You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: What happened to the spring offering of 鈥淒ancing with the Stars鈥�? It seems that 鈥淎merican Idol鈥� has assumed the time slot where 鈥淒ancing鈥� appeared a year ago. I guess the viewing public prefers the song to the dance.
A: 鈥淚dol鈥� was an enormous hit for about many seasons on Fox beginning in 2002 before declining severely on its way to cancellation in 2016. So ABC has gambled in bringing it back, but is backing that gamble in part with lots of airtime for the singing competition, including airings on Sunday and Monday nights. That trims 鈥淒ancing with the Stars鈥� from its old two competitions per season, one in the fall and one in the spring 鈥� as its numbers have also declined. To paraphrase Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, viewers can鈥檛 miss 鈥淒WTS鈥� if it won鈥檛 go away, so a break may help. At the same time, ABC knows there are folks like you who will want at least some dancing, so it has scheduled a 鈥渟pecial edition,鈥� 鈥淒ancing with the Stars: Athletes,鈥� starting April 30. The cast will be announced April 13 on 鈥淕ood Morning America.鈥�
Q: Is 鈥淣ew Girl鈥� coming back for another season? If so, when? It鈥檚 my favourite show!
A: The Fox comedy will begin a short, final season on April 13. The series finale is currently scheduled for May 15.
Q: Is 鈥淭he Handmaid鈥檚 Tale鈥� going to continue and, if so, when?
A: A second season of the award-winning drama based on Margaret Atwood鈥檚 dystopian novel is on the way. Look for it beginning April 25 on Hulu; in sa国际传媒 beginning April 29 on Bravo.
Q: Will there be a third season of 鈥淭he Last Kingdom鈥�? We just got done watching Season 2 on Netflix. It is historically accurate for the most part, and very well done. Many of the British actors in it we have recognized from 鈥淕ame of Thrones,鈥� 鈥淏lack Sails鈥� and other well made series like that.
A: A third season of the historical drama based on 鈥淪axon Tales鈥� novels by Bernard Cornwell is indeed in the works. The new season is expected on Netflix later in 2018, though that could change. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 heard a date yet,鈥� the author said in late March on his website, bernardcornwell.net, 鈥渂ut we鈥檒l be sure to post it to the homepage of this website once we learn it!鈥� By the way, he also has another book in the series due for release around October.
Q: I love watching 鈥淲heel of Fortune鈥� every night but wonder why they discontinued the popular 鈥�$5K Every Day鈥� segment and replace it with the 鈥渟ometimes鈥� $10K 鈥� if and only of somebody wins $10K in the 鈥淢ystery Round鈥�? It鈥檚 very random and many times a week goes by without even one $10K winner 鈥� 鈥檆ause it鈥檚 totally left up to the choice of the contestant whether or not to take a chance on the $10K wedge. Is 鈥淲heel of Fortune鈥� that hard up that they can鈥檛 afford to potentially give away $25K weekly, when they pull in hundreds of millions in advertising revenue?
A: The series is still a success and far from hard up. When 鈥淲heel鈥� announced plans for its current, 35th season, it wanted to freshen some elements and said the $5K Every Day 鈥渉as been retired to make way for a bigger sweepstakes prize. In its place, Wheel Watchers Club members will want to pay specific attention to the Mystery Round. During Season 35, if the $10,000 Mystery Wedge is won by a contestant, then the SPIN ID of a loyal viewer will be revealed, giving them the chance to also win $10,000.鈥� Which, by the way, means a winning wedge could add up to a $20,000 giveaway 鈥� half for the contestant and half for a viewer.
By the way, longtime 鈥淲heel鈥� viewers may wonder why this is only the 35th season, since there were versions on broadcast networks dating back to the 1970s. The 鈥�35鈥� counts from the first season of the syndicated version, which began in the fall of 1983 with Pat Sajak and Vanna White hosting.
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