Even if you aren’t caught up on the last few episodes of Sons of Anarchy, it’s okay to check out Theo Rossi (‘Juice’) explaining the FX series created by Kurt Sutter. Rossi manages to sum up the key characters during the 30-second video courtesy of Entertainment Weekly, explaining how each central character is connected.
However, if you want to avoid spoilers, don’t read any comments on the Youtube video.
Watch the video:
The Weinstein Company’s The Imitation Game directed by Morten Tyldum has been named the winner of the 26th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Ensemble Performance Award. The cast – Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Allen Leech, Matthew Beard, Charles Dance and Mark Strong – will receive the honor at the January 3, 2015 awards gala in Palm Springs.
“The Imitation Game is one of the very best ensembles to grace the screen this season,” said Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley lead an outstanding cast in The Imitation Game, a film about Alan Turing as he attempts to crack Germany’s Enigma machine. The Palm Springs International Film Festival is proud to present the entire cast of The Imitation Game with the Ensemble Performance Award.”
The Imitation Game cast joins a list of 2015 Palm Springs Film Festival winners that includes Julianne Moore, Reese Witherspoon, Rosamund Pike, Eddie Redmayne, and J.K. Simmons.
The Imitation Game Plot:
During the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to investigate a reported burglary. They instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of ‘gross indecency’, an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offense of homosexuality – little did officials know, they were actually incriminating the pioneer of modern-day computing.
Famously leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers, he was credited with cracking the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany’s World War II Enigma machine. An intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant, complicated man, The Imitation Game follows a genius who under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the war and, in turn, save thousands of lives.
Flight of the Conchords‘ creators Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi team up for What We Do in the Shadows, writing, directing, and co-starring in the vampire comedy which is offering up a new trailer. The cast also includes Flight of the Conchords‘ Rhys Darby, Jonathan Brugh, Cori Gonzalez-Macuer, Stu Rutherford, and Jackie Van Beek.
What We Do in the Shadows opens in theaters on February 13, 2015.
The Plot:
What We Do in the Shadows chronicles the adventures of four vampire roommates trying to get by in a modern world that’s not always hospitable to the undead. Clement and Waititi co-wrote, co-directed, and co-star in this hilarious send-up in which an endearingly unhip quartet of friends reveal to us or, rather, to the documentary crew that’s filming them, the details of their daily-make that nightly-routine. Ranging in age from 183 to 8,000, and in appearance from adorably youthful to Nosferatu-crusty, they squabble over household chores, struggle to keep up with the latest trends in technology and fashion, antagonize the local werewolves, cruise clubs for lovely ladies, and deal with the rigors of living on a very, very strict diet.
Watch the trailer:
-By Rebecca Murray
Follow Us On:
Anna Kendrick is trapped by the Prince who thwarts her attempts to escape the ball by putting tar on the steps of the palace in this clip from Into the Woods. Directed by Rob Marshall and based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, Disney’s Into the Woods will open in theaters on December 25, 2014. In addition to Kendrick, the A-list cast includes Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Chris Pine, Daniel Huttlestone, Tracey Ullman, Christine Baranski, Lilla Crawford, and Johnny Depp.
The Plot:
Into the Woods is a modern twist on several beloved fairy tales, intertwining the plots of a few choice stories and exploring the consequences of the characters’ wishes and quests. This humorous and heartfelt musical follows the classic tales of Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone), and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy), all tied together by an original story involving a Baker and his Wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt), their wish to begin a family and their interaction with the Witch (Meryl Streep), who has put a curse on them.
Watch the video:
-By Rebecca Murray
Follow Us On:
Marvel has officially announced Benedict Cumberbatch as the star of the Doctor Strange film. Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Cumberbatch was in negotiations to take on the lead role in the Marvel movie, and now it’s been confirmed that he’ll be playing neurosurgeon Doctor Stephen Strange.
Scott Derrickson (Deliver Us From Evil) will direct from a script by Jon Spaihts.
