Itâs so obvious that Chad and Cat had to work together to save the hospital. The writers had to come up with an excuse to have them together. You would think Chad wouldnât want anything to do with her after what she did. She may have schemed to save her mother but that doesnât change what she was willing to do. The writers should have come up with a better way to get Chad and Cat together.
Speaking of the writers, they are going overboard trying to make the audience believe that Stephanie is the only one with a brain in Salem. She was the only one who realized that Rafe could be Arnold. Gabi has been around him, but didnât realize he could have been Arnold. Unless we remember it wrong, we thought Gabi was in town when Arnold was the first time. Gabi couldnât be the one to figure it out. It had to be Stephanie. How many ways do we have to be told that Stephanie saves the day?
Jada wasted no time sleeping with Shawn. We know âRafeâ cheated on her, but she wasnât right to do the same thing. She basically used Shawn to get over Rafe. Just because she said she was attracted to Shawn when they were partners doesnât change that she used him. How was she any different from Rafe? Now that she knows that Rafe wasnât himself, she cheated on him for nothing. We know the truth will come out eventually and she will expect Rafe to forgive him.
Why would Marlena expect Kayla to accept Cat so easily? Kayla was right to think Chad shouldnât want to be around Cat after what she did. Marlena forgives everyone no matter what they do to her family and friends. This is the same person who embraced Ben after he tried to kill Will so itâs not a surprise that she would be Team Cat.
We donât understand why it was so hard to believe that Arnold could be alive. People never die in Salem so they should know that it was possible that he could still be alive. Did they really have to be convinced that someone is still alive? Look at all the other people who have returned from the dead.
It was so convenient that EJ was able to get Rita to get rid of Arnold before he got busted. We know the writers had to come up with something to get EJ off the hook but that was too convenient. The same thing happened with Kristen. She conveniently talked Brady into convincing Ava not to press charges against Kristen for kidnapping her. The writers shouldnât have come up with stories like these when it paints their characters into a corner.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
-The music playing while Marlena and Cat were shown could be heard playing while Chad and Leo were show.
-Shawn could be heard talking to Jada while Alex and Stephanie were shown kissing.
-Gabi could be heard talking to Javi while Jada was shown.
-Leo could be heard talking to Chad while Marlena was shown.
-Why would Will call Alex to tell him about a birthday video with Sonny and Arianna when Sonny could have called himself? Alex is Sonnyâs brother, not Willâs so you would think Sonny would have called him.
Tuesday
-Cat could be heard talking to Chad while Jada and Shawn were shown kissing.
-Alex could be heard talking to Stephanie while Cat was shown.
-Jada could be heard talking to Shawn while Cat was shown.
-Arnold could be heard talking to Gabi while Stephanie and Alex were shown.
-Shawn could be heard talking to Jada while Arnold and Savannah were shown.
Wednesday
-Why was it hard for Belle to believe that Rachel Blake was alive when her mother has returned from the death several times?
-Kristen could be heard talking to EJ while Belle and Brady were shown.
-Jada could be heard talking to Stephanie while Rafe was shown.
-Gabi could be heard talking to Arnold while Shawn was shown.
-Shawn could be heard talking to Jada and Stephanie while Arnold was shown.
-Brady could be heard talking to Belle while Kristen and EJ were shown.
-When did Ava become Bradyâs girlfriend when they only went on one date?
Thursday
-Belle could be heard talking to EJ while Brady was shown.
-Marlena could be heard talking to Kayla while EJ was shown.
-In Wednesdayâs episode, Rafe had dog tags on his neck, but in this episode, the tags were gone.
-EJ could be heard talking to Belle while Shawn and Jada were shown.
-Rafe could be heard talking to Shawn and Jada while Gabi was shown.
-Kayla could be heard talking to Gabi while Ava was shown.
Friday
-Sophia could be heard talking to Tate while Holly was shown.
-Marlena could be heard talking to Johnny while Tate was shown.
-Chanel could be heard talking to Paulina while Johnny was shown.
-The music in Dougâs scene could be heard while Holly was shown.
-Dougâs flashback could be heard before it was shown.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Interview with Eric McCormack, David Ajala, Peter Gadiot and Lydia Wilson of “Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue” on MGM+ by Suzanne
Interview date: 2/26/25
I enjoyed speaking with these talented actors. I’ve loved their previous work, and they all do a wonderful job in this intriguing drama. I only had about 10 minutes to speak with them, but it was well worth it. I can’t wait to see the last two episodes of this 6 part miniseries! It premieres March 2nd on MGM+.
Nine Bodies in a Mexican Morgue is a strikingly original and taut thriller series with a jaw-dropping reveal waiting at the end. A light aircraft with nine passengers crashes in the Mexican jungle â and everyone survives. But then, one after another, they begin to die in strange and violent ways and very soon they begin to realize that, for some inexplicable reason, somebody wants them dead. As the story unfolds in flashback, we meet the survivors as they fight against the heat, a shortage of supplies, the many dangers of the jungle â and each other. The setting becomes increasingly tense and claustrophobic until finally the identity of the killer and the truth are revealed.
Credits
Written, Created, and Executive produced by
Anthony Horowitz CBE
Executive Produced by
Anthony Horowitz, Jill Green & Eve Gutierrez for Eleventh Hour Films
Produced by
Eleventh Hour Films, a Sony Pictures Television (âSPTâ) backed company
Richard Burrell
Directed by
Brian OâMalley, Viviane Andereggen
Cast
Eric McCormack, David Ajala, Lydia Wilson, Peter Gadiot, SiobhĂĄn McSweeney, Ălafur Darri Ălafsson, Adam Long, Jan Le
Interview with JJ Bailey, co-creator/showrunner of “The Hunting Party” on NBC by Suzanne 2/20/25
This was a nice interview. I always enjoy talking to writers and producers because they know more about the background and creation of a show than the actors do. I was supposed to speak with his co-creator/showrunner, Jake Coburn, but I was told at the last minute that he wasn’t feeling well. It was a short interview, but I asked most of my questions, so I was happy with it. It’s an interesting show, so I hope it gets a second season.
Series Premiere Monday Feb 3 on NBC (10 pm ET/PT)Â
A high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison thatâs not supposed to exist.
The cast includes Melissa Roxburgh, Nick Wechsler, Patrick Sabongui, Josh McKenzie and Sara Garcia.
Co-showrunners JJ Bailey (creator) and Jake Coburn are writers and executive producers. Thor Freudenthal is director and executive producer. Keto Shimizu is writer and executive producer.
âThe Hunting Partyâ is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
JÂ Bailey
Executive Producer/Co-Showrunner, “The Hunting Party”
JJ Bailey is the creator, executive producer and co-showrunner on the NBC drama âThe Hunting Party.â
After receiving a degree in business and economics from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Bailey made the left turn into entertainment, moving to Los Angeles in order to pursue a career in screenwriting. Since 2017, he has developed several projects with UTV/NBC, which include two pilot orders for âEchoâ and âGetaway.â
Now working under an overall deal with NBCUniversal, Bailey has his first series order with âThe Hunting Partyâ along with another project currently in development.
He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two sons.
Interview with Sara Garcia of “The Hunting Party” on NBC by Suzanne 2/14/25
This was fun, but short. It was nice to speak to Sara, whom I interviewed (in a group) 2 years ago for the family drama “Ride” on Hallmark. This new series is quite a different show, about a team of FBI agents that chase down serial killers that have escaped from a high-tech prison. She plays the army tech person that helps the field agents. It sounds a bit far-fetched, but it’s got a wonderful cast and solid action. It seems a little bit like “The Blacklist” crossed with “Criminal Minds,” but it’s got its own original take.
A high-concept crime procedural about a small team of investigators who are assembled to track down and capture the most dangerous killers our country has ever seen, all of whom have just escaped from a top-secret prison thatâs not supposed to exist.
The cast includes Melissa Roxburgh, Nick Wechsler, Patrick Sabongui, Josh McKenzie and Sara Garcia.
Co-showrunners JJ Bailey (creator) and Jake Coburn are writers and executive producers. Thor Freudenthal is director and executive producer. Keto Shimizu is writer and executive producer.
âThe Hunting Partyâ is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
Sara Garcia
Jennifer Morales, “The Hunting Party”
Sara Garcia stars as Jennifer Morales, an intel officer and major in the Army, on the NBC drama âThe Hunting Party.â
Ontario-born and Toronto-raised, Garcia applied and was accepted to one of Torontoâs most prestigious arts schools, the Etobicoke School of the Arts. When it came time for college, Garcia chose to attend the renowned Queenâs University, where she double majored in global development and theater.
Her first foray on TV was a role on FXâs âMan Seeking Woman.â Other television credits include CWâs âThe Flashâ and âReign,â âZoeyâs Extraordinary Playlist,â Hallmarkâs âRide,â the USA series âFalling Water,â the SYFY movie âStickmanâ and the action series âX Companyâ for the CBC.
Most recently Garcia had a leading role in the animated Netflix series âUnicorn Academy,â which garnered her a Canadian Screen Award nomination; a recurring part on Netflixâs âMy Little Ponyâ franchise; Amazonâs âGary & His Demonsâ; and the Apple TV/Dreamworks project âPinecone & Pony.â
Outside of film and television, she has displayed her acting skills with major roles in two incredibly successful video game franchises, âFar Cry 6â and âStarlink: Battle for Atlas.â
You would never know that Paulina wanted to hire Jada as the police commissioner when she got rid of Rafe. Paulina acted as if she was on a mission to make Jada pay for the âcrimeâ she thought committed. If she felt so strongly about getting rid of Jada, she shouldnât have hired her in the first place. Paulina practically prosecuted Jada with little to no evidence. When the truth comes out, Jada doesnât need to take the commissioner job back.
We want to applaud Joy for breaking up with Alex. She could have easily strung him along to keep him from being with Stephanie, but she chose to have self-respect for herself. We thought Joy was going to keep dating Alex so Stephanie couldnât be with him. There have been plenty of times when people stay in relationships to keep people apart.
Speaking of Alex, Stephanie has become obsessed with Alex. She went from barely wanting to talk to him to be willing to quit her job for him. Also, she talks about him constantly as if she wasnât with him before. You would never know she was the one who wanted to be friends when they first dated. They could be together now if she didnât dump him to be with Chad. Fast forward and now she talks about him nonstop.
The writers wasted time with Body and Soul. If Abe and Kate were going to give up the show, they could have let it go to Los Angeles before. We understand people didnât care for the story, but the writers could have kept it going. It gave Kate and Abe a storyline. If the writers took their time with the story. it could have worked. Now they will go back to barely being shown.
Why did it take so long for Seth to tell Kayla the hospital was closing? If he knew for months, why didnât he say something? Also, why did he care if Bonnie sued the hospital if it was closing? You would think he would have said something sooner. With the hospital closing, where is everyone supposed to go when they are sick or hurt?
Jada brought her problems on herself when she got EJ fired. She should have known EJ would retaliate when she got him fired. Did she really think he would sit by and let her cost him his job? If she left well enough alone, she would have her job and not have to worry about being set up. We arenât trying to make excuses for what EJ did to her, but she made it easy for him to set her up.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
-Jada could be heard talking to Belle while EJ was shown.
-Steve could be heard talking to Brady while EJ was shown.
-Kristen and the woman in white cried without any tears.
-Rafe screamed in the tunnels, but Jada didnât recognize his voice.
-How was EJ able to bring Rafe to the Blake house without anyone seeing him?
Tuesday
-Stephanie could be heard talking to Kayla while Leo was shown.
-Joyâs flashback could be heard before it was shown.
-When did Bonnie make a miraculous recovery? The last time they showed her she could barely speak but now sheâs seemingly better.
-Alex could be heard talking to Joy while Stephanie was shown.
-Kayla could be heard talking to Stephanie while Alex was shown.
Wednesday
-Kayla could be heard talking to Seth while Joy was shown.
-If Seth knew the hospital was closing, why did he care if Bonnie sued the hospital?
-Speaking of the hospital, where are the people supposed to go if the hospital is closed?
-Joy could be heard talking to Alex while Johnny was shown.
-Leo could be heard talking to Seth while Alex was shown.
Thursday
-Kristenâs flashback could be heard before it was shown.
-Why does everyone talk to a portrait out loud? You would think they would keep the thoughts in their heads especially since they are in open space and anyone could hear them.
-Arnold could be heard talking to himself while Kristen was shown.
-Sarah could be heard talking to Kristen while EJ was shown.
Friday
-Kayla could be heard talking to Steve while Holly was shown.
-Steveâs flashback could be heard before it was shown.
The music playing in Chanel, Johnny, and Kaylaâs scene could be heard while Julie and Doug were shown.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Interview with Kathleen Gati of “General Hospital” on ABC by Suzanne 2/8/25
It was a lot of fun to speak with Kathleen! She’s not only an amazing actress (as “General Hospital” viewers saw), but she’s very good to her fans. She’s acted in many other wonderful shows, such as “24,” “Arrow” and “Fear the Walking Dead: Flight 462.” I was very tired during the interview because I hadn’t slept much the night before, so I apologize if I seem low-key. Don’t miss the two Zoom fan events below!
Two great events where you can see Kathleen on Zoom!
The second event is in May 3rd and 4th with other daytime actors!
BIO: Two time Emmy Nominee for Outstanding Actress (2020, 2016), and winner of seven Best Actress awards, a Best Supporting Actress Award and a Best Actress Nominee, Kathleen Gati is very well known as the stewardess on AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead: Flight 462; for her role as Raisa on (CW) Arrow; Zora on S.W.A.T. (CBS), eleven seasons (522 episodes) as Dr. Liesl Obrecht on (ABC) General Hospital (1963) and as the CEO on (BET) Being Mary Jane. She is also very popular for her two seasons on 24: Redemption (2008) as Anya Suvarov, the First Lady of Russia. She has garnered nine Audiofile Earphones Awards for her over 80 audiobook narrations.
Gati was born and raised in Canada by Hungarian immigrants and was brought up in an artistic environment. Her father was a symphony conductor and her mother an opera singer, so performing was in her blood. She started acting at the age of three, wrote, directed and starred in her first play at the age of eight. After high school, she moved to New York to pursue her dream, where she studied and performed in dozens of plays both on and Off Broadway, as well as working in numerous roles on television and in film. Gati was invited to Hungary to be in the feature Goldberg variĂĄcĂłk (1992), for which she won the Television and Film Critics Best Supporting Actress award.
Interview with Selina Ringel and Ritesh Rajan of the film “You, Me & Her” by Suzanne 2/7/25
It was fun to speak to these two actors (even though I was having a very bad hair day! LOL!). The film is sexy, fun, entertaining, and it shows marriage in a real way. Make sure to catch it when it opens tomorrow, February 14, in theaters nationwide.
