AMC launched Anne Rice’s Mayfair Witches, the network’s second series based on Rice’s novels, on Sunday, January 8, 2023. The new supernatural drama introduced Alexandra Daddario as Rowan Fielding, a neurosurgeon who comes from a family of witches. Episode two, “The Dark Place,” will air on AMC on Sunday, January 15th at 9pm ET/PT and will stream on AMC+.
In addition to Alexandra Daddario, season one stars Jack Huston (Fargo) as Lasher, Tongayi Chirisa (Another Life) as Ciprien Grieve, and Harry Hamlin (Mad Men) as Cortland Mayfair. Beth Grant plays Carlotta, Hannah Alline is Suzanne, and Jen Richards is Jojo. Annabeth Gish guest stars as Deirdre.
Esta Spalding (Masters of Sex) is the showrunner, writer, and executive producer. In addition, Michelle Ashford (Masters of Sex, The Pacific) writes and executive produces along with director Michael Uppendahl, Jeff Freilich, and Mark Johnson.
“The Dark Place” Plot: Wracked with grief over Ellie’s death, Rowan is out of control and unfit to perform surgeries, and her paranoia that someone is following her is proven true. In New Orleans, Deirdre and her mysterious companion Lasher work together to draw Rowan home.
Alexandra Daddario as Dr. Rowan Fielding and Choppy Guillotte in ‘Mayfair Witches’ episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)
Mayfair Witches Plot:
Based on Anne Rice’s best-selling trilogy, Lives of the Mayfair Witches, the 8-episode series focuses on an intuitive young neurosurgeon, Rowan (Alexandra Daddario), who discovers that she is the unlikely heir to a family of witches. As she grapples with her newfound powers, she must contend with a sinister presence that has haunted her family for generations.
Alexandra Daddario as Dr. Rowan Fielding in episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)Tongayi Chirisa as Ciprien Grieve in episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)A scene from episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)Hannah Alline as Suzanne and Emma Rose Smith as Florie in episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)Hannah Alline as Suzanne and Emma Rose Smith as Florie in ‘Mayfair Witches’ episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)A scene from season 1 episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)Emma Rose Smith as Florie in episode 2 (Photo Credit: Alfonso Bresciani / AMC)
NBC closes the doors on New Amsterdam with a two-hour series finale airing on Tuesday, January 17, 2023. Season five episode 12, “Right Place,” airs at 9pm ET/PT followed by “How Can I Help?” at 10pm ET/PT.
Season five cast members include Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin, Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom, Jocko Sims as Dr. Floyd Reynolds, and Tyler Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome. Sandra Mae Frank returns as Dr. Elizabeth Wilder and has been upped to series regular for the final season. Conner Marx guest stars as Ben Meyer.
“Right Place” Plot: Max and Wilder face a dilemma over approvals for a revolutionary cancer drug as Max learns a secret about his own bout with cancer. Reynolds goes the extra mile to correct a dire medical situation. Iggy tries desperately to help a woman in need but finds the system is working against him.
“How Can I Help?” Plot: In the series finale, everyone’s story reaches a surprising yet inevitable conclusion.
Nora and Opal Clow as Luna and Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin in ‘New Amsterdam’ episode 13 (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)
Season 5 Description, Courtesy of NBC:
After a tumultuous year in which the leadership of New Amsterdam underwent a dramatic change, the idealistic and beloved Max Goodwin is back at the helm.
As Max takes back the reins at New York City’s busiest public hospital, he must first address his own personal life, which was thrown into uncertainty at the conclusion of season four. Max and the team will forge ahead with optimism and a renewed commitment to their own lives – reaching for more joy and forging deeper connections with the people they love.
Dr. Bloom will continue to navigate her own personal journey, including a complicated relationship with her estranged sister, Vanessa. Dr. Frome will tackle the mess he has made of his marriage to Martin. And, after a year full of significant family developments, Dr. Reynolds will continue to sort out the relationship with his long-lost father, Horace.
Finally, Dr. Elizabeth Wilder, who joined the staff last year, will continue to build on her firm foundation as a critical member of the New Amsterdam team and a vital friend and confidante.
