SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

A few weeks ago, I highlighted a series I was really enjoying a lot, Abbott Elementary. In my opinion, Abbott Elementary is easily the best new sitcom. But frankly, it's been a really good year for network sitcoms. And American Auto is another example of this seasons surprisingly great batch of new network comedies.

American Auto comes from Justin Spitzer, who was the showrunner of Superstore. It has a great cast, including Ana Gasteyer, a hilarious TV comedic veteran. And the joke writing is sharp, fresh and funny - and frankly, a bit more biting than many other network comedies of recent times. If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend it. The ratings have been fairly low, unlike the solid breakouts of Abbott Elementary and Ghosts, and I'd love to see it continue to grow and evolve. In some bit of news, Tom Bergeron is guest starring on the show very soon - stay tuned!

Raven's Home, the long-running hit comedy series starring and executive produced by Raven-Symoné, will return for its fifth season on Friday, March 11, at 8:00 p.m. EST/PST on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW. A spinoff of the iconic Disney Channel comedy That's So Raven (2003-2007), Raven's Home follows the hilarious adventures driven by somewhat psychic Raven Baxter (Raven-Symoné) and her son Booker (Issac Ryan Brown), who has inherited his mom's gift to catch glimpses of the future. In season five of Raven's Home, Raven and Booker move back to San Francisco to help take care of her dad after a mild heart attack. Now Raven finds herself parenting her parent, raising her young cousin, and settling into life in her old hometown. Meanwhile, Booker is "the new kid" at Raven's old high school and has to keep his visions a secret from a new group of friends.

Joining the cast for season five are Rondell Sheridan, who reprises his role as Raven's easygoing and loveable dad, Victor, from That's So Raven; Mykal-Michelle Harris (ABC's mixed-ish) as Raven's young cousin, Alice; Felix Avitia (Disney's Gamers Guide to Pretty Much Everything) as Neil, Victor's neighbor and Booker's high school classmate; and musician and singer Emmy Liu-Wang (Andrean Players' Annie) as Ivy, a young neighbor who babysits Alice. Adrienne Bailon-Houghton (The Real), who portrayed Raven's arch-nemesis Alana in That's So Raven, will return in a recurring role as a grown-up version of the character, who is now the principal at Bayside High. Also joining in a recurring role is Marissa Reyes (Spirit Halloween) as Cami, a popular and ambitious girl with a rebellious streak.

Disney Channel has ordered a fourth season of its popular family sitcom Raven's Home, starring and executive produced by multitalented Raven-Symoné. Alison Taylor (Just Jordan) will join the fourth season creative team as executive producer, alongside Raven-Symoné and executive producer and showrunner Warren Hutcherson (Reed Between the Lines, The Bernie Mac Show). Production on season four will commence later this year. Made for kids age 6-14 and their families, Raven's Home is a spinoff of the iconic Disney Channel comedy That's So Raven (2003-2007), which followed the whimsical, somewhat psychic teen Raven Baxter. Now, Raven is a divorced single mom of teen twins, Nia and Booker, and she's not the only one in the family who can catch glimpses of the future--her son Booker has inherited her gift. Just like his mom, Booker can see just enough of the future to try and change it. Hilarity ensues as Raven and Booker try to understand their unpredictable visions while navigating a hectic but loving household that also includes Raven's longtime best friend Chelsea and her son Levi, and Nia's best friend Tess.

The series also stars Issac Ryan Brown as Booker Baxter-Carter, Navia Robinson as Nia Baxter-Carter, Jason Maybaum as Levi Grayson, Sky Katz as Tess and Anneliese van der Pol as Chelsea Daniels.

Nickelodeon has picked up an additional 13 episodes of '90s icon All That, bringing its first season total to 26 episodes. Also announced, is new cast member Aria Brooks from Atlanta, Ga., who is joining the show's talented and diverse cast of comedians. New episodes of All That air on Saturdays at 8:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. All That is executive produced by Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live), Kel Mitchell (Game Shakers), Kevin Kay (All That, SpongeBob SquarePants, Lip Sync Battle, Lip Sync Battle Shorties, Yellowstone) and Jermaine Fowler (Superior Donuts, Sorry to Bother You). Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert (All That, Cousins For Life, Austin & Ally) also serve as executive producers.

