Roswell, New Mexico‘s first season finale aired on April 23, 2019 and ended with a cliffhanger that left the fate of one of the main characters dangling. It turns out fans didn’t have to worry for long that they’d never know what happened to Max (played by Nathan Dean Parsons). The CW today confirmed the alien drama will return for a second season.
The network also confirmed fellow newbies All American and In The Dark have earned season two renewal orders. Season six of The CW’s sci-fi action/drama The 100 hasn’t premiered, but that show has also picked up a renewal order for season seven.
Today’s announcement increases the network’s upcoming 2019-2020 primetime season renewal orders to 14. Five of those shows just premiered this season: Roswell, New Mexico, All American, In The Dark, Charmed, and Legacies.
“As we begin to plan for the 2019-2020 season, we’re thrilled to have this roster of 14 exceptionally creative and distinctive series, including all five first year shows, as the foundation on which to continue to build the multiplatform future of The CW,” stated Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW. “One of our key long-term goals has been to continually add more original programming all year round, especially in midseason and summer, and with these returning shows and the new series we’ll order as we get closer to the May upfront, next season on The CW is shaping up to be our most robust year round schedule yet.
Shows previously announced as returning include Supernatural which will be back for its 15th – and final – season. Arrow is also ending its run with its upcoming eighth season. Black Lightning and Dynasty picked up third seasons, and Riverdale earned a fourth season. Supergirl and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow both received fifth season orders, and The Flash will be back for season six.
The CW’s alien drama, Roswell, New Mexico, finishes up its first season with the show’s fate still unknown. The CW renewed most of their primetime shows earlier this year, however midseason newcomer Roswell, New Mexico is still waiting to learn whether it will return for a second season.
With its status unknown, the season one finale (episode 13 airing April 23, 2019) finished up on a cliffhanger. If there’s no season two, we’ll never find out if Max and Liz are permanently separated after finally realizing they were meant for each other. (Update: The CW confirmed it’s bringing the series back for a second season.)
Season one episode 13 opens with Max (Nathan Dean Parsons) and Michael (Michael Vlamis) continuing their fight over Noah’s fate. Max holds his brother at gunpoint as Michael breaks down, convinced the only way they’ll ever learn about themselves is if Noah remains alive long enough to divulge their history. Max is moved by Michael’s story of finding aliens, including their mother, locked up in the prison and of then having to watch as everyone inside the building was incinerated in a bomb blast.
Michael wants to administer the antidote, allowing Noah to live. Noah’s just minutes from dying and Max won’t be swayed from his position that Noah must die. Instead of shooting Michael, Max shoots the antidote. Curing Noah is no longer an option.
Michael, furious, sends his brother flying through a glass window. (Michael doesn’t think when he’s angry.)
Michael turns his attention to Noah (Karan Oberoi), demanding to know the location of more of the antidote. Holding him at gunpoint, he walks the weakened alien toward the door. Noah stumbles, picks up a piece of glass, and stabs Michael in the neck. Noah then sucks down what’s left of the antidote before escaping, leaving Max unconscious and Michael bleeding out.
Over at the bar, Liz (Jeanine Mason) and Maria (Heather Hemmens) are attempting to relax when Liz notices the flower inside Maria’s necklace. It’s a family heirloom Maria’s mom swears protects them from evil. Liz realizes it’s an extremely rare flower that only grows in one spot in the Libyan desert. (Liz is a walking encyclopedia of relevant facts.)
Over at Alex’s lab, Kyle (Michael Trevino) looks through the prison’s hard drives for more info on the alien who gave his dad Stage 4 brain cancer. He sees his dad fall into the cell where the alien was locked up. It turns out Alex’s dad, Jesse, pushed him and caused his death.
Speak of the devil, Jesse (Trevor St. John) tells his son, Flint, that he’s disappointed the intruders (including his other son) escaped alive.
Liz is back at the closed café ready to drown her worries in ice cream when Noah shows up. Liz manages to escape into the freezer while Noah taunts her that she’s nothing like her sister.
Meanwhile, Max finally comes to and discovers Michael looking like a bloody mess. He’s not moving, and Max uses his powers to revive him.
Noah’s able to use his mind to unlock the freezer. Fortunately, Liz is super smart and very lucky. She just happened to have a vial of the powder that knocked out Max and Michael in her pocket. Before Noah barged in, she dumped it on the floor, rendering him powerless. Smooth move, Liz!
Noah is now the one trapped in the freezer.
Max heals Michael just as Isobel (Lily Cowles) arrives. Michael’s still unconscious and Max thinks it’s best they take over before he comes around. Max is drained but Isobel supplies him with nail polish remover to help get his strength back. He calls Liz to warn her Noah’s escaped, something she’s aware of.
As they talk, Noah begins yelling at her from the freezer. Max tells Liz to run but she refuses because she doesn’t want Noah on the loose and killing innocent people.
Ever the quick thinker, Liz picks up a spice that looks like the powder. She also picks up a knife because fake yellow powder might not be enough to hold Noah at bay.
Noah and Liz scream at each other through the freezer door. Noah has become an even bigger jerk since nearly dying and he reveals Liz’s big secret: Liz sent their mom away after she learned their mom cheated on their father with Kyle’s father who’s really Rosa’s dad.
Noah escapes the freezer and grabs the knife from Liz. She tosses the yellow powder on him and he flees the café after stabbing Liz in the side.
Liz calls Max to let him know Noah’s escaped but doesn’t reveal she’s hurt. When he says he’s on his way to the café, Liz insists he try and locate Noah instead. Isobel has a good idea where he might be headed.
Noah heads to the bar and stumbles into a patron in the parking lot. He kills the man and regains some more of his strength.
