SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

A new season of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee comes to Netflix on July 6, 2018 with 12 brand new episodes premiering. Jerry Seinfeld's roving talk show combines coffee, laughs, and vintage cars into quirky, caffeine-filled adventures with the sharpest minds in comedy. Guests include: the late Jerry Lewis, Kate McKinnon, Ellen DeGeneres, Hasan Minhaj, Dana Carvey, Neil Brennan, Tracy Morgan, Brian Regan, Alec Baldwin, Zach Galifinakis, John Mulaney, and Dave Chappelle. Previous seasons of the series are currently streaming on Netflix. 12 more episodes of this 10th season will launch at a later date. In Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee starring Jerry Seinfeld, features Seinfeld joining friends for a cup of coffee and a drive in a classic car, sharing stories along the way.

Canceled comedies Me, Myself & I and Living Biblically are returning to CBS for their remaining episodes. Seven episodes of the single camera comedy Me, Myself & I remain to be aired and will air Saturdays at 8:00pm & 8:30pm on July 7, and and 21, with the finale set for 9pm on the 21st. Multi-camera sitcom Living Biblically has five episodes left to air and it will air 9:00pm & 9:30pm on Saturday, July 7 and 14, with the finale set for 9:30pm on July 21. Me, Myself & I stars Bobby Moynihan in a comedy about the defining moments in one man's life over three distinct periods - as a 14-year-old in 1991, at age 40 in present day and at age 65 in 2042. Living Biblically stars Jay R. Ferguson as Chip Curry, a modern-day man at a crossroads in his life who decides to live strictly in accordance with the Bible.

CBS announced the comedy sitcom Man with a Plan starring Matt LeBlanc will premiere its second season Monday, Nov. 13 at 8:30PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. Freshman comedy 9JKL moves to 9:30 PM, ET/PT on Nov. 6. Me, Myself, & I has been pulled from the lineup and CBS says it will return to the schedule at a later date (perhaps on Saturdays?). Man with a Plan stars Matt LeBlanc, Liza Snyder, Kevin Nealon, Stacy Keach, Grace Kaufman, Matthew McCann, Hala Finley and Matt Cook. Jeff and Jackie Filgo, Matt LeBlanc, Michael Rotenberg and Troy Zien are executive producers for CBS Television Studios. Here is the CBS Monday line-up now:

CBS Monday, Nov. 6
8:00-8:30 PM Kevin Can Wait
8:30-9:00 PM The Big Bang Theory (rebroadcast)
9:00-9:30 PM Superior Donuts
9:30-10:00 PM 9JKL (NTP)
10:00-11:00 PM Scorpion

CBS Monday, Effective Nov. 13
8:00-8:30 PM Kevin Can Wait
8:30-9:00 PM Man with a Plan (2nd Season Premiere)
9:00-9:30 PM Superior Donuts
9:30-10:00 PM 9JKL
10:00-11:00 PM Scorpion

The nationally syndicated game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire is gearing up for the month of November with a series of specialty weeks and celebrity contestants. Each contestant will take on the classic 14-question game opposite host Chris Harrison for the chance to win $1 million. Theme weeks include: Victories for Veterans week, Nov. 6 – 10 and Whiz Kids week, Nov. 13 – 17. There will also be three celebrity episodes starting Nov. 20:

Cameron Mathison, Nov. 20:
Actor and Entertainment Tonight correspondent Cameron Mathison plays for the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, which advances the development of multiple myeloma treatments.

Sherri Shepherd, Nov. 23:
Actress and comedian Sherri Shepherd's winnings will go to the Summit View School, which is dedicated to educating young people with learning differences who possess average to superior intellectual capabilities. Sherri's game play continues into Nov. 24.

Ben Higgins, Nov. 30:
Ben Higgins of The Bachelor fame plays for Humanity and Hope United Foundation, which works to assist under-served villages in remote parts of Honduras.

