with the everyday problems of teenage life.

He had a recurring role as Wes, Dolores Dixon's (Telma Hopkins) love interest, in three episodes of Getting By in 1993 and 1994. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Jeffersons, The New Gidget, 227, Night Court (1987), Beverly Hills Buntz, Webster, A Different World, Living Dolls, Empty Nest, Full House, Working Girl (2 episodes), The Hogan Family, Married... with Children, Wings, Murphy Brown, Stand by Your Man, The Larry Sanders Show, Step by Step, The Sinbad Show, George, Sister, Sister (1994), On Our Own (1994), Home Improvement, Fudge (3 episodes), The Jamie Foxx Show, Family Matters, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Seinfeld, The Wayans Bros. (2 episodes), The Bernie Mac Show, That's So Raven, and The Carmichael Show.

Hutton had a recurring role as Lt. Commander Alan Mattoni in JAG from 1997 to 2001. He appeared Lenny Caulfield in General Hospital from 2021 to 2022.

Television creator, producer, writer and puppeteer Sid Krofft worked on H.R. Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and Land of the Lost. He died at the home of a friend in Los Angeles on April 10. Mr. Krofft was 96.

Sid and his brother Marty made numerous children's television and variety show programs in the U.S., particularly in the 1970s, including H.R. Pufnstuf (1969), Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973-1975) and Land of the Lost (1974-1976) through their production company, Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures. Their fantasy programs often featured large-headed puppets, high-concept plots and extensive use of low-budget special effects. They designed the characters and sets for Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits on NBC from 1968 to 1970.

Some of The Krofft Brothers other credits as creators and producers included The Bugaloos (1970-1972), Lidsville (1971-1973), Far Out Space Nuts (1975-1976), The Lost Saucer (1975), Donny & Marie (1976), The Krofft Supershow (1976-1978) (which included Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (1976) and Wonderbug (1976-1978)), The Krofft Superstar Hour (aka The Bay City Rollers Show) (1978-1979), Pink Lady and Jeff (1980), Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters (1980-1982), Pryor's Place (1984), Land of the Lost (1991-1992 reboot), Mutt & Stuff (2015-2017), and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (2016-2017 reboot).

They created and produced the 1977 ABC variety show The Brady Bunch Hour. The series starred the original cast members of The Brady Bunch, with the exception of Eve Plumb, who was replaced by Geri Reischl (a.k.a. "Fake Jan"). The show began as a 60-minute special titled The Brady Bunch Variety Hour on November 28, 1976. It featured skits and songs produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Productions in association with Paramount Television.

The Krofft Brothers created and produced the 1987-1989 syndicated sitcom D.C. Follies. The show was set in a Washington, D.C. bar, where a bartender played by Fred Willard would welcome puppet caricatures of politicians and popular culture figures. Celebrity guest stars included Martin Mull, Leslie Nielsen, Bob Uecker, and Betty White.

Sid and his brother Marty made many entertaining children's television and variety show programs in the 1970s and 1980s. The Kroffts received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmys in 2018. In 2020, the Kroffts were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their contributions to television. Marty died in 2023 at the age of 86.

Actress and singer Dinah Christie starred as Edna Moseley in Check It Out!, which aired from 1985 to 1988. She died on April 10. During her last years she suffered from dementia and was receiving care at Toronto's Kensington Gardens nursing home. Ms. Christie was 83.

Christie starred as Edna Moseley in the 1985-1988 CTV sitcom Check It Out!, which aired in the United States in syndication and on the USA Network. Based on the British series Tripper's Day, it was set in a fictional supermarket called Cobb's, located in Brampton, Ontario and stars Don Adams as manager Howard Bannister. The series also starred Jeff Pustil, Kathleen Laskey, Tonya Williams (season 1), Henry Beckman (season 1), Aaron Schwartz, Simon Reynolds (seasons 1-2), Gordon Clapp, and Elizabeth Hanna (season 3).

She was a regular performer on the Canadian game show Party Game (1970-1980).

Actress Mary Beth Hurt starred in the 1990 NBC sitcom Working It Out. She died at an assisted-living facility in Jersey City, New Jersey, on March 28 after battling Alzheimer's disease for over a decade. Ms. Hurt was 79.

Hurt starred as Sheila Bradley in the 1988-1989 comedy-drama Tattingers. The series is about a divorced couple, Nick and Hillary Tattinger (Stephen Collins and Blythe Danner), along with their 2 daughters: Nina and Winnifred. After failing in the Nielsen ratings as an hour-long program, the plot and characters were briefly revived in the spring of 1989 as the half-hour sitcom Nick & Hillary.

She starred as Andy in the short-lived 1990 NBC sitcom Working It Out. The series is about two single parents, Sarah Marshall (Jane Curtin) and David Stuart (Stephen Collins), who had never seriously contemplated remarriage until they met each other. Andy is Sarah's best friend. It also starred David Garrison, Kyndra Joy Casper, and Chevi Colton.

Some of her film credits included Interiors (1978), The World According to Garp (1982), D.A.R.Y.L. (1985), The Age of Innocence (1993), and Six Degrees of Separation (1993).

Actor James Tolkan starred as Lester Mintz in Mary. He died on March 26 at his home in Saranac Lake, New York. Mr. Tolkan was 94.

Tolkan stared as Lester Mintz in the short-lived 1985-1986 CBS sitcom Mary. The series stars Mary Tyler Moore in her return to series television after an absence of over six years. She plays Mary Brenner, a 40-ish divorcée working at a second-rate tabloid, the Chicago Eagle. Neighbors include Susan Wilcox (Carlene Watkins), Mary's good friend, whose fiancé Lester Mintz (James Tolkan) seems to be somehow "connected". The series also starred James Farentino, Katey Sagal, John Astin, David Byrd, Harold Sylvester, and Derek McGrath.

He guest starred in episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1990 and The Wonder Years in 1993. He starred as Dallas Cassel in the 1993-1994 syndicated adventure/action series Cobra. As a member of the repertory cast of Nero Wolfe (2001–02), he played more than a dozen roles and directed two episodes.

Tolkan was best known for portraying the strict high school vice‑principal Mr. Strickland in Back to the Future (1985) and Back to the Future Part II (1989), and the character's ancestor, Marshal James Strickland, in Back to the Future Part III (1990). Some of his other film credits included Serpico (1973), Love and Death (1975), Prince of the City (1981), Top Gun (1986), Masters of the Universe (1987), Viper (1988), Dick Tracy (1990), and Problem Child 2 (1991).

Actor Nicholas Brendon starred as Seth Richman in the Fox sitcom Kitchen Confidential. He died on March 20 in his sleep in his home in Greencastle, Indiana. The official cause of death was determined to be atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease with a blockage in the right coronary artery. Mr. Brendon was 54.

