SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline Digest: Law & Order: Organized Crime Ending After Five Seasons; Price Is Right to Get Live Primetime Episode in December

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's not a big news week this week, but we do have news of a cancellation of a Law & Order series, an update on CBS late night programming, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• You'd be forgiven if you have Law & Order fatigue and weren't aware that it was a series, but Law & Order: Organized Crime has, indeed, been a thing for five seasons, but there won't be a sixth. (Variety)
• CBS is planning the first ever live primetime edition of The Price Is Right for December, though Bill Cullen, who pretty much always did it live when he hosted the old version, might dispute it being the first. (Variety)
• Despite leasing the time slot out to reruns syndicated comedy slop from Byron Allen that you're probably not going to laugh at, CBS says they're exploring "other ideas" for the time slot beyond the upcoming season. (Entertainment Weekly)
• Nobody is shopping through TV anymore, and QVC is filing for bankruptcy because of it. (Deadline)
• Sid Krofft, who was half of the duo that made NBC Saturday mornings what they were in the 70s, has died at age 96. (Hollywood Reporter)
• You may have noticed media mergers are going wild lately, but it doesn't look like the merger between Nexstar and Tegna (which would create a local broadcast TV company that would reach 80% of the US) is going as planned. (NPR)
• FETV has acquired Car 54, Where Are You?, and will begin airing it on May 5. (SitcomsOnline)

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

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Labels: Car 54 Where Are You, CBS, Comics Unleashed, Community, Kevin, Law and Order, Nexstar, Sid and Marty Krofft, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Price is Right

Great Entertainment Television Acquires Community; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Stars Reuniting

Six seasons and a movie? Great Entertainment Television (formerly known as Get TV) will air marathons of Community, weekends starting April 18 and 19. Community will air Saturdays 11am-12pm and Sundays 10am-12pm.

Great Entertainment Television (GREAT) is a national TV network dedicated to your favorite TV series.  GREAT, which re-launched in HD February 2026 with a new look and feel, is a top 15 diginet. GREAT is the home of some of tv's most memorable characters and programs including Monk, Psych, The Rockford Files and Walker, Texas Ranger. It’s not just good tv – it's Great. Great Entertainment Television is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.

Paramount+ announced that the Emmy(R)-Nominated Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt stars, Tituss Burgess and Ellie Kemper, will reunite to voice Elephant Gerald" and "Piggie", respectively, in the The Elephant & Piggie Show!, while four-time Emmy-winner Neil Patrick Harris is slated to voice "The Bus Driver" in The Pigeon Show! Starring The Pigeon. Both titles are animated adaptations of Mo Willems' New York Times best-selling children's book series.

The Elephant & Piggie Show! is a warm, comedic pre-K series about the hilarious and sometimes challenging work of "best-friending." The series takes place in the small, walkable neighborhood of Willemsburg, which is full of new locations audiences will love. Elephant Gerald is careful; his best friend Piggie is not. Gerald worries so that that Piggie does not have to and together, along with young audiences, they will celebrate the messy and joyful art of friendship.

The Pigeon Show! Starring The Pigeon is about the day-to-day struggles of a pigeon who just wants to be listened to. He will be your best friend if you have a bus and you let him drive it. The series features familiar characters from Willems' books, such as the adorable Duckling who always seems to get what she wants, plus new characters, like The Pigeon's 150-million-year-old pterodactyl grandmother, Nana-Dactyl, and his best wing-pals, Ima Pigeon and Doug Pigeon.

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

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Labels: Community, getTV, Paramount+, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

SitcomsOnline Digest: Premiere Date Set for Malcolm in the Middle Reboot; NBC Pulls The Paper

  Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a new year, and we've got news about a reboot of Malcolm in the Middle, NBC pulling a series that was borrowed from Peacock, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• We now have an April premiere date for Malcolm in the Middle: Life is Still Unfair. (Variety)
• The presses have been stopped on The Paper on NBC, as the network has pulled the linear run in favor of reruns of Stumble (but don't worry if you're a fan, the series has already been renewed for a second season on Peacock). (TVLine)
• Henry Winkler says he isn't interested in retiring, not even at 80. (Deadline)
• Pluto TV has launched a new FAST channel featuring The X-Files. (Cord Cutters News)
• Chevy Chase is responding to accusations of him being a racist on the set of Community. (Deadline)
• MTV went dark on their music-only channels outside of the US just like it started with "Video Killed the Radio Star," but despite what a lot of people are seeing on social media, this doesn't affect any of the US stations (for now anyway). (TheWrap)
• We're looking back at all of the sitcom stars that we've lost in 2025, including Melanie Watson, who played Kathy on Diff'rent Strokes and died just this past week. (SitcomsOnline)

• St. Denis Medical returns for a second season on Monday on NBC.
• You can now watch past seasons of Animal Control (which is surprisingly already in the fourth season, believe it or not) on Netflix.
• Catchy Comedy has a Mama's Family binge tomorrow.
• If you missed the Thursday marathon, Antenna TV has the first (and in many cases second) episodes of all of their shows again today.
• Best Medicine debuts Sunday on Fox, though it will regularly air on Tuesday nights.
• As previously mentioned, Pluto TV now has a FAST channel for The X-Files.

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

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Labels: Animal Control, Best Medicine, Community, Diff'rent Strokes, Malcolm in the Middle, Mama's Family, MTV, SitcomsOnline Digest, St. Denis Medical, Stumble, The Paper, X-Files

SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount/Skydance Merger Approved; CBS Orders New Comedy From Producers of Ghosts

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a very suspiciously busy news week (especially for summer this week) with more than double the news we usually have, with new merger updates from Paramount and Skydance, a Community movie update, and a lot more that we couldn't even fit in today. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• The on-again, off-again story of the Paramount and Skydance merger has finally been approved, and it looks like it actually will be going through, despite all the chaos. (AP News)
• First it was Ghosts, now it's vampires, as CBS orders the series Eternally Yours from the producers of Ghosts. (Variety)
• We were promised "six seasons and a movie" for Community, but we're still waiting on the movie... and it's still on hold. (Deadline)
• South Park returned for new episodes this week (and now an exclusive home on Paramount+), following a $1.5 billion deal with Paramount... and now that they've got their money, they're pushing the boundaries the furthest that they've ever pushed them. (Newsweek)
• Ten new episodes of Futurama are headed to Hulu in September. (Deadline)
• We also have a September release date for the new season of Beavis and Butt-head on Comedy Central. (Variety)
• After shutting down NBC Sports Network four years ago and selling off most of their cable networks earlier this year, NBC is considering creating a cable network for sports, again. (Deadline)
• A new comedy is in the works from Family Guy's Evan Waite and Alex Sulkin. (Deadline)
• It seems that E! News, which you'd be forgiven if you forgot that it or even that the cable network E! still existed, has been canceled again. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Malcolm Jamal-Warner, known for his role of Theo on The Cosby Show, has died. (SitcomsOnline)

• Catchy Comedy has a binge featuring two satirical police-themed shows with two words and an exclamation mark tomorrow: Police Squad! and Sledge Hammer!
• Antenna TV has a Dear John marathon tomorrow.
• ABC has season premieres of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Match Game (with a new host) on Wednesday.

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

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Labels: Beavis and Butt-Head, CBS, Community, Eternally Yours, Futurama, Ghosts, SitcomsOnline Digest, Skydance, South Park

SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Cancels That '90s Show; Who's the Boss? Reboot Not Moving Forward at Freevee

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're mostly hearing about things that aren't going to happen and are going to be cancelled, from the cancellation of one reboot, to one being scrapped in development (though being shopped around to other content providers), and even the ending of a streaming service. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• That '90s Show has been cancelled at Netflix. (Variety)
• The Amazon Freevee reboot of Who's the Boss? is not going forward, but it is being shopped around for a chance at a "brand new life" elsewhere. (TVLine)
• The Community movie is being reworked, but will hopefully come into existence at some point. (Deadline)
• Tom Selleck isn't too happy about CBS' decision to end Blue Bloods. (Deadline)
• Crackle was a pioneer when it came to streaming, launching as a streaming service before even Hulu (and unlike Hulu, remaining free for the entire time it existed), but now it is no more. (Cord Cutters News)
• We learned that John Amos died this week, but he actually died months ago, and his son is revealing why we are just now hearing about it rather than hearing about it months ago. (Yahoo!)
• This is precisely where the rumors of "will Family Guy and The Simpsons remain on Fox" rumors begin: a Family Guy Halloween special will completely bypass Fox and debut on Hulu in just a little over a week. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (OCTOBER 5 - OCTOBER 11)

