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DVD Review of “NCIS: New Orleans: The Final Season”

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Review!

NCIS: New Orleans: The Final Season

“NCIS: New Orleans: The Final Season” Review by Suzanne 8/25/21

It’s a shame that this show only had 7 seasons. I’m really going to miss it. I think that they tried so hard to emulate the feel of New Orleans that they made it too different from the other two NCIS series. It didn’t the fast-pace and high-energy that the others had. It was more laid back.

Whatever the reason, this was the last season, and it makes me sad. It’s really a shame that they had to shoot their last season during the pandemic and only had 16 episodes. I love star Scott Bakula (Pride) and the rest of the cast, too.  It’s a shame they lost one of their major characters, Chris (Lucas Black), last year – but at least the series did have a happy ending this year.

Like most of the shows on TV today, each of the characters have their own issues to work through, so they spent this season working on those. I hope that we get to see some of these actors show up occasionally on the other NCIS series.  The DVD set is a good one, with three special features: “Season 7: Pride and Joy,” “The Best of Times” and “The Perfect Pair.” I’m looking forward to watching the complete series set, which should have more special features. This DVD should make a great gift for anyone.

Read Our Review of “NCIS: New Orleans: The Complete Series”

MORE INFORMATION:

Buy this DVD!

NCIS: NEW ORLEANS: THE FINAL SEASON & THE COMPLETE SERIES
Street Date: August 31, 2021
Format: DVD
Description: NCIS: NEW ORLEANS is a drama about the local field office that investigates criminal cases involving military personnel in The Big Easy, a city known for its music, entertainment and decadence. Leading the team is Special Agent Dwayne Pride, a.k.a. “King,” a native of New Orleans who is driven by his need to do what is right. Working with Pride is tough and acerbic Special Agent Tammy Gregorio, a former FBI Agent who was sent to New Orleans to investigate NCIS and upon completion joined Pride’s team, Forensic Agent Sebastian Lund, a brilliant scientist who left the lab and, after much training, became an agent, Special Agent Hannah Khoury, a seasoned agent who specializes in international counter-intelligence and has spent most of her career on overseas assignments; and Quentin Carter, a former Marine with a wry sense of humor and an independent streak, who makes it a point never to stay in one place long enough to get too comfortable. Supporting them is coroner Dr. Loretta Wade, who is as eccentric as she is smart, and Investigative Computer Specialist Patton Plame, an animated and talented hacker. Helping Pride is Rita Devereaux, who after a successful career as an attorney with the Department of Justice, returns to her hometown of New Orleans to pursue a relationship with him. This colorful city that harbors a dark side is a magnet for service personnel on leave, and when overindulgence is followed by trouble, Pride’s team is at its best.

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

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The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.

cast of NCIS: New Orleans

Interview with Carrie Genzel

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Interview!

 

Actress Carrie Genzel (from her Instagram)

Interview with Carrie Genzel of “The Walking Dead” on AMC by Suzanne 8/10/21

It was very nice to speak with Carrie! We had a great chat. I was so pleased to see her on the first two episodes of “The Walking Dead.” Don’t forget to watch it Sunday on AMC or AMC+. She plays Clark, an interrogator with the Commonwealth.

We gabbed a lot about non-TV-related topics, so make sure you watch the audio below… the transcript skipped the first ten minutes of chatting.

Suzanne:   So, tell us about your how your audition came about for The Walking Dead season eleven.

Carrie:   Oh, my God. First off, I am so excited to be able to talk about this. I’ve been like holding this in since February, because, you know, you sign a very hefty NDA. Even to audition for The Walking Dead, I had to sign an NDA, as did the person who was reading with me off camera. So, they keep things pretty secretive, as as you know, with The Walking Dead.

It just came about like any other audition. The Walking Dead is a show that, first off, when you’re an actor, and you live in Atlanta, that’s like one of those ones you want to check off and be like, “That’s the show I want to do when I’m here.” And I’ve been a fan of the show since the first season. So, it’s a world that I know; it’s characters that I know. So, anytime I get an audition for something that I’m familiar with, and that I’m a fan of, it’s special. Having said that, you want to just do your best work and then let it go, because you don’t want to put too much expectation into it. And that’s exactly what happened.

I got the material. They kind of piece together stuff that was actually from the scripts, which sometimes is done and not done. Sometimes they make up fake sides or use material from other episodes or what have you, but this was actually real material from that first episode. And, you know, it was just an audition. I just really tried not to put a lot of pressure on myself, because I was like, “I want to do this so bad.” I had auditioned for the show previously and didn’t get it, and I had also auditioned for one of the spin-offs. So, you know, there’ve been times I’ve been disappointed before. So, I just went in with an open mind and did did my best work and then forgot about it.

And I actually really did forget about it, because I booked a recurring role on Sistas for Tyler Perry. And again, this is back in winter when they were still quarantining and so forth. So, with Tyler Perry’s productions, we actually had to live at Tyler Perry Studios and live in a bubble the whole time we were there. So, I was all, “Okay, I’m going to be away from [everything].” I’m like on location, in my hometown, you know, my home city, this is weird. And what’s really funny is I had some time. You know, you’re in lockdown, essentially, and I was like, wandering around the studio lot.

And I walked around, and I’m looking at this area, and I’m like, “Why does this looks so familiar to me?” I’m standing there. And I’m like, “Oh, my gosh, this is the Kingdom. This is where they shot the Kingdom. I recognize that theater with the round balcony, and I’m standing there, and it was very funny to me. I was like, “Oh, this is where they shot that; that’s really cool.”

And it was a day or so after that, that I got a call from my agent saying, “They want you for this role.” And she’s like, “But there’s a little bit of a problem.” And I’m like, “What? No, no problems.”

Now, because of COVID protocols, it’s not as simple as “are you available for these shoot dates?” anymore. Now you have to be available for testing for all kinds of different things, even before going to a wardrobe fitting.

And because I was in this bubble, I was at Tyler Perry Studios, and I could not leave. There was some crossover in terms of dates where they needed me, and so my agent knew how much I love The Walking Dead and what a great opportunity this was. And so, oh my gosh, between her and the casting director, Tyler Perry’s casting director, and the casting director for The Walking Dead in Atlanta, God bless them all, because they all like moved mountains for me to be able to be available when I needed to be available. And I have so much love for Mr. Perry, because he actually moved up my scenes earlier in the week so that I could leave earlier and be available to The Walking Dead so I could do my COVID testing. So, I’m so grateful to him for doing that. Teamwork.

Suzanne:   Yeah, that’s great that they can do that.

Carrie:   And I have to say, working on The Walking Dead during a global pandemic is very surreal. I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but driving up to the studio for the first time, and just seeing not prop signs, but real signs that are saying, you know, COVID, masks, protocols, test site. There’s a trailer, you know, all kinds of things that normally would just be leftover props from the show, but were actual real signs and was very weird.

Suzanne:   Yeah I can imagine.

Carrie:   It was very, very weird.

Suzanne:   When the whole COVID thing started, it reminded us of The Stand, because we were in Las Vegas when they filmed the first Stand, and they were filming right downtown where we were staying, and they put all these side fake signs up. So, I know exactly what you’re talking about now.

Carrie:   It feels really bizarre. And, you know, I did a movie for Crackle, called Dead Rising Watch Tower, which was about a zombie outbreak, so, I’ve been down that road. And I was like, “This is so weird.”

It’s no joke, we had to wear – and they may still be doing this, I don’t know – we had to wear tracers. So, if someone did come back with a positive test, they could go back and see who you were in contact with, which was also very weird. So, we’d always have, and they’d always ask when you get to set, “Do you have your tracer?” “Yes, I do.” And we had our masks and goggles, and we had our z shields, and there was a lot of equipment. They kept us really safe, but it is very, very odd, because you’d be working on this type of material during COVID, and I’m sure all of the actors have said that.

Suzanne:   Yeah, I’m sure. So, how many episodes are you in?

Carrie:   I’m in the first two.

Suzanne:   There’s two. Okay, I didn’t know if you were going to come back later for another episode.

Carrie:   I don’t know. I hope so. I feel like there’re so many other fun things that she could be doing. She’s still around; she’s in the community. So, I’m hoping she pops up again, because I’d love to be able to go back. It really was such a great experience for me.

Like I said, having been a fan of the show, it was really cool to be able to step into those sets and interact with characters that I’ve watched for years. They have such an incredible cast on The Walking Dead. I mean, every one of them, at some point, has made me cry. Every single one of them, at some point, has made me angry.

You know, the thing that really grabbed me about The Walking Dead when I first started watching it was the characters, and I was drawn into the characters and what they were going through, and the whole apocalypse and zombie stuff was just kind of a another part of the show, but it for me it was really about that. And, as an actor, it was watching these incredible performances that would just gut you sometimes. [laughs] That seems like an appropriate way to describe that. But it’s really just heartbreaking. There’re so many moments I think for for anyone that’s a fan of this show that you remember, and just like, wow, and there’ve so been so many surprises along the way, too. Like, really, nobody’s safe on The Walking Dead. So, it was just such an incredible treat to sit down in front of the actors that I worked with, and, in my case, really kind of put them through the works.

Suzanne:   Yeah, it’s it’s very well written. I could see why it has so many fans,  because it is, as you say, great characters, and they just write it so well, and there’s always something happening, and at the end, there’s always a shocking thing. It just makes you want to watch the next episode.

Carrie:   And there’s a lot of humor, too, which I always enjoy, because you got to have that humor to kind of release the pressure. That’s what I loved about what I got to do in the two episodes is that what we shot was really intense, but there’re some humorous moments there too.

Also, what I thought was really cool, as a fan, is I got to learn a lot about those characters. Like there are things that I didn’t know and that fans don’t know. So, it was interesting for me that way, where I’m like, “Oh, I didn’t know that.”

Suzanne:   Yeah, they do a lot of revealing in those episodes of the characters that are there with you and what their backstories are. I like that.

Carrie:   Absolutely. Yeah, you find out a lot about them, which I thought was really fun.

But it felt intimidating in the space. It’s a very, as you’ve seen, a very dark set. It was an old empty warehouse, so it was very damp and cold. It was freezing. We shot that in February, and there was actually like a cold snap that gripped through this area, so much so that the first day that I was shooting, they actually delayed our start time, because they were concerned about ice on the road. So, they waited until later in the day when it heated up a little there. And no matter what heat they would put in there, you would feel it, because it would all go to the ceiling. All of us actors that shot on that set will talk about how cold it was. I mean, they do what they can. I have silks on under my costume. I had the little hot shot warmers, and I had them I had them on my back. I was sitting on them. At one point I was giving them out to the other actors. I was like, “I have six of these. Does anyone want one?”

Suzanne:   And you were wearing quite a bit of costume too. It’s not like you were wearing something skimpy, so it must have been cold.

Carrie:   I was just wearing like a blouse and a suit, and there wasn’t really a lot of warmth to it. And for the other characters, when they’re captured, they were stripped of kind of a lot of things. So, they’re kind of in their sort of bare bones kind of costumes as well without all this stuff. So everybody, our teeth were chattering quite a bit. And, I don’t know if you see this in the scene; I haven’t seen it yet, but we could certainly see each other’s breath as we were talking in the room, which I thought, “Well, you know, that works too,” because it looks intimidating.

Suzanne:   Sure. A bit of authenticity there.

Carrie:   But really, I can see everyone’s breath. That’s how cold it was. Every night when I would leave, I would crank up the heat in the car and put on the seat warmers, because I felt like a Popsicle. It was just so cold.

Suzanne:   Yeah, I think it can get pretty cold in Atlanta and that part of the country. We had the big surprise snowstorm in February.

Carrie:   Oh, wow.

Suzanne:   You know, the big one that they talked about in Texas where their power all went out? So, we got that. We didn’t lose power, thankfully.

Carrie:   Yeah, thankfully, no.

Suzanne:   More snow than I’ve seen since I lived in Illinois.

Carrie:   Wow. There’s been some weird weather, some very strange weather.

Suzanne:   So, when you had to keep it a secret, did you have to keep it a secret from your friends and family as well, everybody?

Carrie:   Yeah, you know, some people kind of figured it out being in Atlanta. I’m like, “I can’t really talk about it.” They’re like, “Well, it’s The Walking Dead or Marvel.”

Suzanne:   Well, there’re a lot of things going in Atlanta.

Carrie:   They know that’s kind of what people are not allowed to talk about. It was very funny. Everyone’s very educated.

Suzanne:   That’s funny.

Carrie:   So, now, I’m like, “Oh my gosh, I can’t wait until the cat’s out of the bag, and I can really, really talk about this.”3

Suzanne:   So, what was it like when you had to stay at the Tyler Perry compound?

Carrie:   Oh, my gosh, that was like being in a movie too. I mean, it really was quite the experience. When we checked in, we all had to be there for the duration. They didn’t want anybody coming in and out, and so you were there for the whole duration of their shoot. Now, he shoots incredibly fast. He shoots over 100 pages a day. So, to go from that to The Walking Dead, where we shot far less – that main interrogation scene in The Walking Dead we shot over two days, maybe longer. So, that tells you the difference of pace, but it was really nuts.

You know, we checked in to Tyler Perry Studios, and before we could even get on the lot, they took our temperature. Everyone was in a full on suit. We got in there, and they did a COVID test. They wiped out all of our bags. They were not messing around. We then had to go and sit in the army bunker barracks, where you’re in a room by yourself. It was sealed to say that it was clean. You had to take the tape off that it was clean. And anything that we needed, there was an app, and you would ask for a meal or coffee, tea, whatever. You were not allowed to leave that room until you got your test results back. And then when they brought you your meals, they were in the suit. Even though they weren’t coming in, they still were in a suit. They would put your tray down and knock on the door and then walk away like nobody would interact with you.

So, I checked into the studio about 11:30am, and then, I guess, it was about 10pm or so that I got the text message to say your test came back negative; you’re free to leave the room. And I zip down to there, because I’m like, “I need some fresh air,” and I just went for a walk.

And then we moved into our housing. So, because it was an army base, there’s a lot of housing on on the studio lot. So, I actually got to live in a really cool heritage home with another actress from LA, and we had this big four bedroom house to ourselves, and that was our home away from home while we were there for a couple of weeks.

But everything was self-contained. I mean, they really took care of everything. We had catering and food trucks, and the gym was open to us with bicycles. We could zip around on the lot on in golf carts, and there was a lot of things for us to do and to feel safe. And even though we were all tested several times a week, and we all got tested coming in, we still were wearing masks and just being safe. You know, nobody got sick on any of his productions, so he really kept everybody safe. I appreciated it. And it was kind of weird to leave the bubble.

When I was wrapped, I had to zip into the supermarket on the way home, and I felt like very, “So, I don’t know where you guys have been.”

Then, with The Walking Dead, even though we could be at home, they did ask that we definitely wear our masks when we were out and be safe and to not go out and do a lot of stuff we didn’t need it to do while we’re shooting. So, I mean, it’s really such a privilege to be able to work during this time. So, you do whatever you need to do to keep people safe.

Suzanne:   Well, it sounds like they did a good job of keeping you safe.

Carrie:   Yeah, both productions did a really great job.

Suzanne:   Did you know anybody in the cast and crew of The Walking Dead personally? Or had you worked with them before?

Carrie:   No, I didn’t at all, just from watching, but, no, I didn’t know anyone at all. So, it was very much that first day of school feeling of like, “I hope everyone likes me,” even though I’m not that like role on camera. But, I mean, like they are truly a family, and so everyone was so welcoming. They’ve all had their first day on set, so they know what that feels like. Everyone was very welcoming, and it was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun just to kind of see everything come to life, and to to be a part of those are those first two episodes in the last season was very cool.

Suzanne:   Now, your character was badass. She got taken down a peg or two.

Carrie:   [laughs] That’s why I think she needs to come back. I don’t know.

Suzanne:   Show the nicer side or something.

Carrie:   A different side of her. She’s just doing her job. I mean, look who her boss is. She’s gotta be a badass. When your boss is Mercer? Come on.

Suzanne:   It’s funny to see in the midst of something like an apocalypse and zombies and all that, to see somebody who’s basically a bureaucrat, like you said, just doing her job, trying to bring order to the chaos.

Carrie:   Well, it’s funny, because when I went through hair and makeup, they were saying they were so excited, because they said, “You’re one of the first characters where you’re allowed to wear nail polish.” Like it was a big deal. [laughs] They were like, “You can actually have a manicure.” That’s a big deal on this show. My hair’s done. It’s not done, it’s perfect. I’m wearing a suit. Clark was described to me as the Scully of the Commonwealth, and I was like, “I’ll take that.”

But yeah, that was the thing that was very odd to me, because when you think of The Walking Dead, you think of a certain kind of wardrobe, kind of like grungy, maybe took it off some dead person. You know, it’s all kind of thrown together, although they still manag to make it look cool. And here I am in this perfect little suit, where I look like exactly a bureaucrat, what she’s supposed to look like, and it was very weird. So, I feel like I’m not really getting The Walking Dead experience.

Suzanne:   Yeah, they should bring you back as a walker or something.

Carrie:   Or something, or I don’t know.

