James McArdle as Gal Dove and Sarah Greene as Dee Dee Harrison in ‘Sexy Beast’ (Photo Credit: Sanne Gault/Paramount+)
Paramount+’s series prequel to the 2000 Oscar-nominated crime drama Sexy Beast has set its cast as filming gets underway in Liverpool. The prequel, also titled Sexy Beast, will star James McArdle (Mare of Easttown) as a younger version of Gal Dove, the character played by Ray Winstone in the critically acclaimed feature film.
The just announced cast also includes Emun Elliot (The Rig), Stephen Moyer (True Blood), Sarah Greene (Dublin Murders), and Tamsin Greig (Episodes).
“I feel so fortunate to be able to explore these beautifully crafted characters a decade before we met them in the original story,” said writer, showrunner, and executive producer Michael Caleo (The Sopranos). “This series has been a great passion of mine for many years and I cannot wait to see it come to life with this amazing cast.”
Additional season one casting includes Eliza Bennett (Dynasty), Clea Martin (Hanna), Nicholas Nunn (The Victim), John Dagleish (The Third Day), Robbie Gee (Motherland), and Paul Kaye (The Stranger). Lex Shrapnel (Infiniti), Cally Lawrence (Who Is Alice), David Kennedy (Hollyoaks), Nitin Ganatra (EastEnders), and Alice Bailey Johnson (This Is Going to Hurt) are also on board the drama.
Executive producer Daniel O’Hara (Brassic) directs the first episodes. James Levison is a producer, with Nicole Clemens and Chapter One Pictures’ Sophie Gardiner and Rupert Ryle-Hodges executive producing. The original film’s writers David Scinto and Louis Mellis are also involved as executive producers.
The series is a Chapter One Pictures, Anonymous Content, and VIS production.
Paramount+ offered this description of the characters and plot:
“The prequel series will explore Gal and Don’s complicated relationship as Gal finds himself descending into the seductive madness of the London criminal world during the vibrant and volatile 1990s while falling in love with DeeDee.
James McArdle leads the cast as Gal Dove and Emun Elliott stars as Don Logan – the duo are best friends and small-town thieves, living the good life in ‘90s East London. Sarah Greene is Deedee, a captivating adult film star who has the potential to turn Gal’s whole life upside down. Stephen Moyer is Teddy Bass, a rising name in the gangster world, who Gal and Don are offered the chance to work with on a high-profile heist. Tamsin Greig is Don’s stern and formidable older sister, Cecilia.”
The creative minds behind Hulu’s upcoming animated series Koala Man conducted their first San Diego Comic-Con panel at the July 2022 event, even though the show won’t arrive until 2023. Creator Michael Cusack (who also voices the titular character) and co-showrunners Dan Hernandez and Benji Samit took part in a panel and then sat down for roundtable interviews to dive into the superhero series about an every day man who goes about attempting to make a difference in his community, albeit in a very usual way.
Hulu offers this description of Koala Man: “An animated family comedy where the patriarch lives a not-so-secret identity of Koala Man, an Australian suburban superhero with no powers but a burning passion to snuff out petty crime and bring order to the community.”
Cusack, Hernandez, and Samit discussed the show’s premise, snagging Hugh Jackman in a key role, and the recently announced casting of Succession‘s Sarah Snook and Australian comedienne Demi Lardner in season one. The interview’s embedded above in audio form for those who’d rather hear it than read the transcript.
Michael Cusack, Dan Hernandez, and Benji Samit Interview:
Where did the idea of Koala Man come from?
Michael Cusack: “So, I’ve been animating for a while, since my early 20s…I just learned by myself. I love doing little shorts about where I grew up and they seem to do well on the internet. And I got into superheroes late – when I was like 25 or something. I was like, ‘What would an Australian superhero be like?’ I thought they’d definitely have no superpowers. They wouldn’t be cool or interesting; they’d be kind of schlubby and be in a town that’s not cool – not a cool Gotham.
A superhero in a small suburban town seemed funny to me. What I realized is – and it’s a thing in America, too – people are very… Boomers, people like my dad and his friends, were always so particular about people littering on the street and the trash bins going out at a certain time, and all that kind of stuff. So, this superhero cares about that kind of stuff. Like, making sure the lawns are mowed properly. The stuff that the council wants done is done properly. That was just funny to me, and then it seemed naturally to work into an animated sitcom.”
Benji Samit: “Those little things are the things that caused him to become a superhero. But then of course being a big, fun show, things spiral out of control. We’ve got monsters and aliens and anything else that we can think about.
The stories often just start with he’s really just focused on – the mundane little thing.”
Dan Hernandez: “It always seems to spiral out of that one little thing that he is hyper-focused on and all of a sudden, he’s fighting a monster or a demon or something insane. That seems to be the formula that works for the show and so we really leaned into that combination of the very elevated and the very low stakes, banal, suburban life.”
Is he someone we’ll connect with? He’s not like a Karen, is he?
Michael Cusack: “He’s not a Karen, no. On the surface level, he is annoying but he’s so passionate in what he believes in that you can’t fault him for it. He just wants to live in a clean, nice town – a clean, nice suburb. You can’t really fault him but he’s a bit arrogant about it – a bit stubborn.”
Benji Samit: “And it all comes from a place of love. He loves his family, he loves his town, and he just wants the best for it. He doesn’t understand why everybody doesn’t love the town the way he does.”
Michael Cusack: “It’s almost like he’s like, ‘Look, if nobody else is going to do something about this, I am. I am going to be the savior of the town.’”
Benji Samit: “And he’s often not rewarded for that dedication.”
Dan Hernandez: “Heroes never are.”
Benji Samit: “And you learn more about him as the series goes along because it is serialized. It is a real superhero story that is getting told, although with all this funny, crazy stuff. I think that by the end of the season, I hope that people are almost surprised by how moved they are by his story and by the emotions that you’re feeling by the end.”
Will he always be a lone wolf?
Michael Cusack: “No, he does have allies who are just the people at the local bar. He’s got his best mates there who support him and even make gadgets for him too. He’s definitely got his supporters.”
Benji Samit: “He’s got a handful of friends who also believe in the cause.”
Dan Hernandez: “But at the same time, his family is often incredibly frustrated by his sort of commitment to this…until they need him. Every now and then it’s like, ‘Well, you know who would actually help me solve the problem we’re having is Koala Man. I hate to say it.’ So now he’s getting drawn in on some of these other stories that the family is having trouble dealing with.
