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Get Your First Taste of Jerrod Carmichael as Host of The Golden Globes
January 6, 2023
News
golden globes, jerrod carmichael, nbc

There’s a lot to be curious over this latest edition of The Golden Globes, especially considering that it wasn’t too long ago that it seemed like the controversial awards ceremony might be gone for good due to troublesome diversity and inclusion practices (or lack thereof).

For our money, one of the most intriguing things will be Jerrod Carmichael, who has returned as a stand-up lightning rod thanks to his critically acclaimed hour special, Rothaniel, hosting this year’s Golden Globes, perhaps giving a fresher, actually edgier update to awards season hosting.

For the looks of the promos that were just cut, Jerrod might actually to get to do his spin on things as a host, which will be a much enjoyed reset on the odd high stakes gig that is delivering jokes to the most famous people on the planet.

Take a gander at all these promos here, here, then here, and also here. Then, catch Jerrod host the whole thing on Tues. Jan. 10th 8PM ET/5PM PT on NBC and live-streamed on Peacock.

 

A Little Late with Lilly Singh and It’s 1:30AM Timeslot Ending in June
May 6, 2021
News
a little late with lilly singh, lilly singh, nbc

(via Deadline)

June is shaping up to be time for upheaval in late night.

In addition to Conan’s last episode on TBS airing, Lilly Singh and her own late night talk show over at NBC, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, is getting the ax and that time slot that was owned by Last Call with Carson Daly for years, then handed to Singh, is also going to be closed off from any sort of original programming. That will leave NBC with two nightly late night shows instead of leaving them as the only network with three back-to-back-to-back.

Maybe they’ll come around again to having a trio with The Amber Ruffin Show if that ever becomes nightly?

That indeed means that the scales in late night representation get tipped back a little in favor of white men (especially since Fox News introduced their own reactive, for-conservatives late night show Gutfeld! just a few weeks ago). Singh will still be working up the Comcast NBCUniversal umbrella with a first-look deal and a series with TV comedy power player, Kenya Barris, already in development.

Singh’s 1:30AM time slot was a hard one to wrangle with, especially with so much of late night being consumed on YouTube rather than traditional linear Nielsen ratings. In fact, it was curious to us that NBC tried to fit Singh, a YouTube sensation, on to a somewhat traditional talk show format rather shooting for more of what she did during this pandemic by doing bits and chats from her house.

All in all, this is part of the ongoing shake-up in late night that, largely, is saying quicker and quicker goodbyes to the old ways and even more quickly trying to figure out what’s next. Maybe PAUSE with Sam Jay is the answer? We fortunately won’t have to wait until June to maybe find out (PAUSE premieres on Fri. May 21st).

NBC Developing Immigrant Family Comedy Based on Chris Garcia’s Life
March 11, 2021
News
chris garcia, nbc

(via Deadline)

The story of Chris Garcia and his Cuban immigrant family is one of the more compelling stories we’ve heard in our time watching stand-up comedy here at TCB. Garcia’s bit wherein he impersonates his dad roasting him as a response to any of Chris’ jokes is indeed one of his best (as you can see here).

Additionally, Chris got acclaim from his limited series podcast Scattered that followed the journey of trying to honor his late father’s wishes by spreading his ashes in Cuba.

It’s thus great news to hear that Chris is going to be developing a comedy based on the story of his family and his life at NBC (along with Mr. Iglesias creator Kevin Hench). Unlike many sitcoms based on the lives of comedians, this series, thus far, won’t follow Chris as a comedian, but rather see him in his younger years when he was in love with poetry. We can’t wait to see what Garcia and Hench work up.

With that in mind, we sincerely hope it gets a series green light in the very not so distant future.

The Amber Ruffin Show to Air on NBC in Place of A Little Late with Lilly Singh Repeats
February 19, 2021
News
amber ruffin, nbc

(via Deadline)

The Amber Ruffin Show is the newest addition to the late night talk show/topical news comedy arena. That said, it only streams on NBC’s exclusive streaming platform, Peacock, unlike any other major late night show backed by a major network.

That’s all set to change as NBC has made a 1:30AM slot on Fridays (in place of repeats of A Little Late with Lilly Singh) for Ruffin and her weekly show, which will make her the fourth late night host at the network along side Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and Lilly Singh. NBC has maintained a more robust late night line-up than another network or streaming service with keeping The Tonight Show, Late Night, and The Late Late Show going in tandem for several years.

Now, it’s even more the case.

As of Feb. 26th, the gleeful, yet biting Amber Ruffin Show will make its network linear debut on NBC and the reach of the more diverse parts of late night will be just a little more visible.

