TV Q&A: Will ‘Yellowstone’ ever return with new episodes?

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: Any updates on “Yellowstone”?

— Tom, North Versailles

Rob: Paramount Network claimed the final season of the original series would air beginning in November 2024 but so far there’s been no indication that filming has started, which makes that late 2024 premiere date seem unlikely. A Paramount Network publicist refused to answer when I asked if filming had started or when it might begin, saying only the network had “nothing to share,” which is the new publicity-speak for “no comment.”

It’s also unclear who is returning for the last batch of episodes. Most recently, star Kevin Costner said he might be willing to return to the show, telling Deadline.com, “I thought I was going to make seven [seasons] but right now we’re at five. So how it works out — I hope it does — but they’ve got a lot of different shows going on. Maybe it will. Maybe this will circle back to me. If it does and I feel really comfortable with [it], I’d love to do it.”

Who knows what it would take to make Costner “comfortable” — presumably from a lot of money.

Regardless, it’s possible Paramount and showrunner Taylor Sheridan, with whom Costner apparently locked horns, may prefer to move on without Costner.

Puck News’ Matt Belloni reported in March that the final “Yellowstone” scripts are written with no plan for Costner to return.

“Even if Costner significantly lowers his financial and time commitment demands, Sheridan may not want to bother reopening his finished scripts to accommodate a send-off for John Dutton,” Belloni wrote. “But the Yellowstone fans would certainly love it, which Costner knows and hopes to leverage, as he always does.”

Q: I wanted to chime in on the Verizon FiOS TV QA from April 17. I had a similar experience. I was suddenly without Pens/Pirates games after having access for years. There was no notification about this. When I called to inquire, I was told that there was a dispute between Verizon and SportsNet and the channel was no longer available. I called back a few days later after researching YouTube TV and DirectTV only to be told that the channel was available, I would just need to upgrade to a new package, which now costs me about $20 more per month. I’ve never experienced such a disingenuous and dishonest ploy.

— Greg, via email

Rob: I do find it odd that multiple customers were told by Verizon’s call center in March and April that it was a dispute between Verizon and SportsNet Pittsburgh when Verizon says customers were notified of the change back in October and November 2023. If customers were notified six months ago, why wasn’t Verizon’s call center given the correct information by March 2024?

Q: Regarding your article about Verizon’s FiOS TV removing SportsNet Pittsburgh from certain lineups, I am still being charged the regional sports fee on my Verizon bill. Will that be adjusted? That seems like a class action lawsuit in the making.

— Frank, via email

Rob: When Comcast’s Xfinity moved SNP to a more expensive tier earlier this year, a company spokesperson explained to me that the regional sports fee would be adjusted. Verizon spokeswoman Caroline Brooks did not respond when I asked the same question and sent her Verizon customer Frank’s query.

Q: I think WPXI-TV made a huge mistake in letting Katherine Amenta go. She was always so professional, pleasant and enjoyable.

Maybe they should have sold more ads to the 60,000 home improvement companies to keep her. Or maybe they could have cut some of the field reporters who look like they just got out of bed and didn’t have time to press their clothes.

It’s a shame what’s happening. Hucking “Steals and Deals.” And the news is becoming like Groundhog Day over and over. Too much news!

— Wayne, via email

Rob: I can’t disagree with Wayne on any of his points.

Q: Why do we see crawls — during the “Today” show, put in motion by Channel 11 — about stories that are often two, three or more days old? On April 19, a crawl item about a fourth body being recovered from under the bridge in Baltimore harbor (first reported April 16), another about the Senate getting ready to vote on Mayorkas’ impeachment (which happened on April 17) and Florida’s former governor dies (from April 16). These are not news. They are history. Why does that not concern those letting this happen?

— Andy via Facebook

Rob: It seems like someone at WPXI is asleep at the switch.

WPXI news director Scott Trabandt did not respond when I sent him retired Channel 11 reporter Andy Gastmeyer’s question.