Michael Potts as Slow Drag, Chadwick Boseman as Levee and Colman Domingo as Cutler in ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ (Photo by David Lee / Netflix)
The Screen Actors Guild announced the 27th Annual SAG Awards nominees, recognizing the best performances in television and film. Actors from The Crown, Schitt’s Creek, and Ozark lead the list of television nominees and Chadwick Boseman scored the most nominations for work in films. Boseman’s four nominations came in recognition of his performances in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and Da 5 Bloods.
Lily Collins and Daveed Diggs had the honor of announcing this year’s SAG Awards nominees via the SAG Instagram account. Winners will be announced on Sunday, April 4, 2021 at 6pm PT/9pm ET on TNT and TBS.
MOTION PICTURES
Female Actor in a Leading Role
AMY ADAMS / Bev – HILLBILLY ELEGY
VIOLA DAVIS / Ma Rainey – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
VANESSA KIRBY / Martha – PIECES OF A WOMAN
FRANCES McDORMAND / Fern – NOMADLAND
CAREY MULLIGAN / Cassandra – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Male Actor in a Leading Role
RIZ AHMED / Ruben – SOUND OF METAL
CHADWICK BOSEMAN / Levee – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ANTHONY HOPKINS / Anthony – THE FATHER
GARY OLDMAN / Herman Mankiewicz – MANK
STEVEN YEUN / Jacob – MINARI
Female Actor in a Supporting Role
MARIA BAKALOVA / Tutar – BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
GLENN CLOSE / Mamaw – HILLBILLY ELEGY
OLIVIA COLMAN / Anne – THE FATHER
YUH-JUNG YOUN / Soonja – MINARI
HELENA ZENGEL / Johanna – NEWS OF THE WORLD
Male Actor in a Supporting Role
SACHA BARON COHEN / Abbie Hoffman – THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
CHADWICK BOSEMAN / Stormin’ Norman – DA 5 BLOODS
DANIEL KALUUYA / Fred Hampton – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
JARED LETO / Albert Sparma – THE LITTLE THINGS
LESLIE ODOM JR. / Sam Cooke – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
Cast in a Motion Picture
DA 5 BLOODS
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
MINARI
ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
STUNT ENSEMBLES
Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture
DA 5 BLOODS
MULAN
NEWS OF THE WORLD
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
WONDER WOMAN 1984
Stunt Ensemble in a Comedy or Drama Series
THE BOYS
COBRA KAI
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY
THE MANDALORIAN
WESTWORLD
TELEVISION PROGRAMS
Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
CATE BLANCHETT / Phyllis Schlafly – MRS. AMERICA
MICHAELA COEL / Arabella – I MAY DESTROY YOU
NICOLE KIDMAN / Grace Fraser – THE UNDOING
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY / Beth Harmon – THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT
KERRY WASHINGTON / Mia Warren – LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
Male Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series
BILL CAMP / Mr. Shaibel – THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT
DAVEED DIGGS / Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson – HAMILTON
HUGH GRANT / Jonathan Fraser – THE UNDOING
ETHAN HAWKE / John Brown – THE GOOD LORD BIRD
MARK RUFFALO / Dominick Birdsey/Thomas Birdsey – I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE
Female Actor in a Drama Series
GILLIAN ANDERSON / Margaret Thatcher – THE CROWN
OLIVIA COLMAN / Queen Elizabeth II – THE CROWN
EMMA CORRIN / Princess Diana – THE CROWN
JULIA GARNER / Ruth Langmore – OZARK
LAURA LINNEY / Wendy Byrde – OZARK
Male Actor in a Drama Series
JASON BATEMAN / Marty Byrde – OZARK
STERLING K. BROWN / Randall Pearson – THIS IS US
JOSH O’CONNOR / Prince Charles – THE CROWN
BOB ODENKIRK / Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman – BETTER CALL SAUL
REGÉ-JEAN PAGE / Simon Basset – BRIDGERTON
Female Actor in a Comedy Series
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE / Jen Harding – DEAD TO ME
LINDA CARDELLINI / Judy Hale – DEAD TO ME
KALEY CUOCO / Cassie Bowden – THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
ANNIE MURPHY / Alexis Rose – SCHITT’S CREEK
CATHERINE O’HARA / Moira Rose – SCHITT’S CREEK
Male Actor in a Comedy Series
NICHOLAS HOULT / Peter – THE GREAT
DANIEL LEVY / David Rose – SCHITT’S CREEK
EUGENE LEVY / Johnny Rose – SCHITT’S CREEK
”ASON SUDEIKIS / Ted Lasso – TED LASSO
RAMY YOUSSEF / Ramy – RAMY
Ensemble in a Drama Series
BETTER CALL SAUL
BRIDGERTON
THE CROWN
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY
OZARK
Ensemble in a Comedy Series
DEAD TO ME
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
THE GREAT
SCHITT’S CREEK
TED LASSO
Olivia Cooke and Jack O’Connell star in ‘Little Fish’ (Photo Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release)
Director Chad Hartigan’s Little Fish is a touching romantic tale of love and loss, of the fluidity of life and the desire to form lasting connections during our time on this planet. The heart-wrenching drama asks us to consider what happens when the threads that hold our relationships together are ripped apart by a devastating disease.
In the case of Little Fish, the fictional disease spreading around the globe is Neuroinflammatory Affliction (NIA). NIA steals memories and destroys lives. Some of those afflicted lose touch with their past rapidly while for others it’s a slow spiral into a world where nothing feels safe or familiar.
For newlyweds Emma (Olivia Cooke, Bates Motel) and Jude (Jack O’Connell, Godless) NIA advances slowly. It begins with little things…the inability to remember the name of someone they’ve dealt with occasionally at work or the forgetting of details of a conversation they recently engaged in. This slow march allows both Emma and Jude an opportunity to understand what the future holds or at least comprehend where they’re headed during the disease’s early stages.
Emma and Jude face their fate as a team. A potential cure allows the couple to hope for a continued life of shared memories, but what really drives this couple to wake up each morning is love. Emma remains undaunted as Jude’s lapses in memory increase, and Hartigan uses flashbacks to fill in blanks and flesh out their relationship.
