‘The Big Bang Theory’ stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch (Photo Courtesy of CBS)
The Big Bang Theory cast celebrated the show’s 12 season run by adding their handprints to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Cast members Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik, and Melissa Rauch finished up work on the show’s final episode (#279) on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 and then took part in the handprint ceremony in front of the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX in Hollwyood on May 1st.
The handprint ceremony marked the first time in the Hollywood Walk of Fame history that the cast of a standalone television series was recognized with this special honor. The Star Trek cast was previously recognized with a handprint ceremony, however it was honored for its 25th anniversary as well as its six feature film adaptations.
Airing for 12 seasons, The Big Bang Theory holds the record as the longest-running multi-camera series in television history. The one-hour series finale is set to air on Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS.
“Having just wrapped the final episode the night before, we’re on a bit of an emotional roller-coaster. But we can definitely count this iconic handprint ceremony at the Chinese Theatre as one of the highs. We’d like to thank all of our viewers who’ve supported us over the last 12 years and made an unforgettable event like this possible,” said The Big Bang Theory executive producer and co-creator Chuck Lorre.
The Big Bang Theory Plot:
“Leonard and Sheldon are brilliant physicists – geniuses in the laboratory but socially challenged everywhere else. Enter beautiful, street-smart neighbor Penny, who aims to teach them a thing or two about life. Despite their on-again, off-again relationship in the past, Leonard and Penny have finally gotten married. Even Sheldon has found a female companion, entering into a ‘relationship agreement’ with neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler, and he recently took their relationship to the next level by marrying her after a long courtship.
In their free time, Leonard and Sheldon enjoy fantasy role-playing games with their ever-expanding universe of friends, including fellow scientists Koothrappali, Wolowitz and Wolowitz’s adorable microbiologist wife, Bernadette, who is adjusting to life with their two children.”
“We need to make a pit stop first. We need to rob The Flash,” says Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) to her new team of rogue villains in season five episode 20 of The CW’s The Flash.
As the episode begins, Team Flash has set up S.T.A.R. Lab satellites to search for Nora. They’re also using tech to pick up any Speed Force action as they attempt to find Nora and bring her back home. Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) teams up with Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) to check out her father’s old lab and try to figure out why Cicada II stole the cryo-atomizer.
Barry (Grant Gustin), Joe (Jesse L. Martin), Iris (Candice Patton) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) investigate a break-in and quickly realize Nora is the culprit and that she’s using power from the Negative Speed Force to avoid being detected.
Over in another part of town, Nora has invited Queen Bee (Emily Kinney), Weather Witch (Reina Hardesty), and Ragdoll (Troy James) together and asks if they want to work with her on the heist of a lifetime. The job is to break into a high security vault with meta-dampening defenses at a military weapons manufacturer. At first the three career criminals are ready to walk but when Nora says the weapons will go for easily a million on the black market, they change their minds.
Meanwhile, Caitlin and Ralph are over at what used to be her father’s lab/prison. Ralph asks Caitlin how Killer Frost is handling losing Caitlin’s father. Caitlin says Frost has never experienced this kind of grief before and that she doesn’t think they’ll see her anytime soon. When Ralph goes on and on about his 27 steps of dealing with grief, Frost gets irritated and appears to tell Ralph to shut up. While she’s there, she uses her cold powers to help them in their search. Ralph proudly tells Caitlin, “I knew I could make her show up.”
Over at the West house, Iris is working with Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) and admits she doesn’t understand why Nora didn’t come to Team Flash for help.
Nora breaks into S.T.A.R. Labs archives and sets off an alert. Barry finds her there and cautiously approaches, admitting he was wrong to send her back to the future. He confesses he’s sorry and wants her to come home as long as she stops working with Thawne. Nora’s still very upset and hurt by what Barry did and can’t believe he would ever trust her again. She keeps getting more and more upset to the point her face begins to vibrate and her eyes turn fiery red…just like Thawne when he’s the Reverse Flash. Barry attempts to calm her down but she speeds off, knocking him over.
Sherloque (Tom Cavanagh) and Cisco are in the elevator headed down to try to talk to Nora when they’re surprised (and attacked) by Rag Doll.
