Peter Gallagher is back at P.13
‘Center Stage’
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‘Endeavour’
An into more crime and ‘Mystery’ on PBS P.15
‘Serena’ a personal journey P.17
CBS launches its new ‘American Gothic’
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Premiering Wednesday on CBS
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3 “American Gothic” A prominent Boston family’s darkest secrets spill out in the CBS drama series “American Gothic,” premiering Wednesday (and not related to a same-named CBS series of the mid-1990s). Co-star Megan Ketch (“Jane the Virgin”) talks with Jay Bobbin about acting out the show’s mystery as it unfolds. 12-13 “Center Stage: On Pointe” (TV MOVIE PREMIERE) Peter Gallagher has been a very busy actor lately, and he reprises one of his film roles in Saturday’s new Lifetime sequel “Center Stage: On Pointe.” The veteran of “The O.C.” and “Covert Affairs” talks with Jay Bobbin about doing his part to keep the dance-movie franchise going.
FOOD 7 Andrew Zimmern brings frankness to ‘Bizarre Foods’
REALITY
16 Julie Chen keeps an eye on ‘Big Brother’ houseguests again
SPORTS 18-19 Former Met Daniel Murphy now shining in D.C.
MOVIES 20-21 Theatrical Review, and Our top DVD releases
IN EVERY ISSUE 22-23 Our top suggested programs to watch this week!
Visit YourTVLINK.com for more stories! Our Staff Writers: Jay Bobbin, George Dickie, John Crook Graphic Design: Nicolle Burton Quality Team: Michelle Wilson, Lisa Webster, Chris Browne
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14-15 “Masterpiece Mystery!: Endeavour Season 3” (NOTABLE EPISODE) Season 3 of this hit “Inspector Morse” prequel opens a couple of months after the nail-biting cliffhanger that climaxed Season 2 and sent young Morse (Shaun Evans) to jail. Now he’s out, but definitely feeling deeply ambivalent about continuing a career in police work. Evans talks with John Crook to take fans inside the mind of his character as he enters what will be a hugely pivotal season for Detective Constable Endeavour Morse. 17 “Serena” (NEW SPECIAL) On Wednesday, June 22, Epix presents what it calls an intimate portrait of four-time Olympic gold medalist and 21-time Grand Slam champ Serena Williams with the original documentary “Serena.” George Dickie speaks with its filmmaker Ryan White about getting close to the tennis great during filming.
CELEBRITY 4 ‘Bachelorette’ JoJo Fletcher stays true to herself 5 ‘Adventures in Babysitting’ Disney Channel updates a modern classic 6 Patrick Fugit prefers the darker route 8 Chris Rose gets sons into ‘BattleBots’ 9 Getting to know Mark Bowe, host of DIY’s “Barnwood Builders”
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STORY
Serial murders unravel a Boston clan in new ‘American Gothic’
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By Jay Bobbin You may think you know the series title “American Gothic” already, but there’s a catch. And, as it happens, a Ketch. CBS aired a drama by that name (developed by Shaun Cassidy and Sam Raimi) in the mid-1990s, but the network now has another one with a different concept. Premiering Wednesday, June 22, the show focuses on Boston’s prominent Hawthorne family, which has enough skeletons to require more closets to put them all in. The clan’s main concern is a serial-killing case that, in the wake of their patriarch’s death, they learn he might have been involved in ... as another relative still among them also may have been. With Steven Spielberg’s Amblin firm co-producing “American Gothic” with CBS Television Studios, the show labels each episode with the name of a famous painting, a nod to the iconic Grant Wood work that shares the series’ title. Its acting ensemble includes Antony Starr (fresh off Cinemax’s recently ended “Banshee”), Virginia Madsen, Juliet Rylance (“The Knick”), Justin Chatwin (“Shameless”) and Megan Ketch. Seen more recently on such shows as “Jane the Virgin” and “Under the Dome,” Ketch had a brief run as Danny Reagan’s (Donnie Wahlberg) detective partner in the third season of CBS’ “Blue Bloods.” She didn’t know of the earlier “American Gothic” series, but she notes, “I find that people also mistake it for ‘American Horror Story’ or ‘American Crime.’ They’ll say, ‘I’ve heard of that show,’ and I say, ‘No! It’s in good company, but it’s not what you’re thinking of.’ ” Obviously, Ketch hopes that will change as “American Gothic” (created by executive producer Corinne Brinkerhoff, with whom she worked previously on the CBS show “Reckless”) plays out over the summer. She explains her character, Tessa, has “a brand-new marriage to the character Brady Ross (Elliot Knight), who has just made Detective with the Boston Police. I play a publicschool teacher, and we sort of represent the everyman. “I look at Tessa as a bright, nurturing soul who is trying desperately to keep her family together. She doesn’t
Pictured: Megan Ketch
necessarily uphold the path of elite wealth, but of a public servant and a community builder. That consciously or subconsciously puts her at odds with her family, who are concerned about being the most powerful pillars of society that they can be.” Ketch appreciates having the much-storied Boston as an “American Gothic” backdrop, though the show actually is being filmed in Toronto. “It’s such an iconic city,” she reflects, “so critically important to our history and what we like to identify with as Americans. It’s the epicenter of where we really put our stake in our own freedom, and I think that comes into play in an interesting way in this story, simply because the Hawthorne family is at the center of Boston wealth and Boston political identity. My older sister in the show is a city councilor and is running for mayor, and her race toward winning the election is a big part of what makes this show so interesting and fun.” Though her “Blue Bloods” tenure – which still can be seen in syndicated repeats of the police drama – was short, Ketch says it was sweet. It came during the show’s Season of the Megans: Immediately after Ketch, Megan Boone had a similarly brief flight as another cop, prior to her stardom as the now-not-deceased Liz Keen on NBC’s “The Blacklist.” With both based in New York then, it wasn’t unusual for them to cross paths. “The pilot season before that, or maybe the following pilot season, I saw her in many waiting rooms,” Ketch recalls with a laugh. “We were on the same track, it would seem, and I’ve loved her work on ‘The Blacklist.’ ”
