The season final of HBO’s The Last of Us drew in a series high 8.2 million viewers, despite going up against the Oscars. According to HBO, the popular post-apocalyptic drama is averaging 30.4 million viewers over its first six episodes.
The viewership for the finale, “Look for the Light,” was up 75% over the number of viewers who tuned in the night of the series’ premiere.
In late January, the network announced The Last of Us will return for season two. The season one finale – spoilers ahead! – included two pivotal moments from the video game and set the stage for Joel and Ellie’s reunion with Tommy.
Speaking with Variety, production designer John Paino said they were fortunate to be able to shoot in hospital that had been closed down. He also confirmed a real giraffe was used in the scene that replicates a fan-favorite moment from the game.
“We needed to see if we could acclimate the giraffe to strangers feeding it, with a very small film crew there,” explained Paino. “There was the indoor enclosure with a balcony and an outdoor one where the keepers would take care of it.”
Paino added: “The trainers worked to get them to eat out of a stranger’s hand. So, when Ellie and Joel walk up at the enclosure, that’s the giraffe eating those branches of food.”
Season one stars Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie. The cast also includes Gabriel Luna as Tommy, Anna Torv as Tess, Nico Parker as Sarah, Murray Bartlett as Frank, Nick Offerman as Bill, Melanie Lynskey as Kathleen, and Storm Reid as Riley.
Merle Dandridge is Marlene, Jeffrey Pierce is Perry, Lamar Johnson is Henry, Keivonn Woodard is Sam, Graham Greene is Marlon, and Elaine Miles is Florence.
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in ‘The Last of Us’ season 1 finale (Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO)
The Plot:
The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
ABC’s Will Trent will return from a three-week break with an episode that finds Faith being held hostage. Season one episode nine, “Manhunt,” will air on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT. Adam Toltzis directed from a script by Eric Dean Seaton.
The series stars Ramón Rodríguez (The Affair) in the title role, Erika Christensen (Ten Days in the Valley) as Angie Polaski, Iantha Richardson (This Is Us) as Faith Mitchell, Jake McLaughlin (Quantico) as Michael Ormewood, and Sonja Sohn (The Chi) as Amanda Wagner.
“Manhunt” Plot: When a convicted criminal takes one of the GBI agents hostage and is accused of murder, Will and Ormewood discover some evidence which could prove their innocence. Meanwhile, Angie struggles with sobriety when she finds out her former abuser is free.
Ramon Rodriguez in ‘Will Trent’ episode 9 (ABC/Danny Delgado)
Will Trent Synopsis:
Special Agent Will Trent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. But now, determined to use his unique point of view to make sure no one is abandoned like he was, Will Trent has the highest clearance rate in the GBI.
Ramon Rodriguez in season 1 episode 9 (ABC/Danny Delgado)Jake McLaughlin in episode 9 (ABC/Danny Delgado)
The promo for NBC’s The Blacklist season 10 episode four teases that the 200th episode will be a gas. Episode four, “The Hyena,” will air on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.
The final season cast is led by James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington. Diego Klattenhoff stars as Donald Ressler, Hisham Tawfiq plays Dembe Zuma, Anya Banerjee is Siya Malik, and Harry Lennix stars as Harold Cooper.
“The Hyena” Plot: In the show’s 200th episode, Red attempts to secure a late financier’s fortune locked by a series of challenging clues. When a deadly assassin pursues the money, the Task Force bands together to protect the endowment’s rightful heirs.
James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington and Stacy Keach as Robert Vesco in ‘The Blacklist’ season 10 episode 4 (Photo by: Scott Gries/NBC)
The Season 10 Plot:
The final season will find Raymond Reddington confronting unparalleled danger. With Reddington’s covert role as an FBI informant facing exposure, former Blacklisters will unite against him in their lethal desire for revenge – testing Red and the FBI Task Force as never before.
Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler and Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuma in season 10 episode 4 (Photo by: David Giesbrecht/NBC)James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington and Stacy Keach as Robert Vesco in season 10 episode 4 (Photo by: David Giesbrecht/NBC)Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper and Anya Banerjee as Siya Malik in season 10 episode 4 (Photo by: Scott Gries/NBC)Anya Banerjee as Siya Malik in season 10 episode 4 (Photo by: Scott Gries/NBC)Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuma in season 10 episode 4 (Photo by: David Giesbrecht/NBC)James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington and Stacy Keach as Robert Vesco in “The Hyena” episode (Photo by: David Giesbrecht/NBC)
A man comes to, confused about why he’s in a dumpster with a gun on CBS’s The Equalizer season three episode 12. Directed by Tamika Miller from a script by Joe Gazzam, “Lost and Found” is set to air on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT.
