Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy in ‘The Gorge’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Apple TV+’s The Gorge is a wildly entertaining mash-up of genres that somehow works beautifully … for the most part. (More on that later.) At its heart, it’s a love story that’s driven by action, with splashes of sci-fi, sharp comedy, and even a touch of political drama stirred in for good measure. What truly makes it shine, though, are the engaging performances from Anya Taylor-Joy (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga) and Miles Teller (The Offer), who add personality and depth to every scene.
The setup is fairly simple. Two snipers man towers on opposite sides of a deep gorge. One’s an ex-Marine who writes poetry and has 113 confirmed sniper kills. The other is a Lithuanian sniper with incredible patience and a record that rivals her counterpart. Both are single, share remarkable accuracy with their weapons, and are haunted by the people they have killed and the widows and orphans left in their wake.
Levi (Teller) and Drasa (Taylor-Joy) are recruited by their respective governments for one-year stints manning the towers. They receive minimal information about their assignments and are dropped on opposite sides of the mysterious gorge without knowing their exact locations. There are gardens for veggies and game to hunt for meat. Their days will be spent checking gun turrets set up every 600 meters on the edge of the gorge. Dangling mines also require maintenance checks, and there are special “cloakers” that block the gorge from being seen by satellites.
Their sole task is to keep what’s in the gorge from getting out. Why? Because if the “Hollow Men” who reside in the gorge escape, they could potentially wipe out the human population. The gorge watch has been in existence for decades and operates under strict secrecy. The West Tower and East Tower snipers don’t know each other and are forbidden from communicating. Of course, since romance is a key element of The Gorge, both parties will disobey that order.
It’s Drasa who makes the first move months into their solitary confinement. They engage in flirtatious written exchanges, toast to Drasa’s birthday, and even compare their longest kill shots. You know, as we all do when starting a romantic relationship. The sweet messages ultimately lead to Levi taking a logic-defying leap forward in their budding romance-a leap that could lead to the end of the world.
The gorge’s residents are suitably creepy, and their origin story, while incredibly bizarre, is believable enough. The effects are top-notch, and Teller and Taylor-Joy convincingly portray assassins who find a love connection in the most extreme circumstances imaginable.
It’s not until Drasa and Levi connect through their long-distance messages that The Gorge fully finds its footing and comes to life. Taylor-Joy and Teller have real chemistry as two lonely souls who form a partnership of equals. Their relationship is not only convincing but also genuinely entertaining to watch develop.
An assumption established in the initial setup is turned on its head in the film’s third act. Zach Dean’s script takes the story in a dramatically different direction than anticipated. But the shocking twist is revealed almost too late. It feels worthy of much more in-depth attention than it gets, which is why I added the “for the most part” caveat in the opening paragraph.
The Gorge may stumble with its twist, but the energetic performances from Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy more than make up for it.
GRADE: B
MPA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, brief strong language, some suggestive material and thematic elements
Release Date: February 14, 2025 on Apple TV+
Running Time: 2 hours 7 minutes
Directed By: Scott Derrickson (The Black Phone)
Stranger Things‘ Sadie Sink stars as a singer whose voice has the power to change the world in Searchlight Pictures’ O’Dessa trailer. Described as an epic rock opera, O’Dessa will have its world premiere on March 8 at SXSW Festival in Austin before streaming on Hulu on March 13, 2025.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. (The Trial of the Chicago 7), Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus), and Regina Hall (Nine Perfect Strangers) also star. Patti Cake$‘s Geremy Jasper wrote and directed, with Michael Gottwald and Noah Stahl producing.
“Set in a post-apocalyptic future, O’Dessa is an original rock opera about a farm girl (Sink) on an epic quest to recover a cherished family heirloom,” reads Searchlight Pictures’ synopsis. “Her journey leads her to a strange and dangerous city where she meets her one true love – but in order to save his soul, she must put the power of destiny and song to the ultimate test.”
