Sweetpea killed it with viewers and earned a second season order from Starz and Sky. Dubbed a “coming-of-rage” comedy/thriller, Sweetpea stars Ella Purnell (Fallout) as a woman who accidentally discovers she likes the rush that comes with murder.
“Being part of Rhiannon’s coming-of-rage journey has been a career highlight for me, and to see fans engage with and relate to our oddball Rhiannon, in all her complexity, feels truly special,” said star and executive producer Purnell. “I cannot wait for audiences to see what she does next. Stay tuned.”
The six-episode first season premiered on Starz on October 10, 2024. The first season’s cast included Nicôle Lecky (Sense8) as Julia, Jon Pointing (Smothered) as Craig, Calam Lynch (Bridgerton) as AJ, and Leah Harvey (Foundation) as Marina. Jeremy Swift (Ted Lasso) played Norman and Dustin Demri-Burns (Slow Horses) starred as Jeff.
“Ella Purnell’s killer performance captured the journey of a woman finally finding her voice, and we’re thrilled with the response from critics and viewers,” said Alison Hoffman, President, STARZ Networks. “Sweetpea’s unique take on female agency is a perfect complement to STARZ’s slate of programming for women. We’re pleased to continue our partnership with Sky Studios and Ella Purnell in bringing another season of this addictive series to U.S. audiences.”
“Sweetpea is a highly original, character-driven show, led by the fantastic Ella Purnell, which has captivated audiences around the world. Fans have binged this unique, darkly comic thriller and they can’t wait to see what Rhiannon will do next. Alongside our producing partners at See-Saw Films, and STARZ in the U.S., we are thrilled to bring this gem of a show back for a second series,” stated Meghan Lyvers, Executive Director of Original Scripted, Sky UK & Ireland.
Starz offered the following description of season one and a short tease of season two:
“Rhiannon Lewis doesn’t make much of an impression – people walk past her in the street without a second glance. She’s continually overlooked for a promotion at work, the guy she likes won’t commit, and her dad is really, really sick. So far, so shit. Then everything in her life is turned upside down, and Rhiannon is pushed over the edge. She snaps. Suddenly the wallflower is gone, and in its place is a young woman capable of anything… Rhiannon’s life transforms as she steps into a new, intoxicating power, but can she keep her killer secret?
Season two will see Rhiannon Lewis return with a vengeance as her killer secret continues to spiral, and she becomes more twisted than ever.”
James Cade, Jackson Lee Hill, Ashleigh LaThrop,, Zachary Quinto and Alex MacNicoll in ‘Brilliant Minds’ episode 10 (Photo by: Rafy/NBC)
Paramedics rush to a call as NBC’s Brilliant Minds episode 10 opens. Finn Kemp, a 10-year-old boy with autism, is injured and has locked himself in a room. His poor dad can’t get him to open the door. One paramedic notices toy Camaros on the floor and entices Finn to open the door by talking about them.
The female paramedic, Katie (Mishel Prada), continues to make real contact with Finn as she gets him on the gurney and into the ambulance. Dr. Oliver Wolf (Zachary Quinto) and his interns meet the ambulance at the door, and after ushering Finn inside, Oliver notices Katie seems off. She blames it on coffee.
Wolf isn’t convinced, but she heads back out on another call before he can question her.
The interns and Dr. Wolf go over Finn’s chart and they notice he’s had a series of injuries this year. Finn isn’t good at explaining how much pain he’s in. Oliver promises they’ll rule out neurological issues but thinks Finn seems fine.
Later, Oliver runs into Carol (Tamberla Perry) and is shocked she hasn’t reported the damage Alison did to her car. Carol claims she can’t prove Alison did it. Also, it was unethical for her to treat Alison; if that gets out, it could destroy her career. She reveals she hasn’t told her husband, Morris, and for now, she’s just going to try and work through it. Oliver makes her promise to protect herself. Carol assures him she’s taking this seriously.
Van (Alex MacNicoll) has a tough time working with Finn’s IV and when he finally gets Finn to relax, Ericka’s surprised Van didn’t feel the pain Finn felt when it was inserted. Given Van’s condition, he should have felt pain. Obviously, this means Finn’s not feeling any, so something is wrong that hasn’t been diagnosed yet.
They do additional testing and inform Finn’s dad that his son has channelopathy-associated congenital insensitivity (CIPA). Mr. Kemp realizes that Finn didn’t even know he was hurt and blames himself for never noticing his son’s condition. Ericka (Ashleigh LaThrop) assures him that it’s incredibly rare, and it would have been easy to assume the symptoms were due to autism.
Katie arrives with another patient, and it’s obvious something’s wrong this time. She passes out right outside the emergency room, and when she comes to, she rates her pain as a 2. Katie blames passing out on not eating and being dehydrated. Oliver’s not buying it because her winces were more pronounced this morning. She always winces but this morning was different, and Oliver asks her to please let them admit her. Dana (Aury Krebs) will grab all the basic tests.
When Oliver walks off, Katie puts on her shoes to leave. Katie refuses to listen to reason and insists her partner can monitor her. Dana finally manages to convince her to stay for a liter of LR (Lactated Ringer) and then she can leave.
Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf and Teddy Sears as Dr. Josh Nichols in ‘Brilliant Minds’ episode 10 (Photo by: Rafy/NBC)
Carol tries to set up Josh (Teddy Sears) with one of her friends, and Josh turns her down. He tells Oliver about it, and Oliver can’t believe Carol’s never tried to set him up with one of her weird friends after all these years. Josh gets Oliver to admit he hasn’t told Carol they’re dating and wonders if it’s supposed to be a secret. An awkward conversation ensues, and they discuss whether they’re a “thing.” Oliver says it’s just that Carol will have a ton of questions. Josh confesses he didn’t think Oliver could keep secrets from Carol.
