Will ‘All Creatures’ reboot continue?
You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: I am enjoying “All Creatures Great and Small” very much! I was sad to only watch four shows. Please tell me, will PBS continue with the program?
A: First, there are seven episodes of the first season of the series, so you may have missed something. And yes, there is a second season in the works with production set to start this month. Series writer Ben Vanstone told Salon.com the series is facing COVID-19 challenges, but “because of the animal welfare stuff that we have to do anyway, we have to be very careful with how many people are on set, who’s around what animals. We had a lot of biosecurity in place to make sure everyone’s boots are clean, and not taking anything onto farms that shouldn’t be taken on. So we’re not too badly set up for it.”
By the way, the series is based on books by James Herriot, which also inspired other screen adaptations, including a TV series in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
Q: Will “nexT” (or “NEXT”) be returning?
A: The Fox drama, whose title was also written as “neXt,” will not be doing any more episodes. In fact, it did so badly that Fox
announced its demise after just two episodes aired - although the network did show the remaining eight telecasts. Low ratings and high production costs reportedly led to its end.
Q: On the March 9 episode of “NCIS,” Vance read a poem after Emily’s death. Do you know the source of the poem?
A: The poem is called “Epitaph,” by Merrit Malloy. Search the title and the author and you will find the full text; at least one site sells special prints of it.
Q: When will “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” be back?
A: At this writing, NBC has not set a date other than indicating it will return in 2021. It has also said that this season will be the last run for the comedy starring Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher. Expect a series finale that, one producer said, gives fans “the ending they deserve.”
Q: During the doldrums of the COVID winter, my wife and I binge-watched “Ray Donovan,” “Homeland,” “The Fall” and “Your Honor” and enjoyed them all. The latter three seemed to end in a way that the viewer could sense they had concluded. “Ray Donovan” did not. So many things were left unresolved after the seventh season. Was the series terminated unexpectedly?
A: You will be happy to hear that “Ray Donovan” is not quite done. Showtime has ordered a feature length movie to be cowritten by series star Liev Schreiber along with David Hollander, showrunner on the TV series. Showtime executive Gary Levine said that after the show ended its series run in 2020, “We heard from so many of its loyal fans that they were not ready to say goodbye to Ray and the wonderfully dysfunctional Donovan clan. For them, we are delighted that Liev and David are creating a thrilling new chapter of this iconic series.” (In other words, Showtime canceled it too soon.)
Jon Voight, as Ray’s father Mickey, and Kerris Dorsey as Ray’s daughter Bridget will also return for the movie. Production will begin later this year.
By the way, where “Homeland” and “The Fall” are done, there is still a possibility of more “Your Honor.”
Do you have a question or comment about entertainment past, present and future? Write to Rich Heldenfels, P.O. Box 417, Mogadore, OH 44260, or brenfels@gmail.com. Letters may be edited. Individual replies are not guaranteed.