Rachel McAdams as Barbara Dimon and Abby Ryder Fortson as Margaret Simon in ‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ (Photo Credit: Dana Hawley)
Finally, 50 years since the publication of the well-loved and iconic coming-of-age novel, a movie adaptation of Judy Blume’s popular book Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is set to hit the theaters.
The film, set in 1970, begins with 11-year-old Margaret Simon (Abby Ryder Fortson) returning to her New York home from summer camp only to discover boxes in the living room and her bedroom. Sylvia (Kathy Bates), Margaret’s grandmother, abruptly informs her that they’ll be moving to New Jersey because Margaret’s father received a big promotion. Margaret is taken aback and distressed by the news.
“Please don’t let New Jersey be too horrible,” prays Margaret to God as her parents pack up the car and head out to the suburbs.
Upon arriving at their new, spacious home, Margaret answers the doorbell and meets her new neighbor, Nancy (Elle Graham), who invites her to run across the sprinklers with her. After asking her mom, Barbara (Rachel McAdams), for permission, Margaret visits Nancy’s house, borrows a bathing suit, and has a blast. Nancy decides to invite Margaret to join her secret club and makes her promise to meet after school. Margaret agrees and meets the other secret club members: Gretchen (Katherine Mallen Kupferer) and Janie (Amari Alexis Price).
Soon, the four young girls are engrossed in conversations about boys, gossiping about their fellow schoolmates, and, oh yes, deciding that wearing a bra is a prerequisite for joining their club.
At school, Margaret’s teacher, Mr. Benedict (Echo Kellum), assigns her a year-long class project to learn and write about religion. He believes it’ll be a good topic for her since she wrote she didn’t like religious holidays in her “getting to know you” paper. Margaret’s mother was raised Christian, and her father is Jewish, but they have raised Margaret as an agnostic until she is 18 and can decide for herself.
Because of the assignment, Margaret’s prayers to God increase, and she begins to search for him – or at least to feel his presence. Her research includes attending a Jewish service with her grandmother during a sleepover. She also follows a student into a Catholic Church and spies on her in the confessional. Sadly, the harder Margaret tries to find and understand God, the less she seems to feel any connection to him.
Adapted and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig (The Edge of Seventeen), Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a touching, insightful, and funny coming-of-age film with stellar performances by its two leading ladies. Young Abby Ryder Fortson is wonderful as Margaret, the slightly awkward, likable 11-year-old girl who’s starting her journey from being a child to becoming a teenager in a new home, new school, and with new friends. Fortson portrays Margaret as a sweet, fairly innocent, good-natured, but occasionally selfish girl who’s desperate to just be “normal like everyone else” and prays to God to help her achieve that goal.
Rachel McAdams shines as Barbara, Margaret’s loving and supportive mother who’s adjusting to being a homemaker/housekeeper and being involved in the PTA while putting away her paintbrushes and creativity of her younger days. McAdams steals every scene she’s in and has real chemistry with Fortson. Their genuine connection is evident in a powerful and moving scene in which Barbara explains to Margaret why she has never met her parents (Margaret’s grandparents). McAdams holds back tears as she explains that her parents are devout Christians and disowned her for marrying a Jewish man. It’s just heartbreaking and feels so authentic.
Hans Zimmer’s musical score is compelling and enhances both the light and funny scenes along with the movie’s tough, emotional, and painful moments.
Charming, sweet, and heartfelt, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is a delightful and endearing family film that is destined to become a classic.
GRADE: A-
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual education, thematic material, and some suggestive material
Lionsgate’s unveiled the official trailer for The Hunger Games prequel, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, seven months out from its theatrical release. The nearly three-minute trailer opens with Head Gamemaker Volumnia Gaul (Oscar winner Viola Davis) introducing the creator of the Hunger Games, Dean Cesca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage). Highbottom confirms the 10th annual Hunger Games are about to get underway and introduces the tributes chosen to fight to the death.
The trailer shows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) and the tribute he’ll be mentoring, District 12’s Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). We’re also treated to our first look at a young Lucky Flickerman (Jason Schwartzman), the first-ever host of the Hunger Games and an ancestor of Caesar Flickerman.
“What happens in there, fueled with the terror of becoming prey, see how quickly we become predator. See how quickly civilation disappears,” says Gaul as the Hunger Games commence.
