Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez, Joe Mantegna and A.J. Cook in ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Michael Yarish / Paramount+, 2024)
Paramount+’s Criminal Minds: Evolution will return for season two on June 6, 2024, kicking off the new season with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes of the 10-episode season will stream on Thursdays.
The premiere date announcement included the first photos from season two*. The photos revealed the titles of episodes one, two, and five are “Gold Star,” “Contagion,” and “Conspiracy vs Theory.”
“In the wake of last season’s shocking finale, the upcoming all-new season of Criminal Minds: Evolution picks up as the FBI’s elite team of profilers investigates the deadly mystery of GOLD STAR. As the conspiracy unfolds, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is met with an unexpected complication when serial killer Elias Voit negotiates a deal that transfers him to federal custody in the BAU’s own backyard,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis. “The team faces its biggest threat yet and cannot emerge unscathed from the mind-bending consequences.”
Joe Mantegna returns to lead the cast as David Rossi. A.J. Cook stars as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau, Kirsten Vangsness is Penelope Garcia, Ryan-James Hatanaka is Tyler Green, and Aisha Tyler is Dr. Tara Lewis. Adam Rodriguez plays Luke Alvez, Paget Brewster is Emily Prentiss, and Zach Gilford plays Elias Voit. Emmy winner Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives) will guest star this season.
Erica Messer (Criminal Minds, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders) guides the series as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Breen Frazier, Chris Barbour, Glenn Kershaw, and Mark Gordon. ABC Signature and CBS Studios produce the series.
* – Season two is also referred to as Criminal Minds season 17.
Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Aisha Tyler as Dr. Tara Lewis, Adam Rodriguez as Luke Alvez, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau in season 2 (Photo Credit: Michael Yarish /Paramount+)Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope Garcia, Ryan-James Hatanaka as Tyler Green, A.J. Cook as Jennifer ‘JJ’ Jareau, Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in season 2 (Photo Credit: Michael Yarish / Paramount+)Joe Mantegna as David Rossi and Paget Brewster as Emily Prentiss in season 2 (Photo Credit: Michael Yarish / Paramount+)Poster for Paramount+’s ‘Criminal Minds: Evolution’ season 2
Dennis Boutsikaris in ‘Sugar’ season 1 episode 6 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Viewers’ patience finally pays off with the arrival of Apple TV+’s Sugar season one episode six. After teasing John Sugar’s big secret, episode six ends with the big reveal–one that I won’t mention here to keep the opening paragraph spoiler-free. But I’m curious to see what people say on social media and how many fans claim they already knew John’s secret.
And now on to the spoiler-filled episode six recap.
Episode five ended with David attempting suicide. Episode six begins with Margit (Anna Gunn) and Bernie (Dennis Boutsikaris) learning their son is alive but is permanently brain-damaged. The doctor brings up organ donation as David’s parents attempt to absorb the devastating news.
John Sugar (Colin Farrell) gets dressed, considers packing a gun, and then thinks better of it. He’s restless, just waiting for Charlie to call with news on Stallings. Very good boy Wiley senses John’s anxiousness and provides a little pet therapy as John waits for an update.
Meanwhile, Stallings (Eric Lange) and his associate, Manny, arrive at Stallings’ place and are greeted by his two Dobermans. Stallings’ female second-in-command says Carlos hasn’t checked in and Moss is on his way.
Charlie (Paula Andrea Placido) gives John the heads up, and John passes the info on to Ruby (Kirby).
John arrives at Charlie’s lookout location and learns Stallings is inside with a few armed associates and two dogs. The house has two doors and steps around the back. John asks Charlie to check on him if he’s not back in 10 minutes.
Colin Farrell in ‘Sugar’ episode 6 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
The dogs rush out to meet John as he walks up the driveway, but immediately calm down when he shushes them. They even allow John to pet them before trotting off.
John walks around inside the house, which seems deserted. However, thanks to Charlie, he’s aware there are people somewhere inside. John spots the locked room and then hears heavy breathing and crying. A woman with a hood over her head is seated at a table, and John mistakenly thinks she is Olivia. It’s not.
The female thug tricked him, and she’s armed with a shotgun. Stallings attacks from the side as the woman holds John at gunpoint. John cries out that he’s unarmed as Stallings delivers a beating. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone and deplores violence. That elicits a chuckle from Stallings, who claims John hasn’t experienced anything close to violence…yet.
