TV Mail Box
Q: My favorite show on television is “Back to You.” Will it be back this season? — Suzanne Johnson, Oelwein, Iowa
A: No. Fox canceled the Kelsey Grammer-Patricia Heaton sitcom about newscasters after one season, which wasn’t really even a full season, given the interruption caused by the writers’ strike. Several networks had competed to land the show initially, thanks to the drawing power of its two stars, but it never caught fire in ratings terms.
The existing episodes are available on DVD from Fox Home Entertainment.
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Q: Now that Mekhi Phifer is no longer on “ER,” what can we see him in next? — Angie Davis, Dallas
A: The actor made an independent film titled “A Talent for Trouble,” which has had recent film-festival exposure and should either get a wider release or go to the DVD market before long. Phifer’s holiday movie from last year — titled “This Christmas” — is set to make its debut on disc Nov. 11.
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Q: What happened to the FX series “Dirt”? Did I miss something? — Deborah Lewis, Midlothian, Texas
A: Yes, apparently . . . the announcement of the show’s cancellation. Just as the second round of Courteney Cox’s tabloid magazine drama ended, the network said that would do it for the series.
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Q: I was becoming an avid fan of the show “Swingers,” and I’ve noticed it has vanished. Will it be returning? — Timothy Frank, Stuart, Fla.
A: We’re assuming you mean the CBS show actually titled “Swingtown,” which we’ve also seen called various other things (“Swinging,” “Swingtime,” etc.) in the letters and e-mails we’ve received about it. It already has returned in a sense, though probably not the one you’re hoping for. Bravo picked up the existing episodes that were made for CBS (which canceled the series after its summer run), and those are being repeated now — but the cable network has no plans to produce additional installments beyond those.
