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

This past week, NBC premiered the first new sitcom since the COVID-19 pandemic began: Connecting..., a sitcom shot remotely about a group of friends meeting through video chats during quarantine. If you haven't heard of it, you might not be some: the show attracted just a bit over 1 million viewers for its premiere, low numbers even in a world where broadcast ratings continue to drop. The show will likely finish out its 8-episode order, but there's no doubt that it didn't attract much interest. Which leads me to wonder: how much will viewers want to watch the pandemic reflected back at them?

It's a fair question given many shows are planning to incorporate COVID-19 into their storylines this year, from Connecting... to Superstore to black-ish, as well as dramas like Grey's Anatomy, The Good Doctor. And yet, I personally think people watch TV shows as a means of escape, which includes escaping from our anxiety-ridden reality. Will viewers think the same thing? That could be part of why they didn't connect with Connecting... (despite the show actually being pretty solid, as noted in our review). As more and more shows premiere and cover COVID-19, it will be interesting to see whether viewers embrace the real life stories or whether they prefer to forget.

Antenna TV will air 70 back-to-back episodes of The Jack Benny Program starting next Saturday, October 24 to mark the program's 70th television anniversary. The 70-episode marathon will feature the best gags, guests and glares from The Jack Benny Program. First a radio program, the show's cast regularly broke the fourth wall to interact with the audience and included running jokes such as Benny's age, forever frozen at 39. The Jack Benny Program 70th anniversary marathon starts Saturday, October 24 at 10 a.m. ET and continues through 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 25.

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 October 12-16, 2020, 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!


Monday, October 12

• Rashida Jones (BlackAF/Duncanville/Angie Tribeca/Parks and Recreation/The Office) - Watch Rashida on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Kevin Hart (The Big House/Undeclared) - Kevin appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Josh Charles (Sports Night) - Josh will be on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - Jerry is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City) - Cynthia will be on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Katy Mixon (American Housewife/Mike & Molly) - Katy appears on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
• Tituss Burgess (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Tituss is a guest on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
• Kevin Nealon (Man with a Plan/Weeds/Hiller and Diller/Champs) - Kevin will be on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Rita Moreno (One Day at a Time/Happily Divorced/9 to 5) - Rita appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Joel McHale (Community/The Great Indoors) - Joel talks about the game show Card Sharks on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
• Jay Ellis (Insecure/The Game) - Jay will be on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Drea de Matteo (Joey) - Drea appears on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Jamie Lee Curtis (Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane talks about hosting The Weakest Link on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Steve Harvey (The Steve Harvey Show) - Steve appears on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.

Tuesday, October 13

• Patrick Dempsey (Fast Times) - Catch Patrick on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Joel McHale (Community/The Great Indoors) - Joel appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
• H. Jon Benjamin (Bob's Burgers/Family Guy) - H. Jon is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Leslie Odom Jr. (Central Park/Big Day) - Leslie will be on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
• Jurnee Smollett (On Our Own) - Jurnee appears on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Dennis Quaid (Merry Happy Whatever) - Dennis is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) - Kim talks about Filthy Rich on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Julie Andrews (Julie) - Julie and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton are guests on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Kim Fields (The Facts of Life/Living Single) - Kim appears on The Doctors, so check your local listings.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - NBC's Today catches up with Cedric in the 9am hour.

Wednesday, October 14

• Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) - Watch Jim on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
• John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun/Twenty Good Years/Trial & Error) - John appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City) - Kim is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Kiersey Clemons (Angie Tribeca/Austin & Ally) - Kiersey will be on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Kristen Bell (The Good Place) - Kristen appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings. She also talks about Nickelodeon's The Tiny Chef on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Mike Epps (Survivor's Remorse/Uncle Buck) - Mike talks about his virtual concert on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Nick talks about All Rise on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Josh Gad (1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh talks about Once Upon a Snowman on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine (Pen15) - Anna and Maya are guests on ABC's GMA3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
• Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina will be on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
• Joe Pantoliano (The Fanelli Boys) - Joe appears on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Dennis Quaid (Merry Happy Whatever) - Dennis talks about the Reagan biopic on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.

Thursday, October 15

• Josh Gad (1600 Penn/Back to You) - Catch Josh on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) - Alec appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Joey King (Bent) - Joey is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Sheryl Lee Ralph (Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl appears on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
• Leah Remini (Kevin Can Wait/The Exes/Family Tools/The King of Queens/Fired Up) - Leah will be on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Laura Marano (Austin & Ally/Back to You) - Laura and her sister Vanessa talk about the film they produced about sexual exploitation and their continued conversation with survivors and advocates on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
• Henry Winkler (Happy Days/Monty/Out of Practice/Barry) - Henry talks about his new book Alien Superstar: Lights, Camera, Danger! on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
• Nico Santos (Superstore) - Nico will be on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael talks about his new clothing collaboration with the NFL and his new quarantine hobby on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun) - Joseph talks about The Trial of the Chicago 7 on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Eva Longoria (Telenovela) - Eva appears on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Sutton Foster (Younger) - Sutton talks about why she's teaming up with Cookie Monster from Sesame Street on E!'s Daily Pop at 11am.
• Nikki DeLoach (Awkward/Misery Loves Company) - Nikki talks about her upcoming Hallmark Channel Christmas movie on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Rob Riggle (Rob Riggle's Ski Master Academy/Golan the Insatiable) - Rob talks about The War with Grandpa on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.