Brendon starred as Seth Richman in the short-lived 2005-2006 Fox sitcom Kitchen Confidential. The series is based on Anthony Bourdain's New York Times bestselling book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. Bradley Cooper played the lead character, Jack Bourdain, inspired by Anthony Bourdain. Seth Richman is an old friend of Jack and a pastry chef. It also starred John Francis Daley, Jaime King, Bonnie Somerville, and Owain Yeoman. Recurring cast members included John Cho, Frank Langella, Sam Pancake, Tessie Santiago, Erinn Hayes, and Frankie Alvarez.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Married... with Children in 1993 and Dave's World in 1995. He had a recurring role as Jackson Lee in two episodes of the MTV romantic comedy Faking It from 2014 to 2015.

He was best known for playing Xander Harris in the supernatural horror drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997–2003) and Kevin Lynch in the CBS police procedural crime drama Criminal Minds (2007–2014). He had a recurring role as Lee McHenry, a mentally disturbed man who assaults Charlotte King (KaDee Strickland), in four episodes of Private Practice from 2010 to 2011.

Actor Matt Clark starred as Walt Bacon in The Jeff Foxworthy Show. He died from complications of spinal surgery at his home in Austin, Texas, on March 15. Mr. Clark was 89.

Clark starred as Walt Bacon in the first season of The Jeff Foxworthy Show, which aired on ABC from 1995 to 1996. In the first season, Jeff Foxworthy owned a small heating and air conditioning company in Indidana. Walt and Russ Francis (Matt Borlenghi) were his two dim-witted workers on the job. The first season also starred Anita Barone, Haley Joel Osment, Dakin Matthews, Bibi Besch, Debra Jo Rupp, Sue Murphy (1995), Steve Hytner (1995), Jay Mohr (1996), and Michelle Clunie (1996).

He guest starred in an episode of Funny Face in 1971. In 1977, he starred as Lieutenant Arthur Kipling in the short-lived ABC police drama Dog and Cat. He had a recurring role as Emmet Kelly in four episodes of Grace Under Fire from 1993 to 1995.

Actor Ric Carrott appeared as the original Chuck Cunningham in an episode of Love, American Style in 1972. He died on November 25, 2025. Mr. Carrott was 76.

Carrott originated the role of Chuck Cunningham in the pilot for Happy Days, which aired as a segment of Love, American Style titled "Love and the Happy Days" on February 25, 1972. The role was later played on Happy Days by Gavan O'Herlihy and Randolph Roberts. The oldest son of Howard and Marion Cunningham and older brother of Richie and Joanie, Chuck is a college student and basketball player. He is rarely seen and disappears without explanation in season three, never to be seen nor referenced again after season 2's "Fish and Fins".

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Bill Cosby Show, Nanny and the Professor, Room 222, The Partridge Family, The Bob Newhart Show, The Odd Couple (1972), and Three's Company.

He starred as Captain Chris Gentry in the 1977 CBS Saturday morning children's science fiction series Space Academy. The series starred veteran actor Jonathan Harris, best known as Dr. Zachary Smith of Lost in Space. Co-starring were Pamelyn Ferdin, Maggie Cooper, Brian Tochi, Ty Henderson, and Eric Greene. The program featured a pint-sized robot called "Peepo", a radio-controlled machine voiced by Erika Scheimer talking through a pitch-shifter with regenerative delay.

Some of his other television guest appearances included The F.B.I. (1973), Dirty Sally, The Streets of San Francisco, McCloud, Lucas Tanner, S.W.A.T. (1975), Cannon, Police Woman, Delvecchio, The Feather and Father Gang, The Rockford Files (2 episodes), Starsky and Hutch, Barnaby Jones, Lou Grant, and Fantasy Island (1979).

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Check It Out, Disney+, Doogie Howser MD, Jeff Foxworthy Show, M*A*S*H, Mork & Mindy, Obits, Sid and Marty Krofft, The Simpsons

SitcomsOnline Digest: Ben Stiller Teams with Mike Judge for New Apple TV Comedy; Late Show Ends with Spectacular Ratings

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We're headed into Memorial Day weekend with news of a new comedy from Mike Judge and Ben Stiller, news about ratings for the final episode of The Late Show, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Ben Stiller is teaming with Mike Judge for an upcoming Apple TV comedy series called Protective Custody. (Deadline)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert went out with a bang, scoring the biggest ratings that show has ever seen for a weeknight episode. (Variety)
• There are some new Celebrity Wheel of Fortune episodes coming up that will be exclusive to Disney+ and Hulu. (Deadline)
• Grizz Chapman, who played Grizz on 30 Rock, has died. (TVLine)
• The 29th season of South Park has a premiere date. (Variety)
• MeTV is planning some special theme weeks for The Golden Girls. (SitcomsOnline)

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Golden Girls, Late Show, MeTV, Protective Custody, Schitt's Creek, SitcomsOnline Digest, South Park, Wheel of Fortune

Steve Carell to Star in Netflix Comedy Series; Marlon Wayans Gets Prime Video Comedy Special

Netflix announced that Steve Carell (The Office) will star in The Four Seasons alongside Tina Fey. Fey is co-creating the adaptation with Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield. The series, produced by Universal Television, is based on the 1981 feature film of the same name from Universal Pictures that was written and directed by Alan Alda, produced by Martin Bregman, and starred Alda and Carol Burnett. The collaborative history of Fey, Fisher and Wigfield goes back to the final season of 30 Rock, which Fisher had joined in the final season and for which Fey and Wigfield shared the Emmy for writing the series finale. Alan Alda was also a recurring guest on 30 Rock. The Four Seasons will begin production later this year. The Four Seasons is executive produced by Tina Fey, Lang Fisher, Tracey Wigfield, David Miner, Eric Gurian and Jeff Richmond. Alan Alda and Marissa Bregman will Produce. The series is written by Fey, Fisher and Wigfield. Universal Television is the producing studio. Little Stranger, Inc. is the production company. Fey, Netflix and Universal Television have a successful history, having launched the Emmy-nominated hit series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which ran for four seasons plus an interactive movie. Season three of her critically-acclaimed comedy series Girls5eva, created by Meredith Scardino, debuted on Netflix on March 14, 2024.

Multi-talented actor and comedian Marlon Wayans returns to the stage with his newest comedy special for Prime Video, Marlon Wayans: Good Grief. The one-hour special will premiere in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on June 4, 2024. Marlon Wayans: Good Grief showcases Wayans' unique brand of comedy, blending physical humor and hilarious commentary, with a surprising amount of heart. Taped at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, comedy meets therapy as Wayans works through his grief after recently losing both of his parents. He shares how his father taught him to be a man, the requirements to join the "Dead Mama Club," the surprises you encounter when changing your aging parents' diapers, and who is the funniest Wayans. Marlon Wayans: Good Grief is produced by Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez's Ugly Baby Productions and Amazon MGM Studios. Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez, Michael Rotenberg, Steve Harris, Craig Wayans and Troy Miller serve as executive producers.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Amazon Prime, Netflix, The Four Seasons, The Office, Wayans Bros

Letterman's My Next Guest Returns April 30; Jack McBrayer HGTV Series Premieres May 3

David Letterman interviews three-time Emmy(R) Award winner John Mulaney for an upcoming episode of Netflix's My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. John Mulaney returns to his Chicago high school with David Letterman as they candidly discuss fatherhood, the life of stand-up comedy and addiction. The special standalone episode of the five-time Emmy(R) Award-nominated series will premiere on April 30, 2024.

