Advertisement
Home Blog Page 548

‘The Good Doctor’ Season 6 Episode 11 Photos, Cast and Plot: “The Good Boy”

Lea and Shaun witness a dog getting hit by a car on ABC’s The Good Doctor season six episode 11. The poor guy’s in bad shape, but Lea insists they don’t give up on him. Is it possible to love Lea even more? Directed by Gary Hawes from a script by Melaina Wright and Peter Blake, episode 11 – “The Good Boy” – is set to air on Monday, January 30, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT.

Season six stars Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Hill Harper plays Dr. Marcus Andrews, Richard Schiff is Dr. Aaron Glassman, and Will Yun Lee is Dr. Alex Park. Paige Spara stars as Lea Dilallo, Christina Chang is Dr. Audrey Lim, Fiona Gubelmann plays Dr. Morgan Reznick, Bria Henderson is Dr. Jordan Allen, and Noah Galvin is Dr. Asher Wolke.

“The Good Boy” Plot: On the way to their babymoon, Lea and Shaun get a quick lesson in parenting when they rush to aid an injured dog. Meanwhile, Dr. Danica Powell secretly performs an operation on a friend that could jeopardize her career.

The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 11
Freddie Highmore and Paige Spara in ‘The Good Doctor’ season 6 episode 11 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 11
Paige Spara as Lea and Freddie Highmore as Shaun in season 6 episode 11 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 11
Freddie Highmore, Paige Spara and Zeek in “The Good Boy” episode (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 11
Freddie Highmore, Paige Spara and Zeek in season 6 episode 11 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 11
Paige Spara and Freddie Highmore in season 6 episode 11 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
The Good Doctor Season 6 Episode 11
Paige Spara and Freddie Highmore in “The Good Boy” episode (ABC/Jeff Weddell)




‘The Recruit’ Starring Noah Centineo is Renewed for Season 2

Netflix has made it official. The spy drama The Recruit starring Noah Centineo has been renewed for a second season.

The renewal announcement arrived along with a short video confirming the popular series is targeting a 2024 premiere for season two. Season one debuted in December 2022 and was a fixture on the streaming service’s most popular chart for five weeks.

“I’m thrilled to dive back into the fun, funny, action-packed world of The Recruit. Seeing how invested our audience became in the show’s adventurous take on the spy world and Noah’s turn as Owen has been incredibly rewarding, and I can’t wait to turn it all up to ’11’ in Season Two,” stated creator, showrunner and executive producer Alexi Hawley.

Noah Centineo will reprise his role as Owen Hendricks. According to Netflix, the new season will pick up from last season’s cliffhanger ending that found Owen and Max captured with their lives endangered.

“I know I speak for our entire cast and executive team at eOne and Netflix when I say that we are thrilled to be returning to The Recruit for a second season. I’m looking forward to seeing what Alexi Hawley has in store for us all,” said star and executive producer Centineo.

In addition to Hawley and Centineo, season four will be executive produced by P3 Media’s Adam Ciralsky, Charlie Ebersol, and Hypnotic’s Doug Liman, Gene Klein, and David Bartis.

The Recruit Series
Fivel Stewart as Hannah Copeland and Noah Centineo as Owen Hendricks in ‘The Recruit’ (Photo Courtesy Of Netflix © 2022)

A Look Back at Season 1:

The series centers around Owen Hendricks (Centineo), a young CIA lawyer whose first week on the job turns upside down when he discovers a threatening letter by former asset Max Meladze (Laura Haddock), who plans to expose the agency unless they exonerate her of a serious crime. Owen quickly becomes entangled in a dangerous and often absurd world of power politics and mischievous players as he travels the world in hopes of completing his assignment and making a mark at the CIA.

Season one also starred Fivel Stewart, Vondie Curtis Hall, Kristian Bruun, Aarti Mann, Colton Dunn, and Daniel Quincy Annoh.




