Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Heidi Blickenstaff will star in ‘Freaky Friday’ (Photo Courtesy of Disney Channel)
Disney Channel announced Heidi Blickenstaff (The Little Mermaid and the stage production of Freaky Friday) and Cozi Zuehlsdorff (Liv and Maddie) have signed up to star in a new Freaky Friday film. The musical comedy is an update of the still-popular 1976 film which starred Barbara Harris and Jodie Foster. Gaby Hoffman and Shelley Long starred in a 1995 version of Freaky Friday, based on Mary Rodgers’ bestselling novel. And in 2003, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan headlined another adaptation for Walt Disney Pictures.
Filming’s expected to start later this year, with the Disney Channel targeting a 2018 premiere as part of their Original Movie franchise.
Daddy Daycare‘s Steve Carr is on board to direct and will executive produce with Susan Cartsonis and Thomas Schumacher. Bridget Carpenter wrote the book for the stage musical and will write the teleplay. Tony Award-winning composers Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey wrote the stage version’s music and lyrics and are attached to the Disney Channel remake. Descendants‘ David Lawrence is composing the score. John Carrafa is the choreographer, Perry Andelin Blake is the production designer, and Angus Strathie is the costume designer.
“A classic story like Freaky Friday has a magical capacity to engage multiple generations – whether it’s in the form of a book, a theatrical film, a stage show – or all of the above!” stated Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide. “Working with our partners at Disney Live Theatrical, we’re thrilled to bring this classic story to life in a whole new form – a music-driven movie for television – that will be enjoyed by tens of millions of kids and families around the world.”
The Plot and Characters: Blickenstaff reprises her role of Katherine from the stage show, and Zuehlsdorff will play Ellie in the comedic story that follows an overworked mother and her teenage daughter who magically swap bodies and begin a musical journey of self-discovery and empathy neither one could have ever imagined.
Also joining the cast is newcomer Ricky He as Ellie’s friend, Adam, and Alex Désert (Let it Shine) as Katherine’s fiancé, Mike. Disney Channel star Jason Maybaum (Raven’s Home) will play Ellie’s little brother, Fletcher. Kahyun Kim (Austin & Ally) has been cast as Torrey, Katherine’s high-strung business associate. Additional cast members include Dara R. Moss as Savannah, Jennifer LaPorte as Monica, Isaiah Lehtinen as Karl and Sarah Willey as Kitty.
The CW’s Supernatural left a lot of threads hanging at the end of season 12, and when it returns for season 13 the story picks up right where it left off. Season 13 episode one is titled “Lost and Found” and was directed by Phil Sgriccia from a script by Andrew Dabb. Supernatural season 13 will premiere on October 12, 2017.
The season 13 cast includes Jensen Ackles as Dean, Jared Padalecki as Sam, Misha Collins as Castiel, Mark Pellegrino as Lucifer, and Samantha Smith as Mary Winchester.
The “Lost and Found” Plot: THEY’RE BAAACKK… — Season 13 begins exactly where we left off, with Sam (Padalecki) and Dean (Ackles) left to pick up the pieces after the loss of their mother, the demise of Crowley (Mark Sheppard) and the heartbreaking death of Castiel (Collins). The birth of Jack (Calvert) leaves the Winchester brothers with differing opinions on how to deal with a Nephilim. After being dragged into the breach, Mary (Smith) must learn to survive Lucifer (Pellegrino) and an apocalyptic world.
The Season 13 Plot: The exciting journey of the Winchester brothers continues as Supernatural enters its thirteenth season. Sam and Dean (Jensen Ackles) have encountered every kind of supernatural threat, facing down monsters, demons, and gods. Saving people, hunting things, and keeping the world safe. In the show’s twelfth season, the Winchesters were reunited with their long-dead mother, and joined forces with the British arm of the Men of Letters. But things turned from bad to worse, with the return of Lucifer and the surprising revelation that the Devil is expecting a child. Now, Sam and Dean find themselves facing a creature of almost unimaginable power… one that could save the world… or destroy it.
Anson Mount, Scott Buck, Sonya Balmores, Eme Ikwuakor, Iwan Rheon, Serinda Swan, Ellen Woglom, Roel Reine, Ken Leung, and Mike Moh from ‘Inhumans’ at Comic Con (ABC/Rick Rowell)
Cast members from ABC’s Marvel’s Inhumans admitted to being in awe of being a part of the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con, with many of the actors from the series making their Comic-Con debut this past summer. The Marvel’s Inhumans panel showed off clips and took questions from fans, and the cast also sat down for roundtable interviews to further delve into what’s in store when viewers tune in.
