SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

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

by Vincent

As you may have heard, Disney has recently acquired 20th Century Fox studios. While the Fox network itself will not be owned by Disney, the change in ownership is likely to have a huge effect on the network's programming - most of the channel's programs are owned by 20th Century Fox studios, which now is no longer part of the same corporation as the network itself. In simpler terms, Disney now owns the large majority of Fox's programming, and has the ability to move their shows around to one of the networks they actually own, rather than leaving them on Fox.

So what does this mean for Fox's current comedy line-up? In this week's article, I'll look at each veteran Fox sitcom and try to determine what its future could possibly hold in the murky Fox/Disney situation.

The Simpsons - The crown jewel of Fox's comedy line-up has always been its animated comedies, and The Simpsons is the centerpiece of that line-up - it started the line-up and still remains the highest-rated show (and therefore, Fox's highest-rated comedy.) And yet, The Simpsons is owned by 20th Century Fox - and is therefore now a Disney property. Yes, Bart Simpson is now a Disney character. As weird as it sounds, I'm sure Disney is thrilled to have the cash cow that is The Simpsons as part of their line-up, but most of the profit from the series at this point is coming from merchandising, streaming, and syndication. In the past ten years, The Simpsons has found itself in danger of cancellation several times due to the skyrocketing cost of its voice actors. Given that the show is getting close to its 30th season and that it no longer sees its merchandising and syndication revenue, I wouldn't be surprised to see Fox pull the plug on new episodes of the series as Disney moves its back-end to Hulu (which it now majority owns.)

Family Guy - Seth MacFarlane himself has voiced concern over the fact that the foul-mouthed adult cartoon Family Guy is now a Disney property, but Disney has apparently assured him that its values the series and won't be molding it to fit Disney's family-friendly reputation. As for Fox, although the series is aging and has sagged in the ratings since its heyday in the mid-late 2000s, it still remains a strong player and launching pad - my guess is it'll stick around the line-up for a whole.

Bob's Burgers - Bob's Burgers has slowly but steadily seen itself rise from low-rated underdog to cult favorite, and it's finally showing in the series' ratings, which have beaten and tied The Simpsons and Family Guy on several occasions this year. Reruns on Adult Swim are also doing incredibly well, so Disney is probably happy to acquire the Belchers into their vault. I could even see Disney taking advantage of Bob's cult status and moving it to one of their own networks, although perhaps Fox has noticed Bob's momentum and wants to keep it around to replace The Simpsons as the network's crown jewel.

The Last Man on Earth - Although Last Man started its life as a buzzy ratings hit, its audience has slowly eroded over the course of its run. It's owned by 20th Fox, and its ratings have skirted on truly terrible this season - if there's any show that could get lost in the Disney/Fox merger, it's this one.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine - Brooklyn 99 is another once well-rated series that has seen its audience collapse over the past year or so. However, Brooklyn 99 is not owned by 20th Century, but by NBCUniversal. If a lot of 20th Century productions wind up leaving Fox this year, it's possible to see them wanting to keep Brooklyn around to fill some gaps even with its low ratings. It's also possible NBCUniversal will try the show on another network - perhaps TBS, which has successfully acquired network comedies before (Cougar Town, American Dad!) and premiered the show in syndication this month.

The Mick - The Mick was a surprise success last year, but has struggled to keep up the momentum in its sophomore season. It's another 20th Century Fox production, so it's questionable whether or not Disney will see the need to expand on a show with middling ratings.

Those are just my guesses - obviously I'm no industry insider, but based on the shows' ratings and ownership, I think some guesses could be made about where the shows are headed. Either way, it'll certainly be interesting to see where everything ends up when this Disney/Fox merger is all said and done.

The cable portion of the TCA 2018 Winter Press Tour has begun. Among the networks that have presented so far includes TBS. TBS gets animated on Monday nights starting with American Dad! returning to TBS on Monday, February 12 at 10pm ET/ PT with 22 new episodes. In addition, the network has ordered two more seasons of the top-rated animated hit American Dad!. The series premiered on the Fox broadcasting network in 2005 before moving to TBS in 2014. Then, on Monday, February 26, TBS will debut the new animated intergalactic space saga Final Space on at 10:30pm PT/ ET immediately following American Dad! for an hour-long animation block. Olan Rogers stars in the animated series alongside Fred Armisen, Tom Kenny, David Tennant, Tika Sumpter, Steven Yeun and Coty Galloway.

Comedy superstar and multiple Emmy® nominee Tracy Morgan returns to television with TBS starring in The Last O.G., a new comedy series that he executive produces alongside creator and executive producer Jordan Peele. Beginning April 3, episodes will air Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The Last O.G. centers on Tray (Morgan), an ex-con shocked to see just how much the world has changed when he is released from prison for on good behavior after a 15-year stint. Returning to his newly gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, he discovers that his former girlfriend, Shay (played by emerging, breakout star actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish), has married an affable, successful white man (Ryan Gaul) who is helping raise the twins (Taylor Mosby & Dante Hoagland) Tray never knew existed. Wanting nothing more than to connect with his kids, but having neither the money to support them nor himself, Tray falls back on the skills he learned in prison to make ends meet while treading on unfamiliar territory. The Last O.G. also stars Cedric the Entertainer as the head of the halfway house where Tray is staying, and Allen Maldonado as Tray's cousin Bobby, who helps him adjust to life on the outside.

Elsewhere at TBS, they have renewed the hit unscripted series Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker's Wild and Drop the Mic for second seasons. And television's fastest growing late night show and ad supported television's #1 late night show among young adults has been renewed for two new seasons by TBS. The Emmy Award-winning Full Frontal with Samantha Bee will return Wednesday, February 7 in its usual timeslot at 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Among HBO's announcements was the dark comedy series Barry, starring Bill Hader, kicks off its eight-episode season Sunday, March 25 at 10:30pm ET/PT on HBO. Alec Berg (HBO's Silicon Valley) and Hader (Saturday Night Live) serve as co-creators, executive producers, directors and writers. Other cast regulars include Stephen Root (HBO's All the Way), Sarah Goldberg (Hindsight), Glenn Fleshler (HBO's True Detective), Anthony Carrigan (Gotham) and Henry Winkler (Arrested Development). Barry is a dark comedy starring Bill Hader in the title role of a depressed, low-rent hitman from the Midwest who falls in love with acting while on a job in LA. Barry's handler, Fuches (Stephen Root), hires him out to the violent Chechen mob in Los Angeles, led by Goran Pazar (Glenn Fleshler) and his right-hand man, Noho Hank (Anthony Carrigan).

Hulu and Sony Pictures Television have ordered a second season of comedy series Future Man. The second season episode order will be of 13 episodes. In the series, Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) stars as "Josh Futturman," a janitor by day/gamer by night who is recruited by mysterious visitors to travel through time in order to prevent the extinction of humanity. The series also stars Eliza Coupe, Derek Wilson, Haley Joel Osment, Keith David and Ed Begley Jr. The first season episodes were released in November on Hulu. And finally, Hulu has also picked-up a second season of drama Marvel's Runaways from ABC Signature Studios. The second season episode order will be of 13 episodes. In this series, every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were? Marvel's Runaways is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe - their parents. This series stars Rhenzy Feliz, Lyrica Okano, Virginia Gardner, Ariela Barer, Gregg Sulkin, Allegra Acosta, Annie Wersching, Ryan Sands, Angel Parker, Ever Carradine, James Marsters, Kevin Weisman, Brigid Brannagh, James Yaegashi, Brittany Ishibashi, and Kip Pardue. The first season finale was just released this week (Jan. 9).

Well, it's not Spin City, but Michael J. Fox is returning to politics TV. Esteemed actor and activist Michael J. Fox is joining The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studio's Designated Survivor on ABC for a five-episode arc in which Fox will guest star as Ethan West, a high-flying and connected Washington attorney who is hired by the President's Cabinet and ultimately appointed as special prosecutor to investigate former President Cornelius Moss's alleged leak of classified information. West is a hyper-competitive, wily, relentless lawyer who plays his cards close to the vest and whose only allegiance is to his mandate - a single-mindedness that makes him an unpredictable and formidable adversary for President Tom Kirkman, played by Emmy Award(R)-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland. Following a shocking and surprising winter finale, Designated Survivor returns with all-new episodes on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 10:00 p.m. EST.

