You have ... comments. A previous column mentioned entertainment flourishes that irritated one viewer, such as characters with coffee cups that are obviously empty. And that led to other readers weighing in.

Q: In the new “Matlock” series, Kathy Bates’ character takes on the persona of a nonexistent lawyer to go undercover at a law firm. This law firm’s personnel department must have had a very poor vetting procedure to let a fake lawyer be hired by the firm. What about Matlock’s bar membership? How was this handled? Oh well … this is only television.

A: The “Matlock” series does indicate at the end of the first episode that, with help from her tech-savvy grandson, Bate’s lawyer character has set up online credentials and fake contacts through her husband. But how successful that has been is certainly something to consider “only television.”

Q: My husband and I just had to laugh at the letter regarding the idiosyncrasies of cop and law TV shows; we talk about these things all the time, and we have a couple more. When the bad guys break into a house or apartment, why do they always leave the door open? So many times, the good guys come upon a front door that is not only unlocked but also wide open. Also, why don't the female undercover agents carry a purse or bag when on a case or stakeout? Civilian women always have one when walking or sitting in a retail area or restaurant; to me it looks a bit ... weird. And they could use it for their weapons.

A: Readers didn’t confine their concerns to law shows, as the next letter demonstrates.

Q: My family has bunches of lawyers; my best friend was a general surgeon and I have two nephews who are policemen. The procedural errors in legal and medical shows are ridiculous! So, we watch shows as though they are from an alternate universe, where the law is not the same as ours, and the medical care is not the same as ours. I have the mindset that a TV show is a tale from space aliens, not intended in any way to be a documentary of real life. If we can't put aside the craziness that cups are empty and food is only pushed around on plates and lawyers talk to judges in ways that should put them in jail for direct contempt, nothing would be fun!

A: A fun idea — and I would think aliens would be just as good at programming TV as some earthlings have been. But I also must note that while we do see people not eating at TV meals, there are times that actual eating is happening.

And we’d be remiss if we didn’t note how wacky daytime TV can get. Witness this letter.

Q: The character Lulu Spencer on “General Hospital” was in a “coma” for more than four years. Suddenly she wakes up and gets up and “escapes” from the hospital! No catheter or monitors or IV tubes to disconnect. How did she get nourished all those years? And how is she able to walk perfectly right away! Also a few episodes later she is on a flight to Prague! How did she get a passport or ID so fast? I realize it is a soap opera and fiction … but really!!

A: Daytime is its own special world. For instance, I was just looking at a list of the best good-and-evil twins in soaps, and the list had 15 entries!

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts.

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