Liz called Kyle for help and he arrives at the café, shocked that she’s been injured. She refuses to go to the hospital and instead insists he stitch her up at the café. While he works, Liz tells him what Noah said about Rosa’s father. Kyle admits he’d already learned that little secret.
Max and Isobel find Noah in the desert…but it turns out Isobel is under Max’s control once again. Noah used her to bring Max to him. Max takes aim and fires, but Noah is faster than a speeding bullet. He’s also capable of using his mind to tie Max’s intestines in a knot. (Noah is a truly awful alien.)
Michael’s finally up and moving around again. He makes it home to find Alex is at his place. Alex confesses he enlisted because of what his dad did to them. However, Alex thinks he’s becoming his dad.
As they talk Michael has a vision of Isobel with Noah by their pods. He leaves Alex behind without an explanation, promising they’ll talk later, and heads out to help his sister.
Noah’s brought Max and Isobel to the pods, and Noah admits he’s keeping them alive because of Max’s powers. Noah reminds him their home planet was ravaged by war. Whoever won won’t leave them on Earth; they’d come and pick them up. Or, at least they’d make the journey to retrieve Max. It turns out Max is the savior. (What?!) At some point in the future, they’ll come and when they do, Max, Michael, and Isobel will be in the pods. Noah will trade them for a ride home.
Max protests, saying he’s not a savior. Noah reveals Max is powerful enough to be a god. He has untapped resources within him if he’d only just unlock them. (Do it now, Max, and save your family!)
Noah informs Max those Biblical stories about men coming from the heavens and parting seas were actually written about him. Noah can’t kill Max or he won’t have leverage, but he can render him near death.
Michael makes it to the cave and uses his powers to send Noah flying into a wall. Max asks Michael to hold Noah off as Max runs from the cave into thunder and lightning. Max walks into the desert and grabs lightning from the sky. His hands flicker with electricity as he stands in the rain and looks to the sky.
Noah emerges from the cave and immediately tries to convince Max that they are the serpent and the man. “They’re not killing each other; they are one!” yells Noah.
Max turns to face him and launches the lightning directly at Noah’s chest. The bolts hit and course through Noah as he’s lifted into the sky. Isobel is inside Noah’s mind as he’s dying. She tells him she never loved him and hands back his wedding ring. Isobel’s confused when he replies, “Take care of her, Isobel.”
Michael and Isobel emerge from the cave as Max drops Noah to the ground, dead. He has the lightning pattern across his chest.
Kyle heads to the gun store and wants to buy a weapon. He admits he’s not the type of person who buys a gun, and he’s surprised there isn’t even a background check. The clerk laughs and asks if Kyle thinks he’s in California.
Kyle’s obviously messed up and angry, yet the clerk agrees to sell him a gun, even offering to do so at a discount.
Max, Michael, and Isobel return to the pod cave where Liz confesses she lied to Noah as he was dying. She then reveals Noah said, “Take care of her,” but Max blows it off. Michael wished they had gotten some answers from Noah, but Max is over all that. He doesn’t want to know anything and just wants to live in the present.
Max is frustrated with his siblings and their desire for details of the past. He wants them both to live for the future. Without Michael’s permission and before he can react, Max grabs Michael’s damaged hand and heals it.
The next morning Liz beats Max to his house. She finds the broken window and the blood and then hears Max call her name from outside. Max assures her Noah is gone and won’t be back. When she asks if he’s okay, Max says, “I’m better than I have been in a long time.”
They head inside and immediately start stripping off each other’s clothes. Max stops as he finds her bandaged wound, but she insists she’s fine. They make it to bed and are lost in each other when Liz asks him to place his hand on her chest so they can connect. “I want you to feel what I feel for you,” says Liz.
Meanwhile, Michael and Isobel are still walking around in the desert. She thinks Noah hid more antidote somewhere nearby, but then the talk turns to romantic troubles. Isobel reminds him her dysfunctional marriage trumps his “flimsy little closet.”
Michael surprises Isobel by opening up and revealing Alex knows everything. Plus, Alex’s family is involved in the conspiracy that killed the aliens held at the prison. Yet even with all that, he loves Alex. But it hurts.
Isobel thinks maybe they should just start looking forward. Of course, that’s when they spot Noah’s secret hiding spot. There are books and other items inside the small cave. And, there’s a pod…
Michael and Isobel assume it’s Noah’s until they pull the blanket off to reveal…wait for it…Rosa’s inside! So that’s who “take care of her” was referring to.
Max and Liz are in a much happier mood post-sex. Isobel texts at an inopportune time, but Liz tells Max to go be with her since she’s going through a rough time. Besides, Liz wants to go visit her sister’s grave. Now that Liz has all the answers, Rosa feels even more gone.
Kyle is continuing his research at Alex’s lab when he’s surprised by Alex’s dad, Jesse. When Kyle turns around to confront him, Jesse shoots him in the chest without giving Kyle a chance to speak. Fortunately for Michael Trevino fans (and what Roswell, New Mexico viewer isn’t one?), Kyle isn’t dead. He catches Jesse by surprise, hits him over the head, and then grabs his gun.
It turns out Kyle bought a bulletproof vest instead of a gun. He points Jesse’s weapon at him as Jesse confesses that even though an alien killed his daughter, Kyle’s dad still wanted to close the prison. Jesse wants to expose the aliens and arm Americans to do battle with these visitors from space.
Kyle’s a man of action now and he plunges a syringe into Jesse’s neck. It’s loaded with barbiturates that’ll put Jesse in a medically-induced coma.