Barry tells Iris and Joe about what Nora did, convinced she’s been completely brainwashed by Thawne. He leaves to trap his daughter but Iris goes after him, telling him he needs to stop treating her like a criminal and that they need to figure out why she’s acting this way.
Meanwhile, Cisco and Sherloque are tied up at Nora and the young rogues’ hideout. Nora tells Cisco she wants him to hack the hypnotizing phone she stole so she can use it. He laughs and reminds her he’s been in this type of situation too many times to count and he didn’t do what the villain wanted. Nora gets angry and starts to vibrate her arm, threatening Cisco that if he doesn’t she’ll kill him.
Cisco, not sure if Nora is bluffing, agrees to hack the phone. Sherloque uses this time to apologize to Nora for exposing her secret the way he did and wishes he had given her a chance to come clean to Team Flash. (What?! She wasn’t going to come clean and now she’s acting like a criminal…apology not needed or deserved.) The young rogues realize Nora’s father is The Flash.
Caitlin and Ralph continue searching and Caitlin discovers Cicada II stole Cisco’s prototype for the meta-cure. “I think I know what Cicada is planning,” says Caitlin.
Back at the young rogues’ hideout, Weather Witch and Nora talk about family letting them down and how they need to trust each other. Rag Doll and Queen Bee agree as well. Cisco’s working on the phone and yells to Nora he’s done. Nora takes the phone and Queen Bee uses it to hypnotize Cisco and Sherloque with her swarm of meta-tech bees. Cisco set up the phone to glitch and he and Sherloque are able to bring themselves out of the trance and escape.
Barry has a heart-to-heart with Joe about what he and Iris discussed regarding Nora. Joe reminds Barry he always put being Barry’s dad above everything else. Barry admits he was ready to give up on Nora and asks Joe if Iris is right that Thawne might be trying to redeem himself through Nora. Joe assures Barry he doesn’t trust Thawne and never will, but he does trust his granddaughter.
Nora, Weather Witch and Queen Bee show up at the weapons manufacturer dressed in military outfits and with fake IDs to get in. They knock out their escorts and have Rag Doll – in a truly creepy and disturbing scene – climb out of the briefcase Nora is carrying and go through a steam pipe that leads him into the vault so he can unlock the door from the outside.
Once inside Queen Bee and Weather Witch surprise Nora by betraying her. They hold her and the knocked-out escorts hostage and post a message that if The Flash doesn’t arrive and reveal his identity, they will kill them. The Flash speeds there and – surprise! – it’s not The Flash at all but a hologram of The Flash being controlled by Sherloque back at S.T.A.R. Labs. Another surprise: The Flash, Iris, and Joe are already there using the facial transmogrifiers to pose as the hostages.
The fight is on as The Flash and Nora take on Queen Bee and Weather Witch, while Joe and Iris take on Rag Doll. Barry takes a hit from Weather Witch’s staff that’s meant for Nora and it knocks out the meta-dampener device in the room. The Flash quickly ties up Weather Witch and Queen Bee. “You were with me the whole time,” says Nora, smiling up at her father. “I abandoned you once. I’m not doing it again,” replies Barry.
Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Nora confesses she thought she could control the rogues and she was really after a particular gun that’s made from satellite parts. It’s the only device that will destroy Cicada II’s dagger. Iris asks why she didn’t come to them and Barry answers that Nora didn’t think he would believe her. Nora assures her parents she won’t see Thawne anymore and will bail on the plan to stop Cicada II. But Barry shocks her by saying they should use the plan and that he trusts Nora.
Caitlin and Ralph return and reveal Cicada II is making a metahuman virus to kill all the metahumans with.
The last scene of season five episode 20 is a brief look at Cicada II (Sarah Carter) perfecting the killer metahuman virus with a vision of her uncle watching over her, smiling.
The Flash Season 5 Episode 20 “Gone Rogue” Review:
Once again it’s Nora who’s put center stage and this time as what looks like a new villain in episode 20. This episode lifts way too many scenarios and ideas that were original from season one episodes, including “Revenge of the Rogues” and “Rogue Air.” One of the biggest problems with season five is the repetition of ideas and scenarios from the first few seasons of The Flash.
