Multiplatinum singer-songwriter and producer Charlie Puth teamed up with Jungkook of the global super group BTS for his highly anticipated single “Left and Right,” released at midnight on June 24, 2022. Charlie Puth has been teasing this collaboration for a while now via TikTok where the musician has quite an impressive following.
“Left and Right” marks the first solo collaboration Jungkook has participated in. Jungkook previously teamed up with other BTS members to work on songs with the award-winning DJ Steve Aoki (“Waste It On Me”) and singer-songwriter Lauv (“Who”).
Produced by Puth himself, “Left and Right” is described by Atlantic Records as instantly captivating “with its vibrant, funk-fueled sensibilities that effortlessly fuse the two hitmakers’ signature sounds.” The single’s already hit number one on US iTunes and the video has been viewed more than 10 million times over its first 12 hours in release.
The official “Left and Right” music video was directed by Drew Kirsch. The music video has a playful vibe and follows Puth and Jungkook through a therapeutic fantasy to escape their own minds, which matches the song’s “you take up every corner of my mind” lyrics.
Charlie Puth and Jungkook teamed up in the past at the 2018 MBC Plus X Genie Music Awards in South Korea to perform Charlie’s hit song “We Don’t Talk Anymore.” According to a recent interview with Z100 New York radio station, Charlie says he and Jungkook kept in touch after that collaboration and have sent music back and forth to each other over the years.
“Left and Right” serves as the third single from Puth’s forthcoming third studio album, CHARLIE, due out later this year. After months of fan anticipation, he released his first single from the album, “Light Switch,” in January 2022. That single hit No. 1 on the Apple iTunes Pop Chart and has garnered more than 401 million streams globally and over 83 million views on YouTube. Charlie’s second single, “That’s Hilarious,” has amassed over 99 million streams on Spotify.
Puth hasn’t officially announced his upcoming album’s release date.
Charlie Puth had been making his promotional rounds, recently doing the iHeart Radio Music Awards where he did a special dueling piano performance with John Legend. He’s currently in the midst of radio promotions for “Left and Right” featuring Jungkook.
Could The Black Phone do for black balloons what IT did for red ones? IT’s Pennywise is creepier—it’s tough to beat a demonic clown—but The Black Phone’s The Grabber serves up solid competition among horrifying antagonists in films based on Stephen King or his son Joe Hill’s twisted stories. And as for the balloons, both signal what’s about to go down is going to be terrifying.
The Black Phone’s set in 1978, years before kids could use their cell phones to instantly reach out for help. I’d say it was a more innocent time but truthfully the world was a scary place even back then; we just didn’t talk about it as much because social media didn’t exist and it wasn’t as easy to share gossip.
The story focuses on Finney (Mason Thames), a quiet 13-year-old with a hell of a pitching arm and a feisty kid sister named Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). Finney’s the target of a vicious group of school bullies but, fortunately, one of the most feared/fearsome members of his class has his back. Unfortunately, that kid—Robin (Miguel Cazarez Mora)—soon becomes the latest addition to a lengthy list of kids snagged by The Grabber (Ethan Hawke).
The Grabber has been stalking the streets unseen by authorities for years. There are so few clues as to who’s behind all the abductions that when Gwen talks about black balloons, it draws the attention of the cops. They’ve been keeping key details about the crime scenes a secret – a common investigative tool used by law enforcement—and one of the items they haven’t disclosed is that remnants of black balloons were found at some of the abduction sites.
Gwen wasn’t at the crime scenes and hasn’t read any police reports. Instead, Gwen’s knowledge of black balloons and other details of the kidnappings comes to her in her dreams. Her deceased mom also had the ability to tap into the spiritual realm, something that Gwen’s abusive, alcoholic father Terrence (Jeremy Davies) resents and tries to beat out of her.
Finney’s no longer under the protection of Robin and is worried about becoming The Grabber’s next victim when he encounters a strange character who claims to be a magician. Finney’s spidey sense kicks in too late and he’s knocked out before he can escape.
When Finney comes to, he’s in a soundproof basement with just a toilet, a mattress, and a weird black phone on the wall that The Grabber insists doesn’t work. Of course, the film wouldn’t be titled The Black Phone if said item was just a strange choice for a set decoration.
When it rings, Finney finds himself speaking to the kids who were kidnapped before him. The phone connects Finney to some of the teens who’ve experienced exactly what he’s going through now, and they not only warn him about what’s in store—torture and ultimately death—but also provide clues as to what he should do to avoid sharing their fate.