The pandemic strikes globally yet Little Fish is a very intimate story focused on a couple who are both flawed and relatable. Watching Emma and Jude struggle and suffer through the stages of NIA is heartbreaking because we know them and they could be us.
The fact the world is currently in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic makes the film feel all the more relevant and intense. However, NIA is nothing like Covid-19; it’s very similar to Alzheimer’s. Whether the disease comes on fast or rolls out slowly, it progresses until you’re no longer able to recognize the faces of loved ones or call up memories of important events. You lose contact with what makes you a complete person, cut off from everyone and left feeling isolated and alone. Every day brings new frustrations; every face is that of a stranger.
It’s difficult to capture the impact of memory loss yet Chad Hartigan’s done an outstanding job setting up realistic scenarios. As the couple at the heart of the film, Olivia Cooke and Jack O’Connell deliver extraordinary performances. Cooke and O’Connell make us invest in this imperfect couple and as they lose themselves to NIA, their journey pulls at our heartstrings.
GRADE: A-
Screenplay By: Mattson Tomlin
Release Date: February 5, 2021 (streaming and in theaters)
Running Time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Studio: IFC Films
Supporting Cast: Soko, Raul Castillo, David Lennon, and Carmen Moore
Season one episode seven of ABC’s Big Sky ended with Ronald in Rick’s house while Cassie and Jenny were at the front door. Episode eight, “The End is Near,” finds Ronald still on the loose…for now.
Directed by Hanelle Culpepper from a script by Morenike Balogun, episode eight will air on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
The series stars Katheryn Winnick as Jenny Hoyt, Kylie Bunbury as Cassie Dewell, and Brian Geraghty as Ronald Pergman. Dedee Pfeiffer plays Denise Brisbane, Natalie Alyn Lind is Danielle Sullivan, Jade Pettyjohn is Grace Sullivan, Jesse James Keitel is Jerrie Kennedy, John Carroll Lynch plays Rick Legarski, and Ryan Phillippe as Cody Hoyt.
“The End is Near” Plot: Cassie and Jenny grow more suspicious of the circumstances with every visit to the hospital, while Ronald finds himself in a precarious situation thanks to a nosy paperboy. With his back against the wall, Ronald will have to address his inner demons and decide just how far is too far.
Katheryn Winnick and Guy Fauchon in ‘Big Sky’ season 1 episode 8 (ABC/Darko Sikman)Kylie Bunbury in season 1 episode 8 (ABC/Darko Sikman)Brian Geraghty in seaosn 1 episode 8 (ABC/Darko Sikman)Brian Geraghty in the “I Fall to Pieces” episode (ABC/Darko Sikman)Katheryn Winnick in season 1 episode 8 (ABC/Darko Sikman)Kylie Bunbury in season 1 episode 8 (ABC/Darko Sikman)
Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler and Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill in ‘Better Call Saul’ season 5 (Photo Credit: Greg Lewis/AMC/Sony Pictures Television)
Nominees have been announced for the 2021 Writers Guild Awards recognizing the best writing in television, new media, news (broadcast and digital), radio/audio, and promotional categories. The 73rd Annual Writers Guild Awards winners will be announced on Sunday, March 21st during a virtual awards ceremony.
Better Call Saul starring Bob Odenkirk leads the television nominees, earning five nominations including best drama. The Simpsons picked up four nominations followed by The Great and Ted Lasso with three nominations each.
DRAMA SERIES
Better Call Saul, Written by Ann Cherkis, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Ariel Levine, Heather Marion, Thomas Schnauz, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock; AMC
The Boys, Written by Eric Kripke, Ellie Monahan, Anslem Richardson, Craig Rosenberg, Michael Saltzman, Rebecca Sonnenshine; Amazon Studios
The Crown, Written by Peter Morgan, Jonathan Wilson; Netflix
The Mandalorian, Written by Rick Famuyiwa, Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni; Disney+
Ozark, Written by Laura Deeley, Bill Dubuque, Paul Kolsby, Miki Johnson, Chris Mundy, John Shiban, Ning Zhou, Martin Zimmerman; Netflix
COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm, Written by Larry David, Justin Hurwitz, Steve Leff, Carol Leifer, Jeff Schaffer; HBO
The Great, Written by Vanessa Alexander, Tony McNamara, Tess Morris, Amelia Roper, Gretel Vella, James Wood; Hulu
PEN15, Written by; Alyssa DiMari, Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle, Josh Levine, Gabe Liedman, Rachele Lynn, Vera Santamaria, Diana Tay, Sam Zvibleman; Hulu
Ted Lasso, Written by Jane Becker, Leann Bowen, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence, Jamie Lee, Jason Sudeikis, Phoebe Walsh, Bill Wrubel; Apple TV+
What We Do in the Shadows, Written by Jake Bender, Jemaine Clement, Zach Dunn, Joseph Furey, Shana Gohd, Sam Johnson, Chris Marcil, William Meny, Sarah Naftalis, Stefani Robinson, Marika Sawyer, Paul Simms; FX Networks
NEW SERIES
Dave, Written by Dave Burd, Vanessa McGee, Saladin Patterson, Luvh Rakhe, Alex Russell, Jeff Schaffer, Max Searle, Yamara Taylor; FX Networks
The Flight Attendant, Written by Kara Lee Corthron, Michael Foley, Ryan Jennifer Jones, Ticona S. Joy, Meredith Lavender, Jess Meyer, Daniele Nathanson, Marcie Ulin, Ian Weinreich, Steve Yockey; HBO Max
The Great, Written by Vanessa Alexander, Tony McNamara, Tess Morris, Amelia Roper, Gretel Vella, James Wood; Hulu
Lovecraft Country, Written by Misha Green, Shannon Houston, Jonathan Kidd, Kevin Lau, Ihuoma Ofordire, Wes Taylor, Sonya Winton; HBO
Ted Lasso, Written by Jane Becker, Leann Bowen, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence, Jamie Lee, Jason Sudeikis, Phoebe Walsh, Bill Wrubel; Apple TV+
ORIGINAL LONG FORM
Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story, Written by Aaron Carew, Alexandra Cunningham, Lex Edness, Kevin J. Hynes, Juliet Lashinsky-Revene, Stacy A. Littlejohn, Katherine B. McKenna; USA
Hollywood, Written by Ian Brennan, Janet Mock, Ryan Murphy, Reilly Smith; Netflix
Mrs. America, Written by Tanya Barfield, Joshua Griffith, Sharon Hoffman, Boo Killebrew, Micah Schraft, April Shih, Dahvi Waller; FX Networks
Safety, Written by Nick Santora; Disney+
Uncle Frank, Written by Alan Ball; Amazon Studios
ADAPTED LONG FORM
Bad Education, Written by Mike Makowsky, Based on the New York Magazine article ” The Bad Superintendent” by Robert Kolker; HBO
Clouds, Screenplay by Kara Holden; Story by Casey La Scala & Patrick Kopka and Kara Holden, Based on the book entitled “Fly A Little Higher’ by Laura Sobiech; Disney+
The Good Lord Bird, Written by Jeff Augustin, Ethan Hawke, Erika L. Johnson, Mark Richard, Kristen SaBerre, Lauren Signorino, Based on the Novel by James McBride; Showtime
Little Fires Everywhere, Written by Harris Danow, Rosa Handelman, Shannon Houston, Attica Locke, Raamla Mohamed, Amy Talkington, Liz Tigelaar, Nancy Won, Based on the book by Celeste Ng; Hulu
The Queen’s Gambit, Written by Scott Frank, Allan Scott, Based on the novel by Walter Tevis; Netflix
ORIGINAL & ADAPTED SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA
#FREERAYSHAWN, Written by Marc Maurino; Quibi
Better Call Saul Employee Training: Legal Ethics with Kim Wexler, Written by Ariel Levine; AMC Digital on YouTube
Most Dangerous Game, Written by Nick Santora, Story by Josh Harmon and Scott Elder; Quibi
ANIMATION
“A Springfield Summer Christmas For Christmas” (The Simpsons), Written by Jessica Conrad; Fox
“Bart The Bad Guy” (The Simpsons), Written by Dan Vebber; Fox
“I, Carumbus” (The Simpsons), Written by Cesar Mazariegos; Fox
“Prank You for Being A Friend” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Katie Crown; Fox
“Three Dreams Denied” (The Simpsons), Written by Danielle Weisberg; Fox
“Xerox of a Xerox” (BoJack Horseman), Written by Nick Adams; Netflix
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Bad Choice Road” (Better Call Saul), Written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC
“Fire Pink” (Ozark), Written by Miki Johnson; Netflix
“JMM” (Better Call Saul), Written by Alison Tatlock; AMC
“Raised by Wolves” (Raised by Wolves), Written by Aaron Guzikowski; HBO Max
“Something Unforgivable” (Better Call Saul), Written by Peter Gould & Ariel Levine; AMC
“Trouble Don’t Last Always” (Euphoria), Written by Sam Levinson; HBO
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Grandma & Chill” (Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens), Written by Kyle Lau; Comedy Central
“The Great” (The Great), Written by Tony McNamara; Hulu
“It’s Not You, It’s Me” (Dead to Me), Written by Liz Feldman & Kelly Hutchinson; Netflix
“Pilot” (Ted Lasso), Teleplay by Jason Sudeikis & Bill Lawrence, Story by Jason Sudeikis & Bill Lawrence & Brendan Hunt & Joe Kelly; Apple TV+
“The Tank” (Grace & Frankie), Written by Alex Kavallierou; Netflix
“Trick” (High Maintenance), Written by Isaac Oliver; HBO
COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES
Desus & Mero, Writers: Daniel “Desus Nice” Baker, Claire Friedman, Ziwe Fumudoh, Josh Gondelman, Robert Kornhauser, Joel “The Kid Mero” Martinez, Heben Nigatu, Mike Pielocik, Julia Young; Showtime
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Writers: Kristen Bartlett, Samantha Bee, Pat Cassels, Sean Crespo, Mike Drucker, Mathan Erhardt, Joe Grossman, Miles Kahn, Sahar Rizvi, Chris Thompson, Holly Walker, Alison Zeidman; TBS
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Tim Carvell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O’Brien, John Oliver, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali; HBO
Late Night with Seth Meyers, Head Writer: Alex Baze Writing Supervised by: Seth Reiss Closer Look Writing Supervised by: Sal Gentile Writers: Jermaine Affonso, Karen Chee, Bryan Donaldson, Matt Goldich, Dina Gusovsky, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, John Mulaney, Amber Ruffin, Mike Scollins, Mike Shoemaker, Ben Warheit, Jeff Wright; NBC
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Head Writers: Ariel Dumas, Jay Katsir Writers: Delmonte Bent, Michael Brumm, River Clegg, Aaron Cohen, Nicole Conlan, Stephen T. Colbert, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Django Gold, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Michael Cruz Kayne, Eliana Kwartler, Matt Lappin, Felipe Torres Medina, Opus Moreschi, Asher Perlman, Tom Purcell, Kate Sidley, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux, Steve Waltien; CBS
COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS
30 Rock: A One-Time Special, Written by Tina Fey & Robert Carlock; NBC
Father of the Bride Part 3 (ish), Written by Nancy Meyers; YouTube
Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand: Building Back America Great Again Better 2020, Head Writers: Ariel Dumas, Jay Katsir Writers: Delmonte Bent, Michael Brumm, River Clegg, Aaron Cohen, Stephen T. Colbert, Nicole Conlan, Paul Dinello, Glenn Eichler, Django Gold, Gabe Gronli, Barry Julien, Michael Cruz Kayne, Eliana Kwartler, Matt Lappin, Felipe Torres Medina, Opus Moreschi, Asher Perlman, Tom Purcell, Kate Sidley, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux, Steve Waltien; CBS
At Home with Amy Sedaris, Writers: Jeremy Beiler, Cole Escola, Peter Grosz, Amy Sedaris; truTV
How To with John Wilson, Writers: Michael Koman, John Wilson; HBO
The Amber Ruffin Show, Head Writer: Jenny Hagel Writers: Demi Adejuyigbe, Shantira Jackson, Dewayne Perkins, Amber Ruffin Additional Material by John Lutz; Peacock Originals
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Hollywood Game Night, Head Writers: Ann Slichter, Grant Taylor Writers: Michael Agbabian, Allie Kokesh, Dwight D. Smith; NBC
