Stephen Amell poses with a hockey stick and Megan Fox just poses on the new poster for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. The Turtles are nowhere to be seen on the latest poster for the Paramount Pictures release and instead the focus is on Amell’s Casey Jones and Fox’s April O’Neil. Directed by Earth to Echo‘s David Green, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 also stars Will Arnett, Tyler Perry, Gary Anthony Williams, Laura Linney, Brian Tee, and Stephen ‘Sheamus’ Farrelly. The Turtles are played by Alan Ritchson (Raphael), Noel Fisher (Michelangelo), Pete Ploszek (Leonardo), and Jeremy Howard (Donatello). TMNT: Out of the Shadows will open in theaters on June 3, 2016.
The Plot: Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael return to theaters this summer to battle bigger, badder villains, alongside April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and a newcomer: the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell). After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world. As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.
Season three of The 100 comes to a conclusion with episode 16 titled ‘Perverse Instantiation – Part Two’ airing on May 19, 2016. It’s been a bloody, violent, and controversial season, with a high body count that included fan favorites Lexa (played by Alycia Debnam-Carey who’s busy with Fear the Walking Dead) and Lincoln (played by Ricky Whittle, currently shooting the new series American Gods). The season three finale will find Clarke (Eliza Taylor) attempting to destroy the City of Light from the inside.
The episode will also feature Paige Turco, Isaiah Washington, Henry Ian Cusick, Bob Morley, Marie Avgeropoulos, Lindsey Morgan, Devon Bostick, Christopher Larkin, and Richard Harmon. Jason Rothenberg wrote the season three finale and Dean White directed.
The 100 Season 3 Episode 16 Plot: PART TWO OF THE SEASON FINALE – In the season’s epic and mind-bending conclusion, our heroes begin to face the reality of their tragic situation. Everyone prepares for a final showdown.
ABC’s “Imaginary Mary” stars Jenna Elfman as Alice. (ABC/Ed Herrera)
ABC’s showing off the first trailers from their new primetime shows that will be joining the network’s lineup of programming for the 2016-2017 season. Nine new series have been added to the schedule: four comedies and five dramas. ABC hopes audiences will be laughing at American Housewife, Downward Dog, Imaginary Mary, and Speechless, and will become absorbed with the stories told in Conviction, Designated Survivor, Notorious, Still Star-Crossed, and Time After Time. Details on all the news shows were revealed during the 2016-2017 Upfront Event at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall in New York City.
“Our new shows reflect the inclusive and empowering storytelling that defines the ABC brand. We will continue to raise the bar for our audience, investing in great storytellers and reflecting the authentic faces and voices of the world around us,” said Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment.
American Housewife Plot: Katie Otto (Katy Mixon), a confident, unapologetic, plump wife and mother of three, raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring. She lets us in on her deepest, most unfiltered thoughts through voiceover as the she lives her life as the second fattest housewife in Westport.
Downward Dog Plot: Based on the web series, Downward Dog is about a struggling millennial, Nan (Emmy nominated Allison Tolman), from the point of view of her lonely and philosophical dog, Martin. One session at obedience school already makes them realize that even at their worst, they may be the best thing for each other.
Imaginary Mary Plot: Alice (Jenna Elfman) has her life turned upside-down when she ‘stupidly’ falls for the love of her life Ben (Stephen Schneider) — an adorable, quick-witted divorced father with three kids. But when she ignores her fears of commitment and her ability to mother, Imaginary Mary, her childhood invention (voiced by Rachel Dratch), comes back to life to express Alice’s deepest fears and add more chaos to the situation.
Speechless Plot: Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver) is a mom on a mission who will do anything for her husband Jimmy, her kids Ray, Dylan, and JJ, her eldest son with special needs. As Maya fights injustices both real and imagined, the family works to make a new home for themselves, and searches for just the right person to give JJ his “voice.”
Conviction Plot: Lawyer and former First Daughter Hayes Morrison (Hayley Atwell) is about to accept a job offered from her sexy nemesis, NY District Attorney Wayne Wallis, to avoid jail time for cocaine possession and avoid hurting her mother’s Senate campaign. Working with his team at the new Conviction Integrity Unit will let her use her brilliant mind to turn over cases where there is credible suspicion of wrongful conviction, and give her a chance to turn things around with her high-powered political family.
Designated Survivor Plot: Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Kiefer Sutherland returns to primetime in a conspiracy thriller as Tom Kirkman, a lower cabinet member who unexpectedly becomes president after a devastating attack on Washington. He will struggle to prevent the country and his own family from falling into chaos, as he is thrust into one of the most difficult presidencies in history.
Notorious Plot:Notorious is inspired by the true-life stories of famed criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and cable news producer Wendy Walker, who serve as executive producers. The series is a provocative look at the unique, sexy and dangerous interplay of criminal law and the media.
Still Star-Crossed Plot:Still Star-Crossed, a period drama from Shondaland, picks up where the famous story of Romeo and Juliet ends, charting the treachery, palace intrigue and ill-fated romances of the Montagues and Capulets in the wake of the young lovers’ tragic fate.
Time After Time Plot: Based on the novel and movie Time After Time, executive producer/writer Kevin Williamson delivers a fantastical cat and mouse adventure through time when famed science fiction writer H.G. Wells is transported to modern day Manhattan in pursuit of Jack the Ripper. Once H.G. arrives in New York City, he finds a world he never thought possible and a young woman who captivates him.
Ben Schwartz, Kristen Bell, Don Cheadle, and Josh Lawson star in ‘House of Lies’
Showtime will be ending the critically acclaimed comedy House of Lies with season five. The current season of House of Lies will be its last, culminating with the season five finale on June 13, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT. That episode just happens to be the first episode of an American scripted series to be shot in Cuba since diplomatic relations were restored. Series creator/executive producer Matthew Carnahan directed the season/series finale titled “No Es Fácil” and starring Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell, Ben Schwartz, Josh Lawson, Donis Leonard Jr., and Glynn Turman.
