SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

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

Normally, this time of year is a big one for TV. It's Upfronts season, the time of the year when TV networks are deciding their line-ups for next year, and renewing and cancelling shows en masse to prepare those line-ups. In recent years, the shine of Upfronts had worn off slightly as networks slowly inch towards a new world with online media and year-round programming. Still, Upfronts remained a centerpiece of television. This year, though, is obviously different. Networks will not be trotting out their line-ups to rooms packed full of advertisers as usual. And renewal and cancellation might be on the back burner. There are lingering questions, mainly, what does TV look like for the foreseeable future? At this point, no one really knows, but here are some options I'm thinking about.

Status quo schedules - Signs are indicating networks are going to keep their schedules mostly status quo since there is so much uncertainly about the next TV season. As of now, there have been many renewals but generally few cancellations. CBS did just cancel a handful of marginal comedy performers such as Man With a Plan, Carol's Second Act and Broke as well as the drama series Tommy. But NBC, Fox, and ABC all have many shows still on the bubble, and it seems possible that more of those bubble or marginal shows will make it to an additional season than usual, since there's no guarantee any new pilots will be ready for series by the fall if production doesn't resume.

Thinking out of the box - Some TV shows are still finding creative ways to continue production amongst the pandemic. Talk shows are still airing, but remotely and without a studio audience. Saturday Night Live has been doing "SNL at Home" using remote sketches. Live performance shows American Idol and The Voice are also doing remote episodes. Parks and Recreation had a special remote reunion episode, and there is talk of other shows doing the same. Some shows are even getting more creative, with both Pop TV sitcom One Day at a Time and NBC drama The Blacklist announcing they will remotely be producing an animated episode of their shows. It's possible we will see an increase in "creative" episodes such as remote episodes centered around video chatting platforms (Modern Family actually did a FaceTime episode back in 2015) or animated specials before production can safely resume. Still, it's hard to imagine too many scripted shows being able to pull off such a drastic format change for more than a handful of one-off specials. I can't imagine too many people would be interested in entire seasons structured this way. But it could be a fun way to keep fans engaged while TV shows are away.

Scaled-back production - There has been talk of, after it is safe to resume production, scaling back production so it can safely begin a bit earlier. It's hard to know when it will be safe for prestige drama series to travel internationally again, or when you can have hundreds of actors and extras packed together in a room again. One video call with Warner employees discussed limiting scenes where actors are close together for a while (so no love scenes). It's hard to imagine many shows existing within these constraints (how can you do Superstore without having the store full of customers? etc.) but it may be a reality some have to face.

Plotlines about Coronavirus - It's inevitable that some shows will want to tackle one of the biggest international crises in history. Coronavirus is arguably the biggest world crisis since World War II, so that makes it the first in television's history. We will probably see storylines about this virus for years to come, some good and some maybe not so good. Brooklyn Nine-Nine creator Dan Goor discussed having his show tackle it when it returns, since its characters would be frontline essential workers. A show like Grey's Anatomy or Superstore seems poised to tackle it, too.

No matter what happens, this is a very interesting time for TV, and it will certainly stand out when people go back and marathon through shows of today and discover strange remote specials or entire seasons where the actors were socially distanced. We'll see if that's reality, but for now, at least we have TV shows of the past.

Speaking of the Coronavirus, Freeform has ordered the limited scripted series Love in the Time of Corona, from executive producers Joanna Johnson (Good Trouble, The Fosters, Hope & Faith), Christine Sacani (Good Trouble, The Fosters) and Anonymous Content's Robyn Meisinger. This four-part romantic comedy series is a funny and hopeful look at the search for love, sex and connection during this time of social distancing. The series will follow several interwoven stories with an ensemble of characters who are sheltering in their homes, some of whom are wondering if a hookup with a roommate can ever be casual, while another is kicking herself for deciding to isolate with an ex. It is a show that takes a fresh look at love that knows no bounds. The series will be filmed using remote technologies while utilizing talents' real living spaces as the backdrop to the stories. Love in the Time of Corona will premiere in August.

