We’re hitting the halfway point with episode 13 of The CW’s The Outpost season three. “It Has Begun,” directed by Milan Todorovic from a script by Jason Faller and Kynan Griffin, will air on January 3, 2021.
The cast is led by Jessica Green as Talon and includes Jake Stormoen as Captain Garret Spears, Imogen Waterhouse as Gwynn Calkussar/Rosmund, Anand Desai-Barochia as Janzo, and Aaron Fontaine as Tobin. Reece Ritchie plays Zed, Izuka Hoyle is Wren, Jaye Griffiths is Yavalla, Georgia May Foote is Falista, and Adam Johnson as Munt.
“IT HAS BEGUN” Plot: The Outpost becomes overrun and Talon (Green) and Zed (Ritchie) return with an unexpected ally. Facing total defeat, a sacrifice is seen as the only hope.
After summoning Zed (Ritchie) and his Blackblood comrades to save the Outpost, Talon (Green) finds herself betrayed by her own kind and struggles to reconcile her human friends and her Blackblood heritage. With the demonic Lu Qiri providing the muscle to enforce Zed’s master plan, the Outpost’s human inhabitants are enslaved as miners in search of a mysterious substance to solve a dark riddle.
From her bedroom under house arrest, Gwynn (Waterhouse) plots her escape and the overthrow of her new foes. To save her beloved Garret (Stormoen), Talon is forced to summon a Blackblood Priestess named Yavalla (Griffiths) into the world. Yavalla prophesies a paradise for Blackbloods, and an era of peace for the world, but she soon discovers a power that threatens every living creature.
As Gwynn and Tobin (Fontaine) become Yavalla’s unwilling allies, Talon and her friends must fight, suffer, and sacrifice their way to save each other and vanquish their new enemies. As Talon discovers more about her lost family from Yavalla, she must piece together the truths from the lies, and solve the mystery of her heritage and a forgotten power, before the world becomes enslaved to a new power that could consume every living being.
Bull defends a pastor accused of murder on CBS’s Bull season five episode five. “Fallen Idols” was directed by Kevin Berlandi from a script by Steven Paul Martinez and will air on Monday, January 4, 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.
Rey Lucas, Natalie Roy, Janel Moloney, Todd Susman, and Daoud Heidami. Episode five guest stars also include Scott Aiello, Nemuna Ceesay, Jacob Gutierrez, Lia Lando, Brian Corrigan, Lucy Martin, Rachel Lin, Eddie Yu, Wolfe Jin, and Kath-Ann Hart.
“Fallen Idols” Plot: Bull worries he can’t convince a jury his religious leader client didn’t kill his wife when a major secret the pastor is hiding about the marriage is revealed, damaging his credibility in court.
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.
Just days after Wonder Woman 1984 hit theaters and HBO Max, Warner Bros. Pictures announced a third Wonder Woman film has been fast-tracked. Gal Gadot will reprise her starring role and Patty Jenkins will write the screenplay and is confirmed to return to direct.
The action drama has rung up $16.7 million at the domestic box off since its release on December 25, 2020, and it brought in $36 million globally over the Christmas weekend. Combined with the box office take from foreign markets that opened early, Wonder Woman 1984‘s total worldwide box office gross stands at $85 million.
The Warner Bros release holds the record for the biggest domestic opening since the Covid-19 pandemic struck and shuttered theaters. It’s currently playing in 2,100+ domestic theaters that are open with limited capacity due to Covid-19. In comparison, 2017’s Wonder Woman opened in 4,165 theaters.
“As fans around the world continue to embrace Diana Prince, driving the strong opening weekend performance of Wonder Woman 1984, we are excited to be able continue her story with our real-life Wonder Women – Gal and Patty – who will return to conclude the long-planned theatrical trilogy,” said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.
“Wonder Woman 1984 broke records and exceeded our expectations across all of our key viewing and subscriber metrics in its first 24 hours on the service, and the interest and momentum we’re seeing indicates this will likely continue well beyond the weekend,” stated Andy Forssell, Executive Vice President and General Manager, WarnerMedia Direct-to-Consumer. “During these very difficult times, it was nice to give families the option of enjoying this uplifting film at home, where theater viewing wasn’t an option.”
In addition to Gal Gadot in the title role, the cast of the comic book-inspired action film includes Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as the Cheetah, Pedro Pascal as Max Lord, Robin Wright as Antiope, and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta.
The Plot:
Wonder Woman 1984 fast forwards to the 1980s as Wonder Woman’s next big-screen adventure finds her riding lightning across the sky, donning wings of gold, and chasing a dream while in pursuit of two new formidable foes: Max Lord and the Cheetah.
In Wonder Woman 1984, the fate of the world is once more on the line, and only Wonder Woman can save it. This new chapter in the Wonder Woman story finds Diana Prince living quietly among mortals in the vibrant, sleek 1980s – an era of excess driven by the pursuit of having it all. Though she’s come into her full powers, she maintains a low profile, curating ancient artifacts and only performing her superheroic acts incognito. But now, Diana will have to step directly into the spotlight and muster all her wisdom, strength and courage in order to save mankind from a world of its own making.
It’s been a long wait but NBC’s This Is Us will finally return to primetime on Tuesday, January 5, 2021 at 9pm ET/PT. Episode five, “A Long Road Home,” will find Randall dealing with the aftermath from stripping during a live stream.
Season five cast includes Mandy Moore as Rebecca, Milo Ventimiglia as Jack, Justin Hartley as Kevin, Sterling K. Brown as Randall, and Chrissy Metz as Kate. Susan Kelechi Watson is Beth and Chris Sullivan stars as Toby.
“A Long Road Home” Plot: Randall’s brush with viral fame leads to a discovery.
This Is Us Series Description, Courtesy of NBC:
Everyone has a family. And every family has a story. This Is Us chronicles the Pearson family across the decades: from Jack (Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Moore) as young parents in the 1980s to their kids (the big three), Kevin (Hartley), Kate (Metz) and Randall (Brown) searching for love and fulfillment in the present day along with Toby (Sullivan) and Beth (Kelechi Watson). This grounded, life-affirming dramedy reveals how the tiniest events in our lives impact who we become, and how the connections we share with each other can transcend time, distance, and even death.
Susan Kelechi Watson as Beth and Sterling K. Brown as Randall in ‘This Is Us’ season 5 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)Mandy Moore as Rebecca and Hannah Zeile as Kate in season 5 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)Sterling K. Brown as Randall and Ron Cephas Jones as William in season 5 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)Justin Hartley as Kevin and Caitlin Thompson as Madison in season 5 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)Mandy Moore as Rebecca, Amanda Leighton as Sophie, Logan Shroyer as Kevin, Rachel Hilson as Beth, and Niles Fitch as Randall in season 5 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)Mandy Moore as Rebecca, Amanda Leighton as Sophie, and Logan Shroyer as Kevin in season 5 episode 5 (Photo by: NBC)
Denzel Washington’s The Little Things, Anne Hathaway’s Locked Down, and the two-part documentary Tiger will be premiering on HBO Max in January 2021. HBO Max is also set to unveil the new original series Arthur’s Law and The Event, although the network hasn’t announced the actual January premiere dates.
Seasons one and two of Cinemax’s Warrior starring Andrew Koji will be available for binge-watching along with all six seasons of Gossip Girl. Search Party returns for season four, Selena Gomez is back for season two of Selena + Chef, and Gomorrah‘s third season debuts on January 21st.