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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Q&A
JoJoFletcher of ‘The Bachelorette’ Monday on ABC Now that you know how shows such as “The Bachelorette” are put together for television, does that make you more cautious in front of the cameras? Honestly, not really. I’ve been really good at staying true to myself and being honest with my feelings. When I feel something, I have to say it ... and it’s worked out for me so far. I’m sticking to just trusting myself, believing what I feel, and just saying whatever I feel is right in the moment. After being last season’s runner-up on “The Bachelor,” what did your family and friends think about your jumping back in as “The Bachelorette”? I think they’re really excited for me. I think they know me, insofar as I have so much love to give, and they want me to find a person to share it with. I do think that they are a little nervous still, though – especially my dad. In the back of his mind, there is that thought that heartbreak could still happen, even on this side of things. They don’t know what’s going on, so there is fear there. How have you found it, being “on this side of things”? Being “The Bachelorette” is definitely rewarding, and it has more of a promising future, but it is a hundred times more emotional. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t know it would pull this many emotions out of me. Through both “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” what has all that time away meant for your career? Last December, I started my own company. I’m in realestate investments, so I choose when I start a project. I have a property manager who takes care of all my houses right now, and it’s been really nice to make my own schedule. This hasn’t affected it.
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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Q&A
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SofiaCarson of ‘Adventures in Babysitting’ Friday on Disney Channel Were you familiar with the original “Adventures in Babysitting” before you started working on the new remake? I was, yes. When I got the call that I had an audition for the film, I told my parents about it, and they were so thrilled. It was a part of their generation. I watched it immediately, then I watched it multiple times over that weekend. I loved it so much. It was such a charming, comedic, high-energy film, I feel honored to be a part of the reimagining of it. Since the original movie remains timeless and popular, did you have any concerns about remaking it? I think we were more excited than anything else. It is more of a reimagining, though it stays true to the core of the story. Two babysitters go off on a wild adventure, and they’re chased by bad guys and so on, but a lot of things have changed and have been brought into the 21st century. Sabrina (Carpenter, who plays the other babysitter) and I were excited to tell the story again and bring it to a new generation. As its 100th original movie, “Adventures in Babysitting” is a big deal for Disney Channel. How is it to be involved in that occasion? It’s so surreal. I’ve been such a fan of Disney my whole life, and I know so many people feel the same way. To be part of that family, and now to be part of their 100th movie, it’s such an honor. And they are putting so much behind the film; whenever I see the tweets and the posts, it’s a “pinch me” moment every time. You’re about to go back to work for Disney Channel on “Descendants 2.” What can you say about the sequel? You know, I have no idea. They are so secretive about it, we don’t even know what it’s about. I’m just happy to play Evie again, and I’m excited to see where the story goes and where the journey takes us.
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CELEBRITY George Dickie’s Q&A
Pat r i c k F u g i t of ‘Outcast’ Friday on Cinemax
Is Kyle a character that you have to come down from?
You know it’s funny, this is my first time doing an extended character portrayal, especially in television. And I would say that I was made ready to come down from the character pretty much every day of shooting, otherwise I would have gone bananas. I mean, the subject matter can be intense and dark and stuff like that, so it was kind of necessary to be able to sort of let go of that at the end of the day and wind down and that type of thing.
Does it require a lot of energy to put yourself in the dark places that he is frequently in? It can, for sure. But that’s I guess part of trying to develop your skill sets as an actor, is being able to find that stuff without killing yourself because there are roles and there are actors that have really taken it out of the performer, stuff like that. So it’s something you have to definitely be aware of and careful of, particularly when you’re going to do it for five months like you do on a television show. So I think that the overall brightness inside Kyle is usually what’s driving him to make dark decisions and I think I empathize with that, really, in terms of getting there. And also, you know, everybody’s got dark s... in their life they can draw on when that stuff comes along, so a combination of that kind of thing. But mostly, it was empathy with the character.
Do you prefer dark material?
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It tends to be dark material. Dark material ends up being fairly compelling in my opinion, things that make you think, things that are cerebral and things that move you. You know, if it’s moving – like I like dark, sad music, not because I’m a dark, sad person but just because I appreciate its ability to move me.