The Black Phone’s three leads—Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Ethan Hawke—are outstanding, with Thames and McGraw perfectly capturing that teen sibling, us against the world vibe. Gwen’s a real force of nature and her personality balances the shyness of her older brother, and the way both Thames and McGraw bring these polar opposites to life makes The Black Phone feel grounded in reality despite the story’s fantastical elements.
Ethan Hawke trades in his normal decent guy sort of role to disappear into the part of a lunatic serial killer. Hawke’s The Grabber’s such a menacing, nightmare-inducing presence that it barely registers his face is hidden under grotesque masks for the entirety of the film.
The Black Phone’s a genuinely frightening film that relies less on jump scares—although there’s a decent amount of those—and more on the truly horrifying, believable threat of a sadistic killer who targets kids. Supernatural elements are smoothly incorporated into the story and the unexpected, gruesome appearances of the dead kids as they speak to Finney ups the creepiness factor which was already at a high level due to the exquisitely disturbing masks (designed by Tom Asvini) sported by The Grabber.
Writer/director Scott Derrickson (Sinister, Doctor Strange) exited Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to helm The Black Phone, based on the short story by Joe Hill. Derrickson, who describes The Black Phone as his most personal film to date, made a wise decision to pass on the disappointing Doctor Strange sequel and delve into this unexpectedly uplifting yet totally twisted tale. Saying no to Marvel couldn’t have been an easy career choice, but opting to reunite with Ethan Hawke for this crowd-pleasing horror thriller was absolutely the right call to make.
GRADE: B
MPAA Rating: R for some drug use, language, bloody images, and violence
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Benji (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
The History Channel’s Alone season nine episode five – “The Land Giveth” – finds most of the survivalists being fairly successful at hunting and fishing. Episode five begins with eight people remaining after Jacques left the show on Day 15 and Igor tapped out on Day 20. Not all of the remaining contestants have finished up their permanent shelters after 21 days in the wild, and by the end of episode five we’re down one more survivalist.
Benji, Age 46, Bellevue, ID
Day 21: Benji’s gut pile drew in a bear as confirmed by his trail camera. However, he’s decided it’s not the right time to shoot a bear since it’s not yet cold enough to freeze the carcass. Although a bear will ultimately be a necessity, he’s not capable of taking care of the meat right now. Benji’s giving himself another two weeks before he even thinks about hunting a bear.
He finishes his new shelter before the day’s done and is really satisfied with how it turns out. He has room to stand and it’ll be easier to keep warm inside than in his old structure.
Day 24: Benji sharpens his tools and cleans them up. He uses his ax every day and wants to keep it in good shape. “If you’re not starting your day with some ax sharpening, you’re missing out, folks,” says Benji.
Benji gets to work on a fleshing beam, a surface used to scrape animal hides. He wants to get as much meat as possible off the beaver’s hide. He plans on rendering the fat and preserving it.
Fleshing is labor-intensive and with primitive tools it’s even more difficult. Benji’s able to scrape off a lot of meat and plans on adding seasoning and cooking it that afternoon. (The tail serves as a platter.) Once he’s cooked the scraps, he has a half pan of “amazing calories.” He spoons it into the burn bowl he built on Day 13 and puts it aside for later.
Even though he has lots of beaver meat, he can’t resist taking a shot at a grouse. He misses twice but, fortunately, he knows where his arrows landed. He takes one more shot at the grouse in a tree – it stuck around for some reason, despite arrows flying toward it – and the third time is the charm.
Benji thanks the bird and says, “May your spirit be free.”
He confesses he never thought he’d be harvesting this much food with his bow. The land has embraced him and he’s eating well.
The grouse provides protein, phosphorus, and B12, and Benji cooks it that evening along with some beaver grease. He loves the taste and describes the fat as exploding in his mouth.
Day 26: Benji wakes with a stomachache and needs to retune his body with Quigong, a Chinese healing practice. After he performs Quigong he hunts for yarrow, an herb that helps with stomach ailments. He comes across some by the banks and thinks he’s feeling ill from overeating the previous evening.
Benji believes he’s a strong contender because of his versatile skills. However, he’s worried he’ll be sidelined for a while if his stomach continues to hurt him.
Benji wakes from a short nap on the riverbank and his stomach’s still off. He’s burpy and walks around a bit, and thinks maybe he ate something that had gone bad or was contaminated.
Benji makes it to bed and has a fever, chills, and stomach cramps. He’s also nauseous but can’t vomit, and when he thinks about the meat/fat his stomach turns over. Still, he’s hopeful this will go away and he’ll feel better tomorrow.