Executive producers include Jonathan Montepare, Rodrigo Teixeira, and Alan Terpins.
Maggie promises a kidnapping victim she’ll save her in the teaser for CBS’s FBI season seven episode 12, “Manhunt.” Directed by Nelson McCormick from a script Bryce Ahart and Stephanie McFarlane, episode 12 will air on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 8pm ET/PT.
Missy Peregrym stars as Special Agent Maggie Bell, Zeeko Zaki plays Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, Jeremy Sisto is Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, and Alana De La Garza is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille. John Boyd plays Special Agent Stuart Scola and Emily Alabi is Agent Dani Rhodes.
“Manhunt” Plot: When the team’s sex trafficking sting operation goes sideways, they race to recover a human trafficking victim. Meanwhile, Maggie makes a connection with a 911 operator to help find the girl before she is whisked out of the city or worse.
FBI is a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This elite unit brings to bear all their talents, intellect, and technical expertise on major cases in order to keep New York and the country safe. Born into a multigenerational law enforcement family, Special Agent Maggie Bell commits deeply to the people she works with as well as those she protects. Her partner is Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, a West Point graduate via Bushwick who spent two years undercover for the DEA before being cherry-picked by the FBI.
Overseeing them is Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille, who operates under intense pressure and has undeniable command authority. The team also includes Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, the nerve center of the office whose ability to easily relate to and engage with both superiors and subordinates makes him a master motivator. Special Agent Stuart Scola is an Ivy League-educated Wall Streeter-turned-FBI agent. These first-class agents tenaciously investigate cases of tremendous magnitude, including terrorism, organized crime and counterintelligence.
Miranda July’s bestselling novel All Fours is being adapted into a series at Starz. Published in May 2024, July’s novel has spent 38 weeks on the Indie Bestseller List and was a National Book Award Finalist. It also made the New York Times‘ 2024 Top Ten Books of the Year list.
“A semifamous artist announces her plan to drive cross-country, from LA to New York,” reads the All Fours synopsis on Miranda July’s website. “Thirty minutes after leaving her husband and child at home, she spontaneously exits the freeway, beds down in a nondescript motel, and immerses herself in a temporary reinvention that turns out to be the start of an entirely different journey.”
Starz didn’t provide any details on when the series is likely to begin casting.
“I’m thrilled that All Fours has found a home at Starz,” stated author Miranda July. “I had an electric feeling from the moment we met; it was clear we were speaking the same language. Rather than shying away from all the messy contradictions within sexuality and desire, Starz really digs into the reality of who women are and what we want, which makes it the perfect place to bring my novel to life. This is going to be wild.”
Commenting on the acquisition, Starz’s President of Original Programming Kathryn Busby said, “We are honored that Miranda has entrusted us with the adaptation of her magnificent novel All Fours. As we continue to expand our boundary-pushing programming for adults, we’re excited to work with Miranda on this extraordinary story that resonates with women around the world.”
YouTube commenters on the teaser for ABC’s Will Trent season three episode seven seem really convinced they’ve figured out the killer’s identity. We’ll find out if they’re right when episode seven, “Mariachi Shelly’s Frankenstein,” airs on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 8pm ET/PT.
Ramón Rodríguez leads the cast as the titular character. Erika Christensen stars as Angie Polaski, Iantha Richardson is Faith Mitchell, Jake McLaughlin is Michael Ormewood, and Sonja Sohn is Amanda Wagner. Gina Rodriguez joins the cast as Marion Alba for season three.
“Mariachi Shelly’s Frankenstein” Plot: In the midst of a tropical storm, the APD and GBI race against time to clear the name of an innocent man, uncovering shocking secrets that suggest the killer may be closer than they ever thought.
Erika Christensen and Ramon Rodriguez in ‘Will Trent’ season 3 episode 7 (Disney/Zac Popik)
Will Trent Series Description, Courtesy of ABC:
Based on Karin Slaughter’s New York Times bestselling Will Trent series, Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. Now, Will uses his unique point of view in the pursuit of justice and has the highest clearance rate in the GBI.