Marvel’s Inhumans premieres on September 29, 2017.
Who do you play and what’s it like being part of this Marvel series?
Sonya Balmores: “I play Auran. I think my role in the city of Attilan is the head of the Royal Guard. I work closely with the king and queen. And, yeah, this experience is amazing. It’s my first Comic Con and obviously, I’m a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe now so I’m thrilled.”
Mike Moh: “I play Triton in the series; I’m the green guy with the fish-like features. I’m a close confidante to the royal family and I’m kind of like the recon guy for Black Bolt. Anything that we need to be done stealth and cunning, I’m the guy that they go to. I’m fiercely loyal to my family and my king, and I’m freaking out right now! I’m fanboying this whole weekend.”
How long does the makeup take?
Mike Moh: “It takes about three to five hours every time so I had the earliest call times. One time a van picked me up at 1:18 in the morning and I had to film all day. But we have a great team. Lots of weird, random conversations to fill those hours.”
Sonya Balmores: “And lots of good music.”
Do you have scenes with Lockjaw?
Sonya Balmores: […]“When we’re doing scenes with him, we just have to use our imagination. There’s nothing there. Lockjaw is this big Styrofoam statue. You’re just acting to a statue. So, it’s been super rewarding to know it’s coming together.”
How would you describe your character?
Ellen Woglom: “My character, Louise, she is the eyes and ears of the audience. People come to learn about this world of Inhumans and everything that’s going on and what’s going on in their world through my character, which I think grounds the show. It grounds the show having a human character like that. She works for an aerospace company. She’s incredibly bright. She’s incredibly driven. She’s a little socially inept. She’s someone who speaks before she thinks. I wouldn’t say she’s the most self-aware person but she’s a lot of fun. I think she’s an endearing character. She’s a lot of fun to play. She brings a lightness to the whole show, I hope.”
Louise was created for the series so how did you figure out how to approach her?
Ellen Woglom: “Well, it gives me a lot more freedom in some regard because I’m allowed to create her because she’s an original character. I’m not having to play someone who’s already been written before, that people have already seen, and that fans are attached to. I have a lot to play with and can find different layers and colors of her and bring aspects of myself to this character that’s obviously not me and very different from me in a lot of ways. It gave me a lot more freedom to carve out and create a character that I would enjoy, someone that I’d like watching on TV. The writers were wonderful in writing the material that made my job really easy to play with and have fun with.”
This show has a very diverse cast. How does it feel to see so many different ethnicities represented?
Eme Ikwuakor: “In regards to that, we have to look at just 10 years ago. The amount of commercials that you would see that had an interracial (cast) just wasn’t happening. There are issues that we have in regards to racism and sexism in this country but if you actually think about it, this is actually the best that we’ve actually been in the history of this country in regards to diversity and rights. We’re consistently working in that direction so especially being on TV and having families and representing families – families are made up in so many different ways. The thing I love about the show is that at no point do we ever mention race.”
Ken Leung: “We don’t comment on it.”
Eme Ikwuakor: “We don’t comment once. Not once do we do it. It’s not even a thing.”
Ken Leung: “I love that. I love that we’re a family and we’re so diverse and yet we’re family. I think that’s saying something.”
Within the Marvel world, what sets Marvel’s Inhumans apart?
Scott Buck: “I think with this show you can strip away the superpowers and basically watch this as a family drama. It’s a family that when we first come to them are in the midst of a crisis that is not only threatening to tear the family apart but their entire civilization. They all do have superpowers but that’s not necessarily a big help to them in this sort of situation. It’s more so that they have to deal with these kinds of situations the same way that we do. In fact, some of their superpowers are a hindrance because they’re used to relying on them to solve their problems. They’re just not working for them the way they would like to work for them in this situation. You can’t solve an emotional problem with a sonic voice.”
Owen Wilson and Ed Helms star in Warner Bros Pictures’ ‘Father Figures.’
The second trailer for Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros Pictures’ Father Figures finds Ed Helms (The Hangover films) and Owen Wilson (Zoolander 2) on a mission to find their father. Directed by first-time feature film helmer Lawrence Sher, the comedy film also stars J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), Katt Williams, NFL Hall of Fame quarterback/actor Terry Bradshaw (Better Late Than Never), Ving Rhames (the Mission Impossible films), Harry Shearer (The Simpsons), June Squibb (Nebraska), Christopher Walken (Seven Psychopaths), and Glenn Close (Guardians of the Galaxy).
