Tag: crime

Interview with actors from “Criminal Minds: Evolution”

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TV Interview!

Erica Messer, Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia), Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss), A.J. Cook (Jennifer Jareau), Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis) and Zach Gilford (Elias Voit) of "Criminal Minds: Evolution" on Paramount+

Interview with Erica Messer, Joe Mantegna, Kirsten Vangsness, Paget Brewster, A.J. Cook, Aisha Tyler and Zach Gilford of “Criminal Minds: Evolution” on Paramount+ by Suzanne 9/21/22

Two months ago, I was on a virtual TCA panel for “Criminal Minds: Evolution” on Paramount+ with all the stars of the show.  The talent in attendance were Erica Messer (Showrunner, Executive Producer & Writer) and stars Joe Mantegna (David Rossi), Kirsten Vangsness (Penelope Garcia), Paget Brewster (Emily Prentiss), A.J. Cook (Jennifer Jareau), Aisha Tyler (Dr. Tara Lewis) and newcomer Zach Gilford (Elias Voit).

The showrunner introduced the panel, thanking us and telling us that the show premieres 11/24 with its first two episodes on Thanksgiving and then new episodes will drop weekly. There are ten episodes in total for the first season, which “explore what our heroes have been up to since February of 2020, which is the last time you saw them, or, as we call it, ‘the before times.'” The team has gotten closer in these tough times. They find that “there’s been a prolific killer on the loose since 2005” (played by Zach Gilford) who became a legend during the pandemic. He concluded, “We’re lucky to have Zach Gilford bring this one-of-a-kind unsub to life and have so many familiar BAU agents back on the show.”

Adam Rodriguez is also in the cast, but he couldn’t make it to the panel because he was directing.

I asked a question regarding what I’ve seen fans post about on social media, “I’ve read that a lot of the fans were really unhappy with the original finale, and I was wondering if that was taken into consideration at all when you restarted the show.” I didn’t ask any particular person to answer, so Messer started and then the actors chimed in. Her opinion was that fans didn’t want the show to end, so she thinks that was the main reason they were unhappy about the finale. She did add that “you can’t please everyone,” but they try to write the characters as honestly as possible and stay true to them, and that’s all they can really do. Tyler said that she thinks some fans are always unhappy about any finale, but she mostly heard from fans about how much they loved the characters (or as she put it, “this family.”). She feels that most of the fans were just mourning the loss of the characters after 15 years, but she heard mostly good feedback. Mantegna then said, “The only ones that should be upset are the ones that were dumb enough to cancel it in the first place.” Everyone laughed nervously after that. Messer said, with a chuckle, “Joe calls it as he sees it.” Then there was more laughter.

Cook admired the way the finale was written because it left things open – that they were still out there fighting crime, which left everyone with hope for the future, and that the show would return. She agrees that it’s hard to please all the fans at once.

The actors talked about how happy they were to be back doing the show. It was a “joyous” occasion when they first met up on Zoom. Messer revealed that they would have just one unsub for the whole season (Gilford’s character). She also told us that the idea of Gilford’s unsub came to her during the pandemic. She started wondering what serial killers would be up to during the pandemic.

The cast was asked whether any of the disturbing stories of the show have given them nightmares. Vangsness confided that they all bothered her, and Tyler said that her husband was worried that he would get nightmares from the show. Mantegna added that this version of the show is going to be much more disturbing. The show’s stories don’t bother him because he knows it’s not real. What bothers him is that the real-life law enforcement have to deal with these type of crimes.

Gilford shared with us that he does get very disturbed by what’s done on the show. His wife asked, “What’s wrong with you?” and he replied, “I was just doing this to people all day. Leave me alone.” Everyone laughed, and then he said, “it gets dark.” Vangsness joked “it gets hard on serial killers” and he repeated that in a joking, self-pitying way, so there was more laughter.

Tyler agreed with Mantegna, saying that she thinks fans find the show satisfying because the criminals are caught in the end by these “intelligent, hard-working, devoted professionals are out there working very hard every day to make the world safer for the rest of us.” She also echoed what he said about the real-life people who do the job.

Cook disclosed that the show delves more into the characters’ personal lives and how they’re affected by the horrible things they have to deal with.

Messer was asked about whether the show will be a lot darker, now that it’s on streaming instead of broadcast TV. She didn’t want to make it too dark because teenagers watch it, but it will have some curse words that they couldn’t say before. She feels that this is normal language that people would use in real life. She teased Mantegna, saying he speaks that way all the time. He agreed with a smile that it wasn’t much of a stretch for him.

They were asked about directing episodes of the show. Mantegna told us that he, Cook, Tyler and Rodriguez have directed some of the episodes (as they had in the past on the original show). He praised Gilford, whom he worked with a lot while directing, “he’s been a great, incredible addition to our show.” Mantegna also mentioned that it takes them 8 days to shoot each episode.

Gilford grew up in Chicago, so he shares that he was a bit star-struck working with Mantegna, whom he considers a legend. He shared a cute story that us non-actors may not appreciate as much. He said, “we’re shooting the scene, and he goes, ‘Okay, and then you’re going to walk over here, and then we’ll cut, and I’ll yell, Cut.’ And I was like, ‘Did you just like line-read your directing?’ He’s like, ‘I’m an actor. I can’t help myself.’ I could not stop laughing, because it was — I’ve never seen a director do that before.” The other actors all laughed, so they must have found it funny, too.