Designated Survivor stars Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, Paulo Costanzo as Lyor Boone, Adan Canto as Aaron Shore, Italia Ricci as Emily Rhodes, LaMonica Garrett as Mike Ritter, Zoe McLellan as Kendra Daynes, Ben Lawson as Damian Rennett, Kal Penn as Seth Wright and Maggie Q as Hannah Wells.

Moving on to NBC at the TCA 2018 Winter Press Tour, we have news on a new comedy. From Executive Producers Mindy Kaling and Charlie Grandy, Champions will premiere Thursday, March 8 and will air at 8:30pm through May 17. From executive producers Charlie Grandy (The Mindy Project, Guys with Kids) and Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project), Vince is living every bachelor’s dream. He owns the fifth largest gym in Brooklyn, dates an endless string of beautiful women and lives with his dumb, lovable brother Matthew. But Vince's simple life gets complicated fast when his high school fling Priya (Mindy Kaling) unexpectedly drops off their 15-year-old son Michael so he can attend a city school for super-talented kids. How will Vince handle this wildly ambitious and hilariously witty teenager? Well, somehow he’ll have to work it out. Next, fresh off its stellar debut, NBC has ordered a 13-episode second season of its new hit alternative series Ellen's Game of Games.

NBC's newest comedy A.P. Bio, starring Glenn Howerton and Patton Oswalt with Seth Meyers and Lorne Michaels as executive producers, will premiere two original episodes on digital platforms. As we mentioned, A.P. Bio will launch as a special preview on NBC Thursday, Feb. 1 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT with Will & Grace as its lead-in. The following two episodes (along with the pilot) will be available across digital platforms, including the NBC App, Hulu and those run by NBC owned and affiliated stations, beginning Feb 2, one day after the show debuts on the network. The digital episodes will then air when the series returns on NBC, first on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 10:30 p.m., immediately following the Closing Ceremony of the Winter Olympics from PyeongChang, South Korea; and then on Thursday, March 1 at 8:30 p.m. A.P. Bio will move to its normal 9:30 p.m. Thursday timeslot beginning March 1. And finally, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon will host a star-studded guest lineup in Minneapolis for its special post-Super Bowl episode on Sunday, Feb. 4, including Justin Timberlake, Dwayne Johnson and the cast of NBC's hit series This Is Us: Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz and Justin Hartley. The show will air live from the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis following NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl LII, an original episode of This Is Us and late local news.

The debut of grown-ish (Jan. 3, 2018, 8:00-8:31 p.m. EST) ranked as Freeform's biggest series launch in 2 years among Total Viewers (1.562 million), Adults 18-49 (917,000/0.71 rating), Women 18-49 (658,000/1.01 rating), Women 18-34 (340,000/0.98 rating) and Females 12-34 (448,000/0.96 rating) - since Shadowhunters on 1/12/16. Freeform's grown-ish out-delivered the channel's most-recent comedy debut by strong triple digits (Kevin From Work on 8/12/15) across all key demographics: Total Viewers (+111%), Adults 18-49 (+132%), Women 18-34 (+170%), Females 12-34 (+152%) and Female Teens 12-17 (+108%). In fact, grown-ish opened as Freeform's best comedy debut in nearly 6 years in Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Women 18-49 - since long-running hit Baby Daddy on 6/20/12.

Competitively, the grown-ish debut opened as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted series on cable TV among Women 18-49, Women 18-34 and Females 12-34. The 8:00 p.m. debut of grown-ish was the strongest scripted comedy series launch on basic cable among Women 18-49 since April 2014 (MTV's Faking It), among Women 18-34 since July 2014 (FX's Married) and among Adults 18-49 since September 2016 (FX's Atlanta).

The ABC Television Network has announced midseason premiere dates for the new dramas The Crossing, Deception, For The People and the Grey's Anatomy spinoff, as well as new comedies Alex, Inc. and Splitting Up Together. Additionally, American Idol will air Sundays and Mondays, beginning March 11. Dates have also been set for the premiere of Dancing with the Stars All-Athletes Edition and the return of Quantico. The Grey's Anatomy spinoff joins the TGIT lineup with a special two-hour premiere Thursday, March 22 from 9:00-11:00 p.m. EDT, before assuming its regular timeslot Thursday, March 29 at 9:00 p.m. EDT. The final four episodes of Scandal will air at 10 p.m., Thursdays, beginning March 29. The series finale airs April 19.

As previously announced, Roseanne kicks off with a special one-hour premiere on Tuesday, March 27 from 8:00-9:00 p.m. EDT. Its regular timeslot will be the 8:00 p.m. half-hour, Tuesdays, beginning April 3, followed by The Middle at its new time of 8:30 p.m. EDT. The season finale episodes of Fresh Off the Boat and Speechless will air March 20 and March 21, respectively. Full schedule:

SUNDAY, MARCH 11
8:00-10:00 p.m. American Idol
10:00-11:00 p.m. Deception

MONDAY, MARCH 12
8:00-10:00 p.m. American Idol

TUESDAY, MARCH 13
10:00-11:00 p.m. For The People

THURSDAY, MARCH 22
9:00-11:00 p.m. Grey's Anatomy spinoff (two-hour premiere)

TUESDAY, MARCH 27
8:00-9:00 p.m. Roseanne (one-hour premiere)
9:30-10:00 p.m. Splitting Up Together

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28
8:30-9:00 p.m. Alex, Inc.

THURSDAY, MARCH 29
9:00-10:00 p.m. Grey's Anatomy spinoff (time-period premiere)
10:00-11:00 p.m. Scandal (new time)

MONDAY, APRIL 2
10:00-11:00 p.m. The Crossing

TUESDAY, APRIL 3
8:00-8:30 p.m. Roseanne (time-period premiere)
8:30-9:00 p.m. The Middle (new time)

THURSDAY, APRIL 26
10:00-11:00 p.m. Quantico (Season 3 premiere)

MONDAY, APRIL 30
8:00-10:00 p.m. Dancing with the Stars All-Athletes Edition

Elsewhere at ABC TCA, Chris Harrison hosts this highly anticipated, four-episode series, complete with the usual dose of tears, drama, romance and laughter, as The Bachelor Winter Games, a global celebration of unity and love, premieres on Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 8:00-10:01 p.m. EST, on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand. The series will continue on Thursday, February 15; Tuesday, February 20, and will have its finale on Thursday, February 22. All episodes will air 8:00-10:01 p.m. EST. ABC has announced that it won't be gonging its popular summer series The Gong Show and has renewed it for a second season. Celebrated film and television actor/comedian Mike Myers has finally confirmed the rumor that he is, indeed, the show's host - British comedic legend Tommy Maitland.

This Goldbergs-inspired special event picks up where the Goldberg family leaves off at William Penn Academy in the 1990s as former teacher and now Head of School John Glascott leads a faculty of teachers with wildly different views on how to mentor students and recruits his tough-as-nails-sister Lucy to join his staff and enroll her teenage daughters Felicia and Gigi as new students. Lucy is desperate to ensure they avoid the social pitfalls of high school and finds herself torn between Glascott's nurturing and communicative approach to parenting and Coach Mellor's tough-guy belief that physical competition brings out the best in students. Even Beverly Goldberg comes to visit the school's staff despite all her kids having already graduated and can't help but meddle one last time, on The Goldbergs: 1990-Something, Wednesday, Jan. 24 at 8:00 p.m. EST), on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand. The episode stars Tim Meadows as John Glascott, Bryan Callen as Coach Rick Mellor, Nia Long as Lucy Somers, Rachel Crow as Felicia and Summer Parker as Gigi. Guest starring is Wendi McLendon-Covey as Beverly Goldberg, Ana Gasteyer as Miss Cinoman, Missi Pyle as Madame Charbenaux, Kevin Heffernan as Doc, Justin Tinucci as Meathead, William McMullen as Scrawny Kid, Stephen Tobolowsky as Principal Ball, Irene Roseen as Mrs. Cheevers, Michael Bunin as Cranky Customer, Miles Thomas Platt as Frosh Geek, Sean Marquette as Johnny Atkins and Octavia Spencer as voice-over of Felicia.