Here’s a look at what’s coming to HBO Max in January 2021:
January 1:
12 oz. Mouse, Seasons 1 & 2
42nd Street, 1933
All the President’s Men, 1976
Apple & Onion, Season 1B
The Autobiography Of Miss Jane Pittman, 1974 (HBO)
Batman Begins, 2005
Batman Beyond
Batman Beyond: The Return of the Joker, 2000
Batman: Bad Blood, 2016
Batman: Death in the Family, 2020
Batman: Hush, 2019
Batman: The Animated Series
Blade, 1998
A Better Life, 2011 (HBO)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005
Dog Day Afternoon, 1975
Check It Out! with Steve Brule
Chinatown, 1974
Codename: Kids Next Door
The Color Purple, 1985
The Conjuring, 2013
Courage the Cowardly Dog
Craig of the Creek, Season 2
The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, 2002 (HBO)
The Dark Knight, 2008
The Dark Knight Rises, 2012
Dim Sum Funeral, 2009 (HBO)
Ed, Edd n Eddy
El Amor No Puede Esperar (Aka Love Can’t Wait), 2021 (HBO)
Happy Feet, 2006
The Electric Horseman, 1979 (HBO)
Escape from New York, 1981
The Exorcist, 1973
Flashpoint, 1984 (HBO)
The General’s Daughter, 1999 (HBO)
Gossip Girl
Green Lantern, 2011
Green Lantern: The Animated Series
Gremlins , 1984
Gremlins 2: The New Batch, 1990
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
Happily N’Ever After, 2007 (HBO)
Happily N’Ever After 2: Snow White, 2009 (HBO)
Happy-Go-Lucky, 2008 (HBO)
He Said She Said, 1991 (HBO)
Heaven Help Us, 1985 (HBO)
The Infamous Future, 2018
Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back, 2001 (HBO)
The Jellies
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, 2020
Kong: Skull Island, 2017
Little Con Lili, 2021 (HBO)
Loiter Squad
Ma, 2019 (HBO)
Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1983
Mad Max: Fury Road, 2015
Magic Mike, 2012
Mao Mao, Heroes of Pure Heart
March of the Penguins, 2005
Margaret, 2011 (Extended Version) (HBO)
Miracle On 34th Street, 1994 (HBO)
Miss Firecracker, 1989 (HBO)
Mulholland Dr., 2001
Mystic River, 2003
Nitro Circus: The Movie 3D, 2012 (HBO)
No Country for Old Men, 2007
The Notebook, 2004
Ocean’s 8, 2018
Ocean’s Eleven , 2001
Ocean’s Thirteen, 2007
Ocean’s Twelve, 2004
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, 1985
Piter, 2021 (HBO)
The Producers, 1968
Pulp Fiction, 1994
Purple Rain, 1984
Ready Player One, 2018
Revenge Of The Nerds, 1984 (HBO)
Revenge Of The Nerds II: Nerds In Paradise, 1987 (HBO)
Revenge Of The Nerds IV: Nerds In Love, 2005 (HBO)
Rollerball, 2002 (HBO)
Se7en, 1995
Shallow Hal, 2001 (HBO)
Snowpiercer, Season 1
A Star is Born , 2018
Superman: Doomsday, 2007
Superman: Man of Tomorrow, 2020
Superman Returns, 2006
Swimfan, 2002 (HBO)
This Is Spinal Tap, 1984
The Three Stooges, 2012 (HBO)
TMNT, 2007
Tom Goes to the Mayor
The Trouble With Spies, 1987 (HBO)
Underclassman, 2005 (HBO)
V for Vendetta, 2005
Van Wilder: Freshman Year (Extended Version), 2009 (HBO)
Walk Of Shame, 2014 (HBO)
Warrior, Seasons 1 & 2 (HBO)
Willard, 1971 (HBO)
Worth Winning, 1989 (HBO)
You Can Count On Me, 2000 (HBO)
January 2:
The High Note, 2020 (HBO)
January 4:
30 Coins, Series Premiere (HBO)
January 8:
Patriot’s Day, 2016
Scream, 1996
Squish, Season 1
January 9:
The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, Season 2
Ben 10, Season 4A
The King Of Staten Island, 2020 (HBO)
January 10:
Miracle Workers, Season 2
Tiger, Two-Part Documentary Premiere (HBO)
January 12:
Against The Wild, 2014
Against the Wild 2: Survive the Serengeti, 2016
Alpha and Omega 5: Family Vacation, 2015
Alpha and Omega 6: Dino Digs, 2016
Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World, 2015
Blue Valentine, 2010
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, 2000
Earth Girls Are Easy, 1989
An Elephant’s Journey , 2018
The Escape Artist, 1982
Get Carter, 1971
Hecho En Mexico, 2012
Hellboy: Blood and Iron, 2007
Hellboy: Sword of Storms , 2006
Hellboy: The Dark Below, 2010
Jennifer Lopez: Dance Again, 2016
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie, 1976
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, 2013
La Mujer de Mi Hermano , 2005
Leapfrog Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers , 2015
Leapfrog Letter Factory Adventures: Counting on Lemonade , 2014
Leapfrog Letter Factory Adventures: The Letter Machine Rescue Team , 2014
Leapfrog: Numberland, 2012
Lost and Delirious, 2001
Love and Sex, 2000
Lovely & Amazing , 2002
The Man Who Would Be King, 1975
Meatballs, 1979
The Men Who Stare at Goats, 2009
A Mermaid’s Tale, 2017
Mistress, 1992
Mother’s Day, 2012
Mud, 2013
Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, 2016
Night is Short, Walk on Girl, 2017
No Eres Tu Soy Yo, 2011
Norm of the North: King Sized Adventure, 2019
Ollie & Moon, Seasons 1 & 2
Other Parents, Seasons 1 & 2
Pinocchio, 2012
Promare, 2019
Reservoir Dogs, 1992
Ride Your Wave, 2019
Righteous Kill, 2008
Sprung, 1997
The Spy Next Door, 2010
Tender Mercies, 1983
Thanks for Sharing, 2013
Turtle Tale, 2018
The Visitor, 2008
Vixen, 2015
January 14:
Search Party, Max Original Season 4 Premiere
In the new season, “Dory” (Alia Shawkat) is held prisoner by her psychotic stalker “Chip” (Cole Escola), who is determined to make Dory believe that they are best friends. Meanwhile, “Portia” (Meredith Hagner) is starring in a film about the trial, although not as herself; “Elliott” (John Early) has switched party lines to become a far-right conservative talk show host; and “Drew” (John Reynolds) is trying to escape his dark past by working as a costumed cast member in a theme park.
