NBC recently confirmed the news fans had been expecting for a few years now…
The Blacklist is coming to an end.
The Blacklist Season 10 will bring the show to a close, and for series star James Spader, it’s best to wrap things up before the show changes too much.
“I think if the show went beyond this year, it would turn into a very different show,” Spader told NBC in a recent interview.
“The thing that has been nice about this show was that we’ve never really had a really clear paradigm for the show.”
“Tonally, the show shifts a lot from episode to episode, and I think that even the show has taken strange turns,” he added.
“I suspect that the show, if it went much further, would just become something that would be less recognizable to me.”
The Blacklist was a heavy hitter in the ratings for NBC when it initially launched, but the show has moved to countless timeslots since and recently logged series lows.
Many shows are down, but The Blacklist made it to a tenth season and will get a closure-filled series finale.
“After 10 years, hundreds of Blacklist cases and more than 200 episodes produced, we’re honored to reach our conclusion,” said showrunner and EP John Eisendrath last month.
“It’s been incredibly fun to create the strange, devious and delightful Blacklisters to challenge Raymond Reddington and our FBI Task Force each week.”
“We would like to thank everyone at NBC and Sony, our extraordinary crew who make the impossible happen every day, our endlessly inventive writers and producers, and our remarkable cast who brought life to these characters.”
“We appreciate our dedicated fanbase who came along for this wonderful ride and are excited to share this final season with them.”
Spader stars as Raymond “Red” Reddington on the series, alongside Diego Klattenhoff as Donald Ressler, Anya Banerjee as Siya Malik, Hisham Tawfiq as Dembe Zuma, and Harry Lennix as Harold Cooper.
What are your thoughts on the series concluding after 10 seasons?
Scheana Shay is speaking out about allegations that she attacked Vanderpump Rules co-star after learning about her secret relationship with Tom Sandoval.
TMZ shared a bombshell statement from Scheana’s attorney, which called Leviss a “liar and a cheat who has betrayed everyone close to her.”
“This case is a fabrication by a known liar and a cheat who has betrayed everyone close to her,” the statement reads, adding the following:
“Scheana never punched Rachel [Raquel], period.”
The statement comes just days after Leviss shared a statement addressing her cheating scandal to ET and photos to TMZ of the alleged altercation with Scheana.
Leviss had accused Shay of shoving her against the wall and punching her in the left eye in the legal paperwork.
Raquel, who was granted a restraining order against Scheana, said in the court documents that her former friend “doesn’t regret the physical attack on me and would do it again if she found that further emotional distress was caused to our mutual friend.”
In the photos shared with TMZ, Raquel has a cut on her left eyebrow and what looks like bruising around the eye.
“The supposed dark markings around her left eye have been there for months,” Scheana’s attorney fires back at the photos.
“Neither Scheana nor other cast members want anything to do with Rachel going forward.”
“The judge has only heard a one-sided account of what happened, and we look forward to presenting the full and true story at the March 29 hearing.”
In the aftermath, Sandoval caught even more heat for dropping a statement that seemed more about saving his businesses than apologizing to his girlfriend of nine years, Ariana Madix.
He followed up with a statement addressing Ariana, while Leviss shared a statement in which she owned up to her part in betraying one of her best friends.
Filming had wrapped on Vanderpump Rules Season 10, but with the scandal dominating the headlines, Bravo fired up the cameras to shoot the fallout for the end of the season.
The reunion had not been taped, and while it was set to be filmed within the next two weeks, it’s unclear whether that will be pushed back in light of Raquel’s restraining order against Scheana.
The latest episode, airing Wednesday at 9 p.m. on Bravo, soared to multi-year highs in live + same-day ratings.
A special episode of Watch What Happens Live unpacking the revelations also soared to multi-year highs.
Raquel claims that Shay shoved her against the wall and punched her in the left eye in the legal paperwork.
The incident reportedly occurred just hours after Ariana Madix discovered that her boyfriend of nine years, had been having an affair with Leviss.
Raquel said in the court documents that Shay “doesn’t regret the physical attack on me and would do it again if she found that further emotional distress was caused to our mutual friend.”
Raquel and Scheana have been shown as best friends throughout the first handful of Vanderpump Rules Season 10 episodes, and they even appeared on Watch What Happens Live together just hours before the incident.
As a result, we probably won’t get the full story about what happened until the show catches up to the present.
For the record, the series only re-entered production over the weekend and has filmed scenes showcasing the fallout of the affair scandal.
Shay has not commented on the alleged incident but did share a picture alongside Madix in which she wrote, “Always got your back.”
On a more concerning note, Shay shared a punch emoji.
With the restraining order granted, Shay has to stay at least 100 yards from Leviss, her home, and her workplace.
The news comes just ahead of the reunion taping for Season 10, which now means that either Raquel or Scheana might not be in the studio.
They could show up at different times or one of them will appear via Zoom.
Leviss had been quiet following the affair scandal coming to light but apologized to Madix in a statement on Wednesday.
“Besides the indefensible circumstances surrounding our relationship, my feelings for Tom have always been sincere and born out of a loving friendship,” she explained.
“Knowing how many people we hurt, I need to understand my choices and learn to make better ones.”
“I need to take care of my health, work on self growth and take time to be ok with being alone,” she added.
“I care for Tom and I don’t want to label anything or predict what lies ahead. Right now I need to heal.”
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
The writers of Abbott Elementary consistently hit it out of the park! This episode delved into some much-needed backstories for Janine and gave all of the cast a place to shine.
The beautiful thing about them fleshing out the Abbott Elementary world is that these characters feel real — hilariously, real. We feel like they go home at night and come back to work the next day as we do.
And it’s so refreshing. Abbott Elementary Season 2 Episode 18 was multi-dimensional. We saw competition, friendships outside of work, fights, and reconciliation. Watching these characters at each other’s throats to get courtside tickets was riotous.
This episode was remarkable because we finally saw some of the staff. Even in assembly scenes, the show typically only shows the main cast, so this change was refreshing.
Again, it makes it much more realistic, making it even more watchable. Abbott has the distinction of having both relatable characters and relationships. We see the work-mom and work-wife dynamics in full effect.
