Grammy Award-winner Big Daddy Kane guest stars as the founder of a motorcycle club on CBS’s The Equalizer season three episode four, “One Percenters.” Directed by Benny Boom from a script by Adam Glass, episode four will air on Sunday, October 23, 2022 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.
Charles Brice, Ezra Knight, Brittany Adebumola, Brian Hutchison, Anna Holbrook, and Tom Patterson guest star.
“One Percenters” Plot: A local motorcycle club seeks McCall and the team’s help in keeping a member out of prison by proving the illegal guns found in his van were planted. Meanwhile, Delilah’s father, Miles, insists on knowing the truth about McCall’s work.
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.
Guillermo del Toro describes his stop-motion adaptation of Pinocchio as a “journey of a lifetime.” A decade ago, the Oscar-winning filmmaker made a vow to start concentrating more on animation. Pinocchio joins del Toro’s animated Tales of Arcadia franchise in working toward fulfilling his vow.
“The two essential fables that define my childhood and teenage years were Pinocchio and Frankenstein,” explained Guillermo del Toro during a press conference hosted by Netflix. “It’s this idea that you’re thrown into a world that you barely understand, and you try to make sense of it as you grow. And they’re definitely father-and-son…or they’re stories that deal with that link and that bond.
They were of primal importance for me. And I always felt Pinocchio is one of those handful of characters – there are maybe 10 characters in the history of human storytelling that are capable of being universal and completely adaptable to anything. There’s Frankenstein, Pinocchio, Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes. These are characters that, even if you haven’t read the story, you know the story, or you think you know the story. And therefore, you can use them as metaphors for science, for human emotions, for many, many things.”
Guillermo del Toro continued: “I’m 58 and when we started this process, it’s about 15 years ago or more. I thought it could be a great tool to talk about how precious and fragile we are as humans, and how much we need each other.”
Every other Pinocchio has been about obedience. Del Toro’s flips the script and is about disobedience.
“Disobedience being a primal factor in becoming human and how becoming human doesn’t mean changing yourself or others, but understanding,” said del Toro. “You know, I think the first step towards a conscience and the soul, for me, is disobedience. It’s the difference between ideas and ideology. An idea is an idea that you construct form experience and compassion and understanding. And an ideology is something that is given to you and you’re told to obey it blindly. And those are things that help us craft the tale.”
Guillermo del Toro describes his Geppetto as the one who learns from Pinocchio, unlike other interpretations of the story.
“Normally in Pinocchio, he learns to obey, and he learns to be a good boy, and then he turns into flesh and blood. What I wanted very much is for everybody to learn from Pinocchio. The Cricket is stodgy and strange, and he has a picture of Schopenhauer on the wall. He makes great pronunciations, and he learns humility, and fragility, and fallibility from Pinocchio.”
“Everybody loves Geppetto because Geppetto does what everybody wants. When his child reincarnates in Pinocchio, he cannot see it. And what I’ve learned as a father and as a son is the greatest treasure for a son or a father is to be seen, to be able to be seen by the other. It’s so eloquent and moving. I want just to tell that little story in which Geppetto learns to love him, through the course of the movie, for who he is.
And Pinocchio’s such a pure element that he changes the alchemy of everybody around him – for good or worse. He irritates the figures of authority, and he wins the heart of his father when he recognizes his essence. So those are things that were important for me.
I think the movie’s a beautiful movie. It’s not a movie catering to what people expect for a movie for kids, with little asides, and ‘Whoa,’ and skateboarding,” said del Toro.
Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson directed from a screenplay by del Toro and Patrick McHale. During the press conference, del Toro revealed they wrote Geppetto with David Bradley in mind. He also knew Ron Perlman had to be part of the cast, since Perlman is almost a prerequisite in his films.
“Tilda Swinton, from the beginning we wanted. She has this otherworldly quality that we thought would be really a tremendous help. Ewan McGregor, who is the cricket character and narrator of the film, we thought has one of the warmest voices,” explained del Toro. “His personality…he came in first day and we didn’t even talk about the character. He was into the recording session immediately.”
He added: “Cate Blanchett, who plays the monkey and has no lines… We were doing Nightmare Alley and she says, ‘Oh, I want to be part of Pinocchio.’ I said, ‘The only part left is a monkey.’ And she goes, ‘I’ll play the monkey.’