The ensemble also includes Jerome Lance as Marcus, tribute from District 2; Ashley Liao as Clemensia Dovecote, one of Coriolanus’s closest friends and mentor to a tribute from District 11; Knox Gibson plays Bobbin, tribute from District 8; Mackenzie Lansing is Coral, tribute from District 4; and Aamer Husain plays Felix Ravinstill, mentor to a tribute from District 11.
Fionnula Flanagan is Grandma’am, Coriolanus’s strict grandmother; Isobel Jesper Jones plays Mayfair Lipp, daughter of the mayor of District 12; Flora Li Thiemann plays Livia Cardew, mentor to a tribute from District 1; and Burn Gorman is Commander Hoff, Scott Folan is Beanpole, and Carl Spencer is Smiley, Peacekeepers sent by the Capitol to District 12.
Honor Gillies, Eike Onyambu, and Konstantin Taffet play members of the Covey, a group of nomads in District 12. Michael Greco and Daniela Grubert are Strabo Plinth and Mrs. Plinth, wealthy parents to Sejanus Plinth, Coriolanus’s best friend, played by Josh Andrés Rivera.
Francis Lawrence (Catching Fire, Mockingjay Part 1, Mockingjay Part 2) directs from a screenplay by Michael Lesslie and Michael Arndt, based on the novel by Suzanne Collins. Lawrence, Nina Jacobson, and Brad Simpson are producing, with author Collins, Tim Palen, Mika Saito, and Jim Miller executive producing.
In addition to releasing the trailer, Lionsgate debuted a new poster and photo from the post-apocalyptic action drama. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes opens in theaters on November 17, 2023.
Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ (Photo Credit: Murray Close)
The Plot:
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes follows a young Coriolanus (Blyth) who is the last hope for his failing lineage, the once-proud Snow family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler), a tribute from the impoverished District 12. But after Lucy Gray’s charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates. With everything he has worked for hanging in the balance, Snow unites with Lucy Gray to turn the odds in their favor.
Battling his instincts for both good and evil, Snow sets out on a race against time to survive and reveal if he will ultimately become a songbird or a snake.
The official trailer for Paramount Pictures’ Transformers: Rise of the Beasts warns that the fate of all living beings is at stake with the arrival of Unicron. The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is loaded with action scenes, with only a few short breaks from the CGI chaos to show off the human actors audiences will be rooting for in this seventh outing.
Anthony Ramos (In the Heights, Hamilton) and Dominique Fishback (Swarm) lead a cast that includes Tobe Nwigwe, Luna Lauren Velez, Dean Scott Vazquez, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, and Michelle Yeoh. Liza Koshy, Colman Domingo, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Tongayi Chirisa, Pete Davidson, and Cristo Fernández also star.
Fan favorite Peter Cullen returns to voice Optimus Prime.
Steven Caple Jr (Creed II) directs from a screenplay by Joby Harold, Darnell Metayer, Josh Peters, Erich Hoeber, and Jon Hoeber. Michael Bay, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Mark Vahradian, and Duncan Henderson produce, with Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Brian Oliver, Bradley J. Fischer, and Valerii An executive producing.
Paramount Pictures will release the new Transformers film in theaters on June 9, 2023.
The Plot:
Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – to join them as allies in the existing battle for earth.
The teaser trailer’s only features 15 seconds of footage, but at least Warrior fans are finally getting an update on the much-anticipated third season. The Max Original drama will premiere with the release of the first three episodes of season three on June 29, 2023, two and a half years after the season two finale.
The critically acclaimed martial arts action drama debuted on Cinemax in April 2019. Season two followed in October 2020, wrapping up on December 4, 2020. Luckily, for those of us who need a refresher, the first two seasons of the show are available for binge-watching on HBO Max, which will soon be known as just “Max.”
Andrew Koji returns to lead the cast as Ah Sahm. Season three also features Dianne Doan as Mai Ling, Olivia Cheng as Ah Toy, Jason Tobin as Young Jun, and Joe Taslim as Li Yong. Hoon Lee stars as Wang Chao, Kieran Bew is Bill O’Hara, Dean Jagger is Dylan Leary, Langley Kirkwood is Walter Buckley, Tom Weston-Jones is Richard Lee, and Perry Yung is Father Jun.