Today, those relationships were tested — by 76ers tickets! Two, to be precise. Ava led the crew to believe they would all be sitting courtside, only to snatch that dream like a Kardashian’s waist. It was surprising, however, that Ava didn’t just keep the tickets for herself, as she is known to be selfish.
The staff, including some never before seen teachers, met with Ava to vote on who should get the tickets, and mayhem ensued. Everyone projected and argued why they should get the tickets — equating their self-perceived importance as grounds for deserving the tickets.
And to elevate yourself at Abbott Elementary, you have to down others! They began to put each other down, and insults were abundant. When Barbara started her rant on the importance of Kindergarten as the foundation of a child’s education, Melissa tried to put out her fire — only to be insulted in return.
Melissa: I mean, teaching kindergarten the most important, Barb? All you’se do is teach kindergarteners how to use safety scissors. Barbara: And maybe if your kindergarten teacher had done a better job, you would know “you’se” is not plural for you.
These two never argue, and it was a sight to behold. Barbara was viciously catty, but Melissa was a worthy adversary. These work wives had a work spat, and Ava was there live streaming it all — cheering for a fight. It was intense, but they had apologized by the episode’s end.
Again, realistic. Sometimes there is unnecessary tension at work that progresses to this point. It’s great that the teachers could put all the nasty words behind themselves and reconcile before the thirty-minute episode was up.
As they build the Abbott Universe, episodes like these are great fillers for the fans. It keeps the story moving but detracts and distracts from the story arcs currently being built. These episodic story treatments could be placed anywhere in the season and still entertain and delight fans.
But what about the storylines we are following? At least two are building slowly but surely — the Legendary Charter school petition and the Janine-Gregory love story. The episode touched on these plots just enough to keep you watching for the culmination.
Janine: It’s gonna be fun! And it’s BYOBG! Gregory: Bring your own Beer goggles? Jacob: Bubble gum? Gregory: Baby giraffe? Jacob: Big Gulp? Gregory: Britney Griner? Jacob: Black Gregory? Janine: What? No! Bring your own board game. Real simple.
We find out that the school board is voting on the Charter School petition. What happened to the fight? The show led us to believe that Melissa, Ava, and Barbara would fight this petition, and somehow that snuck up on us.
Indeed, there is more coming to it. Will Abbott Elementary School be converted to a charter school, and we see the disadvantages, or will they show the ladies fighting the system and winning? It was barely featured in this episode, but it is a plot point worth pursuing.
The episode also barely mentioned Janine and Gregory’s brewing romance. The only allusion to it was by Janine’s friend, Erica. Erica’s shade received a trademark Gregory Eddie symphony of microexpressions.
Their romance aside, the chemistry between these two characters is so authentic that if they maintained their platonic friendship but allowed us to see them build like this, I feel it could be as fulfilling as a romantic relationship.
The beauty of the writers creating their relationship organically is that they are complete characters without the romantic element. But even as the fans wait impatiently for their romantic tension’s culmination, we root for them as individuals first and foremost.
Ava: Damn, she looks like a grown-up version of you. Like if your proportions were stretched out to a normal length. Janine: Haha. We get it, Ava. I’m short. Ava: It’s just science, girl. Don’t be mad about facts.
Janine, an avid oversharer, has casually mentioned the dysfunctional relationship with her sister throughout the series. The fans finally get to meet Ayesha, and it is as awkward and passive-aggressive as you may imagine.
Their relationship is full of snide comments, shade, and overt sarcasm. There is so much pain and resentment on both sides, and it finally gets hashed out on the street outside Janine’s apartment.
Whereas Janine was the overachiever, Ayesha was the underdog. Together, they braved a toxic, impassive mother, but when Ayesha left to save herself, Janine felt abandoned.
Their perspectives differed on the events and how they affected the other sibling. They both felt trapped, but only Ayesha managed to break free. The cost of that was her relationship with her sister.
Ayesha: People had hope for you and they gave up on me. Yeah, you had it together. And I couldn’t get it together when Mom — the one who needed me the most was the most disappointed in me. So fine then, I couldn’t take it, I couldn’t handle it, so I ran. I left. Janine, I’m sorry. Janine: I get why you left mom, I do, just kinda felt like you left me too.
However, their relationship seems to survive this encounter, with the sisters finally getting their feelings out. The episode shed a lot of light on Janine’s Mommy issues, her issues with abandonment and commitments, and her need to be the fixer of all problems.
Overall, the episode was fantastic. Shedding light on Janine’s past was somewhat therapeutic for her character, and the other characters were able to find a deep appreciation for each other through Teacher Appreciation week.
What did you think of Abbott Elementary? Do you think Janine and her sister have made up?
Did you like seeing the other teachers? Will they ever give Barbara that $50 Buffalo Wild Wing gift card?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
Brandi Powell is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
It will be interesting to see how they handle having everyone back to work after they put them through so many traumatic events in the previous episode.
Foremost is Sharon. It feels like the show isn’t treating her illness with the weight it deserves. Part of that can be blamed on the character being strong and hardworking, but if we are being real, cancer never cares about how strong someone is.
Sharon returns to work, but she is not seen in the field. One can assume that she will agree to desk duty because no one around her would be willing to let her exert herself in her condition.
In the promo images, she is seen in a room with many monitors, which might be a control center for the emergency the crew responds to in another area.
“My Kinda Leader” sees the inmate firefighter and station 42 crews band together and travel to the nearing Drake Country.
Massive and unpredictable fire breaks out in the woods, risking lives.
Both crews are called to aid in the rescue efforts. The fire is expansive and dangerous.
If you watch Fire Country online, you are used to Bode pulling something extraordinary to get the job done.
The behavior has been a cause of friction between him and the fire captains, but one can’t deny he has helped saved lives.
Sometimes it is a small pep talk he gives that motivates someone who had otherwise given up.
Other times it is ignoring the fire captain when he warns that a vehicle is barely hanging on, but Bode remains adamant and finds himself almost dying from drowning.
Manny expects total obedience from the people under him if he is to maintain control.
Being disobeyed constantly makes him seem incompetent and, more importantly, might put lives at risk.
In this emergency, the fire gets too big for them, and like any rational captain, he orders the crew to evacuate.
