Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week, I’ve got another Q&A entry, where I answer questions submitted by readers. Thanks to everyone who sent in something — if you don’t see your “Q” here, I just may “A” it next time. (And keep them coming — any related topic on which you want my opinion and/or a little research? Just let me know!)

Mr. Melody asks… Out of all the sitcoms you’ve reviewed fully on Sitcom Tuesdays. What would you say is the worst season of every show?

Checking out my coverage of each series should give you a good idea of what I think (or thought then) about annual quality, including picks for worst season. I’m not going to go through them all now, but I’d be happy to clarify or provide updated thoughts about any individual show — just let me know. I will say here, however, that the weakest season of most long-running sitcoms is either the first, the last, or the next-to-last, because those are the years that tend to offer the poorest calibration of premise novelty and character knowingness as evidenced in comic story. The only exception I can think of is Here’s Lucy, which got better in the latter half of its run, stopping a downhill slide that probably renders its third season, overall, the lowest of that six-year collection (although, honestly, Season Four is rough too — half of it is above Here’s Lucy’s average, the other half is the worst material of the entire run).

Brandon DePalmer wonders… Do you think “Newhart” would have been a better sitcom with Suzanne Pleshette instead of Mary Frann playing Bob’s wife? 

I think Suzanne Pleshette was a much better comic actress than Mary Frann, and her presence likely could have encouraged more of a characterization for the otherwise vague Joanna — for whom any improvements would have been welcome, because, frankly, she was a significant hinderance… That said, casting Pleshette was sure to inspire even more comparisons to Newhart’s earlier series, which was much better written. So, unless this new effort actually wanted to use the same characters as The Bob Newhart Show, it was right not to include her, for Newhart had to be something entirely different if it hoped to have a chance at success.

Charlie writes in with… The recent passing of Matthew Perry has me wondering what you would consider his best showings on Friends.

It’s the obvious answer, but the finest episode of the series that also makes special use of Matthew Perry’s Chandler is “The One Where Everybody Finds Out.” There’s a lot of good stuff for him elsewhere in Season Five as well — easily his best season.

Donna says… As a Xenite, I have been checking out your old “Hercules” blogposts with great curiosity. I have only seen the handful of crossover episodes, some of which I enjoyed better than others. But that was a long time ago. Do you think checking out the whole series now is worth it to someone who has only watched “Xena”? 

Yes, Hercules is not as dramatically interesting as Xena, but the two shows largely inhabit the same world, so if you, as a Xenite, love that world, Hercules at least gives you the chance to live in it longer. Also, it’ll add context to many characters that you already love on Xena (including Xena herself), thereby enhancing your appreciation of that series as well. I say give it a try!

Lastly, BTB wants to know my thoughts on the… [m]ost underrated sitcom? 

There are many! Out of those we’ve covered on Sitcom Tuesdays, I think The Danny Thomas Show doesn’t get enough credit for being closer in spirit to both I Love Lucy and The Dick Van Dyke Show than the bland father-led domestic comedies of the 1950s with which it is more often associated. I also think The New Dick Van Dyke Show has a lot of strong, memorable episodes that would be more beloved today if the series was widely available, and not as often dismissed by those involved. Additionally, sitcom snobs tend to decry broad, silly efforts like Mama’s Family, Martin, and The Nanny, but they’re incredibly funny, with plenty to enjoy for those who appreciate bold characterizations. Lastly, I’m probably higher on The King Of Queens than many who share my tastes. Oh, it’s nowhere near the level of Everybody Loves Raymond, but it’s the second-best multi-cam in that “goofy husband, mean wife” subgenre from the early ’00s.

Have a question for me? Submit it at the “Ask Jackson (Q&A)” link.

Come back next week for another Wildcard! And stay tuned Tuesday for more sitcom fun!