Sad news out of the TV world today as it has been revealed that Brad William Henke, a former NFL player who acted in several hit TV shows and movies, has died.
He was 56.
According to Deadline, the actor’s family said he died in his sleep on November 28, but no cause of death has been revealed.
Henke was drafted by the New York Giants in 1989 and went on to play on the defensive line for the Denver Broncos, appearing in Super Bowl XXIV.
He subsequently moved to Los Angeles to pursue coaching but found himself in a career in front of the camera.
He landed guest roles on shows like ER, Nash Bridges, and Silk Stockings.
Henke had a recurring role on the WB Network comedy Nikki and followed that up with the lead role in Showtime’s Going to California.
His second series regular role was on October Road. In 2016, Henke appeared on Netflix’s hit drama, Orange is the New Black, playing Desi Piscatella, an adversary to the female inmates of Litchfield Federal Penitentiary.
While the character had a hard exterior, flashbacks took viewers into his past to flesh out the character.
He starred in the series until 2018, and the character’s exit had a big effect on the rest of the characters going into the next season.
He shared a SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with his co-stars in 2017.
Other recent TV credits include Manhunt, The Stand, & Law & Order: SVU.
In addition to TV, Henke also appeared in movies World Trade Center, The Zodiac, North Country, Me and You, and Everyone We Know.
Throughout his career on screen, he racked up almost 100 credits.
Henke is survived by his mother, Tammy; his sister, Annette; his wife, Sonja; stepson Aaden; stepdaughter Leasa; and grandchild Amirah.
May Brad William Henke rest in peace.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
Michael Gandolfini (The Many Saints of Newark) is set for a major role opposite Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio in Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel’s upcoming revival series on Disney+, sources tell Deadline.
Written and executive produced by Covert Affairs creators Matt Corman and Chris Ord, the new installment centers on Cox’s title character Daredevil, otherwise known by the name Matt Murdock, who is an attorney by day and crimefighter by night. D’Onofrio reprises his role as mob boss Wilson Fisk aka Kingpin.
Details about Gandolfini’s character are being kept under wraps; it’s possible he plays an ambitious guy from Staten Island referred to as Liam. Reps for Marvel and Gandolfini had no comment.
Gandolfini played the younger version of Tony Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark, a role made famous by his father, the late James Gandolfini. He was recently seen in Paramount+ limited series The Offer, and in the feature film Cherry, and upcoming will be seen in Apple TV+’s Extrapolations. He recently wrapped production on Susanna Fogel’s psychological thriller Cat Person, Ari Aster’s Disappointment Blvd. andCori Finley’s sci-fi film Landscape with Invisible Hand. He is repped by WME, Relevant and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
The 18-episode season of Daredevil: Born Again is slated to premiere in 2024, four years after the original Daredevil series ended its run on Netflix after three seasons.
David Robinson, one of Dog the Bounty Hunter‘s partners for years and star of “Dog’s Most Wanted,” has died.
Rainy, David’s ex-wife, who also appeared on the show, tells us David was on a Zoom call Wednesday when he had some sort of medical emergency … the police and paramedics responded, and CPR was performed, but it was unsuccessful.
Dog tells TMZ … “I’m shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of David Robinson, my right-hand man of many years. Until we meet again, brother.”
Sources close to Dog tell TMZ it appears David may have suffered some sort of heart attack or stroke … although the official cause has yet to be determined.
Fans of “Dog’s Most Wanted” know David worked closely with Dog in a handful of episodes on WGN America in 2019 — hunting fugitives of Dog’s choosing — as opposed to tracking down those who have jumped bail.
All plot threads came together to give us a midseason finale that felt like a season finale. Everything has changed for our superheroes, and it leaves a lot to ponder as we head into the back half of the season.
We’ll start with the dawn of White Raven because that was cool as hell.
The Titans have been working through some personal things this season. The loss of Raven’s powers was a huge development, sending things in an intriguing direction.
The church thought they would benefit more from the abilities, but now that White Raven is here, it makes me wonder just how strong Rachel is.