Max joins Michael and Isobel at Rosa’s pod. They’re not sure when Noah placed Rosa in the pod or why, but Max knows he needs to tell Liz what’s going on. Isobel warns that if he does, it will haunt Liz’s nightmares forever.
Max comes up with the brilliant (depending on your point of view) idea to try and revive Rosa. He parrots Noah’s words, asking his siblings if it’s possible they’re only using a small piece of their potential powers. Michael doesn’t want him to resurrect a girl who’s been dead for a decade. He wants them to bury her and then take the time to just be normal and happy.
Max leaves with Isobel and Michael without doing anything to Rosa other than replace the blanket over her pod.
Michael shows up at the bar while Maria’s counting money. They get all flirty again and kiss, both aware they need to talk this over. (Just want to note that Michael Vlamis has amazing chemistry with all his co-stars.)
Michael picks up the guitar and begins playing.
Liz visits Rosa’s grave and tells her sister she’s in love with Max. She never admitted it before and back when Rosa was alive, she felt guilty about it. Liz wishes her sister had the chance to love someone the way she loves Max. She also wishes she could call Rosa and confide all her secrets.
As Liz stands at the grave, Max returns to Noah’s secret cave. He removes Rosa’s body from the pod and touches the burned area around her neck.
Liz feels what Max is doing and runs to her car.
Isobel’s at home staring at a cute photo of her and Noah. She makes it vibrate and then shatters it, sending the glass flying. This seems to satisfy the newly widowed alien.
Alex waits, alone, in front of Michael’s trailer. He glances at his watch but continues waiting.
Michael continues playing for Maria who smiles sweetly at the music. Her smile disappears when she realizes Michael’s damaged hand has been healed.
Max uses his powers to try and resurrect Rosa. He screams as his hand turns bright red on her neck.
Liz arrives at the cave as Rosa emerges alive and unscathed from inside. They hug and Rosa begs her sister not to be afraid. They stare into each other’s teary eyes and Liz realizes Max isn’t around. She runs into the cave and finds him lying on the ground. She shakes him and he doesn’t respond. His eyes stare straight ahead, unseeing. She pounds on his chest and then collapses in tears.
Nobody who grew up in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen area was a pansy. At least you couldn’t be and survive. James Cagney found that out after being born there in 1899. It was the era of immigrants flocking to New York. There were Italian areas, Jewish areas, Irish areas and so on, making the city the melting pot of America. Cagney was half Irish and half Norwegian. Being street-wise helped a young boy navigate the tough areas and survive relatively unscathed. It was his mother Carolyn (Nelson) who encouraged him to take up boxing to defend himself. But she was vehemently against his becoming a professional boxer.
Cagney was naturally talented as a tap dancer, which he began performing as a young boy. He graduated high school in 1918, went on to enroll at Columbia University as a possible art major. He dropped out after one semester. Brother Harry was a fledgling actor at the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House theater. One night Jimmy had to go on for his ill brother, having memorized everything about the show. He dabbled in performing at a number of small-time companies.
In 1919 Cagney was cast in Every Sailor, in which all the male members dressed as women. He fooled the producers into thinking he could dance by performing the only routine he knew. Playing a woman in drag did not bother him at all.
He met his future wife, Frances “Billie” Vernon, in the musical show Pitter Patter. They got married in 1922 and toured the vaudeville circuit for several years, struggling to earn a living. In 1925 Cagney was cast in his first dramatic role in Outside Looking In, a play by the formidable Maxwell Anderson. The Cagneys returned to vaudeville after the play closed. Cagney also started his own dance school to earn extra money. His reputation as a dancer led to being cast in Grand Street Follies of 1928 and its sequel in 1929.
While acting in the show Penny Arcade with actress Joan Blondell, singing sensation Al Jolson bought the play for Warner Bros. Jolson insisted the studio cast the two leads in the film version. This was Jimmy’s introduction to the studio which would become his home for many years. The film was re-titled Sinners’ Holiday. Cagney played a tough guy character who becomes a killer.
Warner Bros liked what they saw and signed Cagney to a seven-year contract and immediately cast him in The Doorway to Hell, another gangster movie. The studio then shoved him into more potboilers such as Blonde Crazy, Smart Money, and The Millionaire, all in 1931.
It was the Depression Years, and gangsterism was highly prominent in America. With the rise of Al Capone, gangsters became almost matinee idols. Warner Bros jumped on the craze and started pumping out raw, hard-hitting films. Edward G. Robinson became a star with Little Caesar in 1931. He made his only film with Cagney in 1931’s Smart Money. Oscar® winner Paul Muni had sensational hits with Scarface and I Was a Fugitive From a Chain Gang, both in 1932. Tough guy films were all the rage, so it was only fitting that Warners star Cagney in films that were sure to make money.
The film that made Cagney a huge star was The Public Enemy, released in 1931. In it, Cagney played killer Tom Powers, a man who was ruthless, unsentimental and meaner than mean. Audiences went crazy when Cagney pushed a grapefruit into the face of actress Mae Clarke. It is one of the most famous scenes in movie history. It was the era when men pushed women around and frequently slapped them or gave them black eyes. Cruelty was in! He got a chance to slap leading lady Evalyn Knapp in his follow-up of Smart Money.
Cagney was a scrappy little fella and constantly battled Jack Warner for more money. Warner, a well-known penny-pincher, at first refused to give him a raise. Cagney walked out of the studio and went back to New York. Warner finally caved in and gave him a raise. The toughie star and Warner had spats over the years, always involved with money. Cagney rightly thought he was worth more because his pictures were always hits for the studio.
