Sumter Scene: May 13, 2023

Kim Dickens discusses life with Madison as ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ returns for final season

BY JAY BOBBIN

Ask Kim Dickens how she feels about parting company with her character Madison Clark as the AMC zombie drama “Fear the Walking Dead” enters its eighth and final season and her answer is unequivocal.

“Well, now you’re going to make me cry,” the actress says. “It is. It’s a completely emotional experience saying goodbye to the character and to the show. I mean, it’s truly an end of an era for us. ... So it is a big deal to leave that family and say goodbye. Of course, you hope and you pretty much expect to cross paths with everybody and stay in touch and you usually do. But you’ve got to let go.”

The new season gets going Sunday, May 14, on AMC and AMC+ and picks up at the conclusion of Season 7, when Morgan’s (Lennie James) and Madison’s hopes for rescuing Morgan’s daughter Mo from

Padre didn’t go as planned. Now, they and the others they brought to the island are living under Padre’s cynical rule and the task of reigniting belief in a better world rides with the person Morgan and Madison tried to rescue, Mo.

In addition to James and Dickens, much of the the rest of the cast from Season 7 return, including Colman Domingo as Victor Strand, Danay Garcia as Luciana Galvez, Karen David as Grace Mukherjee, Jenna Elfman as June Dorie and Ruben Blades as Danny Salazar.

As for her character, Dickens hints that viewers may see a new, dark side of Madison Clark in Season 8 that she says was fun to explore.

“It’s a Madison that we have never seen before,” she says, “a Madison that I have never played before. So for me that was exciting and it offers us certainly a

new place to start from and then the real challenge is where to move from there.”

For Dickens, “Fear the Walking Dead” represents the highlight of her career and the longest she’s been in a role in a career that includes a three-season stint on “Deadwood” and four seasons on “Treme.” She’s really gone through the wringer with Madison, who was killed off in Season 4 and brought back in Season 7, so she looks at the turbulence she experienced with the character as a growth experience for which she is grateful.

“I felt like my whole career and everything leading to my career had led me to that role,” she explains. “I do. I just think like it was just a moment that I was supposed to be in and I was so proud and honored to get to play the part. So going on that journey, there was a lot of growth for me.”

‘Kingsman’ plays successfully with the spy genre

Ali Stroker helps give Shakespeare’s ‘Richard III’ fresh energy

CBS’ ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ bids farewell with a two-part finale

Horoscopes Horoscopes

The luckiest signs this week:

ARIES, TAURUS AND GEMINI

ARIES

Despite mounting fatigue and poor health, you won’t let yourself be bogged down. You’ll do what it takes to feel energized and pull yourself out of the funk that’s been slowing you down.

TAURUS

A friend may betray your trust. You’ll get rid of freeloading and energy-sucking friends. This will allow you to spend more time with the people you love.

GEMINI

You’ll plan a critical project. You’ll also demonstrate your talents and skills in front of many people, putting you in an excellent position to get promoted.

CANCER

You’ll be overwhelmed with a desire to travel. You’ll quickly contact a travel agency to ensure you have the perfect summer holiday. You may also sign up for a training course.

LEO

All your attention will be focused on specific emotions. You feel a great need for change. New clothes or a new hairstyle could be just what the doctor ordered.

VIRGO

Your happiness will fluctuate. Make a point of getting together with the people you love to raise your spirits. You’ll have fun at work this week.

LIBRA

You’ll have a lot to do when you go back to work. You’ll take an organized and methodical approach to check off several tasks weighing you down. Don’t procrastinate.

SCORPIO

You’ll do something outside your comfort zone. You could also accomplish a brilliant feat and outdo yourself in the process. You’ll undoubtedly feel proud of yourself.

SAGITTARIUS

You don’t have to look far to find happiness: home and family matter most. Don’t hesitate to gather your loved ones around the table, if only to celebrate the arrival of good weather.

