Q: I heard there will be another season of “Gentleman Jack.” Is this true?
A: The series based on the life of Anne Lister, a lesbian landowner in England in the 1830s, ran for two seasons and 16 total episodes on HBO, which co-produced the series with the BBC. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Still, HBO dropped out of production before a third season could be made. The BBC reportedly is seeking a new producing partner for the third season, but so far without success. You can find the two seasons on Max. And, if you’re wondering what the title meant, it was an insulting nickname from Lister’s neighbors: “gentleman” referring to her masculine look and “jack” to her love for women.
Studying up
Q: In 1964 (approximately) there was a half-hour show called “Hank” about a young man attempting to gain knowledge from college classes but who was not registered at the school. It didn’t run for long. Can I find it anywhere?
A: “Hank” originally aired for 26 episodes on NBC in 1965-66. Dick Kallman — an award-winning stage actor and singer — played the title character. As you remembered, Hank was an orphaned young man dropping into college classes and running various businesses to support himself and his sister (Katie Sweet). While the series was not a hit, it has enough admirers for a DVD release, which is for sale on Amazon. There’s also “Dick Kallman Drops in as Hank,” an album of Kallman singing, on music streaming services including Spotify.
Just make sure you’re targeting the right “Hank.” The title also was used for a Kelsey Grammer comedy with a different premise that had a short run in 2009.
‘Murder’ plot
Q: While I usually watch a lot of PBS, I have started watching “Murder in a Small Town” on Fox. Please tell me it will be back.
A: The drama based on books by L.R. Wright ended its first season after eight episodes in November. I’ve not seen an official announcement of a second season, but various published interviews have included the producers’ plans for more.
On track
Q: I’ve been a lover of trains since I was a little boy. I remember watching a 30-minute show called “Casey Jones” about the famous locomotive engineer. I believe Alan Hale Sr. starred in the title role. Do you have any information about the availability of some or all of the episodes?