“House of Lies is a comedy that has frequently been ahead of the curve,” said David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc. “Over the course of its five seasons, it has tackled such hot-button topics as gender identity, wealth inequality, white privilege, police brutality, interracial relationships, and code-switching with honesty and a biting sense of humor. Matthew Carnahan and Don Cheadle have been dream partners and impeccable leaders. The core cast of Don, Kristen, Ben and Josh are one of the best comedy teams on television. They have brought the series to an incredibly satisfying conclusion with this historic final episode shot in Cuba.”
“Creating and running House of Lies has been a true dream gig, a creative apotheosis,” stated Carnahan. “Working with the remarkable team that Jessika Borsiczcky, David Walpert and I were allowed to put together, along with the incredible cast and crew, coming to work every day was a joy. Getting to work with heroes like Don Cheadle, Kristen Bell and Glynn Turman, breaking out amazing performers like Dawn Olivieri and the shockingly funny Josh Lawson; seeing Ben Schwartz, already so well-known as a comedic actor doing a deep-dive into really complex work; watching great actors like Matt Damon be willing to skewer versions of themselves; and then going out on the high note that is shooting in Cuba — these are all the kinds of reasons I got into this business in the first place.”
The award-winning series is based on House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Tell You the Time by Martin Kihn and is executive produced by Carnahan, Jessika Borsiczky, Don Cheadle and David Walpert. Season five guest stars include Wanda Sykes, Keegan-Michael Key, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Donald Faison, Ken Marino, John Cho and Steven Weber.
The Plot: For five seasons, fans traveled with Marty, Jeannie (Bell), Clyde (Schwartz) and Doug (Lawson) as they criss-crossed the globe manipulating hard-earned (well, usually inherited, sometimes stolen) bucks from powerful CEOs. Under Marty’s leadership, the Pod, as they became affectionately known, went from fleecing millionaire moguls to skewering billionaires with an unwavering eye on their end-state vision (or, ultimate goal for non-management rookies): global domination. Along the way, Marty and Jeannie went from business associates to lovers to adversaries and back again, ultimately landing on amicable co-worker/co-parents to their baby girl. All the while, wisecracking Clyde and insufferable yet sweet Harvard MBA Doug fought and squabbled over the number three spot (and, ultimately, for partnership) at Kaan & Associates. They frequently banded together against Marty’s ex-wife and business foe Monica (Dawn Olivieri) as she lurched between wanting to bed him, kill him and steal all his clients. On the home front, sage advice from live-in psychologist dad Jeremiah (Turman) helped Marty lead son Roscoe (Leonard Jr.) through the discovery and celebration of his gender fluidity and maturation into a self-assured, fashion-forward teenager. As we conclude the series, the Pod is assessing their personal portfolios: in their constant quest for the almighty dollar, how much is enough? How much money buys happiness and at what cost?
“Shaw!” says a surprised Root (Amy Acker). “Not a very friendly homecoming,” replies Shaw (Sarah Shahi) who it seems has broken out of where Samaritan and its goons were keeping her prisoner in season five episode four of CBS’ crime action series, Person of Interest.
As the episode begins, Shaw is strapped down on an operating table where Samaritan doctors are implanting a mind control chip near her brain stem. The chip however doesn’t seem to take and when they are preparing to try a different one, Shaw – who is not so out of it as she is pretending – is able to break free and escape the facility only to find herself on some uncharted island. Desperate, she looks around to see a small boat nearby. She borrows the boat and heads for New York.
Once in the city Shaw is afraid to go to the subway headquarters of Finch and the Machine, unsure if she might lead Samaritan thugs right to the Machine. She decides to try to take out the chip herself in a drug store but every time she tries, she becomes overcome with pain and gets disoriented. Shaw decides to threaten to kill the poor drugstore clerk to get the Machine’s attention and bring help. The plan works and Root finds Shaw after saving her from a few of Samaritan’s agents who got there first.
Still not sure what she has been through and if Shaw has been turned, Reese (Jim Caviezel) and Root take the chip out of her while riding in the subway. Afterward, they take her to an apartment Root is using and Shaw is reunited with Finch (Michael Emerson) and Bear the dog. Harold is leery of trusting her because Martine told them months ago that Samaritan had broken Shaw and turned her. Shaw overhears this and asks Finch if he even tried to look for her. Finch and Reese leave to study the chip and see what information they can get out of it.
Root tries to get close to Shaw who she missed terribly, but Shaw is in no mood for picking up where they left off right before she was shot. (Shaw kissed Root as she stood her ground and held back Samaritan thugs so that Root, Finch, and a badly wounded Reese could escape.) A little while later Shaw changes her mind and she and Root end up in bed together being very intimate. (Is it getting hot in here?!) Afterward, Shaw tells Root about some of the psychological torture she went through while a prisoner. Later that night Shaw goes to the ladies room and has another mind attack while looking at the wound from where the chip was inside her. When she becomes aware again she sees herself holding a gun and ammo but has no memory of picking them up. This scares her and she puts them away quickly, slipping back in bed with Root.
The next morning Root meets up with John at a diner and he tells her that the chip is a placebo. Root begins to defend Shaw and says she won’t let him hurt her. Reese smiles and tries to calm Root telling her, “No one is saying or suggesting that.” He goes on to say that they need to know what happened to her and where her head is at when Shaw comes in angry that John is suggesting she is a double agent. She grabs a patron’s phone and calls, letting Samaritan know where she is to try and lure more agents to an ambush. It works with Reese and Root’s help. They use one of the phones on the Samaritan thugs to find Greer’s hideout. Team Machine takes Greer (John Nolan) to a church to get information out of him and to keep him off Samaritan’s radar.