Most of them do, except Bode.
Manny tries to impart wisdom to him, warning that there is a thin line between stupidity and heroism, but Bode never listens.
He says he would do anything to save lives, which is a noble and admirable sentiment, but what if the cost is his own life and others?
Bode is regarded as a leader by his fellow inmates because of his natural ability to command respect, obedience, and admirability.
You can bet that someone like Freddy will stick by his side even when he is doing something wrong.
One can argue that this particular instance will be his reaction to Rebecca’s passing because he feels like he could have done just a little bit more to save her.
This behavior doesn’t sit right with Manny, and voices are raised.
In the meantime, Jake and Eve return to work.
Apart from being hurt emotionally, Jake is safe to return because the kidney extraction surgery didn’t go far after his body had an allergic reaction to anesthesia.
Eve, on the other hand, is a different story.
She had been trapped under a massive tree, and now she’s back?
The episode must have a time jump of at least a week; otherwise, this is irresponsible and a recipe for disaster.
Gabriella has a weapon drawn on her when she, Jake, and Colin attempt to rescue someone.
In the promo images, one can see a man with some blunt item aimed at her neck. It is unclear where that originates from, so seeing how it plays out will be interesting.
With Sharon still in need of a kidney, it is back to square one to try and get her a kidney before time runs out.
She said she would not put herself through the process again, which could go both ways.
Her only option is to continue participating in trials or accept Bode’s kidney.
Either way, we can be assured of tears.
We also revisited the arsonist storyline briefly, and Manny learned that he was a suspect in the case.
We all know that Manny can never do something like this because between his multiple jobs, gambling addiction, and raising a daughter, does he have the time to go around setting fires?
The prevailing theory is that Colin might be the arsonist, so it will be interesting to see how everything develops.
What are you most excited about in the episode?
Do you think someone will talk Sharon into having a transplant? Should they talk her into it?
We would love to hear from you, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment.
Check out the promo above.
Catch the episode on Friday, March 10 at 9 p.m. on CBS and a review right after right here.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.
Paul and Asha are the hottest new couple on 9-1-1: Lone Star!
Not only did we get some fun and exciting cases on 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 4 Episode 7, but we got to spend some time with the beloved Paul Strickland and one of the biggest things fans have been craving, exploration of his love life, came to fruition.
With the introduction of Asha, Paul has finally met a woman who cares about him for who he is, but it doesn’t come without some bumps in the road as Paul almost shuts down and nearly ruins a good thing.
Thankfully, Owen was there to advise Paul to get out of his own way and revisit some of the things he loved from his past.
TV Fanatic caught up with the down-to-earth and lovely Brian Michael Smith to discuss Paul’s new love interest, upcoming arcs for him, and so much more. Check out our chat below!
It was an entertaining episode with some very hilarious calls. The upside-down woman had me cracking up. So how hard is it to film something like that without laughing or breaking character?
Something I like about the ensemble I work with is that everybody’s professional, but we like to have fun too. We definitely leave the moments to be what they are because sometimes we look around, and when you read it on paper, it’s one thing, but then when you see it actually play out like it’s something completely different, you know?
When the woman came in upside down, that was interesting and ridiculous — talking to this woman while she’s completely inverted.
Then the second part of that rescue, we see her husband’s hernia, and you read the word hernia, but then when you see the prosthetic they put on, everyone’s like, “whoa.” There are a lot of reactions that were genuine to the visual effects they used for that. It definitely made for an interesting shoot day.
Yes, they’re enjoyable. I’m glad we’re returning to the super fun, hilarious cases. I am also very excited about Paul and Asha. You and Amanda [Payton] have great chemistry.
She came in, and I feel it was in the works for a while, especially after we introduced Paul’s dating experience in 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 1. It’s like we know he has been dating, but it’s more an anecdote, stories he’s sharing between him and the Catan crew.
It was something that they were developing, so I was looking forward to how they were going to pick that up again and what we were going to explore. I knew that when they brought it back, it was because they were going to want to give this character who is beloved somebody to appreciate him in the way that he deserved.
But then, what else could we explore in introducing a romantic storyline? I was curious about what we were going to explore. And then, when Amanda came in, I knew whatever we were going to be looking at was going to be fantastic because she is so authentic and open and willing to play and go there.
Much of that chemistry came naturally from Amanda, the actress who plays Asha. She jumped in feet first, open-hearted and ready to rock and roll. It was cool to see what we could build from being in the same room together — in addition to what we want to see included in the storyline in the script.
Yeah. You guys are great. It comes across really well. And viewers have been dying to revisit his love life.
Yeah, I’m so excited. I had such a good time in the dating scene from season one. We got to bowl the flirting, and Angel Parker was also an amazing actress. For it to end in a way that was heartbreak for Paul, It was like, oh, man.
Upon Asha’s introduction, I was excited to see that the sparks were there. And that this would be a relationship that we’ll see develop over time and take away some of the fears and worries that he had in the first dating experience, which was kind of like a blind date.
Now, he doesn’t have to worry about acceptance. He’s with someone who knows all about him and loves and accepts him because of that, not even just in spite of that, because of that.
I think Asha appreciates that Paul has always been himself.
She said, “I recognize you from your smile. I recognize you on an essential level.
And that’s something that I’ve always been drawn to.” I felt like the subtext of how she was approaching him. I was thrilled to dive into a relationship that started there and then see that it would continue. We’re going to explore further, and they want to be able to connect even further.
Yes. It is probably more important now than ever to see that on screen.
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Right now, there’s so much misinformation. There are so many vile mischaracterizations of who trans and non-binary people are. And because of that, there are a lot of legal attacks that are happening in state houses. There’s a lot of denial of people’s experiences.
And when you get an opportunity to take a peek at what’s really going on, what people are dealing with, transgender and nonbinary people are dealing with the exact same things that everyone else is. We’re just humans looking for love, looking for connections, trying to be ourselves, and trying to leave our mark on the world.
You need to see things like that to combat all the lies leading to people losing their rights. It’s imperative right now to see what love can look like, what acceptance truly looks like, and how people live.
Absolutely. Yes.