Day 27: 2am arrives and Benji’s definitely not feeling any better. He exits his shelter and finally vomits while cussing. Benji thinks he has “beaver fever” – a nickname for giardia.
2:30am and he’s up again, in pain and exhausted.
3am and his stomach is in turmoil. He describes the situation and it’s not pretty. (I’ll spare you the details.)
6am arrives and he hasn’t slept at all. He’s not feeling any better and can barely get around. “That’s the end of the road for me,” says Benji.
It’s at the point where he’s worried he won’t survive if he doesn’t leave the Labrador wilderness. Still, he got to experience the changing of the seasons before he tapped out. He’s glad he came on the series and learned a lot from being part of Alone.
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Jessie (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Jessie, Age 49, Pagosa Springs, CO
Day 22: Jessie heads out grouse hunting after hearing one near her shelter. She misses with her first arrow and doesn’t get a chance to take another shot. Her shelter’s coming along nicely but it’s a lot of work and she admits to being really hungry (and tired of squirrel).
Jessie’s calling her place hodgepodge lodge since it’s made up of multiple shelter styles.
She’s a strong believer in listening to nature and in divine timing. She refuses to set arbitrary time expectations on herself.
‘Alone’ Season 9 competitor Adam (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Adam, Age 36, Fayetteville, AR
Day 22: Adam describes his latest squirrel kill as a perfect shot (it went right through the eye). He’s satisfied with his hunting and fishing now and thinks every day is a gift. He shoots yet another squirrel, this time through the back of the head. He hears a third squirrel calling out but doesn’t look for him since he’s got a pretty good dinner already and it’s only morning.
His structure’s one of the best of the season and he sits inside, leans out the window, and pretends he’s serving customers. The menu includes crispy squirrel, leftover grouse, and berries.
Day 25: Adam didn’t sleep well the previous evening and his belly feels horrible. He eats some cranberries hoping to settle it down and worried he’s contracted a parasite. Adam hopes it’s not that and instead is just a screwed-up system from the weird diet he’s on.
Adam opts to spend the day in his shelter, resting.
Adam believes he has everything he could possibly want back home. The money would help his family tremendously (his mom needs new teeth) but overall he has a happy life. He plans on building a safe, comfortable homestead with the prize money. Adam gets choked up discussing how thankful he is for his life and the people in it.
It’s 10pm when he accepts the fact he’s got a gut parasite. He believes he has giardia and it’s causing him to feel nauseous and achy. He wonders how long he can live with it and if he can treat it. Adam’s hopeful that it will get better on its own but it feels like it’s getting worse.
Day 26: Adam rested enough to have the energy to collect birch bark for tea. He thinks that will help with his intestinal issues and is successful in harvesting the inner bark off of the tree. It’s supposed to stimulate and soothe the stomach. He doesn’t know the correct dose but is hopeful it will work.
That evening he drinks his birch bark tea and waits for it to affect him. A short while later his stomach’s much better and he isn’t concerned about having to tap.
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Juan (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Juan Pablo, Age 30, Pinawa, CAN
Day 22: Juan’s decided not to boil his water anymore because it’s too time-consuming and energy-wasting. Plus, it cuts down on the amount of wood he has to gather. He’s done this for 10 years and hopes he’ll remain healthy, well aware of the potential for digesting parasites.
He’s been existing on berries and doesn’t think his prospects are good for shooting a grouse or hare because he hasn’t spotted any droppings. His options: fishing…and…fishing.
Juan Pablo’s going to expend energy building a dock since that’s apparently going to be his main source of food. A seal swims nearby but it’s protected and he’s not allowed to hunt it.
Dock complete, Juan sits down to fish.
Day 24: Juan’s holding out hope the dock will make a difference. It’s definitely a better casting spot but his first fish of the day gets away. Fortunately, he pulls in a decent size brook trout and that seems to change his luck. His second fish is also medium-sized as are his third and fourth. By the end of the day, he’s reeled in six fish.
“I think I’m getting the hang of fly fishing,” says Juan.
This is more of a real-life survival situation rather than a competition to Juan, and he has no plans to tap out. Tapping out would never be an option in real life.
Juan cooks three of his fish and decides to save the other three.
‘Alone’ season 9 competitor Karie (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Karie Lee, Ague 57, Sandpoint, ID
Day 23: Karie wakes to tea, warm sunshine, and thoughts of finishing up her shelter. However, she needs food first and has lost 20 pounds since day one. She heads off to hunt, hears a squirrel, and takes a shot. Although she initially believes she got him, she’s unable to locate the body.
