SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

ABC is bringing out the laughs with Funny-thons of some of their sitcoms this August. Starting Wednesday, August 10, ABC will air two-hour Funny-thon blocks, followed by more laughs in the 10pm hour. First up this Wednesday is four episodes of Fresh off the Boat. On August 17, freshman sitcom The Real O'Neals will air from 8-10pm. On August 24, take a trip back to the '80s with The Goldbergs from 8-10pm. ABC has not yet announced the other blocks (if any), thru Sept. 14 (the last Wednesday of the summer season). ABC will air repeats of Modern Family and black-ish in the 10pm hour on Wednesdays beginning this Wednesday thru Sept. 14, while The Middle and Fresh off the Boat will get the 10pm hour treatment on Tuesdays beginning this week, too. So laugh on all August as we get ready for the new season next month!

We'll stick to the ABC comedy news for our next piece of news, too. ABC's critically acclaimed hit series black-ish will film on location at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. In the season three premiere episode, titled "VIP," Dre decides to take his entire family on the magical, first-class vacation experience he was never able to have as a kid. The episode is set to film this month and will air in the fall. "VIP" will feature the Johnson family visiting all four parks at Walt Disney World Resort: Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom. Jim Rash guest stars as Cody, the VIP tour guide that Dre hires to ensure his family has the most magical experience possible. The episode will air Wednesday, September 21 at 9:30pm.

black-ish stars Anthony Anderson as Andre "Dre" Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson, Jr., Miles Brown as Jack Johnson, Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby, Peter Mackenzie as Mr. Stevens.

And now we have ABC's Fall 2016 premiere dates! ABC will launch the 2016-17 season with a stable of returning hit shows and five new series to join the schedule. The new season kicks off with Dancing with the Stars making its 23rd season premiere on Monday, September 12 from 8-10pm. ABC will have the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 18. On Tuesday, September 20, ABC will have a two-hour Dancing with the Stars Results Show leading into the season premiere of Marvel's Agents of SHIELD at 10. ABC's Wednesday comedies launch on Sept. 21 with The Goldbergs at its new time of 8pm leading into new comedy Speechless starring Minnie Driver at 8:30pm. Megahit Modern Family and black-ish follow in the 9pm hour. Then at 10pm, new drama Designated Survivor starring Kiefer Sutherland in his return to primetime premieres. On Thursday, Sept. 22, ABC's TGIT block returns with Grey's Anatomy at 8, new drama Notorious inspired by the true-life stories of famed criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and cable news producer Wendy Walker, airs at 9pm as Scandal is held to mid-season due to Kerry Washington's pregnancy. At 10pm, the season premiere of How To Get Away With Murder will premiere. The next night on Friday, Sept. 23, the consistent Friday line-up returns with Last Man Standing at 8, Dr. Ken at 8:30, Shark Tank at 9 and 20/20 at 10.

ABC's Sunday dramas return on Sunday, Sept. 25 with veteran Once Upon a Time at 8, followed by sophomore seasons of Secrets & Lies at 9 and Quantico at 10. AFV will premiere a week later on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 7pm. New drama Conviction featuring Hayley Atwell (Marvel's Agent Carter), will launch on Monday, October 3 at 10pm due to Presidential Debate on Monday, Sept. 26. ABC's Dancing with the Stars will likely air on Tuesday, Sept. 27 that week due to the debate on Monday. And finally, ABC's Tuesday comedy block will launch on Tuesday, Oct. 11, due to the VP Debate on Oct. 4. The Middle moves to its new night at 8pm, followed by new comedy American Housewife starring Katy Mixon (Mike and Molly) at 8:30pm. Fresh Off the Boat and The Real O'Neals will air from 9-10pm.