The episode’s highlights include returning to formulas that do work, such as Joe still giving sound and helpful advice to Barry on how he should handle trusting Nora, plus the reteaming of Sherloque and Cisco. Tom Cavanagh and Carlos Valdes have always had incredible chemistry and any scenes with them playing opposite each other are always very entertaining.
With Caitlin figuring out Cicada II’s plan (seriously, Team Flash would be doomed without her!) and Nora stealing the gun to destroy Cicada II’s dagger, Team Flash has never been in a stronger position to take out Cicada II…but what about Thawne?!
The Jonas Brothers officially announced the dates for their upcoming “Happiness Begins Tour” which will mark the trio’s first headlining tour in nearly 10 years. The just-announced tour will kick off on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 in Miami, FL at the AmericanAirlines Arena.
The “Happiness Begins Tour” will travel to 40 cities beginning in August and continuing through October. Stops include Orlando, Toronto, New York, Nashville, Denver, and Las Vegas, with the tour set to wrap up on Sunday, October 20th in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl.
The summer-through-fall tour will include special guests Bebe Rexha and Jordan McGraw.
The Jonas Brothers tour announcement coincides with the opening of pre-orders for Happiness Begins, the siblings’ comeback album. Fans who pre-order the album receive instant downloads of both “Sucker” and “Cool.”
Tickets to the tour go on sale on Friday, May 10th via LiveNation.com. A special pre-sale opens on May 7th at 10am local time for American Airlines AAdvantage® Mastercard® credit card holders.
“We’re so excited to announce this tour and get in front of our fans again! To kick things off we’ve partnered with American Airlines and Mastercard to offer their cardholders special access and experiences throughout our tour. We can’t wait for everyone to see what we have planned!” – Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers will also be participating in Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program:
“Fans can register now through Monday, May 6th at 10pm ET (https://verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/jonasbrothers) for the Verified Fan presale. Registered fans who receive a code will have access to purchase tickets before the general public from Wednesday, May 8th at 10am local time through Thursday, May 9th at 10pm local time.”
Jonas Brothers “Happiness Begins Tour” 2019 Dates:
Wednesday, August 7, 2019 in Miami, FL – AmericanAirlines Arena
Friday, August 9, 2019 in Orlando, FL – Amway Center
Saturday, August 10, 2019 in Tampa, FL – Amalie Arena
Monday, August 12, 2019 in Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena*
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 in Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
Thursday, August 15, 2019 in Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
Saturday, August 17, 2019 in Boston, MA – TD Garden
Sunday, August 18, 2019 in Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 in Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
Friday, August 23, 2019 in Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Tuesday, August 27, 2019 in Buffalo, NY – KeyBank Center
Thursday, August 29, 2019 in New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Saturday, August 31, 2019 in Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
Tuesday, September 3, 2019 in Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
Thursday, September 5, 2019 in Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center
Saturday, September 7, 2019 in Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Sunday, September 8, 2019 in Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena
Tuesday, September 10, 2019 in Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Friday, September 13, 2019 in Indianapolis, IN – Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Saturday, September 14, 2019 in St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
Monday, September 16, 2019 in St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
Tuesday, September 17, 2019 in Milwaukee, WI – Fiserv Forum
Thursday, September 19, 2019 in Chicago, IL – United Center
Sunday, September 22, 2019 in Kansas City, MO – Sprint Center
Wednesday, September 25, 2019 in Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center*
Thursday, September 26, 2019 in Houston, TX – Toyota Center*
Friday, September 27, 2019 in San Antonio, TX – AT&T Center*
Sunday, September 29, 2019 in Tulsa, OK – BOK Center
Tuesday, October 1, 2019 in Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
Thursday, October 3, 2019 in Salt Lake City, UT – Vivint Smart Home Arena
Saturday, October 5, 2019 in Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
Sunday, October 6, 2019 in Anaheim, CA – Honda Center
Tuesday, October 8, 2019 in San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Friday, October 11, 2019 in Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
Saturday, October 12, 2019 in Tacoma, WA – Tacoma Dome
Sunday, October 13, 2019 in Portland, OR – Moda Center
Tuesday, October 15, 2019 in Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
Thursday, October 17, 2019 in San Diego, CA – Pechanga Arena
Friday, October 18, 2019 in Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena
Sunday, October 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Bowl
CBS’s FBI season one episode 21, the season’s penultimate episode, arrives on May 7, 2019. Directed by Jean De Segonzac from a script by Joe Halpin, episode 21 is titled “Appearances.” Season one airs on Tuesdays at 9pm ET/PT.