While searching Greer Shaw discovers a chip hidden in his arm underneath the skin so she digs it out. Finch analyzes it and says it looks like it has the code to shut down Samaritan once it is plugged into a networked device. Finch and Root head off to try it while Reese and Shaw stand watch. While Reese tries to convince Shaw to go get some rest they hear men walking around upstairs in the church. Reese goes up to take care of what sounds like Samaritan goons while Shaw watches Greer. He uses this alone time with her to tell Shaw good job but she needs to stop the charade and let him go. She tells him he’s lucky not to be dead and he laughs telling her it was her idea to put the chip in his arm and that they turned her months ago. Shaw doesn’t want to believe it and has another brain attack. When she comes to, she realizes she has had Greer in the head.
Reese comes back down and Shaw tells him the drive is a trap for Samaritan to find the Machine. Reese and Shaw head out to stop Finch from plugging the drive in. Reese begins to question how Samaritan found them and how did they know they would kidnap Greer. How could they be certain? Reese realizes Shaw isn’t right in the head and that she might be programmed by Samaritan. He tells her he needs her to be calm and more collected before they go find Harold, suggesting they go get a coffee. When John’s back is turned to her – seriously, Reese would never turn his back on a potential threat which is what Shaw is now – Shaw shoots him. Shaw tells Root and Finch that Samaritan operatives just killed John.
Root doubles back and finds Shaw and the two go together to an old rundown park. That’s where Shaw admits to shooting Reese and that she doesn’t know who is controlling her. “Nothing’s safe,” says Shaw and she tells Root that being with her is where she would go in her mind to try to shield herself from the tortures of Samaritan. With tears in her eyes, Shaw takes her gun and shoots herself in the head.
The scene cuts back to the room where Shaw is being kept tied down to a bed going through another simulation created by Greer and Samaritan to try to get Shaw to give up the location of the Machine. She’s unconscious and hooked up to a machine with Greer and another staff member observing. Shaw has gone through 6,741 simulations and every time she kills Greer and herself. That’s right, it was all just a simulation/dream.
Review of Person of Interest Season 5 episode 4:
Suspenseful and intriguing, season five episode four titled “6,741” brought back to the show missing team member Shaw and unfortunately just wasted one of the 13 episodes of this abbreviated final season by not moving the main storyline forward at all. Even though both Sarah Shahi and Amy Acker give stellar, stand-out performances in this episode it basically is the classic “It was all just a dream and nothing you just witnessed actually happened” filler episode.
With only nine episodes left, here’s hoping that the next episode gets the show back on track and begins to build to what should be an exciting and unforgettable showdown between Team Machine and Samaritan.
Ned as Martin and Allison Tolman as Nan in ‘Downward Dog’ (ABC/Bob D’Amico)
ABC’s just announced their schedule for the upcoming 2016-2017 primetime season which will feature nine new shows including Still Star-Crossed, Time After Time, Downward Dog, and American Housewife. The newbies will be joining a lineup that includes returning series Last Man Standing, Scandal, black-ish, How to Get Away with Murder, Modern Family, Once Upon a Time, and The Real O’Neals. The network’s also bringing back the Emmy nominated series American Crime from creator/executive producer John Ridley. When We Rise, a limited series created by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black (screenplay, Milk), will air during the upcoming season as will the specials Dirty Dancing and Ali: The Champion.
“Our new shows reflect the inclusive and empowering storytelling that defines the ABC brand. We will continue to raise the bar for our audience, investing in great storytellers and reflecting the authentic faces and voices of the world around us,” said Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment Dungey.
ABC’s Primetime Schedule
MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00 p.m. “Conviction”
TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “The Middle” (new day/time)
8:30 p.m. “American Housewife”
9:00 p.m. “Fresh Off the Boat” (new time)
9:30 p.m. “The Real O’Neals” (new time)
10:00 p.m. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” (new time)
SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time”
9:00 p.m. “Secrets and Lies”
10:00 p.m. “Quantico”
NEW FALL AND MIDSEASON SERIES:
CONVICTION – Lawyer and former First Daughter Hayes Morrison (Hayley Atwell, “Marvel’s Agent Carter”) is about to accept a job offered from her sexy nemesis, NY District Attorney Wayne Wallis, to avoid jail time for cocaine possession and avoid hurting her mother’s Senate campaign. Working with his team at the new Conviction Integrity Unit will let her use her brilliant mind to turn over cases, where there is credible suspicion of wrongful conviction, and give her a chance to turn things around with her high-powered political family.
In addition to Atwell, “Conviction” stars Eddie Cahill as Wayne Wallis, Shawn Ashmore as Sam Sullivan, Merrin Dungey as Maxine Barton, Emily Kinney as Tess Thompson, Manny Montana as Franklin “Frankie” Rios and Daniel di Tomasso as Jackson Morrison.
“Conviction” is from The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. “Conviction” is co-created by writer Liz Friedman (“Elementary,” “Marvel’s Jessica Jones”) and director Liz Friedlander (“The Following”). Friedman and Friedlander will executive produce with Mark Gordon (“Criminal Minds,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Saving Private Ryan”) and Nick Pepper.
DESIGNATED SURVIVOR – Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland (“24”) returns to primetime in a conspiracy thriller as Tom Kirkman, a lower-level cabinet member who unexpectedly becomes president after a devastating attack on Washington. He will struggle to prevent the country and his own family from falling into chaos, as he is thrust into one of the most difficult presidencies in history.