Gina Rodriguez and Federico Rodriguez in season 3 episode 7 (Disney/Wilford Harewood)Kevin Daniels, Sonja Sohn and Iantha Richardson in season 3 episode 7 (Disney/Wilford Harewood)Gina Rodriguez in season 3 episode 7 (Disney/Wilford Harewood)Erika Christensen, Ramon Rodriguez and Gina Rodriguez in ‘Will Trent’ season 3 episode 7 (Disney/Zac Popik)Kyrie McAlpin and Antwayn Hopper in season 3 episode 7 (Disney/Zac Popik)
Michelle Williams as Molly and Jenny Slate as Nikki in ‘Dying for Sex’ (Photo CR: Sarah Shatz/FX)
Five-time Oscar nominee Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans) and Jenny Slate (It Ends with Us) star in FX’s upcoming limited series Dying for Sex, based on the true story of a woman’s journey after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. The drama debuts on Hulu on April 4, 2025, with all eight episodes available for binge-watching.
The cast includes Jay Duplass (The Creep Tapes), Kelvin Yu (Bob’s Burgers), David Rasche (Succession), Esco Jouléy (State of the Union), Rob Delaney (Bad Monkey), and Oscar winner Sissy Spacek (Night Sky).
“FX’s Dying for Sex is inspired by the story of Molly Kochan, originally shared on a Wondery podcast created with her best friend, Nikki Boyer. After Molly (Williams) receives a diagnosis of Stage IV metastatic breast cancer, she decides to leave her husband, Steve (Duplass) and begins to explore the full breadth and complexity of her sexual desires for the first time in her life,” reads FX’s synopsis. “Gird yourself, Molly has a lot to accomplish in the little time she has left. There’s no time for pearl clutching or passing judgement, Molly has no interest in what you think about her proverbial bucket list (btw, this phrase will always provoke an eye roll).
She gains the courage to embark on this adventure from her ride or die Nikki (Slate), a woman whose love and devotion will compel you to pick up the phone and call that friend already!”
Kim Rosenstock and Elizabeth Meriwether co-created the series and serve as writers and executive producers. Additional executive producers include Michelle Williams, Nikki Boyer, Katherine Pope, Kathy Ciric, Shannon Murphy, Leslye Headland, and Wondery’s Hernan Lopez, Jen Sargent, Marshall Lewy, and Aaron Hart.
Morfydd Clark as Galadriel in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2 (Credit: Ben Rothstein / Prime Video)
Prime Video’s The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power has officially been renewed for a third season. The upcoming season will see a leap forward in time, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Season three is currently in pre-production, with filming expected to begin this spring at its new home, Shepperton Studios.
Prime Video’s renewal announcement did not indicate returning cast members or include a description of the upcoming season. However, The Hollywood Reporter offered this synopsis: “Season three takes place at the height of the War of the Elves and Sauron, as the Dark Lord seeks to craft the One Ring that will give him the edge he needs to win the war and conquer all Middle-earth at last.”
Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri, and Stefan Schwartz are on board to direct season three episodes. Brändström was a co-executive producer and directed episodes of the first and second seasons. Hamri directed episodes in season two, and Schwartz is a newcomer to the world of Middle-earth.
“The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power continues to captivate audiences worldwide, and we’re thrilled that a third season is underway. The creative team has an extraordinary vision of what’s to come with stories that have left us enchanted and enthralled,” stated Vernon Sanders, head of television, Amazon MGM Studios. “We look forward to continuing this epic journey, for our global customers, delving even deeper into the legendary tales that shaped Middle-earth.”
J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are the showrunners and executive produce. Additional executive producers include Brändström, Lindsey Weber, Justin Doble, and Kate Hazell. Matthew Penry-Davey serves as a producer.