Tyler then complimented Mantegna on his directing and loves it when actors direct because they’re easier for them to work with. Paget added in her two cents, thanking them all for directing because she never wanted to do it.

Messer shared that David Rossi is the character most in crisis when the show begins, and she talked about what a great job Mantegna did with the story. She said that how his character is feeling causes “a ripple effect” that goes through everyone else.

She also told us that two characters from the previous season won’t be returning: Matt Simmons (Daniel Henney) and Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler). However, they are still mentioned – “gone but not forgotten.” That was very disappointing to hear because Reid is my favorite character. Their desks are still there, with things on them. She never said whether they would explain why the characters aren’t back. I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

MORE INFO: Trailer

Criminal Minds: Evolution key art

In CRIMINAL MINDS: EVOLUTION, the FBI’s elite team of criminal profilers come up against their greatest threat yet, an UnSub who has used the pandemic to build a network of other serial killers. As the world opens back up and the network goes operational, the team must hunt them down, one murder at a time. Original cast members continuing their roles include Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster. Zach Gilford joins the dynamic cast as a recurring guest star in a season-long arc.
PREMIERES: November 24, Exclusively on Paramount+
GENRE / FORMAT: Drama, Crime
STARRING: Joe Mantegna
A.J. Cook
Kirsten Vangsness
Aisha Tyler
Adam Rodriguez
Paget Brewster
Zach Gilford
PRODUCED BY:  ABC Signature and CBS Studios
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Erica Messer, Breen Frazier, Chris Barbour, Glenn Kershaw, Mark Gordon

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

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Criminal Minds: Evolution cast

Interview with Christopher Meloni

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Interview!

Christopher Meloni of "Law & Order: Organized Crime" on NBC

Interview with Christopher Meloni of “Law & Order: Organized Crime” on NBC by Suzanne 9/13/21

We had a chat via Zoom with NBC stars for the TCA panels. This particular panel was supposed to feature Mariska Hargitay (Olivia Benson) as well as Christopher Meloni (Elliot Stabler), but she was held up due to a change in her shooting schedule. That was a real shame because we would have all loved to see her with him. He didn’t seem as if he was in a great mood, but he gave each question serious thought and consideration.

If you’re reading this, you probably know already that he played the same character on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” for 11 years. He left at the end of season 11 because of a contract dispute. Last April he returned to SVU and then premiered this new show, OC, but with plenty of crossover between the two shows (especially with Hargitay).

I asked him the question that everyone wants to know… I knew that he probably couldn’t answer it, but I was interested in how he would handle the question, either way. I said, “I’m on a lot of “Law & Order” Facebook groups, and most of them seem to want your characters to have a real love affair. Should they stay hopeful on that score? Anything you can tell us. I know you can’t give spoilers.” He replied, “Sure. Hope springs eternal. I mean, why  not? I think it’s going to be a collaborative effort between both showrunners for “SVU” and “OC,” and I believe, with Mariska and I, to kind of figure it all out. It’s a complicated relationship. So, we’ll see.”  That was actually a lot more positive answer than I expected. It was very diplomatic, for sure.

Here are more questions from the panel.  This was the next question:  Elliot goes undercover this season, so he was asked whether this would affect his relationship with his former partner, Benson (Hargitay), since they were close last season. He mentioned that he had spoken to real-life undercover cops, and they had confirmed that they do tend to lose themselves in their jobs.  He thinks Elliot is doing that, as well as still dealing with the stress of losing his wife and all that he went through last season, and not sure how Benson fits into his life (both personally and professionally). Benson sees that he might be going through all this.  He and Benson do engage with each other professional quite a bit, and ” and a little bit from the personal side.”

He was also asked whether he’d learned anything about himself from his years of playing Elliot. He responded, “I’ve learned a lot about myself. It’s been a wonderful journey. I think because, you know, to play this character for as long as I have, or I guess any character, but I always thought of him as a man under pressure, and has maybe examined how I engage the world, how I deal with personal relationships, how maybe certain blind spots that I have, and I’ve had to work on. You know, you really do grow with the character. Because as you mature as a human being, I think you bring those lessons to bear to your character. So, you know, you march hand—in—hand with the thing that you’ve created. And it’s been very rewarding. So, I’ve learned more than I could speak of in this short of time.”

Someone else asked why Dick Wolf decided (possibly in collaboration with him or other writers) to put Elliot in Organized Crime rather than in other possibly detective groups. He asserted that it was Wolf’s idea from the beginning. He feels that it was because there was so much rich storytelling that could be told about the crime families and how they work, and that one crime family investigation would fit well into an 8-episode format. He was also asked whether there might be a possibility of any mention of his cop character in Syfy’s “Happy,” but he didn’t think they would do that because they were in two different universes. He compared it to having a crossover between “Grey’s Anatomy” and a Marvel Universe show.

