Chris Parnell, Jordan Buhat, Emily Arlook, Yara Shahidi, Trevor Jackson, Fancia Raisa and Deon Cole in ‘grown-ish’ (Freeform/Andrew Eccles)
Freeform has given an early season two renewal order to grown-ish, the popular spinoff from the award-winning series, black-ish. Freeform made the announcement on January 18, 2018 during the first-ever Freeform Summit held in Los Angeles.
The network gave the series a 20 episode season two order after airing just four episodes of season one, increasing the episode order from season one’s 13. grown-ish debuted to the network’s highest numbers for a comedy series in six years, with more than 1.56 million people tuning in to watch the series’ first episode which aired on January 3rd.
grown-ish airs on Wednesday nights at 8pm ET/PT. The half-hour comedy stars Yara Shahidi, Trevor Jackson, Jordan Buhat, Emily Arlook, Francia Raisa, Chris Parnell, and Deon Cole. grown-ish is executive produced by Kenya Barris, Helen Sugland, E. Brian Dobbins, Anthony Anderson, Laurence Fishburne, and Julie Bean.
The Plot: A contemporary take on the current issues facing both students and administrators in the world of higher education. Yara Shahidi portrays Zoey – Dre (Anthony Anderson) and Rainbow’s (Tracee Ellis Ross) popular, entitled, stylish and socially active 17-year-old daughter — as she heads off to college and quickly discovers that not everything goes her way once she leaves the nest.
Yara is joined by black-ish’s Deon Cole (Charlie) who portrays Charlie, Dre’s eccentric and unpredictable co-worker at Stevens & Lido. Zoey runs into Charlie during college orientation where she learns that he moonlights as an adjunct marketing professor. Arlook will portray Miriam, a freshman know-it-all at Southern California University with a no-holds-barred attitude. Parnell will portray the dean of Southern California University, and Jackson will portray a socially conscious sophomore at Southern California University.
Details on the January 24th “C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)” Episode: When Zoey’s Instagram becomes a flooded with haters, she wonders if it’s time to alter her brand.
Starz’ horror comedy Ash vs Evil Dead has just debuted a new official trailer and poster for season three. The new season finds Ash turning protective dad after it turns out he has a daughter he had no idea existed.
Season three is set to premiere on February 25, 2018 at 9pm ET/PT. The third season will consist of 10 half-hour episodes, with Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Bruce Campbell, Ivan Raimi, and Rick Jacobson executive producing. Mark Verheiden executive produces and is the series’ showrunner.
The Plot and Season 3 Characters: The third season finds Ash, having gone from murderous urban legend to humanity-saving hometown hero, discovering that he has a long lost daughter who’s been entrusted in his care. When Kelly witnesses a televised massacre with Ruby’s fingerprints all over it, she returns with a new friend to warn Ash and Pablo that evil isn’t done with them yet. But evil will learn to never get in between a papa bear and his cub.
Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, Burn Notice) leads the cast, reprising the role of Ash Williams; Lucy Lawless (Salem, Spartacus) as Ruby, devises her most diabolical plan to defeat Ash and raise hell on earth; Ray Santiago (Touch, Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, forever loyal to Jefe (Ash) will realize his true destiny in the battle against evil; and Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, whose single goal is to kill Ruby and end the Evil Dead torment once and for all.
New to the cast for season three are Arielle Carver-O’Neill (House Husbands) as Brandy Barr, Ash’s long lost daughter left in his care when her mother meets an untimely demise; Lindsay Farris (Home and Away, Primal) as Dalton, leader of an ancient order called the Knights of Sumeria, who seek Ash to lead their fight against The Dark Ones. Lee Majors (The Six Million Dollar Man) returns as Brock Williams to warn Ash from beyond the grave.
Paramount Network’s just released the official restricted (not safe for kids or work) trailer for the upcoming series, Heathers. The dark comedy’s inspired by the 1988 film from writer Daniel Waters and director Michael Lehmann, with original cast member Shannon Doherty set to appear as a guest star in multiple episodes of the 2018 series.
Heathers will premiere on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 10pm ET/PT. Paramount Network’s Heathers‘ first season will consist of 10 episodes starring Grace Victoria Cox as Veronica, Nikki SooHoo as Betty Finn, James Scully as J.D., Jasmine Mathews as Heather McNamara, Melanie Field as Heather Chandler, and Brendan Scannell as Heather Duke. Season one guest stars include Selma Blair and Casey Wilson.
Paramount Network launched on January 18, 2018, taking over for Spike TV. Spike’s Lip Sync Battle, Ink Master, and Bar Rescue will have a home on the new network, however fans of The Shannara Chronicles will be disappointed to learn that series hasn’t been renewed by Paramount Network for season three.