Commenting on the casting, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said, “Stephen Strange’s story requires an actor capable of great depth and sincerity. In 2016, Benedict will show audiences what makes Doctor Strange such a unique and compelling character.”
Marvel and Disney are releasing Doctor Strange in theaters on November 4, 2016.
Cumberbatch’s credits include Sherlock, 12 Years a Slave, Star Trek Into Darkness, The Fifth Estate, The Hobbit films, War Horse, and The Imitation Game.
If you guessed “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is the top performed holiday song of all time, you’d be off by a few spots on the top 10 list. “Rudolph” came in at number eight and it turns out “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” is actually the most performed holiday song of the century, according to the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Normally, ASCAP releases an annual list of the most performed holiday songs of the year, however this year they’re changing things up by announcing a top 30 holidays songs of all time list in honor of the organization’s 100th birthday.
“Music reminds us that the holidays are supposed to be about togetherness and good cheer. These 30 ASCAP classics perfectly capture those themes and for many are a bridge to wonderful memories of days gone by,” said ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams. “The list is a testament to the enduring importance of great songs and songwriters. It’s also a reminder of the essential role that ASCAP and our members play in our lives, year after year. It simply wouldn’t be the holidays without ASCAP music.”
Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” cracks the list as the youngest tune to make the cut at just 20 years old. It’s also the #1 holiday ringtone of all time as well as Carey’s biggest international hit.
1. “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” (1934)
Written by Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie
2. “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)” (1944)
Written by Mel Tormé and Robert Wells
3. “White Christmas” (1941)
Written by Irving Berlin
4. “Winter Wonderland” (1934)
Written by Felix Bernard and Richard B. Smith
5. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1944)
Written by Ralph Blane and Hugh Martin
6. “Sleigh Ride” (1948)
Written by Leroy Anderson and Mitchell Parish
7. “Jingle Bell Rock” (1958)
Written by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe
8. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949)
Written by Johnny Marks
9. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (1945)
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
10. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (1943)
Written by Kim Gannon and Walter Kent
11. “Little Drummer Boy” (1941)
Written by Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone
12. “Silver Bells” (1950)
Written by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston
13. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1958)
Written by Johnny Marks
14. “Frosty the Snowman” (1950)
Written by Steve Nelson and Walter E. Rollins
15. “Blue Christmas” (1964)
Written by Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson
16. “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (1963)
Written by Edward Pola and George Wyle
17. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (1951)
Written by Meredith Willson
18. “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)” (1947)
Written by Gene Autry and Oakley Haldeman
19. “Do You Hear What I Hear?” (1962)
Written by Gloria Shayne Baker (SACEM) and Noël Regney (SACEM)
20. “Carol of the Bells” (1904)
Written by Mykola Leontovych and Peter Wilhousky
21. “Feliz Navidad” (1970)
Written by Jose Feliciano
22. “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” (1965)
Written by Johnny Marks
23. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” (1952)
Written by Tommy Connor (PRS)
24. “Last Christmas” (1984)
Written by George Michael
25. “Home for the Holidays” (1954)
Written by Robert Allen and Al Stillman
26. “Wonderful Christmastime” (1979)
Written by Paul McCartney (PRS)
27. “Happy Holidays” (from Holiday Inn) (1942)
Written by Irving Berlin
28. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994)
Written by Walter Afanasieff and Mariah Carey (BMI)
29. “Santa Baby” (1953)
Joan Javits, Philip Springer and Tony Springer (SOCAN)
30. “This Christmas” (1970)
Written by Donny Hathaway and Nadine McKinnor
-By Rebecca Murray
Follow Us On:
The drama Legends starring Sean Bean lives on at TNT. The network’s ordered a second season of the series loosely based on Robert Littell’s novel. TNT will be bringing back Legends for season two in 2015, however, they didn’t announce when we can expect to see the 10 new episodes.
Season one averaged 3.2 million viewers live, with the average jumping up to more than 6 million when the VOD, DVR, and on-demand viewings are added in.
