Elle Fanning and Alex Sharp in ‘How to Talk to Girls at Parties’
A24’s How to Talk to Girls at Parties, which will have its world premiere at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, just released three teaser videos via Neil Gaiman, Elle Fanning, and John Cameron Mitchell’s Instagram accounts. The film’s based on a short story by Gaiman and is directed by Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch).
In addition to Elle Fanning, the cast includes Alex Sharp, a nearly unrecognizable Nicole Kidman, Ruth Wilson, and Matt Lucas.
The Plot: A funny and unique love story, How to Talk to Girls at Parties focuses on Enn, a shy teenage punk rocker in 1970s suburban London, and his two closest friends, Vic and John. One night they all sneak into a party where they meet a group of intensely attractive, otherworldly girls; at first they think they’re from a cult, but eventually come to realize the girls are literally from another world—outer space. The leaders of this alien colony have a nefarious plan in mind, but that doesn’t stop Enn from falling madly in love with Zan, one of the colony’s key members.
Their burgeoning romance sets in motion a series of increasingly sensational events that will lead to the ultimate showdown of punks versus aliens, and test the bonds of friendship, family, and true love.
Skaikru wasn’t going to go quietly into the night in The CW’s The 100 season four episode 12. A rebellion broke out after they discovered only 80 would be randomly selected to survive inside the bunker, and it took the reluctant teaming of Kane and Jaha to quell the rebels and carry out the plan, after Octavia threatened to kill them all if Skaikru didn’t play along. Meanwhile, Clarke, Bellamy, Emori and Murphy took off to fetch Raven as time was running out. They were attacked by Grounders, Echo came to the rescue, and Monty and Harper showed up to help rescue them. Unfortunately all of this meant they missed their window of opportunity to return to the bunker, so they had to come up with a new plan on the fly. Instead of heading back, after meeting up with Raven they decided their best chance of survival is to fly to the Ark and wait out the five years there.
Season four episode 13 (the season finale) will find the group setting their plan in motion. Directed by Dean White from a script by series creator Jason Rothenberg, episode 13 titled ‘Praimfaya’ airs on May 24, 2017.
The 100‘s season four cast includes Eliza Taylor as Clarke, Bob Morley as Bellamy, Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia, Devon Bostick as Jasper, Lindsey Morgan as Raven, Henry Ian Cusick as Marcus, Christopher Larkin as Monty, Richard Harmon as Murphy, Zach McGowan as Roan, Paige Turco as Abby, Isaiah Washington as Jaha, Chai Hansen as Ilian, and Luisa D’Oliveira as Emori.
The ‘Praimfaya’ Plot: SEASON FINALE — It’s a race against the end of the world as Praimfaya arrives forcing our heroes to make impossible decisions to ensure their survival.
Amanda Schull as Cassandra Railly and Aaron Stanford as James Cole in ’12 Monkeys’ season 3 (Photo by Dusan Martincek / Syfy)
Syfy’s set to make 12 Monkeys fans who prefer to binge-watch shows happy with the release of season three. The third season of the critically acclaimed science fiction series will premiere on May 19, 2017, with all 10 new episodes airing over three nights. Beginning on Friday, May 19th, Syfy will air all of 12 Monkeys season three from 8pm – 11pm over three consecutive nights. And in support of the series’ third season, 12 Monkeys stars Amanda Schull (‘Cassandra Railly’) and Aaron Stanford (‘James Cole’) participated in a conference call to discuss their characters and what fans can expect from season three.
The Season 3 Plot: “Season 3 will continue the journey of James Cole (Stanford), a man sent back in time to eradicate the source of a deadly plague, and his partner, brilliant virologist Dr. Cassandra Railly (Schull). While attempting to untangle an insidious conspiracy that’s been spun throughout centuries, the duo embark on a desperate search across time to find the man responsible for the apocalypse – a time traveler who calls himself the Witness. Killing the Witness will save the world, but the journey will come at tremendous personal stakes for the pair.”
Aaron Stanford and Amanda Schull 12 Monkeys Interview:
What do you think about this season being released so that it can be binge-watched over one weekend?
Aaron Stanford: “I think it’s a good thing because that’s the way I like to watch TV. You know, I think this show definitely, definitely lends itself to binge watching. Every single episode ends with a huge cliffhanger and you can’t wait to find out what happens next. And there’s so much going on that if you’re able to marry, string some of these episodes together, honestly it’s much easier to follow what’s happening if you can consume multiple episodes in one sitting. So, I think it very much works for this show in particular. I just think it’s the future. It’s clear that’s how people want to watch, that’s what it’s all moving towards, and I think this is just a step in that direction.”
Amanda Schull: “Again, I just agree with Aaron, sadly. But beyond that, you don’t have to binge every single episode in that sitting. You can TiVo it, watch a couple, take a break, come back, watch a couple more before in the morning, and then watch a couple more at night. I too tend to watch a lot of my favorite programming more than one episode at a time. I think it’s a little bit antiquated that people sit through weekly episodes now.
It was exciting also for us because it had been a long time in the making. We had a very long hiatus between seasons two and three. And, it’s exciting for us to finally get it all out there – the result, the product of our hard work and anticipation – and to finally be able to share it with the people who care about it as much as we do.”
Can you talk about how Cassie and Cole deal with the choices they’ve made and how the characters have evolved?
Aaron Stanford: “It’s sort of easier to talk about in the individual circumstances. In the show you see this theme of circles and cycles coming up over and over and over again. One of the things that you continuously see are all the characters being put in this position where they have to make a choice between the greater good or the good of somebody that they hold dear, someone they love, a family member, a wife or a husband. In the case of Cole, he starts off the entire series essentially on a suicide mission, a mission of self-sacrifice. He doesn’t really value his life and he’s all too willing to sacrifice it to save humanity and to give himself a clean slate.”
Amanda Schull: “That sounds like a very appropriate and thoughtful response. (Laughing) I’m going to go with whatever he says.”
Do you have a favorite time period the characters have traveled to?