January 15:
Stephen King’s It, 1990
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1975
Poltergeist, 1982
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Director’s Cut, Season 1 dubbed (Crunchyroll Collection)
Real Time With Bill Maher, Season 19 Premiere (HBO)
Roots (Mini Series), 1977
Si Yo Fuera Rico (Aka If I Were Rich), 2021 (HBO)
The Wayans Bros
January 16:
Eve
Kill Bill: Vol. 1, 2003 (HBO)
Kill Bill: Vol. 2, 2004 (HBO)
January 19:
Everwood
January 20:
At Home with Amy Sedaris, Season 3
C.B. Strike, Season 1 (HBO)
C.B. Strike: Lethal White, Limited Series Premiere (HBO)
January 21:
Gomorrah, Max Original Season 3 Premiere
he iconic Italian crime series Gomorrah is based on Roberto Saviano’s bestselling book that examines the account of the decline of Naples under the rule of the Camorra.
Looney Tunes Cartoons, Season 1C
In this latest batch, Taz stars in his first full-length Looney Tunes Cartoons short when he takes on Bugs Bunny in a Roman coliseum. If Bugs makes it out of the arena, there will be plenty of foes waiting to match wits with him including Elmer Fudd, a leprechaun and Cecil Turtle. Daffy and Porky continue their misadventures from skydiving to solving the mystery of Porky’s missing pants! Fan-favorites Sylvester and Tweety along with Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner also come along for the ride in these ten all-new animated episodes. It’s an all-new year with all-new Looney!
January 22:
The New Adventures of Old Christine
Painting With John, Series Premiere (HBO)
January 23:
Don’t Let Go, 2019 (HBO)
Person of Interest
January 24:
Euphoria Special Episode Part 2: F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob, Special Episode Premiere (HBO)
January 26:
Babylon 5
Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel (HBO)
January 29:
¡Animo Juventud! (Aka Go Youth!), 2021 (HBO)
What I Like About You
The Little Things
Academy Award winners Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto star in John Lee Hancock’s suspenseful psychological thriller “The Little Things” about two California sheriffs and their growing obsession with a suspect while embroiled in the search for a killer targeting women.
January 30:
The Mummy, 1999 (HBO)
The Mummy Returns, 2001 (HBO)
Pushing Daisies
The Scorpion King, 2002 (HBO)
January 31:
Axios, Season 4 Premiere (HBO)
Also Arriving on HBO Max in January 2021:
Arthur’s Law, Max Original Series Premiere: The unemployed Arthur Ahnepol (Jan Josef Liefers) ekes out a bleak existence. Drawn from the strains of his unhappy marriage and bored to death, he makes a morbid plan: he wants his obnoxious wife to die. With the money from the life insurance there’s no obstacle for a restart with his beloved mistress. But an unwritten law dominates the life of the unlucky fellow: every problem solved by Arthur has a far worse effect. And so, he sets off an avalanche of disastrous events.
The Event, Max Original Series Premiere: An unprecedented look behind the scenes of the extraordinary events created by Wolfgang Puck Catering and legendary restaurateur Wolfgang Puck. From Renegade 83, each one-hour episode will follow various members of Puck’s team as they strive to amaze clients and surpass even the highest expectations.
