Q: I just watched what I think is the last episode of the season of "New Amsterdam." I really like this show. Will there be a second season?
A: Keeping track of prime-time TV shows in a season is a challenge. The number of episodes can vary enormously, from half a dozen to a couple of dozen. A series may take an extended break during a season, proclaiming that the episode leading into the break is a "fall finale" or "winter finale." Thus the Nov. 27 "New Amsterdam" episode was at once the drama's fall finale and just the ninth episode of a 22-episode season. Expect it to return for more of its current, first season on Jan. 8.
'Runway' reboot is coming
Q: Is "Project Runway" scheduled to be back on? We were told that the show was going back to Bravo. Then I saw that Heidi Klum will no longer host. Will Tim Gunn continue as mentor?
A: The design competition will be back on Bravo in 2019, but without Klum and Gunn. They announced their departure from the long-running series in September, taking instead a deal with Amazon for a new fashion-oriented show that will both showcase designers and make their goods available via the online retailer. In their absence, "Runway" is being presented as a reboot, recalibrating "for a new generation of fashion enthusiasts." Model Karlie Kloss is the new host, with Season 4 champ Christian Siriano taking over as mentor.
Where's the 'Bonanza' theme?
Q: I have watched reruns of "Bonanza" in which the original theme song is missing. Do you know why?
A: Whether you hear the theme depends on which episodes you are watching. The ownership rights to a bunch of "Bonanza" episodes ended many years ago, meaning anyone could run them or put them on DVD without paying for them. But the rights to the theme song remained intact, so those public-domain episodes do not include the theme. Far more episodes were not so freely available and still have the theme song. When I checked out an episode on TV Land recently, it had the theme, while a telecast of a rights-free episode on another network did not. Be wary, too, of DVD packages, many of which simply bundle those public-domain telecasts, sometimes in cheesy fashion.
No 'Donuts' for you
Q: Are the shows "Superior Donuts" and "Living Biblically" coming back?
A: "Superior Donuts" certainly had an excellent ensemble, including Judd Hirsch and Katey Sagal, and a noteworthy pedigree, derived from a play by award-winning writer/actor Tracy Letts. Still, after two seasons, CBS decided not to keep the comedy going. "Living Biblically" also had a good cast but did not live past its first season.
Flight canceled
Q: I love the show "LA to Vegas." Will it be back?
A: No. Fox grounded the airline comedy after a single season.
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