Stallings threatens to have John shot in the knee and then his arm cut off. John insists all he wants is to bring Olivia home.
Charlie is intent on keeping watch and doesn’t react quickly enough. She’s approached before she can help John.
Stallings warns John that it’s already been decided and he’s a dead man. John doesn’t back down, demanding to know where Olivia is. If they tell him, he’ll allow them to surrender to the cops. If not … well, then he’ll kill them all. Stallings thinks that’s hilarious as John’s the only one who isn’t holding a weapon.
Stallings orders Manny to shoot him, but John reacts before Manny can squeeze the trigger. He uses Manny’s gun to shoot the woman in the stomach, takes out Manny with a bullet to the head, and shoots Stallings in the leg. Unfortunately, he’s concentrating on Stallings when the woman stabs him in the abdomen with a large knife. John squeezes off four more shots and finishes her off, but now he’s got a knife protruding from his stomach.
Stallings reaches for his gun and John shoots him in the shoulder. He pulls out the knife and then demands to know who told Stallings he was coming. Stallings doesn’t respond, so John checks the injured man’s phone. There’s a text message from a number John recognizes that reads: “Sugar is coming. GET OUT NOW.”
John asks, again, about Olivia and when Stallings doesn’t reveal her location, John shoots him in the head. Seriously injured, John walks through the house and finds a room full of dogs in cages. He heads to the one who’s the calmest and lets her out.
Suddenly, Stallings’ missing associate, Carlos, enters the house. He sees Stallings lying dead on the floor and then spots John on the couch. John’s shaky as he points his gun at Carlos but doesn’t shoot him. Instead, he asks for his phone and then lets him leave unharmed.
He calls Charlie and when it goes to voicemail, he realizes Stallings got her. His next call is to Melanie.
John holds his wound while walking down the driveway, confessing that he understands that not everything is like a movie. “Sometimes a thing is just a thing that happened uniquely in itself,” says John. He makes it to his car while thinking about the Kim Basinger/Russell Crowe movie LA Confidential. That movie about betrayal came to John’s mind because he’s going through something similar.
Elsewhere, Bernie visits his father, Jonathan (James Cromwell), who continues to recuperate at home from his recent heart attack. He fills his dad in on David’s condition, and Bernie takes much of the blame on himself for how David turned out. Life was too easy for him, and he grew up too fast and too privileged.
Bernie and Margit have decided to let David go. Jonathan reaches out his hand to comfort his son, as Bernie breaks down crying. Bernie sobs while holding his father’s hand.
John pulls up at a motel and knocks on one of the rooms. He’s covered in blood, and Melanie (Amy Ryan) is shocked by his appearance. He asks her to get medical supplies at a nearby drugstore, but his condition has her so worried that she refuses. Melanie is about to call 9-1-1 when John convinces her not to. He swears he’ll be fine and that he can’t go to a hospital. Melanie confirms she brought his bag and he has her call Henry, sure he’ll know what to do.
The phone’s ringing as he passes out.
Henry rushes over and John seems to be on death’s door. Melanie hasn’t left his side and helps Henry gently carry John to the bathroom. Henry’s brought a medical bag but needs Melanie to buy Betadine.
After she leaves, Henry locks the bathroom door and administers a shot in John’s arm. John slips into unconsciousness.
A short while later, Henry’s moved John into bed and he’s already looking a little better. Henry informs Melanie that he’s left some clothes for John, and that John shouldn’t be moved. Melanie’s confused and demands to know what’s going on. Why can’t she take him to a hospital? Henry doesn’t elaborate and leaves Melanie to watch over his friend.
Colin Farrell and Kirby star in ‘Sugar’ episode 6 (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Night’s fallen, and John slowly makes his way out of bed while Melanie continues sleeping. He nearly falls asleep at the wheel but stays awake long enough to drive to Ruby’s.
John tells Ruby that Stallings knew he was coming. She sees that he’s hurt and offers aspirin, and John loses his temper for a minute. He confesses he saw the text and knows she warned Stallings he was coming. “A man like him, a trafficker in humans … and you warned him about me!” says John.
Ruby claims she didn’t want him hurt and only warned Stallings and his thugs to leave. John asks if Charlie’s okay, and Ruby doesn’t know. (It’s obvious she believes Charlie is dead.) She also insists “none of this” was her decision, yet she can’t tell him the whole story. John knows Stallings grabbed Olivia for one of his high-class clients, someone like David, but he doesn’t know who. John also knows he is not supposed to find that person, and that Ruby’s protecting the client. That ultimately means that he’s protecting that person, too.