Conner Marx as Ben Meyer, Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin, Sandra Mae Frank as Dr. Elizabeth Wilder, and Peter Grosz as Eric Hillbach in season 5 episode 12 (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)Sandra Mae Frank as Dr. Elizabeth Wilder and Nora and Opal Clow as Luna in the series finale (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)Matthew Jeffers as Resident Mark Walsh, Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom, and Debra Monk as Karen Brantley in season 5 episode 13 (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)Toya Turner as Gabrielle and Jocko Sims as Dr. Floyd Reynolds in season 5 episode 13 (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)Alejandro Hernandez as Casey Acosta, Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom, and Matthew Jeffers as Resident Mark Walsh in the series finale (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)Janet Montgomery as Dr. Lauren Bloom and Debra Monk as Karen Brantley in season 5 episode 13 (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)Nora and Opal Clow as Luna and Ryan Eggold as Dr. Max Goodwin in season 5 episode 13 (Photo by: Ralph Bavaro/NBC)Tyler Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome in season 5 episode 12 (Photo by: Eric Liebowitz/NBC)
Will Joe’s ways change now that he’s moved to London? The trailer for Netflix’s You season four shows Joe’s found a new group of friends, yet it teases that he’s fixated on the one who got away – Marienne.
Describing his new “friends,” Joe says, “I fell in with the most insane, damaged people on earth. A circle of privileged douchebags.” However, the trailer also reveals that there could be a new romance introduced between Joe and a member of his new circle.
Penn Badgley returns to lead the cast as Joe Goldberg and Tati Gabrielle is back as Marienne Bellamy. Sera Gamble and Greg Berlanti developed the series, and Gamble serves as showrunner. Berlanti, Gamble, Gina Girolamo, Leslie Morgenstein, Sarah Schechter, and Michael Foley executive produce.
Season four part one premieres on February 9, 2023.
You Season 4 Details, Courtesy of Netflix:
After his previous life went up in flames, Joe Goldberg has fled to Europe to escape his “messy” past, adopt a new identity, and, of course, to pursue true love. But Joe soon finds himself in the strange new role of reluctant detective as he discovers he may not be the only killer in London. Now, his future depends on identifying and stopping whoever’s targeting his new friend group of uber-wealthy socialites…
Tilly Keeper (Lady Phoebe)
As sweet and kind as she is rich, famous, and chaotic, Phoebe’s every bikini wax has been documented by the tabloids since she was 15 years old. An aristocratic socialite with an avid fan base, Phoebe’s true colors show when she’s alone with her friends. She’s a steadfast cheerleader, especially to American entrepreneur boyfriend Adam. She’s also a wild card: when misfortune strikes, will she rise to the occasion, or shatter?
Amy Leigh Hickman (Nadia)
A literature major with a love of genre storytelling and the aspiration to be a serious author, Nadia’s outspokenness and intensity are a perfect cover for the insecurities carried by a young woman who’s never been accepted by her peer group. She’s made some big mistakes; now, they threaten to destroy her life. She’ll need help, even if it’s from the wrong people.
Ed Speleers (Rhys)
Dry, irreverent Rhys is an author whose memoir garnered him acclaim and pressure to launch a political career. Born into poverty, Rhys lived a traumatic early life before he came into money, going to Oxford and making all the right friends. Now, he moves easily in any social circle, while also seeing through those around him. He doesn’t have much time for partying, though he enjoys staying in touch with his eccentric circle of friends. After all, they were there for him in his troubled youth.
Lukas Gage (Adam)
Adam is an ex-pat American, the youngest son of a wealthy East-Coast magnate. He’s famous for spectacularly failing to meet the standards of his successful, venerable family. An entrepreneur and a gambler, Adam is a warm and funny party host and fast friend. But underneath, Adam is hiding a trove of secrets and papering over problems with heavy self-medication.
Charlotte Ritchie (Kate)
She’s smart, independent, suspicious, misses nothing. She is fiercely loyal to her friends, a brick wall to everyone else. The daughter of a chaotic, bohemian single mother, Kate worked hard to create the life she now leads. She’s an art gallery director whose job means managing tempestuous artists.
Niccy Lin (Sophie)
Sophie is an entrepreneur in the body of a pampered jetsetter. Sure, it looks like she’s lying around in a bikini on social media, but every aspect of her feed represents cannily-negotiated high-end sponsorship deals. Underneath her whimsical exterior, Sophie is a watchful protector of her introverted artist brother, Simon.
Aidan Cheng (Simon)
Simon is impossible to impress and abhors small talk and strangers. The Oxford-educated son of a Chinese technology magnate, Simon proved the world wrong when, despite his wealth and sheltered life, he proved himself an artist worthy of acclaim.