Charlie Vickers in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Prime Video)
A look back at season two:
“In season two of The Rings of Power, Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without an army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will,” reads Prime Video’s synopsis. “Building on Season One’s epic scope and ambition, the new season plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity.
Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots—as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all… each other.”
Peyton List as Maddie Nears in ‘School Spirits’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/Paramount+)
Paramount+’s School Spirits season two episode five opens with Maddie (Peyton List) in a rage, smashing lunch trays out of the livings’ hands. She’s pissed Janet’s in her body and living in her house with her mom.
Speaking of Maddie’s mom, she’s concerned because Maddie doesn’t want to talk to her friends. Not even Simon. Sandra suggests a psychiatrist, and Janet’s instantly on the defensive. Janet decides the best option is to appease Maddie’s mom and ask Maddie’s friends over for dinner.
Over at the school, Quinn’s hoping to enter her scar/hellscape by holding her horn. It doesn’t work, and Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin) assures her she’s lucky it didn’t happen. Their scars are terrifying. As they’re talking, Rhonda finds Mr. Martin’s watch on the ground by the bus stop. The ghost gang, minus Maddie, gather and are now pretty sure Mr. Martin left by possessing someone’s body.
Simon (Kristian Ventura) shows Maddie a text from Sandra inviting them over for dinner. Maddie wonders whose idea it was, but Simon’s sidetracked by the idea that dead chem teacher Mr. Martin is walking around in someone’s body, and they don’t know whose. Simon’s forced to break the bad news that Sandra will not let Janet/Maddie come back to school anytime soon.
Maddie insists that Simon needs to go to dinner at her house, but they need to come up with a plan first. However, that means the ghosties and Maddie’s living BFFs will have to put their brains together to figure out what to do.
Simon sets up seats with photos of Rhonda, Wally, and Charley on the school’s stage, along with chairs for himself, Claire, Xavier, and Nicole. Maddie confirms the ghosts are seated, and the living invade the ghosts’ spaces while examining their school photos. Nicole (Kiara Pichardo) thinks she’d be friends with Charley, and Charley (Nick Pugliese) reacts by declaring he loves her.
Xavier (Spencer MacPherson) stares Rhonda straight in the eyes instead of looking at her photo!
They exchange awkward hellos, and Claire (Rainbow Wedell) confesses she can’t wait to graduate from this creepy school. The ghosts react as you’d expect to that comment, and Maddie has Simon remind them they can see and hear the living.
Simon tells everyone that they need to devise a plan to get Janet back to the school so Maddie and her ghosties can do the body swap. Maddie and the ghosties provide the deets on Janet. Wally (Milo Manheim) suggests they need to treat this as a hostage situation, with Janet being the terrorist. He’s pretty sure they need a bazooka, and Maddie shoots that down since that would definitely injure her body.
Xavier thinks they should pour salt on Janet since ghosts hate that. The ghosts laugh and think that would be great for doing body shots but not much else. Claire suggests they make Janet think the school isn’t scary anymore. They won’t mention Mr. Martin, and they’ll gently let her know they know she’s a ghost. Claire shocks herself by coming up with that suggestion.
Score one for the cheerleader! Even the ghosts agree that’s a fantastic idea. Maddie tells Simon they need to let Janet know that Dawn crossed over. Janet should know how that happened, and it would mean she won’t be stuck at school forever.
Meanwhile, Janet pours through Maddie’s photos and possessions, absorbing as much about her group of friends as possible. She also practices smiling and laughing like Maddie.
After the meeting of Maddie’s friends breaks up, Nicole tells those who are still breathing that she found a photo of Janet in the yearbook. She’s posing with a guy named Eugene who’s still alive and in a nursing home. Maybe they should visit him to get more info on Janet. Or maybe they could even use him as bait. Xavier, Simon, and Claire are worried Janet might not like Eugene and last time she didn’t like someone, she backed over them.
