Netflix has finally released a new teaser trailer for the upcoming first season of Vikings: Valhalla. The much-anticipated action drama’s based on Vikings, created by Michael Hirst, and follows the adventures of Leif Eriksson (Sam Corlett), Freydis Eriksdotter (Frida Gustavsson), and Harald Sigurdsson (Leo Suter) 100 years after the events portrayed in Vikings.
Additional season one stars include Bradley Freegard (King Canute), Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson (Olaf Haraldsson), Caroline Henderson (Jarl Haakon), Laura Berlin (Emma of Normandy), David Oakes (Earl of Godwin), Louis Davison (Prince Edmund), Bosco Hogan (King Aethelred II), Asbjørn Krogh Nissen (Jarl Kåre), Pollyanna McIntosh (Aelfgifu of Northampton), and Soren Pilmark (King Sweyn Forkbeard).
Vikings starring Travis Fimmel (until Ragnar’s death in season four), Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsgard, and Alexander Ludwig premiered on History in March 2013 and aired for six seasons, finishing up in December 2020. The sequel will debut on February 25, 2022 on Netflix.
Jeb Stuart wrote, executive produced, and served as showrunner on the eight-episode first season. Michael Hirst, Morgan O’Sullivan, Sheila Hockin, Steve Stark, James Flynn, John Weber, Sherry Marsh and Alan Gasmer, and Paul Buccieri also executive produced.
Netflix provided the following description of season one along with the key cast and their characters:
Set over a thousand years ago in the early 11th century, Vikings: Valhalla chronicles the heroic adventures of some of the most famous Vikings who ever lived — the legendary explorer Leif Eriksson (Corlett), his fiery and headstrong sister Freydis Eriksdotter (Gustavsson), and the ambitious Nordic prince Harald Sigurdsson (Suter). As tensions between the Vikings and the English royals reach a bloody breaking point and as the Vikings themselves clash over their conflicting Christian and pagan beliefs, these three Vikings begin an epic journey that will take them across oceans and through battlefields, from Kattegat to England and beyond, as they fight for survival and glory.
SAM CORLETT as LEIF ERIKSSON
A Greenlander, raised on the outer fringes of the known world, Leif comes from a tightly-knit family steeped in the old pagan beliefs. An intrepid sailor and physically tough, Leif is our entry into a Viking world in the throes of violent change.
FRIDA GUSTAVSSON as FREYDIS ERIKSDOTTER
Fiercely pagan, fiery, and headstrong, Freydis is a staunch believer in the “old gods.” Like her brother, Leif, she reaches Kattegat as an outsider but becomes an inspiration to those of the old ways.
LEO SUTER is HARALD SIGURDSSON
Born into Viking nobility, Harald is one of the last Viking berserkers. Charismatic, ambitious and handsome, he is able to unite both followers of Odin and Christians.
BRADLEY FREEGARD is KING CANUTE
The King of Denmark. A wise, savvy, and ruthless Viking leader. Keeps his friends close and enemies closer. His ambitions will mold the course of history in the 11th century and make him a defining figure of the Viking age.
JÓHANNES JÓHANNESSON is OLAF HARALDSON
Olaf is Harald’s older half-brother. He is physically huge and ambitious; he is a stern and unforgiving Viking. Olaf is an “Old Testament” Christian.
LAURA BERLIN is EMMA OF NORMANDY
The young, ambitious Emma of Normandy is from the Norman court and of Viking blood. Politically astute, and one of the wealthiest women in Europe.
DAVID OAKES is EARL GODWIN
The ultimate survivor. Chief counselor to the King of England. Born on the political fringes, his cunning ways get him far.
CAROLINE HENDERSON is JARL HAAKON
A great warrior and tolerant leader, Haakon rules Kattegat with a steady hand. Though Pagan, she has managed to keep Kattegat a city open to all faiths in a challenging time. She will become a powerful mentor to Freydis, who is drawn to her wisdom.
Select recurring characters include:
POLLYANNA McINTOSH as QUEEN ÆLFGIFU
Calculating and ambitious, Queen Ælfgifu of Denmark has a hand to play in the political power struggles unfolding in Northern Europe. She uses her charm and guile to great effect as she promotes the interests of her Mercian homeland and tries to assert herself in Canute’s growing power structure.
ASBJØRN KROGH NISSEN is JARL KÅRE
Jarl Kåre presents a threat to the old pagan ways.
Prime Video’s set a March 4, 2022 premiere date for The Boys Presents: Diabolical, an adult animated anthology series set in the world of The Boys. The release date was accompanied by a teaser video that features a baby shooting lasers out of her eyes and cutting down a bunch of soldiers. The video also features a dog licking his privates. Why? No idea.
All episodes of the eight-episode series will arrive on March 4th for your binge-watching pleasure.
Prime Video released the following description of the animated anthology series:
“The fun-size episodes, running 12-14 minutes and each with its own animation style, will reveal unseen stories within The Boys universe, brought to life by some of the most creative and bloody brilliant minds in entertainment today, including Awkwafina, Garth Ennis, Eliot Glazer and Ilana Glazer, Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, Simon Racioppa, Justin Roiland and Ben Bayouth, Andy Samberg, and Aisha Tyler.”
The series is produced by Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television Studios, with Titmouse, Kripke Enterprises, Original Film, and Point Grey Pictures. Simon Racioppa, Eric Kripke, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Ori Marmur, Ken F. Levin, Jason Netter, Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Michaela Starr, Loreli Alanís, Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, and Ben Kalina executive produced.
Eric Kripke (Supernatural) executive produces and serves as showrunner on The Boys, based on Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comic. Season three of the critically acclaimed comic book-inspired series will premiere on Prime Video on Friday, June 3, 2022 with the release of the first three episodes.
