NBC’s The Blacklist season nine episode three will focus on stolen artifacts and the return of a former blacklister. Episode three – “The SPK” – is set to air no Thursday, November 4, 2021.
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.
“The SPK” Plot: A new case involving stolen artifacts reunites Red with a former blacklister. Aram faces a difficult decision.
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.”
James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington and Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper in ‘The Blacklist’ season 9 episode 3 (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)Erik Lochtefeld as David Kangas, Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler, and Laura Sohn as Alina Park in “The SPK” episode (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)Eric William Morris as Trevor Prince in season 9 episode 3 (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)Diany Rodriguez as Weecha and James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in season 9 episode 3 (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler and Laura Sohn as Alina Park in season 9 episode 3 (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)James Spader as Raymond “Red” Reddington in “The SPK” episode (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)April Matthis as Joanie Kangas and Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler in season 9 episode 3 (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler in “The SPK” episode (Photo by: Heidi Gutman/NBC)
A quarterback’s targeted for murder on CBS’s S.W.A.T. season five episode five. Directed by Stephanie Marquardt from a script by Kent Rotherham, “West Coast Offense” airs on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 8pm 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.
David DeSantos recurs as Rodrigo Sanchez. Guest stars include Quincy Chad, Shelli Boone, Joel Johnstone, and Jock McKissic.
“West Coast Offense” Plot: When the team responds to a home invasion call, they uncover a murderous plot against a famous pro football quarterback. Also, Hicks gets a long-awaited lead on a Jane Doe case he worked 20 years ago.
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.
Star Trek: Prodigy – the 10th series and the third animated series set in the 55-year-old science-fiction franchise – will serve as a gateway for Trek newbies, particularly children to whom it’s geared.
“In the pilot, they start in the Delta Quadrant (a largely unexplored region of space). That was our way in. We wanted a bunch of new characters who knew nothing about Star Trek, just like our young audience. And, slowly, as you saw the very end of the pilot, they meet a (hologram of Captain Kathryn) Janeway (Kate Mulgrew reprising her role). With every other episode, we get closer and closer to the Trek-verse. We get to have so much fun introducing everything we love about Star Trek,” said Kevin Hageman, co-creator of Prodigy.
Added his younger brother/Prodigy co-creator Dan: “There’s a lot of people out there who are curious about Star Trek, but they may be intimidated; there’s a lot of Star Trek out there. Where do they start? How do they know the difference between a Romulan and a Vulcan? This is a show that’s going to help not only a new generation, but people who are curious about Star Trek and want to jump in. This will guide them right into the franchise.”
Star Trek: Prodigy debuted on Thursday, October 28, 2021 on the streaming service Paramount+. Its first season will be 10 episodes. It will then air on Nickelodeon before the second season is released on Paramount+.
The Hageman brothers (The LEGO Movie) spoke about Prodigy at an Oct. 9 panel at the New York Comic Con, alongside director Ben Hibon (Tokyo Zombie); Ramsey Naito, president of animation and development for Paramount Animation; cast members Mulgrew (who played Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager from 1995-2001, the first female captain in the franchise), Brett Gray (On My Block), Rylee Alazraqui (Stillwater), and Dee Bradley Baker (Avatar: The Last Airbender). A Different World star Dawnn Lewis – who currently plays Captain Carol Freeman on the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks – moderated the panel.
“I am honored to follow in your footsteps, female captain to female captain,” Lewis told Mulgrew, eliciting cheers and applause.
The audience was treated to a sneak peak of Star Trek: Prodigy’s first episode. The show occurs circa 2383 – long after the events of Voyager – where a motley crew of young aliens in the Delta Quadrant find an abandoned starship, the USS Protostar, and escape from a bleak mining colony on Tars Lamora, where they were slaves.
This ragtag band consists of Dal (Gray), a cocky, teenage, blue-skinned alien; Zero (Angus Imrie, The Crown), a genderless, energy-based lifeform wearing a containment suit; Rok-Tahk (Alazarqui), a hulking Brikar who’s really an animal-loving child; Murf (Bradley), an indestructible blob that speaks in clicks and squeaks; and Gwyn (Ella Purnell, Army of the Dead), a Vau N’Akat who dreams of exploring the stars and escaping her ruthless father’s (John Noble, Fringe) oppression. At the end of the first episode, once they commandeer the Protostar, a hologram of Janeway appears to serve as their guide.
