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: Did Alexandra Todd leave KDKA-TV?
— Sam, via email
Rob: It appears she did.
Todd’s last report was filed to KDKA.com in early January and her bio is no longer on the KDKA staff page of the station’s website. She hasn’t posted to her professional social media accounts since January and in a late February post to another social media account, she said she’s selling the contents of her Downtown Pittsburgh apartment.
Todd, who grew up on Mount Washington and in Cranberry Township, joined KDKA in September 2023. She did not respond to a request for comment, nor did KDKA news director Shawn Hoder.
Q: On Feb. 26, KDKA-TV appeared to simulcast the CBS News 24/7 stream instead of the noon local news. It doesn’t appear CBS broke into programming in “Special Report” mode. At 12:30 when KDKA should have had news on, they ran an episode of “Friends.” I’m wondering what went down at One Gateway?
— @jumpondees via Bsky.social
Rob: My understanding is a technical glitch occurred when a vendor installed a new part. They got it corrected within a few hours.
Q: A few years back during the pandemic, Syfy put on a bizarre/wacky show titled “Resident Alien” starring Alan Tudyk and a remarkably talented cast of nearly unknown actors.
We got two (I think) widely spaced short seasons of “Resident Alien,” then, I’m pretty sure we were promised a THIRD season, which, to the best of my knowledge, has never landed. Any idea what happened there, and can you confirm that the show is now dead in its bed? Too bad, if it is.
— John, Jeannette
Rob: It’s not dead yet.
Season three of “Resident Alien” aired its eight episodes on Syfy from February through April in 2024. If you missed it, all three seasons stream on Peacock and Netflix.
In June 2024, the show was renewed with an announcement that it will relocate to USA Network for its fourth season. So far no premiere date has been announced, but my best guess is the fourth season will premiere sometime before the end of 2025.
Q: I am a viewer of NBC’s One “Chicago” night of shows on Wednesdays. I work two jobs and the only night I can watch TV is on “Chicago” night. I must have missed a night last season, because I do not know what happened to Dr. Crockett (Dominic Rains) on “Chicago Med.” I really loved the show with him on it. Please tell me why he is no longer on the show? I am not as pleased with the new shows this season.
— Becky, via email
Rob: Becky’s displeasure with the show may be rooted in the writing as long-time showrunners Diane Frolov and Andy Schneider (“Northern Exposure”) departed at the end of last season and new showrunner Allen McDonald took over.
As for Crockett, actor Dominic Rains left the show – it’s unclear if he wanted out or if it was a budget cut situation – and Crockett’s departure was explained in a line of dialogue in last fall’s season premiere that revealed “he had a going-away party before he left for Boston, presumably to work in a different hospital,” per ScreenRant.com.