Category: TV

“The Patient” starring Steve Carell and Domhnall Gleeson / Z-View

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The Patient (2o22)

Directors:  Chris Long (episodes 1,2, 8-10); Kevin Bray (episodes 3-5); Gwyneth Horder-Payton (episodes 6,7)

Teleplay:  Joel Fields & Joe Weisberg

Stars:  Steve Carell, Domhnall Gleeson, Laura Niemi and David Alan Grier.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

Dr. Alan Strauss (Carroll) is a psychotherapist who one morning wakes up in the basement of a strange house.  A chain is padlocked to his leg and a bolt in the cement floor.  Dr. Strauss soon learns that his captor is Sam Fortner (Gleeson).  Fortner is a serial killer who believes that Dr. Strauss can cure him of the compulsion to kill.

Thoughts (Beware of spoilers)…

What a great setup for a limited series.  If Strauss cures Fortner, Strauss is a liability because of his knowledge of the murders.  If Strauss can’t cure Fortner, there’s no reason to keep him alive.  It’s a game of cat and mouse and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

I was a little hesitant that Steve Carroll was the dramatic lead because of his role as Michael Scott from The Office.  I shouldn’t have worried.  Carroll was excellent, as is Laura Niemi who plays Sam’s mother.  She’s aware that her son is a serial killer, but cannot bring herself to turn him in.  David Alan Grier (another comedian) shows his dramatic chops.

The real surprise to me was Domhnall Gleeson.  What a performance!  Definitely worthy of an Emmy.  While I had seen Gleeson in a few films (True Grit, Dredd and The Revenant), I had no idea of how good an actor he is.

I liked that The Patient was written as series of ten episodes.  Because it was a limited series all bets were off as to who would live or die.  Expect some surprises along the way.

The Patient earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Poker Face” – The Trailer is Here!

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Poker Face is a 10-episode “mystery-of-the-week” series following Natasha Lyonne’s Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road with her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.

Deal me in.  Check out the trailer below and let me know if we need to save you a seat!

RIP: Leslie Jordan

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Leslie Jordan, the actor, singer, writer and internet sensation, died this morning, the result of a car wreck.  Mr. Jordan’s car hit the side of a building.  Preliminary results indicate that a medical episode may have led to the crash.  Mr. Jordan was 67.

Leslie Jordan moved to Los Angeles in 1982.  Standing just 4’11”, speaking with a strong Southern drawl, and openly gay, Leslie Jordan was a memorable character.  Although he struggled for a few years, in 1986, Leslie Jordan got his first television role on The Fall Guy.   After that ice-breaking role, Mr. Jordan continued to act on television, in feature films, on the stage and he even branched out into writing and singing!

Some of Leslie Jordan television appearances include: The Fall Guy; Night Court; Murphy Brown; Newhart; The People Next Door (10 episodes); Pee-Wee’s Playhouse;  Top of the Heap (6 episodes); Perfect Strangers; Reasonable Doubts (16 episodes); Bodies of Evidence (16 episodes); Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman; Hearts Afire (27 episodes); Coach; Star Trek: Voyager; Wings; The Pretender; Dharma & Greg; Ellen; Maximum Bob; Nash Bridges; Alley McBeal; Boston Public (5 episodes); Monk; Reba; Boston Legal (6 episodes); Hidden Palms (5 episodes); Sordid Lives: The Series (10 episodes); 12 Miles of Bad Road (6 episodes); Desperate Housewives; Supernatural; Con Man (6 episodes); American Horror Story (10 episodes); Will & Grace (17 episodes); Fantasy Island and Call Me Kat (36 episodes).

Some of Leslie Jordan’s feature film appearances include: Moving; Hero; Jason Goes to Hell; Sordid Lives; The Help; Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel; The United States vs Billie Holiday and Until We Meet Again.

In addition to being an accomplished stage actor; Leslie Jordan was also a playwright.  Some of his plays and stage shows include:  Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel; Like a Dog on Linoleum; Hysterical Blindness and Other Southern Tragedies That Have Plagued My Life Thus Far and My Trip Down the Pink Carpet.

