Coldplay and BTS (Credit: James Marcus Haney x Heo Jae Young x Kim So Jung / Provided by Warner Music Group / Parlophone / Big Hit (HYBE)
Grammy Award-winning group Coldplay announced today they’re teaming up with K-pop icons BTS on the next single off of their highly anticipated album, Music Of The Spheres. Music Of The Spheres will drop on October 15, 2021 and the just-announced single, titled “My Universe” and produced by Max Martin, will be available September 24, 2021.
“My Universe” is sung in both English and Korean and was written by Coldplay and BTS. It’s currently available for pre-order and pre-save, with a CD single also available to order. (As this article is being written, both the UK and US Coldplay shops have sold out of the CD single.)
The upcoming collaboration is the second single released off of Coldplay’s album. The first single, “Higher Power,” was released this past May.
Fans of both Coldplay and BTS have suspected this collaboration was coming for a while now, but finally received confirmation today. Martin revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show he went to South Korea to meet up with the global superstars. “We thought it would be good to sing this with BTS because maybe we’re not supposed to be together and it turned out to be one of the most fun things ever. I went to Korea to be with them. It’s been amazing,” said Martin.
Coldplay’s front man recently sat down to interview BTS on a YouTube original series, “Released,” where he asked thought-provoking questions. The popular K-pop group talked about the inspiration behind the dance challenge for their number one single, “Permission to Dance.”
Showbiz Junkies previously reported Coldplay and BTS will be performing at the Global Citizen Live benefit concert on Saturday, September 25, 2021. (Coldplay will be performing live from the historical Central Park in New York.) In 2015 Coldplay’s lead singer was announced to serve as the festival’s curator for a 15-year term. The folks at Global Citizen Live have yet to release further details about BTS’ performance for the benefit concert, stating recently, “We’ll be announcing more details soon about BTS’ performance as part of Global Citizen Live.”
HBO just announced the critically acclaimed award-winning drama Succession will kick off its third season on October 17, 2021. New episodes will premiere at 9pm ET/PT on HBO and will also be available on HBO Max.
The third season of the Emmy Award-winning dysfunctional family drama will consist of nine hour-long episodes.
Returning series stars include Brian Cox as Logan, Jeremy Strong as Kendall, Kieran Culkin as Roman, Sarah Snook as Shiv, and Matthew Macfadyen as Tom. Nicholas Braun returns as Greg, Harriet Walter is Caroline, and Alan Ruck is back as Connor.
The season three cast also includes Peter Friedman, J. Smith-Cameron, Dagmara Dominczyk, Justine Lupe, David Rasche, Fisher Stevens, and Hiam Abbass. Arian Moayed, James Cromwell, Natalie Gold, Juliana Canfield, Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Zoë Winters, and Jeannie Berlin are confirmed to return.
Joining the series for season three are Alexander Skarsgård, Sanaa Lathan, Linda Emond, Jihae, Adrien Brody, Hope Davis, and Dasha Nekrasova.
Showrunner Jesse Armstrong created the series and serves as an executive producer along with Adam McKay, Frank Rich, Kevin Messick, Jane Tranter, Mark Mylod, Tony Roche, Scott Ferguson, Jon Brown, Lucy Prebble, Will Tracy, and Will Ferrell.
The Plot, Courtesy of HBO:
Ambushed by his rebellious son Kendall at the end of Season two, Logan Roy begins Season three in a perilous position, scrambling to secure familial, political, and financial alliances. Tensions rise as a bitter corporate battle threatens to turn into a family civil war.
The official trailer for Disney+’s Hawkeye begins with Clint gathered together with his family to celebrate the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, the Barton family’s celebration is cut short when Clint is pulled back into Hawkeye mode with the re-appearance of an old enemy.
The Christmas-themed Marvel series arrives with the tagline: “This holiday season, the best gifts come with a bow.”