In addition to Sean Bean, the cast of Legends includes Ali Larter, Tina Majorino, and Morris Chestnut.
The Plot:
In the series, Bean plays Martin Odum, an undercover agent working for the FBI’s Deep Cover Operations (DCO) division. Martin has the uncanny ability to transform himself into a completely different person for each job. But he begins to question his own identity when a mysterious stranger suggests that Martin isn’t the man he believes himself to be.
He’s back… Paramount Pictures has unveiled the official trailer for the reboot of the Terminator franchise, Terminator Genisys. The first full trailer shows Jason Clarke as John Connor pumping up his soldiers by telling them, “If we die tonight, mankind dies with us.”
The two-and-a-half-minute trailer also features Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese being sent back through time to protect Sarah Connor, played by Game of Thrones‘ Emilia Clarke, who greets Kyle with the classic Terminator line, “Come with me if you want to live.”
Everything’s been reset, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s back and looking as buff and badass as in past Terminator films. And, actually, overall, this is a pretty decent trailer that could win over some naysayers who were ready for the Terminator franchise to be permanently terminated.
Terminator Genisys opens in theaters on July 1, 2015.
Watch the trailer:
Game of Thrones, Orange is the New Black, and The Normal Heart were among the television series that earned nominations from the members of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). The Guild just revealed the list of nominees for outstanding achievement in television, new media, news, radio, and promotional writing, with winners set to be announced at the 2015 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 14, 2015.
DRAMA SERIES
Game of Thrones, Written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, George R.R. Martin, D.B. Weiss; HBO
The Good Wife, Written by Leonard Dick, Keith Eisner, Matthew Hodgson, Ted Humphrey, Michelle King, Robert King, Erica Shelton Kodish, Matthew Montoya, Luke Schelhaas, Nichelle Tramble Spellman, Craig Turk, Julia Wolfe; CBS
House of Cards, Written by Bill Cain, Laura Eason, Sam R. Forman, William Kennedy, Kenneth Lin, John Mankiewicz, David Manson, Beau Willimon; Netflix
Mad Men, Written by Heather Jeng Bladt, Semi Chellas, Jonathan Igla, David Iserson, Erin Levy, Matthew Weiner, Carly Wray; AMC
True Detective, Written by Nic Pizzolatto; HBO
COMEDY SERIES
Louie, Written by Louis CK; FX
Orange Is the New Black, Written by Stephen Falk, Sian Heder, Tara Herrmann, Sara Hess, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Lauren Morelli, Alex Regnery, Hartley Voss; Netflix
Silicon Valley, Written by John Altschuler, Alec Berg, Matteo Borghese, Jessica Gao, Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky, Carson Mell, Dan O’Keefe, Clay Tarver, Rob Turbovsky, Ron Weiner; HBO
Transparent, Written by Bridget Bedard, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, Ethan Kuperberg, Ali Liebegott, Faith Soloway, Jill Soloway; Amazon Prime
Veep, Written by Simon Blackwell, Kevin Cecil, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Georgia Pritchett, David Quantick, Andy Riley, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO
NEW SERIES
The Affair, Written by Dan LeFranc, Hagai Levi, Melanie Marnich, Eric Overmyer, Kate Robin, Sarah Treem; Showtime
The Knick, Written by Jack Amiel, Michael Begler, Steven Katz; Cinemax
Silicon Valley, Written by John Altschuler, Alec Berg, Matteo Borghese, Jessica Gao, Mike Judge, Dave Krinsky, Carson Mell, Dan O’Keefe, Clay Tarver, Rob Turbovsky, Ron Weiner; HBO
Transparent, Written by Bridget Bedard, Micah Fitzerman-Blue, Noah Harpster, Ethan Kuperberg, Ali Liebegott, Faith Soloway, Jill Soloway; Amazon Prime
True Detective, Written by Nic Pizzolatto; HBO
LONG FORM ORIGINAL
Deliverance Creek, Written by Melissa Carter; Lifetime
Return to Zero, Written by Sean Hanish; Lifetime
LONG FORM ADAPTED
Houdini, Written by Nicholas Meyer; Based on the book Houdini: A Mind in Chains: A Psychoanalytic Portrait by Bernard C. Meyer, M.D.; History Channel
