There’s no kicking Clark Gregg out of the MCU. He got killed by Loki in The Avengers but then got his own TV series. After five seasons, Agent Coulson finally did die on Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but the creators were kind enough to create a new character for him. They just won’t tell us who he’s playing.
With Coulson gone, Mack is now taking over as director of S.H.I.E.L.D., which is difficult for both Mack and actor Henry Simmons. Gregg and Simmons spoke with us at WonderCon about each of their new roles in season six of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. premiering on May 10, 2019 on ABC.
We saw you going off to Tahiti with Melinda May. Will we see what happened there at all?
Clark Gregg: “In Tahiti? I mean, on certain adult sites you might see some. (Laughing) Sorry. There may some allusions to what went on there during season six. I wouldn’t be at all surprised by that.”
Were you surprised how quickly she confessed her love before going off to Tahiti?
Clark Gregg: “I felt like the build-up had been five seasons long. I think they’ve known each other much longer than that and I think they were both really…I’ll just speak for the characters…they were both like, ‘All right, enough already.’ And also, the stakes had really changed because he had very little time left. I think when you’re confronted with mortality, whether it’s your own or someone you’re close to, it really makes you evaluate what you’re wasting time about. So, it’s one of the things that I think is moving in that episode is the fact that they got a little bit of time together.”
You’ve played Coulson for five years now.
Clark Gregg: “Off and on.”
How did you start to build a completely new character?
Clark Gregg: “It wasn’t easy. It was being parsed out to me gradually, so I had to kind of take what I was getting in. I like it that way, but it was mysterious and unsettling. And this is a very, very different type of person is the best I can say. At the same time, there was something really thrilling about being scared again, not sure what to do, not sure what felt right. This guy is in an antagonistic relationship with all of the people who Coulson held most dear, so that also created some dramatic fireworks.”
Ming-Na Wen, Clark Gregg, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Henry Simmons, Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge, and Jeff Ward star in ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ (ABC/Matthias Clamer)
How has Mack changed?
Henry Simmons: “I think Mack has changed in a way where because when he was out in the field with these people there was more of a camaraderie. But now as the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. there has been a distance between him and the others. As much as he would like to maintain that camaraderie, it’s not really acceptable in terms of trying to do what’s best.
And I will say as a result of that I found as an actor and as a character it’s quite lonely. It’s lonely because you feel isolated because you’re in a position where there’s no one else that can relate to it. Except for…I don’t know what to say…”
Clark Gregg: “A mentor figure.”
Henry Simmons: “A mentor figure that was handed down to each director. And I will stop…”
In the past Mack was typically the heart of the team but now that he’s the director who will he rely on as a sounding board?
Henry Simmons: “Well I’m still getting guidance from…”
Clark Gregg: “Your mentor?”
Henry Simmons: “I would say yes. You know, Coulson is still giving guidance to Mack.”
Clark Gregg: “He’s like a voice in your ear, really.”
Henry Simmons: “Yeah.”
Clark Gregg: “You hear what he’s thinking.”
Henry Simmons: “I think they try to develop a thing, and May might be someone who is a sounding board as well.”
Omid Abtahi as Salim in ‘American Gods’ season 2 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) is tormented in his sleep with images of a hanging and of a man with horrifying injuries in the opening moments of Starz’s American Gods season two episode five. He wakes and puts a straight razor to his throat as in the mirror we see his head’s on fire. A figure appears behind him and whispers in his ear, and Shadow stops short of slitting his own throat.
Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) plants a seedling, performs a little chant, and waters it with his urine. (Gross!) Shadow calls him out for pissing on the plant, but Wednesday claims innocence, calling Shadow disgusting for suggesting he’d piss on the world tree.
Wednesday set to take off on a trip without Shadow, instructing his bodyguard to remain behind and learn a thing or two from Mr. Ibis.
Out on the road, The Jinn (Mousa Kraish) and Salim (Omid Abtahi) pull over and wait for Wednesday’s arrival. An argument breaks out over gods, and The Jinn reveals all Jinns were given the choice of converting to Islam or being labeled as heretic demons. The Jinn chose heretic demon, yet Salim remains convinced his god is the one true god.
Wednesday arrives, late, interrupting the argument. They’ll be leaving the motorcycle behind (Wednesday assures them “she” will be just fine) and heading off in Wednesday’s car. As Salim grabs Gungnir, he asks The Jinn if he worships Wednesday. The Jinn angrily explains he was hanging in an amulet around Wednesday’s neck until he was released. Although he’s beholden to Wednesday, he doesn’t worship him. (If Wednesday hadn’t met up with Salim and The Jinn until now, then the plant from earlier in the episode can not have been the seedling given to them by Iktomi to pass on to Mr. Wednesday.)
While they’re driving, Wednesday senses there’s a problem in The Jinn and Salim’s relationship. The argument over religion resumes and Wednesday takes Salim’s side when Salim claims that although he felt the pain and suffering of the old gods in the diner, he doesn’t have the same relationship with them he has with Allah. “Don’t admonish him for having faith in a god. We need more like him,” chides Mr. Wednesday.
The next stop on Wednesday, Salim, and The Jinn’s road trip is a visit with Alviss (Lee Arenberg), the king of the dwarves in America. Before Wednesday can explain what he wants, Alviss says his answer is no. Wednesday reveals he’s brought Gungnir and Alvis considers it briefly before once again declaring Wednesday’s war is not his affair.
Wednesday lavishes praise on Alviss (apparently that’s one sure way to get in good with dwarves), calling him one of the greatest craftsmen of the Asgardian era as Alvis admires Gungnir. They agree she’s in need of repair and Alviss claims he’s not just one of the greatest craftsman, he is the greatest. He crafted the hammer Mjolnir and the ring Draupnir and is the only one capable of forging such a weapon. However, it’s the runes that need to be repaired to power Gungnir, and rune carving is someone else’s domain.
They leave Alviss and discover The Jinn and Salim’s motorcycle parked outside. Wednesday reveals the motorcycle is actually Hildisvini, Freya’s battle boar. Of course, another argument over worshiping gods breaks out, but Salim sticks with The Jinn even though they disagree on this key, relevant topic.
Moving on, Mr. Nancy (Orlando Jones) walks the streets of downtown Cairo and sees a young man. The man visits a nearby house, buys some drugs, and is immediately spotted by a cop. He eats the packet full of drugs and takes off running, cop hot on his heels.
He rounds a corner and comes to a sudden stop. In front of him a man’s seemingly alive severed head burns on a pillar. The cop doesn’t appear to notice the head as he places the young man under arrest.
