‘Warrior’ Season 2: Andrew Koji Interview on Ah Sahm’s Journey

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September 28, 2020

Warrior Season 2 — Andrew Koji stars in ‘Warrior’ season 2 (Photo by David Bloomer/Cinemax)

Cinemax’s critically acclaimed dramatic series Warrior kicks off its 10-episode second season on Friday, October 2, 2020 at 10pm ET/PT. Andrew Koji (2021’s Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins) returns to lead the cast as Ah Sahm, a fierce fighter with the powerful Hop Wei tong in San Francisco’s Chinatown.

The martial arts prodigy suffered a devastating loss during a fight that almost cost him his life at the end of season one. In season two, Ah Sahm will be dealing with that loss and with the fact his sister, Mai Ling (Dianne Doan) – the reason he made the journey to America – was fine with the prospect of him dying during that fight.

Warrior’s first season earned a spot on our Best New TV Shows of 2019 list, and having watched advance screeners it’s confirmed season two is equally as riveting. Season one set up the world of the Chinese Tong Wars of the late 19th century and season two jumps straight into the action, following Andrew Koji’s Ah Sahm as he navigates this brutal world.

In support of the new season, Andrew Koji graciously hopped on the phone for an interview to discuss what’s in store for Ah Sahm and Warrior.

Was Ah Sahm easy to slip into for season two?

Andrew Koji: “We knew we were going back so I had already reflected and had things in mind that I wanted to do better for season two. It’s interesting, the process of an actor on a show. It’s like, yes, there’s the performance but then there’s maintaining your own energy levels and being able to have a clear head when you’re approaching a scene. I definitely didn’t drop the ball since season one. I already knew how I wanted to do things better. I already knew what I wanted to improve on.

In between, I kept up the training, the physical aspect. Even to this day, it’s kind of played a huge impact in my life. I never used to work out as much before. (Laughing) Now it’s very hard to not work out. For season two, I spoke with Brett (Chan) about what we wanted to do with his fighting. I went to Korea for a month for a self-imposed training camp to improve my kicks.

And then as an actor, I knew what I wanted to bring forward for Ah Sahm. The whole relationship changed as Jonathan Tropper and his writing team trusted me more as an actor, as a person. They definitely spoke more about where we want to take him, where we want to go, what we want to show. By the time we were ready for season two, everyone just hit the ground running. It feels more certain, in a way. Everyone was ready to go.”

What did you take from season one to help you move forward as Ah Sahm in season two?

Andrew Koji: “I’ve never done such a long span on TV before; I’ve done films and the like. The prep part that you do as an actor, the backstory and the relationship work and stuff, by the time you get into season two, season one is your backstory. You can literally just take it and you know exactly how it went down. You know how you played with the other actors and how you interacted with them as characters. You know what you’ve been through and the things that maybe weren’t obvious to you in the script for season one, when it actually got down to play it – like the impact of having my sister be okay with my death – like that, it changed everything.

If anything, season one just felt like it was the best backstory. (Laughing) It was like the most expensive backstory research for this season. It was easy to tap into knowing where we find him. There were only about eight months in between filming, so it was still kind of fresh.”

Do you think after the events of season one there’s a possibility he could ever forgive his sister?

Andrew Koji: “Well, I never asked what Dianne’s prep was and she would never tell me. I was always as an actor trying to reach the other actor and kind of play to what they’re doing, but Dianne would never let me in. (Laughing) She would never let me in at all!

I remember in the first few scenes together I was hoping that maybe there’s a glimpse of hope for them. And there might have been further down the line but when I was doing it, I was thinking not for the foreseeable future.

Dianne, her prep and how she performed Mai Ling was so certain, I think that just rubs off against Ah Sahm even further. And then to add to the pain of what she did to him in season one, I think forgiveness will be very, very tricky for anyone unless you’re a lot more mature, which Ah Sahm isn’t.

Definitely not for season two. He’s not thinking of forgiveness at all.”

Warrior Season 2 Andrew Koji — Jason Tobin and Andrew Koji in ‘Warrior’ season 2 episode 2 (Photo by David Bloomer/Cinemax)

Is he going to spend the second season obsessed with losing that fight at the end of season one?

Andrew Koji: “Yeah, I think that was a huge thing for him. Yeah, I think when you lose like that…Ah Sahm’s predominant identity is that of a fighter. And I think when your identity is challenged in such a way, I was thinking that would be the equivalent of me getting cut from the show. It would such a huge burn. I think even in those glimpses or moments when he forgets about it, he’s carrying that. I think that’s going to be a moment when he thinks, ‘I could have died and I only didn’t die because of some chance firing of a gun.’

I think that would burn, especially as a young guy. Ah Sahm’s younger in maturity, I’d say, than me in some ways. (Laughing) I think, yeah, you’re going to carry that around. You’re going to be so angry and be focusing on that. That’s a trauma for him, for certain.”

Do you consider season two to be darker season for him, for that reason, than season one?

Andrew Koji: “Yeah. Season one I felt like in the script the way I interpreted it he could be such a fresh-off-the-boat fish-out-of-water. He doesn’t have any relationships or pre-existing ties. He’s literally just having to become a worker for this gang. He was assessing stuff during season one and then he got an answer about who really cared for him, which was pretty much no one.

In season two there’s definitely a change, a calculating nature to him that’s a bit more reserved in a way and definitely there’s more of a mask that he’s putting on. Because deep down, those people would have let him die. He’s in this situation; he can’t escape it. Perhaps he physically could but it’s not a good option. So, he’s just going to have to play the game and try and get to where he wants to get to.

There’s definitely more of a calculating cynicalness to him this time around. So, yeah, I think that would be darker. A bit like Iago – more planning and calculating.”

Do you consider him to be honorable?

Andrew Koji: “Oh, here we go…here we go. That’s an interesting question. Yeah, towards the end of this season I think there’s a glimpse of that honor of a rightful fight. You know, using his skills for the right purpose and for what he deems to be right.