Queen Latifah leads the cast as Robyn McCall. Season three also stars Tory Kittles as Detective Marcus Dante, Adam Goldberg as Harry Keshegian, Liza Lapira as Melody “Mel” Bayani, and Laya DeLeon Hayes as Delilah. Lorraine Toussaint returns as Viola “Vi” Marsette. Brett Dalton, Gabriel Sloyer, Chris Vance, and Stephen Bishop recur.
Corey Cott guest stars.
“Lost and Found” Plot: When a man claiming to have lost his memory wakes up behind a dumpster with a gun in his hand, McCall and the team follow a trail of clues to help uncover his whereabouts the night before.
The Equalizer is a reimagining of the classic series starring Academy Award® nominee and multi-hyphenate Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills as a former CIA operative to help those with nowhere else to turn. McCall presents to most as an average single mom who is quietly raising her teenage daughter. But to a trusted few, she is The Equalizer – an anonymous guardian angel and defender of the downtrodden, who’s also dogged in her pursuit of personal redemption.
Robyn’s clandestine work and her personal life collide when her smart and observant daughter, Delilah, and her aunt Vi, who lives with Robyn to help her balance life as a working mother, discover her secret career as a vigilante. While Robyn contends with uncertainty at home, she is joined in her pursuit of justice by Melody “Mel” Bayani, an edgy bar owner and sniper from Robyn’s past; and Harry Keshegian, a paranoid and brilliant white-hat hacker.
As Robyn aids the oppressed and exploited, she sometimes works with Marcus Dante, an NYPD detective who once sought to uncover her identity, but now respects the need for Robyn’s type of justice even as he often questions her methods.
CBS’s popular drama Fire Country will return from a three-week break with episode 17, “A Cry for Help,” which will find Jake in the hot seat. Directed by Gonzalo Amat from a script by Julia Fontana, season one episode 17 will air on Friday, March 31, 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.
“A Cry for Help” Plot: An internal investigator suspects Jake of being the serial arsonist setting recent fires, so Bode and the crew take it upon themselves to investigate.
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.
Disney’s two-minute trailer for the live-action The Little Mermaid debuted during the 2023 Oscars. The new Ariel and Ursula – Halle Bailey and Melissa McCarthy – took the stage and introduced the trailer, which was sort of bizarre given that it felt like part of the show rather than a commercial. Weird introduction aside, the trailer’s packed with clips reminiscent of the classic animated film and features Bailey singing “Part of Your World.”
The trailer arrived online following its Oscar debut, along with a new poster and photos.
Joining Bailey and McCarthy in the live-action reimagining are Jonah Hauer-King (A Dog’s Way Home) as Prince Eric, Tony Award winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton) as the voice of Sebastian, Awkwafina (Raya and the Last Dragon) as the voice of Scuttle, and Jacob Tremblay (Luca) voices Flounder. Noma Dumezweni (Mary Poppins Returns) is Queen Selina, Art Malik (Homeland) is Sir Grimsby, and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men) plays King Triton.
Oscar nominee Rob Marshall (Chicago) directed from a screenplay by two-time Oscar nominee David Magee (Life of Pi, Finding Neverland). The songs feature music from Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, with new lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda, Marshall, Marc Platt, and John DeLuca produce, with Jeffrey Silver executive producing.
The Little Mermaid opens in theaters on May 26, 2023.
The Little Mermaid is the beloved story of Ariel, a beautiful and spirited young mermaid with a thirst for adventure. The youngest of King Triton’s daughters and the most defiant, Ariel longs to find out more about the world beyond the sea and, while visiting the surface, falls for the dashing Prince Eric.
While mermaids are forbidden to interact with humans, Ariel must follow her heart. She makes a deal with the evil sea witch, Ursula, which gives her a chance to experience life on land but ultimately places her life – and her father’s crown – in jeopardy.
