Walt Disney Animation’s latest animated offering, Zootopia, took the top spot on the box office chart for the weekend of March 4-6, 2016. The fact it took the number one spot over its opening weekend came as no surprise, however the amount it rang up during its first weekend in domestic release was more than anticipated. Zootopia brought in $73.7 million over its first three days, making it the biggest grossing original animated release by Disney (not associated with Pixar). The animated animal film also set a record as the biggest March opening for an animated movie, pushing The Lorax and its $70 million into second place.
Coming in third on the weekend box office chart was Gerard Butler’s new action film, London Has Fallen – the sequel to Olympus Has Fallen. Butler’s Gods of Egypt tanked at the box office over the weekend of February 26-28th, but he had much better luck this weekend reprising his role as a Secret Service Agent in charge of protecting the U.S. President played by Aaron Eckhart. The weekend’s other new wide release was the comedy/drama Whiskey Tango Foxtrot starring Tina Fey which under-performed at $7.6 million.
Zootopia Plot: The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when rookie Officer Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery.
Tina Fey’s performance as a reluctant first-time war correspondent ill-equipped to handle life in Afghanistan is the reason to see Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Fey delivers a performance that’s complex and restrained, and it’s easily her best work in a feature film to date. There are lighter moments in the script inspired by newspaper correspondent Kim Barker’s memoir, but surprisingly it’s in the film’s more dramatic scenes that Fey really shines.
The film’s inspired by Kim Barker’s experiences, however in the movie Fey’s character’s name is Kim Baker, most likely because there are significant changes made to Barker’s story. In the film version of Barker’s book, Baker is recruited by her network to go to Afghanistan to cover the war after all of the station’s normal reporters have moved on to the war in Iraq. Kim’s usual day at work consists of writing stories for pretty on-air personalities to read, but because she’s single she’s one of a handful of people asked to head out to the war zone.
After a short bit of self-contemplation, Kim volunteers for the dangerous assignment, leaving behind her boyfriend to tend to her plants and collect the mail. Once on foreign soil, Kim’s quickly overwhelmed and immediately realizes she’s out of her league. Fortunately, fellow correspondent Tanya (Margot Robbie) steps in and takes her under her gorgeous wing, spelling out the dos and don’ts of this world of hard-partying, sexually free journalists, interpreters, and bodyguards Kim’s now a part of.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot takes liberties with Barker’s memoir, inserting love interests and switching Barker’s job from print to television. However, the essence of Barker’s book is there, just sexed up to make it more appealing on screen. The film provides a look into the world of journalists embedded with the troops, but mostly explores what happens during reporters’ downtime. Hook-ups happen, getting drunk is used as a way to forget about the dangers of being in a foreign country during wartime, and the clash of cultures is occasionally played for laughs to lighten the tone.
Tina Fey leads the cast and is terrific as Kim Baker, but her co-stars aren’t exactly slouches. Margot Robbie is a scene-stealer as Kim’s closest friend in Afghanistan and Billy Bob Thornton redeems himself from the mess that was his last feature film appearance, Our Brand is Crisis, with an outstanding performance here as a cynical General who begrudgingly comes to genuinely care for Kim. Martin Freeman is fun to watch as he sinks his teeth into playing Kim’s war photographer boyfriend, a real lothario who surprises everyone – including himself – by falling for Kim. And although Hollywood should be well past the need to cast white actors in ethnic roles, Alfred Molina does a fine job playing an Afghan government official who desires more than just a working relationship with Kim.
WTF avoids making any political statements about the war, so if you’re hesitant to check it out because you don’t want another Hollywood film preaching to you about what America should or should not be doing, you can remove that element from your decision-making process. This is strictly a character-driven comedy/drama with very little action and no overt statements on the political reasoning behind being in Afghanistan. If anything, the film reminds us to not forget about our troops serving overseas even when they’re being ignored by the media.