Klondike, Parts One, Three and Six, Teleplay by Paul T. Scheuring, Parts Two, Four and Five, Teleplay by Josh Goldin & Rachel Abramowitz, Based on the book Gold Diggers by Charlotte Gray; Discovery Channel
The Normal Heart, Teleplay by Larry Kramer, Based on his play The Normal Heart; HBO
Olive Kitteridge, Teleplay by Jane Anderson, Based on the novel by Elizabeth Strout; HBO
“Pilot” (The Leftovers), Teleplay by Damon Lindelof & Tom Perrotta, Based on the book by Tom Perrotta; HBO
SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA – ORIGINAL
“Apocalypse No” (Bad Shorts), Written by Ben Zelevansky; luckybirdsmedia.com
“City of Angels” (Caper), Written by Amy Berg & Mike Sizemore; hulu.com
“Episode 1 – Nature” (F To 7th), Written by Ingrid Jungermann; youtube.com
“Episode 113: Rachel” (High Maintenance), Written by Katja Blichfeld & Ben Sinclair; helpingyoumaintain.com
“Episode 204” (Vicky and Lysander), Written by Damon Cardasis and Shannon Walker; youtube.com
“Episode 207” (Vicky and Lysander), Written by Damon Cardasis and Shannon Walker; youtube.com
ANIMATION
“Bob and Deliver” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Greg Thompson; Fox
“Brick Like Me” (The Simpsons), Written by Brian Kelley; Fox
“Covercraft” (The Simpsons), Written by Matt Selman; Fox
“Pay Pal” (The Simpsons), Written by David Steinberg; Fox
“Steal This Episode” (The Simpsons), Written by J. Stewart Burns; Fox
“Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Nora Smith; Fox
EPISODIC DRAMA
“A Day’s Work” (Mad Men), Written by Jonathan Igla and Matthew Weiner; AMC
“Devil You Know” (Boardwalk Empire), Written by Howard Korder; HBO
“Donald the Normal” (Rectify), Written by Kate Powers & Ray McKinnon; Sundance Channel
“Friendless Child” (Boardwalk Empire), Written by Riccardo DiLoreto & Cristine Chambers and Howard Korder; HBO
“The Last Call” (The Good Wife), Written by Robert King & Michelle King; CBS
“The Lion and the Rose” (Game of Thrones), Written for Television by George R.R. Martin; HBO
EPISODIC COMEDY
“The Cold” (Modern Family), Written by Rick Wiener & Kenny Schwartz; ABC
“Landline” (New Girl), Written by Rob Rosell; Fox
“Low Self Esteem City” (Orange Is the New Black), Written by Nick Jones; Netflix
“So Did the Fat Lady” (Louie), Written by Louis C.K.; FX
“Three Dinners” (Modern Family), Written by Abraham Higginbotham & Steven Levitan & Jeffrey Richman; ABC
“The Wilderness” (Transparent), Written by Ethan Kuperberg; Amazon Prime
COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Writers: Rory Albanese, Dan Amira, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Travon Free, Hallie Haglund, JR Havlan, Elliott Kalan, Matt Koff, Adam Lowitt, Dan McCoy, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Zhubin Parang, Owen Parsons, Daniel Radosh, Lauren Sarver, Jon Stewart, Delaney Yeager; Comedy Central
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Kevin Avery, Tim Carvell, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner; HBO
Inside Amy Schumer, Head Writer: Jessi Klein Writers: Emily Altman, Jeremy Beiler, Neil Casey, Kyle Dunnigan, Kurt Metzger, Christine Nangle, Dan Powell, Amy Schumer; Comedy Central
The Colbert Report, Writers: Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Aaron Cohen, Stephen Colbert, Rich Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Ariel Dumas, Glenn Eichler, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Sam Kim, Matt Lappin, Opus Moreschi, Tom Purcell, Meredith Scardino, Max Werner; Comedy Central
Jimmy Kimmel Live, Head Writers: Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Gary Greenberg Writers: Jack Allison, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Josh Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Bess Kalb, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeff Loveness, Bryan Paulk, Rick Rosner, Bridger Winegar; ABC
Saturday Night Live, Head Writers: Seth Meyers, Colin Jost, Rob Klein, Bryan Tucker Writers: James Anderson, Alex Baze, Michael Che, Mikey Day, Steve Higgins, Leslie Jones, Zach Kanin, Chris Kelly, Erik Kenward, Lorne Michaels, Claire Mulaney, Josh Patten, Paula Pell, Katie Rich, Tim Robinson, Sarah Schneider, Pete Schultz, John Solomon, Kent Sublette, Lakendra Tookes; NBC