Combining humor, curiosity and in-depth conversations with extraordinary people, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman has Letterman back in the host's chair, following a 33-year reign in late night. In 23 episodes across four seasons, My Next Guest has featured notables including President Barack Obama, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, JAY-Z, Malala and Billie Eilish.

Inspired by the exceedingly popular Instagram account that touts nearly two million followers who love outrageous, one-of-kind homes, HGTV will premiere its newest real estate series Zillow Gone Wild on Friday, May 3, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. Host Jack McBrayer, the actor and comedian best known for his Emmy®-nominated role in 30 Rock, will invite viewers to join him on tours of exceptionally weird, wacky and wild properties that sellers put on the market every day.

Throughout the season, Zillow Gone Wild will feature the characters who have embraced non-traditional homes with their distinctive decor and imaginative architecture, as well as reveal the inventive ways to market a distinctive property. The series will explore each home's unique history, as well as the intriguing backstories of the buyers and sellers in nine weekly episodes. Each abode will be ranked on attributes such as creativity, commitment to the theme and the home's special qualities. In the end, HGTV will proclaim which house is the "wildest" of them all during the season finale. Viewers can enter for a chance to win $25,000 by correctly guessing which home will be crowned the 'Wildest House' from the series. They can watch the penultimate episode of Zillow Gone Wild on June 21 at 10:30 p.m. ET to see the eight finalists and then visit www.hgtv.com/wild to cast a vote for their favorite property starting at 11 p.m. ET. All submissions that match the winning home in the finale episode on June 28 will be automatically entered in HGTV's Wild and Win Contest.

Zillow Gone Wild will crisscross the country to find quirky houses, including the Berkeley, California, home designed by a jazz musician, that features wall-to-wall gold accents and a pair of gold saxophone exterior columns or the historic New Orleans property that boasts a parlor lounge brimming with eclectic Big Easy charm. Regardless of the location, each place will offer astounding design elements and plenty of wow moments.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, HGTV, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, Netflix

Epix Rebrands to MGM+ in January 2023; Jack's Back with More Kindness on Apple TV+

Premium and commercial-free linear and streaming service Epix announced that it will rebrand as MGM+ in January 2023, exemplifying the network's brand promise to provide premium cinematic television and a curated leading theatrical library, delivered by one of the world's most enduring entertainment brands. The rebranded network will continue to deliver premium content with scripted originals including the Emmy-winner Godfather of Harlem, the epic romantic adventure Billy the Kid, the contemporary sci-fi horror thriller From, and bold dramas Rogue Heroes and Belgravia. The newly unveiled brand will debut on January 15, 2023, in conjunction with the Season Three premiere of the acclaimed series Godfather of Harlem. The show's second season was Epix's best performing season of all time, breaking records for single-title streams in a single day across Epix's digital channels. The Season Two finale was Epix's best performing finale episode to date.

Apple TV+ released the trailer for the second season of beloved series Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show, premiering globally on Friday, October 7. Jack is one of Clover Grove's most thoughtful and caring residents, greeting everyone with kindness and humor. His ability to spread compassion, creativity, and imagination inspires everyone in town to do the same. A new season of kindness creates more incredible change. Hello, Jack! The Kindness Show is co-created and executive produced by Jack McBrayer (30 Rock, Phineas and Ferb, Wreck-It Ralph franchise) and Angela C. Santomero (Blue's Clues, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood). Season two brings countless renowned guest stars to Clover Grove including Tony Hale (Mysterious Benedict Society), Gillian Jacobs (Community), Joe Lo Truglio (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), D'Arcy Carden (A League of Their Own), Kristen Schaal (What We Do In The Shadows), Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black), Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick), Emily V. Gordon (Little America) and music from American rock band, OK Go.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Apple TV+, Epix, MGM, MGM+

Fri-Yay: 30 Rock Returns to Netflix As It Attempts to Build Back Its Library; Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story Coming to Cartoon Network

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!

by Vincent

The streaming wars for landmark sitcom rights continues, and Netflix has made some interesting moves lately after losing staples like The Office and Parks and Recreation this past year. This past month, Netflix added 30 Rock. Last year, when Netflix added Community, the show got a noticeable "Netflix bump" in popularity, and the show is arguably more popular than ever right now. It arguably helped level the blow of losing two of its most popular sitcoms. And next month, Seinfeld will join Netflix's line-up. So after a year where it seemed like Netflix was losing more sitcoms than it was gaining, it seems to be making a major comeback in the titles that it is attracting.

Additionally, despite a lot of the losses this past year, Netflix's popularity has maintained relatively steady. Community did get a big bump, and I'm even seeing more 30 Rock clips and references on social media recently. (30 Rock was previously on Netflix, but left the service in 2017 for Hulu exclusivity.) So with its streaming library continuing to grow, it seems the Netflix train will still be rolling on, even with increased competition.

WarnerMedia Kids & Family announced the launch of ACME Night, an ultimate entertainment destination for families every Sunday starting Sept. 19 at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network. The newest programming block, named after the fictional corporation made famous by the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons, kicks off with the premiere of the Warner Bros. hit DC superhero feature film, Shazam. ACME Night will start off every week with family friendly blockbuster films that include Man of Steel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Sherlock Gnomes, Detective Pikachu, Scoob! and more. As part of the WarnerMedia Kids & Family content commitment to appeal to everyone in the household, ACME Night will be reserved for families to sit down together every Sunday beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET/PT for a lineup of library favorites and upcoming new originals. ACME Night programming will also be available on HBO Max starting next year. Among the original animated films include: Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story. From executive producer Wyatt Cenac, Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story brings back one of the most iconic sitcom characters of all time for an animated movie musical event. The holiday season has arrived, and brilliant but accident-prone Steve Urkel has already ruined his local celebration by publicly humiliating a shopping mall Santa. In his attempt to make things right and score some nice points with the big guy in the North Pole, Steve creates an invention that only makes things worse. Using his big brain and even bigger heart, Steve must find the real Santa to see if together they can help the city rediscover the holiday spirit. Jaleel White serves as producer and will also reprise his iconic performance by voicing the beloved super genius. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story is written by Wyatt Cenac. Bryan Newton (Rick and Morty) serves as supervising director.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Cartoon Network, Family Matters, Fri-Yay, Jaleel White, Netflix, Parks and Recreation, Seinfeld, The Office

NBC Midseason Pilot Review: Mr. Mayor - Premieres Thursday (Jan. 7); One Tree Hill Duo Return for Comedy Series on Hulu

Mr. Mayor - Thursdays at 8:00PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 8:00PM & 8:30PM ET/PT

by Vincent

Mr. Mayor follows a retired businessman who runs for mayor of Los Angeles to prove he's "still got it." Once he wins, he has to figure out what he stands for, gain the respect of his biggest critic and connect with his teenage daughter, all while trying to get anything right for America's second weirdest city.

