Netflix’s September 2022 lineup of new films includes the much-anticipated drama Blonde starring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe, and Allison Janney channeling her inner action hero in Lou.
September’s lineup also includes The Umbrella Academy‘s Tom Hopper teaming up with The Vampire Diaries‘ Kat Graham for Love in the Villa, a romantic comedy set in Italy. Queen Latifah and Ludacris headline the action thriller End of the Road, and Riverdale‘s Camila Mendes and Stranger Things‘ Maya Hawke combine forces in Do Revenge.
SEPT. 1 Love in the Villa
Genre: Rom-com
Logline: A young woman (Kat Graham) takes a trip to romantic Verona, Italy, after a breakup, only to find that the villa she reserved was double-booked, and she’ll have to share her vacation with a cynical and very good-looking British man (Tom Hopper).
Cast: Kat Graham, Tom Hopper, Raymond Ablack, Laura Hopper, Sean Amsing, and Emilio Solfrizzi
Director: Mark Steven Johnson
SEPT. 1 Fenced In
Genre: Comedy
Logline: Walter is stressed and collapses. Following medical advice, he abandons the urban rhythm and seeks peace in a small town, surrounded by nature. But his plans for peace and tranquility won’t last long in this new neighborhood, where Toninho da Vila, a drum master, is rehearsing with his samba school for the next carnival.
Cast: Leandro Hassum, Júlia Rabello, and Maurício Manfrini
Director: Roberto Santucci
SEPT. 2 Ivy + Bean
Genre: For the Whole Family
Logline: Ivy and Bean never expected to be friends. Ivy is quiet, thoughtful and observant. Bean is playful, exuberant and fearless. However, sometimes an adventure reveals that opposites can become the best of friends.
Cast: Keslee Blalock, Madison Skye Validum, Lidya Jewett, Garfield Wilson, Marci T. House, Jaycie Dotin, Innocent Ekakitie, and Nia Vardalos
Director: Elissa Down
SEPT. 2 Ivy + Bean: The Ghost That Had to Go
Genre: For the Whole Family
Logline: When Ivy discovers the school bathroom is haunted, Bean helps Ivy to harness her witchlike powers. With the help of their classmates, Ivy and Bean orchestrate a ritual that will free the ghosts, save the school and also mess up Nancy’s day.
Cast: Keslee Blalock, Madison Skye Validum, Lidya Jewett, Nia Vardalos, Garfield Wilson, Marci T. House, Jaycie Dotin, Innocent Ekakitie, Mia Swaminathan, Ava Marchfelder, Roman Pesino, Jesse Gervasi, Claire Smid, with Sasha Pieterse and Jane Lynch
Director: Elissa Down
SEPT. 2 Ivy + Bean: Doomed to Dance
Genre: For the Whole Family
Logline: Ivy and Bean are ecstatic to sign up for ballet class until they realize there will be no sword fighting, kicking or “dancing to the death” allowed in class. When Bean’s parents won’t let her quit, Ivy agrees to stick it out with Bean through the big dance festival performance.
Cast: Keslee Blalock, Madison Skye Validum, Lidya Jewett, Garfield Wilson, Marci T. House, Jaycie Dotin, Innocent Ekakitie, Mia Swaminathan, Ava Marchfelder, Roman Pesino, Jesse Gervasi, Claire Smid, with Sasha Pieterse, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Director: Elissa Down
SEPT. 8 The Anthrax Attacks
Genre: Documentary
Logline: From Oscar-nominated director Dan Krauss, The Anthrax Attacks tells the story of the 2001 anthrax attacks on the United States and one of the largest and most complex FBI investigations in the history of law enforcement. Using a combination of interviews and scripted reenactments based on emails and FBI field notes, the documentary feature also shares shocking and heartbreaking stories from investigators, survivors and the families of those who were infected. Starring Clark Gregg as Dr. Bruce Ivins, The Anthrax Attacks is a BBC Studios Production.
Director: Dan Krauss
Queen Latifah and Ludacris in Netflix’s ‘End of the Road’
SEPT. 9
End of the Road
Genre: Action Thriller
Logline: In this high-octane action thriller, a cross-country road trip becomes a highway to hell for Brenda and her family. Alone in the New Mexico desert, they have to fight for their lives when they become the targets of a mysterious killer.
Cast: Queen Latifah, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Beau Bridges, Mychala Faith Lee, Shaun Dixon and Frances Lee McCain
Director: Millicent Shelton
SEPT. 16 Drifting Home
In select theaters: Sept. 9
Genre: Anime
Logline: Kosuke and Natsume have been friends since childhood, but as time goes on the relationship between the two sixth graders seems strained as they keep avoiding one another. One day during their summer vacation, they go to a housing complex that’s scheduled to be demolished. The place holds a lot of memories since they grew up there. While playing, they suddenly get caught up in a mysterious phenomenon, and when they regain consciousness, they see an entire ocean before them. The housing complex has drifted into a mysterious sea along with Kosuke and Natsume. Will they be able to return to their previous world? A summer farewell journey begins.