‘Succession’ Season 4: New Teaser, New Photos, New Cast, and Premiere Date

HBO’s set a March 26, 2023 premiere date for the much-anticipated fourth season of Succession. The critically acclaimed series is coming off its strongest season, and the bar’s been set incredibly high for the 10-episode fourth season. The first one-minute teaser is a strong indication that bar’s going to be raised once again.

HBO confirmed Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin, Alan Ruck, Matthew Macfadyen, Nicholas Braun, J. Smith-Cameron, and Peter Friedman are returning. Additional cast members reprising their roles for the new season include David Rasche, Fisher Stevens, Hiam Abbass, Justine Lupe, Dagmara Domińczyk, Arian Moayed, Scott Nicholson, Zoë Winters, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Juliana Canfield, and Jeannie Berlin.

Alexander Skarsgård, Cherry Jones, Hope Davis, Justin Kirk, and Stephen Root will also return. Plus, HBO just announced Harriet Walter (Lady Caroline Collingwood), James Cromwell (Ewan Roy), Natalie Gold (Rava Roy), Caitlin Fitzgerald (Tabitha), Ashley Zukerman (Nate Sofrelli), Larry Pine (Sandy Furness), Mark-Linn Baker (Maxim Pierce), and Pip Torrens (Peter Munion) will be involved in season four.

Joining the drama in season four are Annabeth Gish, Adam Godley, Eili Harboe, and Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson.

Succession has earned 48 Emmy nominations and racked up 13 Emmy wins. It’s also earned Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice, Directors Guild, Writers Guild, and Producers Guild awards over its three seasons.

Jesse Armstrong created the series and serves as showrunner and executive producer. Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Jane Tranter, Mark Mylod, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble, Will Tracy, and Will Ferrell also executive produce.

HBO’s released the following description of the new season:

Succession explores themes of power and family dynamics through the eyes of patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his four grown children, Kendall (Strong), Siobhan (Snook), Roman (Culkin), and Connor (Ruck). The sale of media conglomerate Waystar Royco to tech visionary Lukas Matsson (Skarsgård) moves ever closer. The prospect of this seismic sale provokes existential angst and familial division among the Roys as they anticipate what their lives will look like once the deal is complete. A power struggle ensues as the family weighs up a future where their cultural and political weight is severely curtailed.”

Succession Season 4
Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, and Kieran Culkin in ‘Succession’ season 4 (Photograph by Claudette Barius/HBO)
Succession Season 4
Nicholas Braun and Matthew Macfadyen in season 4 (Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO)
Succession Season 4
Brian Cox in ‘Succession’ season 4 (Photograph by David Russell/HBO)
Succession Season 4
Brian Cox in season 4 (Photograph by Macall Polay/HBO)




‘Fantasy Island’ Season 2 Episode 5 Photos, Cast and Plot: “The Urn”

Joely Fisher (‘Til Death, Last Man Standing) puts in a guest starring appearance on Fox’s Fantasy Island season two episode five. “The Urn” will air on Monday, February 6, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT.

Roselyn Sanchez leads the cast as Elena Roarke, a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke played by Ricardo Montalban in the original ’70s series. Kiara Barnes (The Bold and the Beautiful) plays Ruby Akuda and John Gabriel Rodriguez (Rosewood) stars as Javier.

“The Urn” Plot: After an urn comes off the plane, three siblings must work through their past resentments in order to spread their mom’s ashes and fulfill her last fantasy. As the kids wrestle with their past, Roarke remembers their mom, her very first guest as the host of Fantasy Island. Meanwhile, Ruby is surprised to discover how little she knows about Isla.

Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5
Roselyn Sanchez and guest star Joely Fisher in “The Urn” episode of ‘Fantasy Island’ (Photo by Laura Magruder / FOX)

Fantasy Island Description, Courtesy of Fox:

A modern drama series, Fantasy Island takes place at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected. Delving into the “what if” questions – both big and small – that keep us awake at night, each episode will tell emotional, provocative stories about people who arrive with dreams and desires and depart enlightened and transformed through the magical realism of Fantasy Island.