A flashback shows Carol promising to be Oliver’s wingwoman after he gets stood up on a date. Oliver turns her down when she invites him to hit the club with her and says he’s fine staying home alone.
Katie stumbles down the hall, clearly confused and having difficulty walking. Oliver and Dana manage to get her into a wheelchair and she’s not making sense. Oliver’s upset Dana didn’t do a CT scan because Katie refused. It should have been Dana’s call, not Katie’s.
Katie’s scar comes back normal, but they’re waiting for results from the spinal tap. Oliver reveals that her white blood cell count is high, so they need to figure out what sort of infection she has. Oliver asks her to walk him through what she’s been exposed to in the ambulance, and she goes step by step through her incredibly busy day. Oliver admires what she does and how difficult the comedown must be at the end of the day. Katie says she never comes down because she never stops working.
Her condition’s getting worse, and the spinal tap shows she has meningitis. She got it from an elderly man who threw up on her yesterday, right before he died. Katie freaks out that she’ll die soon, too, but Oliver insists they can fight this.
Oliver speaks with Finn’s dad and breaks the news that few people with CIPA live past 25. Oliver suggests weekly appointments to monitor his health and to help him understand his condition. After Oliver leaves, Van assures Mr. Kemp that he’s in good hands. Van’s a dad, so he understands what it’s like to raise a kid and try to keep him safe.
Ericka catches up with Van, and they talk about kids. She doesn’t know he has one and reveals she’s never wanted children. Van doesn’t tell her about his and confirms their date for tomorrow night.
Oliver tells Carol he’s dating Josh, and she barely reacts. She’s not in the mood to interrogate him and just wants him to be careful. That stirs up a memory of Carol coming home from the night she met Morris and saving Oliver’s life after he drank himself unconscious with vodka. He needed to numb the pain after being stood up. Carol reminds him that when he hurts himself, he hurts the people who love him too.
Katie’s conditioning is deteriorating quickly, and Dana and Jacob work with Oliver to try and stabilize her. Oliver admits he doesn’t understand why the antibiotics aren’t working, and they discover her meningitis was caused by listeria. Oliver’s never seen anyone with her medical history get so sick from listeria. It’s incredibly rare. The question is, why is Katie dying from something that normally kills the elderly and/or immunocompromised?
Meanwhile, Carol spots Alison outside her daughter’s school and insists they need to stop talking. Alison believes Carol is the only one who gets her since they both have to deal with Morris. Unfortunately, Alison understands it was unethical for Carol to treat her and threatens to hold that over Carol’s head.
Oliver makes dinner for Josh and announces that he told Carol they’re dating. Oliver admits Carol’s seen him on his worst days and that he hasn’t been in a real relationship in quite a while.
Aury Krebs as Dr. Dana Dang, Zachary Quinto as Dr. Oliver Wolf, and Mishel Prada as Katie Rodriguez in ‘Brilliant Minds’ episode 10 (Photo by: Rafy/NBC)
Afterward, Jacob and Dana bring Oliver along as they thoroughly inspect Katie’s ambulance. Jacob finds a prescription pad that shouldn’t be in the ambulance, and Dana figures out Katie was prescribing herself steroids. They realize she hasn’t been tired; Katie’s been hiding that she’s in physical pain so she won’t get fired.
Oliver confronts her with the prescription pad, and Katie confesses she was shot in the shoulder six months ago while responding to a fentanyl overdose. The wound healed, but the pain never left. Katie admits she went back to work too early. The steroids made her immunocompromised, but she’s on the road to recovery now. Katie believes the adrenaline rush from working helps her feel better, and Oliver confirms he won’t report her. He explains that chronic pain is a disease, and he’ll wean her slowly off the steroids.
Poking around the ambulance and listening to Katie’s story reminded Oliver of the benefits of naloxone. Oliver thinks it’s possible it will help Finn feel pain but admits it’s just an experiment as he injects Finn. Ericka describes the naloxone as turning on Finn’s pain receptors and it’s quickly confirmed that it worked!
Van warns Finn’s dad that it’s not a long-term solution, and Oliver suggests that with naloxone, they might be able to train Finn to be more aware of his surroundings. It’s possible that Finn will ultimately be able to differentiate between safe and dangerous, which will help him avoid things that will injure him.
Finn applauds their work.
Carol calls Morris into her office and tells him Alison was waiting for her when she picked up their daughter. Carol can’t believe Morris took Alison to lunch with Maya, and Morris says he was just being nice. Carol’s furious that he blew up their relationship for this, after everything she’s done for him and all the sacrifices she made.
Morris is forced to admit he slept with Alison multiple times and that he was in love with her. Carol orders him out of the office just as Oliver’s walking by, and Oliver tells Morris to leave now. Oliver folds Carol into his arms for a huge hug.
Jacob and Dana continue to help Katie on the road to recovery. She’s not happy about the ice bath Jacob suggests, but he insists it will help reduce her pain. Since they promised to be in this together, Katie convinces Jacob and Dana to join her in the bathtub.
In a voiceover, Oliver says true healing requires us to acknowledge our pain.