Office Christmas Party‘s Justin Malen wrote the script and Ivan Reitman, Ali Bell, Broderick Johnson, and Andrew A. Kosove produced. Tom Pollock, Scott Parish, Chris Cowles, Chris Fenton, and Timothy M. Bourne executive produced. Father Figures is set to open in theaters on December 22, 2017.
The Plot: Owen Wilson and Ed Helms are Kyle and Peter Reynolds, brothers whose eccentric mother raised them to believe their father had died when they were young. When they discover this to be a lie, they set out together to find their real father, and end up learning more about their mother than they probably ever wanted to know.
The Legends are going to have to try to get the world back on track in season three of The CW’s DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. The new season kicks off on October 10, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT and is set in a world that’s a little topsy turvy. Season three episode one is titled “Aruba-Con” and was directed by Rob Seidenglanz from a script by Phil Klemmer and Marc Guggenheim.
The season three cast includes Brandon Routh as Ray Palmer/Atom, Dominic Purcell as Mick Rory/Heat Wave, Franz Drameh as Jefferson “Jax” Jackson/Half of Firestorm, Victor Garber as Professor Stein/Half of Firestorm, Caity Lotz as Sara Lance/White Canary, Nick Zano as Dr. Nate Heywood/Steel, Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Amaya Jiwe/Vixen, and Tala Ashe as Zari Adrianna Tomaz.
The “Aruba-Con” Plot: THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME — When the Legends realize that they broke the timeline, Rip Hunter (guest star Arthur Darvill) arrives with his new organization – the Time Bureau – to relieve them of duty. The Legends are thrilled to get a chance to put the team back together but a new threat arises when Rory (Purcell) spots Julius Caesar (guest star Simon Merrells) in Aruba. Sara (Lotz), Nate (Zano) and Ray (Routh) devise a plan to steal the Waverider back from the Time Bureau in order to try and stop Julius Caesar from conquering the modern world.
The Season 3 Plot: After the defeat of Eobard Thawne and his equally nefarious Legion of Doom, the Legends face a new existential threat created by their actions at the end of last season. In revisiting a moment in time that they had already participated in, they have essentially fractured the timeline and created anachronisms – a scattering of people, animals, and objects all across time! Our team must find a way to return all the anachronisms to their original timelines before the time stream falls apart. But before our Legends can jump back into action, Rip Hunter and his newly established Time Bureau call their methods into question.
With the Time Bureau effectively the new sheriffs in town, the Legends disband – until Mick Rory discovers one of them in the middle of his well-deserved vacation in Aruba. Seeing this as an opportunity to continue their time-traveling heroics, Sara wastes no time in getting the Legends back together. She reunites with billionaire inventor Ray Palmer, the unconventional historian-turned-superhero Nate Heywood (Nick Zano), former member of the JSA Amaya Jiwe (Richardon-Sellers), and Professor Martin Stein (Garber) and Jefferson “Jax” Jackson (Drameh), who together form the meta-human Firestorm.
Once reunited, the Legends will challenge the Time Bureau’s authority, and, in true Legends style, eventually run afoul of the Bureau when they recruit a hacker from the future, Zari Tomaz (Ashe). Against the wishes of the bureau, they welcome Zari to the team and continue their time travelling shenanigans, while insisting that however messy their methods may be, some problems are beyond the Bureau’s capabilities. Some problems can only be fixed by Legends.
Fox’s Gotham season four episode one introduced one of the season’s big bads: The Scarecrow. It also established what’s happened to all the key players since the season three finale. Season four episode two titled “The Fear Reaper” moves multiple storylines forward and brings Barbara (Erin Richards) back into the picture. Plus, a big step is taken in the evolution of Bruce’s vigilante costume.
Episode two begins with Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie), Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue), and a few backups showing up at the Crane house, looking for Jonathan. No one is there but it’s obvious Jonathan has made more fear gas. Crane’s Arkham uniform is discarded on the floor and then Jim looks outside and sees a scarecrow. He and Harvey examine it and find there’s a man hung on a stake. The man yells, “He’s coming! Scarecrow!”
Alfred (Sean Pertwee) shows up at the station with a Wayne Enterprises lawyer to try to free Bruce (David Mazouz). Bruce explains how he got caught and that he nearly had the thieves red-handed but the cops showed up too quickly. As they’re talking, Jim arrives and Bruce once again explains he fell into a robbery already in progress.