Leslie Jordan was also a singer.  His gospel album Company’s Comin’ was released in 2021.  Mr. Jordan was also a hit on Instagram with 5.9 followers at the time of his death.

Leslie Jordan was probably best known for his recurring role on Will & Grace.  Until his popularity reached the level where he was a well known actor/comedian; Mr. Jordan would appear on the screen and you’d instantly recognize “that funny guy”!  I never saw Leslie Jordan in a role where I didn’t appreciate his performance.  He was especially funny in his many Instagram posts.  He was the kind of Hollywood celebrity that appeared genuine.  I’m going to miss seeing him pop up in new roles, but I am thankful for his many, many performances that will be around forever.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Leslie Jordan’s family, friends and fans.

“1899” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster is ok, but the trailer for 1899 has me ready to tune in.  I hope that this will be a limited series.  If not, we could end up with the same problem that plagued Lost, spinning wheels with multiple new plot lines that had no specific end.

On their journey across the vast and treacherous Atlantic Ocean, the passengers of the Kerberos encounter the biggest mystery of their lives. Welcome to 1899, a deeply immersive new series from the creators of Dark.

“Tulsa King” Starring Sylvester Stallone – Two New Posters and a New Trailer are Here!

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Here are two new posters and a new trailer for Tulsa King starring Sylvester Stallone.  Deal me in!

TULSA KING follows New York mafia capo Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone), just after he is released from prison after 25 years and unceremoniously exiled by his boss to set up shop in Tulsa, Okla. Realizing that his mob family may not have his best interests in mind, Dwight slowly builds a “crew” from a group of unlikely characters, to help him establish a new criminal empire in a place that to him might as well be another planet. The series also stars Andrea Savage (“I’m Sorry”), Martin Starr (“Silicon Valley”), Max Casella (“The Tender Bar”), Domenick Lombardozzi (“The Irishman”), Vincent Piazza (“Boardwalk Empire”), Jay Will (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), A.C. Peterson (“Superman & Lois”) with Garrett Hedlund (“The United States vs. Billie Holiday”).

The series will be executive-produced by Sheridan, Winter, Stallone, David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari, David Hutkin and Allen Coulter. Braden Aftergood is also set to executive-produce.

Stream the new series on November 13, exclusively on Paramount+.

RIP: Ted White

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Alex Bayouth who was known professionally as Ted White, stuntman and actor, died yesterday at the age of 96.  Mr. Bayouth enlisted in the marines when he was 17 and served at Iwo Jima!  He played football at the University of Oklahoma and was also a Golden Gloves boxer.  Because of his size and athletic ability, Mr. Bayouth decided to pursue a career as a stuntman/actor.

Mr. Bayouth was known professionally as Ted White.  As an actor/stuntman, Mr. White amassed over 150 credits performing on television and in feature films.  Clark Gable, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Richard Boone and Fess Parker are just five of the stars for who Ted White served as a stunt double.

Some of  Ted White’s television appearances include: Maverick (actor); Cimarron City (actor/stunts); Perry Mason (actor); Wagon Train (actor); The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (actor/stunts); The Andy Griffith Show (actor); Bonanza (actor); Mannix (actor); Mission: Impossible (actor); Daniel Boone (actor/stunts 15 episodes); Marcus Welby (actor); Kojak (actor/stunts);  Kung Fu (actor); Kolchak: The Night Stalker (actor); The Streets of San Francisco (stunts); The Six Million Dollar Man (actor); Police Story (actor); The Rockford Files (actor); Matt Houston (actor/stunts); Spenser for Hire (stunts);  The Fall Guy (actor); Magnum PI (actor) and The X-Files (actor).