Maddie believes she can take Mr. Martin’s watch down to the boiler room and open up Janet’s scar. It’s the hellhole where Mr. Martin, Janet, and Maddie collided, so it might be where she needs to try to get answers. Maddie offers to go there by herself while Charley and Wally continue to focus on looking for info in Mr. Martin’s notebooks about the body swap.
Ci Hang Ma as Quinn and Sarah Yarkin as Rhonda in ‘School Spirits’ season 2 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/Paramount+)
And now we get a little more of Rhonda’s backstory when she fetches Quinn from the band room. Rhonda hates being in this room because it brings up memories of Margery. Quinn’s stunned to learn Rhonda was friends with Margery, an alum who became a one-hit wonder. Rhonda and Margery wrote songs together, but only Margery was credited.
Later, Rhonda finds Quinn listening to Margery’s only hit. Rhonda admits she’s never made it past the second verse because her best friend wrote it about her. Even Margery blamed her for her own murder and wrote the song mocking her for trusting that teacher. That’s how all her classmates remember her.
Wally’s brain hurts from thinking so much, so it’s a good thing that Yuri (Miles Elliot) shows up to help out. (Yuri never ever leaves the pottery studio!)
Maddie walks around the boiler room holding Mr. Martin’s watch, and suddenly a red glow appears. She opens a door and steps back into a classroom engulfed in flames. She finds a lab coat that says Janet Hamilton PhD on the floor. Trophies and articles on Janet show she was an aspiring chemist who could have gone far had she not died. Snippets of new reports fill the air, revealing Janet could have graduated at the top of her class at MIT and won the Nobel Prize.
Janet, face half-destroyed by fire, whispers, “I was robbed,” in Maddie’s ear.
Back at the library, Yuri grabs a physiology book, which gives Charley a moment to panic about whether Yuri’s into him. Wally is sure he is. Why else would he be helping them? Yuri returns and he’s figured out Mr. Martin was writing about dopamine and serotonin. If Mr. Martin had manipulated those, he could have opened access points.
Nicole visits the Red Pine nursing home alone, and Eugene confirms he and Janet were close friends. A flashback shows Mr. Martin in a rotten mood after learning he was told to leave his teaching position in two weeks. The memories are painful, and Eugene refuses to talk about the fire. However, he says that neither Mr. Martin nor Janet would have made an accidental mistake that caused it.
Maddie joins Yuri, Rhonda, Wally, and Charley in the library to listen in on the dinner. (Simon called the phone before he left and kept the line open.) Sandra greets Simon and the gang at the door and warns them Maddie may seem a little off. They should keep the conversation light.
Janet apologizes to everyone for what she put them through. It’s super awkward, and finally, Xavier asks for the salt. (He’s dead set on testing his theory.)
A scene from ‘School Spirits’ season 2 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/Paramount+)
The audio on the phone in the library is horrible and they can barely make out what’s being said. But it doesn’t matter, Maddie’s heard enough. It’s too painful to hear her friends at her house talking to the ghost who possessed her body.
Simon and Claire lie about a new telescope that’s just been mounted on the school’s roof, preloaded with 40,000 celestial objects. A wealthy alumnus donated money to the science department, and now they’re offering AP Astronomy.
They catch Janet knowing something about the history of telescopes that Maddie would never have known, confirming that Janet’s in Maddie’s body once and for all. Xavier continues to play with salt, as Claire suggests Maddie should sneak into school and check it out. Simon says she could take the class, and Sandra breaks the news that Maddie’s finishing school online.
Wally joins Maddie at the school’s pool, and Maddie reveals she got into Janet’s scar. Since visiting Janet’s hellscape, Maddie thinks Janet deserves to live. Janet will have a much brighter future than Maddie would ever have. Maddie now knows Janet wanted to make a difference and was brilliant. “She’ll live a bigger life than me, Wally,” says Maddie.
