[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from “Star Trek: Discovery’s” fall finale, “Into the Forest I Go.”]
In its first nine episodes, “Star Trek: Discovery” has taken its crew on quite the adventure, finally landing them in an unidentified mystery location thanks to Stamets (Anthony Rapp) making one spore drive jump too many. But the audience has also gone on an emotional journey with the series’ characters, ranging from Burnham’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) despondency after an unsuccessful mutiny to the loony side-effects Stamets is experiencing from the tardigrade DNA. But it’s the journey by Discovery’s newest crew member, Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif), that’s been the most erratic and confusing.
The Pow from the Battle of the Binary Stars landed in a Klingon prison cell for seven months, during which he was able to survive because his Klingon jailor L’Rell (Mary Chief) took a personal liking to him. Upon his escape, Tyler seemed strangely well-adjusted despite his ordeal, but upon seeing L’Rell again on the Sarcophagus ship,...
In its first nine episodes, “Star Trek: Discovery” has taken its crew on quite the adventure, finally landing them in an unidentified mystery location thanks to Stamets (Anthony Rapp) making one spore drive jump too many. But the audience has also gone on an emotional journey with the series’ characters, ranging from Burnham’s (Sonequa Martin-Green) despondency after an unsuccessful mutiny to the loony side-effects Stamets is experiencing from the tardigrade DNA. But it’s the journey by Discovery’s newest crew member, Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif), that’s been the most erratic and confusing.
The Pow from the Battle of the Binary Stars landed in a Klingon prison cell for seven months, during which he was able to survive because his Klingon jailor L’Rell (Mary Chief) took a personal liking to him. Upon his escape, Tyler seemed strangely well-adjusted despite his ordeal, but upon seeing L’Rell again on the Sarcophagus ship,...
- 11/13/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen and Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Issa Rae is one of the six names in entertainment being celebrated at the inaugural IndieWire Honors on Nov. 2. Her voice and creativity showcased on HBO’s “Insecure” has earned her the Vanguard Award for television. Larry Wilmore, who co-created the series and co-write the pilot, shares his thoughts on collaborating with Rae, as told to IndieWire:
It was late spring of 2013, I believe. When I was asked about meeting with her from my manager, I wasn’t aware of her web series [“The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl”]. When they brought it up, I took a look at her web series, and it was one of those “fall in love at first sight” type of things. I just thought it was great. So much potential in it.
It was the way she chose to tell the story, and the tone that she struck, which is different than most people try to do. It was very quiet,...
It was late spring of 2013, I believe. When I was asked about meeting with her from my manager, I wasn’t aware of her web series [“The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl”]. When they brought it up, I took a look at her web series, and it was one of those “fall in love at first sight” type of things. I just thought it was great. So much potential in it.
It was the way she chose to tell the story, and the tone that she struck, which is different than most people try to do. It was very quiet,...
- 10/31/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
How well do you know your life sciences? If your answer is ‘not well,’ IndieWire suggests catching up on “Star Trek: Discovery.” The latest episode was outstanding in many ways, including its stellar accuracy boiling down biology and zoology. IndieWire’s own TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller and Senior Editor Hanh Nguyen sat down and fielded “Star Trek: Discovery”-fueled questions regarding Episode 4, “The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry” on Facebook Live.
Every lover of television and film knows how important it is to be thorough, especially when it comes down to a decades-long franchise whose fans can detect any sign of leniency. The admission of the giant tardigrade wasn’t only an egregious delight, but a catalyst to comment on the show’s extensive attention to detail. Ripper is based on the tardigrade, or the water bear, which is a real animal — except that in real life,...
Every lover of television and film knows how important it is to be thorough, especially when it comes down to a decades-long franchise whose fans can detect any sign of leniency. The admission of the giant tardigrade wasn’t only an egregious delight, but a catalyst to comment on the show’s extensive attention to detail. Ripper is based on the tardigrade, or the water bear, which is a real animal — except that in real life,...
- 10/11/2017
- by Raelyn Giansanti
- Indiewire
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from “Star Trek: Discovery” Episode 1 and 2, “The Vulcan Hello” and “Battle at the Binary Stars.”]
Liz Shannon Miller, TV Editor: While anyone who knows a little bit about “Star Trek” comes to a new iteration of the franchise with certain expectations, there is the basic fact that the pilot of any TV show is, to borrow a term, undiscovered country. And the launch of “Star Trek: Discovery” has been accompanied by plenty of early press suggesting that we were in for a whole new take on boldly going where no one has gone before — a take that might prove darker than previous installments.
And, no lie, introducing a major character like Captain Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) and then seeing her brutally murdered by a Klingon is a strong indication of that. How much did that shock you, Hanh?
Hanh Nguyen, Senior Editor: Honestly, it didn’t, which in itself surprised me since I haven’t been following the development of the show that closely. While I am a fan,...
Liz Shannon Miller, TV Editor: While anyone who knows a little bit about “Star Trek” comes to a new iteration of the franchise with certain expectations, there is the basic fact that the pilot of any TV show is, to borrow a term, undiscovered country. And the launch of “Star Trek: Discovery” has been accompanied by plenty of early press suggesting that we were in for a whole new take on boldly going where no one has gone before — a take that might prove darker than previous installments.
And, no lie, introducing a major character like Captain Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) and then seeing her brutally murdered by a Klingon is a strong indication of that. How much did that shock you, Hanh?
Hanh Nguyen, Senior Editor: Honestly, it didn’t, which in itself surprised me since I haven’t been following the development of the show that closely. While I am a fan,...
- 9/25/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
It’s perhaps the question the IndieWire TV team gets asked the most right now: “Is there anything good to watch this fall?” That’s sort of a loaded question, and always hard to answer. With so much TV available, there’s almost something suited to anyone’s taste.
IndieWire’s TV team — including Hanh Nguyen, Liz Shannon Miller, Steve Greene and Ben Travers — joins host Michael Schneider to discuss what they’re most excited to see in the coming months, on this edition of “Turn It On.” Listen below!
Among the highlights: Everyone is looking forward to see what creator Mike Schur does with Season 2 of NBC’s “The Good Place,” and there’s also interest in Dick Wolf’s “Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders”; Netflix’s “Alias Grace,” based on a Margaret Atwood novel; and ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” adapted from a South Korean drama.
IndieWire’s TV team — including Hanh Nguyen, Liz Shannon Miller, Steve Greene and Ben Travers — joins host Michael Schneider to discuss what they’re most excited to see in the coming months, on this edition of “Turn It On.” Listen below!
Among the highlights: Everyone is looking forward to see what creator Mike Schur does with Season 2 of NBC’s “The Good Place,” and there’s also interest in Dick Wolf’s “Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders”; Netflix’s “Alias Grace,” based on a Margaret Atwood novel; and ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” adapted from a South Korean drama.
- 9/20/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
So Netflix’s “Death Note” is finally available to stream around the world, and everyone is completely thrilled about it with no reservations whatsoever, the end.
Just kidding. While the release of Adam Wingard’s controversial manga adaptation has been overshadowed by everything from Hurricane Harvey to “Game of Thrones” and even a different story of Hollywood white-washing (albeit one with a happy ending, thanks to actor Ed Skrein agreeing to remove himself from the “Hellboy” remake), the movie has been kicking up a fuss ever since it was first announced that none of its major characters would be played by actors of Asian descent. The case may not be quite as cut-and-dry as it was with this year’s ill-conceived “Ghost in the Shell” remake, but the discussion around it may be even more valuable for that.
Below, IndieWire critics David Ehrlich and Hanh Nguyen dig into the issue.
Just kidding. While the release of Adam Wingard’s controversial manga adaptation has been overshadowed by everything from Hurricane Harvey to “Game of Thrones” and even a different story of Hollywood white-washing (albeit one with a happy ending, thanks to actor Ed Skrein agreeing to remove himself from the “Hellboy” remake), the movie has been kicking up a fuss ever since it was first announced that none of its major characters would be played by actors of Asian descent. The case may not be quite as cut-and-dry as it was with this year’s ill-conceived “Ghost in the Shell” remake, but the discussion around it may be even more valuable for that.
Below, IndieWire critics David Ehrlich and Hanh Nguyen dig into the issue.
- 8/31/2017
- by David Ehrlich and Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Much like the Red Woman looking into Arya’s future, much death seems likely in the season finale — but in what form might we expect it? There are plenty of theories out there as to what might transpire in “The Dragon and the Wolf.” The one guarantee: There will probably be a dragon and a wolf involved, at least on a metaphorical level. Beyond that, here are some additional thoughts.
The Snow Job
In order for a previous prediction for the “Game of Thrones” series finale to pan out, there needs to be some traction on the Dany/Tyrion romance. Pair that with my demand for meaningful blood to be spilt, and there’s only one thing that can happen Sunday night:
Jon Snow will die.
I know, I know. He’s died already, and, worse yet, it’s felt like he’s died 1,000 times. Even mentioning Jon Snow dying feels like a tired,...
The Snow Job
In order for a previous prediction for the “Game of Thrones” series finale to pan out, there needs to be some traction on the Dany/Tyrion romance. Pair that with my demand for meaningful blood to be spilt, and there’s only one thing that can happen Sunday night:
Jon Snow will die.
I know, I know. He’s died already, and, worse yet, it’s felt like he’s died 1,000 times. Even mentioning Jon Snow dying feels like a tired,...
- 8/25/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen, Ben Travers, Liz Shannon Miller, Steve Greene and Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Welcome to PeekTV, your daily look at the best that television has to offer. In each installment, we make three picks for the best shows to watch and…toss in a little extra.
The Weekend of June 2-4
“Class” (Saturday – BBC America, 7:00 p.m.) – The heroes face an impossible choice as they apply what they have learned so far to save the Earth. While Quill prepares to exact revenge on her captors, the friends are forced to fight Corakinus before he takes what he desires from April and Charlie in the Season 1 finale.
Back when the show first hit American airwaves, our Hanh Nguyen described that the show took a little while to find its footing. But as this “Doctor Who” youngster universe expands, it’s worth checking to see how far it’s come in its initial eight-episode run.
“The Leftovers” (Sunday – HBO, 11:30 p.m.) – Answers are elusive in the series finale.
The Weekend of June 2-4
“Class” (Saturday – BBC America, 7:00 p.m.) – The heroes face an impossible choice as they apply what they have learned so far to save the Earth. While Quill prepares to exact revenge on her captors, the friends are forced to fight Corakinus before he takes what he desires from April and Charlie in the Season 1 finale.
Back when the show first hit American airwaves, our Hanh Nguyen described that the show took a little while to find its footing. But as this “Doctor Who” youngster universe expands, it’s worth checking to see how far it’s come in its initial eight-episode run.
“The Leftovers” (Sunday – HBO, 11:30 p.m.) – Answers are elusive in the series finale.
- 6/2/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Welcome to PeekTV, your daily look at the best that television has to offer. In each installment, we make three picks for the best shows to watch and…toss in a little extra.
May 26-28
Usually, in this space, we give you a few of the best things to watch on TV every night. For Memorial Day, we’re offering up something a little different: a full list of every network marathon this holiday weekend. Below you’ll find a fairly comprehensive list of TV and movie marathons happening on May 28th, with a few other selections to get you through Saturday and Sunday.
(For those list-inclined, we’ve even ranked our favorites here.)
With channels and start times specified, here’s your Memorial Day 2017 TV Marathon Extravaganza:
A&E: “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” Monday, 1 p.m. – Tuesday, 4 a.m.
AMC: “Better Call Saul” Monday, 5 p.m. – Tuesday,...
May 26-28
Usually, in this space, we give you a few of the best things to watch on TV every night. For Memorial Day, we’re offering up something a little different: a full list of every network marathon this holiday weekend. Below you’ll find a fairly comprehensive list of TV and movie marathons happening on May 28th, with a few other selections to get you through Saturday and Sunday.
(For those list-inclined, we’ve even ranked our favorites here.)
With channels and start times specified, here’s your Memorial Day 2017 TV Marathon Extravaganza:
A&E: “Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath” Monday, 1 p.m. – Tuesday, 4 a.m.
AMC: “Better Call Saul” Monday, 5 p.m. – Tuesday,...
- 5/26/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Welcome to PeekTV, your daily look at the best that television has to offer. In each installment, we make three picks for the best shows to watch and…toss in a little extra.
Tuesday, May 23 What Happened Last Night?!
Whose wedding made it into last night’s TV picks? (Side note: some Philip Roth made it in, too.)
“The Flash”
“Finish Line,” CW – 8:00 p.m.
Synopsis: With nothing left to lose, Barry takes on Savitar in an epic conclusion to season three.
Why You Should Watch: The CW continues to delight with its DC TV offerings. “The Flash” has long been a subject of critical championing, and we’re intrigued to see what a potential Season 4 might have in store. At the very least, this seems to be a climactic showdown worthy of Barry Allen’s comic book forebears (even if this episode won’t have any musical numbers...
Tuesday, May 23 What Happened Last Night?!
Whose wedding made it into last night’s TV picks? (Side note: some Philip Roth made it in, too.)
“The Flash”
“Finish Line,” CW – 8:00 p.m.
Synopsis: With nothing left to lose, Barry takes on Savitar in an epic conclusion to season three.
Why You Should Watch: The CW continues to delight with its DC TV offerings. “The Flash” has long been a subject of critical championing, and we’re intrigued to see what a potential Season 4 might have in store. At the very least, this seems to be a climactic showdown worthy of Barry Allen’s comic book forebears (even if this episode won’t have any musical numbers...
- 5/23/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
IndieWire’s Liz Shannon Miller, Hanh Nguyen and Michael Nordine trade notes after watching the two-part “Twin Peaks” world premiere at the Theatre at the Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. [Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from the first two episodes.]
Hanh Nguyen: When the original “Twin Peaks” signed off after two seasons, the character of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) had promised cryptically to Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), “I’ll see you again in 25 years.” At the time, no one really knew what to make of that line, since the show was full of confounding dialogue anyway. I certainly didn’t take it literally. It was a show like no other when it premiered in 1990, and there’s still nothing like it… until now, perhaps.
True to their word, David Lynch and Mark Frost teamed with Showtime to reveal 25 years later that “Twin Peaks” was indeed coming back. It took more than two years to get all of it together,...
Hanh Nguyen: When the original “Twin Peaks” signed off after two seasons, the character of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee) had promised cryptically to Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), “I’ll see you again in 25 years.” At the time, no one really knew what to make of that line, since the show was full of confounding dialogue anyway. I certainly didn’t take it literally. It was a show like no other when it premiered in 1990, and there’s still nothing like it… until now, perhaps.
True to their word, David Lynch and Mark Frost teamed with Showtime to reveal 25 years later that “Twin Peaks” was indeed coming back. It took more than two years to get all of it together,...
- 5/22/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen, Michael Nordine and Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
When it was announced that Netflix would be adapting Jay Asher’s novel “13 Reasons Why,” many people assumed was that the show would be one-and-done — a miniseries adaptation, rather than an ongoing story.
This isn’t the case with all adaptations. Both “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the upcoming “American Gods” expand and build upon their original novels to create narratives that could last multiple seasons. But “13 Reasons Why” seemed to have a finite end to it, given its premise: Clay’s (Dylan Minnette) discovery of Hannah’s (Katherine Langford) first-person narrative describing why, exactly, she killed herself a few weeks prior. Once Clay has listened to all of Hannah’s tapes, what comes next? Hannah’s incapable of narrating the story any further. There’s no coming back from that.
Read More: ’13 Reasons Why’ to ‘Riverdale’: What Former Teen Stars Add to Teen Shows, When They Return as Adults
At least,...
This isn’t the case with all adaptations. Both “The Handmaid’s Tale” and the upcoming “American Gods” expand and build upon their original novels to create narratives that could last multiple seasons. But “13 Reasons Why” seemed to have a finite end to it, given its premise: Clay’s (Dylan Minnette) discovery of Hannah’s (Katherine Langford) first-person narrative describing why, exactly, she killed herself a few weeks prior. Once Clay has listened to all of Hannah’s tapes, what comes next? Hannah’s incapable of narrating the story any further. There’s no coming back from that.
Read More: ’13 Reasons Why’ to ‘Riverdale’: What Former Teen Stars Add to Teen Shows, When They Return as Adults
At least,...
- 4/28/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Every festival offers up the possibility of discovering something new — new stars, new films, new shows, new platforms — and this year’s Tribeca Film Festival is no different. Now in its sixteenth year, the New York City-set festival continues to grow and change, while constantly embracing what’s new and what’s next. The 2017 edition of the festival includes plenty of rising names to get excited about, from writers and directors to actors and actual platforms for hot content delivery. Who’s going to change the industry in the coming years? We’ve got some ideas.
This year’s Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19 – 30. Check out some of the hottest breakouts to watch out for at the fest.
Read More: Tribeca 2017: 14 Must-See Films From This Year’s Festival
Brian Shoaf, writer and director, “Aardvark”
Not much is known about Brian Shoaf, whose IMDb page is currently topped...
This year’s Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19 – 30. Check out some of the hottest breakouts to watch out for at the fest.
Read More: Tribeca 2017: 14 Must-See Films From This Year’s Festival
Brian Shoaf, writer and director, “Aardvark”
Not much is known about Brian Shoaf, whose IMDb page is currently topped...
- 4/19/2017
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Each year, the Tribeca Film Festival fills out its schedule with a variety of events that extend far past the typical film fest fare, including their signature Tribeca Talks program and a continuing bent towards the possibilities of Virtual Reality. This year’s slate is no different, offering up intimate chats between industry luminaries (did you know that Robert Rodriguez and Barbra Streisand are pals? they are!) and special screening opportunities for projects both new (Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s “The Vietnam War”) and classic (a “Godfather” one-two punch). There’s a little something for everyone here.
This year’s Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19 – 30. Check out some of our must-attend events below.
Read More: Tribeca 2017: 14 Must-See Films From This Year’s Festival
Tribeca Talks: Jon Favreau with Scarlett Johansson
Friday, April 21 at 5:00Pm
The must-see event at Tribeca’s Directors Series is “Iron Man...
This year’s Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 19 – 30. Check out some of our must-attend events below.
Read More: Tribeca 2017: 14 Must-See Films From This Year’s Festival
Tribeca Talks: Jon Favreau with Scarlett Johansson
Friday, April 21 at 5:00Pm
The must-see event at Tribeca’s Directors Series is “Iron Man...
- 4/18/2017
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Podcast: ‘Shots Fired’: How George Zimmerman’s Acquittal Led to Fox’s Powerful New Series — IndieWire’s Turn It On Podcast
Before he was one of the stars of “Mad TV” and an accomplished writer/director, Michael McDonald was an improv coach at The Groundlings, where his students included Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone. That’s where those two met, fell in love and eventually got married.
Now, 20 years later, they’re executive producing the new TV Land sitcom “Nobodies,” created by and starring their fellow Groundlings pals Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf and Rachel Ramras. And McDonald, once their teacher, is now their showrunner.
It’s a common refrain in the world of comedy: Everyone starts off toiling away on stages like The Groundlings. Eventually, some become superstars. But what about the just as talented folks who don’t become superstars? “Nobodies” follows Davidson, Dorf and...
Before he was one of the stars of “Mad TV” and an accomplished writer/director, Michael McDonald was an improv coach at The Groundlings, where his students included Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone. That’s where those two met, fell in love and eventually got married.
Now, 20 years later, they’re executive producing the new TV Land sitcom “Nobodies,” created by and starring their fellow Groundlings pals Hugh Davidson, Larry Dorf and Rachel Ramras. And McDonald, once their teacher, is now their showrunner.
It’s a common refrain in the world of comedy: Everyone starts off toiling away on stages like The Groundlings. Eventually, some become superstars. But what about the just as talented folks who don’t become superstars? “Nobodies” follows Davidson, Dorf and...
- 3/29/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Podcast: ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Producer Julie Plec on Ending the Series, and How It Might Be Reborn, Perhaps As a Streaming Show – IndieWire’s Turn It On Podcast
As unsettling politics dominate the headlines, BBC America’s “Planet Earth II” comes to TV screens as a welcome respite.
A lot has changed since “Planet Earth” wowed audiences with new images of the globe’s wildlife 10 years ago. Ten years ago, the original edition of the natural history series transformed how we saw the world.
Now, “Planet Earth II” is taking advantage of advances in technology and science to bring even more stunning images to audiences, and give a global audience an even greater look at our fragile planet.
Shot over three years in 40 different countries, on 117 filming trips and a total of 2,089 shooting days, “Planet Earth II” is narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough and set...
As unsettling politics dominate the headlines, BBC America’s “Planet Earth II” comes to TV screens as a welcome respite.
A lot has changed since “Planet Earth” wowed audiences with new images of the globe’s wildlife 10 years ago. Ten years ago, the original edition of the natural history series transformed how we saw the world.
Now, “Planet Earth II” is taking advantage of advances in technology and science to bring even more stunning images to audiences, and give a global audience an even greater look at our fragile planet.
Shot over three years in 40 different countries, on 117 filming trips and a total of 2,089 shooting days, “Planet Earth II” is narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough and set...
- 3/15/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Podcast: Reza Aslan on the Only Way We’ll Ever See Religious Tolerance — IndieWire’s Turn It On Podcast
Vampire shows, much like vampires, can’t stay dead forever.
As “The Vampire Diaries” executive producer Julie Plec mourns the end of her long-running series, she also isn’t closing the door on the franchise. For one thing, the show’s spin-off, “The Originals,” is back for another season. And in this age of reboots, nothing ever really goes away.
Quips Plec: “In ten years when I’m unemployed and bored and someone calls and says, ‘Hey, Netflix is looking for a six-episode revival of “The Vampire Diaries,”‘ I will go, ‘fuck yeah, thanks Netflix!'”
But seriously, the executive producer says she has already planted some seeds that will provide “ways the franchise can live on even outside of these two shows, and one day soon I...
Vampire shows, much like vampires, can’t stay dead forever.
As “The Vampire Diaries” executive producer Julie Plec mourns the end of her long-running series, she also isn’t closing the door on the franchise. For one thing, the show’s spin-off, “The Originals,” is back for another season. And in this age of reboots, nothing ever really goes away.
Quips Plec: “In ten years when I’m unemployed and bored and someone calls and says, ‘Hey, Netflix is looking for a six-episode revival of “The Vampire Diaries,”‘ I will go, ‘fuck yeah, thanks Netflix!'”
But seriously, the executive producer says she has already planted some seeds that will provide “ways the franchise can live on even outside of these two shows, and one day soon I...
- 3/8/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Podcast: ‘The Missing’ Star David Morrissey on His ‘The Walking Dead’ Legacy, Those ‘Doctor Who’ Rumors and the Obligation to Help Refugees – IndieWire’s Turn It On Podcast
Having spent years as writer/producers on “Grey’s Anatomy,” Tony Phelan and Joan Rater wanted to do something a bit different for their next show – so they turned to law. “Doubt,” their new CBS legal drama, stars Katherine Heigl as the driving force behind a firm that specializes in legal defense.
The show also stars Elliot Gould, Dule Hill and Laverne Cox, who is now the first transgender series regular on a broadcast TV show. As a matter of fact, Cox’s character even has one of the show’s central romantic storylines of the show’s freshman season.
Turn It On recently sat down with Phelan and Rater, and the married couple shared how they were inspired by their transgender son,...
Having spent years as writer/producers on “Grey’s Anatomy,” Tony Phelan and Joan Rater wanted to do something a bit different for their next show – so they turned to law. “Doubt,” their new CBS legal drama, stars Katherine Heigl as the driving force behind a firm that specializes in legal defense.
The show also stars Elliot Gould, Dule Hill and Laverne Cox, who is now the first transgender series regular on a broadcast TV show. As a matter of fact, Cox’s character even has one of the show’s central romantic storylines of the show’s freshman season.
Turn It On recently sat down with Phelan and Rater, and the married couple shared how they were inspired by their transgender son,...
- 2/15/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
When “The Young Pope” debuted overseas, America kept quiet. Premiering at the Venice Film Festival in September 2016 and then on Italian TV in late October, Jude Law devotees and Paolo Sorrentino aficionados were aware, but little spirit — holy or otherwise — survived the trip across the pond. Even when HBO announced the premiere date and sent out a trailer in early December, it took another month for the series to catch fire and send white smoke billowing from the internet’s chimney.
Read More: ‘The Young Pope’: Paolo Sorrentino Explains That Stellar Opening Sequence, Kangaroos and More
Yet when the signal sounded, the dopest pope of TV was quickly coronated. Memes, fan art, and more funny commentary spread across the web like prayers during lent — quickly and in droves. We’ve discussed them a few times already, but here are a few choice offerings to set the mood:
i’m...
Read More: ‘The Young Pope’: Paolo Sorrentino Explains That Stellar Opening Sequence, Kangaroos and More
Yet when the signal sounded, the dopest pope of TV was quickly coronated. Memes, fan art, and more funny commentary spread across the web like prayers during lent — quickly and in droves. We’ve discussed them a few times already, but here are a few choice offerings to set the mood:
i’m...
- 1/23/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Thanks in large part to social media (and the internet in general), many of the walls surrounding industry exclusive events are starting to come down. In-person access may still be restricted, but diligent fans can speak directly to those lucky few getting in the doors, and in turn learn what they need to know from the discussion inside.
Such is at least the case with the TCAs, the biannual gathering of television critics who attend panels with the stars of upcoming TV shows. Every day for two weeks, hundreds of critics will fill a hotel ballroom to ask questions of stars, producers, creators, writers, and more talent filling the 2017 TV slate. And while you can always ask questions to the rich and famous yourself online, odds are much better that if you ask a good question to a professional interviewer and TV expert, that query might reach the ears of...
Such is at least the case with the TCAs, the biannual gathering of television critics who attend panels with the stars of upcoming TV shows. Every day for two weeks, hundreds of critics will fill a hotel ballroom to ask questions of stars, producers, creators, writers, and more talent filling the 2017 TV slate. And while you can always ask questions to the rich and famous yourself online, odds are much better that if you ask a good question to a professional interviewer and TV expert, that query might reach the ears of...
- 1/9/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
The IndieWire TV team has already narrowed down their favorite episodes of 2016, but now they’re sharing their favorite TV quotes of the year. Using the hashtag #BestTVLines2016, television critics like New York Times’ James Poniewozick, Variety’s Maureen Ryan and Uproxx’s Alan Sepinwall, among others, tweeted their favorite phrases from some of the best series out there. It’s an annual tradition started by Ryan and Co., but the entire Twitter community is encouraged to participate and share, creating a joyous celebration of the best small moments from the year of television.
Some of the notable shows that they chose bites from include “Billions,” “Veep,” “The Americans,” “BoJack Horseman,” and more. Among our favorites is IndieWire’s Michael Schneider’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” quote (we’re not biased, we promise): “F*ck you, 2016. F*ck. You,” which pretty much sums up the year.
Read...
Some of the notable shows that they chose bites from include “Billions,” “Veep,” “The Americans,” “BoJack Horseman,” and more. Among our favorites is IndieWire’s Michael Schneider’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” quote (we’re not biased, we promise): “F*ck you, 2016. F*ck. You,” which pretty much sums up the year.
Read...
- 12/16/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
It’s been quite the past couple of months for Donald Glover. The former “Community” star premiered his FX comedy “Atlanta” back in September to near universal acclaim, and by the time the series was wrapping up its 10-episode first season, critics were calling it one of the best shows of the year. IndieWire’s own Hanh Nguyen gave the season a perfect A score, saying, “Donald Glover intended to show what it feels to be black, and that journey was both joyous and necessarily upsetting.”
Read More: ‘Atlanta’ Review: Season 1 Masterfully Subverts Everything, Including the Sweet and Somber Finale
“Atlanta” may be over until it returns for Season 2, but Glover is keeping his artistic side thriving with the release of his brand new album, “Awaken, My Love!” Fans have been waiting for Glover, who goes by the rap name Childish Gambino, to release a new album since 2013’s well-received “Because the Internet,...
Read More: ‘Atlanta’ Review: Season 1 Masterfully Subverts Everything, Including the Sweet and Somber Finale
“Atlanta” may be over until it returns for Season 2, but Glover is keeping his artistic side thriving with the release of his brand new album, “Awaken, My Love!” Fans have been waiting for Glover, who goes by the rap name Childish Gambino, to release a new album since 2013’s well-received “Because the Internet,...
- 12/2/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Ah, Thanksgiving! A holiday that was seemingly tailor-made for binge-watching, complete with plenty of family and friends to consume mass quantities of both media and tasty meals alongside. But Thanksgiving is also built for reflection, and we here at IndieWire are very happy that the media landscape has afforded us plenty of things to be grateful for, even in the midst of all kinds of cultural and political upheaval: Movies aren’t dead; the biopic is very much alive; on-screen representation is finally taking a turn; some of our most beloved TV duo are back together on the small screen; and 2017 is looking very bright indeed. The list goes on and on.
In celebration of Thanksgiving, the IndieWire team has come together to offer up some of our personal reflections on the movies, shows, trends and creators we are most grateful for this year. Check out our testimonials below, and...
In celebration of Thanksgiving, the IndieWire team has come together to offer up some of our personal reflections on the movies, shows, trends and creators we are most grateful for this year. Check out our testimonials below, and...
- 11/24/2016
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Podcast: David Blaine Reveals the Man Behind the Magic – IndieWire’s Turn It On Podcast
The presidential election results hit a lot of Hollywood hard, including the producers, cast and crew of Fox’s megahit “Empire.”
“I don’t have anxiety attacks, but when I saw what was happening I did,” executive producer and showrunner Ilene Chaiken told IndieWire’s Turn It On podcast, two days after the results came in and Donald Trump was named president-elect. “I’m going through the full range of emotions that I know many people are going through.”
Chaiken said one of the show’s writers was attacked on social media after commenting to NPR. “Most of my writing colleagues are African-American, and there was a lot of rage and fear and despair,” Chaiken said. “It necessitates our doubling down on our convictions. We were already telling those stories. [But] a lot of us feel more rage.
The presidential election results hit a lot of Hollywood hard, including the producers, cast and crew of Fox’s megahit “Empire.”
“I don’t have anxiety attacks, but when I saw what was happening I did,” executive producer and showrunner Ilene Chaiken told IndieWire’s Turn It On podcast, two days after the results came in and Donald Trump was named president-elect. “I’m going through the full range of emotions that I know many people are going through.”
Chaiken said one of the show’s writers was attacked on social media after commenting to NPR. “Most of my writing colleagues are African-American, and there was a lot of rage and fear and despair,” Chaiken said. “It necessitates our doubling down on our convictions. We were already telling those stories. [But] a lot of us feel more rage.
- 11/18/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
IndieWire’s Liz Shannon Miller, Hanh Nguyen and Ben Travers trade notes on how recent abortion storylines have been depicted on TV, how that reflects the current political climate and how it may change under a Trump presidency.
Hanh: A trio of comedies recently tackled abortion in an understated, matter-of-fact way that almost flew under the radar. On “Jane the Virgin’s” second episode of the season, we learn after-the-fact that Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) had an abortion off-screen, between episodes. Her mother Alba (Ivonne Coll) gets angry when she finds out, but eventually decides to respect her daughter’s decision.
Over on Fxx’s “You’re the Worst,” Lindsay (Kether Donohue) had impregnated herself with a “turkey baster” baby intending to try and rebuild her life with her on-again/off-again husband, but once she realized that a family with Paul wasn’t what she wanted, she had an abortion. The procedure is treated very casually,...
Hanh: A trio of comedies recently tackled abortion in an understated, matter-of-fact way that almost flew under the radar. On “Jane the Virgin’s” second episode of the season, we learn after-the-fact that Xiomara (Andrea Navedo) had an abortion off-screen, between episodes. Her mother Alba (Ivonne Coll) gets angry when she finds out, but eventually decides to respect her daughter’s decision.
Over on Fxx’s “You’re the Worst,” Lindsay (Kether Donohue) had impregnated herself with a “turkey baster” baby intending to try and rebuild her life with her on-again/off-again husband, but once she realized that a family with Paul wasn’t what she wanted, she had an abortion. The procedure is treated very casually,...
- 11/17/2016
- by Hanh Nguyen, Liz Shannon Miller and Ben Travers
- Indiewire
The IndieWire team spent Tuesday night scattered across New York and Los Angeles, attending campaign events, sitting in the audience of live TV events, drinking at election parties and watching the coverage at home. Here’s how they experienced the unexpected win for President-Elect Donald Trump.
Colbert’s Rapport
I watched the election results with Stephen Colbert, in his New York City studio with several hundred people for his Showtime election special. It was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.
Colbert struggled to find humor in an increasingly despondent situation and the audience slowly sunk with him. The fixed nature of the program — the guests, the sappy one-liners, Colbert’s occasional f-bomb made possible by the cable format — felt totally out of sync with a combustible scenario that caught everyone by surprise. Being in a studio audience for a show watched around the country should feel exciting; instead,...
Colbert’s Rapport
I watched the election results with Stephen Colbert, in his New York City studio with several hundred people for his Showtime election special. It was one of the weirdest experiences of my life.
Colbert struggled to find humor in an increasingly despondent situation and the audience slowly sunk with him. The fixed nature of the program — the guests, the sappy one-liners, Colbert’s occasional f-bomb made possible by the cable format — felt totally out of sync with a combustible scenario that caught everyone by surprise. Being in a studio audience for a show watched around the country should feel exciting; instead,...
- 11/9/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
No doubt Winston Churchill would scoff at our ignorance, but we still believe a historical drama, like Netflix’s “The Crown,” can be spoiled.
It’s that we’re worried about learning what will happen to Elizabeth II or whether or not Princess Margaret ever married Peter Townsend, but…Ok, yeah, we kind of are wondering about the latter point. And the reason why we’re so curious is because of how well Peter Morgan has told the story of the United Kingdom’s royal family. No matter the reason why we remain unaware of exactly what happened to the central figures of this story, Morgan has weaved such a compelling yarn we’d rather let him finish it than read what happened online.
Last Week’S Episode: Happy Halloween: The Scariest, Most Unnerving TV Shows That Aren’t Part of the Horror Genre
This line of reasoning is...
It’s that we’re worried about learning what will happen to Elizabeth II or whether or not Princess Margaret ever married Peter Townsend, but…Ok, yeah, we kind of are wondering about the latter point. And the reason why we’re so curious is because of how well Peter Morgan has told the story of the United Kingdom’s royal family. No matter the reason why we remain unaware of exactly what happened to the central figures of this story, Morgan has weaved such a compelling yarn we’d rather let him finish it than read what happened online.
Last Week’S Episode: Happy Halloween: The Scariest, Most Unnerving TV Shows That Aren’t Part of the Horror Genre
This line of reasoning is...
- 11/7/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
IndieWire’s Eric Kohn, Hanh Nguyen, David Ehrlich, and Kate Erbland traded notes on “Doctor Strange,” whitewashing, and the current political climate for filmmaking.
In a year where the possibility of electing the first woman president requires the kind of tooth-and-nail brawls usually reserved for wartime, there may be no better movie to epitomize the desire for change in a sexist society than “Ms. 45.” Settling into Abel Ferrara’s 1981 B-movie during the soft launch of Brooklyn’s new Alamo Drafthouse theater last week, I found myself entranced by an angry and decidedly modern revenge movie.
This scrappy tale of a mute woman (Zoe Lund, in a remarkable debut role from a career tragically cut short by drugs) has the ultimate payoff. Persecuted in the workplace, she survives a rape encounter by killing her rapist, taking his gun, and going on a rampage murdering sexist pigs across the grimy alleys of New York City.
In a year where the possibility of electing the first woman president requires the kind of tooth-and-nail brawls usually reserved for wartime, there may be no better movie to epitomize the desire for change in a sexist society than “Ms. 45.” Settling into Abel Ferrara’s 1981 B-movie during the soft launch of Brooklyn’s new Alamo Drafthouse theater last week, I found myself entranced by an angry and decidedly modern revenge movie.
This scrappy tale of a mute woman (Zoe Lund, in a remarkable debut role from a career tragically cut short by drugs) has the ultimate payoff. Persecuted in the workplace, she survives a rape encounter by killing her rapist, taking his gun, and going on a rampage murdering sexist pigs across the grimy alleys of New York City.
- 11/4/2016
- by Eric Kohn, Kate Erbland, David Ehrlich and Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Podcast: ‘Eyewitness’ Producer Adi Hasak Bucks the System and Greg Nicotero Previews ‘The Walking Dead’ – IndieWire’s Turn It On Podcast
Producer Jason Katims is a bit of a remake whisperer, adapting films like “Parenthood” and “Friday Night Lights” into critically acclaimed dramas. But his next show, CBS’ “Pure Genius,” is an original idea that comes from a very personal place.
Augustus Prew stars in the drama as James Bell, a tech billionaire who has built the state-of-the art hospital Bunker Hill – an unconventional facility that utilizes technology and modern tools to treat patients. In the series opener, famed surgeon Dr. Walter Wallace, played by Dermot Mulroney, is recruited to join the facility.
Odette Annable, Reshma Shetty, Ward Horton and Brenda Song also star in the show, as part of the team enthusiastically charged with revolutionizing health care. Katims (who’s also behind Hulu’s “The Path...
Producer Jason Katims is a bit of a remake whisperer, adapting films like “Parenthood” and “Friday Night Lights” into critically acclaimed dramas. But his next show, CBS’ “Pure Genius,” is an original idea that comes from a very personal place.
Augustus Prew stars in the drama as James Bell, a tech billionaire who has built the state-of-the art hospital Bunker Hill – an unconventional facility that utilizes technology and modern tools to treat patients. In the series opener, famed surgeon Dr. Walter Wallace, played by Dermot Mulroney, is recruited to join the facility.
Odette Annable, Reshma Shetty, Ward Horton and Brenda Song also star in the show, as part of the team enthusiastically charged with revolutionizing health care. Katims (who’s also behind Hulu’s “The Path...
- 10/28/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
Very Good Television Podcast has dug into some tricky topics over the past year and a half, but the best questions Liz and Ben have answered have definitely come from their humble listeners.
Last Week’S Episode: ’30 Rock’: 10 Reasons Tina Fey Made One of TV’s Most Important Comedies
What’s their favorite thing about The CW? What actors would they love to see return to television, and what would their dream George Clooney limited series look like? Which mid-1990s sci-fi show does Liz manage to bring up twice? How often does Ben find a way to turn the conversation to “The Leftovers”?
Get all the answers in this week’s Very Good TV Podcast, hosted by IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller and TV Critic Ben Travers. Don’t forget to subscribe via Soundcloud or iTunes, and follow IndieWire on Twitter and Facebook for all your pertinent TV news.
Last Week’S Episode: ’30 Rock’: 10 Reasons Tina Fey Made One of TV’s Most Important Comedies
What’s their favorite thing about The CW? What actors would they love to see return to television, and what would their dream George Clooney limited series look like? Which mid-1990s sci-fi show does Liz manage to bring up twice? How often does Ben find a way to turn the conversation to “The Leftovers”?
Get all the answers in this week’s Very Good TV Podcast, hosted by IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller and TV Critic Ben Travers. Don’t forget to subscribe via Soundcloud or iTunes, and follow IndieWire on Twitter and Facebook for all your pertinent TV news.
- 10/24/2016
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Hey dummies. In case you didn’t get the memo last week, “30 Rock” has now been an integral part of our lives for 10 years. Sure, Tina Fey and Robert Carlock’s Emmy award-winning comedy went off the air a little over three years ago, but thanks to its regular presence on Netflix and universally applicable life lessons, “30 Rock” has yet to fade from relevancy.
Last Week’S Episode: How To Survive the 2016 Election—With TV!
To celebrate and honor its 10-year anniversary, IndieWire has come up with 10 reasons “30 Rock” remains one of TV’s most important series — and always will. Hear the details in this week’s Very Good TV Podcast, hosted by IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller (Liz Lemon, if you will) and TV Critic Ben Travers (a Jack Donaghy if we’ve ever met one), or simply stare at 10 choice “30 Rock” .gifs collected in the gallery (above...
Last Week’S Episode: How To Survive the 2016 Election—With TV!
To celebrate and honor its 10-year anniversary, IndieWire has come up with 10 reasons “30 Rock” remains one of TV’s most important series — and always will. Hear the details in this week’s Very Good TV Podcast, hosted by IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller (Liz Lemon, if you will) and TV Critic Ben Travers (a Jack Donaghy if we’ve ever met one), or simply stare at 10 choice “30 Rock” .gifs collected in the gallery (above...
- 10/17/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Podcast: ‘Insecure’ Showrunner Prentice Penny on Issa Rae’s Brutally Honest Comedy – IndieWire’s Turn It On Podcast
David E. Kelley was one of TV’s biggest hitmakers in the 1990s, with four shows on the air simultaneously at one point. (In 1999, he even pulled off the unthinkable feat of winning both the Emmys for Outstanding Drama – “The Practice” – and Comedy – “Ally McBeal.”)
But after a string of disappointments in the broadcast arena, Kelley is reinventing himself as a producer for streaming and premium cable. First up: “Goliath,” a legal drama starring Billy Bob Thornton as a down-in-his-luck lawyer who takes on a shady mega-corporation and its equally gigantic law firm.
“I think the ability to be a little darker and to be a little more specific with what this show is about,” Kelley tells us. “There is a burden in broadcast. I think, you’ve got...
David E. Kelley was one of TV’s biggest hitmakers in the 1990s, with four shows on the air simultaneously at one point. (In 1999, he even pulled off the unthinkable feat of winning both the Emmys for Outstanding Drama – “The Practice” – and Comedy – “Ally McBeal.”)
But after a string of disappointments in the broadcast arena, Kelley is reinventing himself as a producer for streaming and premium cable. First up: “Goliath,” a legal drama starring Billy Bob Thornton as a down-in-his-luck lawyer who takes on a shady mega-corporation and its equally gigantic law firm.
“I think the ability to be a little darker and to be a little more specific with what this show is about,” Kelley tells us. “There is a burden in broadcast. I think, you’ve got...
- 10/13/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
1. “The Fall” Season 3 (available October 29)
Why Should I Watch It? The official follow-up to “The X-Files” was released earlier this year, when the ill-fated Season 10 debuted and