‘The Boys’ Season 4 Preview: Cast, Plot and Premiere Date

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February 22, 2024

After a two-year break between seasons, Prime Video’s finally set a June 13, 2024 premiere date for season four of The Boys. The twisted superhero series will kick off with the release of the first three episodes, followed by new episodes of the eight-episode season on Thursdays.

The season finale is set for July 18th.

“In Season Four, the world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power,” reads Prime Video’s synopsis. “Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son and his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late.”

Returning series stars include Karl Urban as Billy Butcher, Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell, Antony Starr as Homelander, Erin Moriarty as Starlight, Jessie T. Usher as A-Train, Laz Alonso as Mother’s Milk, and Chace Crawford as The Deep. Tomer Capone is Frenchie, Karen Fukuhara is Kimiko, Colby Minifie is Ashley, Claudia Doumit is Victoria Neuman, and Cameron Crovetti plays Ryan.

Newcomers to the series for the upcoming fourth season include Susan Heyward as Sister Sage, Valorie Curry as Firecracker, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

The Boys Season 4 Official Poster — Poster for ‘The Boys’ season 4 (Photo Credit: Prime Video)

Eric Kripke (Supernatural) developed the series, based on the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, and serves as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Ennis, Robertson, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Phil Sgriccia, Michaela Starr, Paul Grellong, David Reed, Meredith Glynn, Judalina Neira, Ken F. Levin, and Jason Netter.

The Boys is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios with Kripke Enterprises, Original Film, and Point Grey Pictures.

‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Review

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 22, 2024

Spouses Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke’s Drive-Away Dolls is a crazy and twisted mix of blackmail, murder, and sexually adventurous lesbians, with a healthy sprinkling of “WTF is going on” humor. There’s literally nothing out of bounds in Coen and Cooke’s screwball comedy/buddy road trip adventure that wears its R-rating like a lusty badge of honor.

The year’s 1999 and lesbian BFFs are ready for a change of scenery. Jamie (Margaret Qualley), who prefers sampling multiple sexual partners even while in a committed relationship, is coming off a bad breakup with her police officer girlfriend (Beanie Feldstein). Which is as good an excuse as any to embark on a road trip. And the sexually repressed, introverted Marian wants to make the trip from Philadelphia to Tallahassee for a little birdwatching.

What could go wrong with a nice trip to visit nature in all its glory? In Coen and Cooke’s hands, the answer is, to quote an Oscar-winning film’s title, everything (from a vengeful ex to relentless hitmen), everywhere (from gay bars to basement sex orgies), all at once.

The besties accidentally check out a drive-away car meant for a pair of criminals heading to Tallahassee. (Thanks to this film I now know a drive-away car is a free one-way rental. Cool beans.) Marian’s carefully laid out plan to make it to Tallahassee with as few pit stops and side trips as possible is immediately derailed by Jamie’s desire to visit popular lesbian hangouts and assorted points of interest along the way. Plus, as they soon discover, the car they weren’t meant to have has a very special briefcase secured in its trunk, along with a container that’s emitting an ominous fog.

Unlike Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Coen and Cooke’s Drive-Away Dolls reveals what’s in the briefcase. And it’s not someone’s soul, diamonds, drugs, or anything easily predictable. The item(s) – no spoilers – set the women on an entirely different path that puts them in conflict with a mob boss (Colman Domingo), the two aforementioned inept thugs (scene stealers Joey Slotnick and C.J. Wilson), and a power-hungry politician (Matt Damon).

My immediate reaction after the screening was that I had no idea how I was going to write a review. Drive-Away Dolls is a really weird movie. Really weird. It pushes the limits of indulgence, pirouettes on the very edge of ridiculousness, and then finds ways to reel things back a bit with genuinely emotional moments. And it all ultimately works, even when it shouldn’t, due to the terrific lead performances by Margaret Qualley as Jamie and Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian.

Qualley’s accent and cadence waver between fun and grating, but her commitment to playing Jamie as a free-spirited wild child never wavers. Jamie’s up for anything – literally – and Qualley exudes that sort of “accept me as I am” quality needed to make the character more than just a two-dimensional sexual thrill seeker.

Viswanathan’s the perfect ice to Qualley’s fire, nailing the reserved, book-loving realist. Marian maps out life while Jamie plays it by ear, and somehow together they balance each other out – as do Qualley and Viswanathan. There’s a palpable connection between Qualley and Viswanathan on screen that makes their character arcs even more fun to watch unfold.