She’s fantastic in it and one of the main characters. Christoph Waltz, we thought had the incredible charming, charismatic, and also intelligent and cruel elements that make Volpe such a great villain and manipulator. I mean, (John) Turturro has a very small part, but significant. And I think, little by little, we assembled, fortunately, the ideal cast.”
The cast also includes Gregory Mann, Finn Wolfhard, Tim Blake Nelson, and Burn Gorman.
Guillermo del Toro on the set of ‘Pinocchio’ (Photo Credit: Jason Schmidt/NETFLIX)
The Animation of Pinocchio
From the get-go, Guillermo del Toro and co-director Mark Gustafson were determined the acting should feel naturalistic and not pantomime.
“A lot of micro gestures on the actors. We jokingly said, ‘Let’s take these puppets and not do silent film animation, but Actor’s Studio level,’” said del Toro. “They age. They are weakened. They are tired. They have failed acts. They try to close a door and it takes three tries to close a door.”
He continued: “24 frames a second, you have to ask the puppeteer to go for the water and it takes three tries or he moves it around, he moves a cup. You know, different little things that we do in daily life. The way the camera moves, it moves and the staging of the puppets is the way you would stage with actors.”
If they’ve done their job right, the audience should feel as though they’re watching real actors and not puppets. “You just say, ‘Wow, this character is a human,’” said del Toro.
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Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio will have a limited release in theaters in November followed by a release on Netflix on December 9, 2022.
Rhys Ifans, Olivia Cooke, and Fabien Frankel in ‘House of the Dragon’ episode 9 (Photograph by Ollie Upton / HBO)
The mood is somber and the halls are darkened as HBO’s House of the Dragon season one episode nine begins. There’s no one to be seen in the Red Keep until a young boy emerges from a room. He strides through the empty hallways, walks through the busy but quiet kitchen, and delivers a message to Talya.
The King is dead and the Queen is informed. She demands her handmaiden, Talya, tell no one.
Queen Alicent (Olivia Cooke) meets with her father, Ser Otto (Rhys Ifans), and confirms no one but a few know. She believes Viserys told her Aegon should be King, insisting those were his last words to her. Unfortunately, she was the only one in the room. (Viserys thought he was speaking with Rhaenyra.)
Talya sends a signal to someone that the King has died by lighting candles in a single window.
The small council assembles in the middle of the night and Ser Otto informs them King Viserys is dead. They will grieve for him, but Ser Otto explains that just before he drew his final breath, he told the Queen his wish was for Aegon to be his successor.
The room falls silent for a beat and then Lord Jason Lannister (Jefferson Hall) speaks up, agreeing they need to proceed quickly to follow his wishes. Ser Otto confirms they’ll replace anyone on the City Watch who’s faithful to Prince Daemon.
Lord Lyman Beesbury (Bill Paterson) looks on in shock and disbelief.
The Hand orders ravens sent to Riverrun and Highcastle, and it’s only at this point Alicent realizes some members of the small council have been plotting to install Aegon for a while without her knowledge.
Lord Beesbury is enraged and calls Aegon an imposter. An argument ensues and Beesbury refuses to believe Viserys, his longtime friend, made this last-minute change in plans. Beesbury believes this is treason and theft of the Iron Throne.
Beesbury wonders who can swear King Viserys died of his own accord. Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) slams Lord Beesbury’s face into the table, killing him. Lord Commander Ser Harrold Westerling (Graham McTavish) immediately orders Ser Criston to throw down his sword and resign.
Ser Otto demands the door remain shut so they can continue the meeting with Lord Beesbury’s dead body leaking blood onto the table.
Lord Lannister believes Storm’s End may be a problem but an offer of marriage to one of Lord Baratheon’s daughters may soothe that situation. Otto suggests Princess Rhaenyra and her family should immediately be taken prisoner to stop them from drawing supporters.
Queen Alicent knows neither Princess Rhaenyra nor Prince Daemon will ever bend the knee, and when she asks if they’ve all agreed to kill the Princess, no one denies it. A living challenger invites battle and bloodshed.
Ser Otto thinks it’s a necessary sacrifice. He orders Lord Commander Westerling to take his knights to Dragonstone and be “quick and be clean.”
The Lord Commander has spent the entire discussion looking disgusted and disturbed. He resigns his position rather than follow Ser Otto’s order.
