Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
STARS ON SCREEN
Getting ‘Schooled’: It took a long and winding road to get here, but the spinoff of “The Goldbergs” is finally ready for prime time. “Schooled” has been in the works since at least 2016, and after some stutters and false starts, the sitcom is finally ready for its premiere, which arrives Wednesday, Jan. 9, on ABC. Like its parent show, “Schooled” is a period piece, but while “The Goldbergs” is rooted firmly in the 1980s, “Schooled” finds its home in the ‘90s. Tim Meadows (“Mean Girls,” 2004) stars as the hapless Mr. Glascott, reprising the role he plays in “The Goldbergs.” He’s no longer a teacher and guidance councilor at William Penn Academy — instead, he’s now the high school’s principal. Unlike its parent show, “Schooled” is pretty firmly in the workplace comedy genre. The main characters are all teachers at William Penn, and it’s their conflicting ideas and beliefs about how best to educate their students that drive the plot forward — and that provide endless laughs. Mr. Glascott — now Principal Glascott — isn’t the only educator living it up in the ‘90s. One of “The Goldbergs’” most popular recurring characters is also still employed at William Penn. Bryan Callen’s (“The Hangover,” 2009) Coach Mellor is still at the school, and he’s still convinced that physical competition is the key to all students’ success. Of course, there are some new teachers at the school. AJ Michalka’s (“Steven Universe”) “Goldbergs” character Lainey Lewis is the school’s new music teacher, and newcomer Brett Dier (“Jane the Virgin”) stars as young and overly enthusiastic teacher CB. Sharp watchers of “The Goldbergs” probably remember a special episode that aired early last year called “The Goldbergs: 1990-Something” that was a lot like “Schooled.” That episode was the original pilot for the spinoff, and after the network passed on taking “Schooled” to series, it was aired as a special “Goldbergs” episode. Well, that episode was a success, and after some tweaking and recasting — both of which happen frequently post-pilot — ABC reconsidered its decision, and “Schooled” is finally good to go. Catch the spinoff’s premiere on Wednesday, Jan. 9, on ABC. A golden gala: It’s a night of glitz and glamor for the guys and gals of entertainment, and it all happens Sunday, Jan. 6. That’s when this year’s long-awaited Golden Globe Awards are finally handed out to 2018’s best in both the film and television industries, and it all happens live on NBC. The Golden Globes are the traditional kickoff to the film and TV awards season, with the accolades handed out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. This year, the ceremony features a duo of hosts who bring an eclectic mix of humor, wit and gravitas to the role, with “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Andy Samberg and former “Grey’s Anatomy” star Sandra Oh sharing the responsibilities. Espionage thriller “The Americans,” which wrapped up its final season last May, is a favorite of critics this year. The FX series has bagged a hefty number of nominations, including a nod in the “Best TV Series — Drama” category and nominations for stars Keri Russell (“Felicity”) and Matthew Rhys (“The Post,” 2017) in the respective best actor in a drama categories. The competition is fierce in the TV drama categories, with “The Bodyguard,” “Homecoming,” “Killing Eve” and “Pose” all vying for the top prize. Judgment has come: All rise for Judge Jerry Springer. Long-running daytime talk show “The Jerry Springer Show” wrapped up production of new episodes last year, but its long-serving host isn’t keeping still. Springer is already hard at work on his next show, and this one will take him back to his roots. “Judge Jerry” is planned to launch in syndication this autumn, with the iconic host getting his own courtroom to preside over small claims cases. It may seem like a stretch for the guy whose talk show is best known for violent confrontations between its guests, but long before he got into television, Springer was a practicing lawyer. “For the first time in my life, I am going to be called honourable,” Springer said in a statement announcing the new series. “My career is coming full circle, and I finally get to put my law degree to use after all these years.” Springer got loads of experience mediating feuds between people, and in “Judge Jerry” he’ll finally be able to pass binding judgments. Watch for the new series in syndication this fall.