SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline Digest: Tina Fey to Star in New Netflix Series; The Good Doctor Coming to an End

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we are learning of a new Tina Fey series, the cancelation of an ABC drama, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Tina Fey has been rather active behind the scenes since 30 Rock ended, but now she is ready to do the acting again as well, in a new Netflix comedy series, The Four Seasons. (Deadline)
• The Good Doctor is coming to an end at ABC. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Our Flag Means Death has been canceled by Max. (Variety)
• It started with HBO having a movie based upon her, but now a drama series called Miss Cleo is coming, with Sanaa Lathan in the starring role. (Deadline)
• Soap star Bill Hayes, who played on Days of Our Lives for 50 years, has died at age 98. (TV Insider)
• BUZZR is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Let's Make a Deal, starting today. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JANUARY 13 - JANUARY 20)

• It's the 50th anniversary of Happy Days, and Catchy Comedy is celebrating that with a binge this weekend, in addition to adding it to the daily lineup starting Monday.
• It's only the 49th anniversary for The Jeffersons, but Antenna TV is having an anniversary marathon for it on Monday anyway.
• It seems enthusiasm over awards shows has died down a bit, but this weekend, we have the Emmys on Fox on Monday, as well as the Critics Choice Awards on The CW (or just CW as they seem to be rebranding themselves to) on Sunday.
• New seasons of NBC's Chicago and Law & Order franchises arrive this week.
• Season two of Chad arrives on The Roku Channel on Friday.

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

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Labels: Days of Our Lives, Happy Days, Let's Make a Deal, Our Flag Means Death, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Good Doctor, The Jeffersons

ABC Winter 2024 Schedule; CBS Celebrates 98th Birthday of Dick Van Dyke

ABC announced its 2024 midseason premiere dates, featuring a robust lineup of high-stakes dramas, fan-favorite comedies, unparalleled unscripted series and groundbreaking news hours. Audiences will tune in starting Monday, Jan. 22, as Joey Graziadei begins his journey to find love when The Bachelor premieres, followed by an all-new eight-episode true-crime series of ABC News' 20/20 which explores some of the most shocking love crimes of all time. Fan-favorite comedies The Conners and Not Dead Yet debut Wednesday, Feb. 7, followed by a special one-hour premiere of the Emmy(R) Award-winning Abbott Elementary. Unscripted courtroom comedy series Judge Steve Harvey rounds out the Wednesday lineup.

The historic star-maker competition series American Idol premieres its seventh season on ABC Sunday, Feb. 18. ABC News' What Would You Do? makes its return to primetime, reintroducing the iconic hidden camera show to new and returning viewers. High-stakes dramas Will Trent, The Rookie and The Good Doctor return for new seasons on Tuesday, Feb. 20, while television's No. 1 broadcast drama 9-1-1 premieres Thursday, March 14, alongside the iconic dramas Grey's Anatomy and Station 19. Additional programming to be announced in the coming weeks. Shark Tank will continue to air original episodes on Fridays, as it has been doing all Fall. The previously announced series pickup of drama High Potential will now debut during the 2024-2025 broadcast season.

CBS presents Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic, an entertainment special honoring and celebrating the legendary career of the iconic actor and performer for his 98th birthday, Thursday, Dec. 21 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs)*.

GRAMMY(R), Emmy(R) and Tony(R) Award winner Van Dyke is one of the most beloved and legendary stars. He has inspired generations of performers and will be honored for his incredible contributions to the arts and entertainment. The tribute will travel back in time to the iconic set of The Dick Van Dyke Show and feature dazzling music and dance spectacles, heartfelt performances, special guests and a magical holiday number. The two-hour tribute event will also showcase songs and archival footage from the best of his nearly full century career encompassing Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and more.

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

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Labels: 9-1-1, Abbott Elementary, ABC, CBS, Dick Van Dyke, Dick Van Dyke Show, Grey's Anatomy, Not Dead Yet, Station 19, The Conners, The Good Doctor, The Rookie

STARZ Comedy Run the World Returns May 26; ABC's Backdoor Pilot of The Good Lawyer Airs on March 13

STARZ announced that Run the World will return audiences to the vibrant would of Harlem, as seen through the lives of three 30-something best friends, on Friday, May 26. In addition, several first look images were released hinting at what's to come for season two, with a focus on the bonds of friendship and power of Black sisterhood as the ladies fashionably navigate through the ups and downs of love and careers in their pursuit of world domination. The second season of the half-hour comedy series will premiere at midnight (ET) on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms. On linear, it will debut on STARZ at 9:30PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada.