Jeopardy!, Writers: Matthew Caruso, John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Debbie Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Billy Wisse; ABC
Weakest Link, Head Writer: Ann Slichter Writers: Chip Dornell, Paul Greenberg, Joyce Ikemi, Stuart Krasnow, Jon Macks, Mona Mira, Scott Saltzburg, Aaron Solomon, Chris Sturgeon, Grant Taylor; NBC
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire Celebrity Season, Head Writer: Bobby Patton Writers: Alan Bailey, Josh Halloway, Seth Harrington, Shawn Kennedy; Disney/ABC Syndication
DAYTIME DRAMA
Days of Our Lives, Head Writer: Ron Carlivati Writers: Lorraine Broderick, Joanna Cohen, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, David Kreizman, Rebecca McCarty, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Katherine D. Schock, Elizabeth Snyder; NBC
General Hospital, Head Writers: Dan O’Connor, Christopher Van Etten Associate Head Writer: Anna Theresa Cascio Writers: Barbara Bloom, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, David Rupel, Lisa Seidman, Donny Sheldon, Scott Sickles; ABC
CHILDREN’S EPISODIC, LONG FORM AND SPECIALS
“Countdown” (The Astronauts), Written by Dan Knauf; Nickelodeon
“Mo Willems And The Storytime All Stars Present: Don’t Let The Pigeon Do Storytime,” Written by Mo Willems, Based on the children’s books and published by Hyperion: Leonard the Terrible Monster; Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale; A Busy Creature’s Day Eating!; Elephant and Piggy’s Waiting is Not Easy!; and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus; HBO Max
“The Not Too Late Show with Elmo,” Writers: Geri Cole, Scott Gray, Benjamin Lehmann, Wendy Marston, Andrew Moriarty, Ken Scarborough, Moujan Zolfaghari; HBO Max
“The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special,” Written by Geri Cole; HBO Max
“The Sleepover,” Written by Sarah Rothschild; Netflix
“Speaking of Cancer” (Alexa & Katie), Written by Leo Chu & Eric S. Garcia & Julia Miranda; Netflix
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS
“Agents of Chaos, Part I,” Written by Alex Gibney & Michael J. Palmer; HBO Documentary Films
“Agents of Chaos, Part II,” Written by Alex Gibney & Michael J. Palmer; HBO Documentary Films
“The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
“Whose Vote Counts” (Frontline), Written by Jelani Cobb, June Cross & Tom Jennings; PBS
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“Opioids, Inc.” (Frontline), Written by Tom Jennings; PBS
“The Poison Squad” (American Experience), Written by John Maggio; PBS
“The Violence Paradox” (Nova), Written by Michael Bicks and Anna Lee Strachan; PBS
NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“Anger in America” (World News Tonight with David Muir), Written by Dave Bloch, David Muir, Karen Mooney, David Schoetz; ABC News
“Critical Condition” (60 Minutes), Written by Katie Kerbstat Jacobson, Scott Pelley, Nicole Young; CBS News
“Gale Sayers Obit,” Written by Joe McLaughlin; WCBS-TV
“The Wild West of Covid Testing” (60 Minutes), Written by Sharyn Alfonsi, Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News
NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Exhume the Truth” (60 Minutes), Written by Katie Kerbstat Jacobson, Scott Pelley, Nicole Young; CBS News
“Juneteenth: A Celebration of Overcoming,” Written by Dave Bloch; ABC News
“The African Basketball Trail” (60 Minutes), Written by Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News
DIGITAL NEWS
“Pornhub Doesn’t Care,” Written by Samantha Cole and Emanuel Maiberg; Vice.com
“This Week Has Happened Before,” Written by Julia Craven; Slate.com
“The Store That Called the Cops on George Floyd,” Written by Aymann Ismail; Slate.com
“Why Did the Government Separate This Family?” Written by Jeremy Stahl; Slate.com
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“CBS News on the Hour with Norah O’Donnell, March 10, 2020,” Written by James Hutton; CBS New Radio
“Changemakers: Leaders Who Made a Difference,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS News Radio
“World News This Week, November 13, 2020,” Written by Joan Harris; ABC News Radio/WNTW Podcasts
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Instrument of Hope,” Written by Christopher Barry; ABC News Audio
“Against Those Thugs: Delores Tucker and Bill Bennett” (Slow Burn) Written by Joel Anderson, Christopher Johnson; Slate Podcasts
“The Gist: Spiel, April 3, 2020,” Written by Mike Pesca; Slate Podcasts
The CW announced early renewal orders for 12 of its primetime series including the Jared Padalecki-starrer, Walker. Walker not only earned a renewal order, it also picked up five additional episodes bringing its first season run to 18.
The 11 other series getting renewed for the 2021-2022 season include All American (Season 4), Batwoman (Season 3), Charmed (Season 4), DC’S Legends of Tomorrow (Season 7), Dynasty (Season 5), The Flash (Season 8), In The Dark (Season 4), Legacies (Season 4), Nancy Drew (Season 3), Riverdale (Season 6) and Roswell, New Mexico (Season 4).
The CW also announced its added two more episodes to the first season of Superman & Lois starring Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch.
“Though we’re just a few weeks into the new season, we wanted to get a strategic head start on next season with these early renewals, which allows our production teams to start laying out story arcs and hiring staff, and at the same time, continues to provide us with a strong, stable schedule to build on for next season,” stated Mark Pedowitz, Chairman and CEO, The CW Network. “As The CW’s 2020-2021 season kicks into high gear, we are thrilled creatively with the direction of our first new shows out of the gate, Walker and Superman & Lois, that we wanted to order the additional episodes to complete their first seasons, and we are particularly pleased with the huge success of the launch of Walker, which debuted as our most watched series premiere in five years.”