Shot in front of a live studio audience, All That stars Ryan Alessi, Reece Caddell, Kate Godfrey, Gabrielle Nevaeh Green, Nathan Janak, Lex Lumpkin and Chinguun Sergelen, who have popularized new characters, impersonations of today's celebrities and new original comedic sketches including "Cancelled with Nathan," Bed, Bath & Beyoncé" and "Marie Kiddo." To date, recording artists the Jonas Brothers, Ciara, H.E.R., JoJo Siwa, Ella Mai, Ally Brooke, Kane Brown, Bryce Vine, Daddy Yankee and CNCO have performed on the show. The series also features appearances from Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell, Lori Beth Denberg, Josh Server and Alisa Reyes, who helped make the original series a '90s icon for an entire generation of kids. Guest stars for the additional 13 episodes will be announced at a later date.

ABC 2019-20

Fall 2019

Mondays
8:00PM Dancing with the Stars
10:00PM The Good Doctor

Tuesdays
8:00PM The Conners
8:30PM Bless This Mess (new time)
9:00PM mixed-ish (NEW!)
9:30PM black-ish (new time)
10:00PM Emergence (NEW!)

Wednesdays
8:00PM The Goldbergs
8:30PM Schooled
9:00PM Modern Family
9:30PM Single Parents
10:00PM Stumptown (NEW!)

Thursdays
8:00PM Grey's Anatomy
9:00PM A Million Little Things
10:00PM How to Get Away with Murder

Fridays
8:00PM American Housewife (new day)
8:30PM Fresh Off the Boat (new time)
9:00PM 20/20 (two hours)

Saturdays
8:00PM Saturday Night Football

Sundays
7:00PM America's Funniest Home Videos
8:00PM Kids Say the Darndest Things (NEW!)
9:00PM Shark Tank
10:00PM The Rookie (new day)

New unscheduled, Mid-Season 2020:
New Comedy: United We Fall
New Drama: The Baker and the Beauty, For Life
New Reality/Unscripted:
Returning Comedy:
Returning Drama: Station 19, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Returning Reality/Unscripted: American Idol, The Bachelor

Notes: Only three new scripted series will debut in the fall – dramas Emergence and Stumptown; and the black-ish comedy spinoff mixed-ish. New dramas The Baker and the Beauty and For Life, along with the new comedy, United We Fall, will debut midseason. Station 19, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., American Idol and The Bachelor will return midseason.

Discuss ABC's 2019-20 lineup and also you can view complete program information.

The season premiere dates of two popular comedy series for kids and families - Raven's Home and BUNK'D - have been set for Monday, June 17 at 8:00pm EDT/PDT, and Thursday, June 20 at 8:00pm EDT/PDT, respectively, on Disney Channel and DisneyNOW. In the third season of Raven's Home, its star and executive producer Raven-Symoné will make her television directing debut. The season is also highlighted by guest stars Jaleel White (Me, Myself and I, Family Matters), Jonathan McDaniel (That's So Raven) and Charles Robinson (Night Court, K.C. Undercover). The stories pick up with Raven Baxter, her family and friends pursuing their creative dreams. Booker, Nia and Tess form a music group, The Chi-Lective, with Levi as their music video director, Raven is determined to launch her fashion line, while Chelsea has finally found her niche as a life coach. Raven's Home stars Raven-Symoné (That's So Raven), Issac Ryan Brown (ABC's black-ish and Disney's Kim Possible), Navia Robinson (Being Mary Jane), Jason Maybaum (Disney's Freaky Friday), Sky Katz and Anneliese van der Pol (That's So Raven). Additionally, Johnno Wilson (You Kiddin' Me) guest stars this season as Levi's dad, Garrett.

In the fourth season premiere of the hit summer camp comedy BUNK'D, former counselor Lou Hockhauser takes the mantle as camp director as she and her veteran campers, Destiny, Finn and Matteo, welcome three new Camp Kikiwaka members - Noah (an upbeat actor from Hollywood), Ava (a tenacious counselor from the big city) and Gwen (who has spent her entire life living off the grid). BUNK'D stars Miranda May (The Heartbreak Kid, Samantha Who?), Raphael Alejandro (Once Upon a Time), Will Buie Jr. (Daytime Divas), Mallory James Mahoney (Disney's Adventures in Babysitting), Shelby Simmons (Andi Mack), Scarlett Estevez (Daddy's Home) and Israel Johnson (Schooled).