Amanda Schull: “I can say that my favorite time period for Aaron Stanford was the ‘80s and those jeans.”
Aaron Stanford: “My Marty McFly outfit was a pretty big hit on set, so the ‘80s was pretty fun.”
Amanda Schull: “We’ve gotten to go back to the ‘50s a couple of times and it’s really fun and elegant. I sort of channel a little bit of Breakfast at Tiffany’s-type thing which is always … well, I guess that was the ‘60s. But it’s always nice for Cassie to get to clean up from the apocalypse and the time facility.”
Aaron Stanford: “And also, just as a side note, I want to say that what is very strange about Amanda is that she seems to fit in any time period except our own. She’s an anachronism but if you dress her up in the ‘50s, it just somehow looks right. Victorian London looks right, the ‘80s looks right, but just right now she doesn’t belong. (Laughing) It’s very strange.”
How long have you known who the Witness is?
Amanda Schull: “I can’t speak for Aaron but I believe I knew who the Witness was going to be in mid-season two. Terry (Matalas) is really great and we have this luxury with our show because of the mythology of the show, the storylines aren’t accidents and there is an end game in mind. And maybe some of the connective tissue leading up to the final result needed to be hashed out, but Terry knew how he wanted to end every season, and he has known from the beginning how he wants to end the show. Because of that, Terry’s able to drop hints in storylines whether it’s individually or collectively to all of us about where our character needs to go which gives us a building idea of how to create the character and how to pace it.
I knew that Cassie was going to get pregnant the end of season two and I knew that it was going to be the product of two time travelers out of time and that’s why this child can basically exist and that’s why he’s so special. And so I had that luxury to know that I was going to lead up to that.”
Aaron Stanford: “She basically covered it. I found out around the same time she did. We don’t get that much advance notice. At the beginning of season one when we were shooting, none of us had any idea where this was going to go. I don’t know how much was already conceived in the minds of the writers but they sort of, you know, gave us pieces of information a bit at a time. It was around mid-season two where that idea was given to us of who the Witness was actually going to be and the stakes of it, so we did have a decent amount of time to drop that in and think about it.”
Aaron Stanford as Jame Cole and Amanda Schull as Cassandra Railly in ’12 Monkeys’ (Photo by Dusan Martincek / Syfy)
Can you discuss how you approach the conflicts your characters experience on the show?
Aaron Stanford: “The onus is on the writers to intensify things constantly. The stakes have to continually be raised. And when you start a series out where the fate of the world is in the balance it’s difficult to continue to build off of that but they have managed to do it. And in terms of my own character, it has been a roller coaster. He has been all over the map. In the beginning of season three, he is in a very, very desperate place. He has lost the woman he loves, he has lost his family, he has lost the only resemblance of a real life he’s ever had, and he’s a man on a mission. He’s desperate to find Cassie and things are not going as planned. He seems to be the only guy in the room who doesn’t realize that the game has already been lost. So, that’s where he begins season three.”
Amanda Schull: “Well, this season she starts in a pretty low place. […] She has the product of a relationship that is only a dream, really. She doesn’t remember it tangibly because Cole had to make the decision to basically erase that timeline. […] She’s as low as we’ve ever seen her, which was upsetting and sad and frustrating and disappointing and challenging and exciting all at once to be able to play.”
If you could teach your characters one life lesson, what would it be?
Aaron Stanford: “I would sit Cole down and tell him to come down off the cross. He’s very guilt prone, he’s very anxious to carry the entire weight of the world on his shoulders. You know, there’s a lot of self-loathing in that character and I think I’d sit him down and just tell him to give himself a little bit of a break.
He’s basically a good guy. He’s trying to save the world and there are a lot of frustrations, but basically he’s a good person who was put in very, very difficult circumstances and he has done the best he can. And, yes, I think I’d just tell him to give himself a little bit of a break.”
Amanda Schull: “I’d tell Cole that he needs to start making plans because he’s averse to making plans and it really irritates Cassie. Make a plan, babe.”
Aaron Stanford: “He’s spontaneous and that is a trait that should be valued in a committed relationship.”
Amanda Schull: “That is not spontaneity.”
Aaron Stanford: “He’s a good time.”
Amanda Schull: “It’s a good time that leads to like death and destruction every single time no plans are made.”
I think I would say for Cassie, I mean, it’s hard for me to be able to give her any one piece of advice because her world and her beliefs and her mission has vacillated, morphed and changed dramatically and considerably even from one episode to the next. So just when I think she ought to start looking out for just herself and her child, she does that. Just when I think that she ought to start to looking out a little bit more for humanity, she suddenly does that. I think that she is incredibly human that way where the objective and the alliance to the mission changes from one moment to the next depending on the circumstances and what’s at stake and who’s at stake.
If I were to give her one small bit of advice, I wish that she just had a second but the circumstances of our show don’t allow for it as often. I really just want her to be able to just sit and breathe for a minute or two. Just have a coffee or just take a nap under a tree – just have a second for herself. If I could give her any advice it would be, ‘Just take five, Cassie.’”
It’s such an intricate show with an ever-changing timeline. Do you try to keep up with all the details or do you just take it one episode at a time?
Aaron Stanford: “It’s not a choice, as nice as it would be, you can’t choose to just not understand what’s happening. The show is an incredibly intricate jigsaw and you have to have an understanding of each individual piece to put it together.”
In order to play the role?
Aaron Stanford: “Yes, in order to do the acting, in order to make choices, in order to decide where your character is at in their journey, where they’re at in the immediate sense on an emotional level. You have to remember where they’re at in their own cycle in order to have everything make sense ultimately.”
Is there a big board or some sort of chart that helps you keep track?
Aaron Stanford: “There’s a lot going on. What makes it a little bit easier for us is that, we live this for 14 to 16 hours a day while we’re shooting it. We’re immersed in it and we’re constantly thinking about it, reading it, discussing it. So it’s always there. I have found it the most difficult after the longer hiatuses where we’ve come back after months away and then you have to find your way back in and that’s tricky. You have to go back and rewatch the episodes, reread some of the scripts, and just get yourself back into that mindset.”