Jacob thinks Dana and Katie would make a cute couple, but Dana is sure Katie already has a partner. Jacob points out that’s what paramedics call each other. Plus, Katie told him that she’s single. Dana’s eyes light up with interest. She turns the tables on him and suggests he go for it with Ericka. Dana thinks there is chemistry between them.
Carol thanks Oliver for being her first responder. Oliver’s phone dings and Carol wonders if he got a cell phone because of Josh. She asks him to spill all the juicy details of how they got together; it’ll take her mind off Morris and Alison.
Jacob shows up at Ericka’s with ice cream and thanks her for being there for him. She doesn’t let him in because Van’s there, and when Van asks who was at the door, she lies and says it was the wrong apartment. They kiss, and she admits that his mirror touch syndrome is a definite perk in a relationship.
Carol receives flowers with a note: “You win. You’ll never see me again.” She heads to Alison’s apartment with a paramedic, and they find Alison on the floor. Episode 10 ends with Carol asking if Alison’s breathing.
Anya Taylor-Joy to star in ‘Lucky’ (Photo credit: Simon & Schuster)
Emmy nominee Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit) is confirmed to star in and executive produce Lucky, a limited drama set up at Apple TV+. The series based on Marissa Stapley’s bestselling Reese’s Book Club pick has Jonathan Tropper attached as writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner.
“Reese’s Book Club began with the goal of deepening connections — to the stories, to the storytellers, and to the community we are building,” stated Reese Witherspoon. “It is incredibly rewarding to be able to amplify these female-centric stories and their authors, see our community connect with them, then see them take on a whole new life on screen. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Apple TV+ and the incomparable Anya Taylor-Joy, plus our brilliant creator Jonathan Tropper and his wonderful co-showrunner Cassie Pappas, to bring this compelling series—based on Marissa Stapley’s fantastic novel—to audiences around the world.”
Apple TV+ offered this description of the series: “In Lucky, Taylor-Joy stars as a young woman who left behind the life of crime she was raised in years ago, but must now embrace her darker, criminal side one final time in a desperate attempt to escape her past.”
Apple TV+ didn’t provide any details on when filming is expected to begin.
“Hello Sunshine continues to do a fantastic job of championing women’s voices, and I’m thrilled to be joining the team alongside Jonathan, Cassie, and Apple TV+ to bring Lucky to life,” said Anya Taylor-Joy.
There may not be a filmmaker working today who is more of a pure auteur than Robert Eggers. Known for his tedious methodology in moody period pieces like The VVitch, The Lighthouse, and The Northman, he has quickly become one of the premier filmmakers in the horror world. And that makes him the perfect choice to direct a remake of another moody period piece from 1922, Nosferatu.
Nosferatu is about a young English real estate salesman named Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) who is summoned to Transylvania to seal the deal on a patch of land that happens to be right in his own neighborhood. On his way, he is warned against continuing on his journey, and when he arrives, he sees why – his reclusive host and client, Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), is a real creep. And when Orlok arrives at his new property, the creep becomes obsessed with Thomas’ new bride, the lovely Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp).
Robert Eggers adapted his vision of Nosferatu from the original 1922 Henrik Galeen screenplay, which in turn was an illegitimate adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The narrative retells the tale pretty cleanly, with a bit of Fearless Vampire Hunting tossed into the climax to throw the audience off the scent. Nosferatu is a classic vampire flick that draws influence from everywhere within the bloodsucking subgenre. It’s an age-old story.
The visual approach to Nosferatu is, however, all Eggers. Well, him and his go-to cinematographer Jarin Blaschke (which using him is all part of Eggers’ cinematic choice, so he still gets the credit). The film’s imagery is absolutely beautiful, with meticulous attention given to the details in every shot. Every frame of the film is a cinematic masterpiece. The shadows, the light, the sets, the dressing, the angles, the lenses, nothing is left to chance, and the result is visual brilliance.
Have I gushed enough about how amazing this movie looks? Okay, good. Moving on.
Now, Eggers was able to concentrate so much on the visual imagery in his movie because he didn’t have to worry about his actors. Nosferatu is wonderfully cast. Between scoring the roles of Orlok, Pennywise, and Eric Draven, Bill Skarsgård has really taken a knack to reimagining iconic film characters. He is practically unrecognizable as Orlok, which is a testament to his transformational performance. Even with a corny bushy moustache (which is, in fact, correct for the character in the novel), Skarsgård sends chills down the sturdiest of spines.
Nicholas Hoult is a great foil for the count, if you can call him that, since he’s really more of a straight man to Orlok’s menacing presence. The real hero(ine) of Nosferatu in any form is the blushing bride, Ellen, and Lily-Rose Depp is up for the task of playing spoiler to Orlok’s schemes. Willem Dafoe, as the vampire expert, Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz, is the clown – he’s having a ton of fun in a not-necessarily-fun movie, yet somehow, it works. He’s not really there for comic relief, he’s more of a plot distraction really, but that seems to be the point of the character. He leads the men on a stab-it-and-burn-it mission while Ellen handles the heavy lifting.
Not everyone enjoys the films of Robert Eggers, and his detractors will find fault with Nosferatu as well. It’s got the pitch-perfect accents, the stuffy dialogue, and the air of pretension that usually accompanies period movies. But that’s all par for the course when dealing with the stories that Eggers chooses to tell and the eras in which they are set. And he does it better in Nosferatu than, say, Francis Ford Coppola did with Dracula (not a knock on Coppola so much as a massive compliment to Eggers). So, those who have trouble with heavy dialect, flip on those subtitles so you can still get scared by Skarsgård’s Orlok.
