Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Netflix's Lost in Space Gets Final Season; Remembering Sitcom Writer Earl Pomerantz

Lost in Space has been renewed by Netflix for a third season, in which The Robinson Family's epic space journey towards Alpha Centauri will conclude. Netflix confirmed the news on social media. Additionally, Netflix and Lost in Space Executive Producer/ showrunner Zack Estrin have agreed to enter a multi-year overall deal to produce new series exclusively at Netflix. Lost in Space is a Netflix original series, produced by Legendary Television. Lost in Space stars Toby Stephens, Molly Parker, Maxwell Jenkins, Mina Sundwall, Taylor Russell, Ignacio Serricchio and Parker Posey.
Emmy-winning writer and producer Earl Pomerantz, who worked on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Cheers, The Cosby Show and Major Dad, has died. He died on March 7 in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Pomerantz was 75.
Pomerantz's writing career began in Canada in 1970 with the variety series The Hart and Lorne Terrific Hour, which starred his brother Hart Pomerantz and Lorne Michaels. He won his first Emmy Award in 1976 for The Lily Tomlin Special, which was the winner for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special. He was a writer for the TV specials Flip Wilson... Of Course in 1974 and Lily in 1975.
Some of his 1970s sitcom writing credits included Sanford and Son, Doc, Phyllis, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Tony Randall Show, The Betty White Show, The Bob Newhart Show and Rhoda.
He wrote three episodes of The Cosby Show in 1984. He won an Emmy Award in 1985 when The Cosby Show was the winner for Outstanding Comedy Series. Some of his other sitcom writing credits included Taxi, Best of the West (also the creator), Newhart, Cheers, Trying Times, Family Man (also the creator), Coming of Age, Major Dad, LateLine, Becker and Kristin.
He was the creator, producer, writer and theme song lyrics writer of the 1981-1982 ABC sitcom Best of the West, a spoof of westerns. The series starred Joel Higgins, Carlene Watkins, Meeno Peluce, Leonard Frey, Tom Ewell, Valri Bromfield, Tracey Walter and Macon McCalman.
Pomerantz created the short-lived 1988 ABC sitcom Family Man. The series starred Richard Libertini, Mimi Kennedy, Alison Sweeney, Whitby Hertford and Keeley Mari Gallagher.
He developed and worked as a producer for Major Dad. Some of his other producing credits included The Cosby Show, The Larry Sanders Show, LateLine, The Fighting Fitzgeralds and Kristin. He worked as a consultant on Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Thea, The Larry Sanders Show, The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Goode Behavior, LateLine, Regular Joe and According to Jim.
Survivors include his brother Hart, his wife Myra, daughters Anna Pomerantz and Rachel Braude and three grandchildren.
Mr. Pomerantz worked on more than 25 sitcoms during his career. We thank him for his work on these series. He will be greatly missed.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Friday, May 30
Happy's Place - "Don't Sweat It" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bobbie asks Isabella to move in with her, but when Isabella sees that Bobbie likes to address conflict head on, Isabella decides it might not be the best idea.
Happy's Place - "Fish Fry Monday" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
When Emmett sees Bobbie drowning in work, he devises a clever ruse to give her a much-needed day off fishing, all under the guise of reviving the tavern's Fish Fry Mondays; Isabella dives into the world of bartending with Gabby.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 26)
Friday, May 30
- Nathan Fielder (The Rehearsal/The Curse) - Watch Nathan on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Paula Poundstone (Home Movies) - Paula performs stand-up comedy on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Ralph Macchio (Eight Is Enough) - Ralph swings by for a chat about Karate Kid: Legends on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Justina Machado (One Day at a Time) - Justina chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She also talks about Broadway's Real Women Have Curves: The Musical on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Yara Shahidi (grown-ish/black-ish) - Yara is telling Drew about the new venture she's taking on, where she's currently at with dating and more on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Don Darryl Rivera (Only Murders in the Building) - Don talks about Broadway's Aladdin on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/08 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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