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Connecting... - Thursdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on NBC
Premieres Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 8:00PM ET/PT

by Vincent

Connecting... is a new socially distanced comedy about a group of friends staying connected through video chats, much as many groups of friends were doing (and in some cases, still are doing) at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The show is unique in that it is shot entirely remotely on iPhones, reflecting the extraordinary times that we live in.

Cast Details:

Ely Henry as Rufus
Jill Knox as Michelle
Keith Powell as Garrett
Otmara Marrero as Annie
Parvesh Cheena as Pradeep
Preacher Lawson as Ben
Shakina Nayfack as Ellis

Ely Henry (Rufus) is an actor best known for his supporting roles in films such as Mean Girls and Cheaper By the Dozen 2 and in TV series such as Suburgatory and Good Luck Charlie.

Jill Knox (Michelle) is an up and coming actress. She has previously appeared in shorts. Connecting... will be her first major starring role.

Keith Powell (Garrett) is an American actor best known for his role as Toofer on 30 Rock. He has also appeared in many other TV shows as a guest star, including Superstore, NCIS: Los Angeles and Grace and Frankie.

Otmarra Marreo (Annie) is an American actress known for her role on ABC's New York Undercover and Crackle's original series Start Up. She has also appeared on shows such as Ballers and Graceland.

Parvesh Cheena (Pradeep) is an American actor best known for his roles as Gupta in NBC's Outsourced and as Sunil Odhav on The CW's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Preacher Lawson (Ben) is an American comedian best known as a contestant on America's Got Talent. He has his own BET+ comedy special.

Shakina Nayfack (Ellis) is an American actress and comedy writer best known for her work on the Hulu original comedy Difficult People, which she both wrote for and starred in as Lola.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (Airs Thursday, October at 8:00PM ET)

As the friend group gathers at the start of quarantine for their new-normal virtual hang, Annie contemplates opening up to Ben about her feelings for him. Meanwhile, everyone worries about Jazmin, who's been MIA.

Analysis:

Connecting... is the type of show that we will look back on in 20 years and be immediately taken back into this moment in time. There have always been sitcoms tied to their time, but I don't think there's ever one that will be as tied to the time it aired as Connecting... The idea of a group of friends staying together over video chat due to a global pandemic is certainly the most 2020 concept for a show you could come up with, and in a few years when this pandemic is thankfully behind us, it’s all going to feel a little odd and certainly dated. In fact, since the lockdown measures of the spring have mostly been lifted, you could argue the concept already feels just slightly dated, as Zoom happy hours aren’t quite as needed as they were back in March or April. There are also references to things that are no longer true (a sports-obsessed character laments the lack of sports, which obviously is no longer the case, and it treats New York City as the COVID epicenter it was in April but no longer is.) And that sort of lies the problem with Connecting. It's more of an 8-part “special” than a sitcom, in a lot of ways, specifically designed for this current moment. As soon as this moment ends, it’s unlikely anyone will be reaching back for the show. And yet, for this moment in time, it’s a pretty solid and likable show, for what it is.

I’m not going to argue that Connecting... is necessarily a great show, but it is oddly appealing in some ways. It reminds me a lot of the “hangout” sitcoms that were popular in the early 2010s, along the lines of something like Cougar Town or Happy Endings. It’s not nearly as funny or well-made as those shows (and I did find myself comparing it unfavorably to the virtual Happy Endings reunion episode that had a similar premise), but watching characters and likable actors express some of the struggles we’ve been going through was oddly cathartic. I also have to give a lot of props to the actors. Acting and forming a character in a video chat is something that can’t be easy, but the actors do a really good job with it. I was particularly impressed with Shakina Nayfack, who gives her all into her character and really made her character come alive. (I also really related to her line that “sports give me something to constantly think about in the background, which is very therapeutic.” I have to say I had some identical thoughts during the sports drought of the spring.) It’s also impressive that the entire show was shot remotely on iPhones - the editing and production quality is impressive considering that. Additionally, the show does a good job of making light of our odd reality while not belittling it. A main character who is a healthcare worker goes on a heartwrenching but all too real rant, showing that the show is willing to deal with the pandemic seriously. Overall, Connecting... isn’t a show that I really expect to last beyond its initial episode order just because of the novelty of its premise, nor is it a show I expect to make the “best sitcoms ever” list anytime soon. But it’s a funny and likable time capsule, and in a world where we’re short on new content, it does the trick.