Actress, singer and series executive producer Raven-Symoné leads the multitalented Raven's Home cast in a dynamic musical episode, Raven's Home: Remix, about self-empowerment and self-expression. Directed by Paul Hoen and choreographed by Will "WilldaBeast" Adams, the episode premieres Friday, Oct. 12 from 8:00-8:30 p.m. EDT/PDT, on Disney Channel, in the DisneyNOW app and DisneyVOD. It features eight original songs and dance numbers performed by the cast: Raven-Symoné, Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson, Jason Maybaum, Sky Katz and Anneliese van der Pol. The Raven's Home musical episode will usher in the series premiere of Coop & Cami Ask the World at 8:30 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel.

In Raven's Home: Remix, Booker sets out to land the starring role in the school's musical about a boy who loves playing basketball and performing hip-hop. When Raven has a vision of Booker receiving a standing ovation, she's convinced he's perfect for the role and encourages him to go for it. However, when Nia discovers the part requires someone who is great at basketball and can rap - two things Tess excels at - she tries to convince Coach Spitz to let Tess audition for the role. When he refuses because Tess is a girl, a determined Nia takes a stand to prove girls can do anything boys can do.

Series creator Laura Chinn (The Mick) will star alongside Laci Mosley (The Wedding Year), Melanie Field (Heathers) and Patty Guggenheim (Splitting Up Together, LA to Vegas) in Pop TV's newest scripted comedy, Florida Girls, which starts production in early October. Inspired by Chinn's real life growing up on the West Coast of Florida, the 10-episode series follows four women who are forced to confront their stagnant lives when their only ambitious friend moves away to follow her dreams. The series stars Laura Chinn. Chinn will star as Shelby, the follower. She's a total screw-up who tries to better herself because she saw someone else do it. Laci Mosley stars as Jayla, the self-absorbed one. She's vain and banks hard on her looks as she pursues her lifelong dream of having exorbitant wealth. Melanie Field stars as Kaitlin, the stunted one. She lives her life like she's still in high school and is the catalyst for all the year-round spring break insanity that Florida has to offer. And Patty Guggenheim plays Erica, the thief. She's that scrub friend who never has money and has no problem letting you pay, but will call you every day if you owe her five dollars.

Fox 2018-19

Fall 2018

Mondays
8:00PM The Resident
9:00PM 9-1-1

Tuesdays
8:00PM The Gifted
9:00PM Lethal Weapon

Wednesdays
8:00PM Empire
9:00PM Star

Thursdays
7:30PM Thursday Night Pregame Show
8:00PM NFL Football

Fridays
8:00PM Last Man Standing (ALL-NEW EPISODES)
8:30PM The Cool Kids (NEW!)
9:00PM Hell's Kitchen

Saturdays
7:00PM Fox Sports Saturday: Fox College Football

Sundays
7:00PM NFL on Fox
7:30PM The OT (NFL post-game)/Fox Encores
8:00PM The Simpsons
8:30PM Bob's Burgers
9:00PM Family Guy
9:30PM Rel (NEW!)

Unscheduled Mid-season 2019 (new and returning):
New Comedy:
New Drama: The Passage, Proven Innocent
Returning Reality/Unscripted: Beat Shazam, The Four: Battle for Stardom, Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell & Back, Hell's Kitchen, Love Connection, MasterChef, MasterChef Junior, Showtime at the Apollo, So You Think You Can Dance
Returning Series: Gotham, The Orville

NOTES: Three new comedies and two new dramas join the lineup. Thursday Night Football will debut in Fall 2018, with Pro Football Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Michael Strahan to headline pregame show. Epic thriller, The Passage, from executive producers Ridley Scott, Matt Reeves and Liz Heldens, will launch midseason. Legal drama Proven Innocent, from Empire co-creator Danny Strong, will debut midseason. Gotham will air its fifth and final season at midseason. Season two of The Orville will premiere midseason. An all-new live musical production of Tony Award, Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize Winner Rent will air January 2019. A brand-new Cosmos installment, Cosmos: Possible Worlds will premiere spring 2019.

Discuss Fox's 2018-19 lineup. You'll find the official press release there, too...with details on all the new series.

Season two of Disney Channel's hit comedy series Raven's Home is set to premiere with a week of four new episodes, beginning Monday, June 25 - Thursday, June 28 at 9:30 a.m. EDT/PDT, on Disney Channel, in the DisneyNOW app and on Disney Channel VOD. Following the debut week, new episodes will premiere throughout the summer on Tuesday and Friday mornings at 9:30 a.m. EDT/PDT, as part of Disney Channel's GO! Summer that super-serves kids and families all season with new programming and fan-centric off-air events. Made for kids age 6-14 and their families, the series will continue to present funny, relatable, heartfelt and broad storylines about kids, parents, twin siblings and best friends for life. In the second season, Raven Baxter, played by Emmy(R)-nominated comedic actress Raven-Symoné, learns along with the entire family that her son Booker has inherited her ability to catch glimpses into the future. When Booker and Raven's visions collide, it sets madcap escapades into motion for the entire extended family.

