Rob Owen stories, Page 27
TV Talk: Pittsburgh’s WPCW-TV drops its CW affiliation, will go independent
Pittsburgh’s WPCW-TV will no longer be an affiliate of The CW effective sometime this fall, perhaps as soon as Sept. 1. CBS announced Friday to the staffs of its owned stations that are current CW affiliates that they will become independent TV stations on that date. “We look forward to...
TV Talk: ‘Sam Now’ surprises; ‘Muppets Mayhem’ disappointsVideo
PBS’s “Independent Lens” debuts an engrossing, emotional 90-minute documentary “Sam Now” (10 p.m. Monday, WQED-TV) about a family where the mother, Jois, abandons her kids — doesn’t tell them where she’s gone, if she’s safe; doesn’t make any effort to see how the kids are doing without her — and...
TV Talk: ‘Daniel Tiger’ visits Hosanna House; new Steelers player on ‘Hey Rookie;’ Pete Davidson’s ‘Bupkis’ premieresVideo
“Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,” PBS’s animated “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” spin-off produced by SouthSide Works-based Fred Rogers Productions, debuts three new episodes next week, including one that visits Hosanna House in Wilkinsburg during a live-action, mid-episode interstitial. The May 9 episode (9 a.m. Tuesday, WQED-TV) focuses on the skill of children learning...
TV Q&A: Why does KDKA-TV play the national anthem every morning?
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: What is up with KDKA-TV playing the national anthem before the start of their morning news every day? — @xloribeth, via Twitter Rob: From near...
TV Talk: Hollywood writers strike; Comcast briefly drops NFL Network
As expected, the Writers Guild of America, which represents writers of scripted film and TV programs, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents studios and streamers in collective bargaining, failed to come to terms on a new contract Monday night. The WGA called a strike that...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking Mulaney’s ‘Baby J’ on Netflix, Aerosmith returning to Pittsburgh one last timeVideo
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including this past weekend’s show at Acrisure Stadium with a “Yellowstone” twist, the upcoming return of Aerosmith for their final (?) tour and a new...
TV Talk: Frank Nicotero hosts Very Local game show on the streets of PittsburghVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Pittsburgh native Frank Nicotero has experience hosting a man-on-the-street quiz show: He was the host of the early 2000s game show “Street Smarts” for several years. Now, Nicotero is back on the streets for Hearst’s...
TV Talk: ‘Love & Death,’ ‘Fatal Attraction,’ ‘Queen Charlotte,’ ‘A Small Light’ debutVideo
In the next few weeks, networks and platforms will continue to debut the last of their Emmy-bait series to have the required six episodes on air/streaming before the May 31 cut-off date for 2023 Emmy submissions. It’s the reason for the deluge of new scripted programming in recent weeks that...
TV Q&A: Is a ‘chief’ in charge of all the other meteorologists in 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. Question: Just wondering why on WPXI-TV they call Stephen Cropper “Pittsburgh’s Chief meteorologist?” I would think he is WPXI’s chief meteorologist. Or does their designation mean...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Tucker Carlson, Don Lemon ousted; local chef on ‘Chasing Carbon Zero’
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including a local chef who appears on the PBS “NOVA” special “Chasing Carbon Zero” Wednesday. The pair discuss the big media news of the day:...
TV Talk: Carol Burnett discusses her 90th birthday bash, including Billy PorterVideo
The two-hour special “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love” (8 p.m. Wednesday, WPXI-TV) is not a birthday party or a roast but a stroll down memory lane that features a 90-piece orchestra and clips from Burnett’s greatest hits over her decades in entertainment. “I had my dear chum,...
TV Talk: Pittsburgh CEO appears on PBS’s ‘Chasing Carbon;’ weird, wonderful ‘Mrs. Davis’ debutsVideo
PASADENA, Calif. — Chef Christopher Galarza, founder of Verona-based Forward Dining Solutions, is quick to point out one of the key benefits of a fully electric kitchen in PBS’s latest “NOVA” episode, “Chasing Carbon Zero” (9 p.m. April 26, WQED-TV): These kitchens are much cooler than a gas-powered kitchen with...
TV Q&A: Is Celina Pompeani Mathison leaving ‘Pittsburgh Today Live’?
