NBC’s set to premiere the new dramatic series Bluff City Law on September 23, 2019. The new hour-long drama will air as part of NBC’s fall 2019-2020 lineup on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT.
Jimmy Smits leads the cast of season one as lawyer Elijah Strait. Caitlin McGee plays Sydney Strait, Scott Shepherd is George Bell, Barry Sloane is Jake Reilly, Michael Luwoye is Anthony Little, MaameYaa Boafo is Briana Johnson, Stony Blyden is Emerson Howe, Jayne Atkinson is Della Bedford, and Josh Kelly plays Robbie Ellis.
Dean Georgaris (The Brave, The Meg) writes and executive produces. Michael Aguliar and David Janollari also serve as executive producers.
The Episode 1 Plot – In the aftermath of her family tragedy, top corporate attorney Sydney Strait (McGee) decides to put aside years of personal conflict with her father Elijah (Smits) to rejoin his legendary Civil Rights firm and take on a chemical company whose product may cause cancer. No sooner is Sydney back, when she stumbles on a secret Elijah has been keeping from her that may change everything.
The Season 1 Plot, Courtesy of NBC:
“Coming from a famous Memphis family known for taking on injustice, brilliant lawyer Sydney Strait used to work at her father Elijah’s celebrated law firm until their tumultuous relationship got in the way. After barely speaking to him for years, Sydney is suddenly thrust back into the family fold when her philanthropist mother passes away unexpectedly. In the wake of her loss, hoping to reconnect with the daughter he loves, Elijah asks Sydney to rejoin his firm. She agrees because, despite her lingering resentment and distrust, she knows that working alongside her father is her best hope at changing the world … if they can ever get along.”
Caitlin McGee as Sydney Strait, Jimmy Smits as Elijah Strait, and Michael Luwoye as Anthony Little in ‘Bluff City Law’ season 1 episode 1 (Photo by: NBC)Caitlin McGee as Sydney Strait and Barry Sloane as Jake Reilly in season 1 episode 1 (Photo by: Jake Giles Netter/NBC)Caitlin McGee as Sydney Strait and Jimmy Smits as Elijah Strait in episode 1 (Photo by: Jake Giles Netter/NBC)Jayne Atkinson as Della Bedford and MaameYaa Boafo as Briana Johnson in season 1 episode 1 (Photo by: Jake Giles Netter/NBC)Caitlin McGee as Sydney Strait, Michael Luwoye as Anthony Little, and Jimmy Smits as Elijah Strait in ‘Bluff City Law’ (Photo by: Jake Giles Netter/NBC)
What’s in store for season three of Fox’s hit medical drama, The Resident? The network’s just released photos and a plot description for season three episode one which finds the hospital under new management. Episode one titled “From the Ashes” will air on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 8pm ET/PT.
The cast of season three includes Matt Czuchry as Dr. Conrad Hawkins, Emily VanCamp as Nicolette Nevin, Bruce Greenwood as Dr. Randolph Bell, and Manish Dayal as Dr. Devon Pravesh. Shaunette Renee Wilson plays Dr. Mina Okafor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner is Dr. AJ Austin, Jane Leeves is Dr. Kitt Voss, and Glenn Morshower is Marshall Winthrop. Morris Chestnut joins the cast as Dr. Barrett Cain.
“From the Ashes” Plot – The doctors of Chastain are surrounded by new rules and doctors, as Red Rock Mountain Medical takes over the hospital. Conrad finds himself in a dangerous situation when the construction for a new neurosurgery center causes a gas explosion at Chastain. Meanwhile, new hotshot neurosurgeon Barrett Cain (Chestnut), is put to the test with a complicated surgery and Mina acts as a support for Nic, who is struggling with a devastating loss.
A Look Back at Season 2, Courtesy of Fox:
Season Two found star resident DR. CONRAD HAWKINS (Czuchry) continuing to make difficult calls in the best interests of his patients. But, having rekindled a romantic relationship with nurse NICOLETTE “NIC” NEVINS (VanCamp), the two faced unresolved issues from their past. Conrad’s father, MARSHALL WINTHROP (Morshower), had taken over as head of Chastain and came into direct conflict with the hospital’s newly minted CEO, DR. RANDOLPH BELL (Greenwood).
Meanwhile, DR. MINA OKAFOR (Wilson) continued to work with her larger-than-life mentor, DR. AJ AUSTIN (Warner). However, the skills of new ortho surgeon DR. KITT VOSS (Leeves) could lead Mina on a different path. First-year resident DR. DEVON PRAVESH (Dayal) became intrigued by new medical device rep JULIAN BOOTH (guest star Jenna Dewan), whose presence at the hospital upended business as usual for everyone there.
