ABC takes you Live In Front Of A Studio Audience for The Facts Of Life and Diff’rent Strokes
Plus, The Flash, Centaurworld, Abbott Elementary, and Nicole Byer: BBW (Big Beautiful Weirdo)
TV Lists Live in Front of a Studio Audience
Here’s what’s happening in the world of television for Tuesday, December 7. All times are Eastern.
Top Picks
Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: “The Facts Of Life” and “Diff’rent Strokes” (ABC, 8 p.m.): Noel Murray found the previous installment of Live In Front Of A Studio Audience to be fun, if a bit unimaginative. Regardless, ABC is once again reviving two classic sitcoms, and bringing on another exceptionally talented group of performers. Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hahn, Gabrielle Union, Alison Tolman, and Ann Dowd star in this live re-creation of The Facts Of Life. Dowd will reprise the role of Mrs. Garrett in the live performance of Diff’rent Strokes alongside John Lithgow, Kevin Hart, and Damon Wayons.
Abbott Elementary (ABC, 9:30 p.m.): Quinta Brunson of A Black Lady Sketch Show is the creator and star of this Philadelphia-based public school-based comedy. You can get an early look at the show tonight, before it moves into its time slot on January 4 at 9 p.m.—just like when a new kid is introduced right before the holidays, but you only get to know them after you come back from break.
Regular coverage
The Flash (The CW, 8 p.m.):
Season’s streamings
The Claus Family 2 (Netflix, 3:01 a.m.): Have you ever seen such a whimsical movie trailer in Dutch before? Makes you want a cup of creamy hot chocolate and marshmallows while you sit by the fire. We forgot that Belgium can make such fun movies in addition to dark, twisted affairs.
Wild Cards
Centaurworld (Netflix, 3:01 a.m., season-two premiere): If you weren’t already following this fantastical animated show about a horse that lands in Centaurworld, you should start. Megan Nicole Dong’s “Sketch Shark” on Instagram is one of the most unhinged comedy voices in comics, and her TV show is similarly unhinged. You can watch the second season beginning today.
Nicole Byer: BBW (Big Beautiful Weirdo) (Netflix, 3:01 a.m.): Nicole Byer, enough said.
17 Comments
“Jennifer Aniston, Kathryn Hahn, Gabrielle Union, Alison Tolman, and Ann Dowd star in this live re-creation of The Facts Of Life. Dowd will reprise the role of Mrs. Garrett in the live performance of Diff’rent Strokes alongside John Lithgow, Kevin Hart, and Damon Wayons.”Most of these adults are playing children, right? This seems very weird.
I would think that you, a non-doctor who plays a doctor on the internet, should understand.
Hahaha wow you got him good!
Except that I’m a doctor who plays a mad scientist on the internet.
You’re not wrong. It does seem deeply weird and kind of out of nowhere. These shows were both top notch entertainment when I was a kid, but the writing wasn’t great, so how are they going to polish up these turds? Throw some decent actors at it, that should do the trick, I guess?
Watching this now and it’s weird. Aniston is barely 5 years younger than Lisa Welchel, who sang the opening theme song and looks waaaayyy younger than 58! Why didn’t she just play the role if they weren’t going to get younger actors?
I think the idea was big-name actors to draw viewers, plus it’s a funny idea to watch different people play iconic characters (that worked in some cases and not in others). I do think it would’ve been better if original actors had been able to play other parts, though, like some did in earlier incarnations of this gimmick.
I’m guessing Aniston/Blaire, Hahn/Jo, Union/Tootie and Tolman/Natalie which could kinda work in a 25th reunion scenario (although Aniston has about a dozen years on Tolman), but this is extremely weird even if they go with a post-college era script.
This casting feels like they’re making fun of those shows, which is not the tone I would have expected.
See that’s exactly the tone I would expect if kit wasn’t fot Kimmel’s involvement. Awful shows. I watched every episode when I was young, but terrible.
IT IS SO WEIRD
Jon Stewart has been cast in Diff’rent Strokes in a surprise role. One of the executive producers went out of his way to say that it won’t be to play Gordon Jump’s pedophile character from the infamous episode.
He’s going to play Arnold’s step-brother from the later seasons
Hmmm. Where’s Kimberly? You can’t do DS without Kimberly.Fun fact, my partner’s stepfather was related to Dana Plato. She used send a head shot every Christmas to them.
I was sad that they picked an episode that didn’t include Kimberly
I would have preferred one of the first season episodes with Molly Ringwald.
Sabrina finally made it onto Riverdale.