The Heathers Plot: Based on the iconic cult classic film of the same name, Heathers is a pitch-black comedy anthology series that is set in in the present day with “good girl” Veronica Sawyer dealing with a very different but equally vicious group of ‘Heathers.’ Heather Chandler (Melanie Field) is the unconventional leader of this popular high school clique and rules Westerburg High through fear, intimidation and amazing fashion sense. Heather Duke (Brendan Scannell) is Heather C’s #1 sidekick and harnesses the Heather’s power to destroy whoever he views as a total discount hobgoblin.
Heather McNamara (Jasmine Mathews) is considered the nicest Heather in the group who lives in the shadow of the others. JD Dean (James Scully) is the new boy in town with a dark side and sets out on a reckless path of destruction proving that no one, even his girlfriend Veronica, is safe.
Melanie Field, Brendan Scannell, and Jasmine Matthews in Paramount Network’s ‘Heathers.’
Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures just unveiled a second trailer for the action adventure film, Tomb Raider, based on the popular video game. Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl) takes over the lead role of Lara Croft, previously played by Angelina Jolie, in the 2018 action thriller from director Roar Uthaug (The Wave).
The 2018 Tomb Raider cast also includes Dominic West (Money Monster, 300), Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight, Vice Principals), Daniel Wu (Into the Badlands), and Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient). Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Alastair Siddons wrote the script and Patrick McCormick, Denis O’Sullivan, and Noah Hughes served as executive producers. Graham King (The Departed) and GK Films produced.
Tomb Raider will open in theaters on March 16, 2018.
The Plot: Lara Croft is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real focus or purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent, and takes college courses, rarely making it to class. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s truly gone. Advised to face the facts and move forward after seven years without him, even Lara can’t understand what drives her to finally solve the puzzle of his mysterious death.
Going explicitly against his final wishes, she leaves everything she knows behind in search of her dad’s last-known destination: a fabled tomb on a mythical island that might be somewhere off the coast of Japan. But her mission will not be an easy one; just reaching the island will be extremely treacherous. Suddenly, the stakes couldn’t be higher for Lara, who—against the odds and armed with only her sharp mind, blind faith and inherently stubborn spirit—must learn to push herself beyond her limits as she journeys into the unknown. If she survives this perilous adventure, it could be the making of her, earning her the name tomb raider.
Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in Warner Bros. Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures’ action adventure ‘Tomb Raider’ (Photo by Graham Bortholomew)
Hasty Pudding Honors Mila Kunis and Paul Rudd (Photos by Richard Chavez)
The Hasty Pudding Theatricals announced they’ve named Mila Kunis as 2018’s Woman of the Year and Paul Rudd is the 2018 Man of the Year. The Woman of the Year award festivities will take place on January 25th, 2018, kicking off with a parade led by Mila Kunis through the Cambridge streets. That will be followed with a celebratory roast at Farkas Hall in Harvard Square during which Kunis will receive the Pudding Pot.
Paul Rudd’s Man of the Year award ceremony will be held on Friday, February 2nd.
Per Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the Man and Woman of the Year awards “are presented annually to performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.” Previous award winners include Meryl Streep, Debbie Reynolds, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson, Octavia Spencer, Robert Downey Jr, Tom Hanks, Chris Pratt, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, Justin Timberlake, and Ryan Reynolds.
“We could not be more excited to give Mila Kunis our Woman of the Year award! We have been watching her on both the big and small screen since we were young and can’t wait to celebrate her achievements in a truly unique and memorable way,” stated Hasty Pudding Theatricals co-Producer Annie McCreery.
“Everyone in the company is really looking forward to meeting her. If she’s even half as fun as her character in Bad Moms then we’re sure it’s going to be a great time for all!” added Hannah Needle, the Pudding’s other co-Producer.
“We are incredibly excited to be honoring Mr. Rudd as our Man of the Year. The entire company is in awe of his many accomplishments in film and television. Specifically, in his ability to have not aged since 1995. We cannot wait for him to reveal the fountain of youth to us. Oh, and we hear he’s a pretty funny guy, too,” said Pudding President Amira Weeks.
Dead & Company will be on the road in 2018, kicking off a new tour in Mansfield, Massachusetts on May 30th. Stops on the 2018 tour include Citi Field in New York; Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA; Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin; and Shoreline Amphitheatre in San Francisco, CA. The tour will finish up on July 14th at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.
Dead & Company is comprised of Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, John Mayer, and Bob Weir, with Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti. The upcoming tour will feature two sets of music “drawing from the Dead’s historic catalog of songs.”
