Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
The first two seasons of Primal had more heart than most live-action shows. The trailer for Season 3 is here and it has a surprise for those following the series. (And if you haven’t checked out Primal, you should!)
Primal Season 3 is coming January 2026.
The first two seasons of Interview with the Vampire were must-see tv. I’m hoping the third season, now titled The Vampire Lestat, will be as well. This trailer for the new seasons looks like expectations will be met.
Bang bang.
Anne Rice’s #TheVampireLestat premieres in 2026 on AMC and AMC+.
Rich Hennemann is a freelance artist. A few years ago I picked up his sketchbook and a sketch and I was hooked. Since then I’ve gotten several sketches from Rich.
For this piece I requested Sly Stallone as Dwight Manfredi from the hit television series Tulsa King. Rich absolutely nailed it. I couldn’t be more pleased. There will be more art from Rich in my future. If you’re a sketch collector, you owe it to yourself to get a piece as well.
The teaser for Cross: Season 2 is here. I loved Season 1. Bring on Season 2.
About Cross: A Washington, D.C. crime drama that follows Alex Cross, a brilliant homicide detective, whose personal struggles threaten to derail his career and life. Based on the worldwide bestselling book series by James Patterson.
“The Paper” (2025)
Created by: Greg Daniels, Michael Koman; based on The Office created by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant
Teleplay by:
Directed by:
Stars: Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Ramona Young, Nancy Lenehan and Oscar Nuñez.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
The documentary crew that followed Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton, Pennsylvania, office has now turned their cameras to The Toledo Truth Teller Newspaper office. The dying paper has hired a new editor. He has brought in volunteers from Enervate’s (the newspaper’s parent company) other departments to work as reporters.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Paper is an nice way to spend 3o minutes.
It’s interesting to note that the lead of The Paper, Domhnall Gleeson co-starred in the limited series The Patient. Gleeson’s co-star in The Patient was Steve Carell. Carell was the lead of The Office. The Paper is a spin-off (of sorts) of The Office.
The Paper (2025) earns 4 of 5 stars.
“Mayor of Kingstown” Season 4 – The New Poster and Trailer are Here!
Deal me in! I cannot wait!
New forces converge on Kingstown to fill the power vacuum left in the Russians’ wake, compelling Mike McLusky (Jeremy Renner) to fight to protect his own.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2025)
Created by: Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman Jenny Lumet; based on Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry
Teleplay by:
Directed by:
Stars: Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun, Martin Quinn, Rebecca Romijn, Dan Jeannotte, Paul Wesley, Adrian Holmes, Melanie Scrofano, Cillian O’Sullivan, Warren Scherer and Carol Kane.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
During Season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Captain Christopher Pike and the crew of the USS Enterprise face more dangerous adventures.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Ethan Peck, who plays Mr. Spock, is the grandson of actor Gregory Peck. Ethan Peck is excellent as Spock.
I was a fan of the original Star Trek series, cartoon and movies with the original cast. I never watched any other Star Trek productions. So I’m not a die hard fan of everything Star Trek. Believe me, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is exceptional. Everything from the production values, the cast, the direction and the music is spot on. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a love letter to everything the original series strived to be.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is perfectly cast. Anson Mount is perfect in his role, but so are Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Celia Rose Gooding and Melissa Navia. The series is well written with each major cast member displaying personality and getting a showcase. If you’re a fan of the original series there are things that begin in Strange New Worlds that will reverberate in the original series.
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Season 3 different characters continue to get the spotlight. This season saw a greater focus on humor. I love Pike as a Captain, but seeing how Spock and Kirk first interacted is a real joy. It’s also cool that when the focus moves to secondary characters, my interest is still there — Ortega, Nurse Chapel, M’Benga and Nyota Uhura are favorites.
I enjoyed every episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Season 3 and look forward to Season 4.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2025) earns 4 of 5 stars.
I’d never seen Mat Peg‘s art before today. What a talented and creative artist! The Twilight Zone art above is just one example. Click on the link and plan to stay awhile!
Landman: Season 2 – Another Trailer is Here.
I cannot wait!
Who’s ready for more Landman?!
The official trailer is here, and the stakes are higher than ever.
Season 2 premieres November 16, 2025, only on Paramount+.
Set in the boomtowns of Texas, Landman (starring Billy Bob Thornton) is a modern tale of fortune seeking amongst roughnecks and billionaires in the world of oil.
Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Michael Peña, Jon Hamm, Demi Moore
Rich Conley‘s quick sketch of the Tulsa King!