In the past, her powers have been shrouded in darkness, so it’s a nice change of pace for Rachel to be in the light.
We don’t know the true extent of this evolution, but it’s hard not to imagine she’ll be a crucial player in this battle against Mother Mayhem, Brother Blood, and, very likely, her father.
Dick: I gotta be honest, Conner. I’m starting to get a little concerned about you. Conner: Why? ‘Cause I’m winning so hard? Dick: Leather jacket, the bald head, I get it, you’re changing, you’re growing, that’s all good. Just trust me, you don’t want it to happen too fast. Conner: Mmm, too fast. Well, you know what, I’d say it’s happening just in fսcking time. Rachel’s useless. Gar’s losing his mind, Kory’s blue-thing, inconsistent at best. And, Tim, well, he can’t do anything… at all. So, if I were you, I’d stop worrying about my best player and just take the win. Dick: You’re not the only one to ever have to go through this. Me, Kory, Rachel, Gar, we’ve been there. We’ve all had to fight a battle with our dark side. Conner: This isn’t my dark side. This is the side that’s looking out for me.
Titans Season 4 managed to narrow its focus to fewer characters, and it has helped deliver a tighter narrative that has been more interesting.
Rachel’s tenacity as she tried to stop Sebastian from becoming a full-blown villain was challenging to watch.
They’re bonded in a way many will never understand, and Rachel was probably thinking about her own past. She could have been a villain if the stars had aligned a bit differently.
There’s an element of ambiguity to both Rachel and Sebastian’s abilities that I hope comes to the forefront when the series returns.
For Sebastian, activating these abilities was the only way forward. Mother Mayhem was adamant about him becoming Brother Blood of his own volition, but none of this would have been possible without her A+ manipulation skills.
Going through his most repressed memories was a good way to give more insight into his past, but it leaves me with many questions about what he will do now.
Mother Mayhem will think she will be able to control his power, but he will have his own ideas about how he wants to proceed, which should make for an intense villainous arc.
Joseph Morgan plays excellent villains that have many layers, and watching Sebastian’s past was a good way to reiterate that his being a villain isn’t his own doing.
Jinx: Right, it’s nearly time. You ready to power up? Rachel: What makes you think you can get me my powers back, again? Jinx: Okay. Well, I never said I could get you your powers back. I said I had a spell to help you find them.
Drinking the blood was one thing, but being shown all of these memories to make him think a certain way was the reason for his actions.
I expect a power struggle because Brother Blood will have far more followers than Mother Mayhem, which should put them both on a collision course as the season winds down.
I’ve enjoyed the unpredictable nature of the magic because the team has to be more tactical in battling with these villains.
I hope Jinx isn’t dead because Lisa Ambalavanar has been a hoot in the role. The fact that she’s listed as a recurring player makes me think we’ve seen the last of Jinx.
She helped the team navigate magic and was instrumental in helping Rachel get her powers back. From a narrative standpoint, she has to remain dead to force the team into uncharted territory.
It’s rare for someone to be so crucial to the team, having just joined them, but Jinx made a big impact, and I doubt they will be able to get over her loss any time soon.
Dick will feel somewhat responsible because it was him that got her involved in this battle, to begin with.
Dick tends to fall apart when a team member is hurt or killed, but I hope he realizes that unpredictable things happen when fighting these battles.
You were very happy for a time… but then, your guardian made a mistake.
Mother Mayhem
Conner shaving his head came out of the left field, but it felt more like the creatives remembered that half of his DNA hails from Lex Luthor.
Conner was much more intriguing as Super Boy, but he may be going to these measures to feel a bit of a connection to Lex.
He understood Lex’s villainous streak based upon their first meeting, but my guess is that he feels tethered to both Lex and Superman because he’s made from equal parts of their DNA.
Conner’s journey has been one of the more exciting in the series. He faces an uphill battle as he comes to terms with which side to choose.