Guy Branum Semi-Autobiographical Family Comedy in Development at NBC
September 14, 2020
News
development, guy branum, nbc

(via Deadline)

One of the best minds in comedy we have today, for our money, is Guy Branum. Erudite in topics both niche and mainstream, whipsmart, and as sharp as any with his comedic diction and delivery, Branum’s comedy spans so many different forms including stand-up, podcasts, and, of course, the amazing Talk Show the Game Show. Please listen to Branum’s Effable if you’re one of the uninitiated to his comedy.

So, we’re thrilled that Branum is not only getting another shot at making his own show, but getting to do so on broadcast network television and doing so with developing a single camera scripted series partially based on his own life. Loosely, Branum will play a lawyer (Guy really did graduate from law school) who brings his mother and niece to live with him from a “small conservative farm town” to WeHo after the passing of his father.

Branum is long overdue for such an opportunity and this could be potentially a very high profile representation for LGBTQIA+  folks. So, we can only hope that he gets to make the show he truly wants to make and that it’ll get to make it to air on NBC in relatively quick manner.

NBC Announces Peacock’s Development Slate Featuring MacGruber, a Soccer Comedy EP’d by Amy Poehler and Abby Wambach, a McElroy Fantasy Series, and a Laverne Cox Vehicle
January 16, 2020
Uncategorized
development slate, nbc, peacock

NBC Announces Peacock’s Development Slate Featuring MacGruber, a Soccer Comedy EP’d by Amy Poehler and Abby Wambach, a McElroy Fantasy Series, and a Laverne Cox Vehicle

The streaming wars are sure getting fierce. As each respective streaming service is building their army of content, the announcement of what’s to come is becoming more and more crucial.

Today, NBC’s upcoming streaming service Peacock came out swinging by announcing for Peacock’s development slate: 

-a series based on the cult comedy MacGruber from Will Forte

-Division One, a women’s soccer comedy that follows a former-champ-turned-coach trying to recapture some former glory (with both Amy Poehler and US Women’s Team World Cup Champion Abby Wambach attached as EPs)

-the McElroy Brothers of My Brother, My Brother, and Me doing an entire fantasy series that combines their D&D podcast/graphic novel series The Adventure Zone

–Expecting, a Mindy Kaling comedy that imagines a new sort of nuclear family

–Clean Slate, that has Laverne Cox playing a formerly estranged son that returns home as an amazing trans woman (a role perfect for Cox)

It’s an enticing line-up, but we’ll just have to wait and see how it’ll fare against everything else (Netflix, Hulu, HBOMax, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, etc. etc.).

NBC Announces Their Streaming Service ‘Peacock’ with New Mike Schur/Ed Helms Show Rutherford Heights, The Amber Ruffin Show, and More
September 17, 2019
Uncategorized
amber ruffin, ed helms, mike schur, nbc, peacock, rutherford heights, streaming service

NBC Announces Their Streaming Service ‘Peacock’ with New Mike Schur/Ed Helms Show Rutherford Heights, The Amber Ruffin Show, and More

While Seeso ended up not working out, NBC is taking another crack at an exclusive streaming service, though it won’t be limited to just a vast library of original and acquired comedy programming.

Peacock, announced today, will carry a bunch of NBC exclusive content including a scripted series that will bring Mike Schur and Ed Helms back for the first time since The Office, former Late Night with Seth Meyers writer/star Amber Ruffin with her own streamlined version of a late night show in The Amber Ruffin Show, and SNL behind-the-scenes series called Who Wrote That.

Also, a movie sequel to the off-beat detective comedy series Psych and the third season of A.P. Bio are line-up for Peacock.

There are a bunch of drama properties that NBC has planned for Peacock as well, but we do think that much of Peacock success will have to do with a new Schur/Helms series.

Also, when this launches, NBC will technically be the first network to have four late night style shows (Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, and soon The Amber Ruffin Show). 

If this all sounds good to you, look towards spring of 2020 to get in on NBC’s Peacock.

A Little Late with Lilly Singh to Replace Last Call with Carson Daly at NBC
March 16, 2019
Uncategorized
a little late, carson daly, last call, late night, lilly singh, nbc

A Little Late with Lilly Singh to Replace Last Call with Carson Daly at NBC

We were curious with what NBC was going to do after announcing the end of Last Call with Carson Daly. Given that it airs at 1:30AM after the block of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers, we kind of thought they would just end that slot together.