And the movie is scary. Although there are a handful of great BOO! moments, the whole thing, much like Eggers’ other movies, relies more on a heavy atmosphere of dread and darkness than it does on jump scares. That darkness goes beyond the stunning imagery, too. It bleeds down into the depths of the characters and emanates from every word and gesture. The darkness comes from the original story, and Robert Eggers takes it and runs. Nosferatu is an updated take on a classic movie that still manages to feel classic.
Nosferatu is awards-worthy horror. This is the movie that, if it doesn’t get any Oscar nominations, horror fans will complain about not getting any Oscar nominations. And they will be right. Have I mentioned how gorgeous this film looks?
GRADE: A
MPAA Rating: R for some sexual content, graphic nudity, and bloody violent content
NBC’s The Irrational season two episode seven finds Alec diving into the passionate world of K-pop fans. “Stan By Me” will air on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 at 10pm ET/PT.
Jesse L. Martin leads the cast as Alec Mercer. Season two also stars Maahra Hill as Marisa, Travina Springer as Kylie, Molly Kunz as Phoebe, and Arash DeMaxi as Rizwan.
“Stan By Me” Plot: Alec enters the world of K-Pop fandom when a superfan is murdered, and the only suspect is the pop star the fan idolizes. Alec and Rose dig beneath the surface to uncover what happened and, in the process, he uncovers more about her past.
Molly Kunz as Phoebe, Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer, and Karen David as Rose Dinshaw in ‘The Irrational’ season 2 episode 7 (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)
The Irrational Series Description, Courtesy of NBC:
The Irrational follows world-renowned professor of behavioral science Alec Mercer (Martin) as he lends his unique expertise to high-stakes cases and mysteries. His insight and unconventional approach to understanding human behavior lead him to work alongside varying clients ranging from the FBI to everyday people caught in perplexing situations desperate for answers. With the help of his trusted team and social science experiments, Alec solves crimes and uncovers the truth to answer intriguing, and irrational, questions.
Arash DeMaxi as Rizwan, Molly Kunz as Phoebe, Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer, and Karen David as Rose Dinshaw in season 2 episode 7 (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)Keong Sim as Jeon Ji-Ho, Kristin Leigh as Yoonie, and Scott Seol as Sung B in season 2 episode 7 (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)Jesse L. Martin as Alec Mercer, Karen David as Rose Dinshaw, and Travina Springer as Kylie in season 2 episode 7 (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)Kristin Leigh as Yoonie and Karen David as Rose Dinshaw in the “Stan By Me” episode (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)Arash DeMaxi as Rizwan and Molly Kunz as Phoebe in season 2 episode 7 (Photo by: Sergei Bachlakov/NBC)
CBS’s The Equalizer wraps up the first half of the season with an explosive holiday-themed episode. Season five episode seven, directed by Chris Fisher, will air on December 8, 2024 at 8:30pm ET/PT.
Queen Latifah stars as Robyn McCall, Tory Kittles is Detective Marcus Dante, Adam Goldberg is Harry Keshegian, and Liza Lapira is Melody “Mel” Bayani. Laya DeLeon Hayes plays Delilah and Lorraine Toussaint is Viola “Vi” Marsette.
“Slay Ride” Plot: A joyous and merry Christmas turns dark when McCall, Dante, and Miles find themselves held hostage in a hospital that’s been taken over by the cartel.
“The Equalizer is a reimagining of the classic series starring Academy Award nominee and multi-hyphenate Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills as a former CIA operative to help those with nowhere else to turn. McCall presents to most as an average single mom who is quietly raising her teenage daughter. But to a trusted few, she is The Equalizer – an anonymous guardian angel and defender of the downtrodden, who’s also dogged in her pursuit of personal redemption.
Robyn’s clandestine work and her personal life often collide when her smart and observant daughter, Delilah, and her aunt Vi, who lives with Robyn to help her balance life as a working mother, struggle to conceal her vigilante career. While Robyn worries about the mental and emotional toll her work exacts on her family, she is joined in her pursuit of justice by Melody “Mel” Bayani, an edgy bar owner and sniper from Robyn’s past who recently quit the Equalizer team to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder; and Harry Keshegian, a paranoid and brilliant white-hat hacker married to Mel.
As Robyn aids the oppressed and exploited, she sometimes works with Marcus Dante, an NYPD detective and trusted friend who respects the need for Robyn’s type of justice even as he often questions her methods.”
Sarah Wayne Callies (The Company You Keep) directs and Supernatural‘s Jared Padalecki continues his guest starring role as Camden on CBS’s Fire Country season three episode seven. Written by Jacqueline Furnare Donabedian, episode seven – “False Alarm” – will air on Friday, December 6, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
Max Thieriot stars as Bode, Billy Burke plays Vince, Kevin Alejandro is Manny, and Diane Farr is Sharon. Stephanie Arcila plays Gabriela, Jordan Calloway is Jake, Jules Latimer is Eve, and Rafael de la Fuente is Diego.
“False Alarm” Plot: Station 42 responds to a false alarm call that escalates into a dangerous hostage situation.
Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as Bode Leone, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began.
Years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.
Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson and Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay in ‘SWAT’ season 8 episode 7 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/Sony Pictures Television/CBS Broadcasting, Inc)
CBS’s S.W.A.T. returns after a two-week break with season eight episode seven, “Home.” Directed by Jann Turner from a script by Tianna Majumdar-Langham and Chris Bessounian, episode seven will air on Friday, December 6, 2024 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season eight stars Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay, David Lim as Victor Tan, Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Robert Hicks, and Anna Enger Ritch as Zoe Powell. Annie Ilonzeh is Devin Gamble and Niko Pepaj plays Miguel “Miko” Alfaro.