Coen and Cooke were influenced by Russ Meyer’s Motorpsycho, Doris Wishman’s Bad Girls Go to Hell, and Kiss Me Deadly starring Ralph Meeker. They wanted to capture that B-movies from the ‘60s and ‘70s feeling, and Drive-Away Dolls succeeds by going all-in and embracing the ludicrous crime at the film’s heart.

For those who need the familiarity of a Coen Bros vibe, it’s there as well, while standing on its own as a wickedly wacky comedic feast.

GRADE: B

MPAA Rating: R for language, full nudity, crude sexual content, and some violent content
Release Date: February 23, 2024
Running Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
Studio: Focus Features

Sing Sing Review: Colman Domingo Delivers an Oscar-Worthy Performance

‘The Tourist’ Season 2 Preview: Cast, Photos, Plot, and Trailer

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

Back in December 2023, Netflix swooped in and acquired season two of the critically acclaimed Australian drama The Tourist after Max passed on picking up the distribution rights after airing the first season. Season one of the riveting drama followed Jamie Dornan (Belfast) as a man with a sketchy past who suffered from amnesia as the result of a car accident that was meant to kill him. And season two, which premieres on February 29, 2024, finds Dornan reprising his role as Elliot alongside Danielle Macdonald as Helen, the only person he could depend on when he couldn’t remember his own name.

Their relationship grew over the course of the first season, and by the finale, they were more than just friends. Now, in season two, Elliot and Helen will be traveling to Ireland, hoping to find answers about Elliot’s identity. “But instead, they are forced to face the dangerous consequences of his past actions,” reads Netflix’s season two synopsis.

The Tourist Season 2 — Danielle Macdonald as Helen Chambers and Jamie Dornan as Elliot in ‘The Tourist’ (Photo Credit: Steffan Hill / Netflix 2023 © TWO BROTHERS PICTURES / Netflix)

Netflix released this description of season two’s key characters:

Jamie Dornan returns as Elliot, who still doesn’t remember his past but is living in the present and traveling through Southeast Asia with his girlfriend, Helen.
Danielle Macdonald returns as Helen Chambers, who’s broken her engagement and traveling the world with Elliot, until they decide to head to Ireland to learn more about his past.
Greg Larsen returns as Helen’s now-ex fiancé, Ethan Krum.
Victoria Haralabidou is back as Lena, a mysterious woman from Elliot’s past.
Conor MacNeill plays Detective Ruairi Slater, a quiet local cop with more of an edge than first appears.
Olwen Fouéré plays Niamh Cassidy, a tough Irish woman with a major connection to Elliot.
Francis Magee plays Frank McDonnell, the patriarch of a powerful family.
Diarmaid Murtagh is Donal McDonnell, Nessa Matthews is Orla McDonnell, and Mark McKenna is Fergal McDonnell, a trio of local siblings who take a special interest in Elliot.

The six-episode second season was executive produced by Dornan, Harry Williams, Jack Williams, BBC’s Nawfal Faizullah, and Two Brothers’ Daniel Walker and Sarah Hammond.

Danielle Macdonald and Jamie Dornan Season 2 — Danielle Macdonald as Helen Chambers and Jamie Dornan as Elliot in season 2 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Netflix. 2024 © TWO BROTHERS PICTURES / Netflix)

Greg Larsen and Jamie Dornan Season 2 — Greg Larsen as Ethan Krum and Jamie Dornan as Elliot in season 2 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Netflix. 2024 © TWO BROTHERS PICTURES / Netflix)

Jamie Dornan in Season 2 — Jamie Dornan as Elliot, Diarmaid Murtagh as Donal McDonnell and Danielle Macdonald as Helen Chambers in season 2 (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Netflix. 2024 © TWO BROTHERS PICTURES / Netflix)

‘FBI: Most Wanted’ Season 5 Episode 3 Preview: Photos, Cast and “Ghost in the Machine” Promo

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

The Summer I Turned Pretty‘s Sean Kaufman guest stars as an AI Startup Chief Technology Officer on CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted season five episode three, “Ghost in the Machine.” Directed by Peter Stebbings from a script by Ryan Causey, episode three will air on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 10pm ET/PT.

Season five stars Dylan McDermott as Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott, Roxy Sternberg as Special Agent Sheryll Barnes, Keisha Castle-Hughes as Special Agent Hana Gibson, Edwin Hodge as Special Agent Ray Cannon, and Shantel VanSanten as Special Agent Nina Chase.

