Sam Waterston as DA Jack McCoy in ‘Law & Order’ (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)
The longest-running cast member of NBC’s Law & Order is exiting the series. Sam Waterston, who stars as District Attorney Jack McCoy, will be leaving the series after 400+ episodes.
Waterson joined the primetime legal drama in 1994 and has earned Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, and Golden Globe nominations during his 20-year run. In 1999, he won the SAG Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series.
Waterson released the following statement acknowledging his departure:
“Greetings, you wonderful people. It’s a pleasure to talk directly like this to the backbone of Law & Order’s absolutely amazing audience. The time has come for me to move on and take Jack McCoy with me. There’s sadness in leaving, but I’m just too curious about what’s next. An actor doesn’t want to let himself get too comfortable. I’m more grateful to you than I can say. L&O’s continuing and amazing long run, along with its astounding comeback, is all thanks to you and Dick Wolf, but for whose vision, patience, perseverance, and unique combination of creative and business talents, none of this would have happened. I feel very blessed. I hope to see you all on the flip side.”
Waterston’s final episode will air on February 22, 2024.
In addition to Waterston, season 23 stars Hugh Dancy, Camryn Manheim, Odelya Halevi, Mehcad Brooks, and Reid Scott. Tony Goldwyn is joining the cast as the new district attorney.
“I want people to hear my voice and just forget their troubles for five minutes,” says Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse in the official trailer for Back to Black. After promising the film will show the love story behind one of the greatest albums of all times, the trailer ends with Abela as Amy saying, “I don’t write songs to be famous. I write songs ’cause I’ve got to make something good outta something bad.”
In addition to Marisa Abela (Industry), the cast includes Jack O’Connell (Ferrari), Eddie Marsan (Fair Play), and Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris). Sam Taylor-Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) directs from a screenplay by Matt Greenhalgh.
Back to Black was made with the full cooperation of Amy Winehouse’s estate. Alison Owen, Debra Hayward, and Nicky Kentish-Barnes served as producers, with Sam Taylor-Johnson, Anna Marsh, Ron Halpern, and Joe Naftalin executive producing.
“The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame from her early days in Camden through the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black that catapulted Winehouse to global fame,” reads Focus Features’ synopsis. “Told through Amy’s eyes and inspired by her deeply personal lyrics, the film explores and embraces the many layers of the iconic artist and the tumultuous love story at the center of one of the most legendary albums of all time.”
Focus Features will release Back to Black in theaters on Friday, May 17, 2024.
Stephanie Beatriz, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, and Lilah Richcreek Estrada join ‘A Classic Spy’ (Photo credits: Kevin Scanlon, Dimitrios Kambouris, Paul Smith / Photos Provided by Netflix)
Netflix’s untitled Mike Schur/Ted Danson comedy series has an official title – A Classic Spy – and 13 new cast members. The comedy, based on the Oscar-nominated documentary The Mole Agent, follows Ted Danson as Charles, a retired man who fills his hours working for a private investigator as a mole inside a secret organization. (Update: Netflix changed the title to A Man on the Inside.)
Mike Schur created the series and serves as an executive producer. Additional executive producers include Morgan Sackett, David Miner, Maite Alberdi, Marcela Santibañez, Julie Goldman, and Christopher Clements. The series is produced by Universal Television.
Netflix released the following A Classic Spy cast and character descriptions:
Mary Elizabeth Ellis (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) plays EMILY, a married mother of three boys who has to adjust when her father Charles (Danson) makes a surprising late-life career move and becomes an undercover detective.
Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) plays DIDI, the all-seeing, all-knowing managing director of the Pacific View Retirement Residence in San Francisco.
Lilah Richcreek Estrada (Chicago Med) plays JULIE, a San Francisco-based private investigator, Julie hires Charles to be her mole and pretends to be his daughter to maintain the ruse at the retirement home.
Two-time Tony nominee Stephen Mckinley Henderson (Fences, Dune) plays CALBERT, a transplant from Washington, D.C., Calbert is the stoic eyes and ears of the Pacific View community.
Two-time Emmy Award winner Sally Struthers (All In The Family) plays VIRGINIA, the vivacious life of the party, Virginia immediately takes a shine to Charles.
Eugene Cordero (The Good Place) plays JOEL, Emily’s husband, a supportive and exceedingly competent 10th grade science teacher.
Academy Award nominee Margaret Avery (The Color Purple) plays FLORENCE Virginia’s sweet best friend, Florence loves poetry and the Golden State Warriors in equal measure.