Now, we have seen Paul show some hesitancy during the episode. It’s like he was getting in his own way for a bit. Can you talk about his fears regarding pursuing something with Asha?
Asha presents a new challenge for Paul in a way he did not expect.
First, he was feeling conflicted about who Asha is in relation to his best friend — feeling like maybe Marjan, whose well-being is really important to him, is going to feel betrayed if he dates the woman who put her on this course of an existential crisis. So there’s a little bit of that definitely in the mix.
Asha reminds him that he hasn’t dealt with some elements of his past. The way he chose to deal with his past was to put it behind him and not to look at it and keep moving forward. It was a survival mechanism that served him for the early part of his life, but now that he’s older, he’s more mature and spent more time becoming more secure in who he is.
Paul has realized this part of who he was that he left behind is important to him, and he wants to reconnect with that. But he fears what reconnecting with the past will mean for his present. I think he feared that bringing who he was to the present would erase who he is right now or change the way Asha sees him or the way he sees himself.
But he misses that part of himself. He really misses basketball. He really misses the good memories and the good experiences that he had. And he never really grieved leaving them behind like that.
He never really realized that he had left them behind in that way. And then, once he’s confronted with it, it’s unsettling for him and a little overwhelming.
And he doesn’t know how to be vulnerable about it yet. And then the person with whom he typically is vulnerable about these things is not around to help him figure out how to process this. Cap is there to help him in a way he didn’t expect. He has been that kind of father figure in his life at other times.
He finds himself leaning on Cap again in this episode in a beautiful way. It was great that Cap was able to see and hear him.
Cap recognized what was going on and that this may seem unique to a trans man, but this is also an experience that every human goes through. Everyone, at some point, can lose connection with something that has value to them, feeling like they can’t fully be who they are.
In 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 3, Cap spent a lot of time dealing with unresolved issues from his past, dealing with his father, dealing with even 9/11, and so him being able to impart some of that to Paul is this really beautiful moment that it was.
Speaking of the previous season, Paul previously had some heart issues. Is that a storyline that’ll come up again?
We haven’t finished shooting yet, so I can’t say either way. But it’s been great to see that Paul has learned how to live with and manage his heart issues after a hard battle to accept that that’s what was happening with him.
It’s been great to see that he’s been able to get back into the thick of things and not have any heart emergencies. But this is Lonestar, and things happen.
What great things are coming up that you can tease or are excited for the fans to see?
I love that we’re definitely going to see more of Paul. And I love that we see Paul doing his thing a bit more than we have in the past. And that was a really fun storyline to shoot.
I’m looking forward to how it all comes out. It was an entertaining arc to dive into that we haven’t explored yet.
Awesome! I’m happy to hear about that. Paul is one of my favorite characters, and I’m always thrilled when the series dives back into him and his storylines.
Yeah. Yeah. Thank you.
I really enjoy playing him, and it’s always a treat to see what the writers come up with to explore. I like this season. We’ve been doing it for four seasons now, and the writers are doing a great job of finding new ways to challenge and encourage the characters to grow and change.
Of course, everyone’s very comfortable in their roles now. And you get to see that come out more. It’s delightful, and it translates on screen well.
I couldn’t ask for a better group of people to work with here. Everybody’s unique in their own way. And they do such a great job seeing each other, respecting each other, and playing off each other. It’s a really playful environment, as much as you can be trying to finish 18 episodes.
You still get the work done, and everybody is professional, but there’s this spirit of building on each other’s work and playing with the energy that feels like it comes across on screen because it’s just who the people are.
When Paul was trapped in that building, Lindsey asked, “what do you love about the 126,” and he said, “the people,” that was Brian. Going to work every day — is about the people. And I’ve loved working with them. I love what everybody’s brought to the characters and the show.
Okay. I have to ask — who won the pickup game?
Who won the pickup game? [Laughs] No comment. I can’t say. I don’t want to cause any problems.
But yeah, that was fun to shoot. Everybody loves to play, and the playful and competitive spirits certainly emerged. You can’t put a hoop around these kinds of characters, these people, and not expect the inner athletes to come out.
And then basketballs were flying around just in between takes. We were supposed to be in holding, and everybody was playing around. It was amusing to see who was athletic and who absolutely was not — who was trying to stay as far away from the basketball and the hoop as possible.
Oh, that would have definitely been me.
Yeah, you and Natacha would’ve been hanging out. [Laughs]
That scene felt more like you guys’ real camaraderie coming through, which made it adorable and entertaining.
Oh, yeah. There are some hoopers on this squad. Brianna is a baller. Julian is a baller.
Cap can ball, Ronen can ball, Jim… it was fun to see that inner child come out that day, and everybody did their thing.
You can catch the incredibly talented Brian Michael Smith as the beloved Paul Strickland on 9-1-1: Lone Star Tuesdays at 8/7c on FOX.
Hit the comments with all your reactions, and don’t forget to check out our 9-1-1: Lone Star reviews and other exclusive content.
The actor and co-creator recognizes that fans want more beyond the third season but feels like that could change after they watch the forthcoming season.
“The fact that folks will want more and are curious beyond more than what they don’t even know yet—that being Season 3—it’s flattering,” Sudeikis said.
“Maybe by May 31, once all 12 episodes of the season [are out], they’re like, ‘Man, you know what, we get it, we’re fine. We don’t need anymore, we got it.'”
“But until that time comes, I will appreciate the curiosity beyond what we’ve come up with so far.”
While the original series is likely ending after these next 12 episodes, Sudeikis is open to the possibility of keeping the franchise alive.
“I think that we’ve set the table for all sorts of folks to get to watch the further telling of these stories,” he said.
“Again, I can’t help but take the question as flattery for what all of us that were working on the show has tried to do.”
“It’s really kind of folks to even consider that because you never know what’s gonna happen when you make things,” he added.
“The fact that people want more, even if it’s a different avenue is lovely.”
For now, Ted Lasso Season 3 will premiere Wednesday, March 15, on Apple TV+.
“In the 12-episode third season of Ted Lasso, the newly-promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them as last in the Premier League and Nate (Nick Mohammed), now hailed as the “wonder kid,” has gone to work for Rupert (Anthony Head) at West Ham United,” the logline reads.