The second season of Superior Donuts will premiere Monday, Oct. 30 at a new time, 9:00 PM, ET/PT, on the CBS Television Network. This means Me, Myself & I will remain in its current time period, 9:30 PM, ET/PT. That sitcom was slated to move to 9pm come Oct. 30. As a recap, this is what is in effect on CBS Monday starting Oct. 30:

8:00-8:30 PM Kevin Can Wait
8:30-9:00 PM 9JKL
9:00-9:30 PM Superior Donuts (2nd Season Premiere, NTP)
9:30-10:00 PM Me, Myself & I
10:00-11:00 PM Scorpion

Big Mouth is coming...season 2 lands exclusively on Netflix in 2018! Big Mouth is a 10-episode, half-hour edgy adult animated comedy from real-life best friends Nick Kroll (Kroll Show, The League) and Andrew Goldberg (Family Guy) about the glorious nightmare that is teenaged puberty. Comedian John Mulaney lends his voice to the character of Andrew, while Kroll (who serves as co-creator, executive producer) voices many including best friend Nick. Maya Rudolph, Jason Mantzoukas, Jordan Peele, Fred Armisen, Jenny Slate and Jessi Klein are among those who lend their voice to the series. Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg and screenwriter-directors Mark Levin & Jennifer Flackett are all creators and executive producers on the series. Big Mouth is a Netflix production. The complete first season is available now on Netflix to watch any time. Stay tuned for season 2 in 2018!

Young Sheldon - Thursdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Special Premiere Monday, September 25, 2017 at 8:30PM ET/PT

by Vincent

Young Sheldon follows 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper, a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science – but that isn't always helpful in East Texas, 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.

Cast Details:

Iain Armitage as Sheldon
Jim Parsons as Adult Sheldon (Voice)
Lance Barber as George Sr.
Montana Jordan as Georgie Jr.
Raegan Revord as Missy
Zoe Perry as Mary

Iain Armitage (Sheldon) is a young actor best known for his role on the popular HBO mini-series Big Little Lies. He has also appeared on Law & Order: SVU and in the film The Glass Castle.

Jim Parsons (voice of Adult Sheldon) is best known for his role as "Adult" Sheldon on the hit comedy The Big Bang Theory (which Young Sheldon is a prequel of). He also has a long-running Broadway career, recently starring in the play The Act of God.

Lance Barber (George Sr.) is a veteran TV actor who has appeared in many shows over the years, most notably as a cast member on HBO's cult hit The Comeback. He has also appeared in shows such as Faking It, black-ish and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Montana Jordan (Georgie Jr.) is a young, nascent actor – Young Sheldon will be his first major role.

Reagan Reyord (Missy) is a young actress who has guest starred on shows such as Modern Family, Grace and Frankie and Teachers.

Zoe Perry (Mary) is an actress with a long list of TV credits, including roles on Scandal, NCIS and The Family. She also portrayed Young Jackie on Roseanne.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (Airs September 25 at 8:30PM ET)

The pilot episode revolved around 9-year-old Sheldon's first day at high school. His father, George, is struggling to find his way as a high school football coach and as father to a boy he doesn't understand. Sheldon's mother, Mary, fiercely protects and nurtures her son in a town where he just doesn't fit in. Sheldon's older brother, Georgie, does the best he can in high school, but it's tough to be cool when you're in the same classes with your odd 9-year-old brother. Sheldon's twin sister, Missy, sometimes resents all the attention Sheldon gets, but she also remains the one person who can reliably tell Sheldon the truth. All of these people help guide him through a difficult first day of school.

Analysis:

I’ll get this out of the way first: I'm not a fan of The Big Bang Theory. I've seen enough of it that I'm familiar with the characters and the concept, since it's such a hugely popular sitcom – I wanted to see what all of the hype was about, but unfortunately I generally find the show to be too over-the-top in its humor, and I find Parsons' portrayal of Sheldon to be kind of unbearable most of the time. So I can't say I went into Young Sheldon expecting to like it all that much. I expected it to be basically a carbon copy of its parent show, complete with obvious set-ups and punchlines and a complete lack of subtlety. I was surprised, then, that Young Sheldon is actually quite different from The Big Bang Theory in a lot of ways. First off, the show drops Big Bang's multi-camera and laugh track set-up for a single-camera Wonder Years vibe, complete with a narration by grown-up Parsons. The show is clearly trying for something very different than The Big Bang Theory. A lot of the time, it seems like it genuinely wants to be a heartfelt, borderline sad, even a little wistful story of a young boy whose gifted but struggles to fit into the town he lives in. And there are times when it succeeds! Most of those times involve the mother-son relationship between Sheldon and Mary, which actually feels genuine, thanks to strong performances from both Perry and Armitidge. At its best, Young Sheldon is a sweet and sad little show about a precocious little kid who's clearly going to leave his town and do great things, and a mom who's hanging onto him for as long as she can despite knowing that she's going to lose him eventually. Pepper in a surprisingly funny performance from Reyord as Sheldon's perpetually annoyed sister and Lance Barber doing a pretty good "over it all" dad role, and you'd have a decent little coming of age sitcom, one that could air alongside The Middle and The Goldbergs on ABC and no one would bat an eye.

