What happened to the wife in ‘Good Doctor?’
You have questions. I have some answers, including about some missing persons on TV.
Q: One of my favorite shows is “The Good Doctor,” but I have not seen Dr. Glassman’s wife lately. Did her character get COVID or did the actress leave the show? Will we see her in any episodes this season?
A: A fan of Sheila Kelley, who plays Aaron Glassman’s wife Debbie on the series, recently hoped on Twitter that Debbie would be seen more often this season. “You and me both,” Kelley replied, “but . alas . Disney+ called.” Last fall she said she had been cast on “Turner & Hooch,” a Disney+ adaptation of the Tom Hanks movie but that she would still try to be on “The Good Doctor.” Now that sounds less likely. Kelley also has a female-empowerment system called S Factor (sfactor.com). You can see more about it, and how poledancing is part of the program, in the current Netflix documentary “Strip Down, Rise Up.” As for Aaron, he is still seeing plenty of Debbie off-camera, since Richard Schiff, who plays Aaron, is married to Kelley in real life. You can see how smitten they are in Kelley’s Twitter feed, @thesheilakelley.
Q: After missing several episodes of “NCIS,” I watched it the other night and Maria Bello wasn’t there. Can you tell me what happened to her character?
A: Bello, who played Jack Sloane on the long-running drama, announced her plans to depart before the current season began. She reportedly has another project in the works where she will also be a writer and producer. She had nothing but praise for “NCIS” after her final episode aired, and the show did leave open the possibility of her returning. After going to Afghanistan on a mission with Gibbs, Jack decided to stay and work there.
Q: We just finished the Netflix series “The Sinner.” Loved it. Will there be more?
A: Not everything on Netflix started there, and the three seasons of “The Sinner” have appeared first on USA Network. Last June, USA picked up the series for a fourth season with star Bill Pullman returning. I have not seen a premiere date, but USA’s plan has been to air it sometime in 2021.
Q: What’s up with “Survivor”? Is the crew finally getting access to Fiji this spring?
A: After a long, pandemic-related wait, “Survivor” is getting ready to return. Host Jeff Probst announced on Twitter not long ago that the show is going back into production in Fiji. “We have all of our COVID protocols so that everybody in Fiji will remain safe, all of our crew will be safe and of course our players will be safe.” Probst said the last year had reminded him that we all have to treat our lives as “one big, great adventure, and ‘Survivor’ fulfills that.” No airdate yet.
Q: I think maybe in the ‘60s there was a TV show with a “Big Brother’s Watching You” style. I remember in the final episode the man was able to escape to freedom. Ring any bells?
A: I think you are remembering “The Prisoner,” a 1968 drama starring Patrick McGoohan as a secret agent who, when he tries to quit the service, is instead taken to a mysterious community called The Village from which there is no easy escape. McGoohan’s presence made many viewers think that his character was the spy John Drake he had played in the “Secret Agent” TV series, although McGoohan denied it. Still, the show — which McGoohan created — was very cool. A 2009 reboot (without McGoohan) was not.
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.