Post-Gazette TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions online every Friday in Tuned In Journal blog at post-gazette.com/tv. Here’s a selection of recent queries.
Q: Has the COVID-19 crisis forced any current television shows to end their seasons prematurely or have most taped their episodes already?
—Joe, via email
Rob: We reported March 13 that it was likely some series, especially dramas since they are typically in production longer than comedies, will produce fewer episodes than ordered this season.
AMC announced it would be unable to complete post-production on the 10th season finale of “The Walking Dead,” so its season will end with what was intended to be the penultimate episode of the season on April 5.
ABC’s “American Idol” is scrambling, stretching its taped programs through April 5 while trying to figure out what to do about the live episodes that should follow.
So far these are the shows that are not resuming production on their current seasons:
NBC’s “New Amsterdam” will end its season on April 14 after holding back a flu pandemic-themed episode. In addition, production shut down three episodes short of the show’s full-season order due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Grey’s Anatomy” will end its season with its 21st episode on April 9th (25 episodes had been ordered).
A new season of CBS All Access drama “The Good Fight” will premiere on the streaming service as planned on April 9th, but that show’s 10-episode season was also interrupted by the pandemic. It’s expected just the first five or six episodes will air (for some reason there is one week off with no new episode after the second episode airs and before the third episode).
ABC’s “Bachelor Summer Games,” intended as counterprogramming to the now-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is not moving forward at this time.
On Monday, National Geographic Channel delayed until further notice its latest “Genius” entry on Aretha Franklin that was due to air over four nights in late May.
On Wednesday Showtime announced “Black Monday” will pause after its April 12th episode and return with its last four season two episodes later this year. “Billions” will premiere its fifth season as scheduled May 3 but will only air its first seven episodes with the rest airing at a later time.
Bigger questions surround series ending this year and what will happen to them. Will production resume on Fox’s “Empire” and The CW’s “Supernatural”? Or will the shows just stop, concluding without an intended ending?
On “Supernatural,” 20 episodes were ordered and 18 filmed before the shutdown (13 episodes aired). Showrunner Andre Badd tweeted they will return to film the last two episodes when it’s safe to do so, giving The CW a run of seven original episodes for later this year.
Fox’s “Empire” was two episodes shy of completion and a report this Wednesday suggests the show will end with its 18th episode of the season, likely to air April 21. According to TheWrap.com production will not resume on what was intended to be the final two episodes; instead producers will attempt to fashion an ending using footage from an incomplete 19th episode. A Fox publicist did not respond to a request for confirmation.
The CW’s “The 100” filmed all 16 episodes in its final season and is so far on track to premiere May 20th, though that could change.
Q: Why do so many network television programs, scripted drams in particular, not air very many episodes in a TV season nowadays? For example, "Beverly Hills, 90210" used to consistently air 30-plus episodes in a season. Compare that with hit drama shows today like "A Million Little Things," "9-1-1," "How To Get Away With Murder," etc., who don't even hit 20 in 1 season.
—Ian, via email
Rob: In fairness, “Beverly Hills, 90210” was an outlier even in its era. Most TV series have traditionally done 22-24 episodes per season since at least the 1960s.
But today there are far more shows that do a shorter run of episodes for a variety of reasons. Some of it is financial. Some of it is creative. The producers of “This Is Us” think they can better maintain quality — and probably not stretch the story past its breaking point — with fewer episodes. And I think there’s some truth to that. Also, some actors will only commit to a shorter run of episodes. That’s the case with Viola Davis and “How to Get Away with Murder.”
And of course with the global pandemic, even some series that intended to produce 22 episodes won’t reach that number.
Q: Do you know why Ellis Cannon is not on every night at 8 p.m. on PCNC?
—Patricia, Carnegie
Rob: Blame the COVID-19 pandemic.
“PCNC live shows are on hold,” explained WPXI/PCNC general manager Kevin Hayes. “This is a precautionary measure to ensure that we are limiting the number of people in our office each day and doing our part to slow the spread of the virus.”
Ask TV questions by e-mailing rowen@post-gazette.com, including your first name and location.
First Published: April 1, 2020, 12:00 p.m.