This weekend CBS, Showtime and The CW were up at the TCA 2018 Winter Press Tour. We will highlight the notable announcements. CBS announced that the hit freshman comedy Young Sheldon is the Network's first renewal for the 2018-2019 broadcast season. CBS All Access announced that Jack Reynor will star in its upcoming original drama series, Strange Angel. Reynor will play Jack Parsons, a brilliant and ambitious blue-collar worker of 1930s Los Angeles who started as a janitor at a chemical factory but had fantastical dreams that led him to birth the unknown discipline of American rocketry. Along the way, he fell into a mysterious world that included sex magick rituals at night, and he became a disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley. Parsons used Crowley's teachings of self-actualization to support his unimaginable and unprecedented endeavor to the stars.

SHOWTIME has announced the premiere dates of two of its returning drama series: the second season of I'm Dying Up Here will premiere on Sunday, May 6 at 10 pm. ET/PT, and the fourth season of the Golden Globe(R) Award winning drama series The Affair returns on Sunday, June 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. SHOWTIME has also announced that the third season of the hit drama series Billions will premiere on Sunday, March 25 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. And they reminded us that Homeland, which will return on Sunday, February 11 at 9 p.m. and Our Cartoon President, executive produced by multiple Emmy(R) winner Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht and showrunner R.J. Fried, debuting on Sunday, February 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, follows the tru-ish misadventures of the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and his merry band of advisors and family members. SHOWTIME released info for the new limited series Patrick Melrose, starring Oscar(R) nominee and Emmy(R) winner Benedict Cumberbatch. Set to debut later this year, Patrick Melrose is based on the acclaimed Patrick Melrose series of semi-autobiographical novels written by Edward St. Aubyn. This five-part limited series hilariously skewers the upper class as it tracks the protagonist's harrowing odyssey from a deeply traumatic childhood through adult substance abuse and, ultimately, toward recovery.

And finally for The CW, they released more midseason plans. The CW Network today announced dates for the series premiere of the heartfelt new comedy Life Sentence, as well as the returns of iZombie, The 100, and the final season premiere for The Originals. The new series Life Sentence, starring Lucy Hale, makes its debut Wednesday, March 7 at 9:00pm ET/PT, following an all new episode of Riverdale at 8:00pm ET/PT. As a result, Dynasty will move to Friday nights at 8:00pm ET/PT beginning March 9. TV's favorite rom-com-zom-dram iZombie will return for its fourth season Monday, February 26 at 9:00pm ET/PT following DC's Legends of Tomorrow at 8:00pm ET/PT. The Originals. returns for one final bloody bow Friday, April 20 at 9:00pm ET/PT. The season finale of Jane the Virgin is set for Friday, April 13 at 9:00pm ET/PT. The gritty sci-fi drama The 100 is back for its fifth season Tuesday, April 24 at 9:00pm ET/PT, following The Flash at 8:00pm ET/PT. The season finale of the upcoming Black Lightning will air Tuesday, April 17 at 9:00pm ET/PT.

Actor and comedian Jerry Van Dyke, who was best known for his role as Luther Van Dam in Coach, has died. He died on January 5 from heart failure at his ranch in Malvern, Arkansas. He was in declining health since being involved in a car accident two years earlier. Mr. Van Dyke was 86.

Van Dyke's television career began in 1962 with guest appearances as Rob Petrie's brother, Stacey, in The Dick Van Show. The series starred his older brother, Dick Van Dyke. Van Dyke was also a 4-string banjo player who performed several times on the show.

He starred as Dave Crabtree in My Mother the Car, which aired for one season on NBC in 1965-1966. The series was about the misadventures of a man whose deceased mother Gladys (voiced by Ann Sothern) is reincarnated as a restored antique 1928 Porter. It also starred Maggie Pierce, Cindy Eilbacher, Randy Whipple and Avery Schreiber.

Van Dyke played widowed nightclub comedian Jerry Webster in Accidental Family. The 1967-1968 NBC sitcom starred Lois Nettleton, Teddy Quinn, Susan Benjamin, Ben Blue and Larry D. Mann.

He appeared as Steven Winters in the short-lived 1979 ABC sitcom 13 Queens Boulevard. The series was about the diverse residents of a Queens apartment complex. It starred Eileen Brennan, Marcia Rodd, Helen Page Camp, Susan Elliot, Louise Williams, Karen Rushmore and Frances Lee McCain.

Van Dyke's best known role was as Luther Van Dam in Coach, which aired for nine seasons from 1989 to 1997 on ABC. Luther Van Dam was the beloved, yet befuddled assistant coach/defensive coordinator at the fictional Minnesota State University. The series starred Craig T. Nelson, Shelley Fabares, Bill Fagerbakke, Clare Carey (1989-1994), Kris Kamm (1989-1991), Kenneth Kimmins, Georgia Engel (1991-1997) and Katherine Helmond (1995-1997). Van Dyke received four Emmy Award nominations (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994) for the role for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series".

He starred with Andy Griffith as Jerry Brownell in the short-lived 1970-1971 CBS drama The Headmaster. Jerry Brownell was the best friend of Andy Thompson (Andy Griffith). His character was a physical-education teacher and coach. The series also starred Parker Fennelly, Claudette Nevins and Lani O'Grady.

Van Dyke played the recurring role of Big Jimmy Hughes, the father of Jimmy Hughes (Mike O'Malley), in seven episodes of Yes, Dear. He made eight guest appearances as Tag Spence, the father of Frankie Heck (Patricia Heaton), in The Middle from 2010-2015.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Cara Williams Show, The Andy Griffith Show, That Girl, Good Morning, World, Gomer Pyle, USMC, Love, American Style, The New Dick Van Dyke Show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, House Calls, The Love Boat, Newhart, Coming of Age, Charles in Charge, The Drew Carey Show, Grace Under Fire, Teen Angel, You Wish, My Name Is Earl, Raising Hope and The Millers.

Mr. Van Dyke was a talented and funny actor and comedian. He was perfectly cast as Luther Van Dam in Coach. He played the character to perfection. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Antenna TV aired a Coach marathon on New Year's Day. The series airs weeknights at 11pm ET and 3am ET and weekends at 4:30pm ET.

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

We also remember actor and musician Jon Paul Steuer, who was best known for his role as Quentin Kelly in Grace Under Fire. He died on January 1 in Portland, Oregon. The cause of death is not yet known. Mr. Steuer was 33.

Steuer starred as Quentin Kelly in the ABC sitcom Grace Under Fire for three seasons and 73 episodes from 1993 to 1996. Quentin Kelly was the oldest child of Grace Kelly (Brett Butler). Steuer was the second actor to portray Quentin Kelly, as Noah Segan played him in the pilot episode. He decided to leave the show and quit acting due to the extensive press attention given to Brett Butler. Sam Horrigan took over the role for seasons four and five.

He guest starred as Alexander Rozhenko in a 1990 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. His other television guest appearances included Day by Day, Homefront and The Wonder Years. His film credits included Late for Dinner, When Love Kills: The Seduction of John Hearn (TV) and Little Giants.

Mr. Steuer was a good child actor. He decided to leave acting at age 12. He later worked as a musician under the name Jonny P. Jewels in Denver and Portland and owned his own vegan restaurant in Portland. He will be missed.

Share your memories on our Grace Under Fire message board. View photos in our galleries.

It's Sunday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of January 8-12, 2018, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!


Sunday, January 7

• NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - Catch NeNe on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.

Monday, January 8

• Jason Ritter (The Class) - Watch Jason on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Rebel Wilson (Super Fun Night) - Rebel appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Connie Britton (Spin City/The Fighting Fitzgeralds/Lost at Home) - Connie visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Bradley Whitford (Trophy Wife) - Bradley stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Chris Meloni (Surviving Jack/The Fanelli Boys) - Chris is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Kristen Bell (The Good Place) - Kristen appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Pete Holmes (Crashing) - Pete drops by Desus & Mero at 11pm on Viceland. Pete, Aparna Nancherla and Zach Cherry talk about Crashing on the BUILD Series at 2:45pm.
• Colin Hanks (Life in Pieces) - Colin visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Molly Shannon (Divorce/Kath & Kim/Cracking Up) - Molly talks about Divorce on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
• Debra Messing (Will & Grace) - Debra appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Dylan McDermott (LA to Vegas) - Dylan stops by Steve, so check your local listings.
• Charles Esten (The Crew) - Charles cooks a quick and delicious dish with Carla Hall on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Scott Patterson (Aliens in America) - Scott makes a caramel latte on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - NeNe will be on E!'s Daily Pop at 12pm and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.