Jim asks why Bruce was on the roof, and Bruce lies and says he was looking for Selina. Jim lets Bruce out without making him post bail.
Alfred and Bruce run into Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) on their way out of the station, and they make up a story about rock climbing to explain Bruce’s injuries and the dirt on his clothes.
Over at Arkham, Warden Reed (Damian Young) is busy burning all his paperwork when Scarecrow (Charlie Tahan) arrives and tells him it’s too late to cover his tracks. Warden Reed figures out it’s Jonathan Crane under the Scarecrow costume, and Jonathan runs down the list of how the Warden mistreated him. Jonathan said he cured himself. “I feared the Scarecrow and now we are one,” explains Jonathan, adding, “Jonathan Crane is no more. Call me by my true name, The Scarecrow!”
Scarecrow sprays Reed with the fear gas and Reed freaks out. Scarecrow says his father was a genius who wanted to end fear, and then asks what Warden Reed fears. A clown appears and Reed screams. Scarecrow says for Reed to face his fears and defeat them. Reed picks up a gun and fires at the clown and then runs from the room chasing the imaginary creature down.
In the Arkham halls Reed sees more clowns and shoots each of them. In reality, it’s the staff at Arkham that he’s killing.
Scarecrow speaks to the prisoners, calling them his new army and spraying them with fear gas. His army will go after the men who killed his father.
Back at the GCPD, Penguin shows up and asks Jim Gordon if he’s caught Jonathan Crane. He asks, nicely, where the boy is that created the evil toxin, but Jim says they don’t know his whereabouts. Harvey interrupts to ask Penguin if a penguin is a bird or a mammal. Penguin says it’s a bird, and Harvey holds up the newspaper with a huge front-page picture of Penguin crying in Jim’s arms. The headline reads: “Penguin or Chicken?”
The media has accompanied Penguin to the GCPD headquarters and he addresses them, calling the cops outdated and ineffectual. He wants to know why the citizens are putting up with this, and Jim interjects that Penguin shouldn’t be talking since he takes money from criminals to license them to attack innocent people. Penguin claims his program is working and he’s not trying to destroy the GCPD, but to save both it and Gotham. Jim doesn’t care and he’s going to arrest anyone who commits a crime, even if they have a license. Penguin offers him a deal: find Jonathan within 24 hours or else admit to everyone that he’s failed and will allow Penguin to clean up the city. On the spot because of the media, Jim reluctantly shakes hands with Penguin.
Tabitha (Jessica Lucas) follows Selina (Camren Bicondova), angry she’s not being more careful. They were both secretly given business cards that read “An Opportunity Awaits.” When they enter the building, Barbara thanks them for coming. Tabitha’s astonished since she saw Barbara die, and Barbara reminds her she didn’t check for a pulse. Barbara offers them a new beginning, asking them to hear her out. She would take back what she did if she could, and Tabitha puts a knife to Barbara’s throat threatening to finish the job. Barbara confesses she was jealous and she’s sorry, and Tabitha frees her.
They ask if this building is Barbara’s new place and Tabitha says they don’t need another club in Gotham. Barbara assures her it’s not a club, throwing a switch and revealing an arsenal hidden in the walls. Barbara’s going to supply all the licensed criminals with weapons, and in doing so will learn what’s being planned, where, and when.
However, Barbara won’t do this without Tabitha and Selina. Tabitha says no, and that Barbara should be happy she’s leaving the building standing. After she leaves, Barbara asks Selina to talk to Tabitha.
Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce is ready to hit the streets again. Alfred won’t stop him but he also won’t go with him because he doesn’t think Bruce is ready. Bruce admits he feels more alive protecting the city, and Alfred says that’s why he’s not stopping him. But, he doesn’t want to watch him get shot.
Harvey tells Jim Arkham’s under siege and the guards have fled. Harvey thinks Jonathan dosed all the prisoners, but when Jim asks his fellow officers to help him with the riot, they remain seated. Jim tells them they’re not fit to wear a badge, and one officer finally speaks up. He says they get spit on and shot at every day and yet they haven’t made a difference on the streets. Even Harvey doesn’t want to follow Jim to Arkham, taking a stand against his partner because he’ll lose the rest of his men if he sides with Jim on this.