“In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) steps up as assistant coach, alongside Beard (Brendan Hunt).”
“Meanwhile, while Ted (Jason Sudeikis) deals with pressures at work, he continues to wrestle with his own personal issues back home, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) is focused on defeating Rupert, and Keeley (Juno Temple) navigates being the boss of her own PR agency,” Apple teases.
“Things seem to be falling apart both on and off the pitch, but Team Lasso is set to give it their best shot anyway.”
Check out the official trailer below for Season 3.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
The best part about winning is the joy that comes with it.
Perry’s victory turned pyrrhic in the months after the Dodson case, and on Perry Mason Season 2 Episode 1, we found a man so lost he was barely living.
He spent his days being distracted and questioning every aspect of the justice system, whose flaws he witnessed every waking day.
Winning the Dodson case came at a great cost, personally and professionally.
Instead of setting people free, the truth he uncovered proved too much for Mrs. Dodson, who had since committed suicide.
[Voice from written letters] Dear Mr. Mason, when will I be fully cleansed? I continue to ask God for guidance, but I fear he’s turning his back on me. Dear Mr. Mason, what did we win in court? What’s my freedom worth? My boy, Charlie, is still gone.
Mrs. Dodson
Losing a child was too traumatic for her, and no amount of cases and arrests would free her from the pain.
To win the case, Perry had to go against the corrupt LAPD, and to guess that he was some pariah in the halls of justice would be an understatement.
We met a man who was buzzing through life. Not quite dead and not alive either.
His days were occupied with civil cases he wasn’t interested in defending, and nightmares marred his nights.
Della had to step up to ensure the firm didn’t go under.
One way to do that was to switch from criminal to civil law, and the case we found them in the middle of was a prime example of why he hated practicing civil law.
Della: You’re the one who suddenly wanted to give up criminal law and go civil. This is civil. Perry: You’re the one who said civil law is what kept firms in business. I’m just being practical.
It paid the bills, but at what cost?
In the case of Mr. Grice vs. Mr. Patel, it was clear that Patel had not done anything wrong. The man had raised the sales for Mr. Grice’s shop in astronomical percentages and was underappreciated.
One could argue that he was also wrong for opening a shop similar to Mr. Grice’s, but the evidence was thin. If Mr. Grice had relied on his talents, it was rational that those same talents would bear the same results.
But Mr. Grice was in the wrong. The man was greedy.
I’m fighting for my life, and I need fighters by my side. Now, I thought you were that man, but maybe I was wrong. Because fighters kill. You don’t seem to have it in you to finish the job. Do I need to find another fighter?
Mr. Grice
He made outrageous demands that he knew Patel would be unable to meet, and even after his attorneys advised him, he went against them.
That was daylight robbery, and it was what he wanted.
The case highlighted what Perry detests. There was no justice in that. There was no clear evidence that justice could be met. It was the word of a powerful man against a poor man. And as is always the case, the powerful man emerged on top.
Being in the front-row seat — quite literally — of such proceedings and outcomes was a great source of stress for him.
The only way he could remain sane was by tuning it all out such that Della had to make objections on his behalf.
As he went through that crisis, new players established themselves in the city.
We met an ambitious young father who couldn’t quite get from under his own father’s control.
He was not perfect by any means.
In the first scene, he had just finished participating in an extreme sexual act with a prostitute a short distance from his children and wife.
I’m not sure what he did or what he was into, but it appeared that he had hurt that woman seriously. Not to kink shame, but if my guess is correct, it is very weird to choke someone with a belt to the extent they can’t swallow water. Even worse if they didn’t consent to it.
He was behind the fire in the boat speakeasy, and that being the final days of the Prohibition Era, the victims had little to no recourse, less legally.
His most ambitious plan, however, was bringing a baseball team to Los Angeles. No controlling father was going to stop that.
Some people are ahead of their times, and Brookes was one of those people. He had grand ambitions of fortune once he introduced people to something they didn’t know they wanted.
Just because Perry blew one case of police corruption wide open doesn’t mean corruption ended. Brookes was in bed with some quite dangerous people — corrupt cops. He used them under the promise of enriching them.
Most responsibilities of running the firm had fallen on Della’s shoulders. She prepared and sought potential cases, met with potential plaintiffs, prepared arguments for cases, and, when need be, objected in court despite not being a lawyer.
She was also not thrilled with the state of things, but the firm seemed to be developing, so that was a small price to pay for success.
Apart from playing mommy to Perry, she had to sit through endless meetings and listen to spoilt people go off about the most stupid stuff.
In one such meeting, she met someone.
The sparks flew from the moment she and that lady laid eyes on each other, and oh my god, weren’t they cute together?
Anita: Well, I’ve given any number of cards to women in powder rooms. Unless you are that graceful honey, about 5 foot 7 with steel blue eyes as deep as the Arabian sea. Perhaps I vaguely recall. Della: Yes, well, that’s a relief. Because besides the excellent typeset of your card, nothing much about you made much of an impression on me at all.
As a queer relationship in the early 20th century, it has the potential to end badly, but I’m still going to hold out hope for as long as possible.
We also checked in on Paul, who had lost his job in the police department.
He was roped into following an individual in which the police are interested, but that rarely ends well.
The biggest shocker was Brookes’ murder. Given how much screen time he had gotten, his death was sudden and unexpected. I expected him to last much longer.
“Chapter Nine” did a great job of getting us up to speed with this universe after over two years, interestingly connecting both seasons and setting up the conflict for the rest of Perry Mason Season 2 without revealing too much.
The 1930s looked as vibrant as ever and rife with crime.
Will Perry give up on civil law and revert to his true passion in criminal law?
Who do you think killed Brookes? His father? The cops? The baseball team representatives? His wife? His sexual partners?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.
If you’re looking for a new post-apocalyptic drama with an all-star cast, Apple TV+ might have the perfect show for you.
The streaming service announced Monday that Silo, the new 10-episode drama series based on Hugh Howey’s New York Times bestselling trilogy of dystopian novels, is set to make its global premiere on Friday, May 5, 2023, on Apple TV+.