Season one stars Missy Peregrym as Special Agent Maggie Bell, Zeeko Zaki as Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, and Ebonée Noel as Kristen Chazal. The cast also includes Jeremy Sisto as Jubal Valentine and Sela Ward as Dana Mosier.
The “Appearances” Plot – After a decorated FBI agent is murdered, the team investigates and uncovers the man led a double life. Also, Maggie struggles with what information she should reveal to the agent’s widow, who is also her personal friend.
FBI Season 1 Plot:
“From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf and the team behind the Law & Order franchise, FBI is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This elite unit brings to bear all their talents, intellect and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep New York and the country safe.
Born into a multigenerational law enforcement family, Special Agent Maggie Bell commits deeply to the people she works with as well as those she protects. Her partner is Special Agent Omar Adom ‘OA’ Zidan, a West Point graduate via Bushwick who spent two years undercover for the DEA before being cherry-picked by the FBI. Overseeing them is Special Agent in Charge, Dana Mosier, who operates under intense pressure 24/7/365 and has undeniable command authority.
The team also includes Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, the nerve center of the office whose ability to easily relate to and engage with both superiors and subordinates makes him a master motivator. Kristen Chazal is the team’s most valued resource, a brilliant analyst recruited straight out of university who can piece together the big picture faster than anyone. These first-class agents tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime and counterintelligence.”
CBS teases heists and history converge with their new summer drama, Blood & Treasure. The action adventure series will debut with a two-hour episode airing on May 21, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT, immediately following NCIS’s season finale. It’ll move to its regular Tuesdays at 10pm ET/PT on May 28th.
The cast is led by Matt Barr (Valor) as Danny McNamara and Sofia Pernas (The Brave) as Lexi Vaziri. Michael James Shaw is Aiden Shaw, Katia Winter is Gwen Karlsson, James Callis is Simon Hardwick, Oded Fehr is Karim Farouk, Alicia Coppola is Dr. Anna Castillo, and Mark Gagliardi plays Father Chuck.
CBS’s new serialized drama has Matthew Federman, Stephen Scaia, Taylor Elmore, Ben Silverman, Marc Webb, Mark Vlasic, and Howard T. Owens on board as executive producers.
The Plot, Courtesy of CBS:
“Blood & Treasure is a globe-trotting action-adventure drama about a brilliant antiquities expert and a cunning art thief who team up to catch a ruthless terrorist who funds his attacks through stolen treasure. Danny McNamara is a former FBI agent specializing in stolen arts and antiquities. Lexi Vaziri is a resourceful art thief who is haunted by the tragic loss of her father, which she blames on Danny. When terrorist Karim Farouk absconds with a priceless artifact and kidnaps Danny’s mentor, Dr. Anna Castillo, Danny recruits Lexi to help him bring Farouk to justice and rescue Anna.
As they chase down Farouk, they encounter unscrupulous individuals who may either be useful allies or dangerous enemies, including Aiden Shaw, an arms dealer who acts solely in his self-interest, and Simon Hardwick, an expert at procuring pilfered artifacts. Danny and Lexi are assisted by Father Chuck, a childhood friend of Danny’s who works at the Vatican Foreign Ministry in Rome.
Their hunt draws the attention of Interpol agent Gwen Karlsson, who wants Farouk brought to justice, but won’t allow Danny and Lexi to break international laws in the process. As they crisscross the world hunting their target, Danny and Lexi unexpectedly find themselves at the center of a 2,000-year-old battle for the cradle of civilization.”