Amanda Schull: “Yes, that’s true for me also. I am a pretty meticulous note taker so I take notes when I’m reading the script, when I’m doing scenes I jot things down. But Aaron is right, having a long hiatus was a little bit jarring, you know, snapping yourself out of the world because the world is quite immersive and that of the character. But at the same time, every single department does such a great job creating the environment once we step into it that it’s easy for a sense memory to kind of come flooding back when we get back into the time facility or into the Emerson Hotel. You remember the scenes that you did there and the moments you had there and the emotion you felt there. Once we’re back in it, I think for me at least, I’m really in it and I can remember all these things that I might not have felt from the comfort of my condo in Los Angeles. It’s all right there on the surface again.”
How is Cole and Cassie’s complicated relationship playing into everything that’s going on in season three?
Aaron Stanford: “I’d say with Cassie what complicates it and what really hinders her is that she can’t come to terms with how head over heels in love she is.”
Amanda Schull: (Laughing) “I knew you were going there.”
Aaron Stanford: “She’s just hopelessly in love.”
Amanda Schull: “If we were in the same room, I’d be able to smack you.”
Aaron Stanford: “In a pool of adoration.”
Amanda Schull: “Oh god, so many barfs.”
Aaron Stanford: “Well, I can tell you that there is more complication in season 3. I guess that’s the only way it’s coming to me how to answer this question. You know, there has been a lot of turmoil in their relationship, a lot of difficulty with them actually finally finding their way to each other and then circumstances splitting them apart again. In season three you do see more of that happening.“
Amanda Schull: “Their strange and unusual relationship but also their deep love for each other plays into effect in every single decision they make. They’re united with this purpose to be able to stop the end of the world, basically, but almost every single mission they go on there’s also this kernel of knowledge in the back of their heads that if they do stop the plague, if they do stop all of these things from happening, that could also mean that they will no longer have met and they no longer have ever even known each other. It’s a very unique and complicated bond, and there’s a lot of push and pull, one person feeling one way having respect and understanding for that and maybe going along with it or maybe really feeling a different way at another time. But at the same – by the same token – there is just this unique bond they have for one another underneath all of the decisions that come into play.”
Do the writers talk to you about some of their inspirations for different characters?
Aaron Stanford: “These guys are big genre and sci-fi fans and most of the best sci-fi is actually based on ancient mythology. A film franchise like Star Wars is known as the Birth of Modern Mythology. All these rules for storytelling were laid out in the poetics and they sort of adhere to these same rules and that’s just what good storytelling is.”
Amanda Schull: “Aaron is right that the writers are very influenced by Greek mythology. If you even consider my character’s name, they changed it from the movie which was Kathryn Railly. They changed Kathryn to Cassandra of the Greek myth, and that was a particularly powerful storyline for Cassie in the first season knowing the fate of the world and knowing what was going to happen and nobody listened to her.
Cassie does have a lot of the strengths and weight, similar to Greek mythology, on her shoulders throughout the entire season. But I would go further to say that it’s the women in the show, the female roles that these men, these male writers, have created that allow the weight to shift from one character to the next. But in particular for these women, allowing them strength that is often reserved for male characters is of particular fascination to me, and flattery as well. It also just really works with the mythology of our personal show but of course is also very strong in Greek mythology as well.”
The world created in Jim Henson’s critically acclaimed 1982 The Dark Crystal is coming back to life in the prequel series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. The 10 episode series is set to begin shooting this fall and has Now You See Me director Louis Leterrier on board to direct and executive produce. Lisa Henson and Halle Standford are also executive producing and Jeffrey Addis, Will Matthews, and Javier Grillo-Marxuach are attached to write the prequel. The series will feature state-of-the-art creatures from the original film’s concept designer Brian Froud and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.
“The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance will combine the art of puppetry perfected by The Jim Henson Company, with Louis’ vision, powerful storytelling and a mix of cutting-edge digital imagery and visual effects,” said Cindy Holland, Vice President of Original Content at Netflix. “I can’t wait for families around the world to see how we bring these unique characters to life.”
“Louis Leterrier is passionate about the world of The Dark Crystal and has an incredible creative vision for the series. He brings this passion to every facet of the production as he leads the talented team of artists and writers that are bringing this entire universe to life,” said Lisa Henson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company. “Netflix has a deep respect for my father’s original work and the many people it inspired. They are the perfect partners to create this next epic chapter in The Dark Crystal story for new fans and the loyal fans who have waited so long for more adventures from this world.”
Statement from Director Louis Leterrier:
“As a filmmaker, one of my earliest influences was Jim Henson’s masterpiece The Dark Crystal, a movie that brought to life a universe rich in detail and teeming with incredible characters. The creativity in the film was limitless and groundbreaking for that time, restricted only by the special effects tools of its day.
As I envision Age of Resistance, I am most excited about joining today’s film techniques with the practical visual effects that are such an integral part of The Dark Crystal – the artistry, the craftsmanship, the performances, and of course the puppets! It is a gift and an honor to work alongside the teams at The Jim Henson Company and Netflix, the artists at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, and the Frouds, as we begin this new adventure, diving deeper into the world of Thra and working hard to bring fans all they have hoped for. We here are all fans as well, and I invite you to join me and this incredible team as we share photos, videos, and posts about the process of bringing to life the world that inspired us all so many years ago.”
The Plot:The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance returns to the world of Thra with an all new adventure. When three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power, they set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world.
Kiefer Sutherland stars in ‘Designated Survivor’ season 1 episode 21 (ABC/Ben Mark Holzberg)
“Get back or I’ll blow it! Put your guns down,” yells Agent Hannah Wells (Maggie Q) to the armed officers as she gets back into the van which houses a bomb set to go off in just a little over 3 minutes in the season one finale of ABC’s Designated Survivor.