Jeremy Renner reprises his role as Clint Barton/Hawkeye in this much-anticipated solo project. Renner’s joined by Hailee Steinfeld as Kate Bishop, Vera Farmiga, Fra Fee, Tony Dalton, Zahn McClarnon, Brian d’Arcy James, and newcomer Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez.
Hawkeye is directed by Rhys Thomas as well as the directing duo Bert and Bertie. The live-action series will premiere on Wednesday, November 24, 2021.
The Plot, Courtesy of Disney+:
Set in post-blip New York City, former Avenger Clint Barton has a seemingly simple mission: get back to his family for Christmas. Possible? Maybe with the help of Kate Bishop, a 22-year-old archer with dreams of becoming a Super Hero. The two are forced to work together when a presence from Barton’s past threatens to derail far more than the festive spirit.
The teaser trailer for Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico season three warns us to prepare for the final blow. Season three – the final season – promises to be action-packed as the war between rival cartels and the police explodes.
Netflix released the one-minute teaser trailer with new photos from the upcoming final season. The streaming service also confirmed Narcos: Mexico‘s 10-episode third season will premiere on November 5, 2021.
Season three stars Scoot McNairy, José María Yázpik, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Alberto Guerra, Luisa Rubino, and Alfonso Dosal. Mayra Hermosillo, Matt Letscher, Manuel Masalva, Alejandro Edda, Gorka Lasaosa, and Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio “Bad Bunny” are also featured in the critically acclaimed drama’s final season.
Carlo Bernard executive produces and guides the series as showrunner. Additional executive producers include Sidonie Dumas, Christophe Riandee, Nicolas Atlan, José Padilha, Doug Miro, Andrés Baiz, and Eric Newman. The final season is directed by Andrés Baiz, Alejandra Márquez Abella, Luis Ortega, Amat Escalante, and Wagner Moura (“Pablo Escobar” in Narcos).
The Season 3 Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:
Set in the 90s, when the globalization of the drug business ignites, Season 3 examines the war that breaks out after Felix’s arrest. As newly independent cartels struggle to survive political upheaval and escalating violence, a new generation of Mexican kingpins emerge. But in this war, truth is the first casualty – and every arrest, murder and take-done only pushes real victory further away…
Fox’s Fantasy Island season one approaches its end with the penultimate episode, “The Romance & The Bromance.” Season one episode six will air on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT and features guest star Eric Winter (The Rookie).
The cast of the reboot is led by Roselyn Sánchez as Elena Roarke, a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke. Kiara Barnes (The Bold and the Beautiful) plays Ruby Akuda and John Gabriel Rodriguez (Rosewood) is Javier. Episode seven’s guest stars include Caitlin Stasey, Gillian Saker, and Benjamin Stockham.
“The Romance & The Bromance” Plot: A bookworm who wants to say yes to life goes back in time to meet her favorite author, and a competitive survivalist learns that the ultimate challenge is something he hasn’t trained for.
Series Description, Courtesy of Fox:
Fantasy Island takes place at a luxury resort, where literally any fantasy requested by guests is fulfilled, although they rarely turn out as expected. Delving into the ‘what if’ questions – both big and small – that keep us awake at night, each episode will tell emotional, provocative stories about people who arrive with dreams and desires and depart enlightened and transformed through the magical realism of Fantasy Island.
Serving as steward of this mysterious island is Elena Roarke (Sanchez), a descendant of the iconic Mr. Roarke. Elena set aside her own ambitions, and even the love of her life, to uphold her family’s legacy. Sophisticated, insightful and always charming, her calm exterior masks the challenges of the responsibilities she has assumed.
Assisting Elena is Ruby Akuda (Barnes), a young woman with an old soul who arrives on Fantasy Island with a terminal illness and is given a new lease on life there; and pilot Javier (Rodriquez), who also is the head of island transportation and a jack of all trades.
Zak Bagans opens up his Haunted Museum for a new spooky series (Photo Credit: discovery+)
Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel will be delivering the chills, thrills, and spooky baking ideas with “Ghostober IV” featuring 14 series and specials. The Halloween-themed program lineup includes new seasons of Halloween Wars, The Dead Files, and Outrageous Pumpkins plus premieres of new series The Haunted Museum, House Haunters, and Eli Roth Presents: A Ghost Ruined My Life.