Jim makes it to Arkham, alone, and finds blood on the walls and fires lit inside offices. Warden Reed has painted his face like a clown and attacks Jim, but Jim fights him off. Scarecrow watches from the control room and sees Jim who he recognizes as the man who killed his father. Scarecrow opens all the doors and announces over the loudspeaker that the enemy is here.
Scarecrow slams a door in front of Jim, trapping him and announcing he’ll pay for what he’s done. He also warns Jim that tonight he’ll know fear. Jim fights off the prisoners, shooting at some who turn and run away. Scarecrow watches this and says, “All right, Mr. Cop. Let’s have some real fun.”
Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), Zsasz (Anthony Carrigan), and Ivy (Maggie Geha) pay a visit to Barbara’s new place. Penguin can’t believe Barbara’s not dead and that she opened a new business. He’s upset she didn’t run this by him first so that he could approve it and, of course, tax it. She says she’s waiting for her partners to come on board, and Penguin doesn’t think she’ll be able to convince Tabitha or Selina to join her new enterprise.
Ivy offers to talk to Tabitha and Selina, and Penguin tells her to keep her mouth shut. He explains to Barbara what he’ll need from her and warns her he’ll be keeping an eye on her. If she makes a move against him, Victor will use her own guns against her.
As he’s about to leave, Penguin asks who paid for her new, expensive digs. Barbara doesn’t answer.
Jim makes his way cautiously through the asylum, but Scarecrow gets the jump on him and knocks him down. Scarecrow says Jim’s presence has made him a believer in fate. He takes off his mask and Jim asks what happened to him. Jonathan says Jim he killed his father, and Jim reminds Jonathan his father was trying to kill him and Jim saved his life. Jonathan doesn’t accept that, believing his father was just trying to help all mankind. Jim calls Mr. Crane a murderer; Jonathan prefers to think of him as a pioneer and a genius. His dad taught him about embracing his fears.
Jonathan sprays Jim directly in the face and Jim hears a scream and follows it down the hall. He has a vision of Lee (Morena Baccarin) in a bathtub full of blood, wrists slit. She tells him he destroys everything he touches, and she wants to be free of the pain. She dies holding Jim’s hand.
Scarecrow tells Jim he can join Lee to show how much he loved her. Jim puts a blade to his own wrist and Scarecrow tells him it’s what Lee would have wanted. Jim protests, mind clear enough to realize Lee would not want him dead because she loves him.
Jim’s vision clears and he’s alone in a room. He tracks down Jonathan and Jonathan is livid. He demands to know how Jim defeated the toxin, something which shouldn’t have been possible. Jim reveals he did it by overcoming his fear. Jonathan thinks Jim’s lying and that it’s impossible to stop being afraid. Jim tells Jonathan his father wouldn’t have wanted him to become this monster, suggesting he needs help.
Jonathan says his dad thought he was a scared, weak child, but he’s not weak anymore. He lunges at Jim and then escapes through a nearby door.
Bruce paces on top of a building and then spots a gang up to no good. He follows them into a building, but it’s a trap. They knew he was stalking them and as they circle him, they ask who he is and then rip off his mask. They continue taunting him, asking why he’s hassling them. They claim to have licenses and will be giving Penguin his share.
They threaten Bruce, pulling a gun and holding it to his head. Bruce quickly assesses the situation and uses available items to take on the gang. He makes a blow torch to hold them off and then escapes by breaking out a window.
He’s not safe though, as he’s attacked as soon as he walks down the sidewalk. Fortunately, Alfred has his back and knocks out the thug holding Bruce at gunpoint.
Over at Tabitha’s place, Selina begs Tabitha to give Barbara one more chance. Selina’s tired of not being taken seriously by selfish guys. With Barbara’s backing, she might be considered more than just a girl. And with Tabitha and Barbara, they’ll be able to give the men a run for their money. Ivy makes herself known at that moment, saying she wants in.
Tabitha doesn’t want Ivy around, calling her a Penguin stooge. Ivy claims she’s not and wants to get back at the men who treated her like garbage. Tabitha doesn’t believe her but Selina does. Tabitha demands Ivy leave and she does. Once Ivy’s gone, Tabitha tells Selina to let Barbara know she’s willing to talk business.
Scarecrow commands all the prisoners to attack Jim, and they follow his orders but Jim can hold his own. Jim sprays one of the men with the fire extinguisher and quickly figures out water will wash away the fear gas. Jim turns on the sprinklers and the prisoners immediately calm down. That is, all except one. A massive dude continues to try and kill Jim. Fortunately, Jim picks up the empty fire extinguisher and knocks the guy out.