Unfortunately, Young Sheldon often has to remember that, ultimately, it's a Big Bang Theory prequel. And say what you will about The Big Bang Theory, but the often mean-spirited and condescending tone of Adult Sheldon doesn't really fit in with the gentle, warm tone that Young Sheldon is going for. Every time Jim Parsons' narration ends a scene, or every time his holier-than-thou attitude comes through in the form of his younger self, any sweet vibes that Young Sheldon gives off are immediately shattered. The problem is, if you like The Big Bang Theory, you're probably going to be turned off by the fact that Young Sheldon is essentially nothing like its parent show most of the time, and will probably not want much to do with a low-key coming of age sitcom. If you dig that kind of vibe, then you'll probably be turned off by the grating catchphrase factory that the show wants to be when it's not that gentle coming of age sitcom. Young Sheldon feels towards between two shows right now, and while The Wonder Years for a new generation is the more appealing route, chances are it will wind up pandering to its Big Bang Theory origins more to survive the network television chopping block.

Conclusion:

There's a warm, bittersweet show about growing up in a place where you don't belong lurking inside of Young Sheldon, but it's obstructed by the show's need to pander to its parent show's audience, in full display whenever Parsons interrupts with one of his painfully unfunny and often mean-spirited voice-overs. If Young Sheldon ever dropped the Big Bang side of its occasion, it might have a chance at becoming a truly sweet little show, but considering it's, well, a Big Bang spin-off, the chances of that happening seems low. Still, there are glimmers of this show that are worthwhile, and it's a lot less cloying and more thoughtful than you'd expect a Big Bang Theory prequel to be. Plus, if you're a Big Bang superfan, it's a fun and sweet origin story for a character you've grown to love over the years.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 3.5/5
Funniness: 3/5
Overall: 3/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Monday, September 25, 2017 at 8:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

CBS.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Young Sheldon Photo Gallery

Preview:

Me, Myself & I - Mondays at 9:30PM ET/PT on CBS
Premieres Monday, September 25, 2017 at 9:30PM ET/PT

CBS.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Me, Myself & I Photo Gallery



Preview:

Our Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows weekly report will now move to Sundays, because now we have a new feature from one of our writers, Vincent, that will dive into the week in sitcoms. The new feature is called Fri-Yay, so that means a look back on some of the best of comedy this past week or two! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

These days, sitcoms kind of come in all different shapes and sizes. If you're a sitcom traditionalist, preferring classical multi-camera set up with plenty of silly hijinks and audience laughter, there are plenty of shows for you that still exist - from network comedies like The Big Bang Theory and Kevin Can Wait to "reboots" of classic sitcoms on Netflix such as Fuller House and One Day at a Time. There are also still plenty of smart, slick, modern single-camera sitcoms with in the vein of The Office and Modern Family - some of my favorite contemporary examples include NBC's Superstore and Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine. But with the rise of streaming and "peak TV" has come with it a new type of sitcom. These sitcoms follow the sitcom mold - they're about 20-30 minutes long, are filled with jokes and lovable characters, and generally tell stories on an episode-by-episode basis. But they're also a little more complex than your average sitcom, are more comfortable telling serialized stories along with their episode-by-episode story lines, and aren't as constructed to the network-mandated act structure of a network (or even cable) sitcom. They're sitcoms designed for streaming services - essentially, they're sitcoms tailor-made for a new age.

Two of these streaming sitcoms - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Master of None, both Netflix originals - released new seasons this past few weeks. And both of these seasons featured plenty of examples of why both have become buzzed about and beloved cultural hits. Master of None featured two episodes in its season that may wind up being my two favorite episodes of television of this entire year - "New York, I Love You" (a series of disconnected vignettes about peripheral characters on the outskirts of its protagonist Dev's New York life) and "Thanksgiving" (a coming out story of Dev's best friend Denise that's perhaps the most raw and honest coming out story I've ever seen on TV.) These two episodes feature very little of Master of None's protagonist and have nothing to do with the show's central premise or storyline – they’re entirely experimental. And yet, they're some of the most fascinating and refreshing TV you'll find right now. Similarly, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt's third season has some of the best joke writing you could possibly find, and there were several moments where I had to pause my TV because I was laughing so hard. What's even more impressive is the way the show weaves some very dark subject matter between these jokes, revolving around the horrors of Kimmy's past, which she spent being held captive by a madman who convinced her the world had ended. Kimmy started out as a network sitcom (the first season was written for NBC before they sold it to Netflix), but the show's Netflix home has allowed it to gradually uncover the horror of Kimmy's past while still keeping its joke-a-second pace rolling.

