Friday, December 20, 2019
Fri-Yay: Essential Holiday Sitcom Viewing; HBO Comedy Returns for Season 4 in February

by Vincent
During this time of year, sitcoms tend to get a little bit more festive, a little sappier, and a little more reflective. Yes, I'm talking about Christmas specials, of course. Some people love them, some people hate them. Personally, I fall into the former category, especially when a show does it as well as the shows I'm about to list do. The following shows were exceptionally good at Christmas specials, and if you're a Bah Humbug about them, I implore you to try them out - you just might be turned to the light side.
Community: Community's Christmas specials weren't just episodes, they truly lived up to the name of "Christmas specials." They really celebrated the season, and demonstrated how the holidays brought the study group together. Of all 3 Christmas episodes (no, we don't count Season 4), all are classics, but my personal favorite is Season 2's "Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas." This episode feels like the animated Christmas specials of years past, and it's truly something special.
30 Rock: 30 Rock's Christmas episodes perfectly balanced the sweet and the salty. The show didn't abandon its typically cynical, quirky tone, but it let its beating heart show just a bit in all of its Christmas episodes. Of all of the 30 Rock Christmas episodes, though, the one that demonstrates this the best is probably Season 5's "Christmas Attack Zone." This is an episode that has one of the most bizarre Christmas montages I've ever seen that still somehow manages to be moving. It's truly, genuinely unique.
Bob's Burgers: Bob's typically gets acclaim for its Thanksgiving episodes, but its Christmas episodes are no snuff, either. The show's quirky characters really shine in Christmas episodes, as Bob's desperation often hits a peak at Christmas that bounces off the other characters nicely. My personal favorite is the "Nice-capades," a Season 6 episode focused on Louise trying her best to good things for Christmas. It's another funny yet heartwarming story that demonstrates the show's best very well.
Happy Endings: There's only 2 Happy Endings Christmas episodes, but the second one especially deals with a unique problem I've never really seen done much on TV: the dreaded Christmas birthday. Season 3's "No Ho Ho" follows Jane's reveal that her birthday is actually on Christmas, and does the rare Christmas plot that you truly haven't seen before. As usual with Happy Endings, the show goes to some truly bizarre places, and yet all of them are earned and make total sense.

The HBO comedy series High Maintenance, created by Katja Blichfeld and Ben Sinclair, returns for its nine-episode fourth season Friday, Feb. 7 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT. The critically acclaimed series uses The Guy (Sinclair), a marijuana dealer, to connect a variety of distinctly authentic, empathetic and insightful stories about the New York community, including his own. The series is also available on HBO NOW, HBO GO, HBO On Demand and partners' streaming platforms. High Maintenance continues to paint a unique and loving portrait of New York City, exploring the often-messy interpersonal moments of everyday people who are looking for meaning, companionship and a little high to make it through the day. The series is executive produced by Katja Blichfeld (Emmy(R)-winning casting director of 30 Rock), Ben Sinclair (Maniac, Home Again) and Russell Gregory.
This season finds The Guy (Ben Sinclair) back traversing the city on his bicycle, having said goodbye to last season's RV. With a new friend by his side, The Guy drops in on a variety of customers whose disparate lives, jobs, identities and circumstances reveal the human connection that we all seek. Playing out over the course of a year, this season focuses on cycles of renewal, webs of human connections, and putting down roots in the ever-changing ecosystem of New York City. Returning guest stars this season include Crystal Monee Hall, Heléne Yorke, Ken Leung, Julianna Luna Vasquez, Avery Monsen, Rob Morgan, Max Jenkins, Chris Roberti, Becca Blackwell, Chris McKinney and Birgit Huppuch. New guest stars include Ira Glass and his team at This American Life, Nick Kroll, Rebecca Hall, Larry Owens and Calvin Leon Smith.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
COZI TV Celebrates April Fools with Pranks; HBO Comedy Gets 4th Season

Fans of The Office still wondering "what kind of bear is best" can tune into COZI TV on Sunday, March 31 for a special, pre-April Fool's Day "Prank-a-Thon" starting at 1 PM ET on Sunday, March 31 (check local listings). The marathon will include 22 of the most memorable episodes filled with every cunning, elaborate and outrageous prank from the iconic television sitcom - usually at Dwight's expense. Jim Halpert, played by John Krasinski, is a salesman at Dunder Mifflin and the office prankster while Dwight Schrute, played by Rainn Wilson, is the over-the-top assistant to the regional manager and the victim of most of Jim's pranks. Some of Jim's iconic pranks include encasing Dwight's stapler in Jell-O, covering Dwight’s desk in wrapping paper (or did he?) and convincing Dwight that he's being recruited to join the CIA.
The Office premiered on NBC in 2005 and ran for 201 total episodes of nine seasons. The series was based on the British series of the same name. The Office won several awards during its run, including five Emmy Awards. The series helped to launch the careers of Krasinski and Wilson, along with Steve Carell, Jenna Fischer and B.J. Novak. The show was lauded for its trademark deadpan delivery, and it helped to popularize the "mockumentary" style in American television.

