‘The Flash’ Season 7 Episode 4 Recap: “Central City Strong” Review

By

-

March 24, 2021

The Flash Season 7 Episode 4 — Brandon McKnight as Chester P. Runk, Kayla Compton as Allegra, Grant Gustin as Barry Allen/The Flash and Danielle Panabaker as Caitlin Snow in ‘The Flash’ season 7 episode 4 (Photo: Katie Yu © 2021 The CW Network, LLC)

Trauma, stress, loss, grief, and a headache all play big roles in season seven episode four of The CW’s The Flash. As the episode begins a news reporter is covering how S.T.A.R. Labs and everyday citizens are volunteering to help repair Central City after the attack by the Mirror Master. The Flash surprises everyone by speeding up and letting himself be interviewed. He apologizes to the city for not being able to stop Mirror Master earlier and promises he’ll make it up to Central City. He believes the city can rebuild because he believes in its citizens.

Over at Iris’ office, Iris persists in forcing Allegra (Kayla Compton) to come clean and reveal that in her opinion after editing Iris’ article on the Mirror Master attack on Central City…it’s awful. Her reasoning is that it has too many facts and not enough emotion. She suggests Iris needs to reveal to the readers her time spent in the mirrorverse, which she’s left out.

Later that night as a volunteer is finishing up and about to go home, a rumble occurs and he turns to see a man in black with white hair standing before him. “I’m the greatest magician of all time which is why you should be more than just afraid…you should be terrified!” claims the mysterious man who then uses his glowing wand to make deadly cards pierce the man who screams in agony.

The following day Cisco (Carlos Valdes), Chester (Brandon McKnight), and Barry (Grant Gustin) are investigating the murder of the volunteer for the CCPD. (It seems Chester is now an intern working for them.) After collecting a few clues and seeing the body, it’s quickly obvious to Barry and Joe (Jesse L. Martin) that Abra Kadabra (David Dastmalchian) is back from the future. However, instead of just being a thief who uses 64th-century tech to mimic magic, he’s now killing with it.

Meanwhile, Iris (Candice Patton) attends a mirrorverse survivors support group to get an interview for her story. After listening to a speaker being interrupted by people asking if she’s okay, Iris quickly excuses herself and leaves – still obviously suffering from the trauma she went through.

At S.T.A.R. Labs, Chester and Cisco are scanning and pick up a signal of energy identifying Abra Kadabra’s location. The Flash and Cisco, wearing new sonic blasting gear, speed over to confront him. They try to capture him, but he uses his tech to distract them and turns the tables putting The Flash in the special cuffs which he can’t phase out of. Abra Kadabra says he’s doing The Flash a favor killing him now so he won’t have to face the wrath of the Chronarch. Just as he’s about to kill the speedster, he’s hit by an icy cold blast and Frost (Danielle Panabaker) takes him down.

A.R.G.U.S. shows up and takes Abra Kadabra away. Frost gives Cisco an item of tech she lifted off of the deadly magician and asks for a favor.

Back at S.T.A.R. Labs, Cisco runs some tests on Frost and Caitlin to see why she still feels so tired after the fight with Mirror Master and can’t shake off a bad headache. Cisco tells her all the tests show that she’s fine, but Frost says she can feel something is wrong.

At A.R.G.U.S., Abra Kadabra uses a few more tricks and gets free. He then gets access to some tech he needs to build an anti-matter bomb.

Barry tries to take Iris away for a romantic getaway; he already took her to Maui a few days ago and has been overly romantic with her since getting her back. Iris tries to argue that she needs to work on her article, but Barry sees she hasn’t written a single word. Just as she’s about to agree to the getaway, Barry receives an alert about Abra Kadabra roaming A.R.G.U.S.. He speeds off to stop him.

When The Flash shows up Abra Kadabra once again one-ups him and locks him in a constrictive metallic halo which squeezes tighter the more he tries to escape. Abra Kadabra reminds Barry the last time they faced off Barry asked him to find a light inside himself. He did just that but then Barry stole it from him.

Abra Kadabra builds his bomb in front of The Flash, telling him it’s time for his final trick “to make a whole city disappear.” Abra Kadabra and the bomb vanish.

