SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

ABC Midseason 2026 Schedule; Hulu Renews Only Murders in the Building for Season 6, Now in London

Following a phenomenal fall season of unprecedented success across the schedule, ABC announced its 2026 midseason premiere dates featuring a slate of hilarious comedies, thrilling dramas, and high-stakes unscripted series. America's Funniest Home Videos kicks off the week Sunday, January 4 at 7pm. Star and executive producer Ramón Rodríguez directs the Season 4 premiere of Will Trent Tuesday, January 6, followed by the midseason return of High Potential which continues to be a powerhouse, ranking as the No. 1 original broadcast series across platforms for the second season in a row among Adults 18-49, and the Season 8 premiere of The Rookie. Both Will Trent and The Rookie enjoyed tremendous ratings success last season, surging year over year and posting several new streaming highs. Both series consistently delivered over 10 million Total Viewers in multiplatform viewing.

Wednesday night comedies Shifting Gears and Emmy(R) Award-winning Abbott Elementary return for a night of laughs Wednesday, January 7, followed by the return of Shark Tank. The following day, ratings juggernaut dramas 9-1-1, 9-1-1: Nashville and Grey's Anatomy return to the Thursday night lineup on January 8. Rounding out the week, Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and Friday's most-watched newsmagazine, ABC News' "20/20," return to the schedule Friday, January 9. NBA Saturday Primetime on ABC returns for select Saturdays beginning January 24 (Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks).

American Idol premieres its ninth season on ABC and 24th season overall with a new schedule, airing Mondays beginning January 26. Music superstars Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood return as judges alongside Emmy Award-winning host Ryan Seacrest. For the first time ever, American Idol will bring the iconic Hollywood Week round to Nashville. Hollywood Week: Music City Takeover will feature one round only as the hopefuls from all musical genres take the stage for a make-or-break performance, facing the biggest Hollywood Week cut in "Idol" history.

Premiering Wednesday, February 25, ABC is scrubbing back in for Sacred Heart Hospital with back-to-back episodes of comedy Scrubs starring Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke. Ken Jennings-hosted Celebrity Jeopardy! returns for Season 4 with a brand-new All-Stars Tournament Friday, February 27, while the drama-filled season premiere of The Bachelorette starring The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Taylor Frankie Paul and hosted by Jesse Palmer kicks off on its new night, Sunday, March 22. As previously announced, new drama series RJ Decker (working title) starring Scott Speedman will debut in 2026. The premiere date will be announced at a later time. With this newest addition to the schedule, ABC ups its drama count to seven series, and 10 scripted series overall.

Hulu Original comedy series Only Murders in the Building, which hails from 20th Television, has been renewed for a sixth season consisting of 10 episodes. The series will film overseas for the first time, with the beloved crime-solving trio leaving New York City to investigate London's newest mystery.

Season five features a star-studded cast, including the return of multi-Oscar(R)/Emmy(R) winner Meryl Streep and Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Richard Kind, Nathan Lane, Bobby Cannavale, Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz, Téa Leoni, Keegan-Michael Key, Beanie Feldstein, Dianne Wiest, and Jermaine Fowler. They joined stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Michael Cyril Creighton. Season five is now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the US and on Disney+ internationally. Season five finale became available yesterday, October 28.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: 9-1-1, Abbott Elementary, ABC, American Idol, Grey's Anatomy, Hulu, Jeopardy, Only Murders in the Building, Scrubs, Shark Tank, Shifting Gears, The Rookie, Wheel of Fortune, Will Trent

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

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

Remembering Danielle Spencer of What's Happening!!; Trailer for Season 5 of Only Murders in the Building

Actress and veterinarian Danielle Spencer, who was best known for her role as Dee Thomas in What's Happening!!, has died. She died from stomach cancer at Chippenham Hospital in Richmond, Virginia, on August 11. Ms. Spencer was 60.

Spencer starred as Dee Thomas in the 1976-1979 ABC sitcom What's Happening!!, which aired for three seasons. What's Happening!! follows the lives of three working-class African-American teens living in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts. The show stars Ernest Thomas as Roger "Raj" Thomas, Haywood Nelson as Dwayne Nelson, and Fred Berry as Freddy "Rerun" Stubbs. Deadra "Dee" Thomas is Raj's sarcastic, meddling younger sister. The series also stars Mabel King (seasons 1 and 2) and Shirley Hemphill. Recurring cast members included Thalmus Rasulala (1976-1977), Bryan O'Dell (1976-1977), John Welsh (1978-1979), David Hollander (1978-1979), and Leland Smith (1978-1979).

The kids from What's Happening!! appeared in a 1977 episode of the ABC variety show The Brady Bunch Hour. Spencer guest starred as Emma Sheridan in a 1978 episode of the NBC anthology series Special Treat (also known as NBC Special Treat).

She reprised the role of Dee Thomas in 16 episodes of the 1985-1988 first-run syndicated sitcom What's Happening Now!!, which aired for three seasons. In the sequel series, Roger "Raj" Thomas (Ernest Thomas) has graduated from the University of Southern California, and become a fledgling writer. His sister Dee is away at college. The cast included Anne-Marie Johnson, Haywood Nelson, Fred Berry (season 1), Shirley Hemphill, Regina King (season 1), Martin Lawrence (season 3), and Ken Sagoes (season 3).

After her acting career, Spencer became a veterinarian in 1996. She portrayed a veterinarian in the hit 1997 film As Good as It Gets and appeared in the 2001 short film Peter Rabbit and the Crucifix. She played a Salem Place Vendor in a 2001 episode of Days of Our Lives. She released a book about her life as a child star titled Through the Fire: Journal of a Child Star in 2011. In Richmond, she hosted segments about pet care for morning newscasts on WTVR-TV.

Co-star and friend of SitcomsOnline Haywood Nelson (Dwayne) wrote:
"Brilliance! It comes in a great many forms. We all have them and we all have this family's - Dr. Danielle Spencer (June 24, 1965 - August 11, 2025). Dr. Dee, our brilliant, loving, positive, pragmatic warrior, without fail, has finally found her release from the clutches of this world and a body. We celebrate Danielle Spencer and her contributions as we regret to inform her departure and transition from a long battle with cancer. We have lost a daughter, sister, family member, What's Happening!! cast member, veterinarian animal rights proponent and healer, and cancer heroine. Our Shero. Danielle is loved. She will be missed in this form and forever embraced."