GRADE: B-
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive language, some sexual content, drug use and violent war images
Grease Live!‘s Aaron Tveit and The Returned‘s Mary Elizabeth Winstead have begun work on the new CBS series, BrainDead. Filming on BrainDead is now underway in New York City with the network aiming for a summer 2016 premiere. The series is described as a comic thriller and was created by The Good Wife‘s Robert and Michelle King. The Kings also executive produce along with Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Brooke Kennedy and Liz Glotzer. Judy Smith is a co-executive producer on the CBS series.
In addition to Winstead and Tveit, the cast of BrainDead includes Danny Pino (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Tony Shalhoub (Monk), Nikki M. James (The Good Wife), and Johnny Ray Gill (Rectify).
The Plot: Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars as Laurel, a young, fresh-faced Hill staffer whose first job in Washington, D.C. leads her to discover two things: The government has stopped working, and alien spawn have come to Earth and eaten the brains of a growing number of congressmen and Hill staffers. Aaron Tveit plays Gareth, a Republican operative whose wit is only trumped by his pragmatism. The Legislative Director to a top Republican senator, Gareth is smart, hard-working, and ultimately responsible for helping to save the world.
Bradley James stars in A&E’s ‘Damien’ (Photo by Ben Mark Holberg Copyright 2016)
Playing an iconic character who’s existed before is always daunting. Make that exponentially more daunting when the character is the Antichrist. Damien the TV series is a sequel to 1976’s The Omen. Bradley James stars in the A&E series as a 30-year-old Damien Thorn.
Damien has been working as a war photographer, but when a random woman pauses to tell him, “It’s all for you,” it launches a series of ominous events that reignite the troubles young Damien had. We interviewed James after Damien’s panel for the Television Critics Association. Damien premieres on Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 10pm ET/PT on A&E.
Bradley James Exclusive Interview:
Even ignoring the sequels to the movie, do you imagine Damien had a normal childhood?
Bradley James: “No, I don’t. I suppose part of that 25 years from that five-year-old boy to the star of our show, I guess a lot of that is explained. I think while there is not a direct awareness of being the Antichrist, I think there’s certainly an awareness that Damien’s life seems to be a lot more pain wrought as opposed to everybody else’s. I guess we don’t tend to know any better than our own experiences so he’s not been able to articulate the fact that it’s because he is the Antichrist.”
Has he been a good person this whole time? War photography may seem altruistically motivated.
Bradley James: “Altruism, that’s a very difficult concept to really take on board. I think if you’re doing something like war photography for the sake of helping others, it’s because you yourself get some gratification out of doing that so I’m not sure if anyone can really say that they were truly altruistic. I think that I wouldn’t say it’s as simple as him being a good person. I think there are moments where he certainly tries to be. I think that’s something that an audience will relate to. There’s moments where you actively have to try to be a good person.”
Where did you begin with the character of Damien?
Bradley James: “I started by, not ignoring, but putting to one side the label of Antichrist. Taking the character from the page and trying to just create the human embodiment of this weird and warped life that is being led by this poor guy. Just to get an understanding of his perception of it, we all have our own fears and there are things that we enjoy. It was a case of finding those with Damien. With Damien, those fears tend to manifest themselves quite often. Those moments of joy are seemingly few and far between. I guess it’s understanding that and seeing how that would affect a psyche.”
Is the American accent easy for you to do?
Bradley James: “I actually spent my youth growing up in America. So for a few years, I had this American accent. When I went back to England, I came back pretty much this American, long blonde-haired kind of surfer kid, who couldn’t surf very well, and had this American accent which I sort of I guess have had in my back pocket from an actor’s point of view ever since.”
Being a Brit, does it amuse you that we assume the Antichrist is American?
Bradley James: “I think it kind of makes sense, actually. He’s American on the face of it. He’s born in Rome. Who knows who his parents are. They certainly aren’t the Thorns. I think on the face of it, he’s more been introduced to the superpower of the world which is where, if you were trying to place your mole, your Antichrist, somewhere he would have influence, you would go for the superpower. I think that’s what makes it feasible for him to very much be American.”
So it’s destiny that he got adopted by the Thorns.
Bradley James: “There you go. It’s no coincidence perhaps that he was adopted by the ambassador to Italy for America at the time, as opposed to an Italian family who grew up in Rome.”