At that point too, outside of the comic book, there was nothing really known about the Commonwealth and what it was and the people that inhabit that community. So, we were all kind of learning as we went along. But, yeah, it was very cool.

Having said that, I didn’t see one walker while I was there. [laughs] Very disappointing. I’m like, “Not even at craft service?”

Suzanne:   Of the two sections of the first two episodes is the two groups. You were in the group that didn’t really have any.

Carrie:   Yeah, we were in the cleaner group.

Suzanne:   I like those guys who were with you; they would look like Stormtroopers, those costumes they were wearing.

Carrie:   Yeah, absolutely.

Suzanne:   Like Star Wars stormtroopers.

Carrie:   They do a little bit. And if you look at the comic book, that’s exactly what they look like in the comic book. They really did a great job of bringing that to life.

But yeah, initially, my character was supposed to be in one of those costumes in the, like, trooper outfit. I was a little disappointed. [laughs] I went in for my fitting, and they brought out this rack of suits, and I was like, “I play Clark.” She’s like, “No, they decided to put you in a suit.” And I was like, “Really?” because I really kind of wanted to be in the outfit. And they were like, “You really don’t though, because they’re not that comfortable.” Apparently, they’re hard to sit down in.

Suzanne:   Oh, okay, yeah.

Carrie:   “So, you’re probably gonna be a lot happier in the suit.” But it’s just, of course, I wanted to be, you know, growing up, and like you said, growing up and being such a huge Star Wars fan as a kid, I was like, “This is my moment. I get to put on the armor.” Maybe there’s hope for something down the road.

Suzanne:   Well, you know, I recognized you right away, because I used to watch All My Children when you were on it. I remember–  it’s funny, you know, it was a while ago, and I remember you being on it. I remember Jonathan Kinder, because I really liked the actor, and that they must have said that name about a million times on the show, too. And I remember that you and Susan Lucci and Robin Mattson, and I think there was another woman. I can’t remember; she actually played Marian, Maybe?

Carrie:   Yes. Jennifer Bassey.

Suzanne:   Right, and then, you had a lot of funny scenes and dealing with him.

Carrie:   Yeah, we did. Those were probably – and people still comment about that whole storyline…We laughed so much during that, because it was so fun to do. I mean, parts of it were so ridiculous, like I think Marian ended up rolling them up in a carpet or something.

Suzanne:   Probably.

Carrie:   And Michael Sabatino was such a lovely man in real life, that it was kind of fun to go after him as a group. It was just such a fun storyline, and, for me, as an actor coming on to that show, getting to work with these veterans of daytime was just such a treat, because that was the first contract role that I had in my career, and it was just so incredible to be able to do that right out of the gate and work with these incredible women and Michael, who I’ve seen on TV for many, many years on different shows. I learned a lot from them. And it really, really was fun to be a part of that storyline.

Suzanne:   Yeah, I bet. Like you said, I still remember it. I’ve watched a lot of TV and soaps, so if I remember some of the details this long ago, then it definitely had an impact.

Carrie:   Yeah, it’s one of the storylines that gets brought up the most when All My Children fans reach out to me; they talk about that a lot. And it was really fun. It’s too bad we weren’t able to do something again, just that group of characters, because people really loved it. We had a good time doing it.

Suzanne:   Well, that’s good. Yeah. That’s important, I’m sure. And with all the acting that you’ve done, the fact that you can look back on it so fondly is good, because I’m sure that not every single shoot you’ve done has been that much fun.

Carrie:   It’s so much more fun than others, but I always look back at All My Children with a lot of fondness. Just, like I said, I learned so much from those actors on that show. And working with David Canary was just incredible. I learned so much. It really was like boot camp; there was no safety net. There were no cue cards, no teleprompters. I mean, we were banging out pages and pages and pages a day. And, you know, I said this going back to working for Tyler Perry, he moves even faster than they did back then on All My Children, but because I had that experience in daytime, it didn’t freak me out to see a huge stack of pages. “Oh, we’re going to do this today.” “What?!”

Although I have to say that the very first day I walked on set of Sistas, nobody told me there was no rehearsal, no camera blocking, nothing that lets you see what happened. And I was like, “What, really? You guys just recorded that?” That was what nobody told me. So, what you see in some of those scenes is the very first time somebody’s walked on set and has no clue what’s going on.

Suzanne:   I’ve heard they do that now on the soaps a lot, because they’re so pressed for time, and then COVID has made it even more so.

Carrie:   Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m sure. You know, the thing is, with daytime too, because you’re playing a character for such a long period of time, you know, for me anyway, it got easier and easier and easier, because you start to learn how your character speaks, how that character reacts to things, and it becomes easier to kind of get into that groove. And you sort of get in that work pace where you’re always moving really quickly, but when you’re out of that rhythm, and you step into another show, and they’re moving like crazy, you’re like, “Woah.” But I say this all the time, my time on All My Children is really, really a part of the foundation of me as a professional actor and how I’m able to sort of go with the flow in terms of changes, in terms of speed, in terms of improv, all of that stuff. It really, really helps me to build up that those skills that I use all the time.

Suzanne:   I’ve heard it’s an excellent training ground.

Carrie:   It’s incredible. Yes, it’s sad to me that there’s so few now, and there’s less opportunity for people to really get in there and learn it, because it really, for so long, was such a great place for new and young actors to kind of get their feet wet. You know? You think of all the actors that have come from daytime TV, and there’s a lot; there’re so many.

Here is the video version of it.

Interview Transcribed by Jamie of http://www.scifivision.com

MORE INFO:

The Walking Dead on AMC on Twitter: “A warm welcome from the Commonwealth. Watch the return of #TWD this Sunday at 9/8c or stream it now with @AMCPlus. https://t.co/XjMgWIYVXO” / Twitter

Born in Vancouver, Carrie Genzel has enjoyed a diverse career, working extensively in both her native Canada and the United States, she is most notably known for her role as Skye Chandler on ABC’s ‘All My Children,’ as well as two memorable roles on the CW’s ‘Supernatural,’ and most recently recurring on AMC’s ‘The Walking Dead.’

Carrie has built an esteemed career in film including roles in ‘Watchmen, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus, Dead Rising: Watchtower, They’re Watching, and more. Carrie has received widespread acclaim for her performances in both television and film and in 2012, she won the Best Actress award at the Los Angeles International Underground Film Festival for her role of Emma in ‘The Ballerina and the Rocking Horse.’

Off set Carrie is an advocate of good mental health having launched the blog State Of Slay(TM) and becoming an advisory board member for the non-profit Attitudes In Reverse® which brings programming to students on anti-bullying and suicide prevention.

About The Walking Dead

The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series based on the comic book series of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard—together forming the core of The Walking Dead franchise. The series features a large ensemble cast as survivors of a zombie apocalypse trying to stay alive under near-constant threat of attacks from zombies known as “walkers” (among other nicknames). However, with the collapse of modern civilization, these survivors must confront other human survivors who have formed groups and communities with their own sets of laws and morals, sometimes leading to open, hostile conflict between them.

Check out our other All My Children interviews!

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

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Carrie Genzel, when she played Skye on "All My Children" on ABC

DVD Review of “NCIS: Los Angeles: Season 12”

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Review!

NCIS: Los Angeles: Season 12 DVD cover

“NCIS: Los Angeles: Season 12” Review by Suzanne 8/20/21

This was always my least favorite of the NCIS franchise. I think it’s because they seem to spend a lot more time traveling to desert countries and fighting terrorists than the other shows. I also think they have a lot more action or violence, and there is a lot more macho military bravado going on with the characters.The trouble with shows that have so much violence or action-oriented stories is that they always feel they have to keep topping themselves each season, which can get ridiculous after awhile. Stopping a nuclear threat is one example from this season where it really veered into the unbelievable.

Other than that, it has the same interesting stories and characters as most dramas on CBS. I remember when this show started, so it’s shocking to see that it’s been on for twelve years already. I hope they can keep going with the show for a few more years. I love the way the team works together, especially G and Sam, and Deeks and Kensi. Hetty came back to the show, too.

The DVD should make a great gift for anyone who likes lots of action.  It includes audio commentary (provided by Daniela Rush (Kensi), a feature about Rush directing an episode, deleted scenes and a feature about Season 12 “Greater by the Dozen.” They’re very fun to watch.

MORE INFORMATION:

Buy this DVD!

NCIS: LOS ANGELES: THE TWELFTH SEASON
Street Date: August 24, 2021
Format: DVD
Description: NCIS: LOS ANGELES is a drama about the high-stakes world of a division of NCIS that is charged with apprehending dangerous and elusive criminals, who pose a threat to the nation’s security. By assuming false identities and utilizing the most advanced technology, this team of highly trained agents goes deep undercover, putting their lives on the line in the field to bring down their targets. Special Agent “G” Callen is a chameleon who transforms himself into whomever he needs to be to infiltrate the criminal underworld. His partner is Special Agent Sam Hanna, a former U.S. Navy SEAL who has seen action in both Afghanistan and Iraq. The team includes the all-knowing Henrietta “Hetty” Lange, who handles the politics of the job and is tasked with providing everything from micro-surveillance cameras to cars for the team; Special Agent Kensi Blye, the exceptionally bright daughter of a slain Marine who lives for the adrenaline rush that comes with undercover work; Marty Deeks, a seasoned LAPD undercover detective who was recruited to the team by Hetty; tech operator Eric Beale, who has mastered every gadget and computer in the Ops Center; intelligence analyst Nell Jones, who won the team’s respect with her spot-on assessments and her shrewd insights; Fatima Namazi, a Middle East specialist and a razor-sharp cryptologist; and former FBI Agent Devin Rountree, whose unique upbringing, discipline and athletic ability are a welcome addition to the team. Armed with the latest in high-tech gear and sent regularly into life-threatening situations, this tight-knit unit relies on each other to do what is necessary to protect national interests.

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DVD Review of “S.W.A.T. Season 4”

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TV Review!

S.W.A.T. Season 4 DVD cover

“S.W.A.T. Season 4” Review by Suzanne 8/20/21

This show always has a lot of great action, led by series star Shemar Moore (Hondo). Honestly, I just love him…I’ve been a fan ever since he was on “The Young and the Restless.” I even got to meet him once and get my picture taken with him at a charity event. He’s always outstanding on his shows, including “Criminal Minds” and now this one.  What’s amazing is that when he first started, he was not a great actor. However, he was not only gorgeous, but he just had that certain something that makes great TV stars. Also, he clearly worked hard on his acting skills because now he’s as good as anyone else. From all accounts, he’s a really great guy, too. He does a great job of keeping in contact with his fans on social media.

This season, they added a new character: the global pandemic. They chose to use the real-life drama to make drama for their show, and it worked. Many shows just ignored it or only dealt with it briefly. It was brave of them to do it. They also dealt with other real world issues, such as white supremacy, protesters, sex trafficking and the public’s current attitudes towards the police as well as personal issues each of the team members were going through.

This is one of the few reboot/remake shows that CBS has done that is even better than the original series. The reason is obviously Shemar Moore.  This DVD set would make a great gift of anyone.  It lacks special features. It only has a blooper reel and one behind-the-scenes feature: Special Tactics: Tanker Takedown.

MORE INFORMATION:

Buy this DVD!

SONY Pictures Home Entertainment

THREE FAN-FAVORITE SERIES ARRIVE ON DISC AHEAD OF THEIR FALL PREMIERES 

THE GOOD DOCTOR SEASON 3
AVAILABLE ON DVD AUGUST 4

THE BLACKLIST SEASON 7
AVAILABLE ON BLU-RAY™ AND DVD AUGUST 11

S.W.A.T. SEASON 3
AVAILABLE ON DVD AUGUST 18

S.W.A.T. SEASON 3                                                                                                                                                 

SYNOPSIS
Torn between loyalty to where he was raised and allegiance to his brothers in blue, former Marine Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson (Shemar Moore) has everything it takes to be an excellent leader and bridge the divide between his two worlds. With Hondo leading the charge, his team of dedicated men and women bravely put themselves at risk to protect their community and save lives.

DVD BONUS FEATURES

  • Deleted Scenes
  • Blooper Reel

CREDITS
Executive Producers: Shawn Ryan, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas, Neal H. Moritz, Andrew Dettmann, Justin Lin, Marney Hochman, Pavun Shetty, Billy Gierhart, Craig Gore, Alison Cross, Michael Jones-Morales, Paul Bernard
Cast: Shemar Moore, Alex Russell, Lina Esco, Kenny Johnson, David Lim, Patrick St. Esprit, Amy Farrington, and Jay Harrington
Developed by: Aaron Rahsaan Thomas and Shawn Ryan
Based on the series “S.W.A.T.” Created by Robert Hamner, Developed by Rick Husky

SPECS
Approximately 886 minutes
DVD: 1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen | Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital

FOR MORE INFORMATION                                                                                                                                  

Twitter: @SonyPicsHomeEnt
Instagram: @sonypictureshomeentertainment
Facebook: Facebook.com/sonypictureshomeentertainmentofficial

ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT                                                                                  

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. SPE’s Motion Picture Group production organizations include Columbia Pictures, Screen Gems, TriStar Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Classics. For additional information, visit http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.

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S.W.A.T. Season 4 cast pic

DVD Review of “NCIS: The Eighteenth Season”

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TV Review!

NCIS: The Eighteenth Season DVD cover

“NCIS: The Eighteenth Season” Review by Suzanne 8/15/21

Somehow, this show keeps going on and on. This is the last season where Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon) leads the pack. He’s retiring and will only be seen occasionally in the Nineteenth season. Gary Cole takes over the NCIS team. The interesting thing is that Harmon is only 5 years older than Cole.

The show’s cast has gone through many changes. I believe Sean Murray (Tim) is now the only remaining regular character on the show (since it started in 2003; however, he didn’t join the show until episode 7). He came in as a very junior member of the team, so that seems really strange. I don’t think NCIS will last very long without Gibbs. The ratings have been going down steadily this season. Maybe they’ll let them get to Season 20 and stop. That would be nice.

I think the show is still plenty enjoyable because they have new regular characters and new cases. As long as you enjoy the show, does it really matter if Gibbs is till around? Gary Cole is an excellent actor and a good replacement. I think it’s hard for fans to lose Ducky and Gibbs (both retiring). The show is really still feeling the loss of Tony, Ziva and Abby.

Back to season 18. They packed a lot of great action and story into this season.  There are only 16 episodes, due to COVID. There are quite a few deaths of minor characters, and another regular cast member leaves. The show always has many mysteries, twists, shootings, fighting, explosions and more. Check it out!

MORE INFORMATION:

Buy This DVD!

NCIS: The Eighteenth Season

Street Date: August 17

Format: DVD

Description: Originally conceived as a spinoff of the American legal drama JAG, NCIS has evolved into a major television franchise spread across three different series. Following a fictional team of special agents known as the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the show combines elements of police procedural dramas with military drama to create incredibly engaging episodes. Voted American’s favorite television show in 2011, NCIS routinely premieres to over 15 million viewers each season.

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NCIS cast on CBS

Interview with “The Walking Dead” stars

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TV Interview!

Khary Payton as Ezekiel, Eleanor Matsuura as Yumiko, Josh McDermitt as Dr. Eugene Porter, and Paola Lazaro as Princess stumble upon a trap in The Walking Dead Season 10, Episode 15 – Photo Credit: Jace Downs/AMC

Interview with Khary Payton, Eleanor Matsuura, Josh McDermitt and Callan McAuliffe of “The Walking Dead” on AMC by Suzanne 8/3/21

This was from The Walking Dead virtual roundtable interview, taking place Tuesday, August 3.

This was so much fun! The actors were very funny and silly. They were clearly having a good time. I wish I could show you the video, but we’re not allowed to. You’ll have to read the transcript below. It’s definitely worth it!

Callan McAuliffe and Lauren Cohan in "The Walking Dead"

Question:   Khary, can we expect any flashbacks for Ezekiel and his time as an actor or zookeeper, this being the last season? I really do hope so.

Khary:   Oh, that’s an interesting question. I would tell you to, you know, expect the unexpected, that there’s so much story that we’re telling, none of which I’m going to tell you about. We all spent these last few months shooting all this thing, and I just feel like it would be wrong of me just to tell you in a Zoom call. So, how about this? How about this? Why don’t we set up just like for the next couple of weeks, like Sunday night? Get together, you know, pour a drink. I’ll tell you all about it.

Callan:   Khary, is it Episode Six where they do the flashback where you fall in a panda enclosure, is it six?

Khary:   Oh my god, you know what? We’re gonna have so much fun. The crazy thing is that a panda is much harder to do CGI, so, obviously, we had to just go ahead and go with the the panda that I keep here at the house. And although he’s not as bubbly; we just don’t have the bamboo here. And, you know –

Callan:   I still can’t believe you managed to outbid Nicolas Cage for that panda. It’s crazy.

Question:   As a fellow actor, I definitely appreciate your sense of humor.

Khary:   It’s incredible. Yeah, I’m excited. I’m excited.

Suzanne: Hi, how many episodes have yet to be filmed? Or have they all finished?

Khary:   Oh, it’s far from over. It’s far from over. We’ve got, I don’t know if we’re quite halfway done; we’re nearing the midway point, but we’ve still got – we’re gonna go shooting well into next year. So, I feel like there’s just a lot of story yet to unfold and yet to be told and yet to even be decided upon, in a lot of ways. So, yeah.