Another person from the press asked him about “the most emotional and challenging story lines to play on a personal level, something that was difficult” for him to play. He gave an interesting answer, “Well, you know, anytime I’ve had to deal with children and traumas inflicted upon children, those are always — those always strike a very deep chord. I’ve always found those very difficult, but oddly enough, kind of the easiest to play, because there’s no searching for the emotional content within myself. You know, I know exactly how I feel. I’m very — there’s such clarity in my place in this world when children are involved.”

I’m sure he’s been asked this question many times: whether he ever had the itch to go back and play Stabler after he left SVU back in 2011. He asserted that he never looked back. Once he was done, that was it. He enjoyed acting in other projects and traveling. He added, “I think to Dick’s credit, he — I don’t know — maybe he sensed I wasn’t as interested in revisiting how, you know, the “SVU” tells a story, which is great, and they do it so wonderfully. So, when he pitched this more serialized expression of his latest idea of a “Law & Order” show, the “OC,” I really thought it was kind of a stroke of genius. I didn’t think that was even kind of anything he was thinking about. So, I was pleasantly pleased and surprised and excited when I got the pitch. And it was just on the basis of the type of storytelling that the “OC” allows us. And I just think it just allows for a little more in—depth analysis of characters and relationships and that kind of stuff. So, I appreciated that. And I think with Ilene Chaiken running the show, it’s really lived up to what Dick had hoped for.”

He was asked if he’d ever binge-watched “Law & Order” SVU,” but he admitted that he never had. He was there when it was filmed, and that was enough. The same journalist also asked him if he would tell us about the “four new recurring characters” on the second season. He seemed taken aback by that question. He named three – “Dash Mihok, Vinnie Jones, Lolita Davidovich and Michael Raymond-James.”  He said that some of the cast are part of their task force and some are from the new crime family they’ll be going after.  He elaborated, “We’re dealing with an Albanian crime family. You get to see a little bit of the hierarchy. It’s very much a family organization. And there’s a kind of Shakespearean intrigue that surrounds it.” That sounds interesting!

Since he mentioned leaving SVU earlier, he was asked about Mariska, “What has been the greatest joy of working with her? What
qualities does she have that has made the journey a real joy for you? And what have been some of the challenges?” He gave a very long answer. Basically, he said that they were two strong personalities that worked well together. The characters were, “finding each
other’s dance steps. And I would argue we found those dance steps 80 percent of the time, but 20 percent of the time we didn’t. And, you know, that’s where — I don’t know — just stuff happens. And it can be creatively wonderful stuff, and it can be challenging stuff. And it’s just stuff. Because at the end of the day, I think we see each other and know each other at our cores, and we love and honor and respect each other’s gifts. We have forgiven each other’s trespasses.” He said that they grew up together on the show . They both built their own separate families at the same time and both had each other’s best interests at heart.  He was quite effusive in his praise of her: “She’s open and honest and trustworthy and a ball of light. She radiates a goodness and a warmth and an inclusiveness. You know, she’s just a wonderful energy to be around. And she’s a hard worker. ” He praised her for how she carried on after he left the show.” They like working together and look forward to it. He never really answered the question about any challenges.

Next he was asked whether any parts of Elliot had rubbed off on him, or vice versa. He didn’t think so. He compared Elliot to himself, saying that Elliot was both more flawed and more heroic than he. He went on, “I think we both strive for the same sense of justice that, you know — I mean, I think this is life, right? And it’s difficult if you have a sense of right and wrong, and the world makes it difficult for one who has a sense of honor and justice, and you see reality is at times difficult in that regard. So, I would like to — I would strive to be as honorable as Elliott is, as flawed as he is. But no. We both have the same kind of walk, and that’s about it, I think.”

He was asked whether he thought all of the spinoffs were a good thing or not. He thinks that they’re both good and bad as it’s part of their business. It’s expensive to “It’s expensive to launch a show, very expensive to maintain a show, and very expensive to get eyeballs to the show, to your product. So, I just kind of think those pressures lend itself to that kind of programming.” He thinks the audience doesn’t mind as long as the product is a good one.

He was also asked why he thinks fans are so crazy about a Benson-Stabler relationship. He thinks that part of the reason is because their parting in 2011 was so abrupt, and they had so much chemistry for years before that. There was never any kind of answer as to the will-they-or-won’t-they question.

Another writer asked how his working with Mariska different this time than it was the first time around. He answered that they were young and didn’t know each other the first time around. It was all new, fresh and exciting. This time, when he returned, it felt both important and comfortable. “And I haven’t examined it beyond that… “I don’t have that relationship with any other actor walking the earth, because I’ve never worked with anyone for as long as I had with Mariska.” They were revisiting their relationship. “all of that in a package of grief, because of the circumstances under which I was reintroduced. So, it was a completely different dynamic, and yet I think the cornerstone of it all was a playfulness, a humor that we just always have with each other, and a camaraderie. Love and camaraderie.”

He was asked a good storyline question about whether Stabler would still be working with the team or whether he’ll be more in charge this season.  He responded that Sgt. Bell is definitely still in command, not Elliot. He went on, “I find it a very interesting dynamic. I was surprised by it all, and I loved it. I thought it was a very good idea. Danielle MonĂ© Truitt is wonderful to work with. Yeah. So, yeah. Elliott is more on the outside in the first series of eight from the unit. They’re kind of more of the, you know — they’re HQ to whom I report, and they do the logistical hard work while Elliott tries to get intel and is on the inside.”

