There are plenty of good TV shows

Article by: ROB OWEN , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Updated: July 8, 2012 - 3:26 PM

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AMC Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) in AMC's "Mad Men"

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Q Why does TV programming keep getting worse each year? Unreal reality shows, no-talent amateur shows, overly violent cop shows. We watch the news, then watch DVDs from Netflix or read. Once in a while, we will watch a 30- to 40-year-old repeat rather than the junk they make today.

A Sorry, but I reject your premise.

In an age when there are shows such as AMC's "Mad Men" and "Breaking Bad" or NBC's "Parks and Recreation" or CBS' "The Good Wife" or ABC's Wednesday comedy lineup or PBS' "Downton Abbey," the notion that there's nothing good on TV isn't true.

Yes, there is a lot of junk to wade through, but no one should be wading. Viewers who educate themselves about what's on TV -- by reading reviews, by keeping up with popular culture -- know that the best way to watch TV is not to wade; it's to turn the TV on for a good show you want to see and then turn it off when you're done with that program.

Of 'Men,' 'Housewives' and more

Q Will Jake be returning to "Two and a Half Men" next season? After watching the final episode, it seemed that now that he has joined the service, he will be off the show.

Will there be a spinoff of "Desperate Housewives"? The show's ending indicated that there would be. The new neighbor was shown hiding a "secret" box.

Is Patrick Dempsey really leaving "Grey's Anatomy"? What other characters are not returning to the show?

A Jake will be back on "Two and a Half Men" in the fall.

There will not be a "Desperate Housewives" spinoff. The finale was never intended to suggest there would be. It was more of a thematic ending intended to echo some of the show's mysteries over the years.

Dempsey has signed a new contract to return to "Grey's Anatomy." Dr. Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh) and Dr. Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) will not be back.

Trouble with 'Harry'

Q I hated to see "Harry's Law" canceled by NBC. Is there any chance that another network might pick up the show?

A These days there's always a chance, but not a great chance. There's been no scuttlebutt about another network picking up "Harry's Law."

'Breakout' confined by cable

Q I'm so disappointed to see that "Breakout Kings" was canceled. I'd expect that from a regular network, but this show is on cable.

A A basic-cable network such as A&E doesn't have an additional revenue stream (subscriptions) like HBO and Showtime, which aren't slaves to ratings. The fates of A&E and its executives, like broadcast networks, are much more closely tied to ratings.

Send TV questions to owenr@shns.com.