The Wire: Season 4 (2008)
Created by: David Simon
Teleplay by:
Directed by:
Stars: Dominic West, Reg E. Cathey, Aidan Gillen, Clark Johnson, Tom McCarthy, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, Michelle Paress, John Doman, Deirdre Lovejoy, Lance Reddick, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Jamie Hector, Neal Huff, Corey Parker Robinson, Tristan Wilds, Jermaine Crawford, Seth Gilliam, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Andre Royo, Domenick Lombardozzi, Michael Kostroff, Jim True-Frost, Frankie Faison, Chad Coleman, Robert F. Chew, Method Man, Felicia Pearson and Michael K. Williams.
Tagline: Read Between the Lines.
The Plot…
The economy is hurting everyone. Budget cuts have forced The Baltimore Sun newspaper to cut personnel. Carcetti, the newly elected mayor isn’t able to institute the changes he wanted because of the school system shortfall. Money needed to be diverted there. This has caused shortfalls for the police who are no longer getting or being paid overtime. The Major Crimes Unit has been shut down. This has left the Vacant Buildings Murders and the Stansfield Investigation stopped in their tracks.
McNulty, back to his old drinking ways, comes up with a plan. He arrives on a murder scene before anyone else. He then disfigures the corpse and ties a ribbon around the dead man’s wrist. McNulty figures if there is a serial killer on the loose, the department will have to find funds to investigate. He leaks the story to a reporter.
A dead homeless person. The story doesn’t create a buzz. So McNulty takes it to the next level. He uses dentures to put bite marks on another homeless person who died on the street. He leaks the story. Now it appears there is a serial killer with a sexual fetish preying on the homeless. The killer seems to be escalating. More murders are assured. No one is safe.
The story takes off. Under pressure to catch the killer, the mayor (who wants to run for Governor in the next election) finds funds to bring back the Major Crimes Unit. McNulty now has access to unlimited overtime that he plans to use to bring down the Stansfield crime family and solve the Vacant Buildings Murders. Despite institgating a plan that would get him fired and arrested, McNulty seems to have things under control.
Then a Baltimore Sun Reporter claims that the killer is in contact with him. Although the reporter is lying everyone believes him. Papers are flying off the stands. The reporter keeps upping the ante with his tales of the killer contacting him. Soon the FBI is called in.
McNulty knows the reporter is lying but the only way to prove it is to turn himself in. With the publicity the case is getting, plus the Feds itching to get involved, McNulty feels the noose tightening.
Meanwhile Omar is back to his old ways ripping off drug dealers. But now there is a price on his head. And every criminal in the city is looking to collect.
Marlo is feeling his increasing power. He shuts down the co-op. Snoop and Chris are turned loose on any who oppose him. Especially anyone considered a snitch. Michael, who had been on the rise in Marlo’s organization may be talking to the cops. If that’s the case, he has to disappear.
The Wire’s final season goes out with a bang. Not all will survive.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Wire was a Nominee for a 2008 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series – David Simon (writer/story by), Ed Burns (story by) for the -30- episode
The Wire‘s final season builds upon everything that came before. It finished as it started: well written, well directed and well acted.
The Wire: Season 5 (2008) earns 5 of 5 stars.
Tony Stella created this poster for the classic Columbo episode Etude in Black. I’d love to see posters made for each episode of Columbo and collected into a book. Then we could move on to doing the same for other classic television shows.
The Last Frontier – the poster and trailer are here!
Deal me in.
A lone U.S. marshal leads the hunt for escaped convicts in the Alaskan wilderness.
Starring Jason Clarke, Dominic Cooper, Haley Bennett, and Alfre Woodard. The Last Frontier premieres October 10 on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_TheLastFrontier_
The Last Frontier follows Frank Remnick (Clarke), the lone U.S. marshal in charge of the quiet, rugged barrens of Alaska. Remnick’s jurisdiction is turned upside-down when a prison transport plane crashes in the remote wilderness, setting free dozens of violent inmates. Tasked with protecting the town he’s vowed to keep safe, he begins to suspect the crash wasn’t an accident, but the first step of a well-crafted plan with far-reaching and devastating implications.
In addition to Clarke, the ensemble cast includes Dominic Cooper (“The Gold”), Haley Bennett (“The Magnificent Seven”), Simone Kessell (“Yellowjackets”), Dallas Goldtooth (“Reservation Dogs”), and Tait Blum (“For All Mankind”), with Academy Award Nominee and multi-Emmy winner Alfre Woodard (“Clemency”).
Hailing from Apple Studios, The Last Frontier is executive produced by Bokenkamp and D’Ovidio, who also serve as writers, alongside Clarke, Laura Benson (“The Big C”), Glenn Kessler (“Bloodlines”), Albert Kim (“Nikita”), and series episodic director Sam Hargrave (“Extraction”).