“Home” Plot: When two students are brutally attacked, 20-Squad contends with a possible honor killing. Meanwhile, Hondo and Nichelle have their first parenting dispute while searching for a suitable daycare.
Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson and Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay in season 8 episode 7 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/Sony Pictures Television/CBS Broadcasting, Inc)
SWAT Description, Courtesy of CBS:
S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised SWAT sergeant tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds.
Committed to the job, Hondo is equally devoted to his marriage and fatherhood. The other members of Hondo’s elite S.W.A.T. unit include David “Deacon” Kay, an experienced S.W.A.T. officer and dedicated family man who always puts the team first; Victor Tan, who started in the LAPD Hollywood Division and uses his confidential informants in the community to help the team; Zoe Powell, a tough and loyal team member trying to reconnect with the son she gave up for adoption as a teen; and Miguel “Miko” Alfaro, a headstrong officer who overcame a troubled childhood, and is now a trusted 20-Squad addition following a rocky transfer to Los Angeles S.W.A.T.
Responsible for the management of all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units is Commander Robert Hicks, a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau. With Hondo leading the charge, these dedicated men and women bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.
Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson in season 8 episode 7 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/Sony Pictures Television/CBS Broadcasting, Inc.)Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Robert Hicks in season 8 episode 7 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/Sony Pictures Television/CBS Broadcasting, Inc)
CBS’s Tracker season two episode eight, the fall finale, opens on the streets of San Francisco. A car’s T-boned by a propane truck as a bystander films on her cell. Propane begins leaking and the car and truck are soon engulfed in flames.
Nine months later, Gina Picket’s sister, Camille (Floriana Lima), and Colter (Justin Hartley) have a drink at a bar. She asked him out, and her sister disappeared the last time they were at this bar. Camille wonders if he wishes they could return to before that happened. Colter confirms he hasn’t stopped looking for Gina, but shockingly, Camille wants him to stop. She realizes that what they had is over. Every time she sees him, she thinks of her sister.
Camille is sure Colter did what he could. Colter reveals he just asked an ex-cop friend for help.
Velma (Abby McEnany) calls and interrupts the date. A $15,000 reward is being offered for a case in San Francisco. The catch? The woman offering it says her brother isn’t missing; he’s dead.
Colter meets the sister, Alicia, and learns her brother, Lucas, died in a car crash nine months ago. Their mother is in the final stages of pancreatic cancer, and Alicia is a constant visitor at the hospital. Two days ago, she left her mom’s side for two hours, and when she returned, her mom insisted Lucas had come to visit. Alicia realizes it sounds sketchy, but her mom says Lucas told her he loved her, said goodbye, and left her with a peanut butter cup. Peanut butter cups have a special meaning to their family that no one else would know.
A nurse also saw a man with a cap pulled over his face. “Lou Reed” signed the hospital guest registry and Lou Reed is her mom’s favorite musician. Alicia shows Colter a sample of Lucas’ handwriting that matches the guest book. Colter asks if anyone would want them to think Lucas was alive, and Alicia can’t think of anyone. Lucas was working at a computer shop and saving for grad school when he died. Who would care about that?
There wasn’t much left of his body after the car fire.
Colter promises to investigate and calls Bobby (Eric Graise) to see if he can find out who visited the hospital. There isn’t any footage and Bobby wonders if that’s because Lucas is just dead. Bobby checks and sees that the computer repair shop where Lucas was working was broken into the same day Lucas supposedly went to the hospital.
Colter heads to the shop, and it’s quickly apparent that the clerk doesn’t think Lucas is dead, either. A World of Warcraft player popped up a couple of months ago, and the more they chatted, the more she believed it was Lucas. “I should know. The game was kind of our thing,” says the clerk. She also confirms they dated up until his death. However, she never asked the player if he was Lucas.
The security cameras went down before the break-in, and nothing was stolen. Colter’s allowed to look around Lucas’ old workstation and spots a handprint on the ceiling tile above his desk. He opens it up and a piece of blue tape is hanging down. Something was hidden up there, and now it’s gone.
Colter notices a dinosaur figurine is a camera. Apparently, Gary took over Lucas’ desk and was suspicious someone was stealing his snacks. They check out the camera’s footage and the clerk confirms the man who broke in is Lucas. He’s alive!
Bobby learned that Lucas called Stephanie Hollis, a well-known YouTuber, a bunch of times the week before his death. Lucas and Stephanie went to school together, and Stephanie was killed five days before Lucas. After her death, Lucas wiped all traces of her from his phone.
Next, Colter meets with SFPD Detective Goodwin (Jolie Jenkins) and tells her Lucas is alive. He’ll hand over the computer shop footage if she shows him the footage the bystander shot. Goodwin, the detective on Lucas’ case, agrees, and Colter watches the accident unfold. He spots a suspiciously calm man walking away from the scene, considering all the commotion. Colter thinks this man knew it would happen and that he helped Lucas stage the accident.
Bobby was able to track the unknown man’s movements on the night of the murder and grabbed his license plate. He’s the owner of a bodega in Chinatown. Colter checks out the man’s shop and there are signs of a struggle. No one answers when he calls out, and there’s a dead man on the floor.
