COMING BACK
‘The Chase,’ ‘The Hustler’ to return in summer
You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: Is ABC ever going to bring back “The Chase” and “The Hustler”? I loved both.
A: Both series are in the network’s summer plans. “The Chase” will be back on June 6 in a lineup that also includes the return of “To Tell the Truth” and “Celebrity Family Feud.” “The Hustler” returns on June 17, the same night as a new season of “Holey Moley” and a new series with the working title “When Nature Calls.” Nor does ABC’s gamesmanship end there. Other series include “Press Your Luck,” “The $100,000 Pyramid” and “Card Sharks,” all on June 9, and “The Celebrity Dating Game” on June 14.
I know many of you are now wondering about “Celebrity Dating Game,” a reworking of the vintage matchmaking show. Here’s some of ABC’s description: “Hosted by actress and singer-songwriter Zooey Deschanel and multiple Grammy-winning singersongwriter Michael Bolton, ‘The Celebrity Dating Game’ offers a wry wink at modern dating with a star-studded roster of celebrity singles. Each episode follows two celebrities who each pick one lucky suitor from a hidden panel of three bachelors and/or bachelorettes based on answers to a variety of
questions. But there’s a twist! The celebrity identities will remain a mystery to their suitors, who are given clues via hilarious parody song performances by host Michael Bolton.”
Q: Why is Hetty Lange, played by Linda Hunt, no longer on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” although the cast keep talking about her as if she is still their boss?
A: I expect that you will see Oscarwinner Hunt back with the team by the end of this season. She has had a tough go the last few years,
starting with an auto accident back in 2018 that led to a longer recovery than was first expected. The pandemic has been a more recent problem; Hunt is old enough – 76 – to be especially at risk, and her absence indicates strong caution about exposure. Q: We are wondering if there is another season of “Hunters” in the future.
A: The Nazihunting drama has been picked up for a second run. Jennifer Jason Leigh is reportedly joining the cast along with returning stars
Logan Lerman and Jerrika Hinton. This is just one of many projects for Leigh, Deadline.com reported: “Leigh currently stars in the Netflix dramedy series ‘Atypical,’ headed into its fourth and final season. She will next appear in the Netflix movie ‘The Woman in the Window’ opposite Julianne Moore and Amy Adams as well as in Apple TV+’s ‘Lisey’s Story,’ a limited series based on the Stephen King novel, also alongside Moore.”
Q: I know streamed films are also eligible for the Oscars, but what is the period for qualifying, whether theater released or streamed? It used to be Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Was the end date extended? And was the film “Supernova” (with Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci) eligible?
A: Because of the pandemic, the eligibility period for the current Oscars was extended to Feb. 28, 2021, and the ceremony is set for April 25. The drama “Supernova,” with Firth and Tucci as a couple dealing with one partner’s dementia, was eligible and much praised, with an 88% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But it did not receive any Oscar nominations.