Director: Hiroyasu Ishida
SEPT. 16 Do Revenge
Genre: Comedy
Logline: After a clandestine run-in, Drea (alpha fallen it girl) and Eleanor (beta new alt girl) team up to go after each other’s tormentors. Do Revenge is a subversive Hitchcockian dark comedy featuring the scariest protagonists of all: teenage girls.
Cast: Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, Austin Abrams, Rish Shah, Talia Ryder, Ava Capri, Jonathan Daviss, Maia Reficco, Paris Berelc, with Alisha Boe and Sophie Turner
Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
SEPT. 23 Lou
Genre: Action Thriller
Logline: A storm rages. A young girl is kidnapped. Her mother (Jurnee Smollett) teams up with the mysterious woman next door (Allison Janney) to pursue the kidnapper — a journey that tests their limits and exposes shocking secrets from their pasts.
Cast: Allison Janney, Jurnee Smollett, Logan Marshall-Green, Matt Craven and Ridley Asha Bateman
Director: Anna Foerster
SEPT. 23 A Jazzman’s Blues
In select theaters: Sept. 16
Genre: Drama
Logline: A sweeping tale of forbidden love, A Jazzman’s Blues unspools 40 years of secrets and lies soundtracked by juke joint blues in the deep South.
Cast: Joshua Boone, Solea Pfeiffer, Amirah Vann, Austin Scott, and Ryan Eggold
Director: Tyler Perry
SEPT. 23 Athena
In select theaters: Sept. 9
Genre: Action
Logline: Hours after the tragic death of their youngest brother in unexplained circumstances, three siblings have their lives thrown into chaos.
Cast: Dali Benssalah, Sami Slimane, Anthony Bajon, Ouassini Embarek, and Alexis Manenti
Director: Romain Gavras
SEPT. 28 Blonde
In select theaters: Sept. 16
Genre: Drama
Logline: Based on the bestselling novel by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde boldly reimagines the life of Marilyn Monroe, exploring the split between her public and private selves.
Cast: Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Xavier Samuel, Julianne Nicholson, Lily Fisher, Evan Williams, Toby Huss, David Warshofsky, Caspar Phillipson, Dan Butler, Sara Paxton and Rebecca Wisocky
Director: Andrew Dominik
CBS’s critically acclaimed half-hour comedy Ghosts returns for season two with an episode that finds Samantha and Jay hosting a difficult couple at their newly opened B&B. Season two episode one, “Spies,” was directed by Trent O’Donnell and will air on Thursday, September 29, 2022 at 8:30pm ET/PT.
Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar return as Samantha and Jay, the living residents of the mansion. Reprising their roles as the resident ghosts are Brandon Scott Jones as Isaac, Richie Moriarty as Pete, Danielle Pinnock as Alberta, and Asher Grodman as Trevor. Román Zaragoza stars as Sasappis, Sheila Carrasco plays Flower, Rebecca Wisocky is Hetty, and Devan Chandler Long plays Thorfinn.
Episode one guest stars include John Hartman as Nigel Chessum, Betsy Sodaro as Nancy, Meagen Fay as Debbie, and Don Lake as Tom.
“Spies” Plot: Sam enlists the Ghosts to help secure a good review from an overly critical couple staying at the B&B. Also, Isaac tries to integrate Nigel into his friend group.
Stacey Keach reprises his guest starring role as Archbishop Kearns on the 13th season premiere of CBS’s Blue Bloods. Season 13 episode one was directed by Alex Zakrzewski and is set to air on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast is led by Tom Selleck as Frank Reagan, Donnie Wahlberg as Danny Reagan, and Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan. Will Estes stars as Jamie Reagan, Len Cariou is Henry Reagan, Marisa Ramirez plays Det. Maria Baez, and Vanessa Ray is Officer Eddie Janko.
Season 13’s recurring guest stars include Abigail Hawk, Gregory Jbara, Robert Clohessy, Steven Schirripa, Andrew Terraciano, Will Hochman, and Peter Hermann.
“Keeping the Faith” Plot: The job takes a dangerous turn for the Reagans when Eddie and Jamie deal with a domestic violence case associated with an investigation led by Danny and Baez. Also, Frank and his friend, Archbishop Kearns (Keach), go on a mission to avail themselves to an unfiltered look at the city; and Erin is presented with a surprising offer by her ex-husband, Jack Boyle (Hermann), regarding her run for District Attorney.
CBS’s SWAT traveled to Thailand to shoot the sixth season premiere, “Thai Hard,” airing on Friday, October 7, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT. Season six episode one was directed by Billy Gierhart from a script by Sarah Alderson and features Sean Maguire in a guest starring role as a former military buddy of Hondo.
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, and Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Robert Hicks.
Episode one guest stars include Rochelle Aytes, Otis “Odie” Gallop, Anna Enger Ritch, Calvin Clausell Jr., and Mark Labella.