A short while later at the funeral home, Mr. Ibis unzips a body bag and shows Shadow the corpse of Jamarr Goodchild, the young man who ran from the cops and then died of an opioid overdose. His body has horrible stab wounds and other marks, obviously not the result of a drug overdose. Mr. Ibis explains the wounds occurred posthumously, as they do quite a bit on young black men who die in Cairo.
Shadow Moon confesses he saw a man in his bathroom mirror with the same wounds. He also had them on his body. Mr. Ibis explains it was probably Will James. “He provides plenty of dream fuel under this old roof,” says Mr. Ibis, adding that Will James’ death in 1904 had catastrophic consequences.
Will (Warren Belle), a black man, crossed paths with a white woman who later was found dead. A mob strung him up without a trial after forcing the (honest) sheriff to hand him over. Will was hung, shot, stabbed, drug through the streets, and decapitated. His body was then burned as people cheered.
Shadow wonders why Will would have appeared in his mirror. A flashback shows Will looking to the heavens and saying, “Remember that you have to die,” while being hung.
Elsewhere in the funeral home, Bilquis (Yetide Badaki) interrupts a discussion between Reverend Hutchins (Glynn Turman) and Ruby Goodchild. Bilquis and Ruby met while Ruby was mourning her grandmother’s death the day before. Ruby’s grief has expanded to now include her recently deceased brother, Jamarr.
Ruby’s planning on leaving town with Bilquis, and the reverend asks her to reconsider. Bilquis changes her mind to say they can both stay in Cairo. But Ruby, upset and frustrated, reminds Reverend Hutchins his suggestion that she pray didn’t help. She’s decided Cairo is hell and she wants out.
Demore Barnes in ‘American Gods’ season 2 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Shadow wonders what would make a person curse their own people. Mr. Ibis replies, “Race is no simple equation where one thing equals another. No one hates the children of Israel more than the children of Israel.”
Mr. Ibis is also of the opinion that if you’re continually devalued, it’s easy to believe the rules are stacked against you. Mr. Ibis believes Will James felt abandoned by his own people as he hung from that rope.
Mr. Nancy announces his presence and immediately gets on Shadow’s very last nerve, causing Shadow to storm off. Mr. Nancy calls Shadow Wednesday’s puppet. He then accuses Mr. Ibis of using Jacquel (the jackal / Anubis) to keep fresh bodies coming through the back door of his funeral home. Mr. Nancy demands Mr. Ibis stop killing black people because he doesn’t want to lose any more worshipers. Nancy also realizes this is why Mr. Ibis doesn’t need a war to keep his funeral home in business.
Speaking of Jacquel, Shadow’s blowing off steam and out for a drive after his encounter with Mr. Nancy when he spots a jackal in the road. He pulls over and follows him, walking through people seemingly frozen in place. He comes upon the pillar with Will James’ burning head and it speaks to him, telling Shadow he releases those who have no hope. Will reveals he worships death and warns Shadow he doesn’t know the nature of the land in which he dwells.
After calling Shadow unloved, Will says, “Walk with my burden. When you share it with the world, I will release you.”
Shadow returns to the funeral home where Reverend Hutchins is conducting Jamarr’s funeral. He admits Ruby was right when she said he lied; he doesn’t believe it will be okay. He can no longer look away from the cruelty inflicted on his people. He also acknowledges the world doesn’t make sense anymore. He agrees Ruby should leave and if she finds some place their people aren’t “catching hell,” she should contact him. “I’ll come running,” says Reverend Hutchins.
Shadow walks down the aisle to address the attendees which include Mr. Nancy, Bilquis, and Mr. Ibis. He speaks in a different voice as he describes how we worshiped death in the Middle Ages. “Now I look into the soul of death and I welcome it,” says Shadow. He finishes with amen and seems to return to himself.
Shortly thereafter, Wednesday, Mr. Nancy, and Mr. Ibis drink and relax at the funeral home. Shadow joins them to ask what happened to him tonight, but Nancy only says magic isn’t real – it’s a trick. Shadow demands an answer but doesn’t get a satisfactory explanation. Instead, the men toast and drink as Shadow once again storms off.
The camera pans to show the plant has grown from seedling to at least a foot tall.
Next, we catch up with the world’s unluckiest leprechaun, Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber), who’s sloppy drunk and yelling at statues in New Orleans. He passes out on Bourbon Street and no one on the crowded street offers any help. Fortunately, Laura Moon (Emily Browning) shows up and admits she made the wrong choice by going off with Wednesday. She’s less decomposed and ready to give Mad Sweeney’s man a chance to make her this way permanently.
With Laura back at his side, Mad Sweeney pays a visit to Baron Samedi (Mustafa Shakir) and requests a parlay. After he assures his friends he’s not there for Wednesday, they’re invited to join the chef’s table after the club closes for the night. Laura’s served a drink and she immediately throws up maggots. She feels better and thanks Maman Brigitte (Hani Furstenberg) before digging into her food. Maman Brigitte then blows smoke in Laura’s face and Laura breathes it in and smiles.
Mad Sweeney’s in no mood for small talk. He cuts to the chase, explaining he needs to turn Laura’s clock back, retrieve his property, and send Laura back to her husband. Mad Sweeney asks this as a favor and Baron Samedi agrees to a trade. If Laura gives him a truth, he’ll give them what they want.
Mad Sweeney’s sent away and Laura remains with Baron Samedi who begins cooking. Laura describes her relationship with Shadow and her long history of horrible impulse control. Baron declares Laura’s first betrayal of her husband was when she told him she loved him. He hands her a glass container and reveals it’s missing one key ingredient: two drops of blood infused with love.
Baron Samedi asks what she’ll do with her second chance and demands the truth. She pulls him toward her and they kiss.
At the same time, Mad Sweeney continues drinking as he watches Maman Brigitte dance provocatively. She wants to have sex (they’ve done it before), but he’s not into it. Maman figures out Mad Sweeney’s now into the dead girl. Mad Sweeney slaps her and they have angry sex while in the other room Laura and Baron Samedi are also engaging in intercourse.
The scene switches and now it’s Laura and Mad Sweeney naked, gazing into each other’s eyes while making love.
Hours later, Laura wakes, gets dressed, and then meets up with Mad Sweeney. It’s an awkward reunion and she just wants to get away from the leprechaun and New Orleans. She didn’t get her life back and refuses to give him back his coin. He asks if it worked and Laura calls it all bullshit. She believes this was all a setup concocted by Wednesday, ending her tirade by calling Mad Sweeney Wednesday’s whore. Mad Sweeney’s furious and yells, “What happened last night isn’t part of some grand plan.” He says Maman and Baron screwed them over, adding that he only does Wednesday’s errands because he owes him. He hates Wednesday with a passion, but Laura thinks he’s too cowardly to find his own war to die in.
