Judging solely by the YouTube comments, the trailer for Marvel Studios’ Moon Knight has fans convinced Marvel and Disney+ have another hit on their hands. Fans seem to approve of everything from the costume to the vibe to Oscar Isaac in the lead role.
The nearly two-minute trailer premiered during halftime of the Los Angeles Rams vs Arizona Cardinals Super Wild Card game. The Rams were trouncing the Cardinals at that point, and the debut of Moon Knight‘s trailer was just icing on the cake for comic book-loving Rams fans.
In addition to Oscar Isaac, the cast of the live-action series includes Ethan Hawke and May Calamawy. Jeremy Slater (The Umbrella Academy, The Exorcist series) is Moon Knight‘s head writer and serves as an executive producer along with Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Brad Winderbaum, Mohamed Diab, and Oscar Isaac. Diab and the team of Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead directed, with Grant Curtis, Trevor Waterson and Rebecca Kirsch co-executive producing.
Disney+ has set a March 30, 2022 premiere date.
Marvel Studios released the following description of Moon Knight:
“The series follows Steven Grant, a mild-mannered gift-shop employee, who becomes plagued with blackouts and memories of another life. Steven discovers he has dissociative identity disorder and shares a body with mercenary Marc Spector. As Steven/Marc’s enemies converge upon them, they must navigate their complex identities while thrust into a deadly mystery among the powerful gods of Egypt.”
Magnum and Higgins work a case involving the disappearance of Shammy’s friend on CBS’s Magnum P.I. season four episode 12. Directed by Marcus Stokes from a script by Mike Diaz and Barbie Kligman, episode 12 – “Angels Sometimes Kill” – airs on Friday, January 21, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT.
Jay Hernandez returns to lead the cast as Thomas Magnum. Season four also stars Perdita Weeks as Juliet Higgins, Zachary Knighton as Orville “Rick” Wright, Stephen Hill as Theodore “TC” Calvin, Tim Kang as Det. Gordon Katsumoto, and Amy Hill as Kumu.
Episode 12 guest stars include Chantal Thuy, Christopher Thornton, Martin Martinez, Tara Buck, Zoe Sher, and Matthew Peschio.
“Angels Sometimes Kill” Plot: Shammy (Thornton) asks Magnum and Higgins to locate his missing friend, a homeless veteran. Also, T.C. tries to get Cade to return to school, but quickly learns it’s not that simple.
Magnum P.I. is a modern take on the classic series centering on Thomas Magnum, a decorated former Navy SEAL who, upon returning home from Afghanistan, repurposes his military skills to become a private investigator. A charming rogue, an American hero and a die-hard Detroit Tigers fan, Magnum lives in a guest cottage on Robin’s Nest, the luxurious estate where he works as a security consultant to supplement his P.I. business.
The “majordomo” of the property is Juliet Higgins, a beautiful and commanding disavowed MI:6 agent whose second job is to keep Magnum in line, with the help of her two Dobermans. When Magnum needs back-up on a job, he turns to his trusted buddies and fellow POW survivors, Theodore “TC” Calvin, a former Marine chopper pilot who runs Island Hoppers, a helicopter tour business, and Orville “Rick” Wright, a former Marine door-gunner-turned-impresario of Oahu’s coolest nightclub and the most connected man on the island.
Suspicious of Magnum’s casual attitude and presence at his crime scenes, Detective Gordon Katsumoto finds that he and Magnum are more alike than either of them care to admit. One of Magnum’s biggest supporters is Teuila “Kumu” Tuileta, the unofficial “House Mom” and cultural curator of Robin’s Nest. With keys to a vintage Ferrari in one hand, aviator sunglasses in the other, and an Old Düsseldorf longneck chilling in the fridge, Thomas Magnum is back on the case!
Stacy Keach returns as Archbishop Kevin Kearns and Will Hochman’s back as Joe Hill on CBS’s Blue Bloods season 12 episode 12. Directed by Jackeline Tejada from a script by Siobhan Byrne O’Connor, episode 12 – “The Reagan Way” – will air on Friday, January 21, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.
Tom Selleck leads the cast as Frank Reagan, with Donnie Wahlberg back as Danny Reagan and Bridget Moynahan returning as Erin Reagan. Will Estes plays Jamie Reagan, Len Cariou is Henry Reagan, Sami Gayle is Nicky Reagan-Boyle, Marisa Ramirez is Det. Maria Baez, and Vanessa Ray plays Officer Eddie Janko.
Recurring season 12 cast members include Abigail Hawk, Gregory Jbara, Robert Clohessy, Steven Schirripa, Andrew Terraciano, Eric B., and Ian Quinlan.
“The Reagan Way” Plot: Frank is at odds with his friend Archbishop Kearns (Keach) when he says the NYPD arrested the wrong man for a murder, but he can’t break the confessional seal to reveal the true killer’s identity. Also, Danny and Baez use unorthodox methods to work around the Church’s confidentiality constraints to find the real killer; Eddie defies Erin and the D.A.’s office to get justice for a sexual assault survivor; and Reagan family ties are put to the test when Jamie and his nephew, Joe Hill (Hochman), butt heads over fair police practices.