Amber Stevens West (The Carmichael Show), Bresha Webb (Marlon) and Corbin Reid (Valor) return to their roles as "Whitney," "Renee," and "Sondi", three best friends living and thriving in Harlem. Stephen Bishop (Moneyball) and Tosin Morohunfola (Black Lightning) return in recurring roles. Erika Alexander (Living Single) and Nick Sagar (Queen of the South) will also be returning as recurring guest stars and Jay Walker (Grey's Anatomy) and Tonya Pinkins will return as guest stars. Run the World chronicles the euphoric highs and heartbreaking lows that Whitney, Renee and Sondi must endure in their pursuit of world domination. Whitney must follow the road of self-discovery in order to thrive in her life with or without Ola, while Renee and Sondi must decide what they truly want out of life - both in love and their careers. Whether they reunite with a past love, taste the life of a millionaire, or see their career take off in a radical new direction, these powerful Black women, fortified by their impenetrable friendship, won't let anything get in their way.

ABC's embedded pilot episode of The Good Doctor entitled The Good Lawyer, from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Signature, will air Monday, March 13 and stream the next day on Hulu. In the episode, Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) seeks legal representation to help him win a case and puts his faith in a promising, young lawyer who has obsessive compulsive disorder. The episode is written by co-showrunners David Shore and Liz Friedman, and directed by Ruben Fleischer. Guest starring is Kennedy McMann (Nancy Drew) as Jodi DeGroot, the brilliant, funny and self-aware lawyer who is relatively new to her prestigious law firm when she takes Shaun's case; Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives, American Crime) as Janet Stewart, a highly regarded attorney and partner at the law firm with a fierce intellect and dry wit; and Bethlehem Million as Abbie, Joni's compassionate, practical slightly older sister. A voice of reason, she is Joni's biggest cheerleader, roommate and best friend.

The Good Doctor stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews, Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman, Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park, Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim, Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo, Bria Samoné Henderson as Dr. Jordan Allen and Noah Galvin as Dr. Asher Wolke.

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

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Labels: ABC, Run the World, Starz, The Good Doctor

ABC Fall 2022 Premiere Dates; Remembering Philip Baker Hall, Lt. Bookman on Seinfeld

ABC has set fall premiere dates for its new and returning series for the upcoming 2022-2023 season, including new female-led dramas Alaska Daily (formerly known as Alaska) and The Rookie: Feds as well as the newest primetime game show Celebrity Jeopardy! Return dates have also been set for critically acclaimed comedy breakout Abbott Elementary, and fan favorites Bachelor in Paradise and Grey's Anatomy. ABC's No. 1 comedy last season in Adults 18-49, Quinta Brunson-helmed Abbott Elementary, returns on its new night, Wednesday, Sept. 21 (9:00-9:31 p.m. EDT), joining network comedy staples The Conners (8:00-8:30 p.m. EDT), The Goldbergs (8:30-9:00 p.m. EDT) and Home Economics (9:31-10:00 p.m. EDT) for a laugh-filled evening. Then, Reba McEntire and Jensen Ackles step into the world of Big Sky on its new night, bringing with them a new mystery to unravel as the mercurial matriarch of an established local family and the new sheriff in town, respectively. The first-ever live episode of Shark Tank, featuring all six original Sharks, swims into the weekend Friday, Sept. 21. 23 (8:00-9:01 p.m. EDT). A new season of ABC News' 20/20 (9:01-11:00 p.m. EDT) follows.

Sundays on ABC are synonymous with family fun as Hollywood stars test their knowledge with the ultimate game of trivia on Celebrity Jeopardy! (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT), debuting Sept. 25, and followed by the return of Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (9:00-10:00 p.m. EDT). The evening culminates with The Rookie (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT), and AFV joins the Sunday lineup a week later on Oct. 2 (7:00-8:00 p.m. EDT). Summer may have ended, but romance awaits as Bachelor in Paradise turns up the heat on Tuesday, Sept. 27 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), followed by the debut of The Rookie spinoff series, The Rookie: Feds, starring Niecy Nash-Betts (10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT). The search for love continues as BIP begins its two-night weekly run on Monday, Oct. 3 (8:00-10:00 p.m. EDT), preceding the return of hit drama The Good Doctor, which hits 100 episodes this season. And finally, Alaska Daily (10:01-11:00 p.m. EDT), from Oscar®-winning writer Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, joins Station 19 (8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT) and TV's longest-running primetime medical drama, Grey's Anatomy (9:00-10:01 p.m. EDT), on Thursday, Oct. 6. Additional premiere dates for the 2022-2023 season will be announced at a later date.

Character actor Philip Baker Hall, who played Lt. Joe Bookman on Seinfeld, has died. He died of emphysema at his home in Glendale, California, on June 12. Mr. Hall was 90.

Hall's early sitcom guest appearances included Good Times, M*A*S*H, It's a Living, Benson and Bagdad Cafe. He appeared as Dr. Harrison in the 1988 three-part Family Ties episode "Heartstrings," in which Steven Keaton has a heart attack and has to undergo heart surgery.

He played Lt. Joe Bookman, a detective pursuing a long-overdue library book, in the Seinfeld episode "The Library." It aired in the third season on October 16, 1991. Jerry learns he has a library fine from 1971, for the then-controversial book Tropic of Cancer, and that the "case" has been turned over to the library investigations officer, Lt. Bookman. Hall reprised the role in "The Finale," which aired on May 14, 1998.