Wally agrees that might be true, but the rest of us carry small gifts that are just as important to those whose lives they touch. Although he’d love it if Maddie were stuck there with him, he believes she deserves to live. They stare into each other’s eyes and kiss, falling into the pool in the process. The kissing continues in the water.
Back at Maddie’s house, Xavier “accidentally” spills salt on Janet as Simon and Claire keep talking up the telescope. Nothing works, and suddenly Nicole says, “Eugene Berkstrom misses you.” Janet is speechless and then looks around the table, realizing the friends are onto her. She rushes into the kitchen and Sandra follows, asking about Eugene. Janet claims he’s just a boy at school and that she’s tired and wants to send her friends home.
Claire and Simon insist Nicole screwed up by mentioning Eugene. Nicole points out their telescope plan wasn’t getting anywhere, and everyone tells Xavier that staring at Janet without blinking wasn’t helping. Nicole finally confesses she saw Eugene and that Mr. Martin probably set the fire that killed him and Janet.
Simon speaks to Janet alone in the kitchen, insisting she can trust them not to blow her cover. He tells her that Mr. Martin’s gone and Dawn crossed over, which means she can, too. Unfortunately, the custodian starts vacuuming the school library and Janet hears the noise coming from the phone in Simon’s pocket. She grabs it and places it in boiling water.
Janet warns Simon it’s time for him to leave, holding a knife to get her point clearly across.
Since Janet hung up, the ghosts can’t listen anymore. Quinn convinces Rhonda to go with her to the band room; she has something to share. After Quinn and Rhonda leave, Yuri thanks Charley for finding him and making him leave the pottery studio.
Wally and Maddie have fun in the pool, discussing the afterlife and how Wally imagines the great beyond. He doesn’t think it will ever get better than this.
Over at Maddie’s, Simon and Claire are still upset that Nicole visited Eugene. Before leaving, Xavier asks Sandra about a framed photo and realizes the fisherman he saw when he was dying in the hospital is Maddie’s dead dad! He posts a message on the Weird Wisconsin board to his friend and Nicole reads it, suddenly realizing she’s been talking to Xavier this whole time.
Quinn has Rhonda listen to the next verse of Margery’s song. Quinn’s written down the lyrics, and it’s obvious that Margery was calling herself, not Rhonda, a fool. Margery blamed herself for not helping Rhonda when she needed her. Margery’s song is about how much she misses Rhonda and the place that she held in her heart.
“Maybe we’ve all been looping on the wrong things,” says Quinn. Rhonda asks to keep the paper with the lyrics and smiles with tears in her eyes as she thanks Quinn.
Miles Elliot as Yuri and Nick Pugliese as Charley in ‘School Spirits’ season 2 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Ed Araquel/Paramount+)
Yuri and Charley keep thinking about ways to get Janet to give up Maddie’s body. Yuri’s sure Janet’s freaking out but not showing it. Charley makes his move, sort of, and asks Yuri to go with him to Wally’s class reunion. Charley makes it clear it’s a party not a date and Yuri replies, “Why can’t it be?” and then smiles.
Wally and Maddie are walking through the hallway when they hear Mr. Anderson. He’s not sure what’s going on but is happy to see Maddie. He hugs her and Wally, and then wonders who Wally is. Mr. Anderson says he took a box to his car and came up to get the other one, but it keeps unpacking itself. Mr. Martin must have taken Mr. Anderson’s body!
Nicole, Xavier, Simon, and Claire are still parked outside Maddie’s house when Mr. Anderson pulls up. They’re shocked and do not know why he’d show up there. Mr. Anderson hands Sandra a novel to give to Maddie, happy to hear she’s back home. He promises to come back by tomorrow.
Janet takes the trash out, including Fahrenheit 451, the book Mr. Anderson just dropped off. She’s beside the trashcan when a hooded figure puts a pillowcase over her head from behind.
The promo for Fox’s Doc episode seven teases the return of someone disturbing from Sonya’s past. Episode seven, “Secrets and Lies,” will air on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.
