Warner Bros Pictures’ Wonder Woman has just passed the $400 million mark at the domestic box office. The comic book-inspired action film starring Gal Gadot now stands as Warner Bros Pictures’ third-highest grossing film behind only The Dark Knight and The Dark Night Rises. It’s also the highest grossing domestic release of the 2017 summer.
Worldwide, Wonder Woman has earned $794 million.
Directed by Patty Jenkins (Monster) from a script by Allan Heinberg, the cast of the PG-13 film also includes Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Danny Huston, David Thewlis, Connie Nielsen, Elena Anaya, Ewen Bremner, Lucy Davis, Lisa Loven Kongsli, Said Taghmaoui, and Eugene Brave Rock. Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder and Richard Suckle produced the box office smash hit, with Stephen Jones, Geoff Johns, Jon Berg, Wesley Coller and Rebecca Steel Roven executive producing.
“When Wonder Woman opened to such a terrific number in June, we thought, ‘This is truly a moment’—for the film, for our industry, for director Patty Jenkins and, of course, for Gal Gadot. Now, more than two months later, ‘Wonder Woman’ has become a phenomenon, the must-see movie of the summer. Audiences have embraced this character and her story in such a spectacular fashion, and we couldn’t be happier for everyone involved in bringing this incredible property to life and to cinemas across the country,” stated Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
The Plot: Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, raised on a sheltered island paradise and trained to be an unconquerable warrior. But when an American pilot crashes off their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside men in the war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.
David Letterman says goodbye to ‘The Late Show’ (Photo Courtesy of CBS)
David Letterman’s coming out of retirement to star in a new series for Netflix. Netflix says the six-episode one-hour series will feature Letterman in “in-depth conversations with extraordinary people, and in-the-field segments expressing his curiosity and humor.” Expect the still untitled series to premiere sometime in 2018.
RadicalMedia is producing the series along with David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants. Per Netflix, “In each hour-long episode, Letterman will conduct a long-form conversation with a singular guest – and will also explore topics on his own, away from the studio.”
Commenting on his upcoming return to television, Letterman said, “I feel excited and lucky to be working on this project for Netflix. Here’s what I have learned, if you retire to spend more time with your family, check with your family first. Thanks for watching, drive safely.”
“Just meeting David Letterman was a thrill; imagine how exciting it is for me to announce that we will be working together,” stated Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “David Letterman is a true television icon, and I can’t wait to see him out in the wild, out from behind the desk and interviewing the people he finds most interesting. We’ll have to see if he keeps the beard.”
Letterman holds the record as the longest-running late-night broadcaster in American history. He hosted 6,028 episodes of CBS’s The Late Show and NBC’s Late Night over a 33 year span. Over the course of his late night career, David Letterman was nominated for 52 Emmys and won 10.
Paramount Pictures has followed up the July 31st release of the teaser trailer for mother! with the unveiling of the film’s full trailer. The official trailer’s just over two minutes long, and while it provides new clips and dialogue from the film, the full trailer doesn’t answer any of the lingering questions from the teaser and instead pivots away from giving away any of the plot. Written and directed by Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream), the dramatic horror/thriller stars Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), and Oscar nominees Ed Harris (Apollo 13) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Dangerous Liaisons).
mother! opens in theaters on September 15, 2017.
The Plot: A couple’s relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence. From filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, mother! stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer in this psychological thriller about love, devotion and sacrifice.
Samuel Barnett and Elijah Wood in ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency’ season 1 (Photo by Katie Yu/BBCA)
BBC America’s quirky and captivating original series, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, returns this fall for a 10-episode second season. The series, which is based on Douglas Adams’ novels, comes from writer Max Landis and stars Samuel Barnett as Dirk Gently and Elijah Wood as his reluctant partner/best friend, Todd Brotzman. Barnett and Wood were teamed up for roundtable interviews at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con where they provided details on what Dirk and Todd will be up to in the upcoming second season.
Were you blown away by the scripts for season two?
Elijah Wood: “Yes.”
Samuel Barnett: “Actually more so even than season one, because season one was all so new and taking everything in. But season two, the characters are deeper and richer, the storylines are crazier, but easier to follow. It’s where we all go, who we all become, the journeys we all get to go on because it’s slightly longer with 10 episodes. It’s even deeper. They’re great.”
Elijah Wood: “And he’s brilliant. He’s really brilliant. I’ve never met anyone like him. I don’t know anyone who has a mind that works the way his works. And for us as actors, I mean we could talk about this on so many levels, but simply on a character level, he’s written really rich characters with extraordinary dialogue. That makes it very easy for us. It does so much of our work in a way.”
Samuel Barnett: “It’s all on the page.”
Elijah Wood: “It’s there. There’s a rhythm to the way that he writes dialogue that I’ve never encountered that I find really challenging and fun. That if you follow that rhythm, it feels like the voice of the character.”
Samuel Barnett: “He writes … this is going to sound weird … but he writes Dirk as a British man. It’s really distinctly different than the rhythm and the words he uses to the American characters. It really is. It’s like a British writer’s written it.”
Elijah Wood: “Tyler Labine plays Hobbs and Hobbs’ text sounds like Tyler’s version of Hobbs. My text sounds like Todd. It’s very, very specific. So that’s one aspect of working with Max.”
Samuel Barnett: “That’s one aspect. And, he has original thought. He has original ideas which is so hard these days. And not only does he take things and subvert them and put a twist on them, but he actually has original things which have never been seen before. And quite a few of those in this new season.”
Elijah Wood: “But it feels like the show, Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, is – and it felt like this the first season but even more so now that we get to go back and continue exploring these characters in new scenarios – it’s a f*cking sandbox for him. It’s a creative sandbox where BBC America have given him license to explore his imagination and we get to articulate that. That’s really what we’re doing and it’s wonderful. It fills him with no end of enthusiasm, but also inspires everyone else working on the show from the art department to the costumes to us as actors fulfilling these things. We’re all working in this wild, ridiculous, fun sandbox that is of Max’s mind.”
Samuel Barnett: “Max’s mind is sandbox. (Laughing) Don’t put that – but it’s true.”
Both Todd and Dirk exist in emotional isolation. What is it in each other that your characters need? What is it that Dirk needs from Todd and what does Todd need from Dirk?
Samuel Barnett: “It’s interesting because with Dirk…”
Elijah Wood: “You need friends and validation.”
Samuel Barnett: “I need a friend but the thing is to say that Dirk needs friends, it’s like, ‘Well, it could be anyone.’ And actually what leads Dirk to Todd originally is the mystery in season one. Dirk has met his future self and the future self says, ‘You need to go find Todd Brotzman.’ Why the universe has led him there, who knows? That’s a Dirk question. But I think they do need each other. It’s easy to look at Todd’s life and believe Dirk has transformed Todd’s life and opened it up. But what Todd gives Dirk is emotional grounding and reality and friendship. Without that, Dirk has no sense of himself. He’s been used his entire life for this skill. Todd’s the first person who’s actually sees a person behind that in Dirk.”
Elijah Wood: “Yeah, and a lot of what we establish in the first season in regard to Dirk’s methodology is the universe will just lead us there. This will mean something. I have no idea what, but it will turn out to mean something. And ultimately that leads to most of the answers, but there’s also problems there. Not everything is going to result in something positive. So, what you start to see a little bit in season one but definitely becomes a thing with Todd in season two is trying to get Dirk to not always just simply accept what’s happening in front of him, but take a little bit more action and control of his life and of the choices. Be more conscious of those choices, rather than just kind of letting the universe be a slipstream that could lead to dangerous things. So, that’s the help I think that Todd provides.
Dirk has opened Todd’s life up, but also the emotional truth of Todd which is he’s kind of shunted down his entire life, which are these horrendous choices, very selfish choices that he made as a young person that has put him in a terrible relationship with his sister, and has kind of put him sort of in the worst possible place of his life. He’s trying to atone for his own choices and be a better person. And (Dirk) has given him the opportunity for that and, to a certain degree, he’s the first person that has seen Todd as a vulnerable human and accepted him for that.”
Samuel Barnett: “They really see each other, and they both feel heard and seen by each other for who they are. And in season two, it’s great because they have a kind of role reversal where Todd is utterly on board with Dirk’s way of thinking, and Dirk is having a total crisis about the way his life works because everyone keeps getting hurt. So, he’s like, ‘Well, this clearly doesn’t work so I’m not doing it anymore,’ and so they have to find their way through that. But ultimately their friendship has cemented and deepened.”
What would you say to people who haven’t found Dirk Gently yet? Why should they watch the show?
Samuel Barnett: “I’m using a fan of the show to answer that, who put a thing online which was entitled, ‘Every Character on Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency is a Loser and It’s Awesome,’ because I watched that and it’s an 8-minute video, and he goes through really forensically the emotional life of every character. You do come away going that’s what Max has written. He’s written people who really struggle emotionally with themselves and are quite dysfunctional, and have shame and guilt and a backstory, and yet every day they’re struggling to get up and atone and make amends and make things better for themselves and for other people. And if that’s not a reflection of what people are doing every day in their lives quietly, really being human, then I don’t know what is. And you’ve got that set amidst a brilliantly intricate and purposefully convoluted crazy storyline involving time traveling and body swapping. What’s not to watch?!
And then season two goes into this high fantasy genre with magical worlds and magic and knights and magical creatures. But, again, what anchors it is the emotional lives of these characters and the struggles that they have. I just love that we’re allowed now to write characters and show that on TV. You know, diversity is about everything and it’s also about emotional diversity, people recognizing themselves in characters on TV and going, ‘They’re not perfect and I’m not perfect. Oh great, it’s okay to be me.’”
Elijah Wood: “Yeah, even the one who’s magically letting the universe guide him is imperfect.”
Samuel Barnett: “The show basically says listen and trust your gut.”
Elijah Wood: “It’s so true. And in the midst of all that, it’s really f*cking fun.”
Samuel Barnett: “And it’s funny, as well.”
You both come from fraternities – Samuel with The History Boys and Elijah with Lord of the Rings. As you pursue other roles, talk about those friendships which are so important and genuine and how they sustain you going forward. /strong>
Elijah Wood: “Well, look, I can only speak to my experience. Lord of the Rings, that experience was almost like going to university.”
Samuel Barnett: “That’s exactly what I would say.”
Elijah Wood: “It really was.”
Samuel Barnett: “That life experience that you don’t get as actors, unfortunately.”
Elijah Wood: “And it was a formative life experience, as a result of that. I was 18 when I went to New Zealand for the first time. I was 22 or 23 when we finished. So, it really was this very profound life experience, living away in another country with all of these people who became family and a foundation of my adulthood. Rather than the sort of film career aspect of what followed, it was a profound growth life experience as a human that kind of propelled me forward, that I learned from those experiences and grew from those friendships. I grew as a person in ways that I don’t know that I could have, even if I had gone to university. That’s what I took with me.”
Samuel Barnett: “It gave me a sense of grounding and safety within this industry that I knew for rest of my life … and I knew this at the time … I would have this extraordinary family who were not my blood family, who I love, but this industry family who have become my friends and my brothers. I mean, it sounds kind of (weird) to say but we really are like this band of brothers.
I saw Dominic Cooper two days ago staying at the same hotel that I’m at and it was like, it’s so funny, you have a physical and emotional memory of people. You have a hug and you don’t need to say anything. It’s like, ‘I haven’t seen you for a year because you’re working and I’m working.’ Hug, ‘How are you?’ ‘I’m good.’ And it’s like that heart thing. You just go, ‘Awww.’ It’s amazing to have it. And you’ve got these people actually dotted in their careers and their lives around the world because they’re doing their thing. I feel so lucky to have had it, because this industry is quite nebulous, quite crazy, and I have this group of people that are this network.”
Which animal would it scare you to death to swap bodies with?
Samuel Barnett: “Spider!”
Elijah Wood: “Like a fly or something, because you’d die very quickly. I’d love to be a spider. Think about that.”
Samuel Barnett: “You should go be a maggot, so that you have a longer life span because you develop into a fly.”
Elijah Wood: “That’s true, but that would be awful. Like a fly or a mosquito, you’re effed.”
Samuel Barnett: “Do you have the consciousness that you have when you swap? You do have the consciousness. I don’t want to be a spider. I’d constantly be terrified of myself.”
Elijah Wood: “You’d look in the mirror and (scream).”
Samuel Barnett: “Just these legs…legs all around me and too many eyes. I can’t do it.”
Mary McDonell stars in ‘Major Crimes’ (Photo By Darren Michaels / TNT)
TNT has set an October 31, 2017 premiere date for season six of the dramatic series, Major Crimes. Season six will air on Tuesday nights at 9pm ET/PT with Mary McDonnell, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Michael Paul Chan, Raymond Cruz, Phillip P. Keene, Kearran Giovanni, Jonathan Del Arco, Graham Patrick Martin, Leonard Roberts, Jessica Meraz, and Daniel di Tomasso in starring roles.
The network also released a short teaser trailer for the upcoming season.
The Plot: TNT’s Major Crimes faces its three most challenging cases, struggling to solve mysteries mired in complex political conflicts having little to do with identifying and arresting murderers. As Cmdr. Sharon Raydor (Mary McDonnell) grows accustomed to her new boss, Assistant Chief Leo Mason (Leonard Roberts), the detectives find themselves questioning their faith in the rapidly changing priorities of the justice system and their ability to reason through difficult changes in their personal relationships. Finally, they must accept the necessity of risk, in all its different guises, as they prepare to face the inexplicable but increasingly undeniable return of Phillip Stroh (guest star Billy Burke).
CBS’s dramatic series Zoo continues season three with episode seven set to air on August 10, 2017 at 10pm ET/PT. The episode titled “Wham, Bam, Thank You Sam” was directed by Alex Gayner from a script by Jay Faerber and Shintaro Shimosawa. Guest stars include Athena Karkanis (‘Abigail’), Michael Hogan (‘Henry Garrison’), Jesse Muhoozi (‘Isaac Kenyatta’), Lee Majdoub (‘Tad Larson’), Orlando Lucas (‘Gus Miller’), Clayton Chitty (‘Sam Parker’), Breanna Watkins (‘Abendegos’), and Robin Thomas (‘Max Morgan’).
Episode seven stars James Wolk (‘Jackson Oz’), Kristen Connolly (‘Jamie Campbell’), Billy Burke (‘Mitch Morgan’), Nonso Anozie (‘Abraham Kenyatta’), Alyssa Diaz (‘Dariela Marzan’), Josh Salatin (‘Logan’), and Gracie Dzienny (‘Clementine’).
The “Wham, Bam, Thank You Sam” Plot: The team sets out on a rescue mission for Abe and Dariela’s son, Isaac (Muhoozi). Then, in search of information on a new hybrid, Mitch and Jamie travel to California, where they cross paths with a familiar face from their past.
Meghan Ory and Jesse Metcalfe in ‘Chesapeake Shores’ (Photo by Ricardo Hubbs / 2017 Crown Media United States)
Hallmark Channel’s announced the premiere dates for five original films that make up the network’s 2017 “Summer Nights” lineup. The network also confirmed the premiere date and season two details for Chesapeake Shores starring Jesse Metcalfe, Meghan Ory, Treat Williams, Diane Ladd, Barbara Niven, Laci Mailey, Emilie Ullerup, Brendan Penny, and Andrew Francis. Chesapeake Shores will return to Hallmark Channel’s primetime schedule on Sunday, August 6, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT, with Gregory Harrison, Victor Webster, and Jerry Trimble guest starring in the upcoming season.
Chesapeake Shores Season 2 Plot: Season two of the multi-generational family drama follows Abby O’Brien (Ory), a high-powered career woman, divorcee and mother to twin daughters, as she adjusts to life back in her hometown of Chesapeake Shores. Abby now balances a budding relationship with her former high school sweetheart, Trace (Metcalfe), working for a firm that does business with her uncompromising father Mick (Williams) and raising two school-aged daughters. Living back in her hometown means engaging in the lives of her siblings: Jess (Mailey) a free-spirit trying to succeed as a bed and breakfast proprietor; Bree (Ullerup), a playwright who buys a bookstore in Chesapeake Shores after moving home from Chicago; Kevin (Penny), a soldier adjusting to civilian life and new romance; and Connor (Francis), a new lawyer establishing his professional career. Having returned to Chesapeake Shores shortly after Abby, the O’Brien’s once-estranged mother Megan (Niven) strives to reestablish relationships with Abby and her siblings, though the O’Brien clan primarily looks to its wise grandmother Nell (Ladd) for guidance.
Love at the Shore Original Movie
Set to premiere on August 5, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT and starring Peter Porte, Amanda Righetti, and Happy the Dog, the film follows author Jenna Thompson (Righetti), a mother of two young children whose summer vacation plans take a turn when the family arrives at their summer rental and meets the neighbor of the adjoining duplex: stubborn, unconventional, and attractive surfer Lucas McKinnon (Porte). Jenna is neat and methodical, while Lucas rolls with and revels in life as it comes. As Lucas and Jenna spend more of the summer together, he finds a softer side of himself while dealing with Jenna and her children and Jenna realizes she may have been too quick to judge a book by its cover.
Summer in the Vineyard Original Movie
Rachael Leigh Cook and Brendan Penny star in Summer in the Vineyard premiering Saturday, August 12 at 9pm ET/PT. The Plot: It’s been three seasons since award-winning winemaker Frankie Baldwin (Cook) and Nate DeLuca (Penny) became partners in love and work as co-owners of picturesque Sorrento Farms in the Napa Valley town of St. Madeline. Summer finds them on the verge of bottling their first vintage, just in time for a highly-publicized food-and-wine event that could launch Sorrento into the big time. But in their desire to do right by Sorrento and by each other, cautious Frankie and confident Nate end up working at cross-purposes – potentially undermining not only their winery but their relationship.
Eat, Play, Love Original Movie
Veterinarian Dr. Carly Monroe (Jen Lilley) makes it a habit to stop by the local dog shelter as often as possible for two reasons: #1 She has a passion for animals and treats the resident pups pro bono and #2 she’s secretly in love with the shelter’s owner, Dan Landis (Jason Cermak) – and those closest to them have taken notice. Unfortunately for the pair, Dan has agreed to marry his glamorous TV personality girlfriend and move to the Big Apple in 30 days. With Dan’s big move looming in the near future, his sister, Michelle, decides to take matters into her own hands by encouraging Carly to show him how she feels. The two arrange a local dog show to help promote adoptions in hopes of bringing Carly and Dan closer together. The question is: can Carly win over his heart before he disappears from her life (in 30 days or less!)? The cast also includes Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner. Eat, Play, Love will premiere Saturday, August 19 at 9pm ET/PT.
At Home in Mitford Original Movie
Andie MacDowell and Cameron Mathison star in the romantic film debuting Sunday, August 20 at 10pm ET/PT. The Plot: It’s easy to feel at home in Mitford; the surroundings are green and natural, the air is fresh and pure, the village is charming and the people who live there are neighborly and lovable – all the things writer Cynthia Coppersmith (MacDowell) is looking for to help her finish her next book. When Cynthia arrives in the picture-perfect town to settle her beloved uncle’s affairs after his passing and get his house ready for sale, she is quickly drawn in to life in Mitford. Father Tim Kavanaugh (Mathison), the town’s bachelor rector, develops feelings for Cynthia despite their rocky start, as does a handsome realtor who seems to be looking to hang a “sold” sign on Cynthia’s heart. After Cynthia agrees to help Father Tim look after a lonely boy in need of some TLC in the wake of his parents’ military deployment overseas, it becomes clear that Mitford has grown on her like a beautiful, flowering vine. By the time she finishes her latest book about a magical cat named Violet, Cynthia is torn between returning to the big city and making Mitford her new home.
Sun, Sand & Romance Original Movie
Kate (Tricia Helfer), a driven accounting executive, heads to Cancun with her boyfriend Eric (Scott Elrod), an equally ambitious land development executive, for some much-needed rest and relaxation. But the getaway they agreed would be 90 percent romance and just 10 percent work becomes anything but that. Upon arrival, Eric learns a prominent real estate developer is a guest in their resort. Wanting to seize the opportunity for potential business, Eric chases this new venture and leaves Kate to her own devices time and again. Luckily, Shep (Paul Campbell), the resort’s activities director, is an old friend of Kate’s from her camp counselor days and more than willing to help fill her solo hours with fun and adventure. As the old friends spend more time together and reconnect, Kate is reminded of dreams she used to have and finds herself wondering if it’s time to change course. Sun, Sand & Romance premieres August 26, 2017 at 9pm ET/PT.
The Dark Tower, based on Stephen King’s book series, snagged a first place finish over the slowest weekend of the 2017 summer movie season. The sci-fi action film brought in just $19.5 million domestically, kicking the proposed franchise off with a lower-than-anticipated opening weekend. It doesn’t appear word of mouth will be helping The Dark Tower moving forward as ticket buyers only awarded the film a ‘B,’ according to Cinemascore. Critics weren’t as generous with their ratings as moviegoers, with the film’s RottenTomatoes score currently standing at a measly 18% fresh.
The August 4th weekend also found Kathryn Bigelow’s critically acclaimed drama, Detroit, expanding into wide release. Although the film has built up awards buzz, audiences just weren’t into sitting through a heavy drama based on true events over a summer weekend. (A fall release might have helped Detroit draw in a bigger audience.)
Conleth Hill, Peter Dinklage, Nathalie Emmanuel, Emilia Clarke, Liam Cunningham, and Kit Harington in ‘Game of Thrones’ season 7 episode 4 (Photo by Macall B. Polay / Courtesy of HBO)
The gold stolen from Lady Olenna Tyrell during the sacking of Highgarden is being transported yet Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is in a horrible mood due to the Queen of Thorns’ final confession as season seven episode four of Game of Thrones begins. Bronn (Jerome Flynn) asks if he can have Highgarden, but Jaime denies his request. Jaime assures Bronn after the war’s over he can have his pick of castles, but for now he’s tasked with helping the Tarlys accelerate the collection of wheat and other food supplies while Jaime accompanies the gold.
Over at King’s Landing, Tycho Nestoris is happy to learn the Iron Bank’s loan to the Lannisters will soon be repaid. He compliments Cersei (Lena Headey) on fulfilling her pledge to repay the loan with the gold that’s currently on the road. He’d even like to loan the Lannisters more, and Cersei admits she needs to expand her armies and navies. Tycho pledges the Iron Bank’s support as soon as Jaime delivers the gold.
Meanwhile at Winterfell, Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) gives Brandon Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) the dagger that someone was going to use to end his life after he was pushed from the tower as a child. Littlefinger confesses he would have stopped the dagger that took Catelyn Stark’s life and taken the blow himself if he could have. Now, he’s pledging to protect her children. Bran asks Littlefinger if he knows who the knife belonged to, and Littlefinger says that’s the key question since it did start the War of the Five Kings. Littlefinger says he can’t imagine the chaos Bran has seen, and Bran replies, “Chaos is a ladder,” a line Littlefinger often utters. As Littlefinger leaves he calls Bran “Lord Stark,” and Bran once again says he’s no lord.
Littlefinger leaves just as Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick) arrives to say goodbye to Bran. She needs to be with her family, and Bran is emotionally detached as he thanks her for helping him. Meera reminds him of all who’ve died to keep him safe, including her brother, Jojen. When she’s frustrated he doesn’t react the way he should, Bran advises her he’s not Brandon Stark anymore but does remember what it was like to be Bran. He adds that he’s so much more now. Before leaving, Meera confesses she believes the real Bran Stark died in the cave.
Arya (Maisie Williams) pauses to take in her first view of Winterfell in years. She finally approaches the gate but is laughed at by the guards. After she requests to see her brother, they inform her Jon Snow’s not there right now, adding that Sansa is in charge. When she asks them to let Sansa know her sister’s home, they respond with a “f*ck off” and tell her to go on her way. Arya says she’s entering Winterfell one way or another and they finally let her in, but make her sit on a snowy bench. She looks around at the current inhabitants of Winterfell and then her eyes rest on a Stark banner.
The guards argue over who’s going to tell Sansa her sister’s home and while they argue, Arya disappears. Alarmed, the guards inform Sansa (Sophie Turner) of the stranger’s appearance, dropping the names Arya asked about. Sansa realizes it’s Arya and knows where to find her, down in the crypts.
The Stark sisters finally reunite, but their first hug seems superficial. Sansa admits she hopes Jon comes back soon because he’ll be overjoyed to see Arya. They speak of their dead family members and Arya asks if she murdered Joffrey, revealing he was always first on her list of who she was going to kill. Sansa laughs and finally the sisters reconnect; there’s a spark of love in both Arya and Sansa’s eyes. They admit neither of their stories about their journeys to Winterfell are pleasant, then they hug once again and this time it’s clear they mean it. Sansa then tells Arya Bran’s arrived home, too.
Arya and Sansa visit him at the weirwood tree and Arya gives him a big hug. Bran reveals he saw her at the crossroads, and Sansa explains that Bran has visions. “Cersei’s on her list of names,” says Bran in answer to why she was on her way to King’s Landing. Sansa wants to know who else is on her list, but Arya only tells her they’re mostly all dead.
Bran shows his sisters the dagger and says Littlefinger gave it to him. Arya wants to know why someone who wanted to kill Bran would have a Valyrian steel dagger. Sansa informs them Littlefinger wouldn’t have given the dagger to Bran unless he was getting something in return, but Bran admits he doesn’t want the dagger. He offers it to Arya and she accepts.
The three Stark children return to the castle as Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) and Podrick (Daniel Portman) watch. Pod tells Brienne Catelyn Stark would be proud she kept her vow to protect the Stark girls.
Over at Dragonstone, there hasn’t been any word from the Unsullied. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) leads Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) to a cave covered in dragonglass. As Jon uses a torch to light up the wall, the glass is revealed and it glistens. He says this is all they’ll ever need, but that’s not all he wants to show Daenerys. The torch reveals ancient drawings by the Children of the Forest on the cave walls. She’s shocked they were there before there were Targaryens or Starks, but Jon Snow shows her the First Men and the Children were there at the same time. The drawings indicate they fought together against the White Walkers. “We need to do the same if we’re going to survive. The enemy is real. It’s always been real,” says Jon Snow, looking at the drawings. He admits he can’t win without Daenerys’ armies and her dragons. “I will fight for you. I will fight for the North when you bend the knee,” says Daenerys.
Jon Snow believes his people won’t accept a Southern ruler, but Daenerys thinks they will if he does. “Isn’t their survival more important than your pride?” she asks. As they leave the cave, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Lord Varys (Conleth Hill) inform Daenerys they took Casterly Rock but their faces indicate bad news.
Daenerys is furious she’s lost her allies and no one is left to feed her armies since Cersei cut off the food supply. She thinks Dorne, the Iron Island, and the Reach were all lost because of Tyrion’s strategies, and now she’s even more determined to risk her life and fly with her dragons to burn the Red Keep. Turning to Jon Snow, Daenerys asks, “I’m at war. I’m losing. What do you think I should do?” Jon Snow says no one thought dragons would ever exist again and since she made everyone believe they do, she can make them believe she can build a better world. But, if she uses the dragons to melt castles and burn cities, she’s just like the others.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Jerome Flynn in ‘Game of Thrones’ season 7 episode 4 (Photo by Macall B. Polay / Courtesy of HBO)
Back at Winterfell, Pod and Brienne practice fighting in the courtyard. Arya watches as Pod loses, and then she suggests he should not fight someone like Brienne in the first place if he wants to win.
Sansa and Littlefinger watch from above as Arya requests a training session with Brienne who’s initially reluctant but finally agrees. Brienne tells her not to use Needle because it’s too small, and Arya quickly replies, “I won’t cut you. Don’t worry.” They begin and Arya quickly bests Brienne, taking her by surprise by anticipating every move. Brienne is finally able to knock her down, but Arya recovers quickly. Sansa watches in disbelief as they end up in a virtual tie. Arya won’t say who taught her to fight, but it’s obvious Brienne is impressed. Littlefinger gives a small bow after the training session which Arya greets with an icy stare.
Once more to Dragonstone where Sir Davos (Liam Cunningham) and Jon Snow are having a chat about Daenerys, and Davos admits he thinks Jon’s infatuated with the Queen of Dragons. Jon blows off that suggestion, saying there’s no time for that. They come upon Missandei and she asks about Jon Snow’s last name, explaining that in Naath they don’t have marriage so there are no bastards. Davos wants to know how a slave girl came to advise Daenerys and Missandei tells her story, explaining she’s free but stays with Daenerys because she believes in her. “She’s the queen we chose,” says Missandei. Davos jokes about switching sides as they turn to watch a Greyjoy ship approach.
Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) should be happy Jon Snow didn’t stab him the minute he arrived and instead settled for grabbing him roughly, warning him the only reason he’s not killing him is because of what he did for Sansa. They ask about Euron’s attack on the fleet and Theon reveals Yara was taken. When Theon asks about Daenerys, Jon Snow says she’s gone.
Catching up once again with Jaime and Bronn, they’re told the gold has made it safely through the King’s Landing gates. Lord Tarly is concerned the army is stretched out and wants all the wagons through the gates, suggesting they flog any stragglers. Jaime vetoes that idea, reminding him they fought well at Highgarden.
Jaime commends Dickon Tarly (Tom Hopper) for fighting bravely at Highgarden and he admits the House Tyrell men were people he knew. It was his first battle and Dickon didn’t expect to be so affected by it. As they talk, they hear rumbling in the distance. Jaime commands his men to get in line. “Spears and shields!” he yells as the rumbling draws closer.
Archers are ready as the Dothraki advance, shrieking as they ride toward the Lannister army. Jaime refuses to leave when Bronn tells him to get to King’s Landing, firm in his belief they can hold off the charging men. But then Jaime, Bronn, and the Lannister army spot a dragon flying toward their line.
Drogon flies over the Dothrakis with Daenerys on his back. She screams, “Dracarys!” commanding him to light the army on fire. Men fall to the ground in flames, screaming as the Dothraki army arrive through the cleared path. Jaime instructs his men to hold the line as close combat begins. Men on both sides are chopped down while Jaime watches. Another line of Dothraki soldiers arrive and plow down more of the Lannister army. Drogon breathes fire down the Lannister line again and Jaime calls the archers to his side in response. They take aim at Drogon, but the arrows don’t slow his attack. Drogon sets more men ablaze as Jaime tells Bronn to get the cannon.
Jaime’s in the thick of the action fighting the Dothraki when Dickon saves him from one Dothraki who almost knocked him from his horse. Bronn isn’t so fortunate and is taken down from his mount, gold spilling over the battlefield as he tumbles to the ground. He stumbles through burning soldiers, picking up a sword and fighting his way through to the cannon and using it to take down a Dothraki in close pursuit. Bronn sets it up again and tries to target Drogon.
Tyrion observes the battle from a nearby hill. A Dothraki tells him the Lannisters don’t know how to fight as Tyrion is obviously conflicted watching the Lannister army in flames.
Daenerys goes in for one last strafing run and Bronn lines Drogon up. The arrow misses and Daenerys keys in the cannon’s location. Drogon circles back, targeting the cannon as Bronn reloads. This time the shot hits its mark, but Drogon is still able to light the cannon on fire. Drogon lands on the battlefield and Daenerys climbs off his back. She attempts to pull the arrow out as Jaime watches.
Tyrion, still out of harm’s way on a hill, says, “Flee, you idiot!” but Jaime doesn’t. He picks up a spear and races toward Daenerys. Drogon sees his mother about to be attacked and lets loose with flames. Jaime’s pulled out of the way and into the lake as fire lights the ground. His armor is so heavy Jaime sinks as the episode ends.
Show of hands of those who held their breath for the final minutes of this episode!
Christina Milian, Steve Harvey and Louie Anderson in ‘Celebrity Family Feud’ (Photo by Eric McCandless / ABC)
ABC’s given game shows Celebrity Family Feud and The 100,000 Pyramid additional season orders. The 100,000 Pyramid has earned a third season while Celebrity Family Feud has picked up a fourth season order. According to the network, Celebrity Family Feud is the summer’s most watched show at 8pm on Sundays while The 100,000 Pyramid is the number one show at 10pm on Sundays.
Commenting on the renewal, The 100,000 Pyramid host Michael Strahan said, “Returning for season three definitely goes under the category ‘Things that are Awesome.’ It has been such an honor continuing the legacy of the legendary Dick Clark as host of Pyramid. Looking forward to another season of giving away ABC’s money.”
Celebrity Family Feud host Steve Harvey added, “The politically correct reason that Celebrity Family Feud has struck a chord is because it’s a great show where people can play along at home and everyone can join in on the fun. The true reason it’s a success is because they went and got me to host. It’s been a blessing to host this show, I’m one of those people who loves what they’re doing.”
Michael Strahan, Constance Schwartz, and Vin Rubino serve as executive producers on The $100,000 Pyramid which tapes in New York. Celebrity Family Feud is filmed in Los Angeles and has Gaby Johnston and Jennifer Mullin as executive producers.
The 100,000 Pyramid Plot:The $100,000 Pyramid is reimagined and better than ever when a cast of all-star celebrities take center stage and partner with contestants from across the country to compete against each other with hopes of making it to the winner’s circle and the ultimate grand cash prize.
The Celebrity Family Feud Plot:Celebrity Family Feud pits celebrity families, and their immediate family members or their extended TV families, against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to survey-type questions posed to 100 people. Celebrity teams from the world of entertainment, music and sports compete against each other to have fun and win money for charity.