“Halloween is a big holiday for our lifestyle brands, and while in past years each brand has delivered on themed programming in its own way, this year we joined forces to build on Travel Channel’s popular ‘Ghostober’ special event,” stated Kathleen Finch, chief lifestyle brands officer, Discovery, Inc. “We combined the ghost-themed series and specials from Food Network and HGTV with Travel Channel’s compelling content to curate an incredible season of scary, fun and bingeable shows across platforms. With stars like Anthony Anderson, Zak Bagans, Doris Bowman, Alyson Hannigan, Jack and Kelly Osbourne and director Eli Roth bringing the creative for these series and specials to life, fans of Halloween can watch scary stories and visual treats all month long.”
The special Halloween season programming will conclude with a sneak peek of Ghost Hunters‘ new season featuring Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango, and Shari DeBenedetti airing on October 31st.
PARANORMAL CAUGHT ON CAMERA New Episodes
Thursdays beginning September 9 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Travel Channel
THESE WOODS ARE HAUNTED New Season
Fridays beginning September 10 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Travel Channel
THE ALASKA TRIANGLE New Season
Fridays beginning September 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Travel Channel
HALLOWEEN BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP New Season
Premieres Monday, September 13 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network
This season pays tribute to 1980s classic slasher movies, kicking off with host John Henson welcoming the competitors to Camp Devil’s Food Lake where only their baking skills will help them survive. Each week the bakers must create killer cakes, creepy cupcakes and more to showcase their skills in challenges that pay homage to quintessential horror films. Judges Stephanie Boswell, Carla Hall and Zac Young determine whose desserts earn $25,000 and the title of Halloween Baking Champion! (Seven episodes including three super-sized, two-hour episodes and four one-hour episodes) #HalloweenBakingChampionship
HALLOWEEN WARS (featuring Zak Bagans) New Season
Premieres Sunday, September 19 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network
Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans has spent the last 15 years experiencing the scariest supernatural encounters ever recorded, and for the first time he shares those experiences with the eight Halloween Wars teams of expert cake and sugar artists in the new season. Over the course of the season, Zak takes inspiration from his collection of dangerous and mysterious artifacts from his Haunted Museum in Las Vegas to challenge the teams to create intricate cakes that are as frightening as they are tasty. One team will be eliminated in each episode by a panel of judges featuring award-winning cake decorator Shinmin Li, and chefs and cookbook authors Aarti Sequeira and Eddie Jackson, and the last team standing will earn $25,000. (Seven one-hour episodes) #HalloweenWars
WORST COOKS IN AMERICA: HALLOWEEN REDEMPTION 2 New Special
Premieres Sunday, September 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network
Four ghoulishly disastrous Worst Cooks recruits return for another stab at boot camp and they will once again face their fears in the kitchen and tackle terrifying ingredients. With coaching from chefs Anne Burrell and Michael Symon, the culinary hopefuls will create a spooktacular feast for a panel of culinary experts. The recruits start by making a dish using a mystery ingredient they have been assigned; after Anne and Michael pick their teams, the chefs will teach them to make a buffet for a Halloween gathering in order to win a kitchen upgrade worth $5,000 and culinary redemption. (One hour-long episode) #WorstCooks
GHOST ADVENTURES: GOLDFIELD HOTEL New Special
Begins Streaming Friday, October 1 on discovery+
The GHOST ADVENTURES crew heads back to Goldfield, Nevada, to settle – once and for all – a mysterious evil feud that’s been cast over the town. In a highly personal and emotionally charged investigation, Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin, Billy Tolley and Jay Wasley revisit the haunted town where their journey began … and head back inside the infamous Goldfield Hotel, a landmark with a bloodied past. New frightening paranormal incidents call the GAC back in their final attempt to unmask a vengeful presence that only grows stronger – and more menacing – by the day. (Two-hour special) #GhostAdventures
