You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: I read that 鈥淒esignated Survivor鈥� will not be renewed for another season. This is perhaps one of the best programs on TV ever. What can I do to support the return of this outstanding program?
A: ABC has an online section at abc.go.com/feedback where you can send comments about programs. But I question whether that will do much to get this show a third season.
Ratings had dropped from the first season to the second. Variety also noted that the show had undergone off-camera turmoil, including several changes in showrunners. That included changes in the creative direction which, TVLine reported, left ABC concerned about its direction going forward. And, under star Kiefer Sutherland鈥檚 contract, Variety said, the show had to move from Toronto to Los Angeles for the third season, which would have driven up costs for 鈥渁 show that was already on the higher-end of budget for broadcast dramas.鈥�
Q: Are they going to continue 鈥淕rey鈥檚 Anatomy鈥�?
A: While 鈥淕rey鈥檚鈥� has gone through many changes since its premiere in 2005, it remains one of ABC鈥檚 most popular shows and will be back in the fall. 鈥淕rey鈥檚鈥� will lead off Thursday nights, followed by 鈥淪tation 19鈥� (a 鈥淕rey鈥濃�檚 spinoff) and 鈥淗ow to Get Away with Murder.鈥� All those shows come from producer Shonda Rhimes, who has owned ABC鈥檚 Thursdays. 鈥淪candal,鈥� the former occupant of the night when ended its run last season, was also from Rhimes.
And this next question has a 鈥淕rey鈥檚鈥� connection.
Q: What happened to 鈥淜illing Eve鈥�?
A: There were only eight episodes in the first season of the thriller starring Jodie Comer and 鈥淕rey鈥檚鈥� alum Sandra Oh, and BBC America showed them all. But a second season was ordered even before the first one premiered, so you鈥檒l have a chance to see more somewhere down the road.
Q: My husband and I were disappointed to hear that Fox鈥檚 鈥淟ast Man on Earth鈥� starring Will Forte has been cancelled! Any reason why? All of our friends and family loved Forte鈥檚 wacky humor! Any hope for a revival?
A: Not at this point. Where some TV decisions can be about more than numbers 鈥� see all the factors in the 鈥淒esignated Survivor鈥� decision 鈥� ratings doomed 鈥淟ast Man.鈥� As Deadline reported, the series 鈥渜uickly established a cult following but was never able to grow beyond niche appeal.鈥� It almost ended a year ago, after three seasons, but was spared by a last-minute renewal, Deadline said.
Since the makers of the show knew that the fourth season could be the last, why end on a cliffhanger? Before the cancellation came, Forte told EW.com that the cliffhanger was meant in part to make it tough for Fox to cancel the series. (That鈥檚 a tactic other shows have tried, not always successfully.) Still, even before the bad news came, he said, 鈥淚 have no hard feelings if they do cancel the show. It鈥檚 a business, and you got to get certain ratings.鈥�
Q: I was wondering if the show 鈥淏roadchurch鈥� on Netflix will be having a season 4? Love, love, love that show.
A: No. The drama starring David Tennant and Olivia Colman had its admirers, running for three seasons overseas and on BBC America, and inspiring a short-lived American version, 鈥淕racepoint.鈥� But three seasons was all that series creator Chris Chibnall chose to make, telling Radio Times that 鈥渢here will be no more ... absolutely.鈥�
Q: There was a movie about a spider invasion of a small town. It was pretty good but had a bad ending. When the camera pulled away from the town, it was completely covered in spider webs. Any idea what the name of this one is???
A: That is 鈥淜ingdom of the Spiders,鈥� with William Shatner, from 1977.