FOOD George Dickie’s What's for Dinner
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Zimmern
believes in ‘Bizarre Foods’ and being a good guest Over 10 seasons of filming “Bizarre Foods,” host Andrew Zimmern has proven himself fearless when it comes to trying new and potentially dangerous foods and experiences and for being honest with his audience when he doesn’t like something. But being brutally frank with his host? That’s another matter. “When I am a guest in someone’s home and they can speak English, if I don’t like the food I tell them I love their earrings,” Zimmern says. “Frequently when I am honest to the camera and say ‘My God, that was awful!’ it’s because I’ve taken something in street food and started to walk down the street or I’m away from the eyes.
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“I don’t believe in being dishonest to the viewer,” he continues. “My number one responsibility is to the viewer. It’s why I’m proudest of having never faked anything in 13 years on television, on this show or on others. But ... I still need to be a good guest.” Season 10 of the Travel Channel series takes the 54-year-old chef, food writer and culinary thrill-seeker to locations such as Senegal, Sweden and the Bronx, N.Y., to explore the culture and eat as locals do. In the Tuesday, June 21, season opener, Zimmern heads to Madrid, where he goes off the beaten path to experience new spins on some old classics, including snail soup, whole baby pig head, rabbit paella and beef fat bonbon. Zimmern says shooting this episode got him to thinking about the show’s early days, as it was in Madrid back in 2006 that “Bizarre Foods” filmed its first episode. “It was amazing to go back to a city 10 years later and see the incredible change that had taken place in the food lives of Madrile‘nos ...,” he says. “The other thing that occurs to me is how much more seriously people take food in the world today. When we started out, food was big but really the last five years food’s gotten really big and that’s a pretty incredible thing.”
What book are you currently reading?
“I’m reading Somerset Maugham’s ‘Collected Short Stories.’ I tend to read them every summer, at least some of them. I’m doing the ‘South Seas Stories’ again. Somerset Maugham is my favorite writer. ... I like to read it in the summer when it’s hot. I don’t know why.”
What did you have for dinner last night?
“Oh my gosh, it was great. Grilled Italian sausage, grilled peppers and onions, an orzo salad with farmer’s market tomatoes and chives in sort of like a buttermilk dressing. Roasted cauliflower. And for dessert, we had homemade frozen yogurt pops.”
What is your next project?
“I’ve got a couple of TV shows. I have a production company called Intuitive Content and we’re in the middle of selling a couple of television shows – very exciting. And I’ve waited probably 20 years to actually write a cookbook ... . So I’m genuinely excited this year about producing that.”
When was the last vacation you took, where and why? “(Laughs) I finally got one this year. The last one was in the spring. I went to Belize on my son’s break from school.”
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CELEBRITY George Dickie’s Celebrity ScooP
Chris Rose
As play-by-play man on ABC’s “BattleBots,” veteran sportscaster Chris Rose often finds himself getting caught up in the action as the shrapnel flies between the show’s robot combatants. For him, yelling and jumping out of his chair isn’t uncommon and his enthusiasm for the competition is obvious. And he’s spread that enthusiasm to his two sons, who regularly watch the show on the family’s DVR. To them, the show is required viewing. But that wasn’t always the case in the Rose household, especially when Dad was first approached about doing the show. For research, Rose was watching the original Comedy Central series on YouTube when his eldest son Josh entered the room. “He’s like, ‘What are you doing?’ ” the 45-year-old Ohio native recalls. “I said, ‘Well, I’m talking to these people that are jump-starting this show that used to be on Comedy Central.’ He sat down, he watched with me ... for about 90 seconds. He said, ‘You are not doing that show. I’m gonna get laughed out of school if you do that show.’ I was like, ‘Well hold it, hold it. It looks kind of cool. You know, it’s different. It’s, you know, robotics.’ He’s like, ‘No way, Dad.’ “So I ended up getting it,” he continues. “And then when it started airing, of course, all his boys at school loved it, and that’s all they wanted to talk about, and then he became like the cool kid for a minute. I was like, ‘See? See? Sometimes you’ve got to go for it, dude.’ ” As Season 2 gets going Thursday, June 23, Rose is joined by a new host, ESPN college football reporter Samantha Ponder, along with returnees Kenny Florian, Alison Haislip and others for 10 more episodes of metal-on-metal violence. Doing this show clearly gets the adrenaline flowing for Rose but it has also had an unexpected effect. “There’s natural comedy in seeing something get ripped to shreds,” Rose says, “and seeing these people who pour months and thousands of dollars into building these things so they almost become a part of their family, losing it and then being able to laugh at themselves, I mean, that’s what’s the fun part of it all, I think.” Page 8 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote June 19 - 25, 2016
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CELEBRITY CelebritY profile
M a rkBowe
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- He was raised in Glasgow, W. Va.
- His work and entrepreneurial spirit was instilled at a young age as his father was a coal miner by day and also worked as a mason. His father taught him to mix mud and lay bricks. - He worked his way through West Virginia University as a coal miner, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He also holds a master’s degree in safety management. - In 1996, he founded his company, Antique Cabins and Barns, which specializes in the recovery and restoration of 19th century hand hewn log and timber frame structures. - He also owns a couple of insurance agencies in West Virginia. - In 2006, he and his crew, including Johnny Jett, Sherman Thompson and Brian Buckner, were the subject of a short documentary “Down Home: Where the Past Is Present.” Shortly after, the company was brought to the attention of a small television production company called Silent Crow Arts.