There are also episodes where he’ll team up with his wife or he’ll team up with his daughter to go accomplish something. And it’s both the dynamic of the superhero persona but also their annoying dad. So, it’s always something that we come back to over and over because we try and find the truth in the family relationships as much as possible – the universal experiences of having annoying dads and moms who maybe feel stuck in their lives a little bit. Things like that. There’s always a true emotion underlying the events of the stories and where the stories start and where they end.”
Michael Cusack at the 2022 Comic-Con panel for Hulu’s ‘Koala Man” (Photo by Frank Micelotta / PictureGroup for 20th Television)
Is the family aware of his dual life?
Michael Cusack: “Yes. It took us a while to choose whether they should be. They do know and they’re embarrassed about it. It’s almost like he’s going through a midlife crisis and they’re just accepting it.”
Dan Hernandez: “Although, his son loves it.”
Benji Samit: “His son loves it; his daughter is like, ‘If any of my friends at school find out that you’re Koala Man I don’t know what I’m going to do.’”
Dan Hernandez: “So, there’s different levels to their relationship to Koala Man. Discovering the family should know his identity really unlocked a lot for us because it made the home life so much richer of his wife who still expects him to fix the broken table and do household chores but also trying to be accepting of, ‘Okay, Kevin’s going through something right now and it happens to be a koala phase.’”
How did you land Hugh Jackman as one of the voices?
Michael Cusack: “We don’t know. It was insanely easy. Like, way easier than we thought. We shot for the stars and wanted to get him. We wrote a character specifically for him, hoping we’d get him. And to our luck, he was interested in the show because I guess his kids thought it was funny. So, thank you Hugh Jackman’s kids!
I guess because it was an Australian show for American TV, I think it really piqued his interest, too. He knew about Dapto, the small town it’s set in. He’s like, ‘Oh, yeah, I know about Dapto! You’re making a show about Dapto?’”
Benji Samit: “It was honestly the easiest yes we got of our entire cast.”
Michael Cusack: “Super nice guy.”
Dan Hernandez: “He couldn’t have been nicer and more supportive of the show.”
Benji Samit: “His performance is so hilarious.”
Michael Cusack: “He killed it.”
Who is he playing?
Michael Cusack: “He’s like the stereotypical Australian man’s man. He’s everything Koala Man wishes he could be. He’s six inches taller than him. He’s buffer. He’s cooler. Everyone in the whole town loves him.”
Benji Samit: “His name is Big Greg. Big Greg used to host Australia’s third most popular fishing show – ‘Fishing Big with Big Greg.’ And now he’s the mayor of the town.
In Koala Man’s heart he’s jealous and envious of how other people see Big Greg but he can’t quite admit that to himself. They have this tension throughout the series of, really, if Big Greg said something nice to Koala Man it would be very meaningful for him, but he can never admit that. And so, they have this sort of rivalry or frenemy relationship.”
Michael Cusack: “Big Greg isn’t a bad guy. Koala Man just sees him as one because he’s so jealous of him.”
Benji Samit: “But he’s just the greatest guy in town who everybody loves.”
Michael Cusack: “And Hugh Jackman, obviously, plays that perfectly.”
Are you going to give him a musical number?
Dan Hernandez: “Oh yes, definitely.”
Benji Samit: “We weren’t going to cast Hugh Jackman and not give [him one]. We did find an occasion for Big Greg to sing, and hopefully, people will be seeing that soon. It was a very exciting day in the recording room.”
Dan Hernandez: “It was pretty awesome.”
Michael Cusack: “And he was going to do his musical after it. It was so insane. He’s doing that and then going to do Music Man.”
Benji Samit: “He was extremely, extremely generous with his time and his support of the show. And he gave it his all. We wrote him some crazy lines to say that were almost to the point where you’re like, ‘Okay, this is the line where Hugh’s going to be like I made a mistake.’ He was totally game, and he and Michael just had a connection right away. It was really a dream experience with him.”
Can you talk about your other recently announced cast?
Benji Samit: “There’s a really brilliant Australian comedienne named Demi Lardner who is Koala Man’s daughter, Alison. She’s absolutely astoundingly funny. One of the funniest performances I’ve ever heard of in an animated show. And Koala Man’s wife is played by Sarah Snook of Succession – Shiv Roy. She is absolutely unbelievably funny. Not everyone knows that she’s Australian, I think. And I think she similarly was excited to do an Australian show.
She’s Emmy nominated. She’s doing pretty good; she’s doing pretty well. But she really loved the show and [Michael] and Sarah connected. Again, someone that just wanted to be a part of it and was a pretty easy yes. In spite of the fact that she’s on top of the world right now, she just loved the show.”
Dan Hernandez: “The cast is a bit of a who’s who of Australian actors.”
Jamie Parker, Oliver Zetterström, Romola Garai, and Alicia von Rittberg in ‘Becoming Elizabeth’ episode 8 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Starz’s Becoming Elizabeth season one draws to a close with episode eight, “To Death We Must Stoop.” The season finale finds King Edward VI battling an illness and those around him maneuvering for positions of power in case the young Edward dies before naming an heir.
Episode eight opens two months after King Edward (Oliver Zetterström) displayed the first symptoms of an illness. Edward’s recuperating in bed as the episode begins, with doctors and attendees declaring he’ll be well soon. (They don’t actually believe that.)
John Dudley (Jamie Parker) fears Edward’s death is imminent and sends a letter to Princess Mary, hoping to mend their relationship to keep his own head should she succeed Edward on the throne.
While services are held offering prayers for King Edward, Princess Mary (Romola Garai) is greeted by an enthusiastic crowd as she arrives to be with her younger brother. John Dudley, who’s on his best behavior, greets her and requests three actions from him. One, release Bishop Gardiner from the Tower. Two, allow her to take a Catholic service. And three, “Get out of my f*cking way.”
King Edward cries as Mary strokes his face, upset that his work will be undone once she’s crowned. Mary begs him not to cry but will not promise to convert. Elizabeth (Alicia von Rittberg) watches and flees the room without speaking.
Princess Mary has the nerve to greet her sister, and Elizabeth reminds her she’s aware she sent letters to the Danish royals basically calling her a whore. Mary breaks down in tears and apologizes, torn up about the rift in their relationship and Edward’s condition.
Princess Elizabeth and John Dudley have a private chat, and he questions whether all the deaths and money spent have been worth it since a Catholic will rule soon. Neither is pleased about the prospect and it’s obvious Dudley would rather have Elizabeth crowned Queen.
Princess Mary arrives at Somerset House, the home of Edward Seymour (John Heffernan), and his children request battle stories from Sir Pedro (Ekow Quartey). While he entertains the children, Mary meets with Edward and reminds him of his previous promises. She doesn’t trust him, but she agrees with his vision of England. However, before she agrees to work with him, he must admit that he failed.
