The animated TV series Star Wars Rebels has been renewed for a third season by Disney XD. Created by Dave Filoni, Simon Kinberg, and Carrie Beck, Star Wars Rebels features the voices of Freddie Prinze Jr. as Kanan, Vanessa Marshall as Hera, Steve Blum as Zeb, Tiya Sircar as Sabine, Taylor Gray as Ezra, Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano, Dee Bradley Baker as Captain Rex, Captain Gregor and Commander Wolffe, David Oyelowo as Agent Kallus, and Sarah Michelle Gellar as the Seventh Sister Inquisitor.
Announcing the season three renewal, Marc Buhaj, Senior Vice President, Programming and General Manager, Disney XD, said, “We are proud to bring our audience a third season of Star Wars Rebels, a series that has resonated across generations. The creative team behind the series continues to do a brilliant job in delivering on the key tenets that fans have come to expect from a Star Wars property, including adventure, hope and the battle between good vs. evil.”
“We’re very proud of our incredibly creative Rebels team,” added Lucasfilm SVP of Development, Kiri Hart. “The show continues to tell fun, heartfelt, exciting new Star Wars stories week after week, and it’s beloved by fans of all ages. Season Three will see our Rebel heroes face new obstacles and find new allies in their fight against the Empire.”
Season three is expected to premiere in 2016. Season two has been averaging 1.3 million viewers and is Disney XD’s number one series among adults 18 to 49.
The Star Wars Rebels Plot:
The transformative second season of Star Wars Rebels featured the return of fan-favorite clone troopers Captain Rex, Captain Gregor and Commander Wolffe, and the debut of new characters including the Seventh Sister, a cunning and crafty Inquisitor who is tasked by Darth Vader to track down the rebels. Following a series of critical events, the lives of our heroes will be changed forever as Season Three begins.
Supergirl, the latest TV series to debut based on DC Comics characters, has caught on with audiences. In fact, the numbers are so impressive thus far that CBS has given the new series an order for a full season. The action/drama/comedy series will have a first season run of 20 episodes as just confirmed by the network. According to CBS, Supergirl has been averaging 11.24 million viewers which is an increase of 46% in total viewers over the same time period last year.
Melissa Benoist stars in the title role with support from Mehcad Brooks, Chyler Leigh, Jeremy Jordan, David Harewood, and Calista Flockhart. The series is executive produced by Sarah Schecter, Andrew Kreisberg, Greg Berlanti, and Ali Adler.
The Supergirl Plot:
Supergirl is an action-adventure drama based on the DC Comics character Kara Zor-El, Superman’s (Kal-El) cousin who, after 12 years of keeping her powers a secret on Earth, decides to finally embrace her superhuman abilities and be the hero she was always meant to be. Twelve-year-old Kara escaped the doomed planet Krypton with her parents’ help at the same time as the infant Kal-El. Protected and raised on Earth by her foster family, the Danvers, Kara grew up in the shadow of her foster sister, Alex, and learned to conceal the phenomenal powers she shares with her famous cousin in order to keep her identity a secret. Years later at 24, Kara lives in National City assisting media mogul and fierce taskmaster Cat Grant. She works alongside her friend and IT technician Winn Schott and famous photographer James Olsen, who Grant just hired away from the Daily Planet to serve as her new art director. However, Kara’s days of keeping her talents a secret are over when Hank Henshaw, head of a super-secret agency where her sister also works, enlists her to help them protect the citizens of National City from sinister threats. Though Kara will need to find a way to manage her newfound empowerment with her very human relationships, her heart soars as she takes to the skies as Supergirl to fight crime.
Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene in ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 6, Episode 8 (Photo Credit: Gene Page / AMC)
“Look, man, I get it. My dad killed your dad but you need to know something. Your dad was an a**hole,” says Carl (Chandler Riggs) to Ron (Austin Abrams) after disarming him of his pistol after he tried to kill Carl, causing so much noise that now zombies are attacking Jessie’s house in the mid-season six finale of AMC’s horror/drama series The Walking Dead.