Queen Alicent rushes to her children’s chambers in search of Aegon. Princess Helaena (Phila Saban) doesn’t know where her husband-brother is and Alicent breaks the news that Viserys has died. Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) joins them, looking somber, as Helaena says, “There is a beast beneath the boards.”
Ser Otto asks Ser Erryk Cargyll, Prince Aegon’s protector, where his charge is and Erryk explains Aegon took off and is in the city. Otto orders him to take just his brother and quietly search for Aegon. They can’t let anyone know what they’re doing, so they need to remove their white cloaks. Not even the Queen can know.
Otto commands Ser Erryk to bring Aegon directly to him once he’s located.
Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) is locked in her room without warning. Servants and their families (including Talya) are rounded up and locked in cells so they cannot spread the news of King Viserys’ death.
Queen Alicent’s planning mimics her father’s. She orders Ser Criston to find Aegon and bring him to her. Aemond volunteers to go with Criston, certain he’s best equipped to locate his brother.
Ser Otto gathers the lords and demands they pledge their banners to Prince Aegon, the future King. He refuses to allow them to leave until they acquiesce.
Lady Fell of Felwood keeps her oath to Princess Rhaenyra as does one other House, and they’re hauled off by guards. Everyone else ultimately bends the knee, including a reluctant Lord Caswell.
Lord Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) watches this from the balcony.
Ser Criston and Prince Aemond are in disguise as they search for Prince Aegon. They head to a brothel and are told he hasn’t been there in years. “His tastes are known to be less discriminating,” says the madam.
They continue their search and Aemond reveals he believes he deserves to be king, not his brother. He also believes they can’t locate Aegon because they’re decent men and don’t share his depravity.
Ser Erryk and his twin brother, Ser Arryk, are also searching while blending in with the simple folk. They hear the roar of a crowd and follow the noise to find children fighting. Prince Aegon spends many nights here, enjoying the brutality. It’s also pointed out that at least one of the children is likely Aegon’s.
The twins know Aegon’s not fit to rule, and his joy at watching children brawl confirms it. A woman approaches revealing she knows where Aegon is and will hand him over for a price. But her mistress, the White Worm, will only speak to the Hand of the King about the delivery of Prince Aegon.
Meanwhile, Lord Allun Caswell attempts to ride out through the gate and is dragged from his horse. He’s brought before Ser Otto and won’t say where he was headed. Caswell’s taken away by guards to be locked up.
Ser Otto thanks Lord Larys for sounding the alarm and stopping his departure.
Olivia Cooke in ‘House of the Dragon’ season 1 episode 9 (Photograph by Liam Daniel/ HBO)
Queen Alicent watches as King Viserys’ body is wrapped by the Silent Sisters. After they’re done, she places his crown on her dead husband’s chest. She briefly cries and then regains her self-control.
Next, Alicent visits Princess Rhaenys and apologizes for locking her in. Rhaenys realizes Viserys is dead and Alicent is usurping the throne. Alicent insists it was Viserys’ dying wish. She wants Rhaenys’ support, pointing out that her family has been devastated by its association with Princess Rhaenyra and the Targaryens.
“The word of my House is not fickle,” replies Princess Rhaenys.
Queen Alicent claims she has always thought Rhaenys deserved to have been Queen and that the Iron Throne was hers by blood. Viserys would have been better off as a country lord than as king. “We do not rule but we may guide the men who do, gently, away from violence and sure destruction and instead toward peace,” says Queen Alicent.
Princess Rhaenys realizes they’ve taken her dragon so it can’t be used against the usurpers. Alicent promises her Driftmark, if she wants it, for her and her granddaughter to pass on as she sees fit.
Rhaenys is impressed by Alicent but wonders why she’s still subservient to men rather than placing herself on the throne. Alicent takes a moment, looks ready to answer, but leaves without replying.
Back out on the streets, Ser Criston and Aemond spot Mysaria meeting with Ser Otto. They remain hidden as the meeting takes place.
Ser Otto questions her identity, and Mysaria’s knowledge of the death of King Viserys confirms she is in fact the White Worm. He delivers a large bag of coins and she reveals she’s got Aegon safely tucked away. In exchange for his release, she demands they end the savage use of children in Flea Bottom.
Ser Otto promises he’ll look into it.
Mysaria isn’t satisfied and warns him that he needs to remember she’s responsible for installing Aegon on the Iron Throne since she chose to let him live when she easily could have killed him. She adds, “There is no power but what the people allow you to take.”