CAPRICORN

You can’t keep living like this; change is needed. You may find the financial means to embark on a new adventure, such as buying a house or starting a business.

AQUARIUS

Getting a bit of exercise will ease your worries. If you’re in a new relationship, you’ll feel a strong need for affection and commitment. However, you may feel worried about losing your freedom.

PISCES

You must act now to be successful. You know how to make your dreams come true. If you’re moving this summer, you might want to start packing a few boxes, so you don’t stress out at the last minute. K-3

New Streaming Movies & Shows

“The Tailor”

From Turkey comes this drama series that tells the story of Peyami (Çagatay Ulusoy), a famous Istanbul tailor making a wedding dress best friend’s fiance — but all three have dark secrets that will soon upend their lives. Sifanur Gul, Salih Bademci and Olgun Simsek also star. (ORIGINAL)

“Movie: Point Break”

“Movie: Ford v Ferrari”

“Love Village”

From Japan comes this unscripted dating series in which singles age 35 and over and of disparate backgrounds relocate to a house in the mountains to see if love may take root in a tranquil and idyllic setting away from the realities of the world.

(ORIGINAL)

Young FBI recruit Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey) goes under cover to infiltrate a gang of extreme athletes — including surfer and eco-warrior Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez) — who performs daredevil heists in this 2015 makeover of a 1991 action movie blockbuster that featured iconic performances by Patrick Swayze (as Bodhi) and Keanu Reeves (as Johnny).

James Mangold’s 2019 sports drama emerged as one of that year’s winners from every perspective, earning big bucks at the global box office, cheers from critics and multiple accolades, including an Oscar nomination for best picture and wins in two editing categories. Matt Damon and Christian Bale head the cast as, respectively, automotive designer Carroll Shelby and British driver Ken Miles, leaders of an American team determined to build a new racing car that can break the Ferrari winning streak at Le Mans. Jon Bernthal also stars.

“Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me”

From director Ursula Macfarlane (“Untouchable”) comes this documentary that offers a candid examination of the life, death and secrets of Anna Nicole Smith, the model and actress born Vickie Lynn Hogan, using never-beforeseen footage, home movies and interviews with key figures who have not spoken out until now. (ORIGINAL)

“XO, Kitty”

Anna Cathcart reunites with “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” creator Jenny Han for this comedy series in which she stars as teenage Kitty, the youngest of the Covey sisters, who embarks on a quest to find true love. Choi Min-yeong, Anthony Keyvan and Sang Heon Lee also star.

(ORIGINAL)

“Movie:

White Men Can’t Jump”

This modern remix of the iconic 1992 comedy follows the adventures of two polaropposite Los Angeles street ballers: Jeremy (rapper Jack Harlow in his feature film debut), a former star of the game whose injuries stalled his career; and Kamal (Sinqua Walls, “American Soul”), once a promising player who derailed his own future in the sport. (ORIGINAL)

Q&A with Amanda Peet

“Movie: Sophie’s Choice”

Meryl Streep stars as a young Polish refugee with a mysterious past as a concentration camp prisoner. Alan J. Pakula wrote and directed this 1982 film, set in postwar New York and based on the novel by William Styron. Streep won an Oscar and the New York Film Critics Circle award for her performance as Sophie. Kevin Kline and Peter MacNicol also star.

Q: In the series version of “Fatal Attraction,” it’s incumbent on you and Joshua Jackson to portray a marriage that infidelity could disrupt deeply. Did you know his work previously?

A: I had tried to work with Josh many times. The two of us had tried to do a romantic comedy, and wouldn’t you know this is this thing where we finally got to work together? I think he’s brilliant, so I was really excited to do this with him.

I also knew his stage work. I think he’s been underrated because he’s done so nicely for himself, but I definitely feel like he’s a force acting-wise.

“Movie: Ticket to Paradise”

George Clooney and Julia Roberts bring their considerable onscreen charisma to this otherwise lightweight 2022 romantic comedy in which they star as David and Georgia Cotton, a bickering divorced couple who travel to Bali to keep their soon-to-wed daughter Lily (Kaitlyn Dever, “Dopesick”) from making the same mistake they made 25 years earlier. Billie Lourd (“American Horror Story”) also stars.