If Conner does go full villain, we might meet Superman sooner rather than later, assuming DC allows for his arrival in the Titansverse.
With no news of a premiere date for the back half of the season, all we can do is ponder the possibilities. The series is in a stronger place creatively than it has been in a long time.
What are your thoughts on Jinx’s death? Do you think it will stick?
What’s your take on Sebastian becoming Brother Blood? Do you think all of the good parts of his personality will be gone?
Do you expect a power struggle between him and Mother Mayhem?
Are you happy Rachel finally has her powers back?
Hit the comments.
Titans returns in 2023 on HBO Max.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
All previously aired episodes are available beginning Thursday, and new episodes will hit the platform the day after they air.
“The authentic spirit that Jennifer Hudson brings to each episode of the series has already won over the hearts of audiences across the country, and we look forward to extending its viewership potential further to the millions of streamers reached by The Roku Channel,” said Rob Holmes, VP, Programming, Roku.
Finding additional avenues on other platforms has become crucial for high-end syndicated talk shows to survive in the current economic environment, which has been increasingly challanging for first-run fare.
Warner Bros.’ freshman The Jennifer Hudson Show got to a respectable start this fall and is currently looking good to be renewed for Season 2 by its core station group, the Fox Stations.
The Jennifer Hudson Show isn’t the first talk show Roku. Earlier this fall, the streamer became the exclusive home of The Rich Eisen Show as part of its sports “experience” rollout to create a centralized hub for sports programming.
The Jennifer Hudson Show features celebrity interviews, topical stories, community heroes, viral sensations, and music. It is produced in Los Angeles by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Telepictures and distributed in national syndication by Warner Bros. Domestic TV Distribution.
Executive producers include Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner, Corey Palent, Jennifer Hudson, Lisa Kasteler Calio, Graehme Morphy and Walter Williams III, with Shani Black as co-executive producer.
Roku had 65.4 million active accounts as of September 30, and the company estimates that it reaches about 80 million people, making it one of the primary gatekeepers of streaming in the U.S. In addition to its connected devices, Roku’s interface is on more than one-third of smart-TVs in North America.
The Mighty Ones is returning to Peacock and Hulu for its fourth and final season next month. The streaming services have released new key art and a trailer teasing the new episodes of the animated series for kids from DreamWorks Animation Television.
Featuring the voices of Jessica McKenna, Alex Cazares, Jimmy Tatro, Josh Brener, Johnny Pemberton, Kayvan Novak, and Flula Borg, the 10-episode season arrives on December 9th. The series follows the adventures of the small residents of a backyard world — a twig, a pebble, a leaf, and a strawberry. Together, these best friends call themselves “the Mighty Ones.”
Hulu revealed more about the final season in a press release.
The Mighty Ones once again find themselves in uncharted territory as they continue to discover unexplored areas of the yard. Twig must fight for his life in a Gladiator Pit after being accidentally discarded into a compost bin. The group embarks on an epic quest to find something called a cup. Leaf struggles to find a decent pair of pants. And when they decide to launch themselves into outer space, they become stuck in the heavens (really, a light bulb).
In every backyard a secret world exists filled with tiny creatures. The Mighty Ones follows the hilarious adventures of the smallest of them: a twig, a pebble, a leaf and a strawberry who call themselves “the Mighty Ones.” These best friends live in an unkempt backyard belonging to a trio of equally unkempt humans who they mistake for gods. Despite their diminutive stature, the Mighty Ones are determined to live large and have fun in their wild world.
Check out the new key art and trailer for The Mighty Ones season four below.
What do you think? Are you excited about the fourth and final season return of this animated series next month?
Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.
5:28 PM PT — Danny Masterson was all smiles after leaving the courtroom, holding hands with his actress wife, Bijou Phillips, who was also grinning.
UPDATE
The actor was peppered with questions about the trial as he walked away from the courthouse, but he just smiled and kept it moving.
UPDATE
Danny and Bijou had a pep in their step … and he clearly looks happy with the trial result.