Real Time with Bill Maher, Head Writer: Billy Martin Writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Bill Maher, Danny Vermont; HBO
COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS
The 68th Annual Tony Awards, Written by Dave Boone; Special Material by Jon Macks; CBS
71st Annual Golden Globe Awards, Written by Barry Adelman; Special Material by Alex Baze, Dave Boone, Robert Carlock, Tina Fey, Jon Macks, Sam Means, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Mike Shoemaker; NBC
2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards, Written by Gerry Duggan, Wayne Federman, Patton Oswalt, Erik Weiner; IFC
Bill Maher: Live from D.C., Written by Bill Maher; HBO
Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles, Written by Sarah Silverman; HBO
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Hollywood Game Night, Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter; NBC
Jeopardy!, Written by John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius, Billy Wisse; ABC
DAYTIME DRAMA
Days of Our Lives, Written by Lorraine Broderick, David Cherrill, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Christopher Dunn, Janet Iacobuzio, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Melissa Salmons, Christopher Whitesell; NBC
General Hospital, Written by Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, Suzanne Flynn, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Chris Van Etten; ABC
CHILDREN’S SCRIPT – EPISODIC AND SPECIALS
“Girl Meets 1961” (Girl Meets World), Written by Matthew Nelson; Disney Channel
“Haunted Heartthrob” (Haunted Hathaways), Written by Bob Smiley; Nickelodeon
“Haunted Sisters” (Haunted Hathaways), Written by Boyce Bugliari & Jamie McLaughlin; Nickelodeon
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS
“Losing Iraq” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
“United States of Secrets: Privacy Lost (Part Two)” (Frontline), Written by Martin Smith; PBS
“United States of Secrets: The Program (Part One)” (Frontline); PBS; Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“Episode Five: The Rising Road (1933-1939)” (The Roosevelts: An Intimate History), Written by Geoffrey C. Ward; PBS
“League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
“Standing Up in the Milky Way (Episode 1)” (COSMOS: A Space Time Odyssey), Written by Ann Druyan and Steven Soter; Fox
TV NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“50th Anniversary of JFK’s Assassination” (CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley), Written by Jerry Cipriano, Joe Clines; CBS News
CBS This Morning, Written by Duane Tollison, Chip Sorrentino, Bruce Meyer, Bill Crowley; CBS News
“Nelson Mandela: A Man Who Changed the World” (World News with Diane Sawyer), Written by Diane Sawyer, Lisa Ferri, Dave Bloch; ABC News
TV NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Nowhere to Go” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Oriana Zill de Granados & Michael Rey; CBS
RADIO DOCUMENTARY
“Three Shots Rang Out: The JFK Assassination 50 Years Later,” Written by Darren Reynolds; ABC News Radio
RADIO NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“6AM News,” Written by Philip Pilato; 1010 WINS Radio
“8PM Hour,” Written by Robert Hawley; WCBS-AM
“New York City Loses a Radio News Legend,” Written by Bill Spadaro; CBS Radio/1010 WINS
“World News This Week,” Written by Andrew Evans; ABC News Radio
RADIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Civil Rights at 50,” Written by Jane Tillman Irving; WCBS Radio
“Remembering Nelson Mandela,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS Radio News
ON-AIR PROMOTION (TELEVISION, NEW MEDIA OR RADIO)
“How I Met Your Mother,” Written by Dan Greenberger; CBS
“WABC-TV On-Air Promos,” Written by Brandon Nelson; WABC-TV
HBO’s new half-hour comedy series Togetherness will debut on January 11, 2015 at 9:30pm ET/PT. Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass and Steve Zissis created the series and Mark Duplass, Melanie Lynskey, Amanda Peet and Zissis star in the comedy about four adults struggling to keep their dreams alive as they approach 40.