Honor is interesting. This is very interesting. I’ve been studying all the Japanese cultures and they operate pretty much everything on honor. I think it’s very interesting – that whole thing of what is honorable and how can violence be justified like that? Yeah, I think he’s trying to become honorable.

In season one he wasn’t honorable; he was just fighting. In season two, there’s more of a sense of fighting with a purpose which could be also a kind of thing about honor.”

What is the big picture for him? What does Ah Sahm ultimately want?

Andrew Koji: “My gut is that he does want family. I’ve talked to the other cast about what they’re all going for. TV’s so interesting because it’s such a long format. Sometimes you don’t get all the scripts right away and you have to adjust what they’re going for in life. And sometimes even the writers don’t know themselves. They’ve got this feeling of the character and where he could go, might go.

This show is a lot about, even though there’s a pulpy exterior like Banshee and stuff, it’s all about family and finding family even in the most outsider, different than the normal nuclear family. I think that’s what he’s searching for – a sense of family.

Ideally, he won’t be fighting anymore, but he might be living that life with a wife in the desert somewhere. That’s what I think he’s kind of going in the direction for. But then, obviously, he’s got the whole Chinese Exclusion Act happening and seeing his people… He’d probably only be able to achieve that life if he knows that his people – or people he identifies as his people, his race – are safe and well and being treated right. So, I think it’s more along the lines of a justified reason to live a good life, a happy life, or a safe life.”

Does he consider Young Jun family?

Andrew Koji: “That’s interesting. I think he’s torn. I think with Young Jun there’s definitely feelings of being a brother there. But because of his deep ties to the Hop Wei – essentially he wasn’t going to stop my death and he did allow me to be thrown out. But then I think he was conflicted.

That’s one of those relationships that’s in the grey. He does think of him as a brother in some ways but in other ways maybe not. I think he’s undecided. If they ended up fighting in a future season, I think it would have been very tough. One of the toughest fights he would have.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Cinemax’s Warrior is based on the writings of martial arts icon Bruce Lee. Tropper Ink Productions’ Jonathan Tropper (Banshee) created the action drama and executive produces with Perfect Storm Entertainment’s Justin Lin and Bruce Lee Entertainment’s Shannon Lee.

In addition to Andrew Koji, the season two cast includes Jason Tobin, Kieran Bew, Olivia Cheng, Dianne Doan, Dean Jagger, Langley Kirkwood, and Hoon Lee. Christian McKay, Joe Taslim, Joanna Vanderham, Tom Weston-Jones, and Perry Yung also reprise their roles for the second season. New series regulars include Celine Buckens, Dustin Nguyen, Chen Tang, Miranda Raison, and recurring series regular Maria Elena Laas.

New season two episodes air on Fridays at 10pm ET/PT.

Andrew Koji Discusses Warrior Season 2 Episodes 9 and 10

‘Fargo’ Season 4 Episode 2 Recap: “The Land of Taking and Killing”

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 27, 2020

Fargo Season 4 Episode 2 — Salvatore Esposito as Gaetano Fadda and Jason Schwartzman as Josto Fadda in ‘Fargo’ season 4 episode 2 (Photo by Elizabeth Morris/FX)

A storm rages as we slip into FX’s Fargo season four episode two, “The Land of Taking and Killing.” Sounds emerge from a shaft and two individuals emerge from what appears to be a large drainpipe or tunnel. They celebrate their escape from prison by screaming to the heavens.

It’s quickly revealed the escapees are Zelmare Roulette (Karen Aldridge) and her partner in crime, Swanee Capps (Kelsey Asbille). Both were charged with armed robbery, and Swanee was charged with being an accessory to murder. Zelmare, the leader of the duo, was charged with murder.

They clean themselves up in a restroom and rob a woman who was, unfortunately, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It turns out Zelmare’s the sister of Ethelrida’s mom, Dibrell Smutny (Anji White). Zelmare and Swanee show up in the middle of the night at the funeral home and Dibrell’s not overly excited to see her sister. Zelmare lies and claims they were released that morning from jail.

Thurman (Andrew Bird) welcomes them in and offers them coffee, while Dibrell protests they can’t stay.

Zelmare spots Ethelrida (E’myri Crutchfield) lurking at the top of the stairs and squeals in delight at the sight of her niece. Her mom told her to return to bed but Ethelrida didn’t listen. The group retire for a hastily put-together meal in the kitchen to catch up.

Swanee reveals they’re considering getting into the bank robbing business, and that’s enough to get Ethelrida sent back to bed. After she’s shooed off, Zelmare admits they know Dibrell is in debt to “leg breakers” and she and Swanee want to help out.

Thurman’s never been happy they took out a loan and, against Dibrell’s wishes, confesses they’re being charged 10% interest.

Elsewhere, the Fadda mob act on Josto’s orders and attempt to gun down the head of the hospital who turned down Donatello Fadda. As they speed away, it’s confirmed they’re not positive their spray of bullets hit the intended target.

Ethelrida pays a visit to the Kingdom of Mercy Funeral Home. She’s there to pick up formaldehyde for her dad and her friend warns her to stay out of sight. Donatello Fadda’s funeral is underway and his relatives and friends gathered are prejudiced against Blacks.

Ethelrida finds a safe spot to watch as relatives pay their respects to Donatello. The funeral’s a packed affair with a lot of smoking and wailing going on.

As Ethelrida’s peering in, Nurse Oraetta Mayflower (Jessie Buckley) arrives for the funeral. She warns Ethelrida she shouldn’t be there and is astounded to learn the teenager speaks French. Ethelrida hurries away as Josto Fadda (Jason Schwartzman) and a couple of his men emerge discussing the shooting at the hospital. They aren’t sure they killed the man they were sent to murder and as they’re talking, Josto notices Oraetta. He recognizes her and she reminds him she was his father’s nurse. She was at Donatello’s side as he passed away. (She doesn’t elaborate that she was the cause of Donatello’s death.)