JD Pardo as EZ Reyes and Clayton Cardenas as Angel Reyes in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo by Prashant Gupta/FX)
FX’s Mayans M.C. season two episode one ended with EZ shocking his brother, Angel, by revealing he knows who killed their mother. Season two episode two picks right up with Angel (Clayton Cardenas) and EZ (JD Pardo) actually engaging in a civil conversation. Angel’s stunned his brother’s been working out the details of their mother’s murder for months without telling him, but EZ reminds him he’s refused to interact with him for months. Angel’s barely glanced at his brother and definitely wasn’t up for a heart-to-heart about their deceased mother.
EZ confirms he hasn’t told their dad about his discovery. He also confesses he knows it’s his fault their relationship splintered and admits he’s not the “golden boy” and never will be. “I stayed because I was afraid to leave. You and Pop, it’s the only thing in my life I know is real,” says EZ.
In a brutally honest confession, EZ says he remained in the Mayans M.C. because he needs to be a part of something.
Angel seems to understand and accept his brother’s apology for damaging their relationship. But, he’s confused as to why EZ felt he needed to do months-worth of research on Happy. EZ’s obsession with learning all about Happy includes obtaining his arrest records and making out a detailed timeline of Happy’s activities, and Angel’s not sure what’s going on in his brother’s head.
EZ doesn’t have any way of proving what he witnessed so he can’t go to the cops. It’s not like the cops are going to hear about his amazing memory and suddenly decide to arrest Happy. He also realizes that given the Mayans’ relationship with SAMCRO, he can’t ask Bishop for help. Angel warns his brother not to do anything that will land him back in jail, all while realizing EZ won’t let it go. Angel decides to stand firm with his little bro, promising him he won’t let it go, either.
Bishop (Michael Irby) and the club seem pleased when EZ and Angel arrive together at the whorehouse where Adelita’s holed up, waiting to deliver. EZ acknowledges they’re working things out without going into detail and then lies that he has to head to Stockton to clean up some parole paperwork. He wants to take Angel with him, but Bishop thinks he needs more backup as they’ll be traveling through a lot of other clubs’ territories.
EZ wants to do the 8-hour ride with just his brother so they can spend quality time together, and Bishop changes his mind and agrees. (Anything to get the warring Reyes brothers to end their beef for good.) He tells EZ to make sure his first stop in Stockton is the Mayans clubhouse.
Before they take off, Angel spends some alone time with Adelita (Carla Baratta), rubbing her belly as they joke about whether the baby is a boy or a girl. He tells the unborn baby he loves him before confessing he really wants to be able to let his family in on the news he’s about to be a dad. (So, he/she is Angel’s!) She reminds him he’s no longer close to his family, although he’s never explained what tore them apart. He fights back by saying most of her life is a closed book; she never reveals anything about her past despite the fact they’re together.
Adelita tempers Angel’s disappointment by assuring him he can tell everyone after she is born, and they’re safe.
Meanwhile, Miguel (Danny Pino) and his mother, Dita (Ada Maris), drop Emily (Sarah Bolger) off at the Santo Padre City Center for meetings on the building project. She’s anxious to break ground and Miguel’s in supportive hubby mode, assuring her they will soon. As he’s leaving, she wishes him luck. She hopes his mother’s doctor can convince her to see a psychiatrist.
Before her meeting, Emily runs into an old friend and learns there are six other bids on the project. Plus, it’s possible there could be even more before the deadline. She had no idea anyone else was bidding on the job and she’s furious when she confronts Mayor Antonia Pena (Alexandra Barreto).
Emily demands to know why they weren’t warned there would be competition, and Antonia confesses others found out about the EPA rules that were changed for Miguel. There was no way to keep it hush-hush. Antonia explains the city has been hurting for two months and hasn’t received any aid, although the border wall has received millions. “Half a mile away we can’t even keep the lights on,” says Mayor Pena.
The bidding process is out of her hands, citing the city comptroller and others she’s forced to answer to. Emily, rage barely kept under control, snarls out a reminder it’s only because of Miguel that this project exists. Emily warns the mayor she should only be answering to Miguel. (I’m not sure which Galindo is the one you shouldn’t tangle with at this point.)
