SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

COZI TV Pairs Up Al Bundy and Hondo at Last; ABC Renews Abbott Elementary for Season 6

COZI TV, NBCU Local's nationwide multicast network, will honor one of pop culture's most unexpected connections – Married... with Children and the classic John Wayne film Hondo – in a special presentation pairring the beloved sitcom and the classic western next week.

Inspired by Married... with Children character Al Bundy's obsession with Wayne, COZI TV is airing the two episodes built around Al's thwarted attempts to watch the 1953 western, followed by the film. The "Married... with Hondo" event will air Monday, March 9, and Saturday, March 14.

Hondo (1953), which stars Wayne and Geraldine Page and is based on a Louis L'âmour story, is considered one of Wayne's standout Western roles. Hondo (1953) was notable for its strong box office performance and its early use of 3-D during the format's first major wave. Page received an Academy Award nomination for her big screen debut in the film.

The two featured Married ... with Children episodes preceding Hondo (1953) will be:

Monday, March 9 at 4 p.m. ET and Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. ET
"All in the Family," Season 2, Episode 22 (1988): Al Bundy's plans for a peaceful weekend revolve entirely around watching Hondo, a running joke throughout the episode

Monday, March 9 at 4:30 p.m. ET and Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET
"Assault & Batteries," Season 8, Episode 24 (1994): Centers on Al's frantic attempt to get home in time for a rare TV airing of Hondo (1953), humorously claiming the film "only comes on once every 17 years."

COZI TV first acquired the digital broadcast rights to Married...with Children from Sony Pictures Television in 2024, becoming the first to deliver the digitally remastered HD version. Hondo is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Just got off the phone with Barbara, you might want to give her a call 😏

ABC has renewed its flagship comedy series Abbott Elementary for a sixth season. It comes as no surprise. This is the first announcement for 2026-27 for ABC renewals. More certainly to come, as ABC is expected to bring back all of their scripted fare, with Scrubs and RJ Decker, which both just premiered, the only question marks as of now.

In this workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers — and a slightly tone-deaf principal — are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible educators may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do — even if they don't love the school district's less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.

Abbott Elementary stars Emmy® Award winner Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues, Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie, Janelle James as Ava Coleman, Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill, Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti, William Stanford Davis as Mr. Johnson and Emmy Award winner Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard.

Just got off the phone with Barbara, you might want to give her a call 😏 pic.twitter.com/ssLKULFMrG

— Abbott Elementary (@AbbottElemABC) March 4, 2026

ABC Wednesday Comedies Find Valentine's Magic; Netflix Announces Dang!

ABC Wednesday comedies deliver audience milestones as romance blooms with Valentine's Day episodes. Shifting Gears Season Finale roared to best multiplatform audience since premiere, while Abbott Elementary rose by triple digits over initial Live+Same Day Audience. Shifting Gears (8:00 p.m. ET/PT) earned 6.90 million Total Viewers and 0.99 rating among Adults 18-49, after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms with a suspenseful season finale in which Matt (Tim Allen) makes a bold decision about his romantic future with Eve (guest star Jenna Elfman). Rising +59% among Total Viewers (vs. 4.33 million) and +154% among Adults 18-49 (vs. 0.39 rating) over its initial Live+Same Day audience, Shifting Gears wrapped Season 2 on a high note with the best audience since fall premiere - since 10/1/25.

Cupid also struck on Abbott Elementary (8:30 p.m. ET/PT), with the award-winning comedy earning 5.93 million Total Viewers and a 1.72 rating among Adults 18-49 after seven days of multiplatform viewing, rising by triple digits over its initial Live+Same Day audience in both measures (+110%; vs. 2.83 million) and (+310%; vs. 0.42 rating). On linear over seven days, Abbott Elementary delivered the show's strongest performance in Total Viewers (3.88 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.64 rating - tied) in nearly four months - since 10/15/25. Abbott Elementary returns with a new episode on March 4 (airing on ABC at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, streaming next day on Hulu). Janine asks Ava for a classroom aide, and the school seeks out a new gym teacher. Meanwhile, Dominic confides in Jacob.

Netflix announced an all-new adult animated comedy series, Dang!, from executive producers Andrew Law, Matt Murray and Mike Schur. Dang! follows a brother and sister duo whose fun, messy lives in New York City are interrupted when their worst nightmare comes true: their high-achieving older sister shows up and wants to hang out with them.

Voice Talent: Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once, The Rocky Horror Show), Poppy Liu (His & Hers, Hacks) and Andrew Law.

The series joins a robust slate of adult animated comedies including upcoming series Strip Law, Mating Season, Alley Cats and Haunted Hotel season 2; fan favorites Big Mouth and BoJack Horseman; and the critically acclaimed Long Story Short, which has been renewed for a second season.

CBS Renews 10 More Series for 2026-27; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Return Big in January

CBS announced that it has renewed 10 additional series for the 2026-2027 broadcast season. The renewed CBS Original series include: Tracker, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, Matlock, Elsbeth, Fire Country, NCIS, NCIS: Origins, NCIS: Sydney, Survivor, and The Amazing Race. They join previous series orders for the 2026-2027 season: Boston Blue, Sheriff Country, FBI, Ghosts, and new Cupertino and Einstein. This brings the total number of series ordered for the 2026-2027 season to 16. Additional series orders and renewals will be made at future dates.