Blue Bloods is a drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement. Frank Reagan is the New York Police Commissioner, and heads both the police force and the Reagan brood. He runs his department as diplomatically as he runs his family, even when dealing with the politics that plagued his unapologetically bold father, Henry, during his stint as Chief. A source of pride and concern for Frank is his eldest son, Danny, a seasoned detective, family man and Iraq War vet who on occasion uses dubious tactics to solve cases with his partner, Detective Maria Baez. Erin, the middle daughter, is a New York Assistant D.A. who serves as the legal compass for her siblings and father.
Jamie is the youngest Reagan, a Harvard Law graduate and the family’s “golden boy.” Unable to deny the family tradition, Jamie decided to give up a lucrative future in law and follow in the family footsteps as a cop. He’s found a friend and ally in his wife, Eddie, who keeps him on his toes, and has very different reasons than the Reagans for joining the police force.
NBC’s just released the first group of photos from season nine episode nine of The Blacklist. Episode nine – “Boukman Baptiste” – will air on January 20, 2022.
Season nine will be moving to Fridays at 8pm beginning February 25th.
In addition to James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington, the season nine cast includes Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler, Amir Arison as Aram Mojtabai, Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuma, Laura Sohn as Alina Park, and Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper.
“Boukman Baptiste” Plot: A spate of coordinated attacks on Red’s lieutenants puts Dembe in imminent danger, prompting him to relive the events that led him to join the FBI two years earlier.
Season 9 Description, Courtesy of NBC:
“In the two years following the death of Elizabeth Keen, Raymond Reddington (Spader) and the members of the FBI Task Force have disbanded – their lives now changed in unexpected ways and with Reddington’s whereabouts unknown. Finding themselves each at a crossroads, a common purpose compels them to renew their original mission: to take down dangerous, vicious and eccentric Blacklisters. In the process, they begin to uncover lethal adversaries, unimaginable conspiracies and surprising betrayals that will threaten alliances and spur vengeance for the past, led by the most devious criminal of them all – Raymond Reddington.”
Sami Bray as Agnes and James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in ‘The Blacklist’ season 9 episode 9 (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper and Sami Bray as Agnes in ‘The Blacklist’ (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in season 9 episode 9 (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in season 9 episode 9 (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuma and Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper in season 9 episode 9 (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper in season 9 episode 9 (Photo by: Will Hart/NBC)
Augusto Aguilera, Miguel Angel Garcia, Mariel Molino, Tonatiuh, Cecilia Suarez, John Ortiz, Christina Ochoa, and Andrew J West star in ‘Promised Land’ (ABC/Daniel Delgado)
When you think of California’s wine country, Napa’s usually the first city that comes to mind. However, ABC’s new primetime series Promised Land chose Sonoma as the base of operations for the wine-making families at the heart of the drama.
The first season of what ABC describes as an “epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power” debuts on Monday, January 24, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT. In support of its upcoming premiere, ABC hosted a virtual Television Critics Association panel featuring Promised Land cast members John Ortiz, Cecilia Suárez, Bellamy Young, Christina Ochoa, Andres Velez, and Katya Martín, as well as showrunner/executive producer Matt Lopez and executive producer Maggie Malina.
Discussing the inspiration for Promised Land, Matt Lopez confessed he grew up a huge fan of Dallas. Lopez even joked that J.R. Ewing was his spirit animal, and it’s obvious that nighttime soap was one of the inspirations for Promised Land. However, it wasn’t the only inspiration for this 2022 primetime drama.
“Somehow in my travels I missed East of Eden. I read it with my daughter, I guess, a year and a half ago now. If East of Eden was just a logline, you would think it’s like a primetime, 10 o’clock soap. And yet, in terms of what it’s going for in terms of the complexity of the characters, the richness of the themes, and so on, it’s striving for so much more. And that’s, I think, what Promised Land really tries to do,” explained Lopez.
It wasn’t until Lopez had created the fictional world of Promised Land that he realized just how competitive the real world of winemaking actually is. “I’ll say one interesting thing that I’ve learned is as I first had the first inspiration and inkling for this, you know, you’re creating this hypercompetitive world and I guess I sort of assumed I was making it up. And then you start to research and do the due diligence on the wine world and you quickly discover it’s as competitive as you see on TV. It’s very, very cutthroat. And it’s just a cool world that I don’t think we’ve seen on television before,” said Lopez.
Christina Ochoa loves the fact that with “Veronica Sandoval,” the writers have given her a multi-layered character who’s relatable and feels authentic to bring to life.