Colter continues searching the store and discovers a setup for making fake IDs, complete with wigs and outfits. A noise draws Colter’s attention, and he turns to find a woman with a gun. Colter puts down his weapon and introduces himself, assuring the woman he isn’t a threat. She checks his ID and verifies it’s her husband lying dead in the shop. Colter guesses that Lucas asked for a fake identity and that visiting his mom wasn’t an ideal situation for her business.
Colter and Barbie Lee (Freda Foh Shen) agree her husband’s murder and the shop break-in right when Lucas reappeared isn’t a coincidence. Barbie whispers to her dead husband that she’ll kill the people who did this. She sets the shop on fire before the cops show up.
Barbie and Colter grab a coffee, and she admits she grew up in the fake ID business. Barbie explains that some people want their deaths faked, others just want to disappear. She doesn’t say who, but she’s got a supplier with dead bodies to put in place of the person who wants to be “dead.”
She’s never had someone she’s helped pop back up, and she didn’t expect Lucas to return. Barbie didn’t help Stephanie, so Stephanie’s death is real. Lucas came to her, scared, saying it was a life-or-death situation. Colter suggests that Lucas found something and shared it with Stephanie. After Stephanie died, he knew he needed to run.
Lucas understood the risks of resurfacing, and Barbie believes her husband’s blood is on Lucas’ hands. Colter promises to help find whoever killed her husband. Barbie’s okay with that, as long as she can take care of them once they’re found.
Bobby calls Colter with news that Stephanie was teasing a big political scandal on her YouTube channel when she was killed. She had a secret source, and Colter thinks that it was Lucas. Maybe Lucas was fixing a laptop with incriminating information. Bobby has already checked Lucas’ appointment books; no politicians were listed. Colter suggests it might have been brought in by the family or assistant of a politician, and Bobby does a quick check. The assistant to Tim Crosby, a bigwig real estate developer running for mayor, brought in his laptop for repair.
Lucas found something that he passed on to Stephanie. After Stephanie was killed, Lucas knew he was next, so he went into hiding. Colter believes Crosby didn’t do the killing himself and he thinks it’s possible Lucas made a copy of the hard drive and is trying to barter himself out of the situation.
Bobby checks on “Isaac Newton” and learns he recently checked into a hotel.
Colter meets with Detective Goodman at the hotel, and the front desk says Isaac Newton is still upstairs. They head to his room just as two shots are fired. Colter busts the door down, but the shooter’s gotten away. Lucas was shot and is dead, again.
Lucas didn’t have anything on him, not even a wallet. Detective Goodman assures Colter she’ll take it from there and that they’ll get justice for the family. She steps away and makes a call, telling Crosby that Lucas is dead. She asks if it’s his guys and he’s not sure.
Bobby and Colter have been listening to the call because Colter has already realized that the detective is dirty. Crosby would be the sort of guy with a cop in his pocket.
Bobby and Colter have already seen what was on Lucas’ flash drive, which was disturbing. How did they get the drive? Well, Colter beat the detective to Lucas and staged his murder with Barbie’s help (and drugs that made him appear dead).
Detective Goodman and Crosby meet at a bar and don’t realize Colter’s seated nearby. Colter overhears them talking about who killed Lucas, and Crosby says it doesn’t matter because the problem’s been solved. Colter butts in and reveals he’s seen compromising footage of Crosby. Colter says he understands why they’ve killed to keep the footage hidden.
He stands up to show them the footage, and Goodman rises, yelling at Colter and acting as if her life is threatened. Colter reminds her of all the witnesses and takes out the hard drive, saying it’s the reason they killed Stephanie, Philip Lee, and Lucas Jones. Crosby claims they had nothing to do with Lucas but doesn’t deny the other two.
Suddenly, FBI agents reveal themselves from among the customers and arrest the detective and Crosby. Barbie’s also there and admits it feels good to see her husband’s killers brought to justice. She tells Colter that if he ever wants a job disappearing people, she’s got one for him. It turns out the episode’s title is the name of her company – The Night Movers.
Colter arrives at the hospital, and Alicia hands over the reward. Lucas is happy to be home and happy to be able to be with her mom before she passes. Lucas shakes Colter’s hand and tells him he wouldn’t be there without him.
Ex-detective Keaton calls and tells Colter he has something on Gina Picket’s case. Keaton says he’s sending an address and needs Colter there ASAP.
Episode eight ends with Colter meeting Keaton, and Keaton asking if he’s prepared to take this all the way to hell. Colter is, and Keaton leads him downstairs of a warehouse to a man who’s been badly beaten. The man’s name is Alex, and although he is barely conscious, he’s able to give Colter the name Wales. He knew Wales back in the day and knows Wales is bad news.
Keaton punches Alex in the face to get him to keep talking. Alex admits they got into something and didn’t have a choice. They were forced to do something. Colter demands the name of whoever forced them to do something. Alex says the man wanted them to call him Teacher. No one knew his real name. The Teacher knew things about them and held that over their heads.
Alex and Wales weren’t the only ones under Teacher’s control. There were a bunch of “pretty boys” who did his bidding. The Teacher wanted Gina and made Wales lure her to The Farm. The Teacher said he planted things there, but Alex has never been there.
Colter holds up a photo of Gina Picket, and Alex confirms that he saw her. Colter asks if she’s alive, and the fall finale ends before Alex responds. We’ll have to wait until episode nine airs on February 16, 2025 for Alex’s answer!
Jen Landon as Teeter on ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 (Photo: Paramount Network)
Paramount Network’s Yellowstone season five episode 12 featured an unexpected death (hope you had tissues close by) and Kayce realizing he knows exactly what path to walk. It’s a short episode but packed with intense scenes that all take place following John Dutton’s murder.