The club’s problems with the mercs aren’t over as the men carry out the threat to hunt down Adelita and Mini. And speaking of Mini, she’s upset Adelita has gone across the border to the Mayans’ whorehouse to prepare for delivering her first child. Because she’s just a kid and doesn’t consider how her actions affect the club, Mini strikes out on her own to be with Adelita.
The mercs show photos of Mini and Adelita to store owners but are coming up empty. Bishop and the club also flash Mini’s photo around after they discover she’s disappeared with no luck. As they regroup to figure out where to search next, Bishop spots the mercs in the crowd at the mercantile. They move farther away, deciding the best option is to avoid contact.
Both the mercs and the Mayans give up the hunt for Mini at the same time. Fortunately, Mini saw the mercs and also saw Pablo’s truck, so she hid out in the back of it where the Mayans find her as they’re leaving the marketplace.
The mercs meet up with their leader and although they didn’t find Mini, they did learn the club’s searching for her. They also figured out the club isn’t searching for Adelita, which most likely means they know where she’s hiding.
The merc leader orders his men to include the Mayans on their watch list. He wants to know where they go and who they meet.
EZ stops in at Felipe’s butcher shop and Felipe (Edward James Olmos) is surprised to see Angel pull up outside. Angel doesn’t come inside, so Felipe heads outside to exchange (super) brief pleasantries with his oldest child. He wishes them safe travels as they head off to Stockton.
Once on the road, two members of a rival club check them out but don’t impede their progress up the California coast. EZ and Angel pull over for a pit stop and EZ shows Angel info on a house Happy owns outside of Charming with easy access to a freeway. However, it seems the brothers haven’t actually decided on a plan of action. EZ’s written up everything about Happy’s life in recent months without deciding what he’ll do when he confronts him.
Angel asks his brother if he trusts him and EZ, without hesitating, says he does. Their conversation’s interrupted by the return of the two club members who wonder why the Mayans didn’t call first to give them a heads-up they were passing through their territory. It’s okay for them to cruise down the highway, but now they’ve stopped at a store and that’s a major no-no.
The club’s name is Swole Boys and Angel, of course, insults them by calling them the Slow Boys. They take offense, and EZ follows up his brother’s insult with one of his own. The guys make as if to take on EZ and Angel, but Angel pulls out his gun and delivers a stinging (and meta) verbal blow.
“You poser f*cking douchebags. What? Did you guys watch some bullsh*t TV show and think a vest and two wheels makes you a club?” asks Angel. (We see what you did there, Mayans M.C. writers. Well done.)
Angel and EZ continue to taunt the wannabes, making fun of their clubhouse in their mom’s basement filled with guys from their gym. Angel calls them an embarrassment to legitimate clubs and sends them on their merry way.
Back on the road, Angel suggests they stop at an arcade featured on a billboard. He wants to make the ride – and this bonding experience – last. Plus, they have all day.
Angel and EZ play Skeeball and reminisce about growing up with Felipe. They move from Skeeball, which Angel won, to miniature golf, which Angel also wins. As Angel’s celebrating, a woman nearby sporting a Swole Boys tattoo makes a call.
Angel and EZ finish up their games, grab popsicles, and are about to head to their bikes when “a lot of white guys on steroids” ride up. Angel tells EZ the plan is to stay cool but then immediately abandons that when it’s apparent the Swole Boys want a fight.
Grabbing a couple of nearby miniature golf clubs, EZ and Pardo easily make their way to their bikes. EZ grabs Angel’s gun and passes it to his brother. Angel momentarily backs them off by shooting a nearby car, but the club’s soon in hot pursuit and quickly surrounds EZ and Angel’s bikes.
The cops join the chase and Angel reminds one of the Swole Boys of the “patches over badges” code. The Swole Boys split up, laying rubber to send up smoke to block the cops’ vision. The two squad cars crash into each other and EZ and Angel get away.
EZ compliments his brother on shooting at the car to bring the cops. It seems the months of not speaking are officially over.
Gino Vento as Nestor and Danny Pino as Miguel Galindo in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo by Prashant Gupta/FX)
Emily calls Miguel to let him know Mayor Pena screwed them over. He immediately leaves his mom at the doctor’s office and heads off to be with Emily.
Miguel’s mother notices her son’s no longer in the waiting room. She sneaks out the backdoor, unnoticed by the men Miguel left behind.
Emily’s sure they’re going up against big firms, but Miguel believes he can still handle the situation. When she asks what that means, he doesn’t speak but Emily immediately understands he’s willing to mix the cartel business in with the building project. She doesn’t want him to cross that line, reminding him of the work he’s done to be legitimate. She also reminds him it will ruin his legacy.