Stephen Hagan (Malcolm)
Born to privilege, Malcolm is a literature professor who enjoys all the social perks of the job without working very hard. A drug-loving bon vivant, Malcolm’s friendliness can tip over into bullying if you resist. He’s dating brilliant, successful Kate, which speaks to his own intelligence and maturity. But he’s also seeing a few others on the side, which cancels out those bonus points.
Ben Wiggins (Roald)
Roald hails from an old aristocratic family whose names are on many an important building around Europe. He is attractive, stylish and possessed of perfect manners, but there’s a certain cold calculation to Roald, not to mention rumors of a hidden dark side.
Eve Austin (Gemma)
A member of a privileged circle of friends who met at Oxford, Gemma has never given a day’s thought to life beyond the next VIP event, fashion show, or date. She’s a fun friend to party with, but her insular and privileged life has rendered her shockingly tone-deaf and startlingly lacking in empathy towards those with less.
Ozioma Whenu (Blessing)
A Nigerian princess with several post-graduate degrees, Blessing is an investor with a passion for cryptocurrency. Wry, fun-loving, unapologetically cliquish with her university friends, her carefree risk-taking in life and business has paid off time and again. What’s her secret? She believes we’re all living in a simulation, so only fools would stop themselves from doing whatever they want.
Dario Coates (Connie)
Connie attended Oxford with Kate and Phoebe’s friend group. He is upper-crust, posh, a sportsman gone soft. Loud, potty mouthed, loves betting, horses, drinking and cocaine. It’s safe to assume that Connie’s never had to face a negative consequence in his life.
Sean Pertwee (Vic)
Adam’s personal driver/dealer/security, proud and impeccably dressed Vic is loyal and keeps many of Adam and his friends’ secrets. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty to protect them — the job always comes first. Outsiders are treated with polite but utter suspicion.
Brad Alexander (Edward)
University student Edward’s dad owns a powerful news outlet. Edward is popular and used to being the smartest student in the room. He has a fierce rivalry with fellow student Nadia.
Alison Pargeter (Dawn)
Dawn is not someone you’d notice in a crowd, and that helps with her work as a paparazzi photographer. But if you’re someone determined to avoid being captured on camera, well, Dawn could pose a problem.
Adam James (Elliot)
World-weary, calm, grounded, allergic to drama, Elliot has lived in California for decades, but his job requires him to travel throughout Europe. Elliot’s employer is powerful, and Elliot always delivers, no matter how challenging the task.
Fox’s new primetime drama Alert: Missing Persons Unit moves to its regular Mondays at 9pm timeslot with episode two. “Hugo” airs on January 9, 2023 at 9pm PT/ET.
Scott Caan (Hawaii Five-0) stars as Jason Grant and Dania Ramirez (Sweet Tooth) stars as Nikki Batista. The season one cast also includes Adeola Role (The Blacklist) as Kemi, Ryan Broussard (Only Murders in the Building) as Mike, and Graham Verchere (Stargirl) as Keith. Fivel Stewart is a recurring guest star as Sydney, and Petey Gibson recurs as C.
John Eisendrath (The Blacklist) guides the series as showrunner and executive producer. Additional executive producers include Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner, J.R. Orci, Adam Kane, and Michael Offer.
“Hugo” Plot: Jason, Nikki and the MPU team investigate when a woman runs down a man and forces him to get in her car at gunpoint. Meanwhile, more information about Keith’s kidnapper comes to light.
Alert: Missing Persons Unit is a procedural drama set in the Philadelphia Police Department’s Missing Persons Unit (MPU). Each episode features a heart-pounding, life-or-death search for a missing person that runs alongside police officers JASON GRANT (Caan) and NIKKI BATISTA’s (Ramirez) season-long quest to find out the truth about their long-lost son.
Six years ago, while working overseas, Jason received the call that every parent fears – he and Nikki’s son, KEITH (Verchere), had gone missing. From that moment forward, the lives of Jason, Nikki and their daughter, SYDNEY (Stewart), were turned upside down. The frantic search to find Keith began and the mystery about his disappearance continues to this day.
Throughout the search to find Keith, Jason and Nikki’s marriage deteriorated and they grew apart. Jason moved into private security, while Nikki was promoted within the Philly P.D. to Head of the MPU, where she has been able to do for others what she wasn’t able to do for herself, bring a loved one back home.
