Ask Matt: CW Cops Out, Graying ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘NCIS’ & More
Welcome to the Q&A with longtime TV critic — also known to some TV fans as their “TV therapist” — Matt Roush, who’ll try to address whatever you love, loathe, are confused or frustrated or thrilled by in today’s vast TV landscape. (We know background music is too loud, it’s the most frequent complaint, but there’s always closed-captioning. Check out this story for more tips.)
One caution: This is a spoiler-free zone, so we won’t be addressing upcoming storylines here unless it’s already common knowledge. Please send your questions and comments to [email protected]. Look for Ask Matt columns on every other Tuesday.
Bad News About Good Cop
Question: I just finished watching the first season of Good Cop/Bad Cop on Netflix. I loved it and am wondering what the chances are that it will get a second season? It reminded me a little of Northern Exposure with the quirky characters. And the show ended with a cliffhanger, so I’d love to see how it is resolved! If The CW doesn’t give it a second season, would Netflix? — Deborah P.
Matt Roush: If this charming show returns, it won’t be on The CW. News of the cancellation came earlier this month via a post by Luke Cook, who starred opposite Leighton Meester as mismatched sibling crime-solvers. There has been some speculation that either of its current streaming homes, Netflix or Prime Video, could potentially step up. But until that happens, you should probably consider this another fun show that got away. I’m kind of surprised, because this fits the current CW brand perfectly. But the broadcast biz is brutal these days, and I’m almost more shocked anymore when a show I like gets renewed.
‘Grey’s Dying by a Million Cuts
Question: I saw a recent report that should Grey’s Anatomy return for a 23rd season, which apparently seems likely, it would once again withstand more budget cuts, which might entail even fewer episodes than the current 18, and the possible departure of more cast members. I understand that television is a business and that things have to make financial sense for the network, studio, and involved talent. But when I read this, I just groaned. It has already been extremely noticeable for the last few seasons when characters/actors miss episodes. The show only aired six episodes last fall. If next season is going to be “significantly fewer” and there are going to be even more budget cuts, then at what point does the show stop being the show?
They really should be talking long-term about what the future of the show is. I know they just want to be the Energizer bunny that goes on and on and on. But this news makes it seem to me that they should start talking about how to land the plane gracefully here. Of course, it will be sad when Grey’s Anatomy ends. It has been part of my routine for more than half my life. But I also think the fans, actors, and characters deserve a proper ending that really sends it off in style. I don’t want to see it go on limping on its last legs. What I really want is for them to design a satisfying ending. A good ending is part of telling a satisfying story. It’s because I have loved Grey’s Anatomy for so long that I wish they would get to craft one. — Jake
Matt Roush: I didn’t think Grey’s Anatomy would survive losing Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd. I didn’t think the show would survive without its namesake, Meredith, around for long stretches. I was wrong in both cases, but the result has been a diminished series that is more habit than must-see anymore. But like other long-running franchises on other networks (thinking SVU and NCIS), it still has enough value to the overall brand that they’ll go to extreme lengths, and some would say draconian measures to keep the lights on. Few things are more difficult in this environment than knowing when and how to end at the right time and on the right note. I do wonder how long Grey’s will keep kicking that metaphoric can down the road.
Doing Double Duty
Question: I was wondering, with him starring in It’s Not Like That, which I am loving so far, will Scott Foley remain on Will Trent, a show that I also love?
Matt Roush: By all accounts, if both shows continue (Will Trent is a lock), the actor will be able to continue on both, in part because both series film in the Atlanta area. While he’s the lead in It’s Not Like That, his role on Will Trent is recurring, presumably keeping scheduling headaches at a minimum. This question gives me a good opportunity to plug It’s Not Like That, a fine new family drama about the messy friendship/relationship of a widowed pastor (Foley) and his divorced best friend (Erinn Hayes) and their intertwined families. I initially described it as “if This Is Us had a love child with 7th Heaven,” which I intended as a compliment. To watch the show, you currently need to subscribe to the Wonder Project available on Prime Video (which is expected to make the show available on their wider platform sometime in the future). This is the kind of show people continually ask me why there isn’t more of, and I hope more people discover it.
