SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline Digest: Paramount and Warner Merger on Hold; Paramount+ Cancels Crutch

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, a media merger could be falling apart, a Paramount+ series has been canceled, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• The merger between Paramount and Warner, which the parties had hoped to finalize in the upcoming weeks, has now been postponed for several months as legal fights against it play out. (Variety)
• In a world where reboots keep getting developed and falling flat on their face, things are going pretty well for King of the Hill, which has been very well received (some fans even saying it is better than it originally was), getting a good audience, and already has two more seasons under development. (Cord Cutters News)
• Crutch has been canceled after just one season, though it's probably not a big deal to Tracy Morgan as he has another sitcom on the air anyway. (Variety)
• The voice cast for the Family Guy spinoff Stewie has been announced. (SitcomsOnline)

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

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Labels: Crutch, King of the Hill, Nirvanna the Band the Show, Paramount, President Curtis, SitcomsOnline Digest, Stewie, Warner Bros

SitcomsOnline Digest: King of the Hill Renewed for Two More Seasons on Hulu; MTV Cancels Ridiculousness

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a bit busier this week, with news of a multi-season renewal of a reboot of a popular animated series, the end of a seemingly never-ending MTV show, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• It looks like King of the Hill is proving to be just as successful as (if not more than) the original, as two additional seasons have been ordered on top of the one that has already aired and the one that is coming up (bringing it to four new seasons total for Hulu). (Variety)
• After 46 seasons (we question how they count seasons, it has only been 14 years, though 14 long years) and 1700 episodes, MTV has canceled Ridiculousness, but don't get too excited yet because there are still unaired episodes and they never said they were dropping reruns. (Variety)
• John Dickerson, who just recently came to CBS Evening News, is leaving (as are many other CBS News staff), and now there are questions about the future of the operations of CBS News overall. (Variety)
• If you subscribe to YouTube TV, you've lost your Disney owned channels. (USA Today)
• June Lockhart, one of the very few remaining stars from the black and white era of television, died this week at age 100. (SitcomsOnline)

• Crutch, the spinoff of The Neighborhood starring Tracy Morgan, debuts Monday on Paramount+
• The second season of St. Denis Medical starts Monday on NBC.
• NBC has the season premiere of Happy's Place and the series premiere of Stumble on Friday.
• Here Come the Brides starts airing today on FETV, though there is no fanfare of a special marathon or anything just yet.
• Laugh-In is the Catchy Binge on Catchy Comedy tomorrow.

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

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Labels: CBS, Crutch, Here Come the Brides, Hulu, King of the Hill, Lassie, Laugh-In, MTV, Ridiculousness, SitcomsOnline Digest, St. Denis Medical, Stumble, YouTube TV

SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Upcoming Paramount+ Sitcom Crutch; Yellowjackets to End After Upcoming Season

  Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's another slow "early fall season" week, but we've got a preview for an upcoming spinoff of a CBS fan favorite, some early ratings news, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• We have our first look at Crutch, the upcoming spinoff of The Neighborhood. (TV Insider)
• It's still very early in the new fall season, but so far, NBC seems to be doing pretty well. (Deadline)
• Media mergers have been a big deal lately, but while there have been rumors of Netflix merging with Warner Bros. Discovery, their co-chief is saying it is unlikely and expressing the reality that these media mergers rarely work out. (Deadline)
• The upcoming season of the Showtime series Yellowjackets will be the last. (Variety)
• The CW has a new limited run docuseries about some of our favorite TV series from the past, TV We Love, debuting on Monday. (SitcomsOnline)

• The Odd Couple is tomorrow's binge on Catchy Comedy.
• Everybody Loves Raymond comes to MeTV on Monday night.
• TV We Love debuts Monday on The CW.
• CBS has the season premiere of the final season of The Neighborhood, as well as the series premiere of DMV on Monday night.
• Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage and Ghosts have their season premiere on Thursday on CBS.