After she leaves, Mad Sweeney says, “A bad end upon you. A plague on your house.”
The 31st season of CBS’s The Amazing Race will be pitting reality competition veterans against each other for the $1 million grand prize. The upcoming season is switching things up by featuring former contestants from previous seasons of The Amazing Race against Survivor and Big Brother veterans.
Season 31 is set to premiere on April 17, 2019 and will air on Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT. The season had been scheduled to kick off on May 22nd but was been moved to April 17th after Million Dollar Mile was given a new Saturday time slot beginning May 4th.
The Season 31 Details, Courtesy of CBS:
“The Amazing Race sends 11 teams on a trek around the world. Each Team is comprised of two people who have a pre-existing relationship with one another. At every destination, each Team competes in a series of challenges — some mental and some physical — and when the tasks have been completed, they learn their next destination. Teams who are farthest behind will gradually be eliminated as the contest progresses, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning at least $1 million.
Racers, Castaways and Houseguests will not only compete for the cash prize but for bragging rights for their respective shows. Will the former Racers’ travel experience be the most helpful? Will the former Survivors’ outwit, outplay and outlast the competition? Or, will the Big Brother players’ abilities to adapt and expect the unexpected make the difference?”
The Amazing Race Season 31 Contestants:
Art Velez (49) and John James “JJ” Carrell (49)
Friends from Temecula and San Marcos, Calif.
Previous season: The Amazing Race 20
Colin Guinn (38) and Christie Woods (40)
Life Partners from Austin, Texas
Previous season: The Amazing Race 5
Becca Droz (28) and Floyd Pierce (23)
Friends from Boulder and Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Previous season: The Amazing Race 29
Leo Temory (31) and Jamal Zadran (30)
Cousins from Pasadena, Calif. and Houston, Texas
Previous seasons: The Amazing Race 23 and The Amazing Race: All-Stars
Tyler Oakley (31) and Korey Kuhl (33)
Friends from Los Angeles and San Francisco
Previous season: The Amazing Race 28
Chris Hammons (40) and Bret Labelle (44)
Friends from Moore, Okla. and Dedham, Mass.
Previous season: Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X
Corinne Kaplan (39) and Eliza Orlins (35)
Friends from Denver, Colo. and New York
Previous seasons: Survivor: Gabon and Survivor: Caramoan (Corinne); Survivor: Vanuatu and Survivor: Micronesia (Eliza)
Rupert (54) and Laura (49) Boneham
Married from Indianapolis, Ind.
Previous seasons: Survivor: Pearl Islands, Survivor: All-Stars, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, and Survivor: Blood vs. Water (Rupert); Survivor: Blood vs. Water (Laura)
Janelle Pierzina (38) and Britney Haynes (30)
Friends from Lakeville, Minn. and Tulsa, Okla.
Previous seasons: Big Brother 6, Big Brother All-Stars and Big Brother 14 (Janelle); Big Brother 12 and Big Brother 14 (Britney)
Rachel Reilly (34) and Elissa Slater (32)
Sisters from Van Nuys, Calif. and Las Vegas, Nev.
Previous Seasons: Big Brother 12, winner Big Brother 13, The Amazing Race 20 and The Amazing Race: All-Stars (Rachel); Big Brother 15 (Elissa)
Nicole Franzel (26) and Victor Arroyo (28)
Dating from Ubly, Mich.
Previous seasons: Big Brother 16, winner of Big Brother 18 (Nicole); Big Brother 18 (Victor)
Miranda Lambert will be embarking on her lengthy “Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars” tour on Friday, September 13, 2019 in Uncasville, Connecticut. The two-time Grammy Award winner will hit cities including New Orleans, Fargo, Lake Tahoe, Jacksonville, and Baltimore between June 8th and November 23 when the tour wraps up in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Lambert will be joined on the road by Maren Morris, Elle King, Pistol Annies, Tenille Townes, Ashley McBryde, and Caylee Hammack on select dates.
“I’m so excited and honored to be on tour with some of my favorite artists, who each inspire me in a different way,” stated Miranda Lambert. “Maren Morris is a fiery fellow Texas girl that isn’t afraid to take a risk and be who she is. Elle King is a brave, confident and unapologetic artist who is honest about her life and uses it for her art. My fellow Pistol Annies are not only some of my best friends and writing partners, but also make me want to be a better artist every time we take the stage together. Tenille, Ashley and Caylee are all women who have something to say and they do it their own way. They are the next generation of fearless female artists and I’m so thrilled to share a stage with them.”
Tickets go on sale via a special Citi cardmembers presale on Tuesday, April 9th at 12pm local time. General public tickets for some dates are set to go on sale on Friday, April 12th at MirandaLambert.com and LiveNation.com.
Miranda Lambert Tour Dates:
Fairs & Festivals:
Saturday, June 8 – CMA Music Festival || Nashville, Tenn*
Friday, June 21 – Country LakeShake || Chicago, Ill. (Pistol Annies)*
Wednesday, July 17 – California Mid-State Fair || Paso Robles, Calif.*
Thursday, July 18 – Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harvey’s || Lake Tahoe, Nev.*
Wednesday, July 24 – Cheyenne Frontier Days || Cheyenne, Wyo.*
Friday, August 2 – Watershed Festival || George, Wash. (Pistol Annies)*
Saturday, August 10 – Boots & Hearts Music Festival || Oro-Medonte, Ontario*
Friday, August 16 – Country Thunder Alberta || Calgary, Alberta*
Friday, August 30 – The Great Allentown Fair || Allentown, Penn.**
Saturday, August 31 – Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa || Atlantic City, N.J.**
Featuring Elle King, Pistol Annies and Caylee Hammack:
Friday, September 13 – Mohegan Sun Arena || Uncasville, Conn.
Saturday, September 14 – Mohegan Sun Arena || Uncasville, Conn.
Thursday, September 19 – Van Andel Center || Grand Rapids, Mich.**
Friday, September 20 – Huntington Center || Toledo, Ohio**
Saturday, September 21 – BB&T Arena at Northern Kentucky University || Highland Heights, Ky.**
Featuring Elle King, Pistol Annies and Tenille Townes:
Thursday, September 26 – Royal Farms Arena || Baltimore, Md.**
Friday, September 27 – Charleston Coliseum || Charleston, W.Va.