Cast Details:

Ted Danson as Mayor Neil Bremer
Bobby Moynihan as Jayden Kwapis
Holly Hunter as Arpi Meskimen
Mike Cabellon as Tommy Tomás
Vella Lovell as Mikaela Shaw
Kyla Kennedy as Orly Bremer

Ted Danson (Mayor Neil Bremer) is a veteran sitcom actor known, of course, for his iconic role as Sam Malone on the classic NBC comedy Cheers. More recently, he was known as Michael on the critic and fan beloved sitcom The Good Place and his other TV work includes Becker, CSI, Damages and Help Me Help You.

Bobby Moynihan (Jayden Kwapis) is best known for being a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2008 to 2017. He is also known for his voice work on TV shows and films such as DuckTales, The Secret Life of Pets and Monsters University.

Holly Hunter (Arpi Meskimen) is an actress known for her roles in films such as The Incredibles, Raising Arizona, and Crash, as well as her role in TV shows Saving Grace and Succession.

Mike Cabellon (Tommy Tomás) is a comedian known for his role on shows such as Orange Is the New Black, Crashing, and High Maintenance.

Vella Lovell (Mikaela Shaw) is an actress best known as Heather on the fan beloved musical comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and for her guest roles on shows such as Younger and Girls.

Kyla Kennedy (Orly Bremer) is an actress best known for playing Dylan DiMeo on the ABC sitcom Speechless. She also starred in the television film Raising Izzie and the AMC horror series The Walking Dead.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, January 7 at 8:00PM ET)

In the series premiere, Neil Bremer (Ted Danson) starts his first day as mayor of Los Angeles, where he faces new challenges on the job and at home. Also starring Holly Hunter, Bobby Moynihan, Mike Cabellon, Vella Lovell and Kyla Kenedy.

Analysis:

Mr. Mayor is one of the most anticipated new shows of the TV season, and not only because this is a TV season fairly light on new TV shows. The sitcom comes from the minds of Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, who have been some of the most respected modern comedy writers. They, of course, were the creators of the brilliant 30 Rock, which I'd rank among the best sitcoms of all time, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, which I wouldn't rank quite as highly but was still an incredibly creative and hilarious show, and one of the funniest sitcoms of the streaming era. So Mr. Mayor has some pretty big shoes to fill. Unfortunately, at least in its first two episodes, Mr. Mayor doesn't seem able to do that, as it simply doesn't live up to the lofty expectations I had for a Fey/Carlock sitcom. Looked at as a regular broadcast sitcom, it's a solid example of the form, with a killer cast and a handful of funny lines. But whereas 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt felt like unique breaths of fresh air in their own rights, Mr. Mayor feels like a slightly above average NBC sitcom.

The biggest issue I have with Mr. Mayor is the the characters, at this point, simply feel too generic, lacking the funny specificity that made the characters of 30 Rock and Kimmy Schmidt so iconic. Danson's Mayor Brenner specifically is a problem, not due to any fault of his own, but he just doesn't really have much of a point of view other than "guy who is mayor who probably shouldn't be." I do think that part of this is because Mr. Mayor was initially envisioned as a 30 Rock spin-off with Alec Baldwin's Jack Donaghy in the place of Danson, and it feels like in these early episodes, the writers haven't quite figured out what makes Brenner tick yet. However, some of the other characters are also issues. Holly Hunter's Apri is too screechy and one-dimensional, recalling some of Kimmy Schmidt's most groan-worthy political satire. There is certainly room for satire of the social justice orientated crowd, but as was the issue on Kimmy Schmidt, the satire is just a bit too broad here, nothing more interesting than what you’d find in a Twitter thread. The best character so far is Bobby Moynihan's Jayden (he has the best line in either episode when he declares himself "the first Jayden, the original Jayden," referring to the fact that he's seemingly the only Jaden born before the '90s), who taps into that 30 Rock/Kimmy Schmidt specific weirdness the most. I'd like to see more of that kind of humor, as that's where Fey/Carlock really shine in their writing.

Luckily, if NBC gives it a chance, I think there's a lot of potential for Mr. Mayor to eventually work out its kinks and become a great sitcom. The cast is excellent, doing their best with mostly average material, and the concept certainly has promise. It would be fun to see the unique eye that Fey/Carlock had on NYC in their previous sitcoms be transported to LA. And it's important to note that sitcoms, even great ones, often don't come out of the gate swinging. 30 Rock's first few episodes were fairly average as well, and like Mr. Mayor, felt more like a generic broadcast sitcom than what the show would become. (Kimmy Schmidt was weird and proud pretty much right out of the gate, but that's probably why NBC had cold feet about it and sent it to Netflix.) The world could use some great new Fey/Carlock comedy, so hopefully Mr. Mayor sticks around long enough to discover what really makes it work.

Conclusion:

Mr. Mayor is a funny enough distraction during a season with less broadcast content than usual, even if it doesn't live up to the standards of its predecessors 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, at least not yet. There are hints of things that could eventually turn this into must-watch TV in the way those shows were, as long as the show can find a more original and funny pathways for humor with its characters than the first two episodes provide. Still, in a world desperately in need of some laughs, Mr. Mayor can provide those, even if it's not quite as many as I hoped for.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 3.5/5
Funniness: 3/5
Overall: 3/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at 8:00PM & 8:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

NBC.com Official Site

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Mr. Mayor Photo Gallery

Preview:

The boys are back and...better than ever? Watch James Lafferty and Stephen Colletti in Everyone Is Doing Great, a new comedy series on January 13, only on Hulu. 8 episodes will premiere. Hulu released the first teaser of the comedy, which the former One Tree Hill cast members also wrote and produced. The series follows Seth Stewart (Colletti) and Jeremy Davis (Lafferty), who enjoyed relative success from Eternal, a hit television vampire drama, according to IMDb. Five years after their show has ended, they lean on each other as they struggle to reclaim their previous level of success and relevance, awkwardly navigating the perils of life and love amidst a humorously painful coming of age. The series also stars Alexandra Park (The Royals), as Andrea Cooper-Davis, Jeremy's wife who supports her husband both financially and emotionally.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Everyone Is Doing Great, Hulu, Mr. Mayor, NBC, One Tree Hill, Pilot Reviews, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Fri-Yay: Two More COVID-19 Remote Reunions: 30 Rock and Happy Endings; Netflix Renews Top 10 Series Sweet Magnolias for Season 2

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!

by Vincent

This week, two more sitcoms joined the growing trend of remote reunion episodes, 30 Rock and Happy Endings. 30 Rock's remote reunion special aired last Thursday on NBC, while the Happy Endings remote reunion episode streamed on YouTube this past Monday. It was great seeing the casts and hearing the joke rhythms of these two cult classic comedies again, both of which had a non-stop joke telling approach to comedy writing that I really loved, and which have allowed both of them to go onto become cult classics via streaming services. That said, I had very different opinions of both specials, despite being a big fan of both shows.