Yet, a pleasant surprise came today when they announced that international YouTube star Lilly Singh would take over that slot with her own late night show. This marks a few pretty significant firsts as Singh is the first female-POC to host in late night on a broadcast network. Singh also enters as one of the first YouTube stars to have her own talk show on traditional linear TV (the other being Grace Helbig with the very short-lived The Grace Helbig Show on E!).

We’re curious what Singh will do in the parameters of traditional late night talk show and, more importantly, what NBC will let her do with a slim half-hour slot, especially since 1:30AM is so late (though, we have a feeling that pushing the content online the following day will be a major component to this show).

We’ll just have to wait and see when A Little Late with Lilly Singh debuts in September.

NBC Is Going Forward with a Series Greenlight for Their Cross-Disciplinary Comedy Competition ‘Bring The Funny’
February 1, 2019
Uncategorized
bring the funny, nbc, series greenlight, series order

NBC Is Going Forward with a Series Greenlight for Their Cross-Disciplinary Comedy Competition ‘Bring The Funny’

Over 10 episodes, the supposed best in comedy across stand-up, sketch, improv, variety, etc. will be found in this new televised comedy competition, Bring The Funny. Effectively, it’ll take the place of Last Comic Standing at NBC.

Additionally, the judges will be Kenan Thompson, Jeff Foxworthy, and Chrissy Teigen and Amanda Seales will be covering hosting duties and a $250K “prize package” (we’re guessing that means you don’t get $250K in cash) will go the winner. 

The concept, as we’ve said before, has us intrigued as we always appreciate any form of cross-pollination in comedy getting a greater platform and Seales as host is a solid move. However, we’re not thrilled with some of NBC’s choices for the judges panel or the cheesy name of the show or that they’re teaming up with Just For Laughs (essentially making this another JFL New Faces of Comedy?). If it gets someone truly original and undiscovered gets to rise to the top and receive the exposure they deserve, we guess it’ll be worth it then. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Hopefully, they’ll have open auditions where anyone will legitimately have a chance. We’ll keep you in the loop if we hear of those happening. 

Emily Heller Has a Secret Society Comedy in Development at NBC
January 4, 2019
Uncategorized
development, emily heller, kay cannon, nbc

Emily Heller Has a Secret Society Comedy in Development at NBC

Not only is the brilliant Emily Heller developing a project at a major network and said project focuses in on “…Beth, a struggling reporter who is tired of feeling invisible in her small town and recruits other women to help take over a dying branch of an all-male secret society, but one of Hollywood’s great comedy power players Kay Cannon (Blockers, Pitch Perfect) is attached to EP along with Laverne McKinnon.

Keep your fingers crossed (or whatever superstition you subscribe to) that this gets a green light so we can see what they cook up.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine to Live on at NBC
May 13, 2018
Uncategorized
brooklyn nine nine, nbc

Brooklyn Nine-Nine to Live on at NBC

“We got your SIX! #Brooklyn99 is officially coming to NBC!”

-@nbcentertainment

After a seemingly out-of-nowhere cancellation of Brooklyn Nine-Nine over at Fox was met with the force of a very disappointed Internet, NBC took up the mantle (and also brought yet another Mike Schur property back to the peacock) and continuing Brooklyn Nine-Nine for its sixth season on their network.

So, maybe, in the case of TV shows and TV shows only, thoughts and prayers work?

A.P. Bio Renewed, Great News Cancelled at NBC
May 12, 2018
Uncategorized
ap bio, great news, nbc
image

Even though past years of network TV cancellations have always been described as bloodbaths, this year seems especially brutal for how the ax is being brought down on so many shows all at once. 

We’d say that it’s a brave new world if it weren’t for the fact that broadcast networks are wandering back to the familiar territories of multi-cam sitcoms and abandoning high concept comedies pretty much across the board. The cancellation of Great News at NBC is a good example.

That being said, it’s nice to hear that Mike O’Brien’s off-kilter HS comedy that stars Glenn Howerton (basically playing Dennis from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia as a jilted ex-professor) will get to live on for another season at NBC. It will move forward as a rare single camera comedy on network TV amidst a forest of multi cam shows.

The separation between traditional linear broadcast network TV and the industry disruptors at streaming services appears to be as distant as it has ever been. That may overgeneralizing a bit, but it’s hard to ignore this notion in the face of what’s going on at Netflix these days and every sitcom that just got cancelled.