Hall starred as Russ McDonald on the 2006-2007 Fox sitcom The Loop. The show starred Bret Harrison as Sam Sullivan, a young professional trying to balance the needs of his social life with the pressures of working at the corporate headquarters of TransAlliance Airways, a major U.S. airline. Russ McDonald is head executive of TransAlliance Airways and one of Sam's bosses. The series also starred Joy Osmanski, Amanda Loncar, Mimi Rogers, Sarah Mason (Sarah Wright) and Eric Christian Olsen.

He appeared as crotchety neighbor Walt Kleezak in three episodes of Modern Family in 2011 and 2012. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Nurses, Cheers, Bob, Empty Nest, The Good Life, Madman of the People, Life's Work, The John Larroquette Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Worst Week (2 episodes), Curb Your Enthusiam (2 episodes as Dr. Morrison), True Jackson, VP (2009), Childrens Hospital and Corporate.

Hall played Ed Meyers in 13 episodes of the ninth and final season (1989-1990) of the CBS prime time soap opera Falcon Crest. He starred as William Vaughn on the 1997-1998 CBS legal drama Michael Hayes. He played George Reese Greeley on the short-lived 2001 Fox prime time soap opera Pasadena. In 2016, he appeared as Old Jimmy Pritchad in five episodes of the Fox science fiction crime drama Second Chance. He had a recurring role as Zelman Katz on the 2020 Netflix thriller Messiah.

Some of his television drama guest appearances included Emergency!, The Waltons, McClain's Law, Quincy, M.E. (2 episodes), Cagney & Lacey, T.J. Hooker, Lottery, Hardcastle and McCormick, Miami Vice, Matlock, Murder, She Wrote (1991), L.A. Law, Equal Justice, Dark Justice, Civil Wars (3 episodes), Roswell, Chicago Hope, The Practice (4 episodes as Judge Joseph Vinocour), Millenium (2 episodes), L.A. Doctors, The Fugitive (2000), Without a Trace, Everwood, Monk, Boston Legal, The West Wing (2 episodes), Psych and Madam Secretary.

Hall starred in the Paul Thomas Anderson films Hard Eight (1996), Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999). Some of his other film credits included Secret Honor (1984), Nothing in Common (1986), Midnight Run (1988), Say Anything... (1989), Ghostbusters II (1989), The Rock (1996), The Truman Show (1998), Rush Hour (1998), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), The Insider (1999), The Contender (2000), Dogville (2003), Bruce Almighty (2003), Duck (2005), Zodiac (2007), 50/50 (2011) and Argo (2012).

Survivors include his wife Holly Wolfle, four children, four grandchildren and a brother.

Mr. Hall was a fantastic character actor. His guest appearance as Lt. Bookman on Seinfeld was one of the funniest and most memorable of the series. It led to many other jobs for him. He didn't start acting until he was 30 years old, but he had over 200 TV and film credits during his long career. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment he brought us. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Seinfeld message board. View photos in our galleries.

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

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Labels: Abbott Elementary, ABC, Grey's Anatomy, Home Economics, Obits, Seinfeld, Shark Tank, Station 19, The Conners, The Goldbergs, The Good Doctor, The Loop, The Rookie

CBS 2021-22 Season Finale Dates; ABC Renews Two Hit Dramas for 2022-23

CBS announced season finale dates for its original primetime comedies, dramas and unscripted series for the 2021-2022 broadcast season, including the series finale of Bull on Thursday, May 26 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Friday, April 8
8:00-9:00 PM UNDERCOVER BOSS (11th Season Finale)

Thursday, April 21
9:00-9:30 PM GHOSTS (First Season Finale)

Wednesday, May 4
10:00-11:00 PM GOOD SAM (First Season Finale)
Friday, May 6
9:00-10:00 PM MAGNUM P.I. (Fourth Season Finale)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS (12th Season Finale)

Sunday, May 15
8:00-9:00 PM THE EQUALIZER (Second Season Finale)

Wednesday, May 18
9:00-11:00 PM BEYOND THE EDGE (Two-Hour First Season Finale)

Thursday, May 19
8:00-8:30 PM YOUNG SHELDON (Fifth Season Finale)
8:30-9:00 PM UNITED STATES OF AL (Second Season Finale)

Sunday, May 22
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES (13th Season Finale)
10:00-11:00 PM S.W.A.T. (Fifth Season Finale)

Monday, May 23
8:00-8:30 PM THE NEIGHBORHOOD (Fourth Season Finale)
8:30-9:00 PM BOB ♥ ABISHOLA (Third Season Finale)
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS (19th Season Finale)
10:00-11:00 PM NCIS: HAWAI`I (First Season Finale)

Tuesday, May 24
8:00-9:00 PM FBI (Fourth Season Finale)
9:00-10:00 PM FBI: INTERNATIONAL (First Season Finale)
10:00-11:00 PM FBI: MOST WANTED (Third Season Finale)

Wednesday, May 25
8:00-11:00 PM SURVIVOR (Three-hour 42nd Edition Finale)

Thursday, May 26
10:00-11:00 PM BULL (Series Finale)

ABC has renewed hit dramas The Good Doctor and The Rookie for Season 6 and Season 5, respectively, to air next seasom (2022-23). They join previously renewed dramas Grey's Anatomy & Station 19 along with freshman breakout comedy Abbott Elementary. ABC will have a potential The Rookie spin-off series starring Niecy Nash next season after they test it with a backdoor pilot later this season during The Rookie.