Friday, October 16

• Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Watch Billy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Thomas Lennon (Reno 911!/The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World) - Thomas appears on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
• Aisling Bea (Living with Yourself) - Aisling is a guest on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
• Joseph Gordon-Levitt (3rd Rock from the Sun) - Joseph will be on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Ed Quinn (One Day at a Time/2 Broke Girls) - Ed appears on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm/Son of Zorn/Suburgatory) - Cheryl is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Michelle Buteau (Bless the Harts/Enlisted) - Michelle appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Jane Seymour (The Kominsky Method/Modern Men) - Jane talks about The War with Grandpa Couch Surfing at 8am.
• Vivica A. Fox (Mr. Box Office/Getting Personal/Arsenio/Out All Night) - Vivica talks about The Wrong Cheerleader Coach on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
• Reba McEntire (Reba/Malibu Country) - Reba talks about Rumor Has It on a repeat of Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Max Greenfield (The Neighborhood/New Girl/Modern Men) - Max talks about Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite! on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Patricia Heaton (Carol's Second Act/The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Patricia opens up about her biggest struggle as a parent during the pandemic, why she gave up bread and booze, and how to start a new beginning at any age on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Daveed Diggs (Central Park/black-ish) - Daveed talks about The Good Lord Bird on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.

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, October 11

The Simpsons - "Livin La Pura Vida" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Simpsons join other Springfield families on the Van Houtens' annual trip to Costa Rica, which they obviously can't afford; Homer befriends Patty's new girlfriend; Lisa tracks down the real reason the Van Houtens can go on this trip every year.

Bob's Burgers - "Boys Just Wanna Have Fungus" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Unable to afford a rare gourmet mushroom for a Burger of the Day, Bob and Gene jump into the cutthroat world of mushroom foraging; Tina's powerful new prescription glasses lead her to believe she has a superpower.

The Simpsons - "Now Museum, Now You Don't" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Lisa stays home from school to explore the wonders of Western art; each family member takes on the persona of a famous artist.

Bless the Harts - "My Best Frienda" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The ladies of Greenpoint hire Jenny to help run their gala; Jenny's desire to fit in leads to a strain in her relationship with Brenda; Betty becomes self-conscious about her age; Wayne takes Violet to his new job as a window washer.

Bob's Burgers - "Copa-Bob-bana" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Bob agrees to be the temporary chef at the Fischoeders' new nightclub; the kids decide to throw a party in the restaurant basement.

Family Guy - "Boys & Squirrels" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Peter injures himself and a family of squirrels in a chainsaw accident; Chris and Stewie try to nurse one of the injured rodents back to health; a chiropractor fixes Peter's injury by realigning his spine -- and restoring him to his "true height."

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Monday, October 12

One Day at a Time - "Checking Boxes" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Network Television Premiere)
When a census taker comes to the Alvarez house, the family reflects on their relationships and what else the future may, or may not, have in store.

One Day at a Time - "Penny Pinching" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Network Television Premiere)
After Penelope realizes she needs to change her relationship to money, she goes out of her comfort zone and buys something brand new. Also, Elena struggles to make it to an important e-sports match.

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Tuesday, October 13

none scheduled

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Wednesday, October 14

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Lucky Cards" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Curtis revisits old habits while Laura and Calvin explore their new romance.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "Hard Decisions" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Sandra confronts Philip about snitching to their parents.

Family Time - "The Set-Ups" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Tony and Rachel play matchmaker by setting up Lori and Donnie on dates.

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Thursday, October 15

Young Sheldon - "Pasadena" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Sheldon visits the California Institute of Technology for the very first time; Georgie is furious when Mary listens in on a phone call with his girlfriend; Meemaw tries to cheer up a jealous Missy.

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Standoff" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
A surprise delivery prompts Dave and Gemma, as well as Calvin and Tina, to examine the power dynamics in their respective relationships.

Connecting... - "Day 30" (NBC, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Pradeep's struggle to procure a suitable dinner for his picky children reveals some deeper issues among the group; Annie's online shopping spree results in a surprising delivery.

Connecting... - "Day 78" (NBC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
With Memorial Day around the corner, Garret has planned a trip to Big Bear for the group; it will be the getaway they all need, as long as everyone can follow his strict safety guidelines.