Alfred is yelling at Bruce about being reckless when Lucius Fox arrives at Wayne Manor. He’s brought a case with him and says Wayne Industries was developing a durable material for military uniforms. He’s brought the cloth with him, and it’s a Kevlar weave with reinforced forearm protection. He also shows off special gloves with a special grip design. The uniform’s both lightweight and bulletproof…adding that it’s perfect for rock climbing. It also has a long-distance communication system. Bruce says, “Thank you, Mr. Fox. I feel safer already.”
Tabitha and Selina show up at Barbara’s, and Tabitha demands Barbara’s hand since she and Butch both lost their hands because of Penguin. Tabitha has a butcher’s knife ready to do the job, and Barbara agrees if it will mean Tabitha will trust her again. Tabitha advances, staring Barbara in the eyes and then raises the knife and slams it down into the desk within an inch of Barbara’s hand. Barbara never budged.
Tabitha agrees to trust Barbara and it appears they’ll begin working together again next week.
Penguin waits with the media as Jim Gordon arrives at the GCPD. Penguin wants to know if he’s arrested Jonathan Crane and since Jim hasn’t, Penguin addresses the cops and asks them if they’re ready to start new. He’ll triple any GCPD officer’s pay if they want to work with him instead of the city.
Harvey quietly explains to Jim that it’s a war, not a battle. If he would have sided with Jim, he would have lost the loyalty of his officers.
Ivy shows up in a shop needing more supplies. She wants something stronger than what the store owner has offered her in the past, and she wants to know where the mystical potions are that are created by shamans. She forces him to reveal they’re in the safe and then he warns her the potions are too strong and can change her DNA. She gulps them down anyway and the bones in her face begin transforming.
Jim and Harvey have a drink at a bar, and for now, Harvey’s plan is to just get drunk and let Penguin do what he wants to do. He suggests they need an army to take on Penguin, and Harvey even admits he misses Falcone’s honor and ability to organize at this point. That sparks an idea and Jim’s ready to approach Falcone to see what sort of deal can be struck.
Night falls, and Bruce tries out his new costume. He reveals it’s like wearing nothing at all. When he leaps from rooftop to rooftop, the gloves save him from falling. Alfred’s down below watching Bruce and tells him to put on the mask he made for him. Bruce does and now he’s closer to looking like the Batman fans know and love.
One of Saturday Night Live‘s most popular Halloween sketches, “Haunted Elevator,” has spawned an animated special. Tom Hanks, who played the bizarre pumpkin suit-wearing character, will reprise his role, lending his voice to the character in the half-hour animated special. NBC’s set to air The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special on Saturday, October 28, 2017 at 11:30pm ET/PT.
NBC also announced Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage will voice a new character in the special. Mikey Day and Bobby Moynihan will reprise their roles as the skeleton dancers/David S. Pumpkins sidekicks, and Streeter Seidell will voice a character. The original skit was created by Day, Moynihan, and Seidell and aired during the October 22, 2016 episode hosted by nine-timer Tom Hanks. Day, Moynihan and Seidell wrote the half-hour special and will produce it, with Lorne Michaels executive producing.
“It’s scary how quickly the original SNL sketch caught on, and we’re thrilled that Tom Hanks is back to keep the fun going,” said George Cheeks, President, Business Operations and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment and Universal Television.
The David S. Pumpkins Halloween Special Plot: Set in a small suburban town on All Hallows’ Eve, the special centers on David Pumpkins and his skeleton sidekicks who show a young boy and his sister the true meaning of Halloween, answering none of their questions along the way.
Miranda Lambert will be hitting the road on a 23 city tour beginning January 18, 2018 in Greenville, South Carolina. The “Livin’ Like Hippies Tour” will hit cities including Orlando, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Kansas City before wrapping up on March 24th in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Joining Lambert on the road in 2018 will be Jon Pardi, Brent Cobb, Turnpike Troubadours, Lucie Silvas, The Steel Woods, Sunny Sweeney, Ashley McBryde, and Charlie Worsham on select dates.
Lambert is touring in support of her double album, The Weight Of These Wings. The album features “Highway Vagabond” and the tour takes its name from lyrics from that song. The Weight Of These Wings is Miranda Lambert’s sixth studio album and was released back in November 2016. It earned the Country superstar five CMA Awards nominations and was named the ACM Album of the Year.
