Showing posts with label CBS All Access. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBS All Access. Show all posts

Thursday, March 04, 2021

The Simpsons Renewed Through 2023; Paramount+ Comedy Series Returns in April

The Simpsons

Emmy Award-winning Animation Domination kingpin The Simpsons has been renewed for its 33rd and 34th seasons on Fox, carrying the series to 2023 and a total of 757 episodes. ¡Ay, caramba! "Woo Hoo! With any luck the show will soon be older than I am," noted Homer Simpson.

The longest-running primetime scripted show in television history, The Simpsons exploded into popular culture in 1990 and has remained one of the most groundbreaking and innovative entertainment franchises, recognizable throughout the world. Homer (Dan Castellaneta), Marge (Julie Kavner), Bart (Nancy Cartwright), Lisa (Yeardley Smith) and Maggie are instantly identifiable television icons. Rounding out this cast of characters are many beloved Springfield residents, including tavern proprietor Moe Szyslak (Hank Azaria) and nuclear power plant owner Mr. Burns (Harry Shearer).

The Emmy Award-, Annie Award- and Peabody Award-winning animated comedy began its 32nd season this past September and will celebrate a landmark 700th episode with the all-new episode, "Manger Things," airing Sunday, March 21 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT). On the next all-new episode, "Yokel Hero" airing this Sunday, March 7 (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), Cletus becomes a singing sensation, while Homer becomes a new man. Then Cletus turns on his fans, ruining everything. Albert Brooks makes a guest-voice appearance.


No Activity

Paramount+, the highly anticipated streaming service from ViacomCBS launching today (March 4), announced that the fourth season of its original, half-hour comedy series No Activity will premiere on Thursday, April 8, with subsequent episodes dropping weekly. The season four trailer and key art were also released.

As previously announced, the upcoming season will feature the fan favorite No Activity characters in animated form. The series is co-developed, executive produced and written by Patrick Brammall and Trent O’Donnell. Brammall reprises his role as Special Agent Nick Cullen, who is finally realizing his dream of joining the FBI, only to quickly discover being an FBI “special agent” isn’t what he expected it to be. When he’s assigned to a seemingly dull observation detail, he finds a potential career case in the form of an emerging cult. When a large scale operation takes aim at the cult, it’s unclear which side will break first. Despite the promotion, Cullen’s path continues to cross with former partner Judd Tolbeck’s (Tim Meadows), who is also adjusting to life with a new partner of his own.

Joe Keery, Sunita Mani, Jason Mantzoukas, Bob Odenkirk and Amy Sedaris return and will be joined by an exciting group of new guest stars, including Louie Anderson, Kevin Bacon, Jillian Bell, D’Arcy Carden, Rob Delaney, Elle Fanning, Will Forte, Kimberly Hébert Gregory, Udo Kier, Lamorne Morris, Oscar Nuñez, Hannah Simone, June Squibb and Samara Weaving.

Saturday, February 27, 2021

SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount+ Sets Bold Plans; No Third Season for Twilight Zone

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing a lot about what is up ahead with CBS All Access (which is soon to be Paramount+) and a bunch of renewals... and one cancellation as well. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

  • CBS AllAccess will soon be dead, but Paramount+ is waiting right behind it, and they've got a lot planned. (Deadline)
  • Voices have been changing on The Simpsons in recent years due to the issues of white voice actors playing the roles of non-white characters, and Matt Groening has his own opinion on the issue. (Deadline)
  • Seth Meyers has secured at least another four years at NBC. (TVLine)
  • Animaniacs has been renewed for a third season on Hulu. (Deadline)
  • However, there will NOT be a third season for the current incarnation of The Twilight Zone. (Variety)
  • Norman Lear is back into action with two new series, but they won't be on a traditional network or even a very well-known streaming service. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (FEBRUARY 27 - MARCH 5) 

  • It's a full weekend of Dean Martin Celebrity Roast on Decades (which, as a side note, will actually include the Mr. T one at 8 PM on Saturday)
  • CBS AllAccess morphs into Paramount+ on Thursday, with season premieres of a few of their established hits.
  • The Golden Globe Awards airs Sunday on NBC.
  • NBC debuts the new series Debris on Monday.

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Frasier Revival Coming to Paramount+, While Final Season of Younger to Premiere on Paramount+; The CW Spring 2021 Schedule

Kelsey Grammer as Frasier

Frasier's back – and he's more exactly the same than ever. Paramount+, the highly anticipated streaming service from ViacomCBS, announced that Kelsey Grammer will reprise his celebrated role as Dr. Frasier Crane in the new original comedy series Frasier. Grammer will executive produce along with writers Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother, The Great Indoors) and Joe Cristalli (Life in Pieces, Perfect Harmony), and Grammnet Productions Tom Russo and Jordan McMahon. The series will be produced by CBS Studios in association with Grammnet Productions, exclusively for Paramount+.