“Thai Hard” Plot: During a trip to Bangkok to train alongside Thailand’s premiere S.W.A.T. team, Hondo and his former military buddy Joe (Maguire) stumble upon a wide-ranging heroin operation with ties to Los Angeles and find themselves on the run from a powerful drug kingpin.
The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico season four episode 12 is both the season and the series’ penultimate episode. Episode 11 ended with Clyde offering Shivani help bringing back her daughter, and episode 12 reveals she took him up on the offer.
Liz (Jeanine Mason), who’s still struggling with her addiction to the mist, concocts a new version of the mist that will return Max’s powers in just an hour. Max (Nathan Dean) explains he and Isobel discovered Shivani packed up her lab (including the pods) but left behind remnants of a formula on a board. Liz doesn’t recognize it and Max thinks it came from Clyde. Liz believes this mysterious formula might be used to remove Clyde’s brand. They realize Clyde’s got his powers back since the lab was full of mist.
Max knows Clyde won’t hop through the portal without the blue flame. Still, Max is nervous about taking the mist because he might hurt Liz since he hasn’t learned to harness his new, improved powers.
We’re only a few minutes into the episode when our favorite “will they or won’t they” couple decide to shut up and kiss. Unfortunately, Max picks the instant before their lips meet to announce he’s ready to be “less Hulk and more Captain America.”
In the upside-down world, Dallas (Quentin Plair) is in the middle of officiating Michael (Michael Vlamis) and Alex’s wedding when Michael calls it off. He refuses to get married right now and wants to do it the right way – at home with their friends. They remind him they can’t get home since the fruit was destroyed, and Alex (Tyler Blackburn) begs Michael not to let him die without getting married.
“My vow is to not let you die, period,” says a very determined Michael.
Michael thinks there might be something they can do with what remains of the Oasis tree. He takes off, leaving Alex alone at the makeshift altar.
Back to the Scooby gang in the real Roswell, Rosa (Amber Midthunder) arrives in the lab and is shocked to see Liz made more mist. Liz promises she did so without a hitch and that Kyle’s on the case, helping her out and making sure she doesn’t relapse.
To be safe, Rosa locks up the extra mist.
Max is justifiably leery of allowing Tezca to teach him how to use the blue flame, but Isobel (Lily Cowles) is able to convince him Tezca’s a great teacher. Plus, she’s on their side now.
Tezca tells Max the blue flame has two purposes: destruction and creation. His fear will lead to the flame destroying things while channeling his strength leads to creation. She suggests he think about Liz and then try to harness the flame. Max doesn’t realize he’s in a mindscape and sees Clyde holding a sword to Liz’s neck. He loses control of the flame and is pissed Tezca tricked him.
Tezca and Isobel won’t back down. This is the only way Max will be able to learn to harness his power.
Max continues practicing, with Tezca advising him to acknowledge his fear and then let it go.
Maria (Heather Hemmens) asks for help from Kyle, Liz, Rosa, and Sonya at Deep Sky after discovering Shivani and Clyde are hot on her tail. Clyde needs the console that Maria has, just waiting for the moment when Michael – or anyone from the upside-down – communicates that he needs it. So far, Maria hasn’t reached them and Sonya suggests Deep Sky has methods to induce deep meditation that might help.
Liz is trying to figure out Shivani’s new formula and admits to herself she’s feeling like all the science has fallen out of her head. Rosa and Kyle are worried, but Liz insists she can work through this. She points to a line in the formula and wonders why Bonnie’s DNA is part of Shivani’s formula. Liz and Kyle work through the problem and figure out Clyde is after Bonnie right now in order to get home.
Meanwhile, Michael, Bonnie, and Dallas dig around the tree after Michael suggests there might be fuel in the roots. Alex watches from the car, conserving his strength, and asks, “When did you become a plant daddy?” Michael claims his knowledge comes from growing prize-winning sunflowers.
The thunderstorm continues and it’s freaking Bonnie out.
Michael retrieves what he needs to make fuel just as Clyde pops in out of nowhere and sends the guys flying.
Liz, Kyle, Isobel, and Max drive out to the portal, and since Maria still hasn’t made contact with Michael, Isobel volunteers to step through to warn the upside-downers. Kyle doesn’t want Isobel to go alone, and Max says he’s going with his sister. Liz is against Max going since he’s just now learning about his new powers, but Max says Tezca told him he has to face his fears to master the flame.
Liz has tears in her eyes and her voice shakes when she asks, “What if you don’t come back?”
Max assures her he will. He’s not running anymore, and Liz apologizes for all the bad things she said when she was high. Every good thing she’s done has been because he’s been by her side.
Max and Liz Kiss, and Kyle grabs Isobel for a goodbye kiss, too. Max and Liz finish first and they’re both shocked to see Isobel and Kyle making out. “Since when have you two been a thing?” asks a smiling Liz.
Isobel replies, “You know, Liz, it’s been a long time coming.”