Tuesday, January 9

• Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Catch Phil on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Lena Waithe (Master of None) - Lena visits The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. She talks about Showtime's The Chi on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am. She will also be on the BUILD Series at 10am.
• Mila Kunis (That '70s Show/Family Guy) - Mila appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Maria Bamford (Lady Dynamite) - Maria is a guest on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Paul Reiser (Red Oaks/The Paul Reiser Show/Mad About You/My Two Dads) - Paul stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Meagan Good (White Famous/Raising Dad/Cousin Skeeter) - Meagan drops by The Real, so check your local listings.
• Jay Ellis (Insecure/The Game) - Jay is a guest on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Rocky Carroll (Roc) - Roc appears on Steve, so check your local listings.
• Thomas Haden Church (Divorce/Ned & Stacey/Wings) - Thomas talks about Divorce on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Ed Begley Jr. (Future Man/Your Family or Mine/Gary Unmarried) - Ed talks about Future Man on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Talia Balsam (Divorce) - Talia will be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.
• Tika Sumpter (The Game) and Jackée Harry (The First Family/Sister, Sister/227) - Tika and Jackée are guests on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 11:30am ET.

Wednesday, January 10

• Sarah Jessica Parker (Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - Watch Sarah on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Pete Holmes (Crashing) - Pete appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. He also talks about Crashing on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Jay Pharoah (White Famous) - Jay visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Lena Waithe (Master of None) - Lena stops by Desus & Mero at 11pm on Viceland. She also talks about her new Showtime series The Chi on The Wendy Williams Show at 2am on BET or on your local stations.
• Peter Krause (Sports Night/Cybill) - Peter appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Chris Meloni Surviving Jack/The Fanelli Boys) - Chris is a guest on Harry, so check your local listings.
• Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory/Blossom) - Mayim drops by Good Mythical Morning with Rhett & Link on YouTube.
• Andrea Martin (Great News/Difficult People) - Andrea talks about Great News on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Ernie Hudson (Grace and Frankie) - Ernie talks about Grace and Frankie on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Dianne Guerrero (Superior Donuts) - Dianne talks about Superior Donuts on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.

Thursday, January 11

• Sam Rockwell (F Is for Family) - Catch Sam on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig visits The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Molly Shannon (Divorce/Kath & Kim/Cracking Up) - Molly appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS. She talks about Divorce on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!) - Thomas drops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Bill Pullman (1600 Penn) - Bill is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Daveed Diggs (black-ish) - Daveed appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Emeril Lagasse (Emeril) - Emeril stops by The Untitled Action Bronson Show at 11:30pm on Viceland.
• Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - Keke guest co-hosts The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Bradley Whitford (Trophy Wife) - Bradley chats on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Bob Saget (Fuller House/How I Met Your Mother/Surviving Suburbia/Raising Dad/Full House) - Bob drops by Steve, so check your local listings.
• Ernie Hudson (Grace and Frankie) - Ernie appears on Steve, so check your local listings.
• Bernadette Peters (Mozart in the Jungle/All's Fair) - Bernadette talks about Hello Dolly on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• The Cast of Corporate - Pat Bishop, Matt Ingebretson, Jake Weisman and Aparna Nancherla are guests on the BUILD Series at 11am.

Friday, January 12

• Laurie Metcalf (The Big Bang Theory/The McCarthys/Roseanne) - Watch Laurie on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Anthony Anderson (black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Amanda Seales (Insecure) - Amanda appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• January Jones (The Last Man on Earth) - January is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Kathy Bates (Disjointed) - Kathy is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Courtney Thorne-Smith (Two and a Half Men/According to Jim/Day By Day) - Courtney visits The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Ted Danson (The Good Place/Becker/Cheers) - Ted stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Son of Zorn/Suburgatory) - Cheryl appears on Harry, so check your local listings.
• Yara Shahidi (black-ish/grown-ish) and Trevor Jackson (grown-ish) - Yara and Trevor are guests on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Jenny McCarthy (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny and Donnie Wahlberg are guests on Steve, so check your local listings.
• Phil Rosenthal (Creator of Everybody Loves Raymond) - Phil talks about his new Netflix show, Somebody Feed Phil, where he travels the globe taking in the local cuisine and culture of Bangkok, Lisbon, Mexico City and more on the BUILD Series at 2pm.

All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Sunday feature! We do listen!

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Sitcoms Airing This Week

Sunday, January 7

The Simpsons - "Haw-Haw Land" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The Simpsons go to a STEM conference; Lisa falls for a crooning jazz pianist; Bart discovers he has an affinity for chemistry.

Ghosted - "Snatcher" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Max, Leroy, and Annie get lost in the woods while trying to find a creature that kills; Max's survival skills are put to the test; Barry helps with Capt. LaFrey's dating problems.

Family Guy - "Boy (Dog) Meet Girls (Dog)" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Brian is smitten with a female show dog and enters a show dog competition in which the winner gets to breed her; Peter and Lois go to extreme measures to try to convince Chris that Arthur Valentine doesn't exist.

The Last Man on Earth - "Karl" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Tandy and Todd come across a new survivor who has been trapped in a Mexican prison since the virus hit.

School of Rock - "Kool Thing" (Nickelodeon, 7:30PM ET/PT)
Tomika goes to great lengths to prove she is cool to the new girl in school, eventually lying about knowing a music superstar.

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Monday, January 8

The Big Bang Theory - "The Long Distance Dissoance" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The gang is concerned when Sheldon’s former admirer, Dr. Ramona Nowitzki (Riki Lindhome), resurfaces while Amy is away at Princeton.

Kevin Can Wait - "The Owl" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Kevin and Chale set out on a road trip to retrieve an owl-shaped cookie jar that Kevin sold before realizing how much it meant to Kendra. Also, after Vanessa rejects Kyle’s attempt to woo her, she and Kendra help get him back on the dating scene. Loni Love guest stars as Yvette, a pawn shop owner.

Young Sheldon - "A Patch, A Modem, and a Zantac" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When a NASA representative visits Sheldon’s school and dismisses his science, Sheldon is set on a mission to prove him wrong.

Superior Donuts - "Painted Love" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Arthur encourages Franco to pursue his art but is caught off guard when Franco paints a mural on the side of the donut shop that sparks controversy in the neighborhood. Also, Fawz decides to run for president of the Uptown Business Council.

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Tuesday, January 9

The Middle - "The Other Man" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Now that Axl has a real job, he begins to bond more with Mike and spends a lot of time with him – leaving Frankie frozen out of their interactions; and just as Sue is about to break up with Aidan, Brad pleads with her to wait a beat until after he has a chance to win the affection of Aiden’s handsome friend, Luke (Corbin Bleu, “Dancing with the Stars” season 17 runner up, “High School Musical”).

Fresh Off the Boat - "Liar Liar" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Eddie gets annoyed when he catches Nicole changing her opinions in order to impress her new crush, Jackie. Louis is eager to expand his social circle with Matthew Chestnut’s friends, but Jessica fears her sometimes-too-generous husband is overextending himself. When Emery and Evan take Honey shopping to find her a new, easy style to help her when the baby comes, their idea of a “mom” wardrobe is met with some resistance.

black-ish - "Inheritance" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Dre’s sister Rhonda is in town and Ruby has a talk with them about her inheritance. Meanwhile, Bow’s sister Santamonica is also in town and she hires Junior to become her assistant.

Modern Family - "It's the Great Pumpkin, Phil Dunphy" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Phil and Claire still want to celebrate Halloween in a big way, but it seems no one shares their same enthusiasm making them wonder if maybe everyone is right. Over at the Pritchett’s, Mitch and Cam are frustrated by how long Jay is taking to finish their kitchen remodel, which forces Mitch to finally stand up to his dad. Meanwhile, Gloria’s hospitality is wearing thin when Cam oversteps his boundaries as a house guest.

