Ask Matt: Killing Off Major Characters, Looser Language on Streaming & More
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, 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 most Tuesdays.
We Never Got an Alert About This Tragedy
Question: [Spoiler alert] Why was Nikki killed off of Alert: Missing Persons Unit? Did Dania Ramirez have another gig? — Christine
Matt Roush: As is usually the case with these game-changing jolts, this was a creative decision, as executive producer and showrunner Carla Kettner explains in this article. The intent was to shake things up, which this certainly did. And as we’ve discussed in this space many times before — and I’m sure we’ll be doing it again soon — killing off a lead character is often a calculated risk. The producers know it may cost some goodwill among fans to lose a favorite character, but it also provides opportunity to explore the impact of loss on people who live in dangerous circumstances while also giving the show a chance to reset. It doesn’t always work, but sometimes it results in powerful TV. And props by the way to Alert for not spoiling it in advance. These twists work best when they come as a true surprise, regardless of bitter aftertaste.
Freedom of (Vulgar) Speech
Question: I’ve read some interesting articles regarding Law & Order: Organized Crime moving to the Peacock streaming service. One article said one of the reasons why the move is a good one is that Elliot Stabler would be allowed to use more colorful language. Another article spoke with Peter Scanavino about a possible appearance by Sonny Carisi on Organized Crime and whether he would mind using vulgar language. (He said it would be no problem). In the third article, Dean Norris (Randall Stabler) said, “I’m really excited because it’s on Peacock. We can say the F word.” I noticed this in other series that I watched on streaming services, where characters use profanity. This is certainly a far cry from the days of mom, dad and the kids gathered around the TV set to watch wholesome family entertainment like The Andy Griffith Show, Green Acres or The Beverly Hillbillies.
This has me wondering if there might come a time when the networks decide to toss out the rule about family entertainment and let the cussing fly. Society seems to be moving in that direction. Not to sound like a prude, but I’ve seen a lot of T-shirts with profanity spelled out on them, as well as hear it used in casual conversation, from young and old alike. Whenever I swore, I usually ended up with a bar of soap in my mouth, but now it seems more acceptable and no longer taboo. Most TV programs show a warning label before the show starts, so why not include a warning about foul language? Maybe then network TV would be on the same playing field as streaming programs. — Rob R.
Matt Roush: The standards have relaxed to some degree, to the despair of some and to the relief of others, and while I’m not advocating for everyone on TV to swear like Beth on Yellowstone, I get it that a show set in a violent milieu like Organized Crime may be better off allowing its characters to speak and swear (when necessary) freely. Not that this is the main reason why Organized Crime made the move to streaming, which I know will annoy those NBC viewers who won’t or can’t make the leap. OC was on the bubble for renewal last year and does well on streaming, and there’s an argument that the show’s multi-episode arcs and darker tone may be better suited for the platform.
As for whether and when the broadcast networks will go the way of fewer streaming restrictions like streaming, premium TV, and more adult cable outlets like FX and AMC, it’s hard to say. The industry is changing constantly, but as long as the nets feel the need to adhere to FCC guidelines, we may be hearing tough cops say nonsense words like “bullcrap” for a while to come.
Is Renewal in the Cards?
Question: What are the chances of Wild Cards returning for a third season? I love the chemistry between Max and Ellis. – Thomas S.
Matt Roush: I’d say the chances are excellent, but the ball is in the Canadian broadcaster CBC’s court as a co-producer with The CW. If they give the green light to a third season, which I imagine they will, The CW will surely air it as well. These light procedurals (including the recently concluded Good Cop/Bad Cop), all international co-productions, are a winning and seemingly cost-efficient strategy for The CW in its current state.
Haven’t We Seen This Before?
Question: After seeing an episode of The Bondsman on Prime Video, my mind was flooded with memories of Brimstone. It only lasted 13 episodes long and starred the amazing John Glover and Robert Horton. It had the same basic plot but was done so much better. Another case of Fox mistreating a great series and ensuring its death, just like Firefly. What did you think of Brimstone, and did the producers of The Bondsman have to get permission from Brimstone’s owners? — Bonnie
Matt Roush: My very foggy memory of Brimstone, which aired 13 episodes in 1998 and 1999, is that it was very dark and took itself seriously, while The Bondsman leans into the slapstick comedy side of horror, much more broadly played. And while the basic premise of a condemned soul — on Brimstone, a detective; on Bondsman, a bounty hunter—returning to Earth to send demonic escapees back to Hell is similar, the tone is very different. And this is such a broad concept that I can’t imagine The Bondsman would feel the need to get clearance from a failed show of a quarter-century ago. (My, time flies.)
Question: I don’t get Paramount+ so I can’t check it out myself, but Happy Face sounds a LOT like Prodigal Son, just with a daughter instead. I really loved Prodigal Son, though a good part of that was due to Michael Sheen‘s fantastic performance. Exactly how similar IS Happy Face? — I.S.
Matt Roush: The only overlap in this situation is the fact that the two main characters are an imprisoned killer and his estranged offspring. I never once flashed on Prodigal Son (which I loved) while sampling this dour docudrama (which I didn’t). Happy Face has none of the over-the-top lunacy of Prodigal Son, and while Dennis Quaid and Annaleigh Ashford are fine as Happy Face‘s stars, I was less compelled by the story of a woman who for years denied her criminal father’s existence but was forced to acknowledge him when she learned another man had been imprisoned for one of his alleged crimes.
Why Don’t More Streaming Shows Air on Network TV?
Question: Regarding last week’s exchange about the lack of scripted shows on ABC and your comment that networks are prioritizing streaming: Why can’t they show more of their streaming shows after the fact on the network? I can’t be the only person who doesn’t have Hulu, etc. and I think that many ABC viewers don’t, so repeating Only Murders in the Building and other shows after they air on Hulu is a winning strategy. Not just as filler. — Amy
Matt Roush: As I noted in that column, this is exactly what’s happening with Paradise and some of the true-crime docuseries that originally aired on Hulu. And CBS has flirted with doing the same with several of its Paramount+ originals, including Tulsa King. The main reason you don’t see more of this back and forth is that the parent companies have invested a lot in their streaming platforms, which they see as the industry’s future, and would prefer to keep the shows exclusive so as to drive subscriptions. (There may also be contractual difficulties in moving shows from streaming to network, depending on the production deals.) My real issue is the development executives who take a show that would work perfectly well on broadcast TV and put it behind a streaming paywall.
And Finally …
Comment: I just wanted to say how much I laughed and loved the show Mid-Century Modern!! Tell all the haters that they aren’t forced to watch it. I can’t wait until Hulu films and releases the next season, hopefully within the next six months, not 10 months like the networks. Since it was a spring premiere, maybe start production now so Season 2 can premiere in fall. It’s such a great show, I would like to see it become as popular as Only Murders in the Building and run at least five seasons. — Steve P.
Matt Roush: Steve didn’t ask, but in light of the last question, Mid-Century Modern is another show that might have worked very well on ABC (with some softening of the language, as we discussed earlier). But the fact that it can be its own outspoken self on Hulu is a plus, and I’m glad it’s finding an audience. I don’t know anything about the show’s production schedule but would be surprised to see it return before 2026, especially if Hulu decides to drop the entire second season at once as it did the first. (I like it best when streaming shows of this variety air weekly or drop several episodes in weekly increments to keep the audience engaged, but that’s a debate for another time.
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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