John realizes Ruby doesn’t want to do it, but she’s still unwilling to say why she’s doing it. Ruby’s only allowed to say that John needs to stop looking for Olivia. She claims “they” need John to stop looking. John asks the question we’re all dying to ask: “Who is they?”
Ruby doesn’t answer. She also won’t explain what they will do if he doesn’t stop. Ruby asks John to just trust that this is all for the good of the mission.
John asks for the aspirin now, and Ruby opens a kitchen drawer to retrieve it. However, she closes it, claiming the aspirin’s upstairs. Once she leaves, John opens the same drawer and sees aspirin inside it. He leaves the drawer open and takes off before Ruby returns from upstairs.
John drives home and reminds himself it’s not the first time his heart’s been broken. He also acknowledges he got too close to this case. However, it’s too late now. He’s in too deep and won’t stop.
John returns to the motel and quietly enters the bathroom, promising himself it’s okay to take a tiny little break just for tonight and go home. He prepares an injection from his special medical kit as he thinks about returning home.
And now, 31 minutes into season one episode six, the secret John’s been carrying is revealed. He injects himself in the neck and his body begins to transform. His reflection in the bathroom mirror reveals John’s only been posing as a human. He’s an alien!
CBS’s 2024-2025 fall primetime lineup will include the new dramas NCIS: Origins and Matlock as well as the new comedies Poppa’s House and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. CBS is also introducing the unscripted competition series The Summit hosted by Manu Bennett this fall.
Watson starring Morris Chestnut and Hollywood Squares with Drew Barrymore will debut mid-season.
The primetime newcomers join 18 returning series to make up CBS’s 2024-2025 schedule. Recently, CBS confirmed NCIS: Hawaii, So Help Me Todd, and CSI: Vegas have been canceled, and SWAT has returned from the dead. Young Sheldon and Bob Hearts Abishola are ending this season, with Blue Bloods airing its final season 14 episodes next year.
“This is another CBS primetime schedule that will break through the clutter and entertain a mass audience,” said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment. “We’re grateful to the creative talent who deliver the characters and stories, as well as the viewers who spend nights, seasons, and years with them.”
In addition to the 2024-2025 slate, CBS announced the Fire Country spinoff, Sheriff Country starring Morena Baccarin (Gotham), will debut during the 2025-2026 season.
CBS’s 2024-2025 Fall Schedule:
MONDAY – The popular comedy THE NEIGHBORHOOD returns for its seventh season at 8:00 PM, paired with the new comedy POPPA’S HOUSE at 8:30 PM. At 9:00 PM, the flagship series NCIS returns for season 22, as a powerful lead-in for the new drama NCIS: ORIGINS at 10:00 PM.
TUESDAY – FBI Tuesday returns with the top-rated lineup of the night. FBI opens the night at 8:00 PM, followed by FBI: INTERNATIONAL at 9:00 PM and FBI: MOST WANTED concluding the block of heroic storytelling at 10:00 PM.
WEDNESDAY – In the fall, the groundbreaking reality series SURVIVOR kicks off the night at 8:00 PM, serving as a compatible lead-in for the new reality series THE SUMMIT at 9:30 PM. The annual midseason winter break between the spring edition of SURVIVOR and the return of THE AMAZING RACE at 9:30 PM will be eventized with three game shows. A special primetime THE PRICE IS RIGHT AT NIGHT, hosted by Drew Carey, kicks off the festivities at 8:00 PM followed by the return of RAID THE CAGE, hosted by Damon Wayans, Jr. and co-host Jeannie Mai, at 9:00 PM, leading into a new edition of the HOLLYWOOD SQUARES, starring Drew Barrymore as the center square, at 10:00 PM.
THURSDAY – At 8:00 PM, the new comedy GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE leads into the #2 comedy series, GHOSTS, at 8:30 PM. The amusing new legal drama MATLOCK, starring Emmy and Academy Award winner Kathy Bates, debuts at 9:00 PM and serves as lead-in to the critically acclaimed #2 new series, ELSBETH, at 10:00 PM.