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Friday, October 16

none scheduled

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Saturday, October 17

none scheduled

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Sunday, October 18

Mom - "Beef Baloney Dan and a Sarcastic No" (CBS, 10:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bonnie suspects that Adam’s sponsor (Courtney Thorne-Smith) has an ulterior motive. And Christy is caught in the middle when Tammy plays hard to get with Chef Rudy.

Complete TV Listings

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

I've talked a lot about the lack of sitcoms on the air this fall. But one sitcom that's getting the chance of a lifetime due to the lack of new content is One Day at a Time, which gets to air on broadcast television for the first time ever this Monday, October 12 at 9|8c. One Day at a Time was formerly a Netflix series, but was canceled at the end of Season 3 by the streaming giant despite critical acclaim, with low viewership being cited behind the show's untimely end. However, Pop TV noticed the amount of love the series received and ordered the show's fourth season, which aired six episodes before ending prematurely due to the COVID-19 production shutdown. (A seventh episode, which was animated, later aired in June. In an interview with Deadline, the show's creators clarified that they were ending the season with episode 7 and would not be finishing out the show's initial order.) One Day at a Time's future likely heavily depends on how it performs on CBS. Pop TV is moving away from producing scripted content, so a home at CBS is the show's best chance for survival.

Plus, One Day at a Time has always been a perfect show for broadcast TV. It's funny, warm, family-friendly and relatable, and has a lovable cast full of both seasoned actors and talented up and comers. It's the best family sitcom produced in several years, and it would be CBS' best comedy by a long shot if the network picked it up to series. It also, fittingly, is making it to CBS 45 years after the original One Day at a Time premiered on CBS. And wouldn't having the reboot successfully transition to CBS be the perfect way to celebrate the show's legacy?

The acclaimed Peabody Award-winning Apple Original comedy series Dickinson will officially return for its second season on Friday, January 8, 2021, exclusively on Apple TV+. Apple released a first look at season two, and announced that the series has scored an early renewal for a third season! Created, written and executive produced by Alena Smith, and starring Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominee Hailee Steinfeld, who executive produces, the second season of Dickinson will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes on January 8, 2021, followed by new episodes weekly, every Friday. In the second season, Emily Dickinson (Steinfeld) is pulled out of her private literary life and thrust into the public eye, while struggling with the sense that the pursuit of fame might be a dangerous game for her to play.

Season two of Dickinson will reunite Steinfeld with returning ensemble cast members Jane Krakowski, Anna Baryshnikov, Ella Hunt, Toby Huss and Adrian Blake Enscoe, as well as world-renowned rapper, singer and songwriter Wiz Khalifa, who will return as the character of Death. The second season will also introduce brand new guest stars, including Nick Kroll as Edgar Allan Poe, Timothy Simons as Frederick Law Olmsted, Ayo Edebiri as Hattie, and Will Pullen as Nobody. As previously announced, recurring guest stars for season two include Finn Jones as Sam Bowles, and Pico Alexander as Ship.

Hallmark Drama will be adding three sitcoms to the lineup! Beginning Friday, October 23, the late fringe/overnight lineup will consist of sitcoms from 11pm-5am every night. Cheers will air from 11pm-1am, followed by Happy Days from 1-3am and The Brady Bunch from 3-5am. They have all aired in the past on the regular Hallmark Channel, but now for the first time they will air on Hallmark Drama. Hallmark Drama launched in Fall 2017. The three sitcoms will replace The Waltons and Touched by an Angel blocks. The Waltons will still in the daytime, but it seems Touched by an Angel will be off the lineup. The drama series during the day are Little House on the Prairie, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman and The Waltons.

On Thursday, October 22, Chelsea Handler makes her long awaited return to stand-up after a six year hiatus with Chelsea Handler: Evolution on HBO Max. During the hour-long special Handler will share hilarious experiences about her family, friendships, and her first foray into therapy - where she was able to unearth why everyone on this planet annoyed her so much. Handler, a six-time #1 New York Times Bestselling author, filmed the special this summer from her home state of New Jersey on the heels of her most recent bestselling memoir, Life Will Be the Death of Me. The special was filmed in front of a live audience following social distancing and covid safety protocol. Handler has always been a trusted voice and has provided much needed perspective for the world. Now, she turns the attention on herself, reflecting on her personal journey toward self-awareness, assisted by her reliable companion - cannabis. Never one to hold back, Handler bravely takes the stage to face herself in front of everyone. It's a powerful performance and the most evolved work of her career.