At the MPU, she leads a team of highly skilled individuals including her current love interest MIKE (Broussard), whom Nikki met when he was assigned to oversee the search for Keith; KEMI (Role), who is proficient in many languages, highly discerning of visual clues, and uses her know-how as a shaman to take a holistic approach to her job; and forensic anthropologist C (Gibson), who is a master at reconstructing the faces of those who have disappeared. Together, the team works to find the missing, abducted, or kidnapped and help reunite them with their loved ones before it’s too late.
Danny and Eddie team up on a new case on CBS’s Blue Bloods season 13 episode 10, “Fake It ‘Til You Make It.” Directed by Robert Harmon from a script by Ian Biederman, episode 10 will air on Friday, January 13, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast is led by Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan, Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan, and Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan. Will Estes stars as Jamie Reagan, Len Cariou is Henry Reagan, Marisa Ramirez plays Det. Maria Baez, and Vanessa Ray is Officer Eddie Janko.
Season 13’s recurring guest stars include Abigail Hawk, Gregory Jbara, Robert Clohessy, Steven Schirripa, Andrew Terraciano, Ian Quinlan, Steven Maier, and James Hiroyuki Liao.
“Fake It ‘Til You Make It” Plot: Jamie and his new intel team officer infiltrate a high-tech car smuggling ring. Also, Frank faces off against the city’s transit chief over a new mayoral solo police patrol program that is causing officer injuries on the job; Eddie asks Danny to help her bust a cop impersonator; and Erin hires an image consultant to help with her D.A. campaign.
Episode 10 guest stars include Eddie Cahill, Kyle Vincent Terry, Reuben Barsky, Aizzah Fatima, Stephan Godleski, and Liam Craig.
Blue Bloods is a drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner, and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as chief.
A source of pride and concern for Frank is his eldest son, Danny, a seasoned detective, family man and Iraq War vet who on occasion uses dubious tactics to solve cases with his partner and new mother, Detective Maria Baez. Erin, the middle daughter, is a New York assistant D.A. who serves as the legal compass for her siblings and father, while also pursuing a run for district attorney. Jamie is the youngest Reagan, a Harvard Law graduate and the family’s golden boy.
Unable to deny the family tradition, Jamie decided to give up a lucrative future in law and follow in the family footsteps as a cop. He’s found a friend and ally in his wife, Eddie, who keeps him on his toes, and has very different reasons than the Reagans for joining the police force.
A fire inside their own station has the firefighters scrambling on CBS’s Fire Country season one episode 10. Directed by Laura Nisbet Peters from a script by Natalia Fernandez, episode 10 – “Get Your Hopes Up” – will air on Friday, January 13, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.
Max Thieriot leads the cast as Bode Donovan. Season one’s regulars include Billy Burke as Vince, Kevin Alejandro as Manny, Diane Farr as Sharon, Stephanie Arcila as Gabriela, Jordan Calloway as Jake, and Jules Latimer as Eve.
“Get Your Hopes Up” Plot: A box truck crashes into the station, causing a power outage and triggering a dangerous fire. Meanwhile, Sharon and Bode’s ex-girlfriend, Cara (Sabina Gadecki), face multiple medical emergencies.
Episode 10 guest stars include W Tre Davis, Tom C. Pickett, Helenna Santos, Jeff C.R. Wallace, Jace Anthony Griffith, and Shekhar Paleja.
Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining a prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began.
Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.
Paramount+’s 1923 episode four picks up hours after the doctor rushed to the Yellowstone Ranch to try and save Jacob’s life. Episode three ended with the shocking deaths of John Dutton Sr and Jack’s fiancée’s father, Bob Strafford, at the hands of Banner and his murderous band of sheepherders. It also saw Jacob and Elizabeth fighting for their lives.
Cara (Helen Mirren) enters the kitchen after the medical team has finished their work, and blood is still dripping from the table as she scans the room. It’s all too much, and she grabs a handkerchief and races from the big house. She collapses into sobs of grief as she stares up at the sky. Moments later she collects herself and returns to complete cleaning up just as ranch foreman Zane Davis (Brian Geraghty) arrives.
Zane walks past the exhausted doctor and nurse sleeping in the living room and tells Cara he and his men can finish cleaning up. She won’t allow that and instead instructs him to take her letter to Spencer to the post office. Zane’s concerned it won’t get there for months; a wire would be much faster. But Cara knows a wire will draw attention and she’s determined to keep everything that just happened a secret. She won’t allow the sheriff to become involved and won’t tell the town that the Duttons have been attacked and suffered devastating losses.
