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Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy Government Cheese; Remembering Saved by the Bell and TV Producer Peter Engel

Apple TV+ unveiled the trailer for Government Cheese, starring multi-award-winner David Oyelowo, who also serves as executive producer. The 10-episode comedy will make its global debut on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, April 16, with the first four episodes, followed by new episodes every Wednesday through May 28, 2025. Simone Missick, Jahi Di'Allo Winston and Evan Ellison star alongside Oyelowo in the Apple Original series hailing from creators Paul Hunter and Aeysha Carr.

Government Cheese is a surrealist family comedy set in 1969 San Fernando Valley that tells the story of the Chambers, a quirky family pursuing lofty and seemingly impossible dreams, beautifully unfettered by the realities of the world. When Hampton Chambers (Oyelowo) is released from prison, his long-awaited family reunion doesn't go quite as he'd planned. During his absence, Hampton's wife Astoria (Missick) and sons Einstein (Ellison) and Harrison (Di'Allo Winston) have formed an unconventional family unit, and Hampton's return spins their world into chaos.

The ensemble cast also includes Jean-Michel Richaud, London Garcia, Djilali Rez-Kallah, Bokeem Woodbine, Jeremy Bobb, Louis Cancelmi, Julien Heron, Louis Ferreira, Thomas Beaudoin and Kyle Mac, with John Ortiz and Adam Beach.

Television producer Peter Engel, who worked on Saved by the Bell, Hang Time and City Guys, has died. He died on March 4 at his home in Santa Monica, California. Mr. Engel was 88.

Engel's early television producing credits included the 1971 CBS variety series The Ice Palace, which had an ice skating theme. He was an executive producer of the 1974-1975 NBC soap opera How to Survive a Marriage. He was a producer of the short-lived 1976-1977 NBC sitcom Sirota's Court, which starred Michael Constantine, Cynthia Harris, and Fred Willard.

He was an executive producer of the 1988-1989 Disney Channel sitcom Good Morning Bliss. Starring Hayley Mills as teacher Miss Carrie Bliss, the series takes place at the John F. Kennedy Junior High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. The original pilot aired on NBC in the regular primetime timeslot of The Facts of Life. He also wrote an episode in 1988.

After one season on the air on the Disney Channel, the show was retooled as Saved by the Bell, which aired on NBC from 1989 to 1993. The show follows a group of high school friends and their principal at the fictional Bayside High School in Los Angeles. The series ran for four seasons and 86 episodes. Engel also wrote 12 episodes of the series. The series starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Mario Lopez, Dustin Diamond, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, Lark Voorhies, and Dennis Haskins.

Engel was an executive producer of the 1993-1994 NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell: The College Years. The series follows Zack Morris, Screech Powers and A.C. Slater, and their three female suitemates, including Kelly Kapowski, in the dorms at college. It was the only series of the franchise to air in primetime.

He was an executive producer of the 1993-2000 NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell: The New Class. The show had the same concept as the original series but featured a new group of students roaming the halls of the fictional Bayside High School. At seven seasons, it was the longest-running incarnation of the franchise. Engel appeared as Murray in a 1997 episode.

Engel worked as an executive producer of the 1992-1996 NBC sitcom California Dreams. The series centers on the friendships of a group of teenagers (shifting toward a multi-ethnic makeup beginning with the show's second season) who form the fictional titular band.

He was an executive producer of the 1995-2000 NBC sitcom Hang Time. The series centers on the exploits of the Deering Tornados boys' varsity basketball team of the fictional Deering High School in the fictional Midwestern town of Deering, Indiana. Engel became the showrunner for the second season, resulting in extensive changes to the show. He appeared as The Commissioner in a 1997 episode.

Engel created and executive produced the 1997-1999 USA Network sitcom USA High. The series revolves around six friends enrolled at the American Academy boarding school in Paris, France. He played Chancellor Engel in a 1999 episode.

He created and executive produced the 1997-2001 NBC sitcom City Guys. The series centers on two teenagers from different backgrounds who both attended Manhattan High School that became best friends.

Engel was an executive producer of the 1998-2001 NBC sitcom One World. The series centers on the Blakes, a family mostly made up of six racially diverse foster teenagers living under one roof under the care of parents Dave, a former professional baseball player and Karen, a sculptor.