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

by Vincent

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

Cast Details:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pilot Plot:

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

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

Analysis:

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

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

Conclusion:

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

Final Numbers (out of 5 stars):

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

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

Related Links:

NBC.com Official Site

epguides.com

Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia

Connecting... Photo Gallery

Preview:

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

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

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

As Kreese says, "The story is just beginning." Season 3 of Cobra Kai premieres January 8, 2021, only on Netflix. And gear up because Season 4 is officially training to join the fight. Cobra Kai Never Dies. Cobra Kai, the series continuation of the iconic The Karate Kid film franchise from Sony Pictures Television. The film's stars, Ralph Macchio and William Zabka reprise their star-making roles in the series along with Martin Kove as sensei John Kreese. Cobra Kai takes place 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, where a now successful Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) struggles to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of Mr. Miyagi, and must face his previous adversary, down-and-out Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), who seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo. The acclaimed and much-talked-about Cobra Kai was named 2018's Best Drama by Rotten Tomatoes, earning a rare 100% Fresh rating for its first season. It has received two Emmy nominations.

New York Times Best-Selling author, actor, activist, writer and host Busy Philipps is set to star in Girls5eva, the upcoming Peacock comedy from Tina Fey, Robert Carlock and Meredith Scardino. Philipps joins the previously announced cast including Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Emmy nominee and Broadway actress Sara Bareilles, and Grammy and Tony Award-winning actress and singer Renée Elise Goldsberry. Philipps will star as Summer, the most bubbly, but least talented member of the group. Summer is now a Real Housewives reject in yoga pants living in a New Jersey McMansion. When a one-hit-wonder girl group from the 90's gets sampled by a young rapper, its members reunite to give their pop star dreams one more shot. They may be grown women balancing spouses, kids, jobs, debt, aging parents, and shoulder pain, but can't they also be Girls5eva?

In celebration of the milestone 70th anniversary of the first Peanuts strip ever published, Apple TV+ unveiled a teaser trailer and the premiere date for The Snoopy Show a new Apple original series hailing from its exclusive partnership with Peanuts and WildBrain. The Snoopy Show will make its global debut February 5, 2021, exclusively on Apple TV+. The Snoopy Show is a new animated series for kids and families that stars the internationally beloved beagle and his feathered best friend Woodstock as they tackle all new adventures. Snoopy may seem like just a happy-dancin', bone-lovin', doghouse-sittin' pup, but he's much more than that. He's Joe Cool: hippest kid in school. He's surfer king and famed arm-wrestler Masked Marvel. He's World War I Flying Ace who battles the Red Baron. All of his bold, beloved personas are on full display in this brand-new animated comedy.

Offering multi-generational viewing for children 4-11 and their caregivers, each episode of The Snoopy Show will consist of three, seven-minute cartoons based on the iconic comic series. Featuring the unique animation style that has entertained millions around the globe for seven decades, the nostalgic new series also showcases everyone's most cherished characters from Peanuts including Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Franklin, Schroeder, Peppermint Patty and more! The Snoopy Show will join Apple Originals, Daytime Emmy award winner, Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10, and Daytime Emmy award nominated Snoopy in Space which are both now streaming globally on Apple TV+.

Speaking of 70th anniversaries...as we hinted a few weeks ago, Antenna TV celebrates the 70th anniversary of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show television premiere in 1950 with a marathon starting on Saturday, October 10. The marathon will feature 70 classic episodes of the sitcom starring the husband and wife comedy team of George Burns and Gracie Allen. Originally a 30-minute radio program, the show became an immediate success when it transitioned to television. The sets were designed to resemble the couple’s real-life residence. The Burns and Allen Show 70th anniversary marathon starts Saturday, October 10 at 10a.m. ET and continues through 8:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 11.

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 October 5-9, 2020, 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!


Monday, October 5

• John Slattery (Maggie/Ed) - Watch John on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Fox's Next on NBC's Today in the 9am hour and on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy/American Dad!/The Cleveland Show) - Seth appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Rainn Wilson (The Office) - Rainn will be on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
• Rory Scovel (Robbi e/Ground Floor) - Rory is a guest on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Watching Ellie/Seinfeld) - Julia and Veep executive producer and showrunner Dave Mandel have a virtual reunion on The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - Valerie is making onion rings and a wedge salad on the side on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - Jerry talks about his book Is This Anything? on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah will be on Access Daily, so check your local listings.

