Sumter Scene: May 24- May 31, 2024

Quiz With Balls,” a family trivia quiz show hosted by actor and comedian Jay Pharoah (“Saturday Night Live”), premieres Tuesday, May 28, on Fox.

“The Quiz With Balls” comes from the mind of Dutch media mogul John de Mol, creator of reality competition mega hits “The Voice,” “Big Brother” and “Deal or No Deal.” “The Quiz With Balls” quickly became a hit when it aired in the Netherlands last summer, prompting interest in international versions of the game show.

In this high-stakes competition, two families face off against each other for a whopping $100,000 grand prize won by correctly answering multiple choice trivia questions. Family members stand on the edge of a platform above a pool, each taking turns answering questions. Once they lock in their best guess, a ball begins rolling out from their chosen answer, to-

rolling down its collision course, sending the unlucky player flying off the platform into the pool below, out of the game. Questions become more challenging as the game goes on, and the family teams bank money for each correct answer. The last contestant left standing high up and dry from the winning team is invited to play the final round for a chance to win the grand prize.

The series’ host, Pharoah, is known for his spot-on impressions from his 2010 to 2016 run as a cast member of NBC’s long-running sketch comedy staple “Saturday Night Live.” After his SNL tenure, Pharoah led the Showtime sitcom “White Famous,” appeared in the 2020 comedy horror film “Bad Hair,” and starred in Netflix’s 2021 romantic comedy, “Resort to Love.”

Showrunner Anthony Carbone, meanwhile, makes the leap

Floor” at Fox alongside Mol and “Floor Is Lava” for Netflix.

“The Quiz With Balls” joins “Beat Shazam” in Fox’s Tuesday night line-up, with the latter premiering its seventh season before the new game show’s series premiere. Host Jamie Foxx (“The Burial,” 2023) returns to “Beat Shazam” after taking a season off to recover from a medical emergency.

Fox has filled its summer schedule with returning reality competition and game shows, with two series led by one infamously hot-headed British chef returning the day after “The Quiz With Balls” premieres. “Masterchef” is back with a season pitting members of four generations against each other before “Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars” premieres its second season with new co-host Lisa Vanderpump (“Vanderpump Rules”). “Don’t Forget the Lyrics,” “I Can See Your Voice” and “Name That Tune” are all airing new seasons this summer.

Horoscopes

The luckiest signs this week:

PISCES, ARIES AND TAURUS

ARIES

Inspiration will strike, and you’ll feel a sudden burst of creativity, compelling you to reimagine the decor in your home and undertake some significant renovations. Fortunately, your friends will offer a helping hand, strengthening your friendships.

TAURUS

It’s time to start planning your summer vacation. Start saving for a spiritual getaway that will boost your mood. Get ready for a delightful and joyous experience.

GEMINI

You may feel overwhelmed by your emotions over the next few days, but you’ll manage to keep a smile on your face. Your contagious mood and ability to have fun with colleagues will create a relaxed office atmosphere.

CANCER

You will be in an excellent position to finalize a crucial negotiation. Your strategic prowess will allow you and your colleagues to make advantageous gains.

LEO

A colleague will suddenly be absent, entrusting you with their tasks in addition to your own. Although this may cause a slight delay, it could lead to a promotion. You’ll be rewarded for your hard work.

VIRGO

Your achievements will be recognized, filling you with great pride. Your partner will listen to your desires, and you’ll plan outstanding projects to undertake together. Get ready to stand out in one way or another.

LIBRA

You’ll devote time to young children, which will sometimes require a great deal of patience. Helping and playing with them will bring pleasant surprises, and their quick-witted reactions will amaze you.

SCORPIO

Be vigilant at work to avoid redoing tasks due to poor communication. Double-check instructions to avoid misunderstandings with customers or senior management.

SAGITTARIUS

After assessing your finances, you’ll realize you have the resources to pursue a project close to your heart. You must have serious, open conversations with your significant other to re-establish harmony.

CAPRICORN

Your spirit of initiative will be amplified. Before making decisions involving other people, take the time to check with them about how to approach negotiations. A significant pay raise awaits you.

AQUARIUS

A new approach, whether a diet or treatment, could improve your quality of life and allow you to realize one of your biggest dreams. You’ll experience decreased energy, reminding you of the importance of caring for yourself.

PISCES

You’ll have trouble striking the right balance between married life and your social life. You may need to compromise and readjust how much you work and play. People will constantly surround you, both at work and elsewhere.