THE HAUNTED MUSEUM New Series
Begins Streaming Saturday, October 2 with Two-Episode Binge on discovery+
The creepy collection of haunted artifacts housed inside Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum are getting the spotlight in THE HAUNTED MUSEUM, a new horror film anthology series produced in collaboration with filmmaker Eli Roth. The series presents frightening and hellish tales inspired by the spooky relics on display in Zak Bagans’ Las Vegas museum. Bagans, a devoted collector of the macabre, is opening his museum vaults and sharing the secrets and stories behind a curated selection of his most prized haunted items through scripted shorts produced by Roth and his accredited team and with featured commentary from Bagans. (Nine episodes) #TheHauntedMuseum
OUTRAGEOUS PUMPKINS New Season
Premieres Sunday, October 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Food Network
OUTRAGEOUS PUMPKINS with host Alyson Hannigan takes the traditional Halloween pastime to the next level. Seven extraordinarily talented pumpkin carvers duke it out in an outdoor pumpkin competition that defies imagination. Each week, the carvers dive headfirst into the most insane, eerie and outrageous challenges executing their intricate Halloween designs to impress judges Terri Hardin and Marc Evan. Only one will earn the coveted title of Outrageous Pumpkin Champion and take home $25,000. (Four one-hour episodes) #OutrageousPumpkins
HOUSE HAUNTERS New Series
Begins Streaming Thursday, October 7 on discovery+
Emmy nominated actor and producer Anthony Anderson, star of the ABC sitcom Black-ish, along with his mom and co-host of ABC’s To Tell the Truth, Doris Bowman, will combine their love of all things home – and mischief – to host the new discovery+ series HOUSE HAUNTERS. During this hidden camera real estate and home renovation prank series from the producers of Impractical Jokers, Anthony and Doris will take over properties and devise hilarious gags for unsuspecting house hunters, real estate agents, handymen and even a few HGTV stars, including Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent (The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project) and Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt (100 Day Dream Home). Throughout House Haunters, with dozens of hidden cameras in place and working from a nearby unmarked van, Anthony and Doris will scheme to scare, startle and surprise visitors to the homes – executing humorous high jinks with creepy dolls come to life, mysterious pests on the loose, home decor that has a mind of its own or seemingly haunted spaces. (Six half-hour episodes) #HouseHaunters
ELI ROTH PRESENTS: A GHOST RUINED MY LIFE New Series
Begins Streaming Friday, October 8 with Two-Episode Binge on discovery+
From master of horror Eli Roth, A GHOST RUINED MY LIFE shares the shocking stories of hauntings that have left emotional (and sometimes physical) scars on those unlucky enough to have experienced them. Equal parts terrifying and evocative, every hour-long episode will expose viewers to the real-life stories of survivors who have been dragged through hell and back and now struggle to rebuild their shattered lives. (Eight one-hour episodes) #AGhostRuinedMyLife
Amy Allan and Steve DiSchiavi in ‘The Dead Files’ (Photo Courtesy of Travel Channel)
THE DEAD FILES New Season
Premieres Saturday, October 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Travel Channel
Former NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi and physical medium Amy Allan are back on the case. Utilizing his detective skills, DiSchiavi interviews witnesses and experts, and researches the history and facts behind each haunted location. Allan, a physical medium who sees and communicates with the dead, assesses the property to identify what underlying entities reside there. Keeping their findings hidden from each other, the team avoids all contact with one another – coming together only at the very end to reveal their shocking discoveries to the property owners, and each other. (Six one-hour episodes) #DeadFiles
JACK AND KELLY OSBOURNE: NIGHT OF TERROR New Special – “The Queen Mary”
Begins Streaming Sunday, October 24 on discovery+
