TV Q&A: Is KDKA-TV's Chris DeRose related to former anchor Gabrielle DeRose?

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: Is KDKA-TV’s Chris DeRose any relation to Gabrielle DeRose?

— Jim, Brookville

Rob: I have to admit, reading quickly I first thought this was another question about WPXI-TV’s Gabriella DeLuca because I honestly have almost no memory of KDKA-TV weekend anchor Gabrielle DeRose, who left the station — checks notes — 20 years ago!

But Jim is not the only one who has a better memory than I have!

“I have been asked that a few times and, honestly, there may be a distant relation … but none that I know of,” KDKA reporter Chris DeRose said in response to Jim’s query. “Funny enough, Bob Pompeani’s wife, Lisa, was a DeRose before marrying Bob … but even though we are both from the Pittsburgh area we couldn’t find any relatives in common. Doesn’t mean there aren’t any, but none that we could see.

“The ‘DeRose’ name in Italy is almost as common as ‘Smith’ here in the U.S.,” Chris DeRose said, “or so I have heard.”

Q: Since Candace Cameron Bure has left Crown Media and Hallmark to run her own cable network, Great American Family, will that be the end of Hallmark Movies and Mysteries’ “Aurora Teagarden” movie franchise, or will they recast and continue?

— John, via email

Rob: Looks like “Aurora Teagarden” will continue on Hallmark Movies Mysteries: The network recently announced plans for a prequel film, “Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New,” starring Skyler Samuels as young Aurora and Evan Roderick as young Arthur. Marilu Henner will somehow reprise her role as Aida Teagarden.

The film will be set when Aurora has just graduated from college and moved back home to Lawrenceton.

Q: Will any more episodes of “The Mandalorian” be broadcast on ABC or Freeform?

— Rick, via email

Rob: There are no plans for additional “Mandalorian” episodes to air on ABC or any Disney-owned cable networks. When the episode did air recently before the start of its third season on Disney+, it was an effort to whet the appetite and try to drive viewers to sign up for Disney+.

If there is a writers’ strike this year, I suppose all bets are off, but even then I would be surprised if you saw full seasons of “The Mandalorian” outside the Disney+ ecosystem with any regularity.

Q: Why are reruns of “L.A. Law” never shown?

— Linda, via email

Q: I’m a big fan of “Boston Legal.” Why did they quit showing reruns?

— Cheryl, via email

Rob: It’s the business part of show business. If people don’t watch, shows don’t continue to air as I’ve noted before in this space.

“Boston Legal,” in particular due to its topicality, was never going to get rerun much on linear TV. Topical dramas tend to come across as more dated. But “Boston Legal” is actually available pretty widely on streaming: All five seasons of “Boston Legal” are on Amazon’s Prime Video, Hulu and the free, ad-supported Roku Channel.

“L.A. Law,” which is even older and therefore of even less interest to the advertiser-coveted younger demo, is not available on a streaming service currently that I could find.

A search of TVGuide.com listings did not turn up either series on broadcast TV, and I couldn’t find either title on FAST Channels Tubi or Pluto TV.