ABC's Wednesday comedies are back in style. Shifting Gears (8 p.m. ET/PT) roared back for its midseason premiere, earning 6.88 million Total Viewers after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms, rising +58% (vs. 4.36 million) over the show's initial Live+Same Day audience. The show scored its biggest total audience since the season debut (10/1/25). Abbott Elementary (8:30 p.m. ET/PT) also returned on a high note, earning 5.81 million Total Viewers after seven days of multiplatform viewing, rising +112% (vs. 2.74 million) over the initial Live+Same Day audience with its best audience in five weeks (since 10/22/25).

Standing as the top two shows of the night, Shifting Gears (0.57 rating) and Abbott Elementary (0.56 rating) dominated the linear landscape as the No. 2 and No. 3 scripted shows of the week in Adults 18-49, respectively, behind only ABC's High Potential. Coming up next week (Jan. 28 on ABC, streaming next day on Hulu), Matt is thrilled to show off his military-hero son Sam on Shifting Gears (8 p.m. ET/PT), but a shift in Sam's career could finally give Riley a chance to be the golden child. Meanwhile, Andy's singing hits all the wrong notes for Riley. Jesse Williams and Luke Macfarlane guest star. And on Abbott Elementary (8:30 p.m. ET/PT), when picture day catches the teachers at Abbott by surprise, chaos ensues.

ABC Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu Renews Only Murders in the Building for Season 6, Now in London

Following a phenomenal fall season of unprecedented success across the schedule, ABC announced its 2026 midseason premiere dates featuring a slate of hilarious comedies, thrilling dramas, and high-stakes unscripted series. America's Funniest Home Videos kicks off the week Sunday, January 4 at 7pm. Star and executive producer Ramón Rodríguez directs the Season 4 premiere of Will Trent Tuesday, January 6, followed by the midseason return of High Potential which continues to be a powerhouse, ranking as the No. 1 original broadcast series across platforms for the second season in a row among Adults 18-49, and the Season 8 premiere of The Rookie. Both Will Trent and The Rookie enjoyed tremendous ratings success last season, surging year over year and posting several new streaming highs. Both series consistently delivered over 10 million Total Viewers in multiplatform viewing.

Wednesday night comedies Shifting Gears and Emmy(R) Award-winning Abbott Elementary return for a night of laughs Wednesday, January 7, followed by the return of Shark Tank. The following day, ratings juggernaut dramas 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Nashville and Grey's Anatomy return to the Thursday night lineup on January 8. Rounding out the week, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Friday's most-watched newsmagazine, ABC News' "20/20," return to the schedule Friday, January 9. NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC returns for select Saturdays beginning January 24 (Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks).

American Idol premieres its ninth season on ABC and 24th season overall with a new schedule, airing Mondays beginning January 26. Music superstars Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood return as judges alongside Emmy Award-winning host Ryan Seacrest. For the first time ever, American Idol will bring the iconic Hollywood Week round to Nashville. Hollywood Week: Music City Takeover will feature one round only as the hopefuls from all musical genres take the stage for a make-or-break performance, facing the biggest Hollywood Week cut in "Idol" history.

Premiering Wednesday, February 25, ABC is scrubbing back in for Sacred Heart Hospital with back-to-back episodes of comedy Scrubs starring Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke. Ken Jennings-hosted Celebrity Jeopardy! returns for Season 4 with a brand-new All-Stars Tournament Friday, February 27, while the drama-filled season premiere of The Bachelorette starring The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul and hosted by Jesse Palmer kicks off on its new night, Sunday, March 22. As previously announced, new drama series RJ Decker (working title) starring Scott Speedman will debut in 2026. The premiere date will be announced at a later time. With this newest addition to the schedule, ABC ups its drama count to seven series, and 10 scripted series overall.

Hulu Original comedy series Only Murders in the Building, which hails from 20th Television, has been renewed for a sixth season consisting of 10 episodes. The series will film overseas for the first time, with the beloved crime-solving trio leaving New York City to investigate London's newest mystery.

Season five features a star-studded cast, including the return of multi-Oscar(R)/Emmy(R) winner Meryl Streep and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Richard Kind, Nathan Lane, Bobby Cannavale, Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz, Téa Leoni, Keegan-Michael Key, Beanie Feldstein, Dianne Wiest, and Jermaine Fowler. They joined stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Michael Cyril Creighton. Season five is now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the US and on Disney+ internationally. Season five finale became available yesterday, October 28.

SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at NBC Comedy Stumble; Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage Showrunner Talks When the Inevitable May Happen

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a very slow news week this, but we've got a preview for an upcoming NBC comedy and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• We have our first look at the upcoming NBC comedy Stumble. (Deadline)
• With a title like Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, you have to wonder if the series will ever get to the second one, and the showrunner is talking about that. (Deadline)
• Abbott Elementary star Lisa Ann Walter is set to do a stand-up special set for Hulu. (Deadline)
• Pop Culture Jeopardy! is coming back for a new season, but now it'll have a new home, on Netflix. (AV Club)
• ABC's comedies are off to a strong start. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (OCTOBER 18 - OCTOBER 24)

ABC Wednesday Comedies Premiere Strong; Sebastian Maniscalco's Hulu Comedy Special Date

Shifting Gears cruised back for season two and after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms, scored 7.57 million Total Viewers and 1.17 rating among Adults 18-49 - rising over the show's initial Live+Same Day audience by +73% in Total Viewers (vs. 4.37 million) and +234% among Adults 18-49 (vs. 0.35 rating). The acclaimed comedy starring Tim Allen as Matt, the stubborn widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop, earned the biggest audience since the show's Valentine's Day episode on 2/12/25, rising over the show's season one finale by +6% in Total Viewers (7.57 million vs. 7.12 million on 3/19/25).