FRIDAY – Friday night features the return of S.W.A.T. at 8:00 PM followed by the hit drama FIRE COUNTRY at 9:00 PM. At 10:00 PM, BLUE BLOODS closes out the night as it returns for the second half of its 14th and final season. Following the conclusion of Blue Bloods in midseason, NCIS: SYDNEY leads off the night at 8:00 PM, with FIRE COUNTRY remaining in the 9:00 PM slot followed by S.W.A.T. at 10:00 PM.
SATURDAY – CBS’s Saturday night lineup features encore broadcasts of the Network’s popular dramas at 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM, followed at 10:00 PM by the true crime docuseries 48 HOURS, Saturday’s #1 non-sports primetime series.
SUNDAY – Sunday night begins at 7:00 PM with 60 MINUTES, television’s acclaimed #1 news program, followed at 8:00 PM by television’s new #1 series, TRACKER. At 9:00 PM, THE EQUALIZER, starring Queen Latifah, returns for a fifth season. During the first half of the season, when the CBS Sunday primetime lineup often has a delayed start due to late afternoon NFL broadcasts, the 10:00 PM slot will feature encore broadcasts of popular Network dramas. In midseason, after the end of football, TRACKER and THE EQUALIZER will provide a potent lead-in to the new drama WATSON at 10:00 PM.
NCIS: ORIGINS (Monday, 10:00-11:00 PM) NCIS: ORIGINS follows a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in 1991, years prior to the events of NCIS, and is narrated by Mark Harmon. In the series, Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid).
NCIS: ORIGINS stars Austin Stowell as young Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Kyle Schmid as Mike Franks, Mariel Molino as Special Agent Lala Dominguez, Tyla Abercrumbie as Field Operation Support Officer Mary Jo Sullivan and Diany Rodriguez as Special Agent Vera Strickland. Flagship series star Mark Harmon will narrate and executive produce.
MATLOCK (Thursday, 9:00-10:00 PM) MATLOCK stars Kathy Bates as the brilliant septuagenarian Madeline “Matty” Matlock, who, after achieving success in her younger years, decides to rejoin the workforce at a prestigious law firm where she uses her unassuming demeanor and wily tactics to win cases and expose corruption from within. Matty is assigned to Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), a senior attorney and key rainmaker with a thirst for justice, while Olympia’s ex-husband, Julian (Jason Ritter), the son of the head of the firm, is intrigued by Matty and her clever skills.
Matty works alongside the firm’s younger associates – the charismatic Billy (David Del Rio) and the uber ambitious Sarah (Leah Lewis) – as she endeavors to establish herself in her new high-stakes world. MATLOCK is a reimagining of the classic television series of the same name.
Montana Jordan and Emily Osment star in ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ (Photo Credit: Bill Inoshita / 2023 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc)
GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE (Thursday, 8:00-8:30 PM) GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE, the sequel to YOUNG SHELDON, follows Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy (Emily Osment) as they raise their young family in Texas while navigating the challenges of adulthood, parenting and marriage.
POPPA’S HOUSE (Monday, 8:30-9:00 PM) POPPA’S HOUSE, starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., features Wayans as legendary talk radio host and happily divorced “Poppa” who has his point of view challenged at work when a new female co-host (Essence Atkins) is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son (Damon Wayans Jr.), a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband.
POPPA’S HOUSE stars Damon Wayans as Poppa, Damon Wayans Jr. as Damon, Essence Atkins as Ivy, and Tetona Jackson as Nina.
THE SUMMIT (Wednesday, 9:30-11:00 PM) THE SUMMIT, hosted by Manu Bennett, follows 16 strangers embarking on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through the treacherous New Zealand Alps in an attempt to reach the peak of a distant, towering mountain. With their backpacks containing an equal share of $1 million, the group must traverse an exhausting distance in just 14 days in order to win the cash they are carrying. But not everyone will make it, as these strangers must work together to tackle the dangerous terrain, unforgiving Antarctic winds, heart-pounding challenges and gut-wrenching eliminations on their way to the peak.
Tracking them along this journey is the “Mountain’s Keeper” who will surprise the trekkers with brutal twists and force decisions that complicate an already grueling ascent. Morals and relationships will be tested when they must decide what to do if someone falls behind – because if the group fails to reach THE SUMMIT in time, all the prize money will be lost.
HOLLYWOOD SQUARES (Wednesday Beginning in January, 10:00-11:00 PM) HOLLYWOOD SQUARES, starring Drew Barrymore, is a classic game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win money and prizes. The “board” for the game is a vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants. The celebrities are asked questions and the contestants judge the legitimacy of their answers to win the game.