The 2023 Oscars hit almost all the right notes, with Jimmy Kimmel doing a terrific job of hosting, starting with a monologue that acknowledged last year’s slap heard around the world. Kimmel used his opening bit to point out there are 16 first-time acting nominees, including two from Encino Man – Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan.
Kimmel poked fun at Babylon for being a bust at the box office and noted Batgirl is the first superhero to be defeated by an accounting department. He also confirmed James Cameron declined his invitation, joking that you know a show is too long when even Cameron can’t sit through it.
“Some of the critics are saying Jim Cameron isn’t here because he didn’t get a ‘Best Director’ nomination. And, well, I find that very hard to believe about a man of such deep humility. He does have a point. I mean, how does the Academy not nominate the guy who directed Avatar? What do they think he is, a woman?” joked Kimmel.
But back to the slap. Kimmel claimed there are now strict policies in place to stop another incident. “If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for ‘Best Actor’ and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech.”
Kimmel continued: “But, seriously, the Academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the ceremony, just do what you did last year. Nothing. Sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ wins Best Picture at the 2023 Oscars (ABC)
The 2023 Oscars returned to the usual format and gave out Oscars in all 23 categories during the live show. Everything Everywhere All at Once went into Hollywood’s big night with 11 nominations and went home with seven wins including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Editing, and Best Original Screenplay.
Michelle Yeoh made Oscars history with her win, becoming the first performer who identifies as Asian to win in the Best Actress category. Ruth E. Carter’s win in Best Achievement in Costume Design makes her the first Black woman to win two Oscars in the Academy Awards’ 95-year history.
Other tidbits: The Banshees of Inisherin went home empty-handed, but Jenny the donkey made it onto the Oscar stage. Lady Gaga decided at the last minute to perform “Hold My Hand.” And although Kimmel joked about it in the show’s opening monologue, Encino Man can now boast that it stars two Oscar winners.
The Oscars took place on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.
Brendan Fraser wins Best Actor at the 95th Oscars for his performance in ‘The Whale’ (ABC)
2023 Oscars – The Nominees and Winners:
Performance by an actor in a leading role
• Austin Butler in “Elvis”
• Colin Farrell in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
• WINNER:Brendan Fraser in “The Whale”
• Paul Mescal in “Aftersun”
• Bill Nighy in “Living”
Performance by an actor in a supporting role
• Brendan Gleeson in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
• Brian Tyree Henry in “Causeway”
• Judd Hirsch in “The Fabelmans”
• Barry Keoghan in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
• WINNER: Ke Huy Quan in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Performance by an actress in a leading role
• Cate Blanchett in “Tár”
• Ana de Armas in “Blonde”
• Andrea Riseborough in “To Leslie”
• Michelle Williams in “The Fabelmans”
• WINNER: Michelle Yeoh in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Performance by an actress in a supporting role
• Angela Bassett in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
• Hong Chau in “The Whale”
• Kerry Condon in “The Banshees of Inisherin”
• WINNER: Jamie Lee Curtis in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
• Stephanie Hsu in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Best animated feature film of the year
• WINNER: “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson, Gary Ungar and Alex Bulkley
• “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” Dean Fleischer Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Andrew Goldman, Caroline Kaplan and Paul Mezey
• “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” Joel Crawford and Mark Swift
• “The Sea Beast” Chris Williams and Jed Schlanger
• “Turning Red” Domee Shi and Lindsey Collins
Achievement in cinematography
• WINNER: “All Quiet on the Western Front” James Friend
• “Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths” Darius Khondji
• “Elvis” Mandy Walker
• “Empire of Light” Roger Deakins
• “Tár” Florian Hoffmeister
Achievement in costume design
• “Babylon” Mary Zophres
• WINNER: “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Ruth Carter
• “Elvis” Catherine Martin
• “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Shirley Kurata
• “Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” Jenny Beavan
Achievement in directing
• “The Banshees of Inisherin” Martin McDonagh
• WINNER: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
• “The Fabelmans” Steven Spielberg
• “Tár” Todd Field
• “Triangle of Sadness” Ruben Östlund
Best documentary feature