Suzanne:   Do they tell you ahead of time, whether your character is going to make it through the end of this show or not?

Khary:   You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you? It’s funny to be on a show like this one. When you get on a hit TV show, you pop the champagne, and you’re thinking, “Oh, it’s time to celebrate.” This is one of those shows that you get on, and you’re just waiting for that phone call around the corner to tell you that you all of your dreams and aspirations are about to be bashed, and the limousine that drove you here is not taking you back. I hope you didn’t take the Uber app off of your phone, because you’re going to need that to get back to wherever you’re going. So, this this show’s a cruel mistress in that way, that it gives a lot, but it can take it all away in a heartbeat.

Callan:   Did you guys all save Angela Kang in your phones with the skull and crossbones emoji? Terrifying every time she calls.

Khary:   Exactly. We’re just [unintelligible], because she’s got such a brilliant, happy little smile.

Callan:   It’s true.

Eleanor:   That’s how I never say hello to Angela. I just say, “Am I dead? Am I dead? Ok, how’s it going?”

Suzanne:   Thank you, guys.

Khary:   Thank you, Suzanne.

Question:   This question is for everyone. Would you rather your character have the glorious Braveheart death, or would you want to end the series as still a living member of whatever society looks like, in your opinion, if you had it your way.

Callan:   If I had it my way, the character’s death would be so unremarkable as to be remarkable. I would want him to trip in a puddle and to bang his head on the corner of a marble counter and for it to never [get] mentioned again. Mid conversation, just heart attack.

Josh:   Yeah. I personally, I want to die of old age or want Eugene to die of old age; that would be my hope, because I feel like he deserves it. I feel like he is a guy that everyone just expected, even myself included, would be gone after two episodes, because it’s like, there’s no way this guy’s living. And he’s figured out a way. He’s been a little cockroach about it, but I would hope that he dies of old age. But, you know, look, if they do decide that it’s time for him to go, I would at least hope they do it justice and give him a hero’s death, just because I think he does deserve that, if he does go, just based on who he was and where he’s been and kind of how far he’s come. He’s certainly been the hero many times before, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he would have a hero’s death. I just hope that if it came to that they would at least do that for him.

Khary:   Yes, jumping off a cliff, dreadlocks flying, slow motion in the wind. You know, a full orchestral score.

Callan:   Wait a minute, Khary. Did I ever tell you about the way I hope to die? That sounds remarkably similar to my plan for [my] funeral. I plan to gather, tell 100 friends that I died, or have them told, have them gather on a clifftop and then emerge dramatically from the coffin to the [unintelligible] gospel choir and leap gracefully into the sea.

Khary:   You know, we’re closer than we think. I had not heard you tell that, but it does not surprise me. And, you know, I hope to be standing on the same cliff one day.

Callan:   The convoluted aspect of mine is that I wanted there to be a shark tank at the bottom, so that I swan dived into the sea, but landed in the shark tank, it ate me, and then we piece up the shark and fire the shark’s ashes into space after it’s reconstituted my flesh

Eleanor:   Don’t do that to space. Space has got enough trouble with all these rockets going into it.

Callan:   It’d be biomass debris and wouldn’t be nearly so dangerous as flying metal.

Eleanor:   I think, of course, everyone, if they’re going to go, you want the big spectacular glorious death, of course you do. These are our characters. We’ve lived with them; we’ve created them, and they’ve been a part of us for so, so long. If that’s the way you want to go, you want it to be – you want to do justice to the love you have for your character. I’m with Josh though, like, I have to say like, I feel like I want for you Yumiko to have this long, long, happy life. We’ve only just discovered, or about to discover, this whole other side of her past life that she had. I think we always forget in The Walking Dead, especially, because the seasons are so long, but, actually, a lot of the action happens only over a few days or a few weeks. I mean, there’re time jumps and stuff, but a lot of the story happens in these condensed moments, and we sort of forget that we’ve actually had these huge lives behind them. I mean, we learned that Yumiko had this extraordinary education, and she’s basically lived the life that my parents wish I had, if I was smart enough to go to Oxford and Harvard, which I am definitely not. And I’m not saying that that makes her a better person, I’m just saying that it’s this discovery of all this stuff that she still has to give that I think it would be a real crime to not have her live that out in all the ways that she could.

Callan:   I think she should be killed in a fight with someone wielding a judge’s gavel. I think that would be full circle.

Eleanor:   Yeah, if I’m going to die, I want it to be from the past – like, yeah in the courtroom, a gavel thrown at my head. It knocks me off my feet. I grab judges’ wigs as I fall down onto the courtroom floor, and then I get eaten by walkers.

Question:   Is that the penultimate episode of the series?

Eleanor:   Listen, I can’t give anything away.

Question:   My question is for Khary. One of the big things that happen in season 10 is that we discover that Ezekiel has cancer, and he has to deal with some really dark things like a terminal disease and even suicidal tendencies. Is there a possibility that this character might attain some sort of peace or serenity throughout the run of season eleven?

Khary:   I hope so, for Ezekiel’s sake. I want so much for him to find that kind of inner light that seems to gravitate people to him, but, you know, you can’t have victory without adversity. So, here we are trying to just tell a story that’s still captivating. I had this push and pull, because I so desperately want him to be okay and and to just be at the forefront, being the big leader guy, but the thing that has drawn people to him is the fact that his life is messy, and he’s had all of this loss, but he does keep his head up. I mean, he’s lost so much. I think it’s enough to break a lot of people and it’s been nice to know that the journey of this character has resonated with a lot of people and helped them when it comes to dealing with adversity, to kind of set themselves aside and find a companion character to be able to live through and say, “You know what? If Ezekiel can do it, I can do it.” It’s meant a lot to me over the years, to have been a part of telling the story of a character that can be that for anyone.

Question:  This is for Callan; actually I have two. Alden is more heart and likes to build things. Is it safe to say that he grew up in a house where he had to take a lot of responsibility at a young age? And also, my second one is does he feel like Maggie is getting too cold to other survivors?

Callan:   To the first question, yeah, it was always an understanding between me and the showrunners that sort of he, in the early part of the apocalypse, had been going around with his with his brother. I believe it was his younger brother. And I imagine that the dynamic there was that Alden had to become something of a reliable – not necessarily a builder or a blacksmith, but certainly someone that you can trust to get things done and to bring things together. So, that’s certainly been a part of his life, and, you know, given that we see him building all manner of weapons and catapults and that sort of thing, we can assume he had some kind of a training in it. And then, can you repeat the second question for me?

Question:   Does he feel like Maggie’s getting too cold to others? It’s obviously warranted to Negan, because, you know, Allan has seen firsthand what he can do, but Maggie seems to be backtracking a little when it comes to the other survivors. Do you think she’s getting a little cold?

Callan:   I think he’s definitely seeing a side of Maggie that perhaps he didn’t expect, and she has for so long been, I suppose, the fulcrum around which his stability swings, especially in the beginning. And I think he finds that contrast disturbing. Yeah.

Question:   My question is, again, for Callan. Your character was Team Negan in the beginning, and now he’s Maggie. If there is a war to happen in season eleven, which side do you think would prevail, considering Alden’s experience in both those factions?

Callan:   I don’t think he was ever Team Negan. You know, I think he was, as most people in life, a victim of circumstance, and he kind of went where the winds blew him, but I like to think that he’s kind of alighted in the right place, if that makes sense. So, his allegiance should be clear, even when there’s conflict.

Interview Transcribed by Jamie of http://www.scifivision.com

MORE INFO:

Previously on The Walking Dead, our survivors confronted past demons and combated new threats, with friendships and relationships suffering from the mounting collateral damage that is the apocalypse. Alexandria is severely compromised, left a former shell of the home it once was from the carnage and devastation left behind by the Whisperers.

Now all who live in Alexandria struggle to refortify it and feed its increasing number of residents, which include the survivors from the fall of the Kingdom and the burning of Hilltop; along with Maggie and her new group, the Wardens. Alexandria has more people than it can manage to feed and protect. Their situation is dire as tensions heat up over past events and self-preservation rises to the surface within the ravaged walls.

They must secure more food while they attempt to restore Alexandria before it collapses like countless other communities they have come across throughout the years. But where and how? More haggard and hungrier than ever before, they must dig deeper to find the effort and strength to safeguard the lives of their children, even if it means losing their own.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to those at Alexandria, Eugene, Ezekiel, Yumiko, and Princess are still being held captive by mysterious soldiers who are members of a larger and unforthcoming group.

AMC’s 11 Weeks of Reveals Until Season 11 of The Walking Dead

AMC released today a new teaser for The Walking Dead as part of AMC’s “11 Weeks of Reveals until Season 11.” The Walking Dead Season 11 premieres Sunday, August 22 at 9pm ET/8c on AMC, and all 11A episodes will air one week early on AMC+, beginning August 15.

Official Trailer  Official Teaser

Additionally, as part of TWDU.com’s “11 Weeks of TWD” where each week leading up to the Season 11 premiere on August 22, a custom piece of artwork will be shared that looks back at significant moments from each season of the show’s decade-long run. The eighth piece of custom artwork is created by artist, designer and filmmaker Micheline Pitt, and can be viewed here.

AMC will drop new reveals – photos, trailers and more – every Thursday counting down to the Season 11 premiere of The Walking Dead on Sunday, August 22 at 9pm ET/8pm CT. All 11A episodes will air one week early on AMC+, beginning August 15.

Khary Payton

In addition to portraying King Ezekiel on AMC’s The Walking Dead, Khary Payton has become synonymous with one of DC’s hottest heroes, Cyborg, having voiced the character for 17 years in numerous television series, DVM’s, games, and the 2018 critically acclaimed theatrical release of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, based on the number one cartoon series Teen Titans Go! Payton reprised his role of Aqualad and is taking on the new role of Black Lightning in the fan and critically acclaimed series, Young Justice: Outsiders, which premiered on DCUniverse.com earlier this year. Other current voice over roles include laser specialist Wasabi in Disney’s Big Hero 6: The Series; Grimlock in Transformers: Robots in Disguise; and Rafiki in Disney’s The Lion Guard. Payton also voices in the video games The Sims; Reigel in Starcraft; Drebin in Metal Gear Solid; Azrael and Killer Croc in the Batman: Arkham franchise; and Knox from Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. Born in Augusta, Georgia, Payton caught the acting bug after seeing a production of Cyrano De Bergerac in the 1st grade. As a teenager, he developed a local rep as a rapper and stand-up comic, sharing the stage with such notables as Tom Kenney and Chris Rock. Payton attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, studying acting and directing. He stayed in Texas for several years honing his craft in classical and experimental theatre before moving to Hollywood. Payton co-wrote, produced, and starred in the independent sci-fi feature, Astronaut: The Last Push, winning 13 awards on the film festival circuit, including Best In Show at the Independent Filmmakers Showcase and Fargo Film Festivals. Payton took home three awards for Best Actor.

Callan McAuliffe

In addition to his regular series role as Alden on The Walking Dead, Callan McAuliffe can be seen in the feature film Summer Night, opposite Justin Chatwin, Analeigh Tipton, and Victoria Justice, for writer/director, Joseph Cross. McAuliffe was discovered by director Rob Reiner, who hand-picked him to play the romantic lead in the Warner Bros. feature film Flipped. This was followed by roles in DreamWorks’ sci-fi adventure I Am Number Four and Warner Bros.’ The Great Gatsby, as the teenage Jay Gatsby to Leonardo DiCaprio’s adult role. McAuliffe went on to work in the crime-drama film Kite, with Samuel L. Jackson; appeared in Underground: The Julian Assange Story; and starred in the U.K. feature Robot Overlords, with Sir Ben Kingsley. More recently he appeared in The Stanford Prison Experiment for director Kyle Patrick Alvarez, as part of an ensemble including Ezra Miller, Billy Crudup, and Thomas Mann. McAuliffe’s many accolades include recognition as Break Out actor by The Toronto International Film Festival for his lead role in the coming-of-age film Beneath the Harvest Sky, where he starred alongside Emory Cohen; and winning the Young Artist Award for his role as the aforementioned young Gatsby. Additionally, McAuliffe is among the youngest winners of GQ Magazine’s Man of The Year Award for Breakthrough of the Year, presented to him for his work in the performing arts in 2012-2013. Outside of his theatrical career, McAuliffe has also volunteered his time to a list of meaningful charities. Always interested in staying true to his Australian roots, McAuliffe became the youngest Ambassador for Tourism Australia for the Friends of Australia Campaign. The Friends of Australia Campaign include some of the most globally influential voices that have a genuine affinity with Australia. McAuliffe also holds a highly regarded position as a UNICEF Ambassador. Besides his film career and philanthropic efforts, McAuliffe has also added the title of Author to his resume. His first fictional book, The Hill Ghost, is a story that recounts the adventures between two unlikely friends, an old Tibetan Mastiff dog and a delusional seagull.

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The Walking Dead poster

DVD Review of “Blue Bloods: The Eleventh Season”

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TV Review!

Blue Bloods: The Eleventh Season

“Blue Bloods: The Eleventh Season” Review by Suzanne 8/14/21

This is always a good family soap opera. It’s also a cop show, but that’s incidental, in a way. The family in this show really could work anywhere. What makes the show interesting is how they relate to one another in their working-class, New York City way. Tom Selleck is the alpha male in his pack, but he’s also a loving father and grandfather.

Even after eleven seasons, they don’t seem to run out of ideas for stories. In part, that’s because the cast is so large. There’s always more to tell about the Reagan clan. They introduced a new family member this year: Joe Hill, son of the late Joe Reagan.

It’s no surprise that the show’s demographics are older and more conservative.  However, the show does not shy away from discussing today’s issues, particularly those that involve the police. This season they argue about police brutality.

The DVD has deleted scenes and two features: “The Story of the Reagans: Season 11” and “Shades of Blue.” It would make a great gift for anyone who is fond of the police or Tom Selleck (especially those over 60).

Buy This DVD!

Blue Bloods: The Eleventh Season

Street Date: August 17

Format: DVD

Description: Blue Bloods follows the Reagans, an Irish-American Catholic family in New York City with a history of work in law enforcement. Starring Tom Selleck as NYC Police Commissioner Frank Reagan, the cast also includes Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes, and Len Cariou. Shot on location in New York City, the series has been praised for its performances, especially from Selleck, and has premiered to millions of viewers each season since it began in 2011.

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some of "Blue Bloods" cast

Interviews with HULU stars at 2021 TCA Summer Press Tour

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TV Interview!

Michael Keaton and Rosario Dawson of "Dopesick" on HULU

HULU’s Summer 2021 TCA Press Tour by Suzanne 8/6/21

Last week, HULU hosted their TCA Press Tour for three new shows, and one returning show.

First was “Dopesick,” a new drama about the opioid crisis. Based on a book by Beth Macy, the story follows a few different groups involved in the crisis. Legendary actor Michael Keaton is a small town Virginia doctor, Dr. Finnix, who is told by a young drug sales man, Billy (Will Poulter), that this new opioid Oxycontin is not addictive, so he starts prescribing it to his patients (and eventually to himself). Many of his patients are miners, including young Betsy (Kaitlyn Dever).  Rosario Dawson (“The Mandalorian”) plays a tough DEA agent who starts noticing how many people are addicted to opioids and committing crimes in towns where there previously was no crime. Billy and the other salespeople are lied to by the company, PurduePharma, that the drug isn’t addictive, and they’re given many strategies with which to win over the doctors, as well as pitted against each other to make more sales and be more aggressive. PurduePharma, run by the Sackler Family (especially ambitious Richard Sackler, played by Michael Stuhlbarg), uses everything they can to get sales up, thinking that this drug is going to cure pain (and lying about it in the process). Meanwhile, local law enforcement try to investigate and build a case against PurduePharma. It’s a gripping and sad story but also educational

The story was developed by Danny Strong (“Empire”). Strong and Keaton are executive producers on the show. The panel we saw had Strong and many of the cast: Keaton, Poulter, Dawson, Dever, Stuhlbarg, Peter Sarsgaard and John Hoogenakker. Many of the cast members knew people affected by the opioid crisis. Hoogenakker grew up in North Carolina – one of the places hit hard. Keaton grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania.

Dawson read the original book as well as several others to get a feel for the crisis and how it worked. Strong talked about how the story had so much information, particular with regards to the “lying, manipulation and influence peddling,” and as Hoogenakker added, “the lengths that the company went to to stigmatize the people dealing with the addiction that they created.”

Everyone connected to the production clearly took the subject matter and the story seriously and felt a great responsibility to do by it. Having watched a few of the episodes, I believe they did.

One thing I really loved, being a fan of Michael Keaton in “Batman” (and his many other movies, of course), was when Rosario Dawson referred to him as “my forever Batman!”  That was great – especially since she’s been in so many Marvel and DC movies and shows. Make sure you check out this 8-part miniseries when it premieres October 13, 2021. I watched the first half of it and it’s really compelling.

“Only Murders In the Building” is the best of the HULU shows that were covered, and you can find that one here.