Mark Dacascos, Chelsea Muirhead, Chen Tang, and Miranda Raison also star.
Andrew Koji and Joe Taslim in ‘Warrior’ season 3 (Photograph by David Bloomer/Max)
Warrior is based on writings by martial arts icon Bruce Lee and was created by Jonathan Tropper (Banshee). Tropper executive produces under his Tropper Ink Productions, and executive producer Evan Endicott is season three’s showrunner. Bruce Lee Entertainment’s Shannon Lee also executive produces along with Josh Stoddard, Brad Kane, Richard Sharkey, and Perfect Storm Entertainment’s Justin Lin (Fast & Furious 9 director), Danielle Woodrow, and Andrew Schneider.
HBO Max released this very basic description of the season three plot:
“In the wake of the race riots that upended Chinatown in season two, Mai Ling uses her government connections to consolidate power, while Ah Sahm and the Hop Wei must find new ways to survive.”
Rihanna is going to be the new Smurfette, and that’s not something anyone had on their 2023 bingo card. The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter will lend her voice to the weird little blue creature in the upcoming Untitled Smurfs Animated Film (the project’s temporary title).
Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies announced the casting during the 2023 CinemaCon. CinemaCon is an annual event hosted at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas by the National Association of Theatre Owners. The major film studios attend to promote their upcoming theatrical releases via footage and special appearances by big-name stars. During Paramount Pictures’ presentation, Rihanna graced the stage and confirmed her latest film project will find her slipping into the world of the popular creatures created by Peyo.
Rihanna will also write and perform original songs, and serve as a producer.
“On behalf of our studio and our creative partners at LAFIG, we couldn’t be more excited to have found our Smurfette in one of the most beloved stars in the world,” said Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, and Ramsey Naito, President of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation. “With Rihanna’s singular creative appeal and musical talents, there is an enormous opportunity to elevate the cultural touchstone of The Smurfs universe in a way that’s never been done before.”
Chris Miller is attached to direct the Untitled Smurfs Animated Film with Matt Landon co-directing. Jay Brown, Tyran “Ty-Ty” Smith, and Ryan Harris are on board as producers.
The new Smurfs film is targeting a February 14, 2025 release.
Meg Bellamy and Ed McVey in ‘The Crown’ season 6 (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Netflix is showing off the first official photos of The Crown season six’s Prince William and Kate Middleton. The streaming service released four photos of Ed McVey as Prince William and Meg Bellamy as Kate Middleton, showing the Royal couple during their early days of dating.
McVey and Bellamy shot some of their scenes in locations where Kate and William hung out. They even filmed a scene at the Northpoint Cafe where William and Kate met in 2001.
Prince William and Kate Middleton married in 2011, are the parents of three heirs to the throne, and became the Prince and Princess of Wales in September 2022 following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Rufus Kampa plays Prince William at age 15, with McVey taking over the role and portraying William in his college years. McVey is making his professional screen debut with The Crown, but has appeared on stage at The Old Vic. He graduated from the Drama Centre London in 2021.
Meg Bellamy is also a newcomer to screen roles. Bellamy responded to a casting call on social media and earned the role of Kate Middleton after submitting an audition tape.
McVey, Bellamy, and Kampa join a cast that includes Imelda Staunton as Queen Elizabeth II, Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip, Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret, Dominic West as Prince Charles, and Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana. Claudia Harrison plays Princess Anne, Olivia Williams is Camilla Parker Bowles, Bertie Carvel is Tony Blair, Salim Daw is Mohamed Al Fayed, and Khalid Abdalla is Dodi Fayed. Flynn Edwards plays a younger Prince Harry and Luther Ford plays him slightly older.
Peter Morgan created the series and serves as writer and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Suzanne Mackie, Andy Harries, Stephen Daldry, Matthew Byam Shaw, and Robert Fox.
The final season of the critically acclaimed, award-winning drama will premiere later this year.
Netflix teased the new 10-episode season with this description:
“Inspired by real events, The Crown is a fictional dramatization of the story of Queen Elizabeth II and the political and personal events that shaped her reign.