Saturday, September 28 – Nationwide Arena || Columbus, Ohio
Featuring Maren Morris, Pistol Annies and Tenille Townes:
Thursday, October 3 – Cajundome || Lafayette, La.**
Friday, October 4 – Smoothie King Center || New Orleans, La.**
Saturday, October 5 – Centurylink Center || Bossier City, La.**
Thursday, October 10 – State Farm Center || Champaign, Ill.**
Friday, October 11 – Pinnacle Bank Arena || Lincoln, Neb.**
Saturday, October 12 – Denny Sanford Premier Center || Sioux Falls, S.D.**
Featuring Elle King, Pistol Annies and Ashley McBryde:
Thursday, October 17 – Fargo Dome || Fargo, N.D.
Friday, October 18 – Fiserv Forum || Milwaukee, Wisc.
Saturday, October 19 – Xcel Energy Center || Saint Paul, Minn.
Thursday, October 24 – TaxSlayer Center || Moline, Ill.
Friday, October 25 – JQH Arena || Springfield, Mo.**
Saturday, October 26 – INTRUST Bank Arena || Wichita, Kan.**
Featuring Maren Morris, Pistol Annies and Tenille Townes:
Thursday, November 7 – John Paul Jones Arena || Charlottesville, Va.**
Friday, November 8 – Colonial Life Arena || Columbia, S.C.**
Saturday, November 9 – Amway Center || Orlando, Fla.
Featuring Maren Morris, Pistol Annies and Ashley McBryde:
Thursday, November 21 – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena || Jacksonville, Fla.
Friday, November 22 – Infinite Energy Arena || Duluth, Ga.
Saturday, November 23 – Greensboro Coliseum || Greensboro, N.C.
*currently on sale
**on sale Friday, April 12; remaining dates on sale timing to follow
If you talk about The Karate Kid, people are likely to mention Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi, maybe Johnny Lawrence too. If you talk about Cobra Kai, people are likely to mention Miguel. Xolo Maridueña’s character became the breakout star of the Karate Kid series, Johnny’s first student in the reopened Cobra Kai dojo.
Miguel had his own sweep the leg moment in the 2018 All Valley Karate tournament in Cobra Kai season one. He won by exploiting his opponent’s shoulder injury. This might be just what Johnny (played by William Zabka) needs to learn that Cobra Kai’s “no mercy” philosophy is not good sportsmanship, but is it too late for Miguel?
YouTube Red’s Cobra Kai season two premieres on April 24, 2019.
If you could fight anyone from your former series, Parenthood, who would it be?
Xolo Maridueña: “Craig T. Nelson. I feel like that would be the coolest story. I don’t feel like I would win, just because the sheer intimidation – the intimidation factor that he brings on the set. But it’s funny because Craig T. is one of the only people who I feel like would kick my ass and still make me feel bad about it. He is the most down-to-earth person I’ve ever met, and I feel like he would punch me in the face and I’d be like, ‘I’m so sorry. I apologize for whatever you’ve done.’
I love him. He’s Mr. Incredible and it’s funny because the year before I booked Parenthood I dressed up as Mr. Incredible. And probably the first two years of filming I had no idea that he was Mr. Incredible. It wasn’t until I think our last season filming that I went up to him and I was like, ‘You’re… I love The Incredibles!’ And it’s a run-on joke that he always used to do Mr. Incredible’s voice which I didn’t understand until recently is just his voice. And now when I saw the second Incredibles, all I could see was him doing the lines in it. And it didn’t ruin it for me, but it was kind of just like, ‘Oh gosh,’ you know? But he’s such an amazing person.”
Who would win between Craig T. Nelson and Martin Kove?
Xolo Maridueña: “I think Martin would win.”
Would Martin cheat?
Xolo Maridueña: “I don’t know. Martin is one of those guys, you know, I said Craig was intimidating…when I first met Martin, when he walked into the room the ambience changed. It was one of those things where it was like nobody – we’re not afraid of him but it was something is different, you know?
I met him and he has the most firm handshake ever. I’m like, ‘You’re someone not to be messed with.’ So just because of that. But it’s like he lives this life. He just lives and breathes someone who is awesome, and because of that I feel like I have to go with him.”
People have really responded to Miguel in this series. What has that meant to you and what do you think they respond to?
Xolo Maridueña: “I think, and this goes for all of the young adults on the show, I think everyone can relate to them in some way or another. Hawk, Miguel, Aisha, and Robby, all of these characters – like someone was saying during our panel, they come from grey areas. You don’t watch this show and say, ‘This is the good guy and this is the bad guy.’ I think that’s something that a lot of us can relate to being that when you face these situations a lot of times, you’re like, ‘I agree with both parties. To be quite honest, I don’t know who I should be rooting for.’
But being a character who is vulnerable and being a character who is not the stereotypical macho kind of guy, it’s refreshing. It’s wonderful to be able to you know at the very end of the season do a total 180. It’s so awesome.”
How irredeemable is the situation with Sam?
Xolo Maridueña: “That’s one of the things that I hear about… you know, the comment that I see the most is we want Miguel and Sam together again. And going into season two, I think we’re going to see that it’s not irredeemable but both parties have a lot of learning to do about each and have a lot of growing to do as people before they’re ready for that.”
William Zabka and Xolo Maridueña in ‘Cobra Kai’ season 1 (Photo Courtesy of YouTube)
Where do we pick up with Miguel in season two?
Xolo Maridueña: “We ended last season with him doing a total 180 and really using the ‘strike hard, strike first, no mercy’ mantra, blood in blood out. What he wants more than anything is to win not only for Cobra Kai but for Johnny Lawrence. Johnny is very much a father figure to Miguel and all that Miguel wants to do is make him proud. Sometimes that means doing things that aren’t necessarily respected in the competition environment and doing what you have to be to win.
In Miguel’s mind he doesn’t see that as the wrong thing; he sees it as, ‘I’m doing this. Aren’t you proud of me? I won. This is what we’ve been talking about for as long as we can remember. Aren’t you proud of me?’
We saw in a teaser that came out for season two he’s not proud of Miguel and he’s not proud of Hawk for doing what they did. It’s not a slap in the face but it definitely is a wake-up call in being that Miguel is like, ‘Oh shoot, maybe I was going down the wrong path. Let’s do some recorrection. Let’s take a few steps back and try to figure out, gather our bearings and see where we’re going to next.’”
Is there going to be any crossover in maybe season three with the Jackie Chan universe?