The 30 Rock reunion special doubled as a promotional vehicle for NBC's fall schedule as well as Peacock, and it made the entire special seem a little forced. It was nice to see the 30 Rock cast again, catch up to where they are in 2020, and hear some of the show's classic joke rhythms. The special felt true to the characters, and it was especially fun watching Jane Krakowski's Jenna deal with the effects of "cancel culture." And there were some other good gags in the special, such as Jack having the "iPhone 40" and the meta joke about Peacock not securing the rights to Friends (which felt like a very classic "30 Rock dunking on NBC" joke.) And yet, the fact that the special had to be interrupted every few minutes to watch the characters shamelessly plug NBCUniversal Networks' line-up was disappointing, even if that's what the special was intended for. It was a little odd to see the show just blatantly promoting NBC when it spent so much of its run making fun of it and using meta, tongue-in-cheek humor to get out of doing product placement (the classic gag where Liz looks into the camera and says "Can we have our money now?" was one of the show's funniest moments). Still, it was enjoyable enough and I did like seeing all of the characters again, so while I was a bit letdown, it wasn't a complete waste of time.

But it couldn't compare to the Happy Endings reunion episode, which had a much lower production budget (it was literally just the cast on Zoom, similar to the Parks & Recreation episode from earlier in the pandemic) but otherwise was written and structured like a regular episode of Happy Endings. And the show has not missed a beat in terms of joke crafting - the jokes came fast and furious, just as they did during the show's original run. The running joke of Dave accidentally opening a restaurant called "Covid-19" felt extremely classic Happy Endings, as did the idea of airheaded Alex being a virus denier, or Penny and Max marrying each other on Zoom because they couldn't find anyone else. It was simple, but it managed to completely capture everything that made the show so great, and further convinced me that a Happy Endings reboot would be one of the only shows that I think could successfully be rebooted and not miss a step from its original run. This special proved you could literally just get the cast onto video chat and it would still be comedy gold. I'm just saying, if any streaming service or network wants to greenlight a show that's just the Happy Endings cast talking in character over video chat for 10 episodes a season...I'd watch. All in all, this special really reminded me just how great Happy Endings was, and if you still haven't seen it, I really recommend checking out all 56 episodes on Hulu as soon as possible.

Netflix has renewed southern drama Sweet Magnolias for a second season! The first season dropped in May with 10 episodes. Life in the small, Southern town of Serenity isn't exactly serene for three best friends as together they navigate relationships, family and careers. Centered on three South Carolina women, best friends since high school, as they shepherd each other through the complexities of romance, career, and family. The series stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher as Maddie Townsend, Brooke Elliott as Dana Sue Sullivan, Heather Headley as Helen Decatur, Justin Bruening as Cal Maddox, Chris Klein as Bill Townsend, Carson Rowland as Tyler Townsend, Logan Allen as Kyle Townsend, Anneliese Judge as Annie Sullivan and special guest star Jamie Lynn Spears as Noreen Fitzgibbons.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Fri-Yay, Happy Endings, Netflix

SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Affiliates Refuse to Air 30 Rock: A One Time Special; Golden Girls House For Sale

• Did you miss 30 Rock: A One Time Special? Probably, at least if you tried to watch it on NBC, as most affiliates boycotted it and refused to show it since it was a promotional piece for Peacock (but you can watch it for free on Peacock!). (CinemaBlend) 
• If you're looking for a cool new home in the Los Angeles area, you can buy the house that the Golden Girls lived in (or at least the house that has the exterior that was used for the show). (CNET)
• There will be one less talk show debuting this fall, as Nick Cannon's talk show has been "delayed" for the time being. (Vulture)
• Jeopardy! is airing four weeks of specially themed weeks. (Deadline)
• Chuck Woolery, best known for hosting Wheel of Fortune, Love Connection, Scrabble, and gold commercials, found himself in the news this week after calling COVID-19 a hoax and deleting his Twitter account in the aftermath. (CNN)
• Dancing with the Stars has a reputation of being known as the reality show that old people watch, so ABC is looking to change things up with Tyra Banks in the hosting spot. (SitcomsOnline) 

• There's lots to watch on Peacock now that it's available to everybody, and here is a list.
• Decades has a binge of Early Edition this weekend.
• As previously mentioned, Jeopardy! is airing some special episodes from the past over the next four weeks, beginning with episodes from the 80s this coming week.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Dancing with the Stars, Golden Girls, Jeopardy, SitcomsOnline Digest

Fri-Yay: Peacock Launches, Thoughts So Far; Stay Calm with New Series with A-Listers

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!

by Vincent

This week, NBC is officially wide launching its streaming service Peacock with a 30 Rock reunion special (doubling as a Peacock advertisement/upfront special) that aired last night and a hefty promotional push on social media sites. The app has been available to Comcast subscribers since April, but it will become available to wide audiences this week. Peacock joins an increasingly crowded streaming market - the past year has seen the launch of Disney+, HBO Max and now Peacock, joining the established trio of Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video. There are a couple of reasons that Peacock might succeed even with the crowded market, though.

A few notable features stand out about Peacock. The first is that the service offers a free tier and a Premium tier. The free tier offers a solid library of movies and TV shows, albeit with ads. There are then two Premium tiers, one with a larger library at 4.99/month and one with an ad-free experience at 9.99/month. Another perk Peacock has is that the NBC brand is pretty solid - the service offers favorites like 30 Rock, The Office, Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, along with the Law and Order franchise. That could be enough to bring subscribers over to the service, especially since both of its premium tiers and fairly reasonable priced compared to Netflix, Hulu and HBO Max. Still, as of right now, all of the aforementioned comedies are available on other streaming services, though The Office is leaving Netflix next year to go to its exclusive Peacock home on January 1. No word yet on if the other comedies on the app are leaving their streaming homes. Still, if Peacock can get all of these comedies exclusively, it could be a real contender in the streaming wars. And yet, as a consumer, it's becoming a bit daunting to have to subscribe to multiple streaming services to get all of the content I want. It remains to be seen if all of these new services can co-exist without consumers ultimately choosing to leave some of their favorite series behind or own them on DVD.

HBO Max, the direct-to-consumer offering from WarnerMedia, announced that it wants to help you relax with a ten-episode order of A World of Calm. A totally new type of television experience that combines mesmeric imagery with narration by A-list stars - including Mahershala Ali, Idris Elba, Oscar Isaac, Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Lucy Liu, Cillian Murphy, and Keanu Reeves. HBO Max's first project in the Health and Wellness space, A World of Calm is the result of a unique collaboration between the makers of Calm, the no. 1 app for sleep, meditation and relaxation, and Nutopia, the team behind Nat Geo's critically acclaimed series One Strange Rock.