The last person pointed out that Meloni is also great at comedy. He asked which he would like to do next, after he leaves OC? He instantly replied without hesitation that it would be comedy.  “I’m in one swimming pool and I want to go try the other, see how the other water — how refreshing the other water is.”  Well, let’s hope that’s not for a long time…at least not until we see how he and Olivia are able to really connect, finally.

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MORE INFO:

Season 2 Preview  Episode 202 Preview

Christopher Meloni of "Law & Order: Organized Crime" on NBC“LAW & ORDER: ORGANIZED CRIME”

“THE MAN WITH NO IDENTITY”

ORIGINAL

09/23/2021 (10:00PM – 11:00PM) (Thursday) : SEASON PREMIERE – After taking down Wheatley’s (Dylan McDermott) drug empire and discovering his wife’s killer, Det. Stabler (Christopher Meloni) must infiltrate a notorious crime family aiming to take over New York City’s cocaine trade. Sgt. Bell (Danielle MonĂ© Truitt) is forced to work with a rival colleague when their investigations collide. Also starring Ainsley Seiger.

TV-14

The series stars Christopher Meloni, Dylan McDermott, Danielle Moné Truitt, Tamara Taylor and Ainsley Seiger.

Dick Wolf, Ilene Chaiken, Fred Berner, Terry Miller, Arthur Forney and Peter Jankowski serve as executive producers. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment.

Christopher Meloni

Elliot Stabler, “Law & Order: Organized Crime”

Christopher Meloni returns to his iconic character, Elliot Stabler, in the new NBC drama series “Law & Order: Organized Crime.”

Meloni was last seen starring on the Hulu British comedy “Maxxx.”

Meloni starred in SYFY’s dark comedy “Happy!” based on Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel. In addition to his starring role as Nick Sax, he directed an episode as well as executive produced the series. Meloni also co-starred in the third season of the critically acclaimed Hulu series “The Handmaid’s Tale” as Commander Winslow, a powerful and magnetic commander who hosts the Waterfords on an important trip.

Meloni had a guest arc on the breakout FX series “Pose,” from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. He also appeared in the landmark historical series “Underground,” executive produced by John Legend, and directed an episode.

Following his breakout role on “NYPD Blue,” Meloni was cast in HBO’s gritty prison drama “Oz” and then moved on to “Law & Order: SVU,” where he received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Following his 12 seasons on “SVU,” Meloni returned to HBO in Alan Ball’s wildly popular drama “True Blood” and the Julie Louis-Dreyfus-starrer “Veep.”

On the film side, Meloni’s credits include “Diary of a Teenage Girl,” “White Bird in a Blizzard,” “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For,” “Man of Steel,” “42,” “They Came Together,” the Terry Gilliam films “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Twelve Monkeys,” “Bound,” “Runaway Bride,”  “Nights in Rodanthe,” and the cult favorites “Wet Hot American Summer,” “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” and its first sequel, “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.”

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

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Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and Christopher Meloni of "Law & Order: Organized Crime" on NBC

Interview with cast of “Prodigal Son” TCA Panel

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TV Interview!

"Prodigal Son" cast at the FOX Spring TCAs.

Interview with actors of “Prodigal Son” on FOX by Suzanne 3/2/21

Today I went to the TCA panel (virtual presentation) with most of the actors from “Prodigal Son” and the executive producers, Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver.

The actors were newcomer Catherine Zeta-Jones (Dr. Vivian Capshaw); star Tom Payne (Malcolm Bright); Lou Diamond Phillips (Gil); Bellamy Young (Jessica); Halston Sage (Ainsley); Aurora Perrineau (Dani); Frank Harts (JT); and Keiko Agena (Edrisa). Unfortunately, Michael Sheen (Martin) was not there. He was back in England, and I heard that he was recovering from COVID.

First they had an introduction, where they talked about some of the upcoming FOX shows, and they showed us a preview video.

I didn’t get to ask a question, but it was still fun to be there, and to see the actors on the panel. Most of my questions were asked by other journalists, anyway.

Tom Payne (Bright) was dressed in a suit, and Bellamy Young (Jessica) was dressed in a very nice lace white top. Halston Sage also had a nice white top. The rest were not particularly dressed up. From the banter during the interview, it was clear that this cast is not only amazingly talented but gets along really well.

Catherine Zeta-JonesThe first question was, “What made PRODIGAL SON the right choice for this TV renaissance? And how will Dr. Capshaw change things up at Claremont?” Catherine Zeta-Jones answered this question with a very long speech. (By the way, I had no idea that “Zeta” is pronounced like “cheetah.” I thought it was like “beta.” Who knew? Not me.She replied that she liked the nuance of the show…how it’s a “pretty good family drama with a twist of danger.” She also mentioned that Michael Sheen is from her hometown of Swansea in Wales. She’s admired him from a distance, and they have mutual friends. She said it’s “bizarre” how much their paths have almost crossed before now. That was one of the reasons she wanted to do the show as well as the character of Dr. Vivian Capshaw. The script really drew her in. She was intrigued and wanted to know more about the character and why she was working there at the facility.