“Designated Survivor” stars Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, Natascha McElhone as Alex Kirkman, Maggie Q as Hannah Watts, Kal Penn as Seth Wheeler, Adan Canto as Aaron Shore, Italia Ricci as Emily Rhodes, LaMonica Garrett as James Ritter, and Tanner Buchanan as Leo Kirkman.
“Designated Survvor” is from The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. David Guggenheim is creator and executive producer. In addition to Guggenheim, the series is executive produced by Simon Kinberg, Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Gordon, Nick Pepper, Suzan Bymel, and Aditya Sood. Paul McGuigan directed the pilot episode.
NOTORIOUS – “Notorious” is inspired by the true-life stories of famed criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and cable news producer Wendy Walker, who serve as executive producers. The series is a provocative look at the unique, sexy and dangerous interplay of criminal law and the media. Josh Berman (“Blacklist,” “Bones,” “CSI”) is writer and executive producer, and Allie Hagan (“Suri’s Burn Book”) is writer and co-executive producer.
“Notorious” stars Piper Perabo (“Covert Affairs”) as Julia George, Daniel Sunjata (“Graceland”) as Jake Gregorian, Sepideh Moafi as Megan Byrd, Kate Jennings Grant as Louise Herrick, Ryan Guzman as Ryan, Kevin Zegers as Oscar Keaton, J. August Richards as Bradley Gregorian and Aimee Teegarden as Ella Benjamin.
“Notorious” is from Sony Pictures Television and ABC Studios. Michael Engler, Kenny Meiselas, Jeff Kwatinetz and Josh Barry are also executive producers. Michael Engler directed the pilot.
STILL STAR-CROSSED – “Still Star-Crossed,” a period drama from Shondaland, picks up where the famous story of Romeo and Juliet ends, charting the treachery, palace intrigue and ill-fated romances of the Montagues and Capulets in the wake of the young lovers’ tragic fate. The series is based on the book by Melinda Taub.
“Still Star-Crossed” stars Wade Briggs (“Home and Away”) as Benvolio Montague, Anthony Head as Lord Silvestro Capulet, Zuleikha Robinson as Lady Guiliana Capulet, Lashana Lynch as Rosaline, Ebonee Noel as Livia, Sterling Sulieman as Prince Escalus, Medalion Rahimi as Princess Isabella, Grant Bowler as Damiano Montague, Susan Wooldridge as Nurse, Torrance Coombs as Paris and Dan Hildebrand as Friar Lawrence.
Heather Mitchell (“Scandal,” “Grey’s Anatomy”) is writer and executive producer. Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers and Michael Goldstein are executive producers. Michael Offer is executive producer and director of the pilot, from ABC Studios.
TIME AFTER TIME – Based on the novel and movie “Time After Time,” executive producer/writer Kevin Williamson (“The Vampire Diaries,” “Scream” franchise, “Dawson’s Creek”) delivers a fantastical cat and mouse adventure through time when famed science fiction writer H.G. Wells is transported to modern day Manhattan in pursuit of Jack the Ripper. Once H.G. arrives in New York City, he finds a world he never thought possible and a young woman who captivates him.
The series stars Freddie Stroma (“Harry Potter” films) as H.G. Wells, Josh Bowman (“Revenge”) as John Stevenson/Jack the Ripper, Genesis Rodriguez (“Big Hero 6”) as Jane and Regina Taylor (“Dig”) as Vanessa Anders.
“Time After Time” is from Outerbanks Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television. Williamson and Marcos Siega (“Blindspot,” “The Following”) are executive producers. Siega directed the pilot. Williamson wrote the teleplay. “Time After Time” is based on the novel written by Karl Alexander.
AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE – Katie Otto (Katy Mixon, “Mike and Molly”), a confident, unapologetic wife and mother of three, raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring.
The series stars Katy Mixon as Katie Otto, Diedrich Bader as Jeff Otto, Johnny Sequoyah as Taylor, Daniel DiMaggio as Harrison, Julia Butters as Anna-Kat, Carly Hughes as Angela and Ali Wong as Doris.
“American Housewife” is written by Sarah Dunn (“Spin City,” “Bunheads”) and produced by Kapital Entertainment and ABC Studios. Aaron Kaplan, Rick Weiner and Kenny Schwartz are executive producers. Ruben Fleischer directed and was executive producer of the pilot.
DOWNWARD DOG – Based on the web series, “Downward Dog” is about a struggling millennial, Nan (Emmy-nominated Allison Tolman, “Fargo”), from the point of view of her lonely and philosophical dog, Martin. One session at obedience school already makes them realize that even at their worst they may be the best thing for each other.
The series stars Allison Tolman as Nan, Lucas Neff as Jason, Kirby Howell-Baptiste as Jenn, Barry Rothbart as Kevin and Mo Collins as Kim. Samm Hodges is the voice of Martin.
“Downward Dog” creators/writers Samm Hodges and Michael Killen will executive produce with Mosaic Media Group’s Jimmy Miller and Sam Hansen, and Animal’s Kathy Dziubek. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky were executive producers of the pilot. The series is from Legendary Television and ABC Studios.
IMAGINARY MARY – Alice (Jenna Elfman, “Dharma & Greg,” “Friends With Benefits,” “EDtv”) is a fiercely independent career woman whose life is turned upside-down when she meets the love of her life – a divorced father with three kids. This triggers even more upheaval when the slightly unhinged imaginary friend she created as a child suddenly reappears to help her navigate the transition from single girl to a woman ready for a family.
The series stars Jenna Elfman as Alice, Stephen Schneider as Ben, Rachel Dratch as Mary (VO), Nicholas Coombe as Andy, Matreya Scarrwener as Dora and Erica Tremblay as Bunny.