A timely antidote for our modern lives, each half-hour episode takes audiences on an immersive visual journey into another world. Building on the record-breaking success of Calm's Sleep Stories(TM) - bedtime stories for grown ups with over 250m listens - each relaxing tale is designed to transform how you feel. Transporting the viewer into tranquility through scientifically-engineered narratives, enchanting music and astounding footage, to naturally calm your body and soothe the mind. Each story is brought to life by a different iconic voice.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Fri-Yay, HBO Max, NBC, Peacock, The Office

Fri-Yay: Streaming Services Remove Episodes of Sitcoms Due to Racial Jokes; The Kominsky Method Final Season Announced

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!

by Vincent

In response to the ongoing protests regarding racial injustice in America, several streaming services have removed episodes of sitcoms due to jokes that might now be viewed as "racially insensitive," mainly regarding instances of the use of blackface. Obviously, this is a very serious issue that's much bigger than a few sitcom episodes. But it has nonetheless sparked an interesting discussion in the TV world about censorship and what to do about jokes that might now seem insensitive. The episodes in question include: three episodes of 30 Rock (featuring the use of blackface and removed at the request of Tina Fey who says she now regrets the episodes), two episodes of Scrubs (removed by creator Bill Lawerence for similar reasons), five episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and one episode each of Community and The Golden Girls. An episode of The Office was also edited to remove a blackface joke. All episodes contained some sort of use of a non-black character painting their face black, although in nearly all instances it was used satirically to make a point about why blackface is wrong and ridicule those who do it.

Many feel that this is mostly a symbolic gesture, though, and removing a few episodes that no one was complaining about is not exactly fixing the issues of racial injustice in society or in the entertainment world. Additionally, fans of Community and The Golden Girls pointed out that the episodes removed, despite having some potentially iffy jokes, actually have quite positive messages (Community's episode dealt with suicide and mental illness and The Golden Girls advocated for the acceptance of mixed race couples.) Perhaps a better method would be to add a disclaimer to the episodes in the same way HBO Max did with Gone with the Wind, noting these episodes contain some jokes that might seem insensitive today but represent a changing of the tides in terms of racial awareness on television. Still, no matter how you feel about the episodes, it's a good reminder that as used to streaming media as we are, episodes and shows can be taken down at any time. Owning physical media is still the best way to ensure the original and unedited copies of all of your favorite TV shows. (Perhaps not coincidentally, box sets of 30 Rock, Scrubs, Community and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia sold out on Amazon after the news of the episodes being pulled.)

The Kominsky Method has been renewed for a third and final season by Netflix. Acting coach Sandy Kominsky and best friend Norman Newlander keep each other laughing as they navigate the ups and downs of getting older. The sun isn't setting yet on the once famous Sandy Kominsky and his longtime agent Norman Newlander. Academy Award(R) Winners Michael Douglas (Kominsky) and Alan Arkin (Newlander) continue their journey as two friends tackling life's inevitable curveballs as they navigate their later years in Los Angeles, a city that values youth and beauty. Both comedic and emotional, The Kominsky Method is a half-hour single camera comedy created by 8-time Emmy Award Nominee Chuck Lorre. Lorre, Al Higgins and Michael Douglas executive produce the series which is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Community, Fri-Yay, Golden Girls, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Netflix, Scrubs, The Kominsky Method, The Office

SitcomsOnline Digest: Sitcoms Present and Past Deal with Current Racial Issues; Binge Watch Past Favorites on Roku Channel

• If you're planning to binge watch every episode of your favorite NBC sitcom from last decade, you'll need to do that on DVD if you want to watch every episode, as episodes of 30 Rock, Community, Scrubs, and a scene from The Office have been scrubbed from streaming platforms (and in some cases will be pulled from syndicated reruns as well) due to containing blackface. (Variety) 
• Brooklyn Nine-Nine has scrapped the previously written scripts for four planned episodes for the upcoming season in light of current events. (BBC)
• Meanwhile, The Simpsons and Family Guy will no longer have white actors playing nonwhite roles, which most notably means Mike Henry will no longer voice Cleveland on Family Guy. (Deadline) 
• Another series has arrived on streaming media with missing episodes: South Park is missing 5 episodes on HBO Max due to depictions of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. (Deadline)
• We're all watching streaming media these days, but lets face it, some of us still enjoy linear viewing experiences, and Amazon appears to be taking that into consideration. (Deadline)
• REELZ has a several episodes of upcoming programs featuring the lives and untimely deaths of past sitcoms stars. (SitcomsOnline) 

• Most of these shows aren't new to the service, but if you've got a Roku, you can binge watch many shows that aren't available on other streaming services for free with commercials, including Head of the Class, Growing Pains, Starsky & Hutch, Rules of Engagement, The Carol Burnett Show, and more.
• Decades is going west with The Wild Wild West this weekend.
• There are some shifts in the Antenna TV lineup this weekend.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Community, Family Guy, Scrubs, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Office, The Simpsons

SitcomsOnline Digest: Comedy Central Picks Up Daria Spinoff; Networks Finally Set Fall Lineup

• Comedy Central has picked up a Daria spinoff, Jodie, with Tracee Ellis Ross voicing the title character. (CNN)
• We finally have a look at what each broadcast network's fall lineup will look like... whenever that starts. (Deadline)  
• NBC will be promoting their new season with a 30 Rock remotely produced reunion special, of sorts. (Deadline) 
• Jimmy Kimmel is going on a "summer vacation" for a while, and guest hosts will take over in the interim. (Vanity Fair)
• With the new season arriving, we've gotten the "final word" on some of the series from last season that were on the bubble. (SitcomsOnline) 

• Decades has a binge of Car 54, Where Are You? this weekend.
• Antenna TV is celebrating Father's Day with a full day of Coach.
• HBO's limited run Perry Mason series debuts on Sunday.
• The new season of The Twilight Zone is coming Thursday to CBS All Access.
• HBO Max brings in the 3rd season of Search Party on Thursday as well.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Daria, Jodie, SitcomsOnline Digest

Fri-Yay: Expectations on 30 Rock Remote Special; ABC Schedules Sitcom United We Fall for Summer

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!

by Vincent

Another week, another announcement of a remote special of a beloved past comedy series. This week, NBC announced that 30 Rock would air a remote reunion special in July that also doubled as an advertisement for the network's upcoming fall slate. The announcement came with the unveiling of NBC's fall schedule, which is almost entirely made up of returning series with the exception of Law and Order: SVU spin-off Law & Order: Organized Crime, likely due to the inability to finish new pilots due to COVID-19. It will also likely advertise NBC's upcoming streaming service Peacock, set to debut next month. It's not a fully standalone episode of the show like Parks & Recreation, so fans should temper their expectations, but it will still be a lot of fun to see where the TGS gang is these days and hear some fresh Tina Fey & Robert Carlock wordplay. I'm not expecting it to be on the level of prime 30 Rock, but it'll be fun to watch nevertheless.

With fall TV production still very much in question, it's worth wondering if any other shows will try the "remote reunion" approach. Community and The Office did have remote reunion specials, but they didn't premiere new, scripted episodes the way Parks & Recreation and 30 Rock are. Could those shows take the "one more" approach and premiere a new episode? Or perhaps other fan-beloved comedies of the 2010s like New Girl, Happy Endings or Cougar Town? It seems possible, given networks' need for content, given that scripted shows and sports are currently on hiatus, and while both have plans to return by the fall, there's no guarantee they'll be able to. We'll see if the trend continues, and if the 30 Rock special can be as fun as the Parks & Rec special.