Isobel and Max hold hands and step into the quicksand/portal.
Michael and Alex make it to safety inside the Atomic Malt Shop, the upside-down’s version of the Crashdown Café (and the café’s former name), but Alex’s condition is deteriorating. Dallas is hunting for Clyde and Bonnie while Michael needs to get to work on making fuel.
Max and Isobel pop into the café and volunteer to provide Dallas with some backup. Michael asks if Max plans on arresting Clyde, and Max proudly shows off his powers.
Meanwhile, Liz and Kyle also have to get to work on making fuel but first, she needs to hear all the gossip about him and Isobel. Kyle promises to spill the tea if she tells him how long she’s been forgetting things. Liz confesses she noticed at the same time he noticed. Kyle makes her promise she’ll let him check to see if the mist did any permanent damage after they make the fuel.
Sonya and Maria work on getting Maria into the right state to contact Michael, Alex, or Dallas. Tezca joins them and awkwardly apologizes for stuffing Sonya in a pod. She explains Kyle thought maybe she could look in on Max with them.
Clyde takes blood from Bonnie and explains her ability rejected the alien glass in the brand. He injects himself with the new formula and announces they can head back home after he reconfigures the map in the real Roswell.
Bonnie reminds him he pushed her into “hell,” but he blames Michael for corrupting her mind. Clyde claims he wants it back to the way it used to be, but Bonnie refuses to be forced into anything – including returning with him to Oasis.
Clyde warns her that his people will worship him or else…
Bonnie breaks loose from her restraints and Isobel and Max join the fight. Max is able to overpower Clyde and puts him in restraints.
Dallas returns to the upside-down café and Michael explains Isobel and Max have joined the hunt for Bonnie. Michael’s whipped up a small batch of fuel and hopes Liz is also successful in making some in her lab. He hands Dallas instructions for Liz and tells Alex he needs to get the instructions to Maria.
Dallas points out Alex is asleep and might be too weak to communicate with Maria. Michael runs to Alex’s side and realizes he’s burning up. Alex says the storm’s getting worse and they should leave him behind. Michael refuses to leave his side and confesses he’s scared he’s going to lose Alex. He absolutely will not throw in the towel.
Liz researches “drugs and memory loss’ and confirms drug use can lead to permanent brain damage. She’s upset about losing her mind and resorts to breaking into the cabinet to get the spare bottle of mist.
Sonya suggests Maria change her focus from Alex to whoever she’s closest to. It works, and she appears in front of Dallas! Dallas explains Alex is in bad shape and they need the portal opened as soon as Liz makes the fuel. He hands Maria the formula to give to Liz but her hand passes through the note. She tries to memorize it as the storm kicks into high gear.
Dallas believes the storm will destabilize the upside-down.
Maria comes out of the vision and explains what she learned. She quickly writes down the formula for Liz and Kyle volunteers to get it to her. Maria and Sonya will get the console to the portal, even if Shivani’s still on their tail.
Before the meeting breaks up Kyle receives a 911 text from Liz. She’s in bad shape and finally confesses she can’t remember stuff. “I’m always expected to come through and I can’t,” says an absolutely distraught Liz, adding, “My brain is broken and I don’t recognize myself.”
Kyle apologizes for not examining her sooner, and Liz apologizes to her sister, admitting she almost took the mist. Liz refuses to let the mist win and Kyle hands over Michael’s recipe for the fuel.
The storm’s raging as Max and Isobel return with Clyde in alien handcuffs. Dallas explains the café’s falling apart and Clyde says it’s happening because Theo built into the dimension a storm that would destroy it if it sensed Jones’ DNA. If they don’t get to the portal soon, they’ll all die.
They head out just as the storm begins tearing up the main street. Dallas leads them to a series of caves his dad created that will lead to the portal. They’re forced to stop for a minute because Alex needs to rest. (He’s basically on death’s door at this point.)
They head out again and make it to the portal where Michael pours the fuel into the console piece on their side of the portal. Alex’s pulse is dropping (why can’t Max do something?!) as the world around them appears to be on the verge of being wiped out. They hope Maria’s ready to get the console in place.
Unfortunately, Maria and Sonya are stopped on the road by Shivani and her goons. Maria and Sonya are grabbed and Shivani uncovers the console. Whoops! It’s the classic bait and switch. Kyle, Liz, and Rosa have the real one and manage to put it in place. Liz pours the fuel on it and it activates, growing the piece from the upside-down.
The portal opens and Max and the group are about to walk through it when Clyde breaks out of his handcuffs and steps in front of them. He’s incredibly strong and credits Liz’s mist with increasing his strength. He then reveals Bonnie’s DNA has traces of everyone she’s ever kissed and now he has every power Bonnie’s ever taken, including Max’s blue flame.
Max refuses to summon the blue flame, saying it’s too dangerous. Michael asks, “And he’s not?”