CBS just released photos promoting Bull season five episode eight, an episode that finds Bull battling for a client who believes the public’s health is more important than profit. Episode eight, “Cloak and Beaker,” was directed by Dennis Smith from a script by Steven Paul Martinez and will air on Monday, February 8, 2021 at 10pm ET/PT.
The season five cast is led by Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull. Freddy Rodriguez plays Benny Colón, Yara Martinez stars as Isabella “Izzy” Colón, Geneva Carr is Marissa Morgan, Jamie Lee Kirchner is Danny James, Christopher Jackson plays Chunk Palmer, and MacKenzie Meehan stars as Taylor Rentzel.
Guest stars include Matt Dellapina, Frank Wood, Ollie Robinson, Victor Williams, Hollis McCarthy, and Avery Glymph. Tess Rutherford, John Hedges, Megan Channell, David Shumbris, T. Ryder Smith, and Lauren Sharpe also guest star in episode eight.
“Cloak and Beaker” Plot: Bull heads to federal court for a client accused of stealing his own scientific research from the company he works for, a corporation he says buried his ground-breaking work because selling medication is more profitable than curing diseases.
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. This season, Bull finds it harder than ever to navigate his personal life, as he balances fatherhood and his renewed relationship with Isabella “Izzy” Colón, his ex-wife. Izzy’s brother is Benny Colón, Bull’s trusted associate, a quick-witted lawyer who acts as defense attorney in the company’s mock trials.
Bull’s enviable group of experts at Trial Analysis Corporation shape successful narratives down to the last detail. In addition to Benny, 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 look and testimony for trial.
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 episode four of Fox’s Prodigal Son ended with Jessica confirming her worst fear…Ainsley murdered Nicholas. Episode five, “Bad Manners,” finds Jessica dealing with that discovery while Malcolm and Ainsley compete to solve a case.
Episode five guest stars Scandal‘s Kate Burton and will air on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at 9pm ET/PT.
The cast is led by Tom Payne as Malcolm Bright and Michael Sheen as his serial killer dad, Dr. Martin Whitly. Bellamy Young is Jessica Whitly, Halson Sage plays Ainsley Whitly, Lou Diamond Phillips is NYPD Lieutenant Gil Arroyo. Aurora Perrineau plays Dani Powell, Keiko Agena is Dr. Edrisa Tanaka, and Frank Harts is JT Tarmel.
“Bad Manners” Plot: Malcolm and Ainsley both race to find the killer in the so-called “Debutante Slayings,” but Ainsley’s persistence has Malcolm worried about what her actual motive might be. While Martin is thrilled to see his daughter’s passion in the field, Jessica suggests she and Ainsley take a vacation.
Meanwhile, JT meets with his union rep to decide if he should file an official complaint against the cop who discriminated against him.
Prodigal Son follows Malcolm Bright, a criminal profiler with a rare talent for getting inside the minds of killers. He learned how they think because his father, Dr. Martin Whitly was a notorious serial killer known as “The Surgeon.” Now he’s using his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve their most puzzling murders. Bright’s team, led by his longtime mentor, NYPD Lieutenant Gil Arroyo, includes Detectives Dani Powell, JT Tarmel and medical examiner Dr. Edrisa Tanaka.
Season two picks up with Bright’s personal life in disarray after his sister Ainsley’s shocking actions in the Season One finale. Now, he must “take care” of her and protect his mother Jessica Whitly from a secret that could tear the family apart all over again! Further complicating matters, Martin seeks to deepen his relationship with Bright, his prodigal son, but forging this bond leads to shocking twists and revelations.
Nic’s life is on the line after a vicious attack by a patient on Fox’s The Resident season four episode five. Episode five, “Home Before Dark,” will air on February 9, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT.
Season four stars Matt Czuchry as Dr. Conrad Hawkins, Emily Van Camp as Nurse Practitioner Nicolette Nevin, Manish Dayal as Dr. Devon Pravesh, and Bruce Greenwood as Dr. Randolph Bell. Shaunette Renee Wilson plays Dr. Mina Okafor, Jane Leeves is Dr. Kit Voss, Malcolm-Jamal Warner is Dr. AJ Austin, and Morris Chestnut is R. Barrett Cain.
“Home Before Dark” Plot: With Chastain on the verge of shutting down due to the sale by Red Rock, Conrad tries a last-ditch effort to save the hospital and the doctors plan for their next career moves. Meanwhile, on their last day, the whole staff must work together to save Nic’s life after she is injured by a deranged patient.
The Official Season 4 Description, Courtesy of Fox:
Entering its fourth season, The Resident will shine a light on the daily heroism of our health care workers. The provocative medical drama follows the doctors and nurses at Chastain Memorial Hospital, as they face personal and professional challenges and fight for their patients’ health.
This season, a glimpse at the harrowing nightmare that was COVID-19’s relentless grip on urban hospitals will give way, as the series jumps forward to sunnier days. With black-hearted Red Rock Mountain Medical figurehead Logan Kim ousted, the rudderless hospital finds its new CEO in star orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kit Voss, when she spearheads Chastain’s transition from private to public hospital. Now, after three seasons of bucking the system, the doctors have a seat at the table – and will fight to fix the broken machine from the inside.
Reeling from an earth-shattering loss, Dr. Devon Pravesh begins suffering from an identity crisis, as he blames the flawed public hospital model, of which he is now a part. After their challenging year, Dr. Conrad Hawkins and Nurse Practioner Nicolette Nevin tie the knot in an intimate and beautiful wedding, strengthening their already powerful bond. But shortly thereafter, Nic suffers a horrifying experience, the fallout of which will plague her for years. With support from both Conrad and Nic’s oldest friend, the unpredictable, sharp-tongued nurse Billie Ramos, Nic battles her trauma head-on to get back in the ring for her patients.