• “All That Breathes” Shaunak Sen, Aman Mann and Teddy Leifer
• “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” Laura Poitras, Howard Gertler, John Lyons, Nan Goldin and Yoni Golijov
• “Fire of Love” Sara Dosa, Shane Boris and Ina Fichman
• “A House Made of Splinters” Simon Lereng Wilmont and Monica Hellström
• WINNER: “Navalny” Daniel Roher, Odessa Rae, Diane Becker, Melanie Miller and Shane Boris
Best documentary short subject
• WINNER: “The Elephant Whisperers” Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga
• “Haulout” Evgenia Arbugaeva and Maxim Arbugaev
• “How Do You Measure a Year?” Jay Rosenblatt
• “The Martha Mitchell Effect” Anne Alvergue and Beth Levison
• “Stranger at the Gate” Joshua Seftel and Conall Jones
Achievement in film editing
• “The Banshees of Inisherin” Mikkel E.G. Nielsen
• “Elvis” Matt Villa and Jonathan Redmond
• WINNER: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Paul Rogers
• “Tár” Monika Willi
• “Top Gun: Maverick” Eddie Hamilton
Best international feature film of the year
• WINNER: “All Quiet on the Western Front” Germany
• “Argentina, 1985” Argentina
• “Close” Belgium
• “EO” Poland
• “The Quiet Girl” Ireland
Achievement in makeup and hairstyling
• “All Quiet on the Western Front” Heike Merker and Linda Eisenhamerová
• “The Batman” Naomi Donne, Mike Marino and Mike Fontaine
• “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Camille Friend and Joel Harlow
• “Elvis” Mark Coulier, Jason Baird and Aldo Signoretti
• WINNER: “The Whale” Adrien Morot, Judy Chin and Anne Marie Bradley
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score)
• WINNER: “All Quiet on the Western Front” Volker Bertelmann
• “Babylon” Justin Hurwitz
• “The Banshees of Inisherin” Carter Burwell
• “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Son Lux
• “The Fabelmans” John Williams
Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song)
• “Applause” from “Tell It like a Woman”
Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
• “Hold My Hand” from “Top Gun: Maverick”
Music and Lyric by Lady Gaga and BloodPop
• “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”
Music by Tems, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler and Ludwig Goransson; Lyric by Tems and Ryan Coogler
• WINNER: “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR”
Music by M.M. Keeravaani; Lyric by Chandrabose
• “This Is A Life” from “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Music by Ryan Lott, David Byrne and Mitski; Lyric by Ryan Lott and David Byrne
Best motion picture of the year
• “All Quiet on the Western Front” Malte Grunert, Producer
• “Avatar: The Way of Water” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
• “The Banshees of Inisherin” Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin and Martin McDonagh, Producers
• “Elvis” Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin, Gail Berman, Patrick McCormick and Schuyler Weiss, Producers
• WINNER: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert and Jonathan Wang, Producers
• “The Fabelmans” Kristie Macosko Krieger, Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner, Producers
• “Tá”r Todd Field, Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert, Producers
• “Top Gun: Maverick” Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers
• “Triangle of Sadness” Erik Hemmendorff and Philippe Bober, Producers
• “Women Talking” Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Frances McDormand, Producers
Achievement in production design
• WINNER: “All Quiet on the Western Front” Production Design: Christian M. Goldbeck; Set Decoration: Ernestine Hipper
• “Avatar: The Way of Water” Production Design: Dylan Cole and Ben Procter; Set Decoration: Vanessa Cole
• “Babylon” Production Design: Florencia Martin; Set Decoration: Anthony Carlino
• “Elvis” Production Design: Catherine Martin and Karen Murphy; Set Decoration: Bev Dunn
• “The Fabelmans” Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Karen O’Hara
Best animated short film
• WINNER: “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” Charlie Mackesy and Matthew Freud
• “The Flying Sailor” Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby
• “Ice Merchants” João Gonzalez and Bruno Caetano
• “My Year of Dicks” Sara Gunnarsdóttir and Pamela Ribon
• “An Ostrich Told Me the World Is Fake and I Think I Believe It” Lachlan Pendragon
Best live action short film
• WINNER: “An Irish Goodbye” Tom Berkeley and Ross White
• “Ivalu” Anders Walter and Rebecca Pruzan
• “Le Pupille” Alice Rohrwacher and Alfonso Cuarón
• “Night Ride” Eirik Tveiten and Gaute Lid Larssen
• “The Red Suitcase” Cyrus Neshvad
Achievement in sound
• “All Quiet on the Western Front” Viktor Prášil, Frank Kruse, Markus Stemler, Lars Ginzel and Stefan Korte
• “Avatar: The Way of Water” Julian Howarth, Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Dick Bernstein, Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers and Michael Hedges
• “The Batman” Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson
• “Elvis” David Lee, Wayne Pashley, Andy Nelson and Michael Keller
• WINNER: “Top Gun: Maverick” Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor
Achievement in visual effects
• “All Quiet on the Western Front” Frank Petzold, Viktor Müller, Markus Frank and Kamil Jafar
• WINNER: “Avatar: The Way of Water” Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon and Daniel Barrett
• “The Batman” Dan Lemmon, Russell Earl, Anders Langlands and Dominic Tuohy
• “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” Geoffrey Baumann, Craig Hammack, R. Christopher White and Dan Sudick
• “Top Gun: Maverick” Ryan Tudhope, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson and Scott R. Fisher
Adapted screenplay
• “All Quiet on the Western Front” Screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson & Ian Stokell
• “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” Written by Rian Johnson
• “Living” Written by Kazuo Ishiguro
• “Top Gun: Maverick” Screenplay by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks
• WINNER: “Women Talking” Screenplay by Sarah Polley
Original screenplay
• “The Banshees of Inisherin” Written by Martin McDonagh
• WINNER: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” Written by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert
• “The Fabelmans” Written by Steven Spielberg & Tony Kushner
• “Tár” Written by Todd Field
• “Triangle of Sadness” Written by Ruben Östlund
And for those who really want to know who presented specific awards, here they are in order of appearance:
Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt – Animated Film
Troy Kotsur and Ariana DeBose – Supporting Actor and Actress
Riz Ahmed and Questlove – Documentary, Live Action Short Film,
Michael B Jordan and Jonathan Majors – Cinematography
Jennifer Connelly and Samuel L Jackson – Makeup and Hairstyling
Paul Dano and Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Costume Design
Salma Hayek Pinault and Antonio Banderas – International Feature Film
Elizabeth Olsen and Pedro Pascal – Documentary Short Film, Animated Short Film
Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell – Production Designer
John Cho and Mindy Kaling – Original Score
Elizabeth Banks and Cocaine Bear – Visual Effects
Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield – Original and Adapted Screenplays
Janelle Monae and Kate Hudson – Sound and Original Song
Sigourney Weaver and Zoe Saldana – Editing
Idris Elba and Nicole Kidman – Director
Jessica Chastain and Halle Berry – Actor and Actress
Harrison Ford – Best Picture
Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building season three snagged Oscars record holder Meryl Streep in a guest-starring role. Streep, who’s been nominated 21 times – more than any other performer – and has won three times (Kramer vs Kramer, Sophie’s Choice, The Iron Lady), will be joining in on the fun on Hulu’s critically acclaimed whodunit’s upcoming season.
The short teaser also reveals Paul Rudd’s guest starring on the new season.
Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez return to lead the comedy’s cast as true crime-loving apartment dwellers who launched a podcast while attempting to solve a murder. Martin co-created the series and serves as a writer and executive producer. Co-creator and writer John Hoffman also executive produces along with Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Dan Fogelman, and Jess Rosenthal.
Hulu hasn’t announced a targeted premiere date for the new season. Season one debuted in August 2021 followed by season two in June 2022.
Oliver (Martin Short), Charles (Steve Martin) and Mabel (Selena Gomez) in ‘Only Murders in the Building’ season 2 (Photo by: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu)
A Look Back at Seasons 1 and 2:
Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers (Martin, Short, and Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth.
As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building which stretch back years. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living amongst them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it’s too late.
Season 2: Following the shocking death of Arconia Board President Bunny Folger, Charles, Oliver and Mabel race to unmask her killer. However, three (unfortunate) complications ensue – the trio is publicly implicated in Bunny’s homicide, they are now the subjects of a competing podcast, and they have to deal with a bunch of New York neighbors who all think they committed murder.
Disney+ dropped a new promo video for American Born Chinese ahead of the 2023 Oscars, with the 30-second teaser showcasing three Oscar nominees. The series is an Everything Everywhere All at Once reunion and stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, who played a couple caught up in…well…everything everywhere in writers/directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (aka The Daniels) critically acclaimed feature film. Stephanie Hsu, who played their daughter, guest stars.