Jack Osbourne introduced his sister, Kelly, to the paranormal last year and turned her skepticism into a curiosity of the unknown. Now, he’s bringing her to the queen of all haunted locations – the RMS Queen Mary. For decades, people have ventured onto the ship, docked in Long Beach, California, for a glimpse at the other side. However, since it shut down to the public in early 2020 when the Coronavirus pandemic struck, the hallowed halls of this once-elegant ocean liner have grown silent – but hardly empty. The skeleton crew of security and maintenance workers have experienced unsettlingly aggressive paranormal activity including scratches, threatening footsteps thundering down the hall and vivid apparitions. Now, Jack and Kelly will come aboard to investigate the infamous ghost ship alone. (Two-hour special) #NightofTerror
GHOST HUNTERS New Season Sneak Peek – Special Halloween Event
Begins Streaming Sunday, October 31 on discovery+
The revival of the series that started it all is here! GHOST HUNTERS comes exclusively to discovery+ with a brand-new season featuring original team leader Jason Hawes, joined by Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango and Shari DeBenedetti. A special Halloween event kicks off the new run, as the TAPS team take back the paranormal reins in epic haunted locations. Joining the hunt inside one of America’s scariest prisons are a few familiar faces and special guests, including Amy Bruni and Adam Berry (Kindred Spirits, Ghost Hunters). (One-hour episode) #GhostHunters
Zed and Munt play a game of cat and mouse with the gods on The CW’s The Outpost season four episode 10. Directed by Milan Konjević from a script by Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin, episode 10 – “Something to Live For” – is set to air on September 16, 2021.
The cast is led by Jessica Green as Talon and includes Jake Stormoen as Captain Garret Spears, Anand Desai-Barochia as Janzo, and Reece Ritchie as Zed. Izuka Hoyle is Wren, Jaye Griffiths is Yavalla, Aaron Fontaine is Tobin, Georgia May Foote is Falista, Maeve Courtier-Lilly is Luna, Nikki Leigh Scott is Vorta, and Adam Johnson is Munt.
“Something to Live For” Plot: A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE – Talon (Green) and Luna (Courtier-Lilley) return to a familiar tomb. Janzo (Desai-Barochia) and Wren (Hoyle) find themselves in a precarious position. Meanwhile, Zed (Ritchie), Munt (Johnson) and Nedra (guest star Tamara Radovanović) must play a deadly game against the gods.
The Season 4 Plot:
After Gwynn (Imogen Waterhouse) sacrificed herself to destroy Yavalla, the Outpost needs a new ruler. But while Talon and Garret try to establish new leadership, a sinister threat awakens, revealing the true origin of the mysterious kinjes. Talon and her kinj-bearing friends all share dark visions from god-like beings who are hell-bent on reclaiming the kinjes for themselves. A would-be assassin named Luna hunts Talon down to get vengeance for crimes of the past, but soon discovers that her own heritage is wrapped up in Talon’s fate.
Mourning the recent loss of her beloved Tobin (Aaron Fontaine), Falista is mentored by Two to dedicate herself to the new “gods” in exchange for a costly favor. But when the Lu Qiri go missing, Talon and Zed track them down to discover the greatest threat the Realm has ever faced… a new race of beings that will ultimately explain Talon’s own dark origins.
When Janzo and Wren are forced to unlock an ancient city beneath the Outpost, they struggle to uncover who their real allies and enemies will be, while a secret they share gives them new motivation to save the world.
As she and her friends are hunted down one by one, while diabolic forces are tearing her world apart, Talon endures the darkest challenge she has ever faced, as she struggles to embrace the heroes of her past and somehow survive the villains that only she has the power to destroy.
Please know this, I really wanted to like Malignant. James Wan’s The Conjuring is one of my three favorite horror films of all time – the other two being The Exorcist and Rosemary’s Baby. Wan’s proven he’s capable of delivering a compelling story that scares the pants off the audience, however Malignant is neither compelling nor scary.
Malignant follows a battered wife whose husband is killed off (yes!) early on. Madison (Annabelle Wallis, Annabelle) – the wife – has a major head injury yet continues to go about her life, remaining in the home where her husband was brutally murdered despite a series of clues that suggest she should pack up and leave post haste.