Award-winning actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore will take her place as the famed “center square” answering questions for the contestants.
WATSON (Premieres Sunday Mid-Season, 10:00-11:00 PM) WATSON takes place seven months after the death of the titular character’s friend and partner Sherlock Holmes at the hands of Moriarty. Dr. John Watson (Morris Chestnut) resumes his medical career as the head of a clinic dedicated to treating rare disorders. Watson’s old life isn’t done with him, though – Moriarty and Watson are set to write their own chapter of a story that has fascinated audiences for more than a century.
Watson is a medical show with a strong investigative spine, featuring a modern version of one of history’s greatest detectives as he turns his attention from solving crimes to solving medical mysteries.
SHERIFF COUNTRY SHERIFF COUNTRY stars Morena Baccarin as straight-shooting sheriff Mickey Fox, the stepsister of Cal Fire’s division chief Sharon Leone (Diane Farr of FIRE COUNTRY), who investigates criminal activity as she patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater while contending with her ex-con father and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter.
Do aliens exist and if so, why do they enjoy abducting humans? The team takes on an out-of-this-world case on Fox’s Alert: Missing Persons Unit season two episode nine. “Paul Miller” airs on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
Scott Caan stars as Jason Grant and Dania Ramirez is Nikki Batista. Ryan Broussard plays Mike Sherman, Adeola Role is Kemi Adebayo, and Alisha-Marie Ahamed is Wayne Pascal.
“Paul Miller” Plot: The MPU is on the case when a young boy claims his father was abducted by aliens as they were stargazing at a remote campsite. Jason and Nikki enlist Mike’s help in getting access to Braun’s computer files. And Kemi and Helen partner up and venture out into the field.
Alert: Missing Persons Unit is a procedural drama set in the Philadelphia Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit (MPU). Each episode features a heart-pounding, life-or-death search for a missing person headed by detectives Jason Grant and Nikki Batista. Together with the MPU team, their job is to find the missing or abducted and reunite them with their loved ones. Jason and Nikki, once married, have a very personal connection to these cases as their own young son went missing and was never found. The emotional toll of their son’s disappearance blew up their marriage, but even though they’ve moved on, their bond remains.
Nikki now runs MPU, where she and the team do for others what she wasn’t able to do for herself: bring a loved one back home. At MPU, she leads a highly skilled team, including her fiancé Mike Sherman, whom Nikki met when he was assigned to oversee the search for her son; Kemi Adebayo, a spiritually savvy detective with an astonishing knowledge base; and forensic anthropologist C (recurring guest star and newcomer Petey Gibson), who is a master at reconstructing the faces of those who have disappeared.
As the second season begins, the MPU team step into their new office in headquarters, where Jason and Nikki meet their new boss Inspector Hollis Braun (guest star Gil Bellows), who wants to keep a close eye on the team, particularly the unpredictable Jason Grant. Jason brings his old friend in to help with the case: master hacker Wayne Pascal, who he worked with in Afghanistan. Jason conveniently never told Nikki that Wayne was a woman (and a hot one!), which raises issues even as Nikki and Mike plan their wedding. Together, the team works to find the missing or abducted and help reunite them with their loved ones before it’s too late.
Oscar Isaac (Dune Part 1) and Kristen Stewart (Love Lies Bleeding) have committed to star in Flesh of the Gods, with filming expected to begin later this year. Panos Cosmatos (Mandy) is directing from a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker (The Killer), based on a story by Cosmatos and Walker.
“In glittering 80’s LA, married couple, Raoul (Oscar Isaac) and Alex (Kristen Stewart), descend each evening from their luxury skyscraper condo and head into an electric nighttime realm of 80’s Los Angeles,” reads the official synopsis. “When they cross paths with the mysterious and enigmatic Nameless and her hard-partying cabal, Raoul and Alex are seduced into a glamorous, surrealistic world of hedonism, thrills, and violence.”
Hyperobject Industries’ Adam McKay and Betsy Koch are producing along with Mad Gene Media’s Oscar Isaac and Gena Konstantinakos.
“This director, this writer, these incredible actors, vampires, choice 80’s punk, style and attitude for miles… that’s the film we’re bringing you today. We think it’s wildly commercial AND wildly artful. Our ambitions are to make a movie that ripples through popular culture, fashion, music, and film. Can you tell how excited I am?” stated Adam McKay.