Attempting to save innocent people targeted by the bomber, Wells speeds the van out of the parking garage and flies down the road yelling for motorists to get out of the way. She drives the van right into the Tidal Basin in front of the Jefferson Memorial, diving out just before it hits the water and explodes. She doesn’t even have time to get up before FBI agents are pointing guns at her and commanding her not to move.
As Wells is telling the lead FBI agent that she was trying to save everyone and the plans they found in her apartment were planted there, John Forstell (Reed Diamond) shows up and demands the Feds release her immediately. They start to give him the “she’s a suspect in an ongoing investigation” speech when the lead FBI agent’s phone rings and he’s told that the White House needs to see Agent Wells right away. Wells tells Forstell that the conspirators killed Jason Atwood (Malik Yoba).
Wells and Forstell head to the White House and bring President Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) up to speed on their investigation. Reed informs the President they’re looking into cells created by what used to be Browning Reed and suspect Patrick Lloyd (Terry Serpico) is the brains behind the Capitol attack. President Kirkman requests Wells and Forstell bring in Lloyd for questioning.
Wells and a team of agents arrive at Lloyd’s ranch but quickly discover he’s escaped by using a secret tunnel they weren’t aware of.
Back at the White House, Abe Leonard (Rob Morrow) tells Seth (Kal Penn) he has a story he’s running about the former FBI Assistant Director Atwood being arrested for murder and wants a comment from the White House. Seth delivers the news to the President who tells Seth to schedule a meeting for him with Abe.
Meanwhile, the mole in the White House – Jay Whitaker (Richard Waugh) – plugs back online to get rid of more evidence of Browning Reed and any connection it may have to the White House. What the mole isn’t aware of is that Chuck (Jake Epstein) has been monitoring the activity and sees the same code used earlier on a major hack. He tracks it and discovers the mole created an ID for someone.
President Kirkman brings Aaron (Adan Canto) into the Oval Office and thanks him for defending him earlier on a political program on television. Aaron tells him that he’ll always defend him because he knows what kind of man he is. Kirkman reveals to Aaron there’s a traitor in the White House and asks him to go over all his old files for clues as to who it might be. Aaron, of course, agrees.
After more digging, Chuck discovers the ID was created for Lozano so he could access the Pentagon. He informs Special Agent Ritter (LaMonica Garrett) and Wells starts calling over to the Pentagon to shut it down. They are already too late because Lozano is in the Pentagon dressed in a military outfit and accesses the building’s servers to download some information into his own briefcase computer.
Aaron visits General Cochran (Kevin McNally) and Cochran provides him with a list of anyone involved in selecting Kirkman to be the designated survivor during the attack on the Capitol. One of them will be the traitor. Aaron hands the list to the President.
Wells is headed to the Pentagon when she spots Lozano driving by. She quickly turns her car around and an exciting high-speed pursuit begins with Wells and Lozano slamming their cars into one another trying to drive the other off the road. Wells manages to broadside Lozano’s car and now he’s off running on foot. She chases him into an abandoned building under construction. Lozano gets the drop on Wells and manages to knock her gun away. The two engage in hand-to-hand combat with Lozano winning at first using his size and strength against her and slamming Wells into several walls. Wells finally gets a decent shot in at Lozano who ends up falling down a floor and impaling himself on iron pipes. As he lies there dying, he says to Wells, “It’s not over.”
At the White House, Abe meets with President Kirkman and tells him right away that he doesn’t care how many goons he puts on his tail, he won’t back down from the story. Kirkman assures him he doesn’t know what he’s talking about and that he won’t allow the FBI or any other agency to use bullying tactics on the press. Kirkman asks Abe to hold back on publishing his story. Abe asks if it’s because it’s not true and Kirkman tells him that it is incomplete. Kirkman says it’s a matter of national security and he needs him to trust him. Abe is hesitant so Kirkman shows him a photograph of his favorite President, FDR, and asks him when the photo was taken. Abe says pre-WWII and Kirkman tells Abe the press didn’t publish it until after he died because it showed him in his wheelchair and at that time during the war, they respected the need to help the President seem strong and not point out his physical weakness. Kirkman goes on to say the nation is at war right now and if he prints the story, he would be hurting them. Abe tells the President he’ll think about it.
Wells meets with Chuck who’s taken aback and is concerned when he sees her wounds. After checking to see if she’s okay and if she wants him to stay, he heads out to report in to Forstell. On his way out, Chuck tells her that there are over a hundred emails for her and one of them is from Atwood. Wells checks Atwood’s email and, surprise, he sent her the recording he took of Patrick Lloyd and Jay Whitaker talking about the conspiracy to blow up the Capitol and kidnapping Wells.
In the White House, Whitaker’s walking down a hall when Ritter appears asking to speak with him for a minute. He turns to see Wells and Forstell standing behind him. The mole is caught.
Abe confirms with Seth that he’ll respect President Kirkman’s wishes. Seth’s truly surprised and confesses to Abe he doesn’t know what to say. Abe tells him that’s not good for the White House Press Secretary as he walks away, smiling. He lets Seth know this doesn’t mean he’s going soft on them.
President Kirkman brings Seth, Emily (Italia Ricci), and Aaron in on what has been going on and apologizes for not being able to tell them everything earlier, which they all of course understand. Kirkman tells them he wants to address the nation and asks them to set up a joint session. As Seth and Emily. leave Kirkman asks Aaron to hang back a minute. He asks him what his plans are and Aaron says he doesn’t know. Kirkman reveals he wants him back, but Aaron says that Emily is doing a great job as Chief of Staff. Kirkman agrees and says he will create a position for him and won’t take no for an answer. Aaron agrees to work for Kirkman once again, saying, “I serve at the pleasure of the President.”
President Kirkman addresses the nation and congress and reveals everything. He confirms that Al-Saqar wasn’t behind the attacks and that it was actually an act of domestic terrorism by Patrick Lloyd and his followers. He continues, talking about the love of country and the strength of America and how the followers of Lloyd believed the best days of America had come and gone but that he sees a strong, dedicated and never yielding America that will lead the way in the years to come. It’s a stirring speech that is met by a standing ovation.