Following the debut of the third-season finale on March 17, the comedy series High Maintenance has been renewed for a fourth season for HBO. Created by Katja Blichfeld (Emmy(R)-winning casting director of 30 Rock) and Ben Sinclair (Home Again, Sisters), the critically acclaimed show uses The Guy, a marijuana dealer (played by Sinclair), to tell a variety of stories about New York lives. High Maintenance paints a uniquely authentic portrait of New York with empathy and insight, telling amusing, surprising, sometimes moving and always poignant tales of denizens who are usually just faces on the crowded sidewalks of Brooklyn. The series is executive produced by Katja Blichfeld, Ben Sinclair and Russell Gregory.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Antenna TV Winter 2019 Schedule; HBO Series High Maintenance Returns for Season 3
Antenna TV has released its first quarter 2019 schedule that begins on January 2. There will be no new series joining the lineup, but many series will have new time periods and a few shows will be on hiatus. Small Wonder returns, airing Sundays from 12-1pm. Taking a break in Q1 2019 will be Webster, What's Happening!!, What's Happening Now!! and Good Morning World. Among the series moving timeslots include Johnny Carson heading back to 10pm, while Three's Company moves back into late fringe at 11pm & 11:30pm (with an early morning encore from 5-6am). There are other late fringe and overnight changes including Coach and Murphy Brown from 12-1am. In the early evening, Archie Bunker's Place will double-up now from 7-8pm, while 227 and Maude also get two runs from 4:30-5:30pm and 6-7pm, respectively. Weekends will get the most changes to the schedule. Almost everything from 1pm and on has a new timeslot, including The Hogan Family from 1-2pm, Head of the Class from 2-3pm, Family Ties from 3-4pm and Silver Spoons from 4-5pm.
Saturday nights in primetime get '70s fever with Three's Company, Barney Miller and Soap from 7-10pm leading into 90-minute editions of Johnny Carson. The new Sunday primetime features Coach, My Two Dads and Growing Pains from 7-10pm. Early mornings on weekends will remain intact from 5-9am, but with Jack Benny Program now at 6:30am. Before this schedule starts, Antenna TV celebrates the end of 2018 with a New Year's Eve of The Paul Lynde Show from 6pm-3:30am. And Antenna TV rings in 2019 with a New Year's Kick-Off Coach marathon from 5am-4am. View the full Antenna TV Winter 2019 schedule.
Moving from Friday to Sunday night, High Maintenance returns for its nine-episode third season Sunday, Jan. 20 from 10:30-11:05 p.m. ET/PT. Created by Katja Blichfeld (who directs the season premiere) and Ben Sinclair, the critically acclaimed show uses The Guy, a marijuana dealer (played by Sinclair), to tell a variety of stories about New York lives, including his own. High Maintenance continues to paint a uniquely authentic portrait of New York with empathy and insight, telling amusing, surprising, sometimes moving and always poignant tales of denizens who are usually just faces on the crowded sidewalks of Brooklyn. The series is executive produced by Katja Blichfeld (Emmy(R)-winning casting director of 30 Rock), Ben Sinclair (Home Again, Sisters) and Russell Gregory.
This season, High Maintenance profiles everyday people whose stories of success, failure, love and loss intersect across New York, while delving deeper into personal life of The Guy, who is spending less time on his iconic bicycle and more time in "Steve RV," a set of wheels gifted to him last season. Featuring an intricate web of memorable returning characters and unforgettable new faces, the new episodes find New Yorkers exploring their relationship with the city, touching on such themes as death, parenthood, sexuality, fantasy, aging and more. Returning guest stars this season include: Amy Ryan, Gary Richardson, Arthur Meyer, Jen Harris, Micah Sherman and Abdullah Saeed. New guest stars this season include: Jemima Kirke, Margaret Cho, Guillermo Diaz, Rosie Perez, Kathleen Chalfant, Ken Leung and Annie Golden.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
MeTV January 2018 Schedule Has Diff'rent Strokes; HBO Hit Comedy Returns for 2nd Year
Diff'rent Strokes is coming to The MeTV Network this January! The Gary Coleman sitcom will launch on January 1 airing weekday mornings at 6:30am and Sundays from 3-4pm, both following The Facts of Life. The series was previously on Antenna TV a few years back. This is the only addition to the January 2018 Winter MeTV schedule. Some shows are returning from hiatus, though, and they are: Peter Gunn, Mr. Lucky, Kolchak: The Night Stalker and Land of the Giants. With some shows returning, that means a few shows will be off the schedule, and they are: T.J. Hooker, I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Highway Patrol and The Outer Limits. Some other changes include Mama's Family weeknights at 9:30pm and Sundays 4-5pm, as ALF will now only be Sundays from 6-7am. View the full MeTV Network January 2018 schedule.