As The Crown enters a new decade, Prince William starts at University in St Andrew’s, determined to lead as normal a life as possible while he still can. Also beginning life as a University student is Kate Middleton from Berkshire. As the pair meet for the first time on campus, a new romance and a new future for The Crown begins.”
Ed McVey as Prince William in ‘The Crown’ season 6 (Photo Credit: Netflix)Meg Bellamy as Kate Middleton in season 6 (Photo Credit: Netflix)Behind the scenes at the Northpoint Cafe with Ed McVey and Meg Bellamy (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ new trailer for Wish unveils new scenes, provides more details on the main characters – including an adorable goat – and includes a snippet from “This Wish” performed by the film’s star, Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (West Side Story). Disney dropped the trailer, new photos, and a poster online one day after announcing during a presentation at CinemaCon that Chris Pine (currently seen in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves) has joined the cast.
Pine is lending his voice to King Magnifico and DeBose voices Asha. The voice cast also includes Alan Tudyk as Asha’s pet goat, Valentino.
Oscar winner Chris Buck (Frozen) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Raya and the Last Dragon) direct, and executive producer Jennifer Lee (Frozen, Frozen 2) and Allison Moore (Night Sky) wrote the screenplay. Peter Del Vecho (Frozen) serves as producer, with Juan Pablo Reyes (Encanto) co-producing. Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/musician Benjamin Rice wrote the film’s original songs, and Dave Metzger composed the score.
“We have been inspired by so many iconic films over Disney Animation’s 100 years, especially stories where we explore the power of someone with a wish, combined with the conviction to make that wish come true,” stated Fawn Veerasunthorn. “Being able to honor that legacy with this incredible story and these amazing characters has been a joy for our entire team.”
Wish is set in Rosas, a country described as a fantastical land located off the Iberian Peninsula. “Our heroine, Asha, lives in Rosas, known as the kingdom of wishes,” said director Chris Buck. “People come from everywhere to give their wishes to a magical king who promises to grant their deepest desires— someday. Only he can decide which wishes will come true and when.”
Wish opens in theaters on November 22, 2023.
Disney released this synopsis of the 2023 the animated musical:
In Wish, Asha, a sharp-witted idealist, makes a wish so powerful that it is answered by a cosmic force—a little ball of boundless energy called Star. Together, Asha and Star confront a most formidable foe — the ruler of Rosas, King Magnifico — to save her community and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Danny DeVito, Kaitlin Olson, Rob McElhenney, and Glenn Howerton in ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (Photo CR: Patrick McElhenney /FX)
Season 16 of FXX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will premiere on June 7, 2023 with the release of the season’s first two episodes. New episodes will arrive on Wednesdays at 10pm ET/PT.
The critically acclaimed comedy holds the title of the longest-running live-action comedy in television history. Way back in December 2020, FX Networks bestowed early seasons 15, 16, 17, and 18 orders on the half-hour comedy, and the series booted The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet out of the top spot with its season 15 debut.
Series creator Rob McElhenney joked about his master plan for the series back in Dec. 2020. “When we first pitched Sunny, we saw it as a 36-season arc,” said McElhenney. “We are so excited to be halfway there.”
McElhenney stars alongside Glenn Howerton (“Dennis”), Charlie Day (“Charlie”), Kaitlin Olson (“Dee”), and Danny DeVito (“Frank”). McElhenney also executive produces with Howerton, Day, Michael Rotenberg, Megan Ganz, Rob Rosell, David Hornsby, Scott Marder, and Victor Hsu for FX Productions.
The Plot, Courtesy of FXX:
The Gang is ripping straight from the headlines – Inflation, US-Russian relations, mental health, gender equality, injury liability, gun control, and… celebrity-branded products. But here’s a headline for you: “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Returns for Sweet Season 16!”
But there’s nothing sweet about them as Ronald “Mac” MacDonald, Charlie Kelly, Dennis Reynolds, Dee Reynolds, and Frank Reynolds yearn for the past as they attempt to survive in 2023.
This year alone, Mac battles with allergies and long-distance dating, Charlie takes on his long-forgotten sisters, Dee fights for rent control and women’s athletics, Frank wrestles for his gun, and Dennis struggles to improve his mental health. At the end of the day, they’re navigating 2023 with 16 years of baggage as a few figures from their past rear their heads.
Ari Notartomaso, Marisa Davila, Cheyenne Wells and Tricia Fukuhara in ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Eduardo Araquel / Paramount+)
Rydell students are gathered for an assembly to learn what to do in the event of a nuclear bomb as Paramount+’s Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies episode five begins. Some seem to take the topic seriously, but Richie (Johnathan Nieves) is more interested in what’s happening that night. He and the T-Birds plan on setting off fireworks at the drive-in, while Jane (Marisa Davila) confesses she has a feeling of impending doom.
It’s Halloween and the momentum seems to be on Jane’s side. Olivia (Cheyenne Isabel Wells) is sure the election’s in the bag, but Jane knows it’s always calmest right before the storm. And that declaration leads into the episode’s first song. Jane sings about bombs dropping, the calm before chaos, and the need to live life to the fullest.
After the song ends, Richie and Jane make a date for 7pm. Richie says they need to talk, and given her mood, Jane’s worry level cranks up a notch or two.
Rehearsals are underway for Romeo and Juliet, and Buddy (Jason Schmidt) is surprisingly good. However, during the kissing scene, Cynthia (Ari Notartomaso) stumbles over her lines. Cynthia volunteers to step down, but Mr. Vaughan insists she just needs some one-on-one help and assigns Lydia (Niamh Wilson) the task of transforming Cynthia into a believable Juliet.
Lydia doesn’t want the job, and Cynthia’s just as reluctant to have her as a teacher.
Olivia’s busy working on an article for the paper when she overhears a conversation about Mr. Daniels (Chris McNally) buying a new house for his fiancée. (Her article’s on the lack of women authors in the school’s English curriculum.) She doesn’t act concerned and even flirts back when Gil (Nicholas McDonough) interrupts and offers to carry her books.
The Pink Ladies grab a booth at the Frosty Palace after school, and Jane’s certain that Richie’s breaking things off with her. Olivia can’t take Jane worrying and obsessing over what’s about to happen and spills the beans: Richie wants Jane to be his girlfriend!
Nancy (Tricia Fukuhara) volunteers to help Cynthia with her lines but gets bored immediately and gives up. Her parents rush up with the Halloween costumes that Nancy apparently slaved over all night. She made a Martian costume for Olivia because she’s exploring new worlds and a werewolf costume for Jane because she’s in the middle of a transformation. Cynthia’s costume is an ant trapped in an atomic experiment – just because that’s what Nancy wanted to make.
Unfortunately for Nancy, her friends aren’t really into their costumes. Jane doesn’t want to look scary, Olivia also has a date, and Cynthia can’t take part in the hotdog eating contest wearing an ant mask. Nancy’s stunned and insists Halloween’s about dressing up and having fun – not about boys!
Night arrives, and everyone’s at the drive-in making out, hanging out, and sort of watching the movie while also listening to the radio. Nancy’s shocked when she hears the DJ announce a special dedication was made in her honor from a secret admirer: “You are more special than you know.”
Nancy has no idea who her secret admirer is.
Richie and Jane have the car all to themselves when Richie confesses he likes her more than any other girl he’s met. He’s about to give her his jacket when the film’s interrupted by a campaign video.
The video declares it’s insane to vote for Jane. Horns start honking as the video invites everyone to a Halloween party on Sparrow Lane.
Buddy’s football bros and the cheerleaders seem to have won over more than a few voters. Even the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies desert the drive-in for the party.
It seems the T-Birds have come prepared, showing off dozens of eggs, toilet paper, and a water hose they brought along in case an opportunity arose to have a little fun. Jane suggests a more subtle approach since Buddy will kick them out. Thankfully, Nancy brought along their costumes so no one will even realize the Pink Ladies have infiltrated Buddy’s party.
Richie’s hurt when Jane suggests he and the T-Birds stay outside.
Alexis Sides, Tricia Fukuhara, Niamh Wilson and Marisa Davila in ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ episode 5 (Photo Credit: Eduardo Araquel / Paramount+)
Susan (Madison Thompson) unknowingly walks the Pink Ladies through the haunted house, warning this terrifying future is what’s in store if they vote for Jane. The party’s packed and Buddy, dressed as an astronaut, tells Hazel (Shanel Bailey), in a solar system costume, that he’ll drive her home later since Halloween can get crazy.
Even though it’s party time, Wally (Maxwell Whittington-Cooper) breaks up with Rosemary (Charlotte Kavanagh). She’s absolutely stunned that he would dare drop her.
Jane spots a microphone on a long cord and comes up with a plan. She’ll head down to the basement where she’ll hang out with the mic, waiting for the band to take a break. Cynthia will stay upstairs by the laundry chute and signal Jane when it’s time since Jane can’t hear the band in the basement. (She needs to stay hidden so no one can stop her once she starts her speech.)
Potato (Alexis Sides), who has a massive crush on Nancy, teams up with the object of his affection to figure out who’s her secret admirer. Nancy seems to think it’s Wally and that he broke up with Rosemary for her, but Wally denies he’s into her. He’s about to reveal he’s sweet on Hazel when Nancy stops listening and heads off to find the next possible suspect.
Potato keeps trying to help Nancy out with guesses, but after questioning a few guys, she’s totally stumped.
Meanwhile, the T-Birds are bored hanging around outside the party, and Richie and Gil decide to head in, even though Jane told them not to.
Lydia finds Cynthia hanging out alone and acting sketchy, and Cynthia admits she needs her help with the play. Lydia gives in and they begin rehearsing the kissing scene – and once again, Cynthia stumbles through her part. Lydia figures out Cynthia’s nervous about the kiss and that’s why she’s flubbing her lines. Cynthia confesses she’s never kissed anyone before.
Lydia offers to kiss her now so that it’ll stop being a big deal. Cynthia agrees…and we get our second song of the episode as Cynthia sings about how amazing the kiss feels. It’s a gorgeous Broadway-style musical number, and the chemistry between Cynthia and Lydia is sizzling.
Ari Notartomaso and Niamh Wilson in ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ (Photo Credit: Eduardo Araquel / Paramount+)
The song – and the kiss – end, and Cynthia asks if that was acting since it felt so real. Lydia claims it was, and Cynthia believes she gets the appeal now. “Wait! Does this mean I’m a thespian?!” asks a wide-eyed Cynthia.
On the way to the Sparrow Lane address, Olivia spotted the house that Mr. Daniels just bought. She sneaks off to check it out and is shocked to discover Mr. Daniels is inside when she pokes around. He’s painting and acts nervous as he admits his girlfriend didn’t like the turquoise walls. Olivia does, and so does Mr. Daniels. He offers to show her around his new place, and she accepts.
Jane gets impatient waiting and discovers that if she bangs the microphone on the table, it stops the band, causes feedback, and gets everyone’s attention. She starts her speech by warning everyone that the real Rydell, not this “RyHell” haunted house version, is ruled by the socs. She reminds them the socs ignore them except when they need something – like votes. That’s the only reason they’ve thrown this party. Otherwise, they ignore and torment the less popular.
The crowd turns against Buddy and his friends as Jane claims Buddy’s spineless and never stands up to his gang.
Buddy cuts off Jane’s speech after discovering her in the basement with the mic. Jane claims she’ll do whatever it takes to win, and Buddy wonders if she remembers when she thought it would be fun to run for student council.
Jane admits she doesn’t even feel like that person anymore. Neither does Buddy.
Richie’s still outside when he sees Jane and Buddy sitting alone in the basement, laughing. He storms off, returning to the car and telling his guys he’s ending the party. After all, that’s what Jane wanted.
Jane and Buddy head back to the main party, which is now all about Jane and not the socs. Jane spots Nancy and tells her she’s done. She just wants to go find Richie and forget about the “stupid” election.
Cynthia joins Nancy and Jane just as Susan tells them to leave, which they were getting ready to do anyway. Just as Cynthia calls the party a bomb, fireworks go off outside. No one realizes what’s going on and they all seem to have flashbacks to the nuclear bomb video and take cover.
Jane steps outside while the fireworks are going off and spots Richie. Apparently, the T-Birds lit them all off at once and the fireworks are wreaking havoc, including lighting a partygoer’s costume on fire. Jane had earned back some votes with her speech, but after the disastrous fireworks display, it seems everyone’s back on Buddy’s side.
Buddy asks Wally to see Hazel home while he takes care of the fireworks.
Jane informs Richie they all thought they were going to die, and Richie reveals he saw her snuggling up to Buddy. He thinks she’s all about politics now and can’t believe he was going to give her his jacket. Jane says she doesn’t want that since she has her own but adds that that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to be his girlfriend. She does, but now Richie’s done playing second fiddle to her obsession with winning the election.
“I know the real reason you don’t want to wear my jacket. Because being with a guy like me brings down your stock,” says Richie.
Jackie Hoffman as Asst. Principal McGee in ‘Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies’ (Photo Credit: Eduardo Araquel / Paramount+)
Election Day arrives, and Assistant Principal McGee greets the start of the school day with a song. McGee sings about democracy being fragile and that making your voice heard by voting is essential. She also speaks for pretty much everyone at Rydell when she admits she’s really glad the election’s almost over.
Teachers and other staff members are McGee’s backup dancers as she sings that the election is stupid, with all its dumb lies and he said/she said arguments.
Rehearsals are underway again for Romeo and Juliet, and this time Cynthia delivers her lines perfectly. However, she ends the scene before she and Buddy actually kiss. Mr. Vaughan’s filled with tears of joy that Cynthia’s finally nailed it. He compliments Lydia on helping Cynthia but wants them to continue practicing every single day.
The polling place opens and students line the hallways, ready to cast their votes. It looks like it’s going to be a close race, and when Principal Nicholson, Vice Principal McGee, a few other adults, and Olivia (as McGee’s assistant) count the votes twice, it turns out that Rydell has its first female president.
McGee and Olivia step out to type up an announcement, and one of the participants in the counting process signals to Buddy and Susan that he lost. Buddy’s disappointed but takes it well and heads home.
Once McGee and Buddy are gone, Nicholson’s forced to do another recount. They cheat and declare Buddy the winner.
Buddy doesn’t know what’s happening at school when he shows up at Jane with the news that she won the election. He wants to be the first to congratulate her, and Jane’s absolutely stunned.
Over at the Frosty Palace, Nancy sits down beside Potato and tells him she knows he’s her secret admirer. He admits it all adds up but insists he isn’t the one who called in the dedication. Nancy confesses she was hunting for her secret admirer because it would mean there’s a boy who likes her the way she is. She wouldn’t have to change.
After she walks away, Nancy’s parents confess to Potato that they dedicated the song to their daughter. They didn’t want her to feel left out since all her friends had dates. Potato suggests they just let her continue to think there’s a guy out there who has a crush on her. Nancy’s mom admits they weren’t going to say anything; they’re scared of her.
Jane and Buddy sit on her stairs and talk, and Jane thinks they can change the rules and both be winners. Buddy doesn’t think that’s necessary. “I was just running to win. You were running to change things,” he admits.
Buddy apologizes for everything she went through this year and is proud she kept going through it all. He thinks she inspires people and confesses she inspires him.
Bull‘s Yara Martinez guest stars on CBS’s True Lies season one episode 10. Directed by Gina Lamar from a script by Valentina Garza, episode 10 – “Friendly Enemies” – will air on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.
Steve Howey stars as Harry and Ginger Gonzaga stars as Helen. The season one cast also includes Erica Hernandez as Maria, Omar Miller as Gib, Mike O’Gorman as Luther, Annabella Didion as Dana, and Lucas Jaye as Jake.
“Friendly Enemies” Plot: Harry and Helen go undercover as American diplomats to befriend and recruit the Pérezes, a couple with connections that can help Omega Sector take down a rogue general who has gained missile-launching capabilities. The mission takes a turn when they realize the Pérezes have a secret of their own.
True Lies follows Harry Tasker (Howey), a first-class international spy for U.S. intelligence agency Omega Sector, and his wife, Helen (Gonzaga), a language professor bored with her daily routine, who makes the shocking discovery that her seemingly ordinary husband is leading an extraordinary double life.
With the secret out, Omega recruits Helen, who impresses everyone with her formidable skills (thanks to Tae Bo and yoga), and she joins Harry and his team of top-notch operatives, embarking on covert missions around the globe and an exhilarating life of danger and adventure – all while keeping their adventures a secret from their children. The renewed bond between them adds much-needed sizzle to the Taskers’ emotionally distant marriage and upends the top-secret world of Omega Sector.
But, as Harry says, if you’re going to save the world, you might as well do it for the ones you love.
