'90s Cosby Sitcom Now on Gospel Music Channel; Remembering TV Writer Barry Blitzer

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

'90s Cosby Sitcom Now on Gospel Music Channel; Remembering TV Writer Barry Blitzer

Gospel Music Channel (GMC) has quietly added the '90s sitcom Cosby to its schedule since Monday (Feb. 1). The series aired from 1996-2000 on CBS. The series previously aired in repeats in broadcast syndication and on cable on TBS shortly after its run ended on CBS. Bill Cosby stars as Hilton Lucas, a hard-working, devoted husband and father trying to make sense out of the challenges of everyday life. Also starring are Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show), Doug E. Doug and the late Madeline Kahn. The series is airing weekdays in the 9am ET hour and encoring later in the day in the 11pm ET hour. View the promo GMC has created for the series.
You can win a 10 CD prize pack on Twitter if you retweet their status. Contest ends Friday (Feb. 5) at 12 noon ET, so hurry Hilton Lucas fans!
They have also quietly added Funniest Pets & People airing weekdays in the 7am hour. With the additions of Cosby and Funniest Pets & People, there are some time changes for their existing series. Airing weekdays in the 8am hour now will be Sister, Sister in between the two new series. In the 10am hour we now have an hour of Amen. Joyful Noise Cafe has now moved to 11am-1pm, as it used to air 7am-9am, which means Christy is now gone from 12 noon. Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman will still remain in the 1pm, 2pm, 6pm and 7pm hours. Faith & Fame replaces Promised Land at 3pm, but Promised Land will now move to 10pm. Sue Thomas, F.B.eye will remain weekdays at 4pm and 8pm, while Doc also remain weekdays at 5pm and 9pm. Sister, Sister is replaced from 10pm-12am with the aforementioned Promised Land and Cosby hours. Various gospel progamming remains airs at 12 midnight ET and Amen continues to air with back-to-back episodes in the 1am ET hour, which is in addition to its 10am ET hour.
For weekends, everything looks the same with the weekly Sister, Sister Saturday marathons from 9am-2pm leading into movies the rest of the day. Sundays will still have a mix of movies and gospel programming.
View the full Gospel Music Channel schedule and to discuss these new changes.

Veteran television writer Barry Blitzer, who wrote for classic TV shows such as Get Smart and The Flintstones, died last Wednesday (Jan. 27) in Santa Monica, Calif from complications after abdominal surgery. Blitzer shared a Writers Guild nomination in 1968 for Get Smart, with co-writer and frequent collaborator Raymond Brenner. He wrote for comedies including The Phil Silvers Show, Gomer Pyle, Andy Griffith Show, The Love Boat, Hot L Baltimore, Too Close for Comfort, McHale's Navy, Filthy Rich, Small Wonder, and Good Times.
In addition to The Flinstones, Blitzer also wrote episodes for other Hanna Barbera cartoons like The Jetsons, The Flinstone Kids, The New Yogi Bear Show, and Top Cat, as well as children's programs including Land of the Lost. He was also the last surviving member of the group of writers who shared a 1956 Best Comedy Writing Emmy for The Phil Silvers Show (for the episode, "You'll Never Get Rich").
He was also a story editor for the animated versions of Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley (The Fonz and the Happy Days Gang and Laverne & Shirley in the Army), along with writing episodes for The Partridge Family animated series Partridge Family 2200 AD.
Mr. Blitzer will certainly be missed even though he has not written anything since 1990. He was 80.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, July 13

Ghosts - "Patience" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While Sam and the ghosts race to find him, Isaac comes face to face with Puritan ghost Patience (Mary Holland) for the first time since she was lost in the dirt.

The Simpsons - "Homer and Her Sisters" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After a fight in an escape room, Krusty's aunt fixes Homer's relationship with Patty and Selma.

Krapopolis - "Ice Week!" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Ty struggles to keep his cool when he gets the hots for a visiting reporter; Shlub is paid a visit by an old friend; Hippocampus and Stupendous risk missing the festivities altogether.

Animal Control - "Giraffes, Gorillas and Penguins" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The crew must contain a freak zoo break; Frank realizes that he needs to break up with Yasmin; Emily finds an unexpected benefactor in a celebrity businesswoman.

Going Dutch - "Pilot" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
The colonel is reassigned to take emergency command of USAG Stroopsdorf in the Netherlands; Sgt. Conway provides the colonel and Shah with a tour of the things Stroopsdorf is known for... cheese, laundry and bowling.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of July 7)

Friday, July 11

Aparna Nancherla (The Great North/Fairview/Corporate) and Whitney Cummings (Whitney) - Aparna and Whitney are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Malachi Barton (Stuck in the Middle) and Meg Donnelly (American Housewife) - Malachi and Meg discuss Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires and perform on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. They will also be on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Jean Smart (Hacks/Samantha Who?/Center of the Universe/In-Laws/Style & Substance/Designing Women) - Jean chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
Patton Oswalt (A.P. Bio/The Goldbergs/The King of Queens) - Patton talks about Black Coffee and Ice Water on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) and Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - CBS News contributor Lisa Ling talks with Margaret and Joel on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
Krysten Ritter (Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - Tamron Hall (repeat) has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE sitdown with actress/director/author Krysten Ritter who recently released her new thriller/mystery novel Retreat, so check your local listings.
Maggie Q (Pivoting) - Maggie Q talks about Prime's Ballard on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Tisha Campbell (Act Your Age/Uncoupled/Outmatched/Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) and Wendy Raquel Robinson (Poppa's House/The Game/Here We Go Again/The Steve Harvey Show/Minor Adjustments) - Tisha and Wendy chat about their film Operation: Aunties on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings. They will also be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
David Zayas (The Bear/Saint George) - David appears on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:40am.