It was back to school with ABC's award-winning comedy Abbott Elementary and after seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms, the season five premiere earned 6.64 million Total Viewers and a 1.90 rating among Adults 18-49, growing by triple digits in Total Viewers (+135%; 2.83 million) and six times among Adults 18-49 (+555%; 0.29 rating) over the show's initial Live+Same Day audience. The Abbott Elementary premiere also jumped over the show's season four premiere among Total Viewers (+8% - 6.64 million vs. 6.16 million on 10/9/24) as well as the season four average (+4% - 6.64 million vs. 6.38 million), with the show's biggest audience since 3/12/25.

Both shows return tonight - Wednesday, October 15 (airing at 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., respectively EDT/PDT on ABC and streaming next day on Hulu). On Shifting Gears, when Carter's job pays more than Riley's, she decides to find her forever career and clashes with Matt over her future. Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias drops by Parker Customs, and Matt debates letting go of a piece of the past. Lori Greiner guest stars. Then at 8:30 p.m. on Abbott Elementary, the Abbott crew heads to the ballpark for Teachers' Appreciation Night at the Philadelphia Phillies game.

We have a premiere date! Sebastian Maniscalco: It Ain't Right premieres Friday, November 21 on Hulu, and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, in the US, and on Disney+ internationally. Filmed live at the legendary United Center arena in Chicago, Sebastian Maniscalco: It Ain't Right goes all in on family chaos, aging, and the little things that drive us all nuts—with his one-of-a-kind comedic bite.

Sarah Sherman HBO Comedy Special in December; Huluween Programming for 2025

Sarah Sherman's unholy alter ego, Sarah Squirm, slithers onto your screen this December with her first stand-up special, Sarah Squirm: Live + in the Flesh, debuting on HBO and streaming on HBO Max. After four seasons (and counting) on Saturday Night Live, Sherman rips off the straitjacket, unleashing a festering hour of bodily fluids, open-wound confessionals, and jokes that will leave skid marks on your soul. The special taped at The Bell House in Brooklyn, New York earlier this year.

Sarah Sherman, aka Sarah Squirm, is entering her fifth season as a cast member on NBC's Saturday Night Live. In 2023, she co-starred with Adam Sandler in the Netflix film You Are SO Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah! and is set to appear in the upcoming Sandler-produced Netflix feature Roommates. Sarah was selected as a New Face at the 2021 Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and is known for her popular live show Helltrap Nightmare. Sarah previously opened for Eric André on his national tour and was a writer on The Eric Andre Show. She was staffed on the Adult Swim series Three Busy Debras and Netflix's Magic for Humans. She was previously named one of Vulture's Comics to Watch in 2018 and one of Time Out magazine's Five Comics to Watch in 2017.

Halloween has returned, and Disney+ and Hulu have a spellbinding selection of new and classic programming, all under one haunted roof with Huluween on Disney+. Disney+ has an enchanting selection of premieres this fall, including Marvel Animation's ghoulish new series Marvel Zombies and Halloween-themed episodes of new series Vampirina: Teenage Vampire, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, Electric Bloom and Kiff. Other beloved Halloween classics now streaming include Halloweentown, Hocus Pocus, Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Haunted Mansion. And for the first time on Disney+, subscribers will be able to browse the Halloween Collection's scare level sets from A Little Fear to Completely Terrified to find the perfect streaming trick or treat.

For preschoolers, the Disney Jr. Halloween offerings on Disney+ include themed episodes of Marvel's Spidey and his Amazing Friends, Marvel's Iron Man and his Awesome Friends, SuperKitties, and the brand-new stop-motion shorts Mickey & Minnie’s Holiday Songs: Halloween. For the first time in Halloween history, 36 Simpsons Treehouse of Horror episodes — and a few scary surprises — will be playing on an exclusive Disney+ Stream. Beginning now, tune in to become possessed by 13 (the scariest number) bone-chilling hours of terrifyingly bed-wetting Simpsons tales of horror and horrifyingness and Homer!

Additionally, there are three bewitching new nonstop Streams now available on Disney+, offering Premium subscribers a Halloween lineup to die for. Whether it’s for a Halloween party or a quiet night at home, the curated selection of favorites is ready to stream anytime. Streams include Hallowstream, a stream of Halloween classics; Villains, an ode to all the best villains in cinema; and Waverly Place, a destination for Wizards of all ages.

Huluween is back again and streaming on Disney+, creating the ultimate Halloween destination for bundle subscribers. This year's lineup offers a chilling mix of premieres, including new movies Hand that Rocks the Cradle, The Man in My Basement and Stay, plus a new Family Guy Halloween special. Fans can also revisit breakout hits like Longlegs, The Monkey, and Hell of a Summer, alongside classics from M. Night Shyamalan such as The Sixth Sense, The Happening, and The Village. For those looking for nonstop frights, Huluween features the complete Saw and Blade film collections, as well as recent TV premieres like FX's Alien: Earth and the highly anticipated return of UK dark comedy Obituary. And ABC's Halloween episodes of hits such as AFV, Abbott Elementary, 9-1-1, Dancing with the Stars, High Potential and Shifting Gears. With the Disney+, Hulu Bundle, Huluween on Disney+ brings all the scares together under one haunted roof.