When Chastain’s public status and slashed payroll budget costs them their top surgeons, Dr. Randolph Bell finds himself mining his own past to find his estranged former stepson, elite plastic surgeon Dr. Jake Wong (guest star Conrad Ricamora). Bell attempts to bring Dr. Wong to Chastain to increase the number of world-class surgeries at the hospital and to repair their complicated past.
Overqualified Surgical Resident Dr. Mina Okafor world is upended when she discovers her immigration status has been threatened in a way that even her brilliant, braggadocious mentor, Dr. AJ Austin may not be able to help her with. Dr. Barrett Cain is blindsided by karma and a colleague, in a cataclysmic event that costs him nearly everything. Upon recovery, he chooses vengeance, the ramifications of which threaten to tear the heart out of his colleagues and Chastain itself.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s 78th Annual Golden Globes showered a lot of love on Netflix, with the streaming service topping the list of most nominated television series as well as most nominated films. Netflix’s Mank and The Trial of the Chicago 7 scored the most nominations in the film categories, while their critically acclaimed The Crown topped the list of television nominees.
Schitt’s Creek followed close behind The Crown with five nominations, and Ozark and The Undoing each picked up four. On the film side, The Father, Nomadland, and Promising Young Woman came in with the third most nominations with four nods each.
The 2021 Golden Globes will be held on February 28, 2021 and will feature Tina Fey hosting on the East Coast and Amy Poehler handling hosting duties on the West Coast. The duo previously hosted the Golden Globes in 2013, 2014, and 2015. The awards show will air on NBC beginning at 5pm PT/8pm ET.
This year’s awards show will honor Jane Fonda with the Cecil B. deMille Award. Norman Lear has earned the HFPA’s Carol Burnett Award.
2021 Golden Globes Nominees:
BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
THE FATHER (Trademark Films; Sony Pictures Classics)
MANK (Netflix; Netflix)
NOMADLAND (Highwayman / Hear/Say / Cor Cordium; Searchlight Pictures)
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN (LuckyChap Entertainment / FilmNation Entertainment; Focus Features)
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 (Marc Platt Productions / Dreamworks Pictures; Netflix)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
VIOLA DAVIS – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ANDRA DAY – THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
VANESSA KIRBY – PIECES OF A WOMAN
FRANCES MCDORMAND – NOMADLAND
CAREY MULLIGAN – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
RIZ AHMED – SOUND OF METAL
CHADWICK BOSEMAN – MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM
ANTHONY HOPKINS – THE FATHER
GARY OLDMAN – MANK
TAHAR RAHIM – THE MAURITANIAN
BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
(Four By Two Films; Amazon Studios)
HAMILTON
(Walt Disney Pictures / RadicalMedia / 5000 Broadway Productions / NEVIS Productions / Old 320 Sycamore Pictures; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
MUSIC
(Pineapple Lasagne Productions / Landay Entertainment; Vertical Entertainment / IMAX)
PALM SPRINGS
(Party Over Here / Limelight Productions; NEON / Hulu)
THE PROM
(Netflix / Dramatic Forces / Storykey Entertainment; Netflix)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
MARIA BAKALOVA – BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
KATE HUDSON – MUSIC
MICHELLE PFEIFFER – FRENCH EXIT
ROSAMUND PIKE – I CARE A LOT
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY – EMMA
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
SACHA BARON COHEN – BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM
JAMES CORDEN – THE PROM
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA – HAMILTON
DEV PATEL – THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD
ANDY SAMBERG – PALM SPRINGS
BEST MOTION PICTURE – ANIMATED
THE CROODS: A NEW AGE
(DreamWorks Animation; Universal Pictures)
ONWARD
(Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
OVER THE MOON
(Netflix / Pearl Studio / Glen Keane Productions; Netflix)
SOUL
(Walt Disney Pictures / Pixar Animation Studios; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
WOLFWALKERS
(Cartoon Saloon / Melusine; Apple / GKIDS)
BEST MOTION PICTURE – FOREIGN LANGUAGE
ANOTHER ROUND (DENMARK)
(Zentropa Entertainments; Samuel Goldwyn Films)
LA LLORONA (GUATEMALA / FRANCE)
(La Casa de Producción / Les Films du Volcan; Shudder)
THE LIFE AHEAD (ITALY)
(Palomar; Netflix)
MINARI (USA)
(Plan B; A24)
TWO OF US (FRANCE / USA)
(Paprika Films; Magnolia Pictures)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
GLENN CLOSE – HILLBILLY ELEGY
OLIVIA COLMAN – THE FATHER
JODIE FOSTER – THE MAURITANIAN
AMANDA SEYFRIED – MANK
HELENA ZENGEL – NEWS OF THE WORLD
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE
SACHA BARON COHEN – THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
DANIEL KALUUYA – JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
JARED LETO – THE LITTLE THINGS
BILL MURRAY – ON THE ROCKS
LESLIE ODOM JR – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
EMERALD FENNELL – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
DAVID FINCHER – MANK
REGINA KING – ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
AARON SORKIN – THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
CHLOÉ ZHAO – NOMADLAND
BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
EMERALD FENNELL – PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
JACK FINCHER – MANK
AARON SORKIN – THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
FLORIAN ZELLER, CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON – THE FATHER
CHLOÉ ZHAO – NOMADLAND
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE
ALEXANDRE DESPLAT – THE MIDNIGHT SKY
LUDWIG GÖRANSSON – TENET
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD – NEWS OF THE WORLD
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS – MANK
TRENT REZNOR, ATTICUS ROSS, JON BATISTE – SOUL
BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE
“FIGHT FOR YOU” — JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
Music by: H.E.R., Dernst Emile II
Lyrics by: H.E.R., Tiara Thomas
“HEAR MY VOICE” — THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Music by: Daniel Pemberton
Lyrics by: Daniel Pemberton, Celeste Waite
“IO SÌ (SEEN)” — THE LIFE AHEAD
Music by: Diane Warren
Lyrics by: Diane Warren, Laura Pausini, Niccolò Agliardi
“SPEAK NOW” — ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI
Music by: Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth
Lyrics by: Leslie Odom Jr, Sam Ashworth
“TIGRESS & TWEED” — THE UNITED STATES VS. BILLIE HOLIDAY
Music by: Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq
Lyrics by: Andra Day, Raphael Saadiq
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
THE CROWN – NETFLIX
(Left Bank Pictures / Sony Pictures Television)
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY – HBO
(HBO / Afemme / Monkeypaw / Bad Robot / Warner Bros. Television)
THE MANDALORIAN – DISNEY+
(Lucasfilm Ltd.)