The bantam-weight star returned to the studio to make the musical Footlight Parade in 1933 with dancing star Ruby Keeler, singer Dick Powell, actress Joan Blondell, and comic Frank McHugh. The spectacular overhead shots of chorus lines were devised by choreographer/designer Busby Berkeley. The studio then cast him in various films such as Here Comes the Navy, Jimmy the Gent, G-Men, and Something to Sing About.
The animated actor filled out the end of the 1930s with two good pictures. The first was Angels With Dirty Faces in 1938. As gangster Rocky Sullivan, he is idolized by The Dead End Kids, a scruffy group of teenagers. Rocky’s best pal is priest Jerry Connolly, played by Pat O’Brien. When Rocky is sent to the electric chair, pal Connolly begs him to show the kids that he is afraid and chicken-livered so that they quit admiring him. Does he or doesn’t he? That is left ambiguous, and Cagney said he always thought that was better. Cagney was nominated for an Oscar® for Best Actor.
The Depression decade was rounded out with the release of The Roaring Twenties in 1939. Cagney starred with Humphrey Bogart, Priscilla Lane, Gladys George, and his old pal Frank McHugh. In the film, the buddies who were in World War I return to civilian life and start up a bootlegging business. Naturally, things go awry and it involves the underworld. It was a wonderful gangster movie and the last one Cagney appeared in for the next ten years. For you movie historians, the movie was filmed on stages 19, 20, 24, 26, 27 and 27A at the Warner Bros studio in Burbank.
The 1940s brought about many changes in the public taste. Gangster movies went out of fashion. World War II loomed over Europe and arrived on America’s doorstep in 1941. Cagney tried comedy with Bette Davis in The Bride Came C.O.D. and a Gay Nineties romp with dancing star Rita Hayworth in Strawberry Blonde, both in 1941.
The significant event of the year was, of course, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on Dec. 7, 1941. This thrust the United States into World War II. America was on a war footing, and patriotism rose to a new high. Everybody helped the war effort, and the studios were no different. Hollywood stars got on the band wagon and did everything they could to help our military in their efforts. Most famously, Warner Bros giant Bette Davis and film star John Garfield opened the Hollywood Canteen. All the film stars volunteered to cheer up the soldiers and sailors, and icons such as Marlene Dietrich, Dorothy Lamour, the Andrews Sisters, and Linda Darnell were only a few of the top celebrities to dance with the boys.
In keeping with this patriotic fervor, Cagney made one of his most enduring movies, Yankee Doodle Dandy, playing music man George M. Cohan. The film was a smash in 1942 and just what the country needed. Its patriotic themes and music inspired countless Americans. The talented cast included Rosemary DeCamp as Cagney’s mother. DeCamp was only 10 years younger than Cagney at the time! Joan Leslie (b.1925) played his girlfriend and was 26 years younger than Cagney. And singer Frances Langford (b. 1913) was only 28 when the movie was made. It had a stellar cast of Warner Bros staples such as S.Z. “Cuddles” Sakall, George Tobias, Walter Huston, Eddie Foy, Jr., and Irene Manning. The film was nominated for 8 Oscars. Director Michael Curtiz was nominated as Best Director, Walter Huston got a nomination as Best Supporting Actor. Oscars were won for Best Musical Score and Best Sound. James Cagney won his first Oscar as Best Actor.
With his contract with Warner Bros. now over, Cagney and his brother William decided to go the independent route. They made two films, Johnny Come Lately (1943) and Blood on the Sun (1945), both box office flops.
At this time as well, Cagney loved touring the USO shows to military bases in England. He was also hired by 20th Century Fox to star in 13 Rue Madeleine, a spy thriller shot on the Fox lot, in Boston and Quebec with Richard Conte and Annabella as co-stars. The 1947 film was a box-office hit. Not so lucky was the film of William Saroyan’s play, The Time of Your Life, a financial disaster for United Artists in 1948. Cagney starred with William Bendix, Broderick Crawford, Wayne Morris, and sister Jeanne Cagney. Although the play won a Pulitzer Prize, movie audiences turned up their noses at the movie.
Allegedly with his tail between his legs, Cagney returned to Warner Bros to give one of his most memorable performances on film. In White Heat, he played the psychotic gangster Cody Jarret as a completely nuts person. His scene in prison when he hears of his mother’s death is a classic of over-the-top acting. He was completely psychotic, raging, animal-like in his reactions. Some people on the set thought he might really be going berserk! Lovely leading lady Virginia Mayo managed to survive 1949’s White Heat and went on to make other pictures. Another hit for Cagney.
Cagney expressed a desire to the studio that he didn’t want to play any more gangster parts. So, they shoved him into a musical story starring pert Doris Day of the twinkling teeth Days. The movie was The West Point Story in 1950. In the story, Cagney plays a Broadway director who is persuaded to direct a show for the cadets. Co-starring with Cagney is Day, Virginia Mayo, warbler Gordon MacRae and terpsichorean Gene Nelson doing pirouettes around all the boys. The colorful story was filmed in black and white.
A new decade arrived, and Cagney filled the years with Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950), Come Fill the Cup (1951), What Price Glory? (1952) and Lion in the Streets (1953).
The year 1955 would prove to be a big year for Cagney, for he had four big hits that year. He once again starred with Doris Day, but Love Me or Leave Me was not the usual Day-type musical. It was a dramatic story with music, a new departure. Day played real-life jazz singer Ruth Etting, a 1920s star who rose from sleazy night clubs and taxi dance saloons in Chicago to become a top star. But she had help along the way. Gangster Martyn “Moe the Gimp” Snyder fell in love with her. She was not interested in him romantically, but she came to depend on him and his help in making her a star. He intimidated her and used threats to get his way. Cagney once again acted his way to a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his superb portrayal. The film co-starred Cameron Mitchell and Tom Tully, was produced by Joe Pasternak, directed by Charles Vidor, and shot at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios.