In short order, Madison begins experiencing terrifying waking dreams in which she’s a silent witness to gruesome events. Madison realizes there’s no way to escape these visions and teams up with the police to stop the murderer’s reign of terror. As little pieces of her disturbing backstory are revealed, the hunt for a serial murderer with a penchant for pummeling victims into unrecognizable blobs heats up.
A disappointing misstep from a filmmaker who knows how to thrill us, Malignant feels like a decent Creepshow episode both in production design and makeup/creature effects. The surprise twist, which some will insist is the reason to see James Wan’s return to the horror genre, feels less like something you’d expect from a filmmaker of his ilk and more like an up-and-comer unsure of how to build to a gruesome, no holds barred finale. Obviously, it’s necessary to not directly address what goes down in the third act but suffice it to say the body count is huge yet equal to the laughs generated by the film’s big bad.
Maybe my expectations were too high. And just maybe I’m missing the point of Malignant. It’s tonally unlike anything Wan’s done before and unexpectedly goofy. Yes, you read that right. It’s a dollop of gory goofiness, a side dish minus the main course.
Malignant’s a throwback to the ‘80s and may ultimately become a kitschy classic. If it does, well fine then. I’ll check it out again 10 years from now when my expectations for entertainment are basement-level and might agree I missed the boat the first time around.
If you’re determined to give Malignant a go, toss out any preconceived notions of what you’re in for. It’s nothing like you’d expect and unlikely to move ahead of Saw, Dead Silence, Insidious, or The Conjuring on lists of the best James Wan horror films.
GRADE: C
MPAA Rating: R for language, gruesome images, and strong horror violence
Petrina Bromley, Jenn Colella, De’Lon Grant, Joel Hatch, Tony LePage, Caesar Samayoa, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Emily Walton, Jim Walton, Sharon Wheatley and Paul Whitty star in ‘Come From Away’ (Photo Courtesy of Apple TV+)
Jim DeFede’s The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland told the incredible story of passengers from 38 flights who found themselves stuck in Newfoundland immediately following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. DeFede’s book was adapted into Come From Away, an award-winning Broadway musical written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein. And now that extraordinary musical is accessible to a wider audience with a filmed version of Come From Away arriving on Apple TV+ on September 10, 2021.
This September 11th marks the 20th anniversary of the devastating attack on America which left thousands dead and thousands more mourning the loss of loved ones. In the weeks leading up to the 20th anniversary, a wealth of documentaries, docuseries, and specials have provided insight into the events of that day while honoring those who lost their lives as well as the heroes who risked theirs in the aftermath of the attack.
Come From Away, based on true events, takes a more intimate approach to the global tragedy. The story begins with the fine folks of Gander, Newfoundland describing their town via an uplifting number titled “Welcome to the Rock.” Gander’s small-town vibe shines through, and the close-knit community is established as a place few willingly come to visit now that international air travel can be done without a pit stop on the island to fuel up.
However, when all air traffic is suddenly grounded the town of Gander finds its population almost doubling in size with the unexpected arrival of 7,000 passengers from around the world. The townsfolk leap into action, preparing thousands of meals, collecting supplies from baby food to toilet paper, and opening their homes – and hearts – to these confused and scared strangers.
Sankoff and Hein’s story focuses on one planeload of passengers and crew in particular – an American Airlines plane piloted by Beverley Bass (the first female pilot hired by American Airlines). Key characters from the ground in Gander and from that plane intermingle and in doing so we learn a little about the lives of the big-hearted citizens of Gander and “the plane people,” as the Gander folks dub them.
Come From Away’s incredibly moving and exquisitely brought to life with minimal props on a nearly naked stage. A few tables and a dozen or so chairs are all that’s used to fill in for the interior of a plane, the inside of a local pub, a school, and other settings. The actors each play multiple roles, sometimes changing over within a single song. The songs evoke the full spectrum of emotions, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t shed a few unexpected tears as a newbie to the subject matter. (I haven’t read DeFede’s book or seen a live production of Come From Away but now I’m anxious to do both.)