UPDATE
His trial attorney Philip Cohen tells TMZ … “l am so thankful for the incredible care and commitment that the jurors showed in this case. This trial was about nothing other than the credibility of the three accusers and that credibility could only be determined by comparing, contrasting and focusing on the ever evolving statements given by the women.”
UPDATE
He adds, “The vote count says it all and it is a true testament to our justice system that the jurors were able to see through all the inflammatory noise and focus solely on what was truly important.”
Danny Masterson’s rape trial has come to an end … a judge has declared a mistrial after a hung jury.
Masterson was in a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday waiting to hear a verdict, when the jury announced it deadlocked. The judge then declared a mistrial.
The jury began deliberations 2 weeks ago after 4 weeks of testimony from alleged victims. They had a break because of Thanksgiving, and two jurors were replaced on Monday with alternates after testing positive for COVID.
It’s unclear if prosecutors will decide to try the actor again.
He was facing a maximum sentence of 45 to life behind bars if found guilty of the charges.
As we reported, Masterson was charged back in 2020 with 3 counts of rape, with the alleged victims claiming the incidents occurred between 2001 and 2003 … right in the middle of the run of his sitcom, “That ’70s Show.”
Masterson’s former attorney, Tom Mesereau, told TMZ at the time … “Mr. Masterson is innocent, and we’re confident that he will be exonerated when all the evidence finally comes to light and witnesses have the opportunity to testify.”
The actor pled not guilty to the charges … and while he never testified in his own defense, he and his legal team maintained that the incidents either didn’t happen or were consensual.
We finally break free from the campsite, with everyone settling back into life away from the great outdoors.
And things are just as messy as they ever were.
While Sunny tries to plot her next move, Cassie sets her sights on getting to the bottom of what happened in the woods during Big Sky Season 3 Episode 9. And she is so damn close to putting everything together.
Some time has passed from Big Sky Season 3 Episode 8, and in that time, the police are no closer to figuring anything out about the murders at the campsite.
Walter isn’t talking, and they’re not pressing him either, which is surprising, though Beau and Jenny do find themselves involved in another case that takes up much of their time.
But Walter is content to sit in jail (does he have a lawyer?) and keep his mouth shut, which is a bold move. Clearly, his every move right now is rooted in his desire to protect Paige, but other than that, I’m not too sure what he plans to do here.
The only person who can get anything tangible out of him is Cassie, who at least has the wherewithal to recognize that there are many discrepancies in the murders. Besides their proximity, there isn’t much that connects them where you could say for sure they were all committed by the same person.
And, of course, we, as viewers, know that, but it’s starting to sink in with Cassie.
Walter’s answer about the figurine makes sense if only because, for as sociopathic as he is, we’ve also seen another side to him. As misguided as it was, he did bring Mark to Sunny, so there’s a part of him that perhaps would want to bring a little comfort to someone with his little figurines.
Maybe?
People always think the worst of me.
Walter [to Cassie]
Walter is by no means some innocent party in all this, but there’s much more going on here. We know he didn’t kill Mary, and we never saw who killed Luke, so what actual deaths are on Walter right now?
And that newspaper clipping Cassie found only adds to the mystery, now that we know a boy AND a girl were missing after the fire. It could be nothing, or it could be something. And my money is on something because Big Sky rarely does anything by accident.
Buck: Sunny, been over this. Sunny: I don’t care. He’s my boy, and I want to see him. Buck: Well, you’d be giving us up. And you made a promise. Sunny: I’m his mother. He needs me. And you don’t get to tell me what to do!
Speaking of Walter, his half-brother finally learned of his existence, and boy, does it suck to be Cormac right now. One second he’s living his best life in dancing shoes with literal goddess Cassie Dewell, and the next, he’s finding out his parents have withheld a brother from him and said brother could be a murderer.
It’s a lot to take in, and Buck and Sunny have no regard for his feelings at all. Sunny only comes clean because there’s no use in lying anymore, even though they very conveniently leave out the whole Buck is a killer too thing, but that’s not important because all they need is for Cormac to keep his mouth shut!
