New Netflix Series From Veteran Creator

By TRILBY BERESFORD | Reporter

Examining the television credit list of Palisadian writer Chuck Lorre is exhausting.

Not only is he responsible for creating three of the most well known shows in America (“Cybill,” “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory”), he followed those hits with “Disjointed,” “Mom” and “Young Sheldon”—three more shows he created just in the last five years (fighting feelings of inadequacy as I write this).

Given this trajectory, it probably won’t come as a surprise that Lorre is currently preparing to unleash yet another show into the world. Netflix will premiere “The Kominsky Method” on Nov. 16, a half-hour, single-camera comedy about an elderly actor, successful in his craft once upon a time, who makes a living as an acting coach in Hollywood.

Michael Douglas appears in the title role of Sandy Kominsky, with Alan Arkin as his agent. Nancy Travis and Sarah Baker play supporting characters.

“The show began because of my desire to write about what I’m living, which is getting older and entropy and the decay of flesh,” Lorre said at the recent Television Critics Association press tour.

(Now it’s unlikely that the 66-year-old is experiencing a premature onset of flesh decay, but who are we to question?)

“It has to be funny, otherwise it’s heartbreaking,” Lorre continued. “There’s loss of loved ones and how it affects your relationships and friendships. How do you respond to a culture that feels like it’s moving away from you? That was the impetus for the show—to do all that, and hopefully have some comedy involved.”

Included in the rotation of directors is Beth McCarthy-Miller, known for her work on “Modern Family and “Saturday Night Live,” in addition to recent credits, “The Good Place” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”

Award-winning German cinematographer Anette Haellmigk is on board, having taken a break from a little show called “Game of Thrones.”

With any luck, the solid production team and cast of actors involved in “The Kominsky Method” will outperform the rather familiar premise. Though Lorre doesn’t need luck.