Mister Roberts was adapted from the hit Broadway play. The leading actor in New York was Henry Fonda, and he was hired to head the film. The play had been a hit when it opened February 18, 1948 as directed by Joshua Logan. In the film version from Warner Bros., James Cagney was perfect as the Captain. Newcomer Jack Lemmon played the bumbling Ensign Pulver, and Betsy Palmer played the delectable female officer Lt. Girard that had been played by Jocelyn Brando on stage. (Yes, Brando’s sister.) Young sailors were played by Patrick Wayne, Nick Adams, and Perry Lopez. Veteran MGM star William Powell played the doctor. The film was partially shot in Hawaii, and the inventor of the surfboard and Olympic champion Duke Kahanamoku made a guest appearance.
Cagney returned to his vaudeville days when he guest-starred in the Bob Hope musical The Seven Little Foys, a biographical film about stage star Eddie Foy. Cagney stole the picture when he danced on top of a table with Hope. In addition to that memorable appearance, Cagney starred in director Nicholas Ray’s (Rebel Without a Cause) Western thriller Run For Cover, with leading lady Viveca Lindfors and John Derek for Paramount Pictures.
By 1956 Cagney had already worked for 25 years in films. He was not ready for retirement yet, but he carefully chose his projects. When Spencer Tracy could not make Tribute to a Badman, Cagney stepped in and won accolades for his performance in the western for MGM. He was then cast in These Wilder Years with A-list actress Barbara Stanwyck (Sorry, Wrong Number), a performer he had known since his vaudeville days.
Lon Chaney was the original horror star and created memorable screen appearances such as in The Phantom of the Opera for Universal Pictures in the early days. Cagney was the actor of choice to play Chaney in Man of a Thousand Faces, a biographical film about the man. Cagney’s co-stars on Universal’s Stage 28 were Dorothy Malone, Jane Greer, Robert Evans and Roger Smith. The movie was a huge hit.
The final musical picture Cagney appeared in was Never Steal Anything Small for the 1959 season. Written and directed by Charles Lederer, the movie also starred singer Shirley Jones (Music Man), Roger Smith, and comic actress Cara Williams. Famed choreographer Hermes Pan did the dances. He worked many times with Fred Astaire.
As he began aging, he slowed down. In 1960 he made only one film, and that was the patriotic movie The Gallant Hours in which he played World War II hero Admiral Bull Halsey.
This writer’s personal favorite of all the Cagney films is the Billy Wilder comedy One,Two,Three, which was filmed in 1961. Cagney played a soft-drink executive stationed in Europe. In the film he used a rapid-fire presentation of his lines. It was amazing to see the actor spew out reams of dialogue without missing a beat. The New York Film Critics Circle nominated him as Best Actor that year. Cagney did not get along with young German co-star Horst Buchholz. The up-and-coming actor tried everything he could to steal scenes. Cagney got so irritated with him that he almost slugged him. After this film, Cagney threw in the sponge and retired to his farm in New England.
For 20 years Cagney was content to live on his New York state farm and his home in Hollywood. He was never tempted to return to the sound stages. That is, until 1981 when friend, director Milos Forman, offered him a significant part in the film Ragtime, from E.L. Doctorow’s 1975 novel. In the film Cagney played Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo. The book was later adapted into the Broadway musical which opened in 1998 and starred Brian Stokes Mitchell, Marin Mazzie, and Tony-winning Audra McDonald.
After a couple of small ventures into television, Cagney’s health became frail and he suffered a stroke in 1984. While recuperating on his farm he suffered a heart attack and died on March 30, 1986 at the age of 86. He was an original, for sure.
There’s great news for fans of The Good Fight. CBS All Access has officially given the critically acclaimed dramatic series an order for a fourth season. The award-winning series is currently airing its third season, with new episodes arriving on Thursdays for CBS All Access subscribers. The season three finale is set for May 16, 2019.
The Good Wife spinoff was created by Robert King, Michelle King, and Phil Alden Robinson, with Robert and Michelle King serving as showrunners on the drama. They also executive produce with Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Liz Glotzer, Brooke Kennedy, and William Finkelstein.
“The Good Fight is in the middle of an incredible third season and continues to be a flagship original series for the service,” stated Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President, Original Content, CBS All Access. “Its visionary creators Robert and Michelle King and the extraordinary cast continue to explore the cultural climate with insight, humor and courage, and we can’t wait to see where these indelible characters go next.”
Christine Baranski leads a cast that includes Cush Jumbo, Rose Leslie, Audra McDonald, Sarah Steele, Michael Boatman, Nyambi Nyambi, Michael Sheen, and Delroy Lindo.
Season one and two are available on CBS All Access along with the first six episodes of season three. CBS All Access hasn’t announced an expected premiere date for the just-confirmed fourth season.
The Plot:
“The world went crazy in the The Good Fight’s second season, and now, in season three, the resistance does. Diane Lockhart tries to figure out whether you can resist a crazy administration without going crazy yourself, while Adrian Boseman and Liz Reddick-Lawrence struggle with a new post-factual world where the lawyer who tells the best story triumphs over the lawyer with the best facts. Meanwhile, Lucca Quinn balances a new baby with a new love, and Maia Rindell finds a new Mephistopheles in Roland Blum, a lawyer who is corruption incarnate.”
Believe the hype. Avengers: Endgame nails the ending, sending this phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe off with one of the best movies of the 22-film saga. Sure, it’s three hours long and, yes, it’s impossible to discuss without giving away a spoiler. But it’s also incredibly entertaining and loaded with so many references/payoff moments from the films leading up to it that multiple viewings are required to catch everything directors Joe and Anthony Russo, and writers Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, have successfully squeezed in.
