Submit your question to Rob Owen

This week's TV Q&A responds to questions about "Friday Night Lights," "Law & Order" and MIA news anchors. As always, thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming.

-- Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor

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Q: I check out your TV Q&A every week for updates. I usually watch "Law & Order "in all its varieties, and I was concerned about Jay Leno's show bumping the original "L&O." It has one more season to go to equal or supplant "Gunsmoke" as the longest running series ever. I hope NBC would consider that, though I know ratings are the main thing. To me the quality of the shows have all increased this year.

Anyway, two questions: do you know the premiere dates for "L&O: CI" and "Battlestar Galactica"? Thanks!

-- Jon, 38, Bradenton, Fla.

Rob: Although "SVU" has decent enough ratings that I feel sure it will be back even under a Lenoized NBC prime time, we may not know the fate of the lower-rated, original "Law & Order" until NBC announces its fall schedule in the spring.

"Battlestar" returns Jan. 16. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" doesn't yet have a season premiere date, but I'm hearing it will likely be back during the second quarter of 2009.

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Q: Do you know why reruns of "Lost" stopped appearing on the Sci Fi Channel? Sci Fi had been running blocks of four episodes every Monday night. This past Monday, a James Bond Movie showed in that slot and checking the guide for the next couple of week, there's no "Lost" on Sci Fi at all.

-- Mike, 37, Allison Park

Rob: "Lost" is not lost. Its reruns return on Sci Fi Channel Jan. 5.

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Q: I was wondering, with it currently airing only on DIRECTV, if there was any word on how "Friday Night Lights" was doing this season. I've been watching, and I think this season has been great -- even better than the first season. And without giving away any plot points to those who are not DIRECTV subscribers, last week's episode I think was the show's best yet. Just curious if it's getting the ratings that NBC and DIRECTV hoped for, and if the critics are back on board after last season's missteps.

-- Mike, 33, Pittsburgh

Rob: This critic is. Mike's right that this season has been a big improvement on last year.

As for ratings, a DIRECTV publicist said the company is pleased with "FNL's" ratings. The first six episodes averaged about 650,000 viewers with the sixth episode hitting a series high of 887,247 viewers. It's the No. 1 show on DIRECTV's 101 Network.

Because this is uncharted territory, it's unclear what will determine what constitutes successful enough for a fourth season. My guess is we'll get a better idea after NBC begins airing the third season on Jan. 16.

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Q: What's the over/under on how many e-mails and phone calls you will receive on Feb. 17 from people who, despite the enormous amount of communication about the switch to digital, will not understand why their TV no longer works? That is going to be a fun week for the TV Q&A column! (well, not for you, but for us readers at least).

-- Tim, 31, South Fayette

Rob: Not for me is right. I do not look forward to that week in large part because Tim is correct, anyone who doesn't know about this switch has had their head in the sand and deserves very little sympathy.

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Q: I tuned in to WQED Dec. 10 because you had listed that the episode regarding Amon Goethe was to be broadcast on "P.O.V." It was not on. Will it be on at a later date?

-- Roberta, 67, Carnegie

Rob: Actually, we had no such program in our TV Week listings. The editorial page did run a column, without cross-referencing it against the listings, that referred to the program.

WQED will air that "P.O.V." at 9 p.m. April 2.

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Q: Has A&E discontinued it's show "Rookies" (airing Tuesday nights at 10 p.m.)? Or is it just done for the season? I see a new show is taking its place.

-- Tyler, 17, Penn Hills

Rob: According to an A&E publicist, the first season is over and no decision has been made about ordering a second season. Reruns will air at 11 p.m. Tuesday for the next few weeks.

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Q: Comcast listed a Christmas movie Saturday with this opening description: "Ben Affleck is utterly charming in this standout holiday comedy," and then they proceed to give it one star? Makes you wonder if the rater actually watched it. This isn't the first time I've seen this oddity.

-- Don, 72, Pittsburgh

Rob: Oops.

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Q: What happened to Sonni Abatta? Is she on vacation or did she get replaced on KDKA. Also did KDKA hire a new meteorologist?

-- Joe, 22, Greenfield

Rob: Here's a good rule of thumb: If an anchor is still listed on a station's Web site, as Abatta is at KDKA.com, then he or she is simply on vacation.

KDKA has been using a fill-in meteorologist, Dave Trygar, which we noted in August.

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Q: Where is Jon Burnett on KDKA?

Have they shot themselves in the foot again by letting him go?

It's getting tougher every morning to put KDKA on for morning news with their lackluster on air team and lack of HD...

-- Chuck, 54, Pittsburgh

Rob: People, it's the week before Christmas. Has no one in Western Pennsylvania heard of employees taking vacation time?

Regarding Don Kirshner's "Midnight Special," my husband was up late one night and Time Life was advertising DVDs for Don Kirshner's "Midnight Special." He ordered them from Time Life, but I do not know if they are still available. It's worth a try.

-- Linda, 59, Pittsburgh

Rob: Direct-response DVDs are not something I have much experience with because they have such limited availability. But I have checked TimeLife.com and there's no "Midnight Special" listed and it didn't come up on a search either.

TV Q&A will be on vacation next week, returning Jan. 2.