The coming-of-age action comedy based on Gene Luen Yang’s graphic novel will premiere on Disney+ on May 24, 2023. Yang is involved as an executive producer along with Melvin Mar, Jake Kasdan, Erin O’Malley, and Asher Goldstein. Emmy Award winner Kelvin Yu (Bob’s Burgers, Central Park) guides the series as showrunner and executive producer, with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings‘ Destin Daniel Cretton directing and executive producing.
The cast also includes Ben Wang (Chang Can Dunk), two-time International Emmy Award nominee Yeo Yann Yann (Wet Season), Chin Han (Mortal Kombat), Daniel Wu (Reminiscence), former Taekwondo champion Jimmy Liu, and Sydney Taylor (Just Add Magic).
Michelle Yeoh in ‘American Born Chinese’ (Photo Credit: Disney+)
American Born Chinese Plot:
American Born Chinese tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teenager juggling his high school social life with his home life. When he meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year, even more worlds collide as Jin is unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods.
Paramount+’s Mayor of Kingstown season two episode nine opens with Milo and Mike having a sit-down. Milo (Aidan Gillen) wants his bonds, worth $14 million, back in exchange for Iris. Mike (Jeremy Renner) agrees and gets Milo to commit to leaving Kingstown. Milo warns that if he goes back on their deal, Mike won’t be the only one whose life is in danger.
Bunny (Tobi Bamtefa) visits a gun shop right before it officially opens and pretends to be interested in purchasing a Sig. He makes a call, telling the shop owner he needs to check with his wife before buying it. But that’s also just an act. The call is a signal for his gang to crash a van into the store. Crips pour out of the vehicle and steal dozens of guns, including the Sig that Bunny was pretending to be ready to buy.
Bunny smashes the surveillance cameras and destroys the security system before exiting the store.
Mike finally wanders into work and Kyle (Taylor Handley) is relieved and gives his bro a hug. Mike doesn’t explain what he was doing but does reveal he made a deal with Milo. Kyle confesses he saw Iris at the club, and Mike’s pissed Kyle was at the club in the first place.
Kyle doesn’t seem happy Mike’s willing to exchange the bonds for Iris, but Mike wants Milo out of their lives forever. Kyle wonders what Iris really means to Mike, and Mike explains he’s not even sure. He just wants her away from Milo – and away from this town.
Kyle agrees they should make the exchange. He also orders his brother to call their mom, so she’ll stop worrying. Kyle admits he was afraid something had happened and even had Bunny make sure no one inside put a hit out on him.
Mike’s shocked to learn Bunny’s been released.
Mike heads out and calls his mom while driving. She’s glad he’s back, and he promises to check on the boy she wanted him to help, Jacob Reed.
Mike’s next call is to Captain Kareem Moore (Michael Beach) who assumes Mike’s calling to gloat about getting Bunny out. Moore says the order came from the DA’s office, so he assumed Mike was responsible. Only the Bloods and AB bosses are still incarcerated.
Mike asks Kareem to do what he can to keep Jacob Reed away from the AB. They’ve been pressuring Jacob. Although Moore and Mike don’t have the “do me a favor” sort of relationship now, Moore promises to do what he can since it’s Mike’s mom asking.
Ian (Hugh Dillon) calls Mike and tells him to head to the gun shop ASAP.
Mike hurries over and, after telling Ian he was taking a “Me Day,” Ian shares the gun shop owner’s description of the robber and even Mike agrees it was Bunny. Ian warns Mike that it doesn’t matter if Bunny is his guy; they will grind him into the street over this. Ian knows this means Bunny is gearing up for war and wants to pick him up now, but Mike thinks with the Robert thing and the DA stuff going on, this can wait.
Ian explains the Robert thing went away – yet another thing Mike missed during his day-long walkabout. Ian pretends not to know why and suggests maybe it was part of whatever deal Mike struck with the DA’s office.
Given what he’s just learned, Mike’s next visit is with Interim DA Evelyn Foley (Necar Zadegan). He thanks her for Robert and Bunny, and she’s shocked he assumed she had anything to do with either issue. Turns out it was all Wendy at Warwick’s doing. Evelyn insists she’d never agree to let Bunny out after he ordered the hit on DA Lockett.
Evelyn warns that if she’s elected DA, she will make it her mission to stop Mike and his buddies from driving Kingstown into the ground. She also informs him his SWAT buddy was most likely responsible for killing Ben Morrissey, the one guy who was willing to stand up and speak out against Robert’s brutality.
“The inmates are running the asylum, Mike, and you’re the one giving them the goddamn key,” says Evelyn.
One lesson Bunny learned in jail is how useful drones can be. He’s using one as Mike arrives at the phone store, Bunny’s new headquarters. Bunny admits he pulled off the gun shop robbery and says his time back behind bars opened his eyes. Although he and Mike are square, there’s still a toll to be paid for those who died in the riots.
Bunny is targeting Robert, saying he’d love that trophy on his mantle. Mike warns him that if he goes after Robert, the cops will scorch this neighborhood. Bunny says that will happen anyway, and he’s no longer asking for Mike’s permission or blessing.
“Bunny, if you want to f*cking reach for that, you’re starting a fight that you do not want. I promise you,” warns Mike.
Meanwhile, the kid Miriam’s worried about – Jacob – is on a work detail in prison and being hassled. He can’t take it and realizes it’s only going to get worse. He makes the drastic decision to throw himself under a truck’s tires. His head is crushed.
Kyle’s wife, Tracy (Nishi Munshi), also makes a possibly life-altering decision. She’s done with Kyle putting their marriage behind his family and announces she’s taking off to stay with her dad for a while. She invites him to come, but of course Kyle doesn’t want to leave Kingstown.
Kyle informs Mike that Carney called with the news that Jacob killed himself.
Miriam’s cooking shrimp when Mike arrives home and delivers the news that Jacob’s dead. Miriam recalls he had a baby boy, even though he was barely more than a boy himself.
Mike heads over to his office, even though it’s past business hours, and is about to lay down and get some sleep when Iris (Emma Laird) calls. She claims to be fine and wants to see him. But the real reason for her call is to deliver instructions for the exchange. It’s set for tomorrow at midnight at a park.
Morning arrives, and Mike’s first meeting is with Ian and Stevie (Derek Webster). They want Bunny to play ball by returning all the guns. Bunny’s just asking for war, and ATF will be after him if he doesn’t act fast. Robert joins the trio and Mike demands to know if he killed Morrissey. Robert denies it and is pissed that Mike would even suggest such a thing.
Mike gets a one-on-one with Bunny and says he needs all the guns back. ATF is on the way and Mike offers to deliver all the guns back to the shop to get Bunny out of this situation. Mike apologizes for trusting people he shouldn’t have and putting Bunny behind bars.
Bunny will only return the guns in exchange for Robert. Mike says he can’t have that, and Bunny sets him straight. He’s the king now – not Mike.
After the meeting, Mike leaves a message for Robert to call him back as soon as possible.
Iris drinks wine and waits in a hotel suite, unaware Joseph the Russian is on his way in. He buys three hours of her time with his own money and is going to use those hours to do whatever he wants to her.
Iris resists and he chokes her before tossing her across the room, wine glasses shattering all around her as she lands on the floor. He grabs a pillow and holds it over her mouth, but Iris is able to grab something and stabs him in the neck.
He’s clutching his neck when she sits on top of him and continues stabbing him. Iris is soaked in blood and Joseph the Russian is most definitely dead, which you’ve got to assume isn’t what he had in mind when he bought three hours.
Mike spends the day trying to track down Robert, finally arriving at the bar where Kyle, Ian, and Stevie are drinking and playing pool. They think Robert’s either at the gym or his kid’s recital. Mike doesn’t explain why but orders them to head out and look for Robert. They also need to call Robert’s wife and make sure that she stays inside.
Robert (Hamish Allan-Headley) is heading to his truck when he finally answers Mike’s call. As they’re talking, a motorcyclist drives by and breaks Robert’s side-view mirror. Mike informs Robert he has a target on him just as more motorcycles come toward him down the street.
Robert’s able to tell Mike his location as they roar up. “Send an ambulance or a f*cking hearse,” says Robert before firing a few shots.
Mike says he’s sending the PD as Bunny’s guys pepper spray Robert, get off their bikes, and begin brutally beating him.
The motorcycles are driving away as Mike pulls up to Robert’s location. Robert lies motionless in the middle of the road, and Mike tries to rouse him. His face is nearly unrecognizable as the episode ends without confirming whether he’s still breathing.
We’re down to one final episode of season two, and there are still a lot of threads left dangling.
