Television Q&A: Why was there time jump in 'The Resident'?

You have questions. I have some answers. Q: It appears that after a break, "The Resident" went into a time warp. Conrad was done grieving and thinking of returning to the hospital, and the baby was suddenly a poised 4-year-old. What's going on? A: As ET Online explained it, "The decision to fast-forward several years was, from the producers' perspective, needed following the devastating death of Conrad's wife, Nic." Said showrunner Peter Elkoff: "Conrad losing Nic is a terrible tragedy and we felt like if we were going to tell a true story of grief, it would last for a really long time. … We felt like we would play the loss and the grief … for a couple of episodes, and then do the time jump so we could find Conrad recovered, on the brink of, ready for whatever new version of his life there would be. "It was really to avoid a prolonged grieving story because we wouldn't want to shortchange it and have him suddenly, three episodes later, without jumping time being like, 'No, I'm fine now.' " Q: One of my favorite shows is currently in limbo and I suspect will likely be canceled through simple neglect and inattention. Any comments on whether it's likely that "Pennyworth" will continue? A: The series about the adventures of Alfred Pennyworth before he became Bruce Wayne's aide will be back, but in a different location. First made for Epix for two seasons, it will have a third arriving in 2022 – on HBO Max. (Max will also begin showing the first two seasons early next year.) According to HBO Max, "Season three begins after a five-year time jump: the civil war [in England] is over, and a cultural revolution has changed the world for better or worse – ushering in a new age of Super Heroes and Supervillains." Q: Will "9-1-1: Lone Star" be coming back soon? They are a diverse group of coworkers that blend into a great storyline. A: The third season arrives on Jan. 3, 2022, in the "9-1-1" time slot while that show takes a break. According to Fox, "After the events of the second season finale, the 126 is shut down and the crew is dispersed across the city. In the multi-episode opening storyline, a massive and unexpected arctic front hits Austin with an ice storm, causing widespread chaos." Q: Any idea when "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" will return? A: The wonderful Prime Video series will be back for a fourth season on Feb. 18, 2022, with two new episodes every Friday for four weeks. Says Prime Video: "It's 1960 and change is in the air. Looking to hone her act, Midge finds a gig with total creative freedom. But her commitment to her craft — and the places it takes her — creates a rift between her and the family and friends around her." Q: My wife and I have been watching old "Will & Grace" episodes and watched the season finale where both Will and Grace had kids and partners. Fast-forward to newer episodes and there is no mention of kids or partners. What gives? A: When the comedy ended its original run in 2006, the finale found Will (Eric McCormack) and Grace (Debra Messing) each with a husband and a child. But when it came back, series co-creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan reportedly did not want to deal with Will and Grace as parents and wanted to see them struggle again in relationships. So the events from the old finale were tossed aside. (Veteran TV viewers will remember that the revival of "Roseanne" also dropped a lot of storylines from the end of the earlier version of the series.) In addition, Mutchnick told Variety that the first "Will & Grace" finale was too much about "quote-unquote normal relationships" and "wasn't as honest as to who the characters were." When the series ended for a second (and, Mutchnick has insisted, final) time, Will and Grace each had a child and were sharing a home. "They are each other's family," Mutchnick told Variety. "This ending, to me, felt a little bit more honest than the ending we did the first time, in that they end up together." ——— (Do you have a question or comment about entertainment past, present and future? Write to Rich Heldenfels, P.O. Box 417, Mogadore, OH 44260, or brenfels@gmail.com. Letters may be edited. Individual replies are not guaranteed.) ©2021 Tribune News Service. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.