The second season will spotlight the multitalented cast in a show-stopping musical episode, with original songs and dance numbers choreographed by Will "Willdabeast" Adams and directed by Paul Hoen (director of over a dozen Disney Channel Original Movies including ZOMBIES and Camp Rock 2, Let It Shine). Season two guest stars include Jonathan McDaniel (That So Raven) who returns as Nia and Booker's dad, Devon Carter; Brian George (That's So Raven) as Dr. Sleevemore; Mike Massimino as Tess' dad, Jimmy; Anthony Alabi as Coach Spitz; Wendy Raquel Robinson (Descendants) as Dream Weaver; and Dylan Martin Frankel as the family's new 12-year-old landlord, Mitch.

Disney Channel has ordered a second season of its hit series Raven's Home, starring and executive produced by multitalented Raven-Symoné who reprises her role as Raven Baxter from the iconic comedy That's So Raven. Production will resume in Hollywood next month. Joining Raven-Symoné as executive producers are Dava Savel and Michael Feldman. The series also stars Issac Ryan Brown, Navia Robinson, Jason Maybaum, Sky Katz and Anneliese van der Pol. The July premiere of Raven's Home was the #1 live-action cable TV series premiere in two years among its targeted demographics - Kids 6-11 (1.3 million/5.3 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (1.5 million/6.1 rating) - and Kids 2-11 (1.6 million/4.0 rating). It was also the #1 series premiere among all kid cable TV networks in Total Viewers (4.0 million) since Disney Channel's BUNK'D (July 31, 2015). Since its debut, "Raven's Home" is #1 in its Friday timeslot and has amassed over 50 million views on TV and digital viewing platforms, including nearly 4.5 million on YouTube and nearly 10 million views on VOD, making it Disney Channel's #1-streamed series.

New episodes of Raven's Home are presented Fridays (8:00-8:30 p.m. EDT) on Disney Channel and available in DisneyNow and on demand. All four seasons of That's So Raven are also available on Disney Channel VOD. Raven's Home follows the hilarity and adventures of longtime best friends Raven and Chelsea who are each divorced with kids of their own - Raven's twins, Booker and Nia, and Chelsea's son, Levi - living in one hectic but fun household that often includes the twin's best friend and neighbor, Tess. Unbeknownst to the kids, Raven still catches glimpses of the future, and unbeknownst to her, Booker has discovered he has the same ability to see into the future.

PeopleTV, has a new episode of its popular series, Entertainment Weekly: Cast Reunions, with the cast of Family Matters. Reunited for this special are Reginald VelJohnson (Carl Winslow), Jo Marie Payton (Harriete Winslow), Darius McCrary (Eddie Winslow), Kellie Shanygne Williams (Laura Winslow), Telma Hopkins (Rachel Crawford), Bryton McClure (Richie Crawford), Jaleel White (Steve Urkel) and Shawn Harrison (Waldo Faldo). In this interview, Jaleel White reveals that, as a 12 year-old actor, he auditioned for Steve Urkel by emulating Martin Short's SNL character, Ed Grimley. Jaleel said, "I was just a 12-year old black kid doing an Ed Grimley impersonation ... because I'm African American, at this time, people are not thinking that my influences are white." The cast also talks about the origin of Steve Urkel's catchphrase, "Did I do that?" and gets emotional as they describe how they helped to raise Shawn Harrison (Waldo Faldo) after his mother passed away. Watch the full reunion with the cast!

Raven's Home, a sitcom for kids and families that brings powerhouse star Raven-Symoné back to Disney Channel to reprise the role of Raven Baxter from the iconic comedy series That's So Raven, premieres Friday, July 21 at a special time of 10:00pm EDT, on Disney Channel, and will be available on the Disney Channel App, VOD and Disney Channel YouTube (12:01 a.m. EDT). The linear debut of Raven's Home will immediately follow the television premiere of the highly anticipated Descendants 2 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT. New episodes of Raven's Home will air Fridays at 8:30 pm EDT on Disney Channel, beginning July 28. To get fans ready and excited, all four seasons of That's So Raven will be available on-demand on the Disney Channel App and VOD Thursday, June 1.