Once more at S.T.A.R. Labs, Team Flash go over what Abra Kadabra told Barry. Cisco realizes he’s built an anti-matter bomb that’s strong enough to destroy Central City. Barry blames himself for not seeing Abra’s plan and goes off to sulk. (Seriously, a bomb that could have enough power to destroy the city in a few hours is out there somewhere and now is when Barry decides to pout and sulk! Oh, please!)

Iris shows up and gives Barry the pep talk he needs to get up and go after Abra, telling him that he was a victim of what Eva as the Mirror Master did to him by tricking him with Mirror Iris. Barry suddenly realizes why Abra Kadabra is attacking the city and claims he knows how to stop him.

Team Flash gets a hit on where Abra Kadabra is and The Flash speeds off. He confronts him in downtown CC and shows the evil magician an image of the wife and child he once had. Moved, Abra Kadabra tells Barry how he kept having flashes of memories that didn’t make sense but that he finally figured out that he had a wife and daughter who got erased after Crisis. He blames The Flash for taking away his family so he will destroy the speedster’s city as revenge.

The Flash tells Abra Kadabra everyone lost someone in Crisis. “I lost someone, too. He was like a brother to me and ever since I’ve tried to honor his sacrifice.” He goes on to tell Abra Kadabra that he can’t bring back his family because that timeline is gone. The Scarlet Speedster asks Abra Kadabra if his wife and child would want him to destroy a city and cause millions of deaths in their names. This finally reaches the mourning magician and he stops powering the bomb.

Abra Kadabra asks how he can go on without them and The Flash assures him “the people we love never really leave us.” He needs to find hope through the love he had with them in this world. Abra Kadabra says he doesn’t get it and that they are mortal enemies in the future. “Why are you doing this?” he asks. “So the next time we meet, maybe we won’t be,” answers The Flash as he extends a hand in friendship. Abra Kadabra shakes his hand.

Just as they are shaking the ground shakes and rumbles. “This isn’t me!” says the magician as a huge monster appears and attacks. The Flash gets knocked off his feet and Abra Kadabra distracts the beast by calling it over to him. He then lights up the bomb again and sends it into the monster as it explodes. The beast isn’t killed but instead is able to absorb the bomb’s energy.

The monster stomps over and hits Abra Kadabra hard, sending him crashing into a wall and onto a garbage container. The Flash sends lightning at the monster but it just absorbs it. The monster grabs The Flash and squeezes him tight almost killing him, and then growls loudly and jumps away.

The next day at S.T.A.R. Labs Team Flash talk about Abra Kadabra giving his life to fight the beast and that the monster can just absorb deadly energy, possibly making it unstoppable. Barry warns them they have to find a way to stop it.

Iris returns to the mirrorverse support group but this time to talk as a member and not to get an interview. She realized when Barry forced Abra Kadabra to face the trauma of losing his family she needed to face hers about being lost and trapped for three months.

The final scene of the episode shows Cisco working in his lab. Caitlin walks in with a worried look on her face. “Thank God you’re here. There’s something I need to show you,” says Caitlin. Cisco asks if she’s still having the headaches and she replies, “Nope, not anymore.” He turns in his chair to face her and is stunned to see Caitlin and Frost split apart as two separate people. “Hello Cisco, how great is this,” says a happy and smiling Frost.

The Flash Season 7 Episode 4 Review:

The return of an intriguing villain and his revenge plan sadly takes a back seat to the guilt, trauma, and regret Barry and Iris are struggling with after battling the Mirror Master. Bringing back David Dastmalchian to reprise the role of Abra Kadabra, a character he first portrayed back in season three, is a great touch and a nice addition to the episode. Dastmalchian plays Abra Kadabra this time with more anger and rage as he’s bent on revenge instead of the deadly playful magician as he was originally. It’s his performance as the “villain of the week” that is the highlight of the episode.

Unfortunately, the going back and forth to Iris not dealing with her own trauma and Barry still blaming himself for Iris being trapped for so long in the mirrorverse drastically distracts and takes away momentum and time from the hunt for the returned deadly magician. Also, the heavy-handed reminders of Barry’s big heart and the power of love on someone’s life, while well-meaning, is getting tired and thin.