Molly Parker plays Chief of Internal Medicine Dr. Amy Larsen, Omar Metwally is Dr. Michael Hamda, Amirah Vann is Dr. Gina Walker, Jon Ecker is Dr. Jake Heller, and Anya Banerjee is Dr. Sonya Maitra. Season one guest stars include Scott Wolf as Dr. Richard Miller and Patrick Walker as Dr. TJ Coleman.
“Secrets and Lies” Plot: Sonya wrestles with treating a guy from her past and must rely on Amy to help her. Richard (Scott Wolf) deals with a family situation. Jake and TJ debate the moral implications of a diagnosis.
After a late-night car crash results in severe head trauma, Amy wakes up from surgery with no recollection of the patients she’s treated, the colleagues she’s crossed and the tragedy that caused her to push almost everyone away. The relief that Amy gets from seeing her family post-accident is fleeting when she learns the incomprehensible – that she and her beloved husband, Dr. Michael Hamda have been divorced for four years. In fact, her entire family is not at all as she remembers them, rocking her foundation to the core.
Amy’s best friend, neuropsychiatrist Dr. Gina Walker, has little guidance to give her for this new reality since matters of the brain are, even to the experts, still a big mystery. While Gina is hopeful, she does not know if Amy will ever recover her memories. In Amy’s fragile state, Gina must choose carefully what information from the past eight years to reveal to her, scared that too much too soon could prove more harmful than good. This includes her secret romance with Dr. Jake Heller, since Amy now has no recollection of ever meeting him before, let alone being in a passionate relationship with him. Certain other memories, those close to her believe, would perhaps be too painful to relive and are best left forgotten.
In a fateful irony, that’s the fervent hope for Amy’s colleague, Dr. Richard Miller, who has now been promoted to take over as Chief of Internal Medicine after Amy’s accident. Richard is desperate for Amy’s memories to never return since she was the only person to uncover his career-ending mistake – another thing she now doesn’t recall.
And Richard isn’t alone in relishing Amy’s predicament – her previously contentious and unkind behavior left her with more than a few enemies at the hospital, including Dr. Sonya Maitra. While she does remember Dr. TJ Coleman, she does not recall that he became a doctor – nor that it was she who inspired him to do so.
Feeling completely off balance and having to piece together what happened through the prism of other people’s subjective points of view, practicing medicine remains the one constant for Amy, and she is determined to become a doctor again. While she may never get back what she’s lost, Amy knows she’s been given a second chance to do things differently and she will not take that gift for granted.
Fans of the original animated How to Train Your Dragon film waiting to see how the live-action version separates itself will have to wait a while longer. The full trailer for the reimagined live-action/CGI adaptation looks pretty much like the original film, although it is fun to see Gerard Butler fully embrace Stoick the Vast in the flesh.
Mason Thames stars as Toothless’ BFF, Hiccup. The cast also includes Nico Parker, Nick Frost, Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James, Harry Trevaldwyn, Ruth Codd, Peter Serafinowicz, and Murray McArthur. The original film’s writer and director, Dean DeBlois, returns in those capacities for the new take on Cressida Cowell’s bestselling book series.
DeBlois also serves as a producer along with Marc Platt and Adam Siegel.
Night Fury dragon, Toothless, and Hiccup (Mason Thames) in Universal Pictures’ live-action ‘How to Train Your Dragon’
“On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast, Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society,” reads DreamWorks’ synopsis. “With the fierce and ambitious Astrid and the village’s quirky blacksmith Gobber by his side, Hiccup confronts a world torn by fear and misunderstanding.
As an ancient threat emerges, endangering both Vikings and dragons, Hiccup’s friendship with Toothless becomes the key to forging a new future. Together, they must navigate the delicate path toward peace, soaring beyond the boundaries of their worlds and redefining what it means to be a hero and a leader.”
How to Train Your Dragon will be released in theaters on June 13, 2025.