Locked Down, Max Original Film Premiere: Just as they decide to separate, Linda (Anne Hathaway) and Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor) find life has other plans when they are stuck at home in a mandatory lockdown. Co-habitation is proving to be a challenge, but fueled by poetry and copious amounts of wine, it will bring them closer together in the most surprising way.
Perfect Life (fka Vida Perfecta), Max Original Season 1 Premiere: Maria, Esther and Cristina are three women in the middle of a life crisis. They have realized that the plans they had made for themselves haven’t really gotten them the long-promised happiness they yearned for. Together, they will find alternatives and make decisions that will lead them away from what society expects from them. They will soon realize that life doesn’t necessarily have to be what they always imagined.
Possessions, HBO Max Season 1 Premiere: The series tells the story of Natalie, a young French expatriate in Israel, who is charged with the murder of her husband on their wedding night. Karim, a French diplomat in charge of helping French citizens who have to deal with the Israeli authorities, slowly falls for Natalie. He cannot figure out whether the young lady is deeply lost and vulnerable, or dangerously manipulative. Obsessed with this case, Karim dives into Natalie and her family’s mysterious past.
Selena + Chef, Max Original Season 2 Premiere: The unscripted cooking series features the multi-platinum selling recording artist, actress, producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist as she navigates unfamiliar territory: making delicious meals while stuck at home in quarantine.
Kristen Wiig’s Barbara Minerva isn’t the only hot mess in Wonder Woman 1984. The clunky sequel flails around for a couple of hours, occasionally teasing us with moments reminiscent of 2017’s entertaining, critically acclaimed Wonder Woman. The lack of an interesting villain and unimpressive action sequences doom this sequel from being Wonder Woman’s equal.
Wonder Woman 1984 begins with a flashback to Diana as a young girl. Why? Because apparently Diana will need to recall this lesson later on in the film. The fact is, she actually won’t as by the time she’s an adult she’ll have the “cheating is bad” rule ingrained in her conscience. So, the first silly action sequence is pointless and doesn’t really advance the story. We know Diana’s backstory and this added nothing substantial to it, so let’s just move along, shall we?
Unfortunately, that first flashback sets the tone for the entire film.
The action moves forward to 1984 and Diana (Gal Gadot) swooping in and rescuing innocent victims while keeping her superhero self a mystery to the world. I’d love to tell you these flashes of heroism are impressive, but I’d be lying. They seem to basically be incorporated into the film to show off the weirdness of ‘80s fashion.
Diana of 1984 works at the Smithsonian when she’s not snatching pedestrians from the paths of oncoming cars. She’s a loner and still mourning the death of her one true love, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). Diana’s not the woman we met in Wonder Woman or got to know better in Justice League. Instead, this is a pale, muted version of that empowered female.
Barbara Minerva literally stumbles into her life when she arrives for her first day on the job. Barbara’s a social outcast/nerd (of course she’s wearing glasses) and not even the woman who hired her remembers her name. Diana, being a decent human being, smiles and makes small talk and Barbara latches onto this very minor extension of friendship like a dog with a bone.
The two intelligent women bond over dinner and over the appearance of rare artifacts that show up on Barbara’s desk as part of an FBI investigation. One artifact, in particular, piques their interest, and it turns out the big bad of WW84 – Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) – has spent years trying to pin down its location.
Maxwell Lord is masquerading as a powerful millionaire but he’s just a slimeball wannabe desperate for wealth and attention. Once he gets his hands on the artifact all hell breaks loose and humanity is in danger of nuclear annihilation.
While Lord is twirling his mustache and plotting how to become the wealthiest man on the planet, the spark’s come back into Diana’s life. Steve has returned from the dead and Diana’s zest for life has been restored. Unfortunately for Steve, he’s been revived in one of the strangest decades, style-wise. He falls in love with fanny packs and Pop-Tarts, and is understandably confused as to what’s modern art and what’s a trashcan.
Meanwhile, Barbara’s channeling her inner warrior. The “ugly duckling” is transforming into a swan, albeit a dangerous, homicidal one with strength equal to Diana’s.
Steve’s back and Diana is in full-on romance mode. Barbara’s fixated on being everything she can be in a newly enhanced body. And Max Lord is on a path to destroy the planet. Any of those storylines should be fun to follow, yet none actually is. Diana isn’t the Wonder Woman we know and love. Steve being back feels all sorts of wrong as it cripples our heroine. This version’s not the fierce warrior or crusader for the people that we’re familiar with. She’s been robbed of what made us believe she was the embodiment of female empowerment.