It's #SundanceTVMovietime and SundanceTV is dialing up Peter, Raymond and Egon for an all-day marathon of Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, starting Saturday, July 16 at 11:00 a.m. EST/10:00 a.m. CST, to celebrate the reboot of the film, which hits theaters Friday, July 15, 2016. Viewers can settle in to watch their favorite team of paranormal experts take on ghosts, ghouls and Marshmallow Men alike in these classic comedies starring Bill Murray (Groundhog Day, Lost in Translation, Caddy Shack) Dan Aykroyd (The Blues Brothers, Driving Miss Daisy, Coneheads), Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day, Analyze This) and Sigourney Weaver (Avatar, Alien). Both films will air three times each during the day from 11am-2am.

The ABC Television Network announced its upcoming May sweeps programming, featuring season finale dates for America's Funniest Home Videos, black-ish, Castle, The Catch, Dancing with the Stars, The Family, Fresh Off the Boat, Grey's Anatomy, The Goldbergs, The Middle, Modern Family, Nashville, The Real O'Neals, Scandal, Shark Tank and Quantico. In addition, The 2016 Billboard Music Awards will take place live from Las Vegas on Sunday, May 22, and The Bachelorette" makes its season premiere on Monday, May 23. Other highlights include special two-hour finales of The Catch, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Once Upon a Time and programming highlights for The Chew, General Hospital and Jimmy Kimmel Live. The season finales of ABC Friday comedies Last Man Standing and Dr. Ken will occur on Friday, April 22. View the complete list of season finale dates and more.

COZI TV announced the launch of a new, originally-produced series that dives behind the scenes of David Hasselhoff's unimaginable life, anchored by TV host, musician and entrepreneur Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff. Entitled "Hoff-A-Minute" and airing from COZI TV's Hoff News Bureau, the segments premiered Saturday, March 19 at noon on the national multicast network. The debut of COZI TV's reports from the Hoff News Bureau kicked off COZI TV's "March Hoff-Ness" special, including a mini-marathon of five top, fan-favorite episodes of Knight Rider on March 19. The five-hour block included ten, original COZI TV "Hoff-A-Minute" news segments, anchored by Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff.

Additional updates on "March Hoff-Ness" will continue to be offered on COZI TV's social media platforms. Viewers can follow the "March Hoff-Ness" via Twitter (@COZITV), or on Facebook (Facebook.com/COZITV). New "Hoff A Minute" segments will premiere on-air and online every Tuesday and Thursday to coincide with COZI TV's prime time airings of Knight Rider and Baywatch. To preview a promo of COZI TV's original "Hoff-A-Minute" segments featuring David and Taylor Ann Hasselhoff, visit http://www.cozitv.com/video/Watch-Hoff-A-Minute-on-COZI-TV/nosubtitle/371415181.

The Real O'Neals - Tuesdays at 8:30PM ET/PT on ABC
Special Premiere Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:30PM & 9:30PM ET/PT, then Tuesday, March 8 at 8:30PM ET/PT

by Vincent

The Real O'Neals is a new family comedy about a seemingly perfect family's life which takes an unexpected turn when surprising truths are revealed. Instead of ruining their family, the honesty triggers a new, messier chapter where everyone stops pretending to be perfect and actually starts being real.

Cast Details:

Martha Plimpton as Eileen O'Neal
Jay R. Ferguson as Pat O'Neal
Noah Galvin as Kenny O'Neal
Matt Shivley as Jimmy O'Neal
Bebe Wood as Shannon O'Neal
Mary Hollis Inboden as Jodi O'Neal

Martha Plimpton (Eileen) is an acclaimed actress known for her roles in films such as The Goonies and The River Rat, television shows such as Raising Hope and The Good Wife, and stage plays such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Pal Joey.

Jay R. Ferguson (Pat) is best known for his role as Stan Rizzo on the critically acclaimed television drama Mad Men. He has also appeared on shows such as Weeds, Castle, Medium, and Burn Notice.

Noah Galvin (Kenny) is a young actor who has appeared previously in the short film Promised Land and the TV show Futurestates. The Real O'Neals will be his first starring role.