Mark Bowe is an entreprenuer, master craftsman and television personality who can currently be seen as host of “Barnwood Builders” on DIY Network. - In 2014, his TV show was launched. He is the host, and now a producer, of “Barnwood Builders,” a successful reality show on the DIY Network about his business and crew reclaiming and restoring America’s oldest barns. - They have worked on projects in almost every state, and completed projects at the Abraham Lincoln National Library and Monticello. The company has taken down or restored over 400 buildings. - In March he debuted a new show, “Made With Pride,” also on the DIY Network. In the show he heads to the heartland to work side by side with some of the best craftsman in America, from old world blacksmiths to roofers, joiners and glaziers. - He currently lives in Lewisburg, W. Va., with his wife Cindy and son Atticus.
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CELEBRITY
“It’s hard to come after the Greatest Generation. What could you be – the Second-Greatest Generation? It’s like when they named a generation of literature “modern” – you know, where do you go from there? Postmodern? Where do you go from there? Contemporary? How long does that last?” – David Duchovny of “Aquarius” on NBC, on his character, LAPD detective Sam Hodiak, being a World War II veteran and member of the Greatest Generation
“This is kind of Joss’ whole world this season. There’s a bit of, ‘What happened?’ As the actress, I know, but she’s got some secrets. It all unfolds over the season.” – Jes Macallan of “Mistresses” on ABC, about the show having picked up in real time a number of months after its previous season ended
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“I’m definitely throwing my name into the hat for next season. I’ve directed a couple of plays, and I would love to do it on this show. Everyone here is so supportive and everyone here wants everyone else to succeed. That would be an incredible environment to come into as a first-time director in television.” – Constance Zimmer of “UnREAL” on Lifetime, about also directing the show as co-star Shiri Appleby is doing this season
CELEBRITY
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David Duchovny of “Aquarius” on NBC I don’t really watch much television anymore. My kids watch ‘Game of Thrones.’ I watch sports on TV, really. That’s about it.
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Jason Patric of “Wayward Pines” on Fox “I don’t have a regular program I watch, although I did record ‘The Knick’ when it was on, because I thought that was really an amazing drama. I’d never seen New York filmed like that, at the turn of the century, and the performances were great.”
Donal Skehan of “Follow Donal to Europe” on Cooking Channel “I tend to record back shows of food shows. So there’s an Irish cook at the moment who I just recorded last night who’s called Rory O’Connell, so I just recorded him. I’m a big fan of Nigella (Lawson), so I batch-recorded some of her. And I’m catching up. Having recently appeared on Alton Brown’s crazy game show, I’ve actually just batch-recorded a few episodes of that as well. And also my wife is Swedish, so we have a big thing for Scandinavian crime thrillers. So ‘The Bridge’ is one thing we’re currently hooked on as well. It’s fantastic.”
Drew Carey of “The Price Is Right” on CBS “I’ll watch shows like ‘The Walking Dead,’ but I’m about a half-hour or an hour late. I don’t like to have to be there when it starts, so I have the DVR set for it, then I just stroll in when I’m ready on Sunday night before I go to bed and watch it. I try to watch it on the night-of, so the Internet doesn’t ruin it for me.”
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STORY
Peter Gallagher is
‘Center Stage’ again in Lifetime movie sequel
Story on next page
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STORY
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Dancers take
‘Center Stage’
By Jay Bobbin The third time around, “Center Stage” still is a place Peter Gallagher wants to be. Busy lately with roles in shows including “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Togetherness,” the “Covert Affairs” and “The O.C.” alum returns to the dance-drama franchise as Lifetime debuts its latest edition – “Center Stage: On Pointe” – Saturday, June 25. His character, the earnest Jonathan Reeves, faces the financial collapse of the American Ballet Academy unless he starts integrating modern dance into his troupe’s traditional approach. “This is the little engine that could,” Gallagher says in considering he’s now on “Center Stage” Round 3. “I was so happy to be a part of the original one (in 2000), because I’m a huge fan of dancers. I married one, and my mother-in-law is still teaching ballet up in Boston. It was such a thrill back then to watch those kids actually rehearse and dance at ABT (American Ballet Theatre), and shoot in New York for (director) Nick Hytner, and I thought that would be it. “I wasn’t aware of how passionate women are about the movie,” adds Gallagher, explaining Lifetime’s suitability as the home of the newest chapter. “They just love it, and that’s really what has excited me about doing it again. And for this one, I was particularly looking forward to seeing (fellow ‘Center Stage’ alums) Ethan (Stiefel) and Sascha (Radetsky) and Kenny (Wormald). ‘Center Stage’ has been a bit of a time capsule for all of us, over so many years.” Laurence Mark, “one of the great producers of the world” per Gallagher, also has been with the series from the start.