The next question was a bit lengthy. In short, the person asked her to elaborate about working with Michael and the relationship between their characters. She answered that Martin Whitley reminds her of men she grew up with. She spoke about the complexity of her character and how it’s starting to unfold. She then praised the group of actors and how their “great work” made her want to be part of the show. She specifically praised Lou Diamond-Phillips for his work directing. She revealed that she and Michael had many Welsh inside jokes but that everyone was very welcoming, which made her feel comfortableJT, Bright and Dani

I was starting to feel bad for the other actors there because they weren’t getting much of a chance to answer any questions.

Case in point: the next questioner asked all the other actors what their first response was to finding out that Jones would be joining the show, and asked Lou Diamond Phillips what it was like to direct her. (Which reminds me of the old joke: “Enough about me. What do YOU think of me?”)

Several of the actors answered. First was Halston Sage, who said she was excited. Then Tom Payne answered next. (He has a wonderful British accent. I wish he used that on the show.) “I was super excited, happy and excited that someone like Catherine would want to join our little gang, really.” He shared that it’s hard for him to watch the show as a viewer and just see it as entertainment. He said they have a lot of fun, especially with the “flashy characters come in and join us like Alan Cumming’s character who came in.” He felt that when Jones joined their show, they were doing a good job because it attracted people of her caliber. It made him feel “proud and very happy, and I’m excited for where our story line goes in the show. Simon Hoxley (Alan Cummings) with Martin and Vivian (from https://www.instagram.com/alancummingsnaps)

Keiko Agena then said, “Yeah. I’ll just say my jaw dropped, and I think it’s still dropped. So, at some point, I’ll pick it up and go on.”  Everyone giggled at that.

Then Lou Diamond Philips revealed that when he started his preparations for direction Episode 207, he didn’t know it was the midseason finale, nor did he know who his guest stars would be. He compared it to “a frog getting boiled in water. The heat just kept getting turned up. It was, like, this is the finale. Okay. That’s a big deal. Catherine Zeta Jones? Oh, my God. And the sphincter tightens more on top of that.” Very colorfully put.  He described the episode as a ship, which he said started as having lovely storylines for Halston and Bellamy, as well as having Rachel York (Birdie), someone he’s known for a long time since they were both on Broadway. It just became richer and richer for him to direct, but it was overwhelming at first. “And knowing that I was going to be the one to welcome Hera down from Mount Olympus when Catherine stepped on set, you don’t always know what you are going to get. And what you are seeing today is emblematic of who she is, so gracious and so warm and so inclusive of everyone.” He praised her for being a team player and part of their group from the outset, which made it all work very easily. He ended by saying, “to quote Keiko Agena’s character, ‘Well, that went well.'”

EP Sklaver chimed in with, “And Catherine is not lying. The second rehearsal, she said, ‘Do you remember Margaret?’ I go, ‘Yeah, I know Margaret.’ It was nonstop. It was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Which led to Catherine Zeta-Jones replying that she was randomly watching “The View” when Whoopi Goldberg gave high praise to their show.  She knew that Whoopi understood their show, and she was happy to see that praise.  Michael was there when she saw it and wondered if she knew that would happen.  She just figured that “great minds think alike.” They got that stamp of approval from out of nowhere.

Frank Harts was very funny when he added in his two cents, which were meant in a sarcastic (but hilarious) way: “Yeah. I was excited about the Whoopi thing, too, and Catherine joining. I was also a little scared because I was thinking, like, ‘How am I going to hang with Catherine in all of these one-on-one scenes that we are going to hit?’ I’m trained. I come from the theater. There’s a lot there. But, you know, that’s Hollywood royalty. She’s a Titan, man. So, I just had to wrap my brain around that, but welcome, Catherine.” Catherine Zeta-Jones thanked him for this, laughing.

Another journalist asked why they think there are more serial killer shows now and whether it has something to do with the times we’re living in, or even the pandemic crisis.

EP Fedak agreed that it does speak to us because of the age in which we live, since things seem “dark and seemingly scary.”  However, they view their show as more of a family show with a lot of humor and a great cast that’s “charming and fun.” He concluded that it’s many things together, not just a serial killer drama.

Catherine Zeta-Jones chimed in, “You know, what’s really interesting is where this I think it comes from the work and obviously the script. What’s on the page is what we work with, but it’s admirable when the characters that are darker than the regular folk can be as charming and interesting.” She thinks that you need a great actor to play a likable serial killer, and she added that she has a fascination with mobster families.  The family is reflected, which we can all relate to, but then to bring in a serial killer that is likable, all intertwined with the rest, is unique.

Bellamy Young shared her thoughts on that question, saying that they couldn’t have known the pandemic would hit during their filming of the show, but they just happened to hit it at the right time and place while the world is going through something so difficult.  She praised the show for making us laugh through the horror and pain, with it all being about family.  Zeta-Jones agreed that this was true.