She lets bygones be bygones and suggests they “play from the same side” moving forward.
The council meets and Henry Grey (Leo Bill) warns John Dudley that nothing good will come from having allowed Edward Seymour back on the council. They both notice Edward now appears to have Princess Mary’s ear (and support).
John Dudley returns home and confronts his son, Robert (Jamie Blackley), who has announced he’s leaving court. John’s upset Robert was gone for five days before even sending a messenger with the news he’s taking a leave. Robert’s mother was worried that he died, and for that Robert apologizes. He’s now ready to return to court and John’s not only pleased, he’s also ready to allow Robert to marry Princess Elizabeth.
John’s had a change of heart since King Edward is dying and since he’s certain that when Princess Mary takes power, she’ll have him executed. He just hopes she won’t kill his sons, too. John’s resting his hope for their future on Robert marrying Elizabeth. If Robert doesn’t want to do that, he might be safer returning to wherever he’s been.
John leaves the room and notices Amy Robsart for the first time. He realizes his son has already made his decision on who to wed.
Robert and Elizabeth have a private chat and Robert confesses his father gave him permission to ask for her hand in marriage. Unfortunately, it’s too late. Robert has already married Amy! Elizabeth is shocked and Robert assures her he loves Amy. Elizabeth suggests he couldn’t possibly love Amy if he truly loved her. Robert’s forced to insist he never loved Elizabeth if that’s the only way she’ll believe he now loves his wife, Amy.
Princess Mary, Edward Seymour, and Sir Pedro discuss what to do when King Edward passes. Edward points out that Mary is the rightful heir, and Sir Pedro reminds him the council doesn’t like him or Mary. Mary notes their two biggest threats are John Dudley and Elizabeth, and they decide to approach them to see where they stand separately.
Edward reminds John Dudley that Princess Mary is the rightful Tudor heir. He promises he can make Mary forget if John Dudley joins them in installing her as Queen. John refuses to accept the inevitable – unwilling to allow a Catholic to rule.
Romola Garai and Alicia von Rittberg in ‘Becoming Elizabeth’ episode 8 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Princess Elizabeth wakes to find Mary watching her, unable to sleep. Mary suggests a hunt to distract them, and Elizabeth goes along, although she appears leery of her sister’s motivations.
Mary and Elizabeth ride away from the group, and Elizabeth’s thrown from her horse when Mary comes to a sudden stop. Mary demands to know if anyone’s come for her and Elizabeth insists no one has. Mary reminds her God decides who sits on the throne, obviously convinced Elizabeth is a usurper.
“As long as you remember your place, sister, then all will be well. I swear it,” says Mary.
Princess Elizabeth turns to John Dudley after Mary leaves and reveals she would like to be Queen. She wants to be the master of her own destiny, and if she were to rule, she would protect him. However, she’s decided she will not make a move against her sister or actively seek to be named her brother’s heir to the throne.
John Dudley’s furious about Elizabeth’s decision, aware this will likely lead to his death.
Princess Mary gathers Edward Seymour, John Dudley, the council, and Princess Elizabeth as King Edward’s condition shows no signs of improvement. Mary wants to discuss the succession and Dudley points out it’s illegal to talk about it. He’s the only one who speaks up against the discussion. Princess Elizabeth states that their father’s will should be followed as if written by God himself. King Henry VIII’s will names Princess Mary as the heir to the throne in this circumstance.
Princess Mary agrees with Edward Seymour’s description of John Dudley as her enemy. Edward strips Dudley of his title as Lord Protector rather gleefully, just as Robert Dudley arrives to tell his father King Edward’s asking for him.
Mary, Elizabeth, Edward, and John race from the council chambers to find King Edward standing on his own and looking well, considering what he’s been through. John and Edward hug before the King reminds his sisters they’re not allowed in his bed chambers. They depart, leaving a very relieved John Dudley behind with the King.
John Dudley acts quickly after leaving the King’s side, ordering the guards to place Edward Seymour in the Tower. Edward goes without a fight. Princess Mary leaves next without saying a word, but John grabs Elizabeth’s arm as she’s departing. “Gambling on your brother’s death is a cursed hand indeed. You perhaps would have done better to keep me as a friend,” he growls.
Later that evening, John Dudley informs King Edward that Edward Seymour was conspiring against him while he was sick. Dudley wants Seymour executed tomorrow and King Edward agrees. Dudley adds that both Mary and Elizabeth were conspiring with Edward Seymour.
Princess Elizabeth visits Edward Seymour in the Tower at his request. He apologizes for how he acted toward his brother, Thomas, and Elizabeth. He’s aware his brother had the ability to make others lose control and seemed to relish bringing out the worst in people. Elizabeth suggests maybe Thomas was the only one who actually knew any of them.
Elizabeth reveals she’s become wise beyond her years and has figured out you can’t change the game you find yourself in, you can only play it. Edward’s shocked she learned that before he did and thinks this wisdom is why she’ll survive them all.
Romola Garai and Alicia von Rittberg in ‘Becoming Elizabeth’ episode 8 (Photo Credit: Starz)
A celebration is held with toasts to the King’s health. Even Princess Mary and Princess Elizabeth are in attendance, and John Dudley appears to have a better time than anyone as an actor dressed as Edward Seymour is made fun of and dragged away to be beheaded.
The real Edward Seymour is greeted by a loving crowd on his way to be executed. They offer him their blessings and Edward appears touched by their kindness. Before the executioner strikes, he addresses those gathered. “Neither in thought or word or deed did I offend my King or this realm,” says Edward. He asks them to embrace the true faith of the country and the young King.
The executioner removes his head with one blow.
The celebration ends and King Edward speaks with his sisters, with just John and Robert Dudley in attendance. He swats away Princess Mary’s hand and she warns him not to trust John Dudley. King Edward doesn’t want to hear it and accuses them of betrayal. Edward also accuses them of not even loving him anymore.
He knows everything that went on while he was sick and orders his sisters to leave. He assures his sisters he can no longer stand the sight of either of them. After they’ve left, he asks John Dudley what he can do to stop this from happening again. Dudley reminds him there’s someone else at court with royal blood – Lady Jane Grey.
Lady Jane Grey (Bella Ramsey) arrives and passes Elizabeth and Mary on the stairs. They exchange looks but not words.
The relationship between Elizabeth and Mary is strained, and Mary accuses her sister of playing it smart by not taking sides. Mary believes Elizabeth hates her, but Elizabeth claims they love each other. Mary doesn’t agree.
“The truth that hits me, again and again, is that I have no love for you,” says Mary.
She asks how Elizabeth truly feels about her and Elizabeth speaks truthfully. “You make it very hard,” she says. Mary points out that though they both play different games, they both seem to share the same fate.