Still, while the freedom of Netflix allows these shows to flourish in many ways, there are also some ways where I feel these sitcoms could actually benefit from some of the tightness of network programming. The second season of Master of None spends a large amount of its time on a humdrum romance arc between Dev and a woman he meets in Italy named Francesca, cultivating in an episode that's 45 minutes long and entirely devoted to their relationship. The story is never as interesting as the show thinks it is, and I have to wonder if perhaps some creative restraints may have guided Ansari to either developing the story better or at least shortening it in places (like, maybe a 25 minute episode instead of 45 minutes?). Similarly, there are parts of Kimmy Schmidt's third season that feel like total misfires, particularly in the show's largely unfunny satire of college students that never quite finds its target. And yet, without any real network notes or ability for audience response to influence creative direction, the shows keep going with plotlines and beats that clearly aren't working. I wouldn't want Master of None or Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt to be network sitcoms, as I wouldn't want to lose their heir of experimentation, even if it means they sometimes lack consistency. But they're also signs that the traditional method of doing television may not be completely dead yet.

CBS has announced Fall 2017 primetime premiere dates. Premiere week opens with The Big Bang Theory at 8:00 PM, leading into the Special Series Premiere of Young Sheldon at 8:30 PM, and the New Comedy Me, Myself & I at 9:30 PM, on Monday, Sept. 25. New Drama SEAL Team joins Survivor and Criminal Minds when they premiere Wednesday, Sept. 27. Wisdom of the Crowd debuts Sunday, Oct. 1 at approx. 8:30 (after NFL), followed by the Season Premiere of NCIS: Los Angeles at approx. 9:30 PM. On Monday, Oct. 2, New Comedy 9JKL premieres at 8:30 PM, following The Big Bang Theory. CBS' Thursday Night Entertainment Lineup returns following the conclusion of Thursday Night Football on Nov. 2 with The Big Bang Theory at 8:00 PM, New Comedy Young Sheldon at 8:30 PM, Mom at 9:00 PM, Life in Pieces at 9:30 PM and New Drama S.W.A.T. at 10:00 PM. Full premiere dates are below:

Sunday, Sept. 24
7:30-8:30 PM — 60 Minutes (50th season premiere)

Monday, Sept. 25
8:00-8:30 PM — The Big Bang Theory (11th season premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM — Young Sheldon (special series debut)
9:00-9:30 PM — Kevin Can Wait (2nd season premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM — Me, Myself and I (series debut)
10:00-11:00 PM — Scorpion (4th season premiere)

Tuesday, Sept. 26
8:00-9:00 PM — NCIS (15th season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM — Bull (2nd season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM — NCIS: New Orleans (4th season premiere)

Wednesday, Sept. 27
8:00-9:00 PM — Survivor (35th season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM — SEAL Team (series debut)
10:00-11:00 PM — Criminal Minds (13th season premiere)

Thursday, Sept. 28
7:30 PM ET — Thursday Night Football Pre-Game Show
8:25 PM ET — Thursday Night Football (Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers)

Friday, Sept. 29
8:00-9:00 PM — MacGyver (2nd season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM — Hawaii Five-0 (8th season premiere
10:00-11:00 PM — Blue Bloods (8th season premiere)

Saturday, Sept. 30
10:00-11:00 PM — 48 Hours (30th season premiere)

Sunday, Oct. 1
8:30-9:30 PM — Wisdom of the Crowd (series debut)
9:30-10:30 PM — NCIS: Los Angeles (9th season premiere)

Monday, Oct. 2
8:30-9:00 PM — 9JKL (series debut)

Sunday, Oct. 8
10:00-11:00 PM — Madam Secretary (4th season premiere)

Monday, Oct. 30
8:00-8:30 PM — Kevin Can Wait (regular time period)
9:00-9:30 PM — Me, Myself and I (regular time period)
9:30-10:00 PM — Superior Donuts (2nd season premiere)

Thursday, Nov. 2
8:00-8:30 PM — The Big Bang Theory (regular time period)
8:30-9:00 PM — Young Sheldon (regular time period)
9:00-9:30 PM — Mom (5th season premiere)
9:30-10:00 PM — Life in Pieces (3rd season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM — S.W.A.T. (series debut)