Q: The 1984 movie "Starman" has always been one of my favorites. Why didn't they ever make a sequel, as Jenny (Karen Allen) was pregnant?
A: There was, in a way. In 1986 came the TV series "Starman," with Robert Hays taking over for Jeff Bridges in the title role. According to the book "Total Television," the series was set 14 years after the film; Starman returned to Earth to help the son he had fathered and to find the missing Jenny. The series ended after a single season, with the finale having father and son reunited with Jenny (now played by Erin Gray). In 2016, a planned "Starman" movie remake was announced. We'll see if that eventually happens.
'A Foreign Field' on DVD
Q: I hope you can help me find the name of a movie I saw on TV in the 1990s and how I might obtain it. It was about a group of people reuniting on the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy and starred Lauren Bacall and Jeanne Moreau. I live in a senior community with many World War II veterans and the movie would be perfect for our viewing on the anniversary of D-Day.
A: The film, originally shown on the BBC in 1993, is called "A Foreign Field." The cast also included Alec Guinness, Leo McKern and Edward Herrmann. I have seen the DVD for sale on Amazon.com (make sure you get the version compatible with U.S. players) or you may want to check your local libraries.
'Dr. Quinn' lands on Hallmark
Q: I can't seem to find reruns of my favorite show, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." Is there any way to see it?
A: Episodes of the 1993-1998 series are listed for the Hallmark Drama channel (which is a channel apart from the Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries and Hallmark Movies) several times a day. Check whether your TV provider carries it. Other options: The entire series has also been released on DVD; as I mentioned with another title above, you could see if your local libraries carry it. Amazon.com has episodes available for digital viewing for a fee, or at no extra cost with a Prime membership.
Bring back 'Banacek'!
Q: Would you help me with a nagging question, please? With the announcement of old shows getting new life breathed into them ("Will and Grace," "Roseanne," etc.) are you aware of any effort to bring back my favorite from decades ago, "Banacek"?
A: "Banacek," starring George Peppard as an ultra-cool insurance investigator who sorted out seemingly impossible cases, had only a brief run in 1972-74. I do not know of any current plans to bring it back. However, you are not the only die-hard fan. In March, "The Simpsons" had an episode called "Homer Is Where the Art Isn't" featuring a dead-on parody of "Banacek," with Bill Hader voicing an investigator named Manacek. You can find that On Demand and on the Fox Now streaming service.
E-mail brenfels@gmail.com.