Ms. Spencer was funny and memorable as Dee Thomas. The cast of What's Happening!! was honored at the 2006 TV Land Awards, where she was the co-winner (along with Little House on the Prairie actress Alison Arngrim) of the "Character Most Desperately in Need of a Timeout" award. We thank her for her work as an actress and veterinarian. She will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our What's Happening!! message board.

We also remember actor Jon Miyahara. He was best known for portraying Brett Kobashigawa in six seasons of the NBC workplace comedy Superstore. He died in Los Angeles on August 6. Mr. Miyahara was 83.

He played Brett Kobashigawa in the 2015-2021 NBC sitcom Superstore. Brett Kobashigawa is a Cloud 9 employee who is stated to have broken every sales and competition record, despite him being depicted as someone who rarely moves or speaks. He was thought to be killed in the tornado that concluded season 2 when he disappeared and did not show up for work at the store's reopening in season 3. It's revealed in "Brett's Dead" that he simply drove home that day, and no one called him about the reopening because they thought he was deceased. Miyahara made a cameo appearance as Brett in NBC's American Auto in 2023.

Mr. Miyahara was a scene stealer and fan favorite. He had just one line in six seasons, but he could speak volumes with just a look. He was a master at deadpan comedy. We thank him for his work on Superstore. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Superstore message board.

Check out the trailer and key art for the fifth season of Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. The Emmy® Award-nominated series returns Tuesday, September 9th with three episodes. New episodes stream Tuesdays on Hulu. After their beloved doorman, Lester, dies under suspicious circumstances, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel refuse to believe it was an accident. Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York and beyond — where the trio uncovers a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters, and the mysterious residents of the Arconia. The trio discovers a deeper divide between their storied city they thought they knew and the new New York evolving around them — one where the old mob fights to hold on as newer, even more dangerous players emerge.

Season Five Cast: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Michael Cyril Creighton, and special guest stars include Meryl Streep, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Richard Kind, Nathan Lane, Bobby Cannavale, Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz, Téa Leoni, Keegan-Michael Key, Beanie Feldstein, Dianne Wiest, Jermaine Fowler and more.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Hulu, Obits, Only Murders in the Building, Superstore, What's Happening, What's Happening Now

Only Murders in the Building Season 5 Premieres September 9; Apple TV+ Stick Renewed for Season 2

Only Murders in the Building returns for Season Five — and your favorite crime-solving trio is back for another killer case! The series premieres on Tuesday, September 9, with three episodes, followed by new episodes weekly on Hulu. After their beloved doorman, Lester, dies under suspicious circumstances, Charles, Oliver, and Mabel refuse to believe it was an accident. Their investigation plunges them into the shadowy corners of New York and beyond — where the trio uncovers a dangerous web of secrets connecting powerful billionaires, old-school mobsters, and the mysterious residents of the Arconia. The trio discovers a deeper divide between their storied city they thought they knew and the new New York evolving around them — one where the old mob fights to hold on as newer, even more dangerous players emerge.

Season Five Cast: Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Michael Cyril Creighton, and special guest stars include Meryl Streep, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Richard Kind, Nathan Lane, Bobby Cannavale, Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Christoph Waltz, Téa Leoni, Keegan-Michael Key, Beanie Feldstein, Dianne Wiest, Jermaine Fowler and more.

Apple TV+ announced that its widely celebrated, beloved sports comedy hit, Stick, starring and executive produced by Owen Wilson and created by Jason Keller, has been renewed for a second season with more heart, laughs and new characters, as well as the return of the ensemble cast including Wilson, Peter Dager, Marc Maron, Mariana Treviño, and Lilli Kay. The season one finale of Stick is now streaming globally on Apple TV+. In this week's finale episode, "Déjà Vu All Over Again," an unexpected visitor shakes things up while Santi's golf dreams hang in the balance.

In Stick season one, Wilson stars as Pryce Cahill, an over-the-hill, ex-pro golfer whose career was derailed prematurely 20 years ago. After the collapse of his marriage and while working at an Indiana sporting goods store, Pryce hedges his bets, and future, entirely on a troubled 17-year-old golf phenom named Santi (Dager). Stick is a heartfelt, feel-good sports comedy about a found family and their relationships set within the world of golf as it has never been shown before.

In addition to Wilson and Dager, the season one ensemble cast includes Maron, Treviño, Kay, Judy Greer and Timothy Olyphant, and features guest appearances from golf superstars such as Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley, Max Homa, Wyndham Clark and more. Additional cameos include broadcasters Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman, Good Good’s Matt Scharff, Brad Dalke and Garrett Clark, as well as golf enthusiast Dan Rapaport.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Apple TV+, Hulu, Only Murders in the Building, Stick

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

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

SitcomsOnline Digest: Only Murders in the Building Renewed for Fifth Season; Plex Adds Knots Landing and More

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Depending upon where you are, you may be seeing a blast of fall weather this weekend, and it's just in time for the beginnings of the new TV fall season! We have news of a renewal of a Hulu series, some changes with The Tonight Show, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Only Murders in the Building has been renewed for a fifth season. (Deadline)
• You can now stream the entire series of Knots Landing, Falcon Crest, and more on Plex. (TVLine)
• The reboot of One Day at a Time ended with unproduced scripts, but a table read of those scripts will be part of an upcoming charity event. (Deadline)
• The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was the last late night talk show to run new episodes five day a week, but that's about to change in the new season, as new episodes will no longer air on Friday. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Just as was the case in 2020 (though for somewhat different COVID related reasons then), South Park will not have new episodes for the presidential election season as had been tradition in the past, and will not return until 2025. (Variety)
• Modern Family is coming to Nick at Nite on September 19, though it appears that some of the rumors that it was being pulled from broadcast syndication this month (which is been happening with an unusually high number of long-running broadcast network stalwarts this season) may not be true. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (SEPTEMBER 7 - SEPTEMBER 13)

• We previously mentioned that Plex has added Growing Pains and The Drew Carey Show to their free offerings, but as we stated today, they seem to be adding even more content from the Warner library, including the complete series of Perfect Strangers, Knots Landing, Sisters, and Falcon Crest... and we hope that more is on the way!
• Catchy Comedy has a binge of Night Court this weekend.
• A new season of Wheel of Fortune arrives on Monday, and it'll have something that it hasn't had in four decades: a new host, Ryan Seacrest.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Falcon Crest, Knots Landing, Modern Family, One Day at a Time, Only Murders in the Building, SitcomsOnline Digest, South Park, Tonight Show