Bradley James stars in ‘Damien’ (Photo by Art Streiber)
What was your experience with Damien and The Omen before this part ever came your way?
Bradley James: “Watching the film when I was young and not old enough to understand what was going on. And then watching it again when this came up and pretty quickly understanding the legacy that it left and why it was so popular, because it’s a terrific film. I’ve since witnessed people’s reactions to it. They did quickly catch on to what you’re talking about. As soon as you mention Damien, people have a pretty clear idea of what you’re talking about. So it’s obviously made its mark as a story, a social conscious.”
Did you specifically avoid the sequels since the show does not address them?
Bradley James: “Yeah, as I say, I saw the first one and steered away just from Glen [Mazzara] explaining that we were creating our own backstory between the lines. And it made sense, because you don’t really want to see something and be influenced either consciously or subconsciously that might affect what otherwise would be an original kind of idea.”
When you actually shot the scene of the old woman saying, “Damien, it’s all for you,” how did it feel to receive those famous words?
Bradley James: “It was one of those great days where we were on a terrific location and there were lots of people around. There was chaos running around and then this moment of stillness amongst all this chaos. Finding stillness in chaos is quite a bracing feeling, I would say.”
Where does episode two pick up for Damien?
Bradley James: “I think it has Damien asking a lot of questions. Where would you go after a discovery like that? I think a lot of that sits heavily on Damien’s mind at the beginning of episode two.”
Glen said he wants the audience to sometimes root for Damien. What’s your relationship going to be with audience sympathies?
Bradley James: “I think the audience’s role becomes very much about asking questions of themselves. They will see Damien make decisions. They will make judgments on those decisions and from that I think they will be asking themselves, if they’re able to put themselves in the same situation, they’ll be asking themselves whether they are capable of making the decision they would perceive to be right or maybe their perception of what is right is actually wrong. I think there’s a lot of questions for the audience to ask themselves. I think the sympathy therefore lies in that, in understanding that it’s not just a simple ‘this is good, this is bad, I will choose the good route.’ It’s not quite as black and white as that.”
Do you seek out that sort of moral ambiguity in characters you play?
Bradley James: “I certainly think it’s very interesting. It’s very easy to sit on moral high ground these days. It’s sensationally easy. You’ve just got to fall along the lines of popular opinion, find out what that is. Find out who’s being loud about it and kind of agree. I think it’s very easy to promote yourself as a good person. The way I see it, I don’t particularly find it as interesting when you have someone who does project themselves in that way. I think one of the draws with Damien is the decisions he has to make maybe aren’t as straightforward. The world we live in today is very good at policing what is right and wrong or what society sees as right and wrong, but it’s not always as black and white as that.”
I don’t remember a time when Damien was not a scary name. Do you think it was ever scary before the movie immortalized it?
Bradley James: “I think The Omen has a lot to answer for for all those poor Damiens out there who are considered somewhat suspect. I think before The Omen there were plenty of Damiens walking around carefree, living life. Then all of a sudden this movie comes out and like, ‘Hey, why is everyone hating on me all of a sudden?’ Thanks, pop culture.”
Disney Junior has expanded their roster of original series, adding two animated shows to the channel’s lineup. The network announced production is now underway on Vampirina and Puppy Dog Tails, both obviously aimed at preschoolers. Disney Junior also confirmed two of their popular series, The Lion Guard and Goldie & Bear, have been renewed for season two.
Vampirinia comes from Doc McStuffins creator Chris Nee and Puppy Dog Tails comes from comedian Harland Williams. Both shows are expected to premiere sometime in 2017. The start of production and series renewal announcement was made by Disney Junior Worldwide Executive Vice President of Original Programming and General Manager Nancy Kanter. “Five years ago, we launched Disney Junior with the goal of providing inspired storytelling and aspirational characters that would resonate with our young audience and their parents and caregivers, while also introducing age appropriate social-emotional concepts and other key learnings relevant to kids age 2-7. Our programming has upheld these values and we are pleased to introduce two new series that are sure to do the same,” stated Kanter.