Grammer played the role of Dr. Frasier Crane in three different television series – Cheers, Wings and Frasier – tying the record for longest-running television character. The Juilliard-trained, award-winning actor has won six Emmys, three Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Tony Award and has received an astonishing 18 Emmy nominations, eight Golden Globe nominations, 16 Screen Actors Guild nominations and two Tony nominations. He will next begin production on an ABC comedy series opposite Alec Baldwin. Grammer is represented by UTA and Vault Entertainment. With over 6,000 episodes available, comedy is central to Paramount+. The service delivers never-ending laughs with beloved sitcoms, including Frasier, I Love Lucy, Everybody Hates Chris, Strangers with Candy and Cheers, and is introducing a new generation to the funniest families in television, including Family Ties, The Brady Bunch, Young Sheldon, Mom and many more. Stay tuned for much more info on the return of Frasier!

ViacomCBS also announced during its streaming event that the seventh and final season of Darren Star's critically acclaimed, smash-hit, Younger, will be coming soon to Paramount+. The beloved MTV Entertainment Studios comedy created by entertainment icon, Star, will come to a close with the final 12 episodes available at a soon-to-be-announced date on the ViacomCBS streaming platform. Fans will get early access to the final season on Paramount+ before it airs on TV Land later this year. The first six seasons are currently available to stream on the service. Younger follows Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), a talented editor navigating the highly competitive world of publishing while juggling the complications of mixing business with pleasure, and facing the lie she created about her age to land her dream job. Recently, ViacomCBS MTV Entertainment Group announced an expansive overall production and development deal with Star, which will encompass projects for the Group's extensive portfolio for linear and beyond through MTV Entertainment Studios. The first is Netflix's hit series Emily in Paris starring Lily Collins which was recently nominated for two Golden Globes® and is about to go into production on its second season.




Kung Fu and The Republic of Sarah

The CW Network announced premiere dates for new series Kung Fu and The Republic of Sarah as well as the new season premieres of DC's Legends of Tomorrow, Dynasty and In the Dark. The network also announced new timeslots for Batwoman and Charmed. The new series Kung Fu, starring Olivia Liang, Tzi Ma and Kheng Hua Tan, will debut Wednesday, April 7 at 8:00pm ET/PT followed by an original episode of Nancy Drew at 9:00pm. Riverdale will be on a pre-planned hiatus and is currently scheduled to return for the back half of season five on Wednesday, July 7 at 8:00pm ET/PT (its mid-season finale airs March 31). DC's Legends of Tomorrow is set to make its season six premiere on Sunday, May 2 at 8:00pm ET/PT followed by an original episode of Batwoman which moves to its new time period an hour later at 9:00pm on Sundays. Dynasty returns for its fourth season premiere on Friday, May 7 at 9:00pm ET/PT following an original episode of Charmed at 8:00pm ET/PT as it returns to Fridays.

Season three of In the Dark begins Wednesday, June 9 at 9:00pm ET/PT following an original episode of Kung Fu at 8:00pm ET/PT. Starring Stella Baker and Luke Mitchell, new series The Republic of Sarah premieres Monday, June 14 at 9:00pm ET/PT following an original episode of All American at 8:00pm ET/PT. And finally, the all-new special World's Funniest Animals: Spring Fling will bring on the cuteness Friday, April 30 at 8:00pm ET/PT).

Friday, October 30, 2020

Fri-Yay: The Best Sitcom Halloween Episodes; CBS All Access Renews No Activity for 4th Season

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!

Community - Epidemiology

by Vincent

This weekend is Halloween, and whether you're spending the weekend participating in Halloween festivities or not, you can make the weekend a little more festive with these highlight sitcom Halloween episodes.

The Simpsons - Treehouse of Horror V (Available on Disney+)
Any Treehouse of Horror installment from the Simpsons' first 10 seasons is a genuine candidate for this list, but the very best is the entry from the show's 6th season, most notable for the show's classic Shining parody. It perfectly balances creepy and funny, and is still, in my mind, the gold standard of a horror episode of a sitcom, animated or not.

Bob's Burgers - Fort Night (Available on Hulu)
Bob's Burgers is another series that has made Halloween a special time of year, and nearly all of its Halloween episodes are delightful. But the very best Halloween episode is probably Season 4's Fort Night, which introduces the character of Millie. Similar to the Simpsons episode listed, Fort Night is actually genuinely creepy, as the childrens' fate is left up to the wildly unstable Millie character. It's also just a great time seeing all of the Belcher kids together in one place.