Frank Harts answered in a serious way. He remembered how he reacted to the George Floyd murder last summer, which made him freak out and wake up in a little bit of a cold sweat the next day.  He told his wife it was crazy and that now he has to go back into the Prodigal Son world, playing a black cop on TV.  He wasn’t sure which direction they would go in, but he had a great conversation with the EPs. They assured him that they would incorporate the racism conversation into the show, which they did. He’s grateful that they nailed it. He echoed Bellamy’s words that the best part of the show is how they do comedy and big drama as well as “keep it real and grounded.” He gave credit to both the writers and all of the actors for bringing their best work to the table.

Zeta-Jones added that the FOX network deserved praise as well for having such great diversity among the actors and crew. She pointed out that many of them were from other countries and everyone is working together, being not only great at their jobs but “gracious and respectful,” which she noticed immediately.

The next question asked about the future of Dani and Malcolm’s relationship as well as when they were going to replace Gil’s car (the LeMans). The EP’s confirmed that the car was destroyed last season and isn’t coming back. Sklaver said that we will see Gil working on the car that Jessica destroyed in a scene involving her.

Lou Diamond Phillips pointed out, “I just said, ‘No Whitleys are supposed to get near my car.'”

“Don’t let them,” said Frank Harts.

Sklaver continued: “That’s the rule.”  He continued on, saying he couldn’t give spoilers about Bright and Dani, but he loves how fun they are together.  He praised the actors’ chemistry and shared that they do want to explore their romance, but he hinted that some things in the story might be keeping them from doing that. He said the same is true about Martin and Vivian.

Sklaver brought Aurora into the conversation, asking her thoughts on the Dani-Malcolm relationship. He said that he enjoys them together on the show because they’re “magical.”

Aurora answered that she agrees…she likes the transition they’ve been going through between meeting, and then learning more about each other. She praised the writers for making their relationship very believable and organic.

Fedak half-jokingly pointed out, “It is unfortunately, when you write someone kissing in a script this year, with COVID protocols, it does require a hazmat team. So, we do have to be careful in that regard.” Everyone on the screen was nodding their heads in agreement on this one.

Bellamy Young was asked what she could share about how things will play out for her character after she takes matters into her own hands this week and whether she’ll find it empowering. Bellamy answered that she thinks things will be rocky for Jess because she’s been keeping way too many secrets. She thinks the truth will set her free in the end. She shared that the episode they’re filming now leads her to “a very dark predicament.” She hasn’t seen the scripts after this one, so she doesn’t know how it all comes out.

There was one last question, for Keiko. The journalist said that we “got a look at her incredible fashion sense recently” and that we want to know more about her. He asked, “Can we perhaps see a more Edrisa-centric episode in the future?”

Keiko answered that they just finished episode 209, which does focus on her character. She had mentioned to the EPs about what her hopes for Edrisa were and what she though about the character. This episode has a lot of action and get to meet some of Edrisa’s friends, outside of the precinct.

Sklaver said, jokingly, “Keiko sends us emails that I’m afraid to show my wife sometimes. I don’t know about these guys. She sends an email. There’s whips. She’s bound to do whatever. It’s the best. ”

Keiko looked at him as if to scold him, saying, “Sam.”

Zeta-Jones joined in the joking by adding, “Yeah. It changed the course of her career right there.”

Fedak used the opportunity to praise the cast and how well it works together and goes along with whatever crazy stories they write. He thinks every network show should involve this kind of enthusiasm and cooperation.

Lou Diamond Phillips mentioned how great Halston was in the episode he directed, too.  He hopes to see more about the relationship with Ainsley in the future. He was glad to see more of “Lou’s relationship with Halston. He says it’s “pretty wonderful, and I was so grateful for her help and for her enthusiasm throughout. I just wanted to toss that out there.”

Halston Sage was grateful, “Oh, I love you, Lou. That was so sweet. I feel the same way. It was amazing working together.”

MORE INFO:

PRODIGAL SON follows MALCOLM BRIGHT (Tom Payne), a criminal profiler with a rare talent for getting inside the minds of killers. He learned how they think because his father, DR. MARTIN WHITLY (Michael Sheen), was a notorious serial killer known as “The Surgeon.” Now he’s using his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve their most puzzling murders. Bright’s team, led by his longtime mentor, NYPD Lieutenant GIL ARROYO (Lou Diamond Phillips), includes Detectives DANI POWELL (Aurora Perrineau), JT TARMEL (Frank Harts) and medical examiner DR. EDRISA TANAKA (Keiko Agena). Season Two picks up with Bright’s personal life in disarray after his sister AINSLEY’s (Halston Sage) shocking actions in the Season One finale. Now, he must “take care” of her and protect his mother JESSICA WHITLY (Bellamy Young) from a secret that could tear the family apart all over again. Meanwhile, Martin proves himself valuable in treating patients, after being assigned to infirmary duty by Claremont Psychiatric’s resident MD, DR. VIVIAN CAPSHAW (Catherine Zeta-Jones, “Chicago,” “Ocean’s 12,” “Traffic,” “Feud”), and seeks to deepen his relationship with Bright, his prodigal son, but forging this bond leads to shocking twists and revelations.

PRODIGAL SON is produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and FOX Entertainment. Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver created the series, and are executive producers, showrunners and writers on the show. Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter also serve as executive producers.