SitcomsOnline Digest: Scrubs Cast Comes Together for First Table Read for Reboot; Monopoly Game Show Moving Ahead

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're seeing progress on the Scrubs reboot, a late night talk show is back on the air (everywhere), and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• The Scrubs cast is back together for their first table read for the upcoming reboot. (Entertainment Weekly)
• The competition to get the opportunity to produce a Monopoly themed game show is heating up. (Deadline)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live is now back on the air for all ABC affiliates, as it appears that the two ownership groups who pulled the show ended up getting more backlash than support for their decision. (Variety)
• Speaking of Jimmy Kimmel, he will be in Brooklyn this week, and will appear as a guest on on The Late Show, and Colbert will also appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live on the same night. (Deadline)
• MTV has cancelled Catfish. (Deadline)
• We have our first look at the upcoming CBS comedy DMV. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (SEPTEMBER 27 - OCTOBER 3)

 

ABC Fall 2025 Premiere Dates; The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to End in May 2026

ABC unveiled its fall 2025 premiere dates, showcasing a lineup of fan-favorite reality shows, heartwarming comedies and thrilling dramas, including the highly anticipated new series, 9-1-1: Nashville. Monday Night Football returns on most Mondays beginning September 8 (Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears). Breakout hit and last season's No. 1 new program, High Potential, returns for its second season Tuesday, September 16, following ballroom sensation Dancing with the Stars, which will celebrate its milestone 20th anniversary. The Golden Bachelor returns Wednesday, September 24, with a two-hour premiere featuring new leading man Mel Owens, followed by a new season of Shark Tank. The sophomore season of Shifting Gears and a new season of Emmy and Golden Globe(R) Award-winning comedy Abbott Elementary join Wednesday nights beginning October 1.

From executive producer Ryan Murphy, the newest iteration of the 9-1-1 universe, 9-1-1: Nashville, debuts Thursday, October 16, alongside principal series 9-1-1 and the longest-running primetime medical drama in television history, Grey's Anatomy. Ryan Seacrest hosts his inaugural season of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune alongside the legendary Vanna White when the beloved game show premieres Friday, September 26, followed by new episodes of ABC News' 20/20. America's Funniest Home Videos returns Sunday, September 28, before The Wonderful World of Disney broadcast premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Additional movies to air this fall include the broadcast premieres of Elemental, Avatar: The Way of Water and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

As previously announced, new seasons of returning series American Idol, The Bachelor, Celebrity Jeopardy!, The Rookie and Will Trent will debut in 2026, as well as the recently picked up comedy series Scrubs. These premiere dates will be announced at a later date.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026 at the close of the 2025-26 broadcast season. Colbert announced the news during tonight's taping at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

Official statement: "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season. We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire The Late Show franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television.

This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.

Our admiration, affection, and respect for the talents of Stephen Colbert and his incredible team made this agonizing decision even more difficult. Stephen has taken CBS late night by storm with cutting-edge comedy, a must-watch monologue and interviews with leaders in entertainment, politics, news and newsmakers across all areas. The show has been #1 in late night for nine straight seasons; Stephen's comedy resonates daily across digital and social media; and the broadcast is a staple of the nation's zeitgeist.

The accomplishments of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert are memorable and significant in performance, quality and stature. With much gratitude, we look forward to honoring Stephen and celebrating the show over the next 10 months alongside its millions of fans and viewers."

Antenna TV's Still Dreaming of Jeannie 60th Anniversary Marathon; 77th Primetime Emmy Nominations

In what seems like the blink of an eye, 60 years have passed since fantasy sitcom I Dream of Jeannie premiered on televisions in September 1965. Antenna TV is celebrating with the "Still Dreaming of Jeannie 60th Anniversary Marathon" and airing 60 back-to-back episodes of I Dream of Jeannie starting Saturday, August 16 at 10 am Eastern.

In honor of this magical anniversary, Barbara Eden, the sitcom's titular character and star, will come out of the genie bottle to host the marathon and take you behind-the-scenes of the series to share her favorite memories. Antenna TV's "Still Dreaming of Jeannie 60th Anniversary Marathon" airs Saturday, August 16 at 10 am Eastern through Sunday, August 17 at 4 pm Eastern. I Dream of Jeannie airs regularly Mon-Fri 1pm ET | 10am PT & Mon-Fri 3am ET | 12am PT.

Nominations for the 77th Emmy® Awards were announced from the Wolf Theatre in the Saban Media Center, the result of the largest voting member turnout in the history of the Emmys. The live ceremony was hosted by Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) and Brenda Song (Running Point) along with Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego.

The Studio tied the record for the most nominations in a single year in the Comedy category with 23 (set by The Bear in 2024) and Severance led this year’s Drama category with 27 nominations. Seth Rogen received three nominations for performance, writing and directing for The Studio. Additional performers with multiple nominations this year include Quinta Brunson (performance and writing for Abbott Elementary), Ayo Edebiri (performance and directing for The Bear), Colin Farrell (performance and producing for The Penguin), Stephen Graham (performance and producing for Adolescence), Julianne Nicholson (performance for Paradise and Hacks), Catherine O'Hara (performance for The Studio and The Last of Us) and Michelle Williams (performance and producing for Dying for Sex).

The 77th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live Sunday, Sept. 14, (8:00-11:00 PM EDT/5:00-8:00 PM PDT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Nate Bargatze will host the telecast and Jesse Collins Entertainment is set to return as executive producer for the third consecutive year. The 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, will be held over two consecutive nights, Saturday, Sept. 6, and Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE, helmed by executive producer Bob Bain and Bob Bain Productions. An edited presentation of the ceremonies will air Saturday, Sept. 13, at 8:00 PM PDT on FXX.