• Abbott Elementary, which now seems to have the distinction of being the only remaining broadcast sitcom that has any amount of broad appeal, returns Wednesday on ABC.
• Celebrity Wheel of Fortune returns on Sunday night on ABC, with Pat Sajak back as host.
• Catchy Comedy has a weekend full of The Honeymooners this weekend.

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

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Labels: Abbott Elementary, Blue Bloods, Community, Crackle, Family Guy, SitcomsOnline Digest, That '90s Show, Who's the Boss?

Sitcom Stars Pair Up on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire; TV One Premieres Raising Fame

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire's 25th anniversary premiere episode will feature Kenan & Kel alums and Good Burger 2 stars Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell competing for the grand prize, as well as Oh, Hello on Broadway stars John Mulaney and Nick Kroll. The additional celebrity pairings hold just as close of a bond as they include sitcom stars Full House alums John Stamos and Dave Coulier, Everybody Loves Raymond and Bupkis stars Ray Romano and Brad Garrett, Scrubs alums Zach Braff and Donald Faison, Dave stars Lil Dicky and GaTa, Bookie stars Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey, Community alums Gillian Jacobs and Danny Pudi, and Another Period stars Natasha Leggero and Jason Ritter.

Other celebrity pairings include siblings Kelly and Jack Osbourne, podcast co-hosts Nicole Byer and Sasheer Zamata, Rosie O'Donnell and Abbott Elementary star Celebrity Jeopardy! winner Lisa Ann Walter, Ike Barinholtz and Alan Barinholtz, Sophia Bush and Alex Edelman, Jeff Ross and "Cousin Sal" Iacono, and Ron Funches and Reggie Watts. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire premieres Wednesday, July 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Take a peek behind the curtain as the premiere of new docu-series Raising Fame takes center stage Sunday, July 7 at 10P/9C on TV One. Hosted by celebrity moms Lucille O'Neal (mom of Shaquille O'Neal) and Sonya Curry (mom of Stephen, Seth, and Sydel Curry), Raising Fame provides an intimate look into the lives of some of today's biggest stars, told by the people who raised them. Raising Fame delves beyond the glitz and glamour to provide a unique perspective in the words of both the parents and celebrated children themselves. In the premiere, viewers will follow Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks and her parents from her hometown of Simpsonville, SC to the bright lights of Hollywood with an exclusive sit-down moments before she heads to the Academy Awards.

This season also includes an impressive lineup of award-winning athletes, musicians, actors, and their families including Usher, Shaquille O'Neal, John Legend, Fantasia, Magic Johnson, Jon Batiste, Chance the Rapper, Kevin Durant, Billy Porter, the late Chadwick Boseman and more.

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

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Labels: Abbott Elementary, ABC, Another Period, Bookie, Bupkis, Community, Everybody Loves Raymond, Full House, Kenan and Kel, Scrubs, TV One, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire

SitcomsOnline Digest: Patricia Richardson on Potential Home Improvement Reboot; Paramount+ Removes Several Nickelodeon Series