Ser Erryk and his twin brother retrieve Prince Aegon from a hidden compartment, dragging him out as he screams. He demands to be taken to his mother, but they inform him he’ll be taken to Ser Otto.
Ser Criston and Prince Aemond ambush Erryk and Arryk as they’re moving Aegon. A sword fight breaks out and Criston fights as Aemond pins his brother to the ground. Aemond then forces him to stand and won’t let go as Aegon screams, “I have no wish to rule, no taste for duty! I’m not suited!”
He promises Aemond that if he lets him go, he’ll disappear. Ser Criston joins them before Aemond can react to the offer.
Queen Alicent meets with her father, and he congratulates her on a game well played. (She won the battle over Aegon.) Alicent has finally realized all she’s ever been to her father is a pawn to move about the board. He reminds her he made her Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. She also realizes she has no idea what she wanted for her life.
Alicent and Otto argue over the necessity of killing Princess Rhaenyra. Alicent decides she’ll send her an offer to support Aegon. Her terms will allow Rhaenyra to live without shame. Otto continues to believe death is the only option. Otherwise, Rhaenyra’s allies will throw their support behind her and go to war.
Alicent believes what she has planned would satisfy King Viserys. Ser Criston will be named Lord Commander and Aegon will be crowned the following morning in front of all of King’s Landing. Aegon will take Aegon the Conqueror’s crown and his sword, Blackfyre. That will help the people remember the strength of House Targaryen.
Lord Larys is in Queen Alicent’s chamber when she returns. He reveals there’s a web of spies working in the Red Keep, and Ser Otto uses them to get an advantage over everyone. One of the little spiders is her Lady in Waiting, Talya. She’s not the only one, claims Larys. The solution is to kill the White Worm which will decapitate Ser Otto’s spy network.
Alicent takes her shoes off which, apparently, is a turn-on to Larys. He masturbates as she looks away.
We’re shown glimpses of the assorted key players spending a tense night unable to sleep.
Ser Erryk shows up in Princess Rhaenys’ room and says, “With me, Princess. I cannot let this treachery stand.” They walk past the hanging body of Lord Caswell and down passageways until they’re outside the castle.
A house is on fire as they make their way through darkened streets. The sun rises and she wants to fetch Meleys, but Ser Erryk explains she’ll be captured if she tries. She has to board a ship and leave before they’re aware she’s missing.
Townsfolk flood the streets as the Kingsguard and the City Watch round everyone up.
A bell tolls as Prince Aegon and Queen Alicent travel by carriage to his ceremony. Aegon is certain this is not what Viserys wanted, but Alicent is equally sure he changed his mind. He’s unconvinced since his father didn’t like him. He chuckles when his mom continues to insist it was Viserys’ dying wish.
He turns serious when she shows him Aegon the Conqueror’s dagger, and now he’s willing to believe she’s telling the truth. Alicent instructs him to reject her father’s wish that Rhaenyra be put to death. He replies, “Do you love me?”
“You imbecile,” says Alicent.
The crowd is pushed forward, forced to follow the carriage. Rhaenys remains hidden among them.
They enter the great hall as Ser Otto announces King Viserys the Peaceful is dead. Otto reveals to the crowd that King Viserys’ final wish was that Aegon should succeed him. Muted clapping is heard as the City Watch forms two lines, swords raised, and Prince Aegon walks through the arch they’ve created. He ascends the stairs and takes his place next to his mother, Aemond, and his grandfather.
Rhaenys sneaks out as everyone is occupied watching the ceremony.
Alicent kisses her son’s forehead and accompanies him to stand before Septon Eustace. Aegon kneels as his forehead’s anointed and Septon Eustace says a blessing. Ser Criston is handed the crown of Aegon the Conqueror. He places it on Aegon’s head while Aemond stares icily and Helaena averts her eyes.
“Let the Seven bear witness. Aegon Targaryen is the true heir to the Iron Throne,” announces Ser Criston.
One by one Aegon’s family members lower their heads. The applause starts off quiet but builds to a roar.
King Aegon looks around the hall and then thrusts his sword into the air. The crowd cheers for their new King.
Suddenly the floor rumbles and bursts open under the crowd. (Helaena had predicted this but no one understood or listened to her warning.) Princess Rhaenys’ dragon, Meleys, emerges through the hole and lets out a mighty roar. He thrashes around, using his tail to strike down anyone still standing. The crowd race for the doors as Rhaenys is shown seated on Meleys’ back.