Parks and Recreation - Halloween Surprise (Available on Hulu and Peacock)
This Parks and Rec episode isn't quite like your typical Halloween episodes, as it centers around Ben proposing to Leslie, but it's nevertheless a sweet and surprising episode that makes great use of the holiday. It's rare to call a Halloween episode "sweet", but this episode definitely gets that honor. And it's no surprise that Parks and Rec would take the darkest holiday of the year and make it heartwarming.

Happy Endings - Spooky Endings (Available on Hulu)
Maybe the all-out funniest episode of the list, Happy Endings' sole Halloween episode is a hysterical laugh riot from start to finish. There is pretty much a joke every other second in this episode, which has a simple premise (the gang goes to a costume party while Jane and Brad house sit in the suburbs) but fills that premise with so many jokes that you'll find yourself endlessly laughing for the entire 22 minutes.

Boy Meets World - And Then There Was Shawn (Available on Disney+)
Technically this isn't a Halloween episode, but it's a horror movie send up that fits in perfectly with the season, as the show pokes fun at slasher films. It's a really funny episode and a fairly early example of a live action sitcom experimenting with its genre and form. You don't typically expect it from TGIF sitcoms, but Boy Meets World did a great job with it.

Community - Epidemiology (Available on Netflix and Hulu)
Community spoofed zombie films with its second season Halloween episode, and if you can get past the fact that parts of this episode is about the school being quarantined due to the outbreak of a "zombie" virus (yes, it hits a little close to home, minus the zombie part), this is an extremely funny parody of horror movies that's one of Community's most imaginative and fun concept episodes.


No Activity

CBS All Access, ViacomCBS' digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, announced the fourth season renewal for its original, half-hour comedy series No Activity. In a departure from previous seasons, the fourth season will feature all the fan favorite No Activity. characters in animated form. This season will find Special Agent Nick Cullen (Patrick Brammall) realizing his dream of joining the FBI, but he will soon discover that being an FBI agent isn’t that special after all. After being assigned to a seemingly dull observation detail, he finds a potential career case in the form of an emerging cult. A large scale operation soon takes aim at the cult but it's unclear which side will break first. Despite the promotion, Cullen's path continues to cross with former partner Judd Toldbeck's (Tim Meadows), who adjusts to life with a new partner of his own.

No Activity's third season found demoted detectives Cullen and Tolbeck back in uniform with a revolving door of quirky new partners and even quirkier criminals, while robots - and Dylan McDermott - tried to take over Janice and Fatima's jobs in dispatch. Season three starred Brammall, Meadows and a stellar guest cast, including Beth Behrs, Joe Keery, Keegan-Michael Key, Sunita Mani, Jason Mantzoukas, Dylan McDermott, Paula Pell, Amy Schumer, Amy Sedaris and J.K. Simmons. No Activity is produced by CBS Studios in association with Funny Or Die, Jungle, and Gary Sanchez Productions, and is based on the Stan original series produced by Jungle. The series is co-developed and executive produced by Brammall and Trent O'Donnell, alongside executive producers Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Joe Farrell, Mike Farah, Joe Hardesty and Jason Burrows. Nina Pedrad, Steve Toltz, and Becca Kinskey serve as co-executive producers. As in previous seasons, O'Donnell will direct all episodes. Flight School Studio serves as the animation studio for the upcoming season.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, August 17

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to Babies and Bathwater" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Dave’s ambitious home improvement plans take a turn, prompting Calvin to step in, while Malcolm seeks Gemma’s help to overcome writer’s block. Meanwhile, Tina’s suggestion for Daphne sparks a parenting dilemma for Courtney.

The Neighorhood - "Welcome to the Hoodwink" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Tina grows concerned about Malcolm’s romantic choices. Meanwhile, Calvin and Dave’s street smarts are put to the test.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Frank Marries a Corpse" (FX and FXX, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The guys help Frank with his cold feet ahead of his wedding to Sam; Dee tries to scare Sam off the nuptials with testimonies from The Waitress, Artemis and Snail.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - "Dennis and Dee Don't Get Rich" (FX and FXX, 9:32PM ET/PT)
The Reynolds twins push themselves to the limit to secure Sam's transfer of wealth; Charlie and Frank plan a proper memorial for Bonnie during the annual Mummers Parade.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 17)