“Movie: I Melt With You”

The past becomes the present for several pals from college — played by Thomas Jane (”Hung”), Rob Lowe, Jeremy Piven (“Entourage”) and Christian McKay — in this 2011 drama. During their annual get-together, they dredge up an agreement they made in their younger days, and their effort to fulfill it takes surprising and unfortunate turns. Co-stars include Carla Gugino, Arielle Kebbel, Melora Hardin (“The Office”) and Sasha Grey.

Word Search

“Movie: Crazy Love”

Dan Klores (“Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story”) co-directed (with Fisher Stevens) and wrote this 2007 documentary that examines the case of Burt Pugach, a married New York lawyer whose obsession with muchyounger Linda Riss eventually led to a horrific act for which he spent 14 years in prison.

“Primo”

Shea Serrano (“Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America”) created this coming-of-age comedy inspired by his own life growing up in San Antonio, Texas, that follows 16-yearold Rafa as he navigates life with a clever mom and five overbearing uncles as well as the confluence of three major life events — graduating high school, first love and the prospect of college. Ignacio Diaz-Silverio and Johnny Rey Diaz star. (ORIGINAL)

“FUBAR: Season 1” (Netflix - series premiere, May 25)

Arnold Schwarzenegger is an executive producer and star of this original action comedy about Luke Brunner, a CIA operative on the verge of retirement who discovers a family secret and is forced to go back into the field for one last job. Monica Barbaro, Adam Pally, Milan Carter, Aparna Brielle and Fabiana Udenio are also in the cast.

Coming Soon

Based on the graphic novel by Gene Luen Yang, this original action comedy tells the story of Jin Wang, an average teen juggling his high school and home lives, who meets a new foreign student on the first day of the school year and becomes unwittingly entangled in a battle of Chinese mythological gods. Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), Ben Wang (“Chang Can Dunk”) and Yeo Yann Yann (“Wet Season”) head the cast.

Samuel L. Jackson’s Top 10 Movies

BY JAY BOBBIN

“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” (2017): Jackson is at his profane and amusing best as said hitman, guarded by a natural enemy (Ryan Reynolds) en route to testifying against a foreign dictator.

“Lakeview Terrace” (2008): The bad-cop notion gets an impressive spin from Jackson, playing a policeman who relentlessly targets the new couple next door (Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington).

“Snakes on a Plane” (2006): Simply as the star vehicle it is, this self-explanatory thriller in the skies should remain one of Jackson’s best-remembered films.

“Changing Lanes” (2002): In this underrated drama, Jackson is superb as a troubled man taking revenge on the fellow motorist (Ben Affleck) who caused him to miss a crucial court date.

‘Kingsman’ plays successfully with the spy genre

BY JAY BOBBIN

“Spy Kids” or “Agent Cody Banks,” it’s not –but that’s not necessarily a bad thing in the case of “Kingsman: The Secret Service.”

Whenever moviemakers tackle the idea of a younger James Bond, the result usually is too child-targeted for its own good. Leave it to director Matthew Vaughn to change up that concept, though, as he did with young superheroes in his two “Kick-Ass” films.

His franchise-launching 2014 release “Kingsman: The Secret Service” – which HBO shows Sunday, May 14, and which prompted both a sequel and a prequel – keeps many of the Bond trappings while aiming for audiences of all ages. Vaughn (who also guided, before the actor’s James Bond tenure, Daniel Craig in “Layer Cake”) really ramps up the violence in the home stretch; to those familiar with Vaughn’s work, though, that shouldn’t be a shock.

Inspired by a comic book, the original “Kingsman” casts Taron Egerton (later acclaimed for his portrayal of Elton John in “Rocketman”) as Eggsy ... only a nickname, luckily for him). He’s a young ruffian chosen to succeed his late father in the service of Her Majesty the Queen. As the newcomer’s bosses, Colin Firth and Michael Caine add acting heft, yet a fun spirit at the same time.