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about a reboot that isn't happening, a new game show starring Urkel, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Patricia Richardson recently appeared in a podcast in which she completely dismissed the idea of a Home Improvement reboot or reunion, and flat out called Tim Allen a liar for even suggesting that he'd talked to everybody, and also referred to her TV son Zachery Ty Bryan as a "felon." (Entertainment Weekly)
• Get ready for a new game show this fall with Jaleel White as host. (Deadline)
• We always mention that streaming is never permanent, and Paramount+ is proving that by removing several Nickelodeon series that were rebooted for the service, including the reboot of Rugrats. (Deadline)
• Actor Louis Gossett Jr., who appeared on many series (especially in the 1970s), has died. (AP News)
• Proving that "trash talk" TV isn't totally dead yet (though it is nothing like it was in the 90s particularly), The Steve Wilkos Show has been renewed for an 18th season. (Deadline)
• NBC News has gotten itself into a $600,000 mess after making a controversial hire that resulted in an on-air revolt (and eventual firing of the new contributor) by just about every personality at MSNBC. (Politico)
• After the release of Three's Company (and all of the spinoffs), it is probably no surprise that VEI is now releasing the complete series of Too Close for Comfort and even Check it Out on DVD, and they're both coming next week. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (MARCH 30 - APRIL 5)

• Catchy Comedy has a Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts binge this weekend.
• NBC has the second season of Lopez vs. Lopez on Tuesday night.
• Community debuts on Peacock on Monday.

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

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Labels: Community, Flip Side, Home Improvement, Jaleel White, NBC, Nickelodeon, Paramount+, Rugrats, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: Netflix Sets Premiere Date for Good Times Animated Reboot; NBC Renews Several Popular Series

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's not a busy news week, but we do have news about the animated Good Times reboot, some NBC renewals, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• An April premiere date has been set for Netflix's animated reboot of Good Times. (VIBE)
• NBC gave renewals to almost all of their Chicago and Law & Order franchise series, but there is one notable exception. (TV Insider)
• Mike Richards, who hosted Jeopardy! for an entire day, is now speaking out about his experience. (Deadline)
• Travis Kelce may be hosting a reboot of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, though the premise would be slightly different this time around. (Variety)
• Community is headed to Peacock on April 1, and so is a movie (eventually). (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (MARCH 23 - MARCH 29)

• Even though it isn't part of the regular lineup, Catchy Comedy has an ALF binge this weekend.

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

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Labels: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago PD, Community, Good Times, Jeopardy, Law and Order, SitcomsOnline Digest

Community Arrives on Peacock April 1, Movie Coming Soon; Hulu Premieres New Comedy Dinosaur April 5

As previously announced, Community: The Movie from series creator Dan Harmon and executive producer Andrew Guest will be coming exclusively to Peacock. To get ready, class is now in session: all six seasons of Community arrive on Peacock on April 1! When his college degree is challenged as a fake, lawyer and schemer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) is forced to return to school. As he reluctantly becomes the leader of a misfit collection of fellow students, Jeff soon realizes that the easy way out is no guarantee for survival in community college. Starring: Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Donald Glover, Allison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Chevy Chase, Yvette Nicole Brown, Ken Jeong, Jim Rash. Production on Community: The Movie is reportedly starting later this year and may even air late this year.

Hulu is releasing a new comedy this April titled Dinosaur. Created by Matilda Curtis and Ashley Storrie, Dinosaur follows Nina, an autistic woman in her 30s, who adores her life living with her sister and best friend Evie. However, when Evie rushes into an engagement after only six weeks and makes Nina her maid of honor, Nina is floored. Starring: Ashley Storrie, Kat Ronney (The Royal Mob), David Carlyle (It’s A Sin), Lorn Macdonald (Bridgerton), Danny Ashok (Roadkill, Capital) and more! The series premieres April 5 with 6 episodes.

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

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Labels: Community, Dinosaur, Hulu, Peacock

SitcomsOnline Digest: Dan Harmon Talks About Upcoming Community Movie; That '90s Show Preview Released

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Hopefully you're keeping warm during this very cold Christmas weekend (depending upon where you are!). We've got news about the upcoming Community movie, another preview of That '90s Show, and plenty of marathons to keep you inside this weekend. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Dan Harmon is talking more about the upcoming Community movie, which won't feature any paintball scenes. (Deadline)
• It isn't the first preview we've gotten of That '90s Show, but now we have a longer trailer for the first season. (Entertainment Weekly)
• Is Disney thinking about spinning off ESPN and ABC? Some analysts think that is their best path forward. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Broadcast TV is changing, and many are wondering where it will fit in over the long run. (Deadline)
• Cecily Strong made her last appearance as a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live last week, a move that surprised many people. (Entertainment Tonight)
• The cable network truTV is really straying away from its roots this weekend (and next) with some sitcom marathons. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (DECEMBER 24 - DECEMBER 30)

• It's not exactly Christmas (other than being a Christmas Carol), but Decades has a binge of The Carol Burnett Show this weekend.
• It's one of the most out of the blue things that we've seen, but TruTV has a marathon of Hangin' with Mr. Cooper this weekend, then a marathon of Step by Step next weekend.
• There is a very long list of special Christmas programming and marathons that we could list here, but it is better summarized in this post from yesterday.