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

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Labels: Crutch, DMV, Everybody Loves Raymond, Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, Ghosts, Odd Couple, SitcomsOnline Digest, Yellowjackets

Prime Video's Kevin Details; Trailer for Crutch with Tracy Morgan

The cat's out of the bag! Prime Video announced series regulars of the upcoming adult animated series Kevin. The series stars Jason Schwartzman (Isle of Dogs, The French Dispatch) as Kevin, a housecat who decides to try life without people, and Aubrey Plaza as Dana (The White Lotus, Emily the Criminal), one half of a human couple who he leaves behind. Additional series regulars include Whoopi Goldberg (The Lion King, Sister Act) as Cupcake, John Waters (Hairspray, Liar Mouth) as Armando, and Aparna Nancherla (The Great North, Bob's Burgers) as Judy- Kevin's new cat roommates at a local pet rescue run by human Seth, played by Gil Ozeri (Big Mouth, Monsters) and his dog Brandi, played by Amy Sedaris (BoJack Horseman, At Home with Amy Sedaris). The series is set to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Loosely inspired by a real life break-up and the cat who was caught in the middle, Kevin is a hilarious and heart-warming story about finding where you belong in the world. After the unexpected break-up of his human "owners," Kevin moves into a local pet rescue in Astoria, Queens where a chaotic band of misfit animals will help him to figure out what he really wants out of life.

Paramount+ original comedy series Crutch, starring Tracy Morgan, will premiere on Monday, November 3. Produced by CBS Studios, all eight episodes of the series will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ at launch. Set in the world of the CBS Original Comedy The Neighborhood, Crutch centers on its titular character Francois "Frank" Crutchfield (Morgan), who goes by "Crutch," a brash, yet beloved Harlem shop owner whose world is turned upside down when his highbrow son and free-spirited daughter move back into the family home.

Crutch also stars Jermaine Fowler (Superior Donuts), Tony Award winner Kecia Lewis (Hell's Kitchen), Adrianna Mitchell (Snowfall), Adrian Martinez (The Amateur), Braxton Paul (Sesame Street) and Finn Maloney (Suncoast).

In a special event within The Neighborhood universe, Morgan will also guest star as "Crutch" in an all-new episode of the hit CBS comedy The Neighborhood, airing the same night, Monday, November 3 (8:00 - 8:30 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs).

"Welcome to Family Value" - Calvin (Cedric The Entertainer) reaches out to his cousin Crutch (Tracy Morgan) to get Malcolm (Sheaun McKinney) a sweet deal on a new floor. However, Crutch insists on coming to L.A. to oversee the work himself, where he drives Tina (Tichina Arnold) crazy - and reveals an emotional vulnerability.

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

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Labels: Amazon Prime, CBS, Crutch, Kevin, Paramount+, The Neighborhood

SitcomsOnline Digest: Shifting Gears Picked Up for Three Additional Episodes; The Paper Renewed for Season Two

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we are hearing more about the Scrubs reboot, the renewal of The Paper (already!), and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Shifting Gears was picked up for a few additional episodes for the upcoming season, but not quite a full season, which suggests that the reboot of Scrubs will be the midseason replacement for it. (Deadline)
• Speaking of Scrubs, we also learned this week that John McGinley will be returning to his role on the reboot. (Variety)
• Hopefully fans are enjoying The Paper, because it was renewed for a second season before the first season even aired. (Variety)
• King of the Hill and Wednesday have both proven to be major hits on streaming. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Kristen Johnston has been cast in the second season of Going Dutch. (Deadline)
• Going Dutch has a new show runner for the upcoming season. (Deadline)
• We have a season premiere date for Crutch, the spinoff of The Neighborhood that will stream on Paramount+. (TheWrap)
• A live staged reading of a Three's Company episode featuring Adam Devine and Kaley Cuoco is set for next week. (SitcomsOnline)

• A new season of Only Murders in the Building debuts Tuesday on Hulu.
• The new comedy series Kiss or Die debuts Tuesday on Netflix.
• After several weeks of multiple show binges on Catchy Comedy, they go back to one series this weekend with Newhart.
• With so many marathons going on last weekend, we forgot to mention some new series and season debuts from last week, including The Paper (the offshoot of The Office) on Peacock and Beavis and Butt-Head on Comedy Central/Paramount+.