The live action/CGI hybrid comes from “The Goldbergs” team Adam F. Goldberg (writer/executive producer), David Guarascio (writer/executive producer) and Doug Robinson (executive producer). Mary CG animation is designed by Patrick Osborne (creator of Academy Award- winning animated short, “The Feast”), who is also executive producer. The pilot was directed by Shawn Levy (“Night at the Museum,” “Cheaper by the Dozen”), who is also executive producer. The series is a co-production with Sony Pictures Television, Happy Madison and ABC Studios.
SPEECHLESS – Maya DiMeo (Minnie Driver, “About a Boy,” “The Riches,” “Good Will Hunting”) is a mom on a mission who will do anything for her husband, Jimmy, and kids Ray, Dylan, and JJ, her eldest son with special needs. As Maya fights injustices both real and imagined, the family works to make a new home for themselves and searches for just the right person to give JJ his “voice.”
“Speechless” stars Minnie Driver as Maya DiMeo, John Ross Bowie (“The Big Bang Theory”) as Jimmy DiMeo, Mason Cook as Ray DiMeo, Micah Fowler as JJ DiMeo, Kyla Kenedy as Dylan DiMeo and Cedric Yarbrough as Kenneth.
Scott Silveri (“Friends”) writes and is executive producer of the show, along with “Fresh Off the Boat”‘s Jake Kasdan and Melvin Mar. The series is from Twentieth Century Fox Television and ABC Studios.
LIMITED SERIES, SPECIAL EVENTS
AMERICAN CRIME (Limited Series – Season 3) – Critically acclaimed limited series “American Crime,” nominated for 10 Emmys and winner of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Regina King, returns for its third season and will feature a new crime committed in a different setting, as told through the eyes of those affected.
The series was created and executive produced by Oscar-winner John Ridley (“12 Years a Slave”). Michael J. McDonald also serves as executive producer. “American Crime” is produced by ABC Studios.
WHEN WE RISE (Limited Series Event) – “When We Rise” chronicles the real-life personal and political struggles, setbacks and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBT men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from its turbulent infancy in the 20th century to the once unfathomable successes of today.
Written and created by Oscar(R)-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (“Milk,” “Big Love,” “J. Edgar”), the limited series event stars Guy Pearce as LGBT activist Cleve Jones, Mary-Louise Parker as women’s rights leader Roma Guy and Rachel Griffiths as her wife, social justice activist Diane. Also starring are Austin McKenzie as Younger Cleve Jones, Emily Skeggs as Younger Roma Guy, Jonathan Majors as Younger Ken Jones, and Fiona Dourif as Younger Diane.
The miniseries is executive produced by Black, Laurence Mark (“Julie & Julia,””Dreamgirls,””I, Robot,” “Jerry Maguire”), Bruce Cohen (“American Beauty,” “Milk”) and Gus Van Sant (“Good Will Hunting,” “Milk”) for ABC. Van Sant will direct the two-hour premiere of the seven-episode-limited series event. “When We Rise” is from ABC Studios.
DIRTY DANCING – “Dirty Dancing,” the global pop-cultural phenomenon, becomes a three-hour filmed musical event this season on the ABC Television Network. An adaptation of the beloved 1987 romantic drama and instant music classic, “Dirty Dancing” will be produced by Lionsgate Television in association with Allison Shearmur Productions, executive produced by Allison Shearmur (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “The Hunger Games” franchise; “Cinderella”); Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the original movie; and Grammy Award-nominee Adam Anders (“Glee,” “Rock of Ages”), who also serves as executive music producer. Wayne Blair (“The Sapphires,” “Septembers of Shiraz”) is the director, and Andy Blankenbuehler (“Hamilton,” “Bring It On,” “In the Heights”) is the choreographer.
“Dirty Dancing” stars Abigail Breslin as Baby, Debra Messing as Marjorie Houseman, Bruce Greenwood as Dr. Jake Houseman, Nicole Scherzinger as Penny, Colt Prattes as Johnny, Sarah Hyland as Lisa Houseman, Tony Roberts as Max Kellerman, Trevor Einhorn as Neil, Shane Harper as Robbie Gould, J. Quinton Johnson as Marco, Beau “Casper” Smart as Billy, Katey Sagal as Vivian Pressman and Billy Dee Williams as Tito.
UNTITLED DAVID BLAINE – David Blaine returns to ABC for his final primetime special to follow-up his critically acclaimed ratings smash “David Blaine: Real or Magic,” with a groundbreaking new primetime event. The special reunites Blaine with Emmy Award-winning director Matthew Akers, who helmed “David Blaine: Real or Magic,” and is executive produced by David Blaine, along with Justin Wilkes and Dave O’Connor for Radical Media.
ALI: THE CHAMPION (working title) – An athlete, a humanitarian, and a civil rights activist, Muhammad Ali will be honored for his goodwill efforts that have impacted individuals from different walks of life around the world. In a new, two-hour special featuring live musical performances, his closest friends and contemporaries, admirers come together to celebrate the man who’s known the world over as simply The Greatest. The project is executive produced by Ron Weisner.
Frankie J. Alvarez, Jonathan Groff, and Murray Bartlett in ‘Looking’ (Photo: Richard Foreman / HBO)
The promised conclusion to the series Looking now has a premiere date and plot synopsis. Looking: The Movie will air on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT and will provide closure to fans of the three friends played by Jonathan Groff (Frozen, Glee), Frankie J. Alvarez, and Murray Bartlett. The series ran on HBO for two seasons but was not picked up for a third. Instead, the hour and a half movie will wrap up the series.
The conclusion to Looking was written by Andrew Haigh and Michael Lannan. Haigh directed and also executive produced along with Michael Lannan and Sarah Condon.
The Plot:Looking: The Movie wraps up the story of three close friends living in San Francisco who explore the options available to a new generation of gay men seeking fulfillment in love and life. In the film, Patrick (Groff) returns to the city for the first time in almost a year to celebrate a momentous event with his old friends. In the process, he must face the unresolved relationships he left behind and make difficult choices about what’s important to him.