The romantic comedy YOU, ME & HER, presented by Two Hands Productions, starring Selina Ringel (Single Mother By Choice), Ritesh Rajan (Definition Please, Russian Doll), and Sydney Park (First Love, The Walking Dead), will be released in 250+ theaters nationwide as the Alpha Test film for The Fithian Groupâs new platform Attend on Valentineâs Day, Friday, February 14, 2025.Â
The film is directed by Dan Levy Dagerman and written by Selina Ringel, a husband-and-wife powerhouse.
âA thoughtful, provocative and ultimately moving marital drama that feels more realistic and more honest than any number of Hollywood romcoms.âÂ
â Action Reloaded
ABOUT YOU, ME & HER
94 minutes | Comedy | 2025 | English | USA | MPA Rated R for sexual content, nudity, drug use, and language
SYNOPSIS | For Mags and Ash, marriage has become a series of arguments and compromises, leaving them both yearning for more. On their first vacation alone since becoming parents, their arguments threaten to ruin the tripâuntil they meet Angela, a free-spirited digital nomad who stirs unexpected feelings in Mags and gives her permission to be a version of herself she has not been in years, fun! Intrigued by Angela, the couple flirts with the idea of a threesome, but itâs never as simple as it seems.
LOGLINE | A chronically married couple flirts with a threesome to rediscover themselves.
TAGLINE | Donât Make it Weird.
THEATRICAL RELEASE | Valentineâs Day, February 14th, 2025
DIRECTED BY | Dan Levy Dagerman
WRITTEN BY | Selina Ringel
PRODUCED BY | Selina Ringel, Dan Levy Dagerman, Fernando Lebrija, Pablo Lebrija, Ritesh Rajan, and Cameron Fife
STARRING | Selina Ringel (Single Mother By Choice), Ritesh Rajan (Definition Please, Russian Doll), and Sydney Park (First Love, The Walking Dead).
PRODUCTION COMPANY | Two Handâs Productions
IN PARTNERSHIP | Fifthian Group and Attend
BIOGRAPHIES:Â
ABOUT DAN & SELINA: Dan Levy Dagerman and Selina Ringel are a filmmaking husband and wife team. Their last movie Single Mother By Choice sold directly to HBOMax. Their newest film You, Me & Her has partnered with the Fithian Group as the Alpha Test for their new platform called Attend which might reshape the independent theatrical model. Their film will be in over 200 theaters nationwide on Valentine’s Day! They both graduated from AFI.
SELINA RINGEL, Mags (Lead Actress, Writer, Producer): A dynamic Mexican-American filmmaker, has carved a niche in the independent film scene with her compelling narratives and unique voice. An award-winning writer, producer, and actress, her recent project, “You, Me & Her,” has won 15 awards, including Best Picture at the Mexican-American Film & Television Awards, and boasts a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. Selina’s groundbreaking film “Single Mother by Choice” captured her real-time pregnancy journey during COVID-19 and premiered on HBO Max. She is also known for her engaging comedy special on Amazon Prime, “2 Moms 1 Mic,” and her internationally recognized film “The Best People,” distributed domestically by Samuel Goldwyn Films. Selina’s work continues to resonate globally, pushing boundaries and sparking conversation.
RITESH RAJAN, Ash (Lead Actor): A graduate of NYU Tisch, you can see Riteshâs work as the lead in Sujata Dayâs new film âDefinition Pleaseâ produced by Mindy Kaling & Ava DuVernay, as Farran in the Emmy award-winning hit âRussian Dollâ and as the voice of Ken in âBarbie: Dream House Adventuresâ: and more all on Netflix. Other credits include recurring on Shonda Rimes âStation 19,â Disneyâs âThe Jungle Book, FreeFormâs âStitchers,â âNCIS LA,â âStar Wars,â âRebels,â âBeavis & Buttheadâ and the Hulu original, âDollface.â
DAN LEVY DAGERMAN (Director): Dan is a distinguished director, producer, and innovator in the film industry, known for blending poignant narratives with groundbreaking cinematic techniques, establishing himself as a formidable force in modern independent cinema. After earning an MFA in Directing from AFI Conservatory, Dan co-founded Two Hands Productions with his wife, Selina Ringel. Their most recent feature, “You, Me & Her,” has garnered significant success on the film festival circuit, winning 15 awards, including Best Picture at the 2024 Mexican-American Film & Television Festival, and achieving a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, ahead of its 2025 theatrical release. Their previous feature, “Single Mother by Choice,” documented Selinaâs real-life pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic and was acquired by HBO Max, receiving critical acclaim and the Best Indie Feature award at Film Threatâs Annual AWARD THIS! in 2022, showcasing Danâs directorial sensitivity to intimate, real-life stories. Dan founded High Concept Entertainment, a production company at the intersection of cannabis and entertainment, pioneering content marketing and distribution strategies that reflect the evolving demands of digital-age audiences. His career is marked by a commitment to innovation, storytelling excellence, and a keen understanding of cultural trends, whose work continues to inspire and drive change.
SYDNEY PARK, Angela (Supporting Actress): Sydney got her start at the age of 6 doing stand-up comedy at the Hollywood Improv. At the age of 8, she competed on reality competition show âAmerica’s Got Talentâ as “Syd the Kid,” the youngest stand-up comic to compete. She went on to guest star on hit Disney Channel series âThat’s So Ravenâ and âHannah Montana,â, in addition to HBO’s âEntourage,â âComedy Central’s âThe Sarah Silverman Programâ and CBS’ âCSI: NY.â. Continuing her versatile work, Sydney starred in Nick at Nite’s âInstant Mom,â AMC’s âThe Walking Dead,â the Netflix animated series, âSpirit Riding Freeâ and Freeformâs spin-off series âPretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists.â Her performance was highlighted as “the standout of the young cast” by Variety magazine. Sydneyâs credits also include season 3 of the hit Netflix series âSanta Clarita Diet,â the 2017 horror film âWish Uponâ and the Netflix slasher film âThere’s Someone Inside Your House.â
FILMMAKERS STATEMENT
As a husband and wife team, we write stories that are a hyperbole of our lives. We believe that this approach allows us to create films that resonate with audiences on a deeper level, sparking conversations about love, relationships, and the human condition. You, Me & Her is a romantic comedy that draws on our personal lives and influences as diverse as Knocked Up, Scenes from a Marriage, and Force Majeure to bring the audience into the exploration of Mags and Ashâs relationship.
It’s fair to say everyone in a relationship has fantasized about what it would be like to be with someone else and on the surface the idea of a threesome seems like the ultimate loophole for a couple. In our film, we were determined to explore these complex emotions honestly and authentically within the characters and ourselves. The film poses the question of whether this ârelationship band-aidâ can save a relationship or if festering issues buried under the surface have become too deep of a wound to fix.
You, Me & Her is the first film for the Fithian Groupâs experimental Alpha development phase of its recently announced online theatrical digital distribution and marketing platform, Attend. (The Hollywood Reporter).
The release will allow the parties to harness the conversations between filmmakers and theater owners into automated tools that will combine with the industryâs leading data set to form Attend.
The Fithian Group and the groundbreaking distribution platform Attend, are endorsed by over 90 significant filmmakers and producers including Damien Chazelle, Patty Jenkins, Steven Soderbergh, Sean Baker, and many more.
You, Me & Her is actively partnering with influencers, content creators, and brands that authentically resonate with the themes of the film. Their brand partners to date include Lindt Chocolate, Lyft, Lalo Tequila, Zomoz Mezcal, The Pleasure Chest, PleasureMed, Candier by Ryan Porter, Simmr, Potli, PYM Mood Chews, FemmeFun and La Nua.Â
The You, Me & Her team will be activating unique experiences in different theaters all over the nation. In partnership with Riviera Nayarit, Hotel Ysuri and Casa Selva audience members will even have the chance to win a trip to Mexico.
Selina and Dan will participate in a Panel at Sundance 2025, Revolutionizing Theatrical Distribution to Expand the Range and Impact of Independent Films. Speakers include, Elizabeth Woodward (Founder and CEO, Willa) Selina Ringel (Screenwriter, You, Me & Her) Dan Levy Dagerman (Director, You, Me & Her), Jackie Brenneman (Co-Founding Partner, The Fithian Group). Please see the recorded Q&A here.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:Â Â
Selina identifies as a bisexual woman and is married to Dan who identifies as a straight man
The film was sparked by a moment that made Selina question her sexuality, societal conventions, and honesty in relationships, which, needless to say, was quite a journey to experience with her husband, Dan.
Selina is Mexican-American and was raised in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The movie was shot in Spanglish and half of it was shot in Nayarit, Mexico.
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS:Â
Grand Jury Award Best Feature Film Comedy Sherman Oaks Film Festival 2023
Grand Jury Award Best Performance by a Cast 2023
Grand Jury Award Best Screenplay 2023
Best RomCom Amsterdam World Canvas Film Festival 2024
Best Picture Festigious 2024 (2/6/2024)
Best Original Story Festigious 2024 (2/6/2024)
Best Comedy Festigious 2/6/2024
Best Romantic Comedy Los Angeles Film Awards 2023
Best LGBTQ+ Film Athens International Film Festival
Best Picture New York Film Awards 2023
Best Actor New York Film Awards 2024 (1/10/2024)
Best Actress New York Film Awards 2024 (1/10/2024)
Best Picture Mexican American Film Festival 2024 (5/18/2024)
Best Queer Feature Film Lone Wolf International Film Festival 2024
Best Director Paris Awards Film Festival 2024
PRESS QUOTES & REVIEWS
“Attend allows for an unprecedented collaboration between filmmakers, theater owners and marketers in expanding the reach of theatrical moviemaking. With You, Me & Her, and Dan and Selinaâs embrace of experimentation, we think we have an ideal projet to build the tools that will become Attend.â Â
“We tell stories inspired by our lives. This film was sparked by a moment that made me question my sexuality, societal conventions, and honesty in relationships, which, needless to say, was quite a journey to experience with your husband [Dagerman]” said Ringel.Â
âDagerman and Ringel walk the line masterfully between titillation and meditation. Thereâs no reason a film canât do both, but generally, filmmakers donât even try to approach sex thoughtfully or with any emotional depth. The beautiful Mexican beach and Latin party music for the trip provides a visual feast, serving as a getaway for the audience as well as the characters.â
âWith a compelling storyline, strong performances, and a tasteful approach to adult themes, You, Me & Her succeeds in offering a refreshing perspective on love, laughter, and the unconventional paths that relationships may take.â
âWhat looks to be a raunchy sex comedy eventually turns into something more substantial, as Ringelâs nuanced script finds surprising depth as well as humor in a strained domesticity nearing the breaking point.â
âAttend expands possibilities for filmmakers and non-studio movies to reach audiences and to expand the reach and efficiency of existing distributors. Over many years of grappling with the challenges and opportunities facing the theatrical market worldwide, as industry leaders we have sought solutions that grow the business for all stakeholders.â
January 16, 2025: â’You, Me & Her’ Releases First Trailer; Romantic Comedy Will Test Fithian Group’s Digital Distribution Marketplace (EXCLUSIVE)â https://x.com/Variety/status/1879966894402294260
*Please note, this was shared with VARIETYâs X (2.9M Followers).
Interview with Gary Anthony Williams, Nyambi Nyambi and Lacretta of “Night Court” on NBC by Suzanne 2/6/25
It’s always great fun to speak to these actors from “Night Court!” They are hilarious. I was paired with another journalist this time, Russ Milheim of The Direct. It’s always nice to meet fellow members of the press. We each asked very different questions, which is great. I hope you enjoy these fun interviews!
Tuesdays on NBC (8:30 -9p.m. ET/PT); Season Premiere: Nov 19
Eternally optimistic Abby Stone (Melissa Rauch) follows in the footsteps of her revered late father, Judge Harry Stone, as she takes on the challenge of overseeing the night shift of a Manhattan arraignment court.
In her quest to bring order and dignity to the court and reign in its colorful crew of oddballs, Abby enlists former night court district attorney Dan Fielding (John Larroquette) to serve as the courtâs public defender. Still exceedingly self-confident, Fielding must adjust to a new boss and a new job â defending the downtrodden. And, beneath his arrogant demeanor, there is an empathetic side to Fielding that Abby is determined to unearth.
They both must contend with Julianne Walters (Wendie Malick), a reformed convict and former love interest of Dan, who is the new prosecutor. A sophisticated, savvy woman and accomplished attorney who also knows how to make a shank out of a spoon, sheâll keep everyone in the courthouse on their toes. Donna âGurgsâ Gurganous (Lacretta) is the night courtâs sharp-witted bailiff. Gurgs takes her job very seriously and is fiercely protective of her night court colleagues. Wyatt Shaw (Nyambi Nyambi) is the courtâs clerk. Heâs a jack of all trades and devoted single dad trying to make it all work as a law student at the same time.
From executive producer and writer Dan Rubin (âUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidtâ), âNight Courtâ is based on the original hit series that ran for nine seasons on NBC. Executive producers also include Melissa Rauch, Winston Rauch, John Larroquette, Mat Hawawitz, Lon Zimmet, Lindsey Shockley and Mona Garcea.
âNight Courtâ is produced by Rauchâs After January Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.
BIOS
Lacretta
Donna âGurgsâ Gurganous, âNight Courtâ
Lacretta stars as Donna âGurgsâ Gurganous on the NBC comedy âNight Court.â
Born and raised in Kansas City, Mo., Lacretta made her stage debut at 14 at the Coterie Theater â an institution in which she holds great affection. It was there where she starred in numerous performances throughout the â90s, such as âA Wrinkle in Timeâ and â101 Dalmatians.â
In 2011, she appeared in âHairsprayâ at Broadway Rose in Portland. She then originated the role of Levora Verona in the Off-Broadway run of âDisaster!â in 2012 at the Triad in New York, and made her Broadway debut with the same role in 2016.
Following her on-stage success, Lacretta guest starred on âLaw & Order,â â30 Rock,â âBroad Cityâ and âGotham.â
In film, Lacretta appeared in the romantic comedy âSecond Actâ before making her return to the stage in âAvenue Qâ in the closing cast of their Off-Broadway run at New World Stages. She was also featured in the first national tour of âThe Book of Mormon.â
In her off time, Lacretta loves gaming and is very active on Twitch TV. In 2022, she helped announce the first Streamers for Education Scholarship for Black Women going into the fields of STEM, Digital Media and film. She is also an avid cook and often shares recipes from âCrettaâs Kitchenâ on her Instagram.
She currently resides in Los Angeles.
Nyambi Nyambi
Wyatt Shaw, “Night Court”
Nyambi portrays Wyatt Shaw on the NBC comedy âNight Court.â
Nyambi most recently co-starred as investigator Jay DiPersia in Paramount+âs âThe Good Fightâ and co-starred for six seasons alongside Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy in the CBS sitcom âMike & Molly.â Nyambi can be seen in the Billy Crystal and Alan Zweibel film âHere Todayâ as well as starring in the indie film âThe Sleepless,â available on Amazon Prime.