Parenting can be tough. Throw some overzealous extended family members into the mix and chaos will undoubtedly ensue. Join the ride with the latest addition to ABC's comedy slate, United We Fall, set to premiere with back-to-back episodes on Wednesday, July 15 (8:00–9:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC. Repeats of The Conners will follow from 9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT. ABC will also encore an hour of the ABC classic Modern Family Tuesdays from 8:00-9:00pm this summer leading into black-ish and mixed-ish repeats from 9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT. Eight episodes of United We Fall will air, before The Goldbergs and American Housewife return for encores in mid-August.

The profoundly realistic family sitcom follows the trials and tribulations of Jo and Bill, parents of two young kids, as they try to make it day to day as a functioning family. Bill's very judgmental live-in mother and Jo's large Latinx Catholic family will never hesitate to let our couple know they’re seemingly screwing up, but Bill and Jo will always have each other's backs, united against everyone – other parents, teachers, doctors, specialists, coaches, co-workers and especially their kids. United We Fall is the latest addition to ABC's iconic family comedy brand, which includes two of TV's top four comedies – The Conners and The Goldbergs – plus the Emmy® Award-nominated black-ish and its spinoff mixed-ish, which is about to enter its sophomore season; American Housewife starring Katy Mixon; and the new comedy Call Your Mother, starring Kyra Sedgwick, which debuts next season.

United We Fall stars Will Sasso as Bill Ryan, Christina Vidal Mitchell as Jo Rodriguez, Jane Curtin as Sandy Ryan, Guillermo Diaz as Chuy Rodriguez and Ella Grace Helton as Emily Ryan.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, ABC, Fri-Yay, Modern Family, NBC, Parks and Recreation, The Conners, United We Fall

NBC Upfront 2020-21: Fall 2020 Schedule; 30 Rock Returns for Upfront Special on July 16

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 9:00 AM

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Labels: 30 Rock, NBC, Upfronts

Fri-Yay: Best Sitcom Episodes for Coronavirus Isolation; Antenna TV Weekend Binge Marathons for Tough Times

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!

by Vincent

Well, obviously it's a tough time for all of us right now. Wherever you are, it's likely that you're being affected somehow by COVID-19. For the many who are in isolation or quarantine to "flatten the curve" of Coronavirus, you're probably finding yourself with a whole lot of time to watch sitcoms! I've put together a list of some of my favorite sitcom episodes that have some thematic similarities with COVID-19 that could hit right in these circumstances. I tried not to just focus on bottle or quarantine episodes but instead episodes that tie with the anxieties stemming from this uncertain time.

1. Community - Epidemiology
This episode is maybe the most obvious choice on the list. It's a Halloween episode centered around a mysterious disease that surfaces at Greendale's Halloween party that slowly spreads and spreads despite everyone's effort to quarantine everyone, partly because of questionable decisions made by Dean Pelton, the school's leader. Sound familiar? Granted, it's a lot more fun than it sounds, as it's a loving parody of zombie movies scored by the ABBA soundtrack (and Dean Pelton's voice memos). If you want to laugh about a disease outbreak in a silly way, this is the episode for you.

2. 30 Rock - Larry King
"Larry King" is 30 Rock's take on the 2008 financial collapse, another historical event that is very different than our current predicament but nevertheless does share some similarities. The entire episode has an end-of-the-world vibe as the characters watch the collapse of the Japanese markets that seemingly spell doom for their own financial security, and a lot of the behaviors and quotes reflect on the odd feeling many of us are feeling now, particularly Salma Hayek's "The whole world has gone cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!" or when Jack's mentor Don Geiss recommends that you "go home to your loved ones and hold them close" instead of taking action. In the end, the panic turns out to be largely false, started by a fearmongering Tracy Jordan. If only we could be so lucky.

3. Parks and Recreation - The Master Plan
The more obvious Parks and Rec choice would be Flu Season, but personally I felt Leslie's pain in "The Master Plan" more these past few days. "The Master Plan" is the first appearance of Ben and Chris as budget slashers who arrive to slash Pawnee's budget, and the episode (as well as the following one, Freddy Spaghetti) follow Leslie's desperate attempts to save her job from government shutdown before accepting the inevitable, that her job would be shut down until further notice. It all works out okay for Leslie, obviously, so these episodes at the tail end of Parks and Rec's second season serve as a good reminder that it's okay to be stressed about an uncertain future, as well as giving us hope that it'll all work itself out.

4. The Simpsons - Hurricane Neddy
While this episode revolves around a hurricane rather than a pandemic, the hysteria that Springfield residents experience before the hurricane hits is awfully familiar with the pre-Corona hysteria that we all experienced about a week ago. Rationing at the Kwik-E-Mart, storming the shelves, and mistaking Lisa and Ralph Wiggum as pieces of fruit are all examples of some of the crazy measures that Springfield residents go through that suddenly don’t seem so crazy.

5. Scrubs - My Quarantine
Well, this one is obvious. This Season 4 episode of Scrubs deals with the SARS epidemic, when JD initiates a quarantine at the hospital after suspecting a patient has the infectious disease. It's a humorous look at quarantine that might provide some levity to your own social distancing.

Antenna TV has a new way to bring a smile to your face and help you get through these tough times. Watch feel-good, binge-worthy TV from the comfort of your own home, all for FREE on Antenna TV. Antenna TV will run themed marathons of classic sitcoms including Family Ties, Three's Company, The Facts of Life, Wings, and Welcome Back, Kotter on Saturday and Sundays from 12 noon to midnight ET starting March 28. The news is a little easier to take with marathons of Murphy Brown on Saturday, March 28 and NewsRadio on Sunday, March 29.

The full schedule of Antenna TV's "Binge TV for Free" is as follows:

Saturday 3/28: Murphy Brown, ATV Goes All News with Murphy Brown
Sunday 3/29: NewsRadio, All News Continues with NewsRadio
Saturday 4/4: Alice, Mel's Diner Remains Open
Sunday 4/5: Archie Bunker’s Place, Archie's Bar Remains Open
Saturday 4/11: Head of the Class, School's Still in Session
Sunday 4/12: Welcome Back, Kotter, School's Still in Session
Saturday 4/18: It's A Living, Above the Top Remains Open
Sunday 4/19: Wings, 30th Anniversary Marathon
Saturday 4/25: The Partridge Family, Spend the Day with Family
Sunday 4/26: Three's Company, Spend the Day with Friends
Saturday 5/2: Becker, The Doctor is Here for You
Sunday 5/3: Coach, ATV Still has Sports with Coach
Saturday 5/9: Family Ties, Spend the Day with Family
Sunday 5/10: The Facts of Life, Mother's Day with Mrs. Garrett

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Antenna TV, Community, Fri-Yay, Murphy Brown, NewsRadio, Parks and Recreation, Scrubs, The Simpsons

Fri-Yay: Sitcom Line-Ups - A Thing of the Past?; Adult Swim Comedy Returns Feb. 23

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!

by Vincent

One thing I've been reminiscing about lately in terms of sitcom history is all-time great sitcom line-ups. When I think of all time great sitcom line-ups like NBC's classic Thursday blocks (whether it be the '90s Friends/Seinfeld centric block, the late '00s/early '10s 30 Rock/Office/Community/Parks and Rec line-up, or whatever you prefer), or classic ABC TGIF line-ups of years past, it made me nostalgic for the nights when I would just sit and watch whatever a network had on tap - because I could trust it was going to be that good.