Poor Cormac is barely even allowed to react before his parents want him to move on and protect them. And he seems like such a good guy, so he’ll probably do as they say while being completely torn up about it and it’ll further complicate and probably ruin his budding romance with Cassie, and he deserves so much better than that.
Unless Cormac has me fooled.
I don’t know what to make of so many of these new characters and their agendas. But the guessing game is a large part of what makes this season so enjoyable.
Sunny and Buck are actually terrible human beings, and they hide behind their genial smiles and ‘aw shucks’ attitude when all they care about is protecting themselves and the life they’ve built. And it was very easy for them to hide Walter for years, so what else could they be hiding?
We all saw Buck’s creepy blood moment with the heart, but that felt like a red herring if I ever saw one. They’re treating the Bleeding Heart Murder mystery like a plot point that will eventually become super relevant, but they’re just dangling it in front of the audience now and then, so it’s not forgotten about.
It’s why it’s hard to imagine we find out Buck is the real killer in a random throwaway scene like the one we got. But seeing as we’re halfway through the season already, we should probably be getting more movement on the mystery than less.
Beau: Okay, well, listen, your mom’s going to be here any second, and she’s expecting me to feed you, so you’re gonna need to lie. Emily: It’s fine. I had some of that cereal in there. That expired a year ago. Beau: Perfect. Told you those expiration dates are a scam. Emily: No, it was stale. Beau: Oh, you’ll live.
Beau and Jenny spend this hour investigating a former smokejumpers murder, and it’s another cool case of the week that isn’t the most groundbreaking, but it’s still enjoyable.
It’s tough to make some of these cases genuinely shocking because there’s not enough time to have multiple suspects and avenues to explore all the time. Every minor character we meet is a suspect, and then you slowly cross them off the list until the bad guy reveals himself.
But they’re still fun and a nice balance to the long-form storytelling.
Can we briefly discuss the Beau, Jenny, and Cassie of it all? When the season started, I was dreading the love triangle, and they’ve steered clear of that by pairing Cassie off with Cormac, but they will subtly bring it back up. And it makes me wonder if it’s supposed to just be Jenny projecting or if there really is a plan to go there eventually.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Beau and Jenny’s dynamic, which is based on their partnership and their respect and appreciation for one another. There are definitely flashes of flirting and moments where you can’t help but see the chemistry shine through, but they always pull it back.
Even with Carla’s introduction, having her size Jenny up immediately made it appear like we were heading toward a romantic pairing. But it’s still never happened, and then out of left field, we get Jenny wondering if Beau is jealous of Cassie and Cormac, and Beau can play it off like he wants the gossip but could it be more than that?
Big Sky literally began with Cassie and Jenny coming to blows over a man, and we DO NOT need that repeat, but it’ll be interesting how the back half of the season treats the ladies, and Mr. Arlen in particular.
Beau still has strong feelings for Carla, but from the outside, it seems pretty obvious why they didn’t work out and why it’s probably best they keep co-parenting Emily amicably and leave it at that.
But also, Jensen Ackles is in a scene with anyone, and the chemistry is just there, so nothing would shock me at this point.
Odds and Ends
I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it, Beau’s airstream set-up is top-tier. Everything about it is gorgeous!
Beau Arlen having a George Foreman Grill is so on-brand.
Poppernak needs to invite himself to those movie nights! You just know he probably has the worst taste, but he’s so endearing in his love for B-list action flicks that you can’t even be mad.
Is Cassie allowed to interview murder suspects? Is that a thing?
Avery knows he’s in over his head, but he must be smart enough to realize that the more he lies to Carla, the more his marriage suffers. She doesn’t seem like the type to stick around for a man who lies and puts her daughter in danger.
I like the sneak peeks we get into Beau’s past because it feels like we simultaneously know so much and so little about him.
Emily is probably too young to hang around Dewell & Hoyt, but she and Denise somehow make a fun little duo.