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

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Labels: Beavis and Butt-Head, Crutch, Going Dutch, King of the Hill, Kiss or Die, Newhart, Only Murders in the Building, Scrubs, Shifting Gears, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Paper, Three's Company

Crutch Premieres November 3 on Paramount+; Trailer for Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place

Paramount+ announced that the new original comedy series Crutch, starring Tracy Morgan, will premiere on Monday, November 3. Produced by CBS Studios, all eight episodes of the series will be available to stream exclusively on Paramount+ at launch.

Set in the world of the CBS Original Comedy The Neighborhood, Crutch centers on its titular character Francois "Frank" Crutchfield (Morgan), who goes by "Crutch," a brash, yet beloved Harlem shop owner whose world is turned upside down when his highbrow son and free-spirited daughter move back into the family home.

Crutch also stars Jermaine Fowler (Superior Donuts), Tony Award winner Kecia Lewis (Hell's Kitchen), Adrianna Mitchell (Snowfall), Adrian Martinez (The Amateur), Braxton Paul (Sesame Street) and Finn Maloney (Suncoast).

In a special event within The Neighborhood universe, Morgan will also guest star as "Crutch" in an all-new episode of the hit CBS comedy The Neighborhood, airing the same night, Monday, November 3 (8:00 - 8:30 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs).

"Welcome to Family Value" - Calvin (Cedric The Entertainer) reaches out to his cousin Crutch (Tracy Morgan) to get Malcolm (Sheaun McKinney) a sweet deal on a new floor. However, Crutch insists on coming to L.A. to oversee the work himself, where he drives Tina (Tichina Arnold) crazy — and reveals an emotional vulnerability.

The official trailer for Season 2 of Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, the continuation of the Emmy® Award-winning Wizards of Waverly Place, was revealed. In the trailer, audiences get a look at the spellbinding new season — packed with humor, heart and a little bit of danger. Keen-eyed fans also get a sneak peek at the guest cast, including executive producer Selena Gomez, ZOMBIES 4: Dawn of the Vampires star Freya Skye, Bill Chott, Sean Whalen and Amanda Tepe.

Season 2 Synopsis: Billie grapples with the fact that being part of the Russo family might be more complicated than she thought — especially now that she's not the only wizard in the house. Thanks to Roman and Milo’s new magical powers, Justin is now tasked with training three young wizards for the Family Wizard Competition. As the stakes rise inside and outside the family, a mysterious new threat emerges, one that could unravel the Russos forever.

Premiere Info: Season 2 premieres with two episodes on Friday, September 12, on Disney Channel (7:00 p.m. EDT/PDT) and Disney Channel On Demand. All episodes will be available on Disney+ in the U.S. and select international markets on Wednesday, October 8.

Regular Cast: The series stars David Henrie (as Justin Russo), Janice LeAnn Brown (as Billie), Alkaio Thiele (as Roman Russo), Max Matenko (as Milo Russo), Taylor Cora (as Winter) and Mimi Gianopulos (as Giada Russo). Guest Cast: Joining executive producer Selena Gomez in guest roles for the second season include Freya Skye, Harvey Guillén, Kirsten Vangsness, Bill Chott, Sean Whalen, Amanda Tepe, Recker Eans, Tobias Jelinek, Patrick Bristow and Eleanor Sweeney.