Ser Otto orders the doors be opened so people can escape the dragon.
Rhaenys guides her dragon toward Queen Alicent as Alicent quickly moves in front of King Aegon. They’re mere feet away and although Meleys opens her mouth and roars, she doesn’t set them on fire.
Rhaenys and Meleys fly away, leaving behind death and destruction – but, fortunately for King Aegon II, not a city on fire.
Nicole Lovince, Emily Hall, and Jenna Z in ‘KillHer’
From the opening scream scene, director Robyn August’s cleverly named KillHer captures the classic slasher film vibe and then finesses it into something original and entertaining. Once the main characters play a game listing stupid things people do in horror movies, it’s obvious KillHer knows exactly which boxes it needs to tick. And watching as those items are checked off is bloody good fun.
The film follows four women who head into the woods for a pre-bachelorette party. Why the woods? Because one of the ladies – Eddie, the outsider of the group – has arranged it so that they’re spending the weekend camping near Mattie’s fiancé, Jagger, and his friends.
The tension between Eddie and Mattie’s two other friends is so thick you could slice it with Michael Myers’ knife. Eddie’s idea of a good time conflicts with Jess and Rae’s, and they’re not shy about letting her know she’s not really a member of their little clique. Eddie, in return, isn’t shy about claiming the spot as Mattie’s current BFF while signaling they’re no more than unwanted guests intruding on her special weekend plans.
They eventually make it to a campsite, but along the way, they’ve lost cell service and are unable to pull up GPS. They should turn back but don’t because Eddie insists she knows where they are. They spot a tent, assume it’s Mattie’s fiancé, and set up for what they’re hoping will be a fun-filled, sex-filled weekend.
Assuming anything when it comes to visiting an unfamiliar location is never a wise idea. That goes double when it comes to assuming you’ve picked the perfect spot to camp in the middle of nowhere. As it turns out the other tent belongs to Mr. Rogers, and he’s not interested in welcoming them to his neighborhood.
Even though things have a distinctly creepy vibe, no one pays attention to their recently recited stupid things people do in horror films list. That list included a warning not to split up, which is, of course, exactly what the foursome does.
That’s far from the only wrong move the unhappy campers make, as the weekend getaway turns into a struggle to get away from a psycho killer.
M.C. Huff, Emily Hall, Jenna Z, and Nicole Lovince are terrific as the four friends who make the incredibly unwise decision to party in the wilderness. KillHer’s screenwriter Tom Kiesche plays Mr. Rogers, the loner whose personal space is invaded by these clueless city dwellers. They’re annoyed by his presence, despite the fact he was there first, and he shows more patience than most people would at the intrusion.
Although the “stranger” tends to be the one to watch out for, Mr. Rogers is tough to dislike since he’s just an innocent bystander in these circumstances. Kiesche plays him as more of a sympathetic figure than you’d expect for this weird guy in the woods, which throws the attention off Mr. Rogers as the film’s killer.
So, who’s into slashing and dashing? Even if you figure out the twist early on, KillHer provides lots of grisly thrills and chills as it heads to a surprisingly satisfying final act.
Callie Thorne returns to guest star on CBS’s Blue Bloods season 13 episode 3. Directed by Jackeline Tejada from a script by Daniel Truly, “Ghosted” is set to air on Friday, October 21, 2022 at 10pm.
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, and Ian Quinlan.
“Ghosted” Plot: Danny and Baez investigate after a vicious attack leaves their mutual friend, Maggie Gibson (Thorne), hospitalized. Also, Frank and the Dream Team debate the appropriate memorial protocol for a former police commissioner with a questionable professional legacy; Jamie begs Erin to release a perp who can lead him to a powerful criminal; and Eddie’s car is vandalized by her partner Badillo’s (Quinlan) ex-girlfriend.
Taylor Shurte, Dre Davis, Alphonso Walker, Jr., Jordan Baker, Danny Fischer, and Braxton Fannin guest star in episode three.
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.
Fox’s Monarch season one episode five found Albie finally discovering why Dottie was being blackmailed while Nicky’s hubby launched a little blackmail campaign of his own. Up next, season one episode six – “The Night Of…” – airing on Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT and guest starring Faith Prince. Plus, Little Big Town puts in an appearance.
