SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

by Vincent

On January 1, the unthinkable happened: The Office, arguably Netflix's biggest hit of its acquired collection, was removed from the service. Of course, it wasn't unthinkable, exactly: Netflix first announced this would be happening nearly two years ago, after NBC claimed exclusive rights for the program for its budding streaming service Peacock. But it was still a major blow that caused a lot of outcry on social media. As we enter the next phase of the streaming era - which finds networks and studios increasingly making their own, separately priced streaming services and pulling their content off of where it was previously - it begs the question: will consumers follow their favorite shows, or will they find new shows instead?

It's still too soon to tell if The Office caused an uptick in subscribers for Peacock (which has been around since the summer, but easily has its biggest promotional push now that it has acquired arguably the biggest sitcom of the past 20 years.) But on social media, people aren't responding happy to see The Office in a new home, even with the enticement of extended cuts and deleted scenes. People are angry that their favorite sitcom has been taken away from them, and they seem to prefer venting on social media rather than signing up for Peacock. You might say, "why not just sign up for Peacock? It starts at 4.99/month." But to be fair, the amount of streaming service keeps piling up. To access the library you would've had access to on Netflix alone just 5 years ago, you'd have to sign up for Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max. Now to add another steaming service to the mix - it's understandable why people are angry, or opting to buy The Office DVDs on Amazon instead (Amazon reported an increase in sales of them after The Office left Netflix.) Still, if Peacock (or any other competing service) continues to add more and more shows, is it possible people will cancel Netflix and migrate to it? The Netflix brand is very strong, so it's going to take a lot for that to happen. But then again, Netflix keeps losing more and more series, and the more studios and networks that make their own Netflix series, the smaller their library will get. That's why Netflix has bet so much on its original programming in recent years. But will that be enough? The streamer has had plenty of original hits, but nothing blockbuster to the level of Orange is the New Black or Stranger Things in a few years now. Plus, reports of viewing activity have shown that long-running network series like The Office tend to be the most popular shows on streaming services due to their place as "comfort TV," and Netflix - with its new policy of ending shows after 3 or 4 seasons (original sitcoms like One Day at a Time, Alexa & Katie, The Ranch, No Good Nick), and keeping seasons to 10 episodes or less - doesn't really make programming of that kind anymore. We'll see where the next few years and the splintering of streaming services leaves sitcoms, but for now, I suggest finding your favorite sitcoms on the streaming services you have and holding them tight. (Also, if you're a Netflix subscriber looking for a show to replace The Office, might I suggest Community?)

Genius. Doctor. Teenager. Peyton Elizabeth Lee has been cast in the leading role as Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., an all-new Disney+ Original Series. Doogie Kameāloha, M.D., a re-imagining of the popular ABC series Doogie Howser, M.D., has been picked up to series, as we previously mentioned. Kourtney Kang (Fresh Off the Boat, How I Met Your Mother) is set to write and executive produce for 20th Television. Set in modern-day Hawaii, the 10-episode comedy follows Lahela "Doogie" Kameāloha, a mixed race 16-year-old girl, juggling a budding medical career and life as a teenager. Guiding Lahela (and also complicating things) is her family, including her spit-fire Irish mother who's also her supervisor at the hospital, and her Hawaiian "Local Boy" father struggling to accept that his daughter is no longer his little girl. Stay tuned for a premiere date and much more!

Disney+ announced that a new doctor is coming to the streaming service in 2021. Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. (working title), a re-imagining of the popular ABC series Doogie Howser, M.D., has been picked up to series and is scheduled to go into production later this year. Kourtney Kang (Fresh Off the Boat, How I Met Your Mother) is set to write and executive produce for 20th Television. Set in modern-day Hawaii, the 10-episode comedy follows Lahela "Doogie" Kameāloha, a mixed race 16-year-old girl, juggling a budding medical career and life as a teenager. Guiding Lahela (and also complicating things) is her family, including her spit-fire Irish mother who's also her supervisor at the hospital, and her Hawaiian "Local Boy" father struggling to accept that his daughter is no longer his little girl.

