A character evidently hasn’t survived ‘Designated Survivor’
Q: With the way that the last episode shown of “Designated Survivor” ended, is the First Lady out of the show now? – Stan Fox, Steubenville, Ohio
A: Nothing will be definite until the ABC drama resumes on Feb. 28 – and perhaps not even then, though it would seem the show would make that situation clearer as soon as possible – but co-star Natascha McElhone wanted to move on to “The First,” a forthcoming Hulu series from Beau Willimon, who created the American version of “House of Cards.” With that exit then imminent, and “Designated Survivor” about to take a two-months-plus break, that show’s midseason finale became a suitable point for President Tom Kirkman’s (Kiefer Sutherland) wife to make her evident departure.
Q: I’ve been seeing ads for the return of “American Idol,” but on ABC. Why isn’t it on Fox again? – Shelley Pratt, via e-mail
A: It had the chance, but ultimately, Fox executives felt it might have been too soon to bring back the contest that ended two years ago. However, it should be noted that Fox has launched a show that could be considered a cousin of “Idol” ... “The Four: Battle for Stardom,” which also gives singing newcomers their shots at fame. NBC also was in the mix for a while, but with “The Voice” already on its schedule, it didn’t continue the pursuit. Ultimately, ABC became the new home of “Idol” and will launch it March 11 with Ryan Seacrest back as host and Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie forming the panel of judges.