Details on Disney Jr’s Original Series, Courtesy of the Network:
Vampirina, inspired by Disney Publishing’s popular children’s book series Vampirina Ballerina, tells the story of a young vampire girl who faces the joys and trials of being the new kid in town when her family moves from Transylvania to Pennsylvania. Many of the key creative professionals behind Disney Junior’s Peabody Award-winning series Doc McStuffins are at the helm, including executive producer Chris Nee and co-executive producer Norton Virgien. Nicky Phelan (Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty) is directing the series, and the Academy Award-nominated animation studio Brown Bag Films is producing in association with Disney Junior.
Puppy Dog Tails, created by comedian and actor Harland Williams, centers on two fun-loving pug puppies, Bingo and Rolly, whose thrill-seeking appetites take them on daily adventures around their neighborhood and beyond. Williams also serves as consulting producer with Sean Coyle (The Awesomes, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) as executive producer and Dean Batali (That ’70s Show) as story editor. The series is a production of Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior.
Disney Junior’s newest hit series The Lion Guard, continues the epic storytelling of The Lion King and follows the adventures of Kion, the second-born cub of Simba and Nala, and his diverse group of friends as they unite to protect the Pride Lands. The story of Kion and his friends was introduced in the animated television movie The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar, which premiered on Disney Channel in November 2015 and became the #1 primetime cable TV telecast of 2015 among Kids 2-5.
Goldie & Bear, 2015′s #1 series across preschool networks, chronicles the adventures of best friends Goldie and Bear following the story of Goldilocks and The Three Bears. The series was developed for television and is co-executive produced by Jorge Aguirre (Giants Beware! graphic novel series); Chris Gilligan (Frankenweenie) is executive producer and director. Goldie & Bear is a production of Titmouse in association with Disney Junior.
Season two of AMC’s The Walking Dead prequel, Fear the Walking Dead, will premiere on April 10, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT and today the network’s released a new poster for the upcoming season. At the end of season one, our small group of survivors of the plague made their way to Strand’s mansion and were about to set sail on his yacht. The new poster shows that they’ve made it out to sea, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, showrunner Dave Erickson provided insight into what to expect after the group heads out to sea. “There’s a difference between being land-bound and going from town to town and being stuck. The great thing about this boat is we have a wide range of places we could go and a lot of this will feed into the agendas our characters and the things they’re keeping to themselves. It will drive a lot of the tension for the first half of the season,” explained Erickson.
Erickson also told THR that the group would be at sea for a good deal of time in season two. However, he would not say how many ports they’re stopping in or what’s their ultimate destination.
Fear the Walking Dead stars Kim Dickens as Madison, Cliff Curtis as Travis, Frank Dillane as Nick, Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia, Ruben Blades as Daniel, Mercedes Mason as Ofelia, Lorenzo James Henrie as Chris, and Colman Domingo as Strand. Erickson, Robert Kirkman, Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero and David Alpert are the executive producers.
The Plot: Season one left off with Madison (Dickens), Travis (Curtis) and their extended family taking temporary shelter in Strand’s (Colman Domingo) gated estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean. As civil unrest continues to grow and the dead take over Los Angeles, Strand prepares to escape to “Abigail,” his large yacht moored offshore. Fear the Walking Dead takes us back to the beginning of the zombie apocalypse – a time when the world was changing rapidly for reasons unknown, before anyone understood exactly what was happening, when life as everyone knew it was upended and altered in ways no one could have ever imagined.
“I know a guy…you need something done, he’s on it,” says Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman). “Wait, they’re all sloths!” replies Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) as they arrive at the DMV trying to rundown a license plate number in the animated Disney film, Zootopia.
All her life, bunny Judy Hopps wanted to be a police officer and help make the world a better place. When she grows to young adult bunnyhood, she leaves her home on the farm and moves to the mammal metropolis known as Zootopia to become the very first bunny police officer. Her happiness doesn’t last long, however, when she’s basically demoted on her first day to being a meter maid. Still determined to prove to Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba) that she’s meant to be a cop, Judy sets out to write over 200 parking tickets before noon.
