'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, November 24

The Simpsons - "Treehouse of Horror Presents: Simpsons Wicked This Way Comes" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
A tattooed man at a mysterious night circus transports Lisa into three strange stories from the innocent 1950s, the chilling retro-present and a brutalist future where prestige TV rules the world.

Universal Basic Guys - "Mark Men" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Mark throws his hat into the ring as an Ad Man after being shown up by a group of execs at his favorite bar.

Bob's Burgers - "Boogie Days" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
When Louise signs up for a father-daughter boogie board contest, Bob's past comes back to haunt him.

Krapopolis - "Ty Man Woman Table Chairs Food" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
There's this new thing called a map, and all the cool cities are on it; Tyrannis and Hippocampus start a restaurant to earn Krapopolis its spot; Stupendous follows the map to face her longtime foe.

The Conners - "Driving, Dating and Receipt" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mark is anxious to get his driver's license when a job opportunity presents itself across town; Darlene attempts to teach Mark to drive, but her frantic energy sends him running to Ben for help; Harris meets a new guy online.

The Conners - "Parent Traps and Heart Attacks" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When a relative passes away unexpectedly, the family must debate about who should gain custody of a jaded nephew, who is just shy of his 18th birthday.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 18)

Friday, November 22

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Watch Kerry on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Space Force/Silicon Valley) - Jimmy is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Ariana Grande (Sam & Cat/Victorious) - Ariana appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Andy Richter (Andy Barker, P.I./Quintuplets/Andy Richter Controls the Universe), Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!) and Aparna Nancherla (Lopez vs Lopez/Search Party/Corporate) - Andy, Thomas and Aparna are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - Keke talks about her new book Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Drew is joined by the hilarious Andrew to celebrate all things Thanksgiving on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Rosie Perez (Human Resources/Search Party) - Rosie tells Sherri about her new Apple TV+ psychological thriller Before on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace will be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.