Moments after finishing his speech, Kirkman is told he’s needed in the Situation Room for an update on Lloyd’s whereabouts. It turns out Lozano hacked into the Pentagon and gave Lloyd access to the Defense Department’s highest classified server, allowing Lloyd to sell the information to the highest bidder.
Designated Survivor Season 1 Episode 21 Review:
Action-packed, suspenseful, and inspiring, episode 21 titled “Brace for Impact” brings the first season of ABC’s political thriller to a close. The episode finally revealed the identity of the mole in the White House and found the mastermind of the attacks on the Capitol on the run. It also left viewers with a major national security crisis revealed as the cliffhanger.
The standout performance again goes to Kiefer Sutherland showing just how effective Kirkman as President can be. Sutherland’s especially effective during Kirkman’s one-on-one with Abe as he tries to convince the cutthroat reporter to do what’s best for his country and not necessarily his career. Sutherland also nailed the scene in which Kirkman addressed the nation and informed them of the reality behind the attacks on the Capitol while inspiring Americans to remember they’re still the strongest in the world and that their best days are still to come. He captures both the decency and strength in Kirkman perfectly.
With Lloyd on the loose with top secret access to the Defense Department’s classified server, here’s looking forward to a worldwide manhunt for the most wanted American terrorist in season two.
The CW has announced its 2017-2018 program lineup which will include the debut of Valor and the Dynasty reboot. New series Life Sentence and Black Lightning will join the schedule at midseason. The network’s fall schedule indicates that while most of the returning series are staying put, Riverdale will be moving to Wednesdays, Arrow will air after Supernatural on Thursdays, and Jane the Virgin will take over the Friday at 9pm timeslot. The CW will be launching their fall lineup in October 2017.
“The CW has transformed over the past few years, from a linear network into a true multi-platform success. Whether it’s on broadcast, on VOD, OTT, digital, or mobile, we are reaching those viewers everywhere they are, with opportunities for our advertisers across every platform,” said Mark Pedowitz, President, The CW.
“Next season we have four new scripted series, continuing our mission of adding more original programming to schedule all year long,” added Pedowitz. “In the fall, we have the action-packed new military drama VALOR, and a new version of the iconic soap DYNASTY, giving us two new female-focused series that add more balance to our primetime lineup. For midseason, we have the heartwarming comedy LIFE SENTENCE, starring Lucy Hale, a terrific actress; and we have the exciting new series BLACK LIGHTNING, based on the DC character. Next season, we will have our strongest schedule ever, with a broad range of series to appeal to both women and men, across a wide range of demographics. And we will continue to provide our advertisers new opportunities to reach our audience, the youngest of any broadcaster, on every platform.”
THE CW’s 2017-18 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE:
MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SUPERGIRL
9:00-10:00 PM VALOR (New Series)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE FLASH
9:00-10:00 PM DC’S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM RIVERDALE (New Night)
9:00-10:00 PM DYNASTY (New Series)
THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SUPERNATURAL
9:00-10:00 PM ARROW (New Night)
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND (New Time)
9:00-10:00 PM JANE THE VIRGIN (New Night)
Details on The CW’s New Series:
VALOR – An elite unit of U.S. Army helicopter pilots called the Shadow Raiders are sent on a top secret mission to Somalia, a mission that goes terribly awry. Only two members of the team return safely: Warrant Officer Nora Madani (Christina Ochoa), one of the unit’s first female helicopter pilots, and her commanding officer, Captain Leland Gallo (Matt Barr), while the whereabouts of their comrade Jimmy Kam (W. Tre Davis) are unknown. Now back in the U.S., Madani and Gallo are the only ones who know the truth about what really went wrong in Somalia. Nora’s boyfriend, First Lieutenant Ian Porter (Charlie Barnett), suspects she’s not telling him the full story, and Jess Kam (Corbin Reid), Jimmy’s wife and Nora’s friend, is frustrated and furious at being kept in the dark.
Meanwhile Thea, (Melissa Roxburgh) the enigmatic CIA officer charged with investigating the failed mission, has her own suspicions about what occurred. With Nora still recovering from a gunshot wound suffered during the mission, the commander of the Shadow Raiders, Col. Robert Haskins (Nigel Thatch), grounds her from flying. But when it’s discovered that Jimmy is alive and being held captive by a group of ruthless terrorists, Nora is determined to join Gallo back in the cockpit to rescue their friend. As preparation and training intensify, Nora and Gallo grow closer, and soon find themselves torn between duty, honor and desire as they wonder who they can trust, and whether the secrets they’re hiding will help save Jimmy… or put them all in terrible danger.
DYNASTY – Fallon Carrington (Elizabeth Gillies) is charismatic, cunning, and poised to become the new COO of her father’s global energy empire – or so she thinks. When her father, Blake Carrington, (Grant Show) summons Fallon and her brother, Steven, (James Mackay) home to the family compound in Atlanta, Fallon is horrified to learn that the reunion isn’t to announce her promotion – but rather to make the acquaintance of their stepmother-to-be, Cristal (Nathalie Kelley). Cristal is stunning – and almost as young as Fallon, as Fallon is quick to point out – but she isn’t just some flimsy gold-digger to be scared off. Cristal is driven, principled, a savvy publicity maven at Carrington Atlantic, and she truly loves Blake. However, the wealth and privilege of the Carringtons’ world proves challenging to her, as she clashes with the staff, including Blake’s butler Anders (Alan Dale), as well as Fallon, who all make it very clear Cristal doesn’t belong.