However, the director of “Center Stage: On Pointe” – known as Director X – is a music-video veteran new to feature films; he’s worked with such artists as Drake, Rihanna, Iggy Azalea, Fifth Harmony and Wiz Khalifa. Actress Nicole Munoz (“Once Upon a Time”) also is new to the “Center Stage” world as Bella, one of those competing in a dance camp that will ultimately yield the Academy’s new members. Chloe Lukasiak (“Dance Moms”) is in the cast as well. “It’s so contemporary,” Gallagher reasons of the movie’s plot. “There are people who are still pining away for the days gone by, and they’re the ones who are missing the boat today. There’s that Zen belief that I really love, ‘Always be a beginner.’ I think that as much as Jonathan would like to wish the world hadn’t changed, he’s savvy to know that he either changes or the company folds.” Gallagher knows that for his own career through all the diverse work he’s done in recent years, also encompassing a 2015 return to Broadway opposite Kristin Chenoweth and Andy Karl (who also played his son on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”) in “On the Twentieth Century.” “My agents have been just great about picking up the phone and finding opportunities,” reflects the veteran of such movies as “The Idolmaker,” “American Beauty” and “While You Were Sleeping.” “Maybe there’s just some value in showing up as long as I’ve been showing up ... and every once in a while, you get lucky.”
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STORY
A worthy ‘Endeavour’ finds Morse conflicted Shaun Evans stars in “Endeavour,” which begins a new round Sunday on PBS’ “Masterpiece Mystery!” Story on next page
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Morse
STORY
finds himself at a crossroads as ‘Endeavour’ opens anew on PBS By John Crook The previous finale of “Endeavour” left its title character, Detective Constable Endeavour Morse (Shaun Evans), in dire straits. An investigation into horrifying physical and sexual abuse at a boys’ school reached a climax with Morse being arrested on murder charges, framed by a highly placed police official who also gravely wounded Morse’s senior officer, Detective Inspector Fred Thursday (Roger Allam), before being fatally shot himself. As a new round opens Sunday, June 19, on PBS’ “Masterpiece Mystery!” (check local listings), in the world of the show it’s March 1967, a couple of months later. Morse has been released from custody but remains on suspension pending a full investigation. In a move fairly typical of the historical period, officials have decided it would be in the greater public interest not to release full details about the sordid scandal, but the worst apples – including some of Morse’s old nemeses – have been booted off the force.
himself drawn back into his former life of investigation. “It’s like fate keeps pulling this person back to the force,” Evans says, “so this episode is really about him trying to make his peace with that.” That’s not a spoiler. Given that “Endeavour” is a prequel to the long-running classic mystery series “Inspector Morse,” even as we watch the main character waffling about his future, we never doubt Morse will return to sleuthing. The question lies only in the how and the when. This time around, Morse finally gets overdue respect from his peers and bosses on the force, a turn of events that pretty much had to happen, given Morse’s impressive record of solving fiendishly difficult cases.
“This person has solved all of these crimes in one sort of odd, intuitive, intelligent way or another,” Evans says. “It stands to reason that the other people might say, ‘Hold on a minute. Maybe we should keep this person around.’ Eventually you That’s cold comfort to the young detective constable, however, wouldn’t stay with a job if you knew you were integral to whose passion for law enforcement has been shaken to its core. something but weren’t being appreciated and respected. There will be conflict, obviously, because there has to be, but it can’t “He is completely disenfranchised with the police force,” Evans be the same conflict all the time. That would turn into a joke.” says. “And who wouldn’t be, frankly? He’s been stabbed, shot at, imprisoned, so now he’s taking time out with some other pals There’ the arrival of an appealing newcomer, Woman Police away from the police force and his usual routine. Constable Shirley Trewlove (Dakota Blue Richards, “The Golden Compass”). When we first meet her, the character is clearly “He falls in with this group of people who are very, very different, professionally smitten with Morse’s police work. very wealthy, different morals. It’s like in life when sometimes major things happen and you think, ‘You know what? Maybe this “That’s definitely true, but I think it also bears mentioning that is an opportunity to reinvent myself into something new.’ ” this new character is interesting in her own right, aside and apart from Morse,” Evans says. “She’s a woman in her mid- to An old friend invites Morse to a party at a lakeside estate late 20s in the ‘60s who is joining the police force. She’s very, near the rustic cottage where Morse is weighing his career very bright and a really good-looking woman as well, but she’s options. There he meets several posh characters, including the not willing to use that. I’m not entirely sure where they will go charismatic and charming Joss Bixby (guest star David Oakes, with that – although I have an idea – but I doubt they will end “The Borgias”), who find this new arrival as fascinating as a up together because of what we know about Morse (in his later unicorn. Thursday and Morse’s other colleagues on the force years). There definitely is a recognition of a mutual intelligence take a very dim view of these new acquaintances, but after a between those two characters.” member of this charmed circle is killed, Morse inevitably finds
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STORY