Rain arrives and Karie sings “Waniska,” a Native American Cree song, inside her unfinished shelter. The songs she sings keep her in a place of gratitude as she learns from and listens to the land.
A big trout gets away but she doesn’t give up. A short while later she pulls in a 13” brook trout that will provide her with 800 calories. She cooks it up and eats the eyeballs, a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Although food is obviously important, it’s more about the spiritual peace for Karie Lee.
‘Alone’ Season 9 competitor Tom (Photo by: Brendan George Ko / The History Channel)
Tom, Age 34, Earlysville, VA
Day 23: Tom’s busy making traps including a wishbone deadfall. It’s a difficult trap to make and he explains how to carefully put one together.
A flashback shows Tom started work on his permanent shelter on Day 17. He describes his outdoor home as a combo of a log cabin, a mine shaft, and a giant basket. (Tom’s making it up as he goes.)
One Day 20, he has it in fairly good shape and constructs a workable chimney and stove out of rocks, clay, and mud. “A hearth is comfort no matter where you are,” says Tom, impressed with his work. He throws the tarp on as the roof to keep dry and sets about finding food.
Day 23: Tom hasn’t been having luck with his trap line but insists he has to check his snares every single day, even though they’re not close by. There’s a responsibility to do so daily and it’s inhumane not to.
His first two snares weren’t triggered but he scores big time with his spring snare that got a decent-sized snowshoe rabbit. (Rabbits average 875 calories.) Tom’s ecstatic and has to remind himself to calm down. It was only a foot off the ground and something could have taken it if he didn’t go to the trouble of checking his traps every day.
Tom’s a little worried that it could have been dead since last night but hopes the meat will be fine since it’s been cool. He’ll cook it a lot longer to make sure he doesn’t become ill. The rain starts as Tom prepares the carcass, describing the rabbit’s feet as small but full of tendons. The tendons are a good source of collagen and help keep joints healthy.
He confesses parts of Alone are way easier than he thought and parts are much more difficult than he assumed they would be. However, he’s feeling good physically and doesn’t feel alone in nature.
Tom has to be bleeped when he takes his first bite of rabbit. It’s delicious.
Joshua Jackson as Dan Gallagher and Lizzy Caplan as Alex Forrest in ‘Fatal Attraction’ season 1 (Photo credit: Zoey Grossman/Paramount+)
Paramount+’s Fatal Attraction series has added four more season one cast members in key roles. Alyssa Jirrels (Boo, Bitch), Toby Huss (Copland), Reno Wilson (the Transformers film franchise), and Brian Goodman (Rizzoli & Isles) have joined the cast alongside previously announced stars Lizzy Caplan, Joshua Jackson, and Amanda Peet.
Joshua Jackson (Dr. Death) and Amanda Peet (Dirty John) star as Dan and Beth Gallagher, the married couple at the heart of the story. Lizzy Caplan (Castle Rock) plays Alex Forrest, a woman who has an affair with Dan and then doesn’t accept that their relationship needs to end.
Alyssa Jirrels will play Dan and Beth’s daughter, Ellen. Toby Huss is on board to play Mike Gerard, “the DA’s chief of investigations, whose friendship and loyalty to deputy DA Dan Gallagher goes back many years.”
Reno Wilson is playing Detective Earl Booker, described as “a long-standing member of the Los Angeles Police Department with a large personality and an inability to self-edit.” Brian Goodman joins the cast as Arthur Tomlinson, a warm and kind man who’s Beth Gallagher’s best friend and business partner.
The upcoming series is a reimagining of the critically acclaimed 1987 thriller that starred Michael Douglas as Dan, Glenn Close as Alex, and Anne Archer as Beth. The R-rated drama directed by Adrian Lyne was nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actress (Close), and Best Supporting Actress (Archer).
Alexandra Cunningham (Dirty John) guides the series as showrunner and serves as writer and executive producer. Kevin J. Hynes (Perry Mason) has a co-story credit and also executive produces along with Amblin Television’s Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey. Silver Tree is involved as a director and executive producer.
Fatal Attraction is a Paramount Television Studios and Amblin Television production.
Paramount+ released the following synopsis:
“A deep-dive reimagining of the classic psychosexual thriller and ‘80s cultural touchstone, the new series will explore fatal attraction and the timeless themes of marriage and infidelity through the lens of modern attitudes toward strong women, personality disorders and coercive control.”
Apple TV+ just released the trailer for the upcoming third season of the popular relationship comedy series, Trying. The new season picks up with Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) attempting to get used to sharing their home with two children after spending years trying to start their family.