So does Samuel L. Jackson as the piece’s villain, a fabulously wealthy man who wants to launch a high-tech scheme to turn much of the world homicidal and rule those who remain. It’s a Bond-worthy plot, and it’s also tantalizing to think what an actual 007 adventure would be like with much of this cast.

Add clever gadgets and lethal cohorts (including Jackson’s henchwoman, whose legs essentially are swords), and Bond fans will feel right at home with “Kingsman.” It would be the perfect vehicle to introduce younger viewers to that world, if not for that major spurt of mayhem toward the end – perfectly in keeping with Vaughn’s modus operandi, but not necessarily that of the parents of pre-teen viewers.

One neat touch is how getting to know Egerton here parallels how the public got to know Sean Connery as Bond in “Dr. No.” He seemed to become more refined as that picture went along, and the same applies here, as the initially rougharound-the-edges novice spy settles into his new career.

To go with British colloquialism, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” is bloody good fun. And you can take that phrase in any sense you want, and it still will be accurate.

“Shaft” (2000): Even if it didn’t erase memories of the 1971 original, this private-eye update required an actor of consummate coolness to take over the title slot from Richard Roundtree – and Jackson was that actor.

“The Negotiator” (1998): Jackson keeps things tense as a Chicago policeman who takes hostages while trying to clear himself of murder.

“Jackie Brown” (1997): The title stewardess is caught between an arms dealer (Jackson) and the law in writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s gritty drama.

“One Eight Seven” (1997): A powerful Jackson plays an inner-city teacher who takes on tough students.

“A Time to Kill” (1996): Jackson is sterling as a man on trial for avenging his daughter’s assault.

“Pulp Fiction” (1994): Among the all-time-great screen teams, count Jackson and John Travolta as hit men who wax philosophical when not claiming victims in Tarantino’s classic.

Food Network celebrates Mother’s Day with recipes for Mom and the family

BY GEORGE DICKIE

As she’s being served breakfast in bed this Sunday, Mom will have a full morning’s worth of Mother’s Day-related culinary programming to take in on Food Network.

The May 14 lineup kicks off bright and early with “Girl Meets Farm,” which finds host Molly Yeh celebrating Mother’s Day with a tea party and a menu of rose cupcake cones, savory hot dog flower buns, ham and cheese sandwiches on sour cream and chive scones and fairy toast with marzipan butter ›and homemade sprinkles.

Then on “Valerie’s Home Cooking,” Ms. Bertinelli practices a little self-care for Mother’s Day by inviting over friend and actress Angela Kinsey (“The Office”) for a decadent meal of roasted cod with cashew coconut lime topping, tangy quick collards and a tomato and cucumber salad with cumin vinaigrette. And for dessert, she serves up a citrus

upside-down cake. We’re still waiting for our invitation.

A little later on “The Pioneer Woman,” Ree Drummond is enjoying a little pampering. While she’s out for the afternoon, the boys are in the kitchen preparing filet steaks with shrimp peppercorn sauce, along with ranch-style oven potatoes and roasted asparagus. But she’s not out of the kitchen entirely as she makes an Italian chick-en soup and some homemade cherry pie. Yum!

Then immediately following, Drummond is back to share some ideas for a special lunch just for Mom. In this case, it starts with grilled chicken lettuce wraps with Italian-style filling, accompanied by a colorful grain salad. For dessert, she makes dark chocolate espresso sundaes, washed down with blood orange and basil wine spritzers.

At midday, Kardea Brown hosts a Mother’s Day lunch for some childhood best friends on “Delicious Miss Brown.”

On the menu is a scalloped potato-stuffed chicken with a sugar snap pea Salad with roasted grapes. Then for dessert, there is a lemon meringue pie with shortbread cookie crust, tart lemon filling and pillowy meringue. And let’s not forget the strawberry rose daiquiri, a frozen cocktail made from sparkling rose, rum and strawberries.

