You have questions. I have some answers.
Q: Does Scott Bakula actually play piano on "NCIS: New Orleans"?
A: Yes. Bakula played piano before taking on the role of Dwayne Pride on the series. He told "CBS This Morning" in 2015 that the show then worked his piano playing into Pride's character.
Q: Is Garry Walberg from "Quincy, M.E.," any relation to Donnie and Mark Walberg?
A: Short answer: No. And actors Donnie and Mark spell their last name with an H, as in Wahlberg. Thinking sound-alike names are the same is not unusual, including for the Wahlbergs. TV host Mark L. Walberg (no H) has more than once over the years had to make clear he is not the movie Mark. As for Garry Walberg, the character actor who played Frank Monahan on the medical-mystery series, had a nice, long career; he passed away in 2012 at the age of 90.
Q: Who decides when television shows get released on DVD? I am waiting for the remaining seasons of several series.
A: Two questions must be answered before a show is released on disc: Will it sell, and does the distributor have all the rights needed to release it? Some long-running and popular shows had long waits before getting to DVD because of rights issues, such as whether all the music is available for the release, and have all the participants (actors, producers, studios and so on) agreed on its appearing. Music has kept several shows from being released or has led to the home-video version substituting music for the original sound. As for sales, that can even stall a show whose early seasons are released only to sell poorly, so the distributor decides against offering more. On the other hand, fantasy and supernatural shows get released even if they were not ratings successes because collectors will still buy them. These days, too, distributors may choose other paths than the older disc format, making shows available for streaming or download instead.
Revisiting a previous topic ...
Q: I too quit watching "Elementary" because I couldn't understand what the actor (Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes) was saying. The actor spoke much too rapidly and his voice was soft and weak. My hearing is excellent and the show seemed to be well written, but it got to be a drag trying to follow what was going on.
A: This was one of several letters backing a reader's earlier complaint about Miller's speaking on the CBS drama. As I said before, I have not had a problem understanding him, and neither has my wife. I guess we'll all have to compare notes again when the series begins its new season April 30.
Q: On "The Bachelor," if the wedding does not occur, must the ring be returned?
A: In a 2016 interview with Entertainment Weekly, "Bachelor" host Chris Harrison noted how many romances have not lasted when he said, "The rings I actually have at home. They're on a necklace and I'll wear it around sometimes." More seriously, "Entertainment Tonight" reported in 2017 that a couple has to give back the ring if it breaks up in less than two years. What happens then is not clear. The production company may keep the rings (which, as Harrison told ET, are "tainted" by failed romance), ring designer Neil Lane may get them back, or _ in at least one reported case _ the ring gets recycled by for a later "Bachelor."
Q: I am wondering if there will be a new season for "The Royals" on E!
A: The fourth season begins March 11. You can find a sneak peek at www.eonline.com.