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

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Labels: Carol Burnett Show, Community, ESPN, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Saturday Night Live, SitcomsOnline Digest, Step by Step, That '90s Show

Community the Movie Set for Peacock; Finding Happy Hits Big on Bounce TV

In a highly competitive situation, Peacock announced the long-awaited Community movie, based on the Emmy Award-winning, critically-acclaimed fan-favorite NBC comedy series. Original stars Joel McHale, Danny Pudi, Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong will reunite with Joel McHale as an executive producer. The movie will come from original series creator Dan Harmon, executive producer Andrew Guest, and from studios Sony Pictures Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Peacock is also acquiring the full series library (non-exclusively). Community the Movie, from the TV series that predicted its own movie, comes the least predictable movie of a TV series that referenced a lot of movies and TV. Community launched on NBC in 2009 as part of Must See TV Thursday along with The Office, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, and ran for 110 episodes over six seasons. The series won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation - Comedy Series in 2012. The series also spawned the unofficial fan-led convention CommuniCon.

The series premiere episodes of the newest Bounce original comedy series, Finding Happy, were seen by 2.6 million viewers 2+ in their debut telecasts. The first two episodes of Finding Happy premiered back-to-back on Bounce on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 8 to 9 p.m. ET, and their initial airing burst within 24 hours, including a special presentation on Bounce's sister network ION on Sunday night. Centering around the Black female experience through the eyes of protagonist Yaz Carter, Finding Happy is a dramedy about the unfulfilled life of Yaz, beginning with her unhappy 36th birthday. The 10-episode debut season features Yaz's loving-but-complicated family, her stagnant career in the evolving landscape of radio, and a merry-go-round of unrequited love while dating in the love desert of Atlanta. B. Simone (MTV's Wild 'n Out) stars as Yaz along with Kim Coles (Living Single), Marketta Patrice (Black Jesus), Angela Gibbs (Hacks), Stevie Baggs (Ruthless) and Mike Merrill (A La Carte).

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

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Labels: Bounce TV, Community, Finding Happy, NBC, Peacock

SitcomsOnline Digest: Community to Finally Get a Movie; Marla Gibbs to Appear on Grey's Anatomy

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're learning about a Community movie, a guest role for Marla Gibbs, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Remember "six seasons and a movie?" It seems that Community is finally going to finish up that last part. (Variety)
• Marla Gibbs has been cast in a multi-episode arc on Grey's Anatomy. (Deadline)
• Patti LaBelle is set to guest star in at least two upcoming episodes of The Wonder Years. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Trevor Noah is leaving as host of The Daily Show, though it won't be right away. (Variety)
• A new season of Saturday Night Live debuts tonight, and the cast changes are rather significant. (Hollywood Reporter)
• COZI TV is making some changes to their fall lineup, and we have the full lineup here. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (OCTOBER 1 - OCTOBER 7)

• A new season of Saturday Night Live debuts tonight on NBC.
• Decades has a Laugh-In binge this weekend.
• If you haven't seen the new Munsters movie on Netflix yet, you can catch that this week.

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

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Labels: Community, Daily Show, Grey's Anatomy, Saturday Night Live, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Looking to Reduce Primetime Hours; Community Movie in the Works?