Clyde’s capable of holding them all back, but he offers Bonnie one last chance to step through the portal with him. Bonnie refuses and Clyde steps through the portal to the real world, leaving the gang on the verge of being destroyed by the storm.
Tezca appears and tells Max he’s capable of stopping the destruction of this dimension if he does as she taught him. She stepped through the quicksand to help out, reminding them a good teacher never leaves her student mid-lesson. She tells Max the dimension is dying; it needs him to give it life. He needs to think about Liz for it to work.
Max channels the blue flame and slams it into the ground. The flame spreads out toward the approaching storm and he’s holding it back – for now.
Michael runs to Alex and apologizes for refusing to marry him. “All I’ve ever wanted in my entire life was to make you happy,” says Michael. He cries as he adds, “I wanted to build a home together.”
“I mean this will all the love in the world – stop whining,” says Alex. He believes Michael made the right decision not to marry him in this prison. Everything Michael did he did because he has a passion for keeping hope alive. Alex wishes he had the strength to fight by Michael’s side.
Michael reminds him the console runs on fuel, not hope. Alex demands he make it run, saying there’s got to be some spark left and six aliens to ignite it.
Michael is reenergized and tells Dallas to pull the fuel back out of the ground. Bonnie points out that where it landed is already destroyed by the storm, and Tezca and Isobel are sure Max can rebuild that area.
Max summons the blue flame with his other hand and pounds it into the ground, too. He concentrates on seeing Liz again and the storm recedes. Dallas puts his skills to the test and is able to pull the fuel out of the ground and send it back into the console.
The portal opens and everyone but Tezca steps through it. She can’t; she has the same mark as Clyde! Isobel can’t believe Tezca sacrificed herself, and Tezca says Isobel did everything she could to redeem her and it worked. She’s proud of Isobel and thanks her for letting her save the children of the people she harmed.
Isobel still refuses to go and Tezca says, “Max is going to need the fiercest warrior by his side and that is still you.”
Max can’t hold the storm back any longer and tells Isobel they have to go. They leap through the portal and the dimension is destroyed after they exit.
They discover Clyde has all of their friends on the ground, kneeling in a line. He asks Isobel and Michael who wants to bend to him first.
CBS’s popular drama FBI returns for a fifth season with an episode titled “Hero’s Journey.” Season five episode one was directed by Alex Chapple from a script by Rick Eid and Joe Halpin, and is set to air on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season five stars Missy Peregrym as Special Agent Maggie Bell, Zeeko Zaki as Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan, Jeremy Sisto as Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine, and Alana De La Garza as Special Agent in Charge Isobel Castille. John Boyd plays Special Agent Stuart Scola and Katherine Renee Turner is Special Agent Tiffany Wallace.
Recurring season five guest stars include Shantel VanSanten as Special Agent Nina Chase, Taylor Anthony Miller as Kelly Moran, Vedette Lim as Elise Taylor, James Chen as Ian Lim, Mara Davi as Samantha Kelton, and Caleb Reese Paul as Tyler Kelton.
“Hero’s Journey” Plot: The team pivots when their sting operation to secure a massive bomb from an illegal broker leads them to discover that the device is already in the wrong hands. Also, Jubal’s promise to be present at his son’s birthday party is put to the test as the case continues to heat up.
Season one episode one of CBS’s new legal drama So Help Me Todd will premiere on September 29, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT. In support of the show’s debut, CBS has just released a batch of photos from episode one along with plot details, a trailer, and cast list.
Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden stars as Margaret Wright, Skylar Astin plays Todd Wright, and Tristen J. Winger is Lyle. Madeline Wise plays Allison, Inga Schlingmann is Susan, and Rosa Arredondo stars as Francey.
Episode one guest stars include Clayton James, Thomas Cadrot, Mark Moses, Artemis Litsiadis, Andrea Brooks, Christine Cattell, and Donia Kash. Amy York Rubin directed from a script by Scott Prendergast.
CBS released the following description of the pilot and season one:
“Pilot” – Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin star as razor-sharp, meticulous attorney Margaret Wright (Harden) and Todd (Astin), her talented but scruffy, aimless son whom she hires as her law firm’s in-house investigator. As the black sheep of the well-heeled Wright family, Todd is a laidback, quick-thinking, excellent former private detective who fell on hard times after his flexible interpretation of the law got his license revoked. Margaret’s penchant for excellence and strict adherence to the law is at complete odds with Todd’s scrappy methods of finding his way through sticky situations: by the seat of his wrinkled pants.
When Todd inadvertently teams with his mother on a case, she’s surprised to find herself duly impressed by – and proud of – his crafty ability to sleuth out information with his charm and his wide-ranging tech savvy. At last, Margaret sees a way to put her son on a “suitable” path to living an adult, financially solvent life she approves of, and she asks him to join her firm. Todd agrees since it means getting his license back and once again doing the job he excels at and loves.
Mother and son working together is a big first step toward mending their fragile, dysfunctional relationship, and they may even come away with a better understanding of each other at this pivotal point in their lives. But whether Todd and Margaret will be able to accept each other for who they are is another case entirely.