Here’s hoping moving forward Team Flash can focus on new themes and ideas with more action.

GRADE: B-

‘Trying’ Season 2 Gets a May Premiere and an Early Season 3 Renewal

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 24, 2021

Trying Season 2 — Esther Smith and Rafe Spall in season two of ‘Trying,’ premiering globally May 14 on Apple TV+

Apple TV+ has set a May 14, 2021 premiere date for the second season of the British comedy series, Trying. The streaming service’s premiere date announcement also included the news the comedy has been picked up for a third season.

Andy Wolton created the comedy and serves as writer and executive producer. Jim O’Hanlon (Marvel’s The Punisher) directs and executive produces, with Sam Pinnell (Motherland) producing and Josh Cole executive producing.

The BBC Studios production stars BAFTA nominee Esther Smith (Funny Valentines), SAG nominee Rafe Spall (The Big Short), and Oscar nominee Imelda Staunton (Vera Drake). Ophelia Lovibond (Elementary), Oliver Chris (Four Weddings), Sian Brooke (Good Omens), Darren Boyd (Killing Eve), and Robyn Cara (Ackley Bridge) also star in season two.

Apple TV+ released the following description of the upcoming second season:

“In the eight-episode second season of Trying, Nikki (Smith) and Jason (Spall) are continuing to navigate the adoption process. Having been approved by the adoption panel they now find that matching with a child is not as straightforward as they had hoped. It seems like children are being snapped up by other couples while somehow they’re being left behind.

Helped by their eccentric social worker Penny (Staunton) they are determined to do everything they can. When Nikki meets a little girl called Princess at an adoption event she knows instantly that this is the child for them. But there are obstacles to Nikki’s plan that may prove insurmountable.”

‘Stowaway’ Trailer Reveals Astronauts Faced with an Impossible Choice

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 24, 2021

Netflix has released a lengthy trailer for the sci-fi thriller Stowaway directed by Joe Penna (Arctic). The trailer reveals an unexpected extra passenger on a trip to Mars forces the crew to try and figure out how to keep everyone alive while the oxygen supply dwindles.

The cast includes Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air) as Zoe Levenson, Oscar nominee Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) as Marina Barnett, Daniel Dae Kim (New Amsterdam) as David Kim, and Shamier Anderson (Wynonna Earp) as Michael Adams.

Director Penna co-wrote the screenplay with Ryan Morrison.

Netflix has set an April 22, 2021 premiere date.

The Stowaway Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:

On a mission headed to Mars, an unintended stowaway accidentally causes severe damage to the spaceship’s life support systems. Facing dwindling resources and a potentially fatal outcome, the crew is forced to make an impossible decision.

First Photos Arrive from Stowaway

‘Mayans M.C.’ Season 3 Episode 3 Recap: “Overreaching Don’t Pay”

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 23, 2021

Mayans MC Season 3 Episode 3 — Clayton Cardenas as Angel Reyes and JD Pardo as EZ Reyes in ‘Mayans M.C.’ season 3 episode 3 (Photo Credit: Prashant Gupta/FX)

FX’s Mayans M.C. season three episode three opens with a brief flashback to Coco’s childhood. It’s revealed his mother used to ask him to help her shoot up. Even as Coco was injecting her, she’d beg him never to be like her when he grew up.

Back to current events and Coco (Richard Cabral) wakes to discover a woman informing him she made everything better via a needle. Coco appears stunned as the heroin courses through his body.

Gaby (Sulem Calderon) practically whistles while she works, putting away groceries at Felipe’s place with a huge, peaceful smile on her face. Meanwhile, EZ’s morning is filled with exercise while Angel (Clayton Cardenas) rises from another night of attempting to push Adelita out of his head by having sex with random women.

A short while later EZ (JD Pardo) lays out his plans to crown Bishop the sole king. He and Angel will bring over 200 keys and Taza (Raoul Max Trujillo) warns if anything goes wrong, that’s a massive debt they’ll owe. EZ doesn’t believe there will be any problems and reminds them that’s what they need to supply to Arizona in order to give Bishop the throne.

