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
Saturday, August 30
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of August 25)
Friday, August 29
- Nicole Byer (Grand Crew/Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole guest hosts a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Timothy Olyphant (Stick/Santa Clarita Diet) - Watch Timothy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Austin Butler (Ruby & the Rockits/Zoey 101/Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide) - Austin is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Jenna Ortega (Stuck in the Middle/Richie Rich) - Jenna appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Clifton Davis (Amen/That's My Mama) - Clifton makes a special appearance on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World) - Co-host Gayle King sits down with Sabrina on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Danielle Pinnock (Ghosts/Young Sheldon) - Danielle talks about Ghosts on a repeat on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- David Zayas (The Bear) - David talks about The Bear and Paramount+'s Dexter: Resurrection on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
- Regina King (The Boondocks/Leap of Faith/227) - Regina talks about Caught Stealing on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
- Kel Mitchell (Game Shakers/Kenan & Kel) - NBC's Today catches up with Kel in the 9am hour. He will also be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.
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)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
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