Fans can pre-register at deadandcompany.tmverifiedfan.com for the 2018 tour beginning at 8am ET on January 18th. General sale tickets will be open beginning Friday, January 26th, at 10am on livenation.com.
More on Dead & Company: “Dead & Company was formed in 2015 when the Grateful Dead’s Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann and Bob Weir joined forces with artist and musician John Mayer, Allman Brothers’ bassist Oteil Burbridge, and Fare Thee Well and RatDog keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. The result was one of the most successful touring bands of the decade. The inaugural tour kicked off in the fall of 2015 with two sold-out shows at the legendary Madison Square Garden and ending the year with two sold-out performances at the ‘Fabulous’ Forum in Inglewood, California.
Since then, the band has gone on to complete three record-breaking U.S. tours, performing to more than a million fans. The 2017 summer tour, which lasted from the end of May through the first of July, drew in nearly 500,000 fans and consisted of 20 concerts, including two-night stands at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Shoreline Amphitheatre in San Francisco, Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., Fenway Park in Boston, and Wrigley Field in Chicago. The back-to-back sold out shows in Chicago drew in over 80,000 fans and set the ballpark’s all-time record for most tickets sold for a single concert (43,600).”
Dead & Company 2018 Tour Dates:
WED 5/30/2018 in Mansfield, MA at Xfinity Center
FRI 6/1/2018 in Camden, NJ at BB&T Pavilion
SAT 6/2/2018 in Camden, NJ at BB&T Pavilion
MON 6/4/2018 in Cincinnati, OH at Riverbend Music Center
WED 6/6/2018 in Noblesville, IN at Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center
FRI 6/8/2018 in Atlanta, GA at Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
SAT 6/9/2018 in Raleigh, NC at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
MON 6/11/2018 in Saratoga Springs, NY at Saratoga Performing Arts Center
WED 6/13/2018 in Hartford, CT at XFINITY Theatre
FRI 6/15/2018 in New York, NY at Citi Field
SAT 6/16/2018 in New York, NY at Citi Field
TUE 6/19/2018 in Darien Center, NY at Darien Lake Amphitheater
WED 6/20/2018 in Cuyahoga Falls, OH at Blossom Music Center
FRI 6/22/2018 in East Troy, WI at Alpine Valley Music Theatre
SAT 6/23/2018 in East Troy, WI at Alpine Valley Music Theatre
FRI 6/29/2018 in George, WA at Gorge Amphitheatre
SAT 6/30/2018 in Eugene, OR at Autzen Stadium
MON 7/2/2018 in Mountain View, CA at Shoreline Amphitheater
TUE 7/3/2018 in Mountain View, CA at Shoreline Amphitheater
FRI 7/6/2018 in Chula Vista, CA at Mattress Firm Amphitheatre
SAT 7/7/2018 in Los Angeles, CA at Dodger Stadium
WED 7/11/2018 in Albuquerque, NM at Isleta Amphitheater
FRI 7/13/2018 in Boulder, CO at Folsom Field
SAT 7/14/2018 in Boulder, CO at Folsom Field
A scene from ‘The Tick’ (Photo by David Giesbrecht / Amazon Prime Video)
Amazon Studios isn’t ready to say goodbye to The Tick. The comedy series, which is set to return for the second half of its first season on February 23, 2018, has been given a season two order. According to Amazon’s official announcement, The Tick season two will start production soon with a target of airing in 2019.
The half-hour superhero show stars Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy) as The Tick and Griffin Newman (Search Party) as Arthur. Additional details on the season two cast will be unveiled at a later date.
Ben Edlund (Firefly, Supernatural, Gotham) created the series and executive produces. Barry Josephson (Bones) and Barry Sonnenfeld (Pushing Daisies, A Series of Unfortunate Events) also executive produce, with Kit Boss (King of the Hill, iZombie) co-executive producing.
“Ben has created a resounding hit while Peter and Griffin have brought Tick and Arthur to indelible life,” stated Sharon Yguado, Head of Scripted Series, Amazon Studios. “We can’t wait to bring fans more of the Tick universe soon.”
“I am so excited that Amazon wants to continue this wildly fruitful collaboration and that this amazing cast gets to stay together, and that we get to build this mythos further, wider, deeper, and taller,” added Ben Edlund, series creator and executive producer. “We got a good ball of mud spinning with the right tilt of axis, I’m very happy we have this opportunity to keep peopling it.”
The Tick also couldn’t resist commenting on the renewal order: “You feel it too, don’t you? Destiny’s warm hand in the small of your back, pushing, pushing. She’s on a roll.”