OZARK – NETFLIX
(MRC Television)
RATCHED – NETFLIX
(Fox21 Television Studios)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
OLIVIA COLMAN – THE CROWN
JODIE COMER – KILLING EVE
EMMA CORRIN – THE CROWN
LAURA LINNEY – OZARK
SARAH PAULSON – RATCHED
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
JASON BATEMAN – OZARK
JOSH O’CONNOR – THE CROWN
BOB ODENKIRK – BETTER CALL SAUL
AL PACINO – HUNTERS
MATTHEW RHYS – PERRY MASON
BEST TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
EMILY IN PARIS – NETFLIX
(Darren Star Productions / Jax Media / MTV Studios)
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT – HBO MAX
(HBO Max / Berlanti Productions / Yes, Norman Productions / Warner Bros. Television)
THE GREAT – HULU
(Hulu / Civic Center Media / MRC)
SCHITT’S CREEK – POP TV
(Not A Real Company Productions / Canadian Broadcast Company / Pop TV)
TED LASSO – APPLE TV+
(Apple / Doozer Productions / Warner Bros. Television / Universal Television)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
LILY COLLINS – EMILY IN PARIS
KALEY CUOCO – THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT
ELLE FANNING – THE GREAT
JANE LEVY – ZOEY’S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST
CATHERINE O’HARA – SCHITT’S CREEK
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
DON CHEADLE – BLACK MONDAY
NICHOLAS HOULT – THE GREAT
EUGENE LEVY – SCHITT’S CREEK
JASON SUDEIKIS – TED LASSO
RAMY YOUSSEF – RAMY
BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
NORMAL PEOPLE – HULU
(Hulu / BBC / Element Pictures)
THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT – NETFLIX
(Netflix)
SMALL AXE – AMAZON STUDIOS
(BBC Studios Americas, Inc / Amazon Studios)
THE UNDOING – HBO
(HBO / Made Up Stories / Blossom Films/David E. Kelley Productions)
UNORTHODOX – NETFLIX
(Studio Airlift / RealFilm)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
CATE BLANCHETT – MRS. AMERICA
DAISY EDGAR-JONES – NORMAL PEOPLE
SHIRA HAAS – UNORTHODOX
NICOLE KIDMAN – THE UNDOING
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY – THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES, ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BRYAN CRANSTON – YOUR HONOR
JEFF DANIELS – THE COMEY RULE
HUGH GRANT – THE UNDOING
ETHAN HAWKE – THE GOOD LORD BIRD
MARK RUFFALO – I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
GILLIAN ANDERSON – THE CROWN
HELENA BONHAM CARTER – THE CROWN
JULIA GARNER – OZARK
ANNIE MURPHY – SCHITT’S CREEK
CYNTHIA NIXON – RATCHED
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SUPPORTING ROLE
JOHN BOYEGA – SMALL AXE
BRENDAN GLEESON – THE COMEY RULE
DANIEL LEVY – SCHITT’S CREEK
JIM PARSONS – HOLLYWOOD
DONALD SUTHERLAND – THE UNDOING
Jade Pettyjohn in ‘Big Sky’ season 1 episode 7 (ABC/Darko Sikman)
Season one episode six of ABC’s Big Sky ended with State Trooper Rick Legarski (John Carroll Lynch) opening his eyes. Episode seven, “I Fall to Pieces,” begins with Rick in his hospital bed while his wife, Merilee (Brooke Smith), asks him to blink if he understands. He responds with a grunt, “Who shot me?”
Episode six also found Jerrie (Jesse James Keitel) coming home and discovering a note from Ronald taped to her front door. We catch up with her wide awake, facing the front door and cradling a baseball bat. She has a flashback of Ronald tasing her and is visibly shaken.
Rick’s doctor runs some simple tests to see if he’s capable of responding. He’s shocked to discover Rick’s able to squeeze his fingers painfully hard and even more stunned to hear Rick declare, “We’re going to need a bigger boat!” (Does he think he’s in Jaws?)
Sheriff Tubb (Patrick Gallagher) is already at the hospital when Cassie and Jenny arrive and he quickly reminds them they’re not part of the police investigation. He reluctantly reveals Grace asked if they could accompany her to try and locate the murdered fisherman. Of course, Cassie immediately agrees.
A news report provides an update on Legarski’s condition. A neurologist being interviewed is unable to say whether Rick’s brain has been impacted by the bullet.
Ronald (Brian Geraghty) listens to this at home, eating his breakfast cereal and sporting freshly dyed black hair. The attempt at a disguise surprises his mom (Valerie Mahaffey) and she laughs but then quickly surmises Ronald’s in a foul mood. Ronald explains he followed Rick down the rabbit hole because Rick made him feel valued. He blames his mom and her constant putdowns for his low self-esteem which led to his decision to team up with Rick and kidnap women.
Mom speaks the truth when she says Rick will give Ronald up to save himself.
And speaking of Rick, he’s stunned to learn from Merilee that he kidnapped three girls. She further explains he’s part of a sex trafficking ring, and Rick is certain she’s joking. She’s not.
Merilee places the cherry on top by informing him he also murdered an innocent man who was attempting to help the girls.
Shortly thereafter, the doctor holds a press conference with an update on Rick’s condition. It appears he’s improving.
Cassie, Jenny, and Denise (Dedee Pfeiffer) realize they’re running out of time to find Rick’s truck driver accomplice. They’re certain he’ll get rid of his rig soon, realizing the jig is up.