After the wall was destroyed by the collapsing church tower, a huge opening now exists, letting the large group of walkers wander in and seek out the citizens of Alexandria. Rick (Andrew Lincoln) quickly recovers after being knocked down by the collapsing wall, yelling for everyone to get back and go find somewhere safe to hide while he begins to shoot the closest walkers in the head. Deanna (Tovah Feldshuh) comes running to back up Rick while many of the others do exactly what Rick told them to do. Morgan (Lennie James) and Carol (Melissa McBride) find safety in the house where Morgan has a Wolf tied up in the basement. During the race to the house, Carol takes a bad fall and hurts her head but tells Morgan it’s nothing and she’s fine. Morgan says to her, “You really don’t trust anyone, do you?” to which she replies, “I trust some more than others but you dead last.” Morgan smiles and says back to Carol, “Well, at least you’re being honest.”
In the most suspenseful scene of the episode, Maggie (Lauren Cohan) uses her machine gun to cut down quite a few walkers coming after her but unfortunately her gun jams. With way too many zombies now closing in on her, Maggie makes a run for it and scrambles up a ladder to a watch platform with very aggressive and hungry walkers shaking the ladder and grabbing at her feet. Losing the ladder and dangling just above the hungry mob of zombies, Maggie uses all of her strength to pull herself up to the platform and lies there exhausted as more walkers surround the platform effectively trapping poor Maggie up there with no immediate or foreseeable escape.
Rosita (Christian Serratos) and Tara (Alanna Masterson) save Eugene (Josh McDermitt) from another group of walkers, and then all three run and find sanctuary in a garage. This leaves Rick, Carl, a wounded Deanna, Ron, and a few others to try and fight their way through the ever-growing marching mob of zombies until Jessie (Alexandra Breckenridge) comes out of her house, shooting, and telling them all to go in and that she has Rick’s baby in there already.
Meanwhile outside of Alexandria, Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Enid (Katelyn Nacon) watch in horror as the army of walkers keep pouring into the town making the once safe haven a zombie suburbia. “This is how it happens – and it always happens,” says Enid to Glenn, indicating the situation is hopeless and it’s time for them to leave. Glenn at this point is fed up with Enid’s fatalistic attitude and tells her the other walls are still standing and that people they care about are still alive. “I need to find my pregnant wife,” Glenn says to Enid who reacts surprised by the news. He tells her to go on if she wants but warns her that’s really how you lose the people you care about…by walking away, and not just the ones living but the ones who are no longer alive. Glenn walks off toward the town with a shaken Enid looking after him.
Back at Jessie’s, it’s discovered that Deanna didn’t just get injured during the fight with the walking dead but also got bitten. She responds to the news by saying, “Well, sh*t.” The group puts her in one of the bedrooms to rest while Ron and Carl end up in the garage. Ron uses the opportunity to try to shoot Carl. Not being experienced and Carl FINALLY getting a clue about Ron’s real motives, Carl is able to get the gun away from Ron and the two end up in a wrestling match, breaking windows and making so much sound that it draws some walkers to the house. The house is not built to withstand a zombie attack and everyone is forced upstairs where they attempt to barricade themselves in the bedrooms. Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira) use a dresser and couch to help block the stairs, killing the two closest walkers with Rick telling Michonne they are going to need them.
Carol and Morgan are reluctantly keeping each other company when Carol finally gets past Morgan and heads down to the basement to see who he has been keeping down there. She discovers the wounded Wolf and Denise (Merritt Wever) down there and moves to kill the Wolf with her knife but gets blocked by Morgan who tells her she doesn’t have to do this. Carol is adamant and will not be stopped, telling Morgan she will kill him if she has to in order to kill the Wolf. Morgan says he won’t let that happen and the two end up fighting with Morgan knocking the already shaky Carol out. This is just the opportunity the Wolf has been waiting for and he knocks out Morgan. He then grabs Carol’s knife and uses it to cut through his bonds and heads toward the terrified to the point of being once again useless Denise. She begs him not to kill them and he just laughs as he points the knife at her. This is when Tara, Rosita, and Eugene enter after picking the lock of the door that led from the garage they were hiding in to the basement of the same house Morgan was using. The Wolf puts the knife to Denise’s throat and tells them to drop their guns and kick them over. Even though both Rosita and Tara have him dead to rights in their sights they obey….REALLY! OH C’MON! Tara could have easily shot him in the head without hitting Denise. Also, not to be picky but why didn’t Carol just use her gun on the Wolf when she saw him in the basement?! One shot and done. The scene ends with the Wolf leaving the house with Denise still at knife point out into the parade of walkers.