Tuesday, October 6

• Marlon Wayans (Marlon/The Wayans Bros.) - Catch Marlon on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - Jerry appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Timothy Olyphant (Santa Clarita Diet) - Timothy is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi/Bagdad Cafe) - Whoopi will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Thomas Middleditch, Martin Starr and Zach Woods (Silicon Valley) - Thomas, Martin and Zach are guests on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
• Method Man (Method & Red) - Method Man appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Maya Rudolph (Bless the Harts/Forever/Big Mouth/Up All Night) - Maya is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Alyssa Milano (Who's the Boss?/Romantically Challenged) - Alyssa chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Kal Penn (Sunnyside/We Are Men) - Kal talks about Kal Penn Approves This Message on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
• Jurnee Smollett (On Our Own) - Jurnee is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings. She talks about reviving the popular game show The Weakest Link, meditation and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
• Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy talks about her new book Big Shot on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Henry Winkler (Happy Days/Monty/Out of Practice/Barry) - Henry talks about his new book Alien Superstar: Lights, Camera, Danger! on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Kate Walsh (Bad Judge/The Drew Carey Show) - Kate and Liam Neeson talk about Honest Thief on ABC's GMA3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
• Jane Seymour (The Kominsky Method/Modern Men) - Jane talks about The War with Grandpa on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Leah Remini (Kevin Can Wait/Family Tools/The King of Queens) - Leah reveals secrets from inside the Church of Scientology and why she’s worried that its children may be at risk on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Judy Gold (All-American Girl) - Judy will be on The Doctors, so check your local listings.

Wednesday, October 7

• Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Watch Billy on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Maya Rudolph (Bless the Harts/Forever/Big Mouth/Up All Night) - Maya is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Craig Roberts (Red Oaks) - Craig will be on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• America Ferrera (Superstore) - America appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Jensen Ackles (Mr. Rhodes) - Jensen is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig will be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Alyssa Milano (Who's the Boss?/Romantically Challenged) - Alyssa appears on The Wendy Williams Show, so check your local listings.
• Joe Pantoliano (The Fanelli Boys) - Joe is a guest on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Lakeith Stanfield (Atlanta) - Lakeith talks about Island Man on ABC's GMA3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
• Debra Messing (Will & Grace/Ned and Stacey) - Debra talks about I am a Voter on ABC's GMA3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
• Henry Winkler (Happy Days/Monty/Out of Practice/Barry) - Henry talks about his new book Alien Superstar: Lights, Camera, Danger! on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah will be on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Sheryl Lee Ralph (Fam/Instant Mom/It's a Living) and Vanessa Bell Calloway (Rhythm & Blues) - Sheryl and Vanessa talk about the stigma of breast cancer in the black community on The Doctors, so check your local listings.

Thursday, October 8

• Kal Penn (Sunnyside/We Are Men) - Catch Kal on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) - Jim appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Sarah is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Jeff Foxworthy (The Jeff Foxworthy Show) - Jeff will be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Sabrina Carpenter (Girls Meets World) - Sabrina will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Ali Wentworth (Nightcap) - Ali is getting real about mom life and dishing out advice to viewers on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Alec Baldwin (30 Rock) - Alec talks about Match Game on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Jason Schwartzman (Bored to Death) - Jason talks about Fargo on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Alfonso Ribeiro (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/In the House/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso talks about ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Julie Bowen (Modern Family) - Julie talks about Netflix's Hubie Halloween on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Carlos PenaVega (Big Time Rush) and Alexa PenaVega (Ruby & the Rockits) - Carlos and Alexa are guests on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Henry Winkler (Happy Days/Monty/Out of Practice/Barry) - Henry appears on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.

Friday, October 9

• Kevin James (Kevin Can Wait/The King of Queens) - Watch Kevin on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
• Allison Janney (Mom/Mr. Sunshine), Martin Sheen (Grace and Frankie/Anger Management) and Bradley Whitford (Trophy Wife) - Allison, Martin and Bradley are guests on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Sarah appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Tiffany Haddish (The Last O.G./The Carmichael Show) - Tiffany guest hosts The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) - Jane is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Whitney appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show/Thunder Alley/Working Class) - Ed is a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
• Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina talks about Dancing with the Stars and One Day at a Time on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym appears on Access Daily, so check your local listings.
• Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane talks about NBC's The Weakest Link on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Alyssa Milano (Who's the Boss?/Romantically Challenged) - Alyssa talks about her long-haul battle against COVID-19 and its lingering effects on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew talks about The Boys in the Band on Couch Surfing at 8am.

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, October 4

black-ish - "Election Special Pt. 1" / "Election Special Pt. 2" (ABC, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Junior is excited for his first time voting but discovers he has been purged from the voter polls so he does a deep dive into why – trying to understand the systems in place for voter registration.

In a special animated episode, Dre’s colleague Stevens (Peter Mackenzie) makes an ill-advised decision to run for Congress, so Dre enlists his family’s help and campaigns against him but gets caught up with fundraising and private interest groups.

The Simpsons - "I, Carumbus" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
At a museum exhibit of Ancient Rome, Marge and Homer get into an argument about Homer's lack of ambition.

Bless the Harts - "Violet's Secret" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When a chain restaurant called Lord Lobster moves into a new location right off the highway, Greenpoint and the Last Supper fear they are in danger of financial ruin.

Bob's Burgers - "Worms of In-Rear-Ment" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Linda tries to take her family to the symphony on free admission night, but her efforts are thwarted by a pinworm epidemic.