The Good Doctor stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Hill Harper, Richard Schiff, Christina Chang, Fiona Gubelmann, Will Yun Lee, Paige Spara, Noah Galvin and Bria Samone. The Rookie stars Nathan Fillion stars as John Nolan, Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as Angela, Richard T. Jones as Sgt. Wade Grey, Melissa O’Neil as Lucy Chen, Eric Winter as Tim Bradford, Jenna Dewan as Bailey Nune and Shawn Ashmore as Wesley Evers.

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

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Labels: ABC, Bob ♥ Abishola, CBS, Ghosts, Magnum, NCIS, Survivor, The Equalizer, The Good Doctor, The Neighborhood, The Rookie, United States of Al, Young Sheldon

Fox 2021-22 Updates Includes Comedy News; ABC Renews Grey's Anatomy and Station 19 for 2021-22, NBC Orders Dark Comedy Pilot

Fox has announced a lot of updates for 2021-22 season already, including the pickup of dramas Our Kind of People, The Big Leap, The Cleaning Lady and Monarch and comedy Pivoting, renewal of comedy Call Me Kat and the cancelation of Prodigal Son. Also, the recently pulled comedy The Moodys will air its remaining three episodes on Sundays in June (June 6 and June 20 at 9pm). Descriptions of new series are below:

Marking Fox's first drama order for next season and inspired by Lawrence Otis Graham's provocative, critically acclaimed book, Our Kind of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class, the series Our Kind of People takes place in the aspirational world of Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, a historical stronghold where the rich and powerful black elite have come to play for over 50 years. The drama follows strong-willed, single mom Angela Vaughn as she sets out to reclaim her family's name and make an impact with her revolutionary haircare line that highlights the innate, natural beauty of black women. But she soon discovers a dark secret about her mother's past that will turn her world upside-down and shake up this community forever. Casting has not been announced yet, so series will likely not air until 2022. Drama The Big Leap is a big-hearted, rowdy dramedy about a group of diverse, down-on-their-luck characters attempting to change their lives by participating in a potentially life-ruining reality dance show that builds to a live production of Swan Lake. What this group of underdogs lack in dance training, they make up for with their edge, wit and desire to reimagine an iconic story to fit their own mold. The Big Leap is a modern tale about second chances and chasing your dreams and taking back what's yours. Inspired by a U.K. reality format, The Big Leap is an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age. Ensemble cast includes Scott Foley, Mallory Jansen, Piper Perabo and Teri Polo.

The Cleaning Lady is a darkly aspirational character drama about a whip-smart doctor who comes to the U.S. for a medical treatment to save her ailing son. But when the system fails and pushes her into hiding, she refuses to be beaten down and marginalized. Instead, she becomes a cleaning lady for the mob and starts playing the game by her own rules... Series stars Elodie Young. Monarch is a Texas-sized, multigenerational musical drama about America's first family of country music. The Romans are fiercely talented, but while their name is synonymous with honesty, the very foundation of their success is a lie. When their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, Nicky Roman, the heir to the crown, already battling an industry stacked against her, will stop at nothing to protect her family's legacy. Casting has not yet begun, so this series will not be available until 2022. New comedy Pivoting follows three women (Eliza Coupe as Amy, Ginnifer Goodwin as Jodie, Maggie Q as Sarah) after the death of their childhood best friend. Faced with the reality that life is short, in desperate attempts to find happiness, they make a series of impulsive, ill-advised and self-indulgent decisions, strengthening their bond proving it's never too late to screw up your life.

ABC has renewed record-breaking series Grey's Anatomy for season 18 and its successful spinoff Station 19 for season five. Executive producer and showrunner Krista Vernoff will continue to helm both series, which stand as two of the network's highest-performing scripted programs. Last week ABC also renewed The Good Doctor for season five and rookie Big Sky for season two. Meanwhile, NBC has ordered another pilot, this time a dark comedy. Dangerous Moms is a surprising off-center dark dramedy about four diverse mothers who accidentally kill the queen bee of their school's PTA during the demonstration of a new high-end food processor. The story becomes a female anthem about friendship and family as it tells the story of one completely unprepared group of women who must juggle their everyday lives while their worlds are turned upside down. Based upon the Spanish original series Señoras del (h)Ampa. Late last week they announed a series order for another Law & Order spin-off, from two-time Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf, creator of the Law & Order brand, Law & Order: For the Defense will take an unbiased look inside a criminal defense firm. The series will put the lawyers under the microscope, along with the criminal justice system with every week delivering the promise of a contemporary morality tale. NBC will be up first for the upfront on Monday as usual, but the schedule is going to be announced this Friday actually. Stay tuned!