A scene from season one of ‘From’ (Photo Courtesy of EPIX)
EPIX’s critically acclaimed horror series From has upped Scott McCord to a season two regular and added five cast members who’ll play the passengers on the bus that showed up at the end of season one. The new additions to the ensemble were announced as production is underway in Nova Scotia on the show’s second season.
New cast members include Nathan D. Simmons (Diggstown), Kaelen Ohm (Hit & Run), Angela Moore (Nancy Drew), AJ Simmons (Reacher), and Deborah Grover (My Next Door Nightmare). Nathan Simmons’ bio notes he’s a fan of the series and is “overjoyed” to be joining the From family.
The newbies join the ensemble cast led by Harold Perrineau (Lost), Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), and Eion Bailey (Once Upon a Time). In addition, Hannah Cheramy (Van Helsing), Simon Webster (Strays), Ricky He (The Good Doctor), and Chloe Van Landschoot (Charity, Skin) are series regulars.
Corteon Moore (Utopia Falls), Pegah Ghafoori (The Perfect Wedding), David Alpay (Castle Rock), Elizabeth Saunders (Clarice), Elizabeth Moy, and Avery Konrad (Honor Society) also star.
Season one premiered on February 20, 2022. Season two is expected to debut in 2023.
From was created by John Griffin (Crater). Griffin serves as an executive producer along with Jack Bender, Jeff Pinkner, Lindsay Dunn, and Midnight Radio’s Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, and Scott Rosenberg. AGBO’s Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, and Mike Larocca are also involved as executive producers.
The Plot, Courtesy of EPIX: The series unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town that traps all those who enter. In season two, hidden truths about the nature and terrifying origins of the town begin to emerge, even as life for its residents is plunged into chaos by the arrival of mysterious newcomers.
Lauren Glazier as Brooke, Scarlett Blum as Lydia, and Samantha Morton as Dee in ‘Tales of the Walking Dead’ season 1 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC)
Episode three of AMC’s Tales of the Walking Dead is all about a familiar face. Fans of The Walking Dead get a glimpse into Alpha’s past before she became the leader of The Whisperers.
The episode opens with Brooke (Lauren Glazier) getting ready for what appears to be a night at a fancy restaurant. After getting dressed, she’s standing on the stern of a riverboat when a young girl, Lydia (Scarlett Blum), shows up and proudly shows off her dress.
Lydia’s mom, Dee (Samantha Morton), is next on the scene and Brooke struggles to compliment her dress. Dee’s very uncomfortable playing dress-up in these circumstances and wonders if this dinner is a good idea. Brooke assures her that the guards are on duty and have been patrolling the area all week.
The party on the riverboat’s in full swing and Lydia continues to show off her beautiful dress. Dee takes a seat at the bar and the bartender, Billy (Nick Basta), asks why she’s not sitting with her child. When Dee doesn’t answer, Billy asks, “Why don’t you make more of an effort with her?”
Billy doesn’t mince words and says Dee looks like crap and it’s very disrespectful to Brooke who bends over backward to provide this sense of normalcy during the zombie apocalypse. Dee didn’t even try to impress anyone and instead looks like a drowned opossum. Billy wonders if she realizes how many people would kill to participate in this gathering.
Dee wanders out onto the deck and stares off into the woods at the zombies. Brooke joins her and points out it’s just the dead wandering. Dee confesses she doesn’t trust Billy. Brooke points out that she doesn’t trust anyone.
Switching subjects, Brooke brings up Lydia’s birthday is coming up and they should throw her a party. It’s been more than a year since Dee and Lydia arrived, and that’s more than enough time for them to have adjusted to this life. Dee worries about setting Lydia’s expectations too high.
They’re still talking when Dee produces a knife, causing Brooke to duck. A fishing net is pulled up with a zombie in it and Dee stabs it. The blood drips all over Brooke. Without saying anything, Brooke relieves Dee of the knife.
We’re treated to a vision of Dee standing in the shadows during her transition to Alpha. She’s bald and says, “I was nine when I killed daddy. Daddy deserved it.” Dee narrates her own story and talks about how after the world fell apart, she got stuck in a basement with Lydia’s dad, Frank.
Brooke is rushed away from teaching her exercise class the next day for a meeting about the disappearance of Mr. Langston. Brooke asks Dee if she’s seen him, and Dee recalls she saw him at the bar the night before. She suggests Brooke talk to Billy because he was serving him.
Billy confirms he served him all night. Mr. Langston was drunk and couldn’t walk straight, but Billy insists he and another person took him back to his room. Mitch (Juan Carlos Flores) thinks they should take a dinghy out to search the swamp for him, but Nolan (Eric Tiede) thinks if he’s gone, he’s gone.
Brooke agrees with Nolan, but Jenna (Rachael Markarian) can’t believe they won’t even try to find Mr. Langston. Jenna agrees with Mitch that they should look for him. However, Brooke has the final say and says they need to get going. She asks Jenna to call a meeting to inform everyone about what happened.