CBS announced the return of 23 series, renewing 80% of its top-rated lineup for the 2020-2021 broadcast season. The Network will announce its new series and 2020-2021 primetime schedule in the coming weeks as part of a virtual upfront (more below). The returning shows include top series NCIS, Young Sheldon, FBI: Most Wanted, Bob (Hearts) Abishola, and 60 Minutes. Among the additional renewals are the dramas All Rise, Blue Bloods, Bull, FBI, MacGyver, Magnum P.I., NCIS: Los Angeles, NCIS: New Orleans, S.W.A.T. and Seal Team; comedies The Neighborhood and The Unicorn; reality series Undercover Boss; and the law and justice program 48 Hours. They join the previously announced renewals of Evil, Mom, Survivor, The Amazing Race and Young Sheldon. It wasn't all good news as four series were canceled: comedies Man with a Plan, Carol's Second Act and Broke and drama Tommy.

On Tuesday, May 19 (instead of the original upfront date of May 13), ViacomCBS Upfront @Home will unveil the fall programming lineup of the CBS Television Network and original programming from CBS All Access, the premium subscription video-on-demand platform. CBS will also preview exciting opportunities from CBS Sports, including Super Bowl LV, and highlight the powerful and important work being done by CBS News. This will be the first virtual upfront of the season. NBC is slated to have a virtual upfront sometime in June (full details to come) but no word yet on ABC, Fox and The CW. In place of the original NBC upfront date on May 11, NBCUniversal will do a virtual State of the Marketplace conversation focusing on the One Platform initiative (it will not be an upfront presentation on the 11th, so no fall schedule that day, that will occur in a to be determined date in June).

This May, Comedy Central will be binge-releasing Robbie, an all-new, original, scripted comedy series from stand-up comedian and actor, Rory Scovel (I Feel Pretty, Rory Scovel Tries Stand Up For The First Time). During this unprecedented moment in history when Americans are spending the majority of their time at home, Comedy Central will be making the full season of Robbie available to binge-watch online and through the brand's various viewing platforms. The season premiere episode will first debut on Comedy Central's linear channel on Thursday, May 7 at 11:45 p.m. ET/PT, after an all-new episode of late-night franchise, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.

Immediately following its linear premiere, Robbie will be available to watch in its entirety via Comedy Central's YouTube channel, cc.com, the Comedy Central App, Comedy Central Video on Demand, and Comedy Central Now (via Amazon, Apple, & Roku). Robbie is a half-hour scripted series starring Rory Scovel. Robbie is a small town youth league basketball coach living in his father's shadow, until he realizes he has a son of his own who can lead him to greatness. Robbie is written by Rory Scovel and Anthony King (Broad City, Silicon Valley). Co-starring with Rory are Beau Bridges, who plays his father, Sasheer Zamata and Mary Holland. Scovel, King, and Scott Moran are executive producers. Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Betsy Koch and Owen Burke are executive producers for Gary Sanchez Productions. 

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's February 29th, a date that we only see once every 4 years (and we won't see another February 29th on a Saturday until 2048), and this week, we're hearing about a star leaving Superstore, a new cast member for Carol's Second Act, and lots of NBC renewals. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

CBS announced the spring premieres dates for two comedies. Man with a Plan will return for its fourth season Thursday, April 2 at 8:30 PM ET/PT, after The Unicorn completes its season run, and the new comedy Broke will debut the same night at 9:30 PM ET/PT, after Carol's Second Act completes its season order. Man with a Plan stars Golden Globe Award winner Matt LeBlanc in a comedy about an old-school guy confronting the modern challenges of parenting, marriage and family. Liza Snyder, Kevin Nealon, Stacy Keach, Grace Kaufman, Matthew McCann, Hala Finley, Matt Cook and Kali Rocha also star.

Broke stars Jaime Camil and Pauley Perrette in a comedy about a single suburban mother (Perrette) who's shocked when her estranged sister, her sister's outrageously wealthy, big-hearted, Latin husband (Camil), and her husband's fiercely loyal assistant/driver/friend land on her doorstep in need of a place to live after the couple's money dries up. Though class differences may separate the women, and the size of the house and the number of people living in it will test the limits of family ties, the familiar bond of sisterhood might be the catalyst they need to restore their relationship. Natasha Leggero, Izzy Diaz and Antonio Corbo also star.

Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens has amassed 3.8 million total viewers including replays, streaming and premiere simulcast on a total of seven Viacom networks. Including L+3 playback, the January 22 premiere of Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens is Comedy Central's best primetime series launch in more than three years, notching a 0.56 P18-49 rating and 818,000 total viewers on Comedy Central. Ratings for the Comedy Central premiere telecast jumped double and triple digits in all key demos for L+3 viewing, including +155% among Asian viewers 18-49 (1.32 L+3) and +100% among Women 18-49 (0.59 L+3). Golden Globe winner Awkwafina (The Farewell, Crazy Rich Asians) stars in the half-hour scripted comedy inspired by her real-life growing up in Queens, NY. Raised by her Dad (BD Wong) and Grandma (Lori Tan Chinn) alongside her cousin (Bowen Yang), Nora Lin leans on her family as she navigates life and young adulthood in outer borough-NYC. The series was recently renewed for a second season.

The CBS Television Network announced that it has rewarded all five series from its top-rated freshman class with new production orders. The new drama Evil has been renewed for a second season in 2020-2021. Evil will conclude its 13-episode first season on Jan. 30, 2020. At the same time, the Network has given full-season first season orders to drama All Rise and the freshman comedies, Carol's Second Act, The Unicorn and Bob Hearts Abishola.

All Rise (Mondays 9-10pm) stars Simone Missick in a courthouse drama that follows the chaotic, hopeful and sometimes absurd lives of its judges, prosecutors and public defenders, as they work with bailiffs, clerks and cops to get justice for the people of Los Angeles amidst a flawed legal process. Among them is newly appointed Judge Lola Carmichael (Missick), a highly regarded and impressive deputy district attorney who doesn't intend to sit back on the bench in her new role, but instead leans in, immediately pushing the boundaries and challenging the expectations of what a judge can be. The series also stars Wilson Bethel, Marg Helgenberger, Jessica Camacho, J. Alex Brinson, Lindsay Mendez and Ruthie Ann Miles.

Bob Hearts Abishola (Mondays 8:30pm) is a love story about a middle-aged compression-sock businessman from Detroit who unexpectedly falls for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant, while recovering from a heart attack and sets his sights on winning her over. Undaunted by Abishola's lack of initial interest or the vast differences in their backgrounds, Bob is determined to win Abishola's heart, in this comedic examination of immigrant life in America. The series stars Billy Gardell, Folake Olowofoyeku, Christine Ebersole, Matt Jones, Maribeth Monroe, Vernee Watson, Shola Adewusi, Barry Shabaka Henley, Travis Wolfe, Jr. and Gina Yashere, who is also a co-creator, writer and producer.

Carol's Second Act (Thursdays 9:30pm) stars Emmy Award winner Patricia Heaton as a woman who embarks on a unique second act after raising her children, getting divorced and retiring from teaching: pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. At age 50, Carol is a medical intern and must sink or swim with peers who are half her age. It's her enthusiasm, perspective and, yes, even her age that may be exactly what will make her second act a great success. The series also stars Kyle MacLachlan, Ashley Tisdale, Ito Aghayere, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, Sabrina Jalees and Lucas Neff.

Evil (Thursdays 10-11pm) is a psychological mystery that examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. The series focuses on a skeptical female psychologist who joins a priest-in-training and a contractor as they investigate the Church's backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions and hauntings. Their job is to assess if there is a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work. The series stars Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti, Kurt Fuller, Brooklyn Shuck, Skylar Gray, Maddy Crocco and Dalya Knapp.

The Unicorn (Thursdays 8:30pm) is about a tight-knit group of best friends and family who help Wade (Walton Goggins) embrace his "new normal" in the wake of the loss of his wife one year ago. As a sometimes ill-equipped but always devoted single parent to his two adolescent daughters, he is taking the major step of dating again. To Wade's amazement, he's a hot commodity with women, and his friends explain that he's the perfect single guy - a "unicorn": employed, attractive, and with a proven track record of commitment. With his daughters and best friends rooting him on and hoping he'll find happiness again, Wade and his healing heart are ready to try life... and love... a second time. The series also stars Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Omar Miller, Maya Lynne Robinson, Ruby Jay, Makenzie Moss and Devin Bright.