Only Murders in the Building Season 4 Trailer; Grotesquerie Gets Premiere Date on FX

The trailer for the fourth season of original comedy series Only Murders in the Building has been released by Hulu. The Emmy®- winning series returns August 27 on Hulu, with new episodes streaming Tuesdays. In season four of Only Murders in the Building, Charles, Oliver & Mabel wrestle with the shocking events at the end of season three surrounding Charles' stunt double & friend Sazz Pataki. Questioning whether Sazz or Charles was the intended victim, our trio’s investigation leads them all the way to Los Angeles where a Hollywood studio is readying a film about the Only Murders podcast. As our amateur sleuths race back to New York, they embark on an even more epic journey — traversing their building’s courtyard to delve into the twisted lives of the Arconia's West Tower residents. Starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Michael Cyril Creighton, and special guest stars include Meryl Streep, Zach Galifianakis, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Richard Kind, Jane Lynch, Melissa McCarthy, Kumail Nanjiani, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Molly Shannon, and more.

FX set the premiere date and released official key art for Grotesquerie, Ryan Murphy's new horror drama series, which will premiere on Wednesday, September 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on FX and stream the next day on Hulu. The 10-episode first season will be coming soon to Disney+ internationally. In FX's Grotesquerie, a series of heinous crimes have unsettled a small community. "Detective Lois Tryon" feels these crimes are eerily personal, as if someone - or something - is taunting her. At home, Lois grapples with a strained relationship with her daughter, a husband in long-term hospital care and her own inner demons. With no leads and unsure of where to turn, she accepts the help of "Sister Megan," a nun and journalist with the Catholic Guardian. Sister Megan, with her own difficult past, has seen the worst of humanity, yet she still believes in its capacity for good. Lois, on the other hand, fears the world is succumbing to evil. As Lois and Sister Megan string together clues, they find themselves ensnared in a sinister web that only seems to raise more questions than answers.

The series stars Emmy(R) Award-winner Niecy Nash-Betts as "Detective Lois Tryon," Emmy Award-winner Courtney B. Vance as "Marshall Tryon," Emmy Award-nominee Lesley Manville as "Nurse Redd," Tony(R) Award-nominee Micaela Diamond as "Sister Megan," Nicholas Alexander Chavez as "Father Charlie," Raven Goodwin as "Merritt Tryon" and Travis Kelce.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: FX, Hulu, Only Murders in the Building

Hulu Fall 2024 Programming Slate; Onyx Collective's How to Die Alone Trailer Released

Hulu Originals & Exclusives Fall 2024 Programming Slate. Slate includes highly anticipated premieres like Only Murders in the Building Season 4, Tell Me Lies Season 2, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. New date announcement includes Out There: Crimes of the Paranormal. Key notes:

Only Murders in the Building
Premiere Date: August 27, 2024 (Weekly, one episode at launch)
Finale Date: October 29, 2024
Genre: Comedy
Season: 4
Episode Count: 10

Tell Me Lies
Premiere Date: September 4, 2024 (Weekly, two episodes at launch)
Finale Date: October 16, 2024
Genre: Drama
Season: 2
Episode Count: 8

The Last Days of the Space Age
Premiere Date: October 2, 2024 (All-at-once)
Genre: Drama
Episode Count: 8

Solar Opposites Halloween Special
Premiere Date: October 2024
Genre: Adult Animation
Episode Count: 1

Hulu Exclusive Family Guy Halloween Special
Premiere Date: October 14, 2024
Genre: Adult Animation
Episode Count: 1

Interior Chinatown
Premiere Date: November 19, 2024 (All-at-once)
Genre: Drama
Episode Count: 10

Speaking of Hulu, the trailer is now available for Onyx Collective's How to Die Alone. The half-hour comedy series will debut with four episodes on Friday, September 13 on Hulu with new episodes streaming on Fridays. The comedy follows Mel (Natasha Rothwell), a broke, fat, Black JFK airport employee who's never been in love and forgotten how to dream, until an accidental brush with death catapults her on a journey to finally take flight and start living by any means necessary.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:05 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Family Guy, How To Die Alone, Hulu, Only Murders in the Building, Solar Opposites

76th Primetime Emmy Nominations; Frasier Returns September 19

Nominations for the 76th Emmy® Awards were announced from the historic El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, recognizing remarkable programs, extraordinary performances and impactful storytelling across multiple platforms. The live ceremony was hosted by Emmy winners Tony Hale and Sheryl Lee Ralph along with Television Academy Chair Cris Abrego.

The Bear set a new record for nominations in a single year in the Comedy category with 23 (previously held by 30 Rock with 22 nominations in 2009), and Shōgun lead this year's Drama category with 25 nominations. Performers with multiple nominations this year include Quinta Brunson (performance and writing for Abbott Elementary), Jodie Foster (performance and producer for True Detective: Night Country), Donald Glover (performance and writing for Mr. & Mrs. Smith), Jon Hamm (performance for Fargo and The Morning Show), Brie Larson (performance and producer for Lessons in Chemistry), Jonathan Pryce (performance for The Crown and Slow Horses), Maya Rudolph (performance for Loot, performance and music & lyrics for Saturday Night Live, character voice-over for Big Mouth), Andrew Scott (performance and producer for Ripley) and Kristen Wiig (performance for Palm Royale and Saturday Night Live), along with first time nominees Paul Rudd (performance for Only Murders in the Building and narrator for Secrets of the Octopus) and Richard Gadd (performance, producer and writing nominations for Baby Reindeer).

The 76th Emmy Awards will broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, September 15, (8:00-11:00 PM EDT/5:00-8:00 PM PDT) from the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE and stream the next day on Hulu. The 76th Creative Arts Emmy Awards take place at the Peacock Theater over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 7, and Sunday, September 8, with an edited presentation to air on Saturday, September 14, at 8:00 PM EDT/PDT on FXX.

View the full nominations list.

Paramount+ announced that season two of its Emmy-nominated new original comedy series Frasier, starring Kelsey Grammer, will premiere on Thursday, September 19 with two episodes. New episodes will then drop weekly on Thursdays, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Canada. The series will premiere in the U.K. and Australia on September 20, and its availability in additional international Paramount+ markets will be announced at a later date. Also announced, Frasier's sophomore season will see Dr. Frasier Crane return to his radio roots at KACL in Seattle for an episode. The episode will feature previously announced guest stars stepping back into their roles from the original Frasier including Dan Butler as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe, Edward Hibbert as Gil Chesterton and Harriet Sansom Harris as Frasier's delightfully devilish agent, Bebe Glazer.