Confirmed season three cast members include Antony Starr as Homelander, Karl Urban as Butcher, Jack Quaid as Hughie, Erin Moriarty as Starlight, Chace Crawford as The Deep, and Jessie T. Usher as A-Train. Dominique McElligott plays Queen Maeve, Laz Alonso is Mother’s Milk, Tomer Capon is Frenchie, Karen Fukuhara is Kimiko, Nathan Mitchell is Black Noir, Colby Minifie is Ashley Barrett, Claudia Doumit plays Victoria Neuman, and Jensen Ackles is Soldier Boy.
Freeform’s ‘Single Drunk Female’ stars Ally Sheedy as Carol Fink and Sofia Black-D’Elia as Samantha Fink. (Freeform/Koury Angelo)
Executive producer Simone Finch (The Conners) drew on her personal battle with alcoholism when creating the new comedy Single Drunk Female, debuting on Freeform on January 20, 2022. The half-hour comedy follows Samantha (Sofia Black-D’Elia), a 20-something with a drinking problem and a life that’s falling apart. Samantha’s just lost her job at a New York media company as the series kicks off, and that’s just the beginning of her problems. She’s forced to move back in with her mom (Ally Sheedy) and her new job at a grocery store is definitely not as glamorous as writing quizzes for a popular media outlet.
During Freeform’s 2022 virtual Television Critics Association (TCA) panel, creator/executive producer Finch said she began writing Single Drunk Female in 2012 before she got sober. “And then I got sober, and then I realized it was about a girl getting sober,” explained Finch. “So, I feel like this is a… I call it a kind of a living script. It sort of evolved as I got more sober, and that’s really how it started.”
Cast members Sofia Black-D’Elia and Ally Sheedy also took part in the virtual panel along with executive producer Jenni Konner and executive producer Daisy Gardner.
Black-D’Elia recently starred in the comedy series The Mick opposite Kaitlin Olson, who played her character’s out-of-control, hard-partying aunt. Asked if she picked up any tips from Olson about playing drunk, Black-D’Elia replied, “I am not the smartest person in the world, but I am smart enough to know that there is only one Kaitlin Olson and trying to do anything that she does is a losing battle.”
Discussing how she approached her character, Black-D’Elia said, “I just played the truth and honesty in all of it. And sometimes it felt really sad and dark, and sometimes it felt really funny and weird and bizarre. I think that’s because Simone really grounded this story in her own experiences and in truth. So, yeah, I don’t know that I was really going for, like, the funny version of sobriety or anything like that. I just wanted it to feel real.”
The dysfunctional relationship between Samantha and her mother is exacerbated when she loses her New York apartment and has to return to her mom’s house while attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and working on getting sober. Black-D’Elia said she loves the relationship between Sam and her mom and enjoys working with Ally Sheedy.
“To me, [their relationship] is the heart of the series. It’s complicated and funny and weird and nuanced in a way that I think any girl with a mother can understand and relate to,” said Black-D’Elia. “It’s really fun doing it with Ally.”
“It’s very fluid and messy, which is what I love. I love Sofia. So, going to work every day was an absolute joy, and this was an easy relationship for us to mess around with,” said Sheedy. “I just like that it’s messy and that Sam is going to come back and live in the house with me, but I don’t want this AA on me. Do you know what I mean? I don’t want it to be I can’t have wine in the house – I can’t drink my wine. She’s not going to come change my life and my habits. That’s where my head is with that.”
Ally Sheedy says how Carol handles Samantha’s problems and the dynamic of having her daughter move back in is interesting to play. “I think, if a family member or anybody that you are really close to makes an enormous change in their life, it’s going to affect you, right? So, as Carol, I don’t know that I trust any of this. She’s come back. She’s a disaster. I just got my house back to myself. I don’t want to take care of anybody anymore. Here she is, and the whole thing is, yeah, I think it does put me back on my heels, and everything about her does make me have to look at myself. But the fun thing about playing with Carol is I also fight against that. It bothers me that that process is part of the process. I didn’t ask for it. So, there’s, an inner kind of conflict going on with that,” explained Sheedy.
‘Single Drunk Female’ TCA panel with Ally Sheedy, Jenni Konner, Sofia Black-D’Elia, Simone Finch, and Daisy Gardner (Freeform)
Although Single Drunk Female is a comedy, Black-D’Elia said that as the season goes on, Samantha will take her AA meetings and journey toward sobriety more seriously.
“I think she tries to, especially as the series goes on and she starts to rebuild her life and it starts working for her. I think Sam is the kind of person that probably has a hard time taking a lot of things seriously. So, I think that in and of itself is a huge side of growth for her. But within the AA world, there’s also a lot of comedy, mostly just because our cast is really funny, I think,” said Black-D’Elia.
And speaking of taking things seriously, executive producer Daisy Gardner said they strive to be respectful of AA and alcoholism. “I would say, first and foremost, we are trying to tell the story of one amazing character through the lens and the voice that Simone gave us, and everything comes from a real experience and comes from that authenticity. We have checks in place. Every script goes through an alcohol consultant, a sobriety consultant, and we have discussions about it,” revealed Gardner.
Gardner continued: “And [Simone] had the gratitude and the responsibility that people feel towards a program that helps them. We are incredibly respectful. There’s a center to it and everything else can be funny, but we want to respect sobriety.”
The sobriety consultant provided input into specific topics, including dating and romance while battling alcoholism.
“There’s nothing written about the first year not dating. It’s kind of an unwritten rule, and a lot of people take it really seriously. And so, there was some back and forth about that,” explained Finch, crediting AA with saving her life and calling it the most important thing she’s ever done.
“A lot of times people recommend that you are sober for a year and a day before you launch into things, and so that became a thing that we examined in the show,” added Gardner.
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.