Fox's drama, 9-1-1, expands its reach to the city of Austin, TX, with its first-ever new installment, 9-1-1: Lone Star, which debuts with a special two-night event beginning Sunday, Jan. 19, 2020 from 10:00-11:10 PM ET/7:00-8:10 PM PT live to all time zones, following the NFL NFC Championship Game, and continuing with its time period premiere on Monday, Jan. 20 from 8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT. Nearly 20 years ago, Owen Strand (Emmy Award nominee Rob Lowe, Parks and Recreation, The West Wing) was the lone survivor of his Manhattan firehouse on 9/11. In the wake of the attack, Owen had the unenviable task of rebuilding his station. After a similar tragedy happens to a firehouse in Austin, Owen, along with his troubled firefighter son, T.K. (Ronen Rubinstein, Dead of Summer), takes his progressive philosophies of life and firefighting down to Texas, where he helps them start anew. On the surface, Owen is all about big-city style and swagger, but underneath he struggles with a secret he hides from the world - one that could very well end his life. The series also stars Liv Tyler (The Leftovers), Sierra McClain (Mindhunter), Jim Parrack (The Deuce, True Blood), Natacha Karam (The Brave), Brian Michael Smith (Queen Sugar), newcomer Rafael Silva and Julian Works (American Crime).

Sunnyside - Thursdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT

by Vincent

Sunnyside is a sitcom about a city councilman who lost his way amidst the power and glamour of politics. When his downward spiral got him busted for public intoxication (and downright stupidity), it was all caught on tape and ended his career. Now, Garrett's crashing with his sister, Mallory, and wondering where it all went wrong. That is, until he's hired by a diverse group of hopefuls who dream of becoming American citizens and believe he can help - giving him a new sense of purpose and a chance for redemption, as long as he remembers where he came from.

Cast Details:

Kal Penn as Garrett Modi
Diana Maria Riva as Griselda
Joel Kim Booster as Jim Hao
Kiran Deol as Mallory
Poppy Liu as Mei Lin
Moses Storm as Brady
Samba Schutte as Hakim

Kal Penn (Garrett) is known for playing Lawrence Kutner on the television program House, as well as the character Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar film series. He is also recognized for his performance in the film The Namesake and the ABC/Netflix drama Designated Survivor.

Diana Maria Riva (Griselda) is an actress known for her guest appearances on Murder One, Party of Five, The X Files, NYPD Blue, The Drew Carey Show, Everybody Loves Raymond, CSI, Less Than Perfect and Castle.

Joel Kim Booster (Jim) is a stand-up comedian known for his Comedy Central Presents special.

Moses Storm (Brady) is an actor known for his guest roles on This Is Us and Arrested Development.

Sambra Schutte, Kiran Duol, and Poppy Lui are new actors. Sunnyside will be their first major roles.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, Sep. 26 at 9:30PM ET)

A former New York City Councilman finds his calling when he meets a group of immigrants in search of the American dream.

Analysis:

Sunnyside is another one of those shows where I'm more interested in the show's future than with the show's present. What I mean by that is that there is a lot here that I could see myself eventually loving, especially with Mike Schur at the helm and a cast led by Kal Penn and some very promising comic actors. The premise is also one that feels very appropriate for America in 2019, and could provide some moments of genuine meaning, and yet is also fun and light-hearted enough to be, well, a sitcom, and one that makes you laugh a lot. The cast and characters are a lot of fun, and I couldn't wait to see, by the end of the pilot, where this was going, and how it will develop.

The problem, then, is that the pilot is just...okay. Which isn't bad - the amount of comedy pilots that are truly great are far and few between, and most just offer a glimmer of hope, which Sunnyside does. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't hoping to laugh just a bit more at the pilot. The jokes are a little flimsy and feel half-baked - which, again, isn’t uncommon for a comedy pilot. Still, I won't say I wasn't expecting the pilot to be just a bit better than it was. Despite that, the seeds are absolutely there for this to be a great series - I just hope viewers give it a chance to arrive at where it's going, rather than being turned off by a decent-but-not-great pilot.

Conclusion:

I'm very confident that Sunnyside is going to eventually turn into a great, must-watch sitcom. It has very similar DNA and sensibility to shows like The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation, and in about five or six episodes, I'm sure it will be must-watch TV. All of the characters are fun, the premise is great, and the writing shows promise. The pilot isn't necessarily a must-see, and it leaves a lot to be desired in the laughs department, but the foundation is there for a great show. Let's hope it lives up to that potential.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

NBC.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Sunnyside Photo Gallery

Preview:

Carol's Second Act - Thursdays at 9:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT

by Todd

Emmy Award winner Patricia Heaton stars in new a comedy about a woman who embarks on a unique second act after raising her children, getting divorced and retiring from teaching: pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor. At age 50, Carol is a medical intern and must sink or swim with peers who are half her age. It’s her enthusiasm, perspective and yes, even her age, that may be exactly what will make her second act a great success.