He and Carl Kurlander co-created the 1998-2000 first-run syndicated sitcom Malibu, CA. The show centers on the lives of twin brothers Scott (Trevor Merszei) and Jason Collins (Jason Hayes), who move to Malibu, California, from New York City to live with their father, Peter (Edward Blatchford).

In 2001, he was an executive producer of the short-lived NBC comedy-drama All About Us. The series focuses on the development of four teenage girls who live and attend high school in Chicago.

After producing teen-focused series for NBC, Engel transitioned to producing reality television series. He was an executive producer of 28 episodes of the NBC reality series Last Comic Standing from 2004 to 2014. The series received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program in 2004.

He was one of the executive producers for 11 episodes of the 2020-2021 Peacock sitcom Saved by the Bell. The series is set 26 years after Zack and Kelly's wedding, with the main characters of the original series reunited in their 40s and trying to navigate their lives.

In 2016, he released a memoir titled I Was Saved by the Bell: Stories of Life, Love, and Dreams That Do Come True. He opened up for the first time about his life, from personal and professional highlights to the serious challenges that shaped him.

Mr. Engel was one of the most prolific producers in television with more than 1,000 episodes produced under his banner. He was the architect behind Saved by the Bell, which he executive produced through all of its many incarnations, and which led to his many other teen series. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment that he brought us on Saved by the Bell and his many other sitcoms. He will be greatly missed.

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

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Labels: Apple TV+, California Dreams, City Guys, Government Cheese, Hang Time, Obits, Saved by the Bell

SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Cancels Welcome to Flatch; Mayim Bialik Floats Blossom Reboot Idea

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a little bit of a busy news week, with news about the cancelation of one of Fox's few live-action comedy series, another step toward the death of cable television, and a Blossom reboot idea that probably won't happen. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Fox, which hasn't exactly been able to find any truly successful live-action comedy in a very long time, has canceled Welcome to Flatch. (Hollywood Reporter)
• The first two episodes of Turn-On, the late 60s series that was infamously canceled midway through the first episode (on one ABC affiliate, at least), will be available on YouTube this week. (Deadline)
• With the rise of streaming media and decline in cable, a lot of those niche channels that were added to cable lineups in the 90s (when channel lineups went from 40 channels to 400 channels) are no longer necessary, and one analyst predicts has a list of 30 channels that he predicts will shutdown soon. (Cord Cutters News)
• Don't get your hopes too high about it, because it seems it's just an idea that Mayim Bialik has that no network seems to be interested in, but she wants to bring Blossom back, just not as a sitcom. (Deadline)
• NFL player Dick Butkus, who had a post-retirement career as an actor and also had regular roles on My Two Dads and Hang Time, has died. (CNN)
• The Drew Barrymore Show is coming back, but her writers aren't, as a response to her original plan to bring the show back without writers before the strike ended. (Variety)
• If you've been waiting for new live-action scripted material, we'll finally see some next Saturday as NBC brings back Saturday Night Live, which is not affected by the SAG-AFTRA strike, for a new season. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (OCTOBER 7 - OCTOBER 13)

• The revival of Frasier arrives Thursday on Paramount+.
• Moonlighting arrives on Hulu on Tuesday.
• Catchy Comedy is switching things up with movies this weekend, with a binge of Laurel and Hardy movies.
• Antenna TV's Sunday Special this weekend features Alice.

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

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Labels: Blossom, Hang Time, My Two Dads, SitcomsOnline Digest, Turn-On, Welcome to Flatch

Only Murders in the Building Returning for Season 4 on Hulu; Wipeout Season Premiere This November on TBS; Remembering Dick Butkus

Only Murders in the Building is returning for Season 4 on Hulu! The trio's journey is far from over. The recently ended season three found Charles, Oliver & Mabel (played by Steve Martin, Martin Short & Selena Gomez) investigating a murder behind the scenes of a Broadway show. Ben Glenroy (Paul Rudd) is a Hollywood action star whose Broadway debut is cut short by his untimely death. Aided by co-star Loretta Durkin (Meryl Streep), our trio embarks on their toughest case yet, all while director Oliver desperately attempts to put his show back together. Curtains up! CAST: Series regulars include Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.