Season one of Frasier received three primetime Emmy nominations: Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour), Outstanding Cinematography For A Multi-Camera Series (Half-Hour) and Outstanding Picture Editing For A Multi-Camera Comedy Series. Produced by CBS Studios, Frasier films in front of a live studio audience at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. The series follows Frasier Crane (Grammer) in the next chapter of his life after he returns to Boston to face new challenges, forge new relationships and – with hope – finally fulfill an old dream or two. In addition to Grammer, the series stars Jack Cutmore-Scott as Frasier’s son, Freddy; Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan, Frasier’s old college buddy turned university professor; Toks Olagundoye as Olivia, Alan’s colleague and head of the university’s psychology department; Jess Salgueiro as Eve, Frasier and Freddy’s neighbor; and Anders Keith as Frasier’s nephew, David. Peri Gilpin will return for season two as a recurring guest star to once again reprise the beloved role of Roz Doyle. Other previously announced guest stars include Rachel Bloom, Yvette Nicole Brown, Greer Grammer, Patricia Heaton and Amy Sedaris. Legendary director James Burrows also returns to direct two episodes.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 9:00 AM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Abbott Elementary, Emmys, Frasier, Only Murders in the Building, Paramount+, The Bear

Prime Video Orders Riz Ahmed Comedy; New Trio Join Only Murders for Season 4

Prime Video announced it has ordered a yet-to-be-titled half-hour series from Academy Award and Emmy winner Riz Ahmed who will also produce, write, and star in the series. Emmy winner Ben Karlin (Modern Family, The Colbert Report, The Daily Show) is attached to executive produce and will showrun with Ahmed. The series will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. The series follows Shah Latif, a struggling actor on the cusp of landing the role of a lifetime, only to find himself thrust into a full blown existential crisis and trippy conspiracy thriller all at the same time. This marks Ahmed's return to television following his 2017 double Emmy nominations: guest star for Girls and lead actor for The Night Of, the latter of which he won. The series was created by Ahmed and developed under his production company, Left Handed, through their first-look deal with Amazon MGM Studios.

New Trio Alert! Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria will recur as Charles, Oliver and Mabel in Only Murders in the Building Season Four. In the upcoming season of Only Murders in the Building, our trio's investigation leads them all the way to Los Angeles where a Hollywood studio is readying a film about the Only Murders podcast featuring Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis and Eva Longoria (playing themselves) in the roles of Charles, Oliver and Mabel. Check out a new BTS photo of both trios! Season four of Only Murders in the Building premieres on Hulu on August 27, with new episodes weekly!

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Amazon Prime, Hulu, Only Murders in the Building

Netflix Upfront 2024; Hulu's Only Murders in the Building Returns for Season 4 in August

At Netflix's second Upfront presentation to advertisers, the message was clear: When you advertise with Netflix, you can reach the most engaged audience in the world. Netflix announced new series, including witty comedies like GOLF, starring Will Ferrell and executive produced by Ramy Youssef and Rian Johnson, and Running Point, starring Kate Hudson and executive produced by Mindy Kaling.

Two new dramas will also be coming to Netflix: The Waterfront from Kevin Williamson, an adult family drama set in a small coastal town with twists and turns inspired by true events, and a contemporary cowboy saga starring Tim McGraw. And, they announced that the critically acclaimed series 3 Body Problem will also be back for all new episodes. For sports fans, Netflix highlighted multiple new shows, including a new documentary series following the story of Jerry Jones and the 1990s Dallas Cowboys, and three series in partnership with the International Olympic Committee: Simone Biles: Rising which will follow the comeback of the greatest gymnast ever, a show spotlighting men's basketball teams from around the world as they compete for medals, and Sprint, tracking the 100-meter sprinters.

New films announced include Happy Gilmore 2 starring Adam Sandler, The Woman in Cabin 10 based on the bestselling novel of the same name and starring Keira Knightley, and a new film from Academy Award(R) winner Kathryn Bigelow. And the NFL is coming to Netflix. That's right, Netflix will be the global home of the NFL's two Christmas Day marquee games this year. And we'll be streaming at least one Christmas Day game in 2025 and 2026.

Upcoming 2024 Slate Highlights:

Returning Favorites
Arcane S2 - Award winning animated series
Cobra Kai S6 - Critics' Choice award winning action comedy series
The Diplomat S2 - Golden Globe nominated drama series
Emily in Paris S4 - Emmy nominated romantic comedy-drama series
Heartstopper S3 - BAFTA nominated coming-of-age series
Mo S2 - Final season of award winning drama series
Outer Banks S4 - People's Choice award winning drama series
Squid Game S2 - Emmy(R) award winning Korean drama series
Sweet Tooth S3 - Final season of Emmy award winning family drama series
The Umbrella Academy S4 - Final season of Emmy nominated drama series
Unstable S2 - Comedy series starring Rob Lowe
Vikings Valhalla S3 - Historical drama series

New Prestige Dramas
American Primeval - Action-thriller western limited series directed by Pete Berg
Black Doves - Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw star in spy thriller
Eric - Limited thriller series starring Emmy award winner Benedict Cumberbatch
KAOS - Greek mythology twisted drama starring Jeff Goldblum
The Madness - Conspiracy thriller starring Emmy award winner Colman Domingo
Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story - Second installment of Ryan Murphy's Monster anthology series
The Perfect Couple - Book adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand's New York Times bestseller
Supacell - Superhero series written and directed by Andrew Onwubolu

New Comedy Series
A Classic Spy - Based on the 2020 documentary The Mole Agent, starring Ted Danson
The Decameron - Comedy series from creator and showrunner Kathleen Jordan
No Good Deed - Starring Emmy award-winning actors Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano
Nobody Wants This - Romantic comedy starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody
Running Point - Starring Kate Hudson