Upstairs at Jessie’s, Rick tells the group they need to cover themselves in the guts and blood of the two lifeless zombies he and Michonne killed and brought up with them. “I’ve done it before. It works,” says Rick as he opens one of the walkers and removes the guts and blood. Jessie’s son Sam (Major Dodson) is horrified by the idea of leaving his room and covering himself in guts and blood of the zombies. Jessie tells him he has to and that their home is no longer safe. She tells him to pretend to be brave and she begins to help him cover himself in blood.
Tovah Feldshuh as Deanna and Danai Gurira as Michonne in ‘The Walking Dead’ (Photo by Gene Page / AMC)
Deanna, who has accepted her fate rather well, making jokes and telling Rick he needs to look after everyone as his own, is visited by Michonne who tells her that they have to leave and she offers to help Deanna die but Deanna says she’s not ready. When the time comes she will do it herself and holds up her six shooter. She holds Michonne’s hand and tells her, “Someday this pain will be helpful to you,” which is a Latin phrase her husband would use when things got really bad. Deanna tells Michonne to figure out what she wants, not just for the town but for herself. She stresses that it’s the most important thing of all knowing what you want out of life and what you want your life to be. Rick, Jessie, Michonne, Carl, and the rest of the gang go downstairs and out of the house, untouched by the herd of walkers due to their being covered in walker blood and guts. Deanna decides to go out fighting and instead of using her gun on herself opens the door to the hallway and puts down six walkers headed for her. She then yells in anger at the rest of the zombies coming at her.
Back outside of Alexandria, Glenn and Enid (who wisely decided to stay with him) have climbed a tall tree to see what’s happening inside. They see Maggie up on top of the watch platform, still surrounded by walkers. Glenn and Enid look at each other concerned and not seeming to have an idea how to help.
The episode ends with Rick, Michonne, Carl (carrying his baby sister under a walker blood-soaked bedsheet), Jessie, Ron, Sam, and the rest of the group walking out into the herd of zombies in the streets of Alexandria. Rick’s plan seems to be working as they slowly make their way through the mob of walkers when young Sam, looking more in shock than in terror, starts to say out loud, “Mom.” The grunts and snarls from the walkers gets louder.
The Walking Dead Season 6 Episode 8 Review:
The mid-season finale of season six titled “Start to Finish” brings the horror series to its cliffhanger close, with the fate of the remaining survivors of Alexandria not looking good and the loss of the town’s original leader, Deanna. The fate of Rick, Michonne, and Carl is left hanging, Maggie’s stuck on a platform, and we didn’t catch up this episode with Daryl or any of the group still outside Alexandria.
The stand-out performance in this episode goes to Tovah Feldshuh as Deanna. She injects the terror in the episode, as well as a little humor and soul. The best scenes feature Deanna and Rick as she instructs him to look out for everyone and that he’s the leader for both her people and his. Deanna and Michonne’s scene in which Deanna tells Michonne she must find purpose for herself and to find something to want for herself because that’s what life is all about is also one of the more memorable moments from the mid-season six finale. Feldshuh’s performance is touching and funny, and a fitting farewell for Alexandria’s original leader.
Another really strong yet short performance is delivered by Lauren Cohan as Maggie in her race for safety up the ladder to the watch platform. The scene is hands-down the most suspenseful of the entire episode in large part due to the direction and Cohan’s wonderful work showing Maggie’s fear and determination to survive.
The scenes between Carol and Morgan – especially the fight – were more frustrating than anything, with usually smart characters making silly and dumb choices. Why didn’t Carol just use her gun to end the Wolf and how could Tara and Rosita just comply with the Wolf’s demands when they had him at gunpoint? It was a frustrating scene that didn’t make much sense.
With Sam calling out for his mom in a herd of zombies, it will be interesting to see how many of Rick’s group get out alive and where they all end up.
Colin O’Donoghue stars in ‘Once Upon a Time’ (Photo by Jack Rowand / ABC)
Up until episode 10 of Once Upon a Time‘s season five the story had centered around Emma as the Dark Swan. With episode 10, the plot expands to encompass the new Dark One: Hook. Hook’s on a rampage, ready for revenge and denying he has any feelings for Emma after she made him tap back into his darkness. Airing on November 29, 2015, Once Upon a Time‘s season five episode 10 titled “Broken Heart” was a real heartbreaker for those who are still rooting for Emma and Hook to find their happy endings together.