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

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Labels: CBS, Crutch, Disney Channel, Disney+, Paramount+, The Neighborhood, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, Wizards of Waverly Place

SitcomsOnline Digest: Tracy Morgan to Star in NBC Pilot from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock; Nobody Wants This Returning for Second Season

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're learning of a new Tracy Morgan pilot, the renewal of a Netflix series, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Tracy Morgan is set to star in a new NBC pilot from Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, which is in addition to his upcoming Paramount+ comedy series, Crutch. (Deadline)
• Apparently somebody wants this, as Nobody Wants This is set to return for a second season. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Keegan-Michael Key is joining the cast of Only Murders in the Building for season 5. (Deadline)
• S.W.A.T., which has run for eight seasons and is a remake a 1970s series that only ran for 2 seasons, has been cancelled for the third time. (Variety)
• It may be a roll of the dice, but a reality series based upon the board game Monopoly is in the works. (Deadline)
• DVD and Blu-ray sales have plummeted a total of 93% in the past 20 years. (Cord Cutters News)
• Sinclair is changing the name of the OTA network TBD to ROAR next month, and although titles haven't been announced yet, it is said to include a "mix of classic and contemporary comedy series." (Cord Cutters News)
• Peter Engel, the man behind the most popular 90s teen sitcoms (including Saved by the Bell, of course), has died. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (MARCH 8 - MARCH 14)

• Tomorrow's binge on Catchy Comedy is Gomer Pyle, USMC.
• New seasons of American Idol and The $100,000 Pyramid arrive tomorrow night on ABC.
• A new season of The Amazing Race arrives Wednesday on CBS.

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

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Labels: Crutch, DVD, Gomer Pyle USMC, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Roar, SitcomsOnline Digest, SWAT

Hacks Brings Out the Stars in Season 4; NBC Orders Pilot with Tracy Morgan

The Max Original comedy series Hacks, 2024 Emmy(R), Golden Globe(R), and Critics Choice Awards winner for Outstanding Comedy Series, has added Julianne Nicholson, Michaela Watkins, Bresha Webb, Robby Hoffman, and Eric Balfour as guest stars to the highly anticipated fourth season, debuting this spring. Additionally, Danny Jolles, Gavin Matts, Grover Whitmore, III, Holmes, Jasmine Ashanti, Katy Sullivan, Matt Oberg, and Sandy Honig will guest star as writers on Deborah Vance's (Jean Smart) new late night show. Universal Television is the studio. Tensions rise as Deborah and Ava endeavor to get their late night show off the ground and make history doing it.

Returning cast: Six-time Emmy(R) winner and Tony Award(R) nominee Jean Smart, three-time Emmy(R) nominee and Critics Choice Award winner Hannah Einbinder, three-time Emmy(R) winner Paul W. Downs, SAG Award(R) nominee Megan Stalter, Emmy(R) nominee Carl Clemons-Hopkins, SAG Award(R) nominee Mark Indelicato, and SAG Award(R) nominee Rose Abdoo return alongside Dan Bucatinsky, Helen Hunt, Tony Goldwyn, Kaitlin Olson, Jane Adams, Lauren Weedman, Christopher McDonald, Poppy Liu, Lorenza Izzo, Johnny Sibilly, Paul Felder, Polly Draper, Luenell, and Aristotle Athari. Additionally, the upcoming fourth season will feature exciting surprise cameos.

NBC has given a pilot order for the single-camera comedy starring Tracy Morgan. From Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group and production companies Little Stranger, Bevel Gears, 3 Arts. Robert Carlock & Sam Means will write and produce. Other EP's are Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Eric Gurian & David Miner. Rhys Thomas will direct. In the pilot, a disgraced former football player is on a mission to rehabilitate his image. Morgan will next star in Paramount+'s half-hour comedy series Crutch, which is scheduled to premiere later this year. His deal allows him to star in both projects in the future.