ACADEMY AWARD AND TONY AWARD WINNER CATHERINE ZETA-JONES JOINS
FOX’S HIT DRAMA, “PRODIGAL SON,” FOR SEASON TWO

 

Zeta-Jones to Star Opposite Fellow Welsh Actor Michael Sheen,
As Claremont Psychiatric’s Resident MD, Dr. Vivian Capshaw

Season Two of PRODIGAL SON Premieres on a New Night,
Beginning Tuesday, January 12, on FOX

Academy Award, Tony Award and three-time Screen Actors Guild Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Catherine Zeta-Jones (“Chicago,” “Ocean’s 12,” “Traffic,” “Feud”) will join FOX’s hit drama, PRODIGAL SON, for Season Two of the series. Starring as a special guest star opposite fellow Welsh actor Michael Sheen, Zeta-Jones will appear in the latter half of the season as DR. VIVIAN CAPSHAW, Claremont Psychiatric’s resident MD. In Season Two, DR. MARTIN WHITLY (Sheen) is assigned to infirmary duty, and Dr. Capshaw (Zeta-Jones) revels in tasking “The Surgeon” to clean bedpans and mop the floor. But as Martin proves valuable in treating patients, Capshaw begins to see him in a new light
which is not a good thing.

“An extraordinary talent, Catherine Zeta-Jones is the perfect foil for the brilliant Michael Sheen,” said Michael Thorn, President, Entertainment, FOX Entertainment. “I can’t wait to see these two greats go head-to-head in a season that is bound to raise the bar set by an outstanding Season One.”

Season Two of PRODIGAL SON premieres on a new night, Tuesday, Jan. 12 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. PRODIGAL SON was the No. 1 new series last fall, averaging 9.3 million multi-platform viewers.

PRODIGAL SON follows MALCOLM BRIGHT (Tom Payne), a criminal profiler with a rare talent for getting inside the minds of killers. He learned how they think because his father, Martin Whitly, was a notorious serial killer known as “The Surgeon.” Now he’s using his twisted genius to help the NYPD solve their most puzzling murders. Bright’s team, led by his longtime mentor, NYPD Lieutenant GIL ARROYO (Lou Diamond Phillips), includes Detectives DANI POWELL (Aurora Perrineau), JT TARMEL (Frank Harts) and medical examiner DR. EDRISATANAKA (Keiko Agena). Season Two picks up with Bright’s personal life in disarray after the shocking actions of his sister, AINSLEY (Halston Sage), in the Season One finale. Now, he must “take care” of her and protect his mother, JESSICA WHITLY (Bellamy Young), from a secret that could tear the family apart all over again! Further complicating matters, Martin seeks to deepen his relationship with Bright, his prodigal son, but forging this bond leads to shocking twists and revelations. Season Two guest stars include Christian Borle and Michael Potts.

Zeta-Jones is a multi-award-winning actress whose talents range from film to theater. She garnered an Academy Award for her portrayal of the scandalous “Velma Kelly,” in the screen adaptation of the Broadway musical “Chicago.” She also was nominated for a Golden Globe and took home the Critics’ Choice Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and the BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. She won the Tony Award for Lead Actress in a Musical for her critically acclaimed Broadway debut as “DesirĂ©e Armfeldt” in Stephen Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music.” Her other starring roles include Steven Soderbergh’s “Ocean’s 12,” “Side Effects,” and Steven Spielberg’s “The Terminal,” opposite Tom Hanks. Zeta-Jones also starred with George Clooney in the Coen Brothers’ dark comedy, “Intolerable Cruelty.” She earned a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of the wife of a drug-runner in Steven Soderbergh’s “Traffic.” Most recently, she starred in the telefilm “Cocaine Godmother,” based on the true-life story of the notorious drug lord Griselda Blanco. She first gained international recognition in the action-adventure film “The Mask of Zorro,” opposite Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins. She then captivated audiences in “Entrapment,” opposite screen legend Sean Connery. Born in Wales, Zeta-Jones began her career on the stage in London and was then cast in the popular Yorkshire Television series, “The Darling Buds of May,” based on the novels of H.E. Bates. In 2010, she was awarded a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to the film industry and charity.

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Prodigal Son second season poster

Primetime TV Review: La Casa de Papel (AKA Money Heist)

Posted on by TvMegasite Admin

TV Review!

La Casa de Papel on Netflix

“La Casa de Papel” on Netflix – Review by Olivia 11/6/20

The most anticipated TV show, according to Netflix, is La Casa de Papel (AKA “Money Heist”)

When you’ve connected with someone on your favorite dating site and have spent some time developing the chemistry between you, the next step will always be making plans for meeting up for a proper date. Before that, it’s all about finding common ground to chat about – and flirting. Netflix is growing in popularity all the time, so focusing on the hottest shows is always a terrific icebreaker. The bonus is that this will provide the perfect agenda for that all-important first encounter. Gone are the days when singles would often consider rushing out to restaurants or movie theaters as their automatic first choice.  As the nights grow darker, a cozy night in front of Netflix, with refreshments to hand, is the perfect suggestion.

