Rob Owen stories, Page 36

Rob Owen
Rob Owen
Pope Francis, first Latin American pontiff, dies at 88
TV Talk: Mt. Lebanon native charts course for ‘Book of Boba Fett,’ ‘Mandalorian’
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Mt. Lebanon native Dave Filoni has been living his childhood dream of playing “Star Wars” for two decades, trading his childhood action figures for writing scripts and directing costumed actors and massive “Star Wars” props...
Pittsburgh Pop: Upcoming movies, midseason TV and ‘Being the Ricardos’
In this week’s episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including midseason cable/streaming series with local ties. Owen rates recent premieres “1883” and “With Love” and the pair preview what’s coming in midseason TV,...
TV Talk: ‘Yellowstone’ prequel, ‘Downton Abbey’ follow-up highlight midseason cable/streaming series 
Mid-season cable and streaming scripted series start in earnest in January, but with so much competition, some outlets chose to debut new shows this weekend. “With Love” (Friday, Amazon’s Prime Video): A five-episode, Christmas-set rom-com – it’s more rom than com – about a Latino family and their romantic entanglements....
TV Q&A: Who puts together Jeff Verszyla’s wardrobe?
Q. Weatherman Jeff Verszyla on Channel 4 is the best-dressed man on that station. I would love to know what brand of suits he wears or the identity of his tailor. — Bob, Mt. Washington Rob: “Over the course of many years, I have built up a solid wardrobe,” Verszyla...
Pittsburgh Pop: Reacting to that ‘Sex and the City’ shocker, Rick Sebak’s throwback interview of August Wilson
In this week’s episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including Rick Sebak’s latest WQED-TV special, “Brain Space Energy: My Interview with August Wilson.” Last week’s premiere of “Sex and the City” sequel series...
TV Talk: Rick Sebak revisits August Wilson interview in new WQED-TV special
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Writer/producer/director Rick Sebak’s latest installment in WQED-TV’s “Pittsburgh History Series” revisits a 32-year-old interview with the late Pittsburgh native and playwright August Wilson. Premiering at 8 p.m. Thursday on WQED, “Brain Space & Energy: My...
TV Talk: If you love Lucy, you’ll probably tolerate ‘Being the Ricardos’
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. Amazon’s Aaron Sorkin-written-and-directed “Being the Ricardos,” now in theaters and streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video Dec. 21, is … fine. Fans of Sorkin’s rat-a-tat-tat “The West-Wing”-style dialogue will see it expressed most directly during an...
TV Talk: Is the ‘Sex and the City’ sequel series worth watching? 
There’s a simple question to ask yourself when weighing whether or not to check out the new “Sex and the City” sequel series: Are you comfortable with change? Or would you rather remember characters and a TV show as they were? Billed as “a new chapter of ‘Sex and the...
TV Q&A: Are WPXI-TV’s DeLuca reporters related?
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: There are two DeLucas on the WPXI-TV news staff. Are they related? – Mike, Beaver Rob: We noted when reporter Pete DeLuca was hired at...
WTAE promotes Elena LaQuatra
WTAE-TV reporter Elena LaQuatra, who has been filling in as morning traffic reporter since July, has been promoted to that position as well as noon weekday newscast anchor on Channel 4, effective next week. LaQuatra, a Mt. Lebanon native, first worked at WTAE in 2015 as a digital content creator....
Pittsburgh Pop: Talia Kirkland hired at WPXI; details on ACC Network coming to Comcast this month
In this week’s episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including WPXI-TV hiring a new reporter. Originally from Penn Hills, Talia Kirkland is a Duquesne University grad (an undergraduate degree in journalism and a...
TV Talk: Limited series, comedies lead TV’s Top 10 of 2021
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers viewing tips from 2021. While there’s still plenty of new TV this month — “Sex and the City” sequel series “And Just Like That…” streams on HBO Max Thursday but wasn’t available for review by deadline — December also offers an opportunity...
TV Talk: Jeannette woman competes on ‘Meet Your Makers Showdown;’ local TV news ratings released
In an episode of “Meet Your Makers Showdown” streaming Saturday on discovery+, 23-year-old Erin Fulton of Jeannette is one of four stained glass artists competing for a $10,000 prize. “Meet Your Makers Showdown,” which premiered on the streaming service last week, features artisans from a different craft field in each...