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week is a slow news week, but we are learning about a major broadcast network looking at abandoning the 10 PM hour, the cancellation of a MTV series, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• As streaming media continues to overshadow broadcast networks, NBC is looking at potentially giving up on 10 PM and returning the hour back to affiliates as early as fall 2023, and they may not be the only one. (Variety)
• Whatever Floribama Shore is (we're being slightly sarcastic), MTV is done with it, presumably because the MTV lineup doesn't have enough time slots to air Ridiculousness. (Deadline)
• The studio audience is returning to America's Funniest Home Videos this fall. (Deadline)
• Could we finally be getting to the conclusion of the "six seasons and a movie" for Community? (IGN)
• ABC is preparing for their celebration of Norman Lear's 100th birthday (which has actually already happened, but the special hasn't aired yet). (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (AUGUST 27 - SEPTEMBER 2)

• Decades is doing a duo of binges this weekend, with Bridget Loves Bernie first then a marathon of the Barney Miller spinoff Fish.
• It's not exactly something we're all that interested in around here, but it does have a long history: the MTV Video Music Awards airs on Sunday.

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

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Labels: America's Funniest Home Videos, Community, Fish, NBC, Norman Lear, SitcomsOnline Digest

Fri-Yay: Sitcom Thanksgiving Episodes to Be Thankful For; Live in Front of a Studio Audience Returns Dec. 7 with The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes

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

It's the season to be thankful, and one thing we are all grateful for is having a long weekend off from work to binge watch some TV show episodes. So what are the best sitcom Thanksgiving episodes? The obvious choice is the Friends Thanksgiving episodes, the gold standard of sitcom Thanksgiving. But there are also some other classic Thanksgiving episodes that deserve recognition as well.

New Girl was another "young professionals in a big city" sitcom that did Thanksgiving well, and its Thanksgiving episodes are a funny mix of humor and heart. Community also had a solid Thanksgiving episode - although it took place during the "gas leak" year without creator Dan Harmon, it's still a decent half-hour that introduces us to Jeff's estranged father. Happy Endings also had a very funny Thanksgiving episode that chronicles the gang's past as reality TV stars.

However, if one show stands out above the rest, it's Bob's Burgers. Nearly every Bob's Burgers Thanksgiving episode is an instant classic, with my favorite being the Season 3 Thanksgiving episode "An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal," which also featured Linda's unforgettable Thanksgiving song. It's a classic episode, just like all Bob's Burgers Thanksgiving episodes, and I highly recommend it.

Norman Lear and Jimmy Kimmel are back for a third installment of Live in Front of a Studio Audience! The first two specials aired before the pandemic in spring 2019 and holiday season 2019, but now 2 years later, we are back with another holiday installment! Previous classic Norman Lear sitcoms featured were All in the Family, The Jeffersons and Good Times, now we are heading into the '80s with Lear's The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes! Yes, Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes will air Tuesday, Dec. 7 from 8pm to 9:30pm ET, followed by the series premiere of the previously announced new school comedy Abbott Elementary at 9:30pm leading into the fall finale of new drama Queens at 10pm.

Casting details for Diff'rent Strokes includes John Lithgow as Mr. Drummond, Kevin Hart as Arnold, Damon Wayans as Willis and Ann Dowd as Mrs. Garrett, with more to be announced. Casting details for The Facts of Life has not been announced yet but Ann Dowd as Mrs. Garrett will certainly be on both episodes. Norman Lear, Jimmy Kimmel, Brent Miller, Kerry Washington, Will Ferrell, Justin Theroux and Jim Burrows will executive produce. Details on the episodes being recreated will also be announced soon! More to come!

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

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Labels: Abbott Elementary, Bob's Burgers, Community, Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, Fri-Yay, Friends, Live in Front of a Studio Audience, New Girl

Fri-Yay: Sitcoms That Are Leaving Netflix; Superstore to End After This Season, Its 6th

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 month, The Office, long the most streamed series on Netflix, will be exiting the streaming service and moving exclusively to its new home on Peacock. It's been a move known for nearly two years now, but it's getting closer and closer and now feels all the more real. The same recently happened to its sister series Parks and Recreation, which left Netflix as well as Hulu and is now available only on Peacock. It's the latest, and maybe the biggest move, in the ever changing streaming wars. At one time, nearly everything was centrally located on one of the original big 3 streaming platforms: Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. But now with more streaming services popping up, it has become increasingly splintered.