And in the afternoon, head to “The Kitchen,” where the chefs are celebrating their mothers with recipes in-spired by them. So for Geoffrey Zakarian, that means making savory lamb sliders with a rose elderflower san-gria. Meanwhile, Jeff Mauro prepares a shrimp and pea pasta, Alex Guarnaschelli skews up her fresh griddled flatbread and Katie Lee Biegel shares her grandmother’s award-winning angel food cake recipe.

CBS’ ‘NCIS: Los Angeles’ bids farewell with a two-part finale

BY JAY BOBBIN

News of its cancellation this past January surely shocked and saddened fans of “NCIS: Los Angeles.” But they’ll be heartened to know the longrunning CBS military drama will be getting a proper send-off with a two-part finale and retrospective.

Airing consecutive Sundays

May 14 and 21, the finale titled “New Beginnings” picks up with the ATF seeking the NCIS team’s help in investigating stolen military-grade weapons and locating a missing agent. Also, Rountree’s (Caleb Castille) sister interviews for medical school and Sam (LL Cool J) encourages his father to take part in a drug trial.

And Callen and Anna (Chris O’Donnell, Bar Paly) will be putting the finishing touches on their wedding, though all indications are that it will be anything but smooth sailing.

Immediately following the May 21 closer will be

“A Salute for NCIS: Los Angeles,” an hourlong special hosted by Kevin Frazier that features features footage, behind-the-scenes memories and interviews with cast including O’Donnell, Paly, Castille, LL Cool J, Daniela Ruah, Eric Christian Olsen and Medalion Rahimi.

Bringing a series to a close after 14 seasons and 322 episodes posed a formidable challenge for showrunner and executive producer R. Scott Gemmill, who wanted to not only satisfy longtime viewers but

also do justice to the individual characters, chief among them O’Donnell’s G. Callen and his impending nuptials.

“We sort of put Callen on that path in previous seasons,” Gemmill explains, “and once we found out that we were going to be wrapping up, it seemed like a natural progression for his character, I think, in the sense that he always played this sort of lone wolf ... but wasn’t one really to commit to even his own stable sort of lifestyle. And I think by having him take this leap and make a commitment to the Anna character, it sort of shows him moving into a next stage of his life and sort of coming to terms with who he is and what he wants for the future.”

As for other storyline threads, Gemmill indicates there will be a few surprise guest appearances though he didn’t get into specifics other than to say they will help bring closure and put characters on a hopeful path. After 14 seasons, the cast and crew have become like family to him and he hopes there will be other collaborations.

“You know the old saying ‘Don’t be sad that it’s over; be happy that it happened in the first place,’?” he says. “That’s what we’re trying to focus on. And over 14 years, you forge many, many friendships ... . So I’m sure a lot of us will cross paths and we all want to work together again – Chris and Todd (LL Cool J) and Eric (Olsen) and Danny (Ruah) and I. So I’m sure we will find ways.”

Ali Stroker helps give Shakespeare’s

‘Richard III’ fresh energy

BY JAY BOBBIN

A very inclusive rendering of “Richard III” offers a unique “winter of our discontent.”

Being televised on PBS’ “Great Performances” Friday, May 19 (check local listings), the “Shakespeare in the Park” production – taped last summer in New York’s Central Park – casts female Danai Gurira (“Black Panther”) in the male title role and “Oklahoma!” Tony honoree Ali Stroker, who uses a wheelchair, as power-hungry monarch Richard’s put-upon wife Lady Anne. Sharon Washington, who was Lady Anne in a three-de-cades-earlier staging, appears as Queen Margaret.

“It was a very special opportunity,” the pleasant Stroker recalls. “It was always on my bucket list to do Shakespeare. It was funny, because I’d kind of started working on Shakespeare in a class and with my husband during the pandemic, when we had so much time.