Tony Hale, Gary Cole, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in ‘Veep’ season 7 (Photo: Colleen Hayes / HBO)
HBO’s award-winning, critically acclaimed – and incredibly timely – Veep wraps up its seven season run with two new episodes airing in May 2019. The political comedy has earned 17 Emmy awards, two Critics’ Choice awards, three Directors Guild of America awards, three Writers Guild of America awards, and four Screen Actors Guild awards. Additional awards are likely after the show exits HBO’s primetime lineup for good.
Series star Julia-Louis Dreyfus returns as Selina Meyer, Tony Hale returns as Gary, and Anna Chlumsky’s back as Amy. Matt Walsh is Mike, Reid Scott is Dan, Timothy C. Simons is Jonah Ryan, Kevin Dunn returns as Ben, Gary Cole is Kent, Sam Richardson is Richard, and Sarah Sutherland reprises her role as Selina’s daughter, Catherine.
The popular series was created by Armando Iannucci. David Mandel, Frank Rich, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lew Morton, Morgan Sackett, Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck serve as executive producers on season seven.
Veep May 2019 Episodes:
Season 7, episode 6: “Oslo”
Debut date: SUNDAY, MAY 5 (10:50-11:25 p.m. ET/PT)
Selina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) tries to arrange a meeting via her Finnish contact, Minna (Sally Phillips). Gary (Tony Hale) helps Catherine (Sarah Sutherland) plan a big event. Jonah (Timothy C. Simons) and Amy (Anna Chlumsky) push an anti-vax message in Pennsylvania. Mike (Matt Walsh) finds a new home. Richard (Sam Richardson) may have an enemy.
Written by Steve Hely & Ian Maxtone-Graham & Dan O’Keefe & Dan Mintz; directed by Brad Hall.
Season 7, episode 7: “Veep” (series finale)
Debut date: SUNDAY, MAY 12 (10:50-11:40 p.m. ET/PT)
The nominating fight between Selina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and her rivals reaches its climax, as their race comes to a historic finish.
Written by David Mandel; directed by David Mandel.
Fox officially announced Empire will return for a sixth season. The network’s announcement, while complimenting the cast and producers, did not confirm if Jussie Smollett’s character, Jamal Lyon, will appear in any season six episodes. However, Fox did issue a statement regarding Smollett’s continued involvement in the series:
“By mutual agreement, the studio has negotiated an extension to Jussie Smollett’s option for season six, but at this time there are no plans for the character of Jamal to return to Empire,” said Fox Entertainment and 20th Century Fox Television in a statement.
Empire was created by Oscar nominee Lee Daniels and Emmy winner Danny Strong. Daniels, Strong, Brian Grazer, Francie Calfo, Sanaa Hamri, Dennis Hammer, Matt Pyken and Diane Ademu-John executive produce. Brett Mahoney serves as the showrunner and also executive produces.
The cast is led by Taraji P. Henson as Cookie and Terrence Howard as Lucious Lyon. Bryshere Y. Gray is Hakeem, Trai Byers is Andre, Gabourey Sidibe plays Becky, and Ta’Rhonda Jones as Porsha.
“Empire continues to break barriers with its emotionally powerful storytelling, and it remains a core part of the FOX legacy,” said Michael Thorn, President, Entertainment for FOX Entertainment. “We want to thank everyone on the show – Taraji, Terrence and the entire cast, as well as Lee, Danny, Brett, Sanaa, Brian, Francie, Dennis and their teams – all of whom have done a tremendous job this season. We know there are so many more stories to tell, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for season six.”
The Season Five Plot:
“At the end of season four, the Lyons lost Empire. However, Lucious and Cookie finally found their way to each other and said their “I do’s.” In Season Five, two years have passed, and the Lyons have yet to reclaim Empire. The family has experienced unimagined tragedies and now must join forces to rebuild from scratch. As their plans begin to take shape, they will be forced to learn – once again – that fame and fortune come with a hefty price tag.”
Fox’s medical drama The Resident finishes up season two with episode 23 titled “The Unbefriended.” The season finale is set to air on Monday, May 6, 2019 at 8pm ET/PT.
The season two cast includes Matt Czuchry as Conrad Hawkins, Bruce Greenwood as Dr. Randolph Bell, Emily VanCamp as Nicolette, and Manish Dayal as Devon Pravesh. Shaunette Renée Wilson is Mina Okafor, Malcolm-Jamal Warner is Dr. AJ Austin, Jane Leeves is Dr. Kit Voss, and Glenn Morshower plays Marshall Winthrop.