Conclusion:

Connecting... isn’t a great show, but it’s a pleasant and likable one that’s actually pretty impressive in the scope of its production. The cast of mostly generally green performers is likable and they do a good job doing the difficult task of forming a sitcom character without the benefit of being able to interact in person or play off each other in any physical way. It’s not a show you’ll be itching to watch for years to come, but it’s a likable enough capsule of this moment in time.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

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

Discuss the show after you watch it on Thursday, October 8, 2020 at 8:00PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

NBC.com Official Site

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Connecting... Photo Gallery

Preview:

WarnerMedia comes together to celebrate the final season of The CW and Warner Bros. Television's Supernatural with two special marathons on TNT.

On October 6-8, TNT will air the first 13 episodes of Season 15, providing fans with the opportunity to catch up on the final season.

Additionally, on November 19 from 5:00am to 8:00pm ET/PT, TNT will host a 15-hour Supernatural marathon as a countdown to the two-hour series finale event, airing later that evening on The CW. This “best of” marathon will include one episode from each season along with interstitials featuring unique behind-the-scenes clips and anecdotes from the cast.

Supernatural fans rejoice! Starting Monday, September 14, 2020, TNT will host a week long marathon of Supernatural to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the show all week from 10am-3pm. Fans will have the opportunity to select their favorite episodes that they want to see by voting on TNT social platforms. In addition to fan favorite episodes, TNT will air cast favorite episodes like "Crossroad Blues" and "Monster Movie." But that's not all! Fans will get to see exclusive BTS footage from Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins. You won't want to miss it! And as a reminder, Supernatural returns with its final 7 episodes on The CW on Thursday, October 8 at 9pm, with its series finale set for Thursday, November 19 from 8-10pm.

Actress and activist Alyssa Milano (Who's the Boss?, Charmed) is partnering with Free Speech For People, Let America Vote Action Fund, Stand Up America, and When We All Vote to produce an upcoming webinar series focused on election security and voter activation leading into the November election. The six-episode series brings together experts in the election security field with celebrities, activists, and other notables and will be moderated by Milano.

When We All Vote, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization on a mission to increase participation in every election, will provide opportunities for participants to register to vote and volunteer. “When We All Vote is committed to making our democracy more accessible and protecting everyone’s right to the ballot box. Our vote is our voice, and together, we can ensure everyone is registered, has a plan to vote early and can mobilize their communities around voter registration and turnout,” said Crystal Carson, Vice President of Culture, Communications and Media Partnerships at When We All Vote.

Own the Vote 2020 will feature six topical episodes and will broadcast on alternating Mondays as of yesterday (September 7). Participation is free and registration is required. More information is available at OwnTheVote2020.com and watch the first episode. 

The CW has released return dates for their series. Some shows have gotten pushed back so they can extend the season into May with the shorter episode orders, while some other series (Supernatural, Legacies) are on hold so they can finish production on the season. Batwoman and Supergirl will return on Sunday, April 26. Both of those shows will now have 20 episodes this season instead of 22. Roswell, New Mexico is unaffected and will continue to air Mondays at 9. The Flash and DC's Legends of Tomorrow return with new episodes on April 21. It looks like the former will have 19 of 22 episodes and the latter will have 14 of 15 episodes produced. Riverdale returns Wednesday, April 15 with 21 of 22 episodes, while Nancy Drew returns April 8 as planned and is unaffected. Katy Keene also is unaffected and will return as planned on April 16, while Friday dramas (Charmed, Dynasty) are all-new the rest of the season and will have all 22 episodes.

Adult Swim goes down under for its next original series, YOLO: Crystal Fantasy, which hails from YouTube creator, Michael Cusack, well known for his animated comedies. The new series premieres later this year. YOLO: Crystal Fantasy follows two Australian party girls, Sarah and Rachel, looking for fun times, new experiences, positive vibes, and hopeful horoscopes in the bizarre town of Wollongong. Sarah's quest is to find love, whereas Rachel hungers for chaos, often bringing them into conflict as they encounter surreal Australiana, strange bush creatures, and eccentric nomads.

Cusack's viral hit Ciggy Butt Brain first caught the eye of Justin Roiland who later asked him to create an Australian version of Rick and Morty, giving life to Bushworld Adventures. Cusack's animation is known for combining his brand of biting satire with his own somewhat unpolished drawing style. The quarter-hour animated series is created by Cusack (Bushworld Adventures, Ciggy Butt Brain) and produced by Cusack and Mike Cowap. Executive Producers include Cusack, Greta Lee Jackson, and Emma Fitzsimons. The series is produced by Princess Pictures. Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is a WarnerMedia network offering original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET/PT), Adult Swim is the #1 network with persons 18-24, 18-34 and 18-49 and is seen in 85 million U.S. homes. 