Serving as steward of this mysterious island is Elena Roarke (Sanchez), a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke. Elena set aside her own ambitions, and even the love of her life, to uphold her family’s legacy. Sophisticated, insightful, and always charming, her calm exterior masks the challenges of the responsibilities she has assumed. Assisting Elena is Ruby Akuda (Barnes), a young woman with an old soul who arrives on Fantasy Island with a terminal illness, and is given a new lease on life there; and pilot Javier (Rodriquez), who also is the head of island transportation and a jack of all trades.

Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5
Kiara Barnes and guest star Maria Gabriela Gonzalez in “The Urn” episode (Photo by Laura Magruder/ FOX)
Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5
Guest stars Nick Jandi, Teo Rapp and Hope Lauren in season 2 episode 5 (Photo by Laura Magruder/ FOX)
Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5
Kiara Barnes and Roselyn Sanchez in “The Urn” episode (Photo by Laura Magruder/ FOX)
Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5
Guest stars Nick Jandi, Hope Lauren and Teo Rapp in season 2 episode 5 (Photo by Laura Magruder/ FOX)
Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5
Guest stars Teo Rapp, Hope Lauren and Nick Jandi in “The Urn” episode (Photo by Laura Magruder/ FOX)
Fantasy Island Season 2 Episode 5
Kiara Barnes and guest star Maria Gabriela Gonzalez in “The Urn” episode (Photo by Laura Magruder/ FOX)




‘Alert’ Episode 5 Photos, Cast and Plot Details: “Miguel” Preview

The case of a missing foster care worker leads the team down a rabbit hole on Fox’s Alert: Missing Persons Unit season one episode five. “Miguel” will air on January 30, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.

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.

“Miguel” Plot: A foster care worker is reported as missing, but after he ends his own life, the MPU starts to investigate a pregnant woman he was seen with who has been missing for two years. Meanwhile, Sydney follows Keith and fears he may be dangerous.

Alert Missing Persons Unit Episode 5
Scott Caan in the “Miguel” episode of ‘Alert: Missing Persons’ (Photo by Philippe Bosse © 2023 Fox Media LLC)

The Plot, Courtesy of Fox:

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.

Alert Missing Persons Unit Episode 5
Adeola Role and Dania Ramirez in season 1 episode 5 (Photo by Philippe Bosse © 2023 Fox Media LLC.)
Alert Missing Persons Unit Episode 5
Ryan Broussard, Scott Caan, Adeola Role and Dania Ramirez in the “Miguel” episode (Photo by Philippe Bosse © 2023 Fox Media LLC)
Alert Missing Persons Unit Episode 5
Dania Ramirez in season 1 episode 8 (Photo by Philippe Bosse © 2023 Fox Media LLC)
Alert Missing Persons Unit Episode 5
Ryan Broussard in the “Miguel” episode (Photo by Philippe Bosse © 2023 Fox Media LLC)
Alert Missing Persons Unit Episode 5
Graham Verchere in season 1 episode 8 (Photo by Philippe Bosse © 2023 Fox Media LLC)
Alert Missing Persons Unit Episode 5
Guest star Connie Miu and guest star Fivel Stewart in the “Miguel” episode (Photo by Philippe Bosse © 2023 Fox Media LLC)




‘The Rookie: Feds’ Episode 14 Photos, Cast and “The Offer” Plot

This Is UsJon Huertas directs ABC’s The Rookie: Feds season one episode 14. “The Offer” will air on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.

Niecy Nash-Betts stars as Simone Clark, Frankie R. Faison (White Chicks) is Christopher “Cutty” Clark, James Lesure (Las Vegas) is Carter Hope, Britt Robertson (Big Sky) is Laura Stensen, Felix Solis (The International) is Matthew Garza, and Kevin Zegers (Transamerica) is Brendon Acres.

“The Offer” Plot: When a billionaire’s daughter goes missing, he publicly announces a hefty reward for her safe return, sparking concern for the FBI. Meanwhile, Garza’s ex-wife makes a surprise appearance and shakes things up with the team.

(The video might say “The Remora” but it’s actually promoting “The Offer.”)