After their talk, Miguel’s man reports in that his mother’s missing. They have no idea where she’s gone.
It turns out Dita’s gone to visit Felipe who she calls by his real name, Ignacio. Felipe didn’t realize she was in America and Dita explains she arrived when Emily gave birth to her grandson. Felipe and Dita head off in his truck and catch up on the 20+ years since they’ve seen each other.
Felipe warns her his boys have different names and no connection to his past. When she calls him Ignacio again, he firmly reminds her he’s Felipe now.
Meanwhile, night’s fallen and Miguel and Emily have made it home and are calling around trying to find his mom. The search ends as news arrives she’s pulling into the driveway. She tells Felipe it was nice to see him and then lies to her son that she stepped outside for air, got disoriented, and Felipe found her and volunteered to drive her home when he learned her identity.
Later, Miguel and Emily discuss his mom. Miguel can’t understand why Dita would visit Felipe, and Emily thinks it might just be because it’s familiar since they get their meat at his butcher shop.
Alone in her bedroom, Dita unfolds a photo. It’s a picture of her with her husband next to Felipe and his old partner, Adelita’s father, when they were drug inspectors with the Federales.
EZ and Angel arrive at the Mayans’ clubhouse in Stockton. Greetings are exchanged before EZ has to take care of the bikes. Just as he’s mounting his bike, cops drive up and rudely (with racist commentary) wonder why someone from Santo Padre’s so far from home.
One of the Mayans Stockton members provides EZ with backup, advising him not to “play with the animals.”
A short while later, EZ and Angel enjoy some downtime with the Stockton chapter, although as a prospect EZ’s given the job of taking out the trash. One of the members heads out to relieve himself and finds the same cops from earlier in the bushes. One cop’s on the receiving end of a blowjob, the other is recording the action on his phone.
The cops react to the club member’s intrusion by killing him. The gunshots bring the Mayans running, and EZ’s first on the scene as the undercover cop car speeds away.
Tour dates have just been announced for “The Hella Mega Tour” featuring Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer. The tour marks the first time the three rock groups have hit the road together, with “The Hella Mega Tour” set to kick off on June 13, 2020 in Paris.
The tour, presented by Harley-Davidson, will stop in cities including London, Seattle, Houston, Miami, Chicago, and New York City. “The Hella Mega Tour” is scheduled to wrap up on Saturday, August 29, 2020 in Philadelphia, PA at Citizens Bank Park.
“Harley-Davidson and rock & roll have been synonymous throughout history,” said Neil Grimmer, President of Brand for the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “So it’s only natural for Harley to present the most epic, full throttle rock tour in history!”
The Interrupters will join Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer on the tour as special guests.
Ticket Details: “American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Monday, September 16 at 10am local time through Thursday, September 19 at 10pm local time. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, September 20 at 10am local time at Ticketmaster.com. VIP packages will be available next week.”
THE HELLA MEGA TOUR Europe & UK Dates:
Saturday, June 13 – PARIS, FRANCE at La Defense Arena
Sunday, June 14 – GRONINGEN, NETHERLANDS at Stadspark
Wednesday, June 17 – ANTWERP, BELGIUM at Sportpaleis
Sunday, June 21 – VIENNA, AUSTRIA at Ernst Happel Stadium
Wednesday, June 24 – GLASGOW, SCOTLAND at Bellahouston Park
Friday, June 26 – LONDON, ENGLAND at London Stadium
Saturday, June 27 – HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND at The John Smith’s Stadium
Monday, June 29 – DUBLIN, IRELAND at RDS Arena
THE HELLA MEGA TOUR North American Dates:
Friday, July 17 – SEATTLE, WA at T-Mobile Park
Tuesday, July 21 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA at Oracle Park
Friday, July 24 – SAN DIEGO, CA at Petco Park
Saturday, July 25 – LOS ANGELES, CA at Dodger Stadium
Tuesday, July 28 – COMMERCE CITY, CO at DICK’S Sporting Goods Park
Friday, July 31 – ARLINGTON, TX at GLOBE LIFE FIELD
Saturday, August 1 – HOUSTON, TX at Minute Maid Park
Wednesday, August 5 – MIAMI, FL at Hard Rock Stadium
Thursday, August 6 – JACKSONVILLE, FL at TIAA Bank Field
Saturday, August 8 – ATLANTA, GA at SunTrust Park
Tuesday, August 11 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN at Target Field
Thursday, August 13 – CHICAGO, IL at Wrigley Field
Saturday, August 15 – PITTSBURGH, PA at PNC Park
Sunday, August 16 – HERSHEY, PA at Hersheypark Stadium
Wednesday, August 19 – DETROIT, MI at Comerica Park
Friday, August 21 – WASHINGTON, DC at Nationals Park
Saturday, August 22 – NEW YORK, NY at Citi Field
Monday, August 24 – TORONTO, ON at Rogers Centre
Thursday, August 27 – BOSTON, MA at Fenway Park
Saturday, August 29 – PHILADELPHIA, PA at Citizens Bank Park
Marin Ireland, Ritu Arya, and Yusuf Gatewood join ‘The Umbrella Academy’ (Photos Courtesy of Netflix)
Season two of Netflix’s comic book-inspired series The Umbrella Academy has added three new cast members to its large ensemble. Joining the cast for the new season are Yusuf Gatewood (The Originals), Ritu Arya (Humans), and Marin Ireland (Y: The Last Man). Filming is currently underway and Netflix hasn’t yet announced when the second season will premiere.