View from the Couch

Then, this came along and I thought, ‘Wow! This is perfect timing.”’ Richard is so cunning ... ‘evil,’ some people might label him. Casting Richard with a woman added really cool layers, and Danai is just fabu-lous. We had a great time. It was a blast every night.”

It also was a challenge, Stroker admits, since she was expecting her first child at the time. “To do a show while you’re pregnant is really special,” she reflects, “because it’s like you’re doing it with your baby.”

Though she might not be in that condition if she tackled any more works by the Bard, Stroker would like to have such acting chances: “It’s its own genre. I love musical theater, which is so heightened, and it’s the same way with Shakespeare. The language is so different from what we’re used to.”

“ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA”

In this entertaining adventure that’s one of the latest additions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly reprise the title roles and are pulled into the socalled Quantum Realm, where the population wants assistance in the uprising against the ruler they oppose. That’s the basic plot, but it’s embellished

BY JAY BOBBIN

with many unusual creatures and strange encounters – all Marvel-style, of course. Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, David Dastmalchian and Corey Stoll also return from earlier chapters in the franchise, with Kathryn Newton, Jonathan Majors (“Creed III”), Katy O’Brian, William Jackson Harper and Bill Murray also in the cast. And it’s worth sticking through the end credits for some surprise appearances. DVD extras: two “making-of” documentaries; audio commentary by director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness; deleted scenes; outtakes. ›› (PG-13: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, Digital and On Demand)

“MOVING ON”

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin have had a strong connection dating back to “9 to 5” and continuing in the series “Grace and Frankie” – and it extends to this movie comedy, in which they play ex-friends who reconnect at the funeral of a mutual acquaintance. They aren’t completely grief-stricken, though, since they cook up a revenge scheme against the late

person’s widower ... someone they have a serious grudge against. Malcolm McDowell, Richard Roundtree and Catherine Dent (“The Shield”! also are in writer-director Paul Weitz’s (“About a Boy”) cast. DVD extra: photo gallery. ››› (R: AS, P) (Also on Blu-ray, Digital and On Demand)

“EVERYTHING WENT FINE”

Known to James Bond devotees as Elektra King in “The World Is Not Enough,” Sophie Marceau –also celebrated for “Braveheart” and a resume of films made in her French homeland – digs deep for this drama about relatives challenged to repair their connection under duress. After her character’s father (Andre Dussollier) suffers a stroke, he summons his estranged daughter (Marceau) to help him keep his dignity, though what he wants from her is something she has big questions about being able to fulfill. Based on Emmanuele Bernheim’s memoir and shown as a Cannes Film Festival offering, director Francois Ozon’s

film also features veteran actress Charlotte Rampling as the man’s former wife, (Not rated: AS, P)

“A PRESIDENT SPEAKS”

The referenced chief executive’s words certainly had impact in the case of the White House tenure of Barack Obama, whose April 2014 speech to the National Action Network is captured in this documentary. Delivered in New York, his words – which ring as true as ever a decade later – are related to the theme of opportunity for all Americans, with such topics as education, voting and civil rights factored into his speech. The event came roughly halfway through his second and final presidential term. (Not rated)

“THE LONGEST YARD”

Directed by macho-movie specialist Robert Aldrich, one of Burt Reynolds’ most popular films makes its 4K Ultra HD debut. The star plays a former pro football quarterback who lands in prison after an altercation with his girlfriend, and the warden (Eddie Albert)

takes advantage of his new “guest” by setting up a game between inmates and guards. Reynolds’ character dubs the fellow prisoners he coaches “The Mean Machine” (which was the picture’s title in many overseas markets) ... and viewers seeking bone-crunching action will not be disappointed. The 1974 release’s cast also includes Ed Lauter, Michael Conrad (“Hill Street Blues”), longtime Reynolds pal James Hampton, Bernadette Peters and Richard Kiel (who later was “Jaws” to Roger Moore’s James Bond). ››› (R: AS, P, V)