Running for four seasons on ABC from 1989 to 1993, Doogie Howser, M.D. starred Neil Patrick Harris as the now iconic doctor. The hit series catapulted Harris into television stardom and made the term "Doogie Howser" synonymous with kid geniuses. Doogie Kameāloha, M.D. is written and executive produced by Kourtney Kang and produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios. Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar will executive produce and Dayna and Jesse Bochco will produce the half-hour comedy series. 

Multifaceted megastar John Cena (Fast & Furious 9, The Suicide Squad) and Emmy-nominated comedian and actress Nicole Byer (Nailed It!, Girl Code) have signed on to host TBS' revival of the adrenalizing and outrageous physical competition series Wipeout. Cena and Byer will command the hysteria of the fan-favorite series by serving up commentary tailored to the all-around hilarity and thrill of the heart-pumping competition, with supermodel Camille Kostek (I Feel Pretty) complementing their presence by serving as the entrenched Host in the Field, covering the contestants' progress throughout each intense round.

The re-imagined series will feature new twists and elements that will push contestants' athleticism, approach, and determination to even greater extremes, all while delivering some wildly epic fails! Each game is three rounds with each round featuring a jaw-dropping, multi-stage obstacle course with numerous strategy and decision points designed to further challenge the stamina of the competitors and deliver even more hilarious and surprising wipeouts! And of course, the iconic staple of the show – the big balls! – are returning with a vengeance. The original series aired on ABC from 2008-2014 hosted by John Anderson, John Henson and Jill Wagner.

The cast and executive producers of the groundbreaking animated series The Proud Family participated in a virtual reunion during the NAACP's Arts, Culture & Entertainment Festival. Moderated by Keke Palmer, who announced that she will be joining the cast of Disney+'s upcoming series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, the panel featured Kyla Pratt (Penny Proud), Tommy Davidson (Oscar Proud), Paula Jai Parker (Trudy Proud), Jo Marie Payton (Suga Mama) and Cedric the Entertainer (Uncle Bobby), creator/executive producer Bruce W. Smith and executive producer Ralph Farquhar. Their conversation included reminiscing about the cultural impact of the Disney Channel series which premiered 18 years ago, and a glimpse of the exciting new series coming exclusively to Disney+. Palmer will play the role of Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, a 14-year-old activist who relentlessly marches to the beat of her own drum. She is extremely mature for her age and will not hesitate to shut anyone down with her blunt honesty and wisdom. The adopted daughter of mixed race parents, Maya is new to town, and initially disassociates herself from Penny and her crew because she is skeptical about what she perceives to be the superficiality of social cliques. However, Penny eventually gains her hard-earned respect and the two become good friends.

Picking up the story of its central character Penny Proud, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder will also include her madcap family: parents Oscar and Trudy, twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, and her grandmother Suga Mama (and Puff!). Of course, it would not be The Proud Family without Penny's loyal crew Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez and Zoey Howzer, among others. All seasons of The Proud Family are currently available on Disney+. The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder is currently in production.

Amazon Studios announced that it has ordered a pickup of the new hour-long series A League of Their Own, from Sony Pictures Television, with executive producers and co-creators Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), who also stars, and Will Graham (Mozart in the Jungle). This reinterpretation of A League of Their Own evokes the joyful spirit of Penny Marshall's beloved classic, while widening the lens to tell the story of an entire generation of women who dreamed of playing professional baseball. The show takes a deeper look at race and sexuality, following the journey of a whole new ensemble of characters as they carve their own paths towards the field, both in the League and outside of it.

The series stars Jacobson and Chanté Adams (Roxanne Roxanne), alongside Emmy nominee D'Arcy Carden (The Good Place), BAFTA winner Gbemisola Ikumelo (Sex Education), Kelly McCormack, Roberta Colindrez, and Priscilla Delgado, with recurring guest stars Molly Ephraim (Last Man Standing), Kate Berlant and Melanie Field. 