Bishop (Michael Irby) agrees as Angel walks into the bar. He doesn’t join the table and instead grabs a beer as the bartender, Nails (Justina Adorno), wonders why he didn’t call her the previous evening. He claims to have crashed early but she figures out what really happened when Angel’s latest conquest walks into the bar. Angel brushes Nails off, saying he’s busy with the club later and can’t meet up.

Bishop tells those assembled they need a few days to coordinate with Alvarez. The shipment’s too big to organize quickly.

Insert the episode’s “What the f*ck, Steve?” line as glasses crash to the floor, interrupting the meeting. (This seems to be a running gag in season three.)

Riz’s Aunt Vicki (Elpidia Carrillo) visits Alicia, the woman arrested for transporting drugs, in jail. Vicki suggests Alicia tell the cops who gave her the drugs, explaining the club doesn’t care about anyone. They took what was Riz’s after his death which means they stole from her. Vicki believes Alicia only has one viable option.

Bishop and EZ head over to Marcus Alvarez’s home and Bishop jokes about the suburbs being the place outlaws come to die. Marcus (Emilio Rivera) heard about the meeting with the other kings and Bishop explains he needs to bring 200 keys over the border to fix things. Marcus doesn’t catch on to what Bishop actually has planned and Bishop doesn’t clarify that his plans include toppling the other kings.

Bishop says they need the 250 kilos today and Marcus agrees to work on gathering the product.

After they hug, Bishop walks away and quietly says to EZ, “You and your brother are going over today. F*ck them all…it’s going down tonight.”

Meanwhile, over at the Galindo estate Erin’s still hanging around “helping” her sister with Cristobal. Erin doesn’t have any filter and teases Miguel (Danny Pino) about what he does for a living. Emily (Sarah Bolger) doesn’t think her sister’s funny; the tension apparently hasn’t eased since Erin unexpectedly appeared in her driveway at Miguel’s request.

Emily attempts to explain to Erin they need to be careful as the town’s not exactly on their side right now. They can’t just run out for ice cream because there aren’t any security personnel available.

Coco considers the track mark on his arm and his current situation. He flees the trailer and vomits in the dirt as the group’s leader (played by Teen Wolf and The 100’s JR Bourne) asks him if he slept well. Coco’s soon surrounded by the group who appear to not only be druggies but also in some sort of cult. Coco wants to leave and the leader hands him back his gun. When Coco immediately points it at the man’s forehead, he’s taken down once again.

Coco swats away the leader’s hand when he offers help. He grabs his gun and fires into the air, warning he’ll kill anyone who touches him again.

Coco races off to his car and screams in anger and frustration when he looks at his track mark again.

EZ and Angel walk through the tunnel, and Angel calls his baby bro “Bishop’s boy.” Angel warns that if this doesn’t work, the club will come after EZ. He notes the Mayans M.C. are like a sewing circle full of “jealous-ass bitches.”

“Swing big, miss big,” says Angel.

“I’ve never been afraid of swinging,” replies EZ.

They emerge from the tunnel inside a house and pay off the elderly woman watching TV.

Coco returns to the clubhouse and Gilly (Vincent Vargas) immediately gets in his face demanding to know where he’s been. Coco’s obviously upset and asks for a private moment to talk things out. Coco admits he knows he’s been messing up and Gilly warns they’re tired of covering for him with Bishop. He breaks down, explaining he’s in so much pain he can’t take it without drugs. Coco also admits he just broke a promise and wants to stop screwing up his life.

The club emerges to meet Sons of Anarchy’s Happy (David Labrava) and Allesandro (Jacob Vargas) who’ve shown up unexpectedly. They want to discuss Packer’s cancer and Happy reveals he’s running San Bernardino while Packer’s in chemo. This is just a courtesy call.

The atmosphere’s chilly as Allesandro and Happy warn Santo Padre not to ride through any SoA turf without calling first. Bishop replies that they always call and, turning the tables, says he didn’t receive a call first that SoA was rolling up for this meeting.

Allesandro explains they’re there out of respect to warn the Mayans that actions have consequences. Bishop asks for them to clarify and Happy replies, “A couple dozen dead Mexicans.”

Allesandro adds, “And Jax Teller’s last wishes disrespected.”