With more new shows launching in 2020 than the fall, NBC's winter and spring slate fuels a long-term strategy and features a completely reimagined Little Big Shots as well as three new dramas and one new multi-camera comedy. January kicks off with the return of last season's breakout hit Manifest. Its midseason launch enables fans of the serialized drama to enjoy an interrupted run of Season 2's 13-episodes. Midseason will see the debut of a trio of dramas, beginning on Friday nights in January with crime thriller Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector at 8 p.m., based on the best-selling novel The Bone Collector. The series follows former NYPD detective and forensic genius Lincoln Rhyme (Grimm's Russell Hornsby) and his new partner, Amelia Sachs (Arielle Kebbel, Midnight Texas) in a cat-and-mouse game as they join forces to bring down a notorious serial killer.

Also in January, after tuning in Tuesday, Jan. 7 for a special two-hour Season 3 premiere of Ellen's Game of Games at 8 p.m., audiences will get a sneak peek at the premiere episode of new high-concept drama Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist. The series premiere will be available to stream on the NBC App and Hulu following its on-air premiere preview. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist stars Jane Levy (Suburgatory) as a whip-smart computer coder who, following an unusual event, starts to hear the innermost thoughts of the people around her through songs, including her boss played by Lauren Graham (Parenthood) and her mom, played by Mary Steenburgen (The Last Man on Earth). On Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m., Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist makes its regular timeslot debut (with a re-airing of the pilot at 8 p.m.). Beginning in March, it will air between the all-new Little Big Shots with Melissa McCarthy and fan-favorite Good Girls, starring Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman and Retta, making Sundays nights appointment television with a lineup of true leading ladies.

Rounding out the new midseason dramas is Council of Dads, centered on three men who step in to guide their best friend's family through all of life's triumphs and challenges. The new series will follow This Is Us on Tuesdays for two weeks before taking over its 9 p.m. timeslot when the show concludes its fourth season in March. On the comedy front, January marks the conclusion of hit series The Good Place, which will go out with a forkin' good time on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 8:30 p.m. The series finale gives fans an extra-long 90-minute block dedicated to the award-winning show, which includes an extended episode as well as a post-show special featuring the full cast and hosted by Seth Meyers. The series finale makes way for NBC's new Thursday night comedy line-up, including the debut of new family comedy Indebted on Feb. 6 at 9:30 p.m. The multi-camera comedy, which will have the iconic final season of Will & Grace as its lead in, stars Adam Pally (Happy Endings) and Abby Elliot (SNL) as a young couple whose lives get turned upside down by their boomerang parents, played by Fran Drescher (The Nanny) and Steven Weber (Wings).

Feb. 6 also brings the celebratory return of Brooklyn Nine-Nine with a one-hour season premiere at 8 p.m., pre-empting Superstore before airing in its regularly scheduled 8:30 p.m. time slot beginning Feb. 13. NBC's unmatched lineup of alternative hits continue to help power midseason, led by last season's #1 most-watched alternative series, America's Got Talent: The Champions, as well the breakout competition series Ellen's Game of Games, both returning to their winning timeslots on Monday Jan. 6 at 8 p.m. and Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 8 p.m., respectively. Families can also add a new favorite to their lineup: Melissa McCarthy joins as the host of Little Big Shots with a totally reimagined season from executive producer Ellen DeGeneres. The teaming of two of the funniest minds in Hollywood will celebrate the unique kids who inspire us all. The Voice returns to Mondays on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. for Cycle 18, adding multi-platinum and award-winning recording artist, actor and songwriter Nick Jonas to the coaching lineup along with fan favorites Kelly Clarkson, John Legend and Blake Shelton. The Voice lands on the schedule once a week in midseason, making way for hit show Ellen's Game of Games to keep its prime spot on the schedule for a few extra months before The Voice moves back to twice weekly for the always-anticipated live shows over the cycle's final three weeks in May.

The CW Network announced dates for the debut of its new series Katy Keene, plus the returns of DC's Legends of Tomorrow and Roswell, New Mexico. A spinoff of the hit Riverdale, The CW's new midseason series Katy Keene, starring Lucy Hale, Ashleigh Murray, Jonny Beauchamp and Julia Chan, debuts Thursday, February 6, 2020 at 8:00pm ET/PT, followed by an original episode of Legacies at 9:00pm ET/PT. DC's Legends of Tomorrow officially kicks-off its fifth season on Tuesday, January 21 at 9:00pm ET/PT, following an original episode of Arrow at 8:00pm ET/PT. Arrow will conclude its eighth season with a two-hour event on Tuesday, January 28, beginning with a finale preview at 8:00-9:00pm ET/PT followed by the Arrow series finale at 9:00pm ET/PT.