Silo is created by Emmy-nominated screenwriter Graham Yost (Band of Brothers, Justified), who also serves as showrunner.
Academy Award-nominee Morten Tyldum (Defending Jacob, The Imitation Game) directs the first three episodes and the world-building drama stars an ensemble cast led by Rebecca Ferguson (Dune, Mission: Impossible films), who will also serve as executive producer.
The series will premiere with the first two episodes, followed by one new episode weekly, every Friday through June 30, 2023, on Apple TV+.
“Silo is the story of the last ten thousand people on earth, their mile-deep home protecting them from the toxic and deadly world outside,” the logline reads.
“However, no one knows when or why the silo was built and any who try to find out face fatal consequences.”
Ferguson plays Juliette, an engineer, who seeks answers about a loved one’s murder and tumbles onto a mystery that goes far deeper than she could have ever imagined, leading her to discover that if the lies don’t kill you, the truth will.
The ensemble cast starring alongside Ferguson includes Common (The Chi), Emmy-nominee Harriet Walter (Succession), Chinaza Uche (Dickinson), Avi Nash (The Walking Dead), and Critics Choice Award and NAACP winner David Oyelowo (Selma).
The cast also includes Emmy-nominee Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation) and Academy Award-winner Tim Robbins (Mystic River).
Silo is produced for Apple TV+ by AMC Studios and is based on the novels by Hugh Howey.
The series is executive produced by Yost, Howey, Tyldum, and Ferguson, alongside Nina Jack, Fred Golan, Rémi Aubuchon, and Ingrid Escajeda.
The official trailer showcases excellent acting, a compelling plot, and a high budget.
It looks great.
Check out the footage below, and hit the comments with your thoughts.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
The veteran FOX drama returns with a gripping emergency that will see the 118 headed to the beach, where a father finds himself in a big pickle thanks to an ill-placed lightning strike.
TV Fanatic was delighted to receive this sneak peek ahead of 9-1-1 Season 6 Episode 10, and we’re sharing it with you right now!
Dry lightning storms crashing down all over Los Angeles are bound to cause trouble, and it will surely be a busy hour for the 118.
Did you know that sand can turn to glass when struck by lightning? Yes, if you’ve seen Sweet Home Alabama, but if not, now you do. As you see in the clip below, glass becomes embedded in Ibrahim’s neck, and time is of the essence to get him stabilized.
It’s a very unfortunate accident, as his children were having fun with their dad before things took a deadly turn. Who doesn’t like to get buried in the sand every once in a while?
Lucky for this family, the 118 is not only there but efficient as ever. Ibrahim is in the best of hands.
And while there may be more emergencies throughout the hour that will bring the drama, plenty will be happening at home as well.
With the Buckley’s set to arrive in town, Maddie will have conflicting feelings about their visit, while Albert will return with a surprise for Chimney.
But will it be a good surprise or a bad surprise?
Elsewhere, Bobby will enlist Athena and May’s help as he continues to look into Wendall’s death. Believing the drug rehabilitation center near where Wendall’s body was found has some explaining to do, Bobby will send the ladies in undercover.
We’ve also got the looming heartbreak of a first responder getting injured.
We’ve all seen the promo by now, and it will undoubtedly be an emotional hour as we see how everything plays out. Lightning is about to strike, and with it, our hearts may be about to break.
Are you ready for this hour? It’s going to be a doozy.
Check out the exclusive clip above and then slide into the comment section with your feelings about the emergency and what you hope to see during the episode.
And make sure you come back here after the installment is over to hear all our thoughts and share yours there, too.
You can watch 9-1-1 Mondays at 9/8c on FOX.
And you can follow our weekly reviews and watch 9-1-1 online right here via TV Fanatic.
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
Maggie is the new CEO of Titan! Who saw that coming?
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by Wendy from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum, to debate Maggie’s new job, Sarah leaving Salem, Brady’s treatment of Chloe, and if they’re rooting for Ericole or Ejole?
And what do we think is Megan’s plan for Marlena, Kayla, and Kate? Read on to find out…
Maggie is the new CEO of Titan. React!
Wendy: Well, I’m surprised. I was hoping against hope that it would be Philip, but I’m okay with Maggie. I did like the way she handled Alex after his disrespectful response to her. I’m also glad to see her take on a new role. Why not give her a shot?
Jack: This was a weird choice. First of all, I can’t imagine Victor deciding Alex’s treatment of women is unacceptable at Titan, considering the number of times Victor has called Nicole, Chloe, and other women he doesn’t like derogatory terms.
Secondly, if he wants to save the company’s image, won’t hiring his seemingly unqualified wife NOT help that?
That being said, I think that Maggie is more qualified than people think. A farm isn’t a multi-international Fortune 500 company, but it IS a business that requires wise decision-making about employees, products, the use of technology, etc.
So she does have relevant experience — which is more than we can say for most of the other people who have been CEO over the past few years.
Christine: How many of Salem’s CEOs have had any experience before taking over? Very few, overall.
I was definitely surprised the choice was Maggie, but I could almost hear Victor complaining about the lack of options, then jokingly saying Maggie could do it, and then actually deciding to give her a shot.
If nothing else, this will be different and might be fun. If nothing else, I’m happy to see Maggie get a meatier storyline.
Sarah signed the divorce papers, took the job in Chicago, and didn’t tell Xander she was pregnant. Did she make the right decisions?
Wendy: No! I want Xarah darn it! I am okay with her not telling Xander about the baby right away. With everything going on, she wants some time to think without pressure. Fine.
But if she’s going to have the baby – and I hope she does – she needs to tell Xander. I don’t want her running off to Chicago, especially with Rex. Ick! I hope something happens to make her stay.
Jack: The first one is a big YES. I was proud of Sarah for not deciding she has to stay with Xander now that she’s having his baby. Taking the job in Chicago is fine if she’s doing it for career reasons, but not if her plan is to be away from Xander so that when she has her baby, he can think it’s Rex’s.
That’s a terrible idea!
Sarah even said that passing off Eric’s baby as Xander’s was a disaster, and now she’s doing the same thing again with this baby. And with Leo running around looking for dirt for his gossip column, this secret might not stay secret long, and then what?