Cast Details:

Patricia Heaton as Carol Kenney
Ito Aghayere as Dr. Maya Jacobs
Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Daniel Kutcher
Sabrina Jalees as Lexie
Kyle MacLachlan as Dr. Stephen Frost
Ashley Tisdale as Jenny Kenney

Patricia Heaton (Carol Kenney) is a three-time Emmy winner who has played not one, but two beloved TV moms. She starred as Debra Barone in the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996-2005 and as Frances "Frankie" Heck in the ABC sitcom The Middle from 2009-2018. She twice won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Everybody Loves Raymond. Her other sitcom starring roles include the Fox sitcom Back to You and the ABC sitcom Room for Two.

Ito Aghayere's (Dr. Maya Jacobs) television guest appearances include Orange Is the New Black, The Knick, The Unforgettable, Forever, BrainDead, Elementary, The Blacklist, Master of None and Instinct.

Jean-Luc Bilodeau (Daniel Kutcher) starred as Ben Wheeler in the ABC Family/Freeform sitcom Baby Daddy. He made his starring debut as Josh Trager in the science fiction drama Kyle XY.

Sabrina Jalees (Lexie) has made guest appearances on Search Party, Transparent, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore, Last Comic Standing, Adam Devine’s House Party and Best Week Ever.

Kyle MacLachlan (Dr. Stephen Frost) is best known for his role as Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks. Some of his other television credits include Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives, How I Met Your Mother, Portlandia, The Good Wife, Believe and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Ashley Tisdale (Jenny Kenney) starred as Maddie Fitzpatrick in the Disney Channel sitcom The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Her other starring credits include Hellcats and Clipped. She will appear in the upcoming Netflix comedy Merry Happy Whatever.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, Sep. 26 at 9:30PM ET)

Carol Kenney enthusiastically begins her first day as an internal medicine intern, but has a rocky start when she disregards direct orders from her boss in order to help a patient. Also, Carol meets Dr. Frost, a senior attending physician who may be the ally Carol needs in her second act.

Carol's Second Act is a multi-camera sitcom from Halpern/Haskins Productions, FourBoys Entertainment, Kapital Entertainment and CBS Television Studios. Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins; Patricia Heaton, Adam Griffin, David Hunt and Rebecca Stay (Four Boys Entertainment); Aaron Kaplan and Dana Honor (Kapital Entertainment); and Pamela Fryman (pilot only) are executive producers for CBS Television Studios.

Analysis:

This is one of the better pilot episodes that I've watched in recent seasons. There has been a lack of quality new multi-camera sitcoms the last few years. Carol's Second Act is an old school sitcom shot in front of a studio audience. The premise of the series is pretty basic. It's basically a sitcom version of Grey's Anatomy with a 50-year-old intern working with some younger interns. There are plenty of jokes and one-liners, with most of them about Carol's age or her short stature. They seem to have an endless supply of jokes about Carol being older, but I think they will eventually want to mix things up a little bit more in the future episodes. There is one good dramatic scene in the premiere episodes. All of the scenes in the first two episodes are at the hospital. It would be nice to see them elsewhere as a change of pace.

They have assembled a talented cast with a mix of TV veterans and some promising newcomers. This is set up to be very much a vehicle for Patricia Heaton. She's in nearly every scene. They do a nice job of giving the other cast members a good amount of lines and a chance to shine. Newcomer Ito Aghayere plays Dr. Maya Jacobs, the Chief Resident in charge of Carol and the other three interns. The scenes between Maya and Carol are very tense and funny. They are some of the highlights of the episode. Aghayere could be one of the breakout stars of the season.

The other interns with Carol include Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Daniel Kutcher, Sabrina Jalees as Lexie Gilani and Lucas Neff as Caleb Summers. They all do a solid job and have some good chemistry together. Kyle MacLachlan plays Dr. Steven Frost, the accomplished senior attending physician who finds Carol charming. He's mostly known for his work in dramas, but he shows he has some good comedy skills as well. Ashley Tisdale plays Carol's daughter, Jenny Kenney. She has just one brief scene at the end of the "Pilot" episode. She is a pharmaceutical rep who has an arrangement to have an office at the hospital, so we see more of her in the second episode. Bonnie Dennison was originally cast in the role, but maybe they decided to make it an expanded role. Cedric Yarbrough from Speechless appears in a few scenes of the "Pilot" before being introduced as the nurse Dennis in the second episode.