“I traveled 75,000 light years to be here because the Hageman brothers promised me more than a passing glimpse of a younger, animated Janeway. I feel they failed in that respect. Do you agree?” Mulgrew asked the audience, which roared their agreement. “I decided to beam up a little something extra to satisfy my curiosity. Want to join me? Roll it!”
With that, the audience – much to their approval – was treated to several more minutes of clips of an animated Janeway from an upcoming episode. Afterwards, the actors spoke about their characters, starting with Gray. Prodigy is not only Gray’s first foray into Trek, but also his first animated series.
“Dal is scrappy and funny and charismatic and – sometimes – overzealous… I have some of those qualities,” he said. “It was really easy to find his voice.”
Like Gray, child actress Alazarqui had no trouble finding her character’s voice.
“(Rok-Tahk) wants to be loved and she wants other people to see her as how she is and who she truly is,” said Alazarqui. “I think Rok-Tahk is exactly like me. I just had to be myself to be Rok-Tahk. I’m an animal lover, I’m pretty sensitive, and I’m kind, so I think Rok-Tahk and I are twinning over here… I realized inside she was this big rock monster who’s like an 8-year-old girl.”
Lewis asked Mulgrew what made her want to return to Trek. Mulgrew’s last appearance as Janeway was a voiceover in the 2006 video game, Star Trek: Legacy. Prior to that, it was a cameo in 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis, giving orders to Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). In Nemesis, it was revealed that Janeway was promoted to admiral after Voyager ended.
“Why wouldn’t I want to return to this magnificent franchise?” replied Mulgrew. “We have overlooked in all of our (incarnations) a very important demographic, and that is the young people – children – who in many ways are far more astute than their elders. So when (executive producer) Alex Kurtzman (who co-wrote 2009’s Star Trek reboot) offered me this opportunity, I jumped at it. It’s wonderful to reincarnate Janeway and give it to the young and their vivid and marvelous imaginations!”
For the majority of the first episode, the characters are unable to communicate with one another because the slave-masters took away their universal translators. Once they board the Protostar, the starship’s universal translator activated, enabling them to communicate and work together. Lewis found this to be a powerful moment.
“That’s one of the things I love the most about the Star Trek universe in general because it demonstrates possibilities of all of us working together from different galaxies, from different humanities, from different species, from different languages… all of us finding a way (to work together),” she said. “And it was so powerful that the first thing that happens when you come on the ship is everyone can understand each other and everyone learns their role of how we can do this together. I think that from Day 1 – back to the original Star Trek – (it’s) the vision of who we can all be when we are willing to do this together.”
“Otherwise known as the Prime Directive,” added Mulgrew.
Lewis pointed at Mulgrew. “The Prime Directive – that’s right. It’s a beautiful, wishful thing that we as humanity can take a lesson from the worlds created by the Star Trek franchise of how we can do this together. It’s possible for us to do this together, not just in make-believe but in real life. We can do this together.”
When Mulgrew – who at that point was known for her roles on Ryan’s Hope and Mrs. Columbo, as well as 1987’s Throw Momma from the Train (as Billy Crystal’s ex-wife) – auditioned for Janeway in 1994, she wasn’t familiar with Trek. Oscar nominee Geneviève Bujold (Anne of the Thousand Days) got the role. Two days after filming, however, Bujold left Voyager, finding the schedule for episodic television to be too demanding. Mulgrew was then offered the role, even winning the Saturn Award for playing Janeway.
“I came into Star Trek as an innocent, but I think that actually served Janeway in good stead. I came into it knowing nothing, but now I wouldn’t dream of being without it,” said Mulgrew. “I think I got very emotional standing backstage watching this animated incarnation of Star Trek. And there’s a very good reason for that: The philosophy behind this will reverberate in infinity. It is a wonderful idea that (the late Trek creator Gene) Roddenberry had about the human spirit, about transcendence of all kinds of obstacles, and especially after this bloody pandemic to have something wonderful to look forward to – and that’s Star Trek.”