"Nine Perfect Strangers" on HULU

This is a weird drama with some comedy in it. Of course, with cast members like Melissa McCarthy and Bobby Cannavale, it’s hardly going to be completely serious.  The show is about a group of messed-up people that go to an exclusive resort called Tranquillum. They soon learn that the resort’s hostess/owner, Masha (Nicole Kidman), has picked each of them carefully to fit in with her ideas for the resort.

I don’t want to give too much away about the show or its characters. Masha, has her own dark past that sometimes haunts her. Melissa McCarthy’s Francis is a romance novelist whose latest book has been rejected. Tony (Cannavale) abuses pain killers because of a knee injury. Lars (Luke Evans) is a gay journalist who wants to investigate the resort.  One character is recovering from a divorce; another one from a breakup; a family is recovering from a teen death. A couple no longer has sex and wonders if they should stay together.

Masha gives them special diets and therapy, but she also does other things without telling them, which is what makes the show interesting. Each of them has a secret that we learn as the show progresses.  Some shocking things happen. It’s very interesting. Some may find it self-indulgent because it involves mostly rich people with problems. I think it’s compelling. It’s never boring.

Our panel boasted Kidman, McCarthy, Connavale, Regina Hall, writer/creator David E. Kelley, and executive producers Bruna Papandrea, Per Saari and Jonathan Levine. Various press members asked them questions about the characters and this “wellness” retreat. The actors related that even though they were acting, the questions they were asked in the show and the therapies they went through did make them think a little bit more about their places in the world – particularly one where they all had to lie down in a shallow “grave.”

Kidman and McCarthy were asked about their experiences doing both movies and TV shows. Neither actress felt that they were all that different. TV is just longer and gives you more opportunity to develop the character.  There was a lot of joking around between the actors and producers.

When filming the show, the actors all flew out to Australia and were quarantined there last year. They filmed at a beautiful place called Byron Bay for six months. They said that nature frequently interfered with filming, such as ants, birds and koalas. Hall shared that many Australian koalas have chlamydia (this is true).

Nicole Kidman kept talking about how the show is “trippy and crazy” and it’s hard to define exactly what it is. Well, It is a bit trippy, but I’ve seen much stranger shows. The show is a drama, for sure, but the characters do some unexpected things. It has elements of a thriller. She was asked about creating her character, who is German and American (and speaks seven languages). Her accent in the show is very different from her native Australian accent.

If you like a good drama that’s also fun, weird, and has unexpected surprises, check this one out.

Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult in "The Great"

“The Great” is returning for season 2 Friday, November 19. I haven’t watched it yet, but it looks funny. It’s apparently a comedy-drama loosely based on the life of Empress Catherine II (AKA “Catherine The Great”), played by Elle Fanning, who wed Emperor Peter III (played by Nicholas Hoult). Season One was where we learned about them and how they got married. He had a mistress, and Catherine tried to kill him, but that didn’t work out. In Season Two, Peter and Catherine get more deeply involved, and she gets pregnant. More Info

Fanning, Hoult and executive producers Tony McNamara and Marian Macgowan were in attendance at our panel. McNamara created the show.  When asked about how the show is created with historical characters, MacGowan replied that they really have three aspects of the show: “a bit of history, a bit of what’s fun to do and a bit of the characters themselves and the stories.”  However, they did see humor in the characters because Catherine (the real person) was funny and had a lot of fun at parties.

Another reporter asked McNamara how many seasons he thinks the show should last, but he doesn’t really think about it that way. He just takes it from one season to the next.  Fanning and Hoult revealed that they do a lot of laughing on the show while filming because it’s so funny.  They were asked about costuming. Fanning’s character is pregnant for a lot of this season, so she discussed her fake “baby bump, ” which was “hot at times.” Both actors love the costumes and find them very fun to wear. Hoult said, “I found that costume-wise … very liberating in many ways and what Sharon designed were really fun costumes, my favorite being what Peter has designed for the baby shower that he throws, kind of a surprise baby shower party, which you mentioned earlier is all kind of shades of baby pink, and blue, and yellow with plumes of feathers and a nice little dress.  So that’s something to look forward to this season.”

They were also asked about how they use the F word so much (mostly for humor) and whether COVID stopped them from doing intimated scenes. They do a lot of testing, so that wasn’t a factor. I enjoyed the press call. I will watch the show one day. I tried to watch the screener they had set up for us, but unfortunately, I had trouble understanding it because of their accents. There’s no closed-captioning on the screeners. I’m not deaf, but sometimes I have trouble hearing the words through accents.

MORE INFO:

The new HULU shows

Hulu Presents Upcoming Original Series ‘Dopesick,’ ‘The Great’ Season Two, ‘Only Murders In The Building’ And ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ At The 2021 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour

August 6, 2021

Company Greenlights Comedy Series ‘This Fool’ Created By and Starring Comedian Chris Estrada and Expands Unscripted True Crime Collection With New Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’  and Docuseries ‘Captive Audience’

Premiere Dates Revealed for ‘Dopesick,’ Second Seasons of ‘The Great’ and ‘Animaniacs,’ as well as the Fall Foodie Lineup of Unscripted Series—Including ‘Baker’s Dozen,’ ‘The Next Thing You Eat’  and a Special Holiday Edition of the Award-Winning ‘Taste The Nation,’ Debuting Thursdays

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Aug. 6, 2021) — Today, during the Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour, Hulu presented the company’s lineup of upcoming original programming, including the highly anticipated new drama series “Dopesick,” starring Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rosario Dawson; the second season of acclaimed, Emmy®-nominated comedy series “The Great,” starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult; new comedy series “Only Murders in the Building,” starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez; and “Nine Perfect Strangers,” the latest limited series from executive producer David E. Kelley and starring and executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy—all of which join the company’s collection of premium original content.

The company also announced a series order for the new Hulu Original comedy series “This Fool,” inspired by the life of up-and-coming comedian Chris Estrada, in which he will also write, star and executive produce. Additionally, the highly successful Hulu Originals true-crime collection expands with two new titles announced today—documentary “Dead Asleep” from award-winning director Skye Borgman and “Captive Audience,” a docuseries which explores the evolution of true-crime storytelling through the lens of one family’s journey.

“Breaking out new and distinct voices continues to be a hallmark of Hulu Original programming, and we are incredibly excited to add Chris Estrada to our roster of multihyphenate creators and to bring ‘This Fool’ to our viewers,” said Craig Erwich, president Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment.

Adding, “Looking ahead, we could not be more proud of the lineup of event series coming to Hulu through the end of the year and beyond. Led by the debut of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ from the brilliant David E. Kelley and a truly all-star cast, and ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which marks a return to television for Selena Gomez and two comedic giants—Steve Martin and Martin Short—as well as the incredibly timely ‘Dopesick,’ the return of acclaimed comedy series ‘The Great,’ and a rapidly expanding slate of conversation-worthy unscripted series and documentaries, Hulu viewers will have access to many of the best shows coming to television this fall.”

With 41.6 million total subscribers across live and SVOD as of April 3, 2021, Hulu has gained remarkable momentum over the past year, with the streamer recently earning 25 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series, 10 Golden Globe® nominations across five titles, four SAG Award nominations, six WGA Award nominations and seven NAACP Image Award nominations.

Hulu Greenlights Comedy Series “This Fool”

“This Fool” centers on Julio Lopez, a self-described “punk-ass bitch” who still lives at home and goes out of his way to help everyone but himself. Inspired by the life and stand-up comedy of star and co-creator Chris Estrada, this cinematic half-hour comedy explores Julio’s work at a gang-rehabilitation non-profit and his quest to overcome his codependency issues with his family as he navigates working-class life in South Central Los Angeles.

“This Fool” is written and executive produced by Chris Estrada, Pat Bishop, Jake Weisman and Matt Ingebretson. Jonathan Groff and Fred Armisen also serve as executive producers on the series. The series is produced by ABC Signature.

Hulu Expands Unscripted True Crime Collection With New Documentary “Dead Asleep” and Docuseries “Captive Audience”

“Dead Asleep”

In a ground-breaking new spin on the true-crime genre, the documentary film “Dead Asleep,” produced in association with Sky Crime, flips the traditional thriller narrative to explore a deeper and more troubling mystery: Did a remorseful Randy Herman Jr. really commit a brutal murder in his sleep, or was it a convenient cover story? Pulse Films has secured exclusive access to Herman and his family, the defense and prosecution attorneys, journalists who covered the case, forensic psychiatrists and world experts in violent parasomnia (sleep-walking) to give viewers an inside look at the shocking twists and turns of the controversial crime.

A Pulse Films production, “Dead Asleep” is directed by award-winner Skye Borgman, who is also behind the critically acclaimed documentary “Abducted In Plain Sight” and recently worked with Pulse Films on their Oxygen special “The Case Died With Her.” For Pulse Films, executive producers include Marisa Clifford, Nelesh Dhand and Sunshine Jackson. For Sky U.K., Jack Oliver and Poppy Dixon will also serve as executive producers.

“Captive Audience”

In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner mysteriously vanished on his way home from school. Nearly a decade later, his dramatic return to his family sparked ‘80s-era “stranger danger” warnings, legal reforms and one iconic Made-For-TV-Movie2, in which the family’s ordeal was transformed into a prime-time miniseries watched by 70 million Americans. When the credits rolled and the movie ended, it closed one tragic chapter of the family’s life but opened another.

This limited documentary series explores the evolution of true-crime storytelling through the lens of one family’s 50-year journey and two brothers; one deemed a villain and the other a hero. It’s about how truth becomes story and story becomes truth—on TV, in the justice system and in our minds.

“Captive Audience” is directed by Jessica Dimmock (Netflix’s “Flint Town” and “Unsolved Mysteries”) and produced by Wonderburst and High Five Content. It is executive produced by Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Jen Casey and Andrew Jacobs, along with Mike Larocca, Todd Makurath, Nick Gilhool and Peter Rieveschl.

Hulu Reveals Premiere Dates for “Dopesick,” Second Seasons of “The Great” and “Animaniacs,” and a Collection of New Series Fare For Foodies—“Baker’s Dozen,” “The Next Thing You Eat” and “Taste The Nation: Holiday Edition”—to Debut Thursdays This Fall

“Dopesick” – Series Premiere, Wednesday, Oct. 13

From executive producer Danny Strong and starring and executive produced by Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” examines how one company triggered the worst drug epidemic in American history. The series takes viewers to the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Big Pharma to a distressed Virginia mining community to the hallways of the DEA. Defying all the odds, heroes will emerge in an intense and thrilling ride to take down the craven corporate forces behind this national crisis and their allies. The limited series is inspired by the New York Times bestselling book by Beth Macy.

The eight-episode series stars Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg, Will Poulter, John Hoogenakker, with Kaitlyn Dever and Rosario Dawson. Guest stars include Phillipa Soo and Jake McDorman.

“Dopesick” is written by Emmy-winner Danny Strong (“Empire,” “Recount,” “Game Change”) and directed by Oscar®-winner Barry Levinson (“Paterno,” “Rain Man”). Executive producers for “Dopesick” include Strong, John Goldwyn (“Dexter”), Keaton, Levinson, Warren Littlefield (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Fargo,” “The Old Man”), Beth Macy (“Dopesick”) and Karen Rosenfelt (“Twilight”).

“The Great” – Season Two Premiere, Friday, Nov. 19

In season two of “The Great,” Catherine finally takes the Russian throne for her own—but if she thought coup-ing her husband was difficult, it’s nothing compared to the realities of liberating a country that doesn’t want to be. She’ll battle her court, her team, even her own mother (played by guest star Gillian Anderson) in a bid to bring the Enlightenment to Russia. Meanwhile, she’ll also battle her heart as Peter slowly transitions from a much-hated husband to a prisoner? Ally? Lover? Ultimately, Catherine will learn that to change a country, you must let it change you, that there is a fine line between idealism and delusion, and that becoming “Great” will ask more of her than she could have imagined.

The series stars Elle Fanning as Catherine, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, Adam Godley, Gwilym Lee, Charity Wakefield, Douglas Hodge, Sacha Dhawan, Bayo Gbadamosi and Belinda Bromilow.

“The Great” is created, written and executive produced by Tony McNamara and executive produced by Marian Macgowan, Mark Winemaker, Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Echo Lake’s Brittany Kahan Ward, Doug Mankoff and Andrew Spaulding, Thruline’s Josh Kesselman and Ron West, and Matt Shakman. The project is produced by Civic Center Media in association with MRC Television.

“Animaniacs” – Season Two Premiere, Friday, Nov. 5

Hellloooo, season two! Hulu, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation have joined forces once again to bring you “Animaniacs.” This Emmy Award-winning animated series—and one of Hulu’s all-time most talked-about shows on social media—returns with 13 brand new episodes on Friday, Nov. 5.

Yakko, Wakko and Dot return for an all-new season of this iconic, family-friendly series with something for everyone: pop culture parodies, musical showstoppers, takedowns of historical baddies and even some important safety tips. Join the Warners and Pinky and the Brain as they wreak havoc everywhere they go, from the Warner Bros. lot to an international beauty pageant, even all the way into outer space. Keep an eye out for season one favorites Starbox and Cindy, as well as some rejected Animaniacs characters that were left on the cutting room floor.

Steven Spielberg returns as executive producer of the series, with Sam Register, president, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. Amblin Television co-presidents, Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey, also serve as executive producers. Wellesley Wild serves as showrunner and executive producer. Gabe Swarr serves as co-executive producer. “Animaniacs” is produced by Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Animation.

“Baker’s Dozen” – Series Premiere, Thursday, Oct. 7

Passionate amateur bakers will go head-to-head with seasoned professionals in each episode of “Baker’s Dozen.” Join hosts Tamera Mowry-Housley (Emmy-award winning host of “The Real,” FOX’s “The Masked Singer” and Hallmark’s “Christmas Comes Twice”) and Bill Yosses (author and former White House Pastry Chef) for this fast-paced competition series that will determine the best baker of all! Which of the 13 bakers has what it takes to create the next viral baking sensation, win the golden rolling pin and take home the cash prize?

“Baker’s Dozen” is executive produced by Sandy Varo Jarrell, Suzanne Rauscher, Justin Rae Barnes, Tara Seiner and Scott Mlodzinski for Bright Spot Content, an All3Media America company.

“The Next Thing You Eat” – Series Premiere, Thursday, Oct. 21

From chef David Chang and Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville, “The Next Thing You Eat” is a six-episode docuseries that explores the seismic changes happening all around us and what they mean for the way we’ll eat in the future. Chang and a diverse cast of characters dive headfirst into what lies ahead, including everything from robots, to lab-grown fish, to insect farms, to artificial intelligence calling all the shots.

Executive produced by the creators of the Emmy®-nominated “Ugly Delicious,” with showrunner Dominic Musacchio

“Taste the Nation: Holiday Edition” – Season Premiere, Thursday, Nov. 4

In “Taste the Nation,” award-winning host, executive producer and cookbook author Padma Lakshmi, who recently received her third Emmy nomination, takes audiences on a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups and seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today. From indigenous communities to recent immigrant arrivals, Padma breaks bread with Americans across the nation to uncover the roots and relationship between our food, our humanity and our history—ultimately revealing stories that challenge notions of identity, belonging, and what it means to be American.

“Taste the Nation” returns this fall for a special four-part “Holiday Edition,” where each episode will highlight unique traditions through the lens of different immigrant cultures and cities, like Korean New Year in Los Angeles and Cuban Christmas in Miami.

“Taste the Nation: Holiday Edition” is executive produced by Padma Lakshmi along with Part2 Pictures’ David Shadrack Smith.

ABOUT HULU

Hulu is the leading premium streaming service offering live and on-demand TV and movies, with and without commercials, both in and outside the home. As part of Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution segment, Hulu is the only service that gives viewers instant access to current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network; libraries of hit TV series and films; and acclaimed Hulu Originals like Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning series The Handmaid’s Tale and The Act; Golden Globe Award-winning, Emmy Award-nominated and Peabody-winning series Ramy; and Emmy Award-nominated series Pen15alongside hit series Little Fires Everywhere from Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, Normal People, The Great, Hillary and Solar Opposites; Oscar® and Emmy nominated documentary film Minding the Gap, Golden Globe-Award winning and Oscar-nominated The United States Vs. Billie Holiday, and critically acclaimed Hulu Original films Palm Springs, Run and Happiest Season. The service also streams live news, entertainment and sports from 20th Television, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Discovery Networks – available all in one place. Upcoming Original releases include true-crime-inspired comedy Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez and the book-to-screen adaptation of Nine Perfect Strangers starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy.

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The major stars in our HULU TCA Summer Press Tour

Interview with “Only Murders in the Building” stars

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Interview!

Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez in "Only Murders in the Building"

Interview with actors from “Only Murders in the Building” on HULU by Suzanne 8/6/21

HULU invited me to their Summer TCA Press Tour. I really enjoyed all five panels I attended, but this one was my favorite because it was the best show of the bunch.  I really loved it — It’s funny and has an intriguing mystery drama as well as an excellent cast.

