#72 – Back to Comedy School: Abbott Elementary, Ghosts, and Jon Stewart Return!
The one where we try to resurrect a dying industry… the network sitcom!
TV is back and so are we! After a half-season delay (due to last year’s strikes) CBS and ABC are back with their hit sitcoms Ghosts and Abbott Elementary. Despite the extended hiatus both shows are entering their third seasons with a ton of momentum and a stacked (and growing) ensemble. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a brand new viewer: We’ll tell you what you need to know to dive into two of our favorite comedies.
Plus: Jon Stewart is back on The Daily Show and bringing in the highest ratings the show has seen since… Jon Stewart was on The Daily Show (go figure!). We’ll share some hot takes on the evolution of late night and the show’s precarious future.
But it’s not all laughs in Hollywood: Pilot season has all but vanished, with spring sitcom production down over 90% from a decade ago. Can comedy survive the industry’s historical contraction? We’ll debate the future of funny as we catch up on a lighting round of streaming news! ⚡️
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📺 Review: Abbott Elementary (Season 3)
🚨 Light Spoilers (starting at 43:22) 🚨
- Number of Seasons Overall: 3 (Season In Progress)
- Renewal Status: Renewed for Season 4
- Where to Watch: ABC, Hulu
- Where to Stream Past Seasons: Hulu
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📺 Review: Ghosts (Season 3)
🚨 Light Spoilers (starting at 56:20) 🚨
- Number of Seasons Overall: 3 (Season in Progress)
- Renewal Status: TBA (CBS will almost definitely renew it— it’s just early for the announcement)
- Where to Watch: CBS, Paramount+
- Where to Stream Past Seasons: Paramount+
- Spinoff Of: Ghosts (UK)
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🔗 Links:
- ‘Our Flag Means Death’ Creator Says It’s “The End Of The Road” After Comedy Fails To Find New Home – Denise Petski, Deadline
- 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' on YouTube will now be delayed – Abner Li, 9to5 Google
- Old True Detective and new True Detective aren’t getting along – Mary Kate Carr, A.V. Club
- Max to Start Cracking Down on Password Sharing, Too – Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter
- 'Tacoma FD' Canceled After Four Seasons at TruTV – Joe Otterson, Variety
- TruTV Adds Nightly Sports Block With New Programs and Big Games – Brian Steinberg, Variety
- Bob Iger Pushes Back on Marvel Fatigue, But Says Disney Quietly Canceled Movies – Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter
- Netflix Enters Boxing Ring; Streamer Sets Live Fight Between Mike Tyson & Jake Paul – Peter White, Deadline
- A potential season two of Beef is looking at an insanely stacked cast – Emma Keates, A.V. Club
- ‘Beef’ Season 2 Eyes Charles Melton, Cailee Spaeny, Jake Gyllenhaal & Anne Hathaway: The Dish – Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline
- Even more people really wanted to watch Jon Stewart this week – Emma Keates, A.V. Club
- NBC declares sitcoms about witches are finally back, baby – William Hughes, A.V. Club
- Reba McEntire Is Returning to TV With a New NBC Comedy: Details – Jackie Manno, NBC
- Tim Allen Returning to ABC With Comedy ‘Shifting Gears’ – Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter
- Hollywood Contraction: Actors Struggle To Find Jobs As TV Castings Dry Up – Nellie Andreeva, Deadline
- ‘Ghosts’ Showrunners Discuss Season 3 Premiere’s Big Reveal & Future Consequences Of That Character’s Departure – Katie Campione, Deadline
- Abbott Elementary is a local landmark in an exclusive clip from Sunday's post-Oscars episode – Saloni Gajjar, A.V. Club
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