For years Sylvester Stallone fans have hoped Sly would write his memoir. And now he has. It’s titled THE STEPS. Here’s the lowdown…
A gritty, inspiring, heart-wrenching memoir by the Academy Award-winning legend and icon Sylvester Stallone, about his unlikely path to stardom and the creation of the greatest underdog story ever told.
In the fifty years since Sylvester Stallone ran up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, he and those steps have become symbols of resilience and determination, and have inspired millions from all over the world to pursue their dreams.
In THE STEPS, Stallone recounts how he pursued his own dreams. A culmination of decades of reflection, Stallone shares where he came from — a difficult birth, an even more difficult childhood, years of struggle in school being misunderstood — and he explains how the real story of a successful life is built by facing, embracing, and ultimately overcoming our challenges. It’s found in the distances we are willing to go and the steps we must take to get from where we are to where we want to go.
In a narrative framed between his arrival in New York City in 1969 and the triumph of Rocky at the 1977 Academy Awards, Stallone weaves a vivid and propulsive portrait of struggle, subsistence, and ultimately success. He writes of his early days and later years, too, and the persistence, creativity, and resilience that led not only to the creation of Rocky but to a career filled with remarkably iconic roles. THE STEPS is a testament to Stallone’s extraordinary life and a profound meditation on the importance of vision and willpower and hard work.
THE STEPS will be released on May 5, 2026. Pre-orders are available now. If you order from one of the links below, we will get a small percentage of each sale, without increasing the price of the book. Your support is appreciated.
THE STEPS hardcover
THE STEPS paperback/large print
THE STEPS Kindle
It was announced that Robert Redford died today in his sleep. Mr. Reford was 89.
Charles Robert Redford was born in Santa Monica, California. He attended Van Nuys High School in Van Nuys, California. According to Mr. Redford his focus was on sports and art rather than academics. After his graduation in 1954, Robert Redford attended the University of Colorado. After a year and a half, Mr. Redford was kicked out.
Instead of trying to find another college, Robert Redford decided to travel. He lived for a time in France, Spain, and Italy. When Mr. Redford returned to the United States he settled in New York. He took painting classes at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, as well as classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan.
In 1959, Robert Redford made his Broadway debut in small parts in Tall Story and later that year in The Highest Tree. Mr. Redford reprised his Tall Story role when it was made into a feature film in 1960. At this point Robert Redford began alternating between stage, television and feature films. As his career progressed Robert Redford continued to act, but also worked as a producer and director.
Robert Redford’s career included multiple awards for his work. Examples include…
Nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two…
Nominated for two Directors Guild of America Awards, winning one…
Nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards…
Nominated for eleven Golden Globe Awards, winning six…
Some of the television projects that feature Robert Redford include: Maverick; Rescue 8; The Deputy; Playhouse 90; Tate (2 episodes); Perry Mason; The Iceman Cometh; Our American Heritage; Play of the Week (3 episodes); Naked City; The Americans; Whispering Smith; Route 66; Bus Stop; The New Breed; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; The Twilight Zone; Dr. Kildare (2 episodes); Alcoa Premiere; The Untouchables; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (2 episodes); The Dick Powell Theater; Breaking Point; The Virginian; The Defenders; One More Chance and Dark Winds.
Some of Robert Redford’s feature films include: Tall Story; War Hunt; Inside Daisy Clover; The Chase; This Property is Condemed; Barefoot in the Park; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; Downhill Racer; Tell Them Willie Boy is Here; The Hot Rock; Jeremiah Johnson; The Candidate; The Way We Were; The Sting; The Great Gatsby; The Great Waldo Pepper; Three Days of the Condor; All the President’s Men; A Bridge Too Far; The Electric Horseman; Ordinary People (director); Brubaker; The Natural; Out of Africa; Legal Eagles; The Milagro Beanfield War (director); Havana; Sneakers; A River Runs Through It (voice and director); Quiz Show (director); Indecent Proposal; The Horse Whisperer (star and director); The Legend of Bagger Vance (director); The Last Castle; Spy Game; An Unfinished Life; Charlotte’s Web; The Conspirator (director); All is Lost; Captain America: The Winter Soldier; The Old Man and the Gun and Avengers: End Game.
I first became aware of Robert Redford before I ever saw him in anything. I can remember my mom and her friends gushing over how handsome he was. I first saw him act in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I could see what the ladies were talking about. My two favorite Robert Redford performances are in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Three Days of the Condor. Of course Mr. Redford was good in everything. I enjoy seeing him popup in unexpected places like Alfred Hitchcock or The Twilight Zone. As good an actor as he was, I hope people realize he was also a great human being.
Out thoughts and prayers go out to Robert Redford’s family, friends and fans.