LA to Vegas - "The Yips and the Dead" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
The flight crew is forced to figure out how to keep the passengers feeling comfortable after they discover the body of a deceased person aboard the plane; Capt. Dave experiences difficulties while trying to land the plane.

The Mick - "The Trip" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
While Sabrina is convinced that getting accepted into Yale will be an easy task, she decides to take a risk during her interview that may threaten her chances; Alba is visited by her cousin and pretends to be a maid again to appease her family.

Teachers - "Don't Go Pranking My Heart" (TV Land, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Ms. Watson and Principal Pearson struggle with balancing their new romantic relationship at work. Ms. Feldman takes April Fools’ Day too far.

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Wednesday, January 10

The Goldbergs - "Dinner with the Goldbergs" (ABC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Erica warns Geoff about going to dinner with her family to celebrate her birthday, but he insists. Upon arrival, it’s apparent this will be no ordinary dinner out: The family changes tables multiple times, Beverly sends her food back, Murray insists Adam order off the children’s menu and Barry wants to change his order, but it’s too late. By evening’s end, Geoff hits his breaking point.

Speechless - "THE H-U-S-- HUSTLE" (ABC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Maya and Jimmy get pulled into a school fundraiser where Maya makes a new friend and Jimmy discovers the benefits of being tall. Ray, tired of being the responsible sibling, explores his reckless side with JJ and Dylan; and Kenneth tries to win over a crowd with his DJ skills.

Modern Family - "He Said, She Shed" (ABC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Claire’s request to build a “She Shed” in their backyard is denied by the homeowners association and only Luke and Phil know the real reason why. Meanwhile Pameron lets Cam in on a family secret that forces him to visit Mitch’s therapist to work through this new information.

American Housewife - "Selling Out" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Katie is worried that the launch of Greg’s new book might go poorly, so she enlists Angela and Doris to write positive reviews of the book online to boost his confidence. When the book unexpectedly does exceedingly well, Greg buys a new car without consulting Katie.

grown-ish - "If You're Reading This, It's Too Late" (Freeform, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Zoey believes her crush has feelings for her, but begins to worry he may see things differently.

Alone Together - "Pilot" (Freeform, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Friends seek acceptance in status-obsessed L.A.

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Thursday, January 11

The Big Bang Theory - "The Solo Oscillation" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Sheldon kicks Amy out to work solo, she and Leonard bond during a series of science experiments. Also, Bert the geologist replaces Wolowitz in the band Footprints on the Moon, and Sheldon finds Penny a surprising source of scientific inspiration. Laurie Metcalf returns as Sheldon’s mother, Mary.

Young Sheldon - "Demons, Sunday School, And Prime Numbers" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
A worried Mary sends Sheldon to Sunday school after she finds him playing Dungeons and Dragons with his friends Tam and Billy. Billy Gardell guest stars as Billy Sparks’ father, Herschel.

Mom - "A Bear and A Bladder Infection" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Christy’s long-distance relationship begins to fizzle, she seeks the company of a former fling. Also, Bonnie tries to give up coffee.

Life in Pieces - "Emergency Interview Driving Lunch" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When Matt is in a hurry to get to the fertility clinic, each member of the family has a crisis that prevents him from getting there on time.

Superstore - "Golden Globes Party" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Amy (America Ferrera) throws a party to prove how great she's doing post-divorce, she's forced to enlist Dina (Lauren Ash) and Jonah's (Ben Feldman) help, and Dina ends up making the ultimate sacrifice. Meanwhile, Glenn (Mark McKinney) and his wife Jerusha (Kerri Kenney) are forced to conduct some personal business at Amy's home.

The Good Place - "Best Self" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Michael (Ted Danson) finds himself in a bind. Meanwhile, Eleanor (Kristen Bell) sparks an idea that has Chidi (William Jackson Harper), Tahani (Jameela Jamil), Jason (Manny Jacinto) and even Janet (D'Arcy Carden) laying their feelings on the line.

Will & Grace - "There's Something About Larry" (NBC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Will (Eric McCormack) and Grace's (Debra Messing) old friend Larry (guest star Tim Bagley) decides he's in love with Will. On Jack's (Sean Hayes) first day as a Lyft driver, he hits his wacky neighbor Val (special guest star Molly Shannon). Karen (Megan Mullally) steps in to bail out Jack, but then needs Jack to bail her out.

Great News - "Competing Offer" (NBC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
When "The Breakdown" staff finds themselves embroiled in a lawsuit with eccentric billionaire Fenton Pelt (guest star Jim Rash), Chuck (John Michael Higgins) is convinced he can solve the problem. But when Chuck's attempts to save the show backfire, he enlists the gang's help to pull off an elaborate heist. Meanwhile, after realizing that she has feelings for Greg (Adam Campbell), Katie (Briga Heelan) is determined not to make a move on her unavailable boss. Her intentions are put to the test, however, when Diana St. Tropez (guest star Tina Fey) demands that the two spend the night together fact-checking a story.

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Friday, January 12

none scheduled

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Saturday, January 13

Will & Grace - "Friends and Lover" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Will (Eric McCormack) and Grace (Debra Messing) try to convince themselves they are okay with dating the same man, the charismatic "Bad Boy of Bread" (special guest star Nick Offerman). Jack (Sean Hayes) and Karen (Megan Mullally) get an annoying commercial jingle stuck in their heads and must seek medical attention.

Superstore - "Viral Video" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After a Cloud 9 employee posts a controversial video online, Dina (Lauren Ash) enlists Cheyenne to help police the rest of the staff's social media accounts. Meanwhile, Amy (America Ferrera) learns something about Jonah (Ben Feldman) that drives her to desperately pursue Instagram views, and Glenn (Mark McKinney) suspects Mateo (Nico Santos) of rewards card fraud.

The Thundermans - "Can't Hardly Date" (Nickelodeon, 8:00PM ET/PT)
As Sarah and Gideon's crushes on Max and Phoebe escalate, the twins attempt to solve the problem by setting them up on a date with each other; Max wants to win back Sarah after he discovers her uncle is a rock star.

Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn - "Wrestle-Mae-nia" (Nickelodeon, 8:30PM ET/PT)
A misunderstanding almost causes the quads to break up Mae and Miles and disrupt the boys' plans to attend a wrestling match.

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Sunday, January 14

The Simpsons - "Frink Gets Testy" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Fearing that the end of the world is near, Mr. Burns tasks Dr. Frink with testing all of Springfield's residents to determine who is worth saving.

Bob's Burgers - "V for Valentine-detta" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
After a rough breakup on Valentine's Day, the Belcher women have a limo girls' night out to make Tina feel better; Bob and Gene have a trapeze experience that brings them closer.

Family Guy - "Dog Bites Bear" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Stewie and Brian get into a friendship-ending fight after Brian commits a terrible act to one of Stewie's beloved toys; Peter refuses to wash his hand after meeting his favorite breakfast cereal mascot, Boo Berry.

The Last Man on Earth - "Paint Misbehavin'" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Tandy and Todd introduce newcomer Karl to the rest of the gang; the group searches for Jasper, who has gone missing.

School of Rock - "Would I Lie to You?" (Nickelodeon, 7:30PM ET/PT)
Freddy writes a song about the band being so supportive, but they find it difficult to be honest with him when it comes to how they feel about it.