Episode 12 begins with Teeter (Jen Landon) and Colby (Denim Richards) on the phone, and Colby inadvertently admits he’s in love. Teeter wonders what’s going on with the ranch, and Colby suggests that if she has any big plans, she should start working on them. Before hanging up, Teeter says, “I love you, too.”
There’s also a conversation about the ranch’s future taking place between Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith) and Carter (Finn Little). Lloyd will stay on if Rip or Kayce are in charge, but not if a rich dude buys the place.
Rip (Cole Hauser) informs Lloyd and Ethan that he wants to sell off the heifers and bulls still on the river bottom. Rip’s also going to sell the entire herd in Texas. Plus, they’ll sell any geldings over six years old.
“We’re going to have a dispersal sale here in the next week if we can get our s**t together in time,” says Rip. Lloyd asks if they’re going out of business, and Rip assures him they’re trying to save the business but need money to pay the government. Giving the government land is a last resort.
The action shifts to Texas, and Jimmy (Jefferson White) nearly gets bucked off a horse because he’s using the wrong bit. A gator snaffle is for monsters; using one on this horse is total overkill. Boss Travis Wheatley (Taylor Sheridan) wonders if Jimmy wakes up and just thinks of ways to get bucked off. He thinks Jimmy’s mind is on the brunette he left behind. Being distracted will get him injured or killed.
Jimmy’s let off the hook when Travis takes Rip’s call. It’s obvious from how Travis answers he hasn’t heard about John. Rip asks Travis to sell all of Yellowstone’s horses to free up cash, and Travis warns him not to rush into it. If Travis can’t do it, then Rip wants the horses in Montana to sell. Travis reminds him that will bring about .30 cents on the dollar in Montana. Travis talks Rip into being a little patient.
Jimmy doesn’t know about John, and Rip doesn’t have the heart to tell him. Travis assures Rip he’ll take care of it.
Jimmy thinks he’s being fired, but the news is much worse. Travis gently breaks the news by first telling Jimmy he’s giving him a week off. When he says John passed away (Rip didn’t give him any details), Jimmy struggles to speak. He tells Travis he’ll take the weekend off, but not the week.
“He was a cowboy. He wouldn’t have wanted work missed because of him,” says Jimmy.
Back in Montana, Detective Dillard (Rory Cochrane) questions Jamie (Wes Bentley) about his relationship with Sarah, and Jamie tells him it was strictly personal. Sarah was staying with him and wasn’t in Montana conducting business. Jamie becomes nervous when Dillard asks to collect Sarah’s suitcase and personal items. If it was a carjacking, why do the police need her belongings?
Detective Dillard informs him there’s no evidence this was a carjacking. “It appears more like she was targeted,” says Dillard.
Jamie acts guilty, insisting they need a warrant to search his home and reminding Dillard he’s the attorney general. When Jamie confesses he feels like Dillard’s treating him like a suspect, Dillard replies, “No, I wasn’t, but I will now.”
Jamie backs down, realizing he’s painted a target on his back. He offers to go upstairs and get Sarah’s belongings, but Dillard says it’s too late. He’ll get a warrant. Of course, a warrant comes with plenty of press attention.
Once Dillard leaves, Jamie rushes upstairs and grabs Sarah’s paperwork. He shreds anything that can be used against him.
Back at the ranch, Beth (Kelly Reilly) thanks Monica (Kelsey Asbille) for making breakfast. Beth says she’ll never eat in the family dining room again and settles at the kitchen table while Tate fetches his dad. Kayce (Luke Grimes) takes a call from Dillard first and learns Jamie’s refusing to cooperate in the investigation into Sarah’s murder. Dillard’s sure she was targeted, and Kayce admits he’s not surprised.
“Is the file in my left hand connected to the file in my right hand, Kayce?” asks Dillard. Kayce’s not sure his brother had anything to do with John or Sarah’s death, but he’s sure Sarah was involved in John’s murder. Kayce informs Dillard that Sarah was the Market Equities airport project lawyer. Dillard connects the dots. The attorney general was sleeping with the council for the development project that John shutdown.
Dillard offers to slow down his investigation since the Duttons have been through so much recently. Kayce replies, “You mash on the gas, my friend.” After all, Jamie put himself in this position.
Kayce uses the secure line to call his friend Cade (Jake McLaughlin). Cade’s been looking for someone who could have handled the hit on John and learned Grant Horton from “special activities” is in Kayce’s area. He’s sending Kayce the address, and Kayce confirms he’ll pay him a visit. He also confirms he’ll destroy this phone and change his number.
Luke Grimes as Kayce Dutton and Kelly Reilly as Beth Dutton in ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 episode 12 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)
Kayce asks Beth to step away from breakfast and shows her the article on Sarah’s murder. He knows Sarah was the point of contact, and Dillard’s circling Jamie. Beth is certain that if Jamie’s arrested, he’ll tell all the Dutton family secrets and destroy John’s legacy. Kayce doesn’t think they can’t do anything about that since everyone’s watching them now.
“The best lies are 90% true, and I’m the best f**king liar. You leave Jamie to me,” says Beth.
The Yellowstone cowboys in Texas get busy loading up the cattle. Teeter can’t believe they’re doing this now, right after they moved them to Texas.
Rip’s out with Lloyd and Colby when he gets a call about the 3-year-old “maneater” Lloyd has repeatedly insisted is untrainable. He instructs Colby to get the horse loaded up and taken to Billings. It’s headed to Mexico.