Family Guy - "The Talented Mr. Stewie" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Stewie breaks up with Rupert after learning that he used to belong to Chris; unable to get over his feelings of betrayal, Stewie decides to take action.

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Monday, October 5

none scheduled

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Tuesday, October 6

none scheduled

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Wednesday, October 7

Tyler Perry's House of Payne - "Hard Lessons" (BET, 8:00PM ET/PT)
House of Payne is the hilarious comedy about Retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella. Together the loving couple navigate the problems of life with their quirky modern day family.

Tyler Perry's Assisted Living - "A Lamb to Slaughter" (BET, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Leah and Jeremy learn that Philip and Sandra have left the facility without their knowledge or their permission.

Family Time - "Empty Nest" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Lisa starts to have baby fever, Tony remind her how much work a baby can be; Lori contemplates plastic surgery.

Family Time - "Show Me the Money" (Bounce TV, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tony needs of a caterer and Lisa wants a shot at the job; Devin uses his new credit card.

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Thursday, October 8

Young Sheldon - "A Boyfriend’s Ex-Wife and a Good Luck Head Rub" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Meemaw meets Dale’s ex-wife, June (Reba McEntire). Also, Sheldon is forced to work on a group project with reluctant college students.

Mom - "Judy Garland and a Sexy Troll Doll" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bonnie helps Christy gain perspective as she considers a life-changing decision. Also, Jill fears she’s running out of time to have a baby and consults a fertility doctor.

Connecting... - "Pilot" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
As the friend group gathers at the start of quarantine for its new-normal virtual hang, Annie contemplates opening up to Ben about her feelings for him; everyone worries about Jazmin, who's been MIA.

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Friday, October 9

none scheduled

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Saturday, October 10

none scheduled

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Sunday, October 11

The Simpsons - "Livin La Pura Vida" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The Simpsons join other Springfield families on the Van Houtens' annual trip to Costa Rica, which they obviously can't afford; Homer befriends Patty's new girlfriend; Lisa tracks down the real reason the Van Houtens can go on this trip every year.

Bob's Burgers - "Boys Just Wanna Have Fungus" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Unable to afford a rare gourmet mushroom for a Burger of the Day, Bob and Gene jump into the cutthroat world of mushroom foraging; Tina's powerful new prescription glasses lead her to believe she has a superpower.

The Simpsons - "Now Museum, Now You Don't" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Lisa stays home from school to explore the wonders of Western art; each family member takes on the persona of a famous artist.

Bless the Harts - "My Best Frienda" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
The ladies of Greenpoint hire Jenny to help run their gala; Jenny's desire to fit in leads to a strain in her relationship with Brenda; Betty becomes self-conscious about her age; Wayne takes Violet to his new job as a window washer.

Bob's Burgers - "Copa-Bob-bana" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Bob agrees to be the temporary chef at the Fischoeders' new nightclub; the kids decide to throw a party in the restaurant basement.

Family Guy - "Boys & Squirrels" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Peter injures himself and a family of squirrels in a chainsaw accident; Chris and Stewie try to nurse one of the injured rodents back to health; a chiropractor fixes Peter's injury by realigning his spine -- and restoring him to his "true height."

Complete TV Listings

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

It's been a long time since we had an actual new sitcom episode on television that wasn't filmed remotely (or before the pandemic like United We Fall), but this month we will have two veteran sitcoms returning: black-ish and Superstore. It's going to be really interesting to see these two shows return, especially given both shows are known for tackling current issues. So will the shows address the crazy dumpster fire that has been 2020? The promos for both shows suggest they will be - in fact, black-ish's return episode is technically an "election special," so it will surely tackle the issues of 2020, and Superstore's promos remind everyone that its characters are essential workers. It'll be interesting to see these shows tackle modern issues, especially since they generally do a great job doing so. (black-ish returns with the Election special this Sunday at 10pm ET and season premiere on Wed. Oct 21 at 9:30pm on ABC, while Superstore returns Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 on NBC.)

Additionally, South Park aired a "pandemic special" this past week, which tackled the pandemic in a very humorous and typically South Park way. It's taken a while, but we are finally getting our first taste of scripted shows genuinely dealing with the pandemic. NBC's new series Connecting will also do so next week (premieres Oct. 8, look for our review in the coming days), covering the pandemic concept of "Zoom hangouts." It'll be really interesting to see just how all of these shows tackle these complex issues.

Bounce, the first and only multi-platform entertainment network focusing on African Americans, announced the addition of two popular series, Greenleaf and Everybody Hates Chris. Bounce will air Greenleaf, the multiple NAACP Image Award-winning drama, Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m. (ET) starting October 4. Everybody Hates Chris, the hit sitcom loosely based on the life of comedian Chris Rock, will be seen weeknights at 7:00 p.m. beginning Monday, October 5.