WW84 makes Diana into a lovesick woman who only truly functions with a man in her life. That’s obviously not how the story was supposed to land, but that’s how it plays out.
Kristen Wiig and Pedro Pascal have the unenviable tasks of taking two poorly constructed characters through transitions that ring false and play out too fast. While the revival of Steve Trevor seems like a bad choice for a main storyline, at least Chris Pine delivers an engaging, exuberant performance that winds up being the highlight of the film. Pine and Gal Gadot have real on-screen chemistry, and their shared scenes are the ones that stand out.
To put it bluntly, Gal Gadot’s not well served by this screenplay. There’s no real energy or sense of urgency, and the whole “don’t cheat your way to fulfilling your dreams” lesson doesn’t power the story to a fulfilling conclusion.
Warner Bros. Pictures’ Wonder Woman 1984 is missing its pizzazz, its spark, and, ultimately, misses its target.
Cobra Kai‘s third season – the first season that will debut on Netflix rather than YouTube – has changed things up and will arrive a week early. Fans of the addictive drama will now be able to spend New Year’s Day bingewatching the show’s long-awaited, much-anticipated third season.
The announcement was accompanied by a 20-second video showing Johnny Lawrence looking at Netflix’s Cobra Kai page, seeing the January 8th premiere date, deciding that was too long to wait, and changing it to January 1st. Netflix also revealed the show’s cast will join hosts David Spade, Fortune Feimster, and London Hughes for a special The Netflix Afterparty chat on January 2, 2021.
Cobra Kai features The Karate Kid‘s original stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka as grown-up versions of their characters, Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence. The cast also includes Courtney Henggeler (‘Amanda LaRusso’), Xolo Maridueña (‘Miguel Diaz’), Tanner Buchanan (‘Robby Keene’), Mary Mouser (‘Samantha LaRusso’), Jacob Bertrand (‘Hawk’), Gianni Decenzo (‘Demetri’), Vanessa Rubio (‘Carmen’), and Peyton List (‘Tory’). Martin Kove reprises his role from The Karate Kid as John Kreese.
Seasons one and two are currently available to bingewatch. Netflix has already confirmed the series will return for a fourth season.
Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg write and executive produce via their production company, Counterbalance Entertainment. Overbrook Entertainment’s Will Smith, James Lassiter, and Caleeb Pinkett are also involved as executive producers along with Sony Pictures Television’s Susan Ekins. Series stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka are co-executive producers.
Cobra Kai takes place over 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament with the continuation of the inescapable conflict between Daniel LaRusso (Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (Zabka). Season 3 finds everyone reeling in the aftermath of the violent high school brawl between their dojos, which has left Miguel in a precarious condition. While Daniel searches for answers in his past and Johnny seeks redemption, Kreese further manipulates his vulnerable students with his own vision of dominance. The soul of the Valley is at stake, and the fate of every student and sensei hangs in the balance.
Ambition, dreams, passion, life, and the afterlife are what make up Pixar’s 2020 animated film, Soul. The film focuses on Joe (voiced by Jamie Foxx), a middle-aged part-time middle school music teacher who still hopes to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing professionally in a jazz band. After receiving the news his school has decided to offer Joe a full-time position, he fears he’ll be a teacher for the rest of his life. That is until he gets an offer to audition to join a well-known jazz band.
After nailing the audition and being told to return that night at 7pm to perform live with the band, Joe heads home believing his dream is about to come true. Unfortunately, that’s when he plummets down a manhole and ends up in the hospital on life support.
Joe’s soul travels to another realm where he finds himself on a cosmic escalator headed to the Great Before. Not ready to give up on life and his dream, Joe runs in the opposite direction and falls off the escalator. He ends up in the realm where mentors prepare young souls to travel down to earth and enter a newborn body.
Joe’s mistaken for a new mentor and assigned young soul 22 (voiced by Tina Fey), a cynical, wise-cracking being who has no interest in going to earth and has tested the patience of previous wise mentors such as Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, and Gandhi.
Desperate to get back to his body on earth in time to make the performance, Joe makes a deal with 22 to use her pass, which is supposed to only work for her, to get back to earth so he can slip into his body. She’ll be able to see what life on earth is like and then return to the realm where she feels comfortable. Sounds like a win-win situation, doesn’t it?