I grew up watching Steve Martin (“Father of the Bride” and “Pink Panther” movies) and Martin Short (“Schmigadoon!”) on TV and in the movies (especially on “Saturday Night Live” and “SCTV” while I was in high school). It was quite an honor to see them via Zoom and to be able to speak with them (albeit briefly). Singing sensation/actress Selena Gomez is also a huge star. Even I’ve heard of  her, and I’m not in the key demographics of her fans. They all do a wonderful job on this show.

“Only Murders In the Building” is about a murder that happens in a large New York City building where these three (and many others) live. They start trying to solve the murder and make a podcast out of it. Steve Martin plays a quiet, former TV actor, Charlie.  Martin Short plays a chatty, washed-up Broadway director, Oliver.  Selena Gomez plays a young woman, Mabel, who’s renovating her aunt’s apartment. None of them have a lot of friends, but of course they do have a lot of secrets, which makes things even more interesting.

Other members of the cast include Nathan Lane, Sting, Aaron Dominguez, and Amy Ryan.

Unfortunately, they didn’t let us record the interview, so I can’t share it with you. It’s a shame because Martin and Short were really hilarious (as you might expect). The panel included actors and executive producers Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, along with executive producers John Hoffman and Dan Fogelman. Steve Martin is also credited as co-creator and wrote one of the episodes. Dan Fogelman created “This Is Us” and writes that show as well.

In the show, Nathan Lane and Martin Short have many funny exchanges. In one of them, Oliver is trying to convince Lane’s character that he should invest in their podcast. Oliver says something about how he was young the last time he lost his money, so Lane’s character retorts, “You were 58!” and then a little bit later, Oliver says again that he was young, and Lane’s character points out, “You were pushing 60!”  Now, I laughed at that, even though I’m turning 60 later this year. So, when they let me ask my question of the panel, I told them that I forgive them for making 60 seem old… I was very pleased when they laughed at my joke. I’ve made two amazing, legendary comedians laugh, so now I can die. There’s probably nothing in my life that will top that! 😉

I also asked Gomez about acting in the show, which is her first adult TV series. I asked her to compare this one with her old Disney shows, such as “Hannah Montana” and “The Wizards of Waverly Place.” She said that she couldn’t compare them because back then, she was just so young and had no idea what she was doing. Now she just tries to soak up as much as she can from these great actors, like a sponge.

I was going to make a joke about how we had two of the “Three Amigos!” together again, but someone else mentioned that movie, so I didn’t bother.

Steve Martin revealed that he is a fan of “true crime” shows, and that’s part of how the show was created. Martin Short said that he enjoyed how different the three of them were. They had “different energies” because he generally plays it very broadly, and Steve Martin is very understated, and Selena Gomez has a very dry delivery. They were very excited to get the many stars they have, such as Sting, Amy Ryan and Nathan Lane. Martin Short also disclosed that Sting did some ad-libbing in his scenes in the elevator with Short’s character, Oliver.

On a serious note, Martin and Short complimented each other when answering the question about how they work so well together after all these years. They said that neither one is neurotic, and they’re not competitive with each other. Gomez praised their type of comedy, which is not very dark or or crass (like a lot of humor today). She also admitted that she’s not sure if she’s a very good actor, saying “I have to be honest, I don’t know if I’m a good actor. I just do my job. And I just really hope that I can live up to, you know, these incredible people.”  Steve Martin disagreed with her on that: “When Selena’s on screen, the show is suddenly elevated. It’s more mysterious, it’s more interesting. There’s an old cliché, the camera loves her. And I would say the camera likes me, and it’s fine with Marty.”

Martin and Short have been together for a long time as friends and co-workers. They have a comedy tour and were thinking of doing another movie when this project came up. They’re thrilled to be doing it again. Short called it, “A delightful surprise.”  It definitely is that for those of us watching this great show.

MORE INFO:

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING
Premiere Date: August 31, 2021 (weekly release)
Date Announcement Teaser: HERE

Synopsis: From the minds of Steve Martin, Dan Fogelman and John Hoffman comes a comedic murder-mystery series for the ages. “Only Murders in the Building” follows three strangers (Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez) who share an obsession with true crime and suddenly find themselves wrapped up in one. When a grisly death occurs inside their exclusive Upper West Side apartment building, the trio suspects murder and employs their precise knowledge of true crime to investigate the truth. As they record a podcast of their own to document the case, the three unravel the complex secrets of the building which stretch back years. Perhaps even more explosive are the lies they tell one another. Soon, the endangered trio comes to realize a killer might be living amongst them as they race to decipher the mounting clues before it’s too late.

Cast: The series stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Aaron Dominguez and Amy Ryan.

Credits: “Only Murders in the Building” hails from co-creators and writers Steve Martin and John Hoffman (“Grace & Frankie,” “Looking”). Martin and Hoffman will executive produce along with Martin Short, Selena Gomez, Jamie Babbitt, “This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman and Jess Rosenthal.

HULU PRESENTS UPCOMING ORIGINAL SERIES ‘DOPESICK,’ ‘THE GREAT’ SEASON TWO, ‘ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING’ AND ‘NINE PERFECT STRANGERS’ AT THE 2021 TELEVISION CRITICS ASSOCIATION SUMMER PRESS TOUR

Company Greenlights Comedy Series ‘This Fool’ Created By and Starring Comedian Chris Estrada and Expands Unscripted True Crime Collection With New Documentary ‘Dead Asleep’  and Docuseries ‘Captive Audience’

Premiere Dates Revealed for ‘Dopesick,’ Second Seasons of ‘The Great’ and ‘Animaniacs,’ as well as the Fall Foodie Lineup of Unscripted Series—Including ‘Baker’s Dozen,’ ‘The Next Thing You Eat’  and a Special Holiday Edition of the Award-Winning ‘Taste The Nation,’ Debuting Thursdays 

 SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Aug. 6, 2021) — Today, during the Television Critics Association’s Summer Press Tour, Hulu presented the company’s lineup of upcoming original programming, including the highly anticipated new drama series “Dopesick,” starring Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rosario Dawson; the second season of acclaimed, Emmy®-nominated comedy series “The Great,” starring Elle Fanning and Nicholas Hoult; new comedy series “Only Murders in the Building,” starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez; and “Nine Perfect Strangers,” the latest limited series from executive producer David E. Kelley and starring and executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy—all of which join the company’s collection of premium original content.

The company also announced a series order for the new Hulu Original comedy series “This Fool,” inspired by the life of up-and-coming comedian Chris Estrada, in which he will also write, star and executive produce. Additionally, the highly successful Hulu Originals true-crime collection expands with two new titles announced today—documentary “Dead Asleep” from award-winning director Skye Borgman and “Captive Audience,” a docuseries which explores the evolution of true-crime storytelling through the lens of one family’s journey.

“Breaking out new and distinct voices continues to be a hallmark of Hulu Original programming, and we are incredibly excited to add Chris Estrada to our roster of multihyphenate creators and to bring ‘This Fool’ to our viewers,” said Craig Erwich, president Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment.

Adding, “Looking ahead, we could not be more proud of the lineup of event series coming to Hulu through the end of the year and beyond. Led by the debut of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ from the brilliant David E. Kelly and a truly all-star cast, and ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which marks a return to television for Selena Gomez and two comedic giants—Steve Martin and Martin Short—as well as the incredibly timely ‘Dopesick,’ the return of acclaimed comedy series ‘The Great,’ and a rapidly expanding slate of conversation-worthy unscripted series and documentaries, Hulu viewers will have access to many of the best shows coming to television this fall.”

With 41.6 million total subscribers across live and SVOD as of April 3, 2021, Hulu has gained remarkable momentum over the past year, with the streamer recently earning 25 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series, 10 Golden Globe® nominations across five titles, four SAG Award nominations, six WGA Award nominations and seven NAACP Image Award nominations.

ABOUT HULU

Hulu is the leading premium streaming service offering live and on-demand TV and movies, with and without commercials, both in and outside the home. As part of Disney’s Media and Entertainment Distribution segment, Hulu is the only service that gives viewers instant access to current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network; libraries of hit TV series and films; and acclaimed Hulu Originals like Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning series The Handmaid’s Taleand The Act; Golden Globe Award-winning, Emmy Award-nominated and Peabody-winning series Ramy; and Emmy Award-nominated series Pen15 alongside hit series Little Fires Everywhere from Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, Normal People, The Great, Hillary and Solar Opposites; Oscar® and Emmy nominated documentary film Minding the Gap, Golden Globe-Award winning and Oscar-nominated The United States Vs. Billie Holiday, and critically acclaimed Hulu Original films Palm Springs, Run and Happiest Season. The service also streams live news, entertainment and sports from 20th Television, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Discovery Networks – available all in one place. Upcoming Original releases include true-crime-inspired comedy Only Murders in the Building starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez and the book-to-screen adaptation of Nine Perfect Strangers starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy.

Interviews with HULU stars at 2021 TCA Summer Press Tour

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Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez in "Only Murders in the Building"

Interview with Kelley Kali and Deon Cole

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Interview!

 

Kelley Kali and Deon Cole of "I'm Fine, Thanks for Asking."

Interview with Kelley Kali and Deon Cole of the movie “I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking) by Suzanne 7/27/21

This was a fun interview! These two are so talented and amiable. We had a great time chatting. I look forward to Kelley’s next film, too. She’s a DGA winner, and he stars in two ABC shows, along with being a hard-working standup comic.

Video of our chat!

Suzanne:   I watched it last night. I enjoyed it. I liked how you made us really feel what she was going through, how she was hot, tired, and having a bad day and worried, and all that made me anxious to watch it. I was like, “Sell the ring! Sell the ring!”

Kelley:   I know, right?

Suzanne:   “Don’t do that!” But that I’m glad the way it turned out.

Kelley:   Thank you so much for saying that.

Suzanne:   I don’t– I don’t watch a lot of independent movies, because so many of them are sad and depressing and boring, but I liked yours so much.

Kelley:   Good. Thank you. We tried to have a balance of that indie sad, depressing, but this is why Deon’s here, because he brought the funny to it.

Then, even the characters, like Brooklynn’s character, [she’s also] one of Deon’s closest friends, so, you know, he brought her along, and so he definitely was the light in the storytelling of serious social matters.

Suzanne:   Yeah. No, it was nice and positive. I like that. I’m more of a popcorn movie person. Marvel, Star Wars, Harry Potter.

Kelley:   Good choices.

Suzanne:   But I enjoyed it. I loved the dream sequence and what you did with that, because I’m watching going, “There’re really big holes of water there…?” and you had me. You got me.

Kelley:   The greatest parts to wake people up, and it’s a great metaphor to show that she’s drowning in so much trouble that she’s trying to get through and just to protect her daughter’s innocence.

Suzanne:   Right, and it really does grab you in the, “Oh my gosh, what’s gonna happen next, if she loses her money and the ring and all that stuff? Is she gonna drown?” So, I like that. And it really showed LA really well, too. I love that. It was almost like LA was another character in the movie.

Kelley:   It was, yeah; that city is where I grew up. It’s a suburb of LA, in San Fernando Valley, Pacoima, and so it was also just paying homage to a town that helped raise me.

And even Danny Trejo, the actor, is from that town. So, that’s why we named the character Danny. We even are featuring his mural, because he’s just one of the one of the many artists have come from that city that represent that town very well.

Suzanne:   Right. Yeah, I noticed his face on the mural. So that explains why you set it in Pacoima. I’m from San Diego, but I didn’t know. I had heard of Pacoima, but that was about it. I actually thought it was in Washington State. I’m like, “Wait, that’s LA.”

Kelley:   It was also our resource, because we were shooting during a pandemic and had to find places we could film safely, and so, I just used my hometown. My dad was a pastor there. So, I was really connected to the community. In fact, where Deon pulls up [and] his character talks to me, that’s the steps of my church, the church that I was raised in where my dad was a pastor. So, when he says, “Are you are you a pastor?” I love it. It’s one of my favorite scenes.

Suzanne:   So, how did you come up with the idea for this film?

Kelley:   So, just, it was in the middle of the pandemic, the middle of 2020, I woke up, and was like, “I’ve got to do something,” because we weren’t allowed to do anything. And one of the things that I have been noticing is that there were a lot more women on the streets here in Los Angeles. You know, we already have a large homeless population, but this increase was due to houselessnes, which was a new term that I was learning. So, it just really showed how paycheck to paycheck we are as a society, [during] this pandemic. So, a lot more people ended up in their cars or sleeping on a friend’s couch or family member’s couch, or heaven forbid, in a tent, temporarily, while they were just getting back on their feet, because maybe they do have a job and maybe the job shut down or whatever it may be.

So, I went to my writing partner, Deon Cole, and went to my girls from USC, Angelique Molina, who’s my co-director; Roma Kong is producer, and then also our other producer, Capella [Fahoome], and we came up with this concept to reflect what we were going through during 2020 and what is even more prevalent now. There’re still so many people who are houseless currently.

Suzanne:   Yeah, I can’t even imagine what it must be like there. I grew up in poverty in San Diego, and I still have plenty of relatives who are in poverty. I had actually one who, before the pandemic, was camping with her husband – no children, thankfully, but she and her husband were camping all through LA and Bakersfield where they had lived in a car, basically. So, I know how that is. So, the film did remind me of those things and make me really feel it.

So, was Danny based on a particular person that you know or just…?

Kelley:   No, no, Danny was a reflection of the women I’ve seen on the street. So, there is one story, it’s not based on her, but one thing that really triggered me was I was actually driving to get a COVID test, and I got off on the 110 [accidentally]. It’s like you exit along the side of the overpass, and I saw this beautiful black woman who just looked like she came out of a business meeting, look perfectly put together, but had her suitcase and everything. And she was dragging this chain link fence, this old fence that was kind of laying around under the freeway, and boxing herself in, because it looked like she was about to stay there for the night. And I just couldn’t believe [it]. Like she didn’t look – you know how people are like, “Well, you don’t look homeless.” A lot of people don’t look [homeless], and that’s one of the things we talk about. We want the movie to reflect it or to evoke empathy for people, to let them see it, because you don’t know people’s stories. People have this concept of others on the street being lazy or like they put themselves there, and that’s not the case of the majority of the stories.

Suzanne:   And I assume you had a certain vision for the movie before you made it. Did the finished product live up to that ideal?

Kelley:   It was better, and that just comes from a team effort. This not just from my head. It just was a team. It was Deon watching it and giving notes and catching things that I didn’t see.

And then we’d go back to the editors. We had two editors, Angelica [Lopez] and Katie [McClellan], and just the input that they gave, because, you know, when Angelique, my co-director, and I are in the grind, you’re too much in it, and you need other eyes around you, other creative eyes, to help. And I just think, as a team, it became better than I could have even imagined.

Suzanne:   That’s great. And Deon, can you tell us how your role came about? Was it just like she said; she came to you and said, “I want to put a movie together?” And you said, “Sure,” ?

Deon:   Yeah, it was just another obstacle added as far as to heighten her decision making on what she needs to do for the character and just bringing lightness to a heavy situation. Yeah, basically, that was it.

Suzanne:   And can we assume that after Danny got her apartment that she went to her friend Brooklynn and told her all about running into Chad, I hope?

Kelley:   I don’t know. Does Danny kill Brooklynn’s joy? Does she just let it ride? I’m gonna leave it up to you to decide.

Suzanne:   Honesty, I would like to see a sequel all about Brooklynn and Chad.

Kelley:   Wouldn’t that be fun?

Suzanne:   Maybe a TV series. Get your own sitcom based on that. I would like that. That was so funny, that part.

And what was the most fun thing for either or both of you about doing the movie? I know it was a lot of work, but what was fun about it?

Kelley:   For me, it was the roller skating, because I’m obsessed with roller skating. So, although I was on skates for like, ten or more hours a day, every day, I just was having a blast. And my favorite part was, I had to bomb this hill. It’s in the opening credits. You can’t even really see the grade of the incline that it is, but it is extremely steep and dangerous. And we decided just to get the drone shot and bomb it, and it scared the crap out of my co-director, Angelique, and my producers. It was just fun seeing them freak out as I’m going this hill. They talk about to this day how traumatized they were, but thank God, I made it. No little pebbles or twigs got in the way.

Suzanne:   That’s right, because you weren’t wearing a helmet? Were you wearing protection?

Kelley:   I was in a half top and biker shorts, which wasn’t going to protect a thing. So, that’s why they call that hill Devil’s Hill, because it’s one of the hardest hills to go down.

Suzanne:   I’m surprised you got the insurance to sign off on that.

Kelley:   You know, sometimes you ask for forgiveness.

Suzanne:   What about you, Deon? What was fun for you?

Deon:   Like, waiting around, and us just laughing in between takes and just laughing in that situation and coming up with different ideas. And there was a lot of funny stuff that we didn’t use.

Kelley:   Oh, yeah.

Deon:   So, it was just fun creating all these different scenarios. You know, it was great.

Kelley:   Deon’s improv, it was so hard for me to keep a straight face [with] the stuff that he was saying to me on the steps. We could just cut a whole series of all of the stuff that he shouted out of that car, because we couldn’t put it all in there, but he was hilarious.

Suzanne:   That was all improv, that whole part?

Deon:   Yeah.

Suzanne:   Okay, and I was told the movie will be on BET, will it be in theaters as well, or just on BET?