Recap of Once Upon a Time Season 5 Episode 10:
The Dark Hook (Colin O’Donoghue) confronts Emma (Jennifer Morrison) about stealing his memories, wiping her memory and making a deal with Zelena (Rebecca Mader) not to get in her way if she doesn’t get in his. Zelena binds Emma’s magic with a cuff.
As Hook transforms into the Dark Hook, scenes from his past flash through his head, including ones with Rumple (Robert Carlyle) aka the Crocodile. In his head, Imaginary Dark One Rumple tells him he can help him get his revenge and kill the real, living breathing Rumple.
Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin), Regina (Lana Parrilla), and David (Josh Dallas) burst into Emma’s where she admits turning Hook into a Dark One because she couldn’t let him die. Emma reminds them she was trying to get rid of the darkness forever by killing Zelena. Regina and Mary Margaret say they’ll help her now, but David comes in and tells them the dreamcatchers are gone and she can’t restore their memories. Regina wonders what “Captain Dark One” is up to.
At Gold’s shop, Gold and Belle (Emilie de Ravin) ask the Dark Hook if he’s there for revenge. Hook says he’ll take Gold’s hand as revenge for his hook, his heart for killing his love, and for giving Emma the darkness he’ll take his head. Gold tells him to get on with it, but Hook’s been waiting so long to do this that he wants to savor it. He tells Gold they’ll duel at noon on his ship. He holds up Excalibur and says it can kill him, if Gold is able to take it from him. “What say you, Crocodile? Shall we finish what we started?” asks Hook. Gold answers, “Indeed.”
Regina, Mary Margaret, David, and Emma meet with Gold and Belle to find out if there’s any way to stop Hook. They need to find out more about Nimue, but Emma says if they take off her cuff she can protect them all from Hook. They won’t take it off, and Henry (Jared Gilmore) comes in and agrees. Henry tells her she wouldn’t come to anyone for help and she only wants her dark magic back so she can work on the solution alone. He leaves the room in a huff. The rest of the group also leave, telling her they love her but they don’t trust the darkness.
Back in Camelot, Merlin (Elliot Knight) and the gang try to track Dark Hook to save him. Merlin says this was the darkest future he ever saw for Emma. She probably wouldn’t hurt them, but Hook might. They ask Lancelot (Sinqua Walls) to talk to his mother, The Lady of the Lake, to see if she can help them. David and Mary Margaret argue over Emma’s decision, and Mary Margaret reminds her husband, “We save each other. That is what our family does.” David hopes Emma’s faith in Hook is justified.
Rumple’s still in Hook’s head while Hook decides that as the Dark One he’s not going to wear the requisite cloak, transforming his outfit back to black leather. Rumple tells him that he can use the dark curse to get back to Storybrooke to kill Rumple. Emma rushes up and she’s happy he’s alive, but Hook’s beyond angry she threw him back into the darkness after all these years he’s spent trying to squash the blood lust within him. Emma says it was the only way to save him. She also says she doesn’t know what happened to Excalibur and tells him to ignore Rumple’s voice and be present with her. She even reminds him about the future and how they can still get that house together. As they talk about the future, Rumple vanishes. Emma thinks they can get the darkness out of both of them for good if they cling to those they love.
In Storybrooke, the gang leaves Emma’s house to do some research but Gold says he needs to prepare a different way. He can’t run from this battle. Belle reminds him he’s a hero now, but Gold’s not going for it. “Not wanting me to die isn’t the same as wanting to be with me,” Gold tells her. He wants to be the man she deserves and thinks that’s still possible. If he wins, he’ll go to the well. If she meets him there, he’ll know how she feels.
Zelena charges into the Storybrooke hospital, however Regina’s there to stop her. They’ve already moved the baby and Zelena’s near tears as Regina tells her they’re protecting it and she’ll never take the baby away from Robin (Sean Maguire). Regina says Zelena only had the baby because she killed Marion and deceived Robin. Regina tells her the insanity has to stop.
Meanwhile, Merida (Amy Manson) is guarding Emma at Emma’s house because Regina asked her to. Merida keeps her at arrow point, and when Hook walks in surprising her, she shoots at his head but he catches the arrow and knocks her out. Hook can’t figure out why Emma is alone and not with the “heroes,” but she says he’s there because he still has feelings for her. Hook agrees, reeling off his feelings…anger, disappointment. Hook says he now sees her as an anchor and nothing more than a pretty blonde distraction. She won’t hold him back from what he wants ever again. “The darkness is using you,” says Emma. Hook doesn’t care if he’s being used – he wants his revenge. Hook tells her she always pushes the people who love her away and that’s why she’ll always be an orphan. (How cruel!) Emma tears up but holds it together long enough to ask why he’s treating her like this. He tells her he wants to hurt her like she hurt him. The tears flow as Hook leaves.