The question is, who will be hurt more? Netflix has lost two of its biggest streamers. At the same time, it has gained shows, too - Seinfeld will move to Netflix in 2021, and it has also picked up shows like Community and Sister, Sister this year, which have drawn buzz to the platform, along with their continued production of originals like Cobra Kai (swooped up from YouTube Red, of course) and Never Have I Ever that drew attention and acclaim. People are used to and comfortable with Netflix's interface, and are willing to find new shows to replace ones they've streamed many times before. On the other hand, it's possible people who love watching The Office will check out Peacock and ultimately prefer their selection (which includes most recent NBC comedies), or will simply just buy box sets of the show and stop participating in the streaming warms. Time will certainly tell on what comes of these "streaming wars" in the long run.

After 113 episodes, NBC's critically acclaimed comedy Superstore will be concluding at the end of its current sixth season. Through its own comedic lens, the series has consistently examined many of the country's most topical issues, including health care, immigration, unionization, the plight of the retail worker and many more. Superstore, which reached more than 37 million viewers last season, has consistently been one of NBC's strongest comedies. Following the winter hiatus, Superstore returns to the NBC lineup on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 8:30 p.m. There are currently 11 more episodes to air this season, which will end in the spring.

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

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Labels: Cobra Kai, Community, Fri-Yay, NBC, Netflix, Parks and Recreation, Seinfeld, Sister Sister, Superstore, The Office

Community Stars to Toast & Roast 2020 on Fox New Year's Eve; Leah Remini GSN Game Show Premieres Jan. 18, 2021

Ken Jeong and Joel McHale are teaming up to "Toast & Roast" all that was 2020 during the most anticipated New Year's Eve of all time! Ken Jeong, from Fox's The Masked Singer, I Can See Your Voice and upcoming The Masked Dancer, and comedian and actor Joel McHale (Card Sharks), kiss 2020 goodbye as they co-host Fox's New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2021 (working title). Jeong and McHale will commemorate the past year from coast-to-coast with a live, three-and-a-half-hour "Toast & Roast" to 2020. Fox's New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2021, Part One airs Thursday, Dec. 31 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/CT live MT/PT tape-delayed), and Fox's New Year's Eve Toast & Roast 2021, Part Two airs Thursday, Dec. 31 (11:00 PM-12:30 AM ET live CT/MT/PT tape-delayed).

Live from Los Angeles, CA, Jeong and McHale will bring their signature comedic hosting style, as the former Community stars, hosts of The Darkest Timeline podcast and longtime friends reunite to help ring in the New Year with a special dedicated to the highs and lows of 2020, specifically celebrating those that helped to make the world a better place this past year. Join surprise celebrity guests and some of the year's top music artists to wrap up 2020 and kick off the New Year with a show unlike any other. Additional guest appearances and musical performances to be announced.

In PEOPLE Puzzler, hosted by TV veteran Leah Remini, three contestants put their pop culture knowledge to the test to complete crosswords in a show based on the iconic puzzles in PEOPLE Magazine. The player who has won the most points after three rounds will move on to the Fast Puzzle Bonus Round where they will have the opportunity to win a cash prize. PEOPLE Puzzler will premiere on Monday, January 18, 2021 at 6 p.m. ET on Game Show Network and air weekdays. Actress, author, producer, and television personality Leah Remini is perhaps most recognized as Carrie Heffernan on the long-running CBS comedy, The King of Queens. She was recently seen in the romantic comedy, Second Act, with her friend Jennifer Lopez. In 2015, Remini released her New York Times Bestselling memoir "Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology." Following the book's successful release, in 2016 she created, produced and hosted the critically acclaimed A&E documentary series Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, which won the Primetime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Informational Series or Special.

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

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Labels: Community, Fox, GSN, People Magazine

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!

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.

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.

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

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Labels: Bob's Burgers, Boy Meets World, CBS All Access, Community, Fri-Yay, Happy Endings, No Activity, Parks and Recreation, The Simpsons

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

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The CW Upfront 2020-21: Fall 2020 Schedule; Fri-Yay: Quarantine Reunions - An Emerging Trend

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

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Labels: Community, Fri-Yay, Lizzie McGuire, Parks and Recreation, The CW, The Office, Upfronts