Julie Chen is ready for another round of ‘Big Brother’ By Jay Bobbin If you don’t know what to expect from a new group of “Big Brother” houseguests, think how Julie Chen feels. The co-host of the Daytime Emmy-winning weekday program “The Talk” restarts her other major CBS job by presiding again over the network’s unscripted strangers-in-close-quarters contest when Season 18 gets a two-hour launch Wednesday, June 22. Even if she has to give herself a crash course on the rivals who will vie to avoid elimination and end the summer $500,000 richer, Chen has learned certain lessons over her previous seasons with the internationally popular format that always apply. “You know, the biggest hurdle for me is learning all the new names,” she confirms. “There are usually 16, and the minute they move in, we pretty much put them to work right away with some sort of challenge. If someone falls or is cheating or has to get called upon for one thing or another, I’ve gotta know, ‘Is that Frankie or is that Joe?’ “Then, there’s learning the rules if there’s a new twist. When we first did Battle of the Block, it took me a while to understand it on paper and when it was explained to me … but as soon as we got in the game, it clicked and it made sense. And then, of course, there’s always the added hours to my day. I don’t stop doing ‘The Talk,’ which doesn’t go on hiatus until August this year. There is a little bit of juggling my schedule, but I get through it. I’ve been doing a crazy schedule pretty much my whole career, so nothing is too bad.” As usual, weekly Thursday and Sunday episodes of “Big Brother” will air along with the Wednesday telecasts, plus non-broadcast live feeds from inside the well-monitored Big Brother House will be offered on the streaming service CBS All Access. For any and all elements that seem familiar by the show’s
18th round, the pleasant Chen notes some course corrections were needed early on. “The first season, it was a surprise that it didn’t work having viewers call in to vote people out,” she recalls. “It worked well, but in a flipped version, on ‘American Idol’ because you asked people to call in for who they liked. As Americans, we vote out the troublemakers who quite are often the most interesting and compelling houseguests - and that makes for a very boring show, and no tension in the house. It worked in other cultures, though, so that was a surprise. “In Season 2, the diehards stayed with us and we got some new viewers. That was one of the best seasons we had, because we brought in American producers who reexamined the game and put their version of how it should be played on it. I’ve also found that because we’re only on during the summer, every year, we get a new crop of young viewers. They’re home because they’re too young to drive, so they can’t go out every night, and too young to work. They discover the show and they get hooked.” The wife of CBS Corporation president and CEO Leslie Moonves, Chen says the two of them have “Big Brother”related discussions “all the time,” even if there isn’t a show controversy that’s making headlines (as there have been on several occasions). “We love watching the show on Sundays. It’s our little weekend treat. When we’re sitting there watching just incredible behavior, we’ll comment to each other on it: ‘Can you believe so-and-so did this or that?’ ”
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STORY
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‘Serena’
captures the human being behind the headlines By George Dickie As professional tennis gears up for the Wimbledon Championships next week, a new documentary on EPIX puts the spotlight on one of the sport’s greats.
The pressures of that pursuit are front and center of the documentary, and in one candid interaction at Wimbledon, Williams is seen getting friendly advice from tennis great and former coach Billie Jean King.
“Serena,” premiering Wednesday, June 22, brings viewers up close and personal with Serena Williams, the four-time Olympic gold medalist and 21-time Grand Slam champ, as she pursued the calendar year Grand Slam (achieved by winning the Australian, French and U.S. Opens and Wimbledon) in 2015.
“It was seeing Serena as a student,” White says. “... It was the most simple things that we all learn when we’re kids or teenagers on the tennis court, like when you get nervous don’t forget to use your feet and make sure you’re using your strength in those moments. But you really see Serena internalizing it and I just thought, whether it made it in the film or not, as the person observing it, it was like an incredibly special moment to me in tennis, to see ... two legends like that.”
Shot from March to September in verité style, the featurelength film follows the 34-year-old legend and her day-today machinations as she wins matches on the court and interacts with family, friends and colleagues off it. It also captures her life as a businesswoman and explores her drive to succeed and the pressures of being World No. 1. “I think Serena is often not seen as a human being,” says Ryan White, the film’s director, “and I think I even felt that before I made this film, of just thinking that she’s impervious (to pressure). She’s so famous and so successful and so talented that the emotions of a human being might not exist, and that was important to me once I got to know her, I was like, wow, she’s a fully dimensional human being just like we all are who goes through these moments, and portraying that was one of my top goals.” White was granted near full access to Williams after her victory at the Australian Open in January and was in the right place at the right time as she won the French Open and Wimbledon, and the possibility of the calendar Slam took shape.
Of course, the story doesn’t have a happy ending. Williams lost to Roberta Vinci in the U.S. Open semifinal and her hopes for the calendar Slam were dashed. It proved to be one of the more painful episodes in Williams’ life and shortly thereafter she withdrew from public view and the rest of the ATP Tour schedule. At that point, White gave Williams her space. White has shown the finished documentary to Williams and he says she was happy with the final product. “I don’t think she would ever choose to sit down and rewatch her 2015 year,” he says. “But luckily, at least according to what she told me, she really loved the film. She really thinks it captured something special in her career and the team around her and the machinations of how a very professional team like that works, and so she’s been fully supportive. I mean, she thinks it captured the real her and I’m relieved to hear that.”