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

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Labels: ABC, Call Me Kat, Fox, Grey's Anatomy, NBC, Pivoting, Station 19, The Good Doctor, Upfronts

ABC Revises Summer Premieres and Finales, Announces Drama Finale Dates; IMDb TV Gets Greg Garcia Comedy

ABC has revised premiere dates for some of its Summer Fun & Games series. Press Your Luck and The $100,000 Pyramid will now both premiere two weeks earlier on Wednesday, May 26 from 8-10pm, rather than Wed. June 9. Card Sharks will now premiere a week later on Wednesday, June 16 at 10pm, rather than the previously planned June 9. And finally, The Ultimate Surfer will now premiere a week later on Monday, August 23 at 10pm rather than Aug. 16. The series will air for a month on Mondays and Tuesdays at 10pm following Bachelor in Paradise, which premieres a week earlier on Aug. 16. The Celebrity Dating Game, which still premieres June 14, will now have its season finale on Aug. 16 at 10pm. The Bachelorette finale is likely a three-hour event on Aug. 9.

ABC has also announced its drama finales. The Rookie has its season finale on Sunday, May 16 at 10pm, while Big Sky wraps its first season on Tuesday, May 18 at 10pm. The rest of the dramas will wrap in June. Station 19 and Grey's Anatomy will end their seasons on Thursday, June 3 from 8-10pm, while Rebel will wrap a week later on June 10 with a two-hour finale. The Good Doctor will end its 20 episode season on Monday, June 7 at 10pm following The Bachelorette premiere. And finally, A Million Little Things will have its season finale from 9-11pm on Wednesday, June 9. We already announced that ABC's Tuesday and Wednesday comedies will have their finales on May 18 and May 19. Reality wise, Pooch Perfect, Shark Tank, AFV and American Idol will all wrap between May 18-23. And finally, ABC is bringing more Disney magical moments into homes with the return of The Wonderful World of Disney film series on Monday nights from 8-10pm beginning May 3. Throughout the entire month, ABC will air iconic titles currently available to stream on Disney+, beginning with the broadcast debuts of both Disney and Pixar's Finding Dory and Academy Award(R)-nominated Disney and Pixar's Incredibles 2, followed by Walt Disney Animation Studios' Tangled and The Princess and the Frog, and Academy Award-winning Disney and Pixar's Monsters, Inc.

IMDb TV, Amazon's premium free streaming service, announced it has ordered Sprung, a new single-camera comedy series from Emmy Award-winning writer Greg Garcia. Starring Garret Dillahunt, Sprung centers on an unlikely group of formerly incarcerated people, who band together to use their criminal expertise for good. From Amazon Studios, Sprung follows Jack (Dillahunt), a convicted criminal who is determined to change course and reclaim his lost years after serving over two decades in prison. With no place to live post-release, and a global pandemic bringing the world to a virtual standstill, Jack moves in with his former cellmate Rooster (Phillip Garcia), Rooster's mom Barb (Illeana Douglas), and Jack's former prison girlfriend Gloria. Bound by their marred past and unusual living circumstances, they decide to start righting some of society's wrongs, targeting those people selfishly taking advantage of others during the pandemic. Starting May 1, Garcia's Emmy Award-winning series My Name is Earl joins the extensive and always updating library of hit movies and television shows on IMDb TV.

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

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Labels: $100000 Pyramid, ABC, Card Sharks, Grey's Anatomy, IMDb, My Name is Earl, Press Your Luck, Sprung, Station 19, The Good Doctor, The Rookie

Fri-Yay: Viewers Discovering Cobra Kai Now on Netflix; ABC Announces Fall 2020 Drama Premiere Dates

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

If you're looking for a light, airy watch that has some elements of a sitcom but also some of the more long-term plotting of a drama, I'd highly recommend Cobra Kai on Netflix. The series was previously a YouTube Red series, but was picked up by Netflix after YouTube Red let it go after 2 seasons. It's a continuation of the Karate Kid series, a "sequel" if you will, but in the form of a television series. If that doesn't sound appealing to you, then I would still recommend you try it anyway. I'm not a big fan of the Karate Kid movies myself, and yet I still found myself really invested in the show's world.

Cobra Kai has some of the most intricate character work I've seen on TV, and unlike many streaming series of recent times, it actually feels well-plotted and suited to its episode length. It's a quick watch (just two 10 episode seasons, less than 30 minutes per episode) but in those short episodes it manages to build a reliable world of characters even beyond the characters leftover from the Karate Kid movies. It's also actually pretty funny, with genuine moments of humor amongst the karate and world building. If you give it a try this weekend, it's the absolute perfect weekend binge watch.

ABC announced premiere dates for its scripted drama series slate, rounding out the network's fall schedule. Dates for unscripted and comedy series were previously announced, as we announced. The Good Doctor will kick-off the drama return on ABC, while drama staple Grey's Anatomy gets a two-hour return. For Life returns now in the Fall, rather than mid-season as previously slated (it is replacing the canceled Stumptown). ABC's drama scripted series premiere dates are as follows (all times listed are Eastern/Pacific). New shows are in bold. Note: Sunday drama The Rookie will be premiering later in the season (it hasn't started production yet on new episodes).