Matt Shively (Jimmy) is known for his role as Ryan Laserbeam on the children's comedy series True Jackson V.P. He has also appeared in shows such as Teen Wolf, CSI and The Troop, and in films such as Expelled and Paranormal Activity 4.

Bebe Wood (Shannon) is a young actress previously known for her work on the short-lived comedy The New Normal.

Mary Hollis Inboden (Jodi) is an actress known for her roles on shows such as The Chicago Code, Boss, and Funemployed.

Pilot Plot:

We have watched the first three episodes for review.

"Pilot" (Airs Wednesday, March 2 at 8:30PM ET)

Jonah begins his first day on the job at big-box store Cloud 9 and immediately starts a rocky relationship with floor supervisor Amy when he comes off as elitist and mistakenly marks appliances for only a quarter. He is also the romantic target of aggressive assistant manager Dina whose bible is the employee code of conduct. Pregnant Cheyenne shares a memorable moment with her boyfriend, Bo.

"The Real Papaya" (Airs Wednesday, March 2 at 9:30PM ET)

Following the "coming out" confessions made by everyone in the O'Neal family, Eileen is desperate to control the situation and tries to make Kenny "un-gay." Meanwhile, Kenny tries to find the right time to break up with Mimi and has a heart-to-heart with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.

"The Real Lent" (Airs Tuesday, March 8 at 8:30PM ET)

Eileen reminds her family that it's Lent and asks them to give up things they really love, which in turn proves to be quite a daunting task. In a chance meeting, Kenny meets his first gay crush, and Pat discovers his little girl, Shannon, is all grown up.

Analysis:

Over the past six years, ABC has slowly but surely built up the strongest comedy brand on network television. At this point, they've hit that sweet spot where whenever you watch an ABC comedy, you basically know what you're going to get: at minimum, it'll be a well-made, if unremarkable, family comedy with strong characters and fairly sharp writing. Some shows go on to be much more than that (such as the excellent black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat, or the still great after seven years The Middle), whereas some shows fall short (like the misguided Muppets reboot) but, in general, there's a solid baseline for these kinds of shows, and The Real O'Neals sits comfortably on that baseline. It's far from ABC's strongest comedy, as it lacks the crackling wit and diverse viewpoints of shows like black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat, nor does it have the painfully curated realism and genuinely unique characters of The Middle. But it's a solid enough show with some strong performances and an interesting concept that could become interesting if the show figures out how to utilize it a little better. It's not a show to go out of your way to record on the DVR or catch up with on Hulu, but it's also a show that you don't have to change the channel for in between The Goldbergs and Modern Family this Wednesday, or after Fresh Off the Boat next Tuesday. It is, in essence, the perfect bottom-of-the-hour show.

Of course, we're living in age of "peak TV." Fewer and fewer people are watching live television, and while "good enough to not change the channel" might've been enough to keep a show alive ten years ago, a show in 2016 has to stand out in some way to get noticed. The question that remains, then, is could The Real O'Neals eventually become a show that stands out in a way that elevates it above "an okay way to spend a half-hour?" Considering how many shows go on to become great following incredibly shaky starts suggest that nothings can be ruled out, especially considering the first three episodes of The Real O'Neals aren't even all that shaky, just a little bland and nothing particularly special. There are promising elements at work here, too: this is the most upfront I've ever seen a primetime family sitcom be about LGBT themes this early on, and it gets a lot of bonus points for not treating Kenny's sexuality as a shameful secret or a source of laughs like many shows would. There's also an interesting, honest discussion about religion that you wouldn't necessarily expect on a primetime family sitcom like this one. (On the other hand, the show's strange plotline about Jimmy's 'manorexia' is far less successful, borders on offensive and sticks out like a sore thumb considering how well it deals with other sensitive subjects.) And yet, the show never really finds a comic momentum – its humor whiplashes from subtle to over-the-top cartoon (a sequence featuring Jimmy Kimmel as Kenny's conscious falls completely flat because it's just too much) with seemingly no in between. I didn't laugh once during the three episodes that I watched, and I barely smiled, even as I mostly appreciated what the show was trying to do. The Real O'Neals has the framework of a great show, but it's going to need to work out some major kinks to rise above "passable."