SoA confirms they’re doing this with Chibs’ blessing.

The tense meeting ends and Hank (Frankie Loyal) wonders if this was all due to the dead reaper in the desert. Bishop doesn’t think Happy has a clue about anything but warns that Allesandro’s a crafty dude.

The discussion returns to the huge drug shipment in the works and Taza reveals he and Hank are worried about EZ and his plan. Bishop disagrees and thinks EZ sees the future. He warns Taza and Hank to get their heads out of the past.

Speaking of EZ, he and his bro arrive to pick up the product out in the middle of nowhere. The guy they’re meeting with introduces himself as Juan Denver and keeps quoting John Denver songs. Angel’s getting pissed off but EZ immediately gets into the spirit of things and tosses lines back at Juan.

“What the fuck is happening right now?!” asks Angel, representing all of us.

Juan grabs a sledgehammer as EZ looks at a shipping manifest. The stuff was supposed to be moved over the border prior to the shutdown. Juan uses the sledgehammer to expose the drugs contained inside a cement divider.

Elsewhere, Felipe (Edward James Olmos) and Gaby do some bonding while he fills her in on EZ.

Emily’s also involved in a bonding experience with her sister who, reluctantly, she’s allowed to convince her to get ice cream. Erin’s worried about her sister’s marriage, noting there’s nothing sexual about the kisses she shares with Miguel.

They’re still involved in the discussion of Emily’s marriage outside in the car when townsfolk toss a milkshake at Emily’s windshield. (Emily doesn’t have a security detail with her.) Erin immediately reacts, jumping out of the car and confronting the man who threw it. He blames Emily and her family for destroying the whole town and putting everyone out of work.

Erin cusses him out, picks up what remains of the shake, and tosses it at the man’s departing car, offering a kick to the driver’s side for good measure.

When Erin returns to the car Emily’s doubled over in laughter. Cristobal’s contribution to the conversation is a huge fart caused by the ice cream.

The club rolls up to Aunt Vicki’s ranch and Bishop instructs her to shut down for the night and give her girls an evening off. Vicki reminds them the girls aren’t theirs and the property also doesn’t belong to the club. Bishop doesn’t back down and Vicki’s forced into submitting to their demands. She’s obviously unhappy about this development.

EZ and Angel wheel the heavy load through the tunnel but the cart breaks down. The brothers are forced to finish the job by carrying the entire load. They finally make it to their destination and Angel warns he’s out of breath and yells for someone else to haul the drugs up to the surface.

EZ basically calls his big brother out for being out of shape. Angel responds with a one-finger salute.

The drugs are brought up from the tunnel and Bishop praises EZ, claiming he may have saved the charter along with a bunch of his brothers’ lives.

Coco has a moment when it appears he’s considering taking one of the packages.

As they’re loading the drugs in a truck, a Border Patrol caravan is spotted coming toward the ranch. Bishop orders everything placed back into the tunnel. They’ve got about two minutes to get it done.

Panic sets in as it’s down to 30 seconds before the Border Patrol arrives. Hank orders Steve to head them off to buy the club more time. As Steve sits in the driver’s seat he says to himself, ”What the f*ck, Steve?” (And there’s the payoff for that running gag.)

Steve pulls his truck in front of the BP, forcing them to stop. He claims not to speak English as they place him under arrest.

The guys make a run for it as the BP pulls up. They search the area as Bishop can only shake his head and utter “f*ck” under his breath. (Maybe pissing Vicki off wasn’t a good idea?)

Later at the clubhouse, drinks are rapidly consumed as Angel suggests EZ not approach Bishop right now to take the blame. EZ wonders what went wrong and Angel admits he doesn’t know.

Hank reveals Taza and Creeper have the drugs and are sitting on them for now.

Hank speaks privately with Bishop and expresses his concern that all of this is going to get back to Alvarez. He doesn’t think they should have lied to Alvarez and isn’t sure how long Taza and Creeper can babysit the drugs now that the club’s exposed.

Hank is also worried this will get back to the other kings.

Bishop storms off without responding.

Over at the Galindo place, Emily tries to get Miguel in the mood for sex. Miguel’s not overly enthusiastic and ultimately pulls away, leaving Emily seated on the floor, confused.