Hulu's Emmy Award-winning original comedy series Only Murders in the Building will return for season four on August 27, with new episodes every Tuesday. Check out the new teaser for a first look at the upcoming season! In season four of Only Murders in the Building, Charles, Oliver & Mabel wrestle with the shocking events at the end of season three surrounding Charles' stunt double & friend Sazz Pataki. Questioning whether Sazz or Charles was the intended victim, our trio’s investigation leads them all the way to Los Angeles where a Hollywood studio is readying a film about the Only Murders podcast. As our amateur sleuths race back to New York, they embark on an even more epic journey — traversing their building's courtyard to delve into the twisted lives of the Arconia’s West Tower residents. Starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Michael Cyril Creighton, and special guest stars include Meryl Streep, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Eugene Levy, Eva Longoria, Zach Galifianakis, Molly Shannon, Kumail Nanjiani, Melissa McCarthy, Richard Kind, Jane Lynch and more.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: A Man on the Inside, Cobra Kai, Emily in Paris, Hulu, Netflix, No Good Deed, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Running Point, The Hawk, Unstable, Upfronts

Hulu Spring and Summer 2024 Slate; Netflix Orders Tyler Perry Drama; Remembering Joe Flaherty

Hulu has announced its originals & exclusive Spring/Summer 2024 programming slate. The slate includes highly anticipated premieres like The Kardashians Season 5, Only Murders in the Building Season 4, Under the Bridge, and Thank You, Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story. New date announcements include Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini, Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer, Hit-Monkey, Futurama, Solar Opposites and Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge. Disney Bundle subscribers will also be able to watch these titles and more via Hulu on Disney+.

Animated comedy Hit-Monkey, which premieres July 15 for a second season, stars the voices of Leslie Jones, Ally Maki, Olivia Munn, Fred Tatasciore, and Jason Sudeikis. Futurama returns for season 12 on July 29, while season five of Solar Opposites premieres August 12. Only Murders in the Building is back in the summer but no date just yet.

Netflix announced the cast of Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black, an all-new series coming soon to Netflix. The series comes from a previously announced creative partnership with Netflix, where Perry will write, direct, and produce feature films and series under a multi-year first-look deal. The 16-episode hour-long drama is written, directed, and produced by Perry. Tyler Perry's Beauty in Black follows two women leading very different lives. While Kimmie is struggling to make a living after her mother kicked her out, and Mallory is running a successful business, they find themselves entangled in each other's lives. Taylor Polidore Williams, Amber Reign Smith, Crystle Stewart, Ricco Ross, Debbi Morgan, Richard Lawson, Steven G. Norfleet, Julian Horton, Terrell Carter, Shannon Wallace, Bryan Tanaka, Joy Rovaris, Xavier Smalls, Charles Malik Whitfield, Tamera "Tee" Kissen, Ursula O. Robinson, Ashley Versher and George Middlebrook are in the cast.

Actor, writer and comedian Joe Flaherty, who starred in Maniac Mansion, Police Academy: The Series and Freaks and Geeks, has died. He died on April 1 after a short illness in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Flaherty was 82.

Flaherty was best known for his work on the Canadian sketch comedy show SCTV from 1976 to 1984. It aired in the U.S. on NBC from 1981 to 1983. He played characters such as Big Jim McBob (of Farm Film Report fame), Count Floyd/Floyd Robertson, and station owner/manager Guy Caballero, SCTV's cheap, tyrannical owner and president who, despite being perfectly ambulatory, uses a wheelchair to earn "respect" (i.e., sympathy) from employees and viewers. Flaherty also served as a writer. The series won two Emmy Awards in 1982 and 1983 for Outstanding Writing in a Variety or Music Program.

He starred as Fred Edison in the 1990-1993 The Family Channel sitcom Maniac Mansion. Maniac Mansion centers around the lives of the Edisons, an American family living in a large mansion in the upscale suburban neighborhood of Cedar Springs. The Edisons consist of patriarch Fred, an eccentric scientist and inventor, his level-headed wife Casey (Deborah Theaker), and their children, teenage genius Tina (Kathleen Robertson), prepubescent Ike (Avi Phillips) and precocious toddler Turner (George Buza). Also living in the Edison mansion are Casey's brother Harry Orca (John Hemphill) and his wife Idella Muckle-Orca (Mary Charlotte-Wilcox). Flaherty also wrote six episodes of the series.

Flaherty starred as Commandant Stuart Hefilfinger in the 1997-1998 CTV and first-run syndicated sitcom Police Academy: The Series, which was a spin-off from the Police Academy series of films. Commandant Hefilfinger is similar to Eric Lassard (George Gaynes) and the head of the academy. The cast included Matt Borlenghi, Rod Crawford, Toby Proctor, Jeremiah Birkett, Heather Campbell, Christine Gonzales, Tony Longo, P. J. Ochlan, Michael Winslow and Larke Miller.

He starred as Harold Weir in the 1999-2000 NBC comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks. Harold is the head of the Weir household. He is married to Jean (Becky Ann Baker) and is the father of Lindsay (Linda Cardellini) and Sam (John Francis Daley). He owns and works at A1 Sporting Goods.

Flaherty starred as Dr. Frank Troutner in the short-lived 2001 NBC sitcom Go Fish. Frank Troutner is married to Annie (Molly Cheek) and is the father of Andy "Fish" (Kieran Culkin) and Pete (Will Friedle).

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included King of Kensington, Married... with Children, Morton & Hayes (also a writer), Dinosaurs (voice for 2 episodes), Nurses, Phenom, Hardball (1994), Dream On, The Louie Show, Ellen, Even Stevens, That '70s Show, Maybe It's Me, Frasier, The King of Queens, American Dad! (voice), Family Guy (voice for 3 episodes) and Call Me Fitz.

He appeared as a Western Union postal worker who delivers Doc Brown's 70-year-old letter to Marty McFly in Back to the Future Part II (1989). He starred as Donald the heckler in Happy Gilmore (1996).

Mr. Flaherty was a talented and funny actor. He was very memorable on the far too short-lived Freaks and Geeks. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment that he brought us. He will be greatly missed.

We also remember actor Ron Harper. He starred in the sitcoms Wendy and Me and The Jean Arthur Show. He died at his home in West Hills, Los Angeles on March 21. Mr. Harper was 91.

Harper starred as Jeff Conway in the 1964-1965 ABC sitcom Wendy and Me. Episodes typically revolved around Wendy Conway (Connie Stevens) pulling George Burns (as a somewhat fictionalized version of himself) into comedic situations mostly involving her husband, played by Ron Harper, and other people in the apartment building owned by Burns. The series also starred James T. Callahan, J. Pat O'Malley and Bartlett Robinson.

He starred as Paul Marshall in the short-lived 1966 CBS sitcom The Jean Arthur Show. Paul Marshall is a lawyer who works alongside his mother Patricia Marshall (Jean Arthur). The series also starred Leonard Stone and Richard Conte.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Love, American Style (2 episodes), Night Stand with Dick Dietrick (2 episodes), Boy Meets World, Malibu, CA (1999) and Two Guys and a Girl.