Jerrie shows up at the detective agency with the warning note Ronald left on her door. She doesn’t want to go to the police and they suggest she stay somewhere else for the time being. Jerrie reminds them she’s the only one who saw the truck during the day and got a much better look at it than either Grace or Danielle managed to do. She assumes she’s the biggest threat to Ronald at this point.
Jenny brings the note to Sheriff Tubb and he can only promise to send a car by occasionally. He reveals the FBI’s taking over the case – news that doesn’t sit well with Jenny. Tubb will look into getting Jerrie additional protection and Jenny insists it be one patrol car every hour.
Tubb, for the second time this episode, suggests Jenny become a cop again.
Back at the hospital, Penelope Denesuk (Karin Konoval) introduces herself to Merilee as Rick’s lawyer provided by the state trooper union. She calls Rick a horrible man but assures Merilee she will work hard to give Rick her best efforts.
Sheriff Tubb and Penelope have a history and she warns him not to try and speak with her client, Rick Legarski.
Valerie Mahaffey and Brian Geraghty in ‘Big Sky’ season 1 episode 7 (ABC/Darko Sikman)
Ronald confesses to his mom he may have to kill someone in order to get out of this situation. It could be his only way out. After forcing his mom to leave, he calls Merilee at the hospital and suggests they get together to talk.
Rick asks Merilee to call his dad since he’ll be worried. She reminds him his dad died three years ago.
Jenny and Cassie are the last to arrive as a search party has assembled to find the fisherman’s dead body. Sheriff Tubb’s gathered plenty of his deputies (and their canine partners) and they head out in ATVs to try and locate the body.
Cassie and Jenny are checking out the area on foot when they’re joined by Montana Highway Patrol Commander Elena Sosa (Sharon Taylor). She believes their involvement should be welcomed and also thinks this could help draw attention to all the indigenous women who’ve gone missing in the area. Legarski is most likely involved in their disappearances, too. Elena promises to keep them informed of any important developments.
Rick meets with his attorney for the first time and confirms he doesn’t remember being shot or the events leading up to that moment. Penelope warns him not to speak to the police and advises him a witness will be coming in to identify him. Rick appears to be confused and asks again who Penelope is. (Is he faking short-term amnesia? My money’s on yes, he is.)
While this is going on at the hospital, Merilee’s out for a stroll with Ronald (who she believes is just a friendly guy named Mitchell who dances with lonely women). He probes her for Rick’s condition, and she admits he doesn’t remember things right now but that his memory could return at any time.
Ronald claims his only desire is to bring her some comfort.
Grace (Jade Pettyjohn) is trying to figure out where the encounter with Rick Legarski took place when the dogs alert on the sulfur spring she described as where Rick dumped the body. The pool is probed as Grace has flashbacks to the day Rick hunted her down and shot her in the leg.
Cassie comforts the young girl as the body is fished out of the pool.
Jenny’s concerned when Sheriff Tubb wants Grace to identify the body which is still somewhat recognizable. Jenny protests, but Grace knows that’s why she’s there. Grace’s parents don’t want to put their daughter through this trauma, but Grace stands firm in her desire to make sure the body is that of the fisherman who tried to help her.
She positively identifies the body while experiencing a flashback of Rick shooting him in the chest with an arrow.
Ronald returns home and immediately gets into a shouting match with his mom. She advises him to pray for himself, storming out of the room while calling him filth.
Grace, Danielle (Natalie Alyn Lind), and their parents meet with Cassie and Jenny at the detective agency. Her parents don’t want to put Grace through the additional trauma of identifying Rick in his hospital bed. But Jenny explains only Grace witnessed Rick killing the fisherman. She needs to positively identify him so that he doesn’t get away with lesser charges surrounding their kidnapping. (Ronald is the actual kidnapper and Rick might only receive a conspiracy charge.)
Grace wants to do this so they can all go home to Colorado and put this behind them.
The police handcuff Rick to his hospital bed as his attorney reminds him not to talk. He quotes another line from Jaws and then admits he just made a mess in his bed. The stink proves he’s telling the truth.
Grace enters Rick’s room and is able to hold herself together enough to confirm he’s the man who shot the fisherman and shot her in the leg.
Ronald and Merilee talk again and she confesses Rick’s lawyer suggested she get her own lawyer. Ronald begs to be allowed to help her out and she agrees. Ronald informs his mom he’s going to the Legarski place and will get into Rick’s safe room. His mom confesses she’s prayed and has decided to save him by turning him into the police. She doesn’t want this to go on and she definitely won’t allow Ronald to kill the trooper’s wife.
Ronald’s furious but his mom won’t budge. She tells him it’s over…and she’s right. He snaps her neck, instantly killing her. Ronald begs her to wake up while caressing her dead body.
That evening her dead body remains seated in the chair where she collapsed. He leaves the TV on as he heads out to the Legarski place.
The walls are closing in. Jerrie’s given a better description of the second kidnapper to a sketch artist, and Jenny and Cassie look at the new drawing. It looks just like Ronald.
Jerrie thanks her friends for letting her stay in their home. Her friend reveals his one fantasy has always been for a bad guy to break into his house and he’d blow his head off. “And for it to be a sex offender? Oh my god, I could die and go to heaven right then and there,” says her friend. He adds, “I even know what I’d say. I’d say go ahead, make my day!”
Merilee welcomes Ronald into her home, thanking him for being so kind. They hug and then kiss, and Merilee pulls away claiming she can’t do this. She offers him tea and he asks for a restroom. She instructs him to go upstairs which he does, immediately heading into Rick’s closet. He searches for the hidden compartment, locates it, and then knocks a hole in the plaster with his fist.
Merilee hears the noise from downstairs in the kitchen and calls out his name.
Ronald locates a packet that’s been stashed away just as Cassie and Jenny arrive at Merilee’s front door. She tries to shoo them away but then stops when they show her the drawing and explain that person is her husband’s accomplice.
“He’s here,” whispers Merilee. “He’s in the house. He’s upstairs.”
Jenny and Cassie draw their weapons and step inside.