Providing a peek into the cramped apartments, grinding routines and urban neuroses of New Yorkers, the hit comedy High Maintenance kicks off its ten-episode second season Friday, Jan. 19 from 11:00-11:30 p.m. ET/PT, exclusively on HBO. Ben Sinclair returns as The Guy, a bearded, pot-dealing deliveryman whose growing clientele is keeping him busier than ever. Introducing new customers and revisiting familiar ones, the second season of High Maintenance weaves together a labyrinth of humor, poignant observations and heartfelt moments in stories that explore the lives of intriguing and colorful individuals from all walks of life. Created by Katja Blichfeld (Emmy(R)-winning casting director of 30 Rock) and Ben Sinclair (Home Again, Sisters), High Maintenance is executive produced by Katja Blichfeld, Ben Sinclair and Russell Gregory.
A comedy of human interaction, the new season of High Maintenance delves deeper into the contemporary anxieties New Yorkers are experiencing, from political tension to soaring real estate prices, while emphasizing the importance of savoring the highs of life in this increasingly volatile world. Pulling back the curtain on The Guy's personal life, the second season reveals a few more people and details of what happens when he's not on the clock. New guest stars this season include Danielle Brooks (Orange Is the New Black), John Gallagher, Jr. (HBO's The Newsroom), Jessica Hecht (The Forgotten), Luzer Twersky (Félix & Meira) and Kate Lyn Sheil (Girlfriend), with Abdullah Saeed (Bong Appétit) and Yael Stone (Orange Is the New Black) returning.
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Star Power on Maya & Marty; HBO Sets New Premieres for Fall 2016
Maya & Marty, the highly anticipated new comedic variety series combining the star power of Maya Rudolph and Martin Short, kicks off a stellar season with special guests Miley Cyrus, Larry David, Jimmy Fallon and Tom Hanks. From executive producer Lorne Michaels, the incomparable Maya Rudolph and Martin Short join forces for an all-new comedy show jam-packed with music, stars and the unique characters and charisma of two of the biggest icons in SNL history. Stars of stage and screen, Rudolph and Short are beloved by audiences of all ages. With Kenan Thompson (SNL, Kenan & Kel) and a dream team of surprise celebrity guests joining them each week, this dynamic duo is ready to unleash the full range of their talents and bring down the house like never before. The series will premiere tonight (Tuesday, May 31) live at 10pm ET, immediately following the two-hour premiere of summer reality series, America's Got Talent. Seven episodes have been ordered and will air live Tuesdays at 10pm.
HBO has confirmed fall debuts for the new series Westworld (drama), Divorce, Insecure and High Maintenance (all comedies). The one-hour drama series Westworld (ten episodes) is a dark odyssey about the dawn of artificial consciousness and the evolution of sin. Set at the intersection of the near future and the reimagined past, it explores a world in which every human appetite, no matter how noble or depraved, can be indulged. The cast includes Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Tessa Thompson, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Jimmi Simpson, Rodrigo Santoro, Shannon Woodward, Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Ben Barnes, Simon Quarterman, Angela Sarafyan, Luke Hemsworth and Clifton Collins, Jr.
The half-hour comedy series Divorce (ten episodes) stars Sarah Jessica Parker, who also serves as an executive producer, as Frances, a woman who suddenly begins to reassess her life and her marriage, and finds that making a clean break and a fresh start is harder than she thought. The show also stars Thomas Haden Church, Molly Shannon, Talia Balsam, Tracy Letts, Sterling Jerins and Charlie Kilgore. The half-hour comedy series Insecure (eight episodes), starring Issa Rae, Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis and Lisa Joyce, looks at the friendship of two black women and their uncomfortable experiences and racy tribulations. And finally, the half-hour comedy series High Maintenance (six episodes) follows a Brooklyn pot dealer who delivers to clients with neuroses as diverse as the city. The show stars Ben Sinclair as "The Guy," a friendly pot dealer whose clients include an eccentric group of characters, revealing the dynamics of their lives. From the unexpected and offbeat to the predictable and mundane, the series provides a glimpse into the daily routines of the customers and how they light things up.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, October 23
Happy's Place - "Office/Space" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bobbie surprises Isabella with her own office upstairs and reassures her that they'll still see each other plenty; Steve and Takoda try to convince Emmett to stop giving Bobbie so much space after their relationship has moved into the friend zone.
Newlyweds - "Pilot" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Over six weeks and two continents, total opposites Jeanie and James go from blind date to wedded bliss.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 19)
Friday, October 23
- Dakota Johnson (Ben and Kate) - Watch Dakota on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Doug Benson (You're the Worst) - Doug is a guest on a repeat of Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Natasha Leggero (Broke/Dice/Another Period/Free Agents) and Tommy Davidson (The Varnell Hill Show/The Proud Family/Malcolm & Eddie/Between Brothers) - Natasha and Tommy will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
- Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This/Burning Love) - Adam talks about Nobody Wants This on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Téa Leoni (Newlyweds/The Naked Truth/Flying Blind) - Téa talks about Newlyweds on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Jenna Ortega (Stuck in the Middle/Richie Rich) - Jenna, Taika Waititi and Amy Adams and dish on their new movie Klara and the Sun on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat) - NBC's Today catches up with Constance in the 9am hour.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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