Nyambiâs TV resume includes âMercy Street,â âBlindspot,â digital series âAmerican Kokoâ and âTitans.â Additionally, Nyambi had voiceover roles in âThe Death of Supermanâ and âReign of the Supermen.â He also narrated the three-part PBS nature documentary âPrimates.â
Nyambi has participated in New Yorkâs Public Theaterâs Shakespeare in the Park. Working alongside Al Pacino and Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Nyambi starred in âThe Merchant of Veniceâ and âThe Winterâs Tale.â
Additional theater credits include the first Broadway revival of August Wilson’s âJoe Turnerâs Come and Goneâ and the Classic Stage Companyâs âThe Tempest,â opposite Mandy Patinkin. He has worked with the Classical Theatre of Harlem and the Williamstown Theater Festival, and is a proud member of the Labyrinth Theatre Company.
Alongside Danai Gurira, Nyambi serves on the board for Almasi Collaborative Arts, an organization dedicated to developing emerging African artists.
Nyambi is a first-generation Nigerian-American and earned a bachelorâs degree in business administration from Bucknell University before earning his Masters of Fine Arts from NYU. He played basketball for four years at Bucknell and made the ESPN Dick Vitale âAll-Name Team,â which honors the best names in college basketball. Post-college, Nyambi took on the role of coach and led basketball teams at teen camps.
Gary Anthony WIlliams
Judge Flobert, “Night Court”
Gary Anthony Williams is an American actor, comedian and filmmaker. He has voiced the character Uncle Ruckus on The Boondocks, General Horace Warfield in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty and Dr. Richard Tygan in XCOM 2, portraying Anton “Bebop” Zeck in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.
Interview with Sean Kanan of “The Bold and the Beautiful” on CBS and “Cobra Kai” on Netflix by Suzanne 2/4/25
This is my second Zoom interview with Sean Kanan. It’s always great to speak with him because he’s an interesting guy, and an amazing actor, and he always has a lot of things going on. Soap fans know Sean from his role as Deacon on both B&B, Y&R and GH; others may know him from “Karate Kid 3” and the “Cobrai Kai” series, or his Emmy-winning series “Studio City” on Prime. Right now, Sean is busy promoting a new line of hot sauces, some personal appearances, and the latest in his motivational Way of the Cobra book series with his wife, Michele: “Way of the Cobra: Couples“. If you’re a fan of the soaps or of the “Cobra Kai” series or “Karate Kid” movies, you should enjoy this chat!
If you live in the SoCal area, go see Sean Kanan, his wife, and his co-star Kimberlin Brown (who plays Sheila) this Saturday, February 8th at Barnes & Noble in Palm Desert 2 PM! Sean will also be appearing at the Pasadena Comic-Con May 24th. You can find out about Sean’s future events on his Instagram. Wait him daily on “The Bold and the Beautiful,” too. Sounds like he has some great story coming up.
Incidentally, if you haven’t watched “Cobra Kai” or the “Karate Kid” movies, I would suggest you check them out because they’re a lot of fun to watch. I just binge-watched them all in the past few months. The last five episodes of “Cobra Kai” drop Feb. 13! Then there’s a new movie, “Karate Kid: Legends” coming out in the summer, starring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan! It looks good.
EmmyÂź award-winner Sean Kanan portrays irresistible bad boy “Deacon Sharpe” on The Bold and the Beautiful.
After the characterâs success on The Bold and the Beautiful, âDeacon Sharpeâ also appeared on sister show, The Young and the Restless. Kanan’s first role in Hollywood was of iconic villain “Mike Barnes” in the blockbuster film Karate Kid III, which he reprised for season five on Netflixâs pop-culture classic Cobra Kai in 2022. He also played the role of “AJ Quartermaine” on General Hospital. His many film credits include two 2021 films with Bruce Willis, Survive the Game and The Fortress, and the Lifetime movie Sinister Society.
In 2021, Kanan won the Daytime EmmyÂź award for Outstanding Limited Series as the Executive Producer and Creator of Studio City (Amazon Prime), for which he was also EmmyÂź nominated in the categories of Outstanding Lead Actor and Outstanding Writing Team. Kanan previously won the Indie Series Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for portraying Studio City protagonist “Sam Stephens.”
Kanan has authored four books. His latest, Welcome to the KUMITE, is the second in the Way of the COBRA (WOTC) series, which draws on intimate personal stories to illustrate his strategies and philosophy for achieving success: âTransform yourself, and you can transform the world.â Sean’s first book, The Modern Gentleman: Cooking and Entertaining with Sean Kanan, received rave reviews. His second, Success Factor X, became an Amazon New Release Best Seller after less than one week and was named one of the twenty most inspirational books in the last two decades by Book Authority.
To give back, Kanan has turned his personal success and the knowledge about his approach to achieving goals for a healthy, happy, and successful life into a successful and highly sought-after life coaching program.
Whether lobbying on Capitol Hill to raise awareness about bullying or performing stand-up comedy in Bosnia to entertain the troops for the USO, Kanan remains active in numerous charitable organizations, including The American Cancer Society, various animal advocacy groups, and serving as the international youth ambassador for Boo2Bullying.
In 2016, Kanan received the 400th star on the Palm Springs Walk of Fame for his creative work and acts of charity in Hollywood.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in New Castle, PA, Kanan resides with his wife, EmmyÂź, award-winning producer and writer Michele Kanan, in California. He celebrates his birthday on November 2.
SEAN KANAN aka “Karate’s Bad Boy”
Kanan has unleashed a line of artisan crafted small batch hot sauces that hit harder than a spinning back kick.
DON’T LET YOUR HOT SAUCE BE A JOKE
Say goodbye to bland and hello to bold with knockout flavors like:
These aren’t your average saucesâ theyâre weapons of mass deliciousness, packing Scoville heat levels from a solid 4/10 to a face-melting 10/10. Buy Now!
Interview with Josh Stamberg, Jacqueline Christy and Miriam Shor of the movie “Magic Hour” by Suzanne 2/5/25
This is a very entertaining and interesting film, especially for women, or for anyone who wants to make movies. It’s premiering today at the Santa Barbara Film Festival and will also show there tomorrow. I really enjoyed speaking to the writer/director/producer, who seems very down-to-earth, and the film’s main star, Miriam Shor, as well as the actor who plays her husband, Josh Stamberg. We had a couple of great chats. I hope that they will make the movie available outside of the film festival at this point, so you can all see it!
Public 1 (Premiere) Screening – Wednesday, February 5 at 5:00pm PST at Film Center Auditorium #1
Public 2 Screening – Thursday, February 6 at 8:20am PST at Film Center Auditorium #2
RUN TIME
94 minutes
SYNOPSIS
Harriet, a once-promising filmmaker, is stuck in the suburbs of New Jersey. Alienated from her cheating
husband and spurned by her teenage daughter, she secretly enrolls in film school. She leads a double life
and loves the grueling yet exhilarating world of student filmmaking. But, when she gets fired off her own
film and found out by her daughter, Harriet must decide if her lifeâs ambition is pure folly or a dream
worth saving.
DIRECTORâS STATEMENT
Six years ago, at the age of not-22, I decided to go to film school – and this movie is what happened.
OK, Magic Hour is not precisely what happened. The film is a highly fictionalized account of what
happens when, after many years of procrastination and self-recrimination, one puts their dream to the
test. The adventures and self-reckoning I experienced going back to film school with classmates half my
age are at the root of my inspiration for Magic Hour. Beginning again is exciting but humbling, and no
reality can live up to the imagined perfection of a dream. Ultimately, I found the beautiful, supportive
film tribe I had hoped for, and in this film, I attempt to depict all of that with love (and gentle satire).
When I had my first few brushes with the professional filmmaking world, I pined (as the protagonist
Harriet does) for the love-fest of film school. On professional film sets, I witnessed forms of bullying and
misogyny that I had seen in the corporate world, but I had found blissfully absent at film school. I knew it
was possible â and better â to create films without that bullying culture. Magic Hour posits a world in
which kindness rules the day, âeven in the goddamned film business.â
While Harrietâs estranged husband, her boss, her cinematographer, and the rival Lacrosse coach all
believe they live in a âdog-eat-dogâ world in which kindness equals weakness. Harriet challenges that
idea with leadership that is fuelled by creativity and collaboration.
This movie is for timid, neurotic people with a huge dream that they are absolutely certain they can
never achieve. I hope my audience will see themselves in the hopeful and hapless lead character, and
feel the excitement of their own untested dreams; the lure of unknown adventure and the endless
potential within them. Iâd love the audience to leave the theater awake and glowing with a reignited
connection to their own powerful destiny.
The magic hour is a time of transition. The beloved beauty of âmagic hourâ light comes from this
transition into the mysterious unknowability of what might come next.
âJacqueline Christy
ABOUT THE CAST
MIRIAM SHOR | âHarrietâ, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Miriam Ruth Shor is an American actress. She gained prominence for her performance in the
Off-Broadway rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch (1998â2000) and in the 2001 film adaptation of
the same name. She later starred in a number of short-lived television series, including Swingtown
(2008) and GCB (2012). From 2015 to 2021, Shor starred as Diana Trout in the TV Land/Paramount+ comedy-drama series Younger for which she received Critics’ Choice Awards nomination for Best
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Shor played Madelaine True in the Encores! production of The
Wild Party at the New York City Center in 2015 alongside Younger co-star Sutton Foster. She has
appeared in the films Bedazzled (2000), The Cake Eaters (2007), Lost Girls (2020), Maestro (2023) and
American Fiction (2023). She is directing the upcoming documentary film, My NDA. Shor plays the
starring role of Harriet in the upcoming feature film Magic Hour which will premiere at the Santa Barbara
International Film Festival February, 2025.
JOSH STAMBERG | âBobâ
Josh Stamberg works steadily in television, film, and theatre. He can currently be seen in BASED ON A
TRUE STORY and TED on Peacock, and opposite Claire Danes in the FX limited series FLEISHMAN IS IN
TROUBLE. He also recently appeared in the HBO series THE TIME TRAVELERâS WIFE, as well as the
Marvel/Disney+ series WANDAVISION opposite Elizabeth Olsen. Other recent credits include the
Showtime Roger Ailes series THE LOUDEST VOICE, THE AFFAIR, NASHVILLE, PARENTHOOD, and
DISTRACTED, a play in which he starred opposite Cynthia Nixon at Roundabout Theatre Company. Last
year he also starred in EXCLUSION at Arena Stage, directed by Trip Cullman.
Stamberg will next be seen in the films MAGIC HOUR and ISAAC, which he also produced. He also
recently joined the cast of the Paramount+ limited series JONBENET RAMSEY. He works frequently with
LA Theaterworks and the Ojai Playwrights Conference, and lives in Los Angeles.
Another Word for Beauty, Sueño, The Untranslatable Secrets of Nikki Corona, Sonnets for an Old Century,
School of the America, Brainpeople, Adoration of the Old Woman, The Maids, The Kiss of the
Spiderwoman (Menier Chocolate Factory, London); Each Day Dies with Sleep, Lovesong (Imperfect) and
The Street of the Sun . He has served on the boards of TCG and the Sundance Institute and was a Creative
Advisor at Sundance Screenwriting Labs in Utah, Jordan and India.
MIRIAM SHOR | âHarrietâ, ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
See bio above.
JONATHAN GRAY | CONSULTING PRODUCER
Jonathan Gray is highly regarded in the independent film community as an attorney, producer, and
advisor to filmmakers, producers, financiers, and distributors. He has acted as production counsel on
noted documentary films including One Child Nation (2019 Sundance Documentary Grand Jury Prize);
American Factory (2019 Sundance Documentary Directing Award); and Life, Animated (2016 Sundance
Documentary Directing Award; 2017 Academy Award Nomination for Best Documentary Feature); as
well as seminal independent narrative films such as The Station Agent, Black Swan, and Precious,
providing filmmakers with legal and creative consultation from acquisition of rights through delivery to
the distributors. His producing credits include Blue Caprice (2013 Sundance); Words with Gods (2014
Venice International Film Festival); Nightingale (HBO – 2015 Primetime Emmy Nomination for
Outstanding Television Movie); and Dark Night (2016 Sundance). A former adjunct professor at Columbia
University School of the Arts, Gray earned his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.
NANCY COLLET | ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
Nancy Collet is a seasoned entertainment professional with over three decades of experience in the film
industry. Her career is marked by significant contributions to film programming, festival management,
and strategic consulting.
As Director of Programming at AFI FEST for 10 years, Collet played a pivotal role in the festivalâs growth
and international recognition. During her tenure, she secured premieres of numerous Academy
Award-winning films, including Life Is Beautiful, Monster, The Lives of Others, and Panâs Labyrinth,
solidifying its status as a world-renowned event, and curated a diverse selection of critically acclaimed
films, such as Hotel Rwanda, Talk to Her, and City of God.
Following her success at AFI FEST, Collet founded Cinema Collet, a strategic consulting firm. Her client
portfolio includes major film festivals like the Toronto International Film Festival, educational institutions
such as NYU, cultural organizations like The French Consulate, distribution companies and independent
filmmakers seeking festival guidance.
Colletâs expertise is widely recognized in the film community, evidenced by her roles as a juror,
moderator, and panelist for international film festivals and events. Colletâs career is characterized by her
ability to identify and promote groundbreaking cinema, foster industry relationships, and elevate the
profile of film festivals and organizations. Her work continues to shape the landscape of independent
and international film, supporting emerging talents and established filmmakers alike.
LASSE ULVEDAL TOLBĂLL | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Lasse TolbĂžll is an Oscar-nominated director of photography from Odder, Denmark. He was the
cinematographer for Knight of Fortune, which was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 2024
Academy Awards. Lasse shot seven features including Alendre Rockwellâs Sweet Thing which won the
Crystal Bear at Berlin. Lasseâs work has been recognized at film festivals across the world, including the
British Film Awards, Asian Cinematography Awards, and Seattle International Film Festival among others.
Short films Under the Heavens and Pale Saint each won the award for best cinematography at the
HollyShorts film festival in 2021 and 2020 respectively. Lasse completed the graduate film program at the
NYU Tisch School of the Arts and became an HBO-sponsored BAFTA Scholar. Lasse was the 2018 recipient
of the ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award for outstanding cinematography.
https://www.lassetolboll.com/cv
CARLA PATULLO | MUSIC COMPOSER
Carla Patullo is a GRAMMYÂź-Winning artist who works as a film score composer, solo artist, songwriter,
and multi-instrumentalist. Following a near-death experience, Carla recorded So She Howls, a
self-produced and self-released album that is both cathartic and cinematic. In 2024, So She Howls won
the GRAMMYÂź Award for âBest New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album.â
Carla is a lifelong musician who earned a bachelorâs degree in songwriting and a masterâs of film music
from Berklee College of Music. Some of Carlaâs recent film scores include the feature film Bitterroot,
which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024; the Disney+ film Maxine, starring
Margaret Cho; Everybody Dies . . . Sometimes, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival; Magic Hour,
an upcoming dramedy starring Miriam Shor; My Name Is Maria De Jesus, an HBO Latino film; Porno,
Fangoriaâs recent SXSW hit; and the IDA shortlisted documentary Lotte that Silhouette Girl.