“I really do believe that most of the very complex, nuanced, and characters that are full of subtleties the way that Matt and his writers have crafted into the show taps into something that is very human for all of us. I know that looking just at the members of the cast in this little panel, I can tell you every single one of them has that. They have very rich lives. And the idea of portraying that has been the thing that I’ve gravitated towards the most,” explained Ochoa. “Veronica, in particular, for me was someone who we hadn’t seen, especially on primetime television. So, I think that seeing a Latin woman, Stanford, MBA educated, with complexities and a family life and all of that together was something that I had to do, and I would fight tooth and nail for.”
Bellamy Young recently finished up a two-season run on Prodigal Son and was actually a late addition to the Promised Land cast in the role of “Margaret Honeycroft.” The pilot had already been shot by the time Young got involved with the series, and she was able to watch it before filming her first scene.
“You’re usually banded together, kind of fumbling in the dark, trying to tell the same story and find it together. I, sadly, got to miss that bonding experience, but I got the pleasure of watching this pilot and seeing this story and seeing these performances. And also, as an actor, watching it like a symphony and feeling like the bassoon, right? And just, like, hearing my line in the symphony and exactly where I wanted to land that. And it’s been an experience that has been absolutely unprecedented in my life,” said Young.
Cecilia Suárez stars as “Lettie Sandoval,” matriarch of the wealthy vineyard-owning Sandoval family. Matt Lopez says the series is Lettie’s journey, and Lettie is the heart and soul of the family.
“I think the thing I appreciate the most about the way Matt has created this character is the fact that this is a woman that is not only a mother or a partner, a wife, she’s also a full woman with desires, with doubts, with complexities, with contradictions, and that is hard to find,” said Suarez.
‘Promised Land’ Winter TCA panel. (ABC)
ABC’s Promised Land is a fresh take on the “pursuit of the American dream” story told via characters who’ve been underrepresented on television. Lopez spoke about what that means and why that’s important in 2022.
”In terms of what I think makes Promised Land maybe a little different or why the time is right for Promised Land, I think it’s a blend of, on the one hand, timeless themes of ambition and power that are almost Shakespearean and, at the same time, a very current timeliness,” said Lopez. “Obviously, the immigration issue is at the forefront of people’s minds. And I think shining a light on that not to sort of take a side in anything that passes for an immigration debate in this country but to just depict the pursuit of the American dream in all its beauty but, at the same time, all its costs, I think, speaks to the now.
I think audiences will respond to it. It’s a show that plays and delivers the goods on the soap in all those sorts of juicy, twisty elements, but I think also it’s our ambition to say something about the times in which we’re living and, on the most basic level, about the lives of these rich and complex characters.”
Lopez believes it’s important to have not just a majority Latinx cast but also a predominately Latinx crew coming together to create Promised Land. “What I found is separate and apart from a matter of very well-intended desires to be inclusive and to have a big tent, what I have found is it’s just made the material better,” said Lopez. “What I found is that by having a lot of Latino and Latina members behind the camera, on the writing staff, there’s a level of personal investment and that filters through in the material. There’s a passion for telling these stories.”
Lopez continued: “The first time I saw it was when we were casting, where we had actors who would come in and say, ‘My parents were fruit pickers in Santa Paula. I’ve never seen their story on screen before. Thank you.’ Or the other extreme where we would have actors that would say, ‘Thank you for showing this extremely successful, unapologetically wealthy Latino family that’s not in the cartel.’ And we would see these actors and you look at their IMDB page and it’s cartel, cartel, cartel. So, it’s really great to be able to tell a story that doesn’t fall into those tropes.
But I’ll say also this too…the immigrant experience is broader than just the Latino experience. I’ve seen time and again how this has resonated. One day on set, our stunt coordinator on the pilot, this lovely guy, Danny – first-generation Vietnamese American – came up to me and he was emotional. He was like, ‘This is my parents’ story. They didn’t come over the wall. They came in a boat.’ But it is such a fundamentally American story.
I like to say that Promised Land is a Latino story, but it’s an American journey. And that’s very much the story we want to tell.”
“I think what Matt said resonates with everyone,” said Ochoa. “The beauty of what Matt and Maggie have done, and the writers, is every single story in Promised Land is both universal and highly, highly personal. I don’t know how they do that. I don’t know how they’ve managed to do that.
But for me, the thing that I notice the least normally on camera and on TV, especially primetime – so kudos to ABC for breaking that – is heterodox thinking. Every immigrant is different. Every story is different. Everyone has a personal connection to these characters, but the diversity of thought, the diversity of perspective within an entirely Latin cast or an entirely Latin family and between these little groups, there is such a difference between Lettie’s perspective or Joe’s perspective or Antonio and Veronica. Everyone has such a different point of view and seeing that represented, where there’s no common denominator, that to me is real diversity. Diversity within a group, diversity within an ensemble, and diversity within a cast.”
John Ortiz (“Joe Sandoval” ) has worked as an actor for more than three decades yet despite his impressive filmography, Promised Land is the first production in which he was offered a lead role. He’s proud of the series and of the story it tells.