Executive produced and narrated by Chris Rock, Everybody Hate Chris chronicles the misadventures of teenage Chris as he grows up in 1980s Brooklyn. Starring The Walking Dead's Tyler James Williams as Chris, the ensemble also includes Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Terry Crews and The Neighborhood's Tichina Arnold as Chris' parents Julius and Rochelle.

Bounce has licensed the rights to all five seasons of Greenleaf, which recently completed a very successful run on OWN. Executive produced by Oprah Winfrey, the series follows the unscrupulous world of the Greenleaf family with scandalous secrets and lies, and their sprawling Memphis megachurch. Keith David (The Princess And The Frog, The Bible) and Lynn Whitfield (Madea's Family Reunion, How To Get Away With Murder) lead the ensemble as the charismatic Bishop James and "First Lady" Daisy Mae Greenleaf, whose lives are rocked upon the return of their eldest child Grace (The Night Shift's Merle Dandridge) following a 20-year estrangement. Bounce also announced] today that Greenleaf co-star Gregory Alan Williams (The Righteous Gemstones, Chicago Med) is joining the cast of the network's hit drama Saints & Sinners for its fifth season, premiering in 2021.

Below is the cast for the new NBC comedy Young Rock, which focuses on different chapters of Dwayne Johnson's life. From growing up in a strong and resilient family, to being surrounded by the wild characters of his professional wrestling family, to playing football at the University of Miami, the show will explore the crazy rollercoaster that has shaped Dwayne into the man he is today and the larger-than-life characters he's met along the way. The series will premiere in 2021.

· Adrian Groulx as Dwayne Johnson (AKA Dewey), Age 10 - Honest, headstrong, impressionable and bold.
· Bradley Constant as Dwayne Johnson, Age 15 - Doing his best to fit in as a normal teenager but puberty has other ideas. His size and full mustache have his classmates convinced he's an undercover cop.
· Uli Latukefu as Dwayne Johnson, Age 18-20 - Has just been recruited to play football on a full scholarship at powerhouse University of Miami. Though a super-star talent, a devastating injury his freshman year puts his life at a crossroads.
· Stacey Leilua as Ata Johnson, Dwayne's mother - Grew up in a first generation pro wrestling family. A strong woman, both by nature and necessity, she's a hopeful positive force in young Dwayne's life.
· Joseph Lee Anderson as Rocky Johnson, Dwayne's father - Charismatic and charming, the pro wrestling champion juggles the ups and downs of his career with being a well-intentioned, but unorthodox, husband and father.
· Ana Tuisila as Lia Maivia, Ata's mother and Dwayne's grandmother. The first female pro-wrestling promoter in the country. A sweet loving grandmother and when need be, a cutthroat, ruthless businesswoman.

The series will be executive produced by Nahnatchka Khan, Dwayne Johnson, Jeff Chiang, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Brian Gewirtz and Jennifer Carreras. Jeffrey Walker serves as producer director / co-EP. The pilot was co-written by Khan and Chiang. Johnson will appear in each episode as the focus and inspiration of the series will be about his formative years. Universal Television, Seven Bucks Productions and Fierce Baby Productions will produce. Johnson and Garcia's Seven Bucks Productions is a global entertainment force with film revenues exceeding $10 billion worldwide. Johnson recently starred in Jumanji: The Next Level, which has grossed nearly $800 million worldwide, and will next star in Disney's Jungle Cruise.

Writer/director/showrunner Khan's Fierce Baby Productions is a film and TV production company focused on amplifying new voices and perspectives in both comedy and drama. Khan is the creator and executive producer of the groundbreaking ABC television series Fresh Off the Boat, which recently ended its six-year run, and previously Don't Trust the B---- In Apartment 23, which ran for two seasons on ABC.

OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network announced its first ever digital animated short-form comedy series Sincerely, Camille from creator Munirah Safiyah Jones (Junt Land). A key component to the network's OWN YOUR VOTE nonpartisan get-out-the-vote initiative, the six-part original series offers a humorous, irreverent, and informative take on politics and the issues impacting Black women in the lead-up to the 2020 November election. The first two episodes launched Tuesday, September 29, on Twitter and is also available across OWN's digital platforms and the network's Watch OWN App as of yesterday, Wednesday, September 30. Subsequent episodes, each approximately five minutes in length, will roll out twice weekly.

Sincerely, Camille follows a trio of women - Camille, Staci, and Sara - navigating life, work and relationships in the throes of the 2020 presidential election cycle. Three friends, three different viewpoints, three varying approaches to evoking civic participation. The series follows the women's efforts to get their communities informed, engaged, and inspired to act in one of the most important elections in American history. The satirical series provides powerful insight and edgy social commentary on the current political climate and the choices Black women face this fall. 

