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Allison Tolman stars as a police chief in ‘Emergence’
By Kyla Brewer TV Media
Nowthat the fall television season is in full swing, a cornucopia of new shows is competing for the attention of TV fans, and only the strong will survive. One of the most promising series seems to have it all with a mix of of drama, mystery, suspense and science fiction, not to mention a very likable star.
Allison Tolman (“Fargo”) plays Jo Evans, a police chief who takes in a young girl, Piper (Alexa Swinton, “Billions”), after she’s found unscathed near the scene of a mysterious crash in “Emergence,” airing Tuesday, Oct. 1, on ABC. Piper has no memory of what happened or who she really is, so Evans tries to uncover the truth about the girl’s identity while also trying to protect her from people with unknown motives. As the plot thickens, the investigation uncovers a conspiracy that puts Evans and her loved ones — including Piper — at risk. Evans struggles to keep Piper and her own daughter, Bree (Ashley Aufderheide, “Going in Style,” 2017), safe as she delves into the mystery behind the unexplained disaster. All the while, bizarre electronic disruptions wreak havoc around town and a strange cryptic symbol seems somehow related to Piper and the crash.
The role of Evans requires a careful blend of strength and empathy, something Tolman talked about in an interview with collider.com in July.
“What I really wanted to do was make sure that she was nurturing and caring and warm and really felt like a person we trusted with this kid,” Tolman explained. “I wanted her to be driven by being good at her job and a sense of common decency.”
Developed by “Kevin (Probably) Saves the World” creators Tara Butters and Michele Fazekas, “Emergence” was originally produced as a pilot for NBC. When the Peacock network passed on the show, ABC snapped it up, but there aren’t any hard feelings. According to deadline. com, NBC executive Paul Telegdy commented on the ABC pickup during an NBC Upfront press call.
“’Emergence’ is a great show, one that we couldn’t find a home for on NBC. We are delighted it has found a future on ABC,” Telegdy said.
It’s clear that ABC has faith in the series. The network has been heavily promoting “Emergence” since the pickup was announced, and it even tried to whet viewers’ appetites by releasing the first nine minutes of the show’s first episode a full month before the premiere date. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the network gave audiences the opportunity to view the opening scene of the series, which could be watched on YouTube, ABC.com, Twitter, Facebook and Hulu, as well as on select on-demand services. In a unique twist, the video was released at 3:10 a.m. ET, which is the time of day the mystery begins for Evans and her colleagues
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The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Today, millions of students across the country went back to school. Kids told their parents, “I’ll miss you so much!” and their parents were like, “And I’ll see you after school.” at Long Island’s Peconic Bay Police Department.
“Emergence” boasts an intriguing premise, but that isn’t all it has going for it. The show’s cast members have plenty of experience in television. In fact, this isn’t even Tolman’s first time playing a police officer. She gained widespread acclaim for her role as police officer Molly Solverson in FX’s “Fargo,” a reimagining of the famed 1996 Coen Brothers film of the same name. The breakout performance not only made her a star, but it also netted her Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, along with a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress. Tolman’s other television credits include “Downward Dog,” “The Mindy Project” and “Good Girls.”
While Tolman’s co-star Swinton may be young, her resume is enough to make most seasoned actors jealous. She’s appeared as Eva Rhoades in Showtime’s “Billions” since 2016 and has snagged roles in “Manifest” and “Saturday Night Live,” among other highprofile series.
The supporting cast of “Emergence” includes Donald Faison (“Scrubs”) as Evans’ ex-husband, Alex, who’s concerned about what’s happening in their sleepy little town. Reuters investigator Benny Gallagher (Owain Yeoman, “The Mentalist”) wants to get to the bottom of what’s going on as well. At the police department, Evans works alongside fellow officer Chris Minetto (Robert Bailey Jr., “The Night Shift”). She also relies on the support of her best friend, pediatrician Dr. Abby Frasier (Zabryna Guevara, “Gotham”). Meanwhile, her father, Ed (Clancy Brown, “Carnivàle”), keeps his sense of humor as he battles cancer.
The stellar cast is sure to draw viewers, and ABC has a proven track record with the mystery-thriller-drama genre before. The network’s “Lost” had TV viewers riveted with its story of plane crash survivors on a mysterious island when it premiered in 2004. A “Lost” alum could bring the magic back with a recurring role in “Emergence.” In August, news broke that Terry O’Quinn, who played John Locke in “Lost,” would appear as ruthless self-made billionaire Richard Kindred in “Emergence.”
New York City public schools are trying to be healthier this year, so they’re no longer serving salami or bologna sandwiches. Instead, they’re going with organic free-range pigeon.
Tomorrow is the official start of the NFL 2019 season. That’s right, for the next six months, 31 teams will battle for a chance to lose to the Patriots.
The third democratic presidential debate is in less than a week. This debate will be on ABC, which is nice because the winners will get a boost in the polls and the losers will get a spot on “Dancing with the Stars.”
Yellowstone’s Steamboat geyser had a record number of premature eruptions this year. Today, park rangers walked up to it and said, “Don’t worry, this happens to lots of geysers.”
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
President Trump didn’t just have wrong ideas about the hurricane, he also had some wrong ideas about what to do about hurricanes. During one White House briefing about the ongoing threat of hurricanes, Trump said, “I got it. I got it. Why don’t we nuke them?” So, the most powerful man in the world wants to nuke the wind.
Trump wants to nuke hurricanes, which is obviously crazy. And Marianne Williamson knows the only true defense against a hurricane is a giant coastal dreamcatcher.
Last night, CNN hosted a series of town halls on climate change, and they hyped it like it was the end of the world — which it is. Never a comforting sign when the leaders who believe in climate change look like they are fleeing the planet.
By Jessica Gosse TV Media
WHAT’S NEW ON NETFLIX: “Peaky Blinders” Season 5
The latest installment of the critically acclaimed BBC series “Peaky Blinders” premieres Friday, Oct. 4. Starring Cillian Murphy (“Inception,” 2010), this dark British series tells the story of a family of gangsters known as the “Peaky Blinders.” Murphy plays fierce gang leader Tommy Shelby, who returns from the trenches of the Great War to lead the family business and face opposing gangs. At the end of Season 4, Tommy stepped into politics in an effort to legitimize the family and expand their influence, but the Shelbys will never leave the gangster life behind. Season 5 continues to follow Tommy’s political career and kicks off on “Black Tuesday,” the day of the infamous Wall Street Crash on Oct. 29, 1929. The family is faced with dire financial circumstances, and the fallout fractures relationships and alliances. On top of their money problems, the Shelbys are forced to contend with the Billy Boys, a ruthless rival razor gang from Glasgow, Scotland, who want the Peaky Blinders’ turf. Aidan Gillen (“Game of Thrones”) also stars in this season of the world-class drama, and you won’t want to miss a minute of it.
“Big Mouth” Season 3
On Friday, Oct. 4, the Hormone Monster returns in Season 3 of this raunchy adult cartoon series. Created by Nick Kroll (“The League”), “Big Mouth” follows the students of Brighton Middle School as they go through puberty, and the show tackles uncomfortable topics, such hormones, depression and shame, in a hilarious way. Featuring the voices of comedians John Mulaney (“Saturday Night Live”), Maya Rudolph (“The Good Place”) and Jordan Peele (“Key and Peele”), this series is worth catching up on before the Season 3 premiere.
“Raising Dion”
This newest Netflix comic book adaptation premieres Friday, Oct.
3. Based on the comic of the same name by Dennis Liu, “Raising Dion” focuses on widow Nicole Warren (Alisha Wainwright, “Shadowhunters”) as she raises her 8-year-old son, Dion (Ja’Siah Young), in the wake of the death of her husband, Mark (Michael B. Jordan, “Creed II,” 2018). Being a single mom is hard enough, but when Dion starts to exhibit several superhuman abilities, Nicole must protect him from those who would exploit his gifts while she tries to figure out where the gifts came from. With the help of Pat (Jason Ritter, “Another Period”), Mark’s best friend, Nicole tries to balance life as they all cope with the loss of a husband, father and friend, and keep Dion’s new abilities under control.
WHAT’S
NEW ON PRIME:
“Goliath” Season 3
The wait is finally over! After more than a yearlong break between seasons, fans of this original series can rejoice as Season 3 premieres Friday, Oct. 4. The show follows Billy McBride (Billy Bob Thornton, “Fargo”), a Los Angeles defense attorney, as he seeks out personal and professional justice. In Season 2, we saw Billy get further involved with councillor Marisol Silva (Ana de la Reguera, “Power”) from East Los Angeles and the La Mano cartel, ending with the latter sending a
Lynn Gorney, “Empathy, Inc.,” 2018) and starts training with her for the club’s dance competition, Tony’s life changes, and he begins to see how many opportunities lie before him.
“Get Shorty” (1995) very clear message via a shocking amputation. Don’t miss the drama as Billy takes on the La Mano cartel in Season 3.
“Saturday Night Fever” (1977)
Take a trip back to the ‘70’s on Monday, Sept. 30, when Amazon Prime adds this classic film to its lineup. John Travolta (“The Fanatic,” 2019) stars as 19-yearold Tony Manero, who lives an unexciting life in Brooklyn, fights constantly with his father and works a dead-end job at a paint store. Saturday nights are his only reprieve from the grind — he escapes his mundane life at the local disco, where his impressive dance moves make him king of the club. When he meets Stephanie (Karen
On Monday, Sept. 30, Prime adds yet another John Travolta classic to its lineup. Also starring Gene Hackman (“Behind Enemy Lines,” 2001), Rene Russo (“Avengers: Endgame,” 2019) and Danny Devito (“It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia”), “Get Shorty” follows Chili Palmer (Travolta), a mobster from Miami, as he travels to Vegas to collect a bad debt. In Vegas, he’s recruited by a pitboss to track down Harry Zimm (Hackman), an even bigger deadbeat and Hollywood producer. When he gets to Hollywood and finds Zimm, Chili also meets leading lady Karen Flores (Russo) and her movie star ex-boyfriend, Martin Weir, a.k.a. “Shorty” (Devito). The gangster realizes his skills as a Mafioso transfer perfectly to a career in the movie business.
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU:
“American Dad!” Season 13
The absurd adventures of the Smith family continue on Monday, Sept. 30, when Season 13 of this animated adult comedy series premieres on Hulu. Coming from the mind of Seth MacFarlane (“Family Guy”), “American Dad!” follows the life of CIA agent Stan Smith as he tries to keep America safe from terrorists while balancing life with his anything-but-typical family in the most ridiculous way possible. With his ditzy housewife, Francine, his horribly awkward teenage son, Steve, and his liberal activist daughter, Hayley, the family may not seem extraordinary ... until you add in Roger, an alien who has escaped from Area 51 and lives in the attic, and Klaus, their pet goldfish with the brain of a German Olympic skier. Don’t miss the antics of this crazy family when Season 13 lands on Hulu this week.