Family dynasties flow through blood, and Fallon would sooner draw blood than call Cristal “Mom.” Fallon asks Culhane (Robert Christopher Riley), the family’s chauffeur – and Fallon’s secret lover – to help expose Cristal for the fraud Fallon thinks she is. But when that backfires, and Blake chooses Cristal over his own daughter, Fallon sidles up to Blake’s biggest rival, Jeff Colby (Sam Adegoke), mixing business and pleasure to seek her revenge… leaving a jealous Culhane to watch from the sidelines. While the Carringtons’ rocky relationships prove the theory that family sticks together no matter what, Cristal is reminded of exactly that when her nephew, Sammy Jo (Rafael de la Fuente), arrives with a suitcase full of secrets from Cristal’s past. Now Cristal’s carefully concealed history could bring her future crashing down – and who knows who else she might take down with her.
BLACK LIGHTNING – Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) is a man wrestling with a secret. As the father of two daughters and principal of a charter high school that also serves as a safe haven for young people in a New Orleans neighborhood overrun by gang violence, he is a hero to his community. Nine years ago, Pierce was a hero of a different sort. Gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, he used those powers to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning. However, after too many nights with his life on the line, and seeing the effects of the damage and loss that his alter ego was inflicting on his family, he left his Super Hero days behind and settled into being a principal and a dad. Choosing to help his city without using his superpowers, he watched his daughters Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jennifer (China Anne McClain) grow into strong young women, even though his marriage to their mother, Lynn (Christine Adams), suffered.
Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, and those he cares about in the crosshairs of the menacing local gang The One Hundred, Black Lightning returns — to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community. Based on the characters from DC, BLACK LIGHTNING is from Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti (“Arrow,” “The Flash”), Salim Akil & Mara Brock Akil (“Being Mary Jane,” “The Game,” “Girlfriends”), and Sarah Schechter (“Arrow,” “The Flash”).
LIFE SENTENCE – LIFE SENTENCE follows Stella (Lucy Hale), a girl who has spent the last eight years living like she was dying (because she was). Just like the “manic pixie dream girl” heroines in her favorite sappy cancer movies, Stella traveled the world, faced her darkest fears and found true love on a whirlwind trip to Paris. But when Stella finds out that her cancer has been cured, she is suddenly forced to face the long-term consequences of the “live in the moment” decisions she made, including marrying a total stranger. And if that’s not enough, she also finds out that her “perfect family” isn’t so perfect after all. Turns out, because she was dying, everyone in her life hid their problems from her. But, now that she’s well, all bets are off.
Stella is shocked to learn that her parents, Peter (Dylan Walsh) and Ida (Gillian Vigman), have fallen out of love, partly because Peter spent their retirement helping Stella make the most of her final days, and partly because Ida has fallen in love with her best friend (Stella’s godmother), Poppy. Also, it turns out Stella may be responsible for the fact that her sister, Elizabeth (Brooke Lyons), gave up her own dreams to take care of Stella and start a family with her husband Diego (Carlos PenaVega), just to give her parents something positive to focus on. Then there’s Stella’s often overlooked brother, Aiden (Jayson Blair), who’s pushing 30 and still lives above the garage, sells Adderall to soccer moms and uses Stella’s cancer to guilt them into sleeping with him. And, of course, there’s her husband Wes (Elliot Knight), a handsome Londoner who she agreed to spend the rest of her life with, thinking that would only be six to eight months, tops.
Now that their forever just got a whole lot longer than they were expecting, Wes begins to worry that he can’t continue to pretend to be her perfect husband for the rest of his life. With a real future suddenly in front of her, Stella’s cinematic life snaps into reality, and instead of living like she’s dying, she will have to learn to live like she’s living, and help her family and friends do the same. This multi-generational, coming-of-age story proves that we all end up living somewhere between our dreams and reality… and maybe that’s okay.
Lauren German and Tricia Helfer in ‘Lucifer’ season 2 episode 17 (Photo by Michael Courtney / FOX)
Fox’s Lucifer season two episode 16 ended with the Devil even more upset with this father than usual. Episode 16 found Lucifer spending time in a mental hospital alongside a man who claimed to be God. Unfortunately for Lucifer, God wasn’t actually God and instead was a guy who unknowingly stumbled across a piece of the Flaming Sword and was using it as a belt buckle. By the time the episode ended, Lucifer had gone through a range of emotions, landing on anger after figuring out his real father would never engage in the conversations he and fake dad had over the course of 72 hours.
Up next, season two episode 17 titled ‘Sympathy for the Goddess’ airing on May 22, 2017. Season two stars Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar, Lauren German as Chloe, DB Woodside as Amenadiel, Lesley-Ann Brandt as Maze, Kevin Alejandro as Dan, Scarlett Estevez as Trixie, Rachael Harris as Dr. Linda Martin, Tricia Helfer as Charlotte, and Aimee Garcia as Ella. Episode 17’s guest stars include Carolina Gomez as Bianca, Kade Wise as Chet, Jon Sklaroff as Nigel, and Clayton Cannon as Zeke
The ‘Sympathy for the Goddess’ Plot: When the man who had the final piece of the Flaming Sword is murdered and the piece goes missing, Mom joins Chloe and Lucifer on the case to track down the killer. But when Lucifer gets sidelined, Maze recruits him to help save Dr. Linda’s endangered career and confronts him about the secrets he’s been keeping.
Lauren German as Chloe and Tricia Helfer as Charlotte (Photo by Michael Courtney/FOX)Lauren German as Chloe (Photo by Michael Courtney/FOX)Tom Ellis as Lucifer Morningstar (Photo by Michael Courtney/FOX)Tricia Helfer as Charlotte (Photo by Michael Courtney/FOX)Kevin Alejandro as Dan (Photo by Michael Courtney/FOX)
Daniel Radcliffe stars in ‘Miracle Workers’ (Photo by Stanislav Honzík / TBS)
Daniel Radcliffe and Owen Wilson will be starring in TBS’ Miracle Workers, an upcoming anthology comedy series created by Man Seeking Woman‘s Simon Rich. Rich is the showrunner and an executive producer along with Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live), Owen Wilson, Daniel Radcliffe, and Andrew Singer. According to TBS, season one will consist of seven episodes set to air in 2018.