Dee’s been lurking nearby and hears the entire conversation.
Dee teaches Lydia how to set a table properly while Lydia explains that Brooke thinks she needs a new dress for a garden party. Lydia talks about liking fairies and Dee doesn’t seem to understand why. (Apparently, Dee is always serious and never takes time to enjoy anything. Also, this fairy conversation comes into play later in the episode.)
They’re still setting the table when Dee slips one of the knives into her pocket. Lydia asks why and Dee assures her it’s just in case they need it. Lydia’s aware her mom wants to leave and suggests Dee go without her. “You’ll die without me,” says Dee.
Lydia thinks her mom believes she’s going to die no matter what. Lydia tells Dee she has Brooke and Dee walks away, angry.
Dee spots Billy near the anchors and sees him drop something into the water. He acts like he has no idea what she’s talking about when she asks if it was a mirror. Dee thinks there are people nearby and yells for Brooke’s help.
Dee explains to Brooke and others gathered that she believes Billy was signaling someone in the woods with a mirror. Billy calls her crazy and says they can check him for a mirror if they want. Dee says they won’t find it; Billy dropped it in the water when he noticed her watching him.
Billy points out there’s no one in the woods and Nolan, who has a better view from the upper deck, agrees. He only sees walkers in the woods. Dee brings up that Billy was the last person to see Mr. Langston alive and that Billy’s only been there for three weeks.
Brooke asks Dee what she wants to do with Billy, and Dee doesn’t hesitate with her answer. She believes they need to get rid of him. Billy spots the knife in Dee’s pocket and panics, yelling that she wants to kill him before jumping overboard into the water.
Brooke becomes angry and says, “No wonder Lydia is afraid of you,” which pisses off Dee. Dee demands Brooke stop talking to her daughter. Brooke orders Dee to cover Billy’s shifts since she cost them a worker. If Dee does that ever again, she’s gone.
Lydia witnessed the argument and runs off. Dee goes after her as Alpha chimes in, saying, “I went mad in that basement. Lydia saw.”
Dee enters their room and in her sweetest voice possible says everything’s okay…but the room’s empty. Brooke comes up behind her and says that Lydia needs space. Dee asks where her daughter is and Brooke questions why Lydia’s afraid of her own mother. Dee threatens to use the knife on Brooke if she doesn’t tell her where her daughter’s hiding.
Their battle of wills is interrupted by a scream. Someone’s dead and now Dee’s even more adamant that she needs to know where Lydia is.
The group’s shocked to discover that Billy not only survived jumping into the water, but Dee was also right about him being a bad guy. He forces the group onto their knees and holds them at gunpoint. He explains that with Mr. Langston gone a spot opened up and he needs six more spots to open up to make room for his men.
Billy goes on a short rant about how Brooke is trying to keep everything in order on the boat. He doesn’t understand why they should let people on board who look like they’ve given up. Billy begins to sort through the group, trying to decide who should die to make room for his men. Nolan suggests he should go after Dee for spoiling his plan, and Billy asks where she and Lydia are. Todd (Marvin La Violette) lies and says they went on a run, but Billy isn’t stupid. He knows their schedule and sends one of his men to find them.
One of his men locates Brooke and is about to kill her when Billy orders him to take it easy with her. Billy thinks they need strong people to build up what they have and says she needs him to take over things while she continues to be her sweet self.
Billy shoots a member of the group and Brooke tries to negotiate an end to the deaths by suggesting there’s enough room for all his men. Billy doesn’t listen and thinks she’ll grow to like him as he kills another person.
Nolan takes the coward’s way out and tells Billy to take Jenna since she doesn’t do anything. Jenna fights back and wants Billy to kill Nolan instead. They all volunteer to help to find Dee and Lydia except for Todd who seems to be the only decent member of the group.
While they’re debating who’s next, Dee sneaks in and slits the throat of the man holding Brooke. She then shoots another one of Billy’s men before undoing the rope to a dinghy and jumping into the water.
Samantha Morton as Dee and Scarlett Blum as Lydia in ‘Tales of the Walking Dead’ season 1 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Curtis Bonds Baker/AMC)
Fighting and gunshots break out on the riverboat while Dee is trying to silence a screaming Lydia who’s yelling for Brooke to run. Dee yells at her to quiet down, reminding Lydia that she’s her mama and will listen to her.
Dee and Lydia make it to shore and Dee fights off a few zombies before one falls on top of Dee, effectively trapping her. She cuts it open and demands Lydia get under the zombie with her. They watch someone from the riverboat crawl up on the shore and then get attacked and eaten by a zombie.
Dee smears blood on Lydia’s face and instructs her to pretend she’s somewhere else. Dee promises not to let anything get her.
Dee and Lydia make it into the woods and are wandering around when Dee spots Brooke. Before Lydia can see Brooke, Dee takes earmuffs out of a bag, puts them on her daughter, and tells her to stay there until she comes back.