Bull’s placed in a difficult situation on CBS’s Bull season six episode five, “King Bull.” Directed by Jackie Tejada from a script by Blair Singer, episode five will air on Thursday, November 4, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
The cast is led by Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull. Yara Martinez plays Isabella “Izzy” Colón, Geneva Carr is Marissa Morgan, Jamie Lee Kirchner plays Danny James, Christopher Jackson stars as Chunk Palmer, and MacKenzie Meehan is Taylor Rentzel.
Matt Dellapina appears in the recurring role of Erik Rentzel.
Episode five guest stars include Sharon Washington, Frankie. R. Faizon, Jordan Boatman, Gillian Glasco, and Ebony Blake.
“King Bull” Plot: The TAC team asks Bull to step aside, when they fear his recent issues could negatively affect their defense of a business mogul accused of being mentally unfit to lead his company.
Bull stars Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull in a drama inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, the founder of one of the most prolific trial-consulting firms of all time. Brilliant, brash and charming, Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high-tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick.
While Bull has mastered his professional domain, his personal life continues to evolve in surprising ways. Now the father of a young daughter, Bull is newly remarried to his ex-wife, Isabella “Izzy” Colón. Bull’s enviable group of experts at Trial Analysis Corporation shape successful narratives down to the last detail. His team includes Marissa Morgan, a neurolinguistics expert from the Department of Homeland Security who monitors shifting jury reactions in real-time for Bull; former NYPD detective Danny James, the firm’s tough but relatable investigator; Taylor Rentzel, a working mother and former colleague of Marissa’s who is an expert at coding and computer hacking; and Chunk Palmer, a former all-American lineman and stylist-turned-lawyer, who helps clients prepare their image and testimony and serves as TAC’s official trial attorney.
In high-stakes trials, Bull’s combination of remarkable insight into human nature, three Ph.D.’s and a top-notch staff creates winning strategies that tip the scales of justice in his clients’ favor.
Season two of The Witcher picks up with the North and South at war, the world’s in a strange state, monsters aren’t hibernating, and the possibility’s raised it’s “the end of days.” Geralt of Rivia, however, disagrees. “I’ve lived through three supposed ‘end of days,'” says Geralt. “It’s all horsesh*t.”
The official trailer premiered during the Lucca Comics & Games Convention in Italy before its release online. The new trailer was accompanied by the unveiling of a new season two poster and additional images.
Based on best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher stars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Anya Chalotra as sorceress Yennefer, Freya Allan as Ciri, and Joey Batey as Jaskier. MyAnna Buring returns as Tissaia, Tom Canton is Filavandrel, Lilly Cooper is Murta, Jeremy Crawford is Yarpin Zigrin, and Eamon Farren plays Cahir.
Mahesh Jadu is back as Vilgefortz, Terence Maynard reprises his role as Artorius, Lars Mikkelson is Stregobor, Mimi Ndiweni is Fringilla Vigo, Royce Pierreson is Istredd, Wilson Radjou-Pujalte is Dara, Anna Shaffer is Triss Merigold, and Therica Wilson Read returns as Sabrina.
Newcomers include Yasen Atour as Coen, Agnes Bjorn as Vereena, Paul Bullion as Lambert, and Thue Ersted Rasmussen as Eskel. Aisha Fabienne Ross will play Lydia, Kristofer Hivju is Nivellen, and Mecia Simson is Francesca.
During the July 2021 WitcherCon, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich teased what’s in store for the new season. “There are so many characters that we’re introducing in Season 2,” said Schmidt Hissrich. “We are getting to see Dijkstra for the first time and sort of the Redanian Kingdoms. I know a lot of fans are excited to meet Philippa for the first time, Codringher and Fenn, Rience, Nenneke. There’s so many, but I would have to say Vesemir is the one I’m looking most forward to our audience meeting. Vesemir is so integral to the story that we’re telling this season.”
Netflix has set a December 17, 2021 premiere date for season two.
The Season 3 Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
Convinced Yennefer’s life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen. While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.