“Ghost in the Machine” Plot: When the woman whose visage is the face of a popular AI bot is found violently murdered inside a Brooklyn hotel room, the Fugitive Task Force jumps into action to find out who lured her there in the first place. Meanwhile, Hana helps out a recent Quantico graduate who hopes to follow in her footsteps.

FBI Most Wanted Season 5 Episode 3 — Shantel VanSanten as Special Agent Nina Chase and Dylan McDermott as Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott in ‘FBI: Most Wanted’ season 5 episode 3 (Photo: Mark Schafer © 2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

The Plot, Courtesy of CBS:

From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf, FBI: Most Wanted is a high-stakes drama that focuses on the Fugitive Task Force, an elite unit that relentlessly pursues and captures the notorious criminals on the Bureau’s Most Wanted list. The team’s charming but formidable leader is Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott, who started his career in the New York FBI field office before rising through the ranks of the Bureau in Philadelphia and Las Vegas.

The team includes Special Agent Sheryll Barnes, a former NYPD detective and forensics expert who is raising two young children with her wife; Special Agent Hana Gibson, a gifted millennial computer whiz with a sharp wit and mad hacking skills; Special Agent Ray Cannon, who is a former New Orleans cop-turned-junior detective and worked Violent Crimes in Albany after following in his retired FBI agent father’s footsteps.

The newest member of the Fugitive Task Force is well-seasoned Special Agent Nina Chase who, most recently, worked assorted cases with the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Originally from the Houston field office where she specialized in undercover work, Nina is a standout agent who is skilled with cars and has a penchant for driving fast. Always in the field and always on the run, FBI: Most Wanted is a weekly adrenaline shot about the thrill of the chase.

‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ Series Debuts a Teaser Trailer and New Poster

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

Roku rescued The Spiderwick Chronicles series after Disney+ decided to drop it after production wrapped, and now the streamer has released the first teaser trailer along with a new poster. All eight episodes of the series, based on Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black’s popular book series, will stream on The Roku Channel on April 19, 2024.

Joy Bryant and Christian Slater lead the cast as Helen Grace and Mulgarath. Noah Cottrell stars as Simon Grace, Lyon Daniels is Jared Grace, and Mychala Lee plays Mallory Grace. Jack Dylan Grazer provides the voice of Thimbletack.

“Helen and her children, 15-year-old fraternal twins Jared and Simon and their sister Mallory move to their ancestral home, Spiderwick. Jared discovers a boggart and realizes that magical creatures are real!” reads Roku’s synopsis. “The only one to believe him is his great-aunt Lucinda who implores Jared to find the pages of her father’s field guide to magical creatures and protect them from the murderous Ogre, Mulgarath.”

Aron Eli Coleite and Kat Coiro serve as showrunners and executive produce along with authors DiTerlizzi and Black. Additional executive producers include Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell, D.J. Goldberg, Julie Kane-Ritsch, and Grace Gilroy.

The Spiderwick Chronicles Poster — Poster for ‘The Spiderwick Chronicles’ (Photo Courtesy of Roku)

‘Challengers’ Trailer #2 Starring Zendaya

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

The second trailer for Challengers sets up the relationship between a former tennis star, played by Zendaya, and the two men who vie for her attention on and off the court. The new trailer’s release was accompanied by a couple of new stills from the R-rated romantic drama.

Mike Faist (West Side Story) and Josh O’Connor (The Crown) star as the men who get caught up in a romantic triangle. Oscar nominee Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All) directed from a screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes.

“Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (O’Connor) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend,” reads MGM’s synopsis. “As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.”

Zendaya, Guadagnino, Amy Pascal, and Rachel O’Connor serve as producers, with Bernard Bellew, Lorenzo Mieli, and Kevin Ulrich executive producing.

Challengers opens in theaters on April 26, 2024.

Short Featurette Starring Zendaya

‘Borderlands’ Trailer: Cate Blanchett Travels to a Weird World

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

Cate Blanchett’s Lilith travels to a planet she hates to find a massive treasure hidden in a vault in the first trailer for Lionsgate’s Borderlands. Lilith can’t do the treasure hunt alone and is forced to team up with an odd assortment of people on a planet that has an actual gully made of piss.