“The human component is something that speaks to me, given the structure and the extremes and the stakes of where we’re at but also some of the issues that we hear over and over again. Sometimes when they’re depicted or they try to be explored, they just kind of become about the issues, you know, and you forget about the people. You forget about the things that move us, the things that we want to see when we see anything on a screen or in life – and that’s to connect. That’s to relate to each other, for each other, and not just to hear yourself speak,” said Ortiz. “That’s what moves me. That’s what I want to see when I see something.”
Executive producer Maggie Malina finished up the TCA panel with high praise for the cast and the cohesive group that’s formed working on Promised Land. “This cast, watching them come together whether they were the first people cast or is recently joining as Bellamy, they are a familia. It is our shorthand on the set. It is the word on our location signs. It is what we refer to one another onset, offset, on our text chains, and it’s an honor to be a part of this familia.”
Paramount+’s 1883 season one hits its stride with episode five, “The Fangs of Freedom.” Premiering January 16, 2022, episode five begins with Elsa (Isabel May) coming to terms with the dire circumstances the group finds itself in as they continue on this increasingly treacherous journey. They’ve lost men, women, and children, and the caravan’s only now leaving Texas behind and heading out into the true wilderness.
“The land of no consequence is behind us. We are in the land of no mercy now,” says Elsa in a voice-over.
Ennis (Eric Nelsen) and Wade (James Landry Hébert) warn Elsa to be extra vigilant and not stray from the group. Bandits are following not far behind, and Ennis wants Elsa to make sure she’s never alone.
As Wade looks for high ground to check out the territory, Shea (Sam Elliott) and Thomas (LaMonica Garrett) engage in a quiet discussion about the state of things. Shea’s emotional and wipes away tears, upset he’s made more women widows. He blames himself because these people are his responsibility and he’s failed them. Thomas wonders why he never cried for the men he lost in battle, and Shea confesses he did.
Thomas believes they need more food now, but Shea doesn’t want to make any unnecessary stops (in the wrong direction) to stock up.
Things are fairly peaceful over in the Dutton camp until James (Tim McGraw) explains Elsa’s been gone from their camp for a week because she’s working the herd. Margaret (Faith Hill) becomes upset when James claims he’s making a good cowboy out of their daughter. “I didn’t know that was the goal,” says Margaret.
Josef (Marc Rissmann) confronts Shea, upset his people are dying and there’s little left in the way of supplies. Thomas and Shea take offense, reminding him he chose to place all of the group’s food in the one wagon that didn’t make it across the river.
Josef confesses there are people within his group who are stealing their supplies. The food was placed in one wagon to keep it safe from the thieves among them. Shea demands Josef point out who’s stealing supplies and then asks James to accompany them as they take care of this issue.
Josef leads the group to one of the thieves and asks for the food to be returned. The man’s obviously a bully who’s never been confronted for his actions before, and he attempts to claim he traded for the food. That argument doesn’t go over well, and Josef begins to take supplies from the man’s wagon. Josef earns a beating for touching the wagon, but it’s not until Josef’s wife, Risa (Anna Fiamora), becomes involved in the struggle that James steps in and puts a halt to it.
James grabs supplies from the wagon while Thomas takes supplies from another thief’s wagon. Shea gives the two men refunds and warns he’ll kill them if he ever sees them again. Shea also issues a warning to the remaining immigrants, informing them they need to follow their chosen leader. He informs the group the most difficult part of the trip hasn’t even happened yet. (Apparently, more of the immigrants have somehow learned to speak English during the journey as Josef no longer translates instructions.)
While Wade’s out looking for info on the bandits, Margaret joins Elsa with the herd. Elsa confesses she kissed Ennis and Margaret admits she kissed a few boys at Elsa’s age. However, she tells her daughter not to let it get beyond the kissing stage. Elsa reveals she’s seen animals mate but doesn’t quite understand how it works for humans.
Margaret tells her to save herself for someone she loves, and Elsa thinks she might be in love with Ennis. Margaret decides it’s time for the birds and the bees conversation and accompanies Elsa into the river for a bath.
One of the season’s few light-hearted scenes featuring the mother and daughter plays out as Margaret admits she’s envious of the freedom her daughter has on this journey. There aren’t people around to pass judgment, but there will be once they make it to Oregon. “This trail is as free as you’ll ever be. The only rules you need to follow are the ones in your heart,” says Margaret.
Their conversation’s interrupted when Ennis rides up. He apologizes and explains they need to head back because the wagons are hitting the road.
Shea issues one final threat to those he’s left behind, reminding them they’re dead if they follow the group.
Elsa’s narration reveals they’ve lost eight men, six women, and four children to accidents. That many are being left behind as they head out, which means they’ve cut the group’s numbers in half.
Wade takes Thomas and James out to where he spotted the bandits’ trail. Thomas figures out there are six bandits on their tail and suggests everyone stay close together tonight.
Before heading out, Shea, Thomas, and James watch the group load up, noting they’re on the verge of starvation already. Thomas confirms he’s already chipped in his rations but James refuses to contribute to the group, despite Shea’s request he do so. James points to the 50 cattle ready for slaughter, but Thomas reminds him there’s rougher road ahead without any chance of replenishing the herd.