Complete TV Listings

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! We're just beginning to get back to normal this week and will have even more for you next week with the TCA Winter Press Tour beginning. This week, we're learning about the (unofficial) cancellation of an ABC comedy, the death of a Grace Under Fire star, and it's been a busy week for Netflix and Hulu. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

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

With January upon us, sitcoms are going to be getting back into action - in fact, many have already returned. So for the next few weeks, I'll be checking in on some sitcom that I'm particularly enjoying this TV season, the first of which is Fox's Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is in its fifth season, and I've rarely seen a TV show remain so consistent through-out its run. Since Season 1, the series has been a go-to for wacky hi-jinks mixed with characters who manage to be both over-the-top funny and relatable. While Brooklyn Nine-Nine's premise of "eclectic weirdos in a nontraditional workplace" may be similar to other Mike Schur-penned comedies such as Parks & Recreation and The Office, Brooklyn Nine-Nine differentiates itself by having a cast of characters that feel truly different in subtle ways. Jake Peralta may seem like a typical "man-boy who needs to learn how to grow up" leading man, but while that may be an apt description of his character, he's written and played in ways that make him more interesting than that. Peralta's family background describes his man-boyish persona, and the way he supports his friends, keeps an open mind to social issues, and seems unconcerned with traditional standards of masculinity makes him quite an interesting protagonist, particularly for a NYPD detective (a role that might classically be played by a more traditional macho man.) Another groundbreaking in a subtle way character is Captain Holt, an openly gay police captain who is upfront about his struggles to rise in the ranks despite his sexuality and the open racism in the PD. These subtle hints of progression appear in all of the characters - Rosa is a tough police captain who (spoiler alert) comes out as bisexual in a recent episode, and Terry is an extremely tough man who also has a clear and celebrated soft side (he has maybe cried more than any other character on the show.)

Also, the show is just funny. Every episode is a well-written adventure with plenty of comic hi-jinks, and just the right combination of big physical comedy set pieces with subtle and effective character-based humor. It deals with serious issues but always feels light and approachable, making it a show that does provoke thought and analysis but also is fun to just sit and unwind with after a long work day. Brooklyn Nine-Nine's ratings have taken a significant hit this season, and cancellation rumors have begun to swirl. I'm really hoping that Fox sees what a gem they have in the show, though, and either give it a chance to formally wrap things up next year or give it to another network (perhaps TBS, who is expanding their comedy slate and will also begin airing re-runs of the show this month) who can make better use of its charms.

Fox kicked-off the TCA 2018 Winter Press Tour yesterday. We got some news, too. The seventh and final season of New Girl will premiere Tuesday, April 10 at 9:30PM ET/PT on Fox. The eight-episode final season will have a special one-hour finale on Tuesday, May 15 from 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT. The series stars Zooey Deschanel as Jess Day; Jake Johnson as Nick Miller; Max Greenfield as Schmidt; Lamorne Morris as Winston Bishop; and Hannah Simone as Cece Schmidt. As the series' sixth season came to a close, Jess told Nick of her true feelings for him. Also, Winston and Aly (guest star Nasim Pedrad) got engaged, and Cece and Schmidt received news that they are expecting. When the series returns for its final season, a three-year time jump will have occurred. Jess and Nick are happily together and returning from a whirlwind European book tour; stay-at-home dad Schmidt and working mom Cece are raising their daughter, Ruth; and Winston and Aly are married, with a child on the way. In addition to Nasim Pedrad, the final season will feature the return of many of the series' notable guest stars, including Damon Wayans, Jr., Dermot Mulroney, David Walton, Nelson Franklin, Sam Richardson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner. JB Smoove (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) also will make their series debuts in guest-starring roles.

Fox has renewed The Gifted, the family adventure series set in Marvel's X-Men universe, for a second season. In the all-new, two-hour first season finale of The Gifted, "eXtraction/X-roads," airing Monday, Jan. 15 from 8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT on Fox, Dr. Campbell (guest star Garret Dillahunt) attends the Humanity Today summit, attempting to take the Hound program national, while some of the team at Mutant HQ go on a dangerous mission to stop his efforts. Then, the Mutant HQ comes under attack. With everything to lose, alliances shift and relationships are put to the test. Moving on, in a Family Guy first, the Emmy Award-winning animated series will air an extended-length episode with limited commercial interruption Sunday, March 11 from 9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT on Fox. In the "Send in Stewie, Please" episode, Stewie (Seth MacFarlane) gets sent to the office of his school's child psychologist, Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (guest voice Sir Ian McKellen), after pushing one of his classmates. During the session, Stewie experiences a series of personal and emotional revelations about himself that fans will not want to miss.

Winter sparkles on Hallmark Channel, as the network ushers in the New Year with "Winterfest," the network's highly anticipated annual programming event. "Winterfest" celebrates all we love about the snowy season and features a slate of four all-new original movies premiering every Saturday in January. The event starts with Love on the Slopes starring Katrina Bowden & Thomas Beaudoin (Saturday, January 6, 9 p.m. ET/PT), followed by Frozen in Love starring Rachel Leigh Cook & Niall Matter (Saturday, January 13, 9 p.m. ET/PT), One Winter Weekend starring Taylor Cole & Jack Turner (Saturday, January 20, 9 p.m. ET/PT) and Winter's Dream starring Dean Cain & Kristy Swanson (Saturday, January 27, 9 p.m. ET/PT).

TGIT worlds will collide later this season when Annalise Keating and Olivia Pope share the screen during How to Get Away with Murder and Scandal crossover episodes, ABC confirmed. Kerry Washington and Viola Davis posted the news early yesterday morning (see below) and it was confirmed by Shonda Rhimes and Pete Nowalk, executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder.

Kerry Washington post - https://t.co/JFdiCTmbFs
Viola Davis post - https://www.instagram.com/p/BdfukRzAe9v/?taken-by=violadavis

The Scandal crossover episode was written by Raamla Mohamed and directed by Tony Goldwyn. The How to Get Away with Murder crossover episode was written by Morenike Balogun & Sarah L. Thompson and directed by Zetna Fuentes. As previously announced, new TGIT episodes of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder return on Thursday, January 18, on The ABC Television Network, streaming and on demand.

In the span of ten days, artist/activist Rose McGowan (Charmed) was arrested, met with former President Barack Obama, and became one of TIME Magazine's "People of the Year," all while navigating the minefield of those trying to silence her. E! brings viewers a limited series event in five parts, Citizen Rose, and for the first time, we will see the world through her eyes. A two-hour documentary special airing on Tuesday, January 30 at 8pm ET/PT, followed by four episodes airing in Spring 2018, Citizen Rose is a project that reflects a dramatically changing world. We follow McGowan as she readies her memoir/manifesto, Brave, for release. Citizen Rose is McGowan's world: the art, the #ROSEARMY, her special punk brand of activism and the music she makes to heal. By going up against the Hollywood machine, McGowan has shown true courage in the face of adversity and this documentary will take you behind-the-scenes of her tumultuous and fascinating life. She will process, in almost real-time, the massive social change she has helped usher in as well as fight back against those who have hurt so many, including her.


Surprise, the end is near. On January 5, Netflix will debut the The End of the F***ing World and the trailer is now available below. Please see below for the trailer for this new comedy. Eight episodes will be available. Based on the award-winning graphic novels, adapted by acclaimed newcomer Charlie Covell, the eight episode series follows James (Alex Lawther, Black Mirror) and Alyssa (Jessica Barden, Penny Dreadful) - a self-proclaimed psychopath and a foul-mouthed rebel fed-up with her boring life. The two embark on a roadtrip to find a better life, and escape the impending doom of adulthood. As their chaotic journey unfolds, it becomes apparent that James and Alyssa have crossed a line and have no choice but to take it as far as they can...

Welcome to our 13th annual Sitcoms on DVD and Blu-ray Preview, where we look at what is on the horizon for 2018. We also have our wish list of sitcoms that we hope to see on DVD this year.

Girlfriends and Bosom Buddies are being re-released as complete series boxed sets with new packaging. Three's Company is being re-released with the same packaging as the 2014 release on February 13. Comedy Central's Broad City - Season 4 arrives on DVD on February 13. Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Seventh Season and Green Acres - The Complete Fifth Season will be released by Shout! Factory on February 27. Shout! Factory will release the second season of One Day at a Time individually on March 27.

Read our weekly SitcomsOnline.com Digest for all the latest news and rumors on upcoming releases.

The links below go to Amazon.com, where you can pre-order these titles at some nice discounts. We're an affiliate of Amazon.com and receive a commission for each sale. Please consider ordering through our links. Thanks for your continued support!

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2018 SITCOMS ON DVD PREVIEW

January 2018:

01/09 - Girlfriends - The Complete Series

Girlfriends is a glimpse into the lives of four friends as they navigate their way through life's trials and tribulations with wit and humor. Through all the challenges of work and relationships, their friendship remains their bond. Available for the first time in a new shelf-friendly complete series collection. 25-disc set includes all 8 seasons and all 172 episodes, plus special features.