She is a Sundance Film Music and Sound Design Lab alumna, and four-time Hollywood Music in Media
Award Nominee. This past year, because of Carlaâs work related to animation pioneer Lotte Reiniger, two
of Carlaâs film scores were presented at The Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences Museum. She is
also a prolific songwriter, having written over 100 songs with placements on film and TV shows, such as
the Sundance award-winning film Spa Night, Teen Titans Go (Cartoon Network), The Ellen DeGeneres
Show, Skins (UK), Sabrina the Teenage Witch, L.A. A Queer History (PBS), and many more.
LEW GOLDSTEIN | SOUND DESIGNER
Lew Goldstein is a 3-time Emmy nominated sound editor and re-recording mixer. Lew has over 100 film
credits and a career that spans over 30 years. Some of his recent work includes Mean Girls, In the
Heights, Black Bear, Hereditary, and The Greatest Showman. Lew was Emmy-nominated for Outstanding
Sound Mixing For a Variety Series or Special in 2021, Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy or Drama
Series (Half-Hour) And Animation in 2019, and Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series
(Half-Hour) And Animation in 2019 for Last Week Tonight With John Oliver and Russian Doll respectively.
ELIE AKOKA | COLORIST
Elie Akoka made his debut as a colorist in 2009 with Nader T. Homayounâs Tehroun (International Critics
week award in VENICE). He has gone on to work with Abdellatif Kechiche on the Palme DâOr winning
Blue is the Warmest Color, Gaspar Noe (Love), Pablo Larrain, Claire Denis (High Life). Elie loves to work
with directors from around the world, among them Lui Bingjianâs (The Back- China) Jen Lien (Sons of
Norway- Norway), Brillante Mendoza-Captive (Philippines). Elieâs work runs the gamut from big budget
US films like Immortals to independent films such as Give Me Liberty, Dark Night, Sollers Point,
Meditarenea, A Ciambra, A Chiara, and Bonne Mere. Recently, he worked as the colorist on Sukkwan
Island, which had its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
CREDITS
Production – DGA
Unit Production Manager Dolores Diaz
First Assistant Director Jacqueline Dow
First Assistant Director Natalia Shaufert
First Assistant Director Joseph Sackett
Second Assistant Director Gabrielle Rice
Cast
HARRIET Miriam Shor
EMMA Cameron Morton
HANK Sendhil Ramamurthy
BOB Josh Stamberg
BEATRICE Anna Suzuki
FELICITY Delissa Reynolds
JOSEPH Austin Pendleton
TED Michael Panes
BILL John Harrington Bland
MICHAEL Patrick Breen
TRISH Joy Suprano
KLAUS Richard Lowenburg
MOTH GUY Louis Mustillo
MOMMOM Renee Taylor
PROFESSOR WOODS Alastair Boag
ANNA Morgan Wolk
YOUNG BOSS Adit Dileep
MONICA Nadia Dajani
JAYDEN Josh Salt
ALISON Danielle Davenport
TOMMY Gilles Geary
MARGARET Jane Elias
PROFESSOR JAMES Asa James
PROFESSOR MILES Amy Staats
JUSTIN Sam Gilroy
TOUGH COACH Jason Nuzzo
STUDIO FRONT DESK GUARD Patrick McGuinness
MADELINE Jenson Smith
MADELINE (VOICE IN FRENCH) Cristina Spina
SOUND MIXER Jasir Romero
ANDY Adam Bryant
KEVIN Marlon Quijije
VANNA Vanna Pilgrim
JAMIE Brough Hansen
JAMIE (VOICE IN FRENCH) James Christy
CHARLES DEREK HANDEL Derek Ragin
LAURA ING Ivana Sabar
STREET CREW PA Elliot White
CHILD BOB Jacob Morrell
CHILD HARRIET Avery Emerson
CHILD BULLY Giuseppe Virzi
AIRBNB HOST Walid Chaya
LACROSSE AMY Amanda Jane Stern
STREET CREW CINEMATOGRAPHER Ariel Dreicer
STREET CREW DIRECTOR Jacqueline Christy
SUPPORTIVE 1950S ACTRESS Nancy Pop
NERVOUS 1950s ACTRESS Alina Mihailevschi
GEORGE Ed Witt
KIND FELLOWSHIP PANELIST Mizuo Peck
AMANDA Jan Jalenak
FELLOWSHIP PANELIST Cristina Spina
SMILING LACROSSE PLAYER Celia Cumiskey
FRANCOIS EVENT BICKERING WOMAN Francine Christy
VOICE OF FRANCOIS GUEST Christine Renee Miller
MOPEY ART PA Emily Gleeson
STUDENT CAMERA ASSISTANT Lizzy Harding
STUDENT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Katherine Lane
ACTRESS IN HARRIET’S MOVIE Laura Lee
MOVER #1 Tim Brunnock
MOVER #2 Arti Finn
Mover #3 Thomas Heban
JAMES Isaiah Zeavin-Moss
Monica’s baby Ada Bland
Trish’s Baby Helena
CRYING COLLEAGUE McKenna Cox
COLLEAGUE Hannah Atkinson
WAITRESS Molly Barrett
CLERK Elizabeth Pepe
BOUNCER Gillette
FATHER ACTOR Tom Bozell
DAUGHTER ACTRESS Brinda Dixit
STUDENT PRODUCER Stella Pejo
YOUNG HARRIET Zoë Van Tieghem
LUNCH WAITRESS Liana Feliciano
RUDE COLLEAGUE Jenny Zerke
Background Actors
Harriet Lacrosse Player #2 Yulia Kez
Harriet Lacrosse Player #3 Sadie Rose Darwish
Harriet Lacrosse Player #4 Christy Hillebrecht
Harriet Lacrosse Player #5 Ero Christy
Mom in bleachers #1 Kara Smith Cumiski
Mom in bleachers #2 Julie DeVuono
Paramus Lacrosse Number 3 Cate Osborne
Paramus Lacrosse Number 7 Baldwin Classmate’s daughter
Paramus Lacrosse Number 6 Celia Cumisky
Students Josh Catubig
Natalia Shaufert
Co-Producer Laura Lee
Co-Producer John Rafanelli
Associate Producer Miriam Shor
Associate Producer Janet Antich
Associate Producer Colin Stackpole
Associate Producer Ann Clark
Associate Producer Nancy Collet
Associate Producer Jaqueline Dow
Associate Producer David Allen
In Association with Good Violet
Camera
Camera Operator Lasse Ulvedal TolbĂžll, DFF
First Assistant Camera Edna L. Biesold
First Assistant Camera Kerstin Ebert
Second Assistant Camera Sehee Kim
Second Assistant Camera Skyla Page
Second Assistant Camera Lydia Marie Smith
Digital Imaging Technician Josh Catubig
Second Unit Director of Photography Joel Wolter
First Assistant Camera Aniket Desai
First Assistant Camera Alice Shcherbak
Still Photographer Dennis P. Mong Jr.
Still Photographer Coordinator Cheryl Mong
Continuity
Script Supervisor Natalia Shaufert
Secondary Script Supervisor Tuesday Blue
Production Sound
Production Sound Mixer/Boom Operator Rebecca Martos
Second Unit Production Sound
Production Sound Mixer Sam T. Wilson
Production Sound Mixer Robbie Kush
Art
Production Designer Lorenza Astengo Fefer
Art Director Kelvin Pater
Art Department Assistant Jessica Hudspeth
Art Department Assistant Grace Crummet
Art Department Assistant Emily Steiker
Art Department Assistant Christina Krioutchkova
Assistant Costume Designer Sadie Rose Darwish
Assistant Costume Designer Sabrina Kridler
Set Costumers Yulia Kez
Hair & Makeup
Hair & Makeup Department Head Rita Mae Sylvester
Hairstylists Christine Kennedy
Paula Salas Bloise
Gina Petruzzi
Makeup Artists Christine Kennedy
Paula Salas Bloise
Gina Petruzzi
SFX Makeup
SFX Makeup Artist Rita Mae Sylvester
Construction
Master Carpenter Greg Brown
Carpenter Jill Brown
Grip
Key Grip Gabriel Eduardo Solorzano
Key Grip Jonathan Tang
Key Grip Brandon Zheng
Key Grip Matt P. Andersen
Electric
Gaffer Ruochen Liao
Gaffer Tannie Xin Tang
Gaffer Jacob Mallin
Gaffer Anthony Saxe
Gaffer Jared Diaw
Swing Aaron Argomido
Swing Maria Nazarouk
Production
Key Production Assistant Thomas Heban
Production Assistants Sean Brogan
Production Assistants Cate Osborne
Production Assistants Phillip Pyle
Script Coordinator J.D. Stewart
Legal Counsel
Legal Services provided by Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Production Counsel Ann Brigid Clark
Production Accounting
Payroll Accountant ABS Payroll
Post Production
Post Production Production Assistant Harrison Jeffs
Post Production Intern Adriana Ellis
Post Production Intern Mati Rogers
Editorial
Editor Edward Chin
John Rafanelli
Alan Wu
Consulting Editor Lee Percy
First Assistant Editor Wadeh Arraf
Picture Finish
Colorist Elie Akoka
Sound Post
Post Production Sound Services Parabolic NY
Supervising Sound Editor/Re-Recording Mixer Lewis Goldstein
Dialogue Editor/Re-Recording Mixer Vinny Alfano
Assistant Sound Editor Julia Skubisz
Additional Post Production Sound by Gigantic Studios
Re-Recording Mixer Tom Paul
Supervising Sound Editor Andres E. Marthe Gonzalez
Dialogue Editor Peter Russell
Sound Effects Editor Ai Miyatake
Sound Effects Editor Ignacio Bonet
Additional Sound Editor Julie Hu
ADR Mixer Greg Crawford
ADR Mixer Nathan Hasz
ADR Supervisor Tristan Baylis
ADR Recorded at Gigantic Studios
ADR Supervisor Greg Crawford
ADR Recorded at Smart Post Atlanta
ADR Supervisor Carla Patullo
ADR Recorded at The Soundry
Loop Group
Loop Group Coordinator Katie Fabel
Loop Group Sebastian Beacon
Loop Group Jeffrey Auer
Loop Group Carol Todd
Loop Group Kimberly Yates
Original Score
Music by Carla Patullo
Original Score Production
Orchestra Recorded at The Soundry
Original Score Performers
Musicians Patti Kilroy
Lisa Liu
Drew A. Forde
Ro Rowan
VFX Management
Visual Effects Consulting Artist Colin Stackpole
Visual Effects Supervisor Jo Shaffer
Compositor Adam DeSantes
Titles
Title Design Janet Antich
Title Producer John Rafanelli
End Titles supported by Endcrawl.com
Transportation
Transportation Coordinator Tony Lepore
Choreography
Choreography Lisa Schwartz
Catering
Catering provided by EatLikePaul
Head Chef Paul Cavalcante
EPK
EPK Producer Natalia Shaufert
Safety
COVID Compliance Officer Arielle Dreicer
The Producers Wish to Thank Kaufman Astoria Studios
New York University Graduate Film Program
Haynes and Boone, LLP
Financial Solutions Partners
Anthology Film Archives
DVDepot
Dee’s Restaurant
Eastern District Camera
Special Thanks Noelie Hillebrecht
Christopher Hillebrecht
James & Francine Christy
Jim Christy
Erica Freed Marker
Alex Steyermark
Andy Hafitz
Barbara Ghammashi
Ashley Alexander
Ellen McGinnis
Rachel Gordon
Gail Segal
Jatin Dasgupta
Jerry Reen
Jessica Boucher
Joel Figueroa
John Sloss
Jonathan Gray
Hilary Stabb
Joshua Foster
David F. Schwartz
Stephen Guirgis
Julie Rottenberg
Kate Stahl
Kevin Wilson
Lawrence Mattis
Spike Lee
Maddy Seidman
Mandy Ward
Tom Mangan
Matthew Tynan
Michael Hillebrecht
Michael Hollinger
Michael Taylor
Nancy Collet
Natalia Kaniasty
Natalia Shaufert
Natalie Eakin
Neil Cuthbert
Nic Ratner
Noelie Hillebrecht
Nyssa Couto
Oliver Agger
Pam Katz
Patricia Gibson
Peter Mossel
Peter Newman
Peter Saraf
Ralph McAvoy
Rashaad Ernesto Green
Rebecca Ellsworth
RJ Coleman
Roderick Richardson
Sadie Rose Darwish
Sara Koviak
Shilpa Bisaria
Stefon Bristol
Tom Hillebrecht
Tom Mangan
Tom McCarthy
Tommaso Fiacchino
Wendy Lobel
Yulia Kez
Mac Concannon
Rachel Gordon
Rachel Hannah Kahan
Codie Lagotte
Plymouth Rock Foundation
Grace Richardson Trust Foundation
Hollywood Foreign Press Association
Good Violet
NYU Grad Film Faculty
Alex Rockwell
Alicia Edwards
Amy Fox
Andrew MacLean
Anthony Jannelli
Barbara Schock
Billy Kent
Carol Dysinger
Colin Brown
Dean Allyson Green
Erica Freed Marker
Ezra Sacks
Gail Segal
Gigi DeMent
Ian Harnarine
Jeff Stolow
Jenn Ruff
Jess dela Merced
John Tintori
Jon Shear
Julia Solomonoff
Karen Kasi Lemmons
Ken Friedman
Lara Shapiro
Lauren Zalaznick
Lisa Millinazzo
Michael Burke
Mick Casale
Peter Schneider
Rosalind Lichter
Rosanne Limoncelli
Sandi Sissel
Sheril Antonio
Spike Lee
Stacie Passon
Tom Mangan
Seed & Spark Supporters
Aisha Sultan
Alik Barsoumian
Alle Hsu
Alli Trussell
Amanda Bullis
Amanda Khoury
Amy Staats
Angela Dohrmann
Ashley Michel Hoban
Aude Cuenod
Berenice Odriozola
Beth Bostwick Ortolano
Bethany Geraghty
Bill Schaumberg
Bob Jaffe
Bonny Chan
Bradley Bixler
Brian Fithian
Caleb b. Kuntz
Celeste Holben
Celia Peters
Chanel James
Cheryl Furjanic
Christina Raia
Christine Bruno
Clarence Deng
Dale DeLetis
David Zax
Devon Padley
Dominic Comperatore
Dominik Waldstâ§tten
Ed Herbstman
Elizabeth Donnelly
Ellen Daschbach
Ellen McGinnis
Emily Cohn
Eric Finkelstein
Eve M Cohen
Francine Christy
George Larkin
Gerry Maravilla
Ginny Mohler
Grace Merriman
Grainne Coen
Hannah Leshaw
Heather Robinson
Isabelle Granahan-Field
Jacqueline Brogan
James Christy
Jamie Dack
Jan Jalenak
Jane Elias
Janet Harvey
Jean Marie McKee
Jenny Wang
Jessica Boucher
Jim Christy
Jisun Jamie Lee
John Bland
John Daschbach
John Granahan
John Overbeck
Jon Levenson
Jon Shear
Jono Chanin
Joseph F. Leonardo
Joshua Stamberg
Kara Cumiskey
Kate Harvie
Kathy Granahan
Katy-May Hudson
Keith Edward Szarabajka
Kelsey Hillerud
Kevin Vu
Laura Granahan
Laura Lee
Laura Moss
Lisanne Sartor
Liz Warner
Logan Roberts
Lou Liberatore
Lydia Chammas
Major Dorfman
Marc Etienne
Margherita Arco
Maria Altamirano
MaryClare McHugh
Max Rissman
Merdyce McClaran
Michele Caterina
Michele Remsen
Michelle Donnelly
Mykee Steen
Nagham Osman
Neil Cuthbert
Nicole Gabriella Scipione
Noelie Hillebrecht
Patricia Gibson
Peter Haig
Rachel Lynn Jackson
Ralph Lewis
Randall McNeal
Rita Scordamalgia
Rob Neill
Rosanne Limoncelli
Sally Brooks
Sarabeth Boak
Shanna Riker
Sheila Mccullough
Stacy Salvette
Stephanie Donnelly
Susan Busa
Tawny Sorensen
Tessa Keimes-Kim
Tom Devaney
Tom Hillebrecht
Tom OBrien
Tony Mendoza
Vanessa Bretas
Wayne Wilderson
Wendy Concannon
Woonjae Park
Access Theater Writers Group
Abigail Deser
Adit Dileep
Amy Staats
Arya Kashyap
Asa James
Ava Paloma
Chris Ryan
Christine Renee Miller
Cristina Spina
David Blasher
Elizabeth Gonzalez James
Hieu Bui
Jacqueline Brogan
James Christy Jr.