Jacob (Harrison Ford) survived the night, but it’s touch and go. It’ll take a miracle for the family patriarch to survive, and Zane suggests Cara should say her goodbyes while she can. Cara insists on holding onto hope.
Zane takes off with a few cowboys but leaves one behind to protect the big house. He’s ordered to kill anyone he doesn’t recognize as a friend.
Emma (Marley Shelton) heads out alone in the buggy, determined to bury her husband, John (James Badge Dale), in the family graveyard. She’s quickly joined by a group of cowboys who assist with digging the grave next to John’s mother, Margaret. (Her headstone says she was 54 years old when she died.)
Emma’s son, Jack (Darren Mann), was injured in the ambush but is well enough to watch over Elizabeth (Michelle Randolph) as she sleeps. He’s clutching a rifle and seated in a chair when Cara arrives to examine Elizabeth’s wound. Cara’s concerned about Elizabeth’s fever and suggests a bath, and Jack offers to fetch the water, insisting he’s still got one good arm.
Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) is standing in the ocean looking at the gentle waves when Alex (Julia Schlaepfer) wakes and joins him. They’ve moved on from the railroad camp and are in a gorgeous part of Africa that Alex didn’t even realize existed.
Spencer rows a boat as Alex, still in her sexy lingerie, watches. They arrive at a beautiful secluded beach, and that lingerie comes off as soon as they walk onto the sand. They make love under the warm sun without a care for the rest of the world.
Spencer promises their life will never be dull, even when they’re old and frail. Alex is in a flirty mood and won’t stop talking, and Spencer finally convinces her to be quiet by calling her darling. She loves the term of endearment. (Sklenar and Schlaepfer absolutely sizzle onscreen.)
A short while later, Alex wonders where they’re going to live. She thinks they’ll have to go to London occasionally to satisfy her parents and get some money. They discuss the Great War and it’s revealed Alex’s brother died fighting. Spencer confesses the war cost him his soul, but he believes he can get that back.
They go for a swim but can’t keep their hands off each other. Alex jokes that her plan is working; she’ll have Spencer wrapped around her finger in no time.
The only two sheepherders who survived after ambushing the Duttons make it back to Banner’s place. They want to flee the state, but Banner (Jerome Flynn) insists they’re not leaving. Instead, Banner believes they can use the men who mine precious minerals to fight their battle against the cattle ranchers.
Banner pays a visit to Donald Whitfield (Timothy Dalton) and explains that Jacob and John Dutton are dead and the women are now running the Yellowstone Ranch. Donald asks how they died, and Banner doesn’t elaborate but promises that in six months he’ll be in charge of the Yellowstone. And when that happens, he’ll lease Donald the mineral rights.
Donald desperately wants the rights but isn’t willing to do business with Banner until he’s actually in charge.
“Killing a king doesn’t make you a king. It makes you an assassin,” says Whitfield.
Banner suggests that if Donald backs him now, he’ll have the run of the Yellowstone which has the most gold, silver, and coal of any area in Montana. Donald’s fully aware Banner doesn’t have the money or the men to take the ranch and offers to fund Donald’s takeover. In exchange, Donald will be allowed to mine wherever he wants without paying another dime for the rights.
They strike a deal for Donald to have the run of the Yellowstone’s mountains while Banner can have his sheep in the other areas. However, if Banner reneges on the deal, then Donald warns he’ll skin his wife alive and bury his children in her skin. (Well, that was an incredibly graphic threat.)
Banner’s given enough money to raise an army to take over the Yellowstone Ranch.
Banner’s next act of war comes when he and his men kill the cowboys watching over the herd and then steal all of the cattle currently grazing in a section of the Yellowstone mountains. It’s a mix of different ranches, but he doesn’t care – he wants all the cattle in the area.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s mother, Beverly (Jessalyn Gilsig), arrives at the ranch and is prepared to move her daughter to a decent hospital back East. She’s done with this lawless state and, with her husband dead, no longer has a reason to stay. She announces that Elizabeth and Jack’s wedding is off, and Jack talks back which earns him a slap. Cara isn’t about to let that go unanswered, and she slaps Beverly.