WME Independent, CAA Media Finance, and XYZ Films are selling the thriller at the upcoming Cannes market.
“Like Los Angeles itself Flesh of the Gods inhabits the liminal realm between fantasy and nightmare. Both propulsive and hypnotic, Flesh will take you on a hot rod joy ride deep into the glittering heart of hell,” said director Panos Cosmatos.
At its core, The Fall Guy is a love letter to stunt performers. Everyone involved labels it as such. But it’s also so much more. Stuntman-turned-director David Leitch (Bullet Train, Deadpool 2) crammed his film with so many stunts, you could forget half of them and still come away impressed. And Drew Pearce’s script isn’t just action-packed; it’s got a sweet love story and a thrilling missing-person mystery that keeps things entertaining.
When was the last decent action-adventure romantic comedy? And when was the last time a summer box office season began with one? A lot is riding on The Fall Guy, which officially kicks off the 2024 summer season on May 3rd. And kick it does…as well as punch, jump, explode, and set on fire.
The prerelease buzz has been insane, thanks to Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt going all out to promote their film for months. If you managed to dodge all the trailers, clips, interviews, TV spots, and Gosling’s SNL hosting gig (which was the season’s best, BTW), you’re part of a super exclusive club. The hype machine was working overtime leading up to The Fall Guy’s release. Of course, that’s a double-edged sword. Fatigue could set in before it even opened. But working in its favor are the ever-charming Gosling and Blunt, two appealing actors it’s tough to tire of.
The Fall Guy’s inspired by the ‘80s TV series that ran for five seasons and starred Lee Majors and Heather Thomas. Gosling’s character shares the same name as Majors’ – Colt Seavers – but unlike the Colt in the series, Gosling’s Colt doesn’t have a side gig as a bounty hunter. He’s a full-time stunt man … that is until a broken back suffered during a fall sends his career in a different direction. Colt spirals a bit, working as a valet and dining on free burritos.
Producer Gail Meyer (Hannah Waddingham) calls Colt a year into his self-imposed retirement, begging for his help. Colt’s been egotistical superstar Tom Ryder’s stunt double for six years, and Gail needs him to fly to Australia ASAP for Tom’s current film. Colt’s immediate reaction is a straight-up no, but when Gail name-drops Jody Moreno, Colt is putty in Gail’s hands. Jody (Emily Blunt) is Colt’s ex who he ghosted after the accident. She was the director of photography on the film where he was injured, and now she’s the director of Tom’s latest film. Colt’s still got a thing for his ex, and Gail claims it’s Jody’s idea that he joins the production.
The truth is so much more complicated.
Jody wasn’t aware of Gail’s plan to bring Colt on board and doesn’t want him on her set. Thankfully, Colt’s friend, stunt coordinator Dan Tucker (Winston Duke), convinces her there isn’t really any other viable option.
Given that this is a rom-com, their reunion doesn’t go smoothly. Jody’s still upset about Colt vanishing, and even Colt’s good looks and charm can’t immediately melt the protective layer of ice around her heart. However, being able to set her ex on fire multiple times and slam him against a boulder starts to do the trick. Well, that and Colt crying in a car to Taylor Swift. It’s tough to remain angry at a man who sobs while listening to “All Too Well.”
Jody’s directorial debut, the alien invasion, sci-fi action thriller/romance Metalstorm, is over budget and now the star’s MIA. Gail swears Colt to secrecy and confesses she brought him in to find Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and save Jody’s film. Because stunt performers are just superheroes without cool nicknames, right? Colt’s still head over heels for Jody, so obviously he’s going to track down Tom even though he’s not cut out for life-or-death stuff.
The Fall Guy keeps the jokes flowing, from Tom’s Memento-level Post-It Note obsession to a French-trained ball-siccing dog to Colt hallucinating a unicorn after unintentionally getting high. And the San Diego preview audience found the repeated mentions of Jody hoping for a Metalstorm Comic-Con Hall H panel to be particularly hilarious. The jokes and references mostly landed, and the ones that didn’t were quickly forgotten when the action picked up again.
Blunt and Gosling have amazing chemistry and appear to have been game for pretty much anything. By the time the heart-pounding, spectacular final act arrives, you’re rooting for these two to team up again for a sequel. Maybe one that has Colt becoming a bounty hunter like Lee Majors’ character? Just throwing it out there.
