Deacon attempts to help a man who he believes was wrongly convicted of murder on CBS’s S.W.A.T. season five episode 17. Directed by Oz Scott from a script by Amelia Sims, episode 17 – “Cry Foul” – will air on Sunday, April 17, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.
The season five cast is led by Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson. Alex Russell stars as Jim Street, Jay Harrington plays David “Deacon” Kay, Lina Esco is Christina “Chris” Alonso, Kenny Johnson is Dominique Luca, David Lim is Victor Tan, and Patrick St. Esprit stars as Commander Robert Hicks.
Recurring cast members include Norma Kuhling and Bre Blair.
“Cry Foul” Plot: When a series of deadly explosions hits oil derricks across Los Angeles, SWAT teams up to hunt down an activist-turned-terrorist. Also, Deacon and his wife, Annie (Bre Blair), work to free a reformed drug dealer who they believe was sent away for a murder he didn’t commit.
Series Description, Courtesy of CBS:
Inspired by the television series and the feature film, S.W.A.T. stars Shemar Moore as a former Marine and locally born and raised S.W.A.T. sergeant, tasked to run a specialized tactical unit that is the last stop in law enforcement in Los Angeles. Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson strives to bridge the divide between his two worlds. However, Hondo is forced to question his professional identity when he is demoted from Squad Leader after going public to expose racial corruption within the LAPD.
The other members of Hondo’s elite S.W.A.T. unit include David “Deacon” Kay, an experienced S.W.A.T. officer and dedicated family man who always puts the team first; Christina “Chris” Alonso, a skilled officer and the team’s canine trainer; Dominique Luca, an expert driver who gets them in and out of high risk situations; newlywed Victor Tan, who started in the LAPD Hollywood Division and uses his confidential informants in the community to help the team; and Jim Street, the team’s cocky newest member. Responsible for the management of all Metro Division S.W.A.T. units is Commander Robert Hicks, a senior LAPD official with the Special Operations Bureau.
With Hondo no longer leading the charge, these dedicated men and women face an uncertain future as they bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.
Even though he’s trained as a lawyer, Golden Globe-nominated actor Jason Isaacs has never played one in an acting career spanning nearly 35 years.
“I have a law degree,” said Isaacs, 58, the third of four sons, who earned his law degree at Bristol University in his native England. “It gave me an intellectual approach to things that’s not been helpful as an actor – it’s helpful as a director, a producer, or other aspects of the business – but acting is about, weirdly, suspending your brain and relying on something more animal and less tangible… If you focus too hard, you can’t do acting. You have to be free to allow things to flow into you. It sounds very pretentious, but I believe in it more and more.”
Still, Isaacs has played a starship captain, a pirate, a dark wizard, a drag queen, a cop, a military man, a scientist, a secret agent, not to mention Captain Hook, Superman, Lex Luthor, and Dracula. He has a reputation for playing antagonists, including Col. William Tavington in 2000’s The Patriot, which was set during the American Revolution starring Oscar winner Mel Gibson.
In Good Company
Currently, Isaacs portrays a doctor. On the CBS medical drama Good Sam, which is in its first season, Isaacs (who’s also a producer and will make his directorial debut with the April 20 episode, “Family/Business”) plays Dr. Rob “Griff” Griffith, one of the nation’s best heart surgeons and the chief of surgery at the fictional Lakeshore Sentinel Hospital in Detroit. Although Griff is a brilliant doctor, his people skills are awful.
His daughter, Dr. Samantha “Sam” Griffith (Sophia Bush, Chicago P.D.), is his opposite number. Sam is kind, caring, compassionate, decent, and has a charming bedside manner – the polar opposite of her father. She’s also a gifted surgeon in her own right, something Griff won’t acknowledge.
In the first episode, a random shooting at Lakeshore puts Griff in a coma for six months. The person who replaces him is none other than Sam. On the night Sam’s appointment to his previous position becomes official, Griff awakens. The first thing he wants to do is return to work. Then, he learns Sam is now the chief of surgery, which bothers him.
The only way Griff can perform surgery again is with the approval of his daughter, who’s now his boss. Griff isn’t accustomed to following orders, especially from Sam, undermining her at every turn, challenging her authority and medical expertise. This leads to them butting heads, scratching the surface of a complex father-daughter relationship.
“The old world order is crumbling in which a man like him sits on the throne,” said Isaacs. “I’m a man with two daughters (with Emma Hewitt, his wife of 21 years). My daughters… have long ago passed the stage where they think their father’s a moron – I’m not entirely sure they’re wrong in many aspects. It’s both the pleasure and the pain of watching them be able – maybe more able than me – to engage with the modern world. The story is something I could identify with…”
While Griff may not praise Sam, Isaacs certainly praises Bush.
“She’s extraordinary,” he said. “She takes the happiness of the company desperately seriously… she wants it to be fun and wants everyone to be heard there. She walks the walk. She prepares meticulously for the things I barely look at. She arrives with this medical knowledge and a daunting, intimidating level of understanding of what the medical jargon in the scene means… I’ve never seen anyone so busy and so organized and yet so ready to play. We dance a lot at work. It’s the only company I’ve been in where everybody sees each other on weekends as well. She’s the fairy godmother to all of us, even though she’s half my age.”
Isaacs enjoyed his first time out in the director’s chair.
“I loved being able to work that closely with the actors – they’re my contemporaries, they’re my friends – on the show,” said Isaacs. “I admire all of them. I know some of the things they’re great at and I know some of the areas they can be encouraged to do more… I knew the whole crew – I’ve worked with them for months, so they’ve been incredibly helpful and supportive. Plus, I’ve always been one of those people in scenes that many times over the years I’ve thought, ‘If I can only whisper this in that person’s ear, I think his performance might take off to a new level.’ And I got to try that, and they were all game to try it with me. I felt absolutely in my element. This is something I wished I’d done a long time ago and I intend to do some more.”
One of his more famous roles is Lucius Malfoy – a Death Eater, patriarch of an affluent magical family, and father of Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton, The Flash) – in the Harry Potter film franchise, based on the international best-selling novels by J.K. Rowling (who’s been the subject of controversy in recent months, something Isaacs did not comment on). Isaacs portrayed him six times, the final time in 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
“Playing him was less interesting than what it’s been like for Lucius Malfoy since the film series finished in (2011),” said Isaacs, who has stated before in previous interviews that he believes after the fall of Voldemort, his character would become a whisper of his former shout, shunned by society, alienated by his family, and eventually drink himself to death.
“The books – and then the films – have meant much to so many people,” he said. “They’ve really provided a place of light for some people in very dark times. It’s a chance for them to recount the power of stories that brought solace and comfort and hope and gave it to people without those things… (They) occupy an entirely different place because for so many people they’ve been a genuine lifeline. The notion that there is a space for everyone in the world… people who feel excluded, abandoned, and alone – there will be a place that welcomes them, there will be a community for them… It’s been the gift that’s kept on giving. Most of the jobs I do, I enjoy them and forget about them. I don’t really care how many people watch them or their financial success. With the Potters, the lake is not still; the ripples continue forever.”
