Hollywood Q&A

Q: What happened to the Kyra Sedgwick show “Ten Days in the Valley”? It hasn’t been on in a while.

A: Focus on the good news: “Ten Days in the Valley” is coming back soon! And with a double episode! (It seems it’s trying to make up for the lost time — the show, as you point out, has been off the air since Oct. 22.)

Now hang on to that good news while I tell you the rest: It’s moving from Sundays to Saturdays, where it will air for a few more weeks before most likely being canceled.

Star Kyra Sedgwick herself announced the news of the move on her Twitter account, with just a hint of sarcasm, saying that “the good people at ABC” had moved it, and that fans should “stay tuned for details!!”

As for the likelihood of cancellation, that’s usually what follows a move to Saturday night — it’s the night with the lowest average viewership, so networks often treat it like a dumping ground for shows they don’t want to air in the more lucrative spots.

Hollywood Reporter TV correspondent Kate Stanhope pointed out that “the news is not surprising given the drama’s low ratings thus far.”

The “thus far” is interesting here. ABC let it have just four episodes before more or less giving up on the show, which tells the story of a crime-TV producer whose own daughter goes missing.

Q: What can you tell me about the Australian TV show “Doctor Doctor”? I caught the first season by chance and loved it and want to know more.

A: The first thing you might like to know is that it may not be restricted to Australia forever.

The series, about a big-city surgeon whose life takes an unexpected turn that leads him to a practice in a small town, was produced by Australian indie firm Essential Media.

Essential was purchased this past fall by the international conglomerate FremantleMedia, a company known in North America for picking up global shows and either importing them unaltered (such as the Australian soap “Neighbours”) or remaking them for American TV (most notably “American Idol,” which started as “Pop Idol” in Britain).

Though Fremantle has announced no definite plans to export “Doctor Doctor,” the deal could still spell good news for fans on this side of the world who, like yourself, have had trouble finding the show.

It’s a good candidate for export — its first season was a runaway hit in Australia, earning a secondseason renewal after just two weeks on the air.

“We are delighted with how Australian audiences have fallen in love with ‘Doctor Doctor,’ an incredible cast and a story full of heart,” said Jo Rooney and Andy Ryan, execs at the show’s Australian broadcaster, in an official statement. The network, known simply as Nine, just finished airing the show’s second season.

Q: I love the movie “Topkapi,” but only recently found out it was based on a book. Has the author done any other movies?

A: That’s actually a trickier question than it sounds. Author Eric Ambler has done quite a few movies, but most of them were not based on his books.

England-born Ambler, considered one of the godfathers of the literary thriller, was also a successful screenwriter in Hollywood in the 1950s and ‘60s.

He wrote original scripts for a number of films, including “A Night to Remember” (1958), which told the story of the sinking of the Titanic (39 years before James Cameron got around to it). In fact, most of Ambler’s original screenplays were nautical stories — he even wrote the first draft of the screenplay for the 1962 classic “Mutiny on the Bounty” (which was actually based on another author’s book), but star Marlon Brando reportedly rejected it.

His novels, on the other hand, were mostly spy stories. Among the other films based on his books are “The Mask of Dimitrios” (1944), “Journey Into Fear” (1942) and “Background to Danger” (1943).

Have a question? Email us at questions@tvtabloid.com. Please include your name and town. Personal replies will not be provided.