A scene from ‘The Witcher’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Netflix)Season 2 of ‘The Witcher’ (Photo Credit: Netflix)A scene from ‘The Witcher’ season 2 (Photo Credit: Netflix)
Apple TV+’s just released the first teaser trailer for the upcoming third season of the psychological thriller/horror series, Servant. The teaser sets up a battle for the survival of the Turner family, with Leanne promising to do whatever it takes to protect her family.
Season three will premiere on January 21, 2022. New episodes of the 10 episode season will drop on subsequent Fridays.
The third season stars Lauren Ambrose reprising her role as Dorothy Turner, Toby Kebbell returns as Sean Turner, Nell Tiger Free is back as Leanne Grayson, and Rupert Grint is once again on board as Julian Pearce. Sunita Mani (No Activity) joins the cast for the upcoming season.
British Academy of Film and Television Arts nominated executive producer/writer Tony Basgallop created the series. Two-time Oscar nominee M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense) executive produces with Jason Blumenthal, Todd Black, Steve Tisch, Ashwin Rajan, and Taylor Latham. Season three directors include Shyamalan, Ishana Night Shyamalan, Carlo Mirabella-Davis, Dylan Holmes, Celine Held & Logan George, Kitty Green, and Veronika Franz & Severin Fiala.
Ryan Scott, Ishana Night Shyamalan, Alyssa Clark, Laura Marks, Henry Chaisson, Amy Louise Johnson, and Kara Lee Corthon are the season three writers.
Poster for season 3 of ‘Servant’ (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+)
The Plot, Courtesy of Apple TV+:
The half-hour psychological thriller follows a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy creates a rift in their marriage and opens the door for a mysterious force to enter their home.
Following its suspenseful season one finale, the second season took a supernatural turn with a darker future for all as Leanne returned to the brownstone and her true nature was revealed.
There have been many films – some truly great, like All The Presidents Men, Call Northside 777, and Spotlight – that have focused on journalists and portrayed them as crusaders of the truth and the heroes of the stories being told. Writer/director Wes Anderson’s new film The French Dispatch is not only a tribute to journalists and their work but also a love letter to The New Yorker magazine.
The film begins with the death of Arthur Howitzer, Jr. (Bill Murray), the owner and editor of a magazine named The French Dispatch. In his will Howitzer Jr. directed that the magazine would end with his demise, dictating that a special final issue featuring his obituary would be published along with stylish, intriguing articles by the journalists on staff.
The film then cuts to the offices of the magazine in the fictional town of Ennui-sur-Blasé in France where the staff begin to go over the stories to be included in the special farewell issue. From there, the film launches into a collection of short stories by the journalists showing a selection of the best stories they’ve covered in their careers.
Stories deemed worthy of inclusion include food reviewer Roebuck Wright (Jeffrey Wright) becoming involved in a major kidnapping case and veteran journalist Lucinda Krementz (Frances McDormand) getting too close to a student protest dubbed the “Chessboard Revolution.” Plus, there’s the unusual tale of a criminally insane artist, Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio Del Toro), and his relationship with his muse, Simone (Léa Seydoux), a guard at the asylum where he’s incarcerated.
Stylish and quirky, The French Dispatch features Anderson’s well-known peculiar style and dry wit. However, in this outing Anderson misses the target and has created a shallow, empty film focused on style over substance. The collection of short stories, while original and offbeat, lack any real depth or development.
The A-list cast is wasted in this hollow, artsy pulp filled with caricatures instead of interesting and engaging characters. Some of the ensemble are completely wasted…Edward Norton, Owen Wilson, Saoirse Ronan, Willem Dafoe, and Henry Winkler…appearing as brief, one-dimensional characters who are off the screen just as the audience is recognizing them.
Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch fails to engage the audience and feels superficial. Even the filmmaker’s diehard fans are sure to find this outing forgettable and disappointing.
GRADE: D
MPAA Rating: R for language, graphic nudity, and some sexual references
Ryan Guzman and Oliver Stark in the “Brawl in Cell Block 9-1-1” episode of ‘9-1-1’ (Photo Credit: FOX)
Fox just released the first photos from the upcoming season five episode six of the action drama, 9-1-1. Episode six – “Brawl in Cell Block 9-1-1” – will air on Monday, November 1, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT.