View the full nominations list.

Fox Summer 2025 Schedule; Final Guest Hosts for Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Season

Fox is announcing premiere dates and return dates for the summer 2025 slate of original programming, including the series premieres of Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service (May 21) and The Snake (June 10), as well as new seasons of LEGO Masters (May 19), MasterChef (May 21), The Quiz with Balls (June 2) and The 1% Club (June 10), and all-new episodes of "Animation Domination" favorites Bob's Burgers, Grimsburg, Family Guy and The Great North (May 29). Additional summer programming to be announced.

The Fox summer schedule officially gets its brick on beginning Monday, May 19 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) with the Season Five premiere of hit competition series LEGO Masters, hosted by actor and producer Will Arnett. New episodes of America's Most Wanted follow at 9 thru May 26. Fox's summer really starts cooking beginning Wednesday, May 21 with the landmark 15th season premiere of MasterChef: Dynamic Duos (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), followed by the series premiere of Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). Beginning on a new night, Thursday, May 29, Fox's iconic "Animation Domination" continues this summer with all-new episodes of fan-favorite series Bob's Burgers (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), Grimsburg (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), Family Guy (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and The Great North (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).

Beginning Monday, June 2, following an all-new episode of LEGO Masters, the big balls are back! Hosted by actor and comedian Jay Pharoah, The Quiz with Balls (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) pits brains against balls, while combining a high-stakes quiz show with a large-scale physical competition. Then, beginning Tuesday, June 10 The 1% Club (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) premieres with new host Joel McHale (Animal Control, Crime Scene Kitchen), followed by the series premiere of all-new competition series The Snake (9:00-10:00PM ET/PT), hosted by comedian Jim Jeffries.

Season finale dates for the following in-season programs are as follows: The Masked Singer (two-hour season finale 5/7); America's Most Wanted: Missing Persons (5/12); Next Level Chef (5/15); The Simpsons (5/18); Krapopolis (5/18); Farmer Wants A Wife (two-hour season finale 5/22); America's Most Wanted (5/26); Alert: Missing Persons Unit (5/27); The Cleaning Lady (two-hour season finale 6/3).

Quinta Brunson will host NBC's Saturday Night Live for the second time on May 3. The Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner is the star and creator of ABC's Abbott Elementary. Benson Boone will perform as musical guest for the first time. The Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum selling artist will release his next album "American Heart" on June 20. Walton Goggins will host SNL for the first time on May 10. Goggins stars in the third season of The White Lotus and the final season of The Righteous Gemstones, both streaming on Max. Arcade Fire will take the stage as musical guest for the sixth time. The Grammy Award-winning band will release their new album, "Pink Elephant," on May 9.

Scarlett Johansson will host the May 17 season finale, returning to host SNL for the seventh time. The Oscar-nominated actress stars in the new Universal Pictures film Jurassic World Rebirth, in theaters July 2. Bad Bunny will make his third appearance as musical guest. The 3-time Grammy-winning artist's latest album, "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS," spent three consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 and has been #1 on the Top Latin Albums chart for 15 straight weeks.

BET+ Orders Martin Spinoff Varnell Hill; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns in July

BET+ has greenlit Varnell Hill, a workplace comedy series based on the beloved character made famous by actor and comedian Tommy Davidson from the original series Martin, which starred Martin Lawrence, Tisha Campbell, Tichina Arnold, Thomas Mikal Ford, and Carl Anthony Payne. Davidson is set to star, reprising his namesake guest role. The straight-to-series order will showcase a mixture of exciting new characters and celebrity guest cameos.

Set behind the scenes of a long-running late-night talk show, The Varnell Hill Show is a workplace comedy that delves into the chaotic world of television production. The series explores Varnell's journey to remain relevant in an ever-evolving industry and the corporate dynamics of network executives, business stakeholders, and creative teams involved in the making of the show. With its blend of satire, humor, cutaways, and fourth-wall breaks, the show promises to engage audiences in a fresh and innovative way. Martin Lawrence, co-creator, will serve as an executive producer. Co-creator, writer, and director Bentley Kyle Evans will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, Andy Horne, Stacy Lyles, Robert Lawrence, and Rae Proctor will also serve as executive producers. Rose Catherine Pinkney and Jason Harvey will executive produce for BET+. The series will be produced by Bentley Evans and his production team. Production for the new season and a premiere will be announced at a later date.

FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the longest-running live-action comedy series in television history, will premiere its 17th season on Wednesday, July 9. The premiere will include the first two episodes beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT on FXX, with episodes streaming next day on Hulu. The new season is also coming to Disney+ internationally. The first promo for season 17 was also released - see below. The fan-favorite, ever-inventive series marks the 20th anniversary of its series premiere this year. The new season will include The Gang's take on meeting ABC's Abbott Elementary in the conclusion to the highly-anticipated crossover.

In the latest season, "The Gang Embraces The Corporate Era:" The story of how greed and the New American Dream have consumed Paddy's Pub. Seventeen seasons on, Ronald "Mac" MacDonald (Rob McElhenney), Charlie Kelly (Charlie Day), Dennis Reynolds (Glenn Howerton), Dee Reynolds (Kaitlin Olson), and Frank Reynolds (Danny DeVito) return to shamelessly shed their "niche" label for grander aspirations. They'll exploit cross-network promotion to increase market share; they'll scapegoat one of their own to avoid a PR backlash; they'll risk everything for a handshake with the Saudis; they'll bend the laws with side hustles to pad their pockets; and they'll change everything about themselves to appeal to a broader audience. And sure, like any corporate goon, the Gang craves money and parasitic social privileges. That's been plain since 2005. But they're also human beings. They crave love.. respect... conditional freedom... constant adulation... histrionic amounts of attention... non-stop gratification... and unfiltered, slaphappy eroticism.