Joining Smith and Spall for season three are Eden Togwell as Princess, Mickey McAnulty as Tyler, Oliver Chris as Freddy, Sian Brooke as Karen, Darren Boyd as Scott, and Robyn Cara as Jen. The critically acclaimed comedy was created by writer and executive producer Andy Wolton. Jim O’Hanlon (Catastrophe) directs and also executive produces along with Josh Cole.
The eight-episode season three premieres on July 22, 2022 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes follow on subsequent Fridays leading up to the September 2nd season finale. All episodes of seasons one and two are available to stream on Apple TV+.
Apple TV+ released the following description of Trying season three:
“After a dramatic end to season two, the third season picks up with Nikki (BAFTA nominee Esther Smith) and Jason (SAG Award-nominee Rafe Spall) waking up as new parents to two children they are still getting to know. Now they just have to keep hold of them, which proves to be trickier than they initially thought. Thrown straight into the parental deep-end, Nikki and Jason’s relationships with each other and with their nearest and dearest are tested as they desperately try to navigate the ups and downs of parenting — while hanging onto their kids, and their sanity.”
Disney+’s third entry in the Zombies film franchise, Zombies 3, tosses aliens into the creature mix alongside returning zombies and werewolves. The new trailer shows the Seabrook High monsters trying to figure out what these new invaders are doing on their turf.
The official trailer arrived along with a poster for the upcoming new addition to the music-driven franchise. Zombies 3 is set to debut on July 15, 2022 only on Disney+ followed by an August 12th release on Disney Channel.
Paul Hoen directs from a screenplay by David Light and Joseph Raso, with Light, Hoen, Raso, and Suzanne Farwell executive producing.
Zombies 3 Plot and Character Descriptions:
It’s Zed and Addison’s final year at Seabrook and things are better than ever. The town has finally accepted monsters as a part of Seabrook and has become a safe haven for monsters and humans alike. Zed is on the cusp of receiving a football scholarship and becoming the first Zombie to ever attend college (and he’s excited to join Addison who has already been admitted). Addison is excited to mark the opening of the town’s brand new “cheer pavilion” by inviting cheer teams from all over the world to compete in an “international cheer-off.”
However, the town is shocked by the arrival of a new group of intergalactic outsiders – Aliens, who show up to compete in the cheer-off. Though they begrudgingly allow the Aliens to stay for the competition – the monsters and humans of Seabrook grow suspicious when they discover that the Aliens may be looking for more than a friendly competition.
ZED (Milo Manheim) – A charismatic zombie and Addison’s boyfriend. He is embracing that things have changed for the better at Seabrook High and is hoping to earn a football scholarship as the first zombie to attend Mountain College.
ADDISON (Meg Donnelly) – A determined cheerleader and Zed’s girlfriend who believes everyone should be treated equally and with kindness. She has an inner struggle with wanting to find out who she really is and where she comes from.
BUCKY (Trevor Tordjman) – Seabrook High’s always over-confident student body president, who thrives on thwarting anyone who might steal his glory. He is Addison’s cousin and suspicious of those who are different.
ELIZA (Kylee Russell) – Zed’s tech-savvy best friend and voice of reason. She’s an activist and a rebel at heart.
BREE (Carla Jeffery) – A bubbly cheerleader at Seabrook High and Addison’s best friend.
BONZO (James Godfrey) – Zed and Eliza’s best friend and Bree’s boyfriend, he’s a renaissance zombie who loves music and art and has a heart of gold.
WILLA (Chandler Kinney) – Leader of the werewolves and Wyatt’s sister. She is strong, fierce and protective of her pack.
WYATT (Pearce Joza) – A kind-hearted werewolf who is nursing a crush on Eliza despite their physical distance.
WYNTER (Ariel Martin) – Wynter rounds out the werewolf pack and serves as Willa’s best friend. She’s also a powerful member of the Seabrook High football team.
A-SPEN (Terry Hu) – A super-intelligent, telepathic Alien who, after arriving on Earth, finds an uncommon emotion entering their bloodstream: Love.
A-LI (Kyra Tantao) – Also super-intelligent and telepathic, opinionated A-li has a more intense outlook on life that her fellow extraterrestrials.
CBS has set its fall 2022-2023 primetime premiere dates, with the new season kicking off on September 17th with the premiere of 48 Hours‘ 35th season. Newcomers joining the network’s schedule for the upcoming broadcast season include So Help Me Todd, Fire Country, and East New York. A new reality competition version of The Love Boat will also make its debut this fall.