Fan-favorite hosts John Cena (Fast X, Peacemaker) and Nicole Byer (Nailed It!, Grand Crew) headline the second season of television's most hilarious extreme sport, Wipeout, returning to TBS on Tuesday, November 7 at 9:00pm ET/PT. With updated courses that are bigger and wetter than ever and a special appearance from someone Wipeout fans will be sure to recognize, each episode features a collection of new contestants racing their way through water, slime, mud, and the series' iconic big red balls for the chance to win a grand prize of $25,000. Field host Camille Kostek (Free Guy) returns to provide interviews and commentary from the sidelines of the three main courses: The Qualifier, The Gauntlet, and The Wipeout Zone. New season two challenges include the "Ding Dong Damage" trap door, the "Face Time with Nicole" heavy hammer, and the "Backboned" moving bridge. As competitors try to display athleticism, endurance, and balance, Cena and Beyer offer comedic commentary for every epic fall and spectacular save. At the end of each episode, one team will claim the top prize.

Hall of Fame football player and actor Dick Butkus, who starred as Ed Klawicki on My Two Dads and as Coach Mike Katowinski on Hang Time, has died. He died in his sleep at his home in Malibu, California, on October 5. The cause of death was a stroke, with atrial fibrillation, atherosclerosis, and hypercholesterolemia listed as underlying causes. Mr. Butkus was 80.

Butkus starred as Ed Klawicki in the first two seasons (1987-1989) of the 1987-1990 NBC sitcom My Two Dads. Ed Klawicki managed Klawicki's diner on the apartment building's first floor. In the third season, when Butkus left the series, the diner was then run by cook Julian (Don Yesso), but there was no explanation as to what happened to Ed Klawicki. Ownership of the diner was explained to have been taken over by Judge Wilbur (Florence Stanley) at this point, and it was renamed The Judge's Court Cafe. The cast also included Paul Reiser, Greg Evigan, Staci Keanan, Giovanni Ribisi (credited as Vonni Ribisi), Chad Allen (seasons 2 and 3), and Amy Hathaway (seasons 2 and 3).

He starred as Coach Mike Katowinski in seasons 4-6 (1998-2000) on the NBC sitcom Hang Time. The series aired from 1995 to 2000 as part of the network's Saturday morning program block for teenagers, TNBC. Butkus joined the cast in the fourth season as Mike Katowinski, the new coach of the Deering Tornados boys' varsity basketball team of the fictional Deering High School in the fictional Midwestern town of Deering, Indiana. The seasons 4-6 cast included Daniella Deutscher, Megan Parten, Adam Frost, Amber Barretto, Mark Famiglietti, Danso Gordon, James Villani (season 4), Jay Hernandez, and Phillip Glasser (seasons 5 and 6).

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Taxi, The Lovet Boat, Night Court (2 episodes), Growing Pains, D.C. Follies, Kate & Allie, Chicago Sons, Coach (2 episodes), Malibu, CA (2000), Inside Schwartz, The Bernie Mac Show, and I Didn't Do It. He portrayed Officer Alvin Dimsky in Cass Malloy, the 1982 CBS pilot for what later became the syndicated sitcom She's the Sheriff.

Butkus starred as Richard "Ski" Butowski, a cop who is a member of the "Rolling Thunder" ground crew, on the 1984 ABC action drama Blue Thunder. He starred as Beau on the short-lived 1985 NBC detective comedy-drama Half Nelson. He served as the referee on the 1985-1986 syndicated reality competition series The Star Games. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, he appeared alongside fellow former NFL star (and later Blue Thunder and Half Nelson co-star) Bubba Smith in a series of ads for Miller Lite, which were released to high acclaim.

Some of his television drama guest appearances included Emergency!, McMillan & Wife, Police Story (2 episodes), Bronk, The Six Million Dollar Man, Joe Forrester (2 episodes), Petrocelli, The Rockford Files, Wonder Woman, Fantasy Island (2 episodes), Vega$, Magnum, P.I. (1982), Matt Houston, The Greatest American Hero, Simon & Simon (1982), Murder, She Wrote (1985), Blacke's Magic, Matlock (1987), MacGyver (3 episodes from 1990-1991), Burke's Law, and Early Edition.