Executive producers Angela Bassett and Peter Krause return to lead the cast as Athena Grant and Bobby Nash. Jennifer Love Hewitt plays Maddie Kendall, Oliver Stark is Evan “Buck” Buckley, Aisha Hinds is Henrietta “Hen” Wilson, and Kenneth Choi is Howie “Chimney” Han. Ryan Guzman plays Eddie Diaz, Rockmond Dunbar is Michael Grant, Corinne Massiah is May Grant, Marcanthonee Jon Reis is Harry Grant, Gavin McHugh is Christopher Diaz, and John Harlan Kim plays Albert Han.
“Brawl In Cell Block 9-1-1” Plot: Responding to a fire at a prison, Bobby and the 118 find themselves trapped in a deadly riot.
The Season 5 Plot, Courtesy of Fox:
The first responders race into action when a series of ransomware attacks target computer systems, air traffic control towers and hospitals. Then, a massive city-wide blackout causes havoc in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Athena deals with a family emergency, Maddie’s postpartum depression worsens, Eddie suffers a health scare and a new call center operator takes charge.
Aisha Hinds in season 5 episode 6 (Photo: FOX)Angela Bassett in the “Brawl in Cell Block 9-1-1” episode (Photo Credit: FOX)Ryan Guzman in season 5 episode 6 (Photo Credit: FOX)Oliver Stark in season 5 episode 6 (Photo Credit: FOX)Oliver Stark in the “Brawl in Cell Block 9-1-1” (Photo Credit: FOX)
Apple TV+’s set to launch their first Korean language series, Dr. Brain, on November 3, 2021 in the U.S. In support of the sci-fi drama’s upcoming premiere, Apple TV+ has released a lengthy trailer along with the season one poster.
Dr. Brain‘s based on a Korean webtoon and stars Lee Sun-kyun (Parasite) as Sewon Koh, Lee You-young (Times) as Jaeyi Jung, Park Hee-soon (Undercover) as Kangmu Lee, Seo Ji-hye (Dinner Mate) as Lieutenant Choi, and Lee Jae-won (Kill It).
Kim Jee-woon (A Tale of Two Sisters, I Saw the Devil) served as writer, director and executive producer. The six episode series was produced by Bound Entertainment, Kakao Entertainment, StudioPlex, and Dark Circle Pictures, with Samuel Yeunju Ha, Jamie Yuan Lai, Ham Jung Yeub, Daniel Han, Joy Jinsoo Lee, Min Young Hong, and Antonio H.W. Lee involved as executive producers.
The Plot, Courtesy of Apple TV+:
The series follows a brilliant brain scientist Sewon (Sun-kyun) who suffers a horrific personal tragedy when his family falls victim to a mysterious accident. Desperate to uncover what happened, he goes to extraordinary lengths to solve the tragic mystery by conducting “brain syncs” with the dead to access their memories for clues.
ABC’s A Million Little Things season four episode six appears to be taking a short time jump and will be catching up with the friends/former lovers six months after episode five. Episode six – “six months later” – will air on Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
David Giuntoli stars as Eddie Saville, Romany Malco plays Rome Howard, Christina Moses is Regina Howard, Grace Park plays Katherine Saville, and James Roday Rodriguez stars as Gary Mendez. Allison Miller is Maggie Bloom, Stephanie Szostak is Delilah Dixon, Floriana Lima is Darcy Cooper, Tristan Byon is Theo Saville, Lizzy Greene is Sophie Dixon, and Chance Hurstfield plays Danny Dixon.
“six months later” Plot: Maggie is enjoying success at work and new love in her life, while Gary learns he needs to let go of his past. Rome experiences a curveball with his film and Regina deals with drama of her own.
A Million Little Things Description, Courtesy of ABC:
A group of friends bands together to tackle issues heightened by the challenges our world is facing right now.
Romany Malco in ‘A Million Little Things’ season 4 episode 6 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Mario Van Peebles in season 4 episode 6 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Azie Tesfai in season 4 episode 6 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Christina Moses in season 4 episode 6 (ABC/Jack Rowand)James Roday Rodriguez in season 4 episode 6 (ABC/Jack Rowand)Floriana Lima in the “six months later” episode (ABC/Jack Rowand)