Elizabeth’s mother goes outside to collect her deceased husband’s body from the icehouse. Cara, alone with Elizabeth, tells her the Yellowstone is her home now if she’d like it to be. Elizabeth chooses to stay and marry Jack.
Cara and Beverly argue over Elizabeth’s choice, with Cara explaining Elizabeth is free to leave but her mother has no right to take her.
Seconds after Beverly leaves, Zane arrives with the horrible news that the cattle in the east camp have been stolen. He knows they’ll be taken to a train and needs all the cowboys to help him retrieve them before they can be shipped out. Jack wants to go with Zane, but Cara is dead set against it. Jack believes they need to take the fight to the sheepherders, but Cara needs a moment to think.
She prays next to Jacob in bed, asking what he would do and explaining the dire situation they’re in. Jacob wakes and says, “You be the leader.” Cara’s shocked he’s awake and shocked he wants her to run the ranch. Jacob confirms the cattle aren’t worth losing any more lives and says they need to hold off on fighting until Spencer arrives.
Jacob teases Cara that she can’t get rid of him this easily. He’s dug in and fighting to survive, and Cara forbids him to die.
Cara steps outside and informs Zane that they’re to let the cattle go. Jack’s furious and claims it’s not her decision to make, and Cara tells Zane that Jacob wishes to speak with him.
Jacob instructs Zane to keep the calves and sell the mothers. He also suggests they send Cara to the livestock conference. She can say he’s in Wyoming hunting cattle thieves.
Zane confirms they sent for Spencer, but it could take a year for him to return. “Then a year’s how long we have to hold off,” replies Jacob.
A voiceover from Elsa (Isabel May) says the three possible answers to prayer are yes, not yet, and I have something else in mind for you. She believes we need to trust the “not yet” and “something else” and avoid the foolish notion of hope.
“Hope is the surrender of authority to your fate and trusting it to the whims of the wind,” says Elsa. “My family does not hope. We fight for what we believe until we have it or we are destroyed by the pursuit.”
Teonna (Aminah Nieves) refuses to sit quietly as her friend Baapuxti (Leenah Robinson) is repeatedly hit by a nun while they’re learning to harvest fruit. She uses a bucket as a weapon and hits a nun in the head. Sister Mary (Jennifer Ehle) immediately responds by knocking out Teonna with a shovel to the face.
Teonna comes to tied to a chair with Sister Mary claiming she’s just trying to save her from herself. She needs to be cleansed, but only if she wants to be saved. Teonna refuses and is hit in the face numerous times. She screams with each blow, and Sister Mary breaks the ruler and grabs another. Teonna is in so much pain that she gives in and begs to be saved.
A prayer is said as Sister Mary cuts off Teonna’s long braid. Teonna cries as her restraints are loosened and her hair is trimmed. She’s set in a bath and then writhes in pain as steel wool is used to wash her back. It cuts into her skin, and she screams as blood joins the water in the tub.
Teonna silently packs her belongings in the dead of night as the other girls sleep. She asks Baapuxti to come with her, certain there isn’t a law that forces them to become servants or be beaten. Teonna takes Baapuxti’s bible and then reveals she’s making war.
Teonna sneaks into Sister Mary’s room and beats her in the face with the bundle that now includes Baapuxti’s bible. Mary’s gravely injured but not dead, and Teonna finishes the job by suffocating her while, in her native tongue, saying, “I am the land and I am killing you.”
After Sister Mary’s dead, Teonna heats up a wooden ruler and brands Mary’s face.
Cara arrives in town accompanied by Zane and the Yellowstone cowboys. She takes Jacob’s seat at the head table in the packed town hall and addresses the assembly. Cara claims cattle thieves have struck the Yellowstone and Jacob’s in Wyoming hunting them down. She points out three fellow ranchers whose cattle were also among those stolen.
Cara says nothing about her own family but announces the thieves killed Bob Strafford in cold blood. (There’s a murmuring of shock and disbelief in the crowd.) She requests a forceful but lawful response as mob violence isn’t the solution. Cara also requests the Livestock Commission be given the authority to make arrests. She asks for members of the association to vote for the creation of a police force to bring thieves and lease violators to justice.
The room’s silent. No one votes for the police force.
Banner’s been taking all this in from his seat, and it appears he’s now uncertain whether he actually killed any of the Duttons. He speaks out against the vote, claiming she has no authority to request one.