Directed by Christopher Ashley, this filmed version of the critically acclaimed Broadway musical is a first-class production. Disney+’s filmed version of Hamilton! set the bar high; Come From Away is equally as impressive in film form. It’s impeccably shot, genuinely moving, and the cast is nothing short of brilliant.
Shot at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City in front of an audience consisting of 9/11 survivors and frontline workers, Come From Away’s film version is a poignant and uplifting story of complete strangers exhibiting qualities we hope reside within each of us. For two hours, the talented ensemble portraying Gander and the plane people makes us feel optimistic that, despite our differences, everything is going to be okay.
GRADE: A
Starring: Petrina Bromley, Jenn Colella, De’Lon Grant, Joel Hatch, Tony LePage, Caesar Samayoa, Q. Smith, Astrid Van Wieren, Emily Walton, Jim Walton, Sharon Wheatley, and Paul Whitty
Release Date: September 10, 2021 on Apple TV+
Production Companies: eOne, Junkyard Dog Productions, RadicalMedia, and Alchemy Production Group
Fox’s fall 2021 primetime lineup will include the debut of The Big Leap, a scripted dramedy set in the world of dance and focusing on a group of wannabe dancers who are assembled – some based on talent, others on likeability – to perform a new version of “Swan Lake.” The one-hour series will air on Mondays at 9pm ET/PT, immediately following new episodes of 9-1-1.
Season one episode one will premiere on Fox on September 20, 2021, following an early preview of the first two episodes via Hulu, Fox Now, and On Demand beginning September 14th.
The Big Leap was created by writer Liz Heldens (The Passage) and is executive produced by Heldens, director Jason Winer (Modern Family), Sue Naegle (The Plot Against America), and Peter Dale.
The Cast:
Season one stars Scott Foley as Nick Blackburn, Teri Polo as Julia Perkins, Jon Rudnitsky as Mike Devries, and Kevin Daniels as Wayne Fontaine. Piper Perabo stars as Paula Clark, Ser’Darius Blain is Reggie Sadler, Simone Recasner is Gabby Lewis, Raymond Cham Jr is Justin Calgrove, Mallory Jansen is Monica Sullivan, and Anna Grace Barlow is Brittany Lovewell.
The Plot, Courtesy of Fox:
On the heels of his latest show failure and a stressful divorce, producer NICK BLACKBURN (Foley) reluctantly signs on to produce “The Big Leap,” a high-stakes docuseries filming in Motor City. The show, which brings together dancers from every age, background and body type, is the brainchild of former dancer WAYNE FONTAINE (Daniels). With choreographer MONICA SULLIVAN (Jansen) on board to help Nick mount the production, he begins his search for not only the best dancers, but also the ones that could stir up the most drama and buzz.
GABBY LEWIS (Recasner) once dreamt of becoming a professional dancer, but her dreams were sidelined when she got pregnant right out of high school. In the midst of the monotony that is her 9-to-5 office job, she stumbles upon an open casting call for “The Big Leap,” reigniting her passion for dance. Auditioning alongside Gabby is JUSTIN CALGROVE (Cham Jr.), Gabby’s former dance partner and high school boyfriend…that is, until he came out of the closet (to the surprise of no one, except Gabby).
Their fellow contestants include REGGIE SADLER (Blain), a professional football star on the brink of suspension and whom Nick believes could give the show the star power and controversy it needs to break through; BRITTNEY LOVEWELL (Barlow), a born-and-bred hyper-competitive ballroom dancer whose partner is her twin brother; unemployed autoworker MIKE DEVRIES (Rudnitsky), whose gradual unraveling recently led his wife to leave him; PAULA CLARK (Perabo), a high-powered corporate executive; and former ballerina JULIA PERKINS (Polo), who relies on social media for the attention she craves from her family.
Inspired by a U.K. reality format, Big Ballet, The Big Leap is an innovative show-within-a-show that takes viewers on a journey of self-acceptance, body-positivity and empowerment at any age.