Conclusion:

Patricia Heaton makes a welcome return to CBS. It's a great TV moment when she first appears on screen. The audience gives her a big round of applause. She became a household name and won two Emmy Awards for her role as Debra Barone in Everybody Loves Raymond from 1996 to 2005. She had another good run for eight seasons as Frankie in The Middle. It's interesting that she plays a 50-year-old when she's really a very youthful looking 61 in real life. She has a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Whatever her secret is, she should try to bottle it. It would be pretty easy for her to slow down or retire, but she clearly loves to act and work. It's way too early to say that this sitcom will have a run of nine seasons like her other two major hits, but it's easy to envision her winning another Emmy or two for her hilarious role as Carol Kenney.

Carol's Second Act is one of the most promising new sitcoms of the season. It wouldn't be surprising if it's the highest rated new sitcom this fall. It has a strong and likable cast, funny writing and a great timeslot on CBS' rebuilt Thursday night lineup. The end of The Big Bang Theory leaves a big hole in their schedule, but they have a solid crop of new comedies. This may not be an immediate blockbuster hit, but it wouldn't be shocking if it's anchoring their comedy lineup in a season or two. They say laughter is the best medicine. This series delivers plenty of good, clean laughs. The doctor is in Thursday nights on CBS!

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 4/5
Overall: 4/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, September 26, 2019 at 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

CBS.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Carol's Second Act Photo Gallery

Preview:

CBS Fall Preview Show, hosted by new series' stars Patricia Heaton (Carol's Second Act); Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku (Bob ♥ Abishola); Mike Colter and Aasif Mandvi (Evil); Simone Missick (All Rise); and Walton Goggins (The Unicorn), is a primetime special highlighting the three comedies and two dramas that comprise the Network's five new fall programs. It will be broadcast Monday, Sept. 9 from 9:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network, and CBS All Access, CBS’ digital subscription video on demand and live-streaming service. Additionally, the special will be available on demand across multiple platforms through mid-October, providing viewers with convenient anytime access to information about the Network's new fall lineup.

The platforms featuring the special include CBS.com (https://www.cbs.com/shows/fall-preview/) and participating CBS stations' sites, as well as on demand via the Network's various cable, satellite, vMVPD and telco partners. In addition to the primetime run of the special on Sept. 9, CBS affiliates will have the opportunity to broadcast the special multiple times during their local airtime. Throughout the special, the stars will introduce their series and present select scenes from the shows' premiere episodes.

Walmart's streaming platform Vudu has launched the trailer for first original series Mr. Mom, which begins Thursday, Sept. 12. Based on the classic '80s hit film written by John Hughes and starring Michael Keaton, this series is a modern retelling of Mr. Mom. Megan (Andrea Anders) and Greg (Hayes MacArthur) are at a parenting crossroads. After five years raising their two kids at home, Megan has unexpectedly landed her dream job. Greg’s career is anything but a dream job, so after several failed attempts at securing childcare he abruptly quits in order to take his turn as the stay-at-home parent. He’s thrust headlong into a world of tantrums, diapers and cheese sticks, all while finally attempting to get his start-up off the ground. Megan quickly finds out just how much has changed as she reenters a workplace filled with overeager millennials and strange new terms like Slack and hot-desking. It’ll take all the patience these two parents can muster as they try to raise their kids, make ends meet, and find a little time for their marriage.

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

Believe it or not, but summer is coming to an end and in just a few weeks, the fall TV season will be upon us. I'll be spending the next few weeks looking at each network's sitcom slates and making some early judgement calls about how the TV season is going to go for these new and returning sitcoms. First, let's take a look at CBS!

Returning sitcoms: CBS is a network in search of their next big comedy hit, now that The Big Bang Theory has retired. The network will be banking on spin-off Young Sheldon (which has also proven to be a big hit much like its parent series, if not quite Big Bang-level) and Mom (which has never reached the level of previous Chuck Lorre successes Big Bang and Two and a Half Men but nevertheless remains a solid performer) to anchor its Thursday line-up in the 8:00 and 9:00 hours. On Monday, promising sophomore The Neighborhood, which didn't light the world on fire but did better than many expected to as a rookie last year, gets the nod to anchor a line-up full of newbies on Monday.