Needless to say, the streaming world has made that idea somewhat obsolete. Now yes, there are still great sitcom line-ups. I'm a fan of the Superstore/Good Place pairing on NBC, and ABC still knows how to put together a good family sitcom slate. But since so few people watch live TV anymore, the idea of an entire night of TV dedicated to your interests has sort of fallen away.

Still, maybe the streaming age could bring back new traditions. Maybe people will marathon similar shows on the same streaming network and create their own line-ups. Nevertheless, though, while there's plenty of advantages to the streaming era, the loss of truly great sitcom line-ups is one thing I’ll miss.

Can Captain Gaz Digzy lead The Leptons to victory? Find out when season two of Ballmastrz: 9009 returns Sunday, February 23, 2020 at midnight and 12:15 a.m. ET/PT on Adult Swim. Created by Christy Karacas (Superjail!) and produced by Titmouse, the quarter-hour animated series stars Natasha Lyonne (Orange is the New Black), who reprises her role as the voice of Gaz Digzy along with returning cast members Eric Bauza (Unikitty!), Jessica DiCicco (The Loud House), Karacas, Dana Snyder (Aqua Teen Hunger Force) and Dave Willis (Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell). Special guest stars this season include Ed Asner, Rachel Dratch, Jo Firestone, Doc Hammer, Stephanie Sheh and Cree Summer.

The Leptons are back! After 'the burning spirit of teamwork in their hearts' inspired the offbeat oddballs to win their first game, they're actually showing moments of non-suckage! Led by Gaz Digzy and supercharged by the awesome power of Ballmastr, the team wrestle new foes as they claw their way to the top. Will The Leptons continue to surprise fans and reach their ultimate goal: a chance to play for the coveted Crazyar Cup in the Grand Championship? Or will the seductive distractions of newfound fame sideline them for good?

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, Adult Swim, Community, Fri-Yay, Friends, Parks and Recreation, Seinfeld, The Office

TCA Winter 2020 Press Tour: NBC and CBS Includes The Rock Comedy at NBC and The Price Is Right at Night on CBS

The TCA Winter 2020 Press Tour continued this weekend with NBC on Saturday and CBS on Sunday. Let's get the round-up updates going! Starting with NBC, from Nahnatchka Khan and Dwayne Johnson, NBC has given an 11-episode series order to Young Rock, a single-cam comedy inspired by Johnson himself. The series will be executive produced by Nahnatchka Khan, Dwayne Johnson, Jeff Chiang, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz and Jennifer Carreras. The show will be produced by Universal Television, Seven Bucks Productions and Fierce Baby Productions. The pilot was co-written by Khan and Chiang. Johnson will appear in each episode as the focus and inspiration of the series will be about his formative years. Jimmy Fallon is set to host That's My Jam, a new comedy variety event series inspired by the wildly popular, celebrity-fueled musical segments made famous on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. What is sure to be a high-energy hourlong party, That's My Jam will premiere out of the Tokyo Olympics and mark Fallon's first venture in primetime. NBC has ordered an epic 10-part global event series The New World from BBC Studios Natural History Unit, which is set to air in 2024. For the first time ever, The New World will scale across North America, Central America and South America to explore the vast landscapes, remote wilderness and mysterious creatures that inhabit the region.

In renewal news, NBC's hit drama series New Amsterdam has been renewed for three years, through the 2022-23 season. NBC has renewed its highly successful first-ever holiday special event series Ellen's Greatest Night of Giveaways for a new holiday season. NBC has renewed its hit crafts-making series Making It, hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, for a third season. And finally, Award-winning comedy icons Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are returning to the Golden Globes as co-hosts for the 2021 telecast. Fey and Poehler were critically applauded when they hosted the Globes from 2013-15, receiving universal praise for their witty on-stage banter and effortless rapport with one another. Fey, along with Robert Carlock, is co-creator and an executive producer of NBC's upcoming Universal Television-produced untitled comedy series starring Ted Danson as L.A.'s mayor. Holly Hunter also stars.

Moving on to CBS, they announced it has given a series commitment to Clarice, a new drama project written and executive produced by Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet. It's 1993, a year after the events of The Silence of the Lambs. Clarice is a deep dive into the untold personal story of Clarice Starling as she returns to the field to pursue serial murderers and sexual predators while navigating the high stakes political world of Washington, D.C. CBS' top-rated daytime game show The Price Is Right hosted by Drew Carey will return to primetime with three new celebrity-themed The Price Is Right at Night specials to be broadcast in spring 2020. Building on the momentum of December's two holiday primetime specials that featured David Boreanaz and the cast of SEAL Team and actor Seth Rogen, the spring specials will also feature celebrities being called to "come on down" to the iconic stage to play for charity. Survivor celebrates its upcoming 40th season with a new one-hour special, Survivor at 40: Greatest Moments and Players, to be broadcast Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. The milestone 40th edition of Survivor, hosted by Emmy Award winner Jeff Probst, premieres with a special two-hour episode one week later, on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 8:00-10:00 PM, ET/P on the CBS Television Network.

CBS All Access, CBS' digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, also released lots of news. CBS All Access announced plans for three new original children's series from DreamWorks Animation's Classic Media. Beginning Friday, Jan. 17, subscribers will be able to stream all-new editions of Lassie, George of the Jungle and Mr. Magoo. They also announced the second season renewal of its upcoming original series Star Trek: Picard. Season one of Star Trek: Picard premieres on CBS All Access in the U.S. on Thursday, Jan. 23. Also announced was the first round of casting for season two of its original anthology series The Twilight Zone will include Morena Baccarin, Colman Domingo, Ethan Embry, Jenna Elfman, Tavi Gevinson, Tony Hale, Abbie Hern, Gillian Jacobs, Sophia Macy, Joel McHale, Chris Meloni, Billy Porter, Jimmi Simpson and Daniel Sunjata. Each will appear in an episode of the upcoming 10-episode second season, slated to premiere exclusively on CBS All Access in 2020.

CBS All Access announced a new series order for the animated comedy The Harper House, created by Brad Neely, who will also serve as executive producer alongside Katie Krentz. The series will follow an overconfident female head-of-a-household as she struggles to regain a higher status for herself, and for her family of oddballs, after losing her job and moving from the rich side to the poor side of an Arkansas small town. To save money, they've moved into their inherited Victorian fixer upper, the historic Harper House. They also announced plans for a new animated variety series, Tooning Out the News. A CBS Television Studios production, the series is executive produced by Stephen Colbert and Chris Licht of CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and RJ Fried and Tim Luecke from SHOWTIME's Our Cartoon President. This series will provide short daily segments leading up to a weekly full episodes featuring a cast of animated characters mocking news of the day, and interviewing real-world guests and newsmakers.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 30 Rock, CBS, Golden Globes, NBC, Parks and Recreation, Survivor, TCA Winter Tour, The Harper House, The Price is Right, Tonight Show, Young Rock