TV Q&A: What do I do if a TV show filming on my block is disruptive?
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: I have a controversial opinion: I hate having film crews here. I have the unfortunate luck to have “A League of Their Own” filming on...
TV Talk: Filmed-in-Pittsburgh ‘Archive 81’ gets Netflix premiere date
Netflix’s “Archive 81,” the first series to go into production in Pittsburgh after the onset of the covid-19 pandemic in November 2020, will premiere on the streaming service Jan. 14. The supernatural horror series follows archivist Dan Turner (Mamoudou Athie) who takes a job restoring a collection of damaged videotapes...
ACC Network finally coming to Comcast’s Xfinity cable
The two-year-old ACC Network, which carries Atlantic Coast Conference sporting events, including Pitt athletics, will finally become available on Comcast’s Xfinity cable service. The arrival of ACC Network is part of a larger overall carriage renewal agreement between telecommunications/entertainment behemoths The Walt Disney Company and Comcast, parent of NBCUniversal. There...
Pittsburgh Pop: First impressions of ‘Hawkeye,’ the new ‘Waltons’; November TV news sweeps ratings arrive
In this week’s episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including November sweeps ratings for local TV stations and this week’s Pittsburgh-set episode of History Channel’s “Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman.” The pair also...
From Mister Rogers to ‘Mrs. Maisel,’ gift ideas for TV fans of all stripes
Whichever series the TV fan in your life can’t stop talking about, there’s probably a product tie-in gift out there, including from: “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood:” Fred Rogers may not have been a fan of commercializing his PBS children’s show, but adults who grew up on that program continue to want...
TV Talk: Local stations set holiday programming
While locally produced holiday season specials have declined over the years, some favorites remain, including: “WTAE Project Bundle-Up Telethon” (Dec. 3): Channel 4 and the Salvation Army Western Pennsylvania Division launch their 36th year of community service to area children and seniors in need. The Project Bundle-Up telethon, hosted by...
TV Talk: ‘Great Escapes’ revisits a Pittsburgh prison break; ‘Hawkeye’ and ‘Hot Zone’ sequel debut 
Next week’s episode of “Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman” (10 p.m. Tuesday, History Channel) devotes its full hour to a 1997 prison break from the former Western Pen (AKA the now-shuttered SCI Pittsburgh). Freeman, known for prison-set movie “The Shawshank Redemption,” hosts the series with each episode devoted to a...
Pittsburgh Pop: Another WTAE-TV reporter departs; ‘Tiger King 2’ roars on Netflix
In this week’s episode of Trib Live Extra’s “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including WTAE-TV’s Shannon Perrine being sidelined by covid-19 and general assignment reporter Katelyn Sykes’ decision not to sign a new contract and...
TV Talk: The CW delivers a new version of ‘The Waltons’ 
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. On first blush, it’s a puzzler why The CW, home to superhero and contemporary teen and twentysomething stories, would have an interest in remaking 1970s family drama “The Waltons.” But think back to The CW’s...
TV Q&A: Where has WTAE-TV’s Shannon Perrine been during sweeps?
Q: I was wondering where Shannon Perrine of WTAE-TV is? I know it is sweeps so I doubt she is on vacation. We haven’t seen her in a couple of weeks. – Evelyn via email Rob: Evelyn is correct: It is indeed unusual for a main anchor to be off...
TV Talk: Point Park grad goes to Mars in Netflix’s live-action ‘Cowboy Bebop’ 
For Point Park University grad Mason Alexander Park, a recurring role on Netflix’s live-action “Cowboy Bebop,” streaming Friday, finds the actor primarily sharing scenes with Tamara Tunie, a 1981 Carnegie Mellon University drama program grad who was born in McKeesport and raised in Homestead. Park and Tunie were quarantined a...
TV Q&A: Local TV news can be a transitional business
Q: What is going on at WTAE? The station has lost what I believe to be exceptional, diverse on-air talent. Chris Lovingood and David Kaplan leaving was unexpected, but Kelly Frey, really? WTAE has to know this is not a good look for them and I’m sure they’ll take a...


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