The discussion of retribution is interrupted by the appearance of Josto’s younger brother, Gaetano (Salvatore Esposito). It’s quickly apparent there’s no love lost between the siblings. Gaetano, a large man who looms over his older brother, has just arrived from Sardinia, Italy, where he has quite the reputation as a ruthless killer.

Josto’s mom forces them to stop arguing and then accuses Josto of stealing his father’s ring from his deathbed. Josto’s confused. He didn’t take it and is unaware Nurse Mayflower slipped it off Donatello’s finger and placed it on her own.

Leaving the Faddas for a bit, the action switches over to the hospital. The entryway is littered with bullets and there are at least three dead bodies sprawled about. Detective Odis Weff (Jack Huston) carefully examines the crime scene. He’s fidgety as he interviews the intended target, Dr. Harvard (Stephen Spencer), who emerged unscathed. Dr. Harvard believes it’s retribution and blames the attack on hatchet men. He explains men of Italian origin were recently turned away and this attack must have been payback.

Detective Weff assures Dr. Harvard he’ll put out an all-points-bulletin for the getaway car. Unfortunately, Dr. Harvard only saw the gun and didn’t see who fired it. As he’s leaving Dr. Harvard’s office, Weff knocks repeatedly on the door for no reason. Detective Weff apparently suffers from OCD.

Loy Cannon (Chris Rock) arrives at the Fadda estate with his men and with Donatello’s son, Zero (Jameson Braccioforte). He’s brought the boy by so he can say goodbye to his dad and, at least temporarily, be with his family.

Loy asks for his own son to be sent out of the house before he’ll turn over Zero. As the exchange is going down, Gaetano approaches Zero. Loy warns him to back off, but Gaetano’s not impressed. He’s itching for a fight and Josto has to call off his brother before the situation escalates.

Rabbi Milligan (Ben Whishaw) accompanies Satchel (Rodney L. Jones III) across the yard for his reunion with Loy. Satchel reveals they’ve been feeding him mostly peanut butter, and Rabbi Milligan says Satchel’s been sleeping on the third floor near him. He assures Loy the boy is not being abused and that he’s watching over his care.

Rabbi Milligan isn’t Fadda by blood, but he is part of the family. When Loy asks if he likes being with the Italian mob, the soft-spoken Rabbi Milligan replies, “We live with the choices we make.”

Next, Loy meets with his right-hand man and closest confidante, Doctor Senator (Glynn Turman), at their Apex Vending Machines building. Doctor reveals he isn’t having any luck convincing banks to sign on to their credit card program. Loy is adamant they need to expand outside the neighborhood and involve “their” restaurants, stores, and banks.

Loy and Doctor also discuss the arrival of Gaetano and what it means to the Faddas. Doctor suggests if there’s a power struggle within the family, Loy should make his move now. Loy and Doctor decide they’ll start with a small move; they’ll lie and say Donatello gave them permission to take over the slaughterhouse.

Meanwhile in a back room at the gathering for Donatello, Ebal Violante (Francesco Acquaroli) leads a discussion with Josto, Gaetano, and the men about what he expects Loy’s next move will be. (Violante was consigliere to Donatello.) Ebal believes Loy will test them and Gaetano suggests they just wipe out Loy and his mob. Josto squashes that idea, reminding his brother their father made a deal. They will respect that agreement.

Josto’s forced to leave the discussion by the arrival of his fiancée, Dessie Gillis (Katie Kershaw), and her father, Milvin (Eric Slater). His girlfriend comforts him and checks on his welfare before being sent off by her father. After she leaves, Milvin cuts straight to the chase. He’s only allowing this marriage because he has political aspirations and Josto has promised to help him become mayor. The men obviously detest each other, but Josto confirms he’s still on board to help win the election.

Detective Weff arrives to ask questions of Ebal and Josto about the blue Ford on the premises, connecting it with the fact a group of Italians were thrown out of the hospital recently. Josto demands to know if Dr. Harvard is dead and it’s revealed Weff is on the Faddas’ payroll. He reminds Josto they can’t go around killing civilians. Josto insists Dr. Harvard got what he deserved.

Weff confirms Dr. Harvard is alive and instead of killing him, they killed a wealthy socialite who’s friends with the mayor. The heat is on and Weff needs to find a patsy to frame. And, more importantly, Dr. Harvard needs to be left alone.

Ebal agrees. Dr. Harvard will be off-limits, for now. Next year, not so much…

Over at St. Barts, Nurse Oraetta Mayflower is making her rounds. She considers herself an angel of mercy and is about to euthanize another patient when a doctor barges in. She’s brought in to speak with an administrator, Allen Sneet (Ed Kross), and she claims it’s all a mistake. Nurse Mayflower blames dispensing the wrong amount of meds – and even the wrong medicines – to patients because doctors handwriting sucks.

Sneet confirms she’s been the subject of multiple incidents and this can’t continue. The pharmacist has noticed discrepancies and he’s concluded they need to let her go. Nurse Mayflower immediately goes on the offensive, claiming this is a coverup and “an incompetence of doctors.” She’s just a scapegoat. She suggests he call the police or the news and report what’s going on. Oraetta won’t go quietly and Sneet backs down.

Sneet offers a month’s severance and she counters with three. They settle on two and a recommendation letter to her future employer.

Ethelrida is sitting on the front porch swing when Oraetta steps off the bus. Her escaped convict aunt is inside, speaking to her through the window. Ethelrida tells her to stay hidden as Oraetta approaches.

They converse in French and Ethelrida reveals she’s taught herself the language. They discuss sun signs, having pluck, and Oraetta offers Ethelrida a little light housecleaning job. Ethelrida is understandably offended and Oraetta says she’s making her a “special project.”

Oraetta hustles away after telling Ethelrida she’s going to bake her a pie.

