TV Q&A: When does ‘The Great British Bake Off’ return?

Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review.

Q: I just saw the first promo for “The Great British Bake Off” “coming soon” to ITV in the U.K. Will Netflix be picking up the next series and showing it here within days of the UK broadcast again?

-Linda, Monroeville

Rob: It took a couple of weeks to get an answer out of Netflix, but yes, the new season premieres on Netflix on Sept. 25 with new episodes available every Friday, three days after they premiere in the U.K.

Q: When are the fall shows going to start if at all? “Blue Bloods” and such.

-Paul, via email

Rob: We offered premiere dates for returning shows in our fall TV preview package on Sept. 13, but noted that many shows do not have air dates and some have not even resumed production due to the global pandemic.

As for “Blue Bloods” specifically, it has not yet resumed production so viewers probably won’t see new episodes of that show until 2021.

Q: Is “Billions” coming back this year?

-Robert, via Facebook

Rob: It seems unlikely.

“Billions” filmed seven of the 12 episodes ordered for its fifth season and those aired earlier this year. There are still five episodes that have yet to be filmed due to the pandemic shutdown and so far there is no set date for production to resume.

Q: Fox is airing a new series called “Filthy Rich.” Apparently it’s a soap/drama dealing with an opulent religious family. My question is about the title. There was a short-lived early ‘80s show with Dixie Carter and Delta Burke with the same title. My question is did the new producers have to buy the title?

-Eric, via Facebook

Rob: I do not think they had to buy the title. Titles are not generally covered by copyright protection. A producer may be able to trademark a title but only in success. A 12-episode sitcom from 38 years ago does not qualify.

Remember, there was a great, short-lived “Partners” (1995-96) followed by a terrible but also short-lived rip-off “Partners” (2012-13).

Fun facts: The 1982-83 “Filthy Rich” starring Carter and Burke was produced by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason who would bring Carter and Burke back in the hit sitcom “Designing Women.” Burke’s husband, Gerald McRaney, is one of the stars of the new “Filthy Rich.”

Q: Do you know the future of TNT’s “Animal Kingdom”?

-Crustal, via email

Rob: Season five of “Animal Kingdom” was in production when the pandemic struck and production shut down. Production was scheduled to resume earlier this month but no premiere date has been announced and it might not be back on the air until early next year.

Q: Is WQED ever going to run the 6th and final episode of “Unforgotten” or did I miss it? I watched episodes 1-5 which they dragged out over many weeks this summer Saturdays at 8 p.m. as part of “Members favorites.” Will I ever find out whodunit?

-Lois, via email

Rob: “This was our error and we apologize. Our programming service mistakenly listed episode 5 as the final episode, which we aired on Aug. 15,” explained WQED-TV spokesman George Hazimanolis. “WQED will air episodes 5 and 6 on Oct. 3 between 8 and 10 p.m.”

Ask TV questions by e-mailing rowen@TribLive.com. Please include your first name and location.