The TV Column

TV series on ice for winter to make episodes last

After a hiatus of more than five months, Major Crimes, starring G.W. Bailey and Mary McDonnell, returns to TNT on Feb. 22.
After a hiatus of more than five months, Major Crimes, starring G.W. Bailey and Mary McDonnell, returns to TNT on Feb. 22.

Dear Michael,

Did I miss the winter edition of Major Crimes? What is happening with that show?

Thanks.

There, in a nutshell, is the essence of a half-dozen emails I get daily. Substitute any number of programs for Major Crimes and you have one of TV's recurring problems -- viewers lose track of even their most favorite shows during the break between the fall and winter seasons.

Fox's highly popular Empire, for example, debuted Season 3 on Sept. 21 and ran until Dec. 14 before going on hiatus. It won't return until March 22, more than three months later.

I've explained before, but here it is again. These days, broadcast networks only make about 22 episodes for each series each season. Cable outfits frequently produce even fewer.

With the official TV season lasting from late September to May, a series has to take a break if the episodes are going to stretch the distance. In other words, 22 episodes need to fill a 32-week slot. The 10-week gap is filled with holiday specials and midseason tryouts for other shows.

Major Crimes is an extreme example. It began its 21-episode Season 5 on June 13 and had its midseason finale Sept. 19 after 13 episodes.

TNT has announced that the Season 5B premiere of Major Crimes is set for 8 p.m. Feb. 22. That's a Wednesday -- a new day. I can't blame my reader for wondering if she missed it. That's 22 weeks -- more than five months -- between episodes.

Most series don't take such a long hiatus. Still, with so many channels and programs vying for our attention, it's easy to forget when a show is set to return.

Here are the return and debut dates for programs about which I get email. New series, which sometimes have commercials months in advance, are in bold face.

Today: The Flash, 7 p.m. The CW; Legends of Tomorrow, 8 p.m. The CW; Outsiders, 8 p.m. WGN.

Wednesday: Arrow, 7 p.m. The CW; The Magicians, 8 p.m. Syfy; Suits, 9 p.m. USA.

Thursday: Grey's Anatomy, 7 p.m. ABC; Scandal, 8 p.m. ABC; How to Get Away With Murder, 9 p.m. ABC.

Feb. 1: The 100, 8 p.m. The CW; Criminal Minds, 8 p.m. CBS.

Feb. 2: Training Day, 9 p.m. CBS; Powerless, 7:30 p.m. NBC; Superior Donuts, 7:30 p.m. CBS.

Feb. 5: Super Bowl LI, 5:30 p.m. Fox; 24: Legacy, 9 p.m. Fox.

Feb. 6: APB, 8 p.m. Fox.

Feb. 8: Legion, 9 p.m. FX.

Feb. 10: The Vampire Diaries, 7 p.m. The CW; Reign, 8 p.m. The CW.

Feb. 12: Grammy Awards, 7 p.m. CBS; The Walking Dead, 8 p.m. AMC; Girls, 9 p.m. HBO; Last Week Tonight With Jon Oliver, 10 p.m. HBO.

Feb. 13: Humans, 9 p.m. AMC.

Feb. 15: Doubt, 9 p.m. CBS.

Feb. 19: The Good Fight, 7 p.m. CBS/CBS All Access; Big Little Lies, 8 p.m. HBO; Billions, 9 p.m. Showtime; Crashing, 9:30 p.m., HBO.

Feb. 20: Bates Motel, 9 p.m. A&E.

Feb. 23: The Blacklist: Redemption, 7 p.m. NBC.

Feb. 26: Academy Awards, 7 p.m., ABC.

Feb. 27: The Voice, 7 p.m. NBC; When We Rise, 8 p.m. ABC; Taken, 9 p.m. NBC.

March 5: Once Upon a Time, 7 p.m. ABC; Chicago Justice, 8 p.m. NBC; Time After Time, 8 p.m. ABC; Shades of Blue, 9 p.m. NBC; Feud, 9 p.m. FX; Making History, 7:30 p.m. Fox; The Last Man on Earth, 8:30 p.m. Fox.

March 7: Trial & Error, 8:30 p.m. NBC; The Americans, 9 p.m. FX.

March 8: Survivor, 7 p.m. CBS; Designated Survivor, 9 p.m. ABC.

March 9: The Catch, 9 p.m. ABC; Kicking & Screaming, 7 p.m. Fox.

March 12: American Crime, 9 p.m. ABC.

March 17: Marvel's Iron Fist, Netflix; The Originals, 7 p.m. The CW.

March 19: Into the Badlands, 9 p.m. AMC.

March 20: Dancing With the Stars, 7 p.m. ABC.

March 22: Shots Fired, 7 p.m. Fox; Empire, 8 p.m. Fox.

April 4: iZombie, 7 p.m. The CW; Prison Break, 8 p.m. Fox; Imaginary Mary, 8:30 p.m. ABC.

April 11: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, 7 p.m. Fox.

April 18: Pretty Little Liars, 7 p.m. Freeform.

April 21: The Amazing Race, 7 p.m. CBS; Blue Bloods, 9 p.m. CBS.

April 25: Great News, 8 p.m. NBC.

April 26: The Handmaid's Tale, Hulu.

April 28: Hawaii Five-0, 8 p.m. CBS.

May 21: Twin Peaks, Showtime.

Note: Game of Thrones is still listed by HBO as "spring."

The TV Column appears Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. Email:

mstorey@arkansasonline.com

Style on 01/24/2017

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