While on her beat she comes across a sly fox named Nick Wilde who cons her into buying a very large ice bar for who she believes to be his son. Later that day she sees the young fox driving a van and realizes she was tricked. She confronts Nick and he quickly reminds her that he has broken no laws and she’s just a dumb bunny. When Judy is back at the police station, she overhears people talking about Mr. Otterman who’s gone missing. She steps in and volunteers to take the case as the Chief is trying to quickly get rid of the wife of the missing animal. This ticks off the Chief who gives Judy an ultimatum: she solves the case in 48 hours or resigns.
While looking for any leads, Judy notices something unusual in the last street photo taken of the missing animal. There are red stains from the red ice bar that Nick gets someone to pay for so he can melt it and re-freeze it to make money. Judy realizes that the fox was one of the last animals to see Mr. Otterton before he went missing. She tracks down Nick and threatens to arrest him for income tax evasion – the fox mentioned to Judy when he was insulting her intelligence that he’s been conning people since he was 12. This prompted the ‘dumb bunny’ to check his records and discover he didn’t declare any income on his tax forms. If he doesn’t help her track down Mr. Otterman, she’ll turn him in. And thus the unlikely team of Officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde is born.
Bright, colorful, and visually impressive, Zootopia is a funny, energetic, and imaginative adventure with wonderful animation and a strong voice cast. Ginnifer Goodwin is perfect as the voice of Judy Hopps, the cute, upbeat, eternally positive bunny who desperately wants to prove herself as a cop and help make the world a better place. She gives Judy the high-energy and likable personality that will have the audience rooting for her early on. Jason Bateman does a fantastic job bringing to life the voice and personality of Nick Wilde, the sly con-artist fox who gets blackmailed into being Judy’s partner on the mystery case only to start to appreciate her dedication and “won’t quit” attitude. It’s the chemistry and growing friendship of these two unlikely characters that drives the film.
The animation and visual designs are gorgeous. Especially awe-inspiring is the scene where Judy takes the train ride in from her farm to Zootopia with its lavish colors and breathtaking look of the huge city. The writing is sharp and witty with some very funny laugh-out-loud lines and has solid, positive messages about believing in yourself, not giving up on your dreams, giving someone a chance, and not judging someone by how they appear.
Cute, smart, original, and very funny, Zootopia has everything you could ask for from a Disney animated movie. It’s a real must see.
GRADE: B+
MPAA Rating: PG for some thematic elements, rude humor and action
Running Time: 108 minutes
Directed By: Byron Howard, Rich Moore and Jared Bush
Fox will premiere the second season of Wayward Pines on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at 9pm ET/PT, taking over the time slot after Empire airs its season two finale. The second season of Wayward Pines will consist of 10 hour-long episodes starring Jason Patric, Djimon Hounsou, and Hope Davis. The network also confirmed season one cast members Terrence Howard (‘Sheriff Arnold Pope’), Carla Gugino (‘Kate Hewson’), Toby Jones (‘Dr. Jenkins/David Pilcher’), Melissa Leo (‘Nurse Pam’), Tim Griffin (‘Adam Hassler’), Shannyn Sossamon (‘Theresa Burke’) and Charlie Tahan (‘Ben Burke’) are returning for the new season.
The series is based on Blake Crouch’s books and executive produced by Crouch, M. Night Shyamalan, Donald De Line, Ashwin Rajan, and Mark Friedman. Friedman’s also the showrunner. Season one averaged 9.4 million viewers and earned the top spot as the summer of 2015’s most viewed broadcast scripted series among adult audiences.
Details on Wayward Pines season two: The second season will pick up after the shocking events of Season One, with the residents of Wayward Pines battling against the iron-fisted rule of the First Generation. Dr. THEO YEDLIN (Patric) – a new resident of Wayward Pines – awakens from suspended animation and finds himself in the middle of this rebellion, as he tries to understand what Wayward Pines really is and help preserve the endangered human race.
Also joining the second season are cast members Tom Stevens, returning from Season One as JASON HIGGINS, a member of the First Generation and Pilcher’s young acolyte; Nimrat Kaur as REBECCA, who has her own secrets she keeps from Theo, her husband; Josh Helman as XANDER, a resident working to undermine Wayward Pines from within; and Kacey Rohl as KERRY, one of Jason’s lieutenants in the civil war going on in Wayward Pines.