It's alright 'cause I'm saved by the bell! The highly anticipated reimagining of Saved by the Bell is set to premiere Wednesday, Nov. 25 on Peacock! In the new series, when California governor Zack Morris gets into hot water for closing too many underfunded high schools, he proposes they send the affected students to the most well-funded schools in the state - including Bayside High. The influx of new students gives the privileged Bayside kids (who never have a problem that can't be solved in twenty-two minutes) a much-needed dose of reality. Elizabeth Berkley Lauren and Mario Lopez star in the new Saved by the Bell series, reprising their roles as Jessie Spano and A.C. Slater. John Michael Higgins also stars as Principal Toddman alongside the new class featuring Belmont Cameli, Dexter Darden, Mitchell Hoog, Alycia Pascual-Peña, Josie Totah and Haskiri Velazquez.

Tracey Wigfield serves as writer and executive producer for the series, alongside executive producer Franco Bario. Peter Engel also serve as executive producer. Saved by the Bell is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

HBO has given a series order for a weekly late-night show from Emmy(R) nominated comedian and writer Sam Jay (Saturday Night Live) and Emmy(R) nominated executive producer Prentice Penny (Insecure). The series will debut in 2021 on HBO and will be available to stream on HBO Max. The Untitled Sam Jay Project will be a weekly 30-minute late-night show in which Sam tackles the top trending topics in urban and world culture for the week - including race, politics, sexual identity, science, celebrity, religion, and more - and examines them from her unique and subversive point of view.

October is coming and FETV is adding the perfect comedy for fall and Halloween season - The Addams Family The classic '60s sitcom will air Weekdays 1pm ET and Weekends at 11pm ET starting Monday, October 5. It will join other fellow FETV sitcoms such as Green Acres, Father Knows Best, Hazel, I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched in the daytime lineup. In late night FETV airs Barney Miller, Maude, One Day at a Time, and Designing Women, with Partridge Family airing on weekend mornings. FETV (Family Entertainment Television) is a satellite and cable network featuring classic and inspirational programming the whole family can enjoy. There will be a few Addams Family spooktacular "scare-a-thons" as well on Sunday, October 18 and on Halloween as well on Saturday, October 31!

The Addams Family is a 1964-66 ABC macabre/black comedy sitcom based on the characters from Charles Addams' New Yorker cartoons. The Addams Family are a close-knit extended family with decidedly macabre interests and supernatural abilities. The wealthy, endlessly enthusiastic Gomez Addams (John Astin) is madly in love with his refined wife, Morticia (Carolyn Jones). Along with their daughter Wednesday (Lisa Loring), their son Pugsley (Ken Weatherwax), Uncle Fester (Jackie Coogan), and Grandmama (Blossom Rock), all reside in an ornate, gloomy, mansion. The family is attended by their servants: Lurch (Ted Cassidy), the towering butler, and Thing (also Cassidy), a disembodied hand that appears from within wooden boxes and other places. Other relatives who made recurring appearances included Cousin Itt (Felix Silla), Morticia's older sister Ophelia (also portrayed by Jones), and Morticia’s mother Grandma Frump (Margaret Hamilton). The show is also notable for its opening theme, which was composed and sung by Vic Mizzy.

Netflix, the world's leading streaming entertainment service, confirmed production for So Not Worth It, a sitcom about youthful adventures of students with multicultural backgrounds who live in a college dorm. So Not Worth It will be created by Kwon Ik-joon, a sitcom heavyweight who has shaped the landscape of Korean style sitcoms with such shows as Three Guys And Three Girls and Nonstop. Kwon will team up with another seasoned producer Kim Jung-sik (Smashing on Your Back, High Kick), while the screenplay will be co-written by Seo Eun-jung (Soonpoong Clinic, New Nonstop) and Baik Ji-hyun (Nonstop, Rude Miss Young-Ae).

The international cast of quirky dorm residents has also been confirmed. Park Se-wan, a rising star who has demonstrated solid acting chops in the shows like Just Dance, School 2017 and Never Twice, will play her namesake character, a Korean resident advisor in charge of the dorm. Rookie actor Shin Hyeon-seung will play Jamie, a mysterious newcomer harboring a secret. Choi Young-jae of the K-pop boy band GOT7 will unleash his offbeat charm as Sam, a son of the CEO of a global food chain based in Australia. Minnie of the K-pop girl group (G)I-DLE makes her acting debut as a student from Thailand with K-drama fever. The model-turned actor Han Hyun-min who frequently appears in Korean variety shows will play his namesake character, the unfortunate Korean student who is eager to live in the dorm as he has to commute for long hours every day.

With production and casting confirmed, So Not Worth It stands poised to reignite enthusiasm for the sitcom format with its unique take on the genre. The new Korean original series will be produced by Mystic Story, and will be released worldwide only on Netflix.