Angel turns his attention to Nails while Coco once again breaks the promise he made to his mother years ago as a child. He’s returned to the drug encampment and after shooting up, the leader sneaks in and takes his photo. He praises the girl Coco’s with and rewards her with more drugs.

Bishop’s drinking and sitting outside Mayor Antonia Pena’s home when she finally invites him in. As they walk to the front door, Bishop observes the flashing needs repair. She notes it’s been that way since he left.

Felipe’s relaxing with a puzzle when EZ stops by to pick up Gaby. She reminds Felipe the leftovers are in the fridge and he barely reacts.

As EZ drops Gaby off at her place he thanks her for looking after his dad. She confesses it’s nice for her too because she misses her mom and brother. Gaby doesn’t invite him in and they say goodnight rather formally. She turns as she’s about to go up the sidewalk and pulls EZ in for a long, passionate kiss.

EZ has a big “I’m in love” smile on his face as he rides off.

Angel’s home naked and kissing Nails when Adelita (Carla Baratta) interrupts, surprising the couple from a nearby chair. Episode three ends with Adelita staring at the father of her child.

‘The Mitchells Vs. The Machines’ Adds John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 23, 2021

The voice cast for Netflix’s The Mitchells Vs. The Machines has expanded to include EGOT winner John Legend and Twitter Queen Chrissy Teigen. Also set to take on characters in the animated comedy are Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Charlyne Yi, Conan O’Brien, Sasheer Zamata, Elle Mills, Alex Hirsch, and Jay Pharoah.

The just-announced celebs will be joining previously announced cast members Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Eric Andre, Olivia Colman, Blake Griffin, and Doug The Pug.

The new cast members were announced along with a short video confirming the April 30, 2021 premiere date and the release of three new photos.

Mike Rianda directs and co-wrote the screenplay with Jeff Rowe. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and The LEGO Movie‘s Phil Lord and Christopher Miller produced along with Kurt Albrecht.

The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:

The Mitchells vs. The Machines is an animated action-comedy about an ordinary family who find themselves in the middle of their biggest family challenge yet…saving the world from the robot apocalypse. No big deal, right?

It all starts when creative outsider Katie Mitchell is accepted into the film school of her dreams and is eager to leave home and find “her people,” when her nature-loving dad insists on having the whole family drive her to school and bond during one last totally-not-awkward-or-forced road trip. But just when the trip can’t get any worse, the family suddenly finds itself in the middle of the robot uprising! Everything from smart phones, to roombas, to evil Furbys are employed to capture every human on the planet. Now it’s up to the Mitchells, including upbeat mom Linda, quirky little brother Aaron, their squishy pug, Monchi, and two friendly, but simple-minded robots to save humanity.

‘Manifest’ Season 3 Episode 1 Photos, Plot, Cast and Air Date

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 23, 2021

NBC’s Manifest returns to the network’s primetime lineup on April 1, 2021 with an episode that catches up with the Stone family three months after the events that took place at the end of season two. (Hopefully we’ll quickly learn more about how Zeke was able to survive his death date.) The one-minute trailer for season three teases Ben will be in close contact with Flight 828’s tailfin, and we’ll be introduced to a new key character played by The Americans‘ Holly Taylor who joins the cast as a series regular.

Season three episode one, “Tailfin,” will air on April 1st at 8pm ET/PT.

Returning cast members include Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela Stone, Josh Dallas as Ben Stone, Athena Karkanis as Grace Stone, Luna Blaise as Olive Stone, and Jack Messina as Cal Stone. Parveen Kaur returns as Saanvi Bahl, Matt Long is back as Zeke Landon, and J.R. Ramirez reprises his role as Jared Vasquez.

NBC released the following description of Manifest season 3:

“Manifest returns for a third season of action-packed drama, shocking revelations and the answer to the show’s biggest mystery – what happened to the passengers of Flight 828?

Over a year has passed since the miraculous homecoming of Flight 828 and the discovery of others who have mysteriously returned. While the Stone family endeavors to keep their friends safe and make their enemies believe the unbelievable, new challenges will test their trust of the callings and each other. But sticking together is more important than ever because no matter what happens, it’s all connected.”