John Getz (Transparent) plays ELLIOTT, Pacific View’s resident lothario. Elliott immediately feels threatened by all the attention Charles gets when he moves in.
Four-time Emmy nominee Susan Ruttan (L.A. Law) plays GLADYS, a glamorous former costume designer from New York, Gladys lives next door to Charles at Pacific View.
Lori Tan Chinn (Joy Ride) plays SUSAN, the President of the Pacific View resident council, which she rules with an iron fist.
Clyde Kusatsu (Young Rock) plays GRANT, a Princeton grad at Pacific View, who is deeply concerned with you knowing he is a Princeton grad.
Marc Evan Jackson (Lessons In Chemistry) plays Evan, the client who hires Julie to investigate the theft of his mother’s necklace.
Jama Williamson (The Good Place) plays Beatrice, the Pacific View Activities Director, Beatrice has never had a bad day in her life.
Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Aidan (Sam Rockwell) in ‘Argylle’ (Photo Credit: Peter Mountain / Universal Pictures; Apple Original Films; and MARV)
Argylle isn’t likely to gain the fame and following of other fictional spies like James Bond, Jack Ryan, and Jason Bourne. The slick, charming spy with a weird box haircut is introduced in director Matthew Vaughn’s 2024 action comedy as the creation of reclusive author Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard).
The PG-13 film begins with the titular character (Henry Cavill) trapped in a room with multiple assassins. He quickly uses his skills and a smoke screen to escape and gives chase to a double agent (Dua Lipa) trying to flee the country.
Cut to Conway who’s doing a celebrity author reading to help publicize her latest novel. To her fans, Elly seems to have it all. Her writing’s so descriptive and realistic that fans even ask if she’s a real-life spy. She laughs and credits her success to the extensive research she does. That’s why her novels are so popular.
Elly’s relatively calm life takes a drastic change the following day when she, accompanied by her pet cat, travels by train to see her mother. A disheveled, homeless-looking drifter takes a seat across from her, introduces himself as Aidan (Sam Rockwell), and tells her that he loves her books. Oh, and he’s a real spy.
Before Elly can even start to take in what Aidan’s telling her, every other passenger on the train gets up and tries to kill her. Aidan whips into action, taking all of them out, with Elly watching in shock and awe as she keeps visually inserting her fictional spy, Argylle, protecting her instead of Aidan.
After saving her from the assassins and exiting the train via a backpack parachute, Aidan explains that her spy novels aren’t fiction but mirror a real-life evil spy organization called The Division. They’re after her because they believe she knows the location of a “master key,” which can expose them.
Directed by Matthew Vaughn (The King’s Man, Kick-Ass), Argylle is a bloated, convoluted, and derivative action comedy with too many twists and painfully silly action scenes. The film is simply ludicrous.
Sam Rockwell’s talents are wasted as Aidan, the goofy/grumpy master spy who’s protecting Elly. There’s hardly any difference between Rockwell’s Aidan and Francis, the character he played in the 2015 action-comedy Mr. Right. Actually, Francis was more likable.
Bryce Dallas Howard is miscast as the frumpy, anxiety-ridden, reclusive author who gets pulled into the world of espionage. Howard and Rockwell have zero chemistry on screen. In fact, Rockwell has more chemistry with the CGI pet cat.
The overused plot is a tired one: a quiet, anti-social author gets pulled into an adventure similar to the novels she writes. That was put to much better use in 1984’s Romancing the Stone, starring Kathleen Turner, or more recently in the 2022 movie The Lost City, starring Sandra Bullock. It’s been done to death…please stop!
Asinine, tedious, and trying way too hard to get laughs, Argylle is an early contender for the worst movie of 2024.
GRADE: D
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for strong violence and action, some strong language
Release Date: February 2, 2024
Running Time: 2 hours 19 minutes
Studio: An Apple Original Film released in theaters worldwide in partnership with Universal Pictures
Ben leaps back to the ’50s and into a treasure hunter on NBC’s Quantum Leap season two episode 10. “The Family Treasure” airs on Tuesday, February 6, 2024 at 10pm ET/PT.
Raymond Lee leads the cast as Ben Song, Caitlin Bassett stars as Addison Augustine, and Ernie Hudson returns as Herbert “Magic” Williams. Mason Alexander Park plays Ian Wright, Nanrisa Lee stars as Jenn Chou, Eliza Taylor is Hannah Carson, and Peter Gadiot is Tom Westfall.
“The Family Treaure” Plot: A cursed treasure hunt draws Ben to Mexico in 1953, putting him between two estranged siblings struggling with their late father’s legacy. As they navigate a series of lethal obstacles, Ben finds the real challenge lies in repairing this broken family’s bond.
Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song and Hollie Bahar as Sarah in ‘Quantum Leap’ season 2 episode 10 (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)
The Plot, Courtesy of NBC:
It’s been nearly 30 years since Dr. Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now, a new team, led by physicist Ben Song (Raymond Lee), has been assembled to restart the project in the hope of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.
Everything changes, however, when Ben makes an unauthorized leap into the past, leaving the team behind to solve the mystery of why he did it. At Ben’s side throughout his leaps is Addison (Bassett), who appears in the form of a hologram only Ben can see and hear. She’s a decorated Army veteran who brings level-headed precision to her job.
At the helm of the highly confidential operation is Herbert “Magic” Williams (Hudson), a no-nonsense career military man who has to answer to his bosses who won’t be happy once they learn about the breach of protocol. The rest of the team at headquarters includes Ian Wright (Park), who runs the Artificial Intelligence unit “Ziggy,” and Jenn Chu (Lee), who heads up digital security for the project.
Wilder Yari as Dean, Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song, and Hollie Bahar as Sarah in season 2 episode 10 (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)Wilder Yari as Dina in season 2 episode 10 (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)Hollie Bahar as Sarah, Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song, and Wilder Yari as Dina in season 2 episode 10 (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song and Wilder Yari as Dean in season 2 episode 10 (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)Nanrisa Lee as Jenn in season 2 episode 10 (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)Caitlin Bassett as Addison in season 2 episode 10 (Photo by: Jordin Althaus/NBC)
Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) finds it hard to look away from Colin Bridgerton’s (Luke Newton) eyes, describing them as the most remarkable shade of blue, in this 30-second clip from Netflix’s Bridgerton season three. The upcoming season arrives in two parts, with part one streaming on May 16, 2024. Part two follows on June 13th.
In addition to Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton, the third season stars Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton, Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton, Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, and Ruth Gemmell as Violet Bridgerton. Lorraine Ashbourne plays Mrs. Varley, Hannah Dodd is Francesca Bridgerton, Simone Ashley is Kate Sharma, Jonathan Bailey is Anthony Bridgerton, and Harriet Cains is Philipa Featherington.
Additional season three cast members include Bessie Carter as Prudence Featherington, Jessica Madsen as Cressida Cowper, Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton, Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich, Will Tilston as Gregory Bridgerton, Polly Walker as Portia Featherington, and Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown. Hugh Sachs is Brimsley, Emma Naomi plays Alice Mondrich, Kathryn Drysdale is Genevieve Delacroix, and Sam Phillips is Lord Debling.
New showrunner Jess Brownell guides the eight-episode third season. Brownell also executive produces with Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Tom Verica, and Chris Van Dusen.
Netflix released this description of season three:
“Bridgerton is back for its third season and finds Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) has finally given up on her long-held crush on Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly.
Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he’s disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly.
Complicating matters for Penelope is her rift with Eloise (Claudia Jessie), who has found a new friend in a very unlikely place, while Penelope’s growing presence in the ton makes it all the more difficult to keep her Lady Whistledown alter ego a secret.”
‘Say Nothing’ by Patrick Radden Keefe. (Photo Credit: Penguin Random House)
FX has given Say Nothing a limited series order and announced Lola Petticrew, Hazel Doupe, Anthony Boyle, Josh Finan, and Maxine Peake in starring roles. The nine-episode drama is based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s book, with the author involved as an executive producer.
Josh Zetumer (RoboCop) will serve as showrunner and executive produce along with Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson of Color Force (American Crime Story, The Hunger Games). Additional executive producers include Edward McDonnell (Shōgun), Monica Levinson (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm), and Northern Ireland native director Michael Lennox (Derry Girls).
Produced by FX Productions, Say Nothing will air on Hulu in the US, Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ in all other territories.
FX offered this description of the series:
“Spanning four decades, Say Nothing explores the tumultuous period in Northern Ireland known as The Troubles. The series launches with the shocking disappearance of Jean McConville, a single mother of ten who was abducted from her home in 1972 and never seen alive again. But McConville was only one of many others who became known collectively as The Disappeared.
Through the eyes of various IRA members, including sisters Dolours and Marian Price—young women who transformed into magnetic symbols of radical politics, Brendan Hughes—a tight-lipped but conflicted military strategist, and Gerry Adams — a savvy political operator who would go on to negotiate peace but ultimately deny his involvement with the IRA, Say Nothing unpacks the extremes some people will go to within a civil rights movement as they pursue their ideals, the mystery surrounding The Disappeared, the cost of silence, and the way society mends – or doesn’t – after a long and bloody conflict.”