Some of  Ted White’s feature films include: Sands of Iwo Jima (actor); Creature from the Black Lagoon (stunts); Giant (stunts); The Naked and the Dead (stunts); Rio Bravo (actor/stunts); The Horse Soldiers (stunts); The Alamo (actor/stunts); The Misfits (stunts); Cat Ballou (stunts); The Cincinnati Kid (stunts); Point Blank (actor/stunts); Will Penny (stunts); Planet of the Apes (stunts); They Call Me Mister Tibbs (stunts); Prime Cut (stunts); Soylent Green (stunts); Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (actor/stunts); Rollerball (stunts); King Kong (stunts); Tron (actor); 1941 (stunts); Bronco Billy (stunts); Used Cars (stunts); Escape from New York (stunts); Against All Odds (actor); Romancing the Stone (actor); Ruthless People (stunts); Death Wish 4 (stunts); Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (actor); Road House (stunts); Starman (actor); Silverado (actor); 2 Fast 2 Furious (stunts) and Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift (stunts).

What an amazing career Ted White had.  As I compiled the list of some of his television and movie credits, I was truly shocked at how many of my favorite tv shows and movies he appeared in.  Although Ted White is most famous for playing Jason in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, it was not one of his favorite roles.  In fact, he turned down the change to return in the sequels.  Interestingly enough, many fans feel that Ted White was the best at playing Jason.

The role that first came to mind for me was when he played an escaped convict who returned to Mayberry to get even with the law officer that put him away — Barney Fife.  It’s one of my favorite Andy Griffith Show episodes. Ted White was a legitimate tough guy — a marine, a college football player, a boxer and a stunt man.  Coupled with his talent for acting, he put together a career to make any actor proud.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ted White’s family, friends and fans.

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“The English” Starring Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Now we’re cooking.  We get a cool poster and trailer for the new series The English starring Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer.  Deal me in.

An epic chase Western, The English takes the core themes of identity and revenge to tell a uniquely compelling parable on race, power, and love. An aristocratic Englishwoman, Lady Cornelia Locke, and a Pawnee ex-cavalry scout, Eli Whipp, come together in 1890 middle America to cross a violent landscape built on dreams and blood. Both of them have a clear sense of their destiny, but neither is aware that it is rooted in a shared past. They must face increasingly terrifying obstacles that will test them to their limits, physically and psychologically. But as each obstacle is overcome, it draws them closer to their ultimate destination—the new town of Hoxem, Wyoming. It is here, after an investigation by the local sheriff Robert Marshall and young widow Martha Myers into a series of bizarre and macabre unsolved murders, that the full extent of their intertwined history will be truly understood, and they will come face-to-face with the future they must live.

RIP: Michael Callan

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Michael Callan died on Monday. October 10, 2022, from pneumonia complications.  He was 86.  Michael Callan began his career as a singer/dancer.  In 1954, he performed in The Boy Friend.  In 1955, he was cast in Catch a Star.  Michael Callan’s big break came when he was cast as Riff in West Side Story.  This brought him to the attention of Hollywood.

In 1959, Michael Callan earned a role in They Came to Cordura and he never looked back.  For the rest of his career, which spanned nearly 50 years, Michael Callan alternated between feature films and television roles.

Some of Michael Callan’s television appearances include: Dr. Kildare; Hazel; 12 O’Clock High; Occasional Wife (30 episodes); That Girl; The Name of the Game; The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Ironside; Marcus Welby, MD; The FBI (4 episodes); Love American Style (8 episodes); McMillan & Wife; Police Story (4 episodes); Barnaby Jones; Medical Center; SWAT: Quincy; The Bionic Woman; The Love Boat; Vegas; Charlie’s Angels; Simon & Simon; Fantasy Island (5 episodes); The Fall Guy; E/R; TJ Hooker; One Life to Live; Knight Rider; Superboy (6 episodes) and Murder She Wrote (5 epiodes).

Some of Michael Callan’s feature films include: They Came to Cordura; Gidget Goes Hawaiian; Mysterious Island; The Interns; The New Interns; Cat Ballou; The Magnificent Seven Ride!; Chained Heat and Swamp Thing.

I first saw Michael Callan in Mysterious Island when I was a kid.  I loved that movie. (Still do!)  It was cool to see Michael Callan pop up on almost every popular television show in the 70s and 80s.  What’s impressive is to see the number of series where he was asked back multiple times.  That’s definitely a sign of a talented professional.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Michael Callan’s family, friends and fans.