They never miss an opportunity to let REBA sing, and I thank them for it.
There is no use in figuring out what Paige’s endgame here is because it’s totally unclear.
Nine episodes have passed us by just like that! And things are heating up.
Drop me a line down below and let me know what you thought about this hour and where things currently stand. There is so much to discuss, so make sure to comment and remember you can watch Big Sky online via TV Fanatic if you need to catch up!
Whitney Evans is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
In what would be his first series regular television role, two-time Oscar winner Robert De Niro is set to star in and executive produceZero Day, a limited series from Eric Newman and Noah Oppenheim, which is in development at Netflix, sources tell Deadline.
Details are being kept under wraps, but we hear De Niro would play a former U.S. President in the political thriller.
Series is written and executive produced by Newman, who is under an overall deal at Netflix, and Oppenheim, with a story by Newman. Oppenheim, journalist and author Michael Schmidt and Jonathan Glickman of Panoramic Media will also executive produce along with De Niro.
Netflix does not confirm or comment on development projects.
Nominated for seven Academy Awards, De Niro won two — best actor for Raging Bull and best supporting actor for The Godfather Part II. He also has received several Emmy nominations, including a nom fo best actor for his role as Bernie Madoff in HBO’s Wizard of Lies. De Niro most recently wrapped Tony Goldwyn’s upcoming feature Inappropriate Behavior, alongside Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg.
Jason David Frank was beloved for playing the hero on-screen — but according to a friend, his true heroism happened in real life as he battled mental health issues for years.
Mike Bronzoulis, a prized MMA fighter and one of Jason’s closest friends, tells TMZ … since they became friends in 2010, Jason was always open with him about bouts of depression and mental health struggles — though he kept it private from most people.
Mike says Jason had multiple family members die from suicide, and his mother also died a few years ago after battling cancer. These deaths took a heavy toll on him … despite having tons of friends and getting love from thousands of fans, he often felt very lonely.
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Jason kept a very busy schedule, but through all of it tried to find peace by motivating his fans … whether it be meeting in person or posting videos on social media.
Mike says he last spoke to Jason roughly a week before his death. He even got a voicemail from Jason … saying he needed to talk, and he was going through a lot. Mike didn’t realize Jason left that voicemail until after he died.
Peacock will take viewers back to the world of The Best Man next month with The Best Man: The Final Chapters, an eight-episode limited series.
The streaming service unveiled the official trailer Wednesday, and it looks like there will be some big changes on the horizon for some the most beloved characters.
Based upon the eponymous Universal film franchise written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee (four episodes), the series will catch up with the cast as relationships evolve and past grievances resurface in the unpredictable stages of midlife crisis meets midlife renaissance.
The series is set to premiere December 22, 2022.
The cast includes Morris Chestnut, Melissa De Sousa, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, and Harold Perrineau.
The limited series will comprise eight episodes and comes from the franchise creator Malcolm D. Lee.
“When I wrote The Best Man, it was out of a desire to see myself on screen. Growing up I rarely saw Black people — Black men in particular – the way my friends and I saw ourselves: educated, upwardly mobile African-Americans who were just “normal” (Barack and Michelle before Barack and Michelle),” Lee said in a statement.
”Fans of the franchise have consistently asked me (and the stellar cast) when are we going to tell them what’s happened with this group of friends? And what better way to do that than to give them what they want (and more) in a limited series.”
“Given the moment that we are in, this is the perfect time to revisit Harper, Lance, Murch, Quentin, Jordan, Robyn, Candace and Shelby and go on the wild, emotional, hilarious ride with them, as they deal with their own journeys through parenting, activism, old love, new love and the complexities of being Black in 21st Century America,” the statement continues.
“It is now more than ever that the world is craving to see what I’ve worked my entire career to show: relatable, universal stories about black people and their humanity.”
“It has always been my mission to make African-American stories mainstream. It is my life’s work to tell stories that include and elevate us. And I HOPE my legacy will be that I represented for us.”
Take a look at the official trailer below and hit the comments below.