Disney+ announced that the popular scripted series, Diary of a Future President has been renewed for a second season. From CBS Television Studios and I Can and I Will Productions, the show is executive produced by Gina Rodriguez along with creator Ilana Peña (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Keith Heisler and Molly Breeskin. Peña and Heisler are co-showrunners. Diary of a Future President follows the adventures of Elena Cañero-Reed as she navigates the ups and downs of middle school on her journey to become the future president of the United States. Series regulars include Tess Romero (Blindspot) as Elena, Charlie Bushnell as Bobby, Selenis Leyva (Orange Is the New Black, Murphy Brown) as Gabi and Michael Weaver (Here and Now, The Real O'Neals) as Sam. Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin) will return as adult Elena, the future president of the United States, in a recurring guest starring role. The series has received a 10-episode order and will stream exclusively on Disney+.

HBO Max - the WarnerMedia streaming platform that launched this week - has acquired the exclusive U.S. subscription-video-on-demand rights to the hit comedy Young Sheldon in a deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. HBO Max is also the streaming home of the entire library of The Big Bang Theory, the longest-running multicamera comedy in television history; all 279 episodes of Big Bang are available on the streamer now. For 12 years on The Big Bang Theory, audiences came to know the iconic, eccentric and extraordinary Sheldon Cooper. The single-camera, half-hour comedy Young Sheldon gives viewers the chance to meet him in childhood, as he embarks on his innocent, awkward and hopeful journey toward the man he will become. 

Lauren Graham has been cast in the lead role in the new Disney+ series The Mighty Ducks. Graham will star as Alex and Brady Noon is set to portray her son, Evan. Based on the '90s hit franchise, the 10-episode original series begins production this month in Vancouver and will premiere later this year on the streaming service. Graham is also a co-executive producer on the series. In present day Minnesota, the Mighty Ducks have evolved from scrappy underdogs to an ultra-competitive, powerhouse youth hockey team. After 12-year-old Evan (Noon) is unceremoniously cut from the Ducks, he and his mom Alex (Graham) set out to build their own ragtag team of misfits to challenge the cutthroat, win-at-all-costs culture of competitive youth sports.

Lauren Graham is an award-winning actress, producer, and New York Times best-selling author, widely known for her work on the critically acclaimed television shows Parenthood and Gilmore Girls. She most recently appeared in the acclaimed HBO comedy Curb Your Enthusiasm and voiced the character Oxana Hauntley in the Disney Junior animated series Vampirina. She can currently be seen in the new hit NBC drama series Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, which premiered in January with a special preview and premieres as a series this Sunday.

NBC has announced three premiere dates for alternate series for this mid-season. The all-new season of Little Big Shots returns with two-time Emmy Award-winning actress and comedian Melissa McCarthy now as host. Little Big Shots premieres Sunday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with a special preview on Monday, Feb. 24 at 10 p.m. immediately following the season premiere of The Voice. New episodes will air through Sunday, May 10. Please note, a repeat of the first episode will air Sunday, March 1 at 7 p.m.

Game show The Wall will return on Sunday, March 15 at 7 p.m. ET/PT and will air through May 31. The series, with Chris Hardwick returning as host, has changed people's lives, giving away more than $11 million to date.

And finally, NBC's groundbreaking series Songland is back for a second season beginning on Monday, April 13 at 10 p.m. ET/PT through Monday, June 29. The 10-epsiode series is an authentic peek into the creative process of songwriting and provides undiscovered songwriters the chance to pitch their original creations to top recording artists and a panel of the most sought-after producers in music - Ester Dean (Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer of Rihanna, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj), Shane McAnally (three-time Grammy-winning songwriter and producer of Kacey Musgraves, Kelly Clarkson and Sam Hunt with over 40 #1 country records and two-time ACM Songwriter of the Year) and Ryan Tedder (lead singer of OneRepublic and four-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer of Adele, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Jonas Brothers) - in the hopes of creating the recording artists' next big hit songs.

by Vincent

This fall, Disney is set to premiere its first major streaming service (it also now owns Hulu, but that was previously a joint venture between NBCUniversal, Fox, and Disney-ABC). It'll be a big moment for entertainment fans of both TV and film, as there are many Disney-owned movies and TV shows set to land on the new streaming channel, as well as a slew of original programming, many of which feature popular Marvel/Disney characters. But Disney owns a whole lot of sitcoms now, too, especially since it recently bought 20th Century Fox's entire output. So what Disney-owned sitcoms will be available to stream on day one (November 12, 2019) of Disney+?