To Boldly Go
On the first season of Star Trek: Discovery – for which he earned an Empire Award for Best Actor in a TV Series – Isaacs portrayed Capt. Gabriel Lorca, captain of the titular starship in the 55-year-old science-fiction franchise created by the late Gene Roddenberry. Discovery is the seventh TV series in the franchise and recently concluded its fourth season.
A brilliant military tactician, Lorca was more enigmatic and certainly darker than any other Trek captains such as William Shatner’s James T. Kirk or Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard.
In a twist, it was revealed that Lorca was the Lorca of a different universe, specifically the Mirror Universe, which is occupied by evil versions of Trek characters. At one point, the Mirror Universe’s Lorca replaced the Lorca indigenous to the main reality and died in the episode “What’s Past is Prologue.”
However, Isaacs argued that Lorca isn’t evil.
“He wasn’t evil. That’s a Darwinian universe where only the strong survive. Do you find lions to be evil when they eat other wild beasts at the watering hole?” said Isaacs. “By the way, there was a man in the White House who thoroughly believed in that as a protocol – that the strong should dominate the weak because they can.”
While the fate of the mainstream Lorca is unclear, he is believed to be dead. However, that hasn’t been confirmed. If Isaacs has the chance to play Lorca – any Lorca – again, he would “absolutely” do it.
“My door is wide open,” he said. “Funny enough… I’m gonna work with (a Trek producer) again. I’m not allowed to say what it is, but I will be badgering that person every day to get me back into a skintight, sausage uniform.”
Discovery actor Doug Jones (alias Capt. Saru) enjoyed working with Isaacs.
“Jason is one of the most curious actors I’ve ever worked with, always trying to uncover a hidden gem in a scene whether scripted or not,” said Jones. “Every day with him on (Discovery) was a thrill ride we all just buckled in for. He is among the most gifted, assertive actors I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching, both in person and on screen.”
Isaacs is amazed by Trek’s loyal and vocal fanbase.
“It certainly provides a community for many people, that’s for sure. I had an extraordinary experience – I went on Star Trek: The Cruise (where fans spend a week on a cruise ship with Trek actors), which every fiber in my body told me not to do.”
However, actor/director Jonathan Frakes (alias Cmdr. William T. Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation) convinced him otherwise.
“(Frakes) told me I absolutely had to do it and had given me no choice whatsoever because his children were raised on these (cruises), and I would love it. And he was right!” recalled Isaacs. “It was an amazingly eclectic bunch of people. They were the most diverse, inclusive, and generous community I had ever come across. We had ‘Trek’s Got Talent’ one night. It was by popular vote and the popular vote was for the most heavily disabled person who really had tremendous difficulty doing anything on stage and was cheered to the rafters by everyone on that boat. It was one of the most beautiful moments I had ever seen. Trekkers are a remarkable community.”
Hooked on Peter Pan
Another captain Isaacs has played is one of classic literature’s most famous: Capt. James Hook in 2003’s Peter Pan, directed by P.J. Hogan (My Best Friend’s Wedding). In this adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s 1904 play and 1911 novel of the same name, Isaacs also played George Darling. It is a tradition in Peter Pan stage adaptations that the actor who plays Hook also plays this role. George is the father of Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood, Solomon Kane), the young girl who falls for Peter (Jeremy Sumpter, Friday Night Lights).
“P.J. Hogan’s a genius… and no one’s ever told J.M. Barrie’s story before,” said Isaacs. “There’s been these versions of his story where they’ve taken the wrong aspect of it.”
According to Isaacs, Peter’s a figment of Wendy’s imagination. The story is about Wendy. Upon hitting puberty, she’s told, “Your childhood’s over. It’s time to be a woman,” per Isaacs.
“I have two daughters who are young women,” he said. “I remember so vividly – and they’re still going through it – when the world wants to treat (most of them like) women and they still feel like little girls. It’s a story about that. (Wendy’s) a kid who’s told ‘Get ready to have a family’ … She still has a room with her brothers and plays pirates with them at night. She dreams of a world in which that won’t be true.”
Isaacs continued: “I find that to be incredibly poignant; there’s a reason why it’s still around for a century after it was written. P.J. wanted to tell that story. I thought it was timeless. He made an absolute classic. It’s ironic that it was a box office failure, but it’s been such a triumph over the years – so many people have found it and loved it and that’s because he’s a remarkable filmmaker.”
A Tortuous Process
Isaacs has no preference what medium he performs in – it doesn’t matter if it’s movies, TV, or the stage. To him, they’re the same thing.
“It’s just theater. Can I imagine being someone else? Can I get to a state of flow where I’m just in the space with the other actors and living that life imaginatively?” said Isaacs. “The camera’s the same for TV and movies. Whether I’m seen on the big screen or little screen or on someone’s phone… my job is just to be someone in those situations. Can I make truthful for myself? And if I can, hopefully it’ll be truthful for someone else.”
He continued: “Most things are being streamed nowadays. For most movies, even the ones that are successful, for every pair of eyeballs that sees them at the cinema, there’s gonna be 1,000 pairs of eyes that sees them at home. That’s just the unfortunate reality. The end result is not really my job. I don’t even think about if things will be successful or not. I just think whether I would be interested in living that life and with those people.”
When asked how he chooses his roles, Isaacs confessed he doesn’t know.
“There’s no answer. Normally whatever is gonna f**k up my life the most next. That’s a terrible idea. It’s a torturous process. Initially, I say no to everything, then I phone my agent, ‘Did that thing go? I was thinking about it while I was driving.’ I do lots of first-time directors’ films, most of which you’ve never heard of or didn’t come out. I don’t think about the implications… It’s mostly a sense that I would be bitter if someone else did it; it’s that negative. It’s not that I want to do it, I’m always fearful and wondering about what I’m gonna do. The process of creativity is all born out of fear for me – how can I not fail terribly?”
He continued: “Mostly, if there’s one overriding factor, I couldn’t bear to watch anyone else do it. I’m not even sure that’s true. I’m just making some sh*t up for you. The fact is I have no idea. It’s an arbitrary process and it changes every time. It’s just the thing I’m drawn to… I think it’ll be fun, and I fancy walking in that person’s shoes. Sometimes, it’s because I fancy the research. I didn’t get to hang out with many pirates or wizards, but I’ve certainly shadowed politicians, priests, drug dealers, heart surgeons, and policemen… If I was broke, often I’m sure I’d be drawn to the things with the biggest paychecks. Thankfully, I’ve not been broke for a while.”
Always the Next One
Other notable roles include Armageddon, Black Hawk Down, Green Zone, and the short-lived TV series Awake. Isaacs has also done his share of voiceover work for animation. This includes Lex Luthor in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, Superman in Superman: Red Son, Dracula in two Monster Family movies, King Arthur in Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob, the Grand Inquisitor in Star Wars: Rebels, Ra’s al Ghul in Batman: Under the Red Hood, among others.
With a body of work spanning more than three decades, Isaacs revealed his favorite role.