Christine: I don’t mind her not telling Xander and taking some time to think things through for herself, but if she’s having this baby, Xander has the right to know and be a part of its life.
And please, let’s keep Rex out of this. He and Sarah make me cringe.
It was Nicole Walker’s 25th anniversary in Salem, and we were treated to some great flashbacks of her meeting Eric. Do you think Nicole and Eric should reunite, or do you prefer her to be paired with EJ?
Wendy: I’ve never been a huge Eric and Nicole fan. Sometimes they’re great, but often they are horrible to each other. I just don’t know that they belong together.
You can love someone and not be able to be with them. That may be the case for them. She does seem to be a better fit with EJ. However, while he’s worried about Nicole leaving him for Eric, I’d expect him to drop her the minute Sami comes back to town, so I don’t know about that pairing either.
Jack: Neither. I still wish Nicole and Rafe would reconcile or that Daniel would be among the resurrected.
If she has to choose one of these two, EJ is the better choice. I love how respectful he’s being of Nicole and ensuring she really wants this. I hope she doesn’t cheat on him with Eric after all the chances he’s given her to decide to be with Eric instead of him.
Nicole and Eric have had more than enough chances, and it always ends the same way. Eric is very judgmental when it comes to Nicole, and the whole town sides with him, no matter how horrible his behavior is.
I want Nicole to be happy and not be the town punching bag. Leave Eric in her past where he belongs.
Christine: I used to root for Eric and Nicole, but I’ve had enough. They do nothing but make one another miserable, and it’s no fun to watch.
EJ and Nicole are a surprisingly well-matched pair. They genuinely like one another (and I don’t think Eric actually likes Nicole, as he’s always trying to get her to change.)
I want Nicole and EJ to be Salem’s new power couple, although I’m afraid to get my hopes up because I fear the show just plans to push Eric and Nicole back together once again.
Stefan no longer “loves” Chloe. Should she rekindle her romance with Brady?
Wendy: No. Chloe needs to move on. Look, I will always think she should be with Philip, but Days trashed him and Chloe. If she can’t be with Philip, I think they should find someone new for her.
Brady is awful and moves on to a new love every year. His latest stunt, kidnapping Stefan and almost killing him, was just as bad as anything Philip ever did.
Chloe is a beautiful, intelligent woman. She can find someone better than Brady or Stefan.
Jack: Ugh. No. Brady was also refusing to give Chloe space, not to mention that he kidnapped Stefan and forced Rolf to deprogram him. Stefan was right that Brady is no better than Li.
Christine: No! Brady complains about Kristen, but he’s not much better than she is. He refuses to give Chloe any space. And he’s willing to risk killing a man to get what he wants.
What bothered me even more was that he was doing something that could, and should, have put him in prison, and he never even thought about how that would affect his daughter.
Wendy is taking over the lease on the apartment, with Tripp, Li, and Gabi as roommates. Who will be the first to move out?
Wendy: Probably Gabi since Stefan is after her again. If she really loves him, why wouldn’t she just let Li have his shares back and be with Stefan?
Jack: I’m guessing that Wendy will have had enough of being driven nuts by her stupid brother at some point and will either throw him out or move out herself for some peace and quiet.
Christine: I hope Gabi kicks Li out, or they both leave. I’d love for Chanel to move in. That way, we’d get lots of interaction between Tripp, Wendy, Johnny, and Chanel.
Megan said that Marlena, Kayla, and Kate’s “deaths” are vital to her plan. Any ideas on what she has planned for these women or why she needs Salem to think they’re dead?
Wendy: No. I’m not familiar with Megan or her story. I mean, I know she had a history with Bo. Honestly, I’ve hated this entire storyline, and I just don’t care.
Jack: I have no idea. Based on the end of Beyond Salem 2, I am pretty sure I know who Megan has in the other chamber, but I can’t figure out what the women have to do with resurrecting that person.
I think, in part, she wants to exact revenge on Stefano’s enemies, but I don’t know what she wants with them beyond that.
Christine: I’m guessing that perhaps she wants to experiment on them with the prisms before she uses them on the prize in her other cryogenic chamber.
That’s my best guess, but overall, I am intrigued to see where this is headed.
What surprised or disappointed you the most this week in Salem?
Wendy: Maggie being the new Titan CEO, definitely surprised me the most.
I was pretty disappointed with Justin blabbering confidential information about his clients’ divorce to none other than Gwen and the town gossip columnist. What the heck was he thinking?
I guess he wanted to rub it in their faces that Sarah and Xander might stay together, but it had the opposite effect, and that was completely unprofessional of him.
Jack: I was pleasantly surprised that Sarah is aware that Rex is not the father, rather than having an inane who’s-the-daddy story, and that she didn’t decide to stay with Xander for the baby’s sake.
This whole divorce paper getting lost thing was silly, and I’m not sure what the point was since Xander and Sarah signed new papers right away.
Sonny’s goodbyes to his family were rushed, and could Stephanie learn to speak without sounding flirty, please? If Sonny weren’t gay and her cousin, I’d think she was into him too, and her tone with Alex was totally inappropriate for someone who’s over him and moved on with another man.
I also could have done without Alex hijacking Sonny’s goodbye to exchange snipes and withering glances with Chad.
Chanel was also petty to act as if Johnny had no right to be upset that Allie left without telling him.
Finally, I wish Jack and Jennifer had stayed in Salem to fight for the Spectator. I hate how quickly they were ushered off-screen, though I’m pleasantly surprised that Gwen at least wants to respect the paper’s standards.
Christine: I can’t believe Allie didn’t say goodbye to her twin brother before moving halfway around the world! I know their relationship can be contentious, but that was uncalled for.
Also, what was up with Stephanie flirting with Alex? The more I see of her, the more I dislike her.
What was your favorite quote, scene, or storyline on this week’s Days of Our Lives?
Wendy: I’m glad that Sarah and Xander are hopefully having a baby. They’re one of my favorite couples on the show (even though they’re currently apart). I hope this will push them back together and maybe get Xander to shape up.