James is adamant he won’t turn over the Duttons’ supplies, and Shea’s done taking it easy on him. He demands James contribute rations or leave the group. James makes a deal – he’ll turn over rations if Shea commits to hiring a cook at their next stop. Shea gives James his word he’ll hire the first cook he comes across.
James joins Elsa with the herd and tells her to sleep in the family’s wagon. “Cattle and horses ain’t the only things they steal out here,” says James. For once Elsa doesn’t argue.
Night falls and everyone’s tucked in when Elsa decides to join Ennis at his campsite. The attraction’s too strong and she can’t deny how she feels about this handsome cowboy. Elsa’s a virgin and Ennis confesses he’s actually one, too. He once paid a prostitute but could never complete the act because his body didn’t like her.
Ennis tells Elsa he knows what to do – if she wants him to do it. Elsa doesn’t hesitate and quickly confirms she wants him to be her first.
Unfortunately for Elsa, Margaret wakes in the middle of the night and discovers the young couple making love. They’re near the main camp and Elsa’s not exactly being quiet, but Margaret doesn’t do anything and instead returns to her tent.
The men, women, and children who remained behind with the thieves are slaughtered by the bandits in the dead of night.
Elsa wakes, satisfied and happy. Her good mood doesn’t last long as Margaret’s first words are a stern warning to be careful. If she gets pregnant, her life will change forever. “Every choice has fangs,” says Margaret, and Elsa acknowledges she understands what her mother’s talking about.
Margaret also tells her young daughter she won’t raise her child for her, if she’s pregnant. Elsa promises she’ll raise her own baby and will ask Ennis if he’s willing to raise it with her. She doesn’t regret losing her virginity and Margaret wishes she could see the world through her daughter’s eyes. She’s certain someday Elsa will see the world through hers.
Elsa catches up with Ennis herding the cattle, riding up with a huge smile on her face as her voiceover confirms she loves Ennis and will love their child, if she’s pregnant.
She doesn’t even bother saying hi as she rides up to Ennis and asks, “If I have a baby are you man enough to raise it?” Ennis stares into her eyes and replies, “You aren’t like anyone I’ve ever met. Hell yes, I’m man enough!”
They kiss and then Elsa finally says good morning. As she rides off, she reveals she’s off to tell her dad they’re getting married.
Wade warns Ennis that Elsa’s dad is going to kill him, and Ennis is shocked to learn the entire camp heard them making love last night.
Elsa doesn’t get the chance to talk to her dad about Ennis because he’s distracted by smoke on the horizon. Shea and Thomas join them, and James beckons Ennis and Wade over to discuss the bandits. Thomas confirms he believes there are six bandits and James thinks they need more guns. Shea disagrees. He thinks quality is more important than quantity when it comes to fighters. (Wade and Ennis have guns, but Ennis admits he’s never killed anyone.)
The group returns to camp to make a plan but James stops Ennis before he can join them. James knocks Ennis off his horse and Elsa quickly inserts herself between the men. She says she loves Ennis and she’s the one who went to him – not the other way around.
Ennis rises and stands his ground, declaring he’ll take whatever James dishes out. He’s not going to ask for permission to take Elsa and warns that if James doesn’t give him to her, he’ll steal her. (Tim McGraw’s never been better than in this scene.)
“You say you love her, but you won’t ever love her like I do. That’s my heart you’re running off with,” says James, choking up and straining to keep his emotions in control. “You better cradle it like an egg.”
Ennis promises to do just that.
A short while later the plan is put into action. Margaret will go with the group while James, Thomas, Wade, and Shea break off to hunt down the bandits. Josef and Risa will remain with their wagon at camp, making it appear as though they’ve been left behind.
Before riding off James warns Margaret to fight like hell if the bandits start attacking the main group.
The bandits watch from a nearby hill as the group heads out. The leader spots Josef’s lone wagon and comments on his wife’s worth on the market. He also spots Elsa and determines she’ll also be worth a pretty penny.
Since there’s only one wagon the bandits decide to attack now rather than wait until nightfall.
Josef sets himself up out of sight inside his wagon, cradling a shotgun and prepared to defend Risa.
The leader of the bandits walks up, claiming his horse bucked him off. Risa lies and says Josef is out fetching water. The stranger approaches and Risa reacts by whipping out her pistol and shooting him. He’s struck but still on his feet and on the verge of shooting Risa when Josef lets him have it with his shotgun.
The blast sends him flying backward but he’s still alive. Rita finishes him off with a bullet to the chest.
His buddies ride up, shooting as they gallop toward the wagon. Josef tells Rita to run as he returns fire.
The bandits stop their attack and turn their attention to the new threat that’s presented when James, Shea, Thomas, and Wade arrive to join the fight. The good guys chase the bandits away from Josef’s wagon and they race off toward the main group where they’re met by Margaret and others who are armed and ready to defend the group.