“Always the next one,” he said. “I figure looking back is madness. It’s true in relationships, it’s true in work, it’s true in everything – harkening back to what was. My greatest joys lay ahead; they have to.”
Isaacs has recently wrapped production on Good Sam. He’s unsure if it will return for a second season.
“Not a clue,” he said. “Somebody in a much nicer suit than I possess will be making that decision.”
Will Good Sam’s season finale serve as a series finale if CBS doesn’t renew it?
“They never do,” said Isaacs. “You have to know you weren’t coming back to write an episode that ties up every storyline or have the coach driving off the cliff. Since we don’t know if we’re coming back or not, they haven’t written an end like that… I’ve never shot a finale that we knew was a finale.”
Isaacs’ other upcoming roles include the films Operation Mincemeat, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Mind-set, Spinning Gold, Agent Game, and several more he couldn’t talk about because of signing NDAs.
“You’ll be sick of me,” said Jason Isaacs. “There’ll be a bunch of others in the next few months. I apologize in advance for flooding the market with my horrible anecdotes.”
Walker Scobell to star in ‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ (Photo Credit: Disney/Paul Lorei)
Disney+’s live-action Percy Jackson series has tapped Walker Scobell to star in the lead role. Scobell will take on the titular role in Percy Jackson and the Olympians, based on Rick Riordan’s award-winning book series.
Filming is expected to begin this summer.
Riordan is writing the pilot along with Jon Steinberg (Black Sails), and James Bobin is on board to direct.
When the series was officially announced in January 2022 Riordan posted a video sharing the news with Percy Jackson fans and commenting on James Bobin’s involvement. “James is a terrific person and also an incredibly talented director who recently directed the pilot for Disney+’s The Mysterious Benedict Society, which I loved. James knows the Percy Jackson books well. His kids are fans. So, we’re in great hands,” said Riordan.
Steinberg and his producing partner Dan Shotz will oversee the series. Steinberg, Shotz, Bobin, Rick Riordan, Rebecca Riordan, Bert Salke, Monica Owusu-Breen, Jim Rowe, and The Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jeremy Bell and D.J. Goldberg are executive producing. 20th Century Television is producing the latest adaptation of Riordan’s bestselling novels.
Walker Scobell was recently seen in Netflix’s sci-fi action film The Adam Project starring Ryan Reynolds. The movie marked the superhero-loving Scobell’s first acting role. He recently worked on his second film, the action-adventure movie Secret Headquarters with Owen Wilson, Michael Pena, and Jesse Williams.
Disney+ offered the following description of Percy Jackson and the Olympians:
Percy Jackson and the Olympians tells the fantastical story of a 12-year-old modern demigod, Percy Jackson, who’s just coming to terms with his newfound supernatural powers when the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master lightning bolt. Now Percy must trek across America to find it and restore order to Olympus.
Percy Jackson is a smart and compassionate kid with a sharp sense of humor. He’s always seen himself as an outsider, in no small part because of how the world sees his ADHD and dyslexia. He’s impulsive and rambunctious and is quick to anger when things seem unfair to him. But beneath his cynicism is an affectionate son and loyal friend who just wants to do right by those he cares about. If only he could find a place where he fits in.
Apple TV+’s anthology series Roar features eight stand-alone episodes, each telling a powerful story of women facing adversity and responding in unique ways. Alison Brie, Cynthia Erivo, Merritt Wever, Fivel Stewart, Nicole Kidman, Issa Rae, and Betty Gilpin star in their own episodes based on short stories by acclaimed writer Cecelia Ahern, with season one addressing relatable issues in surreal ways.
Sometimes heart-wrenching, often humorous, Apple TV+’s Roar’s eight thought-provoking episodes are meant to spark conversations. The series was created by co-showrunners Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch (GLOW, Orange is the New Black) and is set to premiere on Friday, April 15, 2022.
Flahive said the ability to tell eight incredibly different stand-alone episodes, each with a beginning, middle, and end, made Roar the most exciting project she’s ever been involved in.
“It was also one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to do, just because they were all so incredibly different and required all these different things. We didn’t have a standing set. Every world had to be created from the studs and, luckily, we had a team both in front of and behind the camera – a team of incredibly genius collaborators – which made it actually possible,” explained Flahive during a virtual press conference in support of the series’ debut.
Flahive added: “I think the fact that they are all so different but there is a shared experience of a woman at the center – an ordinary woman being hit with some extraordinary circumstances – is part of the connective tissues for me, in terms of the show.”
Alison Brie in ‘Roar’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Screen Actors Guild winner Alison Brie (Mad Men, GLOW) stars in the “The Woman Who Solved Her Own Murder” episode which is described as a comic feminist twist on the male detective genre. (Brie’s episode is one of two not based on a Cecelia Ahern short story.) Brie loved the fact Roar is a mix of genres and also shifts in tone – even within a single episode.
“Each episode explores a different genre, but also, within each episode, there are many facets to the tone. There’s a bit of dark humor and drama and horror and intrigue that’s also filled with so much insight and commentary on the female experience,” said Brie during the Zoom press conference. “It truly was unlike anything I had ever read before or seen before, I think. That was part of the joy of working on it was sort of figuring it out as we went along which was really fun.”
Cynthia Erivo and Jordyn Weitz in ‘Roar’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Two-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo (Harriet) plays a wife and mother attempting to balance her home life and career in Roar’s “The Woman Who Found Bite Marks on Her Skin” episode. Erivo described each episode of the anthology series as showcasing just a snapshot of each of these women’s lives, with her character attempting to be at the top of her game and feeling guilty about not being able to be everything to everyone all the time.
“I think that the way it’s been handled, the fact that somehow we managed to sneak the humor into all of them somewhere really feels great,” explained Erivo. “I’ve never done anything like that. I don’t think I’ve done any dark comedy before, and I don’t think anyone has given me the chance to sort of stretch those chops a little bit.
I liked that it was a challenge for me. I liked having to be on set with bite marks on my skin and pretend that it’s oozing and I can see the whole thing falling apart. Like, all of the threads pulling at the extremes of it all and trying to figure out how to make it as grounded as possible knowing that we’re in this ludicrous situation was, for me, kind of awesome. I had never read a script like it before. I had never been able to combine all these different aspects of a person together in one character. So, I think that the fact that you get eight different versions of that is really kind of awesome.”
Fivel Stewart in ‘Roar’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Fivel Stewart (Atypical) stars in “The Girl Who Loved Horses” episode, the only episode with “girl” rather than “woman” in the title. (Stewart’s episode wasn’t based on an Ahern short story.) “The Girl Who Loved Horses” is a Western revenge tale with Stewart as a teenager out to avenge her father’s murder.
Stewart hopes her episode will encourage young women to listen to themselves. “I know that for my episode Jane knew exactly where she needed to go and what she needed to do in order for her to feel satisfied in her life. Something that she loved was taken away from her,” said Stewart. “I think one of my favorite things about my episode specifically […]was that she didn’t just act out emotionally, she really internalized what happened and just did the thing.
I hope that young girls…I mean, I know that I’m the youngest one in the anthology…so I hope that young girls see my episode and just feel really driven to listen to their intuition.”