Harper starred as Det. Bert Kling in the 1961-1962 police drama 87th Precinct. He starred as Lt. Craig "Warden" Garrison in the 1967-1968 ABC World War II drama Garrison's Gorillas. He starred as Colonel Alan Virdon, the human commander of the crash-landed spaceship from 20th Century Earth, in the 1974 CBS science fiction series Planet of the Apes. In 1976, he starred as Uncle Jack Marshall in the third season (1976) of the NBC children's adventure television series Land of the Lost. Some of his soap opera credits included Another World as Taylor Halloway/Halliway, Loving as Charles Hartman, Capitol as Jarrett Morgan/Baxter McCandless and Generations as Peter Whitmore.

His movie credits included roles in Below Utopia (1997), The Odd Couple II (1998), Freedom Strike (1998), Glass Trap (2005) and The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007).

Mr. Harper was a talented and versatile actor. We thank him for his work on television and in films. He will be sorely missed.

Actor M. Emmet Walsh starred in The Sandy Duncan Show and made many sitcom guest appearances. He died of cardiac arrest at Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans, Vermont, on March 19. Mr. Walsh was 88.

Walsh starred as Alex Lembeck in the short-lived 1972 CBS sitcom The Sandy Duncan Show. Alex Lembeck is a motorcycle cop who appointed himself as Sandy Stockton's (Sandy Duncan) chaperone and protector. The series also starred Tom Bosley, Marian Mercer, Pam Zarit, Alfie Wise and Eric Christmas.

He appeared as Colonel Fred Patterson, Jill Taylor's (Patricia Richardson) father, in two episodes of Home Improvement in 1994. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Arnie, Julia (2 episodes), All in the Family, The Jimmy Stewart Show, The Don Rickles Show, The Bob Newhart Show, AfterMASH, The Jackie Thomas Show, Frasier, Charlie Lawrence, 'Til Death and The Righteous Gemstones (2 episodes).

Walsh starred as Ned Platt in the 1989 NBC police drama Unsub. Some of his other television appearances included Ironside, Bonanza, Nichols (5 episodes), McMillan & Wife, The Rockford Files, The Waltons, Baretta (2 episodes), Starsky & Hutch (2 episodes), Little House on the Prairie, Amazing Stories, Tales from the Crypt, The Flash (2 episodes in 1990), Early Edition, The X-Files, NYPD Blue, Ed, The Guardian, Damages (3 episodes), Sneaky Pete (7 episodes as Tex Hopkins) and American Gigolo.

He starred as Captain Bryant in Blade Runner (1982), as private detective Loren Visser in Blood Simple (1984) and as Dr. Joseph Dolan in Fletch (1985).

Mr. Walsh was a fine character actor. He was a familiar face in over 200 films and television series in his career, which spanned seven decades. We thank him for his work on television and in films. He will be greatly missed.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:15 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Futurama, Hit-Monkey, Hulu, Netflix, Obits, Only Murders in the Building, Solar Opposites, Tyler Perry

SitcomsOnline Digest: Frasier Reboot Gets Second Season; Jimmy Kimmel Hints at End of Talk Show

  Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about the renewal of the Frasier reboot, learning a little more about Wendy Williams and why her show disappeared, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• The reboot of Frasier is getting a second season. (Deadline)
• Jimmy Kimmel has two more years left on his contract for his talk show, and is now hinting that those may be his final two years as well. (ABC News)
• Eva Longoria is joining the cast of Only Murders in the Building for season 4. (Variety)
• Jay Pharoah has been chosen to host Fox's newest game show, The Quiz with Balls. (Deadline)
• There were reports this week that Amazon is shutting down Freevee, but Amazon claims those rumors are not true. (Cord Cutters News)
• There has been a lot of mystery surrounding Wendy Williams following her disappearance from (and later cancellation of) her talk show, and ahead of an upcoming Lifetime miniseries about her, we are learning more. (Deadline)
• Rewind TV has 22 (why not 22.7?) hours of 227 coming up for 2/27. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (FEBRUARY 24 - MARCH 2)

• Catchy Comedy has a binge of The Lucy Show this weekend.
• Saturday Night Live returns for new episodes tonight, and will be in new episodes for the next three weeks.
• On Tuesday, 2/27, Rewind TV has a 227 marathon.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: 227, Frasier, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Lucy Show, Only Murders in the Building, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: Bob Hearts Abishola Coming to an End; Only Murders in the Building Gets Limited Run on ABC

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's another slow news week, and we expect that to be the case for a few more weeks, but we have news of the cancellation of a CBS sitcom, a trailer for Ted, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• It should have been very obvious that it was coming when it was announced that most of the cast was being reduced to just a few episodes, but Bob ♥ Abishola is ending after this season on CBS. (Deadline)
• Only Murders in the Building is getting a limited run on the ABC primetime lineup. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Peacock has dropped a trailer for the upcoming Ted series. (Deadline)
• Although it's getting more confusing what seasons and parts means (what happened to the old days when TV shows just had season numbers?) Netflix has renewed The Upshaws for season 4/part 6. (Deadline)
• Felicity Huffman is breaking her silence about the college admissions scandal. (CBS News)
• Antenna TV has their January lineup set, and for the first time in a very long time, they'll actually be adding something they've never shown before (though Rewind TV has been airing it): The Drew Carey Show. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (DECEMBER 2 - DECEMBER 9)

• Catchy Comedy is having a weekend long binge of Petticoat Junction this weekend.
• Although we aren't quite sure where My Three Sons is (it was supposed to arrive yesterday with this), 7th Heaven is now available on Amazon Prime Video.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Bob ♥ Abishola, Only Murders in the Building, Peacock, SitcomsOnline Digest, Ted, The Upshaws

Abbott Elementary Post-Oscars Airing, Only Murders on ABC; Remembering Frances Sternhagen, Marty Krofft and Others We Recently Lost

ABC announced that The Oscars(R) will air live coast to coast on Sunday, March 10, in a new earlier timeslot (7:00-10:30 p.m. EDT/4:00-7:30 p.m. PDT). A 30-minute pre-show will lead into the live show (6:30-7:00 p.m. EDT/3:30-4:00 p.m. PDT), and immediately following, ABC will air an original episode of the Emmy(R) Award-winning comedy series Abbott Elementary. The telecast will also be rebroadcast in the Pacific Time zone in primetime after the live presentation. As previously announced, Emmy Award-winning late-night talk show host and producer Jimmy Kimmel will return to host the live show for the fourth time. Raj Kapoor will serve as showrunner and executive producer, with Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan serving as executive producers. Hamish Hamilton is set to direct the telecast. The 96th Oscars will be held at the Dolby(R) Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