It's not quite as much as you might imagine. While Disney now owns every property that was either owned by Disney ABC studios and 20th Century Fox (that's a lot of sitcoms), many of these shows have licensing deals with other streaming services at the moment and will have to wait for those deals to expire before they land on Disney+. Not to mention that Disney does also completely own Hulu now, and has stated that Hulu will cater to adult audiences while Disney+ will be more family-geared. So it's certainly possible that some of the series that are geared more towards adults (such as Family Guy, American Dad!, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, etc) will remain on Hulu. However, there is one major animated sitcom set to move to Disney+ on launch day, and that's The Simpsons. That's noteworthy as this will be the first time the entire run - yes, all 30 seasons and counting - of The Simpsons will be available on an ad-free streaming service. That alone might make the sticker price ($7/month, considerably cheaper than Netflix) worth it if you're a Simpsons fans as I am. Other than The Simpsons, though, the initial sitcom offerings are somewhat limited. Perhaps the most noteworthy is some '90s and '00s ABC, Fox and Disney Channel sitcoms such as Malcolm in the Middle, Boy Meets World and That's So Raven (the former two series are on Hulu, but That's So Raven currently doesn't have a streaming home). This does suggest that Disney+ will be stocking its back catalog with some past favorites as well as current properties. So if you're a sitcom fan, Disney+ might be a bit of a "wait and see", but there are certainly interesting prospects on the horizon.

In honor of the ladies who define the term "Squad Goals," ABC Studios and PopSugar are celebrating national Golden Girls Day and National Cheesecake Day with an exclusive one-day-only The Golden Girls pop-up event at Vicky's House in Coconut Grove, Florida, on Tuesday, July 30, from 12:00–10:00 p.m. Fans and their friends are invited to stop by for a limited edition cheesecake milkshake inspired by The Golden Girls, pose for themed photo ops – including a scenic recreation of the ladies' iconic lanai – and shop 'til they drop on new and unique branded merchandise at the retail pop-up store! The pop-up store will offer fans the opportunity to purchase The Golden Girls-themed merchandise. Among the unique merchandise are books, party supplies, pins, dolls, tees, car sunshade, shower curtain and poster. All items can be purchased at https://www.toynk.com/collections/golden-girls.

THURSDAY, JULY 30
Location: Vicky's House
3190 Commodore Plaza
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Press preview
1:00 – 10:00 p.m. Open to the public

Big news out of the Annecy International Animated Film Festival: a brand new animated series Chip 'n' Dale is currently in production and set for global release as a Disney+ Original in 2020. The 39 seven-minute episodes will feature the return of everyone's favorite chipmunk troublemakers in non-verbal, classic comedy stylings. Each of the 39 shorts will follow the ups and downs of the cutest chipmunks around living life in the big city. Combining a traditional style of animation with contemporary, comedic narratives, Chip 'n' Dale is directed by Jean Cayrol and produced by Marc du Pontavice. The series is produced by Disney Television Animation, executive produced by Disney animation veteran Bobs Gannaway (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Planes: Fire & Rescue) with Ferrell Barron (Planes: Fire & Rescue) serving as producer. Chip 'n' Dale joins DuckTales as the second Disney Afternoon revival from the 80s/90s. DuckTales airs on Disney XD.

Another series has also been announced: Monsters At Work stars Ben Feldman as a brand new character in the Monsters world, Tylor Tuskmon. And, of course, Monstropolis wouldn't be the same without the original Monsters, Inc. voices Billy Crystal and John Goodman returning as Mike and Sulley. The series picks up six months after the original movie's story, with the Monsters, Inc. power plant now harvesting laughter (instead of screams) to fuel the city of Monstropolis. Tylor Tuskmon is an eager mechanic on the Monsters, Inc. Facilities Team (MIFT) who dreams of working his way up to the factory "Laugh Floor" to become a jokester alongside his idols Mike and Sulley.