The Rookie Feds Episode 14
Niecy Nash-Betts in ‘The Rookie: Feds’ season 1 episode 14 (ABC/Raymond Liu)

The Rookie: Feds Description:

From the executive producers of flagship series The Rookie comes The Rookie: Feds starring Niecy Nash-Betts as Simone Clark, the oldest rookie in the FBI Academy. The spinoff was introduced as a two-part event during the fourth season of The Rookie, where Officer John Nolan (Nathan Fillion) and the L.A. division of the FBI enlisted the help of Simone Clark when one of her former students was a suspect in a terror attack.

The Rookie Feds Episode 14
Felix Solis and Britt Robertson in episode 14 (ABC/Raymond Liu)
The Rookie Feds Episode 14
Director Jon Huertas, Niecy Nash-Betts, and Kevin Zegers on the set of episode 14 (ABC/Raymond Liu)
The Rookie Feds Episode 14
James Lesure and Niecy Nash-Betts in season 1 episode 14 (ABC/Raymond Liu)
The Rookie Feds Episode 14
Kevin Zegers and Britt Robertson in episode 14 (ABC/Raymond Liu)
The Rookie Feds Episode 14
Kevin Zegers and Niecy Nash-Betts in episode 14 (ABC/Raymond Liu)
The Rookie Feds Episode 14
Niecy Nash-Betts in season 1 episode 14 (ABC/Raymond Liu)




‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ Episode 8 Recap – “Family Tree”

National Treasure Edge of History Episode 8
Lisette Olivera, Zuri Reed, and Jordan Rodrigues in Disney+’s ‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ episode 8

With just two episodes left in season one of Disney+’s National Treasure: Edge of History, things are really heating up. Episode seven ended with Jess concluding she needs to break her father out of a prison in Mexico. Episode eight picks up with Jess’s dad, Rafael (Jacob Vargas), in for a shock when he sees Billie (Catherine Zeta-Jones) has come to visit him.

Billie accuses him of killing her brother and Rafael denies it, insisting it was Salazar who killed her brother. Billie demands the last relic or else she’s going after Jess. “You’re about to find out how it feels to lose the person you love more than anything else in the world,” warns Billie.

Oren (Antonio Cipriano) desperately tries to talk Jess (Lisette Olivera) out of breaking her father out of prison. When Oren asks for Ethan (Jordan Rodrigues) and Tasha (Zuri Reed) to back him up, they refuse. They are all in with Jess.

Oren’s shocked that he’s the one being the voice of reason, but Jess knows she must do this or Billie will kill her dad. Odd man out, Oren decides to return home.

Tasha and Jess go over the prison layout to prepare for the jailbreak. Before Oren leaves, he tosses them a helpful tidbit. Prisons have large drainage areas in case of flooding.

Meanwhile, Myles (Dustin Ingram) spills Billie’s secrets to Liam (Jake Austin Walker). He thinks they need to get one of Billie’s security team’s phones in order to have access to all the trackers Billie uses. That should help them locate Jess.

Rafael says a prayer to Jess’s late mother and vows to keep Jess safe. He’s interrupted when new shoes suddenly arrive that he ordered a while back.

Ethan and Jess have a heart-to-heart, and Ethan confesses he wishes that Jess would let him do the breaking-in. There will be fewer consequences if he gets caught. Their talk is interrupted when Tasha reveals she can hack the system to make it think there’s flooding going on. The system will react by lowering the water levels, giving Jess about 10 minutes to get in and get her dad out.

As the audience hears Tasha explain to Jess what she needs to do in order to get in and out of the prison, we see Jess doing all those things. Jess is in for a shock when she makes it to her dad’s cell only to find the door already open and her dad gone.

A guard comes in, and Jess hides in her dad’s bed. When the guard discovers her, Rafael jumps on his back and chokes him until he’s unconscious. Jess admits she’s there to break him out because Billie’s going to kill him. In turn, Rafael admits the cell door was open because he was going to break out and rescue her because Billie’s going to kill her.