Back in Camelot, Dark Swan and Dark Hook kiss. They separate long enough to go get supplies when he hears the song of the dagger meaning Excalibur’s close. Rumple whispers in his head that Emma has Excalibur and is lying to him. Emma comes back and Hook wants to know if she’s lying and has it. She admits to having it but she didn’t use it on him. She has it to protect him because he’s not strong enough to resist the darkness. Hook reminds her he told her to never turn him into the Dark One and yet she did it anyway. Hook says there’s never been a moment when he didn’t trust or believe in her, but she doesn’t trust or believe in him. He leaves in a puff of red smoke.
In Storybrooke, Gold’s in the shop practicing with the sword. Emma comes in and tells him she needs help getting all of their memories back, including her own. She gives him the bottle of squid ink and wants him to use it on Hook, and she’ll steal back the dreamcatchers when he’s distracted. He takes the ink and locks it up, reminding her his feud with Hook predates her by centuries. He’ll fight with honor.
Regina takes Zelena to see Robin and the baby. As Zelena enters their home she asks Robin if he missed her. “Once you go green, you’ll never go Queen.” Regina’s about to attack her but Robin stops her, and Regina tells Zelena she’s not even in her league evil deed-wise. But, Regina hopes the love of a child will turn Zelena around like it did her when she became a mother to Henry. Robin will allow her to visit their baby as long as either he or Regina are present. Zelena holds the baby and is overcome with emotions.
Jared Gilmore and Jennifer Morrison in ‘Once Upon a Time’ (Photo by Eike Schroter / ABC)
At the library, Belle, David, Mary Margaret, and Henry are doing research. Emma sneaks in and talks to Henry, saying she doesn’t want her cuff removed but she needs the dreamcatchers from Hook because they have her memories, too, and she must know something important. Emma wants to help everyone and thinks she can solve their problem if she gets their memories back. She tells Henry he’s the best at figuring out how to break a spell, and he agrees to make a locator spell to find the other dreamcatchers. Operation Cobra Part Two is now underway.
Back in Camelot, Emma is calling for Hook in a field of flowers at night. He won’t answer so she uses Excalibur to summon him. That makes him more angry because he feels powerless. She called him because she believes in him and trusts him to control his own fate, and hands him Excalibur. He takes the sword and she promises she will never attempt to control him again, pledging her love. He says he loves her too, and they kiss.
Back on Hook’s ship, Gold arrives for the duel. Hook wants it to be a fair fight so he fixes Gold’s knee so he doesn’t use a cane or limp. Gold isn’t afraid and will fight for the people he loves. The duel begins.
In Camelot, Hook and Swan meet up with Regina, David, and Mary Margaret, and Hook wants to know where Merlin is so the wizard can get the darkness out of him. Inside Granny’s, Merlin’s actually leaving the message for the worst case scenario, warning them the only person who can help them is Nimue. Hook enters, locks the door behind him, and takes Merlin’s heart, with Imaginary Dark One Rumple cheering him on. Hook has Excalibur and tells Merlin he needs to get back to Storybrooke. Merlin says it’s not possible without crushing the heart of the thing he loves the most. Rumple transforms into Nimue and she reminds Merlin she still loves him and always will. Hook says Nimue lives in all Dark Ones so when he crushes Merlin’s heart, so will Nimue.
On the ship, the duel continues. Gold’s surprisingly holding his own and even stabs Hook through the stomach. But that doesn’t matter without Excalibur. Hook then slices Gold’s arm.
Henry and Emma find the dreamcatchers but they can’t get to them because Emma doesn’t have magic. Henry stole the squid ink and says he’ll use it on her because she didn’t try to do this operation alone. He drops it on her cuff and her magic is restored. She promises she’ll make it up to him.
Back in Camelot, Emma comes in and finds Hook with Merlin’s heart clenched in his fist. She knows she’s been played and Hook says it’s because she lied about Excalibur. Now no one will control him ever again. He sends Excalibur back to its stone. Emma wants to know what Nimue wants and why she’s helping Hook with his revenge. Emma figures it out and tells Hook his revenge isn’t his happy ending – she is. “If you destroy this heart, you will destroy your happy ending along with it,” says Emma. Hook says he might have told her once that she was his happy ending, but that man died when she turned him into a Dark One. He squeezes Merlin’s heart and Merlin falls to the floor. Hook puts the ashes of the heart in the cauldron.