In addition to Mike and Sulley, other fan-favorite Monsters, Inc. characters will appear in the show as well! Including Celia, voiced by Jennifer Tilly, and Yeti, voiced by Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger (who will also voice a new character, Bernard). Plus, Bob Peterson returns as Roz... as well as her twin sister Roze?! On top of these classic characters, there are tons of new characters as well! Joining the cast of the new animated series is Kelly Marie Tran as Val Little, Tylor's lifelong friend and confidante; Henry Winkler as Fritz, the scatterbrained boss; Lucas Neff as Duncan, an opportunistic plumber; Alanna Ubach as Cutter, the rule follower; Stephen Stanton as Smitty and Needleman, the bumbling custodial team, and Aisha Tyler as Tylor's mom Millie Tuskmon.

Ovation TV, America's only arts network, has announced the latest host and guest of the new season of Inside the Actors Studio, the former Bravo TV series. The upcoming episode will feature Kelsey Grammer (Cheers, Frasier) interviewing the incomparable television director James Burrows (Cheers, Will & Grace). Burrows has directed Grammer many times over the years, most notably in over 200 episodes of Cheers and in 32 episodes of Frasier during the height of "Must See TV." As previously announced, Inside the Actors Studio will premiere this fall on Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 10pm ET/7pm PT now on Ovation TV. In April, Ovation announced that hosts Alec Baldwin and Jane Lynch were interviewing guests Henry Winkler and David Oyelowo respectively for future episodes. The series is currently filming in NYC at the Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts at Pace University. Additional names and episode order will be announced at a later date.

by Vincent

Over the past few weeks, there has been increasing buzz over the launch of the next big streaming platform, the Disney-owned Disney+. Disney+ will launch this fall, and will be home to a large vault of Disney movies as well as Disney-owned television shows - which, as you might remember, expanded drastically after Disney officially bought Fox last year. In addition to Disney movies and Marvel-owned properties, previous Fox-owned series such as The Simpsons will also be on Disney+. The streaming network will be home to all 600+ episodes of the series. Disney+ will no doubt compete with Netflix for being the reigning streaming giant, and will also be able to exist alongside Hulu, which is now also owned majority by Disney (since it was previously owned by Disney-owned ABC, Fox and NBC - now, Disney owns the majority of the streaming service.) Disney claims that Hulu and Disney+ will be able to exist alongside each other and target different audiences.

So, what does this mean for sitcoms? Well, it certainly creates an interesting landscape for sitcoms on streaming networks. Of all of the networks, ABC arguably has made the least presence on streaming networks - big hitters such as The Middle and Modern Family remain unavailable on any streaming platforms. But now with a clear possible home for them, and with Disney having so much stock in several streaming networks, it seems very likely this large library of ABC sitcoms may be streaming once again. Additionally, so many properties that are now ABC-owned are all over different streaming services - The Simpsons streams on "Simpsons World" on FXNow, and many of the other adult animated comedies are on Hulu, for example. Could these shows move services to be part of Disney's new plan? It'll be interesting to see how it plays out over the next few years.

Teaching is no joke. From stand-up phenom Fluffy to your new favorite history teacher, Gabriel Iglesias (Cristela) stars in the Netflix comedy series Mr. Iglesias launching June 21! In the multi-cam series Mr. Iglesias, Gabriel Iglesias plays a good-natured public high school teacher who works at his alma mater. He takes on teaching gifted but misfit kids to not only save them from being "counseled out" by a bully bureaucrat Assistant Principal (Oscar Nunez), but also to help them unlock their full potential. Sherri Shepherd, Jacob Vargas, Maggie Geha, Richard Gant, Cree Cicchino, Fabrizio Guido co-star. Created by Kevin Hench (Last Man Standing, Cristela) and executive produced by Iglesias, Hench, Ron DeBlasio and Joe Meloche, Season 1 consists of 10 episodes. Mr. Iglesias will be released globally on Netflix on June 21.