Veep, Will & Grace, Last Week Tonight, and SNL Win at 2018 Writers Guild Awards
February 12, 2018
Uncategorized
hbo, last week tonight, nbc, snl, veep, wga, will and grace, writers guild awards

Veep, Will & Grace, Last Week Tonight, and SNL Win at 2018 Writers Guild Awards

More specifically, the comedy winners of the 2018 Writers Guild Awards are

Comedy Series
Veep, Written by Gabrielle Allan, Rachel Axler, Ted Cohen, Jennifer Crittenden, Alex Gregory, Steve Hely, Peter Huyck, Erik Kenward, Billy Kimball, David Mandel, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Dan Mintz, Lew Morton, Georgia Pritchett, Will Smith; HBO – WINNER

Episodic Comedy
“Rosario’s Quinceanera” (Will & Grace), Written by Tracy Poust & Jon Kinnally; NBC – WINNER

Comedy/Variety Talk Series
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Tim Carvell, Josh Gondelman, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner, Ben Silva, Seena Vali; HBO – WINNER

Comedy/Variety Sketch Series
Saturday Night Live, Head Writers: Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Bryan Tucker, Writers: James Anderson, Kristen Bartlett, Jeremy Beiler, Neal Brennan, Zack Bornstein, Joanna Bradley, Megan Callahan, Michael Che, Anna Drezen, Fran Gillespie, Sudi Green, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Nick Kocher, Michael Koman, Dave McCary, Brian McElhaney, Dennis McNicholas, Drew Michael, Lorne Michaels, Josh Patten, Katie Rich, Pete Schultz, Streeter Seidell, Will Stephen, Kent Sublette, Julio Torres; NBC Universal – WINNER

At some point, there ought to be a category for podcasts or, at the very least, ad copy/reads for podcasts. 

You can get a full list of the winners here.

The Good Place Gets Renewed for Season 3
November 21, 2017
Uncategorized
kristen bell, mike schur, nbc, renewed, ted danson
image

Per their Twitter profile, The Good Place is rightfully celebrating their season 3 renewal.

This is a great moment to take a step back and, again, realize how prolific the comedy of Mike Schur is (Parks and Recreation, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and The Good Place).

Is NBC’s “Must See TV” Back in the Form of “NBC Comedy Night”?
September 28, 2017
Uncategorized
great news, nbc, nbc comedy night, superstore, the good place, will and grace
image

NBC specifically lined-up brand new seasons of Superstore, The Good Place, Will & Grace, and Great News to debut all tonight culminating in a two-hour block called NBC Comedy Night. 

That’s not unlike NBC’s powerhouse sitcom block from yesteryear, Must See TV (of which Will & Grace used to be a part of and, we guess, be a bridge from past to present).

However, we’ll just have to wait and see if NBC Comedy Night can bring the peacock back to where NBC used to be, riding high from Seinfeld to Friends to Will & Grace.

SNL Adds Heidi Gardner, Luke Null, and Chris Redd as Featured Players and Sam Jay, Gary Richardson, Erik Marino, Andrew Dismukes, Steven Castillo, Claire Friedman and Nimesh Patel as Writers
September 26, 2017
Uncategorized
featured players, nbc, new cast members, Saturday Night Live, snl

SNL Adds Heidi Gardner, Luke Null, and Chris Redd as Featured Players and Sam Jay, Gary Richardson, Erik Marino, Andrew Dismukes, Steven Castillo, Claire Friedman and Nimesh Patel as Writers

There’s plenty of talent to be excited about here. For us, we’re specifically jazzed about Sam Jay, Chris Redd, Gary Richardson, and Steven Castillo as we have personally got to delight in their comedic stylings up close. 

They, of course, add more diversity to SNL, but, if given a chance, can really bring some attitude and tomfoolery both to the show in season 43. We’ll just have to wait, cross our fingers, and see if that happens.

This news paired with Kumail Nanjiani hosting an episode this season does indeed have our hopes up a little.

All 8 Seasons of Will & Grace Are Now Streaming on the NBC App (and Hulu)
September 21, 2017
Uncategorized
all episodes, nbc, now streaming, will & grace

All 8 Seasons of Will & Grace Are Now Streaming on the NBC App (and Hulu)

For now, that means you can watch almost 200 episodes of Will & Grace for free (though with ads) on the NBC App.

If you have Hulu, you can stream all 8 seasons and episodes from the new season coming next week (with no ads) as well. 

In any case, you’ve probably binge watched all of Friends and Seinfeld already. Now, you can finish off a trifecta of NBC powerhouse sitcoms with going through all of Will & Grace.

Honest Trailers Enlist Michael Bolton & Friends To Give Emmy Nominees a Retro TV Theme
August 22, 2017
Uncategorized
andy signore, brian mcknight, dan murrell, handmaid's tale, honest trailers, hulu, natasha bedingfield, nbc, netflix, parody, paula cole, screen junkies, stranger things, this is us, tv theme

Honest Trailers themselves are actually nominated for an Emmy and in celebration of that (as well as seizing an opportunity to show off why they are some of the best parodists on the Internet), they made satirical retro TV themes for Emmy nominated shows Stranger Things, This Is Us, and The Handmaid’s Tale. 