MONDAY, NOV. 2
10:00-11:00 p.m. The Good Doctor

THURSDAY, NOV. 12
8:00-9:00 p.m. Station 19
9:00-11:00 p.m. Grey's Anatomy (two-hour season premiere)

TUESDAY, NOV. 17
10:01-11:00 p.m. Big Sky (series premiere)

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 18
10:00-11:00 p.m. For Life

THURSDAY, NOV. 19
10:01-11:00 p.m. A Million Little Things

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

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Labels: ABC, Cobra Kai, Fri-Yay, Grey's Anatomy, Netflix, Station 19, The Good Doctor, YouTube

Brockmire's Final Season Begins March 18; The Good Doctor Gets 4th Season

The fourth and final season of IFC's critically acclaimed comedy series Brockmire starring Hank Azaria is set to premiere on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 at 10:00pm ET/PT. Returning for the series' final season are all-stars Amanda Peet, Tyrel Jackson Williams and Katie Finneran. Additionally, Reina Hardesty (The Flash) has joined the series' line-up for the final eight episodes.

Brockmire follows Jim Brockmire (Azaria), a famed major league baseball announcer who suffered a notorious public breakdown after stumbling upon his wife's (Finneran) infidelity – a breakdown so bad that "Brutal Brockmire" became a viral internet meme. Season 1 began a decade later, as Brockmire looked to reclaim his career and reputation by calling games for the Morristown Frackers, an underdog minor league baseball team. Despite finding happiness in Morristown alongside his girlfriend/team owner Jules (Peet), Season 2 began with a newly-single Brockmire calling games in New Orleans and living with his co-dependent friend Charles (Williams)...while fully indulging in the city's booze-riddled sins. When a drug-fueled night of partying with a stranger ends with a near-death experience, Brockmire realizes it's time to get sober once and for all. Season 3 took place one year after a stint in rehab, with Brockmire doing play-by-play in the radio booth for the major leagues in central Florida while maintaining his brazen and narcissistic tendencies, despite actually being on the wagon.

In Season 4, it's 15 years into the dystopian future and Brockmire is now the Commissioner of baseball as the once legendary baseball announcer is now back on top and his struggles with sobriety are behind him. However, at this later stage of his life he is tasked with saving America's pastime as the world around him descends into chaos, all while trying to salvage his relationship with his newfound daughter (Reina Hardesty) and rekindle the love he once had for Jules (Amanda Peet). This darkly comedic series stars Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet. This season features also features the return of all-stars Katie Finneran and Tyrel Jackson Williams.

ABC has renewed the hit drama series The Good Doctor for the 2020-2021 season, it was announced by Karey Burke, president, ABC Entertainment. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios. ABC Studios is a part of Disney Television Studios, a collection of studios comprised of 20th Century Fox Television, ABC Studios and Fox 21 Television Studios. The Good Doctor is currently in its third season and will air new episodes through March.

The Good Doctor is ABC's most-watched show this season after 35 days of delayed viewing across all linear and digital platforms, averaging 15.6 million Total Viewers with multiplatform playback. The Good Doctor is the season's No. 1 gainer in TV playback in Total Viewers, soaring by +6.41 million viewers from its Live+Same Day average to its Live+35 Day average. In addition, the ABC drama nearly triples its Live+Same Day Adult 18-49 rating after 35 days of playback, spiking by +175% to stand as the No. 1 broadcast gainer this season. Based on original telecasts, The Good Doctor is Monday's No. 1 series in Total Viewers and ranks among the season's Top 10 series overall (No. 9).

Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, continues to use his extraordinary medical gifts at St. Bonaventure Hospital's surgical unit. As his friendships deepen, Shaun continues to tackle the world of dating and romantic relationships, and work harder than he ever has before, navigating his environment to prove to his colleagues that his talents as a surgeon will save lives.

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

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Labels: ABC, Brockmire, IFC, The Good Doctor

Fri-Yay: Rick and Morty Season 4; ABC Midseason 2020 Schedule

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

After a long, long wait, the fourth season of Rick and Morty is finally airing on [adult swim]. In some ways, it's a miracle that the show, after all of its long hiatuses, still has as dedicated of a following as it does. The show started in 2014 but is just now starting its fourth season, as other comedies from the 2014 class such as Broad City, You're the Worst and BoJack Horseman are all ended or ending. But the show has an extremely dedicated fanbase, a testament to how well-written and perfectly crafted the series in. Four seasons in, the series still feels fresh, a sign of just what a well-constructed series it is.

Season 4 of Rick and Morty, which premiered last week and just aired its second episode, is as fresh as ever. Yes, the series has lost some of that "wow" factor it had in its first two seasons, but that's likely just a result of us adjusting to the show's wavelength. The show is still able to creatively mix comedy and time travel, and do so effortlessly. It's remarkable that even with so much time passing in between seasons (it's been over 2 years since the end of Season 3), I'm still just as drawn in by the show as ever. Even if it takes another two years, I'll always be down for more Rick and Morty.