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SPORTS
Daniel Murphy: new baseball team, same great results Story on next page
Full Name: Daniel Thomas Murphy Born: April 1, 1985 Birthplace: Jacksonville, Fla. Height/Weight: 6-foot, 1-inch/222-pounds Teams: Washington Nationals, 2016; NY Mets, 2008-15
No.: 20 Position: Second base Bats/Throws: Left/Right Honors and Achievements: National League All-Star, 2014; NLCS MVP, 2015
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SPORTS
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By Dan Ladd This week’s match up between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers is so lucrative that ESPN plans to carry not one, but two games from a three-game series airing both Monday, June 20, and Wednesday, June 22. The Nats have been hovering near the top of what is turning out be a competitive National League East Division thanks in part to second baseman Daniel Murphy, who they acquired as a free agent during the offseason. Murphy, who has also played first base, third base and left field at times during his career put on a show during the MLB’s 2015 postseason when he helped propel the New York Mets to the World Series, earning NLCS MVP honors along the way. But the Mets only offered Murphy a one-year deal after the season so he departed to D.C. with a threeyear contract to play alongside the likes of Bryce Harper, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
DanielMurphy
Murphy was the Atlantic Sun Conference player of the year as a Junior at Jacksonville University but was not taken in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft until the Mets chose him in the thirteenth round as the 394th overall pick. In 2008, he made his MLB debut. He typically flirts with a .300 batting average, including batting .320 in 2011. At press time he was batting .397 this season. With that type of production added to the lineup, the Nationals remain a favorite to contend for a spot in the MLB post season. June 19 - 25, 2016 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 19
MOVIES
JAY BOBBIN's Theatrical movie review
‘The Nice Guys’
Our Take
supply some nice humor and action
If “The Nice Guys” feels like “Lethal Weapon” – and it often does – that’s not a coincidence. Director and co-screenwriter Shane Black and producer Joel Silver had an enduring hit with the earlier seriocomic adventure that led to three sequels (and which is being developed into a Fox series for next season), and they’re teamed again on the new one. Instead of Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in the lead roles, though, it’s now Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, playing dissimilar late-1970s Los Angeles detectives who partner on a case involving an actress’ death and a missing young woman. The Gosling character’s daughter also proves to be a major resource, and she’s portrayed impressively by Australia’s Angourie Rice. The plot moves in the “Chinatown”-type sphere of powerful people doing bad things, and there’s always a built-in kick to watching unlikely foes of the mighty manage to bring down the supposedly untouchable. The formula largely works again here, and the specific era helps in another way, yielding a soundtrack of familiar ‘70s tunes. (Think everything from The Captain and Tennille to KISS.)
Among the stars of “The Nice Guys,” Crowe is particularly enjoyable as a cut-rate sleuth who gets the job done in his own shambling way. He really seems to have fun with the role, so we do, too; it’s as if he’s thinking, “OK, I’ve done the big and important stuff. Now, let’s just let go and have a good time.” Crowe is reunited here with “L.A. Confidential” costar Kim Basinger. “Magic Mike’s” Matt Bomer also Pictured: Ryan Gosling (left) and Russell Crowe appears, and those who know their television history should enjoy spotting Gil Gerard, the former “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.” The teamwork of Crowe and Gosling is what counts the most, though, and even Gosling has loosened up somewhat in his movies of late. They moderate themselves well together, and Gosling knows when to let his wardrobe of leisure suits grab the laughs for him. Crowe aims for the chuckles more overtly, and they generally land well. Its pattern is a familiar one, but if you don’t expect too much from it, “The Nice Guys” turns out to be a nice surprise.
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MOVIES
This Week’s Top New DVD Releases we couldn’t wait to share! THE
M
MUST SEE LIST
1
BY JAY BOBBIN
“MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2”
It took so long – 14 years – to mount a sequel, writer-star Nia Vardalos and company don’t mess much with the original recipe in this easy-to-take follow-up. The wedding in this case is one that never actually took place, though others believed it did ... the nuptials of Toula’s (Vardalos) mother and father (Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine). While plans are initiated to change that, the daughter (Elena Kampouris) Toula has with husband Ian (John Corbett) plots a getaway from her relatives, who sometimes are too much for her to deal with it. Rita Wilson (also a producer of the picture) and John Stamos join the cast, which also includes returnees Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone, Gia Carides, Louis Mandylor and Bess Meisler. DVD extras: two “making-of” documentaries; outtakes. ››› (PG-13: AS, P) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)
2
“THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY” Put traditionally offbeat star and cowriter Sacha Baron Cohen together with action-specialist Louis Leterrier (“The Transporter”), and this genre jumble is what you get. Cohen plays a generally unambitious Englishman who has but one desire – to reunite with the brother (Mark Strong) he hasn’t seen in almost 30 years. The missing sibling turns out to be a killer for MI6, and he has to stop a plot to nuke the world ... with his rather dim relative’s help. Isla Fisher (alias Mrs. Cohen), Rebel Wilson, Ian McShane (“Deadwood”), Penelope Cruz and Gabourey Sidibe also appear. DVD extras: “makingof” documentary; outtakes. ›› (R: AS, N, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)
3 “HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON” The Shonda Rhimes-produced ABC drama series continues with new cases for Annalise Keating (Emmy winner Viola Davis) and the law students who are learning from her ... possibly to their detriment more than their benefit. However, the matter of Rebecca’s murder also continues to hang over them, taking then into fresh trouble over it as they dig deeper. Billy Brown, Alfred Enoch, Jack Falahee, Aja Naomi King, Matt McGorry, Karla Souza, Charlie Weber and Liza Weil also continue in the regular cast. DVD extras: deleted scenes; outtakes. ››› (Not rated: AS, P, V)
Pictured: Nia Vardalos
4 “MIDNIGHT SPECIAL” A man’s unfailing dedication to his son under very unusual circumstances fuels writer-director Jeff Nichols’ (“Mud”) science-fiction-flavored drama, casting Michael Shannon (“Man of Steel”) as a dad whose son (Jordan Lieberher) has special powers. Many factions are after the boy, wanting him for their own purposes ... but his parent’s determination to protect him takes the two of them across the country, fleeing from the government and other forces. Joel Edgerton (“Black Mass”), Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) and Sam Shepard also star. DVD extras: six “making-of” documentaries. ››› (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)
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FAVORITE SHOWS
Stephen Mangan stars in “Houdini & Doyle”
Jordan Spieth defends his title in the 2016 U.S. Open Golf Championship
“The Great Polar Bear Feast”
Michael Emerson stars in “Person of Interest”
SUNDAY 11 a.m. on FOX 2016 U.S. Open Golf Championship The year’s second golf major reaches a climax today at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa., with the final round of the 2016 U.S. Open. Last year at Chambers Bay in Washington State, 21-year-old Jordan Spieth became the youngest player to win the U.S. Open since Bobby Jones in 1923, with his one-stroke victory over Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen.