Monarch stars Susan Sarandon as Dottie Cantrell Roman, Anna Friel as Nicolette “Nicky” Roman, Trace Adkins as Albie Roman, and Beth Ditto as Gigi Tucker-Roman. Joshua Sasse plays Luke Roman, Meagan Holder is Kayla Taylor-Roman, Inigo Pascual is Ace Grayson, Martha Higareda is Catt Phoenix, and Emma Milani plays Ana Phoenix.
“The Night Of… Plot: The Romans await the news of the Country Music Legacy Awards nominations; Nicky & Luke meet with district attorney “Uncle” Tripp DeWitt (guest star DW Moffat). Meanwhile, Luke looks into Jamie’s past and Albie learns of a new family connection.
In Monarch, the Roman family is headed by the insanely talented, but tough-as-nails Queen of Country Music DOTTIE CANTRELL ROMAN (Sarandon) and her beloved husband, ‘Texas Truthteller’ ALBIE ROMAN (Adkins). Dottie and Albie have created a country music dynasty. But even though the Roman name is synonymous with authenticity, the very foundation of their success is a lie. And when their reign as country royalty is put in jeopardy, heir to the crown NICOLETTE “NICKY” ROMAN (Friel) will stop at nothing to protect her family’s legacy, while ensuring her own quest for stardom.
Middle child LUKE ROMAN (Sasse) is the CEO of the family’s business, Monarch Entertainment. Luke is the apple of his mother’s eye, but he has a troubled relationship with his father, whose approval he can never get, no matter how hard he tries. Youngest daughter GIGI TUCKER-ROMAN (Ditto) is very close to her older brother and sister, but in a family of superstars, Gigi has always felt like a bit of an outcast, in spite of her incredible singing voice.
Gigi is married to KAYLA ROMAN-TUCKER (Holder), a successful music manager who keeps turning down Luke’s offers to join forces with the family company. Outside business, Kayla’s relationships with the Romans reflect a complicated history, and a secret she is keeping could destroy her marriage to Gigi. ACE GRAYSON (Inigo Pascual) also is part of the family. He is a talented and sensitive 18-year-old who was adopted from an orphanage by Nicky and her husband, struggling British actor CLIVE GRAYSON (guest star Adam Croasdell).
Ace is a phenomenal singer with real swagger on stage and dreams of being a country star like his Grandpa Albie. And just when the Romans’ world couldn’t get more chaotic, enter CATT PHOENIX (Higareda), the stunning and unpredictable mother of 17-year-old ANA PHOENIX (Emma Milani), a talented, wide-eyed young singer who is trying to get signed to the Roman family’s record label.
The crew runs into trouble while fighting a fire on CBS’s Fire Country season one episode three. Directed by Eagle Egilsson from a script by David Gould, episode three – “Where There’s Smoke…” – will air on Friday, October 21, 2022 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.
Jade Pettyjohn, Nick Gomez, Peter Bryant, Tom C. Pickett, and Edward Escobal guest star.
“Where There’s Smoke…” Plot: When the crew responds to a call in a remote forest, they come under fire by an outlaw protecting illegal marijuana crops.
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.
Jessica Camacho (All Rise, Watchmen) guest stars on CBS’s SWAT season 6 episode three. “Whoa Black Betty” is set to air on Friday, October 21, 2022 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.
“Whoa Black Betty” Plot: When S.W.A.T.’s armored vehicle is stolen, the squad must team up with FBI Agent Vasquez (guest star Jessica Camacho), a former LAPD officer who was once denied a position on the S.W.A.T. team, to stop the vehicle from being used in a potential terrorist attack. Also, Hondo and Nischelle prepare for their baby’s gender reveal party.
Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson in ‘SWAT’ season 6 episode 3 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS/Sony Pictures Television)
The Plot:
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.
Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson in season 6 episode 3 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS/Sony Pictures Television.)Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay and David Lim as Victor Tan in season 6 episode 3 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS/Sony Pictures Television)Kenneth “Kenny” Johnson as Dominique Luca and Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson in the “Whoa Black Betty” episode (Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS/Sony Pictures Television)Alex Russell as Jim Street, Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay and David Lim as Victor Tan in season 6 episode 3 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS/Sony Pictures Television)Alex Russell as Jim Street, David Lim as Victor Tan and Jay Harrington as David “Deacon” Kay in season 6 episode 3 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS/Sony Pictures Television)Alex Russell as Jim Street in season 6 episode 3 (Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS/Sony Pictures Television)
The Boogieman and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) are back to face off one final time in director David Gordon Green’s last installment in the horror film franchise, Halloween Ends.
