You have questions. I have some answers.

Q: After watching reruns of “Seinfeld,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Friends,” I have a totally random question. How often are actors on long-running shows, such as these, or soaps, socially friends off the set during production, and, if so, do they continue the friendship once the show stops production?

A: As is the case with almost any kind of job, the relationships among people in TV and movies can vary from one production to the next. There are plenty of stories of cast conflicts (see “Cheers,” “Glee,” “Sex and the City” and more), and when it comes to friendships there are degrees, from true friends to workplace-only connections. “Scrubs” co-stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison have had a friendship that extended past the original show into personal connections, commercials and the recent “Scrubs” revival. The casts of “Big Bang” and “Friends” have long been said to be close on-camera and off. On the other hand, the “Seinfeld” cast reportedly had more of a workplace connection than a social one.

Q: The new show “Best Medicine” is really wonderful. Will there be another season?

A: I know, some of you think I’m kicking the hornet's nest considering the back-and-forth among readers here about “Best Medicine” and its inspiration, the British series “Doc Martin.” But it is worth noting that “Best Medicine” has indeed picked up for a second season — so the debate can continue in the fall. Or we could just argue about the best way to use figures on a wedding cake.

Not long ago a reader asked about a show about farming which he used to see early Saturday mornings in the ‘50s, before the cartoons started. I forwarded information to him about a show called “Modern Farmer" and he thought that was the show — although he has also conceded “it was over 65 years ago.” In any case, as I said before, there were quite a few farm shows airing early mornings — and some readers brought up others that they remembered:

I grew up in Connecticut and was one of those kids that was up around 5:30 a.m. Before cable TV, there were typically about four channels and these channels signed off at night. Early each morning, some of them signed on for the day by playing "The Star-Spangled Banner." On one of the channels, the program that followed the national anthem was a farming program called “Agriculture on Parade.” I loved this show, even as a young child, and watched it every time I was up.

And:

I recall a show called "Agriculture USA" that used to air in Hamilton, Ontario, prior to the cartoons coming on. I wonder if that might be the one that the inquiry was about. I watched “Agriculture USA” because it was the only thing on that wasn't a church service before the cartoons came on — before cable when we only got about seven or eight channels.

I’ve not found much of anything about these shows, but they do live on in viewers’ memories. And they remind many of us of one way we used to watch TV as kids.

———

©2026 Tribune News Service. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.