Miranda Lambert Livin’ Like Hippies Tour Dates
1/18/2018 – Greenville, SC at Bon Secours Arena with Jon Pardi and Brent Cobb
1/19/2018 – Orlando, FL at Amway Center with Jon Pardi and Brent Cobb
1/20/2018 – Atlanta, GA at Infinite Energy Center with Jon Pardi and Brent Cobb
2/1/2018 – Tacoma, WA at Jon Pardi and Turnpike Troubadours
2/2/2018 – Spokane, WA at Jon Pardi and Turnpike Troubadours
2/3/2018 – Eugene, OR at Matthew Knight Arena with Jon Pardi and Turnpike Troubadours
2/8/2018 – Sacramento, CA at Golden 1 Center with Jon Pardi and Lucie Silvas
2/9/2018 – Fresno, CA at Save Mart Center with Jon Pardi and Lucie Silvas
2/10/2018 – Los Angeles, CA at The Forum with Jon Pardi and Lucie Silvas
2/15/2018 – San Diego, CA at Viejas Arena with Jon Pardi and Lucie Silvas
2/17/2018 – Phoenix, AZ at Talking Stick Resort Arena with Jon Pardi and Lucie Silvas
3/1/2018 – Knoxville, TN at Thompson-Boling Arena with Jon Pardi and The Steel Woods
3/2/2018 – Lexington, KY at Rupp Arena with Jon Pardi and The Steel Woods
3/3/2018 – Cleveland, OH at Wolstein Center with Jon Pardi and The Steel Woods
3/8/2018 – Omaha, NE at CenturyLink Center with Jon Pardi and Sunny Sweeney
3/9/2018 – Oklahoma City, OK at Chesapeake Energy Arena with Jon Pardi and Sunny Sweeney
3/10/2018 – Little Rock, AR at Verizon Arena with Jon Pardi and Sunny Sweeney
3/15/2018 – Des Moines, IA at Wells Fargo Arena with Jon Pardi and Ashley McBryde
3/16/2018 – St. Louis, MO at ScotTrade Center with Jon Pardi and Ashley McBryde
3/17/2018 – Kansas City, MO at Sprint Center with Jon Pardi and Ashley McBryde
3/22/2018 – Newark, NJ at Prudential Center with Jon Pardi and Charlie Worsham
3/23/2018 – State College, PA at Bryce Jordan Center with Jon Pardi and Charlie Worsham
3/24/2018 – Winston Salem, NC at Lawrence Joel Veterans with Jon Pardi and Charlie Worsham Memorial Coliseum
“You can run but you can’t hide,” says Jason Hayes (David Boreanaz) as he and his men hunt to find a terrorist leader in the new CBS dramatic action series, SEAL Team.
As the series’ first episode begins, Hayes is in a mandated therapy session rubbing his upper leg nervously while being asked about a past mission. Hayes tells the therapist she most likely doesn’t have clearance to hear about his mission, but she informs him she knows what they were after and what happened to one of his men, Nate Massey (Daniel Gillies).
In a flashback, we learn that after completing the mission Nate convinced Hayes to go and check on a safe and see if there was any good intelligence on other terrorists and contacts. Staying to investigate the safe leads to the team taking fire by other hostiles nearby and Nate is killed. Nate’s blood is first seen by Hayes after it splashed on his upper leg. As the therapist tries to get Hayes to talk about his family and about how he’s still in touch with Nate’s widow and son, Hayes tells her their time is up and he has fulfilled his obligation. He expects her to sign off on his mandatory therapy visit.
Hayes attends Nate’s son’s communion, hugs his daughter, Emma (Kerri Medders), and briefly talks to his wife, Alana (Michaela McManus), who he’s separated from. As he’s letting Alana know he’s going to try and make it to Emma’s singing recital, he – and the rest of the team – receive the news they have another mission.
Back at headquarters, Hayes’ team is briefed by CIA analyst Mandy Ellis (Jessica Pare) about a high-level terrorist leader named Abu Samir Al Masri (Ahmed Lucan) who’s in Liberia making a deal. The CIA wants him taken alive to be interrogated. It’s not long after the briefing Hayes learns a new rookie SEAL named Clay Spenser (Max Thieriot) has been assigned to the mission. This is a sore point for Hayes since Spenser’s father is a veteran SEAL and wrote a book on some of his missions, a book most SEALs look down on.