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RIP: Angela Lansbury

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Angela Lansbury, star of stage and screen died on October 11, 2022.  She was 96.  Angela Lansbury was born in London.  Her father was a politician (who died when Angela was nine) and her mother was an actress.

Angela Lansbury became interested in performing while in high school.  Upon graduation she attended  the Webber Douglas School of Singing and Dramatic Art.  When Germany began bombing England in World War II, her family moved to the United States.  Ms. Lansbury continued her education at the Feagin School of Dramatic Art in New York City.

When her mother got a part in a theater group, the family moved to Canada. That’s where Angela Lansbury got her first professional performing job.  She was just 16 years old when she began performing professionally as a nightclub singer at the Samovar Club in Montreal.  She lied about her age to get the job.  When Angela’s mother decided to try to get into American motion pictures, the family moved to Hollywood.  It was there, through her mother that Angela met John Van Druten who had just completed a script called Gaslight.  Van Druten thought Angela would be perfect as the opportunistic maid.  He helped get Angela the role.  This led to a seven year contract with MGM.  Angela Lansbury was just 17.

Angela Lansbury would go on to have a career that spanned over 70 years.  She would appear on stage, television and feature films.   Her accolades include six Tony Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award. eighteen Primetime Emmy Awards, the Academy of Motion Pictures and Sciences Honorary Award, six Golden Globe Awards, three Academy Awards, and a Grammy Award.

Some of Angela Lansbury’s television appearances include:  Four Star Playhouse; Celebrity Playhouse; Studio 57; Climax; Playhouse 90; The Man from UNCLE; Magnum PI; Newhart; Murder She Wrote (264 episodes); Murder, She Wrote: South by Southwest (TV Movie); Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For (TV Movie); Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man (TV Movie); Murder, She Wrote: The Celtic Riddle (TV Movie); Law & Order: Trial by Jury; Law & and Order: Special Victims Unit.

Feature film appearances include: Gaslight; National Velvet; The Three Musketeers, Samson and Delilah, The Court Jester; The Long Hot Summer; Blue Hawaii; The Manchurian Candidate; The Greatest Story Ever Told; Bedknobs and Broomsticks; Death on the Nile and Mary Poppins Returns,

I first took notice of Angela Lansbury when I saw The Court Jester as a kid.  Another favorite role was when she Lawrence Harvey’s mother in The Manchurian Candidate.  She was just three years older than him!  Angela Lansbury’s talent knew know bounds.  She could sing as well as act in a career that lasted longer than most people live!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Angela Lansburry’s family, friends and fans.

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“The Peripheral” Starring Chloë Grace Moretz – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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We have the poster and trailer for The Peripheral starring Chloë Grace Moretz.  I like her and since it is on Prime, checking it out will be a no-brainer.

In a future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality — as well as a dark future of her own. Based on the story by William Gibson.

RELEASE DATE: October 21 on Prime Video

CAST: Chloë Grace Moretz, Gary Carr, Jack Reynor, Adelind Horan, Alexandra Billings, Eli Goree

SERIES CREATORS: Jonathan Nolan, Scott Smith

RIP: Austin Stoker

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Austin Stoker died on October 7, 2022 from renal failure.  It was his 92nd birthday.

Austin Stoker was an actor who appeared on stage, television and in feature films.  He began his career in the 1954 Broadway production of Truman Capote’s House of Flowers.  Mr. Stoker’s first television role came in 1969 on Mod Squad.  In 1973, Austin Stoker appeared in Battle for the Planet of the Apes.  For the remainder of his career, Mr. Stoker alternated between television and feature film roles.

Some of his television appearances include: Mod Squad; Love American Style; McCloud; Kojak; The Rookies; Police Story; S.W.A.T; Return to the Planet of the Apes (13 episodes); The Six Million Dollar Man; Roots; The Incredible Hulk; Lou Grant; Airwolf; Trapper John; Falcon Crest and The Bold and the Beautiful (8 episodes).