According to the official casting announcement, Yusuf Gatewood will play Raymond, “a born leader with the smarts, gravitas, and the confidence to never have to prove it to anyone. He is warm, dedicated and has the innate ability to disarm you with a look. A devoted husband, he’s the kind of guy everyone wants to know.”
Ritu Arya plays Lila, “a chameleon who can be as brilliant or as clinically insane as the situation requires. Unpredictable, mischievous, and sarcastic, Lila’s gifted with a twisted sense of humor.”
Marin Ireland has joined The Umbrella Academy as Sissy, “a fearless, no-nonsense Texas mom who married young for all the wrong reasons. Still in her prime, she’s eager to rediscover what life and love has to offer.”
Season two brings back Ellen Page (Into the Forest) as Vanya Hargreeves, Tom Hopper (Black Sails) as Luther Hargreeves, Emmy Raver-Lampman (Hamilton) as Allison Hargreeves, Robert Sheehan (Genius) as Klaus Hargreeves, David Castañeda (Switched at Birth) as Diego Hargreeves, Aidan Gallagher (Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, and Dawn) as Number Five, and Justin Min (Beerfest: Thirst for Victory) as Ben Hargreeves.
Steve Blackman (Fargo, Altered Carbon) is back guiding the second season as showrunner. Blackman also executive produces along with Jeff F. King (Hand of God) as well as Bluegrass Television and Dark Horse Entertainment’s Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg. The series is based on the Eisner award-winning comics created and written by Gerard Way, illustrated by Gabriel Bá, and published by Dark Horse Comics. Way and Bá remain involved as executive producers.
The Umbrella Academy Season 1 Plot:
“On the same day in 1989, forty-three infants are inexplicably born to random, unconnected women who showed no signs of pregnancy the day before. Seven are adopted by a billionaire who creates The Umbrella Academy and prepares his “children” to save the world. Now, the six surviving members reunite upon the news of their father’s passing and must work together to solve a mystery surrounding his death. But the estranged family begins to come apart due to their divergent personalities and abilities, not to mention the imminent threat of a global apocalypse.”
Macklemore, Shane McAnally, Ester Dean, and Ryan Tedder in ‘Songland’ season 1 (Photo by: Trae Patton/NBC)
NBC’s confirmed Songland will be returning for a second season. The first season of the songwriting competition series has been averaging 5.1 million viewers and is the most-watched new alternative series of the summer, per NBC.
Songland‘s first season has launched a series of hit songs from aspiring songwriters. Six winners’ songs from the first season have made it to the top spot on the iTunes music chart. Among the hit songs are “Greenlight” by Jonas Brothers which made it to the #1 spot on the iTunes Overall Charts. Kelsea Ballerini selected “Better Luck Next Time” as the winning song during her episode, and that song earned the top position on the iTunes Pop Chart and the #2 spot on the iTunes Overall Charts.
Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am chose all three of the finalists’ songs to record on the group’s next album. Snoop Dogg was featured on one track, “Be Nice,” which took the #1 spot on the iTunes Rock Charts immediately after its release.
Macklemore chose aspiring songwriter IRO’s “Shadow” to record and brought IRO in as a featured artist on the track. “Shadow” ft. IRO was the #1 song on the iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap Chart after Macklemore’s Songland episode.
Leona Lewis selected “Solo Quiero (Somebody to Love)” as the winning song during her episode and brought in Latin musicians Cali y El Dandee and Juan Magan as featured artists. “Solo Quiero” hit #1 on the iTunes Latino Chart after Lewis’ episode.