Once in Liberia, Hayes and his team set up a ground recon and posing as locals wearing the local wardrobe, they can confirm the intel on Samir is correct. Things become much more complicated when during the recon the group discover Samir has an American female hostage and his business seems to be to sell her. Ellis knows the hostage and informs her team that she’s Stacy Marshall (Julie Michaels) and that she’s a non-profit worker who was abducted a year ago in Sudan.
The higher brass ask if they can accomplish both rescuing Marshall and taking Samir prisoner. Hayes assures them he and his team can handle it. Seeing Ellis is a bit more concerned than usual, Hayes pulls up a chair to talk to her and she confides in him that she almost caught Samir two years ago but had to stand down on the operation to protect an asset. Days later Samir blew up a school bus and has since killed many people, all of whom she feels partially responsible for. Hayes tells Ellis she didn’t have a choice and reassures her his team can get both jobs done.
On the chopper ride in, one of the helicopters has technical problems and must return to the base which changes the orders. Now it’s only a rescue mission to save Marshall since they’re down part of their manpower. Hayes and his team are able to find and save Marshall fairly quickly, so Hayes decides to go looking for Samir with SEAL Team Member Ray (Neil Brown Jr.) and the rookie Spenser while the rest of the team gets Marshall back to the chopper. The team locates a tunnel that their trained canine Severus leads them into. Thinking it’s secure, Hayes tells Spenser to stand guard and not to enter while they move in to find Samir.
While standing post, Spenser sees a hostile in the tunnel and takes him out. He then attempts to warn Hayes and Ray but can’t reach them on their radios. Spenser disobeys his orders and enters the tunnel to help Hayes and Ray who, it turns out, have found Samir wearing a bomb vest standing in the heart of the tunnel. Samir is holding a detonating switch and Ray doesn’t have a clear shot but Hayes believes he can talk Samir down because Ellis is convinced Samir will choose capture over becoming a martyr. Just as Hayes is beginning to get through to Samir, Spenser shoots Samir in the head killing him instantly.
Headed back to base, Hayes grabs Spenser and tells him Samir’s thumb was not on the detonating switch. Ray gets between the two men and Hayes demands Spenser walk him through what he went down. Spenser tells Hayes about killing the hostile just inside the tunnel and that he was afraid they would run into more. When he couldn’t get through to them on their coms, he went in to help. When he saw Samir with the bomb vest, he figured they didn’t have a shot so he took him out. Later, Ray tells Hayes he didn’t have a shot and that it was a good kill. The two friends argue, but in the end, Hayes signs off on taking out Samir.
The last scene shows Hayes arriving late to his daughter’s recital while she and her group are singing. Emma sees her father and her face lights up as she smiles at him. Hayes sits down, also smiling, to watch his daughter but not in the seat saved for him by his wife who looks over at him and sees him rubbing his leg with a look of concern on his face.
SEAL Team Episode Premiere Recap:
Suspenseful and well-written, CBS’s SEAL Team is a solid action drama focusing on America’s elite military unit and the dangerous and complicated missions they take on. David Boreanaz carries the show as Hayes, the team leader who’s already clearly suffering from PTSD but still manages to get the job done and look out for his men. His performance is noteworthy for how he underplays how the death of his comrade in arms ways heavily on him and how the break-up of his marriage is also taking a toll.
The rest of the cast remain fairly underdeveloped, with the focus being on Hayes for most of the episode. Jessica Pare is a good fit in the role of CIA analyst Ellis who trusts Hayes and his team with her life and with the success of the highly classified missions. The scene where she opens up to Hayes and tells him how capturing Samir has become personal to her demonstrates both the trust and the growing friendship between the two professionals.
With an unwanted rookie joining the team and Hayes not ready to deal with his growing PTSD, it should be interesting to see the direction SEAL Team takes over its first season.
Marvel Studios takes fans behind the scenes of the upcoming Thor film, Thor: Ragnarok, with a new minute and a half video. The behind-the-scenes video features brief clips of Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and director Taika Waititi talking about bringing back the fun with this third film.
In addition to Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo, the Thor: Ragnarok cast includes Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, and Anthony Hopkins. Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher L. Yost wrote the script and Marvel’s Kevin Feige produced the comic book-inspired film. Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Thomas M. Hammel, and Stan Lee executive produced.
Thor: Ragnarok will open in theaters on November 3, 2017.
The Plot: In Marvel Studios’ Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is imprisoned on the other side of the universe without his mighty hammer and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok—the destruction of his homeworld and the end of Asgardian civilization—at the hands of an all-powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela. But first he must survive a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits him against his former ally and fellow Avenger—the Incredible Hulk!