“The Unbefriended” Plot – In an effort to save Chastain, Bell considers selling the hospital to a conglomerate, but Kit tries to make him see that the negatives will outweigh the positives. With Conrad’s help, Nic tracks down Kyle (guest star Corbin Bernsen) and pleads for him to reconsider donating a kidney to Jessie. Meanwhile, Mina voices her concern to Austin when Shira is assigned to Micah’s surgery and Devon fights for the care of a patient whom the doctors suspect is uninsured.
The Season 2 Plot:
Season two finds star resident Dr. Conrad Hawkins continuing to make difficult calls in the best interests of his patients. But, having rekindled a romantic relationship with nurse Nicolette “Nic” Nevins, the two now must face unresolved issues from their past. Conrad’s father, Marshall Winthrop, has taken over as head of Chastain, and comes into direct conflict with the hospital’s newly minted CEO, Dr. Randolph Bell.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mina Okafor continues to work with her larger-than-life mentor, Dr. AJ Austin. However, the skills of new ortho surgeon Dr. Kitt Voss could lead Mina on a different path. First-year resident Dr. Devon Pravesh becomes intrigued by new medical device rep Julian Booth, whose presence at the hospital will upend business as usual for everyone there.
Andrew Koji stars in ‘Warrior’ (Photo: David Bloomer / Cinemax)
Cinemax’s addictive action drama Warrior kicked off season one on April 5, 2019 and currently airs on Fridays at 10pm ET/PT. It’s not too late to jump on board as the first season continues with five new hour-long episodes in May. The network’s released details on what’s in store for the May episodes including brief plot descriptions, cast info, and air dates.
Season one of the series inspired by Bruce Lee’s writings stars Andrew Koji (Fast & Furious 6) as martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm. Kieran Bew (The Street), Olivia Cheng (Marco Polo), Dianne Doan (Vikings), Dean Jagger (Game of Thrones), Langley Kirkwood (Invictus), Hoon Lee (Banshee), Christian McKay (Me and Orson Welles), Joe Taslim (Fast & Furious 6), Jason Tobin (The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift), Joanna Vanderham (The Paradise), Tom Weston-Jones (Copper), and Perry Yung (The Knick) also star in Cinemax’s action drama.
Jonathan Tropper created Warrior and executive produces with Justin Lin, Danielle Woodrow, Shannon Lee, and Brad Kane.
Warrior May 2019 Episodes:
Episode 5: “The Blood and the Sh*t”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MAY 3 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Transporting precious cargo via stagecoach through the Sierra Nevada, Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) and Young Jun (Jason Tobin) are forced to spend the night with three strangers at a frontier saloon in the middle of nowhere. The detour turns perilous when Harlan French (Christiaan Schoombie), a notorious outlaw, shows up with his henchmen, looking for a lucrative payday.
Written by Kenneth Lin; directed by Kevin Tancharoen.
Episode 6: “Chewed Up, Spit Out, and Stepped On”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MAY 10 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Tensions escalate between the Hop Wei and Long Zii after an assassination attempt during a boisterous Chinatown parade. Big Bill (Kieran Bew) sets out to pay his debt to Jack Damon (Brendan Murray), leaving Lee (Tom Weston-Jones) to keep watch over Lucy (Emily Child) and the kids. Mayor Blake (Christian McKay) and Deputy Mayor Buckley (Langley Kirkwood) get a mandate from Robert Crestwood (Patrick Baladi), a senator with eyes on the White House.
Written by Evan Endicott & Josh Stoddard; directed by David Petrarca.
Episode 7: “The Tiger and the Fox”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MAY 17 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) faces a dilemma when Father Jun (Perry Yung) sends Bolo (Rich Ting) to hunt down Long Zii (Henry Yuk) and Mai Ling (Dianne Doan). Ah Toy (Olivia Cheng) recruits a special girl from a whore monger, and takes on a business partner for a land deal. Penny (Joanna Vanderham) is faced with an unsavory choice in order to save her home. Lee’s (Tom Weston-Jones) past catches up with him.