New Streaming Movies & Shows

“For

Love & For Life: No Ordinary Campaign” (May 28)

This emotionally gripping documentary illustrates the power of love and determination in the face of adversity. The film follows the life of Brian Wallach and his wife Sandra, in the aftermath of his ALS diagnosis at age 37. Exemplifying bravery, inspiration and hope, Brian and Sandra continue to fight against a broken system for their own future, while seeking to build a brighter one for countless others.

Word Search

A decade after embarking on her journey from a rural farming town to pursue her dreams in Nashville, Tennessee, country music sensation Lainey Wilson achieved a remarkable milestone with her first platinum-certified song. This special promises an intimate look into her life and features exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses from her debut headline shows, candid interviews with Wilson and her loved ones, and much more.

“Lainey Wilson: Bell Bottom Country” (May 29)

Where all the top choices can be found in one place!

“Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult” (May 29)

This documentary investigates a group of prominent TikTok dancers who are trapped in a cult masquerading as a management company called 7M. Among them is Miranda Wilking, whose family is desperately trying to get their daughter out. As other dancers and former members escape and work to rebuild their lives, it isn’t until they come together to try and put a stop to the cycle of their abuser that the real healing begins.

“Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted”Seasons 4, New Episodes (May 28)

In this National Geographic series, chef Gordon Ramsay journeys to some of the most incredible and remote locations on Earth in search of culinary inspiration, epic adventures and cultural experiences he will never forget.

BY JAY BOBBIN

Q: With “Young Sheldon” over, what will Iain Armitage do next?

A: The young actor – who turns 16 in July, and has posted on social media that he’ll be getting his pilot’s license – didn’t have definite professional plans at the time this was written, though having had a weekly series commitment for the past seven years (minus l actors’ strike), we suspect that something of a more regular school schedule might be in his immediate future. Of course, there was tutoring on the set of his just-ended CBS series, but it’s not the same going-to-class situation that most youngsters experience.

Armitage has built such an identity with viewers as the youthful incarnation of brainy Sheldon Cooper, also of “The Big Bang Theory” fame, it’ll be interesting to see what sort of role he tackles next and how soon. When identification with one character is that strong, the given performer sometimes waits a while before trying something else, so the audience has a chance to recalibrate and accept the actor as someone else.

10. Barbie’s boyfriend 13. Actress Agudong of Netflix’s “Resident Evil” 16. 56, in old Rome 18. “The Science Guy” 21. David Lynch TV series 22. “The Longest ___” 23. “Monty Python” opener 24. Tyro, briefly 26. Nintendo’s Super ___ 30. Classes taken to boost one’s grade point average 31. High, close-fitting collar, for short 32. ___ Aires 33. Singer Winehouse 35. IT VIP in a co. 36. “Fancy seeing you here!” 39. Philosoraptor, for one 40. Stephen of “Barry” 41. 44-Down problem 42. “Is that _ __?” 43. Cain’s land 44. It may have bonus features

Best journalism MOVIES

BY JAY BOBBIN

“His Girl Friday” (1940): “The Front Page” has gotten several screen workouts, several of which will be shown by Turner Classic Movies from Wednesday, May 29, into early Thursday, May 30 – including this one, arguably the most successful version.

The Howard Hawks-directed comedy revolves around the love triangle of an editor (Cary Grant), his reporter ex-wife (Rosalind Russell) and her fiance (Ralph Bellamy).

“Citizen Kane” (1941): The enigma of “Rosebud” is just one of many classic elements of Orson Welles’ saga of a tyrannical publisher, rightfully one of the most acclaimed attractions in movie history.

“All the President’s Men” (1976): The Oscar-winning dramatization of Bob Woodward (Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein’s (Dustin Hoffman) probe of the Watergate break-in remains every bit as compelling as when the film first was seen almost 50 years ago ... when it was in close proximity to the real events it depicts.

“Network” (1976): It’s amazing how Paddy Chayefsky predicted much of the media’s future in his then-satirical script about news anchor Howard Beale (Peter Finch) and his crusade to make the viewing public “mad as hell” about the world around them. Faye Dunaway, who won an Oscar here as did Finch and Chayefsky, and William Holden also do brilliant work.

“Absence of Malice” (1981): An innocent man (Paul Newman) craftily turns the tables on those who have targeted him for investigation, including an ambitious reporter (Sally Field) and a brigade of local politicians, in director Sydney Pollack’s excellent drama.

“Broadcast News” (1987): Writer-director James L. Brooks added smart humor to then-timely aspects of the TV-news business, as well as a compelling romantic triangle involving William Hurt, Holly Hunter and Albert Brooks. Susan Zirinsky, who was a technical adviser to Brooks (and the model for Hunter’s character), later became the president of CBS News.

“The Insider” (1999): Michael Mann’s great, somewhat underrated drama boasts top-notch performances by Russell Crowe as a tobacco-industry whistleblower and Al Pacino as “60 Minutes” producing veteran Lowell Bergman, who fought to bring the man’s story to public attention.

“Good Night, and Good Luck.” (2005): George Clooney, both the director and a co-star here, very effectively revisits the battle between newsman Edward R. Murrow (played by David Strathairn, who conveys Murrow’s famous bowed-head image perfectly) and communist-seeking politician Joseph McCarthy.

“Spotlight” (2015): Oscar’s best picture for its year, this true drama of a Boston investigative-journalism unit’s fact-finding on the sex abuse committed by a shocking number of priests offers a superb cast led by Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Brian d’Arcy James and John Slattery.

‘Batman v Superman’: Not much fun in the fight

BY JAY BOBBIN

Once upon a time, Batman and Superman used to be fun ... in the way that many of the Marvel characters have been in their movies.

The DC Comics universe definitely began going for the darker side in its screen ventures. Rarely is that more evident than in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” which doesn’t exactly put the heroes in league with each other.

That’s much of the problem with the film, which HBO shows Monday, May 27. Though there was a long and anticipation-packed wait for it, the movie frequently seems like a really long tease for others that would come later in the franchise. Here, we get Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne/Batman resenting Henry Cavill’s Superman for aftereffects of the climax of “Man of Steel,” which also was directed by this film’s Zack Snyder. That’s principally where the title’s “v” comes into play.

Even politicians are on the case of Krypton’s favorite son, including the one played by Holly Hunter. They’re concerned with what the immense power of Superman could mean destructively, rather than positively, for the world – and along with the familiar scheming of Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg, who’s ideal for the part), it’s enough to make a superhero reconsider saving humanity.

The same goes for Batman, though he’s working on a more localized level, his focus and abilities being more earthly. As one of many Caped Crusaders to inhabit the screen, Affleck has the brooding down perfectly, if indeed there must be this much brooding. And Cavill continues to fill his often-airborne suit admirably, both physically and in acting terms.

The freshest breath here is Wonder Woman, played by Gal Gadot, who later got her own movies (the first of those, in fact, was in production at the time this one was released). Amy Adams is back from “Man of Steel” as Lois Lane, and Jeremy Irons makes a terrific butler Alfred.

Of course, the special effects are up to par, as they must be in a saga of this nature. Particularly interesting is the envisioning of Metropolis and Gotham, legendary locales we never saw juxtaposed before this (at least not in this series of films). In the same way their respective icons have their differences, so do those cities, and making that point visually is very much to the credit of the picture’s artistic team.

However, for all that does have, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is sorely lacking one element: joy. And, in more ways than one, that’s a very serious flaw that not even a superhero can withstand.

Monster at large: Real fears come to life in ‘Eric’

BY DANA SIMPSON

Some know him as Sherlock Holmes, others know him as Doctor Stephen Strange, and based on the title of his next project, a fair few might assume that Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game,” 2014) now also stars as “Eric” — but it is far more complicated than that.

In “Eric,” Netflix’s new limited series, premiering Thursday, May 30, on the streamer, two-time Oscar nominee Cumberbatch stars as Vincent Anderson, a well-known puppeteer on the fictional children’s TV show “Good Day Sunshine.” Also a devoted father, Vincent uses one of his son’s creations — a monster named Eric — as his inspiration in a tireless crusade for justice.

As described by Netflix on its press website Tudum, “Eric” is a fantastical story rooted in very real terror. When Vincent’s nine-year-old son, Edgar (new talent Ivan Howe), goes missing while on his way to school one day, the puppeteer’s entire life is thrown into disrepair. Distressed and blaming himself for the tragic disappearance, Vincent finds hope in a drawing Edgar had once created of a large blue monster named Eric, who supposedly lives under Edgar’s bed. So lost in his grief and helplessness, it isn’t long before Vincent

View from the Couch

“BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE”

The reggae icon’s life at the peak of his career is dramatized in this involving biography, with Kingsley Ben-Adir (“Peaky Blinders”) cast as Marley, whose determination to make his own kind of music put him and others in jeopardy amidst political conflict in his native Jamaica. He was able to continue his professional triumphs from other regions internationally, but he was determined to return to his homeland … where he ultimately was pivotal to the One Love Peace Concert in 1978. Much of the script, co-written by Zach Baylin (who also worked with director Reinaldo Marcus Green on “King Richard”) and Terence Winter (“The Sopranos,” “Boardwalk Empire”),

It takes talent: Crews calls the shots in Season 19 of ‘AGT’

then Edgar will come home” (per Netflix).

And so begins Vincent’s obsessive tether to Eric.

“As Vincent’s progressively destructive behavior alienates his family, his work colleagues and the detectives trying to help him,” reads an article on Tudum, “it’s Eric, a delusion of necessity, who becomes his only ally in the pursuit to bring his son home.”

Highlighting a terrifying time in New York City’s history, “Eric” is set when the AIDS epidemic was reaching its peak, crime was still on the rise following a string of serial killers in the city during the 1970s and the disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz helped spawn the “Stranger Danger” movement many still reference today.

Although it has not explicitly been stated that the events in “Eric” are based on Patz’s real-life case, there certainly are similarities. Patz, a sixyear-old New Yorker, disappeared on the way to his SoHo neighborhood bus stop in 1979, never to be seen or heard from again. Despite this hardly being the first child abduction in the city, Patz’s vanishing worked as a catalyst for change, prompting discussions around citywide safety and ushering in new laws aimed at protecting the city’s youth from dangerous offenders.

As Patz was one of the first missing children to appear on a milk carton, his case saw national attention and remained in the public eye until its resolution nearly four decades later when, in 2017, former convenience store clerk Pedro Hernandez was convicted of murdering the child. Patz and other young victims like him are remembered each May 25 (the date Patz went missing) since 1983, when then-President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the day National Missing Children’s Day.

“Eric,” meanwhile, gives viewers an inside look at the trauma, grief and layers of hardship caused by such a tragic event.

“It is rooted in a lot of real-world issues,” Cumberbatch told The Hollywood Reporter, “looking at parenthood, looking at marriage, looking at mental health, looking at the AIDS pandemic, but also the ongoing crises of homophobia [and] of racism in institutions.”

BY JAY BOBBIN

has to do with Marley’s use of his personal experiences to create the album “Exodus.” Marley’s widow, Rita (portrayed here by “No Time to Die’s” Lashana Lynch), and children were among the producers of the picture; Brad Pitt served as one of its executive producers. James Norton appears as music impresario Chris Blackwell, who had much to do with Marley’s success. *** (PG-13: AS, P, V) (Also on DVD, 4K Ultra HD and Digital)

“THE BRICKLAYER”

Action-specialist director Renny Harlin (“Cliffhanger,” “Die Hard 2”) stays in that genre with this brawny adventure. Aaron Eckhart (“Olympus Has Fallen”) plays an ex-CIA agent who’s drawn back into the agency – very reluctantly – to find and stop those behind a wave of murders, with a vengeance-seeking former associate (Clifton Collins Jr.) possibly involved in the killings. Nina Dobrev (“The Vampire Diaries”) also stars as a junior operative who works with Eckhart’s character … and is given reason to wonder whether he has acted as a traitor by possibly brokering classified information to enemies. Tim Blake Nelson (“O Brother, Where Art Thou?”) also appears as the CIA’s top official in the melodrama, which was made principally in Greece and Bulgaria. (R: P, V) (Also on Blu-ray, Digital and On Demand)

“MASTERPIECE: MR. BATES VS. THE POST OFFICE”

Shown recently on the PBS anthology series, this four-part drama starring Toby Jones (“Tinker Tailor

BY CAROLINE COLLACUTT

Any age. Any talent. Any dream. Crowned “America’s most popular talent competition,” the jaw-dropping series “America’s Got Talent” returns for its 19th season, premiering Tuesday, May 28, on NBC.

Fans will be excited to see that the “Core Four” — Howie Mandel (“Deal or No Deal”), Simon Cowell (“The X Factor UK”), Heidi Klum (“Project Runway”) and Sofia Vergara (“Modern Family”) — are all returning to preside over this season’s contestants, and that the ever-cheerful Terry Crews (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) has returned to take his place as host at the show’s helm, steering the talent-heavy ship forward.

There’s plenty of talent aboard, too, as new singers, dancers, acrobats, impressionists, magicians and otherwise talented Americans take to the “AGT” stage, all performing in front of a live audience for their shot at performing in the live episodes later on and earning an opportunity to reach the $1 million prize at the end of it all.

Before they can win, however — and before they can even start the competition — all hopeful competitors must take part in the audition rounds, which will air between May and mid-August.

While speaking with People magazine, Cowell made note of

Soldier Spy”) is based on a true story that saw many employees of England’s postal service unjustly targeted for blame when money began vanishing from the government-operated business. Many of the accused individuals had their families and/or reputations destroyed, but some rose up to challenge the allegations, including the titular Alan Bates (played by Jones) – resulting in the discovery that the Post Office’s own computer system was responsible for the situation, though the public revelation of that from a court case took roughly a decade more. Cast members also include Julie Hesmondhalgh, Ian Hart, Alex Jennings (“The Crown”), Lesley Nicol (“Downton Abbey”), Shaun Dooley (“Grantchester”) and Pip Torrens; the script is by Gwyneth Hughes (“The Girl”). *** (Not rated: AS) “BATMAN”

Marking its 35th anniversary this year, director Tim Burton’s first take on the DC Comics legend (he also directed the first sequel, “Batman Returns”) gets a home-video re-release in a 4K Ultra HD Steelbook edition. At the time, Michael Keaton was a controversial choice to play the Caped Crusader and his vastly wealthy alter ego Bruce Wayne, but he seems to have gained more acceptance among franchise diehards over subsequent years. Jack Nicholson makes a dynamic opponent for him as the villainous Joker, effectively introducing a different sort of enemy that became standard operating procedure for darker versions of comic-book-originated tales. Kim Basinger, Jack Palance, Billy Dee

Williams, Michael Gough, Robert Wuhl and Pat Hingle also are in the cast of the distinctively stylized 1989 picture, which justifiably won an Oscar for art direction and also boasts musical themes by Danny Elfman that have become iconic. ***

(PG-13: AS, P, V)

“STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK”

Being celebrated on its 40th anniversary with a Steelbook release of its 4K Ultra HD version, the third theatrical feature in the sci-fi franchise pretty much picks up where “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” left off – explaining the title here, since those familiar with the other film know what happened to Spock (Leonard Nimoy, also the director here) in it. The Vulcan still has a presence in the 1982 film even if he isn’t physically evident, with another veteran crew member of the starship Enterprise serving as the surprising vessel for that. Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) continues to have added worry from the enemy Klingons, with an expectedly heavy made-up Christopher Lloyd (“Back to the Future”) as their leader, who has a major interest in the Genesis device that became an element of the “Star Trek” movies earlier. DeForest Kelley, George Takei, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig and (as Spock’s father) Mark Lenard also are among returning members of the original television cast; Robin Curtis succeeded Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik. *** (PG: P, V)

“BAD LIEUTENANT” Star Harvey Keitel and director and co-writer Abel Ferrara turned

one exciting change to this year’s audition round, stating that he, Klum, Vergara and Mandel (the judges) have each been given two Golden Buzzers in the upcoming season.

The Golden Buzzers, for those who don’t remember, act as an “opposite veto” of sorts, sending an act right to the live shows — without requiring a majority vote from the panel — when pushed. In previous seasons, each judge only received one.

Adding another fun twist to this season, however, will be one additional Golden Buzzer, this time placed in the hands of host Terry Crews, who will experience voting power like never before.

Following the first week of auditions, Cowell told People: “In the first two days we’ve used more Golden Buzzers than we’ve ever used — that’s got to be a good sign!”

“We can’t wait to see which talented artists come out of the woodwork ... maybe it’ll be someone you know,” teases NBC. “Maybe it’ll be you!”

Created by Cowell, Jason Raff (“Clash of the Choirs”) and Ken Warwick (“American Idol”), “America’s Got Talent” returns Tuesday, May 28, with episodes airing on NBC and streaming on Peacock the following day.

out an iconic crime tale with this 1992 melodrama, now coming to 4K Ultra HD. The actor plays a New York police lieutenant who goes through the film without a name and engages in highly questionable behavior while working several cases, which include a double homicide and an assault on a nun. Keitel’s total commitment to his role is something to behold, given all that it encompasses … which was quite controversial at the time, and required a specially edited version to be created so that some major video-rental chains would carry it (though the original edit is restored and presented here).

Co-stars include Victor Argo, Paul Calderon and Eddie Daniels, but in acting terms, this most certainly is Keitel’s show. *** (NC-17: AS, N, P, GV)

Coming Home Soon

“PLATOON” (4K ULTRA HD STEELBOOK) (JUNE 4)

“THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN” (4K ULTRA HD STEELBOOK) (JUNE 4)

“IMMACULATE” (JUNE 11)

“THE LONG GAME” (JUNE 11)

“SUPERMAN & LOIS: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON” (JUNE 11) “AMERICAN FICTION” (JUNE 18)

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