Created by Mara Brock Akil (The Game, Being Mary Jane). Executive produced by Kelsey Grammer (Cheers, Frasier) Starring Golden Globe winner Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish). Guest appearances by Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley), Common (Suicide Squad), Katt Williams (the upcoming Bastards), Idris Elba (The Dark Tower), Malik Yoba (Designated Survivor), Wayne Brady (Whose Line Is It Anyway?), Wendell Pierce (The Wire), and more!

The 25-disc set has a pre-order price of only $43.76 on Amazon.

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February 2018:

02/06 - Bosom Buddies - The Complete Series

A GUY'S GOTTA DO WHAT A GIRL'S GOTTA DO! After their old apartment building collapses, best friends and struggling ad men Kip Wilson (Tom Hanks) and Henry Desmond (Peter Scolari) must dress up as women to rent the only other place they can afford in New York City: the female-only Susan B. Anthony Hotel.

Tom Hanks stars in the hilarious sitcom that launched his Academy Award-winning career in Bosom Buddies: The Complete Series. As Kip and Henry begin their secret lives as Buffy and Hildegarde, they quickly learn that with a little moxie, and a lot of makeup, anything is possible! Bosom Buddies: The Complete Series includes all 37 episodes of the irreverent comedy!

Starring Tom Hanks in one of his first leading roles! Co-starring Peter Scolari (Girls), Wendie Jo Sperber (Back to the Future), Emmy winner Holland Taylor (Two and a Half Men) and Telma Hopkins (Family Matters). Available for the first time in a new shelf-friendly complete series collection. 6-disc set includes all 37 episodes, plus a special feature.

The 6-disc set has a pre-order price of only $20.97 on Amazon. The special feature is a "Sales Presentation", which runs 6 minutes, 49 seconds. This was used to sell the show into local syndication. It's just basically a series of clips from the episodes. It's narrated by the ABC voice-over guy from the 1980s who did their network promos. He gives the basic premise of the show and talks a little bit about the cast and the characters. He mentions Tom Hanks being in "Splash" and "Bachelor Party," so this was probably made around the mid-to-late 1980's. There is a Paramount Domestic Television and Video Programming logo.

02/13 - Broad City - Season 4

Abbi and Ilana find themselves growing up in Season 4 of Broad City as they contend with gray hairs, the prospect of real relationships and, of course, living under a T***p presidency. Fourth season of the critically acclaimed series starring Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, executive produced by Amy Poehler. Season Four guest stars include RuPaul, Jane Curtin, Fran Drescher, Wanda Sykes, and more!

The 2-disc set will include three special features: Hack into Broad City webisodes, Deleted and Extended Scenes, and Bloopers (may not be finalized yet, and could be subject to change).

02/13 - Three's Company - The Complete Series - Come and Knock on Our Door Collection

THREE'S COMPANY was a groundbreaking comedy series that tripped and jiggled through a world of slapstick pratfalls and some of the most scandalously titillating comedy America had ever seen, and hasn't seen since. Racy and daring for its time, this breakthrough bedroom farce ran for 8 seasons on ABC. Thirty years after it came to an end, it remains one of the best-loved TV series of all time.

This complete series set is a celebration of the exploits of Jack, Janet, Chrissy, Larry, Terri, The Ropers, and Mr. Furley, and offers fans a chance to relive every episode and continue to laugh for years to come. Stars John Ritter, Suzanne Somers, Joyce DeWitt, Jeilee Harrison, Priscilla Barnes, Richard Kline, Norman Fell, Audra Lindley, and Don Knotts.

29 disc set includes all 174 episodes from 8 seasons of the beloved TV series. Loaded with special features, including 2 bonus never-before-aired episodes. The groundbreaking comedy series that defined a generation in a new slim "Come and Knock on Our Door Collection" for a great low price.

The 29-disc set has a pre-order price of only $49.96 on Amazon. The packaging looks to be the same as the 2014 release.

02/27 - Diff'rent Strokes - The Complete Seventh Season

The irrepressible Arnold Jackson is back! Join Conrad Bain, Gary Coleman, Todd Bridges, Danny Cooksey, and Dixie Carter for the delightful seventh season of Diff'rent Strokes!

Filled with all the laughs, love, and lessons you'd expect from one of your favorite sitcoms, this season's adventures find Arnold (Coleman) busting ghosts, standing up to peer pressure, and narrowly avoiding an international incident when his toy rocket crashes into the Russian embassy!

Including all twenty-four episodes, Diff'rent Strokes: Season Seven also features guest appearances by John Astin, Ray Bolger, Dick Sargent, Hervé Villechaize, Edie McClurg, Mitch Gaylord, Soleil Moon Frye, and Dana Plato.

The 3-disc set is available for pre-order for only $14.99 on Amazon.

02/27 - Green Acres - The Complete Fifth Season

Head back to Hooterville hilarity with Green Acres: Season Five, starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor! Leaving the bright lights of New York City behind them, Oliver Douglas (Albert) and his wife Lisa (Gabor) discover some of the most eccentric characters and zany situations in all of television history.

Season Five finds the Douglases getting a visit from Lisa's "mudder" and Hooterville playing host to the world's first millionaire pig! Arnold Ziffel's College of Useless Knowledge, #5: The immortal Green Acres theme song was composed by Vic Mizzy, who also gave us the equally memorable theme to The Addams Family. Includes All 26 episodes!

The 4-disc set is available for pre-order for only $22.31 on Amazon.

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March 2018:

03/27 - One Day at a Time - Season Two

Shout! Factory released One Day at a Time - The Complete Series on DVD on December 5, 2017. They are now releasing Season Two individually.

The 3-disc set contains all 24 episodes from the second season. It's available for pre-order for only $14.99 on Amazon.

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Other Sitcoms Expected on DVD and/or Blu-ray in 2018:

The Big Bang Theory - Amazon is already taking orders for The Complete Eleventh Season on DVD and Blu-ray.
Ghosted - Amazon is already taking orders for Season 1 on DVD.
Modern Family - Amazon is already taking orders for The Complete Ninth Season on DVD.

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Special thanks to the fine folks at TVShowsOnDVD.com for the artwork and information in compiling this preview. Thanks also to our own Skees for our weekly SitcomsOnline.com Digest. Preview compiled by Todd.

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2018 Wish List:

This is my wish list for 2018. Some of them probably have slim to no chance of ever being available, but I still have hope for them someday. None of these titles have been officially announced.