EGOT winner John Legend recorded “We Need Love” from his episode, and that song reached the #1 spot on the iTunes R&B Chart.
Season one also gave the songwriters the opportunity to vie for the chance to have their songs featured in a Jeep commercial and the feature film, Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw.
Songland is executive produced by Audrey Morrissey, Ivan Dudynsky, Dave Stewart, Chad Hines, and Adam Levine. Ryan Tedder and Josh Gummersall serve as producers.
Songwriters interested in competing on season two should visit www.songlandcasting.com to apply.
Songland Details, Courtesy of NBC:
The series’ innovative format takes an inside look at the creative process behind songwriting, and each episode provides one up-and-coming songwriter the opportunity to have their song recorded by a chart-topping artist and released immediately after the episode airs worldwide. Songland season one guest recording artists include Jonas Brothers, John Legend, Meghan Trainor, Macklemore, Charlie Puth, Kelsea Ballerini, will.i.am, OneRepublic, Aloe Blacc, Old Dominion and Leona Lewis.
The show features powerhouse producer-mentors Ryan Tedder (lead singer of OneRepublic and Grammy Award-winning producer of Adele, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Jonas Brothers), Ester Dean (Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer of Rihanna, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj), and Shane McAnally (Grammy-winning songwriter and producer of Kacey Musgraves, Kelly Clarkson and Sam Hunt with 40 #1 country records).
Fox’s 9-1-1 season three is going to come out of the gate in full-throttle. Fox has teased a tsunami will be hitting the Santa Monica Pier, however the brief plot description for season three episode one avoids any mention of a natural disaster. The new season opens with an episode titled “Kids Today” directed by Jennifer Lynch from a script by Kristen Reidel.
Season three will premiere on September 23, 2019. New episodes will arrive on Mondays at 8pm ET/PT.
The cast of season three includes Angela Bassett as Athena Grant, Peter Krause as Bobby Nash, Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Kendall, and Oliver Stark as Evan “Buck” Buckley. Aisha Hinds plays Henrietta “Hen” Wilson, Kenneth Choi is Howie “Chimney” Han, Rockmond Dunbar is Michael Grant, and Ryan Guzman is Eddie Diaz.
The “Kids Today” Plot – Athena enlists the 118’s help when a teenager speeds out of control on the freeway; A routine traffic stop uncovers a shocking kidnapping; Buck struggles with his recovery.
9-1-1 Series Description, Courtesy of Fox:
Creators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear reimagine the procedural drama with 9-1-1, exploring the high-pressure experiences of police officers, firefighters and dispatchers who are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and heart-stopping situations. These emergency responders must try to balance saving those who are at their most vulnerable with solving the problems in their own lives.
Ralph Macchio joined his Cobra Kai co-stars at the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con, making the trek to the So Cal pop culture convention to discuss the popular YouTube Premium series. A premiere date for season three hasn’t been announced, however Macchio did confirm the upcoming season will feature his character, Daniel LaRusso, traveling to Okinawa. That trip will be part of a storyline that involves exploring the history of Miyagi-Do.
During our roundtable interview at SDCC, Ralph Macchio provided insight (minus any spoilers) into what’s in store for the LaRusso family in season three. He also touched upon what it means to have Daniel LaRusso and The Karate Kid embraced by a new generation of fans.
Does it amaze you that there’s this whole new generation of fans who are discovering you because of this? They know you anyway, but they really know you now through Cobra Kai.
Ralph Macchio: “Yeah. It’s pretty amazing. You know, it’s interesting. We were talking the other day, you know, how so much of the younger generation…I mean, we have this great young cast in the show…but some of the younger generation backs into the Karate Kid franchise. They hear about the show, their friends see the show, and a lot of their parents are watching the show. Then they watch the show and it’s compelling, they get involved, and then all of a sudden they watch the movies and they go back and everything becomes more relevant as opposed to us where we grew up the movies and then now the show’s another level.
The other thing is it just marries the nostalgia and present relevance together. That’s the recipe that these three guys were able to do. And so often it’s not. So often it’s like a quick cash grab or a bad idea. It ruins the movie or whatever. But they’ve taken it and it has its own flavor and yet it’s comfort food of yesterday. How about that?”
How hard was it to step back into the character all these years later?