“While he rules, we do not matter,” says Princess Elizabeth. “Thank God,” replies Princess Mary. Elizabeth laughs as she agrees and adds her own, “Thank God.”
As they’re speaking on the stairs, King Edward is spitting up blood in front of John Dudley.
And that’s the end of Becoming Elizabeth season one. Starz has not announced if there be a season two.
Hamster & Gretel voice cast members Michael Cimino (Love, Victor) and Liza Koshy (Liza on Demand) teamed up to discuss Disney Channel’s animated series during roundtable interviews at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con. The show hosted its first panel at this year’s Con ahead of its August 12, 2022 premiere, discussing everything from the series’ inspiration to superheroes to, of course, hamsters.
Hamster & Gretel follows the adventures of Kevin (voiced by Michael Cimino), his younger sister Gretel (voiced by Meli Povenmire), and Gretel’s hamster named Hamster (voiced by Beck Bennett) after an encounter with aliens gives Gretel and her hamster superpowers. Liza Koshy voices Veronica Hill, a news reporter who investigates the strange happenings in their town.
Michael Cimino and Liza Koshy Interview:
Can you describe your characters?
Michael Cimino: “I’m playing Kevin in Hamster & Gretel which is basically like he wanted to be a superhero really bad but now he’s basically just driving his sister around and trying to make sure that she’s okay throughout all her superhero adventures.”
Liza Koshy: “I play Veronica Hill, she’s a reporter so method acting over here. Veronica Hill reports on a crime and if there’s not a problem at hand, she will cause a problem herself. She has a lot of love problems specifically in her life…sorry for the spoilers. But, yeah, Veronica Hill is always on the scene ready to cause a scene if needs to. Yeah, she reports all the things that Hamster and Gretel go through and Kevin, sometimes Kevin.”
Michael Cimino: “Yeah, Kevin is there sometimes.”
When you were preparing for the show and they told you that you were going to lose your superpowers to a hamster, how did that go?
Michael Cimino: “Yeah, I feel like the show is more than about being a superhero, it’s about the family dynamic. It’s about that. When I first got the show and I spoke to Dan [Povenmire], that was the thing that he really wanted to ring true about this whole story. I feel like that’s been the constant for me, to make sure it feels like a brother/sister duo, and it’s supposed to help young kids bond. That’s like the whole point. To me, that’s the thing that’s been a constant for me.”
Gretel, Hamster, Kevin, and Veronica Hill in ‘Hamster & Gretel’ (Disney)
How did this project come to you? Were you fans of Dan Povenmire or Phineas and Ferb?
Liza Koshy: (Breaks out into singing the Phineas and Ferb theme song) I like love Phineas and Ferb. I live for it. That is like my childhood so yes, the answer is yes. Massively inspired by it as a kid. Made my summers feel so much longer because of his work.
But yeah, it was kind of a blur a bit of a blackout. It was during the pandemic that it all happened. So, we all recorded individually and now we get to meet in person.”
Michael Cimino: “Yeah, this is the first time we all are meeting each other; it’s so crazy. For me it just kind of like came out of nowhere. I never knew who Dan was but I knew his work, obviously, right? And so, like then it was like, ‘Hey, Dan wants to work with you.’ I was like, ‘Wait, what?’
It was so cool to be part of it to this capacity. It’s been amazing.”
Does Dan’s vast experience voicing characters, including Dr. Doofenshmirtz, help you when you’re doing your recordings?
Michael Cimino: “Yeah, 100%. I feel like Dan is actually really good at communicating what kind of emotion he wants from you. He will make it very specific. He knows how to communicate in such a nice way. I feel like I’ve learned so much from working with him, to be honest. I’m still so new to voice-over work.”
Liza Koshy: “It doesn’t seem like that at all. You seem like a vet in this world. His voice is so buttery smooth. Kevin is so fun to listen to. Spoiler…episode one is really good. (Talking to Michael) I know you haven’t seen the episode.”
Michael Cimino: “Yeah, I haven’t seen any of the episodes.”
Liza Koshy: “And he sings in it, too. He wrote a song. (Talking to Michael) I’ll be your hype man this whole time. I got you.”
Michael Cimino: (Laughing) “I’m blushing right now.”
Liza Koshy: “But Dr. Doofenshmirtz that was an iconic piece of culture for the longest time. ‘Squirrels in My Pants,’ all the Phineas and Ferb theme songs, like that whole album – I think you’re going to get a lot of the same iconic bops in Hamster & Gretel too.
It’s a family show but also there are so many funny adult jokes that sneak in that kids will get years from now. It’s so brilliantly written. It’s so funny and witty and strong, and it just reflects family and friendship and those dynamics. I don’t relate to it – my sisters weren’t as nice to me as Kevin is to Gretel – but it’s cool. It’s a fun family show. You’re going to enjoy it.”
What song do you sing in the show?
Michael Cimino: “I’ve always had a passion for music so it’s cool to be able to combine two things that I really enjoy together because I’ve never had the chance to do that before this job. I always told Dan, ‘Dan, we got to write a song for the show together. We have to write a song for the show together.’
We wound up writing a song and he actually got COVID when we wrote the song. He didn’t even know! I didn’t wind up getting COVID. We were in his little office that he always records things in for like two, three hours and I left and never got it. I got so lucky. But yeah, it’s crazy how we were able to combine multiple things together. It was cool.”
Liza Koshy: “So the song wasn’t originally in the show? You manifested it?”
Michael Cimino: “Yeah, yeah. It’s crazy.”
Liza Koshy: “I’m asking for a song next season. Yep, I’m going to sing. […] My song would be called ‘One Mic Two Voices Reporting and Singing’ so I’m going to plant that for next season for sure.”
Michael Cimino: (Looks up the title of his song on his phone) “I got it. It’s called ‘I Could Be Bad.’ I didn’t know what the final title was, but it’s called ‘I Could be Bad.’”
Liza, how did you get to see an episode when Michael hasn’t?
Liza Koshy: “I threatened Dan and I got what I wanted, which is exactly how I’m going to approach the song next season. No, I saw an episode because I begged for it. It’s so brilliantly put together. It’s so nostalgic for me too because it’s very Phineas and Ferb-like but it’s not. It’s completely different but they’re in the same universe. So, we’re living in Dan’s world. Danverse – I don’t know. It’s a working title.”
Michael Cimino: “So, there’s one episode that takes place in Vegas and I’m from Vegas so that was one episode where I was like, ’Dan, you’ve got to show me.’ And it was before they had all the animation done so he was just showing me all the storyboards for that one. That was really cool.