Prepare to get a little choked up as Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, (newcomer) Brie Larson, and Jeremy Renner breathe life into Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, The Hulk, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, and Hawkeye for an absolutely epic Avengers finale. I didn’t cry (I only do so if an animal dies in a film), but the guy next to me at the press screening spent a good deal of time sobbing. And he owned it, not once attempting to stifle his sniffling.
The Avengers: Endgame stars are obviously comfortable in these superhero roles at this point, yet in this outing they each manage to bring some fresh aspects to their characters. This might be the most emotional, gut-wrenching entry in the MCU. However, it also doesn’t skimp on the lighter moments, with Hemsworth, Ruffalo, and Rudd responsible for the film’s funniest lines. Oh, and Rocket Raccoon. Can’t forget the furry little dude’s contributions to the team and to lightening the mood, with Rocket’s humor derived from putting down his fellow Avengers.
The most impressive aspect of what’s sure to be one of the biggest blockbusters in history is how intimate and personal so much of the story is and how quieter character moments aren’t lost in the shuffle. There are spectacular action sequences, some of which are callbacks to earlier battles featuring our favorite costumed superheroes. But those action scenes each fill a specific purpose and aren’t just for the sake of spectacle or fillers to move from one environment to another.
Avengers: Infinity War ended with Thanos (Josh Brolin) wiping out half the world’s population. Avengers: Endgame focuses on the surviving Avengers attempting to reverse Thanos’ “snap” and restore order on Earth. Your assumptions as to how they go about attempting to accomplish their quest, who sets them on the right path, and which characters make the best buddy teams are probably wrong. And you can thank the filmmakers, the cast, and the studio for the amazing job they’ve done concealing not just key moments within the film but, really, the overall basic plot.
Avengers: Endgame is Scarlett Johannson’s best outing as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow. This Natasha is unwavering in her commitment to a team that’s become her family. Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye finally feels like a real person after all these outings. And the broken relationship and strain between Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark/Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers/Captain America is acknowledged, addressed, and played with truth and dignity by both actors.
Chris Hemsworth’s Thor, Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang/Ant-Man, and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/The Hulk are used for comic relief which could have, if taken too far, diminished their arcs. Fortunately, the script also gave each of these characters dramatic moments of introspection and a scattering of serious scenes to counterbalance the funny ones.
Brie Larson as Captain Marvel is an outstanding addition to the Avengers team. Larson’s already nailed this character once in her stand-alone film, and Endgame allows her to really strut her stuff in a group environment. It also allowed a special “I am woman, hear me roar” scene that earned a loud cheer at my press screening.
This review is short of any detailed analysis out of necessity. (Frankly, I had no idea how to approach a review of a film so loaded with potential spoilers.) Describing any specific scene or character interactions from the film could inadvertently reveal the tiniest plot detail that could lead to spoiling a moment best seen in person in a theater packed with fellow Marvel fans. Millions of moviegoers feel emotionally invested in the film adaptations of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, The Hulk, Captain Marvel, and even Hawkeye (although you’d be hard-pressed to find someone demanding a stand-alone Hawkeye film). What Avengers: Endgame does is give each of these characters multiple opportunities to stand out from the ensemble and have their own independent heroic moments.
Avengers: Endgame is the final superhero outing for many of the Avengers actors. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo did right by these fine actors and, in turn, did right by the fans. Endgame’s a near-perfect ending to this chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a fitting farewell to this team of incredible characters.
GRADE: A
For those preparing to take in a screening, don’t bother hanging around for post-credits scenes. Avengers: Endgame breaks from the Marvel tradition and does not include extra content after the credits.
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and some language
CBS’s action drama MacGyver continues season three with episode 20 airing on April 26, 2019. Titled “No-Go + High-Voltage + Rescue,” the episode was directed by Eagle Egillson from a script by Rob Pearlstein and Andrew Karlsruher. Season three airs on Fridays at 8pm ET/PT.
Episode 20’s guest stars include David Paluck as Derek Diresta, Mandy June Turpin as Julie, Jeffrey Cole as Tyler, Andrew Brodeur as Ben, and Emily Marie Palmer as Isabela. Laurie Catherine Winkel, Jorge Longoria, Francisco Soto, Jr, and Eileen Faxas also guest star.
Season three’s cast is led by Lucas Till as Angus “Mac” MacGyver. George Eads plays Jack Dalton, Tristin Mays is Riley Davis, Justin Hires is Wilt Bozer, and Meredith Eaton plays Matty. Recurring guest cast members include Levy Tran as Desi, Tate Donovan as Oversight, David Dastmalchian as Murdoc, and Michael Des Barres as Nicholas Helman.
The “No-Go + High-Voltage + Rescue” Plot – When two American tourists go missing while doing a “No-Go Scavenger Hunt” through some of the world’s most dangerous countries, the Phoenix team goes undercover as backpackers to find them and bring them home alive.
The MacGyver Plot:
“MacGyver, a reimagining of the classic series, is an action-adventure drama about 20-something Angus “Mac” MacGyver, who creates a clandestine organization within the U.S. government, where he uses his extraordinary talent for unconventional problem-solving and his vast scientific knowledge to save lives. Joining his team on high-risk missions around the globe is maverick former CIA agent Jack Dalton; Riley Davis, an unpredictable computer hacker with a chip on her shoulder; Wilt Bozer, Mac’s roommate and the newest agent on the team; and Matty Weber, a legend in Covert Ops and the director of operations at the Phoenix Foundation.