Manifest Season 3 Episode 1 — Melissa Roxburgh as Michaela Stone and Matt Long as Zeke Landon in ‘Manifest’ season 3 episode 1 (Photo by: NBC)

‘This Is Us’ Season 5 Episode 11 Photos: “One Small Step” Preview

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 23, 2021

NBC finally unveiled the first photos from This Is Us season five episode 11, “One Small Step.” Episode 10 welcomed back Phylicia Rashad as Carol Clarke and episode 11 finds Griffin Dunne returning to reprise his role as Nicky Pearson, along with Michael Angarano as the younger Nicky. “One Small Step” will air on March 23, 2021 at 9pm ET/PT.

The 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 plays Beth, Chris Sullivan stars as Toby, and Caitlin Thompson is Madison.

“One Small Step…” Plot: Kevin and Madison get an unexpected guest.

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.

This Is Us Season 5 Episode 11 — Griffin Dunne as Nicky and Justin Hartley as Kevin in ‘This Is Us’ season 5 episode 11 (Photo by: NBC)

‘Koala Man’ Animated Comedy Series Greenlit at Hulu

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 23, 2021

It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s…Koala Man? Hulu will be extending its run of weird yet entertaining animated comedies with the announcement of a Koala Man series. Created by Michael Cusack (YOLO: Crystal Fantasy), Koala Man‘s first eight-episode season will introduce audiences to an Aussie dad who dons a koala-ish outfit to battle crime.

Hulu released a photo of the title character as well as a short description of the animated series:

“An animated family comedy where the patriarch lives a not-so-secret identity of Koala Man, an Australian suburban superhero with no powers but a burning passion to snuff out petty crime and bring order to the community.”

Koala Man joins an animated lineup that includes Solar Opposites (returning for season two on March 26th) and Crossing Swords featuring the voices of Nicholas Hoult and Luke Evans. The streaming service’s Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K. arrives May 21st, with Marvel’s Hit Monkey currently in development.

Koala Man comes from Cusack, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez. Cusack is writing and executive producing, with Pokémon Detective Pikachu‘s writers Samit and Hernandez co-showrunning and executive producing. The series is set up at 20th Television Animation, and Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland, Princess Pictures, and Bento Box are also executive producing.

Samit and Hernandez have been collaborating since both were working on their undergraduate degrees at Brown University. Their television credits include Central Park, One Day at a Time, The Tick, Super Fun Night, and 1600 Penn. They’re presently working on screenplays for Addams Family 2 and Night Wolf which is set to star Kevin Hart.

IFPI Sums Up the Covid-19 Affected Music Industry’s Revenue

By

Alison Helms

-

March 23, 2021

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry* (IFPI) has released their annual Global Music report, and it is a lot to unpack. According to IFPI, the global recorded music market grew by 7.4% in 2020, marking the sixth consecutive year of growth. Figures released today in IFPI’s Global Music Report show total revenues for 2020 were $21.6 billion.

Growth was driven by streaming, especially by paid subscription streaming revenues which increased by 18.5%. There were 443 million users of paid subscription accounts at the end of 2020, according to IFPI. Total streaming – including both paid subscription and advertising-supported – grew 19.9% and reached $13.4 billion, or 62.1% of total global recorded music revenues.

Latin America was once again the fastest-growing region globally, with revenues increasing by 15.9% in 2020. Africa and the Middle East made their debut on the chart, with the region increasing by 8.4% primarily thanks to the Middle East and North Africa region.

While streaming was up, other areas took a hit largely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Physical revenues fell by 4.7% in 2020 to a total of $4.2 billion, which is a slightly slower rate of decline than the previous year’s 5.3%. Alongside a reduction in revenues from CDs (down by 11.9%), vinyl had an extraordinarily strong year and revenues grew 23.5% compared with 6.1% in 2019. Revenues from performance rights (use of recorded music by broadcasters and public venues) declined by 10.1% in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic impacted public performance revenues, interrupting more than a decade of continuous growth in this area.

“As the world contends with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reminded of the enduring power of music to console, heal and lift our spirits. Some things are timeless, like the power of a great song or the connection between artists and fans, but some things have changed. With so much of the world in lockdown and live music shut down, in nearly every corner of the globe most fans enjoyed music via streaming,” stated IFPI Chief Executive, Frances Moore. (Read Moore’s full statement here.)