Margaret takes down one bandit and screams for her group to keep firing.
Ennis finds Elsa with her herd and instructs her to get her pistol out of her saddlebag. He then rides off to join Wade and the others.
Shea and his group have the bandits on the run and only a few of the thieves are left breathing. Ennis joins the shootout when there’s only one bandit left standing. Unfortunately, that one bandit is enough to take Ennis’ life and strip Elsa of her first love.
Ennis utters his final words as James bends down to check on his condition. “I loved her,” says Ennis.
“I don’t doubt it, son,” replies James.
Ennis has just taken his last breath as Elsa runs up. She watches absolutely devastated as her father shuts Ennis’ eyes.
Elsa screams as she holds Ennis’ dead body. She can barely catch her breath as she lays across his chest. Margaret joins her and draws her into a hug, attempting to comfort her grieving daughter.
A voice-over reveals this is the first time a death has touched her heart. “Today my eyes died. I see the world through my mother’s eyes now,” says Elsa. “Yes, freedom has fangs and it sunk them in me.”
Elsa spots the man who took her love away and marches toward him. She shoots him from close range and keeps shooting after he’s dead.
Elsa returns to Ennis’ side and lays beside him. She shuts her eyes and caresses his chest as the episode ends.
The freezing temperatures continue to put the team at risk on Fox’s 9-1-1: Lone Star season three episode three. “Shock and Thaw” will air on Monday, January 24, 2022 at 8pm ET/Pt.
Season three stars Rob Lowe as Owen Strand, Gina Torres as Tommy Vega, Ronen Rubinstein as T.K. Strand, Sierra McClain as Grace Ryder, and Jim Parrack as Judd Ryder. Natacha Karam plays Marjan Marwani, Brian Michael Smith is Paul Strickland, Rafael Silva is Carlos Reyes, Julian Works is Mateo Chavez, and Brianna Baker plays Nancy Gillian.
“Shock & Thaw” Plot: As the unexpected arctic cold front and ice storm continues to cause havoc in Austin, Owen works to rescue the lives of the stranded migrants; T.K.’s life hangs in the balance and Grace prepares for the birth of her baby.
The Season 3 Plot:
In the third season, a slight time-jump takes place after the events of the previous season finale found the 126 shut down and the crew dispersed across the city. In the multi-episode opening storyline, a massive and unexpected arctic front hits Austin. As the ice storm causes widespread chaos, Owen and Tommy must not only save the city but find a way to resurrect and reunite the former 126.
Jon Huertas as Miguel in ‘This Is Us’ season 6 (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)
Despite serving in the United States Air Force for nearly a decade, actor/director Jon Huertas initially couldn’t get military roles.
“Realistically, a lot of those roles didn’t happen for me until later in my career,” said Huertas, 52, a New York City native. “When I first got out of the military, I still looked pretty young, so I played a lot of teenagers and young college kids. I did get to do a couple of small roles on JAG earlier in my career, but – for the most part – I wasn’t even playing an adult until I was in my 30s. I think the first significant, largest military role was (2008’s) Generation Kill and I’d already been acting for more than 12 years. It might seem that it was an easy transition, but (it wasn’t). With (2005’s) Over There – which was about the military in Afghanistan – they wouldn’t even audition me; they thought I was a kid.”
The Right Job for Jon Huertas
These days, Huertas – after playing Det. Javier Esposito on ABC’s Castle for seven years – stars on NBC’s critically-acclaimed, award-winning drama This Is Us, which recently began its sixth and final season. Created by Dan Fogelman (Galavant), This Is Us is an ensemble that chronicles the lives and struggles of the Pearson family across the past, present, and future.
Jon Huertas portrays Miguel Rivas, the second husband of Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore, 47 Meters Down). Rebecca married Miguel after Jack (Milo Ventimiglia, Heroes), her first husband and father of their three children, died. Jack and Miguel were best friends.
“For a while, the audience has wondered how Miguel and Rebecca ended up together,” said Huertas. “We’re definitely gonna get into that and show everyone why and how they’re together, which is gonna be romantic at times, surprising at times. Part of the story is sad… We’ll learn a little bit more about his past and how it shaped him as a person.”
Huertas – who is directing the Jan. 18 episode “Four Fathers” – spoke about what attracted him to the role of Miguel.
“Castle just got canceled,” he recalled. “I was starting to go on auditions. This show came up when I was trying to get another job, actually… I was pinning my hopes on working on the show Mayans M.C., to be honest, but it hadn’t gone into production. I thought, ‘This will be a good, little recurring part until Mayans comes around.’”
At first, Huertas’ role was recurring during the first season of This Is Us, which debuted in 2016, before becoming a regular role in subsequent seasons. According to Huertas, everyone on Us – from the actors to the crew – was very warm and welcoming.