Kelley:   It’s going to be in theaters at Film Festival. So, we’re going to Gina Davis’s Film Festival next week, and we’re going to be screening there in the theater on August 5th and virtually as well. So, if you want to check it out at the Bentonville Film Festival, but other than that, yeah, we’re going to be premiering on BET Her on August 7th.

Suzanne:   Okay, good. And do you have any other films that you’re working on, besides this one? Like are you’re thinking of one, or are you working on one already?

Kelley:   Well, we have one that we wrote together. It’s what we actually started with as writing partners, and then this one kind of just wiggled its way in again, but we have a script that we finished. It’s a pure comedy. It’s hilarious; it’s so hilarious. And it’s now with Macro, the producers of Judas and the Black Messiah, Sorry to Bother You, Mudbound, and all of that stuff. So, we’re working on getting that out, but Deon has a lot of other great things [coming] in.

Suzanne:   Yes, and that was my next question. You’re still on Black-ish and Grown-ish, right?

Deon:   Yes.

Suzanne:   And you have you have some other movies coming out. Have you started shooting Black-ish season eight yet?

Deon:   We start next week. We had a second table read yesterday, I think. And yeah, we start next week.

Suzanne:   Oh, cool. And you have some other movies coming out? Is there anything particular that you wanted to tell us about?

Deon:   Yeah, a movie on Netflix called The Harder They Fall. It’s coming out soon, probably in the fall. Yeah, that’s just about it right now.

Suzanne:   I watched some of your Netflix comedy special last night, that was funny.

Deon:   Thank you so much Yeah, I’m working on a new one now.

Suzanne:   Oh cool. And who would you say your comedy influences are?

Deon:   So many, from Eddie Murphy to Richard Pryor to [unintelligible] to Ellen DeGeneres to Steven Wright to George Carlin.

Suzanne:   Cool. That’s great. That’s probably why I thought it was funny. I grew up listening and watching all those people.

Deon:   Yeah, I [was influenced by] all of them.

Interview Transcribed by Jamie of http://www.scifivision.com

MORE INFO:

movie posterHere’s your chance to get in on one of the few critically lauded, award-winning feature films at the upcoming gems premiering on BET HER in a couple weeks, Saturday, August 7th at 7pm ET/PT, 6pm CT.  Filmmakers KELLEY KALI and DEON COLE (Black-ish star) talk about their critically lauded film, I’m Fine (Thanks for Asking).  The 2018 Oscar, DGA winning young director, Kelley Kali, also stars in this Pandemic-era indie along with Deon and we have them available together next Tuesday morning, JulyKelley Kali 27th (Pacific).

The important movie, which incorporates humor into the most important issue of our recent times, is as refreshing of a film seen you’ll see emphasizing a reason this early 30 year-old filmmaker has been kept an eye on by the biggest names in Hollywood over the past year. Add to the attraction the riveting Deon Cole, a truly authentic cast and a gifted crew to a compelling story which addresses issues within often marginalized communities by using the art of filmmaking to create dialogue and action towards positive change.

Deon Cole as Chad in "I'm Fine (Thanks for Asking)"Filmmaker Kelley Kali, one of the breakout talents in Hollywood, won the 2018 Academy Award for Best Film for her narrative short, Lalo’s House, and brought in  a number of talented filmmakers including co-director Angelique Molina, fellow USC Cinema School graduate Roma Kong as well as award-winning producer Capella Fahoome. Kelley developed the plot line of “I’m Fine (Thanks For Asking)”  looking around Los Angeles as the Covid crisis started to shutter businesses, diminish earnings and jeopardize so many single parents ability to pay rent and feed their families late last spring.  The storyline centers on a recently widowed mother who becomes homeless and convinces her 8-year-old daughter that they are only camping for fun while she works to get them off the streets.Variety Review

As the whole crew with this gem of a film rise to the apex of both Hollywood and the What To Watch at 2021 film festivals, we are certain coverage in wide-reaching outlets is a win-win. To see how brilliant some of the press has been, scroll belowto read a couple rave reviews or click on this recent interview with Kelley and Deon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGpn7KPsUcs

Read the review: https://tinyurl.com/ImFineVariety

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SXSW Review

Read the review: https://tinyurl.com/ImFineScreenDaily

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

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Deon Cole and Kelley Kali

Interview with Tracy Birdsall

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Interview!

 

Actress Tracey Birdsall

Interview with Tracy Birdsall of “I Think You Should Leave” and other movies/shows by Suzanne 7/21/21

I admit that I’d never heard of Tracy, or this weird little comedy show, before her publicist contacted me for an interview. Once I started viewing her other work, though, I could see that she’s been around a while and has done many movies and shows. We had a really nice chat.

Suzanne:   So, are you calling from LA?

Tracey:   I am.

Suzanne:   Okay. Cool. You’ve lived there pretty much most your life, right?

Tracey:   I have. Yeah, I mean, I’ve left; I followed projects, but I kind of always come back here. Yeah.

Suzanne:   That’s nice. Yeah, I’m from San Diego originally.

Tracey:   Oh, nice. I lived down there for a long time. I lived in Rancho Bernardo, it’s near Rancho Santa Fe.

Suzanne:   Oh, that’s a really nice area.

Tracey:   Yeah, it’s beautiful.

Suzanne:   I don’t have to tell you that. We always go back. We haven’t lived there in a long time, but we always go back to visit family and friends and everything. So, yeah, it’s so beautiful.

Tracey:   You kind of can’t beat that weather too. I mean, it’s it’s better than LA. You know, I mean, it’s spectacular.

Suzanne:   Yeah, it’s kind of ruined me, even though I’ve lived many other places.

Tracey:   Where are you at now?

Suzanne:   I’m in Arkansas right now.

Tracey:   Oh, wow, believe it or not, I have an uncle in Arkansas. I haven’t seen him since I was a teenager.

Suzanne:   What part, do you know?

Tracey:   I really don’t. I really don’t. Yeah, he moved there, and he hasn’t come back in a long time. It’s my mom’s baby brother, but I keep in touch with him on social media, I hate to say. You know, you do what you can.

Suzanne:   Right. It’s funny how many people say “Oh, I used to live in Arkansas,” or “I know somebody there.” It’s funny.

Tracey:   Yeah, he’s actually the only one I know, and it’s one of the few places I’ve never been.

Suzanne:   Oh, well, it’s very pretty here. You know, like most of the South, there’s lots of trees, so we get lots of rain and humidity.

Tracey:   And beautiful lakes. He’s sent us some beautiful pictures of some lakes and things like that. It’s a really spectacular place.

Suzanne:   Yeah, it does have a lot of pretty lakes; you’re right. Yeah, it’s beautiful here, and we live kind in a town, but it’s a small town. So, it’s kind of woodsy. So, it’s very pretty right around where I live. You can’t beat it.

Tracey:   Did you guys get a big influx of people when the pandemic hit?

Suzanne:   No, and, actually, this was a good place to be during the pandemic, because we didn’t –

Tracey:   That’s what I would think, yeah.

Suzanne:   It’s not my favorite place to live, because I’m a city girl, but it’s been really nice during the pandemic, I have to say, even though cases are up here now, I mean, the relative number of cases, you know, it’s nothing like being in a big city.

Tracey:   Yeah, I’m kind of in between. I’m just outside of LA. So, it’s like, I’m close enough where I can be in town in 15, 20 minutes, but little on the outskirts. I was in Malibu until the fires hit. I lived in the same house for 16 years, and I’m kind of a little off since then. It’s like I don’t really know what to settle into, you know?

Suzanne:   Oh, did you lose your house?

Tracey:   Oh, yeah. All the way down to like, literally – it was a two story, a big house. It was two stories, and you probably could have put a measuring stick into the ground, and the debris was less than, I don’t know, 12 to 15 inches, like, completely gone, everything. It was just nuts.

Suzanne:   So many people lost their homes and stuff.

Tracey:   Like 600 just in our area.

Suzanne:   Well, I’m glad you got to move somewhere else, at least.

Tracey:   Yeah, you know, I’ve been filming so much since the house burned down that it’s like I haven’t really – like I’ve moved into a house, but you don’t get that homey feeling. I went and hung a picture on the wall. I hung it, because I’m always leaving, and then the pandemic hits, and you’re like, “Okay, this is weird”

Suzanne:   So, you started acting when you were pretty young, right?

Tracey:   I was really young. Yeah. I mean, when I was a little girl, I started singing and dancing lessons, and I went right into theater and musical theater, you know, before I can even remember. So, it just it started at a young age, and then I just built it from there, and I just trained and worked really hard. That’s what you do.

Suzanne:   So, how old were you when you booked your first gig?

Tracey:   Professionally, I was 15 when I did my first gig. I mean, I’d done theater and things before that, but my first professional gig was actually a Sunkist soda commercial. They ran for 10 years. You know, they just kept reshooting them and redoing them and re-running them. That was kind of my beginning.

Suzanne:   Yeah. I probably saw it. I don’t remember, since it was a long time ago. You’re you’re about the same age as I am. So, I was in high school.

Tracey:   Well, you know, what’s funny about it is I did one at 15 and one at 16, and the one when I’m 15, I really look like a little kid in it when I looked at it. Then, when I’m 16, I changed so much. I’m like, “That’s amazing.” I would have never known that if I wasn’t looking back at these things, because I still felt like a little kid. But it’s just really funny how when you do TV, film commercials, all these things; there’re all these markers of how old you were when you did certain things, and it’s kind of interesting.

Suzanne:   Yeah, I guess that would be the case. That would be cool. You could put together a little thing with like excerpts of different things you’ve done over the years, like your life in film.

Tracey:   Yeah, maybe maybe when I stop working.

Suzanne:   Yeah. When you have like an anniversary party or something like that you could put it together, or somebody should put it together for you, really.

Tracey:   That’s the plan. That’s the plan. It’s funny.

Suzanne:   So, if you had to do it all over again, would you still choose the same career?

Tracey:   Well, I would, because I didn’t really choose it and go after it. I was drawn towards it, because I love entertaining people; I love the land of make believe. I love training in things. So, it was kind of a natural progression for me, where it was just taking all the things that I love to do and keeping studying them and working on them. Then, it just kept growing. I think that the real pinnacle was when I started getting into sci-fi, because I was a tomboy. So, all the sporting activities that I did, running and stuff like that, really paid off, because not everybody wants to go do that. I kind of thrive on it. So, it’s just, if I look back on my life, it just kind of looks like it was a training field for what it was going to become.

Suzanne:   All right, well, let me come back to your running. I’ve got a question regarding that kind of thing later. But let me tell you, if I ask you a question that you think is too personal, or you don’t want to answer, just let me know; I’m fine with that. So, here’s one that I don’t know if you want to answer it. So, looking at the list of your shows and movies, on IMDB, there’s a gap between 2000 and 2010. What did you do during that time?

Tracey:   It’s actually not a huge gap. See, what happened was it used to be that we [thought] we aged out of of our industry. We were pretty much told when we were younger that you can work as much as you can until you’re 30, and then you have to go find something else to do, and everybody kind of knows that that was the way that it worked. Now, I actually took time off. I love remodeling houses and working on things and traveling. And I looked over my shoulder, and I had friends that were still working. So, you start looking at it, and you contact people in the industry, and they’re like, “Oh, no, it’s changed.” I’ve literally found, I think it’s been at the end of the baby boomers, that every year that I get older, that marker gets pushed older. So, it was kind of hard to get my niche back in, because I had my realm and my people and stuff like that, and then I took time off. Then, I’m like, “Well, I can still keep keep working.” So, I came back, and I went heavily into training. I studied with Margie Haber, and she’s just a real dream as far as a coach. I just kind of gave it my all and got myself back into the industry, but it was kind of a shocking thing and an exciting thing, because we can work forever. We can as long as you’re willing to put out the effort, because everybody knows this isn’t an easy job. As long as you’re willing to put out the effort we can we can pretty much keep going forever now you’ve seen.

Suzanne:   Well, you’ve been in quite a few movies the last eight years. Is there something particular that happened around 2013 or 2014 to get your career going so much better?

Tracey:   I think a lot of it is we get out of something what we put into something. So, I always put some effort in, and I always tried to be in a project and always tried to have something going. And I was a single mom. I mean, I raised two kids, three kids on my own. Then, one day I kind of sat there, and I was like, “Well what do I have? How much harder do I have to go work in order to work consistently again?” And it was pretty much all the time. So, I used to always look at something, and, “Oh, this will take me five hours to prepare for,” and “this will take me eight hours to prepare for;” “this will take me a month to prepare for.” I stopped looking at life that way, and I just started pushing everything aside when I had a project or a really big audition, and [started] really putting everything that I had into it. That was when I really noticed a difference. So, looking back on it, it’s probably that way in every industry, but it was really my effort that I put out more so than that which anybody else [did]. I couldn’t blame it on anybody else. I can’t give anybody else that credit. It just has to do with sheer effort and hours.

Suzanne:   Okay, well, going back a bit, I noticed that you were on Loving for three years playing Amy Sanders. Our site has a lot of soap opera fans. What what was that experience like?

Tracey:   You know, I was really young, and it was wonderful, because I was actually living in New York City. I was with [unintelligible] out there and had a print agent out there and a commercial agent out there. So, they brought me in, and Amy was actually pregnant. I forget who the relative was, but it was one of his later family. So, then, they brought her back again, and she was still pregnant. Now, mind you, this was almost 14 or 15 months later, which I thought was really funny, but nobody picked up on it. And then the storyline continued later on, and the child was supposed to be missing and things like that, but I think that they were at that point into ratings and going with the other storylines, and so that kind of fizzled out.

But as far as an experience, it was amazing. I mean, I just loved it. Everybody was wonderful to me, and now it’s kind of where I got my eyes into the land of soap and how different it is than regular TV or film, which it’s completely different.

Suzanne:   Yeah, and I’ve heard it’s a great training ground too.

Tracey:   It’s a good training ground; it’s very consistent. So, you always know what to expect when you show up, [but], you know, there’s only so far you can take the character development unless you’re one of the main characters throughout the whole thing. So, it was something that I’ve had the opportunity to do.

So, since then, I’ve done a couple little stints, but it’s not the direction that I chose to go in, just because I like really getting into the depth of a character and just really exploring it. But boy, it’s a fantastic job if you just want consistent work within the industry.

Suzanne:   Yeah. And you were briefly on The Young and the Restless. How did that come about?

Tracey:   That was old-fashioned auditioning. So, that was really fun. I mean, that was with Tucker McCall, and that was just a really fun little stint, but it was just, you know, we do so many auditions for so many projects and many of them we forget we auditioned for the time that we book them, because there’s usually such a long time period in between the two. They talked to me about bringing that character back a little bit, and then that kind of fizzled. That was when they were looking at maybe replacing one of the characters, and then that didn’t happen. They renegotiated her contract instead. So, it’s just, I think, soap is such a fascinating world, because it’s so different than the rest of the industry.

Suzanne:   Yeah. And Tucker was played by Stephen Nichols, who’s one of my favorite actors. How was it working with him?

Tracey:   He’s a really nice guy, and I have to tell you, I mean, most of the experience that I’ve had working in any of the mediums, the people are really kind. You get to that level, no matter what the medium, and people are professionals. They’re polite. They’re kind. Everybody’s there to do their jobs. Yeah, Stephen was a really great guy.

Suzanne:   Cool, he always seemed really nice. So, you said there was another soap you were on? I didn’t see that one on there.

Tracey:   No, those are the two soaps that I did.

Suzanne:   So, you recently did an episode of I Think You should Leave with Tim Robinson on Netflix. Can you tell us about landing that role and what you went through for it?

Tracey:   Sure. I mean, again, that is another thing that was traditional auditioning [and] taped at home, because it was during the pandemic. We taped it at the beginning of the pandemic. Then, I think almost a year later, I got the call, and they wanted to make sure that I had all the protocols in place, and I still looked the same, and that was a fun project, especially because we’d all been locked up so much inside. I mean, I did some pickup shots for a couple other projects that I’m working on, but it was nice to have somebody go into production, and it was an interesting production, because of all the COVID protocols put in place. But what a cast. What a great group of guys and what a funny show. I just absolutely love that type of humor.

Suzanne:   Yeah, and that episode, that part that you did with the alien bar or whatever, that was fun.

Tracey:   It was really fun, and Tim was hilarious. Tim Robinson was there. Zach was there that day. So, it was just a really enjoyable shoot. I hope to work with them more next time, because I really enjoyed that type of humor. If you’ll notice in my past, I always try to make sure I keep comedy alive, because it’s something I was trained in a lot when I was younger. It isn’t where the majority of my work is coming from, but anytime I get the chance, I just absolutely love the genre.

Suzanne:   Oh, yeah, I was watching your movie earlier. I haven’t finished it yet. Shoot, the name is escaping me.

Tracey:   Who’s Jenna…?

Suzanne:   Who’s Jenna…? Thank you so much. Yeah, that is cute. Like I said, I have to finish watching it later; I had to stop and do some other stuff, but that was fun.