The Plot: In a world where superheroes have been real for decades, Arthur (Newman), an accountant with mental health issues and zero powers, comes to suspect his city is owned by a global super-villain, The Terror (Jackie Earle Haley) who has been long thought dead. As Arthur struggles to uncover the conspiracy he falls in league with a strange blue superhero – The Tick (Serafinowicz). They launch into an adventure brimming with crazed arch-villains, blood-soaked vigilantes, and superhuman freakery.
Rupert Friend joins ‘Strange Angel’ (Photo courtesy of CBS All Access)
CBS All Access’ new dramatic series Strange Angel has signed up Homeland‘s Rupert Friend in a starring role. Friend joins Jack Reynor in the original drama set in the 1930s. The series was created by Mark Heyman (Black Swan, The Skeleton Twins) and is adapted from George Pendle’s novel, which was inspired by a true story.
Strange Angel will be executive produced by Mark Heyman, David DiGilio, Ridley Scott, and David W. Zucker. In addition, David Lowery (A Ghost Story, Pete’s Dragon) is on board to direct and executive produce.
Rupert Friend was nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Peter Quinn in Showtime’s Homeland. Friend’s credits also include The Libertine, Pride & Prejudice, The Young Victoria, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, Cheri, Starred Up, Hitman: Agent 47, and The Death of Stalin.
The Plot and Characters, Courtesy of CBS All Access:Jack Reynor stars in the series as Jack Parsons, a brilliant and ambitious blue-collar worker of 1930s Los Angeles who started as a janitor at a chemical factory but had fantastical dreams that led him to birth the unknown discipline of American rocketry. Along the way, he fell into a mysterious world that included sex magick rituals at night, and he became a disciple of occultist Aleister Crowley. Parsons used Crowley’s teachings of self-actualization to support his unimaginable and unprecedented endeavor to the stars.
Rupert Friend will play Ernest Donovan, the enigmatic neighbor of Jack Parsons who becomes the young scientist’s tour guide into the illicit underbelly of 1930s Los Angeles. A lost soul and drifter, Donovan pulls Parsons out of his humdrum existence and into a strange new religion that encourages its followers to pursue their deepest and darkest desires as a means of bending the world to their will.
Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan in ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ (Photo by Ray Mickshaw / FX)
The first season of FX’s American Crime Story focused on the trial of O.J. Simpson for the brutal murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Season two shifts the spotlight to famed designer Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez) and serial killer Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss). Debuting on January 17, 2018, the action in The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story episode one begins in Miami Beach, Florida on July 15, 1997.
Gianni Versace puts on a robe and looks out over his estate toward the ocean. The camera pans to find Andrew Cunanan relaxing on the beach, feet from the waves. He pulls a copy of The Man Who Was Vogue from his backpack along with a handgun. After making sure no one’s watching, he checks out a painful-looking sore on his thigh and then walks into the ocean. He screams in anguish.
Back at his mansion, Gianni takes medication and heads into a courtyard of his estate, grabbing a glass of juice from a servant on the way to his gorgeous pool area. Meanwhile, Andrew makes his way down a beach path.
Gianni eats breakfast alone, poolside, while reading the paper. After a relaxing breakfast, Gianni leaves his estate and is immediately asked for his autograph. He turns the tourists down and continues on his way.
Elsewhere, Andrew races into a restroom and vomits into a toilet. Andrew steels himself, puts on a pair of glasses and heads out of the restroom.
Gianni greets a few friends as he purchases magazines, including a copy of Vanity Fair with Princess Diana on the cover. He heads back home and is unlocking his gate when Andrew shoots him at near point-blank range. He only manages to say, “No,” very quietly before he’s shot.
The story switches to recalling events from October 1990. Andrew enters a bedroom where Elizabeth (Annaleigh Ashford) and Phil (Nico Evers-Swindell) are sleeping. He jumps in bed with them, thrilled to announce he met Gianni Versace. Andrew’s in San Francisco, partying and having the time of his life.
Andrew visits a club with a friend who has a VIP Pass. He spots Gianni Versace and can’t keep himself from interrupting the designer even though he’s involved in a conversation. Gianni is noticeably annoyed and then Andrew explains they met once before at a party. Andrew can’t control himself and brings up his mom’s love of Italy. Finally, Gianni engages in conversation, asking where Andrew’s mother’s parents were born in Italy. Andrew fills the just-vacated seat next to Gianni and they continue talking.
All this is being recalled by Andrew but he’s completely twisting the story to make Gianni the aggressor as he recounts the events at the club to Elizabeth and Phil over breakfast. Elizabeth’s impressed but Phil’s definitely not. Then Andrew reveals Gianni invited him to the opera. Elizabeth and Phil exchange knowing looks when Andrew’s back is turned, and it’s apparent they don’t believe his story.
