Chuck Lorre: ‘The Kominsky Method’ Emmy Nods Are A “Wonderful Moment Of Gratitude In Dark Days” As He Grapples With “Vague Hope” Of Fall Production Return

Peter White
·4 min read

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Chuck Lorre, who is currently writing the third and final season of Netflix comedy The Kominsky Method, was “delighted” to find out that the Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin-fronted series scored an Emmy nod for Outstanding Comedy Series.

“It’s a wonderful moment of gratitude in these dark days,” he told Deadline. “I was delighted, I was really happy, it’s terrific to be acknowledged for the work. It’s been a labor of love, it’s very personal, it means a lot to me.”

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Lorre has had a “couple of chances at bat” with shows like The Big Bang Theory, which was nominated in the main comedy category four times, but has yet to pick up the main comedy award. “I know it’s a cliché, but it’s nice to be nominated, but it really is nice to be nominated. Being included in a group like that is pretty special. We’re sitting alongside shows that I happen to admire very much so it’s terrific to be included.”

Douglas has been nominated in the lead actor comedy category with Arkin also nominated for the supporting actor comedy award, taking the show’s total nods to three.

This comes after it emerged that the third season of the show, which follows the adventures of Sandy Kominsky and Norman Newlander, was to be its last. “We’re not in the quantity business anymore, which is very much what the old model of television was, the maniacal race to put together 100 episodes for syndication and re-runs, the pot of gold as it were,” he said. “When you enter a relationship with Netflix or any of the streaming services, the goal is not achieving some pre-determined number of episodes, the value is in the episodes that you do.”

“This third season feels like the right way to go, we feel we can bring it to a very satisfying ending. I’m writing it now. I don’t know [the ending] yet, I’m hoping I’ll figure it out as I write,” he added.

Admitting that it’s a “dream come true” to make a show with Douglas and Arkin, as well as guest stars including Danny DeVito, Kathleen Turner and Paul Reiser, he said he’s not entirely sure when the final season will film.

“Right now, there’s this vague hope that production can start in the fall but I think it’s predicated on creating a safe working environment and a safe working environment is well above my pay grade,” he said.

Lorre said that writing is going ahead for all of his shows including Mom, Young Sheldon and Bob Hearts Abishola, while they await a greenlight for production. “I’m told it’s the fall, I hope it’s the fall. We’re writing with the optimistic belief that we will at some point make television again,” he joked.

His new shows B Positive, which was picked up to series by CBS after becoming the only filmed pilot last season, and pilot order The United States of Al, face a similar wait. “We’re in unchartered territory here, I don’t know when or how that safe environment becomes a reality, I hope soon.”

Lorre also gave a shout out to Patti Lee, who picked up a nomination in the Outstanding Cinematography For A Multi-Camera Series, for her work on Bob Hearts Abishola episode “Ice Cream for Breakfast”.

“I assume that getting invited to the Emmys this year, means that you can only wear the top half of the tux because it’ll be on Zoom,” he joked.

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