Q and A: Week of Nov. 19

Cast of NBC's "Community"

Q: My Thursday nights just aren’t the same without “Community.” When will the show return, and will it be on Fridays, which is what I heard last? — David S., via e-mail

A: NBC recently announced that “Community” — which stars Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover and Chevy Chase — has ping-ponged back to its original Thursday night at 8/7c time slot, beginning Feb. 7. “Community” takes the place of “30 Rock,” which will have concluded its final season by then. We’ll both have to wait patiently for 13 more episodes of one of the best, and most underrated, comedies on television today.

Q: On your recommendation, I watched Bill Pullman in Scott Turrow’s “Innocent,” which carried on the story of “Presumed Innocent” main character Rusty Sabich 20 years later, where he is accused of murdering his wife. I absolutely loved it, and it got me to thinking that in my opinion, Bill Pullman is underutilized in Hollywood. Can you tell me what I can see him in next? — Virginia F. in Connecticut

A: Beginning Thursday, Jan. 10, at 9:30/8:30c, Bill does a 180 from his “Innocent” role to star as the president of the United States in the NBC comedy “1600 Penn.” The series was co-created by Jason Winder, director for “Modern Family,” so I can only hope that some of that comic genius carries over to this new series. And Bill is no stranger to being the POTUS (see: “Independence Day”), nor is he averse to being funny. In fact, when I spoke with the star of the dark comedy “Mr. Wrong” earlier this year, he told me he was eager to get back into comedy if he got the right script.

Q: My roommate told me that there is going to be a new “Battlestar Galactica” movie on the Syfy channel. Is that true? If so, when? — Harold W., Boston

A: “Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome” is set to debut this March on Syfy, and stars Luke Pasqualino and Ben Cotton. According to reps for Syfy, the film “takes place in the midst of the first Cylon war. As the battle between humans and their creation, the sentient robotic Cylons, rages across the 12 colonial worlds, gifted fighter pilot William Adama (Pasqualino), finds himself assigned to one of the most powerful battlestars in the Colonial fleet: the Galactica.

Full of ambition and hungry for action, Adama quickly finds himself at odds with his co-pilot, the battle-weary officer Coker (Cotton).” The film already is airing in weekly seven-to-10-minute segments on the Machinima Prime YouTube channel for those who can’t wait until March, as long as you don’t mind short segments with a week between airings.

Q: I can’t stand the waiting! When will “Smash” be back? —- Eric P., via e-mail

A: You’ll have to wait just a little bit longer. The musical melodrama returns to NBC on Feb. 5.

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Q and A: Week of June 11

Eric Winter, photo by Gabriel Goldberg

Q: I was dismayed to read that “GCB” wasn’t renewed for a second season! Is there anything we can do to save this show? — Vivian D., via e-mail

A: I’m not sure if we can save the show — if you read my column regularly, then you know I LOVE this show! — but we sure can try. First, there is a website set up where you can sign a petition: SaveGCB.com. I spoke with two of the series stars about its cancelation, and they are just as sad as we are. Eric Winter, who plays Luke Lourd, told me that “GCB” deserved to be saved because “the ‘GCB’ fans are the real deal. They’re passionate and they love their show. This is an extremely creative and smart show that just needs more of a chance to take off and run.”


Mark Deklin, who plays Blake Reilly, echoed Eric’s sentiments, telling me: “What’s really touched me the most is the way the fans have embraced Blake and Cricket. The outpouring of love and loyalty across all the social media has been astounding. So my gratitude to the fans is huge, as is my admiration and affection for my colleagues. On the night we got the news that we weren’t being renewed for a second season, I got a text from Miriam (Shor, who plays Cricket) that said, ‘I will miss you most of all, Scarecrow.’ If there was a moment in which I got a little choked up, it was probably the moment when I read that text. I’ve become incredibly fond of the Caruth-Reillys.”

Q: Can you tell me if my favorite show, “Harry’s Law,” will return next season? — Laurie B., Canton, Mich.

A: This is the part of my job that I hate: Telling good readers like you when a network has canceled their favorite show. “Harry’s Law” really struggled with ratings its second season — my guess is fans didn’t/couldn’t keep up with all the day and time changes that NBC kept dealing it.

Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing, Dallas)

Q: I’ve been hearing about the new “Dallas,” but haven’t been able to find it on the schedule. Please tell me the show wasn’t scrapped before it even aired! — Cara D., via e-mail

A: Don’t you worry: “Dallas” returns to TV for 10 episodes on TNT beginning Wednesday, June 13, at 9/8c with a two-hour season premiere. You’re not the only one who’s excited. Personally, I can’t wait to see what the new generation of Ewings has in store for us — and Larry Hagman as J.R. will be up to no good, for sure.

Readers: I have had dozens of people write in to ask about the fate of NBC’s “Community,” and I am thrilled to report that the offbeat comedy has been renewed for a 13-episode fourth season. While it might be shorter than normal, let’s just be glad we even got another season with this talented group!

Q: I know this is the final season of “The Closer,” but it hasn’t been on in months, and I am afraid I missed the finale! — Delia D., via e-mail

A: “The Closer” returns to TNT after a six-month hiatus to air its final six episodes. So tune in Monday, July 9, at 9 p.m. ET/PT as Kyra Sedgwick and company bring seven years of this groundbreaking and record-breaking show to an end.

Q: I really like this season of “Single Ladies” on VH1. Can you tell me more about Ricky Whittle? He plays Charles on the show. — Candice W., Columbus, Ohio

A: The hunky U.K. native got his start in sports, which segued into modeling, and now he’s poised to take Hollywood and the acting world by storm. I asked Ricky recently about how he got his start in acting and he told me simply: to meet girls. “At the time, I’d loved to have said I did it because I wanted to be recognized as a great actor, but I was shallow. I was young. I’ll be honest — at that time I was at university, and I was in the library six days a week reading books. I thought, ‘Do I want to stay in the library, or do I want to be on TV and get lots of girls?’”


Aside from his gig on “Single Ladies,” you can catch him soon on the big screen in “Austenland,” which is about an American woman (played by Keri Russell) who goes to England for a fantasy vacation where you interact with people from Jane Austen books. Ricky told me: “I play Capt. George East. Basically, Jane Seymour is running a brothel, and we’re paid to romance the women who come to the resort. My character is Caribbean. He doesn’t really fit into the ‘Pride and Prejudice’ time. But you’ve got your Mr. Darcys there, and your other Austen characters. He’s a former soap actor, and he thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread. It was very fun to play.”

Q: Can you tell me what one of my favorite actresses, Thandie Newton, has coming up? — Pete W., Omaha, Neb.

A: Thandie is set to star in the DIRECTV original suspense-drama called “Rogue,” which begins production in August and will air summer 2013 for a 10-episode run. Thandie plays a morally and emotionally conflicted cop named Grace, who is tormented by the possibility that her own actions contributed to her son’s death. Grace’s search for the truth is further complicated by her forbidden relationship with the crime boss who may have had a hand in the death.

Q: Is Josh Lucas from “The Firm” married? Does he have children? — Ann N., Fairport, N.Y.

A: The handsome 40-year-old — whose show “The Firm” was recently canceled by NBC — married his girlfriend, Jessica, in early March. The two also are expecting their first child together.

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