Dee stands in front of Brooke and reminds her that she promised Lydia the world and then took it away from her. Brooke blames all the deaths on the riverboat on Dee, and Dee points out they would have killed Lydia too. “I did what a real mother would do,” she says.
Dee points the gun at Brooke’s head as Lydia comes running up begging her not to kill her. Dee pushes her daughter to the side and takes aim again. Lydia curls up in the fetal position, covers her ears, and sings a song. Dee attempts to calm Lydia down, assuring her she won’t kill Brooke.
Dee puts away the gun and returns to Brooke. She tells Brooke that death is too good for her and then cuts a long slice across her face. “This is my mark and everywhere you go I’ll be there reminding you how you failed my little girl,” growls Dee.
Lydia wants to go back to the boat, but Dee tells her it’s just them now. Lydia accuses Dee of getting what she wanted – for Brooke to be wrong. Dee thinks everything Brooke was teaching Lydia was a lie. Lydia asks where her dad is because she doesn’t want to be with Dee. Dee explains to Lydia that her daddy was weak. She should not be like him.
They make their way to an RV park and find an empty RV. Dee searches it and discovers a tea set and actually smiles while telling Lydia that maybe they can have their own party. Lydia doesn’t hear this because she’s gone back outside and thinks she sees people from the boat.
These new arrivals are zombies and Dee orders her daughter to get behind her. When Lydia makes a move to get back in the RV, Dee grabs her and tells her it’s time to learn how to survive. She wants Lydia to learn how to take down a zombie but Lydia’s unwilling to take the knife. Lydia screams that she can’t do it, so Dee’s forced to pull a canopy down on the zombies. She then stabs them in their heads through the canopy.
After dispatching the undead, Dee sees Lydia running away and gives chase. We see Dee transformed into Alpha as she says, “We are all we have. We do what we think is right, even if it hurts the ones we love.”
Dee finds Lydia under a tree, and Lydia claims she can hear fairies and they want to take her away. She begs her mom to let her go. Dee holds her while telling her she loves her so much.
Dee tells Lydia she’s tired and to close her eyes. Dee grabs her knife and Alpha narrates what’s happening. “She was so small, but I would have killed the both of us.”
Suddenly Dee also hears voices saying, “We see you.” Lydia opens her eyes and is certain she was right that the trees are talking. Dee screams, “Who’s there?!”
A group of people wearing zombie faces walk up and the leader tells Dee to whisper. She takes off her zombie mask and introduces herself as Hera. She then kicks Dee in the face and knocks her out.
Tales of the Walking Dead episode three ends with Alpha getting the last word. “That was the end of Dee and the beginning of me.” She walks up to the mask Hera once wore and says, “And then I met you and you showed me love.”
Fox’s The Cleaning Lady season two has cast Naveen Andrews, recently seen in Hulu’s critically acclaimed limited series The Dropout, in a series regular role. Andrews is playing Robert Kamdar, a character described as “Nadia’s gregarious and charming ex-lover, who is intent on driving a wedge between Arman and Nadia. Standing to lose everything, Arman has to fight to keep his world — and his dignity — intact, while determined to rebuild his life under the worst of circumstances.”
Andrews joins a cast that includes Élodie Yung as Thony, Oliver Hudson as FBI Agent Garrett Miller, Adan Canto as Arman Morales, and Martha Millan as Fiona. Sean Lew stars as Chris and Faith Bryant plays Jaz, Sebastien and Valentino LaSalle share time playing Luca.
Season one was one of the top five new broadcast dramas of the 2021-2022 season, with more than 12.9 million viewers checking out the first episode which aired on January 3, 2022. Season two will premiere on September 19th at 9pm ET/PT.
The Cleaning Lady is based on an Argentine series and was developed for Fox by Miranda Kwok (The 100). Kwok and Melissa Carter are the co-showrunners and serve as executive producers along with Shay Mitchell, David Dean Portelli, Rose Marie Vega, and Paola Suarez.
Fox released the following season two synopsis:
Season two of The Cleaning Lady picks up with Thony desperately trying to find her son, Luca, after he was kidnapped by his father, Marco (Ivan Shaw). With nowhere else to turn, she enlists the help of FBI Agent Garrett Miller to track him down before they leave the country.
Meanwhile, an incident involving Chris forces Fiona to shield her son by any means necessary, furthering the theme of how far a mother will go to protect her child.
This season of The Cleaning Lady continues to examine the plight of undocumented immigrants and their difficulties accessing necessary healthcare and resources. Galvanized by the many roadblocks she faced while searching for a treatment to save her son, Thony will utilize her expertise as a doctor to find ways to help her underserved community. However, as Thony continues to entwine her business undertakings with Arman, she once again crosses the moral line into the dark underbelly of Las Vegas.
(Updated with a photo of Naveen Andrews in The Cleaning Lady.)