Xolo Maridueña: “That universe? The Jaden Smith/Jackie Chan? I would love to. I feel like I really enjoyed the Jaden Smith Karate Kid. I actually just met Jaden Smith for the first time recently and he’s exactly what I envisioned him like. I think in pop culture the only thing I see about him is that he’s very otherworldly and he has all these conspiracy theories, and he’s just like that in real life so that was really refreshing. But I would love to. I mean, obviously I am in no way in charge of that and if it does happen, I’m not trying to spoil anything. It would be a total coincidence if it did, but yeah, I would love to.”
So who would win – you or Jaden?
Xolo Maridueña: “He can do the splits. He can do the splits at like 12 years old. I feel like just out of pure humbleness I would have to say Jaden Smith.”
Did anybody recognize you at the Kids Choice Awards because you’ve got the beard now?
Xolo Maridueña: “Yeah, I’ve got the facial hair or the couple hairs that I do have on my chin. I have the scruff and I look like a little rat right now. But it definitely is different. It’s funny that you say that because even now I get recognized more from Parenthood than I do Cobra Kai. I think that’s because outside of when I’m not filming Cobra Kai I look so different. I mean, you guys are looking at me here right now; I have way longer hair than I do in Cobra Kai, I have glasses on, I have the couple of hairs on my face.
But when I do it’s the coolest thing ever to see people. It’s the only environment where you’re talking to someone face to face and they just say, ‘I love the show’ or ‘Why did you do that?’
I feel like social media is such an easy outlet to do that. But when you put a phone in front of someone’s face, they just say whatever they want and a lot of the time it’s the negative stuff. And seeing someone in person, they’re like, ‘Wow. This part and this part and this part.’ And there’s no other area where you get to do that. So, I really appreciate it. If anyone ever does see me, don’t be afraid to walk up.”
Is the training and action harder in season two?
Xolo Maridueña: “Yeah, so in season one you establish the characters. Season two we know who everyone is. There’s a couple of characters that are brought in here and there. The stakes are raised, for sure. There’s more fighting, there’s more action, there’s more drama, and most of all there’s more rivalry.”
So, your jacket (with Public Enemy on it) isn’t a giveaway as to where your character’s going this season?
Xolo Maridueña: “No. I just love Public Enemy – that’s what it was. I’m not spoiling anything when I say that season two is going to be phenomenal.”
When this season started out, we thought it would be about Alternate Michael’s quest for power, but Supernatural’s season 14 episode 17 “Game Night” made it clear that it was all leading toward Jack’s fall from grace.
Now that the Michael thing’s been done with, the B story of the season took center stage this week as we returned back to the exploits of Nick (Mark Pellegrino) – the guy who is Lucifer through and through in evilness. We touch base with Old Donnie (Keith Szarabajka) as he’s making dinner – for a guy who’s soulless, the guy sure does have a lot of personality – and enjoying the heck out of the process. Donatello is interrupted when a stranger shows up, ties the prophet, and painfully injects him with a mysterious substance.
We are treated to a family game night at the Men of Letters bunker as Jack (Alexander Calvert), Dean (Jensen Ackles), and Mary (Samantha Smith) are about to sit down for a game while Sam’s out picking dinner, before Dean gets a chilling message from Donnie begging for his help. Donnie also speaks in a language none of the heroes can understand.
When Dean can’t get through Sam’s cell, he and Mary hit the road for Donnie’s. An incensed Sam (Jared Padalecki), who’s still dealing with guilt at losing his friends, translates the message with Jack. It is revealed to be a Bible verse about the Devil. Obviously, Nick’s behind everything.
Dean and Mary find the Devil’s number one fan at Donnie’s house being all nonchalant. Clearly, he’s got something up his sleeve. Dean tries to beat the information of Donatello’s whereabouts out of Nick, who reveals that he’s poisoned the prophet and he has only 24 hours to live before it takes effect. Dean and Mary bring Nick back to HQ where an even more livid than before Sam is prepared to make Nick pay.
However, Dean makes him stay put while he interrogates Nick. Meanwhile, Mary makes a similar speech she’d given to Dean in the car to Sam, about how he’s a good man and how he shouldn’t blame himself for all the people he’s lost, and the people Nick’s killed. If you know Supernatural, you know this is going to lead up to something happening to Mary soon enough. Dean’s efforts are fruitless, and Nick only agrees to talk to “his son” – Jack.
Jack is enraged enough during their little chat that Nick headbutts him when the boy gets up in Nick’s face. Jack’s bleeding face is quickly healed by him, though, and he tells the others that Nick has agreed to show him where Donatello is.
While Jack and Mary stay behind (a trademark boneheaded Winchester decision), Sam and Dean are taken to a warehouse. Dean heads inside while Sam keeps an eye on Nick in the car. At the bunker, Jack is able to detect that the injection Nick used has angel grace in it, not poison. Upon being informed of this, Sam pulls a gun on Nick and asks him what he’s planning. Nick candidly reveals he used Donatello, whose prophet status makes him unique, to talk to Lucifer in the Empty – remember many episodes back when he’d woken up there?
In a flashback, we see Lucifer communicate through Donatello to Nick that he needed Jack’s blood to complete the process of extracting Lucifer from the Empty, hence why Nick headbutted Jack in order to get his blood smeared on his shirt. This whole thing was a ploy to get Jack’s blood. In a meta moment, Nick argues that “nobody stays dead anymore,” and Sam should know best. Nick, who’s become the world champion of unlocking handcuffs by now, does so again and attacks Sam.
Meanwhile, Dean is in trouble himself with demons, whom Nick has employed, while saving Donnie. Weirdly, Dean easily kills the demons, while Sam somehow can’t beat Nick of all people in a fight. Nick flees after bashing Sam in the head with a rock, and Sam seems to be in severe danger.
Dean arrives and calls Mary to inform her of the terrible scenario, as Nick has fled to the inside of the warehouse and is summoning Lucifer with Jack’s blood. However, Jack uses his powers and teleports himself and Mary to Nick, where Jack flings a creepy-looking essence of Lucifer back in the Empty just before he possesses Nick. Jack, in a fit of uncontrollable rage, grotesquely snaps Nick’s hands (it really is rather hard to look at), before incinerating Nick’s skin – it’s not confirmed, but it looks like Nick might be dead. Jack then teleports to Sam and heals him. When he returns to Mary, the Winchester matriarch displays yet again why she’s a terrible fit to be a mother by chastising Jack for how he seemingly killed Nick.
An enraged Jack can’t take any more of Mary’s ridicule – she seriously should’ve shut her trap rather than kept going on about how Jack’s changed. Jack throws his hands around his head when Mary tells him she’ll tell Sam and Dean what he did, and we don’t see what happens as the last we see is Jack’s distraught face as he whispers Mary’s name. Did he finally rid the fandom of Mary’s worthless existence? We don’t find that out this episode.