ABC has announced its 2020 midseason schedule. Among the highlights include the new drama For Life, from Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 10:00 p.m. EST and launches a new season of American Idol on Sunday, Feb. 16 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. EST, following The Oscars® a week prior on Sunday, Feb. 9. On Thursday, Jan. 23 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. EST, Station 19 and Grey's Anatomy” start the evening with a powerful two-hour crossover event followed by the highly anticipated return of A Million Little Things at its new time period of 10:00 p.m. EST. Station 19 debuts in its new time period at 8 p.m. EST followed by Grey's Anatomy moving back to 9 p.m. EST, in its powerhouse timeslot of many years.

As previously announced, The Bachelor kicks off Monday, Jan. 6 from 8:00-11:00 p.m. EST, with a three-hour premiere, with The Good Doctor returning with brand new episodes on Jan. 13 at 10:00 p.m. EST. The multiple, consecutive night event JEOPARDY! The Greatest of All Time premieres Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 8:00 p.m. EST. As far as ABC comedies, mixed-ish and black-ish return with winter premieres on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 9:00 p.m. EST, while Modern Family & Single Parents return on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 9:00 p.m. EST. ABC's 8:00 p.m. EST comedies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (The Connors, Bless this Mess, The Goldbergs, Schooled) will return following the conclusion of the JEOPARDY! primetime event (the returns could be Jan. 15 and Jan. 21). Friday comedies American Housewife and Fresh off the Boat return on Friday, Jan. 17, with Fresh ending its run on Friday, Feb. 21.

Other returning series dates include Emergence on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 10, Stumptown on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 10, The Rookie on Sunday, Feb. 23 at 10 and the final episodes of How to Get Away with Murder on Thursday, April 2 at 10. Additional premiere dates (such as new comedy United We Fall and new drama The Baker & the Beauty) and schedule details will be announced at a later time (AFV, Kids Say, Shark Tank are expected to continue to air on Sundays this winter).

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

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Labels: ABC, Adult Swim, American Housewife, black-ish, Fresh Off the Boat, Fri-Yay, Grey's Anatomy, Jeopardy, mixed-ish, Modern Family, Rick & Morty, Schooled, Single Parents, Station 19, The Goldbergs, The Good Doctor

TCA Winter 2019 Press Tour: ABC and Freeform, Includes Modern Family Getting 11th and Final Season

There were tons of updates from the TCA Winter 2019 Press Tour from ABC and cable network Freeform yesterday. Currently in its 10th season, ABC announced today that it has picked up the Emmy(R) Award-winning series Modern Family for an 11th and final season. This wonderfully large and blended family will continue to delight audiences for the 2019-2020 fall schedule with its honest and often hilarious look into the warm and sometimes twisted embrace of the modern family. Produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with Steven Levitan Productions and Picador Productions, the series airs Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. EST on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand. ABC announced that it has renewed the hit drama The Good Doctor for a third season, A Million Little Things for a second season and Shark Tank for an 11th season. American Housewife will air two special music-themed episodes this spring. The American Idol episode, airing Tuesday, March 19 at 8:00 p.m. EDT, includes special appearances by music industry forces and the superstar judges of ABC's American Idol, Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie, along with Emmy(R) Award-winning host and producer Ryan Seacrest. The season finale, "A Mom's Parade," will air Tuesday, May 21 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. The extraordinary musical episode includes four original songs by renowned composer Justin Paul (The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen) and Glenn Slater (Tangled, School of Rock-The Musical), as well as choreography from famed choreographer Ashley Wallen (La La Land, The Greatest Showman).

ABC will air a special first-look episode of Videos After Dark, a new comedy reality series hosted by comedian Bob Saget and featuring home videos with an edgier twist, Tuesday, March 12 at 10:00 p.m. EDT), following the epic conclusion to the two-night season finale of The Bachelor, on The ABC Television Network. Avoiding a sophomore slump, critically acclaimed series grown-ish has been picked up for a third season on Freeform. Starring Yara Shahidi, Trevor Jackson, Francia Raisa, Emily Arlook, Jordan Buhat, Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Luka Sabbat and Deon Cole; the series is a contemporary take on the issues that students face in the world of higher education. Freeform announced that Jordin Sparks (Sparkle), Matt Shively (The Real O'Neals) and newcomer Brooks Brantly have been cast in the highly anticipated new comedy series Besties (working title). Sparks will play Becca; an ambitious overachiever from a hard-working, conservative African-American family, who learns that her birth mother is actually white. Shively will portray Matt, a former athlete and current bar manager, who can't completely let go of his glory days. Brantly will portray Becca's brother Todd, a mama's boy who still lives in their parent's basement. Set in Los Angeles, the series will follow Becca and her newly discovered half-sister Jesi, as they're thrown into each other's lives by an online genetics test and have to figure out how to go from strangers to sisters. Ranada Shepard, Casey Johnson and David Windsor serve as creators and executive producers. Kenya Barris also serves as executive producer.