Merritt Wever in ‘Roar’ (Photo Credit: Apple TV+)
Two-time Emmy Award winner Merritt Wever (Godless, Nurse Jackie) stars opposite a waterfowl in “The Woman Who Was Fed By a Duck,” an episode that finds Wever’s character evaluating her self-worth.
Asked to describe her approach to the character, Wever replied, “It wasn’t any different than I think it always is for me. I just go to the material and that’s where I begin. I start digging in and I try and find my way. But I think one of the most striking features of this whole experience for me was coming back to my first job, pretty much, post-Covid. I hadn’t been working so it was my first time back on a set acting and also in a community or in a group of people sharing a purpose. At times it was a big deal and it was disorienting, and then really quickly it wasn’t. It was just back to the grind.
I often felt a bit like Gumby when I was acting. Like, ‘This is my job. How do you do it?’ But it also felt really beautiful sometimes to find myself shoulder to shoulder with somebody in the trenches with a common goal again. That felt very meaningful to me. I think that’s always going to be like a sheen that’s over this whole experience. Even if you can’t see it from the inside, that’s certainly part of what the experience was for me. It’s something I carried with me when we were shooting, and it’s something I carry with me now when I look back on it – the first one back.”
Watch the interview video for more with Alison Brie, Cynthia Erivo, Merritt Wever, Fivel Stewart, and Liz Flahive. All eight episodes of Roar premiere on Apple TV+ on Friday, April 15, 2022.
Niecy Nash begins her two-episode arc as Simone Clarke on ABC’s The Rookie season four episode 19. Episodes 19 and 20 set up a potential spinoff starring Nash that may join the network’s primetime lineup next season. Directed by Liz Friedlander from a script by Alexi Hawley and Terence Paul Winter, episode 19 – “Simone” – will air on Sunday, April 24, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.
Season four stars Nathan Fillion as John Nolan, Mekia Cox as Nyla Harper, Alyssa Diaz as Angela Lopez, and Richard T. Jones as Wade Grey. Melissa O’Neil is Lucy Chen and Eric Winter stars as Tim Bradford.
Guest stars include Felix Solis as Matthew Garza, Kat Foster as Casey Fox, and Frankie Faison as Christopher “Cutty” Clark.
“Simone” Plot: Officer Nolan and the LA division of the FBI enlist the help of FBI trainee Simone Clark when one of her former students is suspected of terrorism following an explosion at a local power station.
Melissa O’Neil, Kat Foster and Niecy Nash in ‘The Rookie’ season 4 episode 19 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Felix Solis, Kat Foster, Richard T. Jones, and Nathan Fillion in the “Simone” episode (ABC/Raymond Liu)Richard T. Jones, Nathan Fillion, and Melissa O’Neil in season 4 episode 19 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Melissa O’Neil and Nathan Fillion in season 4 episode 19 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Eric Winter, Richard T. Jones and Kat Foster in season 4 episode 19 (ABC/Raymond Liu)Eric Winter and Kat Foster in the “Simone” episode (ABC/Raymond Liu)
Caitlin O’Ryan, Caitriona Balfe, and Sophie Skelton in ‘Outlander’ season 6 episode 6 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Starz’s Outlander season six episode six finds Claire fighting for her life and Malva moving forward with her despicable plans. Book readers are fully aware of Malva’s motivations, but those who only know Outlander from the show get their first real taste of her evilness with episode six, “The World Turned Upside Down.”
Episode six opens with Roger (Richard Rankin) preaching and Malva (Jessica Reynolds) staring at Jamie and Claire’s backs. Is it jealousy we see in her eyes? Given the events that follow, the answer is a resounding yes.
Jamie (Sam Heughan) compliments Roger following the service, and Roger confirms the building’s being put to good use. Tom’s been teaching the children how to read.
No one has seen the MacNeills lately and Claire (Caitriona Balfe) volunteers to take Bree, Malva, and Lizzie to pay them a visit. The women approach their cabin and the stench is horrible. Crows gather around the house and no one answers Claire’s knock.
They discover the entire MacNeill family have taken ill and are in dire shape. Claire promises Mr. MacNeill she’ll take care of his children, but the baby and Mrs. MacNeill pass away within seconds of each other. The remaining MacNeills follow them in death.
Back in her surgery, Claire shows Malva the amoeba that causes dysentery (known back then as the flux). Penicillin won’t work but herbs will help. Claire believes a contaminated water source is the root cause of the outbreak which is now spreading throughout Fraser’s Ridge. Malva assists Claire as she tends to the sick while Jamie sets out to look for the source. He’ll also warn all the settlers to boil water and wash their hands.
The settlers bury their dead as Claire notes she’s tired of attending funerals. They haven’t found out what’s causing the flux yet, and now Claire appears to be feeling ill. After refusing Jamie’s offer to take her home Claire faints and Jamie catches her. Bree (Sophie Skelton) touches her forehead and realizes Claire’s got a fever.
They return home and Bree tends to her mom, attempting to bring down her fever. Claire’s face is shockingly drained of any color and she shivers uncontrollably.
Malva refuses to return home that night and stays up with Jamie as Claire battles the illness. Bree also remains at her mom’s side.
Days go by and clips are shown of Jamie praying and Lizzie, Malva, and Bree continuing to watch over and care for Claire.
One night when Lizzie (Caitlin O’Ryan) is with Claire, Malva brings Jamie tea and they have a pleasant chat. Talk turns to snakes and Malva reveals that Mr. Crombie was bit by one but wouldn’t ask Claire for help because he thinks she’s a witch. Malva assures Jamie she doesn’t feel that way. She respects Claire and wants to be just like her. (You can bet she does…in every way.)
While Malva and Jamie are chatting, Claire has a dream (or a delirious vision) of snakes and of holding her own heart in her hands. She also sees Malva comforting Jamie in her dream.
Roger’s by her side when Claire finally fully wakes up and speaks. She touches her head and is shocked to discover her gorgeous hair’s been butchered. Roger reveals Malva and Mrs. Bug cut it off without telling anyone, believing it helped those suffering from a fever. (Oh, and it also makes your romantic rival look less attractive. Right, Malva?)
Bree was furious when she discovered what they did, but Roger’s sure they thought they were saving her life. Claire doesn’t want Jamie to see her right now, and Roger’s forced to admit he’s already seen her new haircut. Claire asks what he said and Roger confesses Jamie didn’t say anything.
“He just cried,” says Roger.
Roger informs her no one’s gotten ill in a week, and Claire experiences her second big shock in a matter of minutes. She had no idea she’s been out of it for so long.
Bree arrives just as Roger tells Claire nothing could ever make her less beautiful. Bree kisses her mom and makes her promise she won’t die. “I love you. I can’t be without you,” says a tearful Bree.
Bree adds with a smile, “And neither can your new grandchild.”
Noting her mom looks ridiculous, Bree gets to work fixing Claire’s horrible haircut. Both women approve of the new cut, a vast improvement over the butchering at the hands of Malva and Mrs. Bug.