Tracey:   That was really fun, and [when] I actually shot Who’s Jenna…? – I was lead in both that and Rogue Warrior, and when we shot those, I only had a week off between the two. So, that was an interesting thing to go from a heavy sci-fi action and from a comedy like that, but it challenging. It was fun. One of them is grueling, and one of them is like a dance. I think comedy’s like a dance.

Suzanne:   I was looking for Rogue Warrior, but I guess it’s not in my Roku for free…So, had you watched that show I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson before you were appearing on it?

Tracey:   I’ll tell you the funny story about that is when I got the audition call, I hadn’t seen it. I usually will watch about 10 or 15 minutes of the show, just to get the tone of it before I tape an audition, and I literally sat down to watch 10 or 15 minutes, and I watched the entire season. I was laughing so hard. So, that was fun. I became an immediate fan of the show.

Suzanne:   And now you have all these sci-fi movies coming out. Were you a fan of sci-fi before?

Tracey:   Yeah, ever since I was a little kid. My dad was a sci-fi nut, and so it’s kind of I guess genetically bred into me. So, that’s been when my career got really, really fun. It was always a lot of hard work, and it was always fun, but when it got really fun is when I started to get to play in that genre.

Suzanne:   Do you know what shows your dad liked?

Tracey:   We watch Star Trek with a bowl of rocky road ice cream in our laps constantly. So, that was a big one. Logan’s Run. I mean, there’re just too many of them to even count. Pretty much everything that was sci-fi we watched.

Suzanne:   Big Star Wars fan?

Tracey:   Big Star Wars fan, big Doctor Who fan. I just love it all.

Suzanne:   Cool. And do you have anything else besides these movies that are coming out that you’re working on now or preparing to work on?

Tracey:   Well, The Time War‘s coming out, which is a time travel television series. It’s an eight hour series we’ve been working on for about five years now. So, it’s finally, luckily coming to fruition. Then, Rogue Warrior, there’s a TV series based upon it that’s some backstory and also the future of it, called Age of Darkness that will be out right behind The Time War. They’re both in the end stages of post-production. Then, I have a film called Hotel Underground that I shot in Melbourne, Australia right before the pandemic. Hopefully, that’ll be slated for release soon too.

Suzanne:   Have you finished working on these, or you haven’t worked on them yet?

Tracey:   We finished them all.

Suzanne:   Okay. So, what I meant is do you have something that you’re working on now, or that you’re preparing to work on?

Tracey:   No, actually, I Think You Should Leave is the the second to last thing that I filmed besides pick up shots for The Time War, and everything else is finished and coming out. It’s kind of when I get to take a little break, and then it’ll come back up again. It always does.

Suzanne:   Okay, well, you said you work all the time, so it sounds like you need a vacation.

Tracey:   You know, it will be nice to have just a couple of months off, and then I’m happy to jump back in.

Suzanne:   And I have to say, you look really great for someone who’s close to my age. What is your secret?

Tracey:   That’s really funny. Thank you. Mostly, I don’t know, lots of exercise. I’m a vegan. Even with skincare, like I don’t put products on my skin; I put ingredients on my skin. So, it’s kind of like vegan but for the skin. So, I guess just good healthy eating and staying active and taking care of yourself. Plus, I looked 12 when I was 25, so I kind of had some extra years there.

Suzanne:   Sure. No, I completely understand that, because everybody tells me I look good for my age. I don’t put the work into it you do, so I don’t look as good as you do, but I look a lot younger than I am. So, I understand that completely. We’ve got good genes to make us look younger, right?

Tracey:   I think a lot of it is genetics. I think there’s an attitude. So much is attitude too.

Suzanne:   Yeah, definitely. I completely agree with that.

Tracey:   I don’t plan on ever getting old. I don’t know about you.

Suzanne:   No, definitely not. I’m one of those lucky people where my hair hasn’t started to go gray yet. So, I’m like, “don’t go” every time there’s a gray hair. I’m like, “no.”

Tracey:   You’re like, “No, you must [not] go.”

Here is the audio version of it.

Interview Transcribed by Jamie of http://www.scifivision.com

MORE INFO:

Tracey Birdsall, who plays Janeane.
Birdsall and Robinson in "I Think You Should Leave" on Netflix
An award-winning actress well regarded for her versatility, Birdsall‘s many credits include TV’s THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS and ROGUE WARRIOR. She is currently filming the 8-hour sci-fi series THE TIME WAR, in which she has the lead role .
  • Netflix recently premiered the second season of the critically-acclaimed sketch comedy series I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson.
  • Quote from Tim Robinson and co-creator, Zach Kanin: “We are very excited to be working with The Lonely Island, Irony Point, and Netflix to make another season of “I Think You Should Leave.” We are so thankful we get to do it again!”
  • The series pokes fun at life’s most bizarre and mundane situations. The first season saw Robinson and a few of his famous friends navigate awkward workplace drama, host an intervention in a Garfield themed house, talk their way out of a babysitter’s fake hit and run, and much more.
  • The series was created by Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin, and is produced by The Lonely Island and Irony Point.
  • The first season was nominated for a 2019 TCA award in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Sketch/Variety.

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Tracey Birdsall in "Rogue Warrior"

Y&R Short Recap Friday, July 23, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Moses finally tells Devon that he is considering some other career options besides medicine.

Lily spends some time with Johnny since he has a tummy ache and he asks her to stay home with him rather than go to work.

Sharon is rattled when Adam tells her that she was attracted to him because he was, a bad boy. Adam is rattled when Victoria tells him not to underestimate her because she is the one he should fear the most. Adam remembers that those are the words that Victoria said to him in the dream he had after the kidney transplant.

Ashland wants Victoria to go with him on a trip to New York. Victoria returns home from her errands and finds Ashland passed out on the couch. Ashland tells her its an anxiety attack…he has them when he is under a lot of pressure. Victoria wonders if the merger caused his anxiety and she thinks the merger may have been a bad idea.

Naya recants her confession of Richard’s murder but refuses to help Michael with the investigation he is opening about Sutton.

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Y&R Short Recap Friday, July 16, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Stitch suggests to Abby and Tessa that someone from Tess’ past may have kidnapped Mariah to get revenge on her. Abby and Tessa worry that something bad may have happened to Mariah as another day goes by without a response from Mariah to any of the texts they have sent to her.

Victoria tells Billy and Nikki that Ashland will be moving in with her. Nikki worries that Victoria will be heartbroken when Ashland dies but she tells Victoria that she trusts her to make the right decision about her life. Billy shares the same worry as Nikki, but he is also upset that Victoria wants the kids to spend more time with him and Lily while Ashland is staying with her. Billy feels that Victoria is kicking her kids out of the house so she can live with Ashland. Victoria explains that she is protecting the kids and the arrangement will only be for a few months.

Billy and Phyllis work on a plan to find out Sally and Tara’s secrets. Sally overhears Phyllis mention Tara’s name to Billy and she heads straight to the Abbott Mansion to warn Tara to be careful around Billy and Phyllis. Tara cries and tells Jack Phyllis blames her for Kyle and Summer’s broken engagement and Phyllis said some awful things to her that she can’t repeat to him.

Devon gets upset when Amanda tells him Sutton threatened her. Devon tells Sutton that if anything happens to Amanda, he will have to deal with him. Amanda asks Victor to back Sutton into such a tight corner that he will be forced to tell the truth about the death of her father. Victor tells Sutton he has a problem with Amanda, but he knows what to do to handle the problem.

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Y&R Short Recap Thursday, July 15, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Faith tells Moses she wants to take their relationship slowly for now, so they agree to be good friends.

Amanda can’t find any information about Sutton so she asks Lily for help but Lily says she doesn’t have any reporters that have connections that go far back enough to find information about Sutton. Lily advises Amanda to ask Victor to help her.

Billy asks for Phyllis to help him find out what the connection is between Sally and Tara and he tells Phyllis that he saw them talking at the park but he couldn’t hear their conversation. Phyllis is happy that Billy has the same suspicions about Sally and Tara and she is more than happy to help Billy find out what Sally and Tara are hiding from everyone. Phyllis has a talk with Tara and later sends a text to Billy telling him they need to talk.

Abby, Sharon, and Tessa are very worried about Mariah because she has only sent them texts saying that she set up some exploratory meetings for work because she needed to get away for a few days. Stitch tells Sharon he was about to return home to Iowa when he was offered a job at Memorial and decided to stay in town for an interview. Sharon tells Stitch that she, Abby, and Tessa are worried about Mariah so after Stitch talks to Sharon he heads over to the Chancellor mansion to offer his support to Abby.

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Interview with Tim Rozon

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Interview!

Tim Rozon

Interview with Tim Rozon of “SurrealEstate” on Syfy by Suzanne 7/8/21

I enjoyed speaking with Tim again about this new show! It’s a good show and very enjoyable. He was very nice in the interview as you’ll see. I hope the show is a big success!

Originally, I was supposed to interview his co-star, Sarah Levy, as well, but she had a conflict. Then, after I left the interview room, she was out there, waiting to go to someone else’s interview. I guess her other meeting ended early. So I took the opportunity to say hi and tell her how much I loved her show. When I mentioned that I had watched 8 episodes, she said, “8 episodes? I’ve only seen one!” just like Tim does in this interview! I laughed and said, “Press room…you gotta go to the press room. Someone get this woman access to the show!” She said, “Well, I guess I would have to be a member of the press, then.” I said, “I guess so.” It was so funny that she had the same exact reaction.

We were told to only ask 2 questions (although, as you’ll see, some people asked more than that), but he couldn’t answer my first question because of some secret project that he’s on (or auditioned for), so I asked two more.

See the video!

Suzanne:   Hi, Tim.

Tim:   Hey, how are you?

Suzanne:   All right. When I chatted with you in March, you had blonde hair, and I thought it was for this role, but apparently not. So, what role was it for?

Tim:   Yeah, these are these are things that I cannot talk about.

Suzanne:   Oh, okay. That’s fine. So, let me ask you a simple question. Somebody else will probably ask you, but do you believe in ghosts in real life?

Tim:   Yeah, the answer is is complicated, because had you asked me preproduction of SurrealEstate, I would have said “no.” Postproduction, now after going through it, I’m not so sure anymore. Now, I myself did not experience anything surreal, but we did have a number of guest stars that did have a ghostly experience. They all stayed at the same very famous hotel in Newfoundland, which is supposedly haunted. I won’t say the name of it. Actually, people probably want to go there, because it’s haunted, but I don’t think they’re known as being a haunted hotel, or they want to be known as being haunted. But, yeah, a lot of guest stars, they experienced something. So, that’s a lot of people to be in on some sort of plot or lie to say that there’s something else ghostly among us.

Suzanne:   Wow. Well, maybe it’s the power of suggestion. I don’t know.

Tim:   I don’t know. I don’t know.

Suzanne:   So, the show has some quirky humor in it. Is it all in the script, or do they let the actors put things in?

Tim:   I mean, George Olsen, the showrunner, head writer, creator, he’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. He’s also one of the funniest, a really, really dry wit. It makes a lot of sense actually, why they hired Sarah [Levy], because they’re both very smart and very comedic and smart in their comedy. I don’t know if that makes sense, but, yeah, I think he understood how strong Sarah is at comedy. So, Susan had a lot more of it than Luke. Luke went into the comedy a little bit mostly with the Susan stuff, to be honest. Yeah, a lot of credit, I would say, to the cast, the incredible cast that was hired. They’re all great at it. They have the ability to do both the scary stuff and the comedy. So, that’s a great casting, starting with Sarah and then, you know, Adam Korson, Savannah Basley, Tennille Read, Maurice Dean Wint, they just all are able to do it great. So, that’s great. And I find Luke’s kind of like the straight guy of the comedy troupe, so I can do that.

Suzanne:   All right. I love the eight episodes. I can’t wait to see the rest.

Tim:   What? You saw all eight?!

Suzanne:   All eight, yeah.

Tim:   Tell me. I haven’t seen anything.

Suzanne:   Somebody get this man a link to the press site so he can see it. Thank you so much.

Tim:   Thank you.

Question:   So, speaking of guest stars, can you talk about what it was like reuniting with Melanie [Scrofano] for Episode Three?

Tim:   Yeah, it was great, especially because, before the two episodes she directed, she guest starred, which I think was a really great way to do it, because she gets to meet the whole crew before she has to direct. But working with Mel, it’s just, we know each other so well, and it was a real kick to see her in a totally different character than Wynonna, because she’s such a strong actor, too, that she brought none of Wynonna to the new character. It’s an interesting character. I mean, I don’t want to spoil too much, but she has a lot to play with, and she does it quite remarkably. But, yeah, I mean, I love acting with her, and if I could work on every show for the rest of my career with her, I wouldn’t complain.

Question:   Luke has the ability to see and talk to ghosts. Is that something that you wish you could do? Or would you rather have some other supernatural power?

Tim:   No, definitely not; speaking to ghosts is not for me. My favorite superhero is the Silver Surfer. This is a guy who sits alone on a surfboard in the in the cosmos just floating around thinking about life. He’s pretty much a loner. So, that’s where my head’s at if I’m going to go into the superhero realm of things. I definitely don’t want to speak to ghosts. No.

Question:   Working on this series, has it changed your opinion of realtors at all?

Tim:   One hundred percent, yeah. I mean, there’s so much that goes on there that I didn’t know. It was tricky. There’s a whole new lingo to real estate that I was not aware of that I had to learn, and it is a true thing that if a house is haunted, well, implied to be haunted, it will affect the market value of that house. These are real things that I had no idea, but, then, you look into it, and they’re all real. Very cool stuff. Yeah. Very cool stuff. I started looking at houses differently too, like when I came home, I’m like, “Okay, you know what? The bathroom’s in a good spot. Okay, we’re good. We’re good.”

Question:   I love you as Luke, what was it that drew you to be a part of this role?

Tim:   Oh, you know, it was one of those things. I was still filming Wynonna [Earp] when the opportunity came up, and I was screen testing on the weekend for this and doing Zooms with George and Danishka [Esterhazy] and trying to convince them that I was the right Luke. The thing that I think drew me to it was it was so different than Doc Holliday that I was playing at the time, and there was so much work. You know, Doc Holliday really doesn’t talk too much, and Luke, he talks a lot. So, to be honest, I was pretty scared, in a good way, like in a challenge way. I never had any doubt that I could do it, but it was a lot to do, and I was up to the challenge, I’ll say that. I was excited for it. I was excited to get into a new role. I was excited to shave, to be honest.

Question:   Well, that was one iconic mustache.

Tim:   Yeah, great on set, but walking around in real life [is another thing].

Question:   This is a wonderful, because it combines drama; it combines comedy. Was that something that was really exciting for you as well?

Tim:   One hundred percent. I mean, life every day, it throws everything at us. You know, sometimes these television shows they just lean into one way of the way things have to be. A lot of people, including myself, deal with scary things with humor. You know, if I’m scared, I’m the first person that’s gonna be laughing. Like if we’re on a camping trip, and it’s dark, and someone’s telling ghost stories, I’m laughing, because the alternative is just not fun. I’d rather be laughing than be scared.

Question:   What do you think it is then about SurrealEstate that’s gonna make it such a fast fan favorite sci-fi hit?

Tim:   The group, the family dynamic. You know, it’s cool, because we deal with a different, I’ll say, house, every episode, and that house has a different surreality to it. You know, there’s something about that house that quite isn’t right. And at the same time, there’s something about the people who are selling or trying to fix that house that there’s something not right about each and every one of us. And it’s going to be the audience’s kind of joy to figure out what those things are. But I think as a team, when we come together, we really mesh well together. You know, it’s one of those things where it shows you that family is what you make family to be, and I think we find our family. I think they’re are a bunch of loners who don’t really have anybody who kind of found home in each other, and at the same time, they’re dealing with ghosts, perhaps.

Question:   So, you’ve already mentioned that SurrealEstate follows a house of the week type format where there’s a new property to sell each episode, but also sprinkled in are these little pieces of Luke’s backstory, and the viewer gradually sees how layered and complex he is. Can you talk about his personal journey this season?

Tim:   Yeah, I mean, you just did a great job of it, I thought. I’m gonna copy/paste that going forward. Yeah, I mean, it’s complex. He’s got a lot going on, and we’ll will figure out – the layers will start to come away, and you’ll start to figure out who Luke is. I think the first couple episodes people are going to think he’s a certain way, and then later will realize he’s maybe not all business all the time. There is a sensitive side to him. He’s a complex character, which I loved. And I love in the beginning, I think, he’s been through all this stuff before so many times that I think it’s great that the Susan character comes, because Luke, he can take a little joy in watching her go through some of the things that he’s well accustomed to at this point.

Question:   He doesn’t bat an eye when all this crazy stuff happens around him.

Tim:   Yeah.

Question:   You spoke about Susan, and Luke hires her as the newest member at the Roman Agency. Your colleagues there always comment about the high turnover for new hires. What do you think Luke sees in her that would make her a valuable addition to the group?

Tim:   Well, number one, I think they’ve known about each other in this business for quite some time, and I think he has a lot of respect for what she can do as a salesperson. At the end of the day, Luke Roman loves to sell houses. He’s a salesman, and he loves real estate, and so does Susan Ireland. No matter what they’re dealing with, trust me, every episode, they want to sell that house that they’re dealing with. So, I think it’s a lot of mutual respect and kind of what I got into before, he enjoys that he’s kind of been through some of the stuff she’s going through now, I mean, within selling the houses, the specialty houses she was not accustomed to selling before.