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

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Labels: Crutch, Hacks, Max, NBC, Paramount+, Tracy Morgan Show

SitcomsOnline Digest: Spinoff of The Neighborhood Headed to Paramount+; Fox Cancels HouseBroken

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! As networks prepare for the fall season (which isn't going to be hampered by any strikes this time), we're hearing lots about renewals and cancellations, and much more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• A "spinoff" (we're not totally sure that is the right word) of The Office about the staff at a dying midwestern newspaper is headed to Peacock. (Variety)
• It looks like Crutch, a spinoff of The Neighborhood starring Tracy Morgan, is on the way too, set to be streamed on Paramount+. (Deadline)
• HouseBroken has been cancelled at Fox after two seasons. (Variety)
• With Young Sheldon coming to an end, Annie Potts is worried that she may have had her last TV role. (Deadline)
• Not Dead Yet actually is dead, as it wasn't renewed for another season. (TVLine)
• Shout! has acquired expanded rights to Pee-wee's Playhouse. (Deadline)
• NBC has picked up a new sitcom starring Reba McEntire, but Extended Family has been cancelled. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (MAY 11 - MAY 17)

• Catchy Comedy is continuing a run of rural comedy binges (that will continue into next week as well), with a binge of Green Acres this weekend.
• Sunday is Mother's Day, and Antenna TV is celebrating with a Family Ties marathon focusing on Elyse episodes, while FETV has a Leave it to Beaver marathon featuring June Cleaver.
• The final episode of Young Sheldon is set to air Thursday night on CBS, but don't worry, the Big Bang Theory universe of sitcoms isn't going to end just yet as a spinoff is coming in the fall.
• As we mentioned, Shout! has acquired the rights to Pee-wee's Playhouse, and you can now watch every episode on Tubi.

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

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Labels: Crutch, Extended Family, Housebroken, Not Dead Yet, Pee-wee's Playhouse, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Neighborhood, The Office, Young Sheldon

Paramount+ Gets The Neighborhood Spin-Off; First Look at Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik Reunion on Young Sheldon

Paramount+ announced a new series order for Crutch, a half-hour multi-camera comedy starring Tracy Morgan, which will be set in the world of the CBS Networks' hit comedy The Neighborhood. The series centers on its titular character, Francois "Frank" Crutchfield (Morgan) - or "Crutch" to those that know him well - a Harlem widower whose empty nest plans are put on hold after his millennial son and free-spirited daughter move back home. The series is produced by CBS Studios and is slated to begin production later this year. Hailing from Cedric The Entertainer and his production company, A Bird and a Bear Entertainment, the series is executive produced by Cedric and Eric C. Rhone; along with Owen Smith, who wrote the premiere script and will also serve as showrunner; Aaron Kaplan for Kapital Entertainment; Wendi Trilling for TrillTV; and Tracy Morgan. The series also reunites Morgan with Smith, who served as showrunner and executive producer on The Last O.G. in which Morgan starred.

Crutch is the latest series to join Paramount+'s growing lineup of original comedies like Frasier, Colin from Accounts and dark comedy Tulsa King, all of which will return for new seasons this fall. In addition, Paramount+ is the subscription streaming home to CBS' lineup of acclaimed comedies including Ghosts, The Neighborhood, Young Sheldon and Bob Hearts Abishola. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

Jim Parsons and Mayim Bialik reprise their roles of Sheldon Cooper and Amy Farrah Fowler in the series finale of Young Sheldon, Thursday, May 16 (8:00-8:31 PM, ET/PT and 8:31 - 9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs), and we have a first look for you! The pair last appeared on screen together in The Big Bang Theory series finale, which aired in May 2019. Parsons serves as an executive producer and the narrator of Young Sheldon. Bialik has also appeared in voiceover form in two episodes of the series. This marks the first on-camera return of their characters.

Created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, Young Sheldon centers on Sheldon Cooper, a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science, which isn't always helpful in a land where church and football are king. And while the vulnerable, gifted and somewhat naïve Sheldon deals with the world, his very normal family must find a way to deal with him. For 12 years on The Big Bang Theory, audiences came to know the iconic, eccentric and extraordinary Sheldon Cooper. This single-camera, half-hour comedy takes viewers through his childhood, as he embarks on his innocent, awkward and hopeful journey toward the man he will become.

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

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Labels: CBS, Crutch, Paramount+, The Big Bang Theory, The Last O.G., The Neighborhood, Young Sheldon