With a mind-boggling list of choices, the next question for consideration is which series to watch. How about La Casa de Papel (literally, “The House of Paper” but Netflix is calling it “Money Heist”)? This Spanish crime drama has become hugely popular, giving couples gripping plots, engaging characters, and captivating storylines that frequently flashback or jump in time.

The series completely captures the viewer’s attention. Each of us would like to be as fearless as Tokyo, to have a lot of backbone as Nairobi, or maybe even fall in love with someone like Denver. You could try to create your own story here.

Overview

Filmed on location in several places around the world, mainly Spain but also including Italy, Panama, and Thailand by the second series, the Money Heist (to give it its English title) is all about events unfolding around a daring bank job. Initially set in Madrid, the story commences when a mysterious individual who is known only as the Professor instigates a breathtaking plan to infiltrate the Royal Mint of Spain to steal over €2 billion. To that end, he recruits an elite team of eight criminals from disparate backgrounds. Plans go awry when they are forced to barricade themselves inside the building with 67 hostages, remaining here for 11 days to print the money while police forces surround them.

Characters

The Professor is the enigmatic main character, a criminal mastermind who comes up with a devious plan to pull off the world’s greatest-ever robbery, printing billions of euros right under the noses of the Spanish police inside the Royal Mint.

His team is called named after various cities. Tokyo is his first recruit (and sometime narrator), although the problem with her is that she is somewhat unreliable. Berlin, the older brother of the professor, his lieutenant, is a jewel thief who is also terminally ill. Rio is an enthusiastic young hacker. Nairobi is an expert counterfeiter who is also adept at melting gold.

Series 1

The action commences in the aftermath of a failed bank robbery. The female behind this (Tokyo) is saved from capture by The Professor, who then suggests she participates in his ambitious plan, the likes of which has never been seen before. We then jump to the beginning of an assault on the Royal Mint in Madrid, carried out by a team of eight robbers dressed in red jumpsuits, with Salvador Dali masks.

Events are directed by The Professor from a remote location, and throughout parts one and two of the first season the months of preparation are revealed in flashbacks as we see the countryside retreat where the gang makes their plans, without being allowed to share information about themselves, or engage in personal relationships. The aim is that this heist will be carried out cleanly, without bloodshed.

From the get-go, events are plagued by difficulties as the robbers fail to stick to The Professor’s rules, hindered by uncooperative hostages. Mutiny also festers within the group.

Series 2

Commencing three years after the assault, we follow the lives of the eight they have built in different locations. The cat and mouse game between Europol and the gang continues when one member, Rio, is captured. The Professor decides to attack the Bank of Spain to give him leverage in persuading the police to release Rio unharmed. There are various other plot twists involving double-crossing, the complicated personal relationships within the group, and members being targeted by police snipers.

Conclusion

Overall, this is the perfect Netflix series to captivate you and your partner as you enjoy your leisure time and get to know each other better. The combination of the initial premise (a spectacular and ambitious bank heist the likes of which has never been seen before) and the intriguing and fully-realized characters, makes for an emotional journey.

You are never too sure what is going to happen next, guaranteeing edge-of-the-seat viewing, while the flashback and jump-forwards mean that the story can spiral off into interesting new twists just when you are least expecting this.

MORE INFORMATION:

From Wikipedia: Money Heist (Spanish: La casa de papel, “The House of Paper”) is a Spanish heist crime drama television series created by Álex Pina. The series traces two long-prepared heists led by the Professor (Álvaro Morte), one on the Royal Mint of Spain, and one on the Bank of Spain. The series was initially intended as a limited series to be told in two parts. It had its original run of 15 episodes on Spanish network Antena 3 from 2 May 2017 through 23 November 2017. Netflix acquired global streaming rights in late 2017. It re-cut the series into 22 shorter episodes and released them worldwide, beginning with the first part on 20 December 2017, followed by the second part on 6 April 2018. In April 2018, Netflix renewed the series with a significantly increased budget for 16 new episodes total. Part 3, with eight episodes, was released on 19 July 2019. Part 4, also with eight episodes, was released on 3 April 2020. A documentary involving the producers and the cast premiered on Netflix the same day, titled Money Heist: The Phenomenon (Spanish: La casa de papel: El FenĂłmeno). In July 2020, Netflix renewed the show for a fifth and final part.

The series was filmed in Madrid, Spain. Significant portions of part 3 and 4 were also filmed in Panama, Thailand, and Italy (Florence). The narrative is told in a real-time-like fashion and relies on flashbacks, time-jumps, hidden character motivations, and an unreliable narrator for complexity. The series subverts the heist genre by being told from the perspective of a woman, Tokyo (Úrsula Corberó), and having a strong Spanish identity, where emotional dynamics offset the perfect strategic crime.

The series received several awards including best drama series at the 46th International Emmy Awards, as well as critical acclaim for its sophisticated plot, interpersonal dramas, direction, and for trying to innovate Spanish television. The Italian anti-fascist song “Bella ciao,” which plays multiple times throughout the series, became a summer hit across Europe in 2018. By 2018, the series was the most-watched non-English language series and one of the most-watched series overall on Netflix, with a particular resonance coming from viewers from Mediterranean Europe and the Latin American world.

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

La Casa de Papel