Supernatural will move to Monday nights, making its new time period premiere on March 16 at 8:00pm ET/PT, paired with the second season return of Roswell, New Mexico at 9:00pm ET/PT. The week before, on Monday March 9, All American (8:00pm ET/PT) and Black Lightning (9:00pm ET/PT) will have their back-to-back season finales. Supernatural will wrap its historic 15-season journey on Monday, May 18. The premieres of the second season of In the Dark and the final season of The 100 will be announced at a later date.

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! Winter is over, spring has sprung, and we're starting to hear about renewals and cancelations for this season! Also, with the lack of any good news about DVDs lately, we're hearing about one big one coming this summer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of a classic series. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

NBC's proud comedy legacy, which has opened doors for countless comedians, is ready to Bring the Funny with a new competition series for the next generation of comedy lovers. The series will feature the world's best comedic acts and, for the first time on television, embrace every style of comedy performance in one competition. The 10-episode series will bring together some of the most prolific comedians in the industry to serve as judges - Saturday Night Live's longest-running cast member Kenan Thompson, cultural tastemaker Chrissy Teigen and comedy icon Jeff Foxworthy. Comedian Amanda Seales will serve as host for the competition. No word yet on an airdate, so stay tuned.

In partnership with the international organization Just for Laughs, which has given rise to some of today's most successful comedic acts via its iconic festivals, tours and television series, Bring the Funny will feature the best of the best stand-ups, sketch troupes and comedic variety acts. From solo comics to sketch troupes to musicians, magicians, podcasters, puppeteers, YouTubers and more - anyone who can make audiences laugh will have the chance to receive the career-changing $250,000 prize package and see their name in lights in the Bring the Funny showcase.

To celebrate the 300th episode of the hit series, Supernatural, TNT has curated the top 25 fan-favorite episodes, which will air this week (February 4–7). In the series, Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) lost their mother to a mysterious and demonic supernatural force. Subsequently, their father John raised them to be soldiers. He taught them about the paranormal evil that lives in the dark corners and on the back roads of America ... and he taught them how to kill it. The 300th episode airs Thursday, February 7 at 8:00pm on The CW.

Below is the episode rundown.

Monday, February 4, 2019
10am – Various & Sundry Villains
11am – Devil's Bargain
12pm – Scoobynatural
1pm – Tall Tales
2pm – Mystery Spot

Tuesday, February 5, 2019
2am – Sex and Violence
3am – Monster at the End of This Book
4am – Good God, Y'all
5am – Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
10am – Exile on Main Street
11am – Two and a Half Men
12pm – You Can't Handle the Truth
1pm – Family Matters
2pm – Clap Your Hands if You Believe

Wednesday, February 6, 2019
10am – Hello, Cruel World
11am – Defending Your Life
12pm – Slash Fiction
1pm – The Mentalists
2pm – What's up, Tiger Mommy?
3pm – Remember the Titans
4pm – The Great Escapists

Thursday, February 7, 2019
10am – Clip Show
11am – Sacrifice
12pm – The Things we left Behind
1pm – Inside Man

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

There are a lot of sitcoms coming to an end in 2019 - from Broad City to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and also to You're the Worst. Today, I'll be spotlighting the final season of FXX's You're the Worst, which is proving to be an incredibly strong one as the sitcom reaches its conclusion. You're the Worst has been a bit of a quiet favorite over its five season run - it never attracted the amount of viewers of a show like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, but those who were on its wavelength were incredibly passionate about it, particularly in the show's strong first and second seasons. The series was an incredibly funny but also heartfelt look at what it's like to be in a relationship when you're kind of broken - and it got a lot more real in its second season, when it revealed one of its central characters of its main couple, Gretchen, suffers from depression. The second season was one of the best TV seasons of the 2010s - funny, heartfelt and intricately written. The show hasn't quite reached those heights since - the third season attempted to look at Jimmy in a similar way that the second looked at Gretchen, but it never quite felt as vital as that season, never quite reaching the level of depth that Gretchen's arc did. In Season 4, the show's couple spent most of the time broken up, which felt like something the show needed to do but also made the show feel a bit split and scattered, struggling to find a central focus as strong as Jimmy and Gretchen's relationship.

Now, though, in its final season, You're the Worst is doing an excellent job of bringing everything to a conclusion, and it's doing it by remembering its characters depths and allowing them to be as real and funny as possible. Ultimately, what makes the show such a special one is its willingness to go to places that other shows wouldn't - whether that's in its characters behavior or in the show's format (such as in the premiere, which centers mostly around a fictional story that Jimmy and Gretchen are telling.) It's great to see the show gain its mojo back and once again focus on the depth of its characters, proving that it's a show we'll really miss once its gone.