Jamie helps his temporarily frail wife to bed and teases she might think about wearing a cap. Claire thinks her new cut will be good for a laugh among the settlers.
Jamie provides an update on the illness, running down a list of those who were sick or passed away. He found a dead elk in the river that was the likely source of the outbreak.
Jamie explains Tom Christie’s still ill and delirious while confirming she was also delirious. Claire recalls she saw blue herons during her fever when they were in Paris and lost their first child, Faith. This time she saw storm clouds, her heart, and a snake. (We know just who that snake symbolizes!)
Jamie warns her he’ll be angry if she dies and leaves him. Claire promises she won’t.
Days later Claire asks Adso to keep the bed warm while she sneaks out to visit Tom Christie (Mark Lewis Jones). She’s wearing a wide-brimmed hat as she walks through the settlement and gets quite a few strange looks as she heads to Tom Christie’s door.
She removes the hat once inside and Tom’s flabbergasted by her short hair. She jokes she thought he’d be pleased since he recently pointed out she’s been brazenly displaying her flowing locks in public.
Claire asks Tom how he’s feeling and he calls her “unaccountable” since she just walked a good distance in a feeble condition. Tom admits he’s feeling better and Claire explains she didn’t have the flux. Her symptoms were nothing like the others who got sick. Tom also confirms he didn’t have symptoms of the flux. He had a headache, a fever, weakness, and bad dreams – just like Claire.
Claire deduces they both suffered from a bacterial infection, not the flux. Claire’s confused about how they wound up with the same illness and asks if she can have a sample of his stool. As expected, Tom is outraged and refuses. He quickly sends her on her way, although he does accompany her home to make sure she arrives safely.
Jamie’s upset with his wife for going out and wonders if she’s lost her mind. Claire’s definitely suffered a setback from going out too soon and Jamie warns her she’s not allowed to go anywhere. Claire explains she’s determined she and Tom suffered from the same disease.
Jamie points out she’s gotten extremely thin and her rings are now really loose. She nestles against his shoulder as he recalls watching the sun come up and go down while he was in the cave and in prison. He gets that same feeling of comfort – of the world going about its business – when she’s busy in her surgery. If she was gone, the sun would no longer rise.
Later that night, Jamie tells Claire that Cornelius Harnett has asked him to speak at the next Provincial Congress in New Bern. Claire believes Jamie’s powers of persuasion will win over supporters.
They continue their chat in the dead of night and Jamie says, “Your short hair is also very arousing.” Claire laughs and Jamie claims it’s just one of the things that draws him to her. They discuss her other virtues, and he calls her fierce, proud, and brave. (These tender, quiet moments are so touching.)
He teases that she’s not a good cook and when she suggests she’s patient and gentle, Jamie points out she’s ruthless and bloodthirsty. He adds that she’s not very patient, either. He lands on her faithfulness as her most endearing trait. “So are you,” says Claire, adding, “It’s quite a good thing, isn’t it?”
Richard Rankin, Sam Heughan and Sophie Skelton in ‘Outlander’ season 6 episode 6 (Photo Credit: Starz)
Weeks pass and life gets back to normal on Fraser’s Ridge. Jamie and Roger get ready to travel to New Bern, and Roger admits that as a historian he’s excited to be able to sit in on the meeting.
They’re about to leave when Tom Christie rides up with Malva and Allan. He asks for a private chat, but Jamie assures him Claire can hear whatever it is he has to say.
Tom announces Malva is pregnant and won’t name the father. Jamie assures her she won’t be punished and Malva claims he’s the father. (That little twit is such a horrible person! And yes I realize she has a horrible backstory.) Jamie’s speechless and Claire’s shocked. Malva apologizes to Claire, saying they didn’t mean to hurt her.
Allan punches Jamie in the face and Tom tosses his son to the floor, warning him violence isn’t necessary. Allan attempts to hit Jamie again, insisting he’s made a whore of Malva.
Jamie, rightfully, denies everything while Malva continues to act hurt that he’s refusing to admit they slept together. She insists it happened when Claire was sick. She describes the event, saying she came into Claire’s room and saw Jamie by the window, grieving, with a whisky bottle in his hand. She felt sorry for him and asked if he needed anything. Jamie remembers he turned down her offer and sent her out of the room, but Malva lies that she remained there and comforted him.
Malva describes pitying him and touching his shoulder. “He took me against the wall whilst you lay sleeping, so great was his need,” says Malva.
Claire delivers a hard slap to Malva’s face and then rushes from the room.
Jamie asks Tom if Malva’s mad or just a clever liar, noting she didn’t try and say he raped her. (No one would have believed that.) Jamie demands to know who’s the father and Tom reveals Malva told him she’d slept with the man a dozen times or more.
“And she has lied a dozen times or more,” replies Jamie.
Malva insists she can prove it’s true because she’s seen the scars on his naked body. She describes a crescent mark across his ribs and the ugly one high on his leg. Jamie’s confused how she knows about either scar, but we know it’s because she’s read Claire’s journals with descriptions of Jamie’s injuries.
Tom suggests they draw up a contract naming the baby as one of his heirs, with payments to the child and Malva. Jamie demands Tom take Malva and leave his house.
Jamie finds Claire in the barn and won’t apologize. To do so would indicate he did something wrong. He didn’t do anything and Claire explains she was in shock – that’s why she ran off. She explains she saw him at the window and saw the way Malva touched him, but she thought that was a dream. However, she’s not about to admit that everything they’ve had together is a lie which is what would happen if she believed Jamie’s lying about sleeping with Malva now.
“I don’t belong here. Brianna, Roger, they don’t belong here. And Jemmy shouldn’t be here,” says Claire, voice dripping with emotion. “But yet here we all are – all of us – because I loved you more than the life that I had. And because I believed that you loved me in the same way. Cause you do. I know that.”
She demands to know if that’s not the truth. Jamie responds by saying he would never tell her that’s the truth.
The gut punches continue when Jamie confesses he has something to tell her. He apologizes and then reveals he slept with Mary McNab years ago when she was gone. Claire doesn’t recognize the name and Jamie explains Mary was Rabbie the stableboy at Lallybroch’s mother. He confesses it happened the night before he surrendered to the Redcoats. She brought him supper in the cave and stayed. Mary knew Claire was his true love and didn’t want to betray that. She just wanted to offer him a little tenderness.
Claire understands and isn’t upset, although she wishes he’d told her sooner.
Claire believes Malva is lying. If it were true, Jamie would never turn his back on his own child. Jamie thinks they need to find out the truth soon before everyone on the Ridge learns what happened.
Roger and Bree discuss the situation and Roger thinks there are two options: Malva doesn’t want to marry the real father or she’s just going after Jamie’s money/property. Neither believes Jamie cheated on Claire, but the whole situation’s bringing up memories of Frank cheating on her mom. Roger reminds her Claire loved Jamie for 20 years and Frank knew it. Plus, Jamie is an honorable man and loves Claire wholeheartedly.