ABC will head into the new year with the exclusive broadcast premiere of the Emmy Award-nominated Hulu Original comedy Only Murders in the Building. Season one of the critically acclaimed hit series starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez will air Tuesdays in January, with the first three episodes debuting on Tuesday, Jan. 2, following a new semifinal episode of Celebrity Jeopardy! (8:00-9:00 p.m. EST), returning in 2024 on its new night. The airdate schedule for the 10-episode season of Only Murders in the Building is as follows (all times listed are Eastern/Pacific):

· Tuesday, Jan. 2, 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Episodes 1-3)
· Tuesday, Jan. 9, 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Episodes 4-6)
· Tuesday, Jan. 16, 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. (Episodes 7-9)
· Tuesday, Jan. 23, 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. (Episode 10)

Recently renewed for a fourth season, Only Murders in the Building is the most-viewed Hulu Original comedy series ever. The show's first season hails from co-creators and writers Steve Martin and John Hoffman (Grace & Frankie, Looking). Martin and Hoffman executive produce along with Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Jamie Babbit, "This Is Us" creator Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal. From the minds of Steve Martin, Dan Fogelman and John Hoffman comes a comedic murder-mystery series for the ages. Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building, which stretch back years. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living amongst them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it's too late. The series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.

Tony Award-winning stage and screen actress Frances Sternhagen, who had recurring roles as Esther Clavin in Cheers and as Bunny MacDougal in Sex and the City, has died. She died at her home in New Rochelle, New York, on November 27. Ms. Sternhagen was 93.

Sternhagen starred as Millie Sprague in 7 episodes of the NBC sitcom Under One Roof in 1985. Millie and Ben Sprague (Harold Gould) were Spencer Winger's (Ross Harris) maternal grandparents. She was the mother of Doris Winger (Mimi Kennedy). The show was originally titled Spencer in 1984 and starred Chad Lowe as Spencer Winger. The cast included Ronny Cox, Amy Locane, Richard Sanders, Beverly Archer, Grant Heslov and Dean Cameron.

She had a recurring role as Esther Clavin in 7 episodes of the NBC sitcom Cheers from 1986 to 1993. Esther "Ma" Clavin is the mother of Cliff Clavin (John Ratzenberger). It is first mentioned in the third season that Cliff lives with her, for which the other barflies mocked him. One of Esther's pastimes is making pretzels in unintentionally unusual shapes, which Cliff brings them into the bar in "Second Time Around" (1986). Sternhagen received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for the role in 1991 and 1992.

Sternhagen had a recurring role as Bunny MacDougal in 10 episodes of the HBO romantic comedy-drama Sex and the City from 2000 to 2002. Bunny MacDougal is the overbearing mother of Dr. Trey MacDougal (Kyle MacLachlan), a manipulative sort who intrudes on Trey and Charlotte's (Kristin Davis) relationship and apartment on a regular basis. She received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for the role in 2002.

She provided the voice of Mrs. Bellamy for a 2002 episode of The Simpsons. She guest starred as Naomi in a 2004 episode of Becker.

Stenhagen starred as Charlotte Babineaux in the short-lived 1994 family drama The Family Home. She starred as Gina Williams in the 1991 CBS miniseries Stephen King's Golden Years. She had a recurring role as Millicent Carter, the grandmother of John Carter (Noah Wyle), in 21 episodes of the NBC medical drama ER from 1997 to 2003. She had a recurring role as Willie Ray Johnson in 15 episodes of the TNT police procedural from 2006 to 2012.

Some of her other television guest appearances included The Nurses, The Defenders, Profiles in Courage, For the People, The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, Law & Order (2 episodes), Tales from the Crypt, The Outer Limits (1995) and Parenthood (2012).

She worked for many years in soap operas. She played Toni Prentiss Davis on Love of Life, Jessie Reddin on The Secret Storm, Phyllis Corrigan on The Doctors (42 episodes) and Jane Overstreet in Another World. She is also recognized as Mrs. Marsh from a series of television commercials for Colgate toothpaste that aired in the 1970s.

Sternhagen gained acclaim for her extensive career on the Broadway stage. She made her debut in The Skin of Our Teeth (1955). She went on to receive two Tony Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performances as various characters in Neil Simon's comedic play The Good Doctor (1973) and as Lavinia Penniman in Ruth and Augustus Goetz's dramatic play The Heiress (1995). Her other Tony-nominated roles were for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window (1972), Equus (1975), Angel (1978), On Golden Pond (1979) and Morning's at Seven (2002).

She starred as Sheriff Buster's (Richard Farnsworth) wife Deputy Virginia in Rob Reiner's Misery (1990). Some of her other film credits included The Hospital (1971), Starting Over (1979), Outland (1981), Bright Lights, Big City (1988), Doc Hollywood (1991), Raising Cain (1992), See You in the Morning (1989), The Mist (2007), Julie & Julia (2009), Dolphin Tale (2011) and And So It Goes (2014).

Ms. Sternhagen was a talented and versatile character actress. Her guest appearances as Esther Clavin in Cheers were always funny and memorable. We thank her for the laughs and entertainment she brought us on television for over six decades. She will deeply missed.

Television creator, producer, writer and puppeteer Marty Krofft, who worked on H.R. Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters and Land of the Lost, has died. He died from kidney failure in Los Angeles, California, on November 25. Mr. Krofft was 86.

Marty and his brother Sid made numerous children's television and variety show programs in the U.S., particularly in the 1970s, including H.R. Pufnstuf (1969), Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (1973-1975), and Land of the Lost (1974-1976) through their production company, Sid & Marty Krofft Pictures. Their fantasy programs often featured large-headed puppets, high-concept plots, and extensive use of low-budget special effects. They designed the characters and sets for Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits on NBC from 1968 to 1970.