Conclusion:

The Real O'Neals is a decent show with aspirations to be a great that, at this point in time, it doesn't quite live up to. It's well-made, charming, has a likable cast and an intriguing premise, but it needs to work on extending that premise beyond its most basic and shallow beginnings. The first three episodes are far from bad, and you likely won't regret having watched them, but they also don't do much to make the show feel essential. The show does have a deft handle on some very challenging topics such as religious and sexuality that suggest, with time and care, it could become another strong ABC sitcom that redefines the family sitcom structure. That's clearly where the show wants to go, but it's not there yet. If getting there is its goal, it needs to get a lot funnier and it needs to find out who its characters are underneath the stereotypes.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 4/5
Funniness: 2.5/5
Overall: 3/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 8:30PM & 9:30PM ET/PT on our message board.

Related Links:

ABC.com Official Site

TV.com

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

The Real O'Neals Photo Gallery

Preview:

Disney Channel has picked up second seasons of hit freshman sitcoms Bunk'd and Best Friends Whenever to air later this season. Both sitcoms are still in the middle of their first season orders. Bunk'd airs Fridays at 8pm ET/PT and Best Friends Whenever airs Sundays at 8:30pm ET/PT on Disney Channel. Bunk'd, a spin-off of the hit Disney sitcom Jessie, follows siblings Emma, Ravi, and Zuri Ross on their adventures at Camp Kikiwaka, a camp in Maine where their parents met as teenagers. The series stars Peyton List as Emma, Karan Brar as Ravi, Skai Jackson as Zuri, Miranda May as Lou, Kevin Quinn as Xander and Nina Lu as Tiffany and Nathan Arenas as Jorge. Best Friends Whenever follows teen best friends Shelby and Cyd, who unwittingly gain the power to leap forward and backward in time whenever they want – and sometimes when they don't. The series stars Lauren Taylor as Shelby, Landry Bender as Cyd, Gus Kamp as Barry, Ricky Garcia as Naldo and identical twins Benjamin Cole and Matthew Lewis Royer as Bret and Chet. Disney Channel is wrapping up the 30-episode second season of Girl Meets World this month, but has ordered a third season, as we reported.

The ABC Television Network has announced midseason premiere dates for new series Of Kings & Prophets, My Diet Is Better Than Yours, The Catch, The Family and new comedy The Real O'Neals. Season premiere dates were also announced for returning favorites The Bachelor, Beyond The Tank, Galavant and Marvel's Agent Carter. They will join the schedule with acclaimed series American Crime, previously announced to make its second-season premiere Wednesday, January 6 at 10pm. As for current series, the mid-season premieres are as follow: Tuesday comedies The Muppets and Fresh Off the Boat will return with all-new episodes beginning Tuesday, February 2. The TGIT lineup of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder returns with all-new episodes Thursday, February 11. Once Upon a Time and Quantico return with all-new episodes Sunday, March 6. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D returns with all-new episodes Tuesday, March 8. Nashville returns with all new episodes Wednesday, March 16. The rest of the current ABC series will run all-season long, like ABC Wednesday and Friday comedies, Castle and Shark Tank. Season 22 of Dancing with the Stars premiere date will be announced at a later date. And the return of Secrets and Lies and new comedy Uncle Buck's premiere dates will also be announced at a later date.

Below are ABC's midseason premiere dates (all times ET):

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3
8:00-9:00 p.m. Galavant (Season 2 Premiere)

MONDAY, JANUARY 4
8:00-10:00 p.m. The Bachelor (Season 20 Premiere)

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5
9:00-11:00 p.m. Marvel's Agent Carter (Season 2 Premiere, 2 hours, regular time period 9-10 p.m.)