“Having Daniel Radcliffe and Owen Wilson join the TBS family is proof of the continued evolution of this comedy brand as the home of the most creative minds in the business,” said Brett Weitz, executive vice president of original programming for TBS. “Owen Wilson has long been a comic genius, and Daniel’s performance in last year’s Swiss Army Man really proved that there’s a sophisticated comedian under the surface of those brilliant dramatic chops. Simon and Lorne are total pros in walking the tightrope between reality and ridiculousness, and they do it with a lot of heart and wit.”
The Plot: The first season of Miracle Workers will be a Heaven-set workplace comedy based on Rich’s book What in God’s Name. Daniel Radcliffe will play Craig, a low level angel responsible for handling all of humanity’s prayers and Owen Wilson will play Craig’s boss, God, who has pretty much checked out to focus on his favorite hobbies. To prevent Earth’s destruction, Craig must achieve his most impossible miracle to date.
Michael Stuhlbarg as Sy Feltz in ‘Fargo’ season 3 episode 5 (Photo Credit: FX)
FX’s Fargo season three episode five should have come with a warning not to be drinking anything during Michael Stuhlbarg’s (‘Sy Feltz’) first scene. It was disturbing and a little nauseating, but also extremely effective in reinforcing the new hierarchy at Stussy Lots. Season three’s fifth episode is one of the darkest of the series and came loaded with unexpected twists.
Episode five titled ‘The House of Special Purpose’ begins with “It’s Hard to Be Humble” playing as Emmit (Ewan McGregor) drives down the road. His wife, Grace (Linda Kash), beats him home and picks up a padded manila envelope left outside their front door addressed to Emmit Stussy with a “your eyes only” warning. After she settles in, she opens the envelope and there’s a ransom-style note which reads: “Pay us $100,000 or we show your wife.” The envelope also contains an unlabeled CD.
Apparently Grace’s curiosity got the best of her and she emerges from the room in tears. In the background, the audio of the video indicates she’s just watched a sex tape. The camera follows the noise into the room and it’s Nikki and Ray (dressed as Emmit) who are going at it.
The scene switches to Nikki (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) preparing the camera for the video shoot while discussing with Ray exactly where they should have sex. Nikki’s the brains behind this scam, instructing Ray on where they should do it, how they should do it, and reminding him they’ll need to keep their faces slightly obscured. Nikki assures Ray it’s time to play to win and since they lost the high roller, they have no other choice. Nikki and Ray are both angry at Emmit, but she’s more into the idea of revenge over Ray losing his job than Ray. As Nikki gets dressed and pulls on a long wig, Ray pulls out an engagement ring. She reacts by telling him she needs to take off the hooker wig if he’s going to propose and once she does, he asks her to marry him. She says yes, of course, and tells him she’s the happiest woman ever.
Proposal complete, Nikki says, “Now let’s make a sex tape!”
Emmit’s still driving when Grace calls him, screaming. By the time he gets home, Grace has the kids all loaded up and ready to leave. His kids inform him they saw the tape and are disgusted. He tries to convince his wife he didn’t do anything, but she won’t even look at him. After they pull away, his face transforms from sad and confused to angry.
Emmit watches the tape and can’t believe what his brother has done.
Sy arrives at work to find Varga (David Thewlis) and his thugs have made themselves comfortable in his office. Varga insults Sy’s wife, looking at her photo and calling her fat. He then pisses in Sy’s “World’s Best Dad” coffee cup and claims Sy’s office is now his. Meemo and Yuri force Sy at gunpoint to drink Varga’s urine and he gags as they force him to drain the cup. This is happening because Sy spoke with Officer Winnie Lopez which Sy admits to, but swears it was only in regard to a car accident. Varga reminds him they’re now partners and that lives are changing for the better. Sy just needs to fall in line and do what he’s told – nothing more. Yuri and Meemo escort a stunned Sy to his new office.
Sy sneaks into the stairwell and calls Emmit, leaving a message that it’s worse than they thought.
Later that same day, Sy meets with their potential investor, Mrs. Ruby Goldfarb (Mary McDonnell), at a fancy restaurant. He’s on edge and laughs nervously, explaining he just had an “upsetting experience.” Mrs. Goldfarb confirms she wants to buy the entire company or, if that’s not doable, she’ll buy lots on her own and be their competitor. She warns him, “You don’t want a Goldfarb for an enemy.” Sy says they’re open to being bought out, lying that Emmit is looking to dedicate himself to charitable causes instead of working full-time. Their conversation is interrupted when he gets a text from Emmit saying they need to meet at his house immediately.
Sy makes an excuse to cut the meeting with Mrs. Goldfarb short and takes off for Emmit’s. Yuri and Meemo follow not far behind.
Over at Emmit’s place, Sy finds him huddled in a corner crying his eyes out. Sy asks if Emmit signed partnership papers with Varga, but Emmit’s only thinking about what Ray did to cause Grace to take their kids and leave. Sy nearly explodes when Emmit won’t concentrate on their business problem, concerned the enemy is now inside the company. “What is the point of you?!” asks Emmit, angrily. “You’re supposed to be a fixer. Nothing is fixed and everything’s broken.”
Emmit finally reveals Ray sent Gloria a sex tape in which he was dressed up as Emmit. Emmit blames Sy for everything including setting up the business deal that let Varga into their lives. They argue about who is to blame for their predicament and Sy asks to be unchained to handle things. Emmit calls himself a good man who’s never cheated on his wife, and Sy admits he looks up to him. Emmit says to fix this, whatever it takes. “Shackles off?” asks Sy. Emmit agrees.
And now we finally catch up with Gloria Burgle (Carrie Coon) as she and Officer Winnie Lopez (Olivia Sandoval) try to explain to Officer Donny Mashman (Mark Forward) what they’ve uncovered about Ennis’ murder. It’s a confusing tale involving multiple Stussys, parolee Maurice LeFay, and poor Ennis. Donny knows the new Chief isn’t going to like any of this, but Gloria doesn’t care. She and Winnie head out to track down the woman who lived in the apartment from which the air conditioner fell and landed on Maurice. They suspect she’s somehow connected to the murder.