Claire finds Malva working outside and asks if she’d like to talk. Malva reveals she was forced into confessing in front of the congregation, and Claire suggests maybe she’s just a young woman who made a mistake. Malva insists Jamie is the father and Claire confirms she believes her husband completely. She promises Malva this lie won’t destroy her marriage, assuring her they’ve been through harder times than this.
Malva cries as Claire calls her a clever, curious young woman she cares about and was proud to teach. Claire and Malva are about to hug when Allan emerges from the house and demands Claire get away from his sister.
Malva sides with Allan when he calls Claire a witch. Claire’s had enough and warns them to stay away from her family.
Ian (John Bell) uses his fists to shut up one of the men gossiping about Jamie. He then finds Claire gardening and after being assured she believes Jamie, Ian admits the baby could be his. They had sex just once so it’s possible. He apologized later and told her he still loves Emily.
He’s worried that by scorning her he forced her into naming Jamie as the father. Ian volunteers to do the honorable thing, but Claire explains the baby could be someone else’s. Roger saw her with Obadiah Henderson and there could be others.
“But it might be mine, and it isna Uncle Jamie’s. Would it help him, do you think?” asks Ian.
Claire believes she should talk to Jamie first and Ian agrees she can tell him what happened.
A voiceover by Claire explains the damage has already been done. The settlers won’t even meet her eyes, and she’s thankful she has Bree to talk to.
Jamie’s attendance at the meeting in New Bern leaves Claire to face the settlers alone, and she believes they’re mounting a rebellion against the Frasers.
Flash-forward two months and Jamie returns home. He tells Claire that Roger was surprised by the amount of alcohol consumed while business was conducted. Jamie begins listing off different alcohols and the scene cuts to Roger doing the same while describing the meeting to Bree.
Roger reveals Jamie declared they should be a free and independent people. However, Jamie wasn’t chosen as a delegate for Philadelphia because, apparently, the Malva scandal beat them to New Bern.
Bree reveals everyone’s turned on Claire and no one goes to her for medical help.
Time passes and another voiceover finds a weary Claire admitting she still believes people will eventually forget and forgive. She has yet another moment of panic as she thinks Brown has returned. She rushes to the door and spots Malva walking toward the house. Claire quickly locks the door and doses herself with ether and has a nightmare in which Malva taunts her, calling her “of the devil.” Malva insults her looks, in particular her hair, and says Claire’s dried up inside. The nightmare also finds the pregnant Malva claiming she’ll have Jamie and will take everything that’s Claire’s, including the house.
In her dream Claire threatens to kill Malva if she comes near them again.
Season six episode six ends with Claire waking up and heading outside to tend to her garden. She discovers Malva with her neck sliced lying dead nearby. Claire cuts open her abdomen and attempts to save the baby but it’s too late.
A problem with something served at a potluck appears to be the root cause of hallucinations and even a little bit of stripping on ABC’s The Good Doctor season five episode 14. Directed by Rebecca Moline from a script by Mark Rozeman, episode 14 is set to air on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast of season five features Freddie Highmore as Dr. Shaun Murphy, Antonia Thomas as Dr. Claire Browne, Hill Harper as Dr. Marcus Andrews, and Richard Schiff as Dr. Aaron Glassman. Christina Chang plays Dr. Audrey Lim, Fiona Gubelmann is Dr. Morgan Reznick, Will Yun Lee is Dr. Alex Park, and Paige Spara stars as Lea Dilallo.
“Potluck” Plot: When someone mistakenly brings a hallucinogen-laced dish to the hospital’s company potluck, much of the hospital staff and doctors are incapacitated — leaving doctors Murphy, Glassman and Allen forced to take on all the hospital’s cases, further exacerbating Dr. Murphy and Dr. Glassman’s conflicting work styles.
The Good Doctor Description, Courtesy of ABC:
Dr. Shaun Murphy (Highmore), a young surgeon with autism and savant syndrome, continues to use his extraordinary medical gifts at St. Bonaventure Hospital’s surgical unit. As his friendships deepen, Shaun tackles the world of dating for the first time and continues to work harder than he ever has before, navigating his environment to prove to his colleagues that his talents as a surgeon will save lives.
Freddie Highmore and Bria Henderson in ‘The Good Doctor’ season 5 episode 14 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Giacomo Baessato and Fiona Gubelmann in season 5 episode 14 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Freddie Highmore and Richard Schiff in season 5 episode 14 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Richard Schiff, Bria Henderson, Fiona Gubelmann and Freddie Highmore in the “Potluck” episode (ABC/Jeff Weddell)Richard Schiff, Bria Henderson, and Freddie Highmore in season 5 episode 14 (ABC/Jeff Weddell)
Dylan McDermott takes over the team as Supervisory Special Agent Remy Scott on CBS’s FBI: Most Wanted season three episode 17. Directed by Ken Girotti from a script by David Hudgins and Spindrift Beck, episode 17 – “Covenant” – will air on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 10pm ET/PT.
The season three cast includes Alexa Davalos as Special Agent Kristin Gaines, YaYa Gosselin as Natalia “Tali” LaCroix, and Roxy Sternberg as Special Agent Sheryll Barnes. Keisha Castle-Hughes plays Special Agent Hana Gibson and Miguel Gomez is Special Agent Ivan Ortiz.
“Covenant” Plot: The team’s new leader, charming but formidable Special Agent Remy Scott (Dylan McDermott), takes charge as they investigate a series of homicides tied to a forbidden love between a young teen and her older boyfriend.
Lifetime’s Flowers in the Attic: The Origin limited prequel series is based on Garden of Shadows by V.C. Andrews ghostwriter Andrew Neiderm and delves into the twisted history of the Foxworth family. The official trailer opens with Olivia Winfield begging the audience to listen to her story and judge her, if you dare. Oh, there will definitely be judgement passed down, Olivia.
The limited series will premiere as the finale event of the ATX TV Festival on June 5, 2022. A release on Lifetime follows on July 9th, with the four-part prequel debuting new episodes on consecutive Saturdays. The limited series wraps up on July 30th.
Lifetime obtained the rights and licenses to V.C. Andrews’ catalog and A&E’s already adapted Andrews’ popular novels into 18 films. Andrews’ novels have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
Flowers in the Attic: The Origin was written by executive producer Paul Sciarrotta, Amy Rardin, and Connor Good. Jennie Snyder Urman, Joanna Klein, Dan Angel, RubyRock Pictures’ Zoë Rocha, and Aquarius Content’s Gary Pearl also serve as executive producers. Executive producer Declan O’Dwyer directed parts one and two, with Robin Sheppard directing parts three and four.
The prequel is an A+E Studios production in association with Sutton St. Productions and CBS Studios.