Interview Transcribed by Jamie of http://www.scifivision.com

MORE INFO:

Tim Rozon

Luke Roman

Tim’s first major role was playing heartthrob Tommy Quincy opposite Alexz Johnson and Laura Vandervoort for four seasons on the teen drama series “Instant Star” for TeenNick (USA) and CTV (Canada).  He was then cast as the series lead Alex Caine, playing a gang infiltrator, in “Befriend and Betray” for Shaw TV (Canada).   Recent series leads include playing Mutt Schitt on the Emmy juggernaut and Golden Globe winning CBC/Netflix hit comedy “Schitt’s Creek” opposite comedy icons Eugene Levy, Dan Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Chris Elliott; Doc Holliday, the infamous lawman and charismatic gambler, on the fan-fave SyFy series “Wynonna Earp”; Constable Carson Myers, stand up RCMP officer and love interest, on the CBC series “Diggstown” opposite Natasha Henstridge and Vinessa Antoine;  Isaac, lawyer turned outer space rogue, in the SyFy series Vagrant Queen.  Tim is delighted to currently be playing the series leading role of Luke Roman, a real estate agent specializing in haunted homes, on SyFy’s new series “SurrealEstate.”

Tim won a prestigious Gemini Award (the “Canadian Emmy”) for his performance in the series “Flashpoint” (CTV/CBS) and was nominated for another Gemini for work in “Befriend and Betray”.  Tim was thrilled when “Wynonna Earp” won the People’s Choice Award for Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy show in both 2018 and 2020.

Off camera, Tim has many talents in the entertainment business.  He is a voiceover actor, most notably playing a leading role in the animated feature film “The Legend of Sarila”, opposite Christopher Plummer and Genevieve Bujold.  He produced the documentary feature “Shuckers”, about the world of oysters and those who shuck them.  And he is very proud of his work co-writing multiple “Wynonna Earp” graphic novels with creator Beau Smith for IDW.

When not acting, Tim plays the role of restaurateur in Montreal at his hit restaurants Garde Manger and Le Bremner opposite star chef Chuck Hughes

“SurrealEstate” follows real estate agent Luke Roman and an elite team of specialists that handle the cases no one else can: haunted and possessed houses that literally scare would-be buyers away. Researching, investigating and “fixing” the things that go bump in the night, the team works to create closure – and closings – even as they struggle with demons of their own.

  • The first season of SYFY’s scripted drama “SurrealEstate” is set to premiere Friday, July 16 at 10 p.m. EST.
  • SYFY’s “SurrealEstate” hero trailer: HERE
  • The 10-episode, hour-long drama includes “Schitts Creek” alum Tim Rozon and Sarah Levy, Adam Korson, Maurice Dean Wint and Tennille Read.
  • “SurrealEstate” is produced by Blue Ice Pictures and George R. Olson serves as the executive producer and showrunner. Lance Samuels, Daniel Iron, Armand Leo and Danishka Esterhazy also executive produce.
  • Melanie Scrofano is set to direct two episodes following her directorial debut in “Wynonna Earp” Season 4. She joins directors Paul Fox, Danishka Esterhazy and Paolo Barzman.

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Primetime DVD Review: “Pennyworth: The Complete 2nd Season” [Blu-ray]

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

DVD Review!

Pennyworth: The Complete 2nd Season [Blu-ray] DVD cover

“Pennyworth: The Complete 2nd Season [Blu-ray]” Review by Suzanne 7/14/21

I apologize for the lateness of this review…they usually send me these weeks in advance, but this one came a day late.

I love this show. Then again, I love anything remotely related to Batman. Also, Bruno Heller is co-creator of the series, and he developed the TV series “Gotham” on FOX, which I also loved. Both shows are prequels for “Batman” but have their own unique stories and twisted histories.  Unlike “Gotham,” this series has very little to do with Batman. It centers on the Cold War history of Alfred, Batman’s “butler,” and Batman’s parents, Bruce and Martha.  This is all original to the show, although I’m sure they were heavily influenced by both “Gotham” and the comics.

Yet this is still a fantasy show because there are public executions in London, and a secret society called The Raven Society tries to take over the British government.  We know from “Gotham” that Alfred is a former SAS officer, so they’ve expanded on that quite a bit. He has PTSD in this series but runs a security firm. In this season season, he runs a black market club in Soho, and he might be moving to America soon.

The first season was very good. I’ve enjoyed this second season as well. Like the first season, it has a lot of action (violence), intrigue, and complex stories. There are many characters to keep track of, but not too many. I didn’t find it hard to follow, or boring. I love these kinds of shows.

I hope it gets a third season as well. The general theory out on the net seems to be that the show will move to HBO Max.  We’ll have to wait and see what happens there.

Unfortunately, there are no features at all. That’s too bad.

Buy this DVD

MORE INFORMATION:

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment

Announces Upcoming TV and Animation Titles from Warner Archive Collection in July

Burbank, CA (June 15, 2021) – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment brings consumers the opportunity to own more fan-favorite programming from the past several decades from the Warner Archive Collection. In July, four new titles will be released via Warner Archive including Pennyworth: The Complete Second Season, C.B. Strike: Lethal White, Head of the Class: The Complete Third Season Available and The Herculoids: The Complete Original Series.

Pennyworth: The Complete Second Season

Available on Blu-ray & DVD 7/13/21

A year after the explosive events of last season, England finds itself embroiled in a devastating civil war, with the powerful, neo-fascist Raven Union, led by Lord Harwood (Jason Flemyng) threatening to control the entire country. North London remains one of the few resistance holdouts remaining. It’s here in the West End Neutral Zone, that we find Alfred Pennyworth (Jack Bannon). After years in the British Army, his training with the SAS has taught him to be a cynical optimist – expecting the worst, but knowing that he can handle it. Now running The Delaney, a black-market Soho club that welcomes everyone, regardless of their politics, Alfred, with his SAS mates, “Bazza” (Hainsley Lloyd Bennett) and “Daveboy” (Ryan Fletcher), is now in search of a way out – before London, and his country, burns itself to the ground. And he’s got his eye on America.

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.

Pennyworth: The Complete 2nd Season

Y&R Short Recap Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Victoria asks Ashland to move in with her and admits to him she is falling in love with him. Ashland tells Victoria that he shouldn’t have let their relationship go so far and he must go back to New York. Ashland and Victoria announce the merger of their two companies via a live c stream. Ashland also announces that he is ill but he doesn’t mention he has cancer.

Victor thinks Adam has lost his killer instinct, but Adam tells Victor he thinks Victoria won’t be able to handle the details of the merger and he will be ready to take Locke Communications once the deal falls apart. Billy tells Jack that he thinks Victoria is in love with Ashland and she will be hurt if he dies.

Sally asks Tara to meet her at the park. Sally asks Tara if she leaked the video that she took at the park. Tara admits to Sally that she sent a copy of the video to herself before she erased the video from Sally’s phone. Sally doesn’t appreciate being lied to by Tara and being put in an awkward position. Sally storms off and Tara leaves smiling because her plan worked but the ladies are unaware that Billy overheard their conversation.

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Y&R Short Recap Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Moses and Faith have a fun day together riding horses at the ranch. Moses asks Faith where she thinks their relationship is going and she tells him they are best friends. Faith later tells Nikki what happened with Moses and admits that she froze and didn’t know what to say to Moses. Nikki tells Faith that she will have another chance to tell Moses how she feels about him. Moses tells Nate and Elena about what happened with Faith and Elena tells Moses maybe Faith got scared about taking the next step in their relationship but he shouldn’t give up on her he should just wait until she is ready to take the next step in their relationship.

Sutton talks to Amanda and Imani about the strategy to defend their mother Naya in court. Amanda doesn’t tell Sutton anything about the defense strategy and says that if they need his help they will let him know.

Iman I continues to flirt with Nate although she knows Elena is his girlfriend. An anonymous video is sent to all the media outlets in town that shows when Ashland had a shortness of breath episode in the park in front of Harrison. Billy and Lily have a long discussion about whether they should post the video on their website. Billy and Lily decide not to post the video because the more interesting story is finding out the identity of the person who took the video.

Sharon is happy that she got a text from Mariah saying that she is sorry she worried everyone, but her phone died and she just saw all the messages when she charged her phone. Ashland tells Victoria that the deal to merge their two companies is done and now they can make the announcement to the public.

Michael assigns Rey to guard Chelsea while she is taking care of her mother in Minnesota. Sharon isn’t happy that Rey is going with Chelsea. Victor is upset with Adam because Adam is letting Connor go with Chelsea to Minnesota. Victor assigns a member of his security team to go with Chelsea, Connor, and Rey to Minnesota and keep him updated with everything that happens with them.

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Y&R Short Recap Friday, July 9, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Ashley, Billy, and Traci get a chance to spend some time with Tara and Harrison and welcome them into the Abbott family. Billy advises Kyle to be careful around Tara because she could be lonely since she is getting divorced. Kyle tells Billy to mind his own business and stay out of his personal life. Billy later tells Lily he thinks Tara is hiding something and he wants to find out what it is, so he can keep the promise he made to Summer of being a friend to Kyle.

Nick says a tearful goodbye to Summer and promises her he won’t be hard on Kyle because she wants Kyle to be happy. Nick gets a surprise visit from Phyllis and he decides to, spend an extra day in Milan so he can show Phyllis the city.

Lily wants Nina to write a series of feature stories about the new guard versus the old guard in the business world. Nina is excited to accept the assignment and do in-depth stories of the leaders of the business world.

Adam lets Chelsea spend the day with Connor at the park. Adam tells Chelsea that he spoke to Victor and he is talking to the judge about an early release for her. Adam gets a call from Chelsea’s mom Anita and she tells Adam she needs hip replacement surgery and she needs Chelsea to come help her while she recovers from surgery. Adam asks Chelsea if she set this up to get out of the hospital. Chelsea tells Adam she didn’t set this up and pleads with Adam to ask the judge for permission to go take care of her mother. Chelsea also asks Adam if she can take Connor with het on the trip.

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Y&R Short Recap Thursday, July 8, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Faith worries that Adam will interfere in Sharon and Rey’s marriage again now that he and Connor are living at the ranch. Sharon assures Faith that her marriage to Rey is solid and Adam can’t come between them so she has no need to worry.

Victor tries to postpone his trip to Italy but Nikki persuades him they need to check on Summer and see how she is, adjusting to her new job.

Dr. Hedges lets Chelsea spend some time at the park so she can get some fresh air. Adam tells Chelsea that he will talk to Victor and persuade him to get her an early release from the hospital as long as she agrees to have outpatient treatment. Adam also makes Chelsea promise to not run, away with Connor. Adam talks to Victor later and persuades him that Chelsea is ready for, early release.

Kevin pleads with Chloe to stay away from Chelsea and not help her with her schemes. Kevin worries that Michael will find out that she was Chelsea’s accomplice in poisoning Rey.

Abby, Nina, and Tessa are worried about Mariah because she texted she was going on a business trip but she hasn’t texted any of them back this morning. Abby calls Jack who tells her he had no idea Mariah was going on a business trip. Adam decides to let Connor see Chelsea in the park after Rey tells him that he saw Chelsea in the park and she needs to see Connor.

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Y&R Short Recap Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Amanda tells Nate and Elena about her relationship with Imani and Naya and Nate and Elena promise to keep it a secret. Elena is a bit annoyed because Imani keeps flirting with Nate and she notices they have some chemistry.

Victoria promises Ashland that she will spend the time he has left with him without insisting he get treatment for his illness. Billy and Lily ask Nate if one of their colleagues could have lung cancer if he has shortness of breath. Nate says yes and that their colleague needs to see a doctor as soon as possible. Billy asks Victoria to confirm Ashland’s diagnosis and her non-answer leads him to go talk to Ashland. Billy writes down an offer for Locke Communications and Ashland looks at the offer and tells Billy he will call him if he accepts the offer.

Victor tells Adam the truth about how he kept Chelsea out of jail. Adam talks to doctor Hedges and asks him his opinion about her condition. The doctor says Chelsea has some mental issues but she is a great con artist. The doctor tells Adam and Victor how Chelsea got him to admit he took part in Victor’s plan to keep her out of jail. Adam decides to give Chelsea a chance to return to her life but Victor tells Adam to tell Chelsea that if she double crosses them she will never see Connor again.

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Y&R Short Recap Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Moses tells Faith that he is wondering if he still wants to be a doctor but he doesn’t want to tell Devon because Devon might tell his mother who might want him to return to New York.

Chelsea gets the upper hand on Dr. Hedges when she records him on her phone admitting that Victor is paying him to keep her in the mental hospital. Chelsea tells the doctor that if he doesn’t say she is healthy she will have her friend Chloe send the recording to the medical board. Dr Hedges heads to Victor’s office to tell him about his problem with Chelsea but he is unable to say anything because Adam is with Victor and Adam wants to know if there is anything wrong with Chelsea.

Amanda gets Naya out of jail on bail and she and Iman try to persuade Naya to recant her confession to Richard’s murder and say that Sutton gave the order to kill Richard. Naya insists on protecting her father. Amanda lies and tells Naya she won’t mention Sutton in her defense in court. Amanda and Imani are really going to team up to prove Sutton is guilty of Richard’s murder. Stitch says goodbye to Abby and says he is headed home to Iowa but later he runs into Mariah once again after her jog in the park.

Ashland feels like a new man after he and Victoria make love. Ashland and Victoria have lunch at Society where he experiences shortness of breath in front of Adam. Ashland later worries that he and Victoria are getting too close and wonders if they should end their personal relationship, so Victoria won’t be hurt when he dies. Adam later tells Victor what happened at Society with Ashland and suggests that they take over Locke Communications Group before Victoria has a chance to make a move on the company.

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Y&R Short Recap Friday, July 2, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Kyle and Tara spend most of the night talking since she has always suffered from insomnia. Kyle cries as he deletes Summer’s phone number and picture from his phone. Kyle and Tara talk about the time they spent together in the Hamptons. Kyle tells Tara that he is going to concentrate on Harrison and work while he deals with his love life one day at a time.

Jack and Sally have a long talk over drinks about her plans for the future and Jack puts Sally firmly in the friend zone telling her that a romantic relationship between them is not a good idea.

Victoria thinks Ashland should announce their merger so that the press will stop trying to find out about his illness. Ashland tells Victoria that he doesn’t care about the press and that they shouldn’t rush the merger of their two companies.

Stitch asks Victor how Abby is really doing and Victor tells him Abby is happily married to Chance and excited about her baby that is on the way. Abby, Mariah, and Tessa stay up late talking about the baby since Mariah can’t sleep. Mariah describes to Abby what it feels like to have the baby inside of her. Abby and Tessa go upstairs to bed while Mariah stays downstairs for a few minutes and tells the baby that when he is born he will have a lot of people who love him. The audience sees Stitch standing outside the house watching Mariah through the window.

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Y&R Short Recap Thursday, July 1, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Kyle faces a life without Summer but he is determined to concentrate on his work and his son.

Tara and Sally are both very happy and consider the first day without Summer in town the first day of their bright future.

Stitch arrives at Abby’s house with a gift for the baby. Abby, Devon, and Mariah fill Stitch in on what has been going on since he has been gone. Stitch asks Abby to go to his boss’s retirement party with him and she politely declines his invitation.

Jack questions Phyllis about why Summer left town and Phyllis tells him that Summer couldn’t handle the situation with Tara and Harrison. Sally is in such a good mood she asks Jack to have a friendly drink but Phyllis tells him not to do it. Jack tells Phyllis that his personal life is none of her business. Jack meets Sally for one drink at Society.

Victoria is also tired of everyone butting into her personal life and after long discussions about Ashland with Victor and Nikki she decides to accept Ashland’s invitation to go to Los Angeles.

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Y&R Short Recap Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Posted on by Eva Diaz

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Recap written by Eva

Nina asks Lily if she can be a freelance reporter for Chancellor Communications since she intends to stay in town until Abby and Chance’s baby is born. Lily is impressed when she hears Nina’s experience as a reporter considering she is known for writing novels and screenplays. Lily tells Nina she may have a story for her but first she has to talk to Billy. Billy interviews Tara to try and confirm the rumor that Ashland is dying but she tells her that her soon to be ex-husband doesn’t confide in her about his health anymore.

Billy asks Tara if he should be worried about Ashland’s relationship with Victoria. Tara tells Billy that Ashland is only using Victoria to soothe his bruised ego. Billy asks Victor to talk to Victoria and tell her that continuing her relationship with Ashland will hurt her.

Sutton asks Amanda to be Nana’s lawyer because she was suffering from post-partum depression when she killed Richard. Amanda tells Sutton that she knows he killed Richard and Naya is taking the blame to protect him.

Ashland asks Victoria to go to Los Angeles with him and while they are talking Ashland begins to cough and Victoria worries that Ashland’s health is getting worse. Ashland leaves Victoria’s office and sees Victor getting off the elevator the two men say hello and Ashland gets on the elevator. Victor goes in and asks Victoria if the rumors that Ashland is dying are true.

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