MONDAY 9 p.m. on FOX Houdini & Doyle Doyle (Stephen Mangan) springs to the rescue when a close friend, “Dracula” author Bram Stoker (guest star Paul Ritter), starts being pursued by vampire hunters in the new episode “Strigoi.” The sensational success of Stoker’s thriller has inspired rabid cults of faux-bloodsuckers and would-be Van Helsings alike, but Cecilia (Diana Quick) poses an alternate theory: What if vampires are real, and Stoker actually is one of them? Owen Teale (“Game of Thrones”) guest stars; Michael Weston and Rebecca Liddiard also star. New
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TUESDAY 10 p.m. on CBS Person of Interest This dark, fantasy-tinged procedural often deals with ethical gray areas and moral ambiguities, so it remains to be seen whether its producers will wrap things up neatly or end on a more unsettling and unresolved note in the series finale, “return 0.” The story line finds Finch, Reese, Fusco and Shaw (Michael Emerson, Jim Caviezel, Kevin Chapman and Sarah Shahi) setting out on a last-ditch mission to stop Samaritan from cementing its hold over mankind by destroying The Machine. John Doman reprises his recurring role. Series Finale New
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FAVORITE SHOWS WEDNESDAY 8 p.m. on PBS The Great Polar Bear Feast Heart-wrenching photos of hapless polar bears tottering precariously atop melting ice floes vividly illustrate the toll climate change is taking on this animal population, but this new program examines the crisis from a different perspective. Cameraman Art Smith gathered much of the footage, which shows how conditions are driving polar bears to venture into human territory, often with potentially devastating consequences. New
FRIDAY 8 p.m. on FOX Rosewood Pippy’s (Gabrielle Dennis) past resurfaces because of a death that prompts her to volunteer for the investigation in “Negative Autopsies & New Partners.” Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz) doesn’t click with a new partner, but tries to stay on the down-low after her role in denying Hornstock (Domenick Lombardozzi) his promotion. Rosewood (Morris Chestnut) considers a new cardiologist. Mackenzie Astin, Joy Bryant and Tia Mowry-Hardrict guest star.
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SATURDAY 11 p.m. on FOX Party Over Here In an episode titled “Aaron Peaches,” actress-comics Nicole Byer, Jessica McKenna and Alison Rich perform an assortment of satiric bits called “Fit Bit,” “Ghosting,” “Sneak-a-Poo,” “Money Grab,” “Defense Attorney,” “What Is a Blouse?,” “Interesting Job” and “Psychic.”
THURSDAY 8 p.m. on ABC BattleBots Samantha Ponder of ESPN takes over hosting chores as Season 7 of this epic robot-fighting competition gets under way, following a preliminary special episode in May. Veteran sports broadcaster Chris Rose returns to offer play-by-play analysis, enhanced by former UFC fighter Kenny Florian’s color commentary. Alison Haislip is the sideline reporter. Special effects artist Fon Davis, a former “BattleBots” competitor himself, returns as judge along with Jessica Chobot (“The Nerdist”) and a rotating special guest judge. Season Premiere New 8 p.m. on FOX Bones As the Jeffersonian team investigates the murder of a billionaire explorer who went missing in Antarctica 10 years earlier, Dr. Clark Edison (guest star Eugene Byrd) is a prime suspect, since he was with the victim on that expedition. Cam’s (Tamara Taylor) sister (guest star Raney Branch) visits to help with wedding plans, but old family tensions quickly resurface in the new “The Stiff in the Cliff.” Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz also star. New
Gabrielle Dennis stars in “Rosewood”
Nicole Byer stars in “Party Over Here”
Kenny Florian offers commentary in “BattleBots”
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