The first trailer’s arrived for Buddymoon starring Grimm co-stars David Giuntoli and Claire Coffee along with Flula Borg. The twisted comedy was written and executive produced by Giuntoli, Borg, and Alex Simmons, and also features Brian T. Finney and Jeanne Syquia. Buddymoon will premiere simultaneously on demand and in theaters on July 1, 2016.
The Plot: David (Giuntoli) is left by his fiancé days before the wedding, and Flula (Borg), his eccentrically upbeat best man, insists that they go on David’s honeymoon together: a backpacking trip through Oregon’s scenic mountains. Prepare to laugh when the pair crosses paths with a dazed conspiracy theorist, an attractively charming backpacker (Coffee), and a bloodthirsty predator (an actual wolf) who all partake in a trek that tests their friendship – and their lives.
“Man, Bridgit somebody sure scrambled your eggs,” says Selina (Camren Bicondova), knocking out Firefly (Michelle Ventimiglia) after she tried to roast her alive in Bridgit’s enhanced fireproof room in season two episode 21 of FOX’s gritty, comic-book inspired crime thriller series, Gotham.
When Selina doesn’t show to meet Bruce (David Mazouz) up on the rooftop, he realizes she must have gotten caught and is now a prisoner of Dr. Hugo Strange (BD Wong). He quickly goes to the GCPD and arrives just after acting Captain Harvey Bullock (Donal Logue) finishes his uncomfortable and hilarious press conference regarding the death of Azrael. Bullock and Gordon (Ben McKenzie) disagree over how to pursue taking down Hugo Strange who they know is behind the resurrection of Galavan and turning him into Azrael but still have no proof. Bruce sees Gordon leaving Bullock’s office and tells him he needs his help regarding Selina.
At Wayne Manor, Alfred (Sean Pertwee) is yelling at young Bruce for involving Selina in the business of Dr. Strange and putting her in danger. (It seems Alfred has taken a liking to Selina since she only helped save Bruce’s life three or four times.) Also in the room are Gordon and Lucius Fox (Chris Chalk) who have come to help Bruce find a way to get poor Selina out of Arkham. As the four of them talk, Lucius and Gordon agree that Dr. Strange’s experiments could not be taking place in Arkham but most likely in a secret lab underground, underneath the mental hospital. So the four come up with a plan: Lucius and Bruce will go into Arkham asking for a tour of the place to make sure the Wayne Foundation donations to the Asylum are being well spent while Gordon will sneak in, find Selina, and get her out. Lucius also has a mini Geiger counter that should help find the secret entrance to the hidden lab.
At Arkham Asylum down in Indian Hill, Dr. Strange and Ms. Peabody (Tonya Pinkins) are getting ready to try to re-animate Fish Mooney’s preserved corpse. Hugo tells his employees to raise the voltage for Fish up to 200 and injects her with cuttlefish DNA. The attempt works and Fish (Jada Pinkett Smith) wakes up but unlike others before her, Fish knows who she is. She tells Dr. Strange, “My name is Fish Mooney, bitch, and you better tell me what the hell is going on.”
Lucius and Bruce arrive at Arkham and are greeted by Dr. Strange. After a brief talk, Hugo agrees to give them a guided tour. Bruce asks if it would be all right if Lucius inspected the hospital while he and Strange talked about the running of the mental ward and its funds in his office. Hugo agrees but insists that Peabody escorts Lucius around the hospital to ensure his safety. Gordon slips out of the trunk of the car unnoticed and sneaks into Arkham wearing a security guard’s uniform.
In Hugo’s office, Dr. Strange and Bruce first talk briefly about the hospital but the conversation soon turns to the death of Bruce’s parents. Hugo tells young Bruce that he reminds him of his father Thomas Wayne and that he knows Bruce would do or give anything to have his parents back again. He hints that he and Thomas Wayne had minor disagreements about life and the experiments at Indian Hill but as the conversation goes on Hugo practically admits to being involved in the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Hugo tells Bruce not to follow the path his father did but to turn back for the sake of himself and those he cares about. Bruce tells Hugo that he’s right, he IS his father’s son with the same moral principles and values and he will stay true to his mission. Hugo has his security team take Bruce, along with Lucius who found and marked the secret entrance to the elevator that leads down into Indian Hill, as well as Gordon who had just found Lucius’ marking on the entrance. (Not such a great rescue plan it seems.)
In Fish’s cell, she’s being given her dinner by one of the staff when she grabs his hand as he is putting it through the small opening to her cell and tells him to make her a grilled cheese sandwich. A weird wave of energy passes from Fish to the employee and a few minutes later he returns with her order. Fish asks why he made her the sandwich and he tells her because she told him to, and it’s almost as though he’s in a trance.
Bruce and Lucius are put into a large room together and Bruce tells Lucius that he feels terrible that he got him, Gordon, and Selina into all this danger and that they might die here. But Lucius tells the young billionaire that he didn’t force them to do anything. They decided to help him in trying to bring down Hugo Strange. Lucius also tells Bruce not to give up and that they will be missed and help will come.
Back in his office, Hugo is watching Bruce from a monitor and admits to Peabody that he likes the boy. “He reminds me of Thomas,” says the doctor who at one point it seems did care for Thomas before their friendship went bad. Suddenly a masked lady appears on Hugo’s screen and yells at him about his experiments at Indian Hill being failures. She reminds the doctor that she and his other employers paid him to invent a reanimation drug that would bring back the dead to life with their identity and memories intact and not create the brutal monsters he’s been letting loose upon Gotham. Hugo tells the masked woman that his latest experiment has been a success and he is sure he can repeat the process given time and funding.