Lola Petticrew (Tuesday) will star as Dolours Price.
Hazel Doupe (Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale,) will star as Marian Price.
Anthony Boyle (The Plot Against America) will star as Brendan Hughes.
Josh Finan (The Gentlemen) will star as Gerry Adams.
Maxine Peake (The Theory of Everything) will star as adult Dolours Price.
Gabriel Macht as Harvey Specter and Patrick J. Adams as Michael Ross in ‘Suits’ (Photo by Shane Mahood / USA Network)
NBC has given a pilot order to the Suits spinoff, Suits: LA. The drama is expected to start shooting in March 2024 in Vancouver.
“Ted Black, a former federal prosecutor from New York, has reinvented himself representing the most powerful clients in Los Angeles. His firm is at a crisis point, and in order to survive he must embrace a role he held in contempt his entire career,” reads NBC’s synopsis. “Ted is surrounded by a stellar group of characters who test their loyalties to both Ted and each other while they can’t help but mix their personal and professional lives. All of this is going on while events from years ago slowly unravel that led Ted to leave behind everything and everyone he loved.”
Suits creator Aaron Korsh returns to write and executive produce. Suits executive producers David Bartis and Doug Liman are also back for the new addition to the Suits world. Victoria Mahoney is directing the pilot and will executive produce.
Patrick J. Adams and Gabriel Macht led a cast that included Rick Hoffman, Meghan Markle, Gina Torres, and Sarah Rafferty in the original series. While it’s possible some of the original cast may show up, Suits: LA will focus on new characters.
The original series premiered in 2011 on USA Network and ran for nine seasons. A new audience recently discovered it on Netflix, streaming the series in record-setting numbers. Suits currently holds the title for the longest consecutive run on the top of Nielsen’s Top 10 Overall Charts, holding first place for 12 consecutive weeks.
You have to wait until the very end of the “Next on Netflix 2024 Preview,” a three-minute video showcasing upcoming films and TV series, to catch a short but sweet clip of Squid Game season two. The clip shows season one winner Seong Gi-hun (played by Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae) answering his phone and issuing a warning: “I will find you. No matter what it takes.”
The teaser arrived with the release of the first four photos from season two featuring Lee Jung-jae, Lee Byung-hun, Gong Yoo, and Park Gyu-young. The cast also includes Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Wi Ha-jun, Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, Jo Yuri, and Won Ji-an.
Emmy winner Hwang Dong-hyuk (“Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series”) returns to guide the series as writer, director, and producer. Kim Ji-yeon serves as executive producer, with Firstman Studio producing.
Lee Jung-jae stars in ‘Squid Game’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Season one premiered in September 2021 and won Gotham Awards’ “Breakthrough Series,” the “AFI Special Award,” and six Primetime Emmy Awards. Squid Game also received Golden Globe Awards and the Critics Choice Awards nominations. In addition, it spawned the reality competition series Squid Game: The Challenge.
Gong Yoo and Lee Jung-jae in season 2 (Photo Credit: Netflix)Park Gyu-young in season 2 (Photo Credit: Netflix)Lee Byung-hun in season 2 (Photo credit: Netflix)
Matthew Macfadyen and Michael Shannon star in ‘Death by Lightning’ (Photos Credit: Josh Wool, Juankr, Courtesy of Netflix)
Two-time Emmy Award winner Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) and two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals) have committed to star in Netflix’s Death by Lightning, a political drama based on Candice Millard’s Destiny Of The Republic. Matthew Macfadyen will star as Charles Guiteau and Michael Shannon will play James Garfield.
“Death by Lightning is a drama series that brings to life the epic and stranger-than-fiction true story of James Garfield, reluctant 20th president of the United States, and his greatest admirer Charles Guiteau — the man who would come to kill him,” reads Netflix’s synopsis.
The series was created by Mike Makowsky (Bad Education) who’ll serve as writer and executive producer. Game of Thrones and 3 Body Problem‘s David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, and Bernie Caulfield also executive produce along with director Matt Ross. (Ross will direct all episodes.)
Matthew Macfadyen recently wrapped up a four-season run on the critically acclaimed, award-winning drama Succession. His credits also include Pride & Prejudice, The Three Musketeers, Anna Karenina, Ripper Street, and Quiz.
Michael Shannon earned an Emmy Award nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category for his starring role as George Jones in George & Tammy. Shannon also starred in Take Shelter, Man of Steel, Boardwalk Empire, Elvis & Nixon, and Nine Perfect Strangers.
