Rob Owen stories, Page 17
TV Talk: Greensburg native writes Hallmark Mystery’s ‘Crimes of Fashion;’ ‘9-1-1’ relocates to ABC
Greensburg native Stephanie Meyer Sourapas wrote Hallmark Mystery’s “Crimes of Fashion: Killer Clutch” (9 p.m. Friday) with writing partner Tom McCurrie and, unlike many Hallmark movies that are set in small-town America, “Crimes of Fashion” moves the action to Paris, though large chunks of the film shot in Budapest doubling...
TV Q&A: Are 2 WTAE broadcasters sisters?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Are Elena LaQuatra and Kelly Sasso sisters? — Anne, via email Rob: I was 99.999999% sure the WTAE broadcasters are not related but to eliminate...
TV Talk: John Larroquette talks about his bittersweet return to ‘Night Court’Video
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. BURBANK, Calif. — Actor John Larroquette had a succinct response three years ago when actress Melissa Rauch approached him with the idea of a “Night Court” sequel series: “ ‘That’s a great idea. You don’t...
TV Talk: Energetic, joyful Oscars telecast crowns ‘Oppenheimer’ best pictureVideo
The outcome of the 96th Oscars telecast was never really in doubt – “Oppenheimer” won best picture, director and lead actor among its seven awards – but thanks to host Jimmy Kimmel, who’s cemented his status as a new generation’s Billy Crystal or Bob Hope, and some strong, funny writing...
TV Talk: Local artist competes on Netflix’s ‘Blown Away;’ sweeps ratingsVideo
The fourth season of “Blown Away,” like the third season in 2022, features a Pittsburgher who works at the Pittsburgh Glass Center. Sharpsburg’s Leana Quade, who works at PGC as an instructor and in production, is one of 10 competitors in a season that filmed last May and June in...
TV Talk: ‘Dance Moms’ reunite; Riverhounds return, Cavs games added to KDKA+
Lifetime scheduled its two-hour “Dance Moms: The Reunion” special for 8 p.m. May 1. Early seasons of the reality show filmed at Abby Lee Miller’s now-shuttered dance studio in Penn Hills. Miller is not expected to be part of the reunion that will feature JoJo Siwa, Chloe Lukasiak, Brooke Hyland,...
TV Q&A: Is a ‘Krapopolis’ writer from Pittsburgh?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: On Oct. 8, I turned on the new Fox animated series, “Krapopolis.” On three different occasions a character used the term “jagoff,” so I surmise...
TV Talk: Filmed-in-Pittsburgh ‘American Rust’ gets binge releaseVideo
Fans of filmed-in-Pittsburgh “American Rust,” better stock up on snacks and set aside many hours the last week of the month because Amazon’s Prime Video will binge-release all 10 episodes of the show’s second season, “American Rust: Broken Justice,” on March 28. For curious viewers who never watched the nine-episode...
TV Talk: Nat Geo’s ‘Queens’ fit for viewers of all stripesVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. PASADENA, Calif. — There have been many impressive natural history series in the past two decades — “Planet Earth,” “The Blue Planet,” “Life” — but National Geographic Channel’s “Queens” (8 p.m. March 4, National Geographic...
TV Talk: ‘Dick Turpin,’ ‘Regime’ employ different styles of humorVideo
British-accented humor comes in two distinct forms this weekend with the debuts of Apple TV+’s “The Completely Made-up Adventures of Dick Turpin” (streaming March 1) and HBO’s “The Regime” (9 p.m. Sunday, HBO; streams on Max). ‘Dick Turpin’ Fans of “Monty Python” or “Blackadder” are the ideal audience for “The...
TV Q&A: Will SportsNet Pittsburgh televise Pirates spring training games?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Why isn’t SportsNet Pittsburgh televising the Pirates spring training games? I was looking forward to watching the game on Feb. 24 and it wasn’t on....
TV Talk: ‘Elsbeth’ enchants, but show is more-of-the-same proceduralVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. On CBS’s “The Good Wife” and on Paramount+’s “The Good Fight,” an appearance from loveable oddball Elsbeth Tascioni was reason to celebrate. As playfully embodied by actress Carrie Preston, Elsbeth’s broad smile, perpetual wide-eyed amazement...
TV Talk: Meteorologist Falicia Woody exits KDKA-TV
And then there were four. KDKA-TV is now back to four meteorologists after the departure of the station’s fifth meteorologist, Falicia Woody. Woody posted to her social media pages, writing, “Dear yinz, I am writing this with great sadness. As of last week, I am no longer working for Paramount-CBS....