Some of The Krofft Brothers other credits as creators and producers included The Bugaloos (1970-1972), Lidsville (1971-1973), Far Out Space Nuts (1975-1976), The Lost Saucer (1975), Donny & Marie (1976), The Krofft Supershow (1976-1978) (which included Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (1976) and Wonderbug (1976-1978)), The Krofft Superstar Hour (aka The Bay City Rollers Show) (1978-1979), Pink Lady and Jeff (1980), Barbara Mandrell & the Mandrell Sisters (1980-1982), Pryor's Place (1984), Land of the Lost (1991-1992 reboot), Mutt & Stuff (2015-2017) and Sigmund and the Sea Monsters (2016-2017 reboot).

They created and produced the 1977 ABC variety show The Brady Bunch Hour. The series starred the original cast members of The Brady Bunch, with the exception of Eve Plumb, who was replaced by Geri Reischl (a.k.a. "Fake Jan"). The show began as a 60-minute special titled The Brady Bunch Variety Hour on November 28, 1976. It featured skits and songs produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Productions in association with Paramount Television.

The Krofft Brothers created and produced the 1987-1989 syndicated sitcom D.C. Follies. The show was set in a Washington, D.C. bar, where a bartender played by Fred Willard would welcome puppet caricatures of politicians and popular culture figures. Celebrity guest stars included Martin Mull, Leslie Nielsen, Bob Uecker and Betty White.

Marty and his brother Sid made many entertaining children's television and variety show programs in the 1970s and 1980s. The Kroffts received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmys in 2018. In 2020, the Kroffts were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their contributions to television. Sid is still living at age 94. Marty will be greatly missed.

We also remember actress and model Janet Landgard. She had a recurring role as Karen Holmby on The Donna Reed Show. She died of brain cancer on November 6. Ms. Landgard was 75.

Landgard appeared as Karen Holmby in 11 episodes of the ABC sitcom The Donna Reed Show from 1963 to 1965. Karen Holmby is the girlfriend of Jeff Stone (Paul Petersen). She made her first guest appearance as Sabrina in the episode "All Women Are Dangerous." The series also starred Donna Reed, Carl Betz, Shelley Fabares and Patty Petersen.

She guest starred as Georgia Fleck in the 1963 My Three Sons episode "The Proposals." She starred with Burt Lancaster in the 1968 film The Swimmer. She also starred in 1970's Land Raiders with Telly Savalas and the 1974 film Moonchild with Victor Buono.

Ms. Landgard was seen in commercials on television and on magazine covers as a model. She was was interviewed for the behind-the-scenes documentary The Story of the Swimmer in 2014. She will be deeply missed.

Actor Evan Ellingson starred as Kyle Savage on Complete Savages. He died from an accidental fentanyl overdose in Fontana, California, on November 5. Mr. Ellingson was only 35.

Ellingson made his acting debut in the 2001 TV movie Living in Fear and as Young Luke Spencer in a 2001 episode of General Hospital. He had a recurring role as Young 10-year-old Christopher Titus in 10 episodes of the Fox sitcom Titus from 2001 to 2002.

He starred as Kyle Savage on the 2004-2005 ABC sitcom Complete Savages. The TGIF sitcom is about a single father named Nick Savage (Keith Carradine) struggling to raise his five unruly sons (Jack, Chris, Sam, Kyle, and T.J.) alone, following the abandonment of their mother 10 years previously. Kyle Savage is a rebellious teenager who is unruly and constantly causing chaos. The series also starred Shaun Sipos, Erik von Detten, Andrew Eiden, Jason Dolley and Vincent Ventresca.

Ellingson had a recurring role as Kyle Harmon, the son of Horatio Caine (David Caruso) and Julia Winston (Elizabeth Berkley), in 18 episodes of the CBS police procedural drama CSI: Miami from 2007 to 2010.

He guest starred in a 2005 episode of Bones. He had a recurring role as Josh Bauer, the nephew of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), in 10 episodes of the sixth season of the Fox drama 24 in 2007.

Ellingson starred as Jesse Fitzgerald in the 2009 film My Sister's Keeper. It also starred Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, Jason Patric and Alec Baldwin.

Mr. Ellingson was a good young actor. Complete Savages was a funny show which should have had a longer run. He will be missed.

Actress Judy Nugent starred as Donna Ruggles on The Ruggles. She died from cancer at her Montana ranch, on October 26. Ms. Nugent was 83.

Nugent starred as Donna Ruggles on the 1949-1952 ABC sitcom The Ruggles. The series was broadcast live. Episodes were recorded on kinescope, and some of them survive in the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The star of the series is comedian Charlie Ruggles, playing a character with the same name. It also starred Irene Tedrow (1949), Erin O'Brien-Moore (1950-1952), Margaret Kerry, Tommy Bernard and Jimmy Hawkins.

Some of her sitcom guest appearances included The Life of Riley, The Danny Thomas Show, The Ann Sothern Show, The Dennis O'Keefe Show, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and The Gertrude Berg Show.

She played Jet Maypen on the Walt Disney Presents: Annette serial on The Mickey Mouse Club in 1958. Some of her other television guest appearances included The Lone Ranger, Adventures of Superman, Annie Oakley, Lassie, The Thin Man, Sugarfoot, The Millionaire, 77 Sunset Strip, Rawhide and The Tall Man (5 episodes).

Some of her film credits included Magnificent Obsession (1954), Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm (1954) and There's Always Tomorrow (1956).

Ms. Nugent gave up acting after marrying actor Buck Taylor in 1961. The marriage produced a daughter, Tiffany, and three sons, Adam, Matthew and Cooper. We thank her for her work on television. She will be deeply missed.

Television writer Stephen Kandel wrote episodes of Gidget and Room 222. He died in his home on October 21. Mr. Kandel was 96.

Kandel wrote four episodes of the 1965-1966 ABC sitcom Gidget. He wrote four episodes of the ABC comedy-drama Room 222 from 1971 to 1973.

Some of his other writing credits included Sea Hunt, The Rogues, Batman, Star Trek, Iron Horse, I Spy, It Takes a Thief, Mission: Impossible, Mannix, The Magician, Medical Center, Harry O, Cannon, Hawaii Five-O, Wonder Woman, Hart to Hart, The New Mike Hammer and MacGyver.

He worked as a producer for Iron Horse, The New Mike Hammer and MacGyver (58 episodes from 1985-1988).

Mr. Kandel was a recipient of the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Allan Poe award and the Writers Guild of America Humanities award. We thank him for his work on television. He will be greatly missed.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:35 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Abbott Elementary, ABC, Academy Awards, Cheers, Donna Reed Show, Hulu, Jeopardy, Obits, Only Murders in the Building, Sid and Marty Krofft