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PEOPLE & ARTS Wednesday 15 May 2019
NBC bets on comedy next year, ‘This Is Us” for years to come

By LYNN ELBER fall, but fans of some NBC
Associated Press shows, including “Mani-
NEW YORK (AP) — NBC fest,” ‘’Will & Grace” and
didn’t invoke its “must-see “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” will
TV” 20th-century market- have to wait until midsea-
ing slogan in announcing son in early 2020.
a renewed emphasis on NBC executives said
sitcoms next season, but it they’re not worried by the
could have. challenge of drawing au-
Calling comedy the “heart” dience attention to late-
of its brand, the network arriving entries.
announced it is adding four Four new dramas are slat-
new sitcoms to its lineup for ed for the coming season,
2019-20, with stars including with one set for fall. “Bluff
Kenan Thompson of “Satur- City Law” stars NBC alum
day Night Live” and sitcom Jimmy Smits (“The West
veterans Fran Drescher Wing,” ‘’L.A. Law”) as head
(“The Nanny”) and Steven of a celebrated Memphis,
Weber (“Mom,” ‘’Wings”). Tennessee, law firm who
On Thursday night, where is joined by his estranged
NBC sitcoms including daughter.
“Cheers” and “Friends” The midseason newcomers
ruled back in the 1980s and include “Council of Dads,”
‘90s, the network will intro- This image released by NBC shows, from left, Joel Kim Booster, Poppy Liu, Samba Schutte, Kal about a family man who
duce newcomers “Perfect Penn, Diana Marie Riva and Moses Storm in a scene from “Sunnyside.” makes sure his brood will
Harmony” and “Sunnyside” Associated Press always have the fatherly
to join returning comedies Obama administration) to in with their son and daugh- ___ help they need; “Lincoln,”
“Superstore” and “The play a fallen New York City ter-in-law. MORE ‘THIS IS US,’ MORE inspired by the novel “The
Good Place” this fall. councilman who’s seeking The long network afterlife of DRAMA Bone Collector,” and “Zo-
“Thursdays will continue to redemption for himself and “Friends” and other sitcoms The popular drama’s re- ey’s Extraordinary Playlist,”
be the home of the smart- help for immigrants dream- makes them valuable now turn wasn’t in doubt, but about a brilliant computer
est, buzziest and most en- ing of American citizenship. and in the future for its mak- NBC cemented its value to coder who’s able to eaves-
during comedies on televi- Thompson will do double- ers, which for “Sunnyside” the network by renewing it drop on the hopes of those
sion,” George Cheeks, who duty at NBC next season, and “The Kenan Show” in- for what it called an “un- around her through her
is co-chair with Paul Teleg- sticking with “SNL” and star- clude NBC corporate sib- precedented” three more songs.
dy of NBC Entertainment, ring in “The Kenan Show,” ling Universal Television. years. ‘LITTLE BIG SHOTS’ MAKE-
said with bravado. with Chris Rock among the NBC kicked off the broad- Whether it will continue be- OVER
“Perfect Harmony” stars executive producers. In the cast networks’ presenta- yond season six is “open for Steve Harvey is out and
Bradley Whitford (“The midseason series, Thomp- tion of their new schedules right now,” said Paul Teleg- Melissa McCarthy is in as
West Wing”) as a former son plays a dedicated dad to advertisers in New York dy, who is co-chair with host of what NBC is describ-
college music professor balancing family, work and this week. The network said George Cheeks of NBC En- ing as a revamp of the tal-
whose next chapter unex- a meddling father-in-law it’s working from a posi- tertainment. Series creator ent showcase for kids.
pectedly involves a small- played by Andy Garcia. tion of ratings strength but, Dan Fogelman “has a plan “It’s a real refresh for a
town church’s choir. Drescher and Weber star acknowledging the rising for the show,” but Telegdy brand that has done very
In “Sunnyside,” Kal Penn in “Indebted,” also for mid- competition from stream- wouldn’t tip his hand as well for us, Telegdy said.
calls on his comedic cred- season. They play what ing platforms such as Net- to whether that plan will McCarthy is “an incredible
its (“Harold & Kumar Go to NBC called “boomerang flix, said shows that begin mean even more years comedian” who will bring a
White Castle”) and politi- parents” who, broke and on the network will have a with the Pearson family. fresh perspective to the se-
cal ones (he served in the unannounced, move back critical digital afterlife. “This Is Us” will return in the ries, he saidq

UK halts export of ‘Lady Chatterley’ copy from famous trial

Associated Press ary depiction of sexuality. stop photographers snap-
LONDON (AP) — The British A prosecution lawyer in- ping the judge carrying the
government used its pow- famously asked in court scandalous tome.
ers to preserve the nation’s whether it was “a book that It was sold to an anonymous
cultural treasures on Mon- you would ... wish your wife overseas bidder at a Sothe-
day to halt the export of a or your servants to read?” by’s auction in October for
tattered paperback copy It took jurors just three hours 56,250 pounds ($73,000).
of “Lady Chatterley’s Lov- of deliberation to find Pen- The government’s decision
er.” The copy of the once- guin not guilty, and the halts the export for several
scandalous book was used case is regarded as a land- months to see whether
by the judge in the U.K. mark victory for freedom a buyer can be found to
obscenity trial of Penguin of speech and a sign of keep it in Britain.
Books. Penguin was pros- changing social mores. Arts minister Michael El-
ecuted in 1960 for publish- The copy used by judge lis said the Chatterley trial
ing D.H. Lawrence’s novel Laurence Byrne contains “was a watershed moment
about an affair between In this Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 file photo, a copy of D.H Lawrence’s notes by his wife Dorothy in cultural history, when
book “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” that was the judge’s personal
a wealthy woman and her version used in the infamous 1960 Chatterley trial, on view in detailing the explicit pas- Victorian ideals were over-
husband’s gamekeeper, a Sotheby’s auction house in London. sages, and a hand-sewn taken by a more modern
landmark in the frank liter- Associated Press damask bag designed to attitude.”q