Cara holds up the order she claims was written and signed by Jacob, and Sheriff McDowell (Robert Patrick) confirms it’s Jacob’s signature. A vote is taken again, and the ranchers vote a resounding yes while the sheepherders vote no. The ranchers win, and a police force will be created.
The meeting’s adjourned and Cara confesses to Zane she thought of the police force on the way to the meeting. She signed the letter, not Jacob.
Banner confronts Cara outside the town hall, calling her a liar. Zane wants to kill him where he stands, but Cara suggests if she’s lying, then he should go back inside and tell the sheriff the truth. She demands to know how he knows where Jacob is and Banner seems satisfied with himself when he explains no bank or government will allow a woman to run a ranch. He suggests her charade will have to end at some point.
Cara spits in his face and hisses, “When my charade is over, so are you.” She adds that she kills much slower than men do, and his fight is now with her.
Banner warns her he has the money and the army for a fight and she has neither. Cara laughs and tells him she can’t wait for him to meet her nephew. Banner thinks she’s talking about John and is shocked to learn there’s another nephew coming home to Yellowstone.
The Dutton Family’s Story Unfolds in Cara’s Letters
Our favorite couple’s spending a blissful night together when Alex finds a large stack of unopened letters tied with a ribbon among Spencer’s items. Spencer says they’re from his aunt and he chose not to read them. He describes war as “if insanity was a thing you could touch” and confesses the letters would have made him miss home during the war. Dreaming of being in Montana with his family could have distracted him and led to his death.
He believes not reading them kept him alive. Spencer has two years’ worth of unread letters and now he feels guilty for never opening them.
Alex sets the letters down by Spencer and calls herself a jealous lover. She won’t share him with his demons, so they need to chase them all away. She pours two drinks and suggests they begin getting rid of those demons by reading each of the letters together.
Cara’s letters describe what she’s heard about the war, and flashbacks are shown of Spencer in battle. Cara wrote that she prayed for the wild young man who loved to chase cattle and ride horses with abandon to return soon. She misses his beautiful smile, which she called her sunrise.
Alex is crying by the time she finishes reading the first letter out loud, and she thinks this might be a mistake. Spencer doesn’t and asks her to read the next letter.
This continues into the night, and as they drink, Alex begins enjoying herself as she learns more about Spencer’s family and his upbringing. She’s fallen madly in love with his family through these letters and can’t wait to meet them in person.
One letter describing the death of Emma and John’s baby has Alex crying once again. Apparently, they tried to have more children after Jack but were unsuccessful. The letters also describe the period when Jacob and Cara arrived in Montana, as well as a description of Jack’s love, Elizabeth, and how she leads him around on an invisible leash.
Some letters Alex reads silently after Spencer’s fallen asleep, but not the final letter. She wakes him and says it’s important he reads it now. He asks her to read it and she begins, “Spencer, your brother has been killed. By the time you receive this letter, I suppose your uncle has been killed as well…”
Spencer cries as Alex reads Cara’s words expressing the need for him to return home and fight the war that’s landed on their doorstep.
As episode four, “War and the Turquoise Tide,” ends, it’s revealed the letter was written three months ago! If Alex hadn’t been nosy, it could have gone unread for months, even years.
Episode four marks the end of the first half of the season, and the trailer for the second half reveals Spencer and Alex are on their way home. It also shows that Jacob’s recuperated but still needs Spencer’s help in battling Banner and his thugs. Episode five will air on February 5, 2023.
CBS’s S.W.A.T. star Alex Russell steps behind the camera to direct season six episode 10, “Witness.” Episode 10 will air on Friday, January 13, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season six stars Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, Alex Russell as Jim Street, Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay, Kenny Johnson as Dominique Luca, David Lim as Victor Tan, Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Robert Hicks, and Rochelle Aytes as Nichelle.
Anna Enger Ritch recurs as Zoe Powell.
“Witness” Plot: The SWAT team races to locate a young boy abducted from a homeless shelter. Also, Street allows his personal history to cloud his judgment on the kidnapping case, and Hondo and Nichelle find themselves at odds over their spiritual beliefs.
Episode 10 guest stars include Toni Christopher, Tania Raymonde, Clinton Lowe, Jeremy Maguire, Karl Makinen, and David O’Hara. Emily Swallow, Kate Orsini, Aaron Colom, Joe Bucaro, and J.C. Leuyer also guest star.
S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised S.W.A.T. sergeant tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds. Committed to the job and embracing personal change, Hondo prepares for fatherhood with his girlfriend, Nichelle, the operator of a South LA community center.
