You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: Very often for many years I see that a 60 Minutes program is 鈥渘ew鈥� according to our on-screen guide. During many of the broadcasts the host will start some segments by saying 鈥渁s we previously reported,鈥� which highly irritates us. I believe the guide service says these are 鈥渘ew鈥� because CBS has repackaged previously aired shows and technically the current one is new only because the lineup is changed. Does this make sense?
A: CBS explains the current telecasts this way: 鈥淭hese previously broadcast segments have been updated for this summer edition.鈥� The brief updates rationalize a 鈥渘ew鈥� label. Overall, 鈥�60 Minutes鈥� is no different from other prime-time shows operating in a September-to-May TV season in that it takes a break between seasons. (Its 51st season will begin on Sept. 30.)
Q: Do you know of any plans to for a fourth season of 鈥淔argo鈥�? It was one of the best programs on television.
A: There are plans, though they look like long-term ones. Entertainment Weekly reported in May that production on a new season may not begin until the fall of 2019, meaning the latest round of the acclaimed series probably wouldn鈥檛 air until 2020. Noah Hawley 鈥� who created the series inspired by the movie of the same name 鈥� is currently directing a movie, 鈥淧ale Blue Dot.鈥� 鈥淔argo鈥� executive producer Warren Littlefield told EW that Hawley will begin writing a new 鈥淔argo鈥� this fall, after he is done directing the film.
Q: I was wondering if you have any information about when 鈥淒oc Martin鈥� will return to PBS.
A: As I have mentioned before, the streaming service Acorn TV has the U.S. rights to the series and decides when to make it available to broadcast stations. (鈥淒oc Martin鈥� is not a PBS show. It is a syndicated program, like 鈥淛eopardy,鈥� for example, and sold to individual stations instead of distributed via a network.) But here鈥檚 the news you鈥檝e been waiting for: local stations can get the latest 鈥淒oc Martin鈥� episodes from Acorn beginning in January.
Q: As a baby boomer I remember watching Fess Parker in Disney鈥檚 鈥淒avy Crockett.鈥� There were three episodes but only the first two have reached DVD. What happened to 鈥淒avy Crockett at the Alamo鈥�? That, after all, is where he died.
A: I, too, remember that vintage Davy Crockett 鈥� and five episodes. Three 鈥� 鈥淒avy Crockett, Indian Fighter,鈥� 鈥淒avy Crockett Goes to Congress鈥� and 鈥淒avy Crockett at the Alamo鈥� aired in 1954-55, and together formed what some call TV鈥檚 first miniseries. When they proved a huge success, Disney aired two more shows about Crockett before the Alamo, 鈥淒avy Crockett鈥檚 Keelboat Race鈥� and 鈥淒avy Crockett and the River Pirates,鈥� in late 1955. Disney also re-edited the material from the episodes into theatrical movies, with 鈥淒avy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier鈥� formed from the first three telecasts and ending with the Alamo, and 鈥淒avy Crockett and the River Pirates鈥� from the last two.
As for DVD releases, the Walt Disney Treasures line of collectible sets included 鈥淒avy Crockett 鈥� The Complete Televised Series鈥� with all five original episodes plus extras, in 2001. While it was a limited edition, you can still find copies for sale 鈥� though you may flinch at the price. The two movies are also on DVD, and on digital services such as iTunes and Amazon Video.