Jan Jalenak
Jane Elias
John Bland
Katie Fabel
Laura Lee
Laura Moss
Matt Biagini
Michele Remsen
Patrick Breen
PJ Sosko
Reginald Lochard
Rob Walsh
Siobhan Brown
Stephanie Anuwe
Tessa Borbridge
Tori Ernst
Jose Rivera’s Writing Group
Naked Angels Tuesdays @9
Jean Marie McKee
Rachel Casparian
Take Action Workshop
Jon Shear
NYU Grad Film Classmates
Adel Morales
Alik Barsoumian
Asantewaa Prempeh
Ashish Ravinran
Bradley Bixler
Brittany Fennell
Cenk Erturk
Charles A Childers
Chelsea Grayson
Elizabeth Nichols
Ella Bishop
Emily Cheeger
Emily Nan Iason
Eric Cohen
Eric Hsiao
Erin Vassilopoulos
FaradayOkoro
Felipe Prado
Jacqueline Dow
James K Ferguson
Jono Chanin
Joseph T Street
Lara Sfire
Laura E Valladao
Laura Valladao
Lucia Vidigal de andrade reis
Lucien Jacob Follini Press
Luiza Parvu
Lydia chammas
MartĂn Blaquier
Matias Maumus
Mia Cioffi Henry
Natalia Kaniasty
Ogheneochuko Esiri
Onthatille Peele
Oscar A Sharp
Pau Suris
Rajat Sharma
Rezwan Shahriar Sumit
Shan Jin
Stephanie Donnelly
Woonjae Park
Xinzheng Wang
With support from: The NYC Womenâs
Fund for Media, Music and Theatre by theCity of
New York Mayorâs Office of Media and
Entertainment in association with The New York
Foundation for theArts
Magic Hour is made possible by the New York
State Council on the Arts with the support of the
Office of the Governor and the New York State
Legislature
Fiscal Sponsorship Provided by: New York Foundation for the Arts
Women Make Movies
Pitcher Productions
Artwork courtesy of Janet Antich
Joe Walsh
MADE IN NYC
SAG-AFTRA
Camera and Lenses Provided by ARRI
Grip & Lighting Equipment Provided by New York University
Grip & Lighting Equipment Provided by Kaufman Astoria Stages
Insurance Provided by Fractured Atlas Insurance Program
Digital Cinema Mastering by Elie Akoka
Sound Stages provided by Kaufman Astoria Stages
Does Holly have any friends other than Sophia? Whenever she has a problem with Tate, she goes running to Doug. Why doesnât she go to one of her other friends? She needs to stop telling him all her problems, especially since she doesnât know him. We know the writers are heading towards putting them together, but it doesnât make sense for her to keep talking to someone she barely knows about her boyfriend.
Why did Stephanie tell Chanel that she had her back when it concerned Johnny? Stephanie is Johnnyâs cousin, yet she sided with Chanel. Johnny is the one in the wrong, but Stephanie could show some loyalty to her cousin. Stephanie has no loyalty to her family or else she wouldnât have told Chanel that she would support her.
Belle needs to make up her mind about her feelings for EJ. One minute she considered him a regret that she slept with him and the next she defended sleeping with him again. Does she want to be with him or not? If she doesnât, she has a hard way of showing it. She may as well give in to temptation and be with EJ if sheâs going to keep sleeping with him.
Speaking of EJ and Belle, Marlena was upset about Belle being with EJ after what heâs done to the family. Did Marlena forget that she was willing to give Ben the key to the city after he tried to kill Will? If sheâs going to be upset about what EJâs done to the family, she should be upset with Ben for what he did to her grandson. She must have selective anger when it comes to her family.
We were shocked that Shawn defended Johnny to Chanel. Shawn and Johnny barely interact with each other, yet he was willing to defend Johnny to Chanel. It was good to see family look out for each other even if they donât interact with each other. We applaud Shawn for telling Chanel that she should fight for her marriage considering he wasnât willing to do that for his own marriage.
What is EJâs end game? Does he plan on killing Rafe or keeping him in the wine cellar for life? We see how the writers are trying to make EJ come off like a saint because heâs feeding Rafe, but the man is still holding him hostage. Does EJ expect his plan to work and keep Rafe alive? It doesnât make sense to keep Rafe tied up in the cellar. How long does he think he can keep people out of there before Rafe is caught?
The writers could have casted an actress to play Jadaâs mother. What are the odds that her mother would be sick and not be able to go to Jadaâs wedding? Since Jadaâs mother has never been on the show, they could have casted her instead of making her miss the wedding. Itâs bad enough her sister wasnât making the wedding, but her mother wasnât either. Both characters could have been casted so Jada could have someone from her family at the wedding.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
We have to scratch our heads when we watch EJ on the show. What are the writers doing with his character? Do they want us to love him or hate him? He didn’t want Arnold (Fake Rafe) to be with Jada because of what he did to Sami when he was around the first time. It’s good that he didn’t want that to happen a second time. Thumbs up to EJ for wanting to do the right thing. With that said, he dragged Rafe to the tunnels at the DiMera mansion to clean up Arnold’s mess. He felt like Rafe got what he deserved because he wouldn’t leave the mansion when he wanted him to go. Rafe was dumbed down in that moment, but this rant is about EJ. Do the writers want us to be confused about him? He needs to make up his mind about what he wants to do. For example, he kept Rafe in the tunnels and gave him access to his phone. What type of villain would do something like that? He definitely should have taken his phone from him. Jada could have figured out what happened. We know that was wishful thinking, but she might have realized that Rafe was missing. EJ can’t have it both ways. He can’t turn a blind eye when Arnold pursues Jada and then warn him not to do anything with her.
It’s time to shift gears and rant about someone else. Joy had us yelling at the screen. Chanel confronted Joy about making out with Johnny. It should have been a classic moment, but it didn’t turn out that way. Joy had an attitude when Chanel confronted her. She should have humbled herself when Chanel had every right to be mad at her. Joy had the nerve to say that she didn’t ask her to befriend her. We couldn’t believe our ears. Chanel wasn’t the one in the wrong. Joy and Johnny were wrong. They made out and kept the truth from Chanel. She had every right to confront Joy about her role in the secret. Joy has a nasty attitude considering Chanel was trying to be a friend to her. We hoped the value would be bigger since they were friends but that didn’t happen. Joy’s response made the showdown fall flat. If she humbled herself, we would have enjoyed the scene better.
We wonder what we’re supposed to think about Amy (Sophia’s mother). She is a conservative woman and wants her daughter to keep her baby. It looks like the writers are trying to make Amy look like a bad woman for having old fashioned values. Amy is pro-life and there’s nothing wrong with that. For some reason, the writers are choosing to make her look like a monster for wanting Sophia to keep her baby and get married. We know the writers want us to root for Tate and Holly so anyone who keeps them apart will be considered a villain. It must be Amy’s turn now that Sophia has been destroyed. We are being manipulated into hating her character because she wants Tate and Sophia to own up to what they did. On a side note, Holly said the consenting age in Salem was 17 when she wanted to be with Johnny. If that’s true, how come Sophia had to leave Salem to get an abortion? We know that Amy has to be the new interloper for Tate and Holly’s relationship, so she wanted him to marry Sophia. Back to the point of our rant. Tate and Sophia wanted to get an abortion to fix their careless mistake. We are pro-choice and don’t have an issue with abortion. Tate and Sophia decided to get the abortion because the baby was an inconvenience. She could have given the baby up for adoption. For some reason, they didn’t want to consider that option.
Brady and Kristen talked about Rachel’s behavior. They needed to have a conversation about her because she’s out of control. Rachel’s behavior needed to be addressed. They talked about her sending the texts to Ava. Brady suggested they get her help before her attitude gets worse. We applaud the writers for having parents have a conversation like that about their troubled daughter. Kristen tried to defend her, but she had to give in once Brady told her that Rachel would get like them.
The writers showed Julie mourning Doug. We weren’t sure if they were going to have her break down anymore once Doug III arrived. She seemed like she was over Doug’s death once he got there. It broke our hearts to hear her talk about feeling responsible for Doug dying. Most people felt that way when they lost the people they loved. We wonder what we could have done differently. Could one action prevent the person you love from dying? Susan Seaforth-Hayes lost Bill Hayes (Doug) in real life, so watching her grieve on the show was like seeing her pain. We applaud her for her realistic performance.
Writers on shows tend to create stories to get us to shift our opinions about certain characters. We see it happening with Stephanie. They go overboard getting us to believe that Stephanie is a hot character. The woman has been linked to at least five men since she’s been back on the show. She has been with Alex, Chad, Everett, Philip and made out with Harris before he left the show. Stephanie hasn’t been back that long, but she has done her share of bed-hopping. We understand people don’t have to settle with one person, but she is getting around on the show. It’s time for other characters to have fun on the show besides Stephanie. Our next rant has to do with Stephanie too.
Stephanie must be a villain on the show. The only people who overhear things on the show are villains. She overheard Philip’s conversation with Kate. He admitted that Victor’s letter was forged. Stephanie conveniently heard him admit to that. We didn’t think it would get revealed that fast. She told him off for risking her career with the forgery. Philip was stupid to talk about something like that on the phone. Kate already knew that no one could find out, so what was the point of the conversation? He was clearly supposed to get caught that way. Stephanie thought about Alex while she was sleeping in bed with Philip, so it helped her that she heard that conversation. It’s the ticket she needed to get away from Philip. We couldn’t believe that Philip got caught that way. He should have been smarter than that because he did something that could make him go to jail. We think the writers are trying to make us root for Xander while destroying Philip’s character once again.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
“Shifting Gears” on ABC Review by Suzanne 1//10/25
First, I have to admit that I’m not a fan of Tim Allen, and that was true long before he became vocal about his conservatism. I just never found his brand of humor funny in either “Home Improvement” or “Last Man Standing.” He was much better in his movies, such as “Galaxy Quest,” “The Santa Clause” and the “Toy Story” franchise.
To be fair, comedians and actors are only as good as the writing. Allen wrote the first sitcom, but not the second, and he’s not a writer on this series, either. It was created by husband-wife writing team Mike Scully and Julie Thacker-Scully, who previously wrote for “The Simpsons” and “Parks and Rec.” I just don’t think this comedy they wrote is very funny (which is the main prerequisite for a sitcom). The characters are fine, but the jokes are very predictable: Tim Allen’s character, Matt, is at odds with his daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings). They argue about everything. In between their arguing, Matt says a lot of lame right wing comments that are, I guess, supposed to make us laugh (whether we’re laughing at him, or his jobs, I’m not so sure). The acting is fine, but the actors aren’t given much to work with, comedically-speaking.
Now, the show does have a lot of heart, which is the only thing that works at all. Both Riley and her dad are still mourning Riley’s mom, who died suddenly. The feelings between them, and about the late wife, feel very real. Perhaps they should have made this a drama instead.
One thing that I found interesting is that Matt is a toned-down version of Allen’s previous characters. His right-wing rants are not nearly as bad as they were in “Last Man Standing.” Also, the show seems to be more of an ensemble show than “Home Improvement.” Riley has two children that enjoy spending time with their grandpa. Matt runs an auto body shop, where we quickly see a potential love interest for Riley is Gabriel (Seann William Scott). The only bright spot among the cast, besides Dennings (who’s wasted here), is Daryl Chill Mitchell (Stich), who doesn’t look like he ever ages. He’s funnier than the others in this show.
âShifting Gearsâ follows Matt, the stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When his estranged daughter, Riley, and her kids move into his house, the real restoration begins.
âShifting Gearsâ stars Tim Allen as Matt, Kat Dennings as Riley, Seann William Scott as Gabriel, Daryl Chill Mitchell as Stitch, Maxwell Simkins as Carter and Barrett Margolis as Georgia.
Tim Allen executive produces alongside Michelle Nader, Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Richard Baker, Rick Messina, John Pasquin, Jim Patterson, Bob Daily and John Amodeo. Pasquin also directed the pilot episode. Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully are executive producers on the pilot episode. Kat Dennings is a producer. The ABC series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.
01. “Restoration” Matt, the widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop, is confronted with his most unexpected and challenging project yet when his estranged daughter, Riley, and her adolescent children come crashing back into his life.