National Treasure Edge of History Episode 8
Lisette Olivera and Jacob Vargas in Disney+’s ‘National Treasure: Edge of History’ episode 8

Time for a new plan because Jess’s original escape route is filling up with water. Rafael knows of a way out.

The police find Tasha and Ethan and want to see their IDs.

After making it outside, Rafael informs Jess that he’s tried to escape many times but never made it past this part because it takes two people. He’s going to try to hinder the guard’s vision in the towers with a mirror while she runs to cut the fence. Hopefully, she won’t get shot at.

Tasha and Ethan are told to move along because it’s a restricted area. At the same moment, the guard that Rafael choked is waking up. When the alarm starts going off, Jess makes a run for it. The rest of the scene plays out in slow motion as Jess gets shot at, but the bullets miss. The guard then turns his gun on Rafael which causes him to drop his mirror.

It appears Rafael has accepted his fate and waits for the final bullet to take his life. But suddenly someone shoots the guard instead, and Jess and her father make it out of the prison and into the van.

Oren has made it home and is talking to himself, wondering if his friends are safe, when Agent Ross (Lyndon Smith) arrives unannounced. She welcomes herself in and wants to know safe from what. He lies and says he doesn’t know where his friends are, and Agent Ross goes over everything that has transpired since Jess and Tasha showed up and claimed he was kidnapped. Oren refuses to give her any information.

Myles informs Dario (Darri Ingolfsson) that Liam isn’t dead and he didn’t call a clean-up crew because he figured he would want to question him. Liam pretends to be tied up and Myles quickly injects Dario with something that knocks him out. The clock is ticking because Dario brought a friend.

Myles unlocks Dario’s phone and Liam sees a phrase on it that sounds familiar. As Myles looks for the tracking information, Liam grabs a book his grandpa left for him with the same phrase written on it. When he opens the book it reads: “The Book of Famous Lost Treasure.”

Agent Ross speaks with her boss, Agent Hendricks (Armando Riesco), about the information she has on Jess, even though she’s having doubts about Jess being Peter Sadusky’s killer. Hendricks starts the paperwork to extradite Jess and suggests Ross should stop second-guessing herself.

Jess says goodbye to Tasha and Ethan because they need to get home right away. Rafael swears he’ll be able to get Jess across the border.

Liam can’t find tracking on Jess but does spot a familiar name – his dad, Jack. Billie has apparently been tracking him for years, and the last day he was alive that tracker places him nowhere near the river where he supposedly drowned.

Kacey (Breeda Wool) is on the tracking system and notices Dario is on it too, and that he’s in the Sadusky file. Billie calls Dario’s phone, and out of anger, Liam answers it. Liam confronts her about killing his grandpa and accuses her of killing his dad too. Liam warns her he’s going to come after her.

Billie knows Myles is helping Liam now, and Myles smashes the phone in a panic.

Dario’s friend enters the house and Liam and Myles lock him and Dario up in the secret room. Unfortunately, the friend gets off a shot that hits Myles. The cleaning crew shows up, and Liam is forced to flee, leaving a dead Myles behind… but not before grabbing that book.

Rafael began keeping a journal after he met Jess’s mom, and he’s hidden it in an old tree. He explains he went to her mother to get information on Malinche. He also reveals his mother was a Daughter of the Plumed Serpent and gave him the necklace that Jess wears.

Tasha and Ethan make it across the border and are met by the FBI.

Oren returns home to a waiting Liam who demands to know where Jess is.

Jess shows her dad the map from the relics. She thinks X marks the spot in the map, but he says X is a Mayan symbol for the sky. Jess realizes it’s a map of the sky and the Daughters of the Plumed Serpent are showing the location of the treasure with the constellations. The river is the Milky Way, and the dots are the stars.

One star in particular called “God of the Morning Star” was essential for the Daughters of the Plumed Serpent to navigate. After using an app, Jess figures out it’s pointing to a spot near the Mississippi River called Devil’s Swamp.