He tells the story again, but this time to a friend as they walk through the faculty courtyard at UC Berkeley. His friend doesn’t believe him when he talks about his Versace invitation, and the friend reminds him he can’t even tell straight people he’s gay. He has a problem with the truth. His friend’s confused by Andrew’s behavior and how he constantly changes, making it tough to get to know him. Andrew swears he has a date with Gianni Versace and walks away.
Next, we see Andrew studying up on Gianni’s life and his Miami mansion. He then stands in front of his near-empty closet before wandering into Phil’s closet which is full of stylish clothing.
During this same time frame, Versace’s at work creating costumes for the opera. He explains how he’s not important and that his clothes simply serve the woman who wears them. He claims it’s all about the woman, not about himself.
Elizabeth returns home to find Andrew in Phil’s closet, dressed in a suit. She warns him he should have asked and he claims to have nothing. She compliments him, saying he looks nice in Phil’s clothes. She then loans him a gold watch to complete the outfit.
Andrew attends the opera in his borrowed clothes, visibly moved by the performance and his surroundings. When the opera ends, he wanders around the stage. Stepping into the spotlight, he takes a bow. Gianni approaches and asks if he enjoyed himself, and Andrew confirms he loved it. They drink champagne and discuss Andrew’s background. He claims to have worked on his father’s pineapple plantations in the Philippines when he was younger. He also claims his father was Imelda Marcos’ pilot. He moved to America to get the best education, saying his family’s rich from pineapples and that his dad has a boyfriend who serves as his chauffeur. His life’s been so crazy he’s writing a novel about it.
Gianni admits he’s never still enough to write. He talks about the first dress he made and how it for his sister, Donatella. He adds that every dress he makes is still with her in mind. He hopes when people wear his clothes they get to know him and realize what a love for life he has. The small talk continues as Gianni compliments Andrew, telling him he’s handsome and going to “be someone really special.”
Fast-forward to July 15, 1997, and Antonio D’Amico (Ricky Martin) hears the gunshot while inside Gianni’s mansion and comes running. The first person to the scene is visibly shaken, looking down at Gianni who’s lying still on the ground except for the twitching of his fingers. A bloody white dove is on the ground by his side.
Andrew smiles as he walks away but then takes off running as Gianni’s friend starts to chase him. Antonio then makes it to the door and finds Gianni stretched out on the front steps. He screams for help.
Andrew and his pursuer arrive in an alley and Andrew stops and points his gun at Gianni’s friend’s head. The chase stops and Andrew continues running. He sprints to his truck in a parking garage. Once behind the steering wheel, he’s nearly hysterical over shooting Gianni.
Lots of police and detectives arrive at Gianni’s mansion as Antonio cradles his dying lover. The police beat the ambulance to the scene and Antonio screams for someone to get an ambulance.
A bystander scrambles to his nearby car and grabs a camera.
Gianni’s body is placed on a stretcher as his staff and Antonio watch from inside the gate. As Gianni’s body is loaded into a Miami Beach fire department ambulance, the bystander snaps a Polaroid photo.
Meanwhile, the police receive a report about a suspect fitting the description of Gianni’s murderer and check out the parking garage.
Gianni is taken to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. He was found in cardiac arrest and now his pupils are fixed and dilated. As he’s wheeled through the hospital hallway, the scene switches to show a man in a red polo shirt fleeing from the police after unsuccessfully attempting to break into a car. When the police catch up to the suspect, it’s not Andrew.
Andrew, also wearing a red polo shirt, runs from the parking garage. He’s not pursued.
Doctors and nurses work on Gianni and find he has a weak pulse. Outside the hospital, the media have gathered along with a crowd. The photographer puts his Polaroid photo up for bid on the street outside the hospital, suggesting the bidding starts at $30,000.
X-rays show the bullet has lodged in an area of Gianni’s brain that isn’t operable. CPR is halted and Gianni is declared dead at 9:21am.
Andrew hops in a taxi while at Gianni’s home, Antonio is told Gianni didn’t make it. A police line holds the media and spectators back from the crime scene. However, one woman sneaks under the tape and dips a magazine ad for Versace into Gianni’s blood. She and her husband then place the ad in a plastic bag.
Andrew walks into a classy hotel and cleans his face in the public bathroom. As he’s about to leave the hotel, Andrew pauses to listen to a news report about Gianni’s murder. He mimics a concerned woman’s response, but you can see he’s smiling although his hand covers his mouth.
The police find his red truck, driver’s door open, in the garage. They discover the plates are stolen but the Vehicle ID Number matches a stolen truck that was linked to the homicide of William Reese. Andrew Cunanan is listed as the suspect in the murder and in the truck’s theft.
