Ask Amber: August 9/10

Amber: It’s true, she is joining, but don’t worry about McBride — he’s not going anywhere. I caught up with the actor while I was in L.A. for the TCA press tour and he promised me that Winston is back in full force this season. Season 2 picks up close to where we left off, which means we’ll see how McBride’s character gets himself out of that little pickle. Just don’t expect him to be happy about having a new boss when he gets home!

Hi Amber, any news on Merlin Season 3? Space is airing Season 1, but they are in the midst of taping Season 3 in the U.K./France. Will BBC Canada be airing Merlin in the fall? —Theresa

Amber: Actually, at this point we’re lucky to be getting the second season here in Canada. Space has the rights to that, but at this point no one has confirmed that a third season will come to North America. Including BBC Canada. We’ll have to wait and see if Space exercises rights on Season 3, but keep in mind that the series aired in BBC way before it came to Canada in the first place.

While you were in L.A., why didn’t you ask Dick Wolf to bring Law & Order here, or at least have a Law & Order: Toronto? I am a starving artist here and sure would like to sink my teeth into something like that. —Anonymous

Amber: What makes me laugh about that, more than anything else, is that a general consensus from TV critics in L.A. is that too much work is being exported to Canada. I’m sorry that it’s not L&O, but The CW’s new series, Nikita films in Toronto, as does USA Network’s Covert Affairs. Try one of them.
 
Dear Amber, I’ve heard that Australian actress Kirsty Lee Allan is shooting a pilot in the States. I’m wondering if you know what that is. —Di

Amber: Sorry, she’s not billed on anything coming up. If she was, I don’t think it got picked up for this upcoming season.

Hey Amber! I recently heard that Joe Jonas is guest-starring on an episode of Hot In Cleveland? I was wondering if you knew when his episode was airing? —Natalie

Amber: Looks like he’s popping up in the 10th episode. But since he’s playing the role of Valerie Bertinelli’s son, and the series has been renewed for a second season, he could potentially appear in more.

When will Dexter be back with new episodes on Bravo!? —Don

Amber: Not anytime soon. The specialty station belongs to CTVglobemedia, and they only have the rights to the first two seasons of the show so far. The upcoming fifth season, however, will air on The Movie Network and Movie Central at the end of September.

The summer series, Moonlight is great! Is there any chance it will be on for more than 16 episodes? I heard that’s all that was made. —Judy

Amber: Moonlight was actually a fall offering for CBS a few seasons back, and even though hordes of fans cried over the series’ cancellation, it really is dead. Its star, Alex O’Loughlin, can be seen on the Eye’s upcoming fall reboot, Hawaii Five-O.

Hi Amber: I was wondering if Rules of Engagement is ever going to be seen on Canadian TV. So far, all I can find it on is an American channel on Mondays. I find this show very funny; in fact, I think this season is the funniest yet. —Gerald

Amber: Sorry, but no Canadian broadcasters have picked the series up here for fall. It will continue to air Monday nights on CBS though. This season, writers will introduce a gay character, in hopes of improving its GLADD image. CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler announced a couple of weeks ago that Jeff and Audrey’s surrogate will be a lesbian, who happens to play on Jeff’s softball team.

Hi Amber, I may have been the only person who watched it, but I enjoyed Tangled (starring Leslie Hope and Sarah Wayne Callies) on CBC recently. But I can’t find any information about it. Do you know anything about it? Was it picked up for a series, and if so, when might it air? —Lesley

Amber: CBC actually passed on that pilot, which was produced by Shaftesbury. I think the positive thing to note here is that even though the broadcaster passed on the project, they aired the pilot — failed American pilots usually just die and no one is ever the wiser. If you’re a fan of Callies, check her out on AMC’s upcoming project, The Walking Dead.

Hey Amber, any idea on when Third Watch Season 3 will be available on DVD? —Bree

Amber: No news yet. The second season was held off for a long time because of costly music fees, so I’d imagine Warner Bros. is running into the same sort of problem with the next batch of episodes.

I’m one of your parents’ friends so please answer my question at your earliest convenience. I love Glee but would like to know why they put out a CD of only the hits from the last show? I think there were five or six tracks only for the full price of a CD. I thought it was such a rip-off! It won’t affect me watching the series but it just seems like such a cash grab with no respect for the audience’s wallets in these economically challenged times. Was not impressed! Glee going glum! —Maggie

Amber: For those who haven’t caught on, the only people who actually read my column are family, and friends that my family forces to pay attention. It’s a great system. Anyhow, executive producer Ryan Murphy announced that there won’t be as many CDs released this time around because they realized there were too many last season. So while yes, it was an annoying cash grab, things are looking up in Season 2.

Hi Amber, any news on whether a Canadian channel is going to pick up Covert Affairs?  It sounds like a really good show. —Linda

Amber: Not yet, but it’s been getting so much buzz that I have a feeling more than a few programmers are looking into that possibility right now.

Hi Amber, I started reading your column a month or so ago and love it! I was wondering if you knew what happened to the show The Deep End that aired on ABC and Global this past winter? The first season only had six episodes, so does that mean that it was cancelled? Any chance I would be able to find the first season on DVD? I loved the show but my PVR was malfunctioning for a few weeks and I missed half the episodes and they weren’t available on Global’s website. —Laura

Amber: Oh, was The Deep End ever cancelled. The series performed so dismally it was a wonder all six episodes even aired. It’s a shame, because I heart Mehcad Brooks but I don’t think his newest project, My Generation, is going to cut it on network schedules either. Anyhow, unfortunately for you there has been no DVD announcement either, so you’ll have to sit tight. But if you like lawyer dramas, check out The Whole Truth this fall, starring Rob Morrow and Maura Tierney. It’s surprisingly good.

That’s all for this week!