The trailer gives off Guardians of the Galaxy vibes, and the film obviously doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Eli Roth and Joe Crombie wrote the screenplay, based on the popular Borderlands video game franchise, with Roth directing. The action thriller stars Cate Blanchett as Lilith, Kevin Hart as Roland, Jack Black as Claptrap, Ariana Gleenblatt as Tiny Tina, Florian Munteanu as Krieg, Edgar Ramirez as Atlas, and Jamie Lee Curtis as Tannis.

Ari Arad, Avi Arad, and Erik Feig serve as producers, with Tim Miller, Ethan Smith, Louise Rosner, Emmy Yu, Lucy Kitada, Christopher Woodrow, K. Blaine Johnston, Randy Pitchford, and Strauss Zelnick executive producing.

“Lilith (Blanchett), an infamous bounty hunter with a mysterious past, reluctantly returns to her home, Pandora, the most chaotic planet in the galaxy. Her mission is to find the missing daughter of Atlas (Ramírez), the universe’s most powerful S.O.B. Lilith forms an unexpected alliance with a ragtag team of misfits – Roland (Hart), a seasoned mercenary on a mission; Tiny Tina (Greenblatt), a feral pre-teen demolitionist; Krieg (Munteanu), Tina’s musclebound protector; Tannis (Curtis), the oddball scientist who’s seen it all; and Claptrap (Black), a wiseass robot,” reads Lionsgate’s synopsis.

“Together, these unlikely heroes must battle an alien species and dangerous bandits to uncover one of Pandora’s most explosive secrets. The fate of the universe could be in their hands – but they’ll be fighting for something more: each other.”

Borderlands opens in theaters on August 9, 2024.

First Look: Photos and Film Poster

Poster of Cate Blanchett in ‘Borderlands’ (Photo Credit: Lionsgate)

‘The Amazing Race’ Reveals the 13 Teams Racing in Season 36

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

The Amazing Race Season 36 — The teams competing on ‘The Amazing Race’ season 36 (Photo Credit: CBS)

Firefighters, Air Force pilots, students, and a retired NFL player are among the 13 teams of racers competing on season 36 of CBS’s The Amazing Race. The new season, once again hosted by Phil Keoghan, premieres on March 13, 2024 at 9:30pm ET/PT.

New 90-minute season 36 episodes air on Wednesdays.

“This season of The Amazing Race features a cast of adventurous thrill-seekers. We always want to challenge our cast and surprise our viewers, so we are excited to travel to two new countries along the route,” stated executive producers Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri. “The 90-minute episodes are returning, which really allows us to delve into the countries on the route and get to know our amazing cast. We are ready for a global adventure like never before.”

Season 36 will begin in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. “[…]The 13 new teams must participate in a traditional Mexican rodeo and lasso their way to the finish line without coming in last. The stakes are high because there are no non-elimination legs, and the team to finish last in each leg will be eliminated,” reads Netflix’s synopsis. “Along the route, Racers will go paragliding in Colombia, rally car racing in Argentina, and visit two new countries – swimming through waterfalls in the Dominican Republic and visiting music superstar Rihanna’s childhood home in Barbados.”

The Amazing Race Season 36 Teams:

Derek (57, retired chief of police) and Shelisa Williams (55, retired sheriff’s lieutenant)
Married, from Alta Loma, Calif.

Danny (27, university resident director) and Angie Butler (55, seventh grade teacher)
Mother and son, from San Diego, Calif., and Walla Walla, Wash.

Rod (46, former NFL player/owner of Gshred Supplements) and Leticia Gardner (38, fitness business owner)
Married, from Lawrenceville, Ga. Rod has played for Washington, Carolina, Green Bay, and Kansas City.

Michelle (39) and Sean Clark (46), owners of Double Dutch Aerobics
Married, from East Point, Ga.

Yvonne Chavez (40, global strategy and operations lead) and Melissa Main (38, investigator for U.S. Navy special operations)
Dating, from San Diego, Calif.

Sunny Pulver (41) and Bizzy Smith (37), firefighters
Best friends, from Edgerton, Wis., and New Berlin, Wis.

Amber Craven (30) and Vinny Cagungun (37), nurse anesthetists
Dating, from Englewood, Colo.

Ricky Rotandi (34, preschool teacher) and Cesar Aldrete (34, food stylist)
Dating, from New York, N.Y.

Juan Villa (29) and Shane Bilek (29), Air Force pilots
Best friends, from Spokane, Wash., and Marine City, Mich.

Anthony (26) and Bailey Smith (26), recruiters
Twin brothers, from Clearwater, Fla.