Over on the B story, Castiel (Misha Collins) and Anael (Danneel Ackles) try to locate something that Joshua the Angel once used to communicate with God. Castiel figures only God can help in restoring Jack’s soul and wants to appeal to Chuck – looks like Castiel’s forgotten just how much Chuck sucks as God. They head to Joshua’s old roommate; whose sardonic attitude brings out the badass Cas for a moment as Castiel threatens the man to reveal the item Joshua used.
The man directs them to the thousands of items lying around in the emporium. It resembles the Room of Requirement from Harry Potter, only crappier, and Cas and Anael start sifting through the junk. This is pretty much all they do the whole episode, with some dialogue that isn’t really interesting or important, before Castiel spots the amulet that God had responded to in season 11. As expected, Chuck doesn’t respond and Joshua’s friend tells them it never worked for Joshua either.
Although the episode was fast-paced when it came to the main plot, it just wasn’t as thrilling as it could’ve been. And although Lucifer is my favorite villain and among my favorite characters, I don’t like the idea of making him the baddie yet again. Supernatural should be shooting for new villains, but it appears the show wants Lucy back as the bad guy for the 15th – and final – season.
With God expected to return in the finale, expect things to get very messy as far as Jack is concerned. We have no idea what he did to Mary at present.
Being She-Ra’s sister isn’t easy, especially when you’re Catra and you’ve just been promoted to leader of the Horde. Catra’s not the only animalistic Horde member either. There’s also Scorpia.
Catra voice AJ Michalka and Scorpia voice Lauren Ash joined their fellow cast mates at the 2019 WonderCon held in Anaheim. Following their She-Ra and the Princesses of Power panel, Michalka and Ash teams up to speak with the press about what’s in store for the animated series’ second season.
She-Ra and the Princesses Of Power returns for a second season on Netflix April 26, 2019.
Do share any traits with your characters?
Lauren Ash: “Other than my giant claw hands? I have to say that I’m a very loyal friend. Am I as loyal as Scorpia? That’s tough.”
AJ Michalka: “Who is?”
Lauren Ash:: “Well, that’s the thing. But I definitely think that’s the number one thing that I have in common with her. She’ll fight somebody for her friend though. I don’t know. I’m Canadian, I don’t think I can actually hit another person. But maybe if pushed, but probably not. But the loyalty is it for me.”
AJ Michalka: “For me, it’s so hard. The way we know Catra now, no, there’s not any similarities. But the way we’re going to get to know Catra in later seasons to come, there are similarities. I think it has to do with the friendship her and Adora have and the love they have for one another. And to me there’s like a sister bond a little bit there that ends up becoming actually even deeper. I really think that in my mind that’s something that…gosh, in a way, it’s like I almost feel like their relationship, their friendship is like there’s a sisterhood there that I think is really important. And I kind of have that with my sister.
I don’t know if this is going to make sense down the road, this interview, based on the episodes that are going to come out, but there is a sisterhood between those two girls that no one can break.”
So how is Catra handling her new leadership position?
AJ Michalka: “She’s a little overwhelmed, I think. She’s obviously excited for the upgrade and job, however her main focus is impressing Hordak. I kind of feel like she’s still the underdog and she feels like she has to prove herself. And meanwhile Entrapta is coming in and kind of holding court and Catra is not happy with that. So once competition kind of comes into play, Catra has an issue with that.”
Scorpia’s getting more of a leadership role, too. Are there any things she still wants for herself or does she just want to be more like Catra?
Lauren Ash: “She just wants attention from Catra, I think, is the number one thing. I mean, like you heard in that clip that they showed during the panel, it’s like she said, ‘Even I couldn’t mess it up.’ Like, her rose-colored glasses are on just strapped to her head that literally anything that even has a semblance of positivity that Catra says to her is very meaningful. So, really, that’s her main focus is, ‘I have to do a good job because Catra entrusts me with this.’ That’s like of the utmost importance.
In terms of things, I don’t know that she has wants for herself. I think her only real want is just to have Catra’s friendship and love and to please her. That’s really her whole being.”
AJ Michalka: “Yeah, just approval-based.”
Lauren Ash: “It’s just approval-based.”
AJ Michalka: “Yeah, which is really sweet but sad. There’s so much more going for her that I just wish she would not base her worth off of what Catra thinks.”
Lauren Ash: “I know but that’s a lesson that I think that so many people can learn in real life, too.”
Aimee Carrero, AJ Michalka, Lauren Ash and Marcus Scribner on the DreamWorks ‘She-Ra and the Princesses of Power’ red carpet at WonderCon (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for DreamWorks Animation Television)
How have your interactions with fans been since season one? Do people tell you how much they love you?
AJ Michalka: “Yeah. I mean people have connected down the road that I’m Catra or I’m sure that you’re Scorpia, it clicks with people. Like, ‘I know that voice. It sounds familiar. What is that from?’ And then I’ve talked about it and it’s like you kind of see them go, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s it!’
It’s neat that you can be identified in that way by using your voice. This is the second thing I’ve ever done as a voice actor, but it’s been so fulfilling as an actor because it’s taught me how much I’m able to actually do with my voice. And then to be recognized for that and not for, ‘Oh I recognize your look,’ it’s more I recognize how you sound. That’s neat for me.”
Lauren Ash: “Yeah, I don’t feel like the response I’ve got…it’s like people don’t view Scorpia as a villain even though she is, she one hundred percent is. But I think because she has such a big heart and she’s so lovable and goofy, I don’t think people even view her that way. It’s kind of like, ‘Oh yeah, she’s doing bad stuff but come on! She knows not what she does. That’s not who she is.’ Which is amazing.
And definitely too I remember there was a She-Ra party and so there were a lot of behind the scenes people, animators and stuff like that. I’d be introduced to someone and literally they’d be like, ‘Oh my god!!!’ because they recognize the voice. They don’t necessarily know what you look like and they’ve been working with these voices. So, it was such a fun night of just like blowing people’s minds.”
AJ Michalka: “You’re so right. That night was really fun. We’d never met these people working on the show.”
Lauren Ash: “Yeah. That’s the thing also that I think people forget is there’s like hundreds of people that it takes to make any show but certainly an animated show. And, also, that you never meet but that know you intimately because they work with your voice literally every day.”
AJ Michalka: “Yes and are cutting you a cartoon. It’s crazy.”
After doing the first season was there anything different you wanted to do with your voices in the second season?