The Fall Guy is a stunt extravaganza. Boat chases, fiery crashes, flying cars, hand-to-hand combat, and a world-record-holding cannon roll. (Stunt driver Logan Holladay rolled a car 8.5 times, breaking a record set in Casino Royale.) Leitch delivered on his promise to honor the unsung heroes of action films, and The Fall Guy serves as the best promotional campaign for an Oscar category for stunts. There’s no legitimate reason not to recognize this pivotal aspect of filmmaking.
The Fall Guy is an audience-pleasing, hilarious, action-packed way to kick off the summer. Gosling and Blunt totally get the assignment and let the badass stunt performers shine in this ridiculously fun movie.
(Make sure to stick around for the credits!)
GRADE: A
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for drug content, action and violence, and some strong language
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Running Time: 2 hours 6 minutes
Studio: Universal Pictures
The stunt team is led by Stunt Designer and Coordinator/second-unit director Chris O’Hara. The team includes Ben Jenkin, Justin Eaton, Logan Holladay, Troy Brown, Sunny Sun, Jonathan Eusebio, and Keir Beck.
The sixth and final season of Cobra Kai will arrive in three parts. Netflix dropped a short announcement video confirming that season six will wrap up the Karate Kid sequel, revealing that the last five episodes of the 15-episode final season won’t arrive until 2025.
Part 1 premieres July 18, 2024 followed by Part 2 on November 28, 2024. Part 3, dubbed “The Finale Event,” will finish up the series in 2025.
“Picking up with Cobra Kai eliminated from the Valley, our senseis and students must decide if and how they will compete in the Sekai Taikai — the world championships of karate,” reads Netflix’s synopsis.
Returning to lead the cast are Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRussa and William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, Season six also stars Courtney Henggeler as Amanda LaRusso, Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz, Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene, Mary Mouser as Samantha LaRusso, and Jacob Bertrand as Hawk.
Gianni Decenzo plays Demetri, Vanessa Rubio is Carmen, Peyton List is Tory, Martin Kove is John Kreese, Dallas Dupree Young is Kenny, Oona O’Brien is Devon, Griffin Santopietro is Anthony, Yuji Okumoto is Chozen Toguchi, and Alicia Hannah-Kim is Kim Da-Eun.
Counterbalance Entertainment’s Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg serve as writers and executive producers. Additional executive producers include series stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka along with Susan Ekins and Westbrook Studios’ Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett.
Fiona Dourif in ‘Chucky season 3’s finale (Photo by: SYFY)
When we spoke to Brad Dourif about season three of Chucky, he was actually with his daughter, Fiona. But, since Fiona only appears in the season finale, her interview was too much of a spoiler to run early. So, spoiler warning, only read this after you’ve seen the season three finale of Chucky.
Nica returned to witness Tiffany’s execution. Unfortunately for Nica, but fortunately for Chucky fans, Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly) escaped and Nica gave chase. This leads into a season four which creator Don Mancini has thought of, but is waiting for Syfy and USA to order.
Brad Dourif and Fiona Dourif Chucky Season 3 Interview:
How and where do we see Nica again?
Fiona Dourif: “Nica is hell-bent on getting what she deserves and will do anything she can to right the wrongs of the universe. If season four comes, sh*t gets even crazier.”
Brad Dourif: “I saw a shot when they were shooting of Fiona chasing after Tiffany, and it’s damn right scary. I don’t want that girl chasing me, man. It was pretty, pretty committed.”
Fiona Dourif: “I tell you, she is a bitch, that character. She deserves everything coming to her. Jennifer Tilly, on the other hand, is amazing. Love Jennifer Tilly.”
Has Don Mancini told you where this goes in season four?
Brad Dourif: “Yes, he’s told us where it goes. You never know for absolute sure that we’ll be back but if it is, it’s going to be the best one yet by far.”
Fiona Dourif: “It’s true, the pitch he told me on my birthday and I was howling in a restaurant it was so good. I don’t know for particular characters who will be back and what, but I know Chucky will be back. The season is so, so good. I hope we can do it.”
Brad Dourif: “The concept is really tight and great.”
You said Nica will be back?
Brad Dourif: “Based on what he said to me, yeah.”
Fiona Dourif: “Dad, I’m trying to not say that.”
We’ll save that until after the finale when we know Nica’s still alive at the end.
Fiona Dourif: “Oh, okay.”
Chucky and Brad Dourif as Charles Lee Ray in the season 3 finale (Photo by: Shane Mahood/SYFY)
Was it surreal doing scenes together with ghost Charles Lee Ray and Fiona as young Charles?
