'Wicked City' first show to be canceled

Q: Why did they take "Wicked City" off? I need something to keep my heart pumping.

A: The serial-killer drama on ABC became the first officially canceled show of the current season because of terrible ratings. In fact, terrible does not sufficiently describe it. The Los Angeles Times noted "the ratings were atrocious — and getting worse. The Oct. 27 premiere drew an underwhelming 3.3 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. And over the next two airings, half the viewers bailed."

Q: I loved "Breaking Bad," but was on the road a lot and wound up missing the entire season of "Better Call Saul." Do you know if AMC might be doing a showing of the first season before the Feb. 15 premiere of Season 2?

A: AMC plans to repeat the first season of "Better Call Saul" on Feb. 15, leading into the second-season premiere. The first season of the Breaking Bad companion is also available on DVD and Blu-ray and as a digital download.

Q: A question from the Cleveland area, that perhaps you may able to answer. Given that the Cleveland Browns are having a poor season, why are other games on differing networks, on opposite the Browns, not telecast?

A: Under NFL rules, TV stations are not allowed to run games opposite games featuring the home team in individual markets. So, if the Browns are playing and you are watching in the Cleveland area, you are not going to get a competing game telecast. Same thing in other cities.

This accomplishes two things. If the local team is popular, then the opposing game is not crushed in the ratings, deflating overall numbers for NFL games. And if the local team is unpopular, its TV ratings are not hurt by having a potentially more popular team opposite.

A: It will be back on TLC on Jan. 5.

Q: Whatever happened to the movie "Big Stone Gap" based on the book by Adriana Trigiani? It showed in our town (Vancouver, Wash.) for one week and was gone. Is it coming out on video or on TV? Can I get it on Netflix?

A: You would have thought the film — directed by Trigiani — would have gotten more attention considering that its cast included Ashley Judd, Whoopi Goldberg, Patrick Wilson, Jenna Elfman and others. But since its October premiere, it appears to have shown in relatively few theaters — no more than 280 nationwide, according to Box Office Mojo — to modest revenue and less-than-enthusiastic reviews (35 percent positive on Rotten Tomatoes, 39 percent on Metacritic).

Its website, bigstonegapmovie.com, still declares it is in theaters, and lets you search for it on Fandango. But your best bet for seeing it again may be home video. It is on DVD and Blu-ray on Feb. 2, and iTunes is taking preorders.