According to Jim - Seasons 3-5 were released in 2011. Could we see the final 3 seasons finally released in 2017?
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - A fundraising project by Sam Nelson to get the show restored and complete on DVD raised over $32,000. Updates are on their Kickstarter campaign page for backers only. The restoration process has continued apparently. They are hoping to reach a goal of $55,000.
Alice - Seasons 5 and 6 arrived on DVD in 2017. Seasons 7-9 are still needed. The series is also now airing on Antenna TV.
Archie Bunker's Place - Mill Creek re-released Season One in 2015, but we're still waiting for the complete series to be released (Shout! Factory are you listening?).
Baby Daddy - This series is still not out on DVD. It had a nice 6 season/100 episode run on ABC Family/Freeform. Hopefully they release it at some point.
Benson - Seasons One & Two were re-released in 2014, but no further seasons have been released. RIP Robert Guillaume.
The Beverly Hillbillies - Seasons 5-9 are still needed. The Official First Season was released on April 26, 2016.
Blossom - I'm surprised that it hasn't been available as a Shout! Factory Select title like Mr. Belvedere. Seasons 1-2 were released way back in January 2009. Mill Creek released a "best of" set in October 2010.
Brooklyn Bridge - There were rumors of a release in 2010 by the show's creator Gary David Goldberg, but it never materialized.
California Dreams - Only Season 5 remains to be released.
Checking In - One episode was included on Shout! Factory's release of The Jeffersons - The Complete Series. The original press release stated that all four episodes of the Marla Gibbs' spin-off would be included, so hopefully we see them available someday.
Chico and the Man - Only 6 episodes have been released on DVD. RIP Della Reese.
Dave's World - Only Season 4 is left to complete the series.
Dear John - The series has aired on Antenna TV, but it's no longer on their schedule.
Diff'rent Strokes - Shout! Factory released Seasons 5 and Season 6 in 2017. Season 7 will be released on February 27. Only Season 8 will be needed.
8 Simple Rules - We're still waiting for the third and final season.
Evening Shade - It was announced in November 2015 that the Complete Series was being worked on by VEI, but a release date was never announced. RIP Ann Wedgeworth.
Fish - Shout! Factory included the first season in the Barney Miller - The Complete Series release in 2011. It would be great to see the second season as well.
Happy Days - Seasons 5 and 6 were released in 2014, but there have been no further seasons. RIP Erin Moran.
Head of the Class - No seasons are available on DVD. It's now airing on Antenna TV.
Hello, Larry - It could be included with a complete series boxed set of Diff'rent Strokes.
The Hogan Family - Music clearance issues seem to be the reason for no DVD releases at this point. It's now airing on Antenna TV.
Hope & Faith - Season 1 was released way back in 2009, but we're still waiting on Seasons 2-3.
I'm Dickens...He's Fenster - We're still waiting for the second volume of this lost gem.
It's Your Move - It would make an ideal 3-disc set from Shout! Factory. A cult classic that would be a popular release.
Less Than Perfect - Season 1 was released in September 2010. Hopefully this underrated series will have more seasons available at some point.
Melissa & Joey - Only the first season of the popular ABC Family/Freeform sitcom is available on DVD. They ended a successful 4-year run in August 2015.
Mr. Belvedere - Season Four was re-released as a retail release in 2015, but we're still waiting for the final two seasons. At least it's airing on Antenna TV.
Murphy Brown - Only the first season has been released on DVD. The series is now airing on Antenna TV.
My Three Sons - Only Seasons 1-2 have been released. Unfortunately, many CBS DVD/Paramount series have been stalled for years.
My Two Dads - Only the third season remains to be released to complete the series. The series can be seen on Antenna TV.
My Wife and Kids - Only Seasons 1-2 have been released.
Out of This World - Volume 1 was released in Germany in November 2011. Will we see a U.S. release at some point?
Parker Lewis Can't Lose - Seasons 1 and 2 have been released. We're just waiting on the third season to complete the series.
Perfect Strangers - We're still waiting for the third season. We desperately need more Balki! Warner Archive says more individual seasons are in the works.
Petticoat Junction - Seasons 4-7 are still needed.
Please Don't Eat the Daisies - As we reported in October 2012, Warner Archive hopes to bring it to DVD once some music issues are cleared and the episodes are remastered.
The Ropers - The Three's Company spin-off has never been released on DVD, but it does air on Antenna TV.
Silver Spoons - It would make a nice complete series boxed set from Shout! Factory. It's now airing on Antenna TV.
Small Wonder - Seasons 1-2 have been released. Seasons 3-4 are still needed to complete the series. Antenna TV airs the series.
Three's a Crowd - A one-year wonder which would be nice to see on DVD. Antenna TV airs the series.
227 - Only the first season has been released on DVD. The series airs on Antenna TV and OWN.
Webster - Only the fifth and sixth seasons are left to complete the series. Antenna TV airs the series.
What's Happening Now!! - Only the first season was released in 2007.
Who's the Boss? - It remains popular in syndication, but only the first season was released way back in 2004.

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What are your predictions for 2018? Which new releases are you most excited about? What are your most wanted unreleased sitcoms? Post your comments on our message board.

LA to Vegas - Tuesdays at 9:00PM ET/PT on Fox
Premieres Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 9:00PM ET/PT

by Skees

Los Angeles to Vegas: it's a weekend flight that you can take from the first city to the second city every weekend to escape everything and let what happens in Vegas stay in Vegas. Fox's newest sitcom, LA to Vegas, follows a flight crew that makes that trip every weekend, along with some of the familiar passengers who make that trek every weekend and a few guests who come along.

Cast Details:

Kim Matula as Ronnie Messing
Ed Weeks as Colin
Nathan Lee Graham as Bernard
Olivia Macklin as Nichole
Peter Stormare as Artem
Dylan McDermott as Captain Dave Pratman

Kim Matula (Ronnie) is best known for her long-running role in the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, and aside from a single episode of How I Met Your Mother, she makes her sitcom debut with this series.

Ed Weeks (Colin) is known for his role of Jeremy Reed on The Mindy Project. He has also appeared in episodes of Royal Pains, House of Lies, and other series in the UK.

Nathan Lee Graham (Bernard) appears in the web series Hug-O-Gram and has also appeared in the series The Comeback, as well as episodes of Scrubs and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Olivia Macklin (Nichole) is a relative newcomer to acting who has appeared in HBO's The Young Pope

Peter Stormare (Artem) is a Swedish born actor who has had roles in Sweden and still lives there part-time, and in the United States, he has been seen in series such as Watching Ellie, Prison Break, Weeds, The Blacklist, Arrow, Manhattan, and Longmire, among others.

Dylan McDermott (Captain Dave Pratman) is best known for his role on the ABC series, The Practice. He has also appeared in American Horror Story, Hostages, and Stalker.

Pilot Plot:

"Pilot" (Airs January 2 at 9:00PM ET)

In the pilot, we meet Ronnie Messing (Kim Matula), the airline stewardess who isn't happy with where she is in her professional life. No, she doesn't want to leave behind the life of a stewardess, she wants to leave her job at her current airline on the Los Angeles to Las Vegas flight and get that job with Delta on the Los Angeles to New York flight. When she learns she didn't get it, she takes drastic action, including quitting her job (at least temporarily) and getting involved in a fling with one of the regular passengers, Colin (Ed Weeks) on the flight. Meanwhile, a young couple on the flight is headed to Vegas to elope to escape the big wedding their family has in mind, and that should all go as planned, right?

Analysis:

When I'm watching/reviewing a pilot, I try to look for the good parts of it and focus on those. And I definitely did that with this one as well, but it was hard to find anything good to say about this, as it sort of stinks.

Before getting into what's wrong with it, maybe it is worth pointing out the positives of the series. The individual cast members of the series make up a great are decent actors who could do well on a good TV series with good casting. But that long list of qualifiers already brings up the first problem with the series: it has a cast that doesn't seem to fit in with one another. In watching the first episode, you couldn't really see how they all fit together. So what we've got here is a case of a good cast that seems to be poorly matched.

I also couldn't really tell where the stories are going to go on this series. In the pilot, we got to see Ronnie losing out on a job opportunity and (possibly) opening a new door with a new relationship and the young couple who went to Las Vegas to get hitched. The possibilities with the main cast seem limited, though, as long as they're in the air, so this series will definitely need good guest stars with good stories, and the one in this pilot wasn't all that compelling of a story.

I had trouble finding the laughs in the pilot as well. I've always felt that not all sitcoms need a laugh every minute. In fact, some of the best sitcoms of all time won't necessarily make you laugh out loud at all. But they make up for that with solid storylines, which this series is lacking in what I've seen.

It is worth pointing out that one cast member that I sort of enjoyed that seemed to be underutilized in the pilot was Nathan Lee Graham. I had never really heard of him (although I've seen every episode of Scrubs, which he appeared in one episode, so I've undoubtedly seen him before), but some of the better scenes and somewhat funny (the comedy was still limited by the series itself) scenes came from him. Assuming this series doesn't work out, it would be nice to see him elsewhere, as he seems to have a lot of potential.

Conclusion:

I wish that I could say that I have a glimmer of hope for this series, but I honestly don't. This strikes me as one of those "fly by night" (pun intended) sitcoms that Fox likes to bring out midseason that vanishes within a few weeks and is subsequently completely forgotten about. I'll give it a fair shake and watch it as long as Fox continues to give it a chance, and it's only fair for everybody to do that, but this series came in with low expectations and it seems to have met that standard. Perhaps if the series doesn't stay as "grounded" as the pilot, there is hope for it.

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

Watchability: 2/5

Funniness: 2/5

Overall: 2/5

Discuss the show after you watch it on Wednesday, January 2, 2018 at 9:00PM on our message board.

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