Ask Matt: A Diminished ‘Superman,’ ‘Wheel’ After Pat, So Many

Welcome to the Q&A with 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, but there’s always closed-captioning.)

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] and follow me on Twitter (@TVGMMattRoush). Look for Ask Matt columns on most Tuesdays and very occasional Fridays.

Will Superman & Lois Be Alone in Smallville?

Question: Although I was thrilled that The CW chose not to axe Superman & Lois, I am very concerned that they’re cutting more than half of the cast. What in the world is the fourth season going to look like when the people the Kent family regularly interacts with — from Lois’ dad (their link to the DOD) to Sarah and her family to John and Natalie (who regularly fight alongside Superman) — are no longer part of the show? This very well done and underappreciated “superhero/comics” show has always been about more than just Superman fighting villains, and these cast cuts will really limit their story-telling ability. Is it simply going to be the Kents v. Lex Luther? How can they continue to feature stories like Jon’s struggles with not having powers, the workings of small-town newspapers, life in a small town, etc.? — Robin B.

Matt Roush: This is the good news/bad news reality of the current TV industry. Yay, we’re renewed. But ouch, only the core cast will be full-time? I would expect when Superman & Lois returns for a shortened 10-episode Season 4 — episode reductions are also becoming more common — that you will see some or possibly all of these supporting characters return when the story dictates, but they won’t be in as many episodes and they’ll no longer be credited as regulars, all for budgetary reasons. (This will also reportedly affect All American: Homecoming, another returning drama on The CW.) This is part of a trend, affecting even sitcoms like CBS’s Bob Hearts Abishola, where only the title characters will be regulars next season because of license fee and budget cuts. With network ratings in decline and budgets responding in kind, this sort of belt-tightening is only going to become more noticeable in the season(s) to come.

How Will Wheel Handle the Post-Sajak Transition?

Question: I was genuinely surprised by the news that Pat Sajak was retiring from Wheel of Fortune after next season, because I remember him and Vanna extending their contracts for a few more years shortly after Alex died. I remember thinking Sony’s execs were probably happy to have them locked in after the unpleasantness at Jeopardy! How does Sony move forward in trying to find his successor? They’ve got a year, but I hope this ends up being a smoother transition than the Jeopardy! guest host circus. Also, it’s interesting that the original statement does not mention Vanna White at all. Although it is difficult to comprehend Wheel without either of them, I always figured they would retire together. — Jake

Matt Roush: We can only hope that this transition will go more smoothly than the parade of Jeopardy! guest hosts that culminated in the train wreck of Mike Richards’ departure and the split duties of Ken Jennings and Mayim Bialik, which every time they switch it sets off a flurry of disgruntled feedback in my mailbag. Already, the Wheel rumor mill is flying with so much buzz over this or that possible replacement (Ryan Seacrest! Whoopi Goldberg!) that I’m hoping to stay out of that fray until they make something official. As for Vanna White, they’ve clearly not figured out that part of the equation—and with recent headlines about her negotiations and the disparity of her and Pat Sajak’s pay scale, that could get messy.

My hope would be that Pat gets to take a dignified victory lap in his final season, with news of his successor being known early on, and that Vanna will stay on at least for a while during the transition for tradition’s sake. I can’t pretend to be as invested in this show’s fate as I was in Jeopardy!, but it is unquestionably an iconic brand and there’s a lot at stake in not screwing this up. [Editor’s note: As often happens, breaking news makes some questions moot. With the news revealed Tuesday that Ryan Seacrest will indeed take over Wheel‘s hosting duties in Season 42, we now know we will be spared the contrived suspense of a guest-host bakeoff. That’s a relief.]

So Many Shows in Limbo

Quetstion: I watched Ride on the Hallmark Channel and really enjoyed it. Is it being renewed?? — Phyllis S., Riverview, MI

Question: Has Leverage: Redemption been renewed? I saw that Christian Kane has a new show, but I really want to see them save Hardison from space. — Wendi

Question: Any news on Peacock renewing Irreverent? I can’t find anything, but this show is fabulous. Quirky, funny, great characters. Well worth watching and renewing. — Judi

Question: I’m wondering if Freeform’s The Watchful Eye will be renewed. It was a really interesting story and I’d love it to continue. — Unsigned

Matt Roush: The above is just a sampling of the mail I’ve received lately from fans left in limbo when their new favorites aren’t rewarded with early renewals. With the exception of Leverage: Redemption (which has aired two seasons to date), all of the above are freshman series still waiting for word about a Season 2. I’d be surprised if any of these are canceled — Irreverent may be the most under the radar, though, and streamers are getting pickier about their renewals — but we may not know much about these shows’ future until the ongoing strike (and other labor negotiations) is over. I don’t keep track of when options are up for various casts, which is usually the deadline for renewal, but for now, let’s just hope that no news is good news, because none of these shows has been officially canceled, either.

Can You Handle the Truth?

Question: My question concerns To Tell the Truth with Anthony Anderson. The show aired its most recent episode last year and it doesn’t seem like it’s on ABC’s schedule at all in the impending future. The network hasn’t commented on whether it’s renewed or cancelled and they’ve really been setting a recent trend of doing this to their shows, just leaving them in endless limbo like Supermarket Sweep. Can you give me any new information about the show’s return or is it safe to say it’s probably not coming back? — Kyle

Matt Roush: It’s true that unscripted and game shows often just fade away without official notice of cancellation, and that appears to be the case with To Tell the Truth. It isn’t among the game shows being revived by ABC this summer, and when I consulted the network’s press information site, it’s no longer listed as an active series. (Same with Supermarket Sweep.) So yes, it’s safe to say it’s not coming back — until or unless the network decides otherwise.

And Finally …

Question: I was just shocked to learn that ABC canceled both Big Sky and Alaska Daily. I enjoyed both for the quality of the writing, including the quirkiness of Big Sky, and the championing of local journalism in Alaska Daily, not to mention having Hilary Swank starring. So why? — Charlie E.

Matt Roush: Any network drama that colors outside the lines of a formula procedural is a risky proposition, and as well-intentioned as Alaska Daily was, shows about journalism rarely succeed in this arena, regardless of star power. It’s a shame. Big Sky had a different trajectory, starting strong with its shocking twists but fading in subsequent seasons (which is hardly rare), and when ABC’s Will Trent broke out this season as an even quirkier take on a crime drama, that may have clinched Big Sky’s demise. I predict tough times and more casualties ahead for network dramas as their parent companies and studios deal with an ever-changing industry and new economic pressures. No one said watching, or making, TV would be easy.

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] or shoot me a line on Twitter @TVGMMattRoush. (Please include a first name with your question.)

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