David-Paul Grove, Jared Gilmore, Mig Macario, Josh Dallas, Ginnifer Goodwin, Lee Arenberg, Michael Coleman, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla, and Sean Maguire in ‘Once Upon a Time’ (Photo by Eike Schroter / ABC)
ABC handed out renewals orders for 15 shows including Once Upon a Time, Modern Family, and freshman series Quantico. ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey announced the renewals, with only a handful of shows including Agent Carter and The Muppets still left without pick-ups. “We’re very proud of our strong roster of performers, and we’re excited about what they will bring us creatively next season,” stated Dungey.
America’s Funniest Home Videos will return for season 27, Dancing With the Stars is coming back for season 23, and The Bachelor will have a 21st season of handing out roses. Grey’s Anatomy earned a 13th season and Shark Tank, The Middle, and Modern Family will stick around for their eighth seasons. Once Upon a Time and Scandal were picked up for season six, and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Goldbergs will be around for season four. How to Get Away with Murder, black-ish, and Fresh Off the Boat earned third season orders.
Details on the Renewed Shows, Courtesy of ABC:
America’s Funniest Home Videos – The longest-running primetime entertainment show in ABC history, returns for season 27 with the same mission – to provide viewers with hysterical moments that fly by at a dizzying pace. These real-life blunders are fun for everyone, from viewers age four to one hundred and four. AFV, the show that invented the viral video, continues to be a Sunday night tradition for millions of families from coast to coast. Hosted by actor and Dancing with the Stars champion Alfonso Ribeiro, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” has given away over $14 million in prize money and evaluated more than a million video clips from home viewers.
The Bachelor – ABC’s The Bachelor, a pop-culture sensation, will celebrate its 21st season with more fireworks, surprises and drama than ever. Just as Ben Higgins, one of the most popular Bachelors ever, will end his journey to find love with a proposal, the series has encouraged millions of viewers for over a decade to find their own fairytale romances while the original hit primetime romance reality series continues to offer unpredictable, sexy, emotional, over-the-top fun. The newly relaxed format rules guarantee more “OMG,” jaw-dropping moments. Bachelor Nation has made this romantic rollercoaster ride one of television’s top social-media and water-cooler shows, as one lucky man and 25 lucky women have the unique opportunity to find true love.
black-ish – Andre “Dre” Johnson and his physician wife, Rainbow, are living the American dream: great careers, four beautiful kids and a home in an upper middle class neighborhood. With a little help from Pops and Ruby, Dre sets out to establish a sense of cultural identity for his family that honors their past while embracing the future. Loosely based on show-creator Kenya Barris’ life, the series tackles a wide array of timely social issues with humor and humanity.
black-ish stars Anthony Anderson as Andre “Dre” Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross as Rainbow Johnson, Yara Shahidi as Zoey Johnson, Marcus Scribner as Andre Johnson, Jr., Miles Brown as Jack Johnson, Marsai Martin as Diane Johnson, Laurence Fishburne as Pops, Jenifer Lewis as Ruby and Jeff Meacham as Josh.
Dancing with the Stars – Dancing with the Stars prepares for more glitz, glamour and sequins for fall 2016. With an all-new cast of celebrities ready to take on the competition and hit the ballroom floor, it will be another season full of surprises and unforgettable dances.
Fresh Off the Boat – Set in the mid-’90s, 12-year-old hip-hop loving Eddie Huang (Hudson Yang) and his family are adjusting to their new lives in suburban Orlando – new schools, new friends, new neighbors, new traditions – yet still remaining true to their family values and their continual pursuit of the American Dream.
Fresh Off the Boat stars Randall Park as Louis, Constance Wu as Jessica, Hudson Yang as Eddie, Forrest Wheeler as Emery, Ian Chen as Evan and Chelsey Crisp as Honey.