The network’s three FBI shows – FBI, FBI: Most Wanted, and FBI: International – will air back-to-back on Tuesdays beginning September 20th. NCIS and NCIS: Hawaii kick off new seasons on Monday, September 19th, with NCIS: Los Angeles debuting its 14th season on October 9th.
CBS’s 2022 fall schedule includes all-reality Wednesdays made up of Survivor season 43, the first season of The Real Love Boat, and season 34 of The Amazing Race (in a new 10pm timeslot).
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS (35th season premiere)
MONDAY, SEPT. 19
8:00-8:30 PM THE NEIGHBORHOOD (fifth season premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM BOB ♥ ABISHOLA (fourth season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS (20th season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM NCIS: HAWAI’I (second season premiere)
TUESDAY, SEPT. 20
8:00-9:00 PM FBI (fifth season premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM FBI: INTERNATIONAL (second season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM FBI: MOST WANTED (fourth season premiere)
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 21
8:00-10:00 PM SURVIVOR (two-hour 43rd season premiere)
10:00-11:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE (34th season premiere, NTP)
SUNDAY, SEPT. 25
8:00-10:00 PM BIG BROTHER (24th season finale)
THURSDAY, SEPT. 29
8:00-8:30 PM YOUNG SHELDON (sixth season premiere)
8:30-9:00 PM GHOSTS (second season premiere, NTP)
9:00-10:00 PM SO HELP ME TODD (SERIES DEBUT)
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: VEGAS (second season premiere, NTP)
SUNDAY, OCT. 2
(Football Doubleheader)
7:30-8:30 PM 60 MINUTES
8:30-9:30 PM THE EQUALIZER (third season premiere)
9:30-10:30 PM EAST NEW YORK (SERIES DEBUT)
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR (RTP)
9:00-10:00 PM THE REAL LOVE BOAT (SERIES DEBUT, NTP)
10:00-11:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
FRIDAY, OCT. 7
8:00-9:00 PM S.W.A.T. (sixth season premiere, NTP)
9:00-10:00 PM FIRE COUNTRY (SERIES DEBUT)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS (13th season premiere)
SUNDAY, OCT. 9
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE EQUALIZER (RTP)
9:00-10:00 PM EAST NEW YORK (RTP)
10:00-11:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES (14th season premiere, NTP)
NTP – New Time Period; RTP – Regular Time Period
EAST NEW YORK East New York stars Amanda Warren as Deputy Inspector Regina Haywood, the newly promoted boss of the 74th Precinct in East New York – a working-class neighborhood on the edge of Brooklyn in the midst of social upheaval and the early seeds of gentrification. With family ties to the area, Haywood is determined to deploy creative methods to protect her beloved community with the help of her officers and detectives. But first, she has the daunting task of getting them on board, as some are skeptical of her promotion, and others resist the changes she is desperate to make.
Her team includes her mentor, shrewd veteran two-star Chief John Suarez (Jimmy Smits); Marvin Sandeford (Ruben Santiago-Hudson), a highly respected training officer and expert on the neighborhood; Tommy Killian (Kevin Rankin), a detective with some old-school approaches to policing; Capt. Stan Yenko (Richard Kind), Haywood’s gregarious and efficient right hand; Crystal Morales (Elizabeth Rodriguez), an intuitive detective who can’t be intimidated; Andre Bentley (Lavel Schley), a trainee from an upper-middle-class background; and ambitious patrol officer Brandy Quinlan (Olivia Luccardi), the sole volunteer to live in a local housing project as part of Haywood’s plan to bridge the gap between police and community.
Regina Haywood has a vision: She and the squad of the 74th Precinct will not only serve their community – they’ll also become part of it.
FIRE COUNTRY Fire Country stars Max Thieriot (SEAL TEAM) as Bode Donovan, a young convict seeking redemption and a shortened prison sentence by joining an unconventional prison release firefighting program in Northern California, where he and other inmates are partnered with elite firefighters to extinguish massive, unpredictable wildfires across the region. It’s a high-risk, high-reward assignment, and the heat is turned up when Bode is assigned to the program in his rural hometown, where he was once a golden all-American son until his troubles began.
Five years ago, Bode burned down everything in his life, leaving town with a big secret. Now he’s back, with the rap sheet of a criminal and the audacity to believe in a chance for redemption with Cal Fire.
Inspired by series star Max Thieriot’s experiences growing up in Northern California fire country.
THE REAL LOVE BOAT
The new reality romance series The Real Love Boat, inspired by the classic hit scripted series The Love Boat, sets sail on Princess Cruises in 2022. The Real Love Boat brings singles together to cruise the Mediterranean on a luxury cruise ship while looking for love. Destination dates, challenges and surprise singles will test the couples’ compatibility and chemistry.
