ABC’s ‘Chase,’ ‘Hustler’ will be back in summer
Q: Is ABC ever going to bring back “The Chase” and “The Hustler”? I loved both.
A: Both series are in the network’s summer plans. “The Chase” will be back on June 6 in a lineup that also includes the return of game shows “To Tell the Truth” and “Celebrity Family Feud.” “The Hustler” returns on June 17, the same night as a new season of “Holey Moley” and a new series with the working title “When Nature Calls.” Nor does ABC’s gamesmanship end there. “Press Your Luck,” “The $100,000 Pyramid” and “Card Sharks” all return on June 9, and “The Celebrity Dating Game” is back on June 14.
I know many of you are wondering about “Celebrity Dating Game,” a reworking of the vintage matchmaking show. Here’s some of ABC’s description: “Hosted by actress and singer-songwriter Zooey Deschanel and multiple Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Michael Bolton, ‘The Celebrity Dating Game’ offers a wry wink at modern dating with a star-studded roster of celebrity singles. ”
Q: Are there any new TV shows that will star Edie Falco in the near future? It was a shame her series “Tommy” was canceled. Any chance that series will be revived?
A: While I don’t see more “Tommy” coming, there are plans for more Edie Falco in prime time. She is playing Hillary Rodham Clinton in the newest installment of FX’s “American Crime Story,” which will deal with the impeachment of Bill Clinton. (Previous seasons covered the O.J. Simpson trial and the assassination of Gianni Versace.) I have not seen an air date, but it appears production is moving along after pandemic delays.
Q: Why is Hetty Lange, played by Linda Hunt, no longer on “NCIS: Los Angeles,” but the cast keeps talking about her as though she is still their boss?
A: I expect that you will see Oscar winner Hunt back with the team by the end of this season. She has had a tough go the past few years, starting with an auto accident back in 2018 that led to a longer recovery than first expected. The pandemic has been a more recent problem; Hunt is old enough — 76 — to be especially at risk, and her absence indicates strong caution about exposure.
Q: We are wondering if there is another season of “Hunters” in the future.
A: The Nazi-hunting drama has been picked up for a second run. Jennifer Jason Leigh is reportedly joining the cast along with returning stars Logan Lerman and Jerrika Hinton. This is just one of many projects for Leigh, Deadline.com reported: “Leigh currently stars in the Netflix dramedy series ‘Atypical,’ headed into its fourth and final season. She will next appear in the Netflix movie ‘The Woman in the Window’ opposite Julianne Moore and Amy Adams as well as in Apple TV+’s ‘Lisey’s Story,’ a limited series based on the Stephen King novel, also alongside Moore.”