The long-haired, bearded man shows up and claims he doesn’t work for Salazar. He throws Jess and Rafael for a loop when he says Salazar isn’t one man; it is a mantle. He clears up that head-scratching announcement by explaining a “Salazar” is always the leader of a group of treasure hunters dating back to ancient Egypt.

Just then Kacey comes zooming up in a vehicle and shoots the bearded man. Jess manages to escape, but Billie grabs her dad. Billie attempts to lure Jess out by telling her she helped them escape. She paid off the guards, put a tracker in her dad’s shoe, and Kacey shot the sniper guard. She claims she heard everything and is always one step ahead of them.

Jess not only gives herself up to Billie, but she also hands over the backpack. And with that episode eight draws to a close.




‘Accused’ Episode 3 Preview: Cast, Photos, and Plot Details

Rachel Bilson, Jack Davenport, and Reid Miller star in season one episode three of Fox’s new anthology series, Accused. Episode three, “Danny’s Story,” will air on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT.

Episode three also stars August Maturo, Andi Hubick, Michelle Giroux, Camille James, and Neil Whitely. Jon Mostow (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines) directed from a script by Howard Gordon and Daniel Pearle.

“Danny’s Story” Plot: After the death of his ailing mother, a teenager suspects foul play when he discovers his mother’s former hospice caretaker is now dating his father.

Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Reid Miller and Jack Davenport in the “Danny’s Story” episode of ‘Accused’ (Photo by Keri Anderson © 2022 Fox Media LLC)

The Plot:

Accused is a collection of 15 intense, topical, and exquisitely human stories of crime and punishment. Each episode is a fast-paced provocative thriller exploring a different crime, in a different city, with an entirely original cast. Based on the BBC’s BAFTA-winning crime anthology, each episode opens in a courtroom on the defendant, with viewers knowing nothing about their crime or how they ended up on trial.

Told from the defendant’s point of view through flashbacks, the show holds a mirror up to current times with evocative and emotional stories. In the end, audiences will discover how an ordinary person gets caught up in extraordinary circumstances and how one impulsive decision can impact the course of that life – and the lives of others — forever.

Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Camille James and Reid Miller in the “Danny’s Story” episode (Photo by Elly Dassas © 2022 Fox Media LLC)
Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Rachel Bilson and Jack Davenport in season 1 episode 3 (Photo by Elly Dassas © 2022 Fox Media LLC)
Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Reid Miller and Jack Davenport in episode 3 (Photo by Elly Dassas © 2022 Fox Media LLC)
Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Rachel Bilson and Reid Miller in the “Danny’s Story” episode (Photo by Steve Wilkie © 2022 Fox Media LLC)
Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Reid Miller in season 1 episode 3 (Photo by Steve Wilkie © 2022 Fox Media LLC)
Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Rachel Bilson and Jack Davenport in season 1 episode 3 (Photo by Steve Wilkie © 2022 Fox Media LLC)
Accused Season 1 Episode 3
Rachel Bilson, Jack Davenport and Reid Miller in the “Danny’s Story” episode (Photo by Steve Wilkie © 2022 Fox Media LLC)




‘Theater Camp’ Review (2023 Sundance Film Festival)

Theater Camp Review
Molly Gordon and Ben Platt in ‘Theater Camp’ (Photo Courtesy of Sundance)

Theater Camp comes with the audience advisory that it contains strobe effects and may potentially trigger seizures. And in a unique twist, this humorous mockumentary from first-time feature film directors Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman incorporates that warning into the plot.

AdirondACTS theater camp founder Joan (Amy Sedaris) suffers a seizure from the strobe light in the camp’s production of Bye Bye Birdie. Joan lapses into a coma at the worst possible time for the struggling upstate New York theater camp. It’s also horrible timing for the documentary crew since Joan was supposed to be the focus of the film and her coma occurs on the first day of shooting.

Money is a major issue, and after Joan is forced to make an unexpected exit from camp, her son, Troy (Jimmy Tatro), is put in charge. Troy believes he’s a big-time social media influencer/crypto bro. Point of fact: he’s neither. He’s also not into acting and doesn’t know his Les Mis from Cats.

