‘Bridgerton’ wedding had no-shows

Actors who had left the show were not included in the festivities.

By Rich Heldenfels

Tribune News Service
June 23, 2024 at 7:30PM
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The "Bridgerton" characters played by Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor, both of whom had left the series, were not brought back for the show's gala wedding. (Netflix/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Q: I am curious why Daphne and Simon did not attend the wedding of Penelope and Colin on “Bridgerton.” Was there an explanation?

A: One reason for the absences is that both Regé-Jean Page, who played Simon, and Phoebe Dynevor, who played Daphne, left the hit Netflix series. In addition, according to Netflix Life, showrunner Jess Brownell said, “There was a version of the scripts this season where at Penelope and Colin’s wedding, we threw a line at the fact, like, ‘Oh, Daphne wishes she could be here -— but she’s pregnant again,’ or ‘Daphne and Simon? I just saw them, they’re sitting over there.’ But the truth of the matter is that it just gets a little wonky to bring them up, and then not see them.” They are still part of the “Bridgerton” universe, Brownell said, “just not at the time when the camera happens to show up.”

Just the facts

Q: Back in the 1950s when “Dragnet” was the top cop show, there was a second such show titled “The Lineup” that featured Tom Tully as Matt Grebb. As I recall, it was set in San Francisco. Do you know if there’s any place I can find episodes of it so I could watch again?

A: The San Francisco-set police drama “The Lineup” aired on CBS from 1954 to 1960, and Tully was part of the cast for most of its run. I have found episodes on YouTube, which are taken from the syndicated reruns titled “San Francisco Beat.”

Toon is coming

Q: Where will I be able to find MeTV Toons when it starts?

A: The new home for classic animation will boast such shows as “Rocky and Bullwinkle,” “Bugs Bunny,” “Captain Planet and the Planeteers,” “The Flintstones” and “The Jetsons” when it launches Tuesday. Depending on where you live, it will be available by broadcast, cable or streaming. You can find a geographical list at metvtoons.com.

The ‘Manifest’ finale

Q: Recently we discovered the “Manifest” series on Netflix and got hooked after the first episode. I understand the series was canceled after the fourth season. Are there plans to resume the series, and if not, does the final episode give closure or leave us hanging?

A: The drama about the mysterious circumstances around an airline flight and its yearslong absence originally aired for three seasons on NBC in 2018-2021. Netflix then ordered a fourth season which ran in 2022-23, and all four seasons are now on the streamer. The final episode does provide closure.

Traveling smart

Q: On the TV show “Have Gun — Will Travel,” was it ever mentioned where Paladin was educated? He seemed to have a classical background.

A: The CBS series (1957-63) was one of the more interesting TV westerns, with Richard Boone as Paladin, a highly cultured gun for hire, with one reference noting his “enjoying the finest clothes, epicurean meals and literate company.” His college education was at the U.S. Military Academy, aka West Point.

about the writer

Rich Heldenfels

Tribune News Service