The FBI in Washington DC become involved in the Versace murder case, meeting to determine who they have on the scene in Miami.
FBI agents arrive at Versace’s mansion and speak with the local police. One of the agents, Agent Evans (Jay R. Ferguson), has been on Cunanan’s trail for months. Agent Evans has a truck full of FBI wanted posters featuring Cunanan who has now, with the death of Gianni, murdered five people. It doesn’t appear as though any of the flyers have actually gone out though, so local law enforcement in Miami was unaware to be on the lookout for him in their city.
Penelope Cruz as Donatella Versace in ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ (Photo by Jeff Daly / FX)
Donatella Versace (Penelope Cruz) arrives via private jet in Miami as evidence is being gathered from her brother’s dead body in the morgue. The white dove is also brought in so that bullet fragments can be removed from its body.
The police hold a press conference revealing Andrew Cunanan is the suspect and should be considered armed and dangerous.
Donatella walks past her brother’s blood still on the front steps as photographers and the media record her every move. She greets Gianni’s servants as she enters his home.
Detectives ask Antonio about his involvement with Gianni, informing him the staff said he used to bring back dancers, models, and escorts to the house for sex. Antonio is taken aback by that claim and reiterates he was Gianni’s partner – not his pimp. He does admit that other men were brought to the house and sometimes Gianni would join in, and sometimes not. Antonio says the difference between him and those other men was that he lived with Gianni for 15 years. The detective asks for the names of these other men and asks if they were paid. Antonio calls Gianni a genius, and most of the time these men just fell for him.
Antonio grows angry when the detective asks if he was paid by Gianni to have sex. The detective wonders if one of those men is the one who killed Versace. Before Antonio answers, Donatella enters the room with Santo Versace (Giovanni Cirfiena), her older brother. Donatella demands the police be removed from the house.
Antonio cries as he tells Donatella the police were asking questions about her brother’s life. He reveals the police will find out everything, and she reminds him the only thing they asked of him was to take care of Gianni. Donatella warns Antonio not to speak about her brother without consulting her first.
Hours after Gianni’s murder, Antonio finally has the opportunity to wash his blood-stained hands.
Donatella meets with her brother’s attorneys, warning that the police and press will rake through her brother’s life. She talks about how her brother grew the company from a tiny store and a single rack of clothes. Their mother was incredibly proud of him as he grew the business. “He was a creator. He was a collector. He was a genius. This company was his life,” says Donatella. The company kept him alive when he was sick and she promises the company will keep his memory alive now that he’s dead. She doesn’t want Andrew Cunanan to kill her brother twice.
A statement is read in public denying Gianni or any member of his family knew Andrew Cunanan.
The media publicizes Andrew Cunanan’s photo and asks the public to be on alert. A pawn shop owner calls the police, recognizing Cunanan’s photo. She got his ID from him (and an address) and turned in the proper paperwork seven full days before Versace was shot. The police should have been aware this fugitive was in Miami.
Donatella continues meeting with attorneys about the company. He had just signed papers to put the Versace Group on the New York Stock Exchange just a week before his murder. Gianni would have wanted them to move forward on this, but Donatella thinks if they put their family company in the hands of strangers it could go against them at this time. She instructs the attorneys they won’t be listing on the NYSE and will remain a family company.
Metro-Dade Police race to the address provided by the pawn shop owner. They arrive at the Normandy Plaza and break down the apartment door. It’s a low-rent place and the man in the room claims not to know Andrew Cunanan.
Andrew, dressed in a snappy outfit, strolls the streets by the beach. No one pays him any attention and he smiles when he sees the newspaper headlines declaring Versace was murdered.
“I’m not going to run. I won’t be a fugitive. If I’m convicted, I have to go to prison,” says Barry (Grant Gustin) to Team Flash about his upcoming trial. “We’re not going to let that happen,” replies Joe (Jesse L. Martin) in season four episode 10 of The CW’s comic-book inspired series, The Flash.
As the episode begins, Barry is in S.T.A.R. Labs telling Team Flash they basically fell right into DeVoe’s trap and that he had planned to frame Barry for his murder before he even got out of the Speed Force. Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) asks why he created other metas and Harry (Tom Cavanagh) believes it must be part of a bigger plan.
Iris (Candice Patton) has Cisco (Carlos Valdes) bring up the video of Barry when he was at the CCPD right after he got out of the Speed Force and was speaking what they thought was gibberish. Barry sees himself saying, “Your honor I didn’t kill anyone,” and says he doesn’t remember any of it. Harry and Cisco decide to go over more of the video and what he says to see if they can find more clues to help them.