Ralph Macchio: “Well, listen, I’ve been pitched over 30 something years, everyone says, ‘Hey, you know what would be great? You have a kid and this and this.’ It always felt best to let the legacy stand as it was. Part of what drew me to this, outside of Jon (Hurwitz), Josh (Heald) and Hayden’s (Schlossberg) passion, They’re the three geeks that saw the movie a billion times. They’re living their dream. They’re writing the show that they know the fans want to see because they are the fans.
That was part of the reason. But also in this present day, you have these outlets now, these streaming services, these places where you can make literally a five-hour movie and cut it up into 10 half-hour parts. That’s in essence how we make the show. It’s 10 episodes but it’s really just one movie cut up. And so, 10-15 years ago if you were doing a sequel to Karate Kid, it would, in essence, have to be a two-hour major motion picture. And so there the characters didn’t get to breathe, you’d have to have just a big fight scene at the end. Here, we get to dive into the nuances of these characters, introduce new characters, and let the universe breathe and pay homage to the past yet we make it fresh entertainment.”
We always looked at him as the good guy and now we’re learning that’s not necessarily so.
Ralph Macchio: “Yeah. On this show all characters have grey areas. Each episode your allegiance can change. I mean, certainly at the onset of the series it was designed through the eyes of Johnny Lawrence. So, they set it up that Daniel LaRusso was kind of cocky, whatever. But LaRusso’s always had a cocky element about him. You know, if I got beat up once in 1984, I wouldn’t go back again. LaRusso kept going back. So, he did have a little bit of a…you know, spraying water on the guy in the bathroom stuff. But no one ever didn’t cheer for Daniel Russo in 1984. The kid was beaten up and he had this great mentor, this human Yoda who gave him all the answers.
Now he has all the good intentions, but he may also need balance in his life. And the same thing for Johnny Lawrence in a different way. It’s really a line Miyagi has in the movie, he said when he looks at the picture of the girl – Elizabeth Shue – and says, ‘Different but same.’ And I say, ‘Different but different.’ He goes, ‘No, different but same.’
It’s a theme that runs in our show – Lawrence and LaRusso are different but same. They both grew up without a father; they both had sensei mentors, one from a dark side and one from a light side. They both had martial arts in their lives. Who knows if they switched things, they might have been the other person. So that’s where it dives in, as opposed to LaRusso’s the bad guy now. His intentions are always good. Sometimes they get in each other’s way.”
The way that this last season ended, it feels like they’re about to be on pretty much the exact same page. Do you think they’re ever going to be able to co-exist in that way because the conflict of them is so essential to the structure of the show and who they are
Ralph Macchio: “That’s something we always talk about because it is a rivalry series and it’s built on that. Hatfields and the McCoys, you know the Capulets and the Montagues. I know we have the star-crossed lovers, like the young Romeo and Juliet. It does really have those; it is a soap opera in a way. But the beauty of how they’ve written it is we enjoy them when they’re getting along as much as we enjoy them when they’re in each other’s face. Because you know at any moment one little thing, time bomb, it’s like a minefield. I think that’s what’s going to keep, even if going forward they co-exist or work together in some way.
It’s the odd couple. It’s a married couple that can’t live with each other and can’t live without each other. I think that can be entertaining and still play into the rivalry of these guys pushing each other’s buttons.”
Will the upcoming season delve more into the marriage because there are obviously problems at this point?
Ralph Macchio: “I think so. I’m hoping so because that becomes real. Even in a successful marriage…I’ve been married 32 years, it’s the greatest in the world…but there are ebbs and flows, ups and downs, tough times and you know we fail constantly. You know, as parents we fail and in relationships we fail. It’s just about believing in the cohesiveness of the foundation of that, which is what I believe in. My wife and I feel that way, as far as being together always.
I think it’s important that Amanda and Daniel do have – this does create a setback but also I’d like for Amanda to realize why Daniel has overreacted about all of this because it has led to something. They need to better themselves. At the end of the day, you would love that marriage to be stronger once they go through that difficulty. But I’m hoping we don’t candy-coat that.
I know we are going to dive into the origin of Miyagi-Do. There’s a storyline that takes Daniel to Okinawa this season, so that’s big news. Not for the whole season but a little section. And he’s going to learn some things that he might not have known and so we all may not have learned. Then he’s going to bring that. And then the same thing will be for Cobra Kai, learning the base of what created Cobra Kai and where it went awry. And that’s kind of the cool stuff for this season.
Everybody wants to know about Elizabeth Shue and we don’t know yet. We’ll see.”
35 years later, why do we care about The Karate Kid, because people really do?
