Cover Story Down the rabbit hole

Mystery series ‘Dispatches from Elsewhere’ premieres on AMC

By Sarah Passingham TV Media

An alternate reality hiding just below the surface of the world we see every day is about to be revealed. On Sunday, March 1, a new mystery series, “Dispatches from Elsewhere,” premieres on AMC, and it follows a group of strangers on a journey of discovery that blurs the lines between what’s real and what’s not.

“Dispatches from Elsewhere” is a game that brings together four people that are searching for meaning in their lives. Each player has been won over and introduced to the elaborate alternate-reality game by the charismatic leader of the Jejune Institute, Octavio, played by Richard E. Grant (“Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker, “ 2019). As they chase clues and search for the mysterious and missing Clara (Cecilia Balagot, “Girl Meets World”), they begin to question whether the game is really just a game.

Our four participants are Fred wynn, portrayed by André Benja min (“American Crime”); Janice, played by the delightful Sally Field (“Hello, My Name Is Doris,” 2015); Simone, played by Eve Lindley (“Mr. Robot”); and Peter, played by Jason Segel, who most TV fans will remember as Marshall from “How I Met Your Mother.”

As the players unravel the game’s mysteries, they become entangled in the web of the secret society that springs from the Jejune Institute, and they begin to believe they are seeing a new reality in plain sight.

Segel not only stars in “Dispatches from Elsewhere,” he is the show’s creator and has a hand in every aspect of the series. He’s a writer, exec

Dracula puppet opera featured in the 2008 film “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is actually snippets of a full musical that Segel wrote before he began writing that film’s script. It is not surprising that he has now helped create this odd, winding mystery series — the guy is much more strange and interesting than the role he’s best known for would suggest. The secrets of this new show’s freshman season remain just that for now — secret. Keeping the highlights and surprises under wraps is very important to Segel. At a January

Late Laughs

Conan semble casts in recent memory. Benjamin, perhaps better-known as André 3000 of the band Outkast, has been building an impressive filmography since his debut as Silk Brown in the 2003 crime movie “Hollywood Homicide.” He starred in “Four Brothers” in 2005 and made the move to television in 2016 for the second season of the anthology series “American Crime.”

Field is a Hollywood veteran known for consistently incredible performances in virtually every genre and medium. She shines in heartwarming films such as “Steel Magnolias” (1989), “Forrest Gump” (1993) and “Mrs. Doubtfire” (1994), as well as action films such as “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977), her early TV shows “Gidget” and “The Flying Nun,” and her recent roles in quirky dramedies such as Netflix’s “Maniac.”

Next to one of television and film’s most celebrated actresses stands one of the most exciting fresh faces in the industry. Eve Lindley has already landed roles in some of the most buzzed-about recent series, such as “Outsiders,” “Tales of the City” and “High Maintenance,” but it is clear that this is only the beginning of a long and prolific acting career.

President Trump’s legal adviser, Jenna Ellis, criticized the halftime show as “demeaning to women.” She said the president believes there is a time and a place to demean women, and that’s Twitter.

After President Trump gave his State of the Union address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tore it in half. Then Melania said, “Great! Now do my prenup.”

The Oscars are on Sunday, and just to prepare you, it could be a very long night. The results are being tabulated by the Iowa Democrats.

A Little Late With Lilly Singh

I’m realizing I need to get better at dating. Let’s be real: I’m bored, I’m lonely, I need to put someone else on my will besides my dog, Sparkles.

You know the first record of a woman wearing high-heeled shoes dates all the way back to the 16th century, and I’m sure her blisters will be healed any day now.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon en

Congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs on winning Super Bowl LIV. And an even bigger congrats to everyone in Kansas City who actually showed up to work today.

At the same TCA event in January, Lindley shared how meaningful it was to portray a trans woman as a trans woman herself, saying, “I read the script and I was so moved. ... It was one of the best depictions of a trans character I ever read. I felt close to her. Jason [Segel] allowed me to interject a lot of myself into her.”

The premise for “Dispatches from Elsewhere” comes from some interesting source material. There is a “real” Jejune Institute, and it is the subject of the appropriately named 2013 documentary film, “The Institute.” Documentary might be a generous term for what that feature is, as the institute itself was involved in its production. Between 2008 and 2011, the creators of “The Institute” amassed thousands of participants in their game and sent them all on silly adventures, like dancing with a sasquatch on a sidewalk. But they also asked them to search for a woman named Eva. The game was eventually disbanded, but it left participants questioning how much of what was revealed to them during the experience was real, which infused the whole operation with a cult-like quality.

Bernie Sanders hosted a Super Bowl party in Iowa yesterday. He even made his special three-layer dip of Robitussin, Metamucil and Werther’s Originals.

If NBC can count the votes for “The Voice,” then Iowa should be able to do it for a presidential election.

Nancy Pelosi extended her hand to President Trump, and he wouldn’t shake it. I’m not saying it was bad, but even flights circling LaGuardia aren’t left hanging that long.

Trump was acquitted today, and then he called up Ukraine and said, “Now, where were we?”

15 “Supergirl’s” Cyborg actor David

17 Without ice

18 Exempt

20 “Thunderball” singer Jones

21 “For Your Eyes Only” singer Easton 25 “I’m ___!”