The other members of Hondo’s elite S.W.A.T. unit include David “Deacon” Kay, an experienced S.W.A.T. officer and dedicated family man who always puts the team first; Dominique Luca, an expert driver who gets them in and out of high-risk situations; Victor Tan, who started in the LAPD Hollywood Division and uses his confidential informants in the community to help the team; and Jim Street, the team’s cocky newest member.
Responsible for the management of all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units is Commander Robert Hicks, a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau. With Hondo leading the charge, these dedicated men bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.
It’s all hands on deck when a mom goes missing on CBS’s CSI: Vegas season two episode 11, “Trinket.” Directed by Ruben Garcia from a script by Safia M. Dirie, episode 11 will air on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.
The second season stars Paula Newsome as Maxine Roby, Marg Helgenberger as Catherine Willows, Matt Lauria as Joshua Folsom, and Mandeep Dhillon as Allie Rajan. Ariana Guerra plays Detective Serena Chavez, Lex Medlin is Beau Finado, and Jay Lee is Chris Park.
“Trinket” Plot: When a young, non-verbal boy is found hiding in a stranger’s garage, the CSI team searches for his missing mother. Also, Max receives a strange letter with symbols in silver ink that Folsom and Allie recognize from prior crime scenes.
Episode 11 guest stars include Sarah Gilman, Sara Amini, Hilda Boulware, Henry Joseph Samiri, Kathleen Wilhoite, and Mark Engelhardt. Missy Yager, Reid Emmons, John Garet Stoker, Tristan Cunningham, and Jazz Vickers also guest star.
CSI: Vegas, the sequel to the Network’s global hit CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, returns for a second season in Las Vegas – the city where it all began. Amidst the neon lights and long shadows, dark threats continue to lurk in Sin City. Maxine Roby leads her brilliant team of Crime Scene Investigators – Joshua Folsom, Allie Rajan, Detective Serena Chavez, Chris Park, and Beau Finado – as they use science to solve baffling cases. Catherine Willows returns to help the CSIs face off with a dealer of death who is planning to beat the odds in Las Vegas.
This combined force will deploy the latest forensic techniques to do what they do best – follow the evidence – in order to preserve and serve justice in Sin City.
Todd goes to extreme lengths in a hunt for evidence on CBS’s So Help Me Todd season one episode 11, “Side Effects May Include Murder.” Directed by Daniel Willis from a script by Andy Berman, episode 11 will air on Thursday, January 12, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.
Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden stars as Margaret Wright, Skylar Astin plays Todd Wright, and Tristen J. Winger is Lyle. Madeline Wise plays Allison, Inga Schlingmann is Susan, and Rosa Arredondo stars as Francey.
“Side Effects May Include Murder” Plot: When Margaret’s client faces an attempted murder charge, she mounts a creative defense to prove her client’s innocence, and Todd takes an experimental drug to find evidence. Also, Allison finds herself in trouble and reaches out to Todd for help.
Episode 11 guest stars include Clayton James, Rob LaBelle, Tasha Simms, Dean Marshall, Kalyne Coleman, Joe Macleod, and Karin Dubois. Miguel Castillo, Stacee Copeland, Derek Lowe, Gardiner Millar, Anjul Nigam, Andrii Zhebrovskyi, and Christine Lippa also guest star.
Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin star as razor-sharp, meticulous attorney Margaret Wright and Todd, her talented but scruffy, aimless son whom she hires as her law firm’s in-house investigator. As the black sheep of the well-heeled Wright family, Todd is a laidback, quick-thinking, excellent former private detective who fell on hard times after his flexible interpretation of the law got his license revoked. Margaret’s penchant for excellence and strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd’s scrappy methods of finding his way through sticky situations: by the seat of his wrinkled pants.
When Todd inadvertently teams with his mother on a case, she’s surprised to find herself duly impressed by – and proud of – his crafty ability to sleuth out information with his charm and his wide-ranging tech savvy. At last, Margaret sees a way to put her son on a “suitable” path to living an adult, financially solvent life she approves of, and she asks him to join her firm. Todd agrees since it means getting his license back and once again doing the job he excels at and loves.
Mother and son working together is a big first step toward mending their fragile, dysfunctional relationship, and they may even come away with a better understanding of each other at this pivotal point in their lives. But whether Todd and Margaret will be able to accept each other for who they are is another case entirely.