Kishori Turner (26, senior marketing strategist) and Karishma Cordero (22, student)
Cousins, from Gaithersburg, Md., and Austin, Texas

Maya (20, student) and Rohan Mody (23, master’s student)
Siblings, from Monmouth Junction, N.J.

Chris Foster (60, receptionist) and Mary Cardona-Foster (27, marketing manager)
Father and daughter, from Waltham, Mass.

Meet the 14 Teams Competing on Season 37

‘FBI: International’ Season 3 Episode 3 Preview: Photos, Cast and “Magpie” Promo

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

The team heads to Monaco to find a murderer on CBS’s FBI: International season three episode three. Directed by Alex Zakrzewski from a script by Hussain Pirani, episode three – “Magpie” – will air on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 9pm ET/PT.

Luke Kleintank returns to lead the season three cast as Special Agent Scott Forrester. Heida Reed stars as Special Agent Jamie Kellett, Carter Redwood is Special Agent Andre Raines, Vinessa Vidotto plays Special Agent Cameron Vo, Eva-Jane Willis is Europol Agent Megan “Smitty” Garretson, and Christina Wolfe is Special Agent Amanda Tate.

“Magpie” Plot: When an American family’s lavish sweet sixteen celebration is cut short after the mother of the birthday girl is found dead near their European estate, the Fly Team heads to Monaco to find the woman’s murderer. Meanwhile, Vo begins seeing Raines in a new light.

FBI International Season 3 Episode 3 — Eva-Jane Willis as Europol Agent Megan “Smitty” Garretson and Christina Wolfe as Special Agent Amanda Tate in ‘FBI: International’ season 3 episode 3 (Photo: Nelly Kiss © 2023 CBS Broadcasting, Inc)

Season 3 Description, Courtesy of CBS:

From Emmy Award winner Dick Wolf, fast-paced drama FBI: International is the third iteration of the successful FBI brand that follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s International Fly Team. Headquartered in Budapest, they travel throughout Europe with the mission of tracking and neutralizing threats against American citizens wherever they may be, putting their lives on the line to protect the U.S. and its people.

The Fly Team’s Special Agent Scott Forrester, their accomplished and dedicated leader, puts his missions ahead of his personal life. Second in command is Special Agent Jamie Kellett, a heroic and fearless investigator – and her extensive network of informants is a powerful resource. Special Agent Andre Raines shines in the field and makes good use of his accounting background in tracking criminal enterprises’ moving money. Special Agent Cameron Vo, a competitive West Point grad, excels at interrogation and strategy, and Megan “Smitty” Garretson, a streetwise Europol agent with an extensive undercover background, uses her expertise to liaise with each host country they inhabit.

Newly embedded with the Fly Team is Special Agent Amanda Tate, a confident and tech savvy intel analyst, who stays quick on her feet and remains calm in the midst of chaos. Always at the scene where American interests are at risk, FBI: International is a globe-trotting depiction of law enforcement overseas.

‘The Good Doctor’ Season 7 Episode 2 Preview: Photos, Cast and “Skin in the Game” Promo

By

Rebecca Murray

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February 21, 2024

Shaun’s patience is tested with the introduction of a new member of his team on ABC’s The Good Doctor season seven episode two. “Skin in the Game” will air on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 10pm ET/PT.

The final season stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman, Fiona Gubelmann as Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee as Dr. Alex Park, Christina Chang as Dr. Audrey Lim, and Paige Spara as Lea Dilallo. Bria Samoné Henderson plays Dr. Jordan Allen, Noah Galvin is Dr. Asher Wolke, and Chuku Modu stars as Dr. Jared Kalu.

“Skin in the Game” Plot: Shaun struggles to accommodate the newest member of his surgical team, Charlie (Kayla Cromer), who interferes in a patient’s relationship with his daughter. Elsewhere, Park tackles a tricky brain tumor, and Lea and Morgan adjust to motherhood.

The Good Doctor Season 7 Episode 2 — Kayla Cromer and Freddie Highmore in ‘The Good Doctor’ season 7 episode 2 (Disney/Jeff Weddell)

Series Description, Courtesy of ABC:

In the farewell season of The Good Doctor, new challenges intermingle with the unresolved past. Following the birth of their son, Steve, Shaun and Lea navigate the joys and challenges of parenthood. Meanwhile, the team continues to deal with the many changes they have faced at the hospital over the past year and must learn to come to terms with them if they want to move forward in their lives and careers.