Loy’s men, with Doctor Senator in command, show up at the slaughterhouse. The men inside aren’t prepared for their arrival and aren’t armed. Doctor Senator explains this is a transition of power and the men scurry out of the building as Doctor takes a seat in the boss’ chair to wait for a response from the Faddas.

Oraetta sings along with a record as she happily bakes an apple pie for Ethelrida and her parents. She looks like Susie Homemaker as she slices apples and rolls out the pie crust. Well…if Susie Homemaker was a psycho who adds a large dose of Syrup of Ipecac to her pastries.

Gaetano and a large group of the Fadda men arrive to take back the slaughterhouse. They’re all well-armed as the confrontation begins. Doctor explains his father used to work in a slaughterhouse, but Gaetano’s not interested in this tidbit. Gaetano claims the slaughterhouse is theirs and calls Americans soft. “In the land of taking and killing, Gaetano is king,” he says.

Doctor claims a deal was made – a deal Gaetano is unaware of. That deal puts the slaughterhouse in the hands of Loy’s syndicate. Constant Calamita (Gaetano Bruno) calls BS but Doctor directs the attention back to Gaetano.

The loud bang of cows being executed occasionally punctuates the conversation.

Gaetano takes the boss’ chair Doctor vacated while the discussion was underway. He suggests Doctor and his men leave. Gaetano will speak with his brother and if a deal was in fact struck, they will turn over the slaughterhouse without a fight. If not, then it means war.

Doctor assures Gaetano they’ll be back. After all, they came to America before the Italians. Doctor considers the Italians to be newcomers to this land.

Loy sits with his family at the Thanksgiving dinner table and leads a prayer.

Gaetano is also pictured sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner with his family. However, he’s taken the seat at the head of the table which isn’t his. Josto forces him to move.

Oraetta walks the pie across the street, rings the bell, and leaves it on the funeral home’s doormat.

Thurman answers the door, spots the pie, seems to consider it for a moment, and then takes it inside.

Moments after he shuts the door, Dick ‘Deafy’ Wickware (Timothy Olyphant) leads other officers up the sidewalk to the funeral home’s door. The episode ends with Dick giving the door a swift kick.

‘Fargo’ Season 4 Episode 1 Recap: “Welcome to the Alternate Economy”

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 27, 2020

Fargo Season 4 Episode 1 — Tommaso Ragno as Donatello Fadda and Chris Rock as Loy Cannon in ‘Fargo’ season 4 episode 1 (Photo by Elizabeth Morris/FX)

Season four of Fargo, FX’s critically acclaimed anthology series, finally arrived with back-to-back airings of episodes one and two on September 27, 2020. It’s been more than three years since fans were served up a new episode of the award-winning series, and season four episode one – “Welcome to the Alternate Economy” – proves that while the wait was lengthy, it was definitely worthwhile.

This season’s cast is led by Chris Rock, however before we’re introduced to his character (“Loy Cannon”) we first must learn the backstory of the rival Kansas City mobs. Our reliable narrator for this trip down memory lane is Ethelrida Pearl Smutny (E’myri Crutchfield). In between visits to the principal’s office to receive beatings for simply displaying her intelligence – something unthinkable for a young Black girl in the 1950s – Ethelrida lays out the area’s history of shifting mob control.

Ethelrida walks gently as her backside is always bruised and sore, but her approach to learning remains undaunted by corporal punishment. Her history reports land her in hot water at school, but they’re a trustworthy source of information for the audience.

Kansas City, Missouri, 1900, outside Joplin’s Department Store: The Moskowitz Syndicate, led by Liev Moskowitz, ran the underworld. The Irish mob, known as the Milligan Concern, arrived on the scene in 1920. The opposing groups struck an uneasy alliance which was solidified by trading the youngest sons of the two mob bosses to their rival. Owney Milligan’s son went to live with Liev and Liev’s youngest had to go home with the Milligan Concern’s boss.

Their deal went south not long after the bargain was struck. The Irish killed off the Moskowitz Syndicate, with Owney’s son pulling the trigger and murdering Liev’s boy at the end of the one-sided gunfight.

But as Ethelrida so wisely explains, peace doesn’t last for long. In 1934, the Milligan Concern struck a similar deal with the Italian mob, the Fadda Family. Owney Milligan trades his son, again, this time to Donatello Fadda (Tommaso Ragno).

Ethelrida is in class and refusing to hide her intellect as she asks us to consider, “If America is a nation of immigrants, then how does one become American?”

Back to the history lesson… The Irish mob was tricked into opening the door of the establishment where they were drinking and relaxing by the son Owney traded away. The boy might not be blood, but he had become part of the Fadda Family.

Donatello handed the boy a gun and had him finish off his own father, which he did with only a minor hesitation.

Ethelrida steps off the school bus after it arrives at her family’s funeral home. Her father’s white and takes care of the Caucasian clientele while her Black mother, as Ethelrida explains, “ministrates to the Colored.”

A white funeral’s wrapping up as Ethelrida arrives home and she encounters a sobbing woman on the way to the kitchen. The woman apologizes for her display of emotion and Ethelrida assures her crying is expected at a funeral. This stranger refers to Ethelrida’s dark complexion and makes a comment about Ethelrida’s “people” being more in touch with their spiritual side.

Ethelrida contains herself and doesn’t respond as her father, Thurman (Andrew Bird), walks up to introduce the woman – Oraetta Mayflower (Jessie Buckley) – to his daughter. It takes Oraetta a minute to recover and Thurman continues the introduction, explaining Oraetta is a nurse at St. Bartholomew’s.

We step back a year to 1949 and the introduction of yet another rival gang, the Cannon Limited. Loy meets the Fadda Family outside Joplin’s and it appears he’s come alone. When Donatello Fadda makes note of that, Loy gives a whistle and dozens of men appear and assemble behind their leader. (Among those standing behind Donatello are the adult versions of the boys involved in the Fadda/Milligan trade – Josto Fadda [Jason Schwartzman] and Rabbi Milligan [Ben Whishaw].)

