Hollywood Q&A

Q: I was so disappointed that “SEAL Team” was moved to Paramount+. Why did they do that?

A: CBS has been gently describing the change as a “move” to its own streaming service, Paramount+, but others (including the venerable Variety magazine) suggest it may be more of a cancellation-and-rescue scenario. That might just seem like word games, but it actually matters in terms of why it happened.

If the show was still a hit on broadcast TV, then CBS might have moved it to Paramount+ to try to bring those viewers across and give a boost to its digital pet project. In that case, broadcast viewers like yourself could justifiably be a little annoyed at the decision.

If, on the other hand, it was sinking in the ratings and CBS just didn’t want it on the air anymore, then the move to Paramount+ is more of a gift to fans. It means they at least get the chance to see more, instead of having it canceled abruptly as so many shows are.

Sadly, it seems the latter situation is more likely.

At the time CBS was deciding on the move, the Season 4 numbers had just come in, showing it had dropped 20% of its viewership since Season 3. And it isn’t a cheap show to produce with all the location shooting and the presence of bona fide TV star David Boreanaz (“Bones”) at the top of the call sheet.

That said, it was still drawing nearly four million viewers an episode, and CBS would certainly be happy to see at least some of those four million people sign up for Paramount+.

Q: Who voiced the main character, Milo, in “Atlantis: The Lost Empire”? He sounds so familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it.

A: In the words of writer/director Kirk Wise (speaking to Entertainment Weekly), it’s a “distinct voice” with “a wonderful, spunky underdog quality,” and it’s exactly what he was after. It’s Michael J. Fox (“Back to the Future,” 1985).

At the time Disney was making “Atlantis: The Lost Empire” (2001), Fox was already a household name (and a household voice), and Wise knew he wanted him right away. Unfortunately, Fox wasn’t so sure.

He had reportedly been offered another voice role, one in the animated fantasy “Titan A.E.” So Fox left it to his 8-year-old son to decide.

It seems that the kid had good instincts: “Atlantis” was a hit, earning nearly $200 million globally, while “Titan A.E.” was a flop that barely earned half of its budget back (according to Box Office Mojo numbers).

Q: Are they ever going to make another season of “Watchmen”?

A: I think we can (finally) be pretty certain they will not. Fans had reason to hope, though. While “Watchmen” is based on a graphic novel that had a definite end, the series was not a direct retelling. Rather, it’s a new story with the same characters, and so it was not tied to the story arc of the source material.

The first (and only) season also ended on a sort of cliffhanger, with the suggestion that Dr. Manhattan’s (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, “Candyman,” 2021) widow had gained his god-like powers (it’s a superhero show, for those who don’t know).

But show creator Damon Lindelof (who also did the ABC hit “Lost”) said he was leaving the show after the first season, and HBO then said it couldn’t imagine continuing without him. Elsewhere, Lindelof said that he never intended the show to continue past one season — many fans and critics said that “Lost” overstayed its TV welcome, and he seemed to have taken that to heart.

But still, people hoped. These statements all came before “Watchmen” was the most nominated show at the Emmy Awards in 2020. That sort of success can change a network’s plans. There was also an idea kicked around that HBO could treat “Watchmen” like it treated “True Detective,” creating multiple seasons with multiple head writers and even multiple casts. That would get them around their insistence on not continuing without Lindelof.