Fiona Dourif: “It was the first time me and my dad have been on screen together ever. So it’s a real gift. We were very excited to do it, and really grateful we got to.”
Brad Dourif: “And it was fun. We immediately relaxed and I felt like we were back in our living room when we were doing auditions together. It was just great.”
Fiona, do you want to have more scenes with the kids?
Fiona Dourif: “Oh, yeah. I love working with the kids. I also like the idea of different factors in the series teaming up together. We’ve been very much separated so these large scenes where it’s all these different characters that have been around for years are really fun to do. I look forward to it.”
Do you ever read something Don writes and go, what?
Brad Dourif: “Yeah, of course. Because he does things that are astonishing and you go, ‘Wow, is this going to work?’ Then you call Don up and say, ‘Don, is this going to work?’ And then he explains to you why it will work. And then a lot of times it’s not that at all. It’s just like, ‘This is great,’ most of the time. But yeah, there are times when you do that. If you’re going to think out of the box and you’re going to really change things, and that’s who you’re working with, somebody who’s really good that you’re going to be astonished.”
Fiona Dourif: “I didn’t think that young Charles Lee Ray was going to work. When he first pitched it to me, I was like, ‘You’re crazy.’ Then when we did the first camera test I still didn’t think it was going to work. Then when I saw it I thought it worked. Most of the people that I meet that talk about it say they thought it was my dad digitally made younger. So, it was cool. Don takes wild swings and we appreciate it.”
Well, I hope we do this again for season four or another movie.
Brad Dourif: “Me too. Incidentally, it’s going to be the best yet.”
Fiona Dourif: “The Dourifs are so excited for season four because we know the pitch and it’s so good that we just really want it. So, here’s hoping.”
After just three year, and after averaging 7.8 million viewers this season, CBS’s NCIS: Hawaii comes to a close with season three episode 10. Part two of the season/series finale was directed by Christine Moore from a script by Yalun Tu and Megan Bacharach. “Divided We Conquer” airs on Monday, May 6, 2024 at 10pm ET/PT.
Season three stars Vanessa Lachey as Special Agent in Charge Jane Tennant, Alex Tarrant as Kai Holman, Noah Mills as Jesse Boone, and Yasmine Al-Bustami as Lucy Tara. Jason Antoon plays Ernie Malik, Tori Anderson is Kate Whistler, and Kian Talan is Alex Tennant. LL Cool J recurs as Sam Hanna.
“Divided We Conquer” Plot: Following a devastating ambush with a deadly bioweapon, the NCIS team must track down a mysterious terrorist group before they can strike again.
The world’s most successful television series continues on the seductive shores of the Aloha State with NCIS: Hawai’i, where the first female Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor, Jane Tennant, has thrived and risen through the ranks by equal parts confidence and strategy in a system that has pushed back on her every step of the way. Together with her unwavering team of specialists, they balance duty to family and country while investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security, and the mysteries of the sun-drenched island paradise itself.
MGM+’s Billy the Kid season two part two trailer declares war is hell and shows Billy the Kid ready to take on the new sheriff of Lincoln County, Pat Garrett. The trailer also confirms part two will premiere on Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.
“In season two of Billy the Kid, Billy gets caught in the middle of the Lincoln County War, a murderous conflict driven by money, greed and corruption. After enjoying a monopoly, Murphy’s Store is no longer the only player in town when Englishman John Tunstall moves to Lincoln and sets off a commercial rivalry,” reads MGM+’s official synopsis. “Law and order is no match for cowboy gangs and a secret society. Wild chases and shootouts abound. There are innumerable ambushes and killings. No one is safe. After a pivotal assassination, things get very ugly, leaving Billy the Kid with an uncertain fate. Will he make it out of the Lincoln County War alive?”
Tom Blyth (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) leads the cast as William H. Bonney aka Billy the Kid. Daniel Webber stars as Jesse Evans, Eileen O’Higgins plays Kathleen McCarty, Sean Owen Roberts is Bob Olinger, and Dakota Daulby plays John Beckwith. Nuria Vegas is Dulcinea and Alex Roe stars as Pat Garrett.
Michael Hirst (Vikings) created the series and serves as writer and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Donald De Line, Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey. The popular Western is produced by MGM+ Studios and Amazon Studios: Pan-English Scripted TV, in association with Amblin Television and De Line Pictures.
