DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN
What happened to country music drama ‘Monarch’?
You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: Where is the series “Monarch”? Was it canceled? I only watched it for Susan Sarandon, but she was missing most of the time.
A: Fox canceled the country music drama after a single, 13-episode season. Billboard reported that “Fox positioned the show as its big bet for the fall — it was the only rookie series on the schedule — but it didn’t get the audience it needed to justify a renewal. The series averaged 4.1 million viewers across all platforms and a scant 0.3 rating in the key ad sales demographic of adults 18-49.” For those of you wondering why Oscar winner Sarandon wasn’t visible more, her character died in the first episode and then appeared only in flashbacks.
Q: I’m trying to find information on an older show (2020?) called “Ransom,” which was only on for a short period. It was very good but nothing was ever indicated that it would not be returning the next season. Can you tell me what happened and whether it will return or can be found elsewhere?
A: “Ransom,” a drama starring Luke Roberts as a crisis negotiator, aired for three 13-episode seasons on CBS in 2017-19; it was noteworthy for being a first-run series on Saturday nights, where broadcast networks generally put reruns, sports and the remains of canceled shows. Still, ratings were reportedly not great and declined over its run. I have found reruns listed — for free on the Roku Channel and for a fee on Prime Video.
Q: My husband and I recently binge-watched “Tulsa King” with Sylvester Stallone and really enjoyed it. The role fit him like a glove and was one of the best things he’s done in a while. It had enough humor and drama to keep it entertaining, and they left it open for a potential second season. Please tell me they are going to do a second season!
A: Paramount+, the streaming service carrying the series, has indeed ordered a second season of the tale of a New York mobster starting over in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The second season may have some changes from the first; Deadline.com said Terence Winter (“The Sopranos”) has stepped down as “Tulsa” showrunner amid creative differences with executive producer Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”).
Q: Are there DVDs of the original “Upstairs, Downstairs”?
A: Yes. The serialized drama about a family and its servants has been released on DVD more than once, including in complete-series packages, which I have seen for sale on Amazon at various prices. That ’70s sensation eventually led to a sequel series in 2010-2012, which can also be found on disc.