Jack: I liked Stefan pointing out that Brady was acting like Li Shin in this Days of Our Lives quote…
Brady: Stefan, I am doing this for you. I only love Chloe just like Gabi only loves you. Stefan: We both know you’re not doing this for anyone but yourself. Kristen suckered you and that had nothing to do with me. Brady: Chloe knows why I did what I did. Stefan: And she won’t take you back. So you’re going to what, change how I feel about her? You’re no better than Shin.
Christine: I loved Leo standing up for Gwen during her conversation with Jack. Leo has a lot of faults, but he can be a really good friend.
Also, I liked that Gwen wants to make a go of the paper and not turn it into a tabloid. Gwen’s life and upbringing have been complicated, which can make her choices more unpredictable than most characters.
Now it’s your turn, Days fans. Hit that SHOW COMMENTS button below to share your thoughts, and if you want to chat more about the happenings in Salem, check out Jack Ori’s Days of Our Lives review here at TV Fanatic.
C. Orlando is a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. Follow her on Twitter.
Few shows have been as relatable to our everyday experience as the American version of The Office when it debuted in 2005 on NBC. Over the years, characters were flanderized and toned down in keeping with network notes.
But not Jim. The prank-loving protagonist with a hole in his heart for the cute receptionist represented the ideal audience surrogate for us. He wasn’t too attached to the workings of Dunder Mifflin (hence, all the goofy faces in the camera) and invited us to laugh at all the silliness in his vicinity.
But I’d like to present an alternative theory: Maybe Jim wasn’t the real protagonist of the Office. Maybe it was Ryan.
Although The Office ended up being about a found family in the workplace, it’s important to note that it did not start out that way. The general gist of the Dunder Mifflin world at first was that it was a typical American workplace and certainly not one that could inspire passion.
Sure, there are some of us who are passionate about our work, but for the most part, an office is where we put our daily grind. Before the pandemic, of course, the long office hours made American offices particularly constraining.
The inauthenticity of the modern experience, according to The Office, comes from those who maintain the illusion (hint hint: Michael Scott) that an office is more of a work family than it really is.
Jim’s instant appeal in the early seasons came from the fact that he didn’t buy Michael Scott’s version for Dunder Mifflin as some happy family.
Of course, Jim is motivated by other factors: He wants to look cool for Pam, and he sees himself as having enough in his social life to include a group of mostly older (Creed, Phyllis, Stanley) and less self-aware (Meredith, Kevin) people in it. This is what’s behind his winks at the camera.
At the same time, Jim is affable and stands out for his people skills.
In short, Jim stands safely outside the inauthenticity of Dunder Mifflin, but he’s adept enough to navigate through it. What better hero could you ask for?
As for the case of Ryan: Consider that our favorite temp actually stands out stronger than Jim on both his chief characteristics: Apathy and upward mobility.
Ryan’s first major character-establishing episode was in The Office Season 2 Episode 4, “The Fire.” One of his first talking heads showcases him as a man who wants to define himself through antisocial tendencies.
Whereas Jim makes a show of not caring, Ryan truly walks the walk. When he gets harassed by Michael or Dwight, he is able to brush it off at superhuman levels.
Additionally, his relation to his love interest, Kelly, is further defined by apathy. In contrast, Jim is a sap for Pam despite his better instincts.
Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean that Ryan is more likable by the standards of a sitcom audience that’s thirsty for a love story. But he DOES represent the zeitgeist of the mid-2000s when the job market was not particularly favorable towards young graduates.
Nowadays, young graduates have a lot more power, but Ryan can be seen as more in line with the trend today that’s now known as quiet quitting: A heroic way for lowly peons in the office hierarchy to stick it to the man by slacking off.
As for upward mobility, this characteristic is clear and day. Ryan goes gets the big promotion that puts him over Michael Scott and everyone in the office.
While it’s fair that Ryan didn’t handle the role perfectly once he got it, he at least had the foresight to go to business school and position himself for it. There are also signs that Ryan sees through Jim’s weaknesses.
When Jim wavers about booking a vacation on The Office Season 2 Episode 9, Ryan notably takes a potshot at his senior officemate with a remark that Jim’s the kind of guy who will probably just wind up in Philadelphia for a weekend.
Of course, the show evolved over time thematically.
As it eclipsed the running time of its British predecessor, the show’s producers wisely realized it needed more heart if it was going to outgrow the original.
Instead of portraying the office environment as a soul-draining space that its most heroic participants endure through creativity, Dunder Mifflin became a place where the characters chose to make themselves happier by genuinely treating each other like a family.
In this sense, Ryan and Jim switched statuses quite a bit. Ryan had his Shakespearean downfall, while Jim steadily ingrained himself as part of the team and reaped the rewards in terms of promotions.
The Office is a love story between Jim and Pam, but it’s also a love story between Jim and adulthood, as represented by his office mates.
Over time, Jim learns to be mature toward his office mates, eccentric boss, and even his insufferable nemesis Dwight. By genuinely enjoying their company, work is no longer horrible.
However, office life largely stayed the same between 2005 and the show’s conclusion in 2013. To the degree that the show still appealed to the disillusioned 9-to-5 desk jockey, Jim was no longer effective as an audience surrogate.
Instead, he was the dorky dad with the tendency to overshare about his honeymoon friends or infant’s baby steps. He was the man with the mortgage who was now overly invested in babysitting Michael as co-manager.
Meanwhile, Ryan categorically was never a fit for the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin. Instead, he oscillated wildly (and quite entertainingly) between being above and below his peers in status throughout the duration of the show.
This instability is what the average worker went through towards the end of the economic downtown that marked the end of the George W. Bush administration.
Ryan’s detachment from the office was also matched by increasing flakiness.
He notoriously tried to dodge work while Jim was promoted to co-manager; he barely even acknowledged to himself that he never had plans to go to Thailand, and his relationship with Kelly quickly devolved into a running gag.
If you watch The Office online, you know part of Ryan’s turn towards the worse was for comedic purposes.
At the same time, Ryan isn’t so different from most young adults who dream up plans to leave their office jobs with exotic excursions.
To disillusioned office drones, Ryan is still the most relatable character.
At the end of the day, Ryan might be the best character because whether he is heroic or not, his fortunes are the most unpredictable, and that’s the way the world works.
Orrin Konheim is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and his personal blog at Medium.