Raven's castmate Anneliese van der Pol also reprises her role of free-spirited Chelsea in the new series, which finds the longtime best friends each divorced with kids of their own. The single moms come together to help raise their children - Raven's 11-year-old twins Booker and Nia, Chelsea's 9-year-old son Levi - in one chaotic, but fun household that often includes the twin's best friend and neighbor Tess. Raven still catches glimpses of the future, but she's not the only one in the family who does - Booker has the same ability. While Booker uses his newly found power to try and make sense of middle school and his new family life, Raven uses her power to help her be a better mom, a great fashion designer and an awesome friend. Hilarity ensues as Raven and Booker's visions collide, but no matter the situation, they figure everything out together as one big happy family.

Also starring are Issac Ryan Brown (black-ish, Miles from Tomorrowland) as overly confident but loveable Booker; Navia Robinson (Being Mary Jane) as independent, no-nonsense Nia; Jason Maybaum (Superstore) as savvy, wise-beyond-his-years Levi; and Sky Katz (America's Got Talent) as Booker and Nia's gutsy best friend and neighbor Tess.

The highly anticipated musical episode of Once Upon a Time aired last night and now next week it is time for the two-hour finale. But before that, ABC is giving us a special. Once Upon a Time: The Final Battle Begins - Join the talented cast and executive producers as they identify some of their favorite moments over the past six seasons, as well as take a look back at their characters' journeys. They will discuss what the show has meant to them personally and to the millions of fans who made Once Upon a Time a hit show on ABC. Additionally in this special, "Oncers" get to ask the cast and producers their most burning questions about the series. Take a look back at the origins, the love and romance, and all the adventures along that way that fans have cherished these past six seasons on Sunday, May 14 (7:00-8:00 p.m. EDT). Afterwards, stay tuned for the epic two-hour season finale, as the final battle has arrived, on Once Upon a Time, (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network.

There's still no word on a seventh season, but odds are that there will be one. There could be some sort of "reset" button, but that is still not certain. Once Upon a Time stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina Mills, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Rebecca Mader as the Wicked Witch/Zelena and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.

Disney Channel has ordered Raven's Home, the That's So Raven spin-off, continuing the story of the award-winning family comedy that resonated with kids, tweens and families around the world. Production on the multicamera series is set to begin this month in Los Angeles for a scheduled premiere in 2017. Starring are the previously announced Raven-Symoné and Anneliese van der Pol, who will reprise their roles as best friends Raven Baxter and Chelsea Daniels. Issac Brown (black-ish, Miles from Tomorrowland) and Navia Robinson (Being Mary Jane) have been cast as Raven's 11-year-old twins Booker and Nia, respectively, and Jason Maybaum (Superstore) will play Chelsea's nine-year-old son Levi. Sky Katz (America's Got Talent) also joins the cast as Nia's best friend Tess.

Geared toward kids 6-14 and their families, the series will pick up with Raven and Chelsea, who are now divorced single mothers raising their two separate families in one chaotic, but fun household full of friends. When one of Raven's kids begins to show signs that they have inherited her trait of catching glimpses of the future, the already hectic household gets turned upside down, keeping even Raven on her toes. As previously announced, Raven-Symoné will serve as an executive producer on the series. Longtime writer/producer partners Scott Thomas and Jed Elinoff (Disney Channel's Best Friends Whenever, Emmy nominees for R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour) will also executive produce.

Comedian Iliza Shlesinger is bringing her incisive perspective to a new weekly half-hour late-night talk show, Truth & Iliza. Truth & Iliza is getting a six-week run starting Tuesday, May 2 at 10pm EDT and will serve as a platform for Iliza's societal observations and sketches fueled by her opinions as well as in-studio celebrity guest and expert interviews. The show will be centered around a themed question which Iliza will seek to answer using audience interaction, field pieces, commentary and, of course, jokes. Iliza will draw from her decade of stand-up experience to focus on the sociopolitical issues of the day, providing a forum for viewers to discuss everything from the necessary to the inane to the taboo. Iliza recently wrapped up her national 15-city theatre tour - Iliza: The Confirmed Kills Tour. Girl Logic, her first book from Weinstein Books, will be published in the fall 2017. Iliza's scripted web series on the ABC app, Forever 31, has been ordered for a second season, and her third comedy special Confirmed Kills is currently available on Netflix.