ABC 2025-26 Season Renewals for Scripted Series; New Season of Phineas and Ferb Returns June 5

ABC has renewed most of its hit scripted line-up. 9-1-1 for Season 9 (and the third on ABC), Grey's Anatomy for Season 22, The Rookie for Season 8, Shifting Gears for Season 2 and Will Trent for Season 4 all for the 2025-26 Season. These join the previosuly picked up High Potential for Season 2 and Abbott Elementary for Season 5. ABC has also picked up new drama 9-1-1: Nashville, while The Conners is ending. Still no word on a second season for Doctor Odyssey. Stay tuned, as ABC will still announce its unscripted pick-ups (Shark Tank, AFV, The Bachelor, Dancing with the Stars, and more are all expected to return).

Disney Branded Television is rolling out the teal carpet for the highly anticipated return of the five-time Emmy® Award-winning and BAFTA-nominated Phineas and Ferb. The new season will premiere on Thursday, June 5, at 8 p.m. PDT/EDT on Disney Channel and Disney XD with two episodes, and the first episode will be available the same day on Disney Channel YouTube. The first 10 episodes of the season will premiere on Disney+ in the U.S. and select international markets on Friday, June 6, with additional markets to follow later this year. The episodes will also be available to stream on Disney Channel on Demand. A special sneak peek will debut on Monday, May 26, at 11:35 a.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Channel YouTube.

Fox Announces Animation Domination 2025 Schedule; Abbott Elementary Renewed for Season 5

Fox announces Winter return dates for its iconic Animation Domination favorites Family Guy, Grimsburg, The Great North, Krapopolis and The Simpsons. On Sunday, February 16, all-new seasons of Family Guy (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), Grimsburg (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) and The Great North (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) debut, followed by new episodes of Krapopolis (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT) on Fox. Then, starting Sunday, March 30, all-new episodes of The Simpsons return (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), followed by Family Guy (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), The Great North (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and Krapopolis (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). Additional scheduling information to be announced.

We caught up with the cast of Grimsburg at New York Comic Con in October. We spoke with Jon Hamm and Rachel Dratch along with Alan Tudyk and showrunner Chadd Gindin. They told us what to expect this season, some great guest voices and much much more! Check out the videos!

No surprise, but Abbott Elementary will be back for a season five in 2025-26 on ABC! ABC also has renewed breakout hit drama High Potential for a second season, after a strong fall and even stronger start in January. In Abbott Elementary, the workplace comedy, a group of dedicated, passionate teachers - and a slightly tone-deaf principal - are brought together in a Philadelphia public school where, despite the odds stacked against them, they are determined to help their students succeed in life. Though these incredible educators may be outnumbered and underfunded, they love what they do - even if they don't love the school district's less-than-stellar attitude toward educating children.

Abbott Elementary stars Emmy(R) Award winner Quinta Brunson as Janine Teagues, Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie, Janelle James as Ava Coleman, Chris Perfetti as Jacob Hill, Lisa Ann Walter as Melissa Schemmenti, William Stanford Davis as Mr. Johnson and Emmy Award winner Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard.

Rewind TV February 2025 Schedule; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Score Big for Premieres

Rewind TV will be making some minor schedule changes beginning Monday, Febrary 3 to its weekday lineup. The most notable change is Dear John now airing at 6am ET (replacing Head of the Class, which now is off of weekdays) and 4pm ET (replacing Who's the Boss?, which slides to 2pm). The John Larroquette Show will air weeknights at 5pm ET now replacing 227, which slides to 3pm. The Hogan Family is also now off of weekdays, as its 2pm slot now is Who's the Boss? The timeslot shuffling is from 12pm-11pm, with the exception of Sabrina the Teenage Witch which remains at 8pm.

After seven days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms, ABC's acclaimed new comedy Shifting Gears has revved up a total cross-platform audience of nearly 17 million Total Viewers, representing a 173% lift over the show's initial Live+Same Day delivery (16.95 million vs. 6.20 million). Excluding linear encores, Tim Allen's triumphant return to ABC as Matt, the stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop, garnered 12.45 million Total Viewers and 2.94 rating in Adults 18-49, growing 101% in Total Viewers over the show's Live+Same Day audience (12.45 million vs. 6.20 million) and +339% in Adults 18-49 (2.94 rating vs. 0.67 rating). Shifting Gears stood as ABC's strongest series debut in over six years - since 10/16/18 with The Conners, and marks the most-watched ABC series premiere on streaming to date, based on views in its first seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.

On linear, Shifting Gears earned an impressive 7.82 million Total Viewers becoming one of the most-watched broadcast series premieres of the season and growing markedly over the show's initial Live+Same Day Audience, where it topped the night in Total Viewers (+26% - 7.82 million vs. 6.20 million). Among Adults 18-49, Shifting Gears earned an 0.87 rating, standing as the strongest premiere of the season in the key Adult demographic, excluding NFL-inflated lead-ins. Meanwhile, Abbott Elementary returned for its winter premiere with a highly anticipated crossover event, featuring FXX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, reaching a series high in Total Viewers (8.05 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.57 rating) in multiplatform viewing, excluding the show's post-Oscars(R) episode (3/10/24).