On the ship, Hook says he might have given Rumple his wife back back in the day if he’d fought with that much vigor. Hook is knocked down by a weight from the ship and Gold gets Excalibur. Instead of killing him, Gold tells him he’d like nothing better than for Hook to live knowing he bested him. Hook disappears in smoke and Gold’s left clutching his bleeding arm.
Belle finds Gold in the woods and Rumple says he’s ready to put the past behind them. Belle says she loves him but he’s broken her heart too many times. She can’t trust him, but he assures her his heart is pure now. She agrees he’s the man she’d always hoped he’d be but she needs to figure out if that’s what she wants. She’s spent too many years trying to mend his heart and now needs to protect hers.
Back in Camelot, Emma apologizes to the now dead Merlin and sends his ashes away, saying, “Rest in peace.” Hook says she’s too late but Emma has a solution: she’ll make him forget why he cast the spell and that he was ever the Dark One in the first place. She knocks him out and puts his memories in a dreamcatcher. “When you wake up, you’ll be the man you were, the man I love and the man who loves me,” says Emma. Then she erases the memories of everyone who knew she turned Hook into the Dark One. Rumple, in her head, says yeah, right, why trust her family when she can do it all herself. Emma uses dark magic to add the memory wipe to the curse. He warns her she won’t like where it leads…”Or worse, you will.” Emma holds Hook as they’re all transported back to Storybrooke. In the distance, Merida is caught up in the fog of the curse as are Arthur, Guinevere, and the people of Camelot.
In Storybrooke, everyone is gathered and Emma is ready to give them all back their memories. They hold the dreamcatchers and watch everything that transpired. Emma now knows exactly what Hook is planning on doing.
The whispering-in-your-head Rumple congratulates Hook on a semi-successful day, obtaining the blood of Rumple – a man who’d been to hell and back. He died and returned, and the pond they’re standing by is a portal to the underworld. Rumple says the blood on Hook’s hook will open it. A fog appears along with a ship full of creatures from hell led by Nimue. It’s all of the Dark Ones and they’re ready to snuff out the light. “Welcome to Storybrooke, love,” says Hook.
Peyton Meyer as Lucas Friar, August Maturo as Auggie Matthews, Danielle Fishel as Topanga Matthews, Rowan Blanchard as Riley Matthews, Ben Savage as Cory Matthews, Sabrina Carpenter as Maya Hart and Corey Fogelmanis as Farkle. (Disney Channel / Bob D’Amico)
The comedy series Girl Meets World is sticking around for at least one more season. Disney Channel officially confirmed the show starring Rowan Blanchard, Sabrina Carpenter and Ben Savage has been renewed for a third season which is expected to premiere in the spring of 2016. According to the network, Girl Meets World is one of the top five cable TV shows among kids age two to 11 and tweens age nine to 14, making its renewal an easy decision.
April Kelly and Michael Jacobs created the series and Jacobs executive produces. The cast also includes Danielle Fishel, August Maturo, Peyton Meyer and Corey Fogelmanis.
“Michael Jacobs has one of the most authentic voices in television today,” said Adam Bonnett, Executive Vice President, Original Programming, Disney Channels Worldwide. “He and the entire Girl Meets World team will not only continue to entertain families but also help kids discover who they are and who they want to be in this world.”
The Girl Meets World Plot:
Girl Meets World follows the everyday adventures of an unlikely duo, Riley and Maya – a curious and bright-eyed teenager and her bold best friend – who along with Farkle and Lucas, are navigating the ups and downs of life, all while trying to find their unique place in the world. Season Two tackled a variety of storylines that included autism, cyber-bullying and forgiveness. In Season Three, Riley and her best friends will begin a brand-new chapter as they enter high school.
The Hunger Games franchise’s final film, Mockingjay Part 2, opened on November 20, 2015 with its domestic box office actually less than any of the other Hunger Games movies. However, over its second weekend in theaters, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 dropped in business less than any of the three previous movies. Holding onto the top spot on the box office chart over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Mockingjay Part 2 was able to fend off two well-reviewed newcomers: Creed and The Good Dinosaur.