Ralph Macchio: “These are characters that we grew up with. These are characters that represent a piece of our childhood. The fact that we’ve been able to take those characters and the story and the events of that time and expand on it and create a whole new universe that still doesn’t leave tonally what it initially was is I think why it’s like having the best dessert ever.”
ABC’s just released the first photos from the third season premiere of the medical drama, Good Doctor. The new season premieres on September 23, 2019 with episode one titled “Disaster.” Mike Listo directed, David Shore wrote the script, and Tamlyn Tomita and Karin Konoval guest star as Allegra Aoki and Nurse Deena Petringa.
New season three episodes arrive on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT.
Season three of the popular drama features Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne, Nicholas Gonzalez as Dr. Neil Melendez, and Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews. Richard Schiff is Dr. Aaron Glassman, Christina Chang is Dr. Audrey Lim, Fiona Gubelmann is Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee is Dr. Alex Park, Paige Spara is Lea Dilallo, and Jasika Nicole plays Dr. Carly Lever.
The “Disaster” Plot – Following what he believes was a disastrous first date with Carly, Dr. Shaun Murphy proposes a radical surgery to save a newlywed woman’s life. Meanwhile, after the new chief of surgery, Dr. Audrey Lim, announces that the residents can lead surgeries, Dr. Morgan Reznick and Dr. Alex Park compete for the chance to operate on an elderly patient who has been diagnosed with cancer.
The Good Doctor Description, Courtesy of ABC:
Dr. Shaun Murphy (Highmore), a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, continues to use his extraordinary medical gifts at St. Bonaventure Hospital’s surgical unit. As his friendships deepen, Shaun tackles the world of dating for the first time and continues to work harder than he ever has before, navigating his environment to prove to his colleagues that his talents as a surgeon will save lives.
Antonia Thomas and Freddie Highmore in ‘The Good Doctor’ season 3 episode 1 (ABC/David Bukach)Sophia Lauchlin Hirt, Aren Buchholz, Antonia Thomas and Freddie Highmore in season 3 episode 1 (ABC/David Bukach)Aren Buchholz and Sophia Lauchlin Hirt in season 3 episode 1 (ABC/David Bukach)Nicholas Gonzalez and Freddie Highmore in season 3 episode 1 (ABC/David Bukach)Aren Buchholz, Sophia Lauchlin Hirt, Nicholas Gonzalez and Freddie Highmore in season 3 episode 1 (ABC/David Bukach)
Christian Slater stars in ‘Mr. Robot’ (Photo by: Nadav Kander/USA Network)
Mr. Robot‘s Christian Slater is continuing his relationship with USA Network with a lead role in season two of Dirty John. Amanda Peet (The Romanoffs, Brockmire) has also signed up for the second season of the anthology series which will focus on convicted killer Betty Broderick.
“The first season of Dirty John was a story of twisted love and coercive control – and both these insidious elements are also present in and integral to the story of Betty Broderick, whom I have wanted to write about since I became a writer,” stated series creator Alexandra Cunningham. “I can’t wait to see Amanda and Christian bring it to life.”
Per USA Network’s official announcement, Peet will star as Betty Broderick, “the perfect Southern California blonde wife and mother. Married to her handsome college boyfriend Dan, played by Slater, Betty charms everyone she meets. After years of sacrifice and suffering while supporting Dan through both medical and law school until he exploded into the San Diego legal community as a superstar, Betty is finally enjoying the fruits of their labors. That is, until Dan hires Linda, a bright, beautiful young woman without baggage with whom he can happily forget the struggles of his past.
Betty’s attempts to fight back and enraged refusals to accept reality only serve to isolate and destabilize her until she loses her very identity. And Dan’s cold confidence blinds him to the bear he has created, and won’t stop poking … until it’s too late.”
Season two, titled Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story, is currently in production in Los Angeles. Alexandra Cunningham is writing season two and serves as an executive producer with Jessica Rhoades (The Affair, Sharp Objects), season one star Connie Britton, Atlas Entertainment, and Los Angeles Times Studios.
Maggie Kiley (Riverdale) is on board to direct four episodes, including the season two premiere. Kat Candler (Queen Sugar), Meera Menon (The Terror), Shannon Kohli (The Magicians) and series showrunner Cunningham are also confirmed to direct. (The project marks Cunningham’s directorial debut.)
Season one starring Eric Bana and Connie Britton was the second highest rated new cable scripted series of 2018 among adults 18 to 49. USA Network reports it also had the largest increase in ratings from the season premiere to the finale.