On linear, the Abbott Elementary midseason return scored 4.90 million Total Viewers and a 0.90 rating in Adults 18-49, rising nicely over the show's initial Live+Same Day audience (+28% - 4.90 million vs. 3.82 million) and Adults 18-49 (+32% - 0.90 rating vs. 0.68 rating), topping the night among Adults 18-49. The midseason debut scored an all-time series high for episode views on streaming, based on the first seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+. Hulu is the streaming home to both Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, making this crossover episode a must-watch for subscribers.

SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Cancels The Franchise; Alice Actress Linda Lavin Dies

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We're still in that slow Christmas week of news, but we still have a few headlines, including the cancellation of an HBO series and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• HBO has canceled The Franchise. (Deadline)
• Remember when cable companies used to offer free preview weekends of movie channels? Apple TV+ is doing something like that this weekend. (Cord Cutters News)
• Linda Lavin died earlier this week, and she had already finished 7 of the 10 episodes of the upcoming Hulu series that she had a role in, Mid-Century Modern, making it unclear how they will proceed now. (TheWrap)
• Catchy Comedy has a new Saturday lineup, which features a recreation of the 1970s CBS lineup at night. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JANUARY 4 - JANUARY 10)

• You can catch an Alice marathon as a tribute to Linda Lavin this weekend on Antenna TV.
• Catchy Comedy debuts a new Saturday lineup this weekend, which includes a recreation of the CBS Saturday night lineup from the 70s, today, followed by a Night Court binge tomorrow.
• The crossover event that features the cast of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia on Abbott Elementary airs Wednesday on ABC.
• Shifting Gears also debuts Wednesday night on ABC.
• CBS brings back a new version of Hollywood Squares on Thursday night.

Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover Event; The Night Agent Returns January 23 on Netflix

It's always funny in Philadelphia. Tune in to the Abbott Elementary x It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Crossover Event on January 8 on ABC.

8:30-9:02 p.m. EST – Abbott Elementary: “Volunteers” (409)
Logline: Ava announces the school district is sending a group of volunteers to help out at Abbott; however, when they arrive, things don’t go as planned.

The fate of the nation relies on one man. The Night Agent Season 2 returns January 23, only on Netflix.

Based on the novel by Matthew Quirk, The Night Agent is a sophisticated, character-based, action-thriller centering on a low level FBI Agent, Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso), whose efforts to save The President in Season 1 earn him an opportunity to become a Night Agent in Season 2. But working in the secretive organization of Night Action will propel Peter into a world where danger is everywhere and trust is in short supply.

The Night Agent Season 1 was the most watched series in 2023 (by views) and currently ranks as the 7th Most Popular English series on Netflix of all time, with a staggering 98.2M views in its first 91 days. In its first month, it was #1 in the Global Top 10 for four consecutive weeks and reached the #1 spot in the Top 10 for 87 countries.

Abbott Elementary Aces the Test on Multi-Platform; Dancing with the Stars' Resurgence

After 35 days of viewing on ABC, Hulu, Hulu on Disney+ and digital platforms, the Abbott Elementary season four premiere aced the test with 8.96 million Total Viewers and a 3.50 rating in Adults 18-49. ABC's award-winning comedy rose dramatically over its initial Live+Same Day audience by +321% in Total Viewers (8.96 million vs. 2.13 million) and an impressive +846% in Adults 18-49 (3.50 rating vs. 0.37 rating). In addition, the premiere rose remarkably in multiplatform viewing over the show's season three finale (5/22/24) by +11% in Total Viewers (8.96 million vs. 8.05 million) and +21% among Adults 18-49 (3.50 rating vs. 2.90 rating). The season four premiere of Abbott Elementary stands as the top multiplatform telecast in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 since the show's post-Oscars(R) episode (3/10/24). In addition, Abbott Elementary earned its best Wednesday performance since 2/28/24.

Coming up on Wednesday, December 4, Abbott Elementary celebrates the season with a one-hour special holiday event featuring back-to-back episodes, "Winter Show" and Winter Break" (8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. EST/PST, respectively, on ABC, streaming next day on Hulu). At 8 p.m., Barbara is determined to make Abbott Elementary's first-ever holiday show a success, despite a few setbacks. Meanwhile, Jacob's brother arrives for his visit earlier than planned. Then at 8:30 p.m., Melissa hosts the Schemmenti family Christmas Eve dinner and goes to great lengths to make sure everything is perfect, while Janine and Gregory get an unexpected guest.

ABC's Dancing with the Stars concluded its spectacular season 33 as the top program of the night, delivering record-breaking audience in both Total Viewers (6.36 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.14 rating) - the best Total Viewer audience since the show's season 29 finale on 11/23/20, the best Adults 18-49 audience since the season 29 premiere on 9/14/20, and its best Adults 18-49 season finale performance in 7 years - since 5/21/18. And these numbers don't include the live Disney+ data yet!

In addition to wins among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, the extravagant three-hour finale, in which Joey Graziadei and his partner, Jenna Johnson, took home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, swept additional key demographics including Adults 18-34 (1.27 rating), Women 18-49 (1.61 rating), Women 18-34 (1.90 rating) and Men 18-34 (0.65 rating), among others, while also pushing ABC to a win for the night. Dancing with the Stars delivered double-digit gains in both Total Viewers (+16% - 6.36 million vs. 5.50 million) and Adults 18-49 (+70% - 1.14 rating vs. 0.67 rating) compared to its year-ago season finale (12/5/23). Dancing with the Stars led its closest broadcast competitor, NBC's The Voice, by +226%, more than tripling its Adults 18-49 performance (1.14 rating vs. 0.35 rating).