However, the trip to earth doesn’t go as planned and 22 ends up in Joe’s body and Joe ends up in a cat’s body. The two souls must work together to try to find a way to get Joe back in his body and 22 back to where she’s grown to believe she belongs.
Cute, colorful, and thought-provoking, Soul is a fun, light-hearted adventure with a solid message. Soul gently reminds the audience not to get so caught up in ambition and chasing a dream that one forgets to enjoy the simple pleasures of living life. In many ways, it’s an animated sampling of ideas and plot devices from live-action films Heaven Can Wait and Mr. Holland’s Opus.
Jamie Foxx does a great job as the voice of Joe, a talented musician who’s spent so much time trying to be a professional jazz piano player that he fails to see just how good a mentor and teacher he really is. Joe’s dream morphs into an obsession and becomes the only thing he cares about. As he struggles to get back into his body and sees 22 interacting with his friends and family, he begins to realize he’s missed out on having deeper and more meaningful relationships due to his sole focus on jazz.
Tina Fey is fantastic as the voice of 22, bringing her to life with a wonderful sarcastic demeanor, wit, and genuine childlike innocence. Some of the funniest scenes in the film are when 22 is on earth stuck in Joe’s body and experiences simple joys for the first time, like eating a slice of delicious New York pizza or getting a haircut. It’s Fey’s timing and satirical delivery that has 22 stealing the film away from Foxx as Joe.
The animation is bright and colorful but not all that original, looking remarkably similar to the design and artwork of Pixar’s 2015 film, Inside Out. (Grante, that makes some sense given the realms both films dwell in.) The film’s score is pitch-perfect, featuring music and songs that help elevate the film to a higher level and give it…soul.
Vibrant and insightful, director Pete Docter’s Soul is a heartwarming, inspirational adventure that reminds the audience not to overlook the little things in life that make living so worthwhile.
GRADE: B
MPAA: PG for some language and thematic elements
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Release Date: December 25, 2020 on Disney+
Supporting Voice Cast: Phylicia Rashad, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Angela Bassett, Daveed Diggs, June Squibb, Donnell Rawlings, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Wes Studi, Fortune Feimster, and Zenobia Shroff
Fox’s The Resident finally returns to the network’s primetime lineup on January 12, 2021. New episodes will air on Tuesdays at 8pm ET/PT, with season four kicking off with episode one, “A Wedding, A Funeral,” featuring Nic and Conrad’s wedding.
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.
“A Wedding, A Funeral” Plot: After a long wait, Conrad and Nic prepare for their wedding day with the support of their family and friends. Meanwhile, flashbacks to the early days of the COVID-19 crisis shine a light on the heroism of the doctors and the toll the virus took on everyone at Chastain Memorial.
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 Big Bang Theory‘s Mayim Bialik returns to primetime with a starring role in Fox’s Call Me Kat. Emmy Award nominee Bialik plays the titular character, a single woman who owns a cat cafe and lives above it. The half-hour comedy features Mayim Bialik periodically breaking the fourth wall to explain more about her life or to expand on jokes.
The cast of season one includes Emmy Award winner Swoosie Kurtz as Kat’s mother, Sheila; Kyla Pratt as non-cat lover/employee, Randi; and Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan as Phil. Cheyenne Jackson plays Max, a guy Kat had a crush on in college.
Emmy Award nominee Bialik serves as an executive producer along with her The Big Bang Theory co-star Jim Parsons, The Big C‘s Darlene Hunt, Miranda Hart, BBC Studios’ Angie Stephenson, and Beth McCarthy-Miller. Hunt is the season one showrunner and McCarthy Miller directed the first episode.
Call Me Kat will premiere on Sunday, January 3, 2021 at approximately 8pm ET/PT following the NFL on Fox doubleheader. It will switch to its regular timeslot of Thursdays at 9pm ET/PT on January 7th.
The Plot, Courtesy of Fox:
Based on the BBC UK original series Miranda, Call Me Kat stars Bialik as a woman who struggles every day against society and her mother to prove that she can still live a happy and fulfilling life despite being single at 39. Which is why she recently spent her entire savings to open a cat café in Louisville, Kentucky. It was expected of Kat to be married with kids by now, but for many reasons, she’s still single – and totally fine with it.