“I was like, ‘This is a special show. This is a special group. Wouldn’t it be nice to be a part of this?’” he said. “They locked me down and offered me a contract in Season 1 and I wholeheartedly accepted. Once it started airing and we saw how the audience was responding to this show, there was no doubt in my mind this was the right job for me in the moment. Ever since in the last six years, I have not regretted one bit becoming a part of this show. I’ve only grown from it, I’ve gotten so much out of it to include directing now, beginning last season. This show has been the gift that was unexpected.”
Mandy Moore as Rebecca and Jon Huertas as Miguel in season 6 episode 6 (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)
Directing is a Responsibility and a Calling
Huertas made his directorial debut on This Is Us with the 2021 episode, “The Ride.” He spoke about directing “Four Fathers.”
“It’s a really, really cool story about how four of the fathers on the show – Toby (Chris Sullivan, The Knick), Kevin (Justin Hartley, Smallville), Randall (Sterling K. Brown, Black Panther), and Jack (Ventimiglia) – are dealing with all of their kids in different ways and different age ranges… and how that shapes them as fathers and how they have different approaches when dealing with fatherhood. And, also, the relationships they’re in at the present moment, how that can really affect fatherhood and parenting your kids. It’s a really interesting episode in that way. It’s also fertilizing the seed that was planted about Toby and Kate’s eventual demise as a couple. We’re exploring that, which is amazing. Working with a cast like this that allows me to even step behind the camera – the fact that they trust me enough is really humbling and exciting,” said Huertas.
Directing is a natural progression of Huertas’ career. Not only does he want to get behind the camera, he feels a great responsibility to get behind the camera.
“I’ve only been directed by one adult male Latino (Félix Enríquez Alcalá) during my entire career in television,” he said. “He directed one episode of Castle, unfortunately; I wish he would’ve directed more. He’s someone I took a lot of inspiration from, but he’s also the one person who was on the other side of the camera that I thought might have had similar life experiences to me and understand why I might be making certain choices as an actor because of my ethnic background.”
Huertas continued: “I feel it’s a responsibility and a calling to step behind the camera with the 27 years of experience I have in television… We need a lot more of that kind of representation in the industry, so that other actors like me don’t say, ‘I’ve only been directed by one adult male Latino.’ I’m excited to do it.”
This season, Mandy Moore will direct an episode.
“Mandy always showed an interest in directing, especially after myself and Milo directed,” said Huertas. “She was inspired because she saw that we were really excited about directing. She’s really phenomenal at it. I’m excited to see her episode come to life.”
Mandy Moore as Rebecca, Faithe Herman as Annie, and Jon Huertas as Miguel in the ‘This Is Us’ season 5 finale (Photo by: Ron Batzdorff/NBC)
Great Chemistry with Co-Stars, Past and Present
Speaking of Mandy Moore…
“She’s a great TV wife, I can tell you that,” said Huertas. “She is so giving as a scene-partner, there’s a lot of chemistry between us. A lot of people think she’s a pop star who fell into acting… but when she was a kid, she was onstage performing as an actress, so the experience shows, the passion for the craft shows. She’s so dedicated to the character of Rebecca and Rebecca’s journey. Whenever I know that we’re working together, I’m just so excited every time.”
Huertas praised Milo Ventimiglia.
“Milo’s great; it’s like working with a brother,” he said. “We definitely have a brotherly type of relationship – he’s a great friend, he’s also a great scene-partner. He’s really concerned about how you feel about your performance; what he’s giving you while you’re doing your bit; and if you need something from him, he’s very adamant to let you know that he’s willing to give it to you, whatever you need.”
He also praised Dan Fogelman.
“He’s great. He’s smart as a whip. It’s undeniable. He’s very adamant about not giving out any secrets of the show; he loves to surprise the audience. Even more so, he loves to surprise the actors,” said Huertas. “You see the grin on his face like this kid who’s crafted something really cool; he not only wants to share it with us, the actors, but share it with the world. He gets a positive response – there’s immense gratification everywhere.”
After This Is Us ends later this year, Huertas isn’t sure about his next project, whether it’ll be in front of the camera or behind it. He addressed the oft-rumored Esposito/Ryan Castle spinoff starring him and Seamus Dever’s Det. Kevin Ryan.
“I’m not gonna say never, but I don’t know,” he said, laughing. “I would love that. I love Seamus. We loved working together. We had a great chemistry, so we’ll see. I’m not gonna say never, but it is, of course, a possibility. Anything is, right?”
While on the subject of Castle, Huertas did guest-star on ABC’s The Rookie, Nathan Fillion’s current series, in 2019, reuniting with his former co-star.
“Nathan’s a good guy to work with,” he said. “We both come from an improvisational background. He’ll look at a script, look at a scene and say, ‘Hey, how can we make it better?’ He comes up with really good ideas, so we complement each other and also share with each other – that’s one of the joys of working with Nathan.”
People See Themselves in This Is Us
For now, Huertas is focused on Us, which will wrap in April. Fogelman’s vision for the series was six seasons.
“We love the idea to end the show exactly the way we want to and we’re all really excited that this is the end of the show,” said Huertas. “Of course, what we’re not excited about is not being able to work with each other every day.”