Air Date: 01/08/2025
02. “Accommodations” Matt joins Riley at Carterâs high school open house, where heâs unsettled to learn about the âaccommodationsâ made for his grandsonâs anxiety. Meanwhile, Riley reconnects with Caitlin, a former classmate, and sets her up with Gabriel.
Air Date: 01/15/2025
03. “Job” Riley, desperate for work, reluctantly takes a job at Mattâs shop. Meanwhile, Gabriel and Stitch secretly stray from Mattâs vision on a high-stakes restomod project.
Air Date: 01/22/2025
04. “Grief” When Riley discovers a closet filled with her late motherâs clothes, she insists Matt hasnât processed her death and urges him to see a grief counselor. Meanwhile, Gabriel faces a crisis of confidence when heâs put in charge of the shop for a day.
Air Date: 01/29/2025
05. “Jimmy” Rileyâs estranged husband, Jimmy, shows up to win her back, much to Mattâs dismay. While Matt struggles to get through to him, Riley finds support in an unexpected place.
Air Date: 02/05/2025
Everyone suddenly had their homes decorated for Christmas. No one had their houses decorated before.
How did Hattie get Belleâs number? They didnât know each other like that so how did she get her number?
How did Hattie know that Belle was in town to represent her? She might not have been free to be her lawyer.
Speaking of Belle, why would she agree to represent her after what she did to her mother?
Tuesday
The DiMeras should consider getting better security because Arnold (Fake Rafe) was able to show up at the mansion without an issue. People shouldnât be able to get on the property so easily.
Paulina needs to make up her mind about the commissioner position. She was ready to replace Jada if she didnât solve the cupcake mystery. Sheâs only concerned because her husband ate one of the cupcakes.
EJ was talking while Rafe was shown.
Wednesday
No one said anything about Hollyâs birthday coming up.
Speaking of Holly, why didnât Nicole come back to Salem to give Holly her birthday gift? She and EJ are divorced so she could show up for her daughterâs birthday.
Julie knew that Doug III was on the phone, but she didnât hear him talk about the necklace.
Why would Chad take the kids to Orlando when the family should have been closer together after what happened to Doug?
Since Julie lost Doug why would she want to celebrate Christmas?
Shawn wasnât in Salem when Konstantin was there so he shouldnât know anything about him.
Holly was with Tate at the pub one minute and at the Horton house the next. She went back to the pub like she never left.
Thursday
Eli and Lani arrived in town for Christmas and could have celebrated with the Hortons. Their ornaments were on the tree so they should have been there to hang them on the tree.
Steve wasnât giving the person on the phone a chance to reply before he started talking. It was obvious that he wasnât on the phone with anyone.
Kayla called Roman by his full name. She called him Roman Shawn Brady. The problem is that Romanâs middle name is Augustus, so why would she do that? His sister should know what his middle name was.
Why would Steve help Ava after what she did to him and his family? He shouldnât have helped her figure out who was stalking her.
Friday
EJ called Arnold out for raping Sami. Did he forget that he did the same thing to her? He raped her for a different reason, but he still did it.
Doug III felt bad for what he did to Julie. He stole a necklace that was in the Horton family. His actions hurt the family.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Belle clearly doesnât know how to be loyal to her family. Did she become an ambulance chaser? She decided to take on Hattieâs case. For some reason, she decided to take Hattieâs case. She clearly forgot what the woman did to her mother. Hattie imitated Marlena on more than one occasion, and Belle was okay with fighting her case. We know that everyone deserves to have representation, but she didnât have to jump on taking her case. How did Hattie know she could call on her anyway? She shouldnât have her number. Belle shouldnât have taken her call after what she did to Marlena. The woman doesnât know the first thing about being loyal to her family. We shook our heads watching her jump at representing her. Hattie didnât have to convince her to represent her. She has been messy since she came back to Salem.
Speaking of Belle, EJ wanted Kristen to fire Belle from the company. He felt like she would go after more cases that he didnât want her to handle. We didnât realize that EJ told Kristen what to do. Belle reminded EJ that she didnât technically work for DiMera and could do any chase she wanted. We see that the writers are testing the waters between EJ and Belle. They want to see if something sticks between them. Weâre sure they will have more scenes together to build up tension between them. Kristen didnât jump at his whim and decided not to let her go. We didnât think she would allow EJ to tell her what to do.
We want to put these comments together because they are linked. Ava went to Steve for help with the texts she received. She thought Kristen was the one that sent them. Steve didnât think twice about helping her. Everyone in Salem seems to forget that she was responsible for Shawn getting killed. Ava did other things while she was in the mafia, but everyone suddenly has amnesia when it concerns her. His loyalty should be towards his wife, but he didnât think about that. Maybe we just had a hard time getting over something like that since she hasnât been redeemed properly. Taking her out of Steveâs story doesnât change what she did. She doesnât deserve to get treated like she is the princess of Salem when she hasnât paid for her crimes. Speaking of, why would Roman allow her to stay in the same home of the man she killed? He goes out of his way to protect her when she is the reason why his father is dead.
Steve found out that the person who sent the texts to Ava was at the DiMera mansion. It played out like a little mystery. The person who was responsible for the texts was revealed to the audience. It turned out the person who did it was closer to Kristen than she realized. Rachel was the one sending the texts to Rachel. She was upset that her parents werenât back together. Rachel blamed Ava for why her parents werenât together so she wanted to send her a message. She did what she thought she could to get to Ava. We donât understand the point of her plan because it wonât stop Brady from dating her. Sheâs trying her best to be a pint-sized DiMera. The problem with her plan is that everyone will think that Kristen did it. She could get in trouble for something that Rachel is doing. Rachel is quickly becoming the bad seed of Salem.
Guess who is back in Salem. If you guessed Arnold (Fake Rafe), then you are right. Arnold showed up at the DiMera mansion out of the blue looking for more money. Itâs strange that he showed up out of the blue. He was gone for years and now heâs back. Arnold wants money and doesnât plan to leave Salem any time soon. Heâs a reminder that EJ is far from perfect. Arnold called him out and let him know that he would talk if he didnât give him more money. He has EJ on his toes right now. EJ acts like heâs tough, but it wonât take much for Arnold to ruin him. We get to watch EJ squirm while Arnold is in town. He will try his best to quiet Arnold, but we donât think it will work out the way he wants it to. Arnold being back in Salem will catch up to EJ because he isnât going to walk away as easily as he would like.
EJ deserved the Hypocrite of the Week award. He had the gall to remind Arnold that he raped Sami by pretending to be Rafe. Did he lose his memory when he was shot? He forgot that he raped Sami too. EJ raped her first and wasnât hired to do anything to her. He didnât assault her with a mask on, but he forced her to have sex with him to save Lucasâ life. Sami fell in love with him so we were supposed to forget that he raped her, but we didnât. We never forgot what he did because his actions led to the destruction of one of our favorite couples on the show. Sami and Lucas never recovered from what EJ did. He didnât have a right to call Arnold out for raping Sami when he was just as bad. Arnold wouldnât have been around Sami if he didnât pay him to break up her relationship with Rafe. EJ clearly forgot his actions, or he wouldnât have called him out for that. We were ready to yell at the screen for being a hypocrite.
Itâs time to shift gears. We were surprised that Julie was in the holiday spirit. She lost her husband during the holiday season, but she wanted to celebrate. It was strange that she wanted to do that when the love of her life was gone. We understand that she had to move on, but she lost him recently. Julie is the last one who should want to celebrate the holidays. Sheâs taking Dougâs death very well, and we expected her to need cheering up. The writers should have had Julie feel down after Doug died. We donât know of too many people who would be in the holiday spirit if someone they love died the way Doug did.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Interview with Bailey Chase, Jesse Hutch and Dawn Olivieri of the movie and TV series “Homestead” on Angel Studios by Suzanne 12/11/24
This is a really good movie, and I look forward to seeing the TV series that comes next. I really enjoyed Bailey Chase’s work, ever since I saw him in “As The World Turns” years ago, but he has grown into an amazing actor. It was nice to speak with all three of these gifted performers after watching them in the movie. I was originally supposed to speak to the show’s creator/director/showrunner, Ben Smallbone, but he had to leave at the last minute. Dawn was a real trouper to answer what she could of my questions for him as well.
Angel Studios Launches the companion HOMESTEAD: FAMILY SURVIVAL Series
Exclusively on Angel.com and the Angel App on December 20th.
Synopsis: A nuclear bomb is detonated in Los Angeles, and the nation devolves into unprecedented chaos. Ex-Green Beret Jeff Eriksson and his family escape to The Homestead, an eccentric prepperâs fortress nestled in the mountains. As violent threats and apocalyptic conditions creep toward their borders, the residents of The Homestead are left to wonder: how long can a group of people resist both the dangers of human nature and the bloodshed at their doorstep?
Directed by: Ben Smallbone (Documentaries: Stone Cold Country + Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon)
Written by:Â Phillip Abraham, Leah Bateman, Ben Kasica Produced by: Ben Kasica, Andrea Royer and Ben Smallbone Starring:Â Neal McDonough (Minority Report), Dawn Olivieri (1883), Bailey Chase (Longmire)
Jesse Hutch (FBI: International), Currie Graham (Assault on Precinct 13), Olivia Sanabia (NCIS)
Bailey Chase (Jeff Ericksson)
Bailey was born in Chicago but moved to Florida after his parents divorced at a young age. He attended Duke University on a football scholarship and majored in Psychology. After graduation, Bailey moved to LA to pursue his boyhood dream of acting which encompassed a training stint in London (LAMDA). His first film break came in Adam Shankman’s Cosmo’s Tale (1998), which screened at both Sundance and Cannes. Bailey’s career blossomed in television starting with Buffy, the Vampire Slayer then working with Oscar-winners in Saving Grace and Damages before his own critically acclaimed performance in Longmire. Bailey has starred in various projects since including Batman V Superman, Chicago PD, Grimm, 24: Legacy, Twin Peaks and Queen of the South. He was recently nominated for Best Lead Actor for his performance in Far Haven and is currently shooting Homestead (2024). Bailey resides in North Carolina with his wife and three children.
Dawn Olivieri (Jenna Ross)
Dawn Orienne Olivieri is an American actress perhaps best known for her turn as Lydia in Heroes and Monica Talbot in House of Lies. She has appeared in the Showtime series House of Lies for 41 episodes, starting in 2012, playing the competitive management consultant and ex-wife of main character Marty Kaan and mother of their son, Roscoe Kaan. She acted as Janice Herveaux in the third season of the HBO series True Blood. She played a reporter and Damon Salvatore’s girlfriend Andie Star in the hit CW show The Vampire Diaries. Wrapping up the 4th season on Heroes, she has also completed parts on TBS’s My Boys, NBC’s Knight Rider, TNT’s Trust Me, and SyFy’s Stargate: Atlantis, and recurred on CBS’s How I Met Your Mother. Olivieri played a lead role in the SyFy movie Hydra, and she is the voice of Pepper Potts in the new Avengers animated series on Disney XD. She appeared in the October 2009 issue of Maxim. Olivieri appeared on HBO’s Entourage on September 13, 2009, and hosted a contest on Scripped. She voiced Lucy Kuo in a PlayStation 3 video game, Infamous 2, which was released in June 2011. As of March 2018, she has a recurring role in the CBS action-adventure series SEAL Team as Amy Nelson.
Jesse Hutch (Evan Lee)
Jesse Hutch was born in the same geographical location as the Marvel hero Wolverine. This could be nothing more then a fun fact, however, it does not excuse why Mr. Hutch is immune to Tylenol and Novocaine(most commonly used in dental practice). He drowned when he was 19 years old. Fell from a 25 foot rock quarry while free climbing in middle school. Had his stomach cut open by a barbed wire fence when he was 10, and he moved across the country(solo) when he was 21 to pursue acting. Mr. Hutch says heâs still working on his: â24 year overnight success storyâ.
With over 100 professional Television and Film credits to his name, You may have seen him in cult classics such as âFreddy vs Jasonâ and âThe Butterfly Effectâ. Maybe you saw him in the 60âs as Jimmy Riley on Dick Clarkâs âAmerican Dreamsâ. FBI International, Dark Angel, Kyle XY, Smallville, Arrow, Almost Human, Supernatural, Batwoman and Project Blue Book are but a few of his television roles.
Jesseâs upcoming theatrical releases include: âMEMECâ a dark thriller comedy where he plays the main antagonist. And âHOMESTEADâ a present day post apocalyptic series by Angel Studios. When asked what his best role has been to date, his response: âMy best roles will always be that of husband and father. I believe that giving your life for others is one of the greatest gifts you can strive for. Turns out this is also the best acting class you will ever take…lifeâ.
As for new Television in 2024: Jesse recently was a producer and actor on âA Little Womenâs Christmasâ where he acted alongside his daughter Charlize. He co-stars alongside Jill Wagner in their new Christmas Film which will also air on Great American Family.
Keep an eye out for Mr.Hutch. His performances range from Drama, to action, to comedy and back again. We are always in a state of mystery as to what his next role will be. His ability to be extremely grounded allow depth, yet he can be funny, charming, dangerous and unpredictable at times. He can play a large range of roles with believability. His stunt ability is backed by a consistent and regimented style of training. Hutch commands the screen regardless of wether he is speaking or listening.
Mr. Hutch is married to his beautiful Wife Loreili, and they have 3 wonderful children.
As a final note, His social media presence is fun, genuine and family friendly.
Interview with Alix Villaret of the movie “Utopia” by Suzanne 12/11/24
Alix seems very nice, and we had a pleasant chat. She is a gifted young actress who did well with her part in this violent action flick. Available to Buy on Digital December 10, 2024
Moe Dunford, Charlotte Vega, Jason Flemyng, Daniel Bernhardt, Alix Villaret, Wanda Banda, Michael D. Xavier, Lucy Akhurst, Maddy Ambus, Jade Coatsworth, Sean Sutton, Joe Carmichael, Mercer Boffey, Philipp Boos
DISTRIBUTED BY: Â
Republic Pictures (a Paramount Pictures label)
GENRE:
Thriller, Sci/Fi, Action
RATING:
R for strong violence, sexual content, graphic nudity and language.
SYNOPSIS:Â
A soldier searching for his missing wife breaks into a high-tech facility, believing sheâs been caught in a human trafficking ring. But beyond its walls, he finds a surreal, futuristic fantasy park where reality and illusion blur. As he navigates this seductive and dangerous world, a shocking truth pulls him deeper into a deadly game where nothing is as it seems.
Alix Villaret is an ingenue French actress of Japanese ancestry born in the heart of Paris. She is fluent in French and English. Alix has always been obsessed with Cinema since she was 6 years old, having attended the neighborhood movie theatre with her father seeing such classics as An American In Paris, Sabrina, Gigi. She has wanted to be an actress as far back as she can remember and started studying drama and finally be asked to do the leads in over 12 theatre productions in her neighborhood theatre. She is proficient in Krav Maga.