A deal is struck but minutes before the meeting to exchange sons takes place, Loy’s closest friend and advisor Doctor Senator (Glynn Turman) asks his boss if he’s certain about what he’s doing. Loy believes they must make this arrangement now – fully aware of what happened to the Irish – but it’s only a temporary deal. Loy will play along until the time comes the Cannon Limited can make their move.

The meeting commences and the Fadda boy, Zero (Jameson Braccioforte), doesn’t want to leave his family. Rabbi Milligan steps into the gap between the groups and, having been in this spot years ago, facilitates in completing the exchange.

A voiceover from Ethelrida reminds us no one in that room was white. “They were dagos, Negroes, micks…all fighting for the right to have been created equal. But, equal to what and who gets to decide?” asks Ethelrida. She adds, “History is made up of the actions of individuals and yet none of us can know at the time we act that we are making history.”

Ethelrida returns home and finds strangers seated at the dining room table with her mom and dad. (We know one of them is Loy, but she doesn’t know this.)

It’s now 20+ minutes in and the opening credits with the fake “This is a true story” disclaimer finally graces our screens.

Loy and Donatello meet while watching their boys on the teeter-totter. Their men are nearby, scattered about in groups. They aren’t mingling until Josto approaches a group of four of Loy’s men. He asks if one of the men is Samuel and is corrected that the man’s name is actually Lemuel (Loy’s oldest son). Josto proves he’s easily confused, and also easily takes offense, during this conversation. Loy’s men tell him to walk away but Josto refuses and instead is about to whip out his gun when one of his own men, Constant Calamita (Gaetano Bruno), persuades him to let it be.

Loy explains his wife wants to see their son, Satchel (Rodney L. Jones III), and Donatello agrees something can be arranged. Loy points out Donatello appears to believe he works for him, but he knows stores are just as racist toward Italians as they are Blacks in a lot of areas. “We’re both in the gutter together, like it or not,” says Loy.

Josto’s seated next to his father in the back seat of a car as they leave the meeting. Josto’s anxious to make a move on the Cannon Limited, calling them animals and disrespecting them. Donatello warns they need to be careful, but Josto’s worried about his younger brother.

Josto’s shocked to learn his brother Gaetano is coming for a visit and wants to see their mom. Shocked, Josto’s angry about the planned visit and claims his brother’s not even American. Josto insists he’s the boss of this crew.

As he and his father argue, in the front passenger seat Constant takes notice of two men standing on the corner. He seems to think they’re part of Loy’s gang. Rabbi Milligan is in the second car and also goes on high alert. Both Rabbi Milligan and Constant step out of their cars, use their doors as shields, and get in position to shoot, if necessary. Fortunately, it turns out the men were pausing for a smoke and don’t even glance toward the Faddas.

While this is going on, a crossing guard has been holding them at the stop sign. Two young boys are playing with guns in a nearby yard. Although the men weren’t Loy Cannon’s, it’s these boys Constant and Rabbi Milligan should have been keeping an eye on. One of the kids accidentally shoots a pellet into the car and strikes Donatello in the neck.

Blood immediately spurts from the wound. Josto attempts to cover it and stop the flow as they race off to the closest hospital. Once they arrive, they’re turned away because this particular hospital doesn’t serve their “kind of people.”

Josto threatens they haven’t seen the last of him and then rushes his dad back into the car. They reverse course and head to St. Bartholomew Hospital.

Meanwhile, Loy and Doctor Senator (Glynn Turman) meet with Winckle Savings and Loan’s President. Clayton Winckle (William Dick) acknowledges he knows they’re also bankers and Loy confirms Doctor has a PhD in Economics from Howard University. Of course, Clayton points out that’s a Negro school.

Small talk over, Loy says he’s a futurist and “has a premonition about the wealth of tomorrow.” He believes every average person wants to appear rich. Even those with just $2 to their name can look like they’ve got money to burn with…wait for it…a credit card! Loy’s come up with the idea that people can carry a card made of plastic which allows them to get small loans to be paid back in installments over a few months. Plus interest.

Loy and Doctor have businesses in their area signed up already, but they’d like to expand to larger companies. That’s why they’re making this pitch to the Winckle Bank President. Clayton, who is obviously not a forward-thinking businessman, poopoos the idea. He finishes up the meeting, credits them with having wild imaginations, and thanks them for their time.

After retrieving the pellet from Donatello’s neck, a doctor at St. Barts tells Josto his father lost a lot of blood. The doctor believes Donatello needs to remain hospitalized for a few days so that he can rest and recover.

Josto delivers instructions that his mother and the others can come in the morning – if Donatello makes it. He spots Nurse Oraetta Mayflower and asks if she has any drugs to help him get through this stressful day. Oraetta initially refuses to help since what he’s asking for needs to be administered by a doctor. She quickly changes her tune when he assures her he’ll share.

They snort a few lines and then she puts drops in their eyes to cover the fact they’re high. Josto reveals he thinks children shot his father and confesses he doesn’t like seeing his father in pain. He asks Oraetta to take care of him and she swears she will tend to him “faithfully until the Lord arrives.”

Ethelrida joins her parents for dinner and although she asks multiple times, they won’t tell her who the men were she saw seated at the table earlier. She’s smart and knows something’s up.

Loy returns home and tries to convince his wife, Buel (J. Nicole Brooks), their son will be returned to them soon.

Over at St. Barts, Nurse Mayflower visits Donatello’s room. The man left to watch over him is sound asleep and unaware that Donatello is awake and speaking with the nurse. Oraetta refers to herself as momma and wonders if he’s in pain. She moves to his IV and injects something into it before assuring him it won’t be much longer before he’s with the Lord. She tells him his son was worried about him suffering so she’s there to take the pain away. Seated next to him in the hospital bed, she leans into his body to hold him down as he struggles to stay alive.

After she checks for breath, she uses her mouth to slip the ring from his finger and place it on her own.

A split-screen shows Loy and Josto in separate locations, each smoking and staring off into space while shown facing each other. The shot makes it appear the two are sizing each other up.

Season four episode one ends with Ethelrida on the porch swing. As she rocks, Ethelrida spots Nurse Mayflower exiting the bus and entering the apartment building directly across the way. It’s cold and dark outside as Ethelrida’s dad joins her. She’s finally able to get him to confess they’re having financial issues and that’s why the men were there earlier.

A light flickers on and Oraetta appears at a window, staring out while she’s mouthing something we can’t hear.

More on Fargo:

‘Ghost Nation’ Season 3 Preview: Halloween ‘Reunion’ and Episode Details

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 25, 2020

Travel Channel’s Ghost Nation returns on October 17, 2020 with new season three episodes as well as a two-hour reunion special. The paranormal investigation team of Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, and Dave Tango will be joined by Shari DeBenedetti for what Travel Channel promises will be a season full of edgier mysteries.

The paranormal investigators will be celebrating Halloween with a Ghost Nation: Reunion in Hell special airing on October 31st at 8pm ET/PT. The team will be reuniting with Kindred Spirits‘ Amy Bruni and Adam Berry for the crossover event which marks the first time they’ve all teamed up since working on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters.

“We are ecstatic to get back to doing what we love, and we have some incredible cases to share,” said Hawes. “We were able to reconnect with our longtime friends Amy Bruni and Adam Berry. It seemed like time had stood still over the last 10 years as we rolled right into investigating and gathering some mind-blowing evidence and experiences.”

The Reunion in Hell special will find the group investigating a Newport, Rhode Island mansion where there have been reports of paranormal activity.

“Working with Amy and Adam was an absolute blast and the investigation was phenomenal. It was really interesting meshing our techniques together and it yielded some amazing results,” said Gonsalves.

“You’ll also be seeing some other familiar faces this season as well,” teased Tango. “I’m hoping the more people tune into Ghost Nation, the more they will see how accessible we are. We’re here to help everyone, and thankfully, having so many investigators in our network makes it possible for us to do that.”

Ghost Nation Season 3 Episodes:

“Evil Ink” – Premieres Saturday, October 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango, and Shari DeBenedetti investigate the paranormal events plaguing the Zone13 Tattoo and Body Piercing shop in New Jersey. They head to the town of Deptford to investigate the tattoo shop where disturbing apparitions, disembodied voices and even physical encounters are threatening the business.

After their own investigation, it seems that whatever noises the team are hearing are following them as they move. With all these strange happenings and fresh evidence, the UPRO team will determine if the shop is actually haunted by one of the property’s former owners, a woman named Bertha.

“911 Fear Factory” – Premieres Saturday, October 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango and Shari DeBenedetti head to Millville, New Jersey, to help desperate factory owners deal with paranormal events tormenting them and their workers. The owners hope to repurpose a former glass factory and bring jobs to the community, but claims of noises, voices, apparitions and even physical altercations, have ground renovations to a halt. Just as the UPRO team is hot on the trail of what’s causing the activity, a medical emergency jeopardizes the entire investigation.

“Ghost Nation: Reunion In Hell” – Premieres Saturday, October 31 at 8 p.m. ET/PT
In this spine-tingling, two-hour Halloween special, Ghost Nation stars Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango are calling in their old paranormal pals, Amy Bruni and Adam Berry of Kindred Spirits, to reopen a case that has taken a sinister turn. Seaview Terrace is the 40,000-square-foot Rhode Island mansion famous for being featured on the TV show Dark Shadows, but the owners were shocked to find out that a recent visitor – a self-proclaimed warlock – had performed some sort of blasphemous ceremony in the house. Now, they’re experiencing a shift in the mansion’s energy, unleashing something more menacing.

The team scours 100 years of history to discover a notorious patchwork past, filled with lavish high society parties and possibly a scandalous murder.

“Evil in the Attic” – Premieres Saturday, November 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango and Shari DeBenedetti return to Glen Spey, New York, home of the historic – and historically haunted – Burn Brae Mansion. The property owners have called the team back to investigate the recent spike in paranormal activity, which they believe might be caused by a sealed-off room discovered in the attic. Now, UPRO is going to break down the wall and see what secrets lurk inside.

“Antique Shop of Horrors” – Premieres Saturday, November 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango and Shari DeBenedetti head to Bozrah, Connecticut, to investigate a potential haunting plaguing the Primitive Crow antique shop. After expanding her store, owner Beth Coletti began experiencing a spike in paranormal activity. With customers frightened to return, and her lifelong dream hanging in the balance, the team searches for answers before Beth is forced to shut her doors for good.

“Stairway to Hell” – Premieres Saturday, November 21 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango and Shari DeBenedetti head to central New Jersey to investigate a haunting that hits close to home for Dave. Joined by his father, Bruce Tango, the team descends on the town of Matawan and the striking Colonial-era Burrowes Mansion. On a prior visit to the property, Bruce says he saw the apparition of a little girl, a life-altering sighting that seems to back up one of the many long-held claims of paranormal activity.

During their investigation, the team hear unexplained footsteps, voices, and other anomalies. Perhaps their most alarming discovery is in the notoriously active attic, site of the property’s former slave quarters – a mysterious set of markings that just might hold the key to unlocking the disturbances rocking Burrowes Mansion.

‘The Undoing’ Episode Guide: Plot Details, Cast List and Air Dates

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 25, 2020

HBO’s much-anticipated limited series The Undoing kicks off its six-episode run on October 25, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT. Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours) and Emmy nominee Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal) head up the cast of this drama directed by Emmy Award winner Susanne Bier (The Night Manager) and created by Emmy winner David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies).

In support of its upcoming premiere, HBO’s released descriptions of the first five episodes of the limited series based on the novel You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Creator Kelley adapted Hanff Korelitz’s book and serves as showrunner. Bier, Kelley, Kidman, Per Saari, Bruna Papandrea, Stephen Garrett, and Celia Costas executive produced.

In addition to Nicole Kidman as Grace Fraser and Hugh Grant as Jonathan Fraser, the cast of the limited series includes Edgar Ramírez as Detective Joe Mendoza, Noah Jupe as Henry Fraser, Lily Rabe as Sylvia Steinetz, and Noma Dumezweni as Haley Fitzgerald. Sofie Gråbøl plays Catherine Stamper, Matilda De Angelis is Elena Alves, Ismael Cruz Córdova is Fernando Alves, and Donald Sutherland plays Franklin Reinhardt.

The Undoing Episodes 1 – 5:

Episode 1: “The Undoing”
Debut Date: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Limited series premiere. Grace Fraser (Nicole Kidman) becomes intrigued by a young mother at her son’s school. Later, news of a tragedy rocks the school community.
Written for television by David E. Kelley; Directed by Susanne Bier

Episode 2: “The Missing”
Debut Date: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
After seeking refuge at her father’s house, Grace (Nicole Kidman) finds herself on the receiving end of detectives’ probing questions.
Written for television by David E. Kelley; Directed by Susanne Bier

Episode 3: “Do No Harm”
Debut Date: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Grace (Nicole Kidman) hears Jonathan’s (Hugh Grant) side of the story and finds herself being followed by someone close to Elena (Matilda De Angelis).
Written for television by David E. Kelley; Directed by Susanne Bier

Episode 4: “See No Evil”
Debut Date: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
As Haley (Noma Dumezweni) begins to shape the narrative of the case, Franklin (Donald Sutherland) uses his resources to help his family.
Written for television by David E. Kelley; Directed by Susanne Bier

Episode 5: “Trial by Fury”
Debut Date: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
On the first day of the trial, the prosecution presents shocking evidence, while the defense casts doubt on the police investigation. Later, Henry (Noah Jupe) divulges a secret to Grace (Nicole Kidman).
Written for television by David E. Kelley; Directed by Susanne Bier

The Plot:

The limited series follows Grace (Kidman) and Jonathan Fraser (Grant), who are living the only lives they ever wanted for themselves. Overnight, a chasm opens in their lives: a violent death and a chain of terrible revelations. Left behind in the wake of a spreading and very public disaster and horrified by the ways in which she has failed to heed her own advice, Grace must dismantle one life and create another for her child and her family.

First Look: ‘The Midnight Sky’ Photos Offer a Peek at George Clooney’s New Film

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 25, 2020

The first photos have arrived from two-time Oscar winner George Clooney’s new film, The Midnight Sky. The dramatic thriller is directed by Clooney and is based on the book Good Morning, Midnight by Lily Brooks-Dalton.

Netflix is targeting a December 2020 awards season release.

Mark L. Smith adapted the drama which stars Clooney along with Felicity Jones (On the Basis of Sex), David Oyelowo (Don’t Let Go), Tiffany Boone (Hunters), Demián Bichir (The Bridge), Kyle Chandler (Catch-22), and newcomer Caoilinn Springall. Clooney, Grant Heslov, Keith Redmon, Bard Dorros, and Cliff Roberts produced, with Barbara A. Hall, Todd Shuster, Jennifer Gates, and Greg Baxter executive producing.

George Clooney previously directed 2002’s Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, 2005’s Good Night, and Good Luck, 2011’s The Ides of March, 2014’s The Monuments Men, and 2017’s Suburbicon. Clooney has earned eight Oscar nominations – four in acting categories, two in writing, one for Best Director, and one for Best Picture. He took home wins in the Best Picture (Argo) and Best Supporting Actor (Syriana) categories.

The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:

This post-apocalyptic tale follows Augustine (Clooney), a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully (Jones) and her fellow astronauts from returning home to a mysterious global catastrophe.

‘A World of Calm’ Trailer: Breathe Deep and Try to Relax

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 25, 2020

I don’t know about you but I’m more than ready for a half-hour series that helps me temporarily shutdown worries and distressing thoughts about the state of the world and relax. HBO Max’s A World of Calm, which just debuted an official trailer, is hoping to offer a brief, much-needed respite from the world.

The 10 episode season features an all-star list of narrators including Mahershala Ali, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Idris Elba, Oscar Isaac, Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Lucy Liu, Cillian Murphy, Keanu Reeves, and Kate Winslet.

A World of Calm launches on HBO Max on October 1, 2020.

Series Details, Courtesy of HBO Max:

Sit back and relax with A World of Calm, a totally new type of television experience that combines mesmeric imagery with narration by A-list stars. A timely antidote for our modern lives, each half-hour episode takes audiences on an immersive visual journey into another world.

Building on the record-breaking success of Calm’s Sleep Stories™ – bedtime stories for grown-ups with over 250m listens – each relaxing tale is designed to transform how you feel. Transporting the viewer into tranquility through scientifically-engineered narratives, enchanting music and astounding footage, to naturally calm your body and soothe the mind. Each story is brought to life by a different iconic voice and will take viewers on a journey everywhere from a noodle maker’s kitchen in Seattle, to the forests of Latvia, and beyond our solar system to the outer stretches of the universe.

‘A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting’ Trailer: Monsters are Real

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 25, 2020

2020 with its Covid-19 pandemic, murder hornets, devastating fires, government-released UFO footage, Tiger King, emergence of the 17-year cicadas, social unrest, and so much more should be enough to convince anyone there’s an actual possibility monsters exist. Because why not? The official trailer for Netflix’s A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting opens with the declaration they don’t…right before proving that statement wrong.

Netflix’s set to release the family comedy based on Joe Ballarini’s scary book series on October 15, 2020.

Directed by Rachel Talalay and adapted by Ballarini, the film stars Tamara Smart, Ian Ho, Oona Laurence, Alessio Scalzotto, Ian Ho, Tamsen McDonough, and Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson. Lynn Masako Cheng, Ty Consiglio, Ashton Arbab, Crystal Balint, Ricky He, Indya Moore, and Tom Felton also star.

Ivan Reitman and Amie Karp produced, with Naia Cucukov, Tom Pollock, and Ilona Herzberg executive producing.

The Plot, Courtesy of Netflix:

When high school freshman Kelly Ferguson (Smart) reluctantly agrees to babysit Jacob Zellman (Ho) on Halloween, the last thing she expects is to be recruited into an international secret society of babysitters who protect kids with special powers from monsters. In order to keep Jacob safe from harm, Kelly teams with no-nonsense chapter Vice President Liz Lerue (Laurence), tech genius Berna Vincent (Johnson), creature expert Cassie Zhen (Cheng) and potions master Curtis Critter (Consiglio) to defeat a Boogeyman known as “The Grand Guignol” (Felton), a glamorous witch named “Peggy Drood” (Moore) and their legion of mysterious monsters.

A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting — Tamara Smart as Kelly Ferguson, Ian Ho as Jacob Zellman, and Oona Laurence as Liz Lerue in ‘A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting’ (Photo by Justina Mintz © 2020 Netflix)

A Babysitter's Guid to Monster Hunting — Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson as Berna Vincent, Ty Consiglio as Curtis Critter, and Lynn Masako Cheng as Cassie Zhen (Photo by Justina Mintz © 2020 Netflix)

‘neXt’ Season 1 Episode 1 Preview: Plot, Photos, and Cast Info

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 25, 2020

Fox’s new drama neXt about a rogue artificial intelligence that’s decided humans are expendable will make its primetime debut on October 6, 2020. New episodes of the thriller created by executive producer/showrunner Manny Coto will air on Tuesdays at 9pm ET/PT.

Season one episode one was directed by executive producers John Requa and Glenn Ficarra.

The cast of Fox’s new drama is led by John Slattery as Paul LeBlanc, Fernanda Andrade as Special Agent Shea Salazar, and Jason Butler Harner as Ted LeBlanc. Eve Harlow plays Gina, Aaron Clifton Moten is Ben, Gerardo Celasco is Ty Salazar, Elizabeth Cappuccino is Abby LeBlanc, Michael Mosley is CM, and Evan Whitten is Ethan Salazar.

“File #1” Plot: Silicon Valley pioneer Paul LeBlanc (Slattery) built a fortune and legacy on the world-changing innovations he dreamed up. After discovering that one of his own creations – a powerful artificial intelligence called NEXT – might spell doom for humankind, Paul tried to shutter the project, only to be kicked out of the company by his own brother, Ted LeBlanc (Butler Harner). When a series of unsettling tech mishaps points to a potential worldwide crisis, Paul joins forces with Special Agent Shea Salazar (Andrade).

Meanwhile, Paul juggles his health and family life; Shea also focuses on a high-profile case; and Shea’s husband TY (Celasco) manages their son’s (Whitten) alarmingly close relationship with their “smart home assistant,” Iliza, as he experiences bullying at school.

Next Season 1 Episode 1 — Fernanda Andrade, John Slattery and Michael Mosley in ‘neXt’ season 1 episode 1 (Photo by Shane Harvey © 2020 FOX MEDIA LLC)

‘Swamp Thing’ Season 1 Episode 1 Preview: Photos, Cast and Plot Details

By

Rebecca Murray

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September 25, 2020

DC Universe’s Swamp Thing will make its broadcast television debut on October 6, 2020 on The CW. Swamp Thing was one of the network’s pickups of previously filmed scripted series prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Production shuttered on all scripted series, leaving gaps in the major networks’ fall primetime lineups. Swamp Thing will fill one of those gaps, nestling into the Tuesdays at 8pm ET/PT timeslot this fall.

Season one episode one was directed by Len Wiseman and written by Gary Dauberman and Mark Verheiden.

The season one cast includes Crystal Reed as Dr. Abby Arcane, Virginia Madsen as Maria Sunderland, Andy Bean as Alec Holland, and Derek Mears as Swamp Thing. Henderson Wade plays Matt Cable, Maria Sten is Liz Tremayne, Jeryl Prescott is Madame Xanadu, Jennifer Beals plays Sheriff Lucilia Cable, and Will Patton is Avery Sunderland.

Swamp Thing, the series, is based on DC characters created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. James Wan, Mark Verheiden, Gary Dauberman, Michael Clear, and Len Wiseman serve as executive producers.

“Pilot” Plot: BROADCAST PREMIERE – When a mysterious illness strikes the small Louisiana town of Marais, CDC investigator Abby Arcane (Reed) is sent back to investigate. Meanwhile, biologist Alec Holland (Bean) goes missing while investigating in the depts of the swamp and something else rises in his place: Swamp Thing (Mears), a mysterious creature born of the swamp’s mystical and terrifying secrets.

Season One Details, Courtesy of The CW:

Something unnatural is happening in the swamps outside Marais, Louisiana. When a mysterious illness strikes the town, CDC investigator (and former Marais native) Dr. Abby Arcane is sent to investigate. At the hospital, she encounters biologist Alec Holland who believes the bizarre illness might be connected to his scientific work in the swamp for powerful businessman Avery Sunderland.

Abby has a history with Avery and Maria Sunderland, who still blames the young Arcane for the tragic death of her daughter years before. But with a deadly swamp-born virus out there, something is wrong in Marais right now. Along with Sheriff’s Deputy Matt Cable, Abby once again crosses paths with Alec, but this time they encounter a terrifying, dark force that’s not only killed intruders but is also taking control of its victims.

At Delroy’s Roadhouse, Abby consults her old friend and local reporter Liz Tremayne who has a lead deep in the swamp. When Alec goes missing after investigating the unnatural experiments deep in the swamp, something else rises in his place: Swamp Thing, a mysterious creature born of the depths of the swamp’s mystical and terrifying secrets. With nature wildly out of balance and coming for the people of Marais, in the end, it may take some Thing from the swamp to save it.