Feature film appearances include: Battle for the Planet of the Apes; Airport ’75; Sheba, Baby; Assault on Precinct 13 and 3 from Hell.

My favorite Austin Stoker appearance was in John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13.  He was perfect as Ethan Bishop, the officer assigned to oversee a deserted police station that comes under an attack by a street gang.  Mr. Stoker had a career that spanned over 50 years with nearly 60 credits on his resume.  I always enjoyed his performances.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Austin Stoker’s family, friends and fans.

“Werewolf by Night” (2022) Directed by  Michael Giacchino / Z-View

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Werewolf by Night (2022)

Directors:  Michael Giacchino

Screenplay:  Heather Quinn, Peter Cameron

Stars:  Gael García Bernal, Laura Donnelly, Harriet Sansom Harris, Kirk R. Thatcher, Eugenie Bondurant, Leonardo Nam, Daniel J. Watts, Carey Jones and David Silverman

Tagline:  None.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Five of the best monster hunters alive will participate in a contest to determine the leader of all monster hunters now that Ulysses Bloodstone has died.  The winner will gain the “leader” title, and also the power of the Bloodstone gem.  Surprisingly,  Elsa Bloodstone (Donnelly), Ulysses estranged daughter,  shows up to take part in the contest.  Elsa’s stepmother, Verussa (Harris) warns Elsa against participating, but Elsa refuses to stand down.  It is obvious that there is bad blood between them.

The hunters will all enter a maze to fight each other and a monster that has been set loose in the labyrinth. The hunter that kills the creature wins the contest.  Only Verussa knows the kind of monster that lurks in the maze, but not even she knows which of the hunters is hiding a secret!

Werewolf by Night is a love letter to the classic Universal monsters.  Hats off to director, Michael Giacchino who is best known as a music composer for television and feature films (with over 150 credits on his resume).  After his efforts on Werewolf by Night music may go to the back burner.  Giacchino has great instincts and knows how to create a film that hits, pardon the expression, all the right notes.  Werewolf by Night is moody, full of atmosphere, interesting characters and tension relieved with just the right amount of comedy.

Heather Quinn and Peter Cameron, the screenwriters, were smart to write a modern film with an old school feel.  The film is in black and white which adds to the experience that we’re watching a classic horror film.  The werewolf looks, moves and acts like a man-beast and not a man in a werewolf costume.  I loved Werewolf by Night.  It seems like everyone does.  Werewolf by Night currently has a 7.6/10 rating on IMDb; Rotten Tomatoes shows a rating of 92% with reviewers and 94% with audiences.  As for me…

Werewolf by Night earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Tales of the Walking Dead” Season 1 (2022) / Z-View

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Tales of the Walking Dead Season 1 (2022)

Directors:  Ron Underwood (Ep. 1);Michael E. Satrazemis (Eps. 2 – 5);Haifaa al-Mansour (Ep. 4); Deborah Kampmeier (Ep.6)

Writers:  Maya Goldsmith & Ben Sokolowski (Ep.1);Kari Drake (Ep.2); Channing Powell (Eps.3, 5); Ahmadu Garba (Ep. 4); Lindsey Villarreal (Ep.6)

Stars:  Anthony Edwards, Parker Posey, Terry Crews, Danny Ramirez, Olivia Munn, Poppy Liu, Lauren Glazier, Kevin L. Johnson  and Embeth Davidtz

Tagline:  None.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Tales of the Walking Dead is an anthology series that takes place in the world of The Walking Dead.  Each episode is a self-contained story with no continuing characters.  This series sometimes ventures into different horror subgenres (time-loop, a haunted house/witch, etc.) which is refreshing.  I enjoyed all the episodes, but even if you find one lacking, the next is something different.

My favorites were:

1. “Evie / Joe” starring Olivia Munn and Terry Crews

4 “Amy / Dr. Everett” starring Poppy Liu and Anthony Edwards

5 “Davon” starring Jessie T. Usher

I hope we get a season 2.

Tales of the Walking Dead, Season 1 earns 4 of 5 stars.