Under the aegis of the Department of External Services, MacGyver takes on the responsibility of saving the world, armed to the teeth with resourcefulness and little more than bubble gum and a paper clip.”
FXX’s critically acclaimed adult animated series Archer returns for season 10 on May 29, 2019 at 10pm ET/PT. This season finds the collection of oddball characters heading into space for Archer: 1999, a season that finds the group encountering aliens, space pirates, and outer space entities.
FXX brought the voice cast of Archer to the 2019 WonderCon in Anaheim to discuss the upcoming season. Sitting down for roundtable interviews, Lucky Yates shed some light on what’s in store for Archer: 1999 and how it feels to be part of a show that constantly reinvents itself.
What’s the new wrinkle for Krieger going to be this year?
Lucky Yates: “I’m Krieger again, there’s one wrinkle. I’m no longer a bird. Well, we’re not human – we’re a synthetic human this time. Now he’s a robot as opposed to a clone. Like in the Aliens franchise he’s a synthetic human with milk blood. So, he’s a robot and he catches a lot of hell for it since he’s the only one on board.”
Does this robot Krieger like it in space since he’s built for it?
Lucky Yates: “Yeah. Yeah, there’s a lot of sort of like Spock where there’s just sort of a cold logic side to him, except they pick on him a lot. He has emotions unlike Spock, I guess. Krieger gets sad. But yeah, he digs space.”
Krieger’s had a lot of interesting transformations over the years.
Lucky Yates: “Yeah, big changes.”
Algernop Krieger (voice of Lucky Yates) in ‘Archer: 1999’ (Photo Credit: FXX)
Are there any that have stuck out over the seasons?
Lucky Yates: “Other than Crackers? Because Crackers above all, I love Crackers. I feel so bad saying it but, man, I love that bird! But my previous one was I love the San Marcos season – whatever season that is when we go to San Marcos, the one where we’re drug dealers – because he runs into the other clones. It opens up the world of Krieger and asks so many questions, like, ‘Man, how many of these guys are running around? Who is Krieger Prime?’
There’s got to be one at the top somewhere. I don’t think it’s our Krieger. We still haven’t answered which Krieger we have.”
Are we moving closer to that revelation in this season?
Lucky Yates: “In this season? No, because we’re in outer space and I’m a robot. But who knows? Who knows what will happen in the future. Not this guy.”
Has it been a challenge to reinvent the show every year?
Lucky Yates: “For us it’s a blast because it’s the same characters but we get to do completely different things every year and put different little spins on everything. I know the fans are freaking out about it every time we do one of these. Well, some of them… Some of the grumpier ones. I Shouldn’t say the fans because our fans are amazing. But some of your grumpier types get really bent out of shape as though this cartoon – these people – are real. You know what I mean? It’s like, ‘Just relax and enjoy the ride, guys.’
So, to sort of reinvent every year is amazing. It’s so much fun. I think the show could go on forever if we just kept doing that. Because at the core it’s about how these characters deal with one another. It’s a sort of dysfunctional family in the middle of something that, you know, they’re going to bicker their way through and hopefully succeed.”
Is it hard to work yourself up to those loud yelling moments?
Lucky Yates: “Oh god, no. I’m very loud as just a human being so it’s tougher to sort of tone things down for me. They’re just like, ‘Hey, don’t be so loud in this one.’”
Is there a particular sci-fi film that you loved seeing parodied in this season?
Lucky Yates: “Personally, I’ve only seen…I’ve seen the first episode, so I don’t know from this point on how things look. But sort of the look of the show we really are paying a lot of homage to the Aliens franchise, and it’s one of my favorite franchises because it’s sci-fi/horror which are two of my biggest happy places. So, I love that.
It’s the clunky sort of ‘70s version of what the future will be – clackety keyboards and weird things that don’t really make (sense). We’ve far surpassed a lot of the tech that’s on the ship already. So, getting back to that sort of, ‘This is what people thought the future would be,’ is a lot of fun.”
ABC’s Whiskey Cavalier season one episode nine centers on Lauren Cohan’s character, Frankie Trowbridge. The episode titled “Hearts & Minds” is set to air on April 24, 2019 and was directed by Jon East from a script by Sheri Elwood. Season one airs Wednesdays at 10pm ET/PT.
The Walking Dead‘s Lauren Cohan and Scandal‘s Scott Foley lead the season one cast. Ana Ortiz plays Susan Sampson, Tyler James Williams (also a Walking Dead alum) is Edgar Standish, Vir Das is Jai Datta, and Josh Hopkins plays Ray Prince.
Series star Scott Foley is also involved as a producer. The Warner Bros. Television production is executive produced by Bill Lawrence, Jeff Ingold, and writer David Hemingson. Peter Atencio directed the pilot and is also on board as an executive producer.
The “Hearts & Minds” Plot – Frankie is forced to prove herself as a leader when Will is captured during a mission to take down an international organ harvesting operation in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Will spends his time in captivity attempting to bond with Jai, who is unreceptive, and Standish seeks Frankie’s help to improve his combat skills.
The Whiskey Cavalier Plot:
The series follows the adventures of tough but tender FBI super-agent Will Chase (code name: “Whiskey Cavalier”). Following an emotional breakup, Chase is assigned to work with badass CIA operative Frankie Trowbridge (code name: “Fiery Tribune”). Together, they lead an inter-agency team of flawed, funny and heroic spies who periodically save the world – and each other – while navigating the rocky roads of friendship, romance and office politics.