Meanwhile, Selina is using one of the enhanced flamethrowers to try to break out of the fire-resistant prison she’s locked in when Bridgit, aka Firefly, wakes up. Selina tries to restart Bridgit’s memories by talking about when they were kids and how she took Selina in when her mother ran off, but Bridgit has been reprogrammed to believe she is the fire goddess Firefly. Selina, fearing Firefly is going to try to cook her with her flamethrower, uses the one she took on Bridgit only to find out that Bridgit’s new outfit is fireproof. Selina quickly decides to save herself by playing along with Bridgit being the fire goddess and says she’ll need a servant to which Firefly agrees that Selina can be her obedient servant. (Whew, quick thinking Cat!)
After being caught trying to escape Ed Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) has been locked up with a cannibal who’s chained only inches away from Ed and is terrifying him. Hugo and Peabody decide to give Ed a chance to redeem himself and help them break Bruce. Nygma becomes the interrogator of Bruce and Lucius and tells them if they don’t tell him everything they know about Hugo’s operation, they will be exposed to a poison gas and that they have five minutes to decide. The two try frantically to look for a way out, but Nygma just laughs. Seems the Riddler is back…
Back at the GCPD, Alfred tells Bullock about the plan to save Selina from Arkham and that it must have gone wrong because he hasn’t heard from anyone and he should have by now. Bullock, being in charge, decides to use his authority to take an army of cops to Arkham to rescue Jim, Bruce, Lucius, and Selina. At Indian Hill, Gordon is tied to a chair and exposed to a liquid substance while his head is in a device. When it’s removed he sees a patient of Arkham named Basil sitting across from him and Dr. Strange has his men put the same device and liquid on Basil’s head. When it is taken off, Basil looks just like Gordon. Dr. Strange puts a hairpiece on Basil’s head similar to Gordon’s head of hair and Basil begins to mimic Gordon’s voice. Gordon yells at Hugo that he’ll never get away with it and Hugo just laughs.
Review of Gotham Season 2 episode 21:
Very dark, creepy, and at times unsettling, season two episode 21 titled “A Legion of Horribles” brings back to life a major villain from season one and puts most of the show’s heroes in deadly situations. It also changes the tone of the show from a gritty crime thriller to more of a suspenseful horror film.
The stand-out performance in this episode goes once again to David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne. He conveys so wonderfully the regret and blame he feels for having put Selina, Lucius, and Gordon into such a dangerous situation without overplaying his emotions. He also shines in the cat and mouse scene with BD Wong as Hugo as he finally gets the mad doctor to basically admit his part in the killing of Bruce’s parents.
With Bruce and Lucius at the mercy of a crazed Nygma and Gordon about to be replaced by Basil aka Clayface, here’s hoping that Bullock, Alfred, Selina, and maybe even Penguin can help our heroes escape Indian Hill and bring down Dr. Strange.
Frederick Murray (Lane Garrison), Nancy Holt (Anna Paquin), Tom (Sedale Threatt Jr), and Jerusalem (Mekhi Phifer) in ‘Roots’ (Photo by Steve Dietl / History)
History’s summer of 2016 program lineup will include new and returning shows as well as event series, a docu-drama, and a documentary. The four-part Roots event series will premiere on May 30th at 9pm ET/PT starring Laurence Fishburne, Tip T.I. Harris, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rege-Jean Page, Anna Paquin, Anika Noni Rose, Forest Whitaker and Malachi Kirby as Kunta Kinte. Barbarians Rising debuts on June 6th at 9pm ET/PT and features “dramatized portrayals” of Hannibal, Spartacus, Arminius, Boudica and Attila told over four two-hour episodes. Season one of Six begins on July 18th at 10pm and focuses on Navy SEAL Team Six.
The network also revealed details and premiere dates for new and returning shows including Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour, Forged in Fire, Big Easy Motors, and Counting Cars.
“HISTORY’s robust summer slate helps build upon the network’s position as the leader in factual programming, by widening the net of history to include our recent past,” stated Jana Bennett, President and General Manager of HISTORY. “This lineup exemplifies the best of historical storytelling about centuries past as well as explosive events of the past few decades.”
HISTORY EVENTS:
ROOTS – ROOTS is a historical journey of one family and their will to survive, endure and ultimately carry on their legacy despite enormous hardship and inhumanity. Spanning multiple generations, the lineage begins with young Kunta Kinte, who is captured in his homeland of The Gambia and transported in brutal conditions to colonial America, where he’s sold into slavery. Throughout the series, the family continues to face adversity while bearing witness and contributing to notable events in U.S. history, including the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings and eventual emancipation. The story of Kunta Kinte and the women and men who came after him echoes through the history of millions of Americans of African descent, and reveals powerful truths about the universal resilience of the human spirit.
BARBARIANS RISING – The story of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire from the perspective of the barbarian leaders who brought it down; a high-impact, visceral journey into the heart of their rebellions against absolute power. The Roman Empire called them “barbarians” – tribes the Romans viewed as beyond the fringe of civilization, who lived a brutish and violent existence. But they were also some of the fiercest warriors in history – men and women who rose up to resist so that they might live free, or die. The eight-part/ four-week docu-drama reveals the true story of the 700-year battle to bring down one of the strongest empires the world has ever known, an epic fight for freedom that shaped the world to come. Featuring fully dramatized portrayals of barbarian icons including Hannibal, Spartacus, Arminius, Boudica and Attila, and an eclectic group of experts and contributors to reveal the true history behind the legends.