But other than that, no, I haven’t really seen any of the episodes or anything. I’m really excited to go and watch it. I really want to see it with my nephew. He’s like four years old; that’s going to be so cool.”
Kevin, Hamster, and Gretel in ‘Hamster & Gretel’ (Disney)
You just wrapped the final season of Love, Victor. Was there overlap with this? Were you doing this at night while you were doing Love, Victor during the day?
Michael Cimino: “Oh, yeah. So, it was like on my days off of Love, Victor I’d go into the studio. Sometimes I’d go in on the weekend and just record some stuff. That’s kind of how it’s been for the whole thing. Dan is so amazing. He always makes it work. So, we always figure out times and we go and do it. It’s been awesome.”
What is your character’s relationship as a reporter with the superhero duo?
Liza Koshy: “I feel like she comes from the lens of herself. She always puts herself into her work. Whether or not she wants to be in journalism or she’s like, ‘I refuse to do the weather. I went to school for this.’ She owns where she’s at. She also projects onto the news a little bit coming from her own perspective. Like, she did date some of the villains that she’s reporting on. So, she’s a little messy queen, but we love it.”
She just likes a bad boy. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Liza Koshy: “She loves a bad boy, but she’s trying to break out of that pattern. But she’s reporting on it so that her audience can hold her accountable.”
Michael Cimino: “Do you like bad boys in real life?”
Liza Koshy: “Yes.”
Knowing Dan’s work and his sense of humor, what’s the most shocking line to come your way?
Michael Cimino: “There’s a sequence that we just recently recorded where it’s just like an overly drawn-out pie gag – that’s literally all it is. He’s like, ‘All right, I’m just going to play it, and then you just do a whole bunch of weird noises.’ That’s so fun because you’re screaming and yelling, so that’s probably my favorite.”
Liza Koshy: “I’ve gotten lucky. I’ve gotten to voice some other characters, like a Southern woman, recently. […] I am from Texas, so I got to actually own my roots. I’m not always proud of Texas but in this case, I am.”
Can you talk about any of the other characters you voiced?
Liza Koshy: “Yeah, I think it was ‘Distressed Woman.’ Like a damsel in distress, I can do pretty well. Who else was there? There was like another woman screaming about her iPhone. Well, we couldn’t say iPhone but phone. It’s fun. Dan allows for creative collaboration. If you want to bring something to the table, he’s more than open to that. He just lets you play and have fun and go.”
Has there been anything about Hamster & Gretel that surprised you? Did it morph into something you didn’t expect along the way?
Michael Cimino: “For me, I feel like it’s the amount of freedom we have. Dan is not somebody who is married to the words or anything like that. So, it’s like if you’re like, ‘Oh, I have this idea. Are you down to try this,” and he likes it, he’s like, ‘Yeah, I love it. Let’s keep it.’
He’s so collaborative. I feel like that’s what makes the show really good is the collaboration between artists and he’s great about that.”
How early on in the process did you get to see the character design? Did that influence how you voice the character?
Michael Cimino: “I mean, I feel like Kevin is just a normal-looking dude so for me it was like, yeah, I’ll just do my normal voice for the most part.”
Liza Koshy: “I’m glad I didn’t see Veronica because I think she’s significantly cuter than I am so it would have been intimidating had I known what she looked like before I did her voice. No, he just let me have inflection in my voice like crazy because I’m a reporter who takes her job so seriously. I’m just like, ‘Reporting live.’ It’s like sing-songy almost so it’s fun. He encouraged that.”
How long does it take Kevin to get over the fact that he didn’t get superpowers but yet a hamster did?
Michael Cimino: “You know I don’t think he ever gets over it, to be honest with you. It’s like one of those things where he’s always a little salty about it. I think deep down Kevin really still wants to have superpowers and really wants to be a superhero. Also, I feel like that’s why he always wants to be involved in everything because that’s what he wants to do too.”
Have either of you held a hamster in real life?
Liza Koshy: “They have pooped in my hands so many times. Those little dwarf hamsters…they’re so sweet. They’re so small but they get terrified of being in such a large beings’ hands that they just crap in the palm of your hands. So that’s my experience with hamsters.”
Michael Cimino: “I had a hamster. His name was Milo. Hamsters don’t live very long, which is kind of sad. I would just always put my hamster in the hamster ball and let it run around the house. He was great. He’d keep me up at night on his wheel.”
What can you tell us about the villains Gretel and the hamster face?
Michael Cimino: “I’m trying to think spoiler-free. Okay, I would say that every villain is unique and it has a weird, different kind of different power and different kind of storyline. I would say it’s not a formulaic show where every character falls into a certain kind of archetype. Every character is very different, and I feel like that’s really refreshing to see – especially with it being a kids’ show. I feel like sometimes kids’ shows can fall into some formulaic type of thing. This show is so not that.”
Liza Koshy: “Big Baby is the name of a character. Spoiler here it comes. We talked about it earlier and Dan talked about it so I’m like, ‘This is the coupon. It’s okay.’ Big Baby is one of the villains that I dated. Veronica dated, not myself, but I would. Veronica and Big Baby dated so there’s a whole scene between them and like a blast from the past moment. That was actually voiced by Brock (Powell). He did an amazing OG Kool-Aid man also.”
Michael Cimino: “I also just found out he went to the same high school as I did in Vegas. We are both from Vegas. I just found that out. It’s so weird.”
Would you say some of the powers for these villains are maybe a bit different from what we’ve seen before?
Michael Cimino: “So, there are characters that are supposed to be directly the opposite of Hamster and Gretel. They have the same powers but just like different sets of morals, right? But then there’s also a whole bunch of… There’s a lady that can speak to onions. There are a whole bunch of special weird, wacky powers. It’s so funny; it’s so great.”
IFC’s critically acclaimed mockumentary Documentary Now! returns for its fourth season on October 19, 2022 with a two-part premiere. The two-parter is titled “Soldier of Illusion” and will star Alexander Skarsgard (The Northman), Nicholas Braun (Succession), and August Diehl (Inglourious Basterds), with Skarsgard channeling German filmmaker Werner Herzog.
Additional season four – or season 53, depending on if you’re playing along with the running gag – stars include two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine, Carol), Liliane Rovère (Call My Agent!), Ronald Guttman (Godfather of Harlem), Emmy nominee Harriet Walter (Succession), Trystan Gravelle (Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power), Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes), John Rhys-Davies (The Lord of The Rings), and Jamie Demetriou (The Afterparty).
Documentary Now! was created by executive producers Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, Seth Meyers, and Rhys Thomas. Alex Buono, John Mulaney, Broadway Video’s Andrew Singer, and Lorne Michaels also executive produce the new season. Lee Groombridge, Matt Pacult, Tamsin Rawady, and Broadway Video’s Eddie Michaels and Andrew Garland produce. Thomas and Buono are the directors.