New sitcoms: CBS has three new sitcoms on the fall line-up - the most of any network this fall - which I previewed back in May during Upfronts time, but just to reiterate, we have Chuck Lorre's latest project Bob ♡ Abishola on Mondays (which centers around a man falling in love with his nurse), single-camera The Unicorn on Thursdays at 8:30 (which centers around a recently widowed man entering the dating scene), and Patricia Heaton-fronted Carol's Second Act at 9:30 (which centers around a woman in her 50s becoming a doctor). All of these sitcoms make some sense with their placement, and they seem fairly on brand for CBS's audience (though The Unicorn being single-camera is somewhat interesting.)

The bottom line: CBS comedy is definitely in a transitional state right now, but CBS is smart to be testing out so many new sitcoms, and even riskier choices like single-camera The Unicorn. Most of these sitcoms seem on brand, but the success of CBS comedy this year lies a lot on questions we don't know the answer to yet, like if Young Sheldon can hold up its strong ratings without its parent series, or if The Neighborhood will either grow or collapse in Season 2. With Mom entering its later years, it's time for some new blood to step up and take the CBS comedy crown. Perhaps it'll be one of CBS's new sitcoms they're trying - they certainly hope so.

E! Entertainment will make a big splash in the tiny state of Rhode Island with the half-hour reality sitcom Meet the Frasers, produced by MGM's Evolution Media, premiering in 2020. Following Rhode Island’s local celebrity couple, 28-year-old psychic medium Matt Fraser and his pageant queen girlfriend, 21-year-old Alexa Papigiotis, the docu-series will showcase their lives, careers, and their very involved extended families. As Cranston's emerging golden couple, the duo is recognized everywhere from their local Italian restaurant to the latest stop on Matt's coast to coast tour. It doesn't hurt that they're often seen in an SUV branded with Matt’s face and name. This twosome is climbing their way to the top, with the biggest challenge being the opinionated loved ones who want to have a say in everything they do.

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

Next year promises to be an interesting one for new sitcoms. Several networks are preparing to lose big, landmark series - The Big Bang Theory, of course, has ended, and Modern Family will also be ending after next season. In this column I'll be taking a look at what the networks will be doing to replenish their sitcom stock in 2019.

ABC is clearly going to be relying on Kenya Barris (creator of black-ish) to rocket them into a new era. mixed-ish, the Rainbow-centric spinoff of black-ish, will be the networks big new comedy premiere. It seems ABC is really dedicated to it, pairing it with its parent series for a Tuesday launch. That means half of ABC's Tuesday comedy line-up will be produced by Kenya Barris. The other half will be The Conners and the decently rated sophomore Bless This Mess. It may wind up being that Tuesday overtakes Wednesday as ABC's dominant comedy night.

CBS is also going with a storied producer for its future - the network will be debuting Chuck Lorre's (creator of Big Bang Theory) new comedy Bob Loves Abishola on Mondays at 8:30. It will also be premiering the new Patricia Heston vehicle Carol's Second Act on Thursdays at 9:30. Young Sheldon (which moves into the lead-off slot). CBS is counting on these big names to fill its big holes, and we'll have to see if it works out for them.

Hulu announced that following the acquisition of award-winning Canadian fan favorite and Crave Original comedy series Letterkenny, the show will return as a Hulu Original. In a new licensed deal with New Metric Media and DHX Media, Hulu will now have exclusive U.S. streaming rights to all upcoming seasons of the series. Created by and starring Jared Keeso, the half-hour comedy revolves around the dustups Wayne (Keeso) and his pals get into with their small-town rivals. For the hicks, skids and hockey players of Letterkenny, getting your ass kicked is a legitimate concern on a day-to-day basis. In the upcoming six-episode seventh season premiering Monday, October 14, the Hicks start an agricultural call-in show. Fans can still binge the first six seasons of Letterkenny on Hulu, now under the new Hulu Original moniker.

In addition to Wayne (Keeso), Key residents of Letterkenny are Daryl (Nathan Dales), Wayne's free-spirited younger sister Katy (Michelle Mylett), and Wayne's buddy, Dan (K Trevor Wilson) - while Dylan Playfair and Andrew Herr are Hockey Players Jonesy and Reilly. Tyler Johnston and Evan Stern are Skids Stewart and Roald, Mark Forward is the temperamental Coach, and Tiio Horn is the badass leader of The Natives, Tanis.

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We have more TV actor deaths this week, sadly, but we're also hearing about an update on a CBS pilot starring Patricia Heaton, an episode of The Simpsons that is being pulled from syndication, and more. Let's get going!

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