Interview with actors Madison Wolfe, Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson and Gavin Warren, and Director Warren Skeels of the film “The Man In The White Van” by Suzanne 12/2/24
This is a very suspenseful and chilling thriller, set in the early 1970’s. You don’t want to miss it when it opens tomorrow, 12/13/24, in theaters. Madison Wolfe stars as a young women, Annie, targeted by a serial killer. Brec Bassinger stars as her sister, Margaret. Skai Jackson plays Patty, Annie’s friend. Gavin Warren plays Annie and Margeret’s younger brother, Daniel. Sean Astin and Ali Larter play Margaret and Annie’s parents. I hope you enjoy our video interviews! I was particularly glad to speak to Brec Bassinger, since I was a huge fan of her show, “Stargirl.”
STARRING: Sean Astin (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Goonies), Ali Larter (Final Destination, upcoming Taylor Sheridan series, Landman), Madison Wolfe (The Conjuring 2, Malignant), Brec Bassinger (CW’s Stargirl, Final Destination: Bloodlines), Skai Jackson (Disney’s Jessie and spinoff Bunk’d), Gavin Warren (Night Swim)
SYNOPSIS: Based on true events. In 1975 Florida, a series of violent disappearances go unnoticed, and young Annie (Madison Wolfe) is targeted by an ominous white van that stalks her every move. As the menace escalates, her parents dismiss her fears, and Annie is soon plunged into a terrifying nightmare that shatters her world. Also starring Brec Bassinger, Skai Jackson, Ali Larter, and Sean Astin. Directed by Warren Skeels.
GENRE: Thriller
Madison Wolfe was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She began acting at the age of seven, and made her debut alongside Kristen Stewart and Amy Adams in “On The Road.” In the years following, Wolfe landed many roles in various critically acclaimed films and television shows such as Jessica Brady in “The Campaign,” starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, Audrey Hart in “True Detective,” opposite Woody Harrelson and Matthew Mcconaughey, and Young Poppy in “Mr. Church,” starring Eddie Murphy. She can also be seen playing Bryan Cranston’s daughter in “Trumbo,” and acting alongside Robert DeNiro, Jennifer Lawrence, and Bradley Cooper in David O. Russell’s “Joy.”
Wolfe is best known for her lead role in James Wan’s “The Conjuring 2.” Starring opposite Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, she plays Janet Hodgson: a young girl from Enfield, England who is traumatized and haunted by the possession of demonic spirits. Wolfe is also well known from her lead role in Oscar winner Anders Walter’s “I Kill Giants.” Rotten Tomatoes names Madison’s “powerhouse performance” as troubled teen Barbra Thorson one of the highlights of the film.
Most recently, Wolfe can be seen playing Tessa Mayfair opposite Alexandra Daddario in AMC’s “The Mayfair Witches.” She has completed production for her next true crime thriller, Warren Skeel’s “Man in The White Van.” Set in 1974, Wolfe portrays the lead role of Annie Willains: a free spirited teen from a small town in Florida who becomes the obsession of a horrific stalker. Being a musician, Wolfe also wrote and recorded an original song for the film’s soundtrack to be released. The film is not yet rated.
Brec Bassinger, born May 25, 1999, is an American actress best known for her leading role as ‘Bella Dawson’ on the Nickelodeon series “Bella and the Bulldogs,” her role as ‘Catherine’ in the “47 Meters Down” sequel, her recurring roles in “School of Rock” and “The Goldbergs,” and her starring role in the DC Universe series “Stargirl” (2020).
Brec grew up in a small town in Texas, and first went to Los Angeles for acting when she was 13 years old. Growing up she enjoyed gymnastics, cheerleading, volleyball, and natural-beauty pageants. She was crowned the 2009 World’s Our Little Miss. Her acting career started with a recurring role on Nickelodeon’s “Haunted Hathaways.” She graduated high school at 16 and continues to expand her education. A Type-1 diabetic, she has become a huge advocate for diabetes research and is a national ambassador for JDRF. She had the leading role of Stargirl for the CW for two years, and then she plays the titular role in the miniseries “V.C. Andrews’ Dawn” on Lifetime..
Gavin Warren is an American model and actor. As a child he played the piano and did gymnastics before, inspired by Adam Sandler, he decided he wanted to become an actor. In 2015, Warren won an acting and modeling competition, after which he was accepted into a local artist agency. This was followed by his first roles in the short film Two Wongs Make a White and in the film drama Back Roads, before Warren was seen in Damien Chazelle’s film biography Awakening to the Moon alongside Ryan Gosling in 2018.
In order to focus on his acting career, Warren switched from public school to home schooling. In subsequent years, he made guest appearances in the television series Daybreak and NCIS: New Orleans, while he took on supporting roles in the films Mack (2019), A Hard Problem (2021) and 12 Mighty Orphans (2021). In 2023 he appeared in the eighth season of the horror series Fear the Walking Dead before playing a leading role in the horror film Night Swim the following year.
His other announced film projects include the thrillers The Descendant and Geechee, the drama film Unbreakable Boy and the crime film The Man in the White Van.
How did Liz know where to find Marlena? The last time she was in Salem Marlena was staying in the house with Roman. How did she know to find her at the townhouse?
Jennifer couldnât imagine waking up without the person you love sleeping next to her. Did she forget there was a time when she thought Jack was dead? He also abandoned the family, so she spent plenty of time with her bed empty.
Who told Liz about what happened to Doug? Liz hasnât been in town since 1986, so who would have called her to tell her about Doug?
Liz wore a fur coat, but she didnât have it closed. It couldnât be that cold in Salem. Maggie and Marie were sitting outside at the town square as if it were spring, so it wasnât that cold there.
Tuesday
Why didnât Marie visit Julie right away? She was at the town square when she came back for Julie.
Ciaraâs dress was inappropriate for her grandfatherâs funeral.
Belle was wearing a jacket when she and Marlena walked through the town square, but it was off when she was shown at the church.
Why was Marlena in the front row at Dougâs funeral, but most of Julieâs family was sitting in the back?
Why didnât Sarah go to Dougâs service? Sheâs walking now so she should have been able to go to the service.
Wednesday
Would anyone miss their familyâs funeral because they were too sick to go? Claire was conveniently sick and couldnât go to Dougâs funeral. She should have been there to say goodbye.
Why did Leo assume that Steven was in town for Dougâs funeral when he didnât know he was related to Julie? Steven could have been in town for any reason.
Ciara and Jennifer didnât know Steven, but they were sure he wouldnât steal Aliceâs diamonds.
How did Doug III know his way around Salem? He just got out of jail, but he knew how to get to St. Lukeâs.
Thursday
Hope didnât have flowers when she showed up at the Horton house but had them when she went to the cemetery.
Ciara had to text Shawn to let him know that Hope was in town. Hope could have reached out to him.
Jennifer wanted to give Hope a ride from the cemetery. How did Hope get there when she arrived alone? What was supposed to happen to the car Hope drove?
Friday
Would it hurt Alex to put a shirt on occasionally? He always answers his door without a shirt on.
What made Cat think that Chad would care about her mother and not what happened to Abbyâs remains?
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
This was a sad week for the Hortons as well as the fans of the show. As you know, Bill Hayes (Doug) died at the end of last year. The show has finally written his death into the show. Jack tried to wake Doug up last week, and he found out that he passed away. It rocked everyoneâs world when they found out the news. The audience finally get the chance to see the cast react to what happened. We had to wait a long time to see the Hortonsâ reactions to the news. The show focused on Dougâs passing for most of the week. We will talk about our thoughts about the tribute to the actor and the character.
The writers decided to bring people back for Dougâs funeral. Liz (Gloria Loring). Marie (Maree Cheatham), and Steven (Stephen Schnetzer) back to the show. They are characters who havenât been on the show since the 80s. We werenât watching the show when they were front and center so it was strange to see new people. It was nice to see them again. We give the writers a thumbs up for including some history for those of us who didnât watch the show during that time. Liz and Marie had a soapy history because of an affair. Liz slept with Marieâs husband back in the day. We would have loved to see that story unfold. Checking YouTube would be a great idea to find out the history between the characters. They still have heat between them, and they exploded on each other during the service. It may not have been the right time, but it was a break from the grief. We do have a nitpick about what happened between them. For some reason, Maggie expected them to move on from what happened between them. She was with Neil too, so why werenât they mad at her? Sheâs supposed to be family to Marie, but she was with Neil too. If weâre mistaken about that, we are sorry. We werenât watching the show at the time so we could be wrong about that.
As we mentioned in the previous paragraph, Steven was brought back to the show. Heâs Julieâs brother. We have never seen him on the show. We didnât know that Julie had a brother. He came back to help Julie. Who told him about Doug? Why would anyone call him when he hasnât been in touch with Julie? He became involved in a mystery. The Hortons accused him of stealing Aliceâs necklace from the time capsule. He felt like he had a right to the necklace because it belonged to his grandmother. Itâs strange that he felt like that when most of the people at the Horton house were related to Alice. We donât know if Steven is going to stay in Salem now that the funeral is done. If he doesnât stay, it was good to see the actor on a soap opera again. If you ever watched Another World, it would be a treat to get a chance to see him on TV again.
Jack, the right Jennifer (Melissa Reeves), Shawn, Belle and Hope were back too. They have been on the show, and it was great to see them back. It has been a long time since Melissa Reeves has been on the show, and it was a breath of fresh air to see her playing Jennifer again. She was the actress who worked with Bill Hayes so it made sense to have her come back to say goodbye to his character. Reeves has chemistry with Matthew Ashford so she is the one who should be back any time they write Jennifer back into the show. It felt like no time went by when she returned to the show. We know that she wonât be back when the character returns, but it was amazing to see her back on screen. Hope is one of our favorite female characters on the show. Sheâs one half of our favorite supercouple (Bo/Hope). We were cheering when we heard the news that she was returning to say goodbye to Doug. Thereâs no way that she would have missed seeing Doug when she was his daughter. We are grateful the writers decided to bring her back instead of having the character be in another room. It was great to see her back on the show. She and Peter Reckell (Bo) are truly missed as part of the show. We are looking forward to them being back on the show next year. To get back to Hope, she was suspicious of the guy who claimed to be Dougâs grandson. She asked the right questions about him. The man did show up out of the blue claiming to be Dougâs grandson. We already went through a con job with the fake Abby. It looks like weâre dealing with it again. Hope wanted to know if someone talked to Charles (her half-brother through IVF) to find out if he had a kid named Doug. Itâs hard to believe she was the only one who thought to call him. Shawn and Belle are back on the show too. They have been missed too. The show needs more characters their age on the show. They are breaking up and dealing with the aftermath of that. The writers are keeping them for a long-term storyline.
Did anyone else feel the tears falling when Julie spoke about Doug? It had to be hard for the actress to get through the scenes when she was married to Doug in real life. He was more than just a TV husband. Bill Hayes was her world. Susan Seaforth-Hayes did an amazing job with the material. She nailed all the emotions a grieving widow should have during her time of grief. The actress made us feel her pain. We couldnât stop crying watching her pour her heart out to the man she loved for the majority of her life. The writers gave her a chance to express how she felt about losing the love of her life.
Weâre not sure how we feel about the stranger who approached Julie. He introduced himself as Dougâs grandson. We needed the writers to utilize the history of the show to explain the connection. The storyline needed exposition because we didnât think Doug had a son. Jennifer and Hope suddenly remembered that Doug had a child through IVF. Itâs something thatâs never been discussed while we were watching the show. The reveal happened after he passed away. Itâs good that Dougâs death allowed another story to develop, but the story has holes in it. How did Doug III know to find the Hortons? Where has he been all this time? What happened to his father? Did he know Doug? Who told him that Doug died? We could probably come up with more questions, but weâll stop there.
We know that we talked about the funeral a lot in this article, but it was the focus of the week. Itâs time to shift gears. EJ decided to pay Joy to leave town so Johnny wouldnât have to live with the guilt of seeing his mistress around town. For some reason, Johnny didnât want him to pay for her to leave town. Did he enjoy her being there? Why would he want her to stay in town? He might enjoy the attention he received from her. Joy agreed to leave town. She told Alex that she was leaving, and he got upset. Alex wasnât involved in the situation, so why would he care if she left town? Did he like the idea of Johnny squirming whenever Joy was around? Alex went to Johnny, and they got into an argument about it. Chanel walked in and heard the end of the argument. We werenât surprised that she didnât hear the important parts of the argument. It seems like the writers want to dumb Chanel down for this storyline to work. We think she may know what happened between Johnny and Joy and thatâs why she makes so many comments about him being faithful. Is it possible that sheâs giving him the rope to hang himself with it? Chanel goes out of her way to mention that he didnât cheat on her. It feels like sheâs waiting for him to confess to what he did. If he wanted to do that, he should have talked to her about it. She still would have been mad about what he did, but the extra lies wouldnât have been attached to it.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
Interview with Alexander Ludwig, Jessica Frances Dukes, Aaron Tveit, Todd Komarnicki and Kearie Peak of “Earth Abides” on MGM+ by Suzanne 11/20/24
This is a very exciting 6 part miniseries on MGM+. I hope you can watch it because it’s fascinating. Although it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, it’s not too gross, gory or depressing. The acting is very good. Alexander Ludwig stars as “Ish,” a man who survives the pandemic that has destroyed most of the world’s population. Then he finds a wonderful woman, Emma (Jessica Frances Dukes), and they start their life together. Other people find them, and they start re-building the world. It’s got a very positive message about the future of the world, how people can adapt and get along, and about how the earth can heal. It was great to speak with the two stars, Ludwig and Dukes, as well as Aaron Tveit, who plays a pivotal character named Charlie, and the show’s creators and showrunners. The series is based on an old scifi book but modernized. I think they did a great job. We put up Tveit’s interview later because there are spoilers in it.
Alexander Ludwig (Ish) and Jessica Frances Dukes (Emma)
In âEarth Abides,â when a plague of unprecedented virulence sweeps the globe, the human race is all but wiped out. In the aftermath, as the great machine of civilization slowly and inexorably breaks down, only a few shattered survivors remain to struggle against the slide into extinction. The series is based on George R. Stewartâs classic sci-fi novel of the same name.
A Note from Todd Komarnicki (Executive Producer/Writer/Showrunner)Â
Earth Abides was ahead of its time. George Stewartâs novel, despite being written in 1949, has cohered brilliantly with our current moment. Long before nature began to suffer at the hands of manâs inability to live in harmony with her, Stewart knew that the Earth never needed us. We are more of a pestilence she has survived. As the world within the novel starts over, the earth has a chance to reassert herself. It is now man who must be the survivor. But what if those chosen to be humanityâs second chance arenât suited for each other or the task at hand. They are a mixed blend of personalities, the kind that might have never joined forces prior to the apocalypse. But the life altering thing that they all discover…is that their differences might become the only thing enabling them to persevere. The story is a stark reminder that our differences should not separate us but unite us. A lesson we could all pay closer attention to in these times so riven by strife.