Troy’s met with derision by the camp’s staff, who haven’t the time or patience for a theater neophyte. It doesn’t help that he’s constantly filming himself for his online fans (all tens of them).

The staff consists of an eclectic assortment of theater wannabes with minor claims to fame. (Or at least brushes with those who are famous.) Standouts among the flashy ensemble of staffers are Amos (Ben Platt), the head of drama, and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon), the head of music. Julliard failures, these longtime best friends/codependent collaborators are responsible for the camp’s annual original play. This year, the obvious choice is to write about their fearless—albeit currently unconscious-leader, Joan. Its title: “Still, Joan.” (Gotta love that tip of the hat to Still Alice.)

Hopefully, Joan will survive to witness its performance. And, hopefully, the camp won’t fall into foreclosure before the play’s opening night. If they can just pull off this one big production, then maybe they can save AdirondACTS. (Why am I saying that out loud as I type? If there isn’t a real AdirondACTS, someone should jump on that name ASAP.)

Theater Camp is an expanded version of Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, Noah Galvin, and Ben Platt’s 18-minute short film that went viral thanks to the love showered upon it by theater geeks during the pandemic. The foursome proved quite adept at mocking a world they know well. That successful short spawned this mockumentary feature, your enjoyment of which will depend on your tolerance level for precocious kids and scenery-chewing, cliché-spewing adults.

There are moments of absolute hilarity mixed with bits that feel a bit long in the tooth. Troy has the kids work as waiters by convincing them they’re participating in an immersive theater exercise, and the campers’ interactions with a group of businessmen nails the whole musical theater-kid vibe. Rebecca-Diane believes she’s a spiritualist who can channel Joan and can discern who her students were in past lives. Again, absolutely nails it.

But sometimes the jokes feel a little recycled or the delivery is just a tad off. And even at a relatively short 94 minutes, it’s tough not to want to tune out before the time the big finale arrives. But stick it out until the third act; the payoff is well worth it.

Theater Camp lands the final act. Not only does it lands it, but exceeds all expectations. The first two acts elicited a handful of laughs. The third act sweeps in and blows the roof off the joint with the play within the film. Joan’s life story is told via witty lyrics and catchy tunes, culminating in the final showstopping number in which everyone celebrates camp life.

Any bumps in the road or missed opportunities leading up to the third act are forgiven once “Still, Joan” takes center stage.

GRADE: B

Starring: Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Noah Galvin, Jimmy Tatro, Patti Harrison, Ayo Edibiri, Amy Sedaris, Caroline Aaron, Nathan Lee Graham, Owen Thiele, and Alan Kim

Theater Camp screened as part of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.




‘Bob Hearts Abishola’ is Renewed for Season 5

Bob Hearts Abishola

CBS’s popular half-hour comedy Bob Hearts Abishola will be sticking around for a fifth season. The network’s officially renewed the comedy starring Billy Gardell and Folake Olowofoyeku for season five, guaranteeing it a spot on their 2023-2024 primetime lineup.

Season four of the comedy from creators Chuck Lorre, Al Higgins, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gina Yashere is currently airing on Mondays at 8:30pm ET/PT. The season four cast includes Gardell, Olowofoyeku, Christine Ebersole, Matt Jones, Maribeth Monroe, Vernee Watson, and Shola Adewusi. Barry Shabaka Henley, Travis Wolfe, Jr., Gina Yashere, Bayo Akinfemi, Anthony Okungbowa, and Saidah Arrika Ekulona also star.

Bob Hearts Abishola is averaging nearly 6 million viewers during its Monday time period. The series is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Lorre, Al Higgins, Gina Yashere, and Matt Ross serve as executive producers.

The Plot, Courtesy of CBS: “Bob Hearts Abishola is a love story about a middle-aged compression sock businessman from Detroit who unexpectedly fell for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant, while recovering from a heart attack and set his sights on winning her over. Undaunted by Abishola’s lack of initial interest or the vast differences in their backgrounds, Bob was determined to win Abishola’s heart, and eventually married her, in this comedic examination of immigrant life in America.”

Trending