Lauren Ash: “You know what? I think that what happens in general on any show that you’re on is that when you continue to get more episodes, the writers begin to write to how you sound more and more. So, I feel like it kind of just cements itself, if that makes any sense, where you know early episodes you may be putting your taste on it a little bit more in terms of tone. But then when the writers hear it, they learn that and then they start kind of writing in that way. So when you’re getting into season two, I’m looking at it going, ‘Oh yeah, this sounds exactly like it. I know exactly how to do it.’
AJ Michalka: “Yeah. No, there’s nothing where I’ve been like, ‘Oh gosh, I want to experiment with this,’ and I wasn’t able to play with it the first season. My thing that I’ve really had a fun time doing that I want to do more of in future episodes is like playing young Catra because that was just a fun exploration as an actor to figure out how young I could go and how it could sound authentic to the character.
But, yeah, I agree a hundred percent. They understand how to write for you the more you record. I think that our showrunner and our director get our voices and our personality so well that each season got stronger and stronger. And you would literally read a line and go, ‘I know exactly what to do with that,’ because I feel like I’ve gotten to a place now where I feel very in control of this part.”
What other fun stuff is coming up?
AJ Michalka: “So Bow and Glimmer realize that Entrapta is alive and Catra kind of pulls one over on them and makes them feel very guilty for leaving her behind when really they did not do that. But, of course, Catra’s like, ‘How can I play a mind game on these two to convince them that what they did was wrong and they’re horrible friends and they’ll never redeem themselves?’ And they don’t fall for it. Glimmer does a little bit and then realizes that’s not true.
But to get Entrapta back is going to be a big goal for them and we’ll have to see where that goes. But that’s one of my favorite storylines for this season.”
Lauren Ash: “Yeah. There’s also a really cool episode which they did show a clip from where we’re going to see a plan of attack through the eyes of Bow. You get to see all of the characters and it’s a real nod to that ’80s original version of the show. So, we get to see Adora in the more traditional original She-Ra costume and stuff like that. We get to see Catra.
I mean, like literally She-Ra was my favorite cartoon growing up; it really, really was. I did a squeal when Catra came on because I was so into it. I’m so excited for people to see that scene because it’s such a fun thing and it’s such a fun way to pay homage to the original but doing it in a way that isn’t…”
AJ Michalka: – “It’s super cheeky.”
Lauren Ash: – “And fun. It’s like reminding us that this did exist in another way before. We have to address that in some way but we’ll do it in a way that’s really, really fun and authentic because I’m sure there’s also like… Think about this: there’s people that weren’t alive when that show came out that have never…they have no concept that that show existed.”
Season one of CBS’s hit drama FBI continues with episode 19 titled “Conflict of Interest.” Episode 19 is set to air on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at 9pm ET/PT and was directed by Christine Swanson from a script by Nick Santoro.
Season one episode 19 guest stars include Aleeah Rogers as Chantelle King, Mike Keller as Detective Steve Torino, Christopher M. Ramirez as Juan Torrez, Donald Paul as Morris Kalu, Anna Weng as Mika Chang, Andrew Hovelson as Ryan Parker, and Taylor Sele as Tayo. Alexander Pineiro, Kurt Uy,
Jason Furlani, Bueka Uwemedimo, Laris Macario, Jennifer Honka, and Teren Carter also guest star in the episode.
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 “Conflict of Interest” Plot – An American diplomat is killed while being used as a pawn in a dangerous drug ring, and the team must work together to bring them down. Also, Jubal and OA try to help friends from their past fight off their inner demons.
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.”
JoJo Siwa’s 2019 “D.R.E.A.M. The Tour” has just expanded by 17 dates. The tour marks the first North American tour for the Nickelodeon star who’s about to launch her second EP, Celebrate, on Friday, April 12th. The new EP will feature four songs – “It’s Time To Celebrate,” “#1U,” “Worldwide Party,” and “Bop!”.
The just-added dates include stops in Indianapolis, Birmingham, Memphis, and New Orleans. “D.R.E.A.M. The Tour” will kick off in Phoenix, Arizona at the Comerica Theatre on May 17th. The tour is scheduled to wrap up on September 17th in Grand Prairie, Texas at The Theatre at Grand Prairie.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 12 at 12pm local time via JoJoDREAMTour.com. American Express Card Members will be able to participate in a special presale on Wednesday, April 10th at 10am local time.
JoJo Siwa “D.R.E.A.M. The Tour” North American Dates:
May 17 – Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre
May 19 – Los Angeles, CA Microsoft Theater
May 20 – San Diego, CA San Diego Civic Theatre
May 21 – San Jose, CA City National Civic
May 23 – Seattle, WA Marion Oliver McCaw Hall
May 25 – Eugene, OR Hult Center for the Performing Arts
May 28 – Salt Lake City, UT Abravanel Hall
May 30 – Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
June 1 – Tulsa, OK Brady Theater
June 2 – Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland
June 4 – St. Louis, MO Stifel Theatre
June 5 – Des Moines, IA Des Moines Civic Center
June 6 – Minneapolis, MN Northrop, University of Minnesota
June 8-9 – Chicago, IL Nickelodeon’s SlimeFest
June 11 – Cleveland, OH Keybank State Theatre
June 12 – Baltimore, MD The Modell Lyric
June 13 – New Brunswick, NJ State Theatre New Jersey
June 15 – Hartford, CT The Bushnell
June 16 – Lowell, MA Lowell Memorial Auditorium
June 18 – New York, NY Beacon Theatre
June 20 – Charlotte, NC Ovens Auditorium
June 21 – Nashville, TN Tennessee Performing Arts Center
June 22 – Atlanta, GA Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
June 25 – Grand Prairie, TX The Theatre at Grand Prairie
June 26 – Austin, TX Bass Concert Hall
July 10 – Orlando, FL Amway Center
July 12 – Sunrise, FL BB&T Center
July 13 – Saint Augustine, FL Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
July 14 – Charleston, SC Volvo Car Stadium
July 16 – Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
July 18 – Richmond, VA Virginia Credit Union LIVE!