Lauren Cohan in ‘Whiskey Cavalier’ season 1 episode 9 (ABC/Larry D. Horricks)Sergej Onopko and Lauren Cohanin season 1 episode 9 (ABC/Larry D. Horricks)Lauren Cohan in season 1 episode 9 (ABC/Larry D. Horricks)Tyler James Williams, Ana Ortiz, and Sergej Onopko in season 1 episode 9 (ABC/Larry D. Horricks)Tyler James Williams and Lauren Cohan in season 1 episode 9 (ABC/Larry D. Horricks)
What’s the one thing that’s been missing from the Avengers: Endgame promotional hype? Why, a musical montage featuring the cast of Avengers: Endgame singing the classic rock song, “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” of course.
The Tonight Show‘s Jimmy Fallon joined the surviving Avengers for a new take on Billy Joel’s popular tune. The two-minute video features Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Robert Downey Jr, Brie Larson, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Rudd, Jeremy Renner, and Don Cheadle taking Marvel fans back through the history of this chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Robert Downey Jr kicks the video off introducing Tony Stark/Iron Man. Chris Hemsworth gets to sing about Asgard while Mark Ruffalo’s “Bruce Banner, radiation, transformation” succinctly sums up The Hulk’s origin. Chris Evans gets into it with, “Captain Rogers, World War II, Bucky, Peggy, I love you! First Avenger, here we go. Everyone assemble!”
Next, the video runs through the list of villains from this chapter of the MCU including Red Skull, Whiplash, HYDRA, and Loki.
Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) appears exhausted after singing his part: “Battle for humanity, Stones of Infinity, space, time soul, mind, power and reality.”
After the villains, the video runs through the 21 prior films that haven’t yet been mentioned. The two-minute video ends with a tribute to the man responsible for it all, Stan Lee.
Avengers: Endgame will be screening today for critics across America. (My screening’s four hours away as I type this.) The review embargo will lift at 3pm PT/6pm ET so be sure to avoid any #AvengersEndgame spoilers on social media beginning later today through its release date. The studio, the cast, and Avengers: Endgame directors have done an amazing job keeping plot details from leaking and have asked for critics to refrain from posting anything that may even hint at being a spoiler. Hopefully all Marvel fans will be able to go into a screening and experience the film’s twists without some jerk ruining it in advance.
Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Jimmy Fallon, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ music video (Photo by: NBC)
Milana Vayntrub provides the voice of Squirrel Girl in the Marvel Rising animated productions, including Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron. During roundtable interviews at the 2019 WonderCon in Anaheim, Vayntrub revealed she sees a lot of herself in the fan favorite character.
Marvel Rising: Heart of Iron is now available on Marvel HQ.
What’s the best part of voicing Squirrel Girl?
Milana Vayntrub: “There’s so many. I think honestly the thing that is so wonderful is that she’s very funny. You’re going to be in a recording booth for hours and yelling and pushing yourself physically to that extent, it’s really just nice to have a joke. You guys know when you’re casually funny with people, it feels so good to make people laugh. Like, ‘I did it! My brain fired and synapsed in a way that worked to trigger something in somebody else that made them feel good.’ So, the fact that you can do that as a job is the best.”
Squirrel Girl is so funny in a very specific way. Was that hard to capture?
Milana Vayntrub: “I’m very like Squirrel Girl, truly. In fact, when I read her – when I read the comics before any of this, I felt like she talks like I talk. And so, as a voice actor, I don’t have to do too much to make her more like myself. There’s a little bit of a pitch thing that I do, but tiny. I feel like she’s excited about a lot of the things I’m excited about…teamwork, girl power, squirrels.”
Is there a favorite scene of Squirrel Girl’s?
Milana Vayntrub: “We did a short that was a scene-for-scene remake of one of Ryan North’s comics and I think that was my favorite. The animation was really interesting. The writing felt, because it was actually Ryan’s words, it felt super authentic and fun. And it was one of the early comics that I read of Ryan’s and so it felt like I got to bring truly her to life. And it turned out great. It’s beautiful.”
Milana Vayntrub voices Squirrel Girl in the ‘Marvel Rising’ projects (Photo Credit: Marvel)
Do you see yourself in the animation of Squirrel Girl?
Milana Vayntrub: “I think I am Squirrel Girl so whenever I see the cartoon and it’s not actually me, I am shocked. I’m like, ‘I’m not a redhead! My eyes are brown!’ Because when I am voicing her, I genuinely feel so connected to her in the cheesiest way possible. I feel like Squirrel Girl is not just my spirit animal, she is my spirit.
When I’m reading the words, I just feel like it is an extension of me. I’m so sorry for how cheesy that is! I don’t mean it in like a Daniel Day-Lewis way where I’ve been growing my own tail. But I do feel like naturally we’re aligned.”
Do you have any Squirrel Girl action figures?
Milana Vayntrub: “Yes, I have one and I’ve given one to my niece. But I asked to keep Tippy. I just had to give her something to work for. I have to have some sort of reward system otherwise she won’t clean for me. No, I’m kidding. I did keep Tippy because I wanted Squirrel Girl to have many squirrels like she does in some of the animations. (Laughing) And I’m a terrible aunt. I giveth, I taketh away.”
Where would you like to see her evolve to next?
Milana Vayntrub: “President. Squirrel Girl for President! Squirrel Girl 2020.”
Nobody who grew up in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen area was a pansy. At least you couldn’t be and survive. James Cagney found that out after being born there in 1899. It was the era of immigrants flocking to New York. There were Italian areas, Jewish areas, Irish areas and so on, making the city the melting pot of America. Cagney was half Irish and half Norwegian. Being street-wise helped a young boy navigate the tough areas and survive relatively unscathed. It was his mother Carolyn (Nelson) who encouraged him to take up boxing to defend himself. But she was vehemently against his becoming a professional boxer.