Critically acclaimed series Marvel's Cloak & Dagger returns Thursday, April 4 and is the story of Tandy Bowen (Olivia Holt) and Tyrone Johnson (Aubrey Joseph) - two teenagers from very different backgrounds who find themselves burdened and awakened to newly acquired superpowers, which are mysteriously linked to one another. The only constants in their lives are danger and each other. Tandy can emit light daggers and Tyrone has the ability to control the power of darkness. They quickly learn they are better together than apart. The latest headline from Scarlet Magazine - The Bold Type returns for season three on Tuesday, April 9, at 8:00 p.m. EST/PST. Picking up right after the heartbreak, romance and uncertainty from the season two finale in Paris, The Bold Type is back in New York City where Jane, Kat and Sutton are all dealing with the aftermath of some major decisions. Meanwhile, Scarlet Magazine is undergoing some changes, with new staffers brought on board who bound to ruffle some feathers. Freeform announced the premiere date of the highly anticipated spinoff series Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists. As Freeform's session came to end, the network lined up a group of women in iconic red trench coats to pay homage to the groundbreaking series that defined a generation. Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists will premiere on Wednesday, March 20 at 8:00 p.m. EST/PST. And finally, At today's Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, Freeform President Tom Ascheim surprised the cast members of Good Trouble with a season two pickup of the critically acclaimed series, which is currently airing on the network. 

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

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Labels: ABC, America's Funniest Home Videos, American Housewife, Besties, Freeform, grown-ish, Modern Family, Pretty Little Liars, Shark Tank, The Good Doctor

NBC Summer 2018 Schedule; ABC Picks Up The Good Doctor for 2018-19 Season

Continuing the momentum of the current season in which NBC is #1 in both 18-49 and total viewers, the network has announced the premiere dates for #1 summer series America's Got Talent, freshman success World of Dance and the two-time Emmy Award-nominated high-octane competition series American Ninja Warrior. In addition, adventure series Running Wild with Bear Grylls will be returning for its fourth season. And Making It, the six-episode series from executive producers, hosts and pop-culture's favorite comedic best friends, Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, will make its premiere on NBC Tuesday, July 31 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The following is most of the summer line-up:

Saturday, May 26
8:00pm – 10:00pm DATELINE SATURDAY NIGHT MYSTERY (Original) (through 8/11)

Tuesday, May 29
8:00pm – 10:00pm AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Original) (through 9/18)
10:00pm – 10:59:30pm WORLD OF DANCE (Original) (through 7/24)

Wednesday, May 30
8:00pm – 10:00pm AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR (Original) (through 6/13)
10:00pm – 10:59:30pm RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS (Original) (through 8/8)

Friday, June 1
8:00pm – 10:00pm AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR (Repeat) (through 9/21)

Sunday, June 10
7:00pm – 8:00pm DATELINE NBC (Repeat) (through 9/2)
8:00pm – 9:00pm WORLD OF DANCE (Repeat) (through 9/2)
9:00pm – 11:00pm AMERICA’S GOT TALENT (Repeat) (through 9/2)

Monday, June 18
8:00pm – 10:00pm AMERICAN NINJA WARRIOR (Original) (through 9/10)

Wednesday, July 25
8:00pm – 10:00pm WORLD OF DANCE (Original) (through 8/8)

Wednesday, August 15
8:00pm – 9:00pm AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Original) (Live ET/CT) (through 9/19)
9:00pm – 10:59:30pm WORLD OF DANCE (Original) (through 9/12)

Saturday, August 18
8:00pm – 9:00pm DATELINE SATURDAY NIGHT MYSTERY (Repeat) (through 9/22)
9:00pm – 10:59:30pm AMERICA'S GOT TALENT (Repeat) (through 9/22)

In an unsurprising announcement, ABC has renewed the hit drama series The Good Doctor for the 2018-19 season. Currently in its first season, The Good Doctor has been a breakout since its premiere in 2017. It has become ABC's most watched freshmen series in 13 years and is delivering triple-digit year-over-year time period increases to Monday's 10 o'clock hour for ABC in Total Viewers (+172%) and Adults 18-49 (+162%). In fact, The Good Doctor is producing the strongest improvement to any hour across the major networks' schedules this season.

Golden Globe(R) nominee, Freddie Highmore, stars as Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, who relocates from a quiet country life to join the prestigious St. Bonaventure hospital's surgical unit. Alone in the world and unable to personally connect with those around him, his only advocate, Dr. Aaron Glassman (Richard Schiff), challenges the skepticism and prejudices of the hospital's board and staff when he brings him in to join the team. Shaun will need to work harder than he ever has before, as he navigates his new environment and relationships to prove to his colleagues that his extraordinary medical gifts will save lives.

The Good Doctor returns with an all-new original episode on Monday, March 12, at 10:00 p.m. EDT, on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand. The series stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne, Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez, Chuku Modu as Dr. Jared Kalu, Beau Garrett as Jessica Preston, Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews, Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman and Tamlyn Tomita as Allegra Aoki.

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

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Labels: ABC, NBC, The Good Doctor