Like the beloved original scripted series, the indispensable crew members including “captain” and “cruise director” will play pivotal roles in the matchmaking and navigation of the romantic (and sometimes turbulent) waters ahead. After almost a month at sea, only one winning couple will make it to the final port and take home a cash prize plus a once-in-a-lifetime trip courtesy of Princess Cruises, the series’ exclusive cruise line partner.
SO HELP ME TODD So Help Me Todd stars Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden and Skylar Astin 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 laid-back, 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.
The first trailer for 20th Century Studios’ Barbarian finds a young woman shocked to discover the house she rented is already occupied. Bill Skarsgård invites her in and it’s quickly apparent stepping through the door is a decision she might not live to regret.
Joining Bill Skarsgard for the 2022 horror thriller are Georgina Campbell, Justin Long, Matthew Patrick Davis, Richard Brake, Kurt Braunohler, and Jaymes Butler. Actor Zach Cregger writes and directs, with Arnon Milchan, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules, and J.D. Lifshitz producing. Michael Schaefer, Natalie Lehmann, Danny Chan, Alex Lebovici, and Bill Skarsgård executive produce.
20th Century Studios and New Regency are launching Barbarian in theaters on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.
The Plot: “In Barbarian, a young woman traveling to Detroit for a job interview books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double-booked, and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgment, she decides to spend the evening but soon discovers that there’s a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest.”
Bear Grylls and Natalie Portman in a slot canyon in ‘RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS: THE CHALLENGE’ (Credit: National Geographic / Ben Simms)
Natalie Portman (Thor: Love and Thunder) will be Bear Grylls’ first guest on Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge (like Running Wild but on steroids), premiering on July 25, 2022 on National Geographic. Grylls will also be attempting to teach survival skills to Florence Pugh (Black Widow), Anthony Anderson (black-ish), and Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings).
Plus, Ashton Kutcher (The Ranch) will attempt to survive in the jungles of Costa Rica while Rob Riggle (Holey Moley) visits the Great Basin.
Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge will push the celebrities to their absolute limits, with Bear challenging each of his guests to earn their way out of the wilderness.
Per National Geographic: “This season, guests will not only be pushed physically and mentally — like plunging into a frozen lake in the Canadian Rockies or foraging for food in the deserts of the Great Basin — but Bear will be testing each on their survival skills. This time, they will be tested beyond other guests: after Bear teaches each of them a key set of skills, they will then have to master them on their own and deploy those skills at a high-intensity moment to earn their extraction from the wilderness.”
Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge Episode Details and Air Dates
NATALIE PORTMAN IN SOUTHERN UTAH
Premieres July 25 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear takes Academy Award® winner Natalie Portman into the slot canyons of Southern Utah. Their adventure begins when Bear leaps from his helicopter onto Natalie’s 4×4. They trek into the Escalante desert, where Bear teaches Natalie piton placements, rope system transfers and fire-starting while descending various canyons. Natalie uses her new skills as they ascend a mountain and attempt to light a signal fire for extraction.
SIMU LIU IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES
Premieres Aug. 1 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear takes Marvel superhero Simu Liu to the Canadian Rockies. As the adventure begins, they must trigger an avalanche to clear a path to a ravine and find an old cabin or risk hypothermia as temperatures drop below -20. The next day, Bear sets the ultimate arctic challenge: Simu must strip down to plunge into a frozen lake and then navigate to a dogsled team to whisk them back to civilization.
ASHTON KUTCHER IN THE COASTAL JUNGLES OF COSTA RICA
Premieres Aug. 8 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Ashton Kutcher joins Bear to challenge the coastal jungles of Costa Rica. Their adventure begins with a helicopter jump into the Pacific Ocean. Once they swim ashore, they must canoe up a river to fish for their dinner, then descend a 300-foot cliff into the jungle. The next day, Bear sets up a commando crawl rope challenge. Ashton must use all the strength he can muster to cross a massive ravine.
FLORENCE PUGH IN THE VOLCANIC RAINFORESTS OF COSTA RICA
Premieres Aug. 15 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Rappelling from a helicopter, Bear takes Florence Pugh to the volcanic rainforests of Costa Rica. Bear shows Florence how to traverse rapids, test river depth with a rope and rock, and avoid poisonous snakes and deep cliff edges. Crossing an alligator-infested swamp, they catch eel for dinner. On day two, Florence must test the depth of a waterfall pool before choosing to leap from a high cliff into a set of rapids below. Finally, they jump out of an airplane at 10,000 feet to their extraction.