The Goldbergs – For geeky and movie-obsessed youngest child Adam, wonder years were spent documenting the hilarious and awkward antics of his colorful family. Mom Beverly is at her best when she’s meddling, matchmaking and bedazzling her way through life, while Dad Murray parents from the comfort of his recliner in his underpants. Oldest sister, Erica, dreams of being a pop star if she can only overcome her secret love of all things uncool. Then there’s middle child, Barry, who’s just as in touch with his emotions as he is with his sick rap skills, which is how he landed Lainey as his girlfriend, who is also Erica’s best friend and the hottest girl in school. Rounding out the brood is beloved grandfather, Al “Pops” Solomon, the wild man of the clan, a shameless Don Juan who enjoys family time with his grandkids almost as much as his weekly massages. The siblings fight off huggies, snuggies and nubbies as they navigate what it means to grow up as a Goldberg.
The Goldbergs stars Wendi McLendon-Covey as Beverly Goldberg, Patton Oswalt as adult Adam Goldberg, Sean Giambrone as Adam Goldberg, Troy Gentile as Barry Goldberg, Hayley Orrantia as Erica Goldberg, AJ Michalka as Lainey Lewis with George Segal as Pops Solomon and Jeff Garlin as Murray Goldberg.
Grey’s Anatomy – ABC’s hit drama Grey’s Anatomy has been a television staple for over a decade, and the series is set to return this fall for its 13th season. Created and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers, the show follows Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and the team of doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial. Faced with life-or-death decisions on a daily basis, they seek comfort from one another, and at times more than just friendship. Together they discover that neither medicine nor relationships can be defined in black and white.
Grey’s Anatomy stars Ellen Pompeo as Meredith Grey, Justin Chambers as Alex Karev, Chandra Wilson as Miranda Bailey, James Pickens, Jr. as Richard Webber, Sara Ramirez as Callie Torres, Kevin McKidd as Owen Hunt, Jessica Capshaw as Arizona Robbins, Jesse Williams as Jackson Avery, Sarah Drew as April Kepner, Caterina Scorsone as Amelia Shepherd, Camilla Luddington as Jo Wilson, Jerrika Hinton as Stephanie Edwards, Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce, Jason George as Ben Warren, Martin Henderson as Nathan Riggs and Giacomo Gianniotti as Andrew DeLuca.
How to Get Away with Murder – After taking Professor Annalise Keating’s (Viola Davis) class at Middleton University and successfully landing coveted positions working at her law firm, the Keating 5 were pushed to their limits as their values, convictions, dreams and even truths about themselves were revealed to be as dark as the law and justice system they’re trying to learn.
How to Get Away with Murder stars Emmy-winner Viola Davis as Professor Annalise Keating, Billy Brown as Nate Lahey, Alfred Enoch as Wes Gibbins, Jack Falahee as Connor Walsh, Aja Naomi King as Michaela Pratt, Matt McGorry as Asher Millstone, Karla Souza as Laurel Castillo, Charlie Weber as Frank Delfino and Liza Weil as Bonnie Winterbottom.
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns for a game-changing fourth season. In the aftermath of their journey to another planet, Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and the rest of the team are more driven than ever to put an end to Gideon Malick (guest star Powers Boothe) and the Hydra organization. Little do they know that they are up against the deadliest threat they’ve ever faced – an extremely powerful Inhuman who was transported back from Maveth in the body of their worst enemy, Grant Ward (Brett Dalton).
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. stars Clark Gregg as Director Phil Coulson, Ming-Na Wen as Agent Melinda May, Brett Dalton as Grant Ward, Chloe Bennet as Agent Daisy Johnson, Iain De Caestecker as Agent Leo Fitz, Elizabeth Henstridge as Agent Jemma Simmons, Henry Simmons as Agent Alphonso “Mack” MacKenzie and Luke Mitchell as Lincoln Campbell.
The Middle – Two-time Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars in this warm and witty single-camera comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations. Middle-aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country in Orson, Indiana, Frankie Heck is a harried wife and mother of three who uses her wry wit and sense of humor to get her family through each day intact. Frankie works as a dental assistant, and her unflappable husband, Mike, is manager at the local quarry and her sardonic partner in the daily grind that is raising their average – yes, most definitely average – family.