28 “The Goldbergs” actor who plays Pops: George ___

29 Dubai dignitary

30 Chip’s cartoon sidekick

31 Beets and carrots

33 First name in latenight TV

34 Former series about the Caped Crusader’s early years

36 Michigan and Ontario’s ___ Locks

37 Spike-thumbed dinosaurs

42 Late actor Rip, who starred in “The Larry Sanders Show” and “Cross Creek” (1983) 45 What

6 Lists of tasks to accomplish

7 Patriotic song that serves as Connecticut’s state anthem

8 Script ending

9 Gasteyer of “Saturday Night Live”

10 Hockey player’s target

12 Critically adored dramedy with its fourth season premiering this week

16 “__ have thought?”

19 Words of understanding

22 Eddie ___, real-life detective who was the subject of the Oscarwinning “The French Connection” (1971)

23 Simba’s love interest in “The Lion King” (1994)

24 Chrysler Building architect William Van

25 “Titanic” (1997) hazard 26 Melville novel

5 “This

By Jessica Gosse TV Media

WHAT’S NEW ON HULU “Devs”

From the mind of Alex Garland (“Ex Machina”) comes this thrilling futuristic series, premiering Thursday, March 5. Sonoya Mizuno (“Maniac”) stars as Lily, a computer engineer working at Amaya Corporation with her boyfriend. When her boyfriend suddenly dies, Lily is distraught and begins to believe that the police are wrong about his death being a suicide. Desperate to find an answer, she begins to suspect that he was murdered and that the company’s CEO, Forest (Nick Offerman, “Parks and Recreation”), knows more than he will admit. As she delves deeper into her investigation, she realizes that all roads lead back to the Amaya Corporation’s secret development division — or “Devs” — and uncovers a global conspiracy. A new episode of this addictive miniseries premieres every Thursday.

“Hillary”

On Friday, March 6, learn the full story of the former first lady and presidential candidate in this four-part documentary. Hillary Rodham Clinton opens up and discusses her life from her college years and her marriage to former U.S. president Bill Clinton to her work for women’s rights and her campaign for president. Director Nanette Burstein (“Going the Distance,” 2010) had concerns that Clinton would shy away from any controversy, but she was happily mistaken when her subject spent 35 hours answering questions and discussing any and all topics that came up, including her husband’s infamous affair with Monica Lewinsky, her relationships with Bernie Sanders and current president Donald Trump, and the fateful night in 2016 when she failed to win the presidency. The series not only includes interviews with Hillary and Bill Clinton, it also includes behind-the-scenes footage from Hillary’s presidential campaign. Don’t miss this fascinating docuseries that looks into a substantial figure in American history.

WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX “Spenser Confidential”

On Friday, March 6, don’t miss the premiere of this cop-comedy based on the novel “Robert B. Parker’s Wonderland,” by Ace Atkins. Mark Wahlberg (“Daddy’s Home,” 2015) stars as Spenser, an ex-cop who spent the last five years in prison after being framed. Now free but unable to rejoin the police force, Spenser moves in with his former boxing coach, Henry (Alan Arkin, “The Kominsky Method”), who is happy to take him in, on one condition: he has to share a room with and help train Henry’s newest boxer, a cocky MMA fighter named Hawk (Winston Duke, “Us,” 2019). When two of his former co-workers are murdered, Spenser convinces his eccentric ex-girlfriend, Cissy (Iliza Shlesinger, “Instant Family,” 2018), and his new roommate to help him investigate and take down the corrupt cops and politicians who killed his friends and framed him. Don’t miss this action-packed comedy that features rapper Post Malone’s first on-screen film role.

“Castlevania” Season 3

Based on the popular video game series, “Castlevania” returns to Netflix for a third season, premiering Thursday, March 5. The animated series is

Horowitz (“Once Upon A Time”) bring viewers what is sure to be another fantastic and addictive series with this reboot of Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories,” premiering Friday, March 6. While the fantasy series does not feature Spielberg behind the camera, he is involved in the series as executive producer this time around. True to the original series, “Amazing Stories” is an anthology that combines fantasy, science fiction and horror. Showrunners have given few details about specific plot lines, but it has been revealed that each episode focuses on the universal theme of humanity’s constant search for meaning, and an episode involving a time-traveling World War II pilot has been teased. Catch the premiere of the first five episodes this Friday.

WHAT’S NEW ON PRIME “ZeroZeroZero”

a medieval fantasy that puts a new twist on the classic tale of Dracula. When his wife is falsely accused of witchcraft and subsequently burned at the stake, Dracula (voiced by Graham McTavish, “Preacher”) vows to destroy all humanity, believing them to be a stain on the Earth. Now, the fate of humanity rests in the hands of Trevor Belmont (voiced by Richard Armitage, “The Stranger”), a disgraced monster hunter. Season 2 saw Belmont team up with unlikely allies Sypha Belnades (voiced by Alejandra Reynoso, “Winx Club”), a powerful magic user, and Adrian aka Alucard (voice of James Callis, “Battlestar Galactica”), Dracula’s son, who believes his father should be attacking the person responsible for his mother’s death as opposed to all of humanity. After the dramatic Season 2 finale, Season 3 could go anywhere when it premieres this Thursday.

WHAT’S NEW ON APPLE TV PLUS

“Amazing Stories”

Producers Eddy Kitsis and Adam

Take an inside look at the intense world of cocaine trafficking in this eight-part series, premiering Friday, March 6. The series looks at the political and economic impact of drug trafficking and the ever-shifting dynamic between various crime organizations, from Mexican cartels to the Calabrian mafia. Based on the Italian book by the bold essayist and screenwriter Roberto Saviano, the series also looks at the familial impact of organized crime and stars Andrea Riseborough (“Birdman,” 2014) and Dane DeHaan (“The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” 2014) as the children of an Italian business man (Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment”) whose business is dependent on brokering cocaine.

The

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