July 19 – Vienna, VA Wolf Trap
July 20 – Mashantucket, CT The Grand Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino
July 23 – Boston, MA Agganis Arena
July 24 – Newark, NJ Prudential Center
July 26 – Uniondale, NY NYCB Live
July 27 – Philadelphia, PA the Mann
July 28 – Lewiston, NY Artpark
July 30 – Pittsburgh, PA Petersen Events Center
July 31 – Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
Aug. 2 – Toronto, ON Coca-Cola Coliseum
Aug. 3 – Detroit, MI Masonic Temple Theatre
Aug. 4 – Milwaukee, WI BMO Harris Pavilion
Aug. 6 – Omaha, NE Baxter Arena
Aug. 8 – Broomfield, CO 1STBANK Center
Aug. 10 – Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Events Center
Aug. 11 – Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl
Aug. 13 – Anaheim, CA Honda Center
Aug. 14 – Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
Aug. 15 – Reno, NV Reno Events Center
Aug. 17 – Portland, OR Theater Of The Clouds
Aug. 18 – Redmond, WA Marymoor Park Concerts
Aug. 20 – Vancouver, BC Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
New Concert Dates:
July 21 – Queens, NY Forest Hills Stadium
Aug. 24 – Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena
Aug. 25 – Cedar Rapids, IA U.S. Cellular Center
Aug. 27 – Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
Aug. 28 – Kettering, OH Fraze Pavilion*
Aug. 31 – Wilkes Barre, PA Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Sep. 1 – Harrington, DE Delaware State Fair M&T Bank Grandstand
Sep. 4 – Toledo, OH Huntington Center
Sep. 6 – Indianapolis, IN Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Sep. 7 – Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center
Sep. 8 – Birmingham, AL Legacy Arena at BJCC
Sep. 10 – Memphis, TN FedExForum
Sep. 11 – New Orleans, LA Lakefront Arena
Sep. 13 – Sugar Land, TX Smart Financial Centre
Sep. 14 – San Antonio, TX AT&T Center
Sep. 15 – Edinburg, TX Bert Ogden Arena
Sep. 17 – Grand Prairie, TX The Theatre at Grand Prairie
Jeté Laurence as Ellie in ‘Pet Sematary’ from Paramount Pictures
The 1989 film adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary stayed incredibly true to the novel. That’s in large part due to the fact King adapted his own work for the screen. The horrormeister himself claims Pet Sematary as his scariest novel and the first movie remains a must-see for King fans.
King was inspired to write Pet Sematary after his daughter’s cat was killed by a truck outside a rented house in Orrington. He took the true story of a major truck route steps away from a family’s front yard, combined that with an actual pet cemetery that existed behind the rented home, and twisted the real-life outcome to replace a pet’s death with that of a child as the trigger for the novel’s terrifying third act.
The devastating loss of a child, our relationship with mortality, and how we process grief remains at the heart of both the 1989 film adaptation and the 2019 version hitting theaters on April 5th. What would a parent do if they were presented with the option of saving their child from dealing with death by bringing back a beloved pet? And what decision would you make if you could resurrect a child taken far too soon, knowing they’ll come back from the dead changed?
The Creed family is forced to answer those questions after moving from bustling Boston to a quiet rural town where dad Louis (Jason Clarke) has taken a position as a doctor at a college. Louis has moved his family – mom Rachel (Amy Seimetz), daughter Ellie (Jeté Laurence), and son Gage (played by Hugo and Lucas Lavoie) – away from the stress of the big city just so he can spend more time enjoying his wife and kids.
The Creeds settle into a large, comfy home surrounded by woods. Unfortunately, their new domicile is yards away from a road used by big rigs speeding to their destinations. Their property is also the home of a decades-old pet cemetery, a fact they learn within days of moving in.
Children in animal masks and carrying a dead dog have a procession through their property, and inquisitive Ellie jumps on the first possible opportunity to sneak out and follow their trail. She discovers the cemetery and is drawn to a barrier of tree branches at its rear. Fortunately, the Creeds’ nearest neighbor, Jud Crandall (John Lithgow), stops Ellie from exploring where no child should set foot. Jud, a widower, quickly becomes a friend of the entire Creed family, passing on his first-hand knowledge of the power of what lies beyond the “Pet Sematary” to Louis.
It’s not long after the family’s settled in that Ellie’s beloved cat, Church – a gorgeous, fluffy purr machine – is found dead, the victim of a passing truck. Of course, Jud and Louis make a late-night trek to the area off-limits behind the pet cemetery instead of breaking Ellie’s heart with the news of her cat’s death. And, of course, Church comes back a changed cat. He’s no longer a cuddlebug; this feline member of the walking dead stinks, has bloody, matted fur, and a new sour disposition.
After Church’s death we learn Rachel’s relationship with death is deeply complicated. Her sister, Zelda, suffered from a devastating illness and died when Rachel was just a child. Prior to her passing, Zelda’s gnarled appearance was nightmare-inducing. Rachel’s guilt at being the cause of her sister’s death not only haunts her dreams but has also shaped how she deals with loss.
The 2019 film strays from Stephen King’s novel by switching up the next unfortunate victim. The crucial events in King’s tale were driven by the horrific death of young Gage. In 2019, Ellie dies in the road while yards away from family and friends gathered to celebrate her birthday.
With a grieving Rachel fleeing town with Gage, Louis is given the opportunity to cheat death. Ellie’s death presents Louis with the agonizing decision: should he toss morality and mortality away, take his daughter to the ancient burial ground past the pet cemetery, and hope for the return of his Ellie and not some abomination?
Even if you haven’t read the novel or watched the original feature film, nothing in the above summary’s a spoiler. It’s all been laid out in the film’s multiple trailers which were obviously pieced together with the assumption the target audience has more than a passing knowledge of the plot. The meat of King’s story remains in place with the 2019 adaptation, although the path to getting there takes a few side roads.
What’s not necessarily obvious from the trailers leading up to the April 2019 theatrical release is that this version minimizes Rachel’s backstory. Characters are missing who were crucial to understanding the relationship between Rachel and Louis, as well as the relationship Jud has to the ancient burial ground.
In many ways this version feels like a CliffsNotes take on the central characters, with the exception of Ellie. Altering the story to place Ellie as the victim is both an understandable and effective choice. Ellie, played by the film’s breakout star, Jeté Laurence, is better able to display a myriad of emotions upon being brought back from the dead as opposed to the limited ability to bring to the screen any complicated layers due to Gage’s tender age.
Yet while directors Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer remained true to the intent of King’s work, there’s an ingredient missing that could have lead to a real emotional connection with the family in this 2019 version. Jason Clarke’s performance is too restrained and disengaged to truly elicit the necessary sympathetic (and empathetic) reaction to his dilemma. Amy Seimetz’s Rachel is much more compelling and relatable, even with her backstory glossed over.
The original film stands the test of time, which means in order to justify a remake this 2019 version has to knock your socks off by delivering something complicated and horrifying. There are a few decent jump scares in this latest adaptation, but there are also annoying plot threads left dangling. 2019’s Pet Sematary isn’t a better film than 1989’s version and ultimately feels like an unnecessary remake that fails to improve upon the original adaptation.
GRADE: C+
MPAA Rating: R for horror violence, bloody images, and some language