Monday, August 17

  • Rosie O'Donnell (SMILF/Stand by Your Man/Gimme a Break!) - Rosie guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso) - Watch Hannah on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Ana Gasteyer (American Auto/People of Earth/Lady Dynamite/Suburgatory) - Ana appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Will Forte (The Four Seasons/HouseBroken/MacGruber/The Last Man on Earth/The Cleveland Show) - Will stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Adam Ferrara (The Job) and Harland Williams (The Geena Davis Show/Simon) - Adam is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Maya Rudolph (Loot/Bless the Harts/Forever/Up All Night) - Maya appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Isla Fisher (Wolf Like Me), Michelle Buteau (Survival of the Thickest/Bless the Harts/Enlisted) and Anna Faris (Mom) - Isla, Michelle, Anna and Leslie Mann talk about Spa Weekend on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
  • Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere/Nightcap) - Jeff talks about Apple TV's Widow's Bay on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • Emeril Lagasse (Emeril) - Sunny Anderson gets a big surprise from Drew – cooking with the legendary Emeril Lagasse on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Jennifer Aniston (Friends/Muddling Through/Ferris Bueller/Molloy) - Drew is chatting with Jennifer about the new season of The Morning Show, her kids cookbook, Cook with Clydeo, and her haircare line on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray) The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

08/17 - Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Renewed for Season 2; Randall Park Joins Minimum Wage
08/16 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 17, 2026)
08/15 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Saved for a Second Season; Netflix Renews Seinfeld Rights
08/14 - Hulu's Trailer for Chad Powers Season 2; Freeform's Coven Academy Premieres October 1
08/13 - Trailer for Season 2 of FXX's Adults; Trailer for Season 2 of Peacock's The Paper
08/12 - Brandy to Sing Theme Song for A Different World; Damon Wayans Reuniting with David Alan Grier on St. Denis Medical
08/11 - Peacock's Dig Premieres November 23; Disney+ and Hulu Announce Video Podcasts for Boy Mets World, Scrubs, and Desperate Housewives
08/10 - Conan O'Brien Must Go Season 3; Disney's Hidden Heroes: A Descendants Story
08/09 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 10, 2026)
08/08 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Joe Dirt Animated Series in the Works at Fox; First Look at The Varnell Hill Show
08/07 - Disney's Big City Greens Brings Out the Guest Stars; The New SuperKitty Premieres Today
08/06 - The Varnell Hill Show Coming to Paramount+ on September 1; Hallmark's 3rd Installment of Holiday Touchdown
08/05 - Colin from Accounts Final Season Premieres September 10; The X-Files: I Want to Believe Gets Director's Cut on Disney+ & Hulu
08/04 - Amazon MGM Studios Orders Improvised Sitcom; The CW Renews Game Shows for Season 3
08/03 - CBS Announces Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen 20th Anniversary Special; Hulu to Debut Exclusive Bob's Burgers Holiday Short
08/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of August 3, 2026)
08/01 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Clueless Sequel Series Starring Alicia Silverstone Ordered at Paramount+; Tubi Removing Some Warner Animated Series
07/31 - Netflix's Leanne Season 2 Trailer; Paramount+ Greenlights Clueless Event Series Starring Alicia Silverstone
07/30 - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 18 Premieres August 17 on FXX, FX and Hulu; Chad Powers Season 2 Premieres September 3 on Hulu
07/29 - Ted Lasso Returns to the Pitch August 5 on Apple TV; Hulu Unveils Futurama Season 14 Trailer and Announces Three XXXL-Sized Specials
07/28 - ABC Fall 2026 Premiere Dates; CBS Fall 2026 Premiere Dates
07/27 - Netflix's Tires Season 3 Debuts August 13; Family Guy Halloween and Holiday Specials Return Exclusively to Hulu This Year
07/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 27, 2026)
07/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount and Warner Merger on Hold; Paramount+ Cancels Crutch
07/24 - Hulu's Desperate Housewives Wisteria Lane Block Party; Whitmer Thomas HBO Comedy Special
07/23 - Fox's Stewie Announces Voice Cast; Clash of the Thundermans Premiere Date and Details, with Ariel Winter Joining the Cast
07/22 - Nirvanna the Band the Show on Hulu & Hulu on Disney+; Netflix's Untold Returns August 25
07/21 - First Look at Netflix's A Different World; Great American Family's 6th Annual Christmas Slate Begins in October with Laura Vandervoort Movie
07/20 - Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Official Podcast; All-Star Cast for Elizabeth Banks Apple TV Comedy
07/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of July 20, 2026)
07/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Warner to Release Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series on Blu-ray; Chloe Fineman Exits Saturday Night Live
07/17 - Remembering Hal Williams of Sanford and Son, 227 and More; The CW Renews Sullivan's Crossing