Halloween Ends begins in Haddonfield in 2019 with a teenager named Corey (Rohan Campbell) showing up on Halloween night to babysit a young boy. The kid suffers from horrible nightmares about Michael Myers’ killing spree the previous year and the serial killer’s subsequent disappearance. Once the parents are gone, however, the boy (Jaxon Goldberg) becomes an absolute brat toward Corey and plays a mean prank on him that goes horribly wrong.
Jump ahead four years and Laurie has moved into a nice house, has better hair, and is living with her granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak). She’s also working on her memoir and trying to build a semi-normal, simple life in Haddonfield.
Out doing an errand, Laurie comes across Corey who has become a local pariah due to that one horrible night of babysitting. Laurie and Corey are both outsiders in their small town, and she helps him when he’s getting bullied by a bunch of teenagers. Laurie takes the wounded Corey to the hospital to get medical assistance and introduces him to Allyson. As Allyson tends to Corey’s wounds, they feel an almost instant connection and attraction. Without much more interaction than that, Allyson insists that Corey attend a party with her. She also convinces him to teach her how to drive his motorcycle.
The party starts off fun but goes off the rails and Corey winds up leaving alone. As he’s walking home, he gets jumped by the same bullies and winds up left for dead in front of a huge sewer opening. When Corey wakes up, he finds himself inside the sewer and comes face to mask with Michael Myers himself.
Corey manages to get away after the close encounter – a chance meeting that leaves him with newfound but disturbing confidence. Soon Corey and Allyson are falling for each other hard, drawn to each other by the darkness and evil they’ve both experienced in their short lives.
Laurie sees a new, dark, and menacing side to Corey that reminds her of Michael Myers, and she becomes determined to protect Allyson from Corey who she now views as a threat.
Meanwhile, the original Boogieman – Michael Myers – is now ready to leave the sewers and venture out once more to search for more victims on Halloween. And, of course, to find and kill Laurie.
Halloween Ends closes out David Gordon Green’s horror trilogy (originally created by John Carpenter back in 1978) with a solid cast, weak dialogue, and a lackluster ending. Once again what’s missing are suspense, tension, and spine-tingling scares. There’s no Shape lurking in the shadows or staring with a slight head tilt at his next victim from a distance. In fact, the film has more in common with John Carpenter’s Christine in style and story than Halloween as the focus shifts to being on the new character, Corey.
Rohan Campbell gives a strong performance as Corey, the brooding, misunderstood, decent kid whose descent into darkness is due to being the taunted pariah in town – and by his encounter with Myers in the sewers. Corey’s very much like the character Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon), a likable nerd who slowly transforms into a dark and dangerous force as he becomes possessed by his evil car in 1983’s Christine. The focus on Corey and his relationship with Allyson, which isn’t that interesting, takes up too much screen time and steals from the two characters moviegoers are coming to see: Laurie Strode and Michael Myers.
Jamie Lee Curtis once again delivers the best performance in the film. Laurie’s still traumatized but on the road to recovery and she’s trying to find a way to have a simple life and leave all the terror behind her. This plotline, as well as the relationship with her granddaughter, should have been the main focus of the film. Two strong women trying to find their way back to the light after dealing with so much horror and fear.
After 44 years and 13 films, Halloween Ends closes out the horror/slasher franchise and says goodbye to cinema’s original “final girl” with a jumbled, disjointed, unimaginative, and unsatisfying ending. Laurie and Michael deserve better and so do their fans.
GRADE: C
MPAA Rating: R for gore, bloody horror violence, language throughout, and some sexual references
Release Date: October 14, 2022 in theaters and streaming on Peacock
Katie Stevens returns to reprise her role as Lindsey Willows on CSI: Vegas season two episode four. Directed by Claudia Yarmy from a script by CSI franchise creator Anthony E. Zuiker, episode four – “Koala” – will air on Thursday, October 20, 2022 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.
“Koala” Plot: When three masked assailants invade a home and murder an entire family, including a pregnant woman, the CSIs are called to the scene to investigate. Catherine leads the team through the emotional case, which intensifies her own longing to reconnect with her estranged daughter, Lindsey (Stevens).
Sarah Gilman, Kimberlee Kidd, Melissa Saint-Amand, Carol Hoyt, and Joseph Callari 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.