TV Talk: ‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘Succession,’ ‘The Bear’ win SAG Awards on Netflix
In its first streaming telecast on Netflix, the “30th Screen Actors Guild Awards” bestowed honors on the casts of 2023 movie hit “Oppenheimer” and TV’s critical darlings “Succession” and “The Bear” in an entertaining, compact 133-minute ceremony. The telecast began with the SAG Awards’ traditional “I’m an actor” vignettes as...
TV Talk: Joe Manganiello hosts ‘Deal or No Deal Island;’ Wexford native coaches ‘The Voice’Video
PASADENA, Calif. — It’s a big week on NBC for entertainers who grew up in Western Pennsylvania. Mt. Lebanon native Joe Manganiello hosts spin-off competition series “Deal or No Deal Island” (9:30-11 p.m. Feb. 26 and 27, WPXI-TV) and Wexford native Dan Smyers of Dan + Shay joins “The Voice” (8-9:30 p.m....
TV Talk: ‘Shōgun’ impresses; ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender” achieves altitudeVideo
PASADENA, Calif. – FX’s 10-episode remake of “Shōgun” (10 p.m. Feb. 27, FX; same day on Hulu) premieres with two episodes next week followed by one episode weekly through April 23. A two-episode premiere is smart because the show comes into its own in that second hour. The first episode...
TV Q&A: Who will SportsNet Pittsburgh have as Pirates announcers?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Who will the Pirates announcers be this season on SportsNet Pittsburgh? — Chris, via email Rob: This week, SportsNet Pittsburgh announced its Pirates broadcast team...
TV Talk: ‘Constellation’ starts strong, ends weakVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. PASADENA, Calif. — “Constellation” is one of those post-“Lost,” labyrinthine shows, the kind of series that may or may not ever provide satisfying answers or reach a decent conclusion. It’s a twisty conspiracy thriller with...
TV Talk at TCA: Pittsburgh native who won equal rights for flight attendants featured in PBS’s ‘Fly with Me’Video
PASADENA, Calif. — Growing up in Swissvale, Mary Pat Laffey Inman was familiar with the work of unions, but she had no idea just how important they would be to her career as a flight attendant. Her efforts to gain pay and benefit equality with men changed the airline industry’s...
TV Talk at TCA: W.Pa. natives Billy Gardell, Paige Spara say goodbye to ‘Bob (Hearts) Abishola,’ ‘The Good Doctor’Video
PASADENA, Calif. – It’s the end of the road for two prime-time broadcast series starring Western Pennsylvania natives. Billy Gardell’s CBS sitcom “Bob (Hearts) Abishola” and Paige Spara’s ABC drama “The Good Doctor” will call it quits by the end of the strikes-shortened 2023-24 TV season in May. ‘Bob (Hearts)...
TV Talk: Filmed-in-Pittsburgh ‘American Rust’ streams season 2 on Prime Video in March
PASADENA, Calif. — After Showtime canceled filmed-in-Pittsburgh “American Rust” following its first season, Amazon’s Freevee said it would pick up the crime drama starring Jeff Daniels. But Amazon’s Prime Video announced Thursday the show will stream on Prime (not Freevee), confirming my reporting from late last year. The new season,...
TV Q&A: Why do local TV stations employ so many weather forecasters?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Why does KDKA-TV have so many weather forecasters? I know for a fact that I can get better weather forecasts for my exact location with...
TV Talk: Reporter Tori Yorgey exits WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV reporter Tori Yorgey, who arrived at WTAE-TV in January 2022 after becoming a viral sensation when she was hit by a car during a live shot at her previous station, will depart Channel 4 after Feb. 21 for a new job at sister-Hearst station WBAL-TV in Baltimore. She will...
TV Talk: Jon Burnett comforted by viewer support after former KDKA-TV host’s diagnosis revealed
For former KDKA-TV weathercaster and “Evening Magazine” and “Pittsburgh Today Live” host Jon Burnett, it wasn’t a difficult decision to share the story of his suspected CTE diagnosis. However, answering a question about it can prove challenging due to the disease’s effects. Then Burnett’s charming, folksy personality comes through clear...
TV Talk at TCA: Penn State grad consults on Hallmark’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’Video
PASADENA, Calif. – As part of its “Loveuary with Jane Austen” programming stunt, Hallmark Channel debuts a new production of “Sense and Sensibility” (8 p.m. Feb. 24) under its African American-focused Mahogany banner. A Penn State grad helped bring the story of the Dashwood sisters to life. Before she was...