Barry and Iris head off to court to meet Cecile (Danielle Nicolet) who’s taking a leave of absence to represent Barry at his trial.
Over at the DeVoe house, Marlize (Kim Englebrecht) is still uncomfortable with her husband taking the body of Dominic Lance (Kendrick Sampson). It’s evident she’s uncomfortable when he tries to touch her. When he asks if she’s still having issues with his new body, she tries to be supportive and says no. However, he reveals he not only has his brilliant mind but also Dominic’s power to read others’ minds as well. He reminds her they’ve never lied to each other and they shouldn’t start now. He adds that even though she sees Dominic’s body, it’s really her husband’s mind and soul inside. That seems to calm her nerves.
At Barry’s trial, prosecutor Anton Slater (Mark Valley) tells the jury in his opening statements that Barry is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He accuses Barry of using his CSI skills and police connections to stalk and murder poor professor Clifford DeVoe in cold blood.
Elsewhere in the city, a bank is attacked by a new meta whose powers can knock out everyone. Joe and Cisco receive an alert while in court about the attack and have to leave to investigate what happened. When they arrive, Capt. Singh (Patrick Sabongui) asks if Joe wants to work the case and Joe says he can handle it. During their conversation, Singh tells Joe the prosecution has called him to testify to arresting Allen.
At the court, Singh admits to finding Barry over DeVoe’s body. But during Cecile’s cross-examination, he tells the court why he hired Allen five years ago as a CSI. “It was something he said during the interview. He said he wanted to help the innocent, the victims. Allen is one of the good ones,” says Singh, standing up for his co-worker.
Slater redirects and points out all Barry’s absences and the 72 times in the last two years Allen showed up late to work. Slater makes the argument that it seems Allen has a double life and that he seems to do what he wants and Singh lets him get away with it. By the end of Singh’s testimony, Cecile warns Barry the trial is going badly for him.
During a break, Cecile advises Barry to tell the court the truth that he’s The Flash. That way he can explain everything to them and the jury will believe him. Barry says no; he won’t testify and he won’t admit he’s The Flash.
Meanwhile, Joe and Ralph (Hartley Sawyer) spy on Marlize and watch through her window as she and Dominic kiss. Ralph takes photos of the kiss to present in court.
At S.T.A.R. Labs, Caitlin tells Cisco and Harry she has studied the medical reports of everyone who passed out at the bank and knows what was wrong with them. They all suffered from radiation poisoning. Seems the new meta’s powers are escalating radiation. Harry tells Cisco and Caitlin they need to find him fast because he could end up going nuclear – something which earns the new meta the nickname, Fallout.
Back in court, Marlize testifies that Barry stalked and terrorized her and her husband. Even the restraining order didn’t slow him down. She testifies (through crocodile tears) that she begged Clifford not to go see Barry on Christmas Eve, but he thought with the holidays he might be able to reason and reach Barry. It’s a devastating blow to Barry’s defense, with both the judge and the jury shooting him daggers.
Ralph gives Cecile the photos and she introduces them into evidence. The prosecution puts up a fuss but the judge allows it. Cecile shows Marlize the photos of her kissing Dominic, while also showing them to the jury. She asks who the man is she’s kissing after pointing out they were taken on the current day.
Marlize doesn’t falter and explains her husband suffered from ALS and they met Dominic at an ALS function. Seeing her connection to Dominic, Marlize says Clifford encouraged her to turn to Dominic for “needs and comforts” that he could no longer fulfill as a way to strengthen their marriage. Cecile tries to imply that perhaps Dominic murdered Clifford at her behest, but it’s clear the jury isn’t going for it.
Marlize is excused and leaves the courtroom and Iris follows her out. Iris tells Marlize to drop the act and asks why she’s trying to destroy them. Marlize tells her she’s doing what she needs to for her husband and asks her what she is willing to do for hers. As she leaves, she tells Iris to enjoy the show.
Iris returns to the courtroom and yells at the judge she has something to say that the court needs to hear. “Barry Allen is…“ but she doesn’t get to finish because Barry uses his super-speed to go to her and make them move so fast it’s as if time has stopped for them. Barry tells Iris he’s keeping his identity of being The Flash a secret to protect her and everyone else who works with them and knows his secret. “I would be putting a target on all their backs,” says Barry to a frustrated and scared Iris. She tells him she’ll be strong for him and agrees not to tell. (Nice..Iris finally respects Barry’s decision!) Barry zips back to his seat and Iris quickly tells the judge and the court that Barry is innocent and sits down.