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6
10:00 p.m. American Crime (Season 2 Premiere)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7
8:00-10:00 p.m. My Diet Is Better Than Yours (Series Premiere, 2 hours)
10:00 p.m. Beyond the Tank (Season Premiere)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2
8:00 p.m. The Muppets (New Episodes)
8:30 p.m. Fresh Off the Boat (New Episodes)

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11
8:00 p.m. Grey's Anatomy (New Episodes)
9:00 p.m. Scandal (New Episodes)
10:00 p.m. How to Get Away with Murder (New Episodes)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2
8:30 p.m. The Real O'Neals (Sneak Preview)
9:30 p.m. The Real O'Neals (Sneak Preview)

THURSDAY, MARCH 3
9:00 p.m. The Family (Sneak Preview)

SUNDAY, MARCH 6
8:00 p.m. Once Upon a Time (New Episodes)
9:00 p.m. The Family (Time Period Premiere)
10:00 p.m. Quantico (New Episodes)

TUESDAY, MARCH 8
8:00 p.m. Fresh Off the Boat (New Time Period)
8:30 p.m. The Real O'Neals (Time Period Premiere)
9:00 p.m. Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (Series Return, New Episodes)
10:00 p.m. Of Kings & Prophets (Series Premiere)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9
10:00 p.m. American Crime (Season Finale)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16
10:00 p.m. Nashville (Series Return, New Episodes)

THURSDAY, MARCH 17
10:00 p.m. How to Get Away with Murder (Season Finale)

THURSDAY, MARCH 24
10:00 p.m. The Catch (Series Premiere)

It's beginning to look and sound a lot like Christmas on getTV, as the network presents a month of classic Yuletide specials hosted by some of Hollywood's most legendary variety stars, every Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET, from November 25 through December 23. As part of the festivities, getTV will also air a Christmas-themed Monday Night Variety Block packed with holiday episodes of The Judy Garland Show, The Andy Williams Show and The Merv Griffin Show on November 23 at 8 p.m. ET; as well as a comprehensive 30-hour marathon featuring all of getTV's holiday specials, starting Christmas Eve at 12 p.m. ET through Christmas Day at 6 p.m. ET. The specials are all part of getTV's continuing efforts to unearth rare Hollywood classic movies and TV, and many of them, including specials from Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Andy Williams, Perry Como, and Mitzi Gaynor, have not been seen on television in decades, often since their first broadcasts 40-50 years ago.

The Yuletide celebration begins on Monday, November 23, with the star-studded holiday episode of The Judy Garland Show at 8 p.m. ET, which airs weekly in the same time slot as part of getTV's Monday night block of variety programming. Guests include Garland's children Lorna Luft, Joey Luft and Liza Minnelli, as well as Jack Jones, and Mel Tormé, who performs his own legendary composition, "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)." Judy herself performs carols such as "Winter Wonderland" and "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," the iconic standard that she first introduced to the world in the 1944 movie Meet Me In St. Louis. Next, at 9 p.m. ET, Andy Williams highlights some of his favorite Christmas moments in Happy Holidays: The Best of the Andy Williams Christmas Show, packed with holiday standards such as "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Ave Maria," and more, along with unforgettable duets as Andy and his brothers harmonize with the Osmond clan. And Merv Griffin closes out the evening with guests Florence Henderson, Barbara McNair, and Jimmy Boyd singing his signature song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" in a special Christmas edition of The Merv Griffin Show, at 10 p.m. ET. For a complete schedule of films and times, visit www.get.tv/schedule. In addition to airing these films on the dates noted above, some of the specials mentioned are scheduled for further broadcasts throughout the month.

Photo above is from The Judy Garland Show: (L-R) Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Lorna Luft, Joey Luft