Max Irons as Malcolm Foxworth and Jemima Rooper as Olivia Winfield Foxworth in ‘Flowers in the Attic: The Origin’ (Photo Credit: Lifetime)
Lifetime’s trailer and premiere date announcement was accompanied by details on the prequel’s four parts along with cast and character descriptions:
The premium series stars Jemima Rooper as Olivia Winfield Foxworth and Max Irons as Malcolm Foxworth, parents to Corinne Foxworth and grandparents to Cathy and Chris Dollanganger. Hannah Dodd stars as Olivia’s daughter, Corinne; while T’Shan Williams takes on the role Foxworth Hall’s longtime staff member and Olivia’s observant housekeeper, Nella Jennings. Kate Mulgrew plays Mrs. Steiner, Malcolm’s loyal house manager and head of the Foxworth Hall staff. Kelsey Grammer portrays Malcolm’s illustrious father Garland Foxworth, who is married to new wife Alicia, played by Alana Boden.
Paul Wesley stars as John Amos, Olivia’s cousin whose revelations change her life forever. Callum Kerr stars as Christopher, a close relative of the Foxworth family whose life will be eternally intertwined with Corinne’s from the moment they set eyes on each other. Luke Fetherston and Buck Braithwaite star as Malcolm and Olivia’s sons Joel Foxworth and Mal Foxworth, respectively.
Flowers in the Attic: The Origin tells the story of the headstrong and determined Olivia Winfield (Rooper) who is working alongside her beloved father, Mr. Winfield (Hamlin), when she finds herself unexpectedly wooed by one of the nation’s most eligible bachelors, Malcolm Foxworth (Irons). After a whirlwind romance, Olivia finds herself as the mistress of the imposing Foxworth Hall, where she soon discovers that the fairytale life she expected has quickly become a nightmare.
Under Malcolm’s debonair exterior lies a dark heart, and a twisted evil lurks inside Foxworth Hall that will threaten Olivia’s happiness and that of her children. Her attempts to keep them all safe ultimately push Olivia to become to most terrifying version of herself, leading to her inevitable — and notorious — decision to lock her grandchildren in the attic…
Part 1, airing July 9 at 8/7c, introduces Olivia Winfield as she gives up her career, her home, and her name to become Mrs. Malcolm Foxworth, the wife of the nation’s richest man. Leaving behind her father, when she arrives at her new home, Olivia soon realizes that life at Foxworth Hall is far from the fairytale she imagined it would be and begins to question the choices that led her down this path of eventual destruction.
Part 2, airing July 16 at 8/7c: As Olivia and Malcolm’s family grows in unexpected and questionable ways, she is committed to giving them a childhood full of joy and safety, no matter the cost. However, her efforts prove to be futile as she battles the evils of Foxworth Hall, and her husband’s twisted obsession over a family secret severs their relationship even further.
Part 3, airing July 23 at 8/7c: After a devastating and unimaginable loss that will haunt her for the rest of time, Olivia finds both her son and daughter in forbidden relationships. She opposes their unions, but as she tries to hold on, more destruction finds her and pushes her further to her breaking point. Finally, blood is on her hands as an old foe’s fate waits to be revealed.
Part 4, airing July 30 at 8/7c: After losing all her children due to tragedy and tension, Olivia’s newfound religious beliefs instilled in her by her cousin, and her desire to wreak vengeance on those around her, drives her to become the most notorious and terrifying version of herself; a woman capable of locking her grandchildren in the attic upon the return of her daughter after tragedy strikes the family once again…
The Weeknd tops the ‘Billboard Music Awards’ nominees (Photo Credit: Billboard)
After a year in Los Angeles, the 2022 Billboard Music Awards return to Las Vegas, NV and will air live coast-to-coast on Sunday, May 15th. The BBMAs will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and will be broadcast on NBC beginning at 5pm PT/8pm ET (live-streamed on Peacock).
Nominees were announced on April 8, 2022 via Twitter, with Grammy-winner The Weeknd leading the charge with a whopping 17 nominations. The Weeknd’s nominations come in categories including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, and Top Hot 100 Artist.
Superstar Doja Cat leads the nominations among female artists, earning 14 nominations including Top Artist, Top Female Artist, and Top Hot 100 Artist. Doja’s album Planet Her is nominated for two awards: Top Billboard 200 Album and Top R&B Album. Her song “Kiss Me More,” featuring SZA, is up for Top Hot 100 Song and Top Collaboration, as well as in the brand-new category Top Viral Song.
Global sensation BTS leads with the most nominations for a duo or group, scoring seven nominations including Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Global (Excl. US) Artist, Top Global (Excl. US) Song (“Butter”), and Top Rock Song (“My Universe”) by Coldplay and BTS. The Grammy-nominated group is also up against themselves for Top Selling Song with their smash hits “Butter” and “Permission to Dance.” Both songs earned them number one spots on The Hot 100 chart, with “Butter” spending an impressive 10 weeks at number one.
Newcomer and former Disney star Olivia Rodrigo is up for 13 awards including Top New Artist and Top Female Artist. And Grammy-winner Drake picked up 11 nominations. The Canadian rapper holds the record for most awards won by any artist in BBMAs history with a total of 29 wins.
Billboard unveiled five new categories for the 2022 Billboard Music Awards: Top Billboard Global 200 Artist, Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Artist, Top Billboard Global 200 Song, and Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Song. It’s worth noting the Billboard Music Awards doesn’t include the Top Social Artist category this year.
Per Billboard: Billboard Music Awards finalists and winners are based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners, including Luminate.
There’s no word yet on who’ll be hosting the big event or taking the stage to perform. Music fans will have to stay tuned for more information to follow in the coming month.