The Middle stars Patricia Heaton as Frankie, Neil Flynn as Mike, Charlie McDermott as Axl, Eden Sher as Sue and Atticus Shaffer as Brick. Sofia Vergara, Julie Bowen, and Ty Burrell in ‘Modern Family’ (Photo by Ron Tom / ABC) SOFIA VERGARA, JULIE BOWEN, TY BURRELL
Modern Family – ABC’s groundbreaking and multiple Emmy Award-winning hit comedy series Modern Family takes a modern and often hilarious look at the complications that come with being a family today.
Modern Family stars Ed O’Neill as Jay Pritchett, Julie Bowen as Claire Dunphy, Ty Burrell as Phil Dunphy, Sofia Vergara as Gloria Pritchett, Jesse Tyler Ferguson as Mitchell Pritchett, Eric Stonestreet as Cameron Tucker, Sarah Hyland as Haley Dunphy, Nolan Gould as Luke Dunphy, Ariel Winter as Alex Dunphy, Rico Rodriguez as Manny Delgado, Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as Lily Tucker-Pritchett and Jeremy Maguire as Joe Pritchett.
Once Upon a Time – Welcome to Storybrooke, Maine, a small town that probably won’t show up on your GPS, but it’s a magical place to visit. Reality and myth merge as Emma Swan, Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, Hook, Rumplestiltskin and all the other resident fairy tale characters encounter adventures with new friends and foes, battling with good and evil. But one thing always prevails: you never give up on the people you love.
Once Upon a Time stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Sean Maguire as Robin Hood, Rebecca Mader as Wicked Witch/Zelena and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
Scandal – Everyone has secrets, and Olivia Pope has dedicated her life to protecting and defending the public images of the nation’s elite by keeping those secrets under wraps. Pope’s team is at the top of their game when it comes to getting the job done for their clients, but it becomes apparent that these “gladiators in suits,” who specialize in fixing the lives of other people, have trouble fixing those closest at hand – their own.
Scandal stars Emmy-nominated Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, Guillermo Diaz as Huck, Darby Stanchfield as Abby Whelan, Katie Lowes as Quinn Perkins, Tony Goldwyn as President Fitzgerald Grant, Jeff Perry as Cyrus, Bellamy Young as First Lady Mellie Grant, Joshua Malina as David Rosen, Scott Foley as Jake Ballard, Portia De Rossi as Elizabeth North, Cornelius Smith Jr. as Marcus Walker and Emmy-winner Joe Morton as Eli Pope.
Shark Tank – Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed reality show that has reinvigorated entrepreneurship in America, has also become a culturally defining series. The recipient of the 2015 and 2014 Emmy Award for Outstanding Structured Reality Program, the business-themed show returns to the ABC Television Network for its eighth season.
The Sharks – tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons – continue their search to invest in the best businesses and products that America has to offer. The Sharks will once again give people from all walks of life the chance to chase the American dream, and potentially secure business deals that could make them millionaires.
The Sharks are billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of AXS TV and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA champion Dallas Mavericks, real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran, “Queen of QVC” Lori Greiner, technology innovator Robert Herjavec, fashion and branding expert Daymond John and venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary.
Quantico – A diverse group of recruits has arrived at the FBI Quantico Base for training. They are the best, the brightest and the most vetted, so it seems impossible that one of them is suspected of masterminding the biggest attack on New York City since 9/11.
Quantico stars Priyanka Chopra as Alex Parrish, Josh Hopkins as Liam O’Connor, Jake McLaughlin as Ryan Booth, Aunjanue Ellis as Miranda Shaw, Yasmine Al Massri as Nimah and Raina Amin, Johanna Braddy as Shelby Wyatt, Tate Ellington as Simon Asher and Graham Rogers as Caleb Haas.
The Plot: When reporter Kim Baker’s (Fey) life needs something more, she decides to ‘shake it all up’ by taking an assignment in a war zone. There, in the midst of chaos, she finds the strength she never knew she had. Sometimes it takes saying ‘WTF’ to find the life you were always destined to have.