ANTHONY ANDERSON IN THE SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAINS
Premieres Aug. 22 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Anthony Anderson joins Bear in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Tossing their backpacks from the helicopter, Bear challenges Anthony to survive with just a rope and compass. On the ground, Bear teaches Anthony navigation and knot-tying skills. On day two, Bear leaves Anthony to use his new skills to secure his climb up a sheer rock face. Anthony will dig deep to make it to their extraction point.
ROB RIGGLE IN THE GREAT BASIN DESERT
Premieres Aug. 22 at 10/9c on National Geographic
Bear puts Rob Riggle through survival tests in the Great Basin to prepare for Rob’s latest movie role. They begin by rappelling from a helicopter to travel west, where Riggle learns the ropes and then faces an even bigger ropes challenge. Once on the canyon floor, Bear teaches Rob river crossing skills, foraging for food and building a rudimentary shelter. The next day, Rob must evade being spotted by Bear or face his fear of skydiving.
All episodes will stream on Disney+ beginning August 10, 2022.
Oscar-winning screenwriter John Logan makes his feature film directorial debut with They/Them, a title that works in multiple ways given that it’s a slasher film set at an LGBTQIA+ conversion camp. (Get it? They-slash-them.) The teaser trailer stars Kevin Bacon as the conversion camp director, a bigot whose idea of a good time is psychologically damaging his campers.
The cast also includes Anna Chlumsky (Inventing Anna), Theo Germaine (The Politician, Work In Progress), Carrie Preston (Claws), Quei Tann (How to Get Away with Murder, Dear White People), and Austin Crute (Booksmart). Monique Kim (Looks That Kill), Anna Lore (Doom Patrol), Cooper Koch (Less Than Zero), and Darwin del Fabro (Dangerous Liaisons) also star.
“They/Them has been germinating within me my whole life. I’ve loved horror movies as long as I can remember, I think because monsters represent ‘the other’ and as gay kid I felt a powerful sense of kinship with those characters who were different, outlawed, or forbidden,” stated writer, director, and executive producer John Logan. “I wanted to make a movie that celebrates queerness, with characters that I never saw when I was growing up. When people walk away from the movie, I hope they’re going to remember the incredible love that these kids have for each other and how that love needs to be protected and celebrated.”
Jason Blum and Michael Aguilar produced, with Kevin Bacon, Scott Turner Schofield, Howie Young, and Jon Romano executive producing.
The Blumhouse production will premiere exclusively on Peacock on Friday, August 5, 2022.
Kevin Bacon stars in ‘They/Them’ (Photo by: Josh Stringer / Blumhouse)
Peacock released the following synopsis and character descriptions:
Kevin Bacon plays Owen Whistler in this slasher horror film set at an LGBTQIA+ conversion camp. Several queer and trans campers join Whistler for a week of programming intended to “help them find a new sense of freedom”. As the camp’s methods become increasingly more psychologically unsettling, the campers must work together to protect themselves. When a mysterious killer starts claiming victims, things get even more dangerous.
Kevin Bacon (he/him) plays Owen Whistler, the conversion camp director who runs Whistler Camp alongside several counselors including his wife, Cora.
Anna Chlumsky (she/her) plays Molly, the camp’s medic and newest employee.
Carrie Preston (she/her) plays Cora Whistler, a licensed therapist in charge of the campers’ therapy sessions, and the wife of camp director Owen Whistler.
Theo Germaine (they/them) plays Jordan, a transgender and non-binary camper from a religious background who has made a deal with their parents to legally emancipate if attending Whistler doesn’t “work.” Quei Tann (she/her) plays Alexandra, a transgender woman whose parents have threatened to kick her out of the house if she didn’t attend the camp.
Quei Tann (she/her) plays Alexandra, a transgender woman whose parents have threatened to kick her out of the house if she didn’t attend the camp.
Austin Crute (he/him) plays Toby, a gay camper who negotiated with his parents for a trip to New York in exchange for a week at Whistler Camp.
Monique Kim (she/her) plays Veronica, a bisexual camper who wants to stop fighting who she really is.
Anna Lore (she/her) plays Kim, a closeted lesbian camper who puts on a perfectly crafted front for her family and friends, assuming that when she fits in, she’ll finally be loved.
Cooper Koch (he/him) plays Stu, a jock with aspirations of a swim scholarship and joining his father’s fraternity – things he doesn’t feel he can achieve if he’s open about being gay.
Darwin Del Fabro (he/him) plays Gabriel, a sensitive gay camper tired of the persistent name-calling and bullying he’s endured his entire life.