Will you be watching the new series?
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
Offbeat fantasy doesn’t get much better than Ron Howard’s Willow. The 1988 film may have played out like a by-the-numbers epic about plucky heroes overcoming despotic evils, but its reputation as an all-ages adventure outweighs its triteness.
Now, with a sequel series on Disney+ (premiering today), Willow Ufgood (again played by Warwick Davis) and the denizens of this quirky universe make their long-awaited return. Luckily, judging by the first three episodes, Disney may have a new family favorite on its hands.
Willow‘s boiled-down lore and steadfast commitment to fun help reinforce the show’s accessibility, but it’s the new cast members who sell this eight-episode follow-up. The fleshed-out plot, instantly lovable characters and geographically comprehensive conflict reflect the alacrity of a world begging to be revisited. We don’t see much of this universe beyond what’s relevant to the central quest, and that allows the writers to build out this world through its characters. After all, it’s the characters, not necessarily the world itself, that initially sold many of us on the 1988 film.
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Joanne Whalley as Sorsha
The plot here is straightforward: Twenty years after Willow and Sorsha (Joanne Whalley) defeated the wicked Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh), Sorsha’s daughter, Kit (played by Ruby Cruz), and a ragtag group of misfits must rally against a new threat hell-bent on their destruction.
On paper, it’s pretty standard stuff. In practice, it’s far better.
One of the things showrunner Jonathan Kasdan does best here is emphasize just how much the new characters run the show. Kit, the ostensible protagonist, is snarky, likable and insecure. Dove (Ellie Bamber) is the classic underdog with more than enough strength and courage to prove herself. Tony Revolori’s Prince Graydon is a sympathetic inversion of the boneheaded, next-in-line archetype, a gentle youngster with a heart of gold and a knack for seeing others’ strengths. This guy doesn’t want this marriage any more than Kit does, and every mention of their imminent union shuts him down.
And as much as we miss Val Kilmer’s Madmartigan, the story doesn’t need him. (Kilmer was hoped to be involved, but health issues and COVID precluded his encore.) Here, it’s two characters, not one, who fill the “quippy swashbuckler” void that his absence creates. The first is Boorman (Amar Chadha-Patel), a rogue swordsman imprisoned in the dungeons beneath the city. The second is Jade (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s Erin Kellyman), an ambitious young warrior on the cusp of knighthood who serves as a self-serious foil for the more playful Kit. Together, they scratch this particular itch — and have a blast doing it.
Davis is at the top of his game, turning in what may be the series’ standout performance (right and proper). His return as Willow Ufgood proves every bit as gentle, endearing and good-natured as it was in the original, but here he adds layers to the character. As powerful as Willow is, he frequently contends with those who underestimate him. Most of the time, this doesn’t seem to bother him; but sometimes, especially when casting a complex spell, he lets self-doubt slip into his eyes and — very fleetingly — contorts his face into a mask of insecurity. Davis communicates this turmoil beautifully, expertly flitting from comical exasperation to crippling uncertainty before defaulting to his no-nonsense demeanor.
Couple top-notch acting with engaging visuals and you’ve got a sequel that’s shaping up to be even more fun than its predecessor. Everything from the costume design to the resplendence of Willow’s spellcasting oozes passion for the material. Kasdan and company truly care about this story and every detail reflects that.
Even more striking than its characters and its visuals, though, is how inventive Willow is with its perspectives. The opening minutes of the premiere cleverly establish a mystery that fans of the film almost certainly won’t see coming. It’s a classic case of writers taking a concept further than they have to and turning it into a superior version of itself.
Willow is a bouncy, buoyant sequel that leans heavily on the new cast and makes good on the unspoken promise that all great follow-ups inherently make: enrich what came before by diving deeper into why this world and its characters resonated in the first place. The final product is something that stands as well on its own as it does as a continuation of Ron Howard’s classic film.
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: Disney+’s Willow is a formula-faithful — yet tonally intrepid — sequel series that is absolutely worth the wait.