Written by Brad Caleb Kane; directed by Lin Oeding.
Episode 8: “They Don’t Pay Us Enough to Think”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MAY 24 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
After a bloodbath on the streets of Chinatown, the Hop Wei and Long Zii consider a novel way to end hostilities. Ah Toy (Olivia Cheng) and her real-estate business partner, Leonard Patterson (Francois Rautenbach), hit a fork in the road in their effort to buy a valuable piece of land. After promising jobs to Leary’s Irish workers, Mercer (Graham Hopkins) toasts Crestwood (Patrick Baladi) at a fundraiser, while Penny (Joanna Vanderham) struggles to hold her tongue. Mai Ling (Dianne Doan) warns her brother against waging a battle he may not win.
Written by Evan Endicott & Josh Stoddard; directed by Lin Oeding.
Episode 9: “Chinese Boxing”
Debut date: FRIDAY, MAY 31 (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Chinatown gathers to witness a “prize fight” between elite warriors from the Hop Wei and Long Zii. Buckley (Langley Kirkwood) plays a bluff in hopes of getting Mercer (Graham Hopkins) to lower his fee. Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) remembers his roots as a fighter, as Ah Toy (Olivia Cheng) warns him of the dangers that await. Bill (Kieran Bew) and Lee (Tom Weston-Jones) question Wang Chao (Hoon Lee) about the recent series of sword killings in San Francisco.
Written by Jonathan Tropper; directed by Loni Peristere.
IFC Films is showing off the official trailer for the period drama Ophelia based on Lisa Klein’s award-winning novel. Star Wars‘ Daisy Ridley takes on the titular role with George MacKay (Captain Fantastic) playing Hamlet in the 2019 theatrical release.
The cast also includes Naomi Watts as Queen Gertrude/Mechtild, Clive Owen as Claudius, Tom Felton as Laertes, and Devon Terrell as Horatio. Claire McCarthy (The Waiting City) directed from a screenplay by Semi Chellas (Mad Men).
“In this current environment where women are both in front and behind the camera in a more empowered way, I think we want to see women who are complex and flawed and human. And in this version of Hamlet, we see Ophelia in a different way – she’s no longer just a tragic victim. We see her take currency and agency in her life, which I think is really fresh. So, from a filmmaking perspective and as a woman, this story is so exciting to me,” said director McCarthy.
McCarthy’s behind the scenes team includes director of photography Denson Baker (Victoria), production designer Dave Warren (Hugo), costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini (Tale of Tales), and hair & make-up designer Alessandro Bertolazzi (Suicide Squad). Luke Dunkley (The Crown) is the editor and Steven Price (Gravity) composed the music.
Paul Hanson’s Covert Media financed and produced. Daniel Bobker, Ehren Kruger, and Sarah Curtis served as producers, with Mathew Hart and Elissa Friedman executive producing.
Ophelia will be released in theaters on June 28, 2019. The PG-13 rated drama will be available On Demand and digital on July 3, 2019.
The Plot, Courtesy of IFC Films:
Ophelia is a dynamic re-imagining of Shakespeare’s Hamlet told from an unexpected point of view. Set in the 14th century but spoken in a contemporary voice, Ophelia takes center stage in the untold story of her tragic romance with Hamlet and her relationship with his mother, Queen Gertrude (Watts).
A wild and motherless child, Ophelia (Ridley) is taken into Elsinore Castle under the wing of Queen Gertrude and becomes her most trusted lady-in-waiting. Growing into a beautiful and intelligent young woman, she soon captures the attention of the handsome Prince Hamlet (MacKay). While she learns the ways of power and plotting in court, an undeniable love between Ophelia and the Prince blossoms in secret.
As war brews with a neighboring kingdom, lust and betrayal are tearing Elsinore apart from within – the King has been murdered, driving Prince Hamlet into downward spiral of vengeful torment. Ophelia must decide between her ¬ true love or her own life and devises a plan to escape Elsinore forever, in order to protect a very dangerous secret.
Daisy Ridley as “Ophelia” in Claire McCarthy’s ‘Ophelia’ (Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release)