When adapting this novel for television, it was Stewartâs brilliant story that remains the infrastructure for keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. We shed new light through a deeper level of intimacy introduced in our show. While the intent of the original remains untouched, the tenderness and vulnerability of its characters and their journey over the years has been heightened in a fundamental way. Showing that journey of over twenty years together without losing the narrative thread and the audienceâs connection to the characters was one of the biggest challenges we faced in the adaptation. Letting the series be guided by Ishâs own voice and the characters sharing their story not only kept the narrative intact but made them relatable and deeply human. That human aspect is what I hope audiences connect with most. The show lives in the shadow of a society torn down to cobblestone, but that is just the stage for a thrill ride that is utterly human. It is full of perseverance but also doubt, rage, addiction, murder and rebirth. No matter how dark the road gets for these characters, there is always a sliver of light calling them forward…love. What I hope audiences take away from our show is that love…really does win.
About MGM+
MGM+, an Amazon company, is a premium linear channel and streaming service delivering a broad lineup of exclusive original series and docuseries, current movie releases, and classic film franchisesâall available in the U.S. on TV, on-demand, online, and across devices. MGM+ is a destination for premium content, with original series including sci-fi horror series FROM, Emmy-winning Godfather of Harlem, the Western adventure Billy the Kid, suspense thriller Emperor of Ocean Park, crime drama Hotel Cocaine, and upcoming sci-fi drama Earth Abides and horror thriller The Institute, along with limited series A Spy Among Friends and cinematic dramatic series Rogue Heroes, Belgravia and War of the Worlds. The network is also the home of acclaimed docuseries, including the critically acclaimed In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, Emmy-nominated Laurel Canyon, My Life as a Rolling Stone, and NFL Icons, as well as the anticipated docuseries Hollywood Black and The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood. Premium movies are also available, including Challengers, IF, Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning, The Beekeeper, The Boys in the Boat, American Fiction and Mean Girls.Â
MGM+ is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite, digital distribution channels and the MGM+ app. For more information about the current MGM+ lineup, go toâŻwww.mgmplus.com or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube.
Alexander Ludwig
Alexander Ludwig is a multi-talented performer who continues to make his mark in Hollywood and beyond.
Ludwig can next be seen in the leading role of the upcoming MGM+ limited series Earth Abides, premiering December 1. Helmed by acclaimed creator and showrunner Todd Komarnicki and based on George R. Stewart’s best-selling novel, the 6-episode limited series story follows Ish (Ludwig) through the aftermath of a global plague as he tries to set the survivors on the road back to civilization.
Additionally, on television, Ludwig starred as Ace Spade in the Starz series Heels, which ran for two seasons and was recently licensed to Netflix after popular demand for a third season. The show, set in the world of independent wrestling, focuses on two rival brothers battling over their late fatherâs legacy. He is also recognized for his portrayal of Bjorn in the History Channelâs popular series Vikings.
On the big screen, Ludwig most recently reprised his role in the box office hit franchise Bad Boys 4: Ride Or Die alongside Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, and Vanessa Hudgens.  Ludwig joined the franchise with Bad Boys for Life (2020), which stands as the most successful film in the franchise, breaking box office records.  Ludwig will next appear in Killing Castro, directed by Eif Rivera, alongside Al Pacino, and will soon begin production on the horror thriller Night Comes, marking the feature directorial debut of veteran actor Jay Hernandez, set for release next year.
His additional film credits include Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant with Jake Gyllenhaal, National Champions featuring Uzo Aduba and J.K. Simmons, and the war epic Midway alongside Woody Harrelson and Dennis Quaid. He also starred in Peter Bergâs acclaimed Lone Survivor, blockbuster hit The Hunger Games with Jennifer Lawrence, and the hugely succesful Race to Witch Mountain opposite Dwayne Johnson and Carla Gugino.
Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Ludwig began his acting career at nine, landing his first major role as Will Stanton in the action-adventure film The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising in 2007. His earlier credits include Grown Ups 2 and When The Game Stands Tall.
Following his passions outside of acting and filmmaking; he is a gifted musician who recently released his debut full-length Country album Highway 99 via Broken Bow Records. A mixture of amplified guitars, climactic choruses, and heartfelt hooks, the 16-track collection offers universal stories about small towns, wild nights, broken hearts, and big dreams. A follow up to his 2021 self-titled EP and career-launching 2020 single âLet Me Be Your Whiskey,â Highway 99 was produced by Nashville heavy-hitters Kurt Allison and Tully Kennedy and proves Ludwig is making a permanent mark on Country music.
Jessica Frances Dukes
Jessica Frances Dukes is an accomplished actress set to star as the female lead in the upcoming MGM+ original limited series âEarth Abides,â alongside Alexander Ludwig. This imaginative adaptation of George R. Stewartâs classic sci-fi novel, created by showrunner Todd Komarnicki (Sully), explores a world ravaged by a deadly plague that nearly wipes out humanity. As civilization crumbles, a few survivors face the struggle for existence. In the series, Jessica plays Emma, a character who contrasts sharply with Ludwig’s character, Ish. The limited series, produced by Oscar winner Michael Phillips (The Sting) alongside Juliana Maio and Kearie Peak, is slated to premiere on December 1, 2024.
In addition to âEarth Abides,â Jessica is currently filming a recurring role in the third season of the Emmy-nominated series âThe Gilded Ageâ on HBO.
Jessica is best known for her regular role as Special Agent Maya Miller in the multi-award-winning Netflix series âOzarkâ (2020â2022). Her other notable credits include leading roles in HBO Maxâs âProject Greenlightâ (2023) and the award-winning film âGray Matterâ (2023).
A seasoned theater veteran, Jessica portrayed Millie Davis in the Tony Award-nominated âTrouble In Mindâ on Broadway. She is an Obie Award winner for âBootycandyâ at Playwrights Horizons Off-Broadway and received an Audelco Award and a Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance nomination for her role as Vera in âBy The Way, Meet Vera Starkâ at the Signature Theatre.
Aaron Tveit
Aaron Kyle Tveit, born October 21, 1983) is an American actor and tenor singer. Tveit originated the lead role of Christian in the stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge! on Broadway, a performance for which he won the 2020 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical and received a 2020 Grammy Award nomination. His other work on the Broadway stage includes originating the roles of Gabe in Next to Normal and Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can, as well as performing the roles of Fiyero Tigelaar in Wicked, Link Larkin in Hairspray, and the title role in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. He also played John Wilkes Booth in an Off West End production of Assassins.
Todd Komarnicki is a prolific writer, producer, and director of film and television aswell as an acclaimed novelist. Komarnickiâs screenplays include SULLY directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks, which opened at #1 in the box office to rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. The film went on to earn over $240 million worldwide, and was a 2016 AFI Top Ten Film. Komarnicki has also written an adaptation of the international bestseller, THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN, starring Mel Gibson and Sean Penn; and he wrote, produced, and directed, BONHOEFFER, the WW2 true story of legendary pastor turned assassin, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, which is being released theatrically worldwide November 22nd.
In television, Komarnicki has written EARTH ABIDES, for MGM+, an adaptation of the international sci-fi favorite, by George Stewart, the series premieres December 1st. In the literary world, his first novel, Free, was published by Doubleday in 1993 and his second novel, famine (Arcade 1997), received tremendous reviews and was subsequently translated into French, Italian, and German. His third novel, war, was published to exceptional reviews in July of 2008 by Arcade.
Komarnicki is the president & founder of the production company Guy Walks Into A Bar. Komarnicki and Guy Walks partner Jon Berg produced the Christmas blockbuster ELF, starring Will Ferrell and directed by Jon Favreau. The film has become a worldwide perennial favorite every Christmas season. All told, Komarnickiâs films have accounted for well over half a billion dollars at the box office.
Komarnicki lives in New York City with his wife, Jane, their daughter, Remy, 14, and son, Dashiell, 11.
Executive Produced by
Todd Komarnicki, Kearie Peak, Michael Phillips, Juliana Maio
Directed by
Bronwen Hughes (101, 102), Rachel Leiterman (103,104), Stephen Campanelli (105, 106)
Written by
Todd Komarnicki
Showrunner
Todd Komarnicki
Cast
Alexander Ludwig as âIshâ
Jessica Frances Dukes as âEmmaâ
Aaron Tveit as âCharlieâ
Rodrigo Fernandez-Stoll as âJorgeâ
Elyse Levesque as âMaurineâ
Hilary McCormack as âJeanâ
Luisa dâOliveira as âMollyâ
Birkett Turton as âEzraâ
Jenna Berman as âEvieâ
The writers decided to start two whodunnits. Someone poisoned cupcakes for the cast and crew of Body & Soul. We could stop right there in case we lost you. Please try to stay with us while we talk about this mystery. Some members of the cast ate the cupcakes and got sick. Roman also got sick from the cupcakes. The personâs identity wasnât revealed to the audience. We have a theory about who did it. Itâs not set in stone because the person didnât get revealed. We think Hattie is the culprit. She put a curse on the show for killing off her character. No one else had a reason to go after the cast and crew. The only people who got sick (except for Roman) are pat of the show. Itâs not hard to figure out who could have done it. We do have a question about it. How did Hattie (or the culprit) know Abeâs address? She hadnât been there before so how did she know to send the cupcakes to him?
The other mystery that unfolded was the identity of the new Lady Whistleblower. Leo found out that his storylines were revealed in Lady Whistleblowerâs column. He accused Javi of being the person who spoiled the show. Itâs not too hard to believe that he would do that since he saw him looking at his laptop when they were together. Leo jumped to the wrong conclusion and accused Javi of spoiling his storylines. We think Lady Whistleblower is Gwen. Sheâs coming back to the show and has the biggest motive for wanting to ruin his show. He betrayed her by sleeping with Dimitri, and she didnât forgive him for it. She would do anything to make sure that Leo paid for what he did to her. Itâs understandable that she would want to pay him back for what he did to her. His conscience got to him once they were about to get caught. Gwen probably still owns the paper, so itâs not hard for her to create the stories. The hole in our theory is that she had no way of knowing what he was writing for the soap opera. Itâs convenient that she would be able to hack into his computer, but he didnât have the job before she left town. Thereâs no way she could have known he was writing storylines for the show. We have a feeling we are right so you heard/read it here first.
Rafe was kicked in his stomach when he found out he wasnât getting his job back as commissioner. Itâs a slap in the face to him when he was hurt on duty. Rafe dedicated his life to the force only to get treated as if he didnât matter. Weâre not surprised that he was disappointed and angry about the news he received. Paulina was cold about telling him that Jada was keeping his job. She should have showed compassion about dropping that bomb on him. The woman canât make a decision without causing problems for someone. He didnât get hurt by playing around on the job. Rafe was investigating what happened to Abby and got hurt. Itâs not fair that he lost his job because he was hurt. Roman put the idea in his head to sue the department. Itâs the right decision to make because he was unfairly demoted. Roman wasnât the person to tell him that because heâs Abeâs best friend. Jada thought Rafe should keep the job as detective. What made her think that he would want to get demoted just because sheâs in charge? If she lost her job, she wouldnât take a demotion. She shouldnât expect Rafe to do that. He wanted to resign to save their relationship. Rafe thought he would resent her if he accepted the demotion. He did the right thing because it would be hard for him to go to the station knowing that she had his job.
Johnny proved that heâs a scumbag. He called Chanel out when he thought she cheated on him. She was a cheating slut when he thought she slept with Alex. He cheated on her, and weâre supposed to feel sorry for him because he doesnât want to get caught. Johnny was torn between telling the truth and protecting his secret. We know what answer he chose. He decided to keep the affair a secret. Johnny continued to lie to her even when he had a dream about Joy. He will deserve it when Chanel leaves him for what he did. Johnny didnât want to show any mercy towards her, and he will know how that feels when she turns her back on him. We noticed that Chanel kept shoving Joy at Johnny. Itâs as if she knows that they were together.
Tate is also a scumbag. He used Sophia to get over Holly. It didnât take much for him to go to bed with Sophia because she offered herself to him. He did what any guy would do. It was wrong, but he did what any man would do in his position. Sophia had herself to blame for giving herself to him when she knew he wasnât over Holly. Tateâs problem is that he treated her like she was a prostitute while acting like Holly is a delicate flower. Itâs bad enough he called out Hollyâs name while he was making out with Sophia, but he had to act as if she didnât mean anything to him. He had no problem going to bed with Sophia even though he knew how he felt about Holly. Fast forward, and Holly wanted to go to her room with him. Tate decided to be a gentleman for Holly. He had the chance to be with her, but he wanted her first time to be special. What type of guy is he to treat Sophia like that. Sheâs not the villain just because she had feelings for Tate. We applauded Sophia for not wanting to be treated like she didnât matter.
We cheered Xander on when he was man enough to apologize to Brady for accusing him of hitting Sarah. Itâs good to see him own up to what he did. He told him about what happened when Kristen demanded to know details about how Sarah was doing. Xander showed a side of vulnerability and thatâs a good thing. He proved that he doesnât always have to scheme or get himself into trouble. Xander showed how scared he was about what happened to Sarah. The writers should have him show that side more often.
The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.
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SELINA RINGEL, Mags (Lead Actress, Writer, Producer): A dynamic Mexican-American filmmaker, has carved a niche in the independent film scene with her compelling narratives and unique voice. An award-winning writer, producer, and actress, her recent project, “You, Me & Her,” has won 15 awards, including Best Picture at the Mexican-American Film & Television Awards, and boasts a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. Selina’s groundbreaking film “Single Mother by Choice” captured her real-time pregnancy journey during COVID-19 and premiered on HBO Max. She is also known for her engaging comedy special on Amazon Prime, “2 Moms 1 Mic,” and her internationally recognized film “The Best People,” distributed domestically by Samuel Goldwyn Films. Selina’s work continues to resonate globally, pushing boundaries and sparking conversation.
RITESH RAJAN, Ash (Lead Actor): A graduate of NYU Tisch, you can see Riteshâs work as the lead in Sujata Dayâs new film âDefinition Pleaseâ produced by Mindy Kaling & Ava DuVernay, as Farran in the Emmy award-winning hit âRussian Dollâ and as the voice of Ken in âBarbie: Dream House Adventuresâ: and more all on Netflix. Other credits include recurring on Shonda Rimes âStation 19,â Disneyâs âThe Jungle Book, FreeFormâs âStitchers,â âNCIS LA,â âStar Wars,â âRebels,â âBeavis & Buttheadâ and the Hulu original, âDollface.â
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Lacretta stars as Donna âGurgsâ Gurganous on the NBC comedy âNight Court.â
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