2022 Billboard Music Awards Nominees:
Top Artist
Doja Cat
Drake
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd
Top New Artist
Givēon
Masked Wolf
Olivia Rodrigo
Pooh Shiesty
The Kid LAROI
Top Male Artist
Drake
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Lil Nas X
The Weeknd
Top Female Artist
Adele
Doja Cat
Dua Lipa
Olivia Rodrigo
Taylor Swift
Top Duo/Group
BTS
Glass Animals
Imagine Dragons
Migos
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
Top Billboard 200 Artist
Adele
Drake
Juice WRLD
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Top Hot 100 Artist
Doja Cat
Drake
Justin Bieber
Olivia Rodrigo
The Weeknd
Top Streaming Songs Artist
Doja Cat
Drake
Lil Nas X
Olivia Rodrigo
The Weeknd
Top Song Sales Artist
Adele
BTS
Dua Lipa
Ed Sheeran
Walker Hayes
Top Radio Songs Artist
Doja Cat
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Olivia Rodrigo
The Weeknd
Top Billboard Global 200 Artist (NEW)
Doja Cat
Ed Sheeran
Justin Bieber
Olivia Rodrigo
The Weeknd
Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Artist (NEW)
BTS
Dua Lipa
Ed Sheeran
Olivia Rodrigo
The Weeknd
Top Tour
Eagles (Hotel California Tour)
Genesis (The Last Domino? Tour)
Green Day, Fall Out Boy & Weezer (The Hella Mega Tour)
Harry Styles (Love on Tour)
The Rolling Stones (No Filter Tour)
Top R&B Artist
Doja Cat
Givēon
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)
Summer Walker
The Weeknd
Top R&B Male Artist
Givēon
Khalid
The Weeknd
Top R&B Female Artist
Doja Cat
Summer Walker
SZA
Top R&B Tour
Bruno Mars (Bruno Mars at Park MGM)
Omarion & Bow Wow (The Millennium Tour 2021)
Usher (The Vegas Residency)
Top Rap Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Moneybagg Yo
Polo G
Top Rap Male Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Polo G
Top Rap Female Artist
Cardi B
Latto
Megan Thee Stallion
Top Rap Tour
J. Cole (The Off-Season Tour)
Lil Baby (The Back Outside Tour)
Omarion & Bow Wow (The Millennium Tour 2021)
Top Country Artist
Chris Stapleton
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Taylor Swift
Walker Hayes
Top Country Male Artist
Chris Stapleton
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen
Top Country Female Artist
Carrie Underwood
Miranda Lambert
Taylor Swift
Top Country Duo/Group
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Zac Brown Band
Top Country Tour
Luke Bryan (Proud to Be Right Here Tour)
Eric Church (Gather Again Tour)
Chris Stapleton (All-American Road Show Tour)
Top Rock Artist
Glass Animals
Imagine Dragons
Machine Gun Kelly
Måneskin
Twenty-one pilots
Top Rock Tour
Genesis (The Last Domino? Tour)
Green Day, Fall Out Boy & Weezer (The Hella Mega Tour)
The Rolling Stones (No Filter Tour)
Top Latin Artist
Bad Bunny
Farruko
Kali Uchis
Karol G
Rauw Alejandro
Top Latin Male Artist
Bad Bunny
Farruko
Rauw Alejandro
Top Latin Female Artist
Kali Uchis
Karol G
Rosalía
Top Latin Duo/Group
Calibre 50
Eslabon Armado
Grupo Firme
Top Latin Tour
Bad Bunny (El Último Tour Del Mundo)
Enrique Iglesias & Ricky Martin (Live in Concert)
Los Bukis (Una Historia Cantada Tour)
Top Dance/Electronic Artist
Calvin Harris
David Guetta
Lady Gaga
Marshmello
Tiësto
Top Christian Artist
Carrie Underwood
Elevation Worship
for King & Country
Lauren Daigle
Ye
Top Gospel Artist
CeCe Winans
Elevation Worship
Kirk Franklin
Maverick City Music
Ye
Song Awards
Top Hot 100 Song
Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More”
Dua Lipa, “Levitating”
Olivia Rodrigo, “good 4 u”
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears”
Top Streaming Song
Dua Lipa, “Levitating”
Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
Olivia Rodrigo, “good 4 u”
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears”
Top Selling Song
BTS, “Butter”
BTS, “Permission to Dance”
Dua Lipa, “Levitating”
Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like”
Top Radio Song
Dua Lipa, “Levitating”
Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
Olivia Rodrigo, “good 4 u”
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears”
Top Collaboration
Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More”
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & GIVĒON, “Peaches”
Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow, “Industry Baby”
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears”
Top Billboard Global 200 Song (NEW)
Dua Lipa, “Levitating”
Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
Olivia Rodrigo, “good 4 u”
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears”
Top Billboard Global (Excl. U.S.) Song (NEW)
BTS, “Butter”
Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits”
Lil Nas X, “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)”
The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber, “Stay”
The Weeknd & Ariana Grande, “Save Your Tears”
Top Viral Song (NEW)
Doja Cat ft. SZA, “Kiss Me More”
Gayle, “abcdefu”
Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In The Ocean”
Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like”
Top R&B Song
Doja Cat & The Weeknd, “You Right”
Givēon, “Heartbreak Anniversary”
Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Givēon, “Peaches”
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), “Leave The Door Open”
WizKid ft. Justin Bieber & Tems, “Essence”
Top Rap Song
Drake ft. 21 Savage, Project Pat, “Knife Talk”
Drake ft. Future & Young Thug, “Way 2 Sexy”
Lil Nas X ft. Jack Harlow, “Industry Baby”
Masked Wolf, “Astronaut In The Ocean”
Polo G, “Rapstar”
Top Country Song
Chris Stapleton, “You Should Probably Leave”
Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood, “If I Didn’t Love You”
Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan, “Buy Dirt”
Luke Combs, “Forever After All”
Walker Hayes, “Fancy Like”
Top Rock Song
Coldplay X BTS, “My Universe”
Elle King & Miranda Lambert, “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”
Imagine Dragons, “Follow You”
Måneskin, “Beggin’”
The Anxiety: Willow & Tyler Cole, “Meet Me at Our Spot”
Top Latin Song
Aventura x Bad Bunny, “Volví”
Bad Bunny, “Yonaguni”
Farruko, “Pepas”
Kali Uchis, “telepatía”
Rauw Alejandro, “Todo De Ti”
Top Dance/Electronic Song
Elton John & Dua Lipa, “Cold Heart – PNAU Remix”
Farruko, “Pepas”
Regard x Troye Sivan x Tate McRae, “You”
Tiësto, “The Business”
Travis Scott & HVME, “Goosebumps”
Top Billboard 200 Album
Adele, 30
Doja Cat, Planet Her
Drake, Certified Lover Boy
Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album
Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR
Top Soundtrack
Arcane League of Legends
Encanto
In The Heights
Sing 2
tick, tick…BOOM!
Top R&B Album
Doja Cat, Planet Her
Givēon, When It’s All Said and Done…Take Time
Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak), An Evening With Silk Sonic
Summer Walker, Still Over It
The Weeknd, Dawn FM
Top Rap Album
Drake, Certified Lover Boy
Moneybagg Yo, A Gangsta’s Pain
Rod Wave, SoulFly
The Kid LAROI, F*ck Love
Ye, Donda
Top Country Album
Florida Georgia Line, Life Rolls On
Lee Brice, Hey World
Taylor Swift, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Taylor Swift, Red (Taylor’s Version)
Walker Hayes, Country Stuff: The Album
Top Rock Album
AJR, OK Orchestra
Coldplay, Music of the Spheres
Imagine Dragons, Mercury – Act 1
John Mayer, Sob Rock
Twenty-one pilots, Scaled and Icy
Top Latin Album
Eslabon Armado, Corta Venas
J Balvin, Jose
Kali Uchis, Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios) ∞
Karol G, KG0516
Rauw Alejandro, Vice Versa
Top Dance/Electronic Album
C418, Minecraft – Volume Alpha
FKA twigs, Caprisongs
Illenium, Fallen Embers
Porter Robinson, Nurture
Rüfüs Du Sol, Surrender
Top Christian Album
Carrie Underwood, My Savior
CeCe Winans, Believe for It
Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music, Old Church Basement
Phil Wickham, Hymn of Heaven
Ye, Donda
Top Gospel Album
CeCe Winans, Believe for It
Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music, Old Church Basement
Maverick City Music, Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition
Maverick City Music & Upperroom, move your heart.
Ye, Donda
Top Christian Song
Anne Wilson, “My Jesus”
Ye, “Hurricane”
Ye, “Moon”
Ye, “Off The Grid”
Ye, “Praise God”
Top Gospel Song
Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music ft. Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine, “Jireh”
Ye, “Hurricane”
Ye, “Moon”
Ye, “Off the Grid”
Ye, “Praise God”