Joe’s determined to save Barry from going to prison so he has Ralph go with him to DeVoe’s house to use his stretchy powers to unlock the door. Joe wants to plant carpet fibers from Barry’s loft to frame Marlize for dumping DeVoe’s body. In the best scene in the episode, Ralph gives a powerful speech commending Joe for his dedication and solid plan, telling him he’ll sleep sound for taking down a “bad, bad, chick,” and that he’ll ride that feeling until they catch him and take his badge and gun. Then Joe’s anger will change into self-pity.
“In a few more years your life will be a shell of its former self and then one night it’s going to dawn on you that you did the wrong thing and ruined everything. Your colleagues won’t talk to you, your friends have vanished and your family – it will be like you were never born because you turned into the very thing you swore to protect them from,” continues Ralph. Then he unlocks the door and tells Joe, “Good luck with that,” and walks away. Joe stands there for a few seconds looking at the bag of fake evidence and closes the door shut, changing his mind.
The new meta, Fallout, gets off a bus and starts to glow, causing everyone around him to pass out. Caitlin, Cisco, and Harry get an alert at S.T.A.R. Labs of the quick rise in radiation and realize they found their meta.
In the courtroom, Cecile is delivering her closing statements when Barry gets a text about the threat. He stands and apologizes to the judge but says an emergency has come up and he has to go. He shows Cecile the text and she tells the judge there’s no law requiring Barry be present during closing arguments and that he’s free to leave. The irate judge agrees but warns Barry to be present for sentencing.
Barry races to Fallout’s location and takes the passed-out police from harm’s way. Harry tells Barry not to get too close due to the radiation. Fallout, who really doesn’t want to hurt anyone, accidentally hits Barry with his radiation and knocks him out. Harry and Cisco realize they need Killer Frost to cool him down, but Caitlin says she can’t just change 1, 2, 3 – she has to be angry or scared.
Cisco tells her everything will go boom and die because her alter ego won’t show up for work. Even puppies will die! It’s just the incentive Caitlin needs as her eyes start to glow. Cisco opens a breach and he and a changing Caitlin go through. They arrive to face Fallout, and Frost asks if this is a social request or business. She sees Fallout and hits him with an icy blast but he melts through it and blasts her. Barry, as The Flash, runs circles around Fallout, containing his radiation energy while Cisco opens a breach to Earth-15 which is a dead Earth, according to Harry. They send the radiation energy there.
Back at S.T.A.R Labs, Barry’s being checked over by Caitlin. She tells him his radiation burn will heal. He hears on the news that he’s been found guilty of first-degree murder.
Heading back to court, Barry sees Dominic and talks to him briefly. Dominic aka The Thinker rubs it in Barry’s face that he’s lost. Mockingly, he wishes Barry a good life and Barry assures him he’ll find a way to beat his sentence and stop him.
Back in court, Barry stands for sentencing and speaks the words he said when returning from the Speed Force. “Your Honor, I’m innocent. I didn’t do this. I didn’t kill anyone.” As the judge berates Barry for being the worst criminal he’s ever seen, betraying the city’s trust and being so cold, over at the CCPD Capt. Singh delivers a press conference praising the heroics and selflessness of The Flash for once again saving the city. Singh presents the Award of Valor to The Flash for the cameras at the same time the judge sentences Barry to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The last scene has Barry being escorted to his cell in Iron Heights. He’s locked in and told by the warden to get comfortable. Barry sits on his prison bed and sees some writing on the wall which reads “HENRY ALLEN WAS HERE.” Barry touches the carving his own father made when he was in the same cell for a crime he didn’t commit.
The Flash Season 4 Episode 10 Review:
Dramatic but uneven and rushed, episode 10 titled “The Trial of The Flash” is sadly a missed opportunity to delve into a real courtroom drama of defending Barry Allen and giving the entire cast a chance to shine. Instead of having Caitlin and Cisco testify as character witnesses on Barry’s behalf, Team Flash is forced to take on a new meta who unfortunately is purely one-dimensional. Also, the storyline, which is inspired by a full story arc in the comics, could have been and easily should have been at least a two-part episode.
The stand-out performance is delivered by Jesse L. Martin who conveys wonderfully his concern and determination to save Barry from going to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, like his father did. The scenes he has with Ralph are the best in the episode.
Another performance worth highlighting is delivered by Hartley Sawyer as Ralph. The scene in which he gives his compelling speech to Joe about framing Marlize reveals what he himself has gone through and just how much he regrets his actions. It’s the best scene in the entire episode.
With Barry locked up in Iron Heights, it’s going to be up to Team Flash to find a way to clear Allen’s good name. Hopefully Vibe, Elongated Man, and Killer Frost are up to keeping the city safe in The Flash’s absence.