IFPI rolled out their 2020 Chart reports, including the Top Global Recording Artists of 2020 report, earlier this month. Mega popular supergroup BTS took the honor of ranking number one on that chart as well as the Global Top 10 Singles Chart, Global Top 10 Album All-Format Chart, and Global Top 10 Albums Sales Chart.

IFPI ranks the top 10 music markets in 2020 as follows:

1. United States
2. Japan
3. UK
4. Germany
5. France
6. South Korea
7. China
8. Canada
9. Australia
10. Netherlands

* – The IFPI is the organization that represents the recorded music industry worldwide.

BTS Tops Multiple Year-End Sales Charts According to IFPI

Disney Details New Release Plans for a Slew of Upcoming Films

By

Rebecca Murray

-

March 23, 2021

Disney has unveiled new release details for its slate of upcoming films including Cruella, Marvel Studios’ Black Widow, and Pixar’s Luca. The live-action Cruella, which tells the story of 101 Dalmatians‘ villain Cruella de Vil, will be released in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access on May 28, 2021. Marvel’s Black Widow will arrive simultaneously in theaters and Disney+ with Premier Access on July 9.

Luca will bypass a theatrical release and premiere exclusively on Disney+ on Friday, June 18th.

Theatrical release dates have also shifted for the following films:

Free Guy opens August 13, 2021
Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will be released September 3, 2021
The King’s Man premieres December 22, 2021
Deep Water opens January 14, 2022
Death on the Nile moves to February 11, 2022

“Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences. By leveraging a flexible distribution strategy in a dynamic marketplace that is beginning to recover from the global pandemic, we will continue to employ the best options to deliver The Walt Disney Company’s unparalleled storytelling to fans and families around the world,” stated Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.

Luca Plot:

Luca, a new original feature film opening June 18, 2021, celebrates the universal theme of friendship. Set in a beautiful seaside town on the Italian Riviera, it is a coming-of-age story about one young boy experiencing an unforgettable summer filled with gelato, pasta and endless scooter rides. Luca shares these adventures with his newfound best friend, but all the fun is threatened by a deeply-held secret: they are sea monsters from another world just below the water’s surface.

Details on Cruella:

Emma Stone stars in Disney’s Cruella, an all-new live-action feature film about the rebellious early days of one of cinemas most notorious – and notoriously fashionable – villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil. Cruella, which is set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, follows a young grifter named Estella, a clever and creative girl determined to make a name for herself with her designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they are able to build a life for themselves on the London streets.

One day, Estella’s flair for fashion catches the eye of the Baroness von Hellman, a fashion legend who is devastatingly chic and terrifyingly haute, played by Emma Thompson. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events and revelations that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and become the raucous, fashionable and revenge-bent Cruella.

Black Widow Synopsis:

In Marvel Studios’ action-packed spy thriller Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

ShowbizJunkies

‘The Flash’ Season 7 Episode 4 Recap: “Central City Strong” Review

‘Trying’ Season 2 Gets a May Premiere and an Early Season 3 Renewal

‘Stowaway’ Trailer Reveals Astronauts Faced with an Impossible Choice

‘Mayans M.C.’ Season 3 Episode 3 Recap: “Overreaching Don’t Pay”

‘The Mitchells Vs. The Machines’ Adds John Legend and Chrissy Teigen

‘Manifest’ Season 3 Episode 1 Photos, Plot, Cast and Air Date

‘This Is Us’ Season 5 Episode 11 Photos: “One Small Step” Preview

‘Koala Man’ Animated Comedy Series Greenlit at Hulu

IFPI Sums Up the Covid-19 Affected Music Industry’s Revenue

Disney Details New Release Plans for a Slew of Upcoming Films

Trending

9-1-1: Nashville Season 2 Episode 5 Preview: Biological Threat Terrorizes the City

Paul Wesley Joins Netflix’s Icebreaker Adaptation as Coach Neil Faulkner

Drew Barrymore Hosts Pillsbury Bake-Off Classic: See Who’s Competing