Q: Is Celina Pompeani Mathison leaving PTL? She was at the Pens practice on the show earlier this month, and they were saying goodbye to her. I know she is pregnant and didn’t think she was taking time off already. — Deb, via Facebook Rob: Pompeani Mathison isn’t expected to...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: ‘Love is Blind’ delay, pre-Emmy program deluge, ‘Beef,’ Boris Becker doc and Bert Kreischer stand-up
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including updates on several shows filmed in Pittsburgh: “Mayor of Kingstown,” “American Rust,” “The Deliverance,” “Rustin.” The pair also discuss the Netflix delay of the...
TV Talk: Pinhead actor from ‘Hellraiser’ lives in Pittsburgh, guest stars on ‘Gotham Knights’
Doug Bradley, the British actor who made Pinhead a horror icon in the “Hellraiser” films that began in 1987, now resides in Pittsburgh. And this month, Bradley gets introduced as Joe Chill on The CW’s “Gotham Knights.” Chill is in prison for the murders of Bruce Wayne’s parents. Bradley, 68,...
TV Talk: Jennifer Garner returns to TV in ‘Last Thing He Told Me’ adaptationVideo
Actress Jennifer Garner came to fame on TV — notably in ABC’s “Alias” (2001-06) — and 2023 marks her return to the medium, first on Starz’s “Party Down” revival and now taking the lead in Apple TV+’s “The Last Thing He Told Me,” now streaming. Based on the 2021 novel...
Local production updates on ‘American Rust,’ ‘Mayor of Kingstown,’ ‘Deliverance’; ‘Piano Lesson’ goes to AtlantaVideo
Production will wrap next week on season two of Amazon Freevee’s “American Rust,” which was filming Tuesday at South Second Street and Grant Avenue in Duquesne. The familiar sounds of Hollywood on the Mon echoed up the grassy slope of Grant Avenue Park: “Last looks,” “Rolling! Quiet please!,” “Cut!,” “Going...
TV Talk: Morningside woman talks about competing on ‘Jeopardy!’
For Morningside resident Laura Caton, it’s always been a goal to compete on the syndicated TV game show “Jeopardy!” and in January she did just that, flying to Los Angeles to film tonight’s episode (7:30 p.m. WPXI-TV) at the Sony lot in Culver City. “Jeopardy!” tapes a week’s worth of...
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...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: ‘Succession’ shocker, ‘Unscripted’ book, new ‘Star Wars’ slate, ‘Ahsoka’ trailer
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss pop culture news of the moment, including Sunday’s surprising turn on HBO buzz magnet “Succession.” Spoilers included! Owen also discusses the new book “Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and...
TV Talk: Kathryn Hahn, Carnegie Mellon grad share a role in Hulu’s ‘Tiny Beautiful Things’
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Based on author Cheryl Strayed’s collection of “Dear Sugar” advice columns, Hulu’s “Tiny Beautiful Things,” now streaming, follows aspiring writer Clare (Kathryn Hahn, “WandaVision”), who lucks into a role as an advice columnist that allows...
TV Talk: ‘Jury Duty’ is ‘Joe Schmo’ redux; it’s game on for Pirates on AT&T SportsNet PittsburghVideo
Amazon Freevee’s “Jury Duty,” streaming Friday, is “The Joe Schmo Show” by another name. Pittsburghers played the Schmoes in several seasons of “Joe Schmo,” but the “Jury Duty” schmo, Ronald Gladden, is a solar contractor from San Diego. Gladden thinks he’s been picked for jury duty but it turns out...
TV Q&A: What’s up with Channel 11’s helicopter?
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: I’m not a usual WPXI-TV viewer, but I did catch a commercial promoting Chopper 11. I remember they got rid of Chopper 11. Did they...
TV Talk: Another local TV news anchor will depart Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh continues to show its colors as a steppingstone TV news market: KDKA-TV weekend morning anchor Briana Smith is the latest to announce her departure. She posted to Twitter that she’s leaving KDKA after two years to become a reporter at the ABC affiliate in Philadelphia. Her last day at...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Another WPXI-TV departure, Rob Lowe stars in ‘Unstable,’ NFL telecast theorizing
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including another WPXI-TV departure with meteorologist Jessica Faith exiting for a forecaster job in Washington, D.C. The pair also discuss how local stations prioritize weather...