Carter’s working in the barn and notices the maneater’s knocked over his water. He makes the mistake of entering his stall with a fresh bucket. The horse reacts by charging him. Carter’s injured and backed into a corner with the horse stamping his feet when Colby arrives. Colby decides to push the horse back so Carter can crawl out. Tragically, they’ve both underestimated the horse. Carter escapes, but the horse kicks Colby in the chest. He stomps on Colby again as Carter runs to get a rifle.
The shot rings out, and Rip and Lloyd race to the barn. Carter takes the blame as Rip kneels by Colby’s dead body. Rip assures Carter it’s not his fault. Rip shoulders the blame instead. (Lloyd told him multiple times the horse was a maneater and should have been put down.)
Rip immediately calls Ryan (Ian Bohen) in Texas and tells him what happened. Jake (Jake Ream) rides up and asks if Ryan’s okay. Ryan responds, “I just lost my best friend.”
Denim Richards as Colby Mayfield in ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 (Photo Credit: Paramount Network)
The camera catches the next scene from a distance as Ryan rides over to Teeter and breaks the horrible news that Colby is gone. We don’t need to hear their conversation. Teeter begins sobbing. Minutes later, Walker offers to help her unsaddle her horse. Teeter refuses.
Once the horses are loaded, Walker, Ryan, Teeter, and Jake hit the road back to Montana. Ryan explains what happened to Colby and that it was quick. Ryan says he didn’t suffer, and Teeter reminds them that, as cowboys, suffering is the job. “I just wish he would have suffered a little longer so I could say goodbye,” says a heartbroken Teeter.
Back at the ranch, Ethan asks if everything’s okay. Rip believes nothing’s okay. He asks for Ethan’s help moving Colby from the barn and into the truck. Carter remains behind and watches them drive away.
Kayce and Tate walk through the family cemetery, and Kayce confirms they’ll bury John next to his wife. Tate asks Kayce if that’s where he wants to be buried, and Kayce says that will be up to Tate to decide. Tate knows the future’s up in the air and doesn’t know where home is. He wonders if the Yellowstone will be their home then, and Kayce says it won’t be. “Here’s not our home, not anymore,” says Kayce.
Kayce receives a call from Mo Brings Plenty and tells him he sees what to do now. He needs Mo’s help, but it comes at a risk. Mo assures Kayce he’ll help.
Lloyd shows Beth Colby’s bunk so she can pack it up. She spoke with Colby’s mom and she wants her son’s things. Beth sees Colby’s hat is on his pillow. That’s normally bad luck, but Lloyd says it’s the right spot after a cowboy dies. Lloyd asks Beth to leave the hat for Teeter since she’ll need something of Colby’s to cling to. He offers to mail the footlocker in the morning, and Beth agrees.
Beth finds Carter in the tack room and confesses that’s where she fell in love and got pregnant. “And then I told the love of my life that I never wanted to see him again,” says Beth. She did it because she was ashamed and scared.
Beth doesn’t believe anyone is to blame for Colby’s death. Colby chose to help Carter, and she’s glad he did. Carter can’t squander Colby’s sacrifice; that would be his fault.
Beth believes Carter should be with his family right now, and Carter says he doesn’t have one. She replies, “Sure you do.”
Beth finds Rip sitting on the couch alone and pours him a drink. It’s too hot for a fire, but she lights one anyway, so there will be a big fireball when he throws his glass. He throws it, and she pours him another one. She takes a seat next to him and admits that the family’s pretty f**ked when she’s the one in the position of therapist. She asks what he needs, and Rip says all he ever needs is time and her.
Kayce packs up but won’t give Monica any specifics about what he has planned. All he says is that it’s not for the ranch – it’s for her and Tate. He swears he’ll be back tomorrow night. “I can see it now. I know what to do. Believe in me,” he says after they kiss. Monica says she’s always believed in him.
Monica’s cooking breakfast again when Beth joins her. Given recent events, Beth isn’t sure “good morning” is appropriate. She wants to chat with Kayce, and Monica explains he left last night.
Grant Horton (Matt Gerald) and his young daughter get into their car after his daughter’s soccer game. Kayce slides into the car and sits next to the daughter in the back seat, gun drawn. He orders Grant to drive straight at the speed limit. When the daughter sobs in fear, he tells her she should be scared. Kayce asks if she knows what her dad does for a living, and then asks Grant if he knows who he is. Grant doesn’t. Kayce can’t believe Grant would forget to build out the family on a target and reminds him that’s not how they were trained.
Kayce says, “I am what you are. Do you understand?” Grant does. Kayce’s okay that Grant took out Sarah; it saved him the trouble. Kayce believes Grant should die for what he did to John, but instead he wants to trade Grant’s family for his own. Kayce reminds Grant how easily he got to him and that he has many friends from 12 years on the teams.
“You don’t want this fight. You can’t win it,” warns Kayce. He adds that he has Grant’s DOD file and knows where everyone in his family lives and where his wife works. Grant claims they’re good, but Kayce assures him they’re far from good and tosses out Grant’s home address. Kayce suggests that Grant leave town since it’s possible he might change his mind and take him out.
He slams Grant in the head with the butt of his gun and calls it “Counting Coup” – the episode’s title. It means he took a piece of Grant’s soul that he’ll keep. Kayce tells the kid to keep crying and tells Grant to have fun explaining it to his wife.
Kayce exits the vehicle, and Grant speeds away. Mo follows behind, picks Kayce up, and confirms that he counted coup.