Additionally, the season 33 finale was the highest-rated Adults 18-49 regularly scheduled entertainment telecast in primetime since NBC's This Is Us finale (1.28 rating on 5/24/22). Season to date, Dancing with the Stars stands as the No. 1 entertainment series among Adults 18-49 (0.77 rating) - the first time for the show to take the top spot for the broadcast season in its entire history. The show once again broke voting records, garnering over 32 million votes for the teams during the very competitive finale. Dancing with the Stars was the No. 1 most social TV program across broadcast and cable on 11/26 and the No. 1 most social episode of any entertainment series season to date.

ABC Midseason 2025 Schedule; Jim Gaffigan Gets First Hulu Comedy Special

ABC announced its 2025 midseason premiere dates, featuring a slate of laugh-out-loud comedies, high-octane dramas and fan-favorite unscripted series. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition makes its long-awaited return to ABC with all the feels beginning Thursday, January 2. The new iteration, hosted by Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, co-founders of the global lifestyle brand The Home Edit, will be followed by the exclusive broadcast premiere of season two of the Emmy® Award-nominated Hulu Original comedy Only Murders in the Building. Will Trent premieres Tuesday, January 7, followed by the midseason return of High Potential and a new season of The Rookie.

Tim Allen and Kat Dennings star in new comedy series Shifting Gears premiering Wednesday, January 8, followed by the highly anticipated Abbott Elementary and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover episode, which kicks off the Emmy Award-winning series’ midseason return. New episodes of Celebrity Jeopardy!, hosted by Ken Jennings, and What Would You Do? round out the evening. NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC returns for select Saturdays beginning January 25 (Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors). On Monday, January 27, Grant Ellis begins his journey on The Bachelor, followed by the exclusive broadcast debut of season one of Hulu's most-watched unscripted season premiere this year, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. ABC News' Scamanda and Hulu's Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini will air beginning Thursday, January 30 from 9-11pm, before the fan-favorite drama series 9-1-1, Doctor Odyssey and Grey's Anatomy return to the iconic Thursday night lineup on March 6.

The search for a superstar begins when American Idol premieres Sunday, March 9, on ABC, with Carrie Underwood joining Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and host Ryan Seacrest a remarkable 20 years after she claimed the title. The $100,000 Pyramid has been renewed for season eight and will join the Sunday night lineup following Idol. The farewell season of The Conners will return in March 2025 with a night and time to be announced. And Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Press Your Luck will also return in the new year, but airdates to be announced at a later date (they both will air Holiday episodes this December, though).

It's Jim like you've never seen him before. In his new #Hularious stand-up special The Skinny, Jim Gaffigan weighs in on everything from teenagers to brunch to weight-loss medication - but he's never light on laughs. Considered one of the most prolific comedians working today, 7 time Grammy nominee Jim Gaffigan provides the skinny on everything from appetite suppressants to raising teenagers in Hulu's very first comedy special. Stream Jim Gaffigan: The Skinny November 22 on #Hulu and with #HuluOnDisneyPlus.

ABC Holiday Schedule for 2024; NBC Holiday Schedule for 2024

Ring in the holiday season and tune in to ABC during the most wonderful time of the year. Programming highlights include a one-hour holiday event of the Emmy(R) Award-winning series Abbott Elementary at a special time; The Wonderful World of Disney presents The Sound of Music, The Lion King, Frozen, Frozen 2, Home Alone and The Santa Clause; holiday-themed episodes of fan-favorite shows including Press Your Luck, Celebrity Family Feud, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Shark Tank; and a new season of The Great Christmas Light Fight returns, along with news of a season 13 pickup for 2025. ABC will also air AFV's Wreck the Halls: 35 Years of Holiday Hijinks.

ABC News celebrates the 60th anniversary of the beloved classic Mary Poppins with The Untold Story of Mary Poppins: A Special Edition of 20/20, and the following evening The Wonderful World of Disney presents Mary Poppins will air. Dazzling specials, including CMA Country Christmas from Nashville, The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular, The Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade, iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2024, The Year: 2024, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony round out the holiday schedule wrapping up on New Year's Day. Encores of animated specials including Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, Toy Story That Time Forgot, Olaf's Frozen Adventure, Disney Prep & Landing, and Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice. ABC will also nationally broadcast approximately 13 consecutive hours of live, star-studded NBA action on Christmas Day. A special edition of ABC's "NBA Countdown" will air from 7:30-8:00 p.m. prior to the Warriors vs. Lakers game. All five games will also be available to watch on ESPN.

In celebration of the upcoming holiday season, NBC will once again bring families together with its beloved annual specials and a lineup of exciting new programming. Favorite perennial programming will once again return to viewers homes with Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Christmas in Rockefeller Center and several others. New programming for 2024 includes Jimmy Fallon's Holiday Seasoning Spectacular, Little Big Town's Christmas at the Opry, Defying Gravity: The Curse Rises on Wicked and A Motown Christmas, hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey. Additionally, NBC will air two beloved holiday classics: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer will return to the network after first launching on NBC in 1964 and Frosty the Snowman has also come back to NBC after last airing on the network in 1971. Other specials include: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Shrek the Halls, and the movie It's a Wonderful Life along with SNL clip shows for Thanksgiving and Christmas.