He starred as Arthur in Johnny Dangerously (1984). Some of his other film credits included The Longest Yard (1974), Cry, Onion! (1975), Mother, Jugs & Speed (1976), Gus (1976), Superdome (1978), Cracking Up (1983), Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986), The Stepford Children (1987), Spontaneous Combustion (1990), Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990), Necessary Roughness (1991), and Any Given Sunday (1999). He portrayed himself in both the critically acclaimed TV movie Brian's Song (1971) and the comedy Teddy Bears' Picnic (2002).

Butkus played football for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He was invited to eight Pro Bowls, named a first-team All-Pro six times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. He was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played and is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history. In 1979, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. His No. 51 jersey is retired by the Bears.

Mr. Butkus was a NFL legend. He was named the tenth-best player by the NFL Network in its The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players series in 2010. After retiring from football, he had a solid career as an actor. We thank him for his work on the football field and the entertainment he brought us on television and in movies. He will be greatly missed.

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

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Labels: Hang Time, Hulu, My Two Dads, Obits, Only Murders in the Building, TBS, Wipeout

NBCUniversal to Launch FAST Channels, Sitcoms & More; Tracy Morgan's Max Special Debuts Aug. 17

NBCUniversal announced new free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) linear content offerings from across the NBCU Television & Streaming portfolio and NBCUniversal Global Distribution library. For the first time ever, viewers can access programming across all NBCUniversal genres centered on popular titles and categories available anytime at no additional cost. Curated with content from past seasons of iconic series including Saturday Night Live, The Real Housewives franchises, Top Chef, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, along with hit library television series including Little House on the Prairie, Murder, She Wrote and Saved by the Bell, along with genre-based sitcoms, action, crime, westerns, and monster movie content will also launch as dedicated FAST channels.

NBCUniversal has inked agreements with Amazon Freevee and Xumo Play for the entire FAST content portfolio. Xumo Enterprise, the business-to-business arm of Xumo that provides content owners, distributors and advertisers with tools and services to succeed in FAST, will power the distribution of NBCUniversal's new FAST channels on third party services starting with Amazon Freevee. With the new launches, NBCUniversal is adding to its industry leading lineup of current channels including Dateline 24/7, NBC News NOW, and Local NBC and Telemundo news stations. The new entertainment, news, sports, and Spanish Language FAST channels include: Bravo Vault, E! Keeping Up, Million Dollar Listing Vault, Oxygen True Crime Archives, Real Housewives Vault, SNL Vault, Top Chef Vault, News, Sports, Telemundo Channels, Rotten Tomatoes, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bad Girls Club, Lassie, Little House on the Prairie, Murder, She Wrote, Saved by the Bell, TNBC (Punky Brewster, City Guys, Hang Time, Major Dad and more), The Lone Ranger, Universal Action (Magnum P.I., Knight Rider, The A-Team and many others), Universal Crime (Columbo, Kojak, The Rockford Files and more), Universal Westerns (The Virginian, Tales of Wells Fargo among many others), and Universal Monsters (movies). These channels join NBCUniversal’s lineup of previously announced FAST channels including NBC News NOW, TODAY All Day, Dateline 24/7, LX, NBC and Telemundo Local Stations, and Sky News International. Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service, also has a robust FAST channels offering featuring content from across the company's portfolio.

The Max Original stand-up comedy special Tracy Morgan: Takin' It Too Far debuts Thursday, August 17 on Max. Two-time Emmy®-nominated actor and comedian Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, The Last O.G.) leaves it all on the stage in his first Max stand-up special taped live from the Wilbur Theater in Boston, Massachusetts. Grateful and hyped, the comedian owns his set and unabashedly tackling topics such as dating in his 50s (along with the unexpected side effects that comes with it), his dysfunctional family, attempting to reverse gentrification in Brooklyn, and the very public 2014 car accident that left him with multiple broken bones, a traumatic brain injury, and a substantial settlement. Executive produced by Emmy and GRAMMY® winner Rikki Hughes, Tracy Moran: Takin' It Too Far showcases a seasoned comedy veteran in his most edgy and fearless special yet.

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

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Labels: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, City Guys, Hang Time, Lassie, Little House on the Prairie, Major Dad, Max, Murder She Wrote, NBC, Punky Brewster, Saturday Night Live, Saved by the Bell