Pixar’s new animated film, The Good Dinosaur, earned the second place spot but did so while under-performing compared to previous Pixar titles. The Good Dinosaur had the lowest three day weekend opening of any Pixar film since Toy Story, according to Box Office Mojo. But while it didn’t manage a high opening by Pixar standards, it should remain in the top 10 for quite a few weeks since it’s one of the few real family-friendly films in theaters.
Creed, starring Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, showed the Rocky franchise is far from dead. Focusing on Stallone’s Rocky as a mentor and Jordan as a young boxer the audience wants to root for, Creed not only claimed a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes but also a third place finish over the extended holiday weekend.
Adam Sandler just debuted the fourth version of his Chanukah Song in time for the 2015 holiday season. The new version features Sandler name dropping famous Jewish celebrities including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Scarlett Johansson, the guys who invented Google, Adam Levine, Drake, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Ben & Jerry. This 2015 version was recorded during a live show in San Diego, CA.
Sandler posted version four on Youtube along with a note: “I did a show with some friends in San Diego last week and recorded a new one for you. Have a great holiday season.”
The new trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens released over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend focuses on Adam Driver’s character, Kylo Ren. The new TV spot for the much-anticipated Star Wars film is a little over one minute long and features new clips including scenes of Kylo Ren and Daisy Ridley as Rey engaged in battle. Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Force Awakens opens in theaters on December 18, 2015.
The cast of Star Wars: The Force Awakens also includes Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Max Von Sydow. Abrams, Bryan Burk, and Kathleen Kennedy produced the new Star Wars with Tommy Harper and Jason McGatlin executive producing.
Carly Rae Jepsen rehearses for NBC’s ‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’ (Photo by Peter Kramer / NBC)
Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Natalie Morales from Today will help celebrate the holidays as hosts of NBC’s annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center special. The music-filled holiday event will air on December 2, 2015 at 8pm ET/PT and will feature the spectacular Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. This year’s tree is an 80 year-old Norway Spruce from Gardiner, New York.
NBC’s confirmed the musical guests set to perform include Sting, Mary J. Blige, Andrea Bocelli, The Band Perry, Andy Grammer, Carly Rae Jepsen, Pentatonix, Band of Merrymakers, and James Taylor with world-renowned trumpeter Chris Botti. The Rockettes are also expected to perform.
In addition to ringing in the holidays, the Christmas in Rockefeller Center event kicks off NBCUniversal’s “Green is Universal” tree-planting campaign. Per the network: “This year, viewers can ‘GIF’t a Tree’ to a national or state park or forest, by using #GIFtATree or visiting www.greenisuniversal.com to create and share an animated holiday tree GIF. Each action will contribute to the Arbor Day Foundation’s tree planting efforts, funded by a $25,000 donation from NBCUniversal.”
Alek Skarlatos and his ‘Dancing with the Stars’ partner Lindsay Arnold (Photo by Craig Sjodin / ABC)
One day after season 21 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars crowned its winner, the network’s announced fan favorite Alek Skarlatos has signed up for the Dancing with the Stars: Live! – Dance All Night Tour. Skarlatos will be on the tour with his season 21 partner Lindsay Arnold. Also confirmed for the tour are Alan Bersten, Sharna Burgess, Brittany Cherry, Artem Chigvintsev, Valentin Chmerkovskiy, Jenna Johnson, Keo Motsepe, Peta Murgatroyd and Emma Slater, with more DWTS favorites to be announced soon.
“This year has been a whirlwind of emotions and activities, and I can’t think of a better way to cap it off than to tour America with my DWTS family while being able to greet everyone who has been so supportive of me during this year. This has been an experience of a lifetime,” stated Alex Skarlatos.
Army National Guard Specialist Skarlatos earned hero status after stopping a man from opening fire and killing passengers on a train from Amsterdam to Paris. His actions earned the American hero the United States Army Soldier’s Medal and the Legion of Honour award from France.
The Dancing with the Stars tour will hit 43 cities beginning on December 15, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The tour will wrap up on Valentine’s Day, 2016. The 90 minute shows will each include new choreography as well as memorable numbers from season 21. Tickets are on sale now at dwtstour.com.
Spoiler alert! Who Won Season 21?
13.4 million viewers tuned in to see 17 year old Bindi Irwin and her partner Derek Hough take home the Mirrorball Trophy. Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess came in second, and Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold took third place.