SIX – Written by William Broyles (Castaway, Apollo 13, Jarhead) and David Broyles, a military special operations veteran, the eight episode first season of SIX follows Navy SEAL Team Six, the best of the best, whose 2014 mission to eliminate a Taliban leader in Afghanistan goes awry when they uncover a U.S. citizen working as a jihadist fighter with the terrorists. SIX stars Barry Sloane, Kyle Schmid, Juan Pablo Raba, Edwin Hodge, Brianne Davis, Nadine Velazquez, Dominic Adams, and Walton Goggins.
NEW SPECIALS:
ALEXANDER HAMILTON (WT) – This two-hour documentary captures the amazing life and times of our nation’s forgotten founding father: Alexander Hamilton. Exploring the iconic American political and financial institutions he helped to create, from the US Mint and Wall Street to the two-party political system, we’ll examine Hamilton’s enormous influence that still resonates today. Ron Chernow, whose biography Alexander Hamilton served as the basis for the hit Broadway play, along with other notable names including Tom Brokaw and Maria Bartiromo, contribute to an all-encompassing look at one of our nation’s most accomplished leaders.
DB COOPER – On November 24th, 1971 a man dressed in a suit and tie hijacked a Northwest Orient flight bound for Seattle, Washington. He said he had a bomb and demanded 200-thousand dollars in cash and four parachutes. Once he got his ransom, the man jumped into the night, never to be seen again. In the more than 45 years since the epic heist, the FBI has looked at over a thousand potential suspects, but the questions remain: Who is DB Cooper? Did he die? Did he live? And is he still out there? Now, in this four hour documentary series, viewers will go on the trail gaining an unprecedented perspective from the FBI, including exclusive access to the evidence, while a former FBI agent and a crime journalist dive deep into the case revealing new information through exclusive interviews with nearly 20 experts and insiders, including the only people ever to come face to face with the hijacker. Plus, a citizen sleuth and his team of forty investigators reveal the findings of their five year investigation arriving at an explosive conclusion.
THE RISE AND FALL OF EL CHAPO – Killer, drug smuggler, folk hero, Houdini of jailhouse escapes – Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman continues to make headline news. But now The Rise and Fall of El Chapo takes an in depth look at the man behind the myth and how his international drug cartel impacts us right here at home. In this two-hour documentary, we’ll learn how a poor Mexican orange-seller with a third-grade education rose to lord over a multi-national drug cartel with billion dollar profits. HISTORY traces his rise to become “Public Enemy Number One” for the U.S. agents on a mission to bring him down and stanch the flow of illegal narcotics into the heart of America. This special documentary features rarely seen footage of the prison escape that stunned the world… as well as the cat and mouse chase that followed. Through on-the-ground access to the San Diego Tunnel Task Force, viewers get a first-hand look at the intricate drug smuggling tunnels that have become El Chapo’s trademark. We’ll hear from a host of voices connected to the kingpin including his beauty queen wife, Emma Coronel, former undercover DEA Agent Mike Vigil, former senior official and legal advisor to both the Dept. of Justice and Homeland Security, Peter Vincent and investigative reporter, Anabel Hernandez.
NEW & RETURNING NON-FICTION SERIES:
OZZY AND JACK’S WORLD DETOUR – Ozzy & Jack’s World Detour stars heavy metal legend, Ozzy Osbourne and his son, Jack. In this new 10-episode hour-long non-scripted series, the self-proclaimed history nerds hit the road in a father-son journey they’ve waited years to take. There will be no roadies, no tour buses and no boundaries. Just a bucket list of iconic and historically significant spots that includes Mt. Rushmore, Stonehenge, The Alamo, Roswell, The Jamestown Settlement and Sun Studios and a hit list of some fascinating sights and people that they’ve read about. From a Cold War era Missile Silo to Bletchley Park; from gold miner Rattlesnake Randy’s stream of dreams to vintage tank collector Allan Cors’ private museum of working war machines, Ozzy and Jack get their eyes and hands on history.
COUNTING CARS – On the HISTORY series Counting Cars, Danny and his team restore, customize and sell cars in a hurry, scrambling to keep their Las Vegas shop in the black. From vintage Thunderbirds to classic Corvettes, toy cars to souped-up sidecar motorcycles, Danny and the crew of Count’s Kustoms will stop at nothing to find and flip the greatest rides of all time. The upcoming season will see the crew take on some of their baddest rides yet including a custom supercar for Guns N Roses guitarist DJ Ashba, and surprising flip for rock legend Dee Snyder. Plus we’ll get a look inside the epic car collection of Mr Las Vegas himself, Wayne Newton.
BIG EASY MOTORS – There’s undiscovered treasure in the bayous of Louisiana and Charles Handler knows how to find it. From a 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible to a 1967 Shelby Mustang GT, Handler and his team find long-forgotten piles of junk into dazzling custom cars. He searches all over Louisiana for one-of-a-kind classics, invests his own money to fix them up, and then sells them at auction. These treasures can sell for big money so there’s a huge profit to be made, if everything goes according to plan. Each episode, based in New Orleans, will feature amazing vehicle restorations and high stakes auctions where everything’s on the line.
FORGED IN FIRE – Forged in Fire returns for season three with an increased episode order from 10 one-hour episodes to 16. The hit competition series features world-class bladesmiths creating many of history’s most iconic edged weapons, from the War Hammer to the Egyptian Kopesh. In each episode, four master bladesmiths will put their skills and reputations on the line, trying to avoid elimination while using traditional and state-of-the-art tools and machinery to turn raw metal into authentic, fully functional classic bladed weapons of yesteryear. In the hands of these gifted craftsmen, every weapon is not just a lethal instrument of war, but also an elegant work of art. The colorful histories of these weapons will be told throughout the forging process, and then the weapons will be assessed and tested by a panel of internationally recognized judges. Season three will kick off with a championship edition, bringing back former contestants to settle once and for all who is the best of the best in the forge in a lightning round of epic proportions.