A Familiar Face
Question: When last we saw NCIS, we saw Eleanor Bishop (Emily Wickersham). Is she returning? I’d like to see Knight go and her rejoin. Never believed the Knight/Palmer pairing. — Gerri
Matt Roush: Change is hard on these long-running shows. And I remember when Emily Wickersham joined the show back in 2013, fans weren’t particularly kind to her in the wake of Cote de Pablo‘s departure. (Which is to say that I’m hardly surprised to see backlash about Knight.) Ellie’s return will be explained in the first episode back from winter hiatus on March 3. I haven’t screened it yet, but my understanding is that this is a guest appearance, not a rejoining of the main cast. Beyond that, I couldn’t and wouldn’t say, because this isn’t a spoiler column.
Mindful Optimism
Question: I know you hate speculating, but do you think there’s a chance that Brilliant Minds would go to Peacock if NBC cancels it? If not Peacock, is there a chance one of the other streamers might pick it up? I just hate to see another show with a queer lead get canceled. I do agree with you that I think the show took some “interesting” turns this year, but there’s still enough to enjoy about it that I am more than willing to give it more of a chance. — Gary T.
Matt Roush: I know I’d watch, too. I only resist speculating because I’m reluctant to give false hope, and it feels like a long shot that a show with only two seasons under its belt and no pre-existing franchise to bolster its visibility would be a prime candidate for a streaming rescue. Stranger things have happened, and Brilliant Minds could benefit from the creative freedom that a streaming platform would provide, but I’m not counting on it.
Wanting More From Memory
Question: I began watching Memory of a Killer because the premise was intriguing, and who can resist Patrick Dempsey playing against type, and seeing Michael Imperioli on a regular series again? But by the end of the second episode, I started being bored, wondering how many bad guys Angelo is going to be asked to kill. I would love to see more of Angelo’s relationship with his brother, and maybe a backstory to explain how/why Angelo became a hitman. What does Dutch have on Angelo? I’m also not fond of Angelo’s job bringing danger to his daughter and future grandchild, but that’s just the mom in me talking. — Adrienne, Winter Garden, FL
Matt Roush: Sometimes you need to be patient in a show’s first season to give them time to reveal more of its angles. I hope this week’s episode (Feb. 23) eased your concerns a bit. It was easily the best episode of the series to date, flashing back five years to when Angelo (Dempsey) first learned of his brother’s dementia and explaining why he is still yoked to Dutch (Imperioli) for his brother’s sake. Maybe if the show sticks around, we’ll learn more about how Angelo came to work for Dutch and how he established two such separate lives. Network TV isn’t exactly hospitable to shows about such grim antiheroes, but I’m intrigued to see where this is heading.
And in an addendum to an earlier discussion of the show, Donna wrote in to observe: “What you and Jay both neglected to focus on in your assessment of Memory of a Killer is exactly what the title describes. Angelo has early-onset Alzheimer’s, and this is going to factor into the plot lines more and more over time. He is already losing time and minor events, and someday he will forget who he is supposed to kill, and why. That is the real intrigue of this show.” Donna’s right. It’s not just about the killings, or even just about the collision of Angelo’s two worlds. It’s about the dilemma of a complicated person in a dangerous world made more so by his crumbling mental state. That’s a solid hook.
And Finally …
Question: Just curious: Is The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins based on The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin? I remember watching that and liking it in the 1970s and 1980s; I think I might have seen it on a streamer somewhere, too, though I didn’t watch it that way. — Paul T.
Matt Roush: According to the show’s creators, the title is an homage of sorts to the title of the earlier British sitcom of the late 1970s, with the inversion of the more typical “Rise and Fall” pairing, but otherwise, there is no similarity between the two shows. Reginald Perrin was a much darker comedy about a middle-manager’s midlife crisis. Reggie Dinkins is a much broader comedy in mockumentary style about a disgraced NFL star (Tracy Morgan) whose fall from grace happened years earlier and who’s using a documentary film project to try to restore his reputation. Very different shows, very different worlds. Here’s my review of Reggie Dinkins.
That’s all for now. We can’t do this without your participation, so please keep sending questions and comments about TV to [email protected]. (Please include a first name with your question.)
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