Season one will have an eight-episode run.
The Plot:
Brett and Michelle are struggling to rekindle the spark in their relationship, which has puttered out from the stresses of marriage and children. When Brett’s friend Alex and Michelle’s sister, Tina, move in with them, the foursome engage in a tragically comedic struggle to follow their personal dreams, while still remaining good friends, siblings and spouses to each other.
Series regulars include writer-director-producer Mark Duplass as Brett Pierson, a straitlaced sound designer trying to rediscover himself as he nears his 40s; Melanie Lynskey as Michelle Pierson, eager to rekindle her passion for romance and life; Amanda Peet as Tina Morris, desperate to get her bouncy-castle business off the ground while looking for a husband; and Steve Zissis as struggling actor Alex Pappas, who nearly leaves town but is convinced by Brett to give his career one last try. Guest stars include Peter Gallagher as Larry, a movie producer; John Ortiz as David, a divorced dad campaigning for a charter school; and Mary Steenburgen as Linda, a free spirit who takes an interest in helping Brett come out of his shell.
Episode #1: “Family Day”
Debut date: SUNDAY, JAN. 11 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 11 (11:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), 12 (10:20 p.m.), 13 (8:30 p.m., 2:25 a.m.), 14 (12:05 a.m.), 15 (10:00 p.m.) and 16 (midnight)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 12 (11:20 p.m.), 15 (8:30 p.m.) and 17 (1:30 p.m.)
After Alex, a struggling actor, is evicted from his apartment, his best friend, Brett, a sound designer who’s married and has two young kids, tries to convince him to stay in LA. Meanwhile, Brett’s wife, Michelle, deals with her directionless big sister, Tina, who’s visiting from Houston. Following a group outing at the beach, Michelle and Brett clash while Tina confronts an ex, with Alex’s help.
Written by Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass & Steve Zissis; directed by Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass.
Episode #2: “Handcuffs”
Debut date: SUNDAY, JAN. 18 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 18 (11:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), 19 (11:55 p.m.), 20 (8:00 p.m., 2:00 a.m.), 21 (midnight), 22 (10:00 p.m.) and 23 (midnight)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 19 (9:00 p.m.), 22 (8:30 p.m.) and 24 (1:45 p.m.)
Tina tries to shake Alex out of his funk by enlisting him to help with her business and vowing to help him get the career of his dreams. Brett gets in trouble at work when his creative instincts rub co-workers the wrong way. Tina convinces Michelle to spice things up in the bedroom.
Written and directed by Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass.
Episode #3: “Insanity”
Debut date: SUNDAY, JAN. 25 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Jan. 25 (11:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), 26 (12:40 a.m.), 27 (8:30 p.m., 2:05 a.m.), 28 (midnight), 29 (10:00 p.m.) and 30 (midnight)
HBO2 playdates: Jan. 26 (9:00 p.m.), 29 (8:30 p.m.) and 31 (1:30 p.m.)
Brett’s invite to a movie premiere leads to an impromptu night on the town for everyone. Tina and Alex engage in a personal “mission,” Brett looks to mend a work relationship, and Michelle meets David, a divorced dad who wants to start a new charter school. Brett finds a way to cheer up Alex.
Written and directed by Jay Duplass & Mark Duplass.
Watch the trailer:
