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“Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris” “American Experience” “American Masters” “Doll & Em”
Profiled athlete Alex Smith
CELEBRITY SPOTLIGHTS
Stephen Colbert Elizabeth Rodriguez Monica Ten-Kate Chris Harrison Felicia Day
The story
WHAT'S FOR DINNER
Featuring: Ted Allen
JAY Bobbin's movies to watch
Lee Jones stars in “The Bastard Executioner,” premiering Tuesday on FX. folio
And so much more!
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“The Bastard Executioner” Premiering Tuesday on FX. p3
“American Masters”
Friday on PBS (check local listings). p 16
“Doll & Em”
Returning for its second season Sunday on HBO. p 17
“Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris” Premieres Tuesday on NBC. pp 12-13
Pictured: WALT DISNEY was a multiple Academy Award-winning American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur and philanthropist. As the co-founder (with his brother Roy O. Disney) of Walt Disney Productions, Disney became one of the best-known motion picture producers in the world. 1960 Los Angeles, CA.
“American Experience: Walt Disney” Monday and Tuesday on PBS (check local listings). pp 14-15
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Celebrity potlights Stephen Colbert
Ted Allen
p4
p7
of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS.
of “Chopped After Hours,” on Food Channel.
Elizabeth Rodriguez Chris Harrison of “Fear the Walking Dead” Sunday on AMC.
Checking in.
p5
Felicia Day
Monica Ten-Kate
of “Monica the Medium” Tuesday on ABC Family. p6
p8
is a strong internet presence, as well as being an actress, gamer, writer and producer. p9
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Profiled Athlete Alex Smith pp 18-19
Editor's choice
STORY
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To the list of those who have come up with unexpected television followups, add the name Kurt Sutter. The mentor of “Sons of Anarchy” shifts his focus from a modern biker club to 14th-century warriors as the writer-producer continues his relationship with FX with “The Bastard Executioner,” premiering Tuesday, Sept. 15. Filmed on location in Wales, the medieval saga retains Sutter’s trademark grit as it follows Wilkin Brattle (played by Lee Jones), who opts to stop fighting on behalf of King Edward I ... but his bid to lead a more tranquil life is short-lived when divine intervention leads him to assume another man’s identity and become the title executioner. “I went in with a lot of details of the world and the mythology,” says Sutter, who also acts in the new series, “and I think that John (FX programming chief Landgraf) sparked the character, the depth of the mythology, the themes in it. And although it was unlike anything they had really done before, it’s always about character and relationship, as it was with ‘Sons.’ The outlaw motorcycle culture became a backdrop to a show about a very conflicted hero and the relationships that surrounded him.” Jones’ fellow actors in “The Bastard Executioner” include Stephen Moyer (“True Blood”) and “Sons of Anarchy” alumna Katey Sagal, alias Mrs. Sutter in real life. Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”) and music’s Ed Sheeran turn up in guest roles, but Wales itself also can be considered a star of the show. ”It does a lot of the heavy lifting for you,” Jones maintains, “because it just feels so real. And I think our back lot and the sets are the only thing I’m getting to see of Wales. I’m so busy that I’m kind of getting the real thing anyway. I’d never been to Wales before, although my family originates from there, so there’s some kind of nice synergy going on there.”
By Jay Bobbin
With Brian Grazer (“Apollo 13,” “24”) and close Sutter associate Paris Barclay (who directed the “Bastard Executioner” pilot) also among the show’s executive producers, Moyer concurs on the authenticity of the setting. “The extraordinary aspect is that our characters, the way that Kurt’s written it, would have been in those castles,” the actor reflects. “They’re the specific castles that our characters would have existed in, so there is a kind of beautiful sort of tying-up of historical detail that is kind of amazing to be part of.” Sagal appreciates her husband supplying her with the vastly different role of Annora of the Alders so soon after working for him as Gemma on “Sons of Anarchy,” whom she cites as “a woman who was defensive and sort of always waiting for the next shoe to drop. And the difference in this woman is that she knows that, even if the next shoe drops, that’s all right and that there’s divinity to everything and there’s a path to everything. “That’s kind of her purpose and her message that she’s trying to guide our hero through. To play a part like that, which is rooted in faith rather than rooted in fear, is really interesting and exciting for me.”
Pictured: Lee Jones
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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Q&A
StephenColbert
of ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ weeknights on CBS How do you intend to refine your hosting style for purposes of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”? On the old show, I wore the character as lightly as a cap, dependent upon who I was talking to. When I spoke to (Timothy) Cardinal Dolan or I would speak to a Medal of Honor winner, I would just dial it up and down as need be. I’m very interested in my guests, and I’m looking forward to being able to be sincerely interested in what they have to say without regard to having to translate it through an idiot’s mouth. So if that leads to some serious conversations, I’d be very happy. We used to say that at Second City: “Wear your character as lightly as a cap,” so as you improvise, you can adjust. It was an act of discipline as the years went on to keep that cap on, because the show was actually just a ton of fun for me, to be out there with the guests and doing the material. How did Jon Batiste come to be your “Late Show” bandleader? Jon Batiste is from a noble jazz lineage in New Orleans, so his music is all rooted in jazz, but he can play anything and with equal joy and facility. And I had him on the show (“The Colbert Report”), and the minute he sat down across from me and challenged me on whether I could improvise, I threw away my cards and pulled my chair right up to his so we were knee-to-knee. And he didn’t back away at all and kept playing with me. I thought, “I could spend a few years on stage with this guy.” And then we invited him to the last show, and our people talked to each other, and it turned out he was interested in the idea.
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CELEBRITY John Crook’s Q&A
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ElizabethRodriguez of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ Sunday on AMC What is your point of connection with Liza, your character? I did research on going to nursing school and was blown away by how many prerequisites there were that were qualities I already had myself – not the blood work, of course, but being empathetic and sensitive and caring. She’s really honest about who she is. Some of the qualities were things I wish I had more of, personally. I don’t have children, but I am very nurturing by nature. Did you binge-watch the original “The Walking Dead” to prepare for this series? I feel like “The Walking Dead” is its own world, and watching it wouldn’t have informed me. I think that show is wonderful on its own terms and obviously the world loves it. But because we are working in a world set in the weeks prior to the beginning (of the world on “The Walking Dead”), I just felt the world on our own show was going to explain itself. You’re also on “Orange Is the New Black,” another ensemble show. Would you ever like to star in your own series? I love being part of an ensemble when it is one that is made up of this kind of talent. Believe it or not, I’m actually a big clown, so “The Elizabeth Rodriguez Show” probably would be more of a sitcom instead of the dramatic roles that I often play. I also can’t really imagine the pressure something like that would entail.
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CELEBRITY George Dickie’s Q&A
Monica Ten-Kate of ‘Monica the Medium’ Tuesday on ABC Family How did you come to realize you had your gift? When I was younger, I was definitely very intuitive and empathic. I’d feel things around people, the emotions of others and things like that. At the time, I didn’t know that I had this gift. It was just like, ‘Oh, I just feel a little bit different than most kids around me.’ But ... really when it started strongest was when I was in high school. I’d be around certain friends and they’d tell me about their childhood or a story from their past or their loved one who had passed away and I could hear or see the ending, or feel it before they’d finish telling me. ... There was one particular best friend that it would happen to quite often where every time I’d be around her I’d get kind of emotional, I’d get choked up and I’d kind of hear or feel those things and she’d be talking about her family. And so I would finally repeat to her what I would be hearing and she’d be like crying, ‘Nobody knew that about my mom. How did you know that about my mom?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t even know how I knew that. I just heard it or like felt that.’ And over time it happened more and more.
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How did your family react? In a way, it really is like coming out, like I had to come out as a medium and I had to tell my family. And some of them had a hunch that there’s something different about Monica. ... But really I was kind of having to come out altogether to really tell them what was going on because I suppressed it and I kept it to myself for a long time because I was fearful of how my family would react and how they’d look at me, especially with my mother. She’s a very conservative, strong Catholic. ... But she now kind of supports me and more than she ever did but the rest my family, they’ve all really supported me.
FOOD George Dickie’s What's for Dinner
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What book are you currently reading? “I am reading Ta-Nehisi Coates’ ‘Between the World and Me,’ which is a very serious look at race in America and which Toni Morrison has anointed as evidence that Ta-Nehisi Coates is the heir to James Baldwin. ... And I’m also reading ‘How Music Got Free,’ which is an interesting story of the invention of the MP3.” What did you have for dinner last night? “Last night, I had a faro salad and a chicken breast that had been marinated in some kind of balsamic vinaigrette. ... Faro is a grain that I think not enough people appreciate ... . It’s a terrific vehicle for flavor.” What is your next project? “We’ve just finished shooting 13 episodes of a new show that will be coming out in the fall that I’m tremendously excited about. And I can tell you that Food Network has really doubled down on ‘Chopped,’ and we’re shooting a ton of episodes, which is very exciting.”
Click or tap on icon for more! Pictured:Ted Allen
Every once in a while, fans like to see their favorite stars be themselves, and that’s the idea behind the new Food Network series “Chopped After Hours.” Premiering in late night on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the half-hour show is actually the TV version of the “After Hours” Web series, which turns the tables on the “Chopped” judges/ chefs – including Maneet Chauhan, Geoffrey Zakarian, Aaron Sanchez, Alex Guarnaschelli and Scott Conant – and makes them the competitors as they try to make something delectable from the ingredients in the show’s notorious mystery baskets. In the end, there is no winner, only fun and camaraderie as the chefs kick back, have a few laughs and sample one another’s creations. “There is no prize, there is nobody chopped. It doesn’t matter, really, who did better,” says Ted Allen, the show’s host. “We usually decide that one person kind of won the day but that’s just it. That isn’t the point. The point is fans like to see the people that they like on TV kicking back,
When was your last vacation, where and why? “Well, I had a mini-vacation in Charleston. ... Charleston’s a lovely place to visit – incredible houses, just great food, great restaurants. ... And then before that, Cuernavaca, Mexico. I really love Mexico. We don’t go anyplace that doesn’t have good food. That’s a rule.”
being (themselves), having a glass of wine, all of which we do. Letting their proverbial hair down.” The idea came from a Food Network executive who would have a few beers with on-air talent at day’s end and noticed their chemistry. From that, the Web series was born in 2013, followed by the TV show this year. “This is a group of people that’s really close now and knows each other really well and finishes each other’s sentences and tells pretty good dirty jokes,” Allen says. “And (the network) thought that they might capitalize on that online and they liked it so much that they thought, ‘Well, why are we not utilizing this on the network air as well?’ ” “It’s really just more of an exhibition and an excuse for us to hang out together and have fun,” he continues. “And these judges, these people are really smart and funny, so it’s usually a good conversation.”
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CELEBRITY Jay Bobbin’s Celebrity ScooP
Chris
Harrison If it often seems Chris Harrison is all about “The Bachelor,” two events are about to prove otherwise. As the host of ABC’s dating show and its offshoots since their inceptions, he’ll have two other popular television outlets in the coming weeks. He returns to Atlantic City, N.J., to co-host the Miss America competition Sunday, Sept. 13, on ABC; and starting the following day, he succeeds Terry Crews (and, for that matter, Cedric the Entertainer and Meredith Vieira as well) as the new quizmaster on the syndicated weekday version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” Though Donald Trump isn’t involved in Miss America – he produces the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants – Harrison wouldn’t mind if the Republican presidential candidate’s controversial comments of late are addressed during the contest. “We’re always trying to be timely and part of the conversation,” he reflects, “so it’ll be interesting, during the question portion, if one of the judges asks one of the contestants about the Trump situation. I think it would be a great way to work it in. The show has grown over the years I’ve been hosting it, and hopefully, we’ll continue to see growth. Maybe people will gravitate more towards us now.” As for “Millionaire,” Harrison says he “could not be more excited about it,” though he admits he “didn’t think it would” work out given his other commitments. “I told them, ‘I don’t know if this will be physically possible to pull off,’ with (tapings that would conflict with the summer schedule of) ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ and the live aftershow. And then ‘The Bachelor’ starts up again, but everybody was unbelievably generous and we shoehorned it in.” Indeed, Harrison has been taping “Millionaire” episodes most of this summer. He says the show is going “old-school” this season, factoring in theme weeks including two that feature “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” veterans as contestants for charity. “It’s been a lot of back-and-forth and red-eye flights,” Harrison notes, “but it took a lot of generous people to pull it off on the ‘Bachelor’ side and also at ABC Daytime. I don’t think a lot of them are too worried about the use and abuse of me physically, but it’s all worked out.” Page 8 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote September 13 - 19, 2015
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CELEBRITY CelebritY profile
Fe liciaDay
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is a strong internet presence, as well as being an actress, gamer, writer and producer. She can be seen in various facets on her YouTube channel Geek & Sundry. - Kathryn Felicia Day was born on June 28, 1979, in Huntsville, Ala. - She and her brother Ryon were homeschooled. - During her childhood, growing up in the Deep South, she acted in community theater, took dance classes and played violin. She was also among the first generation of computer gamers, “Ultima” being one of her favorites. - In 1995, she accepted a full scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin for violin performance. - In 2003, she appeared as Vi in the last season of Joss Whedon’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” She has also had memorable roles on several other shows including “Supernatural” and “Eureka.” - In 2006, after getting addicted to the game “World of Warcraft,” she decided to use that as inspiration for creating, writing and starring in her own series. Unable to sell the concept, she and her friends decided to make it themselves and take advantage of YouTube to air it. - Her series “The Guild” premiered in 2007, and for the first season, was solely supported by fans through PayPal donations. - In 2008, partly inspired by the success of her Web series, and looking for a creative work-around to the 2007-2008 Writer’s Strike, Whedon created “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.” - In 2011, for EA Games, she wrote and starred in “Dragon Age: Redemption,” a six-episode live-action Web series based on one of her favorite video games. In an add-on game for “Dragon Age II” her character from the series is woven into the game world, voiced by, and looking very much like her. - In 2012, she co-founded the YouTube channel “Geek & Sundry.” She has created and starred in several of the series that the channel produces including “The Flog,” “Co-Optitude” with her brother, and has joined Wil Wheaton on his show “Tabletop” on a few occasions. - Her book, “You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost): A Memoir” came out last month, and was on the New York Times non-fiction best-sellers list. September 13 - 19, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 9
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CELEBRITY
“I learned how to do everything I know how to do by performing. I became a writer because I was the only one who would write for me. I became a director because I was the one who would cast me, so I had to keep doing it, because I would go crazy (otherwise).” – Stephen Colbert of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS
“Gary Cooper. I’ll take Coop. He’s my guy, ‘High Noon.’ ... I worked with Bob Mitchum in the ‘80s in New Zealand. I played his son. Taught me how to make a martini.” – Robert Taylor of “Longmire” on Netflix, on his favorite Western stars
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“They care about stuff. They care about American history and heritage. They look at these films, and they’re not afraid of the controversy that we bring up.” – Ken Burns, maker of the recently repeated “The Civil War” on PBS, about his longtime underwriters who have helped finance the documentaries he makes
CELEBRITY
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ON DVRs
Chris Harrison of “The 2016 Miss America Competition” on ABC and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” in syndication “‘Veep,’ for sure ... and I’m looking forward to getting into ‘The Brink.’ And I watch a lot of Food Network; my daughter is 11, and she’s a big foodie. We love to cook, and we watch a lot of ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,’ ‘Cutthroat Kitchen,’ all that stuff.”
Vivian Howard of “A Chef’s Life” on PBS “We recently started watching ‘House of Cards’ and we watched the whole first season and we’re getting ready to watch the second season. We’re like onetelevision-show-type of people. So we watch ‘Mad Men’ religiously. We watch ‘Downton Abbey,’ and right now we’re watching ‘House of Cards.’ ”
Dana Delany of “Hand of God” on Amazon “‘Hannibal,’ I watch ‘Hannibal.’ I watch ‘Aquarius.’ ... I watch ‘True Detective.’ You know, now that I’m with Apple TV, I don’t have to record a lot. That’s the other thing, so I watch a lot on my Apple, so I don’t need to record. I watch Netflix on my Apple – I shouldn’t say that; I’m on Amazon. There’s so much to watch now.”
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STORY
“Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris” premieres Tuesday on NBC.
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By Jay Bobbin
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t’s a little of this and a little of that, and Neil Patrick Harris claims he’s ready for all of it.
A five-time Emmy winner, the “How I Met Your Mother” and “Doogie Howser, M.D.” veteran has become a host for all occasions, evidenced by his turns guiding the Tonys, the Emmys and the Oscars – and he’s parlaying that into a bid to revive television variety shows. NBC gives “Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris” an initial two-month run starting Tuesday, Sept. 15, and the fact it will air live (in the Eastern half of the country) has Harris excited. And somewhat cautious. “This is a new structure and kind of a new idea for a show,” he allows, “and it’s a little bit difficult to explain in many ways. But you need to have the bible, someone who knows and has tested all of these things. I don’t want to put a show out live with brand-new, untested material, because I think an audience deserves to actually be entertained as opposed to (being) sort of a litmus test for entertainment.” With that rationale, Harris has imported fellow executive producer Siobhan Greene of “Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway,” the British show on which “Best Time Ever” is based. She reasons that the ace up the program’s sleeve is “the show being live. And actually, when things do go wrong, I think the audience will love it because they can appreciate it.” While “Best Time Ever” is an entertainment potpourri, with Reese Witherspoon scheduled to be the premiere’s guest announcer, Harris realizes other programs already cover some of the turf: “I love variety, and I was interested in the notion that I can show people at home – or in an audience – cool, interesting things that are clever (and) you can set your remote down and watch. I love the magic. I love the circus. I love the juggling. I love singular talents. But there’s already those shows. ‘America’s Got Talent’ is doing better than ever. And there are singing competition shows, and there’s dancing competition shows.” Harris hesitates to give up everything “Best Time Ever” will be, but he explains “it’s essentially producing six or seven shows simultaneously. You have game-show elements, so
you have people who are creating games, finding ideas and prizes. Then you have the ‘Little NPH’ (a child actor who plays a young Harris), who is going out on his own segments. I’m going to be pranking celebrities, so we’re having to deal with the logistics of that. “We have people in the audience who are going to be in the audience and who will authentically not have any idea that they’re going to be a part of the show ... and not only that, they’ve been followed for weeks if not months by segment producers and hidden cameras to accomplish a task, whether it’s them interacting with a celebrity that they’ve loved or talking about a secret that they’ve had. I went and photo-bombed a wedding, and the couple has no idea that they’re even going to be coming to the show.” A Tony Award winner last year for “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” Harris likes making “Best Time Ever” for a network that already does a substantial amount of live programming, given “Saturday Night Live,” much of the seasons of NBC’s competition shows and such specials as this December’s staging of “The Wiz.” He hopes that element also will make his show “a reason to actually sit and watch something, and that adds its own sort of spontaneity and uniqueness and viewability. Which isn’t a word, but probably should be.”
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STORY
Walt Disney is profiled in a new “American Experience” program Monday and Tuesday on PBS (check local listings). Story on next page
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STORY
PBS recounts Walt Disney’s unique
‘American Experience’ By Jay Bobbin
Because of the magic he generated, there also was – and continues to be – magic in the name Walt Disney. So much history is behind the entertainment icon, the long-running PBS series “American Experience” profiles him in a rare two-part episode Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 14 and 15 (check local listings). The new program underscores that for all the joy he brought others, extending to a California theme park still known as “the happiest place on Earth,” Disney’s own story wasn’t entirely rosy. A workaholic forever seeking the next challenge, he expected perfection from others, many of whom were devoted loyalists who scored their greatest successes under Disney’s stewardship. In the case of Richard M. Sherman, one of many behindthe-scenes talents seen in the biography, that success was scored literally. He and his late brother Robert B. Sherman were the composers whose Disney classics included “Mary Poppins,” for which they won two Oscars, and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” ... and though they would work for other producers on such films as “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and “Charlotte’s Web,” Disney largely gave them their creative home, particularly during the 1960s. “He’s the one who a.) discovered us, and b.) gave us the opportunity,” Richard Sherman says in an interview for this article. “I had such a fondness for this man. He was a wonderful human being, aside from the fact that he was a super-genius of entertainment. He had such a concept of what would please and intrigue people, but more than that, he was such a nice person. I just have a warm feeling about Walt Disney. He was a great man, truly.” Sherman allows Disney “didn’t share everything verbally with you, but his eyes or his manner would tell you something. My brother and I had no idea Walt had been
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Walt Disney, pictured with wife Lillian
after the rights to do ‘Mary Poppins’ for something like 18 years, prior to our ever becoming involved in it. All we knew was that he handed us a book one day and said, ‘Read this and tell me what you think.’ And, of course, it was the first book of ‘Mary Poppins’ stories.” “Chim Chim Cher-ee” (which earned its own Oscar), “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Feed the Birds” and the eternally tongue-twisting “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” were among the resulting Sherman tunes that helped give structure to the film. “You can’t do a movie with no plot,” Richard notes. “Bob and I were, I think, pretty good songwriters ... so our first meeting with Walt on ‘Mary Poppins’ was the indication of why he hired us as his staff writers. There was no reason for Mary Poppins to come (to the Banks family), so we cooked up an idea, and he spent two hours listening to us very intently.” The Sherman brothers are legendary in their own right, to the degree that they fueled the 2009 documentary “The Boys: The Sherman Brothers’ Story” and the 2014 London concert “A Spoonful of Sherman.” They also were prominent characters in the 2013 movie “Saving Mr. Banks,” which dramatized the making of “Mary Poppins.” Though they’d worked on “The Parent Trap” and “The Sword in the Stone” among other Disney movies previously, Richard Sherman remembers “Mary Poppins” as the project on which he and his sibling turned the career corner. “(Disney) said, ‘You guys think “story.”’ We said, ‘We sure do, Walt.’ And he said, ‘How would you like to work here at the studio?’ That was the day he put us under contract, and we became his one-and-only songwriting team. It was kind of an honor for us. He was just so special to us.”
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STORY
‘American Masters’
profiles an important mid-20th photographer By George Dickie Pictured: Pedro E. Guerrero
You may not know his name but chances are you’ve seen his work – and he’s the subject of a new PBS “American Masters” documentary debuting this week. The hourlong “Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey,” airing Friday, Sept. 18 (check local listings), chronicles the life of the Mexican-American photographer and his collaborations with three of the most iconic artists of the 20th century: architect Frank Lloyd Wright and sculptors Alexander Calder and Louise Nevelson. The film uses interviews with Guerrero and others as well as archival footage and his photographs to tell his story.
“But Wright really controlled his image and some of those photographs are pretty formal, too,” he continues. “And I think Wright let his guard down with Pete. You know, they cracked jokes and he had a sense of humor and I think that was revealed. I think Pedro could get away with that where the students could not.” Less formal was Guerrero’s relationship with Calder, and the two were more birds of a feather. In fact, when Guerrero’s magazine career came to an abrupt end in 1968 over his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, it was Calder who gave him work.
Guerrero, who died at age 95 in 2012, was one of the most sought-after photographers of the mid-1900s, yet his work was largely unknown. But to those in the know, his outsider’s eye brought life and insight to the work of these three giants. His most famous collaboration, with Wright, basically launched his career and gave him unparalleled access to the famously guarded man.
“Calder was very much against the Vietnam War,” Telles says, “and he said, ‘Keep on doing what you’re doing. I fully support you.’ And I think what happened is I just think that Conde Nast didn’t like the fact that one of their photographers was so out there and so public about the Vietnam War. ... And it hurt him financially but I think it freed him up in other ways.”
“I think it was really almost kind of like a – not quite a father/son relationship but something much closer than the more formal relationship he had with his apprentices,” says the film’s co-director and co-producer Ray Telles, who is also married to Guerrero’s niece. “And I think that that relationship and the access that Pete had to Wright I think is really reflective in the work, in that he does catch Wright at some moments when he’s not necessarily aware of the camera.
What comes through is a portrait of a man who loved what he did and considered fate to be as much a factor as skill in his success. “I just think that he realized ... he’d been lucky that he had such a long life and a very charmed life,” Telles says, “and I think that’s kind of the philosophy he developed over the years.”
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‘Doll & Em’ return as equals in Season 2 By George Dickie
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Pictured: Dolly Wells (left) and Emily Mortimer
Anyone in a long-term relationship knows the balance of power can shift back and forth between members. And that’s what is taking place in HBO’s half-hour comedy “Doll & Em,” as it opens for Season 2 on Sunday, Sept. 13. Gone is the boss/subordinate relationship that actress Em (Emily Mortimer) had with best friend Doll (Dolly Wells), whom she employed as her personal assistant, in Season 1. Now, with Doll no longer in Em’s employ and their rift from the end of last season mended, the two embark on writing a semi-autobiographical play together in the hopes of getting it on Broadway. They’ve sequestered themselves in a remote lighthouse to do it, and though their relationship is back on equal footing, more struggles ensue. Making guest appearances as themselves in Season 2 are Olivia Wilde (“House”) and Evan Rachel Wood (“The Wrestler”), whom the pals tab to play their onstage incarnations. Mikhail Baryshnikov and Ewan McGregor also have guest roles. “The first (season) is much more obvious – the power dynamic,” explains Mortimer, who is also an associate producer with Wells. “But even within that power dynamic, we were really interested in having it shift the whole time and the sort of servant/master thing gets turned on its head, like ‘All About Eve’ or ‘The Servant’ or that thing where suddenly you go from the servant and the master and then suddenly the master becomes the servant and suddenly it’s turned
on its head. And in the second one, it was much less, it was more subtle but that’s happening all the time. Your sympathies shift from one to the other.” “In a superficial way you see my character wearing a suit and we’re both trying to work out what it is to be alpha,” Wells says. “... We are the boss, like we’re putting on this play and we’re employing these actresses and it’s our thing. And it’s how that sits with us, and that’s probably like us in real life, that neither of the characters wants to be alpha because they think that being alpha, you lose out on being ... loved.” The series may be titled “Doll & Em,” but the two actresses make clear that the series in no way reflects their real lives. Mortimer, 43, is married to actor Alessandro Nivola, with whom she has two children. Lifelong friend Wells, also 43, lives nearby in Brooklyn, N.Y., with her husband, actor Mischa Richter, and their two children. Both have successful acting careers. Still, Mortimer admits it’s fun to blur the lines. “There’s something about setting up this very authentic dynamic where people are kind of lulled into this kind of very awkward feeling that they’re watching two real best friends talk to each other and then being able to play with us, and then these dreadful things happen,” she says. “... And I think there’s something interesting that happens ... to an audience when you play around that way, with the sort of interface between what’s real and what isn’t.”
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SPORTS
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Full Name: Alexander Douglas Smith
Position: Quarterback
Born: May 7, 1984
No.: 11
Birthplace: Bremerton, Wash.
College: University of Utah
Height/Weight: 6 foot 4 inches/217 pounds
Drafted: 2005/Round 1; Pick 1 by the San Francisco 49ers
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Teams: San Francisco 49ers, 2005-2012; Kansas City Chiefs (2013-present) Honors and Achievements: Pro Bowl, 2014; NFC Champion, 2012; Fiesta Bowl Offensive Co-MVP, 2005
SPORTS
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By Dan Ladd Alex Smith would like nothing more than to get his Kansas City Chiefs back in the NFL playoffs, but he needs some help. After opening the 2015 regular season in Houston, Smith and the Chiefs host Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos when CBS takes over the NFL’s Thursday night broadcasting duties on Sept. 17. The former 2005, top draft pick in the NFL had his best season thus far in 2013 after he was traded in the off season to the Chiefs from the San Francisco 49ers. Smith had lost his job to Colin Kaepernick the season prior, although he was 6-2 as a starter before suffering a concussion and providing Kaepernick with a playing opportunity. Smith showed up in Kansas City at the same time as head coach Andy Reid, and the Chiefs began the 2013 season with a 9-0 record. They tumbled down the stretch, however, finishing 11-5 behind the Broncos in the AFC West Division. A Wild Card playoff game against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts mirrored the Chiefs’ regular season. After establishing a big lead they allowed Luck and the Colts to come back and win by a final score of 45-44.
AlexSmith
Although Smith threw 18 touchdowns to only six interceptions in 2014, he did not throw one touchdown pass to a receiver. That is where the Chiefs hope to improve coming into this season. Although their offensive line is aging, through the draft and free-agency they are trying to give Smith some much needed offensive assistance. September 13 - 19, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 19
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MOVIES JAY BOBBIN's Theatrical movie review
review Robert Vaughn and David McCallum can rest easy: Their shared television legacy is intact. It actually benefits their famous tenure as spies Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin that the new movie version of “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” – the first original “U.N.C.L.E.” film, since those released in the 1960s simply were slightly expanded TV episodes – is a prequel, so they were more experienced agents by definition. That helps new portrayers Henry Cavill (“Man of Steel”) and Armie Hammer (“The Lone Ranger”), but only to a certain extent. How the fictional duo got together proves less interesting than how they fared together, though admittedly, director and co-writer Guy Ritchie (“Sherlock Hiolmes”) introduces them in the throes of action as rivals in a breakneck car chase through East Berlin. They’re both in pursuit of the daughter (Alicia Vikander) of a scientist with nuclear expertise, but they soon end up having to put their respective national loyalties aside to work together ... with Hugh Grant turning up as boss Waverly. All the elements are present, from a 1960s setting and wardrobe to Jerry Goldsmith’s classic “U.N.C.L.E.” theme, but the biggest demerit is that the stars play at being the characters rather than actually becoming them. Vaughn was so suave as Solo, he didn’t have to feign being suave, and the same went for McCallum being so intense as Kuryakin. Not for a moment will anyone familiar with the original show buy that Cavill and Hammer are more, or even as, successful in the parts. That’s always the risk anyone runs in trying to restage a classic ... and once that’s clear, the rest of the venture had better be acceptable as entertainment of its own. On that count, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” is merely OK, and that even goes for the chief villains played by Elizabeth Debicki and Sylvester Groth. Even accepting that it’s meant to evoke another time, the picture is a bit too genteel in an era of Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible” derring-do and Daniel Craig’s toughness as James Bond.
Spy-story throwback cries
‘U.N.C.L.E.’
Good for some nostalgia? Sure. But as for being truly viable beyond that, “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” is an entirely different affair. Page 20 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote September 13 - 19, 2015
Pictured: Henry Cavill
MOVIES JAY BOBBIN's movie review movies to watch
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“FURIOUS 7”
Top Pick
DVD
The huge success of the action franchise continued with this latest edition, the last to feature co-star Paul Walker. An enemy (Jason Statham) is out for vengeance against Dom (Vin Diesel) and his harddriving comrades, who venture to various locations including Tokyo and Abu Dhabi in an effort to get the villain before he gets them. As usual in this series, the stunts are spectacular, with well over 200 cars reportedly demolished for them. Kurt Russell, wrestler Ronda Rousey and Lucas Black (“NCIS: New Orleans”) join the cast, with Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson and Chris Bridges (alias “Ludacris”) among those also returning from earlier editions. DVD extras: four “making-of” documentaries. ››› (PG13: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand)
Pictured: Paul Walker
upcoming DVD releases
Coming Soon on DVD... “PITCH PERFECT 2” (Sept. 22): The Bellas return to take part in a global a cappella competition; Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson reprise their roles. (PG-13: AS, P)
“POLTERGEIST” (Sept. 29): A revision of the horror tale casts Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt as a couple whose child is taken by evil spirits. (PG-13: AS, P, V)
“ENTOURAGE” (Sept. 29): The movie continuation of the former HBO comedy series reunites cast members including Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon and Jeremy Piven. (R: AS, N, P)
“SPY” (Sept. 29): Melissa McCarthy plays a CIA analyst who becomes a surprisingly effective field agent. (R and unrated versions: AS, P, V)
“OUTLANDER: SEASON 1, VOLUME 2” (Sept. 29): The epic Starz romantic adventure continues, with Claire (Caitriona Balfe) involved in an effort to rescue Jamie (Sam Heughan). (Not rated: AS, N, P, V)
“AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON” (Oct. 2): Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), alias Iron Man, unwittingly generates a new enemy (voice of James Spader) for himself and his Marvel superhero allies. (PG-13: P, V)
Pictured: Anna Kendrick
September 13 - 19, 2015 YOUR TV LINK Courtesy of Gracenote Page 21
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FAVORITE SHOWS
Gordon Ramsay of “MasterChef”
Miss Piggy of “In Their Own Words”
Chris Harrison co-hosts The 2016 Miss America Competition
Derek Hough in “Dancing With the Stars”
SUNDAY 9 p.m. on ABC The 2016 Miss America Competition Chris Harrison (“The Bachelor”) and Brooke Burke-Charvet host the competition — which stresses that it’s about scholarship, though yes, there also are swimsuits — as it marks its 95th anniversary at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. Last year’s victor, Kira Kazantsev (the third consecutive Miss New York to win), will crown her successor. Judges include Kevin O’Leary (“Shark Tank”) and Paralympic medalist and “Dancing With the Stars” alum Amy Purdy. New
MONDAY 8 p.m. on ABC Dancing With the Stars Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews launch Season 21. Competing: actor Gary Busey; “Crocodile Hunter’’ daughter Bindi Irwin; chef Paula Deen; singers Nick Carter, Andy Grammer and Chaka Khan; jockey Victor Espinoza; reality stars Tamar Braxton and Kim Zolciak-Biermann; social media’s Hayes Grier; National Guardsman Alex Skarlatos; and the show’s first married rivals, actress Alexa PenaVega and singer Carlos PenaVega. Derek Hough is among the returning pro dancers. Season Premiere New
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TUESDAY 8 p.m. on PBS In Their Own Words With a new “Muppets” series about to debut, the timing is appropriate for this program to conclude with a profile of the man who created such enduring characters as Kermit and Miss Piggy, Jim Henson. Those creations spanned several decades, but they got a special boost when Henson aligned with Children’s Television Workshop to generate one of the milestones in public-television history, “Sesame Street.” He also made such fantasy films as “The Dark Crystal.” Series Finale New
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FAVORITE SHOWS WEDNESDAY 8 p.m. on FOX MasterChef There’s a whole lot of cooking going on in the season’s two-hour conclusion, “Team Gordon Ramsay/ The Finale.” The three finalists get assistance from others in preparing a meal for 30 guests who have much more than a passing culinary knowledge. Then, the two remaining contestants will be tasked with prepping a three-course meal — and the person who impresses Gordon Ramsay, Graham Elliot and Christina Tosi the most will win $250,000 and more. Season Finale New
FRIDAY 8 p.m. on CBS Elementary The search for a missing person has a decidedly personal element for Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) in “A Controlled Descent.” The individual in question is his recovery sponsor, Alfredo (recurring guest star Ato Essandoh), and Watson (Lucy Liu) helps in the probe to find out what happened to the man. The worry is that if he wasn’t kidnapped, perhaps he had another major bout with his own addiction. Aidan Quinn also stars.
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SATURDAY 3:30 p.m. on CBS College Football A clash of SEC West rivals both nicknamed “Tigers” is set to go down today in Baton Rouge, La., where Anthony Jennings and LSU defend home turf from Jeremy Johnson and Auburn. Sixth-ranked Auburn hopes new QB Johnson and defensive coordinator Will Muschamp can get them back into the national championship conversation. No. 14 LSU, meanwhile, has a top-flight runner in Leonard Fournette but a defense that at times last season was sorely lacking.
9 p.m. on CW A Wicked Offer The desire to start a family tempts Illinois couple Desirae and Sean to sell out loved ones to get the funds they need in the new episode “Get Rich or Cry Trying.” They’re put in this show’s now-familiar position of choosing the cash or protecting friends and relatives from being subjected to questionable tasks. The worse it gets for the others, the more money the couple can earn — thus making the situation “wicked.” New THURSDAY 8 p.m. on NBC Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood The comedian and ventriloquist gets a new showcase that truly was taped in Hollywood — at the Dolby Theater — in August. Dunham calls many of his most popular characters, including the perpetually cranky Walter, back into play as he also welcomes several guests: countrymusic superstar Brad Paisley, “Saturday Night Live” alum Chris Parnell and UFC veteran Chuck Liddell. Behind-the-scenes footage also is included during the hour. New
Lucy Liu stars in “Elementary”
“Jeff Dunham: Unhinged in Hollywood”
Anthony Jennings and LSU take on Auburn Saturday on CBS.
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