New episodes of the six-episode season will arrive on Wednesdays and be available on both IFC and AMC+.
Season 4 Episode Descriptions:
The two-part, season premiere episode, “Soldier of Illusion,” written by John Mulaney and starring Alexander Skarsgård, Nicholas Braun, and August Diehl, was inspired by the Werner Herzog-focused documentary Burden of Dreams. In the early 1980s, a visionary German filmmaker (Skarsgård) tries to will his magnum opus into existence while working in the remote, punishing conditions of the Russian Ular mountains. Kevin Bishop (Miracle Workers), Gana Bayarsaikhan (Wonder Woman), Matthias Rimpler (Ludzie i Bogowie), and Fred Armisen will also star, with Documentary Now! ensemble alumni Deb Hiett returning as narrator.
“Trouver Frisson” features French actor Liliane Rovère and Ronald Guttman. Inspired by Agnes Varda’s Gleaners and I and Beaches of Agnes, celebrated French filmmaker Ida Leos (Rovère) searches for why she no longer experiences “frisson” – the goosebumps that have always been her guide. Written by series producers Matt Pacult and Tamsin Rawady and co-directed by Micah Gardner, the episode also stars Documentary Now! alumni Gary Kraus.
“Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport” will star two-time Academy Award-winner and Documentary Now! alumni Cate Blanchett, as well as Emmy-nominated actress Harriet Walter. Paying homage to documentaries 3 Salons at the Seaside and The September Issue, the episode is a fly-on-the-wall portrait of a hair salon owner (Walter) and her staff (Blanchett), in the small coastal village of Bagglyport as they prepare their yearly stylebook. Fred Armisen will also star as George the Postman.
“How They Threw Rocks” will feature Welsh actors Trystan Gravelle, Jonathan Pryce, and John Rhys-Davies, as well as legendary Welsh singer Tom Jones. In the vein of When We Were Kings and other great explorations of sport, the episode chronicles the Welsh sport of Craig Maes, also known as “Field Rock,” and the iconic 1974 bout dubbed “The Melon vs. The Felon (Gravelle).” Fellow Welsh actor Sam C. Wilson (Dodger) joins as infamous Craig Maes competitor Sior Strawboss or “The Melon.”
“My Monkey Grifter” will be helmed by actor Jamie Demetriou. Drawing inspiration from My Octopus Teacher, the episode follows Benjamin Clay (Demetriou), a filmmaker who forms a deep, emotional, and financially taxing relationship with a monkey who may have ulterior motives. Fred Armisen also joins as Detective Blakely.
A&E is taking viewers inside civil trials with their Court Night LIVE series premiering on Wednesday, August 10, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT. The new series is hosted by Emmy-winning journalist and attorney Vinnie Politan (Court TV’s lead anchor) and Emmy Award winner Judge Greg Mathis, with Judge Vonda Evans providing analysis.
“Court Night LIVE will combine the inherent drama of live civil court proceedings with context and expert legal analysis, elevating the traditional court shows that have been a staple of the television landscape for decades,” said Elaine Frontain Bryant, Executive Vice President and Head of Programming for A&E. “Court Night LIVE gives viewers a chance to experience public trials live in the virtual courtroom gallery on air.”
According to A&E, the series will feature “civil cases from across the country litigated live from pop-up courtrooms in Philadelphia, Tampa, and Chicago in front of a gallery of community members. During each broadcast, viewers will have the chance to have their voices heard voting on the verdicts in select cases in real time via text message. Politan, Mathis, and Evans will provide context and bring their legal perspectives to viewers so that they can better understand how the wheels of justice turn.
As civil court cases became backed up over the last few years, pending cases have jumped over 30% with some people waiting over a year to get to trial. On top of that, many Americans have been stuck at home with their family and neighbors, racking up more and more grievances that make it harder than ever to sort through them. It’s time to take the court to the people and bring closure to those who are eager to get to their cases heard. Judges working from Philadelphia, Tampa, and Chicago will hear the cases and, sometimes, let viewers weigh in on the outcome.”
The reality series is executive produced by Big Fish Entertainment’s Dan Cesareo, Lucilla D’Agostino and John Zito, as well as A&E’s Elaine Frontain Bryant, Shelly Tatro, and Sean Gottlieb. Big Fish Entertainment produced the series for A&E.
The season nine ‘Alone’ contestants (Photo by: Brendan George Ko)
The History Channel’s Alone season nine finishes up with episode 11, “Fight, Flight or Freeze.” The episode begins on Day 62 with three survivalists remaining in the challenge. By the time episode 11 ends, one of the three contestants – Karie Lee, Juan Pablo, or Teimojin – has made it through Day 78 and emerged as the season’s winner. (I’m withholding naming the winner until the end of this recap, just in case anyone accidentally reads this prior to watching the episode.)
The History Channel’s Alone season nine marked the first time 10 contestants attempted to survive the winter in the Labrador, Canada wilderness. The area’s known as polar bear country, however, it wasn’t predators that gave the season nine survivalists a hard time. Instead, the weather and lack of food took their toll on the participants.
‘Alone’ Season 9 competitor Teimojin (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Teimojin, Age 31, Montreal, CAN
Day 62: It’s only 14 degrees and 12 inches of snow have fallen overnight as Teimojin stands outside his shelter and catches snowflakes in his mouth. The area’s incredibly quiet and he admits to feeling really tired. He ate a pot of food last night, but he’s still weak as he heads a short way up the hill to fetch firewood.
Teimojin’s lost 54 pounds since the challenge began.
He’s only capable of carrying one bundle of firewood and realizes he’s got about 40 minutes of work a day in him at this point. His body’s weak but his head and his heart remain in the game.
Day 63: It’s slightly warmer at 17 degrees as Teimojin confesses this is the weakest he’s felt. He retrieves some water and nearly takes a tumble on his way back to his shelter. Teimojin’s walking at a snail’s pace and even that is a struggle.
Fortunately, he slept well and his last thoughts before he drifted off were of his mom welcoming him home at the airport. He really wants his mom to be inspired by what he’s doing. The area’s giving him joy, he loves the beauty of this land, and hopes to share this with his mom. He pledges to be a better son.
Teimojin has one final trick up his sleeve, dedicating his next move to the Canadian Grenadier Guards. At age 17 he saw a statue of a lion with a shield and decided he really wanted to help people. The statue turned out to be the Canadian coat of arms and he joined the army and has since been walking a path toward those who need his help.
He uses his tarp as a wrap as he gathers all his items, including the flag he flies over his shelter. The bundle he’s just created will be used as a sled. It turns out Teimojin has decided to tap but wants to walk down to the water on his own, rather than have someone come to fetch him.
“Leaving standing tall – I think that’s what my mom needs to see,” says Teimojin as he pushes his bundle up a small hill.
He has clarity now and knows what he’s meant to do and who he wants by his side while he’s doing it. He makes it to the river and officially taps out.
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Karie (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Karie Lee, Age 57, Sandpoint, ID
Day 62: Karie wastes energy having a snowball fight with herself, and chuckles about wasting calories. She’s lost 49 pounds since Day 1 and is ready to find another squirrel. She’s hopeful there’s a frozen squirrel in her traps under the snow.
Karie’s plan remains to open a wilderness school and she’s already financed 13 acres of land. She’s going to move her yurt there and build her first real house since she left home at 18. Her yurt will be used as an indoor classroom. The $500,000 Alone prize money would pay off her land and start her school.
Karie spots bunny tracks and follows them. It’s snowing as she sees a squirrel and takes a shot. Unfortunately, it’s a miss. She admits she’s surprised she even took that shot since she’s weak and pulling the bow takes a lot of energy.
Her search for her arrow is unsuccessful and her stomach’s hurting from lack of food.
Day 66: The sun’s shining as Karie has a breakfast of warm water and fruit leather. She has to eat the fruit leather in small amounts or else her stomach hurts.
Karie heads out to do a little hunting and spots more snowshoe hare tracks in the snow. She’s worried about having the strength to pull her bow and decides to head back to camp, warning herself not to cry.
She’s there for those who can’t be, including her friend Collette who has cancer and requested she dedicate her journey to her. Her friend’s goal is to live long enough to see Karie on Alone. If Collette can handle what she’s going through, then Karie knows she can handle the fruit leather and the cold.
Day 67: Karie heads out to get alder to make snow skis. She plans on using them to help her track hares. She confesses she’s close to feeling like she’s done, and now she needs to decide what to do next. Should she hunker down or push herself to get food?
Since she’s gathered the wood for skis, she opts to work on making her skis so she can hunt.
Day 68: Although she can’t stay warm, Karie’s mind is back in the game. “I am not thinking about tapping out,” she notes, recommitting herself to continue. She’s hoping to finish the skis tomorrow.
Day 69: She’s tired and thinks it might be the perfect day to make tea and sleep.
Day 70: She still hasn’t finished the skis and will take the day moment-by-moment.
Day 71: Morning arrives, and Karie’s body is achy. She didn’t get much sleep but is still not ready to tap.
Day 72: It’s midday and Karie’s in bed and can’t stay warm.
Day 74: Karie’s shelter door is covered with a blanket of snow, and it takes a little effort to open it. She’s basically living in an igloo at this point. Her spirit’s good but she’s not sleeping and her body’s tired. Karie feels like crying and although she should look for animal tracks, she doesn’t have the energy.
Karie becomes emotional and apologizes for crying. She briefly walks back inside her shelter and returns with a sign that reads, “Do Your Dream.” (It was the one picture/photo she was allowed to bring.) It took her years to get to this place, but her dream is deeper than just the show. She jokes that maybe she’s done today but then quickly says no. She’s determined to stay a while longer.
Day 75: Karie’s in her shelter with the radio in her lap. She’s craving healthy food and knows she can’t possibly use her bow at this point. She tears up, realizing she can’t get any food. “It’s just time to take care of myself,” she says, adding, “I’m going to. I know this is the right thing.”
She’ll remember this experience for the rest of her life. Karie feels blessed to know this land. Her heart pounds as she hears the helicopter and she’s overcome with emotion as she says, “I get to go home!”
This experience has been a right of passage and she’s now ready to accept that she’s an elder. She’s going home with a lot of newfound wisdom.
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Juan (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Juan Pablo, Age 30, Pinawa, CAN
Day 62: Juan’s hungry but that’s the least of his problems. Icicles are destroying his tarp, and holes are appearing in it allowing the cold air and rain/snow in. He sews a patch as he explains he’s committed to winning this for his partner, Jennifer. He wants to buy a house, get married, and start a family.
Juan recognizes there are really two choices: walk out of the wilderness or hunker down. He’s chosen to hunker down and fast. It’s been 11 days since he’s eaten, but he’s still got his sense of humor as he points out his patch looks like a five-year-old did it.
Day 64: It’s 15 degrees and Juan plans to make some warm tea. The river’s not good for ice fishing or walking yet and is super icy. He carefully retrieves a pan of water and notes that this cold can wear people down. Today will be the first time he’s built a fire in his shelter since he built his stove 62 days ago.
He’s marking the time in the wilderness by setting different milestones, giving him something to look forward to as well as changing things up.
Juan made a mallet on Day 23 and now he uses it along with his ax to cut some of the firewood he previously gathered and stored in his tent. He starts his first fire and declares he’s completely invested in winning Alone.
Not long after announcing he’s doing everything by the book, safety-wise, he fills his tent with smoke from his first fire. (He definitely jinxed himself!) The paint cans he used to build the fireplace are letting off a weird smell and he believes the smoke is toxic. Juan’s forced to open the door to clear the air so he doesn’t get sick.
Juan admits he’s upset since he was really looking forward to his first fire. Now, he feels sick and his head hurts.
Juan’s forced to waste energy trying to get the smoke out of his shelter. He realizes he’ll have to redo his stove since the paint cans were such a bad idea. Fortunately, he saved other cans that he can use to replace the paint cans.
It’s a huge job but he really doesn’t have a choice at this point. He fills in gaps in the reconstructed stove with mud and this time his fire doesn’t let off toxic smoke. It’s night before he’s finished, and he steps outside to make sure the chimney’s working. Everything seems to be just fine and he’s happy he was able to solve the problem.
Day 67: Juan grabs the camera because he thinks he just saw a polar bear. He’s never seen one before and uses the zoom on the camera to verify what he saw. He can’t find the bear again, and now he thinks his mind’s playing tricks on him.
He fetches more water as his mind and body tell him it’s just another day at the office. All he does is get water and then do nothing.
Day 68: Juan’s back hurts and he admits he’s being sloppy when it comes to tending his fire. The effort has been a drain and he almost cuts himself while chopping more wood. He reminds himself he needs to focus on what he’s doing.
Day 69: Juan laughs as he reveals he’s at the part of his journey where he’s feeling cuckoo.
Day 70: He’s in full starvation mode as he sits by the river. He thinks there might still be a long time to go and is worried about his body deteriorating.
Day 72: It’s 12:15am and Juan has no idea why he’s up recording. He tells himself to go to bed. Before he turns the camera off, he asks, “What am I doing with my life?”