The CW Network has given early renewals to ten of its primetime series for the 2019-2020 season. The series being ordered for the 2019-2020 broadcast year include second seasons of The CW's freshman hits Charmed and Legacies, as well as new seasons of Arrow (Season 8), Black Lightning (Season 3), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (Season 5), Dynasty (Season 3), The Flash (Season 6), Riverdale (Season 4), Supergirl (Season 5), and the veteran hit Supernatural (Season 15). Specific premiere dates for each series will be announced at a later time.

This Halloween, TNT is bringing fans spooks, chills and thrills with an all-day Supernatural marathon, starting at 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., spanning four seasons of the most terrifying episodes from the fan-favorite series. From hauntings to ghosts, zombies and even Bloody Mary, TNT is your destination for getting into the Halloween spirit. In the series, Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) lost their mother to a mysterious and demonic supernatural force twenty-six years ago. Subsequently, their father John raised them to be soldiers. He taught them about the paranormal evil that lives in the dark corners and on the back roads of America ... and he taught them how to kill it.

The televangelist game will never be the same. John Goodman and Danny McBride are The Righteous Gemstones. HBO has ordered the pilot of The Righteous Gemstones to series. The televangelist family comedy about Jesse Gemstone, who arrogantly attempts to expand and modernize the global TV ministry that his father Eli created a long tradition of deviance, greed, and charitable work, all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. The cast includes Adam Devine as Kelvin Gemstone, Cassidy Freeman as Amber Gemstone, Danny McBride as Jesse Gemstone, Edi Patterson as Judy Gemstone, John Goodman as Eli Gemstone, Tim Baltz as B.J. and Tony Cavalero as Keefe Chambers.

"Thank a Mailman Day" arrives next week, and TBS is going to celebrate by inviting viewers to say, "Hello, Newman," to an evening of Seinfeld episodes featuring Jerry Seinfeld's sworn enemy from down the hall. Airing Wednesday, Feb. 4, from 6-8 p.m. (ET/PT), TBS's "Thank a Mailman Day" celebration will include four unforgettable Newman episodes, with Wayne Knight playing the always-scheming mailman to slimy perfection. After spending two straight hours with Newman, viewers are certain to come away with a greater appreciation of the hard-working mail carriers in their own lives. Newman is one of the most popular recurring characters featured on Seinfeld. With his maniacal laugh and twisted mind, Newman is Jerry's arch nemesis, the Lex Luthor to Jerry's Superman, though the reasons for their long-held enmity remain shrouded in mystery. To make matters worse, Jerry and Newman can't seem to stay out of each other's lives, especially since Newman is a close friend of Jerry's pal Kramer (Michael Richards).

Episodes chosen for TBS's "Thank a Mailman Day" celebration include "The Label Maker," in which Jerry gets stuck sitting next to Newman at the Super Bowl; "The Package," which has Newman investigate Jerry for mail fraud; and "The Andrea Doria," in which Jerry is roped into helping Newman deliver the mail. The lineup wraps up with "The Junk Mail," in which Newman reveals the shocking truth about the Postmaster General and his diabolical plans.

Meanwhile, TNT is celebrating Supernatural fandom this month with Supernatural Superfan Wednesdays, seven-hour, themed marathons of episodes airing from 1-8 p.m. (ET/PT) every Wednesday in February. In addition, TNT will set aside President's Day for a 11 hours of fan favorites, as well as episodes featuring meta storylines. The Supernatural Super-Meta Marathon is set to air from noon to 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on Monday, Feb. 16. In honor of Supernatural's passionate fan base, TNT will highlight select fan tweets on-air throughout the Wednesday marathons. To take part, fans can tweet their thoughts using the hashtag #TNTRewatch.

Supernatural follows the thrilling and terrifying journey of brothers Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles), who lost their mother 27 years ago to a mysterious and demonic supernatural force. Subsequently, their father John (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) raised them to be soldiers. He taught them about the paranormal evil that lives in the dark corners and on the back roads of America... and he taught them how to kill it. The themes for Supernatural Superfan Wednesdays include "The Winchesters: Why So Serious" on Feb. 4, a marathon of funny episodes from the series; "The Bobby Singer Story" on Feb. 11, with episodes centering on the Winchester boys' surrogate father figure, played by Jim Beaver; "Killing Time" on Feb. 18, featuring episodes about time travel; and "The Lighter Side of Dean" on Feb. 25, with humorous episodes centering on the younger of the two Winchester brothers.