Sumter Scene: September 30, 2023

Beyond time and space: ‘Loki’ returns with uncontrollable powers

BY JAY BOBBIN

We’ve all done the time warp and explored the multiverse, but it’s high time to sort out the timeline. A brand-new season of “Loki” premieres Friday, Oct. 6, on Disney+. Tom Hiddleston (“The Essex Serpent”) returns as the God of Mischief, everyone’s favorite troublemaker, Loki, who has developed a mysterious problem this season.

Owen Wilson (“Haunted Mansion,” 2023) is back as Mobius M. Mobius, the Time Variance Authority agent tasked with helping Loki right his wrongs across the multiverse. The first season of “Loki” saw the Norse God meet his match in an alternate version of himself. Sophia Di Martino (“The Electrical Life of Louis Wain,” 2021) is Sylvie, a variant of Loki who interrupts the Sacred Timeline. After coming together to set things right across space and time, Loki returned to what he thought would be the TVA headquarters he left before his mission, but something still wasn’t right.

In the official trailer for the upcoming season, Mobius brings Loki to a repair shop of sorts, manned by TVA repair guy OB, portrayed by Ke Huy Quan (“American Born Chinese”). Before the pair have time to explain what’s brought them there, Loki suddenly, uncontrollably disappears in a timeslip, leaving Mobius

looking to OB for an answer. “It’s impossible to timeslip in the TVA,” is all he can say, though they just watched it happen.

“Loki” executive producer Kevin Wright told Entertainment Weekly in September that “[OB’s] job is basically every piece of tech, every computer, every thing that is running at the TVA. ... He either designed it or he fixes it and keeps it running.” Having recently picked up an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2022’s “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Quan is well suited to help repair another multiverse.

While Quan’s character is the latest to join Loki’s crew as he chases chaos across the multiverse, several cast members return for the new season, including Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“Surface”) as Ravonna Renslayer, an ambitious judge in the TVA who oversees Loki’s case. Literally backing up Loki at one point in the season’s trailer alongside Mobius, Sylvie and OB is Wunmi Mosaku (“We Own This City”) as Hunter B-15. Eugene Cordero (“Star Trek: Lower Decks”) returns as Hunter K-5E, former TVA receptionist. The upcoming seasons also star Neil Ellice (“Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn”) as Hunter D-90, Jonathan Majors (“Creed III,” 2023) as He Who Remains and Tara Strong (“Teen Titans Go!”) as the voice of Miss Minutes. Rafael Casal (“Blindspotting”),

Kate Dickie (“Annika”) and Liz Carr (“Silent Witness”) all join the cast this season in as-yet-unnamed roles.

Odd couple Mobius and Loki unsurprisingly have different approaches to their world-saving mission spanning space and time. While the former admits in the “Loki” teaser trailer that he prefers his “slow, deliberate, cerebral approach” honed by years in the bureaucracy of the TVA, while the Norse god is “a man of action, which is fine.” Unconvincing, given Loki is the source of the destruction that they are trying to stave off.

While Disney has remained characteristically tight-lipped about the new season of “Loki” ahead of its premiere, MbathaRaw promised in a December 2022 interview with Entertainment Tonight that fans “are gonna be in for a real treat because the show is bolder and more surreal.” She added that the upcoming season “goes to some bigger, bolder places than Season 1, which is really exciting.” Wright promised something similar in his September EW interview, saying, “We made a weird show [in Season 1], and people responded to how weird it was ... so, we wanted to push it further.”

“The

Exorcist” stirs up

scares again on

AMC 7 Caught on tape: ‘AFV’ nears 900 episodes with premiere of 34th season

‘Crossing’ over: Canadian drama ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ makes U.S. debut

Horoscopes

The luckiest signs this week:

GEMINI, CANCER AND LEO

ARIES

If you do your work wholeheartedly, your efforts won’t go unnoticed; you can expect to be rewarded with a higher salary. Open up to your significant other, too, and you’ll reap the benefits.

TAURUS

There’s a lot of activity around you. Even if you have a lot of tasks to accomplish, opportunities to have fun will sponta-neously pop up. Try to strike that happy balance between entertainment and responsibility.

GEMINI

It’s a time of turmoil and uncertainty. You could try fighting the current, but it’s wiser to trust in the signs and follow their lead. Take care of yourself and listen to the messages your body is sending you.

CANCER

Making new friends and expanding your network of contacts is possible. With such a busy schedule, you may find it difficult to spend time with your family while also managing your responsibilities. Good organization is essential.

LEO

You’ll undoubtedly have lots to do in all aspects of your life. Try to complete everything on time. You’ll feel better if you take a little time for fun and relaxation. Treat yourself to a little outing — a comedy show, perhaps — to rediscover your smile.

VIRGO

Plan a getaway and have fun learning something new. In doing so, you may discover new perspectives for a more stimulating career. Whether you’re single or in a relationship, inspiration will guide you away from monotony.

LIBRA

Dream big and with passion!

Use your determination and daring to achieve your personal and professional goals. Don’t try to please everyone. Instead, shape your world according to your unique desires and aspirations.

SCORPIO

You’ll be in a position to bring colleagues or clients together to celebrate the signing of an important contract or bring a workplace conflict to an end. In romance, you’ll receive a sign of commitment from your significant other. If you’re single, you’ll turn on the charm.

SAGITTARIUS

Work or health will take priority; you’ll correct one situation or the other, and it’ll improve your future. When it comes to your love life, having a deep discussion may help you resolve emotional issues.

CAPRICORN

Take care of yourself to earn applause and recognition. Take pride in what you’ve accomplished. Frequent displays of love and affection will help you light the fire of unending passion.

AQUARIUS

You’ll discover your inner joy and let it radiate around you. Let every day be filled with moments of pleasure and happiness. Share your joy with your family and loved ones. Watch how that joy spreads.

PISCES

You’ll need to travel for work and in your personal life. To feel more safe and secure with all the germs in the air, follow basic hygiene rules. In your relationships, your choice of words will reveal your emotions.

New Streaming Movies & Shows

“Movie: Totally Killer” (Oct. 6)

35 years after the shocking murder of three teens, the infamous “Sweet Sixteen Killer” returns on Halloween night to claim a fourth victim. 17-year-old Jamie (Kiernan Shipka) ignores her overprotective mom’s (Julie Bowen) warning and comes face to face with the masked maniac and, on the run for her life, accidentally time travels back to 1987, the year of the original killings. Forced to navigate the unfamiliar and outrageous culture of the 1980s, Jamie teams up with her teen mom (Olivia Holt) to take down the killer once and for all before she’s stuck in the past forever.

Word Search

“The D’Amelio Show” - Season 3 (Available Now)

While the outside world beckons with bigger and better opportunities for the D’Amelios, their toughest challenges come from within their own relationships in this series’ third season. Sisters Dixie and Charli experience their highs and lows together, but without parents Marc and Heidi to mediate, things come to a head when they can’t see eye-toeye.

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

“Movie: Race to the Summit”

(Oct. 4)

Ueli Steck was known as the fastest climber in the world until Dani Arnold broke his Eiger speed record in 2011. That incredible climb sparked a duel across the great north faces of the European Alps, many of which the pair climbed ‘solo’, without any safety equipment. This new documentary is directed by Nicholas de Taranto and Gotz Werner.

“Toy Story Funday Football: Atlanta Falcons vs. Jacksonville Jaguars”

(Oct. 1)

ESPN, The Walt Disney Company and the National Football League have collaborated on this first-ofits-kind NFL game presentation, as real-time action between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars will be experienced in Pixar’s iconic “Toy Story” Universe. Fans of all ages can immerse themselves in a fully-animated offering at 9:30 a.m. ET, on Disney+, ESPN+ and NFL+ when the action of Wembley Stadium in London, one of the world’s premier sports stadiums and the host of NFL International Series game, is recreated simultaneously in Andy’s room.

“Frasier” - Season 1 (Paramount+ — Oct. 12, Series Premiere)

Filmed in front of a live studio audience in Los Angeles, the “Frasier” series reboot follows Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) in the next chapter of his life as he returns to Boston with new challenges to face, new relationships to forge and an old dream or two to finally fulfill. Frasier has re-entered the building!

Q&A: Rachel Boston

BY JAY BOBBIN

Q: I’ve enjoyed Rachel Boston in many of her cable movies. Where did she get her start?

A: Seen most recently in “The More Love Grows” on Hallmark

We buy Diamond, Sterling Silver & Antique Jewelry

18 Karat $61 10 Karat $32 Per Penny Weight Per Penny Weight

Coming Soon

“Awareness” (Prime Video — Oct. 11, Movie Premiere)

Ian (Carlos Scholz), a rebellious teenager living on the outskirts of society, can manipulate minds with his ability to generate visual illusions. He uses this power to survive, running small, indiscreet scams. When one of his cons goes awry, his abilities publicly spiral out of control and Ian becomes the target of two rival organizations, each seeking to exploit his powers. María Pedraza, Pedro Alonso, Óscar Jaenada and Lela Loren also star.

Best Elvis Presley Movies

BY JAY BOBBIN

“Love Me Tender” (1956): Presley’s first movie role turned an average Civil War story into an event - and also got the picture’s title altered, thanks to one of the tunes he crooned.

“Jailhouse Rock” (1957): The famous scene with Presley singing, and gyrating to, the title tune says it all about this classic. This is among the features Turner Classic Movies will show in a daytime marathon of Presley pictures Thursday, Oct. 5.

“Flaming Star” (1960): Guided by director Don Siegel, who later turned Clint Eastwood into Dirty Harry, Presley puts real effort into playing a man of two cultures that clash, putting him in a bind.

“Wild in the Country” (1961): Presley and playwright Clifford Odets weren’t a typical combination, but credit was due the still-early movie star for being ambitious enough to tackle sophisticated material that would challenge even the most experienced actor.

“The Exorcist” stirs up scares again on AMC

BY JAY BOBBIN

For multiple reasons, it’s an appropriate time for “The Exorcist” to make a return.

The Halloween season is ideal for a showing of the 1973 scare classic – which AMC presents Saturday, Oct. 7, and the timing of the film’s return also serves as a tribute to its director: William Friedkin, who died in August. (In fact, Turner Classic Movies also is slated to show the picture as part of a Friedkin tribute on Nov. 26.)

William Peter Blatty adapted his own Washington, D.,C.-set best seller for the screen version, tracing the plight of young Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair, then a novice performer), an actress’ (Ellen Burstyn) daughter who becomes a target of demonic possession. Friedkin and Blatty build the unsettling feeling gradually, initially presenting Regan as a happy and reasonably ordinary child … until she crashes a party given by her mother and tells an astronaut guest, “You’re gonna die up there.”

It gets worse from there – a lot worse – as the physical effects of having the devil inside her give the previously cherubic Regan a truly horrifying appearance, prompting the recruitment of the troubled Father Karras (portrayed by playwright Jason Miller) to drive out the demon (who has the throaty voice of Oscar winner Mercedes McCambridge). Ultimately, he doesn’t believe he can handle the job alone, so the much more experienced

Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) is brought in to share the dangerous duty with him. Lee J. Cobb, Jack MacGowran and Kitty Winn are among other prominent cast members.

Though themes of “The Exorcist” have been borrowed and even parodied since – also in some sequels, one of which (“The Exorcist: Believer”) is about to hit theaters, and a Fox television series that ran for two seasons – nothing quite like it had been seen before, and news reports of audience members fleeing or fainting were bountiful during its initial theatrical run. The tale’s religious overtone also stirred controversy, as it had in print form, though the immediacy of a visual representation seemed to push certain buttons even harder.

The success of “The Exorcist” also played out in some surprising ways, one being its music. Such established composers as Lalo Schifrin and Bernard Herrmann had been involved along the way, but in the end, Friedkin went with a combination of classical selections and “Tubular Bells,” a contemporary instrumental by Mike Oldfield that became a major chart hit.

In its 50th-anniversary year, “The Exorcist” remains a singular movie experience that even basic-cable exposure (and editing) can tamp down only so much. Even now, some viewers surely will want to leave the lights on for it.

Ready, set, carve: ‘Outrageous Pumpkins’ searches for its next jack-o-lantern champion

BY GEORGE DICKIE

Damaris Phillips (“Food Network Star” winner, Season 9) expands her search for the greatest of Great Pumpkin carvers as Season 4 of “Outrageous Pumpkins” continues, airing new episodes Sundays on Food Network.

During the season premiere — which aired Sunday, Sept. 24 — eight talented pumpkin carvers joined Phillips on the series’ spooky carving stage, all eager to become the next “Outrageous Pumpkins” champion. The artists immediately began their first challenge: creating the most elaborate porch display in the neighborhood, showing off their unique artistic view in order to introduce themselves to judges Ralph Attanasia (“Cake Boss”) and Terri Hardin (“Men in Black, 1997). Only the most distinct, creative and downright spooky will continue, as eliminations take place following each round.

This week’s episode — the second of four — follows the remaining carvers as they try their hand at defying gravity. A summary listed on Food Network describes: “Host Damaris Phillips is all about everyone’s favorite Halloween decoration, the jacko’-lantern, so she tasks the carvers with creating topsy-turvy, gravity-defying stacks of jacks. Then in the ‘Big Carve,’ the competitors must impress judges Ralph Attanasia and Terri Hardin with a spooky jacko’-lantern skeletal structure to stay safe from elimination.”

As the season continues, Phillips challenges the

artists to carve three-dimensional pop culture pump kins and sculptures that highlight iconic fashion eras — even watching on as the final few bring (according to Food Network) “common literary phrases with a deadly twist to life for the judges.”

From 3D to DC, the final five carvers must call for superhuman strength as they attempt to de pict a scene from DC’s “Batman,” with the titular crime-fighter facing off against one of his iconic ene mies as he tries to save Gotham City.

By the grand finale, only half of the competitors will remain, as the final four carvers must impress At tanasia and Hardin in not one, but two rounds. First, Phillips tasks the group with “creating the winning monster entry in the Miss/Mr. Underworld Pageant, complete with pageant talent,” says Food Network, continuing: “Then, it’s time for giants on parade as the competitors transform 2,000-pound Atlantic Gi ant pumpkins into a spooktacular Halloween parade float.”

Whoever can complete this last, massive feat and impress judges best earns the championship title and all its glory, including a $25,000 cash prize and the coveted “Outrageous Pumpkins” championship belt — a worthy feat for any Halloween heavyweight. Season 4 of “Outrageous Pumpkins” continues through October, with new episodes airing Sundays on Food Network.

“Blue Hawaii” (1961): You couldn’t hope for the islands to look lovelier than in this combination of Elvis showcase and travelogue, also intriguing for Presley raising his acting game opposite a veteran talent by the name of Angela Lansbury.

“Kid Galahad” (1962): Presley is sincere as a boxer who succeeds in the ring, though he desires a quieter life.

“Fun in Acapulco” (1963): Presley in his prime; Ursula Andress, fresh off being the first “Bond girl”; Mexican locations. What’s not to like?

“Viva Las Vegas” (1964): Presley’s ultimate star vehicle gave him an ideal partner in Ann-Margret and pretty much set the blueprint (he races cars!) for numerous other Elvis movies.

“Roustabout” (1964): This arguably was the best of Presley’s efforts once he got into more of a cookie-cutter mode (he’s a cycleriding carnival worker!) with his movies.

“Charro!” (1969): Commendably, Presley tried to turn his screen career around - but pretty late in the game - by not singing a note in this mature Western.

“Elvis: That’s the Way It Is” (1970): It’s ironic that one of Presley’s final movies offers one of his most dynamic screen appearances, before, during and after a Las Vegas concert performance.

‘Crossing’ over: Canadian drama ‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ makes U.S. debut

BY JAY BOBBIN

Thanks to a well-known CTV series, The CW has decided to reach for the maple syrup (figuratively speaking, of course) and take a bite out of the Canadian television scene. After just one season on the air up north, the ViacomCBS-owned network is following in the footsteps of its fellow big-network neighbor, NBC, and has adopted “Sullivan’s Crossing” as a part of its fall schedule. “Sullivan’s Crossing” makes its first-season premiere as a CW Original on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

While not uncommon for countries to share broadcasting rights for popular television series — especially in these days of streaming — it is no surprise that it is more common for Canada to pick up American shows for broadcast than the other way around. The move is not unprecedented, however, as NBC picked up another CTV favorite, “Transplant,” in May 2020, following its success in the Great White North.

“Transplant,” a medical drama that centers on a Syrian refugee (Hamza Haq, “The Queen of My Dreams,” 2023) practicing surgery in Toronto’s (fictional) York Memorial Hospital amid scores of red tape and racism, made its way to American audiences during the pandemic; no doubt a well-

timed release. “Sullivan’s Crossing,” meanwhile, while perhaps not quite as topically relevant as “Transplant,” does have a connection to The CW.

Chad Michael Murray, former “One Tree Hill” leading man, has a history with the network, which used to be called The WB. Not only was the spicy teen drama a WB original series, but so was another hit show that co-starred Murray: “Gilmore Girls.”

Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), “Gilmore Girls” became somewhat of a cult classic during its seven seasons on the air. So much so that Netflix even released a followup series, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” in 2016, nearly a decade after the original series’ finale premiered. And given the series’ particular kind of fan base, many “Sullivan’s Crossing” fans will recognize another familiar “Gilmore” guy: none other than Luke Danes himself, Scott Patterson.

Patterson stars in the CTV-turned-CW series as one of its titular Sullivans, Harry “Sully” Sullivan. Ever the rough-around-the-edges father figure, Patterson’s Harry is surprised when his professionally minded neurosurgeon daughter, Maggie (Morgan Kohan, “When Hope Calls”), returns home from her hospital job in Boston due to a legal scandal in the workplace.

While back home, Maggie picks up where she left off with many of the townspeople and finally becomes acquainted with relative newcomer Cal (Murray). Amid budding romances, personal hurdles and a looming feeling of regression, “Maggie works on clearing her name and reputation” while also being “forced to confront her painful past” (per CW).

Created by “Virgin River’s” Roma Roth and based on the book series of the same name by Robyn Carr, “Sullivan’s Crossing” also stars Reid Price (“The Sinner”), Tom Jackson (“North of 60”), Andrea Menard (“Blackstone”), Amalia Williamson (“Northern Rescue”), Dakota Taylor (“Zero Chill”), Lauren Hammersley (“Orphan Black”), Lynda Boyd (“Republic of Doyle”) and the mononymous Lindura (“Through the Gorge,” 2021).

Season 2 of “Sullivan’s Crossing” is expected to begin filming soon in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Caught on tape: ‘AFV’ nears

900 episodes with premiere of 34th season

BY GEORGE DICKIE

With countless hosts, more than 850 episodes and decades of history on broadcast television, “America’s Funniest Home Videos” returns with new episodes when Season 34 premieres Sunday, Oct. 1, on ABC.

As we prepare for the return of funny animal videos and pranks gone wrong, Season 1 of this series — the network’s longest-running prime-time entertainment show — often feels like it aired in the not-so-distant past.

“AFV,” however, is now legally old enough to drive, to vote, to rent a car — and no matter how it changes and grows, it tickles our funny bones just the same way.

What started as a television special in 1989 (itself based on the Japanese variety show “Fun TV with Kato-chan and Ken-chan”) quickly became a regular weekly series, as Bob Saget (“Full House”) took the lead as host and welcomed American viewers to the quirky world of “AFV.” Since its inception, the show’s format has stayed mostly the same, shining a spotlight on everyday people as viewers, fans and pranksters alike submit hilarious home videos involving everything from outrageous physical comedy and wildly intelligent toddlers to “trick shots” gone wrong and

View from the Couch

marriage proposal mishaps.

The submitted clips are played in front of a live studio audience who then vote on the funniest videos of the week. Each episode, the first palace winner is awarded a cash prize and offered the opportunity to return for the series’ next competition round, where they vie for a much larger prize — now, a purse set at $100,000. This continues until the end of the season, when previous winners compete for even more cash and an exclusive, all-inclusive vacation package.

Some little details, however, have changed. Saget retired after Season 8, when “AFV” then ran occasional special episodes hosted by various actors and comedians. Two years later, Tom Bergeron (“Hollywood Squares”) took on the role, then acted as the face of “AFV” for the next 15 years.

Current viewers would recognize “Dancing with the Stars” alum Alfonso Ribeiro (also of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) as the series’ latest steadfast captain. Ribeiro hosted through the series’ historic 30th season and saw the show make history as it pivoted to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, introducing a new segment called “AFV@Home.”

“PREY”

The “Predator” franchise has yielded a number of movie thrillers, but it backed up in its timeline for this prequel, first shown by Hulu and currently nominated for six Primetime Emmy Awards. It follows the quest of an 18th-century Comanche warrior named Naru (played by Amber Midthunder, of the series “Legion” and “Roswell, New Mexico”) to keep her people safe from an enemy who turns out to be an alien predator, of the

BY JAY BOBBIN

sort that would torment Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in the original film. Dane DiLiegro plays the villain, who still has the advantage of invisibility even in a much earlier era, and Dakota Beavers and Michelle Thrush also are in the cast. Directed by Dan Trachetenberg – who also put a familiar series on fresh ground with “10 Cloverfield Lane” – the picture received a generally warm reception from critics, many of whom credited this latest chapter with transforming the basic “Predator” concept substantially, in part from making use of the Comanche language extensively. *** (R: AS, GV) (Also on DVD and Blu-ray)

“THE STING”

One of the most cleverly written of all the movies that have earned Oscars for best picture gets a reissue on 4K Ultra HD – as part of the “Universal Essentials Collection” – as previous “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” colleagues Paul Newman, Robert Redford and director George Roy Hill

reunite for the 1973 tale of Depression-era con artists. Newman and Redford’s con-artist characters stage an elaborate swindle – or sting – to even a score with a vicious mobster (Robert Shaw). The great supporting cast includes Charles Durning, Eileen Brennan, Ray Walston and Harold Gould; the picture’s seven Academy Award wins also included honors for writer David S. Ward and composer Marvin Hamlisch, who relied heavily on adapting Scott Joplin’s ragtime music in assembling the score. **** (Not rated: AS, P, V)

“MASTERPIECE MYSTERY: ENDEAVOUR – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION”

After coming to its end earlier this year on both ITV in England and PBS in the United States, the “Inspector Morse” prequel series combines all nine of its seasons – each of those relatively brief, ranging from three to six episodes – into this set. Shaun Evans (who

also directed several episodes as the show went along) plays sleuth Endeavour Morse, who left college and joined the police force, becoming the protege of experienced detective Fred Thursday (Roger Allam). The stories deal as much with Morse’s growth as an investigator as they do with whatever the specific case might be, covering the years 1965 to 1972 for Morse, who also reflects the times in his manner and attire. Notable in the supporting cast is Abigail Thaw, the daughter of John Thaw, who played the older Morse on the original series. ***

(AS, V)

“STEPHEN KING’S THE MIST”

The horror-writing icon’s saga of a fog that descends on a Maine town after a fierce storm, and harbors dangerous creatures, makes its debut in the 4K Ultra HD format as the month of Halloween begins. Some of the residents seek shelter inside a supermarket, and not only do they have fears of the monsters, but also of

each other as the seeds of paranoia and mistrust are planted.

Adapted and directed by Frank Darabont, the 2007 thriller features Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Andre Braugher, Toby Jones, William Sadler and Alexa Davalos. Interestingly, several actors who also would work with Darabont on “The Walking Dead” later – including Jeffrey DeMunn, Laurie Holden and Melissa McBride – also appear. *** (R: AS, P, GV) (Also on DVD and Blu-ray)

Coming Home Soon

“SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS” (4K ULTRA HD) (OCT. 10)

“YELLOWJACKETS: SEASON TWO” (OCT. 10)

“THE CROWN: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON” (OCT. 17) “MEG

(OCT. 24)