‘Step Up’ Series Finds New Life at Starz

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May 28, 2020

Step Up has been revived by Starz following its cancellation by YouTube. The premium network has snatched up the dance drama and has ordered a third season. According to Starz’s official announcement of the acquisition, season three will consist of 10 brand new episodes.

Step Up – the series – is inspired by the successful Step Up films. Holly Sorenson created the series and serves as executive producer.

“Holly and her team have created a new and dynamic iteration of the series that captures the hallmarks that have made the Step Up franchise so successful and elevates the storytelling for the premium, global audience,” said Christina Davis, President, Original Programming for Starz. “This, coupled with the worldwide appeal of the multi-talented, multicultural cast, will make this series a great addition to our slate.”

Starz reports the new season will feature some of the characters from seasons one and two. They describe the new season as “expanding the scope and storytelling as a 10-episode STARZ Original series.”

“The latest installment of Step Up not only reimagines the entire franchise but is filled with high energy, lots of heart and electrifying dance moves, and we’re very excited to reunite the talented cast and creative teams for another great season,” said Lionsgate Television Group Chairman Kevin Beggs. “This collaboration underscores our ability to work successfully across our businesses to supply premium content to STARZ.”

Returning cast members include Ne-Yo as “Sage Odom,” Naya Rivera as “Collette Jones,” Petrice Jones as “Tal,” Faizon Love as “Uncle Al,” Marcus Mitchell as “Dondre,” Jade Chynoweth as “Odalie,” Carlito Olivero as “Davis,” Terrence Green as “Rigo,” Eric Graise as “King,” and Kendra Oyesanya as “Poppy.” Tricia Helfer is joining the cast and will play “Erin.”

Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot from the original Step Up films are on board as executive producers. In addition, Step Up stars Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan will executive produce via Tatum’s Free Association company. Erik Feig will remain involved in the series as an executive producer along with Bill Brown.

Seasons one and two originally aired on YouTube and will be available on Starz prior to the third season premiere.

Plot Details, Courtesy of Starz:

“Inspired by the Step Up Lionsgate film franchise that grossed over $600 million at the worldwide box office, the series centers on Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) as the legendary founder of Atlanta’s famed High Water Performing Arts School and Collette (Naya ), his partner in High Water and in life. The upcoming season will see Sage, Colette and their relationship challenged as they face criminal charges, financial ruin, and powerful political enemies who want to destroy Sage and High Water.”

‘Doom Patrol’ Shows Off New Season 2 Posters

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 28, 2020

Doom Patrol Poster Season 2 — HBO Max’s ‘Doom Patrol’ season 2 poster

HBO Max and DC Universe just unveiled new posters for season two of Doom Patrol. Season two of the series based on the DC characters created by Arnold Drake, Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani will premiere on HBO Max and DC Universe on Thursday, June 25, 2020.

Season one is available now to stream on both services.

The cast of season two includes Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, Matt Bomer as Larry Trainer/Negative Man, and April Bowlby as Rita Farr/Elasti-Woman. Diane Guerrero plays Jane/Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade is Victor Stone/Cyborg, Timothy Dalton is Niles Caulder/The Chief, and Abigail Shapiro plays Dorothy Spinner.

Jeremy Carver, Geoff Johns, Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Chris Dingess executive produce. The critically acclaimed series is produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

The Season 2 Plot:

DC’s strangest group of heroes are back again to save the world. That is, if they can find a way to grow up…both figuratively and literally. Following the defeat of Mr. Nobody, the members of the Doom Patrol now find themselves mini-sized and stranded on Cliff’s toy race car track. Here they begin to deal with their feelings of betrayal by Niles Caulder aka The Chief while confronting their own personal baggage.

And as each member faces the challenge of growing beyond their own past traumatic experiences, they must come together to embrace and protect the newest member of the family: Dorothy Spinner, Niles’ daughter, whose powers remain a mysterious but real threat to bringing on the end of the world.

Brendan Fraser Talks Doom Patrol and Being a Part of a DC Superhero Series

A Look Back at Season 1:

Doom Patrol is a re-imagining of one of DC’s most beloved group of outcast Super Heroes: Robotman, Negative Man, Elasti-Girl and Crazy Jane, led by modern-day mad scientist Dr. Niles Caulder (The Chief). The Doom Patrol’s members each suffered horrible accidents that gave them superhuman abilities — but also left them scarred and disfigured. Traumatized and downtrodden, the team found purpose through The Chief, who brought them together to investigate the weirdest phenomena in existence — and to protect Earth from what they find.

Part support group, part Super Hero team, the Doom Patrol is a band of super-powered freaks who fight for a world that wants nothing to do with them. Picking up after the events of Titans, Doom Patrol will find these reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by none other than Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

‘Tough As Nails’ Announces Season 1’s Competitors

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 28, 2020

CBS just announced the 12 competitors on board for the first season of Tough As Nails. The new reality competition comes from The Amazing Race‘s Phil Keoghan and is set to premiere on Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT.

“I was inspired to create Tough As Nails almost a decade ago because of my working-class family of farmers, gold miners, builders, and coal miners,” stated host Phil Keoghan. “I’m proud of my family and wanted to shine a light on people who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty to do a hard day’s work. Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to recognize this country’s ‘essential workers,’ real people in real life who are real tough.”

According to CBS, the competitors “who get their workout on the job rather than the gym, wear work boots instead of workout shoes and consider the calluses on their hands a badge of honor, will be tested for their strength, endurance, life skills and, most importantly, mental toughness in challenges that take place at real-world job sites. One competitor will be crowned the Tough As Nails champion, but nobody will go home. Even after they ‘punch out’ of the individual competition, they will have the opportunity to win additional prizes in the team competitions that continue throughout the season.”

Phil Keoghan, Louise Keoghan, and Anthony Carbone executive produce the new CBS series.

Tough As Nails Season 1 Competitors:

Name: Danny Moody
Job: Drywaller
Age: 33
Hometown: Spokane, Wash.

Name: Melissa Burns
Job: Farmer
Age: 27
Hometown: Milford Center, Ohio

Name: Lee Marshall
Job: Roofer
Age: 61
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.

Name: Kelly “Murph” Murphy
Job: Marine Corps Veteran
Age: 47
Hometown: Paragon, Ind.

Name: Linda Goodridge
Job: Deputy Sheriff
Age: 29
Hometown: Marion, N.Y.

Name: Luis Yuli
Job: Scaffolder
Age: 35
Hometown: The Bronx, N.Y.

Name: Michelle S. Kiddy
Job: Gate Agent
Age: 62
Hometown: Alexandria, Ky.

Name: Callie Cattell
Job: Fisherman
Age: 28
Hometown: Bend, Ore.

Name: Young An
Job: Firefighter
Age: 36
Hometown: Alexandria, Va.

Name: Tara Davis
Job: Ironworker
Age: 30
Hometown: Elk Plain, Wash.

Name: Myles V. Polk
Job: Forestry Tech
Age: 28
Hometown: Tuskegee, Ala.

Harry Connick Jr to Host ‘United We Sing: A Grammy Salute to the Unsung Heroes’

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 28, 2020

Grammy Award-winner Harry Connick, Jr. will host a two-hour United We Sing: A Grammy Salute to the Unsung Heroes special set to air on Sunday, June 21, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT. The Recording Academy and CBS announced details of the special honoring America’s essential workers and filmed utilizing a minimal crew all practicing social distancing and taking other safety precautions.

The music-driven special will feature performances by Jon Batiste, Andra Day, John Fogerty, Jamie Foxx, Herbie Hancock, Cyndi Lauper, and Little Big Town. Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Matthews, Tim McGraw, Rockin Dopsie, Irma Thomas, and Trombone Shorty will also perform during the special.

Actors Sandra Bullock, Queen Latifah, Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey, and Renée Zellweger, as well as NFL QB Drew Brees, will help honor those who put their lives on the line during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Leon Knoles directed and Connick, Jr. and Ken Ehrlich executive produced. Renato Basile and Ann Marie Wilkins served as producers.

United We Sing: A Grammy Salute to the Unsung Heroes Details, Courtesy of CBS:

The show features Grammy and Emmy Award-winning singer and actor Harry Connick, Jr. and his filmmaker daughter, Georgia Connick, as they take a road trip in an RV to thank and celebrate essential workers who risk their own lives on a daily basis to keep us safe. Connick highlights the contributions of these everyday heroes with the help of his celebrity friends, including Sandra Bullock, Drew Brees, Queen Latifah, Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey and Renée Zellweger, who deliver surprise messages to America’s unsung heroes.

The Connicks’ journey begins at their home in Connecticut, and after stopping in various cities along the way, they reach their final destination of New Orleans, La. At each stop, the father-daughter duo listens to the stories of essential workers in healthcare, food preparation, sanitation, law enforcement, trucking and more to honor their dedication and public service during this unique moment in history.

The two-hour special event culminates in Connick’s hometown of New Orleans, with moving musical performances by Connick, Trombone Shorty and Irma Thomas at iconic locations throughout the city.

The special will invite donors to contribute to charities that support underserved children, such as No Kid Hungry and the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans, as well as to the MusiCares® COVID-19 Relief Fund, a charitable organization of the Recording Academy.

‘Bulletproof’ Season 2 Episode 1 Preview: Photos, Plot Details and Cast List

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 27, 2020

Bulletproof returns to The CW’s primetime lineup on June 10, 2020, airing on Wednesdays at 9pm ET/PT after new episodes of The 100. Season two episode one was directed by Diarmuid Goggins from a script by Nick Love.

The season two cast is led by Noel Clarke as Bishop and Ashley Walters as Pike. The cast also includes Lee Ross as Richard Cockridge, Jason Maza as Officer Chris Munroe, Lindsey Coulson as Sarah Tanner, David Elliot as Tim’ Jonsey’ Jones, Olivia Chenery as Scarlett ‘Scooch’ Hailton, and Luci Shorthouse as Paige Pennington.

“Episode 1” Plot: THE BOYS ARE BACK – A chance discovery propels Bishop (Clarke) and Pike (Walters) deep undercover, and they soon find themselves at the heart of a notorious international crime family. After an action-packed sting results in the seizure of drug money worth a million pounds, Bishop and Pike set about tracing who the money belongs to, in an effort to thwart those responsible for an orchestrated drug drought, designed to strangle the market.

Meanwhile, the Unit are under the watchful eye of the new ‘by-the-book’ Deputy Director, Richard Cockridge (Ross).

Series Description, Courtesy of The CW:

Bulletproof is an action-packed, cop drama that unites big, emotional stories with blood-pumping stunt sequences, as it follows two undercover cops who are best friends and bonded by the same moral code, despite their very different backgrounds.

Adrenalin-fueled and packed with compelling characters, Bulletproof follows partners Bishop (Clarke) and Pike (Walters) as they chase down hardened criminals in London’s East End. The series is both high-octane action and thrilling cases. On the surface, Bishop and Pike have a lot in common, they are cool, smart, unapologetically street-wise and tough; they share a deep, fraternal relationship and are always there for each other. Their personal motivations and emotional lives outside the police force differ, Pike is an aspirational family man, the son of a decorated police officer, determined to follow in his father’s footsteps, but not in his shadow. Bishop on the other hand, who never knew his father, grew up in foster care and on the streets.

Full of grit and sometimes gloss, Bulletproof is stylish and funny with riveting criminal cases in each episode, which feed into a bigger, season-long mystery. At its heart though, it is a series about the meaning of family, as well as the fascinating relationship between best friends.

Bulletproof Season 2 episode 1 — Noel Clarke as Aaron Bishop and Ashley Walters as Ronnie Pike in ‘Bulletproof’ season 2 episode 1 (Photo: © Sky UK Limited)

‘I Know This Much is True’ June Episodes Preview

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 27, 2020

HBO’s released plot details for the final two episodes of I Know This Much is True starring three-time Oscar nominee Mark Ruffalo. The six-part limited series premiered on Sunday, May 10, 2020 and will finish up on Sunday, June 14th at 9pm ET/PT with an over-size one hour and 20 minute episode.

Ruffalo’s co-stars include Melissa Leo, Rosie O’Donnell, Archie Panjabi, Imogen Poots, John Procaccino, and Rob Huebel. Philip Ettinger, Aisling Franciosi, Michael Greyeyes, Guillermo Diaz, Marcello Fonte, Bruce Greenwood, Brian Goodman, Juliette Lewis, and Kathryn Hahn also star in the limited series.

Writer/director Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines) executive produces with Ruffalo, Gregg Fienberg, Lynette Howell Taylor, Ben Browning, Glen Basner, Anya Epstein, and Wally Lamb.

The Plot: I Know This Much is True stars Ruffalo as identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in a family saga that follows their parallel lives in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice and forgiveness.

I Know This Much is True June 2020 Episodes:

Episode 5
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 7 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT)
Upon learning the details of his Sicilian grandfather’s arrival in the early 1900s to Three Rivers, Dominick (Mark Ruffalo) becomes convinced his family is cursed – a conclusion that Dr. Patel (Archie Panjabi) pushes back against. A startling update on Thomas (Mark Ruffalo) from an unlikely source prompts Dominick to take drastic action.
Written for Television by Derek Cianfrance and Anya Epstein; directed by Derek Cianfrance.

Episode 6 (Series finale)
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 14 (9:00-10:20 p.m. ET/PT)
A lifetime of animosity between Dominick (Mark Ruffalo) and Ray (John Procaccino) spills over in public at an inopportune time. After an unexpected tragedy, Dominick seeks reconciliation with those he has hurt. The question that has plagued Dominick all his life is finally answered.
Written for Television by Derek Cianfrance and Anya Epstein; directed by Derek Cianfrance.

‘Stargirl’ Season 1 Episode 3 Photos: Preview of “Icicle”

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 27, 2020

The CW’s Stargirl season one episode two found Pat giving Courtney a brief history lesson of the Justice Society of America as well as its archenemy, the Injustice Society. Season one episode three concentrates on one of the bad guys: Icicle. Directed by Michael Nankin from a script by Colleen McGuinness, episode three will air on June 2, 2020 at 8pm ET/PT.

Brec Bassinger (Bella and the Bulldogs, School of Rock) leads the cast as Courtney Whitmore / Stargirl. The season one cast also includes Luke Wilson as Pat Dugan, Amy Smart as Barbara Whitmore, Trae Romano as Mike Dugan, Yvette Monreal as Yolanda Montez, Neil Jackson as Jordan Mahkent, and Anjelika Washington as Beth Chapel. Christopher James Baker plays Henry King Sr, Jake Austin Walker is Henry King Jr, Meg DeLacy is Cindy Burman, and Hunter Sansone plays Cameron.

“Icicle” Plot: THIS IS OUR DESTINY — After a dangerous confrontation with a member of the Injustice Society of America, Pat (Wilson) warns Courtney (Bassinger) to back down from her attempts to go after them. But when she encounters what she believes to be a message from one of them, she urges Pat to help her.

Meanwhile, Barbara (Smart) makes strides at work, which impresses her new boss Jordan (Jackson).

Season 1 Description, Courtesy of The CW

When Courtney’s (Bassinger) seemingly perfect life in Los Angeles gets upended with a move to Blue Valley, Nebraska with her mother Barbara (Smart), stepfather Pat (Wilson) and stepbrother Mike (Romano), she finds herself struggling to adapt to her new town and high school. But when Courtney discovers that Pat is harboring a major secret about his past, she ultimately becomes the unlikely inspiration for a new generation of superheroes.

Stargirl Season 1 Episode 3 — Brec Bassinger as Courtney Whitmore/Stargirl in season 1 episode 3 (Photo: Jace Downs © 2020 The CW Network, LLC)

‘The Vast of Night’ Review: A Riveting Homage to Classic Sci-Fi

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 27, 2020

Watching The Vast of Night delivers the joy of discovering a secret, never-before-released episode of Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone. Now, imagine if this long-lost hidden gem was also a brilliant homage to Orson Welles’ The War of the Worlds. The Vast of Night is all that and yet still manages to feel completely original and dynamic.

The story’s set in the fictional small town of Cayuga, New Mexico during the 1950s. All of the events occur over the course of one night and center on two charismatic characters. Fay (Sierra McCormick) is a high school girl and part-time switchboard operator who’s the proud owner of a brand-new tape recorder. Everett (Jake Horowitz) is a fast-talking radio DJ who’s kind of a big deal in this very tiny town.

It’s the night of a big high school basketball game as the action unfolds. Everett takes Fay around the gym’s parking lot, teaching her how to use her new recorder to conduct interviews. At this point you might feel a little put-off by their rapidfire chit-chat – especially as Everett’s persistently speaking around a cigarette clenched in his lips – but settle in and give your brain a chance to catch up to the dialogue’s cadence. The adjustment comes fairly quickly.

Shortly after Everett starts his shift at the AM radio station and Fay settles in at the local switchboard things begin to get weird – and that’s weird as in creepy and extraterrestrial. Fay receives calls from people reporting something strange in the sky while Everett’s radio show is interrupted by bizarre unearthly noises.

Fay and Everett team up to ferret out the cause of the commotion. Their hunt for the truth leads them to phone conversations with an anonymous source who provides backstory on the town’s history with aliens. Hidden reels of tape and a woman with a troubled past help complete the terrifying picture.

First-time feature film director Andrew Patterson’s The Vast of Night is an astonishing rookie effort. Working off a screenplay by James Montague and Craig W. Sanger, Patterson’s sci-fi drama is a riveting, character-driven homage to a bygone era. The film opens with a callback to The Twilight Zone, framing this story as part of a fictional Paradox Theater television show. That framing is repeated but not overused throughout the film. And there are The Twilight Zone and War of the Worlds Easter Eggs for sci-fi fans to geek out over strategically placed and smoothly woven into the story.

Have you ever started to watch a film and realized within the first few minutes it’s about to deliver something completely, refreshingly unexpected? Amazon Studios’ The Vast of Night is one such film. From incredibly long tracking shots to more intimate framing, director Patterson holds the audience in suspense. He even does the unthinkable – fading to black and relying only on the dialogue to engage the viewer.

The cinematography, production design, costume design, and editing are first-rate, effectively making the ’50s spring to life on screen. In fact, the entire production has the feel of a much larger budgeted film.

Horowitz and McCormick deliver breakthrough performances, and Patterson’s first directorial outing should earn him a spot on everyone’s directors to watch list. The Vast of Night isn’t flashy, but it is bold and mesmerizing.

GRADE: A-

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language

Running Time: 89 minutes

Streaming Release: May 29, 2020 on Amazon Prime

‘Insecure’ Season 4 June Episode Details: Plots and Air Dates

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 26, 2020

Insecure Season 4 — Issa Rae in ‘Insecure’ season 4 episode 6 (Photo by Merie W. Wallace/HBO)

HBO’s Insecure will finish up its 10-episode fourth season with the two final episodes airing in June 2020. Don’t worry…the series isn’t wrapping up yet. HBO confirmed in early May that the half-hour comedy will return for a fifth season.

Insecure was created by Issa Rae and Larry Wilmore, with Rae starring and serving as an executive producer along with Prentice Penny, Melina Matsoukas, Michael Rotenberg, Dave Becky, Jonathan Berry, Amy Aniobi and Jim Kleverweis. The season four cast includes Yvonne Orji, Jay Ellis, Natasha Rothwell, Amanda Seales, Kendrick Sampson, and Alexander Hodge.

The Plot: “Season four follows the main characters in the aftermath of the decisions they made in the last season. Issa pursues a passion project she actually cares about, Molly navigates a real relationship for the first time, Lawrence figures out what leveling-up means for him, and we see the effect of Tiffany’s new baby on the dynamic of the friend group. Along the way, we’ll see these characters evaluating relationships, both new and old, in an effort to figure out who and what comes with them in this next phase of their lives.”

Insecure Season 4 June Episodes:

Season 4, Episode 9: “Lowkey Trying”
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 7 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)
Issa (Issa Rae) considers doing Nathan (Kendrick Sampson) a platonic favor. Meanwhile, both Dr. Rhonda (Denise Dowse) and Andrew (Alexander Hodge) ask Molly (Yvonne Orji) to consider a different approach in dealing with people who’ve wronged her, and Issa extends a timely olive branch.
Written by Grace Edwards & Eli Wilson Pelton; directed by Kerry Washington.

Season 4, Episode 10: “Lowkey Lost” (Season finale)
Debut date: SUNDAY, JUNE 14 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)
Molly (Yvonne Orji) takes Andrew (Alexander Hodge) to a work function and they struggle to see eye-to-eye. Issa (Issa Rae) continues to search for happiness. The girls get a distressing call about a friend.
Written by Prentice Penny; directed by Prentice Penny.

‘Roswell, New Mexico’ Season 2 Episode 11 Photos: Preview of “Linger”

By

Rebecca Murray

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May 26, 2020

The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico will return after a two week break with season two episode 11, “Linger.” Episode 10 found Isobel learning new details about her mom and ended with someone kidnapping Alex. Episode 11 promises to delve into Alex’s disappearance when it airs on June 1, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT.

The season two cast includes Jeanine Mason as Liz, Nathan Dean Parsons as Max Evans, Michael Trevino as Kyle, Michael Vlamis is Michael, and Lily Cowles as Isobel. Tyler Blackburn returns as Alex, Heather Hemmens is Maria, Amber Midthunder is Rosa, and Trevor St. John plays Jesse Manes.

“Linger” Plot: SECRETS AND LIES — Driven by the prospects of her scientific research, Liz (Mason) opens up to Diego (guest star Cleo Anthony) about all the good her findings could do. Meanwhile, Max (Parsons) enlists Kyle’s (Trevino) help getting to the bottom of the recent abductions, while Michael (Vlamis) does his own investigating into Alex’s disappearance.

Elsewhere, after learning more about her mother Louise, Isobel (Cowles) pays a visit to Rosa (Midthunder), in hopes that Rosa could help her begin to heal.

The Season 2 Plot:

“Once again, an Ortecho sister with a sharp tongue and a chip on her shoulder is back in Roswell after ten years gone… and she’s about to discover she’s been serving mint chip milkshakes to intergalactic aliens all her life.

In the final moments of season one, Max Evans (Parsons) used his alien powers to resurrect Rosa (Midthunder) a decade after her murder… not realizing that he was sacrificing his own life in the process. In season two, Liz (Mason) mourns her lost love by seeking comfort in science, both earthly and extraterrestrial, as Rosa turns to Kyle (Trevino) to help her find her place in the unfamiliar territory of 2019.

In their grief, Isobel (Cowles) explores potentially dangerous methods of self-defense, and Michael (Vlamis) spirals into some old bad habits, putting his relationships with Maria (Hemmens) and Alex (Blackburn) at risk. Finally, our heroes must make a deal with Jesse Manes (St. John) for information after a friend seems to vanish into thin air… and the apparent ‘alien abduction’ brings new small-town secrets to light.”