The short teaser trailer for MGM+’s Amityville: An Origin Story confirms the documentary series will be delving into the murders of six DeFeo family members in 1974 as well as the paranormal events that supposedly occurred in the home when the Lutz family moved in. The four-part docuseries will premiere on April 23, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT following the season two debut of From.
MGM+’s trailer release was accompanied by new photos from the docuseries directed by Jack Riccobono (The Seventh Fire). Executive producers include Riccobono, Lesley Chilcott, Blaine Duncan, Brooklyn Hudson, Amanda Raymond, Rhett Bachner, and Brien Meagher.
The first Amityville Horror film, based on Jay Anson’s book, was released in 1979 and starred James Brolin and Margot Kidder. Amityville II: The Possession with Burt Young followed in 1982, and Amityville 3-D starring Tony Roberts and Tess Harper premiered in November 1983. A remake of the original film arrived in 2005 with Ryan Reynolds taking on James Brolin’s role and Melissa George subbing in for Margot Kidder.
In 2017, Hollywood revived the Amityville Horror franchise with Amityville: The Awakening starring Bella Thorne, Jennifer Jason Lee, and Cameron Monaghan.
MGM+ offered this description of the Amityville: An Origin Story docuseries:
Amityville: An Origin Story tells the story behind the world’s most infamous haunted house tale: the Amityville murders. The project is the first elevated look at every aspect of this wildly layered story about the heinous murder of a family of six that became eclipsed by paranormal controversy.
The 1979 blockbuster film, The Amityville Horror, inspired by the book of the same title by Jay Anson spawned an ever-expanding universe of movies, books, supernatural theories, and horror superfans. But the mass murder behind the hauntings — and its alleged ties to organized crime—left a long trail of questions that have never been fully explored.
Rooted in the dark cultural undercurrents of the 1970s, the series features firsthand accounts from witnesses, family members, and former investigators appearing on-camera for the first time. Exclusive archival footage, newly unearthed images, and stunning original photography are woven together into the most compelling and comprehensive telling of the Amityville story yet, taking viewers on a heart-pounding roller coaster ride through the mythology, factual record, and devastating human toll of this notorious meta-narrative.
A scene from ‘Amityville: An Origin Story’ (Photo Credit: MGM+)The Amityville house (Photo Credit: MGM+)
Ben takes to the skies on NBC’s Quantum Leap season one episode 17, “The Friendly Skies.” Episode 17 will air on Monday, March 27, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.
Season one stars Raymond Lee (Kevin Can F**k Himself) as physicist Ben Song and Caitlin Bassett as Addison. Ernie Hudson (The Family Business) plays Herbert “Magic” Williams, Mason Alexander Park (The Sandman) is Ian Wright, and Nanrisa Lee (First Love) plays Jenn Chou.
“The Friendly Skies” Plot: Ben leaps aboard a 1970s passenger jet as a flight attendant and must outwit its hijackers before it mysteriously crashes into the Atlantic. As if that’s not bad enough, he has to do it all without Ziggy’s help.
Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song in ‘Quantum Leap’ episode 17 (Photo by: NBC)
Season One Synopsis:
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 (Lee), has been assembled to restart the project in 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 Chou (Lee), who heads up digital security for the project.
As Ben leaps from life to life, putting right what once went wrong, it becomes clear that he and the team are on a thrilling journey. However, Addison, Magic, Ian and Jenn know that if they are going to solve the mystery of Ben’s leap and bring him home, they must act fast or lose him forever.
Mason Alexander Park as Ian in “The Friendly Skies” episode (Photo by: NBC)Caitlin Bassett as Addison and Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song in season 1 episode 17 (Photo by: NBC)Nanrisa Lee as Jenn, Ernie Hudson as Magic, Caitlin Bassett as Addison, and Mason Alexander Park as Ian in episode 17 (Photo by: NBC)Caitlin Bassett as Addison in episode 17 (Photo by: NBC)Ernie Hudson as Magic and Mason Alexander Park as Ian in episode 17 (Photo by: NBC)Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song and Caitlin Bassett as Addison in episode 17 (Photo by: NBC)
Apple TV+’s new music competition series My Kind of Country couldn’t have chosen better Country music stars as season one scouts and mentors than Mickey Guyton, Jimmie Allen, and Orville Peck. All three understand the need for more inclusion within the world of Country music and are willing to share their experiences with talented artists from around the globe who are hoping to break through in the genre.
Four-time Grammy nominee and TIME’s 2022 Breakthrough Artist of the Year Mickey Guyton believes Country music is a universal language and genre, and that it’s important to reach out and discover amazing artists who might not otherwise have an opportunity to find a wider audience. My Kind of Country makes that possible for 12 artists, with Guyton, Allen, and Peck each mentoring four aspiring solo artists or groups.
Guyton recently joined CMA 2021’s New Artist of the Year Jimmie Allen and GLAAD Media Awards nominee Orville Peck for a press conference hosted by Apple TV+ in support of My Kind of Country’s March 24, 2023 premiere. Topics touched upon included how they define Country music and what advice they dispensed to the artists they mentored.
On What Sets My Kind of Country Apart from Other Singing Reality Shows:
Mickey Guyton: “I think for me, how it differed from a lot of other singing competition shows is you got a real front row seat and window into their minds, the minds of these artists and their artistry. Like, when they create their sets of what they visualized themselves – when they finally are out there and they have their own tours – you got to really see into their minds, and it was just so beautiful. You never get that as an artist up until you’ve had several number ones and you can finally have your tour, that you get that opportunity. And they got that right away. And I just think that was something that was different for me.”
Jimmie Allen: “What I loved that was different, you know, it’s a show about just country music. That stood out [as] different. And then like you said, you know, we actually got to see artists be artists. A lot of other singing competition shows we see the artists be singers. You know what I mean? We’re not going to see the artistry side. And on this show, we got a chance to see the artist side.”
Orville Peck: “I think too, I mean, we weren’t sitting sort of on a panel with, like, buttons in front of us, or sort of these production elements that we’d find in a lot of these shows. I think we were just hanging out with these artists every day, talking to them. And, yeah, like being able to help them on a real level.
[…] It never felt scripted or produced. It all just felt very authentic and sincere, which is kind of, I think, at the heart of this show. There is so much sincerity to it, which is, in my opinion, what I think is very different from a lot of those shows that, you know, sometimes typically could lack a bit of that.”
On Making This Singing Competition Their Own:
Jimmie Allen: “You know, I feel like I made it my own just from my view. You know, we all had different views on kind of what we wanted to share with the artists and what we were looking for. Me, I wanted to kind of come in with the approach of [sharing] what I’ve learned from other artists about the business, and also try to talk to the artists about the business side. Yes, you can be creative, but if you want to reach a certain level, there’s a business aspect that comes with it.
And the cool thing is, it’s not like any other show to where it’s not taking away from any other show. It’s standing on its own. It’s its own thing. And you come to My Kind of Country, you know you’re going to hear Country music from different parts of the world – and that’s what I think makes it its own thing.”
Mickey Guyton: “I think also the way it was shot. It was shot in more of like a documentary form, which I thought was really beautiful.
And also, you know, you got a real window into what was going on in the artist’s mind. You got to see them be artists. You got to hear their original songs. They plugged their original songs at the end of each episode, which I just think is so cool. And they got to work with, like, Adam Blackstone, who’s an incredible music director. And you have a creative director like Jemel McWilliams, who’s worked with everybody from Beyonce to John Legend. They’re getting the other side of the industry than just singing, right?”
Orville Peck: “And people who really work and make this industry work. I mean, like Jemel, Adam… I mean, Jay Joyce, Cameron Duddy, Catherine Hahn. I mean, these people who work really in this industry. And for young artists essentially sort of coming out of obscurity in some cases, we got to provide them with – even if they didn’t win the competition, I mean, they’re going home with a real invaluable experience.”
Mickey Guyton: “Like a workshop.”
Orville Peck: “Yeah, exactly. Like, a real sort of workshop, a masterclass on this industry and Country music in a sincere way. So, it was lovely for us to be able to do that because it also isn’t typical that it’s, like, these other shows there’s one winner or whatever. We really got to work with these artists and provide them with what we feel is very, very genuine and helpful advice.”
Country singer-songwriters Mickey Guyton, Orville Peck and Jimmie Allen star in Apple TV+’s ‘My Kind of Country’
On What Country Music Means to Them:
Orville Peck: “For me, it’s about storytelling, I think. Like I always said, it’s the storytelling genre. So, you know, of course people can say it’s about a banjo or a sound, or maybe it’s about where you’re from. But I think this show, what it stands for, is the reality is Country is universal. And for me, it’s about storytelling, for sure.”
Mickey Guyton: “For me, we had asked this question actually to some of the artists on the show, and one guy specifically, Wandile, he said that Country music is foundational, and I thought that that was such a powerful answer. And I believe, like, all of us, it kind of grounded us, and it was the foundation of a lot of what we are today. Musically, and that’s what it means to me.”
Jimmie Allen: “You know, honestly, that answer for me changes sometimes weekly. You know, sometimes I feel like for me Country music changes based on my mood, you know? Sometimes it’s about stories. You know, sometimes for me it’s worship music to middle-class people. You know what I mean? The people that are working nine to five. It’s kind of like songs that help get them through whatever situation they’re in.
And it basically changes. Yeah, I never really have one straight answer on that, honestly, because there’s so many answers you can give for what Country music means to you.”
On What Qualities They Look for in an Aspiring Country Artist:
Jimmie Allen: “I look for determination a lot of times. People that will continue to show up no matter how many doors close in their face. Because in this business, you’re going to get told no a lot. You’re going to hear ‘no’ more than you’ll hear ‘yes.’ And it’s about how many times can you keep showing up. Because when you fall and you get back up, that’s what living is.
I was looking for that. But also, I’m very, to me, a lot of times about business. So, I’m like, ‘Okay, who knows who they are? Who knows themselves?’
It’s not about looking a certain way, sounding a certain way. So, like, ‘Okay, do you know you and can you market yourself? Can you really tap into what you need to tap into to get other people to connect with who you are? Can you be vulnerable enough sometimes to find a connection?’ Because a lot of times, I feel like what connects us as people isn’t joy and happiness. It’s pain. You know, when you find someone that has similar pain as you, you really feel that connection.”
Mickey Guyton: “We look for honesty. Your intentions as an artist and how you want the audience to feel, that’s something that personally I look for. I look for the heart. I think that’s something that’s so important. You know, music is, it is almost like worship. In any genre. And when you hear something, it makes you feel something, emotions and emotional. And that’s what I look for in the artists.”
Orville Peck: “I think for me, it’s like the word we’ve all used is ‘artists.’ You know, I think there can be really great singers out there who might be very technically gifted or talented. […] But I think to be an artist, which is really what each of these people we found were in their own ways…they were all really artists with really specific things to bring to the table.”
Mickey Guyton in Apple TV+’s ‘My Kind of Country’
On the Best Advice They Offered the Season One Artists:
Mickey Guyton: “Some advice that I remember leaving the artists, I always want them to take care of their mental health. That is something that is really, really important because nobody tells you how hard this is mentally on anybody. It’s really, really hard. So that was something like, always put that first as you’re pursuing your career.
And, also, really figuring out who you are as an artist. Those are two things that I gave – the advice I gave to these artists.”
Orville Peck: “I think I struggled in the early parts of my career with feeling like I could show up as myself and be vulnerable. You know, sometimes as performers, we want to be employable or we want to be likable, or we want to be successful, and we think that means we have to change who we are and show up in a way that’s kind of like palatable or preferable. And I think when I finally got to the point that I learned, oh, actually, just me showing up as myself is the best version of me, and that became the most successful version of me too.
I think that was something nice to kind of encourage in these artists that […]you are here because of you. And what we love is you and we love what we see, the vulnerable side of you. I really tried to push that narrative.”
Jimmie Allen: “I think that’s something that we all push because we’re all very… We’ve learned to be ourselves. And I also push artists to figure out what does success mean to you. Because to some artists, success means touring stadiums, touring arenas, having number ones on Country Radio. But to some artists, success means just writing songs. And if it means you play a venue for five people, you play a venue for five people.
So, determining what success is to you, and then, you know, that’s your goal. That’s where you want to go to and kind of live with that and be okay with what your version of success is, and be okay with who you are.”
* * * * * * * *
My Kind of Country is a fresh take on a competition series, breaking down barriers in country music by providing an extraordinary opportunity to diverse and innovative artists from around the world. Scouts Allen, Guyton, and Peck each hand-pick a roster of exceptional up-and-coming artists and invite them to the home of country music in Nashville, Tennessee, to showcase their unique sound.
The competition winner will receive a life-changing prize from Apple Music, receiving unprecedented support and exposure on the platform.
The team tackles an incredibly dangerous rescue on ABC’s Station 19 season six episode 12. “Never Gonna Give You Up” will air on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season six stars Jaina Lee Ortiz as Andy Herrera, Jason George as Ben Warren, Boris Kodjoe as Robert Sullivan, Grey Damon as Jack Gibson, and Barrett Doss as Victoria Hughes. Jay Hayden plays Travis Montgomery, Danielle Savre plays Maya Bishop, Stefania Spampinato is Carina DeLuca, and Carlos Miranda stars as Theo Ruiz.
“Never Gonna Give You Up” Plot: A call from a social media star’s livestream sends the team on an unusual rescue. Travis’ mayoral campaign takes off, much to his chagrin. Back at the station, Ben treats a patient with a surprising diagnosis.
Chris Brochu and Danielle Savre in ‘Station 19’ season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)
Station 19 Description, Courtesy of ABC:
Station 19 follows a group of heroic Seattle firefighters as they put their lives and hearts on the line. The latest series from the executive producers of Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder takes us inside the tough, tight-knit and sometimes heartbreaking world of the city’s bravest first responders.
A scene from season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)Jay Hayden, Barrett Doss and Boris Kodjoe in season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)Merle Dandridge in season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)Jay Hayden, Danielle Savre and Grey Damon in season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)Boris Kodjoe in season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)Grey Damon, Jay Hayden and Danielle Savre in season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)Jaina Lee Ortiz, Jay Hayden and Barrett Doss in season 6 episode 12 (ABC/James Clark)
Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen star in ‘Platonic,’ premiering globally May 24, 2023 on Apple TV+
Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne played a married couple who battled a frat in Neighbors and then a sorority in Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising. And now they’re reuniting for the Apple TV+ comedy Platonic.
Apple TV+ just released the first photos from the series and confirmed Platonic will premiere on May 24, 2023 with the debut of the first three episodes. New episodes of the 10-episode series will arrive on subsequent Wednesdays.
Byrne and Rogen are executive producing the comedy created by Nick Stoller (director of the Neighbors films, Bros, and Get Him to the Greek) and Francesca Delbanco (Friends from College). Stoller and Delbanco write and executive produce, with Conor Welch also executive producing.
In addition to Rogen and Byrne, the cast also includes Luke Macfarlane (Bros), Tre Hale (Sh*thouse), Carla Gallo (Bones), and Andrew Lopez (Blockers).
Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen star Apple TV+’s new comedy
The Plot, Courtesy of Apple TV+:
Platonic follows a platonic pair of former best friends approaching midlife (Rogen and Byrne) who reconnect after a long rift. The duo’s friendship becomes all-consuming and destabilizes their lives in a hilarious way.
The new season of the true-crime series Very Scary People will premiere on Sunday, April 16, 2023 on its new home, Investigation Discovery. Donnie Wahlberg (Blue Bloods) will return as host and executive producer.
“I could not be more excited for a new season of Very Scary People to air on Investigation Discovery,” stated Wahlberg. “With each episode, we bring new insights into the lives of terrifying criminals to create awareness and hope this knowledge helps prevent similar crimes from happening in the future.”
The new season will kick off with “The Trailside Killer” which delves into serial killer David Carpenter. Per Investigation Discovery: “From 1979 to 1981, Carpenter terrorized Northern California’s typically tranquil hiking trails, shocking the quiet community surrounding them with his cold-blooded violence and led local authorities on a twisted and challenging investigation to bring him to justice.”
The upcoming season also features episodes that focus on Larry Hall, the American murderer and rapist whose true nature was exposed by drug smuggler turned F.B.I. informant James Keene; the Times Square Killer, Richard Cottingham; The Happy Face Killer, Keith Jesperson; John Robinson, the internet’s first serial killer who dubbed himself the “Slavemaster;” and Judy Buenoano, a deadly Black Widow lurking behind the facade of nurse, wife and mother.
“With an impressive background of work in the true crime space, Donnie Wahlberg has become one of the most trusted faces for fans of the genre,” stated Jason Sarlanis, President of Turner Networks, ID and HLN, linear and streaming. “And as the leader in true crime television, we at ID are delighted to become the new home of Very Scary People and welcome Donnie to our family of first-rate storytellers known to be the most credible, passionate and knowledgeable in the business.”
Very Scary People Description:
Through in-depth interviews and incredible archival footage, each two-hour episode of Very Scary People will offer unprecedented and comprehensive insight into not only the twisted crimes of these individuals, but a glimpse into their background, possible motives, psyche and the investigations that subsequently brought them all to justice.
Featuring local authorities and journalists who investigated and covered the cases, as well as interviews with those close to both the victims and the killers, each episode of Very Scary People will offer an expansive look into some of society’s most evil minds.
Rainbow Wedell, Nick Pugliese, and Peyton List in ‘School Spirits’ season 1 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Paramount+)
Episode five of Paramount+’s School Spirits opens with Wally (Milo Manheim) trying to get the other ghosts pumped up for the Homecoming game. It’s 10 hours until game time, and Mr. Martin (Josh Zuckerman) encourages the ghosts to sign up for the prep committee.
Rhonda (Sarah Yarkin) is doing her best not to be a Debbie Downer, now that she’s decided to move on to a new plane of existence with Mr. Martin’s help. Charley (Nick Pugliese) would rather go track down Maddie but instead, he remains in the gym to help Wally pump up balloons.
Meanwhile, Claire’s crew has set up an impressive booth and are busy urging their fellow students to vote. Maddie (Peyton List) and Simon (Kristian Flores) have been tailing Claire for a week but still haven’t figured out her connection to Mr. Anderson. (Episode four ended with Simon and Maddie calling the last number dialed from Anderson’s phone and discovering it was Claire.)
Xavier (Spencer Macpherson) is helping Maddie’s mom, Sandra (Maria Dizzia), when she receives a call saying they found Maddie’s backpack at a deserted house. Sandra thinks this is a sign that Maddie’s alive and has been squatting there.
Back at school, Maddie and Charley go through Claire’s purse but don’t find anything suspicious. They eavesdrop as Claire’s crew discuss Mr. Anderson and joke about him not being able to chaperone the dance from prison. Claire’s strangely silent and distracted, and leaves the table to speak with Principal Hartman. (Her crew has no idea why she’s acting weird.)
She says her parents want to know what’s happening with Mr. Anderson and the money he stole. Claire asks probing questions and wonders if he’s said anything about the money he stole – or if he said anyone else was involved. Maddie and Charley listen in and Maddie’s sure Claire’s on a fishing expedition.
Claire insists she’s asking because she’s worried her parents, who gave Mr. Anderson money for the booster club, will be dragged into a scandal.
Rhonda fetches Maddie and Charley, reminding them they need help in the gym with Wally’s banner.
Nicole (Kiara Pichardo) catches up with Simon in the hallway and reveals Xavier said they found Maddie’s backpack. Simon’s skeptical and doesn’t trust Xavier as far as he can throw him. Speaking of the devil, Xavier walks up with the news Claire’s stepfather owns the whole block. Simon latches onto Claire’s connection, but Xavier says it doesn’t mean she’s involved in Maddie’s disappearance.
Nicole explains that Simon believes Claire has something to do with Maddie’s death, and Xavier reminds Simon that just last week he thought he killed Maddie. “Maybe I still do,” says Simon.
Xavier walks away in a huff and Nicole’s pissed that Simon’s pushing everyone away. Simon apologizes but now it’s Nicole’s turn to stalk away.
Maddie’s laying on the gym floor painting a sign when she asks why they don’t just steal the Homecoming committee’s decorations instead of making their own. Charley says it’s tradition the ghosts make their own and Rhonda adds, “Once a year we’re forced to relive Wally’s glory days.”
Maddie didn’t realize Wally died at the Homecoming game. Wally reveals his family still attends the game every year.
Maddie’s mom shows up in the gym and Maddie follows her to Ms. Fields’ classroom. Sandra informs Ms. Fields (Kalyn Miles) that they found Maddie’s backpack, so she wants all of Maddie’s assignments that she’s missed. Sandra would hate for her to get behind and ruin her chances of getting into Northwestern.
Maddie can only listen in as her mother confesses she wants to be a better mom. Maddie’s shocked her mom isn’t drunk and seems to be holding things together while clinging to the hope she’s alive.
She watches her mom leave and then joins Simon in Mr. Anderson’s classroom. Simon was able to convince Mr. South, the custodian, to give him the room’s keys but only has 10 minutes to get what he needs and return them.
Simon shows Maddie a stack of Claire’s English papers that Mr. Anderson graded with all ‘A’s. All of the papers are exactly the same, no matter what the assignment was or what book she was given to write about. Why did she get straight ‘A’s after only reading one book?
Maddie thinks that’s a big deal but now she’s worried what will happen to her mom if she learns she’s dead and not just missing. If she and Simon continue to hunt for clues, it’s sure to lead to her body. That will destroy her mom.
Simon understands but he’s not sure they should let Claire get away with having a role in Maddie’s death. But Maddie remains convinced if they put the investigation on hold, that will allow her mom to have a life.
Meanwhile, Claire confronts Mr. Anderson as he’s leaving his house, demanding to know what he told the cops. He claims he confessed to stealing the money to pay off his dad’s debt. He also told them he was with his dad when Maddie went missing.
When Claire asks if he mentioned her, Mr. Anderson replies, “You know what? I don’t remember.”
The ghosts are all at the football stadium when Maddie arrives, and she takes a seat by herself on the field, resting against the goalpost. Wally joins her and asks about her mom, and Maddie said it was weird but fine seeing her.
Wally talks about seeing his parents each year at the game and recalls his mom pushed him to be the best player – and person – he could be. He describes his death and that he was at the five-yard line when he injured his neck. It didn’t hurt. However, it does sting that he didn’t die in the endzone. It would have been nice to give his mom one more W.
Night falls and Xavier explores the deserted house where Maddie’s backpack was found. It’s apparent someone’s been crashing there, and he startles whoever it is. The person leaps out a window as Xavier yells after him or her.
Back at school, the crowd’s welcomed to Wally Clark Memorial Stadium. The crowd cheers as the players take the field, and even Rhonda attempts to get into the spirit – hoping it’ll help her cross over.
Wally rips through the banner the ghosts created for him and then turns to salute Maddie in the stands.
Claire races up late as the game’s about to begin and joins the cheerleaders.
Simon rides up to Maddie’s house and finds Xavier loading something into his truck. Simon explains he’s there to ask Sandra about Maddie’s backpack, and Xavier confesses he went to the deserted house. Xavier claims he wants answers too and saw someone run away as soon as he saw him. It could have been Claire, but it also could have been practically anyone. Sandra joins them and reveals the containers Xavier’s loading in his truck contain flyers she wants to pass out at the game. Maybe Maddie will see one and know it’s time to come home.
Simon tosses his bike into the back of the truck and joins them.
At the stadium, Maddie just sits and stares at Claire. Mr. Martin and Rhonda are sitting together, and Mr. Martin’s confused about Claire and confused about why Charley’s been writing in a notebook all day. Rhonda doesn’t reveal that Claire can talk to her living friend or that Charley’s writing a note for Claire to give to Mr. Figueroa.
Wally runs into the stands to high-five Mr. Martin, Rhonda, and Charley. He pauses by Claire to point out his mom and explain she always leaves the seat next to her empty. He also reveals his dad stopped coming 15 years ago so it’s not his. Wally believes the empty seat is for him. He leaves Claire and takes the seat next to his mom.
Rainbow Wedell as Claire in ‘School Spirits’ season 1 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Colin Bentley/Paramount+)
Claire’s acting really strange and not cheering. Instead, she’s sitting by herself at the end of the bench. Suddenly, she gets up and heads toward the stands. She finds a trashcan and vomits.
Sandra and Ms. Fields pass out flyers, and Sandra doesn’t blame Mr. Anderson for stealing money since teachers don’t earn much. She also recalls he was always kind to Maddie.
Sandra heads off to hand out more flyers and Nicole takes her spot next to Ms. Fields. Nicole wonders why the cops can’t make Mr. Anderson talk, and Ms. Fields think they need to just let the police handle it.
Wally and Maddie head to the refreshment stand and she reveals that hotdogs stress her out. Hotdogs were about the only thing she knew how to make when her mom was drunk and left her to fend for herself.
Maddie believes it’s impressive Wally’s mom still celebrates something he loved. Wally confesses it was his mom’s idea that he played football and he doesn’t actually love the sport. He’s good at it but he played it for her. Wally never told her that because it would have broken her heart.
Maddie reminds him he doesn’t need to play it anymore; he can do what he wants. Wally isn’t sure he would even know how to do that.
They spot Xavier passing out flyers and it’s only when Maddie looks at one that she realizes it features her mom’s favorite photo of her. She then sees her mom with an armload of flyers, busy handing them out.
“What does it say about me if I’d rather never know what happened to me if it means my mom will stay sober?” asks Maddie. Wally wonders what it says about him that he returns to the field he died on to watch the game that killed him because it might make his mom proud.
Suddenly, Xavier, Nicole, and Simon’s phones receive a video of Claire and Mr. Anderson arguing over stolen money and secrets. Claire tells him his secret will be safe if she continues to get As. They don’t know who sent it, who recorded it, or why it was sent just to them.
Wally returns to the seat by his mom in the stands and has a flashback to the night he died. He was seated on the bench resting his knee, per the coach’s orders, when his mom showed up behind him and told him to get in the game. He reminded her he needed to rest but she told him he could do that when he was dead.
Wally agreed with his coach that he should rest a bit and go in later, but his mom insisted he would miss out on a scholarship if he sat on the bench.
The conversation was hard on Wally and it’s obvious he didn’t want to play. He only asked his coach to put him back in because his mom said he needed to make her proud.
Peggy Carlson as Wally’s mom and Milo Mannheim as Wally in ‘School Spirits’ season 1 episode 5 (Photo Credit: Colin Bentley/Paramount+)
The flashback ends and Maddie watches as Wally, seated next to his mom, takes off his football jersey. He takes a deep breath as he folds his jersey.
When Maddie glances away, her mom is standing a foot from her, searching the stands for any sign of her daughter. Sandra looks right through her daughter as she scans the crowd, and finally turns and walks away, dejected.
Simon runs up and shows Maddie the video. He believes that if Claire knows about the video and thinks Maddie took it, that would be her motive for murder!
Maddie has an epiphany and realizes her mom needs to know she’s not coming home. Both she and her mom need to move on.
Nicole and Xavier believe Claire stole Maddie’s phone and swapped it for a blank one.
Sandra asks Xavier to take her home. She’s done for the night and confesses it’s just too much. Nicole volunteers to take her because Xavier needs to meet Simon in the parking lot right now.
Maddie tells Simon to tell Xavier to apologize to Claire and ask her to the Homecoming dance. Maddie dictates the message for Simon to instruct Xavier to text Claire. It breaks Maddie’s heart to have to send Xavier to the dance with Claire, and when she tells him to type “I miss you, I want to be with you” – it’s obvious that Maddie is talking about how she feels about Xavier.
Wally catches up with Maddie and thanks her, revealing he feels free now after taking her advice. He confesses he’s never been able to talk to someone like he is able to talk to her. Wally asks her to the dance – and throws in as friends, even though that’s not how he feels. She accepts and Wally’s thrilled.
Simon believes Mr. South sent him the video since earlier, when he asked for Mr. Anderson’s keys, he hid a video he was watching. Mr. South explains the video was of things students have written on the boiler after Maddie’s disappearance. (It’s become a mini-tourist attraction.)
In the parking lot, Sandra asks Nicole if she thinks Maddie will forgive her and come home. Nicole thinks it’s possible to be forgiven, and Sandra asks for a hug. Nicole loads up the storage bin in the trunk by herself, but first, she looks around to make sure no one’s watching her. Oh, very suspicious!
Maddie’s looking around at the graffiti on the boiler when she spots a door. Mr. South tells Simon it leads to a fallout shelter.
Simon and Maddie look around the shelter and Simon realizes that since they can talk there, someone must have died in this shelter. They spot another door and realize they may have discovered how Claire dragged Maddie’s body out of the boiler room.
Fox’s primetime dramas Accused and Alert: Missing Persons Unit have been renewed for second seasons. Both shows debuted mid-season and have posted impressive ratings.
“Accused and Alert stand out as two of this season’s new broadcast and multi-platform success stories. Looking to 2023-24, we’ll continue to deliver on the powerful storytelling coming from both series, building on our incredible partnership with Sony and further solidifying FOX’s strong slate of dramas, giving our schedule tremendous season-to-season stability,” stated Michael Thorn, President, Scripted Programming, of FOX Entertainment.
Season one of Alert starred Scott Caan, Dania Ramirez, Adeola Role, and Ryan Broussard. The drama was created by executive producers John Eisendrath and Jamie Foxx, and Carla Kettner (The Blacklist) will serve as season two’s showrunner.
“With Accused, Howard Gordon has taken the crime anthology to new heights and acclaim, featuring an all-star roster of directors and talent headlining gripping episodes that entertain viewers with a provocative, fresh take on many of the most relevant, timely issues of our day,” said Thorn. “Scott, Dania, John and Jamie have done an incredible job launching Alert and bringing its story into heart-pounding focus, giving us an emotionally intense procedural drama that’s primed for even more success as Carla takes the day-to-day reins, continuing the great work we’ve seen this season.”
Accused is an anthology series, with season one featuring episodes with Michael Chiklis, Abigail Breslin, Whitney Cummings, Margo Martindale, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Wendell Pierce, and Rachel Bilson. Jack Davenport, Molly Parker, Rhea Perlman, Betsy Brandt, Keith Carradine, Aisha Dee, and Jason Ritter are also featured in season one.
“We are excited to continue our long partnership with FOX to bring more Accused and Alert to audiences around the world,” said Katherine Pope, President, Sony Pictures Television. “It’s wonderful to see these timely, poignant stories resonating with viewers, and we want to congratulate the writers, producers, cast, and crew on their success. We are incredibly proud of their collective work and look forward to seeing where these series go next!”
Based on the BBC’s BAFTA-winning crime anthology, Accused is a collection of 15 intense, topical and exquisitely human stories of crime and punishment. Told from the defendant’s point of view through flashbacks, each episode is a fast-paced provocative thriller, exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast.
More on Alert: Missing Persons Unit:
Set in the Philadelphia Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit, each episode of Alert: Missing Persons Unit features a heart-pounding, life-or-death search for a missing person driven by police officers Jason Grant (Caan) and Nikki Batista’s (Ramirez), whose complicated personal lives are evolving after the loss of their son.
Sam Heughan in ‘Outlander’ season 7 part 1 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
Starz has set a June 16, 2023 premiere for Outlander season seven part one. The 16-episode seventh season of the popular show will be split in two, however, Starz has not revealed the launch date of the second eight-episode batch other than confirming they’ll arrive in 2024.
The premiere date announcement was accompanied by the first official photos from the upcoming season.
Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan return to lead the cast as Claire and Jamie Fraser. Also returning are Sophie Skelton as Brianna MacKenzie, Richard Rankin as Roger MacKenzie, John Bell as Young Ian, David Berry as Lord John Grey, Caitlin O’Ryan as Lizzie Beardsley, and Paul Gorman as twins Josiah and Keziah Beardsley.
Newcomers to the time-traveling romantic drama include William Ransom, Izzy Meikle-Small as Rachel Hunter, and Joey Phillips as Denzell Hunter.
Series stars Balfe and Heughan serve as executive producers along with Matthew B. Roberts, Ronald D. Moore, Maril Davis, Toni Graphia, Luke Schelhaas, Andy Harries, and Jim Kohlberg.
In January 2023 Starz announced Outlander will come to an end with its eighth season. The network also revealed they’ve greenlit Outlander: Blood of My Blood, a prequel focusing on Jamie Fraser’s parents.
“For nearly a decade, Outlander has won the hearts of audiences worldwide and we’re pleased to bring Claire and Jamie’s epic love story to a proper conclusion,” said Kathryn Busby, President, Original Programming for STARZ. “But before we close this chapter, there is plenty of their passionate story to tell over the course of 26 new episodes and even more to explore of this dynamic world and its origin story. We’re thrilled to continue to partner with Matthew, Maril, and Ronald and can’t wait to see where their alluring storytelling takes us next.”
Caitriona Balfe as Claire Fraser in season 7 part 1 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)Richard Rankin as Roger and Sophie Skelton as Brianna in season 7 part 1 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)John Bell as Young Ian in season 7 part 1 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)David Berry as Lord John Grey and Charles Vandervaart as William Ransom in season 7 part 1 (Photo Courtesy of Starz)
Maggie is shocked by a change at work on ABC’s A Million Little Things season five episode eight. “dear diary” will air on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast includes David Giuntoli as Eddie Saville, Romany Malco as Rome Howard, Allison Miller as Maggie Bloom, Christina Moses as Regina Howard, Grace Park as Katherine Kim, and James Roday Rodriguez as Gary Mendez. Stephanie Szostak is Delilah Dixon, Tristan Byon is Theo Saville, Lizzy Greene is Sophie Dixon, and Chance Hurstfield is Danny Dixon.
“dear diary” Plot: Secrets are revealed when Katherine meets Greta’s parents. Maggie returns to unexpected changes at her workplace. Rome and Omar reluctantly come together to make an important decision.
Grace Park and Cameron Esposito in ‘A Million Little Things’ season 5 episode 8 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
The Season 5 Plot:
As Rome Howard says, “Life isn’t just about the moments, it’s about who you share them with.” And as the fifth and final season of the beloved ABC drama series A Million Little Things unfolds, we’ll watch through laughter and tears as we bring this incredible journey to its conclusion. Along the way, we’ll explore the depths of friendship, love, and sorrow as we bid this special family of friends goodbye, once again proving that friendship really is a million little things.
Grace Park, Cameron Esposito, George Wyner and JoBeth Williams in season 5 episode 8 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Cameron Esposito, Grace Park, JoBeth Williams, and George Wyner in season 5 episode 8 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Grace Park, Cameron Esposito, George Wyner, and JoBeth Williams in the “dear diary” episode (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Cameron Esposito, JoBeth Williams, George Wyner and Grace Park in season 5 episode 8 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Cameron Esposito and Grace Park in season 5 episode 8 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