3:49pm and Juan’s in bed, eyes wide open, just staring straight ahead.
Day 73: Juan spots a mouse in his shelter but doesn’t kill it. He thinks he’s got low blood pressure right now and says it’s been an ordeal, but it’s also been a blur. He decides to take his first walk in a long while, hoping he’ll be much better mentally afterward.
He walks over the now-frozen river with his ice chisel, and it gives him joy to finally be able to safely do so. He’s decided when he gets home, he’ll propose.
Day 78: He’d like a day of full sleep, without even getting up to get water. He’s about to doze off when his alarm beeps, telling him a med check team is on its way. He’s worried because he’s dehydrated and thinks he’ll be medically tapped out.
He gets busy hydrating and making a fire, hoping he can convince the medical team he’s okay to continue. A chopper swoops in as he’s drinking, and Juan believes he’s down at least three liters.
They weigh him and examine his body, going through the whole check while he continues to worry he’s going to be pulled. They ask how he’s feeling, and he describes the area and the situation as similar to where he lives with his girlfriend.
As he’s speaking, we see Jennifer walking in the snow toward his camp.
Juan explains he’s feeling at home and really enjoyed the view while he was just out walking on the ice. He’s getting emotional while talking about planning since Day 1 to walk on the ice. He doesn’t notice Jennifer coming up behind him. She gathers him up in a huge hug and has the honor of telling him he won!
He’s so glad they brought her and that she’s there, and he quickly explains he thought he saw a polar bear but was wrong – just like on one of their camping trips.
They kiss and he gives her a tour of his shelter.
Juan can’t stop smiling as he and Jennifer hold hands and walk across the ice. He can’t believe he won half a million dollars and can fulfill their dreams. “It feels so liberating,” says Juan. “Jennifer is an amazing person. She’s everything to me.”
Juan’s not sure when he’s going to propose but he’s going to plan something to make her feel special.
He put a lot of heart into this competition. “My biggest takeaway from this experience is your soul matters, having a strong mission in life matters, and that your life experience really matters,” explains Juan. He’s proud of lasting 78 days and aware he’s really achieved something.
The Banshees of Inisherin is the In Bruges reunion we need…and to be honest, really deserve…in 2022. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson square off again on screen in what appears, based on the trailer, to be another must-see feature from writer/director Martin McDonagh.
Speaking as an In Bruges fan, the only way I could possibly be more excited about The Banshees of Inisherin reuniting the In Bruges threesome would be if this were an actual sequel to that critically acclaimed 2008 Oscar-nominated film.
Barry Keoghan (The Killing of a Sacred Deer) and Kerry Condon (McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) also star. McDonagh, Graham Broadbent, and Peter Czernin are the producers.
Searchlight Pictures is targeting an October 21, 2022 theatrical release.
The Plot: “Set on a remote island off the west coast of Ireland, The Banshees of Inisherin follows lifelong friends Pádraic (Farrell) and Colm (Gleeson), who find themselves at an impasse when Colm unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. A stunned Pádraic, aided by his sister Siobhán (Condon) and troubled young islander Dominic (Keoghan), endeavours to repair the relationship, refusing to take no for an answer. But Pádraic’s repeated efforts only strengthen his former friend’s resolve and when Colm delivers a desperate ultimatum, events swiftly escalate, with shocking consequences.
Poster for Searchlight Pictures’ ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’
Archer claims that until now he’s been the careful, rule-respecting one but now the gloves are off. The new trailer for FXX’s Archer season 13 finds the group competing for the leadership position while Archer insists he’s always been the responsible one!
The Emmy Award-winning adult animated comedy features the voices of H. Jon Benjamin as the world’s greatest spy, “Sterling Archer;” Aisha Tyler as the spy with marital troubles, “Lana Kane;” Judy Greer as the crazy office assistant in search of a special skill, “Cheryl/Carol Tunt;” Chris Parnell as the reliable company-man, “Cyril Figgis;” Amber Nash as the enthusiastic offender, “Pam Poovey;” Adam Reed as the opportunist, “Ray Gillette,” and Lucky Yates as the experimenter-in-chief, “Algernop Krieger.”
Guest stars include Kenan Thompson, Alison Pill, Christian Slater, Kayvan Novak, and Stephen Tobolowsky.
Season 13 premieres on August 24, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT on FXX.
The Plot: Archer is an animated, half-hour comedy that follows Sterling Archer as he navigates the changing landscape of the spy world. This season, Archer and The Agency have been acquired by Fabian Kingsworth and the spy conglomerate known as IIA (International Intelligence Agency). As the gang struggles to find their identity performing odd missions for Fabian, one question arises: will they be able to maintain independence, or will they succumb to their corporate overlords?
Ana Navarro, Sara Haines, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Alyssa Farah Griffin, and Sunny Hostin co-host ‘The View’ season 26 (ABC/Lou Rocco)
After seven seasons as a contributor and recurring appearances as a guest co-host, The View has officially elevated Ana Navarro to series co-host. The daytime talk show also announced former Trump administration communications strategist and spokesperson for Trump, the vice president, and secretary of defense Alyssa Farah Griffin is on board as a co-host for the show’s upcoming 26th season.
The two new Republican co-hosts will be part of a panel that includes moderator Whoopi Goldberg and co-hosts Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin, and Sara Haines. Season 26 of The View is set to premiere in September 2022.
“Ana has made an indelible impact on The View since the first time she joined us at the table,” stated executive producer Brian Teta. “She is a strong independent thinker with savvy insight, not to mention that she is whip-smart and fiercely funny. We are very happy to officially welcome her as a co-host.”
“The View is an institution and incomparable platform for women of different backgrounds to share their opinions and insights,” said Navarro. “It’s been a long courtship, but we’re finally making it official. I love being on the show, and I love living in Miami. I’m happy I will be able to do both. Thank you to ABC News, The View family and our loyal viewers for their continued support.”
Farah Griffin participated in 29 episodes of The View season 25 before being named as a season 26 co-host.
”We promised to take a little time to fill the seat and we have found the right match and a welcome addition to the show with Alyssa,” said Teta. “She is willing to share her unique political experience and brings a strong conservative perspective while holding her own in tough debates with her co-hosts and guests on both sides of the aisle.”
“I couldn’t be more honored and thrilled to join the ladies of ‘The View,’” said Farah Griffin. “The show paved the way for women speaking up and speaking out on TV. At a time when our country is so divided, often on partisan lines, I’m honored to represent the conservative perspective. I hope to model what is too often lost by our elected leaders: learning from others, disagreeing respectfully, and focusing on finding real solutions for our country.”