Meanwhile, Ray tries on dinner jackets while he and Nikki discuss the $100,000 bribe. Nikki’s determined to make Emmit pay because she’s certain he cheated Ray out of his inheritance. While Ray tries on another jacket, Nikki gets a call from Sy who calls her the stupidest person alive. He tells her Gloria watched the video and left, so there’s no way Emmit’s paying. Nikki swears they won’t stop until Ray gets what’s his, and Sy suggests they meet. But then Nikki comes up with a new plan. She ups the figure to $200,000 to tell Gloria the truth. Sy sets up a place to meet and hangs up.
Ray settles on a jacket and Nikki heads out to meet Sy, without giving Ray any details.
Ray takes the bus home and Emmit calls him, declaring Ray’s dead. Emmit lets his brother know Grace left and Ray isn’t all that sympathetic, saying he’s out of a job and Emmit should have done the right thing to begin with. They threaten each other and it escalates as they yell, “F*ck you!” at each other.
Carrie Coon as Gloria Burgle, Olivia Sandoval as Winnie Lopez, and Ewan McGregor as Ray Stussy in ‘Fargo’ (Photo by Chris Large/FX)
Gloria and Winnie catch up with Ray and ask him to come with them to the station. They promise to have him home by 6pm.
The interrogation begins and Ray claims he’s going back to school and that’s why he’s not working anymore as a probation officer. They ask about his relationship with Sy Feltz and Ray says he doesn’t have any hard feelings toward him about the accident. He then says it’s all a family matter and the law doesn’t need to be involved. Gloria asks if there’s bad blood between he and his brother, and Ray starts to get upset. Winnie wants to know why Sy hit his Corvette twice, and Ray blames it on Sy’s jealousy over his relationship with his brother. Ray lies and says he’s really close with Emmit and there’s no bad blood.
Gloria continues the questioning and wants to know all about Maurice LeFay. Ray doesn’t admit to knowing him well and reminds Gloria he told her Maurice blew his last piss test. The interrogation’s interrupted by Chief Moe Dammik (Shea Whigham) who’s had enough of all this. He wants Gloria to let Ray go, and Winnie gives a brief rundown of all the evidence. Moe’s not impressed and says this is all just a big coincidence. He’s also certain they can’t prove anything, so it’s time to set Ray free and move on.
Emmit pulls into a parking garage and Varga’s waiting for him. He sits down in the passenger seat and asks about Emmit’s wife. Varga then reveals he’s not sure they can trust Sy and that there’s talk Sy is colluding with Ray. Varga even knows Ray broke into Emmit’s bank and he thinks Sy gave Ray the key to Emmit’s safety deposit box. Varga’s convinced Sy and Ray are working together, or that Sy is making a move to kick Emmit out and insert Ray into the company. Emmit says Sy hates Ray and is totally on board with their new partnership with Varga. Finally, Emmit admits Sy just wants to protect him. He assures Varga he’ll talk to Sy and set things straight.
When Varga and Emmit enter the office, they find IRS Agent LaRue Dollard (Hamish Linklater) waiting to speak with Emmit. Dollard wants to know about the withdrawal of $10,000 earlier this week, explaining that the IRS received an alert and now Dollard has to look at Emmit’s books. It’ll be minimally invasive and the agent calls it informal so that they can avoid a real audit. Emmit claims their records are pristine, and Dollard asks if the man in the next office is Sy Feltz. Emmit says Sy’s out of the office, and Dollard informs him he’ll need to talk to senior members of his staff. Emmit seems to accept all this and they make an appointment for Dollard to start his audit the next morning at 7:30am.
As soon as he leaves, Varga asks if the agent is married or mentioned kids. Emmit can’t believe what’s going on, upset the agent wants to see the books. Varga isn’t concerned because they’ll show Agent Dollard the fake books that Emmit didn’t even realize they had.
Sy and Nikki meet in Lot 350 away from any traffic. Sy offers her $40,000 plus she can keep the $10,000 they stole at the bank. Nikki asks for $200,000 and the stamp or no deal. Yuri and Meemo arrive and although Sy tries to send them away, they won’t leave. Yuri asks if Nikki’s been to Siberia and says the parking lot is much like it. Yuri talks about the blood that soaks the dirt in Siberia, all the dead bodies, and mothers who eat their babies. (Yuri’s just a ton of fun, isn’t he?) As Nikki tries to leave, Meemo grabs her and he and Yuri ruthlessly beat her. Sy looks on, concerned, and his legs begin to wobble. Nikki stops making noise but the pounding of fists continues. Finally, Yuri and Meemo drive away. Sy also leaves without checking on Nikki.
The camera slowly moves toward Nikki as she struggles to stand. She makes it to the driver side door.
Ray, smiling, rides home on the bus.
Nikki crawls into the car and pulls herself up to sit behind the steering wheel.
Ray arrives back home and talks to Nikki, but she doesn’t answer. He finds her fully clothed in the bathtub. She’s badly bruised and barely moves when he touches her.
The CW’s The Flash season three comes to an end with episode 23 airing on May 23, 2017. The episode titled “Finish Line” will find #TeamFlash dealing with Iris’ death at the hands of Savitar and with the fact they were unable to stop it from taking place, no matter what they tried.
The season three finale should be a heartbreaker if in fact, Iris is truly dead. Season three episode 23’s trailer asks, “When hope dies can a hero survive?” and it appears even Killer Frost is affected by the battle between her former friends and Savitar.
The season three cast includes Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash, Tom Cavanagh as Harrison Wells, Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow, Candice Patton as Iris West, Keiynan Lonsdale as Wally West/Kid Flash, Carlos Valdes as Cisco, Jesse L Martin as Joe West, and Tom Felton as Julian.
The Finish Line Plot: SEASON FINALE – With nothing left to lose, Barry (Gustin) takes on Savitar in an epic conclusion to season three. David McWhirter directed the episode written by Aaron Helbing and Todd Helbing.