He spoke about what makes Us stand out from other dramas airing today, whether it’s on the networks, cable, or streaming.
“People can relate to each and every character in some way. Not just every character – people can relate to every episode in some way,” explained Huertas. “They’re finding a piece of themselves in the story, they’re finding a piece of someone in their family in a story – their extended family, their group of friends. In some way, they can find something in the episodes to attach themselves to. That’s why people love it and want to tune in – ‘What can I relate to this week?’”
Netflix just released the official trailer for Inventing Anna, a limited series based on the bizarre true story of a woman who wormed her way into New York society by masquerading as an heiress. Ozark‘s Julia Garner channels the totally fake heiress who racked up thousands of dollars of debt before finally getting caught and ultimately convicted of grand larceny.
In addition to Julia Garner, the nine-episode limited series stars Anna Chlumsky as Vivian, Arian Moayed as Todd, Katie Lowes as Rachel, and Alexis Floyd as Neff. Anders Holm stars as Jack, Anna Deavere Smith is Maud, Jeff Perry is Lou, Terry Kinney is Barry, and Laverne Cox plays Kacy.
Inventing Anna was created by Shonda Rhimes who writes and serves as showrunner. Rhimes also executive produces with Betsy Beers, Tom Verica, and David Frankel. Additional writers include Matt Byrne, Jess Brownell, Abby Ajayi, and Nick Nardini, with David Frankel, Tom Verica, Daisy Von Scherler Mayer, Ellen Kuras, and Nzingha Stewart directing.
The trailer release was accompanied by a new poster and additional photos from the limited series.
Inventing Anna will premiere on February 11, 2022.
The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
“In Inventing Anna, a journalist with a lot to prove investigates the case of Anna Delvey, the Instagram-legendary German heiress who stole the hearts of New York’s social scene – and stole their money as well. But is Anna New York’s biggest con woman, or is she simply the new portrait of the American dream? Anna and the reporter form a dark, funny, love-hate bond as Anna awaits trial and our reporter fights the clock to answer the biggest question in NYC: who is Anna Delvey?
The series is inspired by the New York Magazine article ‘How an Aspiring It Girl Tricked New York’s Party People — and its Banks’ by Jessica Pressler, who also serves as a producer.”
Disney+ hosted a special panel during the 2022 Television Critics Association winter press tour in support of Earth Day, announcing new movies and specials that celebrate our planet. This year’s Disney+ Earth Day content will include Disneynature’s Polar Bear narrated by two-time Academy Award nominee Catherine Keener (Capote, Being John Malkovich). National Geographic’s Explorer series heads to the Amazon with Explorer: The Last Tepui, and viewers are invited back to Apricot Lane Farms to check in on John and Molly Chester with The Biggest Little Farm: The Return.
Polar Bear, the Biggest Little Farm followup, and The Last Tepui will premiere on April 22, 2022.
Disneynature’s Polar Bear
The film tells the story of a new mother whose memories of her own youth prepare her to navigate motherhood in the increasingly challenging world that polar bears face today. Helmed by Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson, the directing team behind Disneynature’s Penguins, and produced by Fothergill, Wilson, Jason Roberts, Keith Scholey and Roy Conli, Polar Bear launches exclusively on Disney+ on April 22, 2022.
Explorer: The Last Tepui
The Disney+ Earth Day special Explorer: The Last Tepui, from National Geographic, follows elite climber Alex Honnold (Free Solo) and a world-class climbing team led by National Geographic Explorer and climber Mark Synnott on a grueling mission deep in the Amazon jungle as they attempt a first-ascent climb up a 1000 foot sheer cliff. Their goal is to deliver legendary biologist and National Geographic Explorer Bruce Means to the top of a massive “island in the sky” known as a tepui.
The team must first trek miles of treacherous jungle terrain to help Dr. Means complete his life’s work, searching the cliff wall for undiscovered animal species. The one-hour special is the newest installment of National Geographic’s long-running “Explorer” series. This Earth Day, learn why the tepuis – much like the Galapagos – are a treasure trove of biodiversity worth protecting.
The Biggest Little Farm: The Return
The Disney+ Earth Day special The Biggest Little Farm: The Return, from National Geographic, is based on the 2018 award-winning feature documentary film that tells the story of John and Molly Chester, who abandon their urban life in Los Angeles to live on a barren farm to grow delicious food in harmony with nature in Ventura County. The new special follows the farmers’ 10-year tireless journey as they transform the land into a magical working farm and document the whole process in this heartwarming special that is akin to a real-life Charlotte’s Web.
Apricot Lane Farms is a beautiful, complex world that reflects our planet’s biodiversity, and this special introduces audiences to animals that will quickly burrow into their hearts, like Emma the pig who welcomes her newest litter and an adorable lamb named Moe who befriends the family. This Earth Day, see how the farmers utilize the interconnectedness of nature to help build soil health, maximize biodiversity, and regeneratively grow the most nutrient-dense food possible.