They even got the one and only (and very game for comedy these days) Michael Bolton to join in on the fun in addition to bringing on the talents of Natasha Bedingfield, Brian McKnight, and Paula Cole to do said TV themes. For Bolton, he wanted to do a Bolton style song for Game of Thrones as a bonus to this “very special episode” of Honest Trailers. 

Please enjoy it here.

Will & Grace Revival: Four More Episodes and Another Season Ordered, Will Go On as If Finale Never Happened
August 4, 2017
Uncategorized
nbc, will & grace

Will & Grace Revival: Four More Episodes and Another Season Ordered, Will Go On as If Finale Never Happened

Spoiler alert: the original Will & Grace finale had a falling out of the two titular stars.

This new revival of the series, according to Entertainment Weekly, will progress the series as if that never happened and things are well with Will Truman and Grace Adler though we’re sure that they’ll be dealing with the chaos of 2017.

With that in mind, the show will get to explore this path for two seasons as NBC has just announced an addition order for more episodes on the back end of season 8 and an entire season 9.

Take note that all of this has happened and the new revival has yet to even premiere. NBC has got a lot of faith in the new Will & Grace. 

The World of Desus & Mero and Late Night with Seth Meyers Overlapped This Week
June 10, 2017
Uncategorized
desus and mero, desus nice, interview, kid mero, late night, nbc, seth meyers, viceland

Late Night with Seth Meyers represents a pretty traditional version of a late night talk show whereas Desus & Mero on Viceland throw out nearly every late night talk show convention that you could think of right out the window.

This week, the old and the new crossed path as Desus Nice and The Kid Mero came on Late Night as guests and talked shop about how much nicer Meyers’ set is, etc.

Watch the whole interview here.

Season 3 of The Carmichael Show Premieres Tonight
May 31, 2017
Uncategorized
carmichael show, jerrod carmichael, nbc, season 3

The Carmichael Show is a rare multi cam sitcom that is unafraid to dive into touchy territory and, as such, is a series where what is normally considered “a very special episode” is business as usual for them.

Catch the season 3 premiere tonight on NBC at 9PM.

Will & Grace Pulls Out All the Stops to Let You Know That They’re Back This Fall
May 15, 2017
Uncategorized
debra messing, eric mccormack, megan mullally, musical number, nbc, sean hayes, will & grace

Rather than do just a traditional trailer, Will & Grace really did go big, even bigger than that mini-reunion they did a while back, to let you know that they’re not only coming back to NBC this fall, but it’ll be like they never left the air. 

See for yourself as they “re-assemble the fourth wall” and more here.

NBC Renews ‘Great News’ for Second Season
May 11, 2017
Uncategorized
great news, nbc, renewed, robert carlock, season 2, tina fey

NBC Renews ‘Great News’ for Second Season

Perhaps NBC has wised up and will not let another Tina Fey-Robert Carlock series get away from them. 

Great News will get 13 more episodes for a second season despite ratings being a little rocky as of late.

On a day where a good majority of freshman comedies got the ax, we’re glad to see that Great News will get a chance to see if it can be worthy successor to 30 Rock and yet another great addition to the Tina Fey canon. 

Mike O’Brien’s “AP Bio” Starring Glenn Howerton Gets Series Order at NBC
May 10, 2017
Uncategorized
ap bio, glenn howerton, mike o'brien, nbc

Mike O’Brien’s “AP Bio” Starring Glenn Howerton Gets Series Order at NBC

We’re glad that Mike O’Brien will have another show on the air and that it’ll involve Glenn Howerton scheming high achieving students.

Does that mean The D.E.N.N.I.S. System from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia find its way into an actual classroom? 

Stand Up NBC 2017 Will Be Holding Open Auditions Throughout the Country This Summer
May 5, 2017
Uncategorized
atlanta, chicago, comedy showcase, nbc, philadelphia, san francisco, stand up nbc, talent search
image

Specifically, NBC will be holding open auditions for their annual stand-up comedy talent search (and semifinal auditions on the following evening) as follows:

6/10-Chicago-Laugh Factory Chicago
7/8-San Francisco-Cobb’s Comedy Club
8/12-Philadelphia-Helium Comedy Club
9/23-Atlanta-Laughing Skull Lounge

8 finalists will be flown out to LA to perform for NBC brass and other industry. Also, as a plus, there’s no purchase necessary to enter.

Get more details here.

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