Matt's Inside Line: Scoop On Elsbeth, The Gilded Age, Countdown, The Chi, The Rookie, Ghosts, Criminal Minds, Ironheart, Duo And More!

Will Bertha bless new Gilded Age romance? What new mysteries will the Criminal Minds finale drum up? Will an old foe continue to haunt Elsbeth? Read on for answers to those questions and others! (You can and should email any brand-new Qs to InsideLine@tvline.com.)

As the Criminal Minds: Evolution finale gets closer (dropping July 10), will we start seeing any set up for that cliffhanger finale Adam Rodriguez promised? –Lynn
As you likely read here the other day, Aisha Tyler affirmed "there's a really great puzzle box through the end of the season," including the matter of who shot Tara and Evan. "The end is explosive and will propel everybody into the beginning of [Season] 19 in a really exciting way." Aimee Garcia, meanwhile, told me that the season finale "does what Criminal Minds does best" — and no, she didn't mean it makes you squint to see what's happening in dark scenes. "It's obviously about family and love and loss, but it also makes you wonder if things are as they seem, and if things are really buttoned up, or not," she said. "All the seeds that have been planted this season will sprout next season, because the BAU is the most emotionally constipated team on TV right now." #Callback Update: I screened the finale Monday night, and as much as I am, like Emily, so over Voit, I gotta say, it's quite good — with an unexpected (for me!) guest star.

Any scoop on Ironheart and the "On Tuesday, he finally arrives" photo that Marvel has been teasing? –Brad
I see a lot of people sharing a brightened edit of that purposely shadowy photo scoffing, "It's still The Hood." Those people... are wrong.

Any word on the Melissa Benoist starrer Duo getting closer to a series pickup? –PMB
Duo — which was announced in December, and stars Benoist as a performer looking for her next break when she crosses paths with a soft-spoken, blue-collar worker (played by real-life hubby Chris Wood) — is still in development, I can confirm.

Did I miss something on Ghosts? Is there a story behind why Joan (Welcome to Flatch's Taylor Ortega) can roam? —Glenn
Worry not, you missed no on-screen explanation. "There may be a story behind that," teases co-showrunner Joe Port. "I mean, you know Pete's story — it's because he was a travel agent and never went anywhere — so I guess we'll learn more about Joan's, yes."

Hello, Inside Line! Just hoping for a sliver of info if Prime Video will be renewing Motorheads for a second season? –Marissa
Motorheads, which stars Ryan Phillippe, Nathalie Kelley, Michael Cimino et al, debuted barely a month ago, so it's soon to be expecting renewal news. But the outlook would seem to be good, given its No. 1 Prime Video ranking at launch, and the solid numbers it's been putting up.

Have you heard anything about the fourth season of Son of a Critch airing on The CW? I know they aired the first three, and the fourth has already aired in Canada. –Jim S.
I checked in with The CW yet again on Friday, and there are still no updates on them airing Critch Season 4.

Elsbeth's Judge Crawford set about getting retaliation against everybody — he set Internal Affairs after Wagner, Elsbeth's ex-husband was facing disbarment.... Will there be more fallout to explore in Season 3? –Suzanne
"That is certainly something we are going to be talking about Day 1 in the writers' room for Season 3," says showrunner Jonathan Tolins. "We like to have a show where we don't just throw out things and never think of them again. We like the idea that things are constantly having repercussions moving forward."

Any fresh Lipton to spill about Michaela Coel's next project? –Patrick
If by "Lipton," you mean "Tea," and if by "tea," you mean "information," this boomer asked around about First Day on Earth — which was announced last August by HBO and the BBC, and stars Coel (also a writer and EP on the series) as a novelist whose work reunites her with her estranged father in Ghana. West Africa. Alas, I was told on Friday that right now there is "no news."

On The Gilded Age, will Bertha approve of Marian and Larry? –Lauren
The fact that you even have to ask about Bertha's approval means that, somewhere deep down, you already know the answer. Is Mrs. Russell likely to approve of any pairing she didn't meticulously arrange herself? I can't spoil exactly how she'll react to her son's new romance, but just hang tight for a few more weeks — it's worth the wait.

Any word on when The Gray House, the Kevin Costner and Morgan Freeman-produced mini-series about the Civil War, might air in the United States? Has it been put on hold because of the current political climate? –LMNY
Producers tell Inside Line that filming has definitely wrapped on the mini, and you should expect a major announcement this summer.

I may be the only fan of this Rookie 'ship LOL, but I need to know — are Celina and Rodge going be able to make it work, given his tour and all? —Deb
"We'll see," teases showrunner Alexi Hawley, whose son Zander plays Rodge to Lisseth Chavez's Juarez. "I mean, they're both young, and ultimately a show full of happy relationships is not as dramatic as as it could be," he added. "But I think they're adorable together, and Liz sparkles [in their scenes], so yeah, we'll try to keep it going."

Will Countdown have any romantic subplots? –Andrea
Let's just say that by the end of Episode 10 (of 13), one pair of teammates is quite possibly "a thing," while another is certainly thinking about being "a thing."

I have a question about Countdown: In what episode will we learn why Mark is taking the pills [seen in the trailer]? –Sue
Since mailing this Q, you of course learned why Mark gobbles pain killers; questions still to be answered include, "With whom on the team will he first confide his medical condition?" Oh, and: "Who will be the surprising source of next-level painkillers, later in the season?"

Any scoop on the back half of The Chi Season 7? — Rick
We recently spoke with showrunners Jewel Coronel and Justin Hillian about a major guest star debuting in Season 7: The Cosby Show alum Phylicia Rashad. "You'll see her soon," Coronel promised, with Hillian adding that Rashad's Renee is "what you would expect from her — and not in that cliché way, but in the way that she commands respect. She's making Pastor Zeke answer for some things, and like no one else, she can let you know when you need to get it together."

Loved Almost Paradise. Will there be a Season 3 and 4? –Tony
The Christian Kane starrer was cancelled at Amazon back in April, a casualty of the streamer's Freevee hub being sunsetted. Dean Devlin said back then that he'd seek out another home for the show (which launched in spring 2020 on WGN America), but as of June 30, he reported back to me, "Not yet."

Do YOU have questions about a favorite show? Email InsideLine@tvline.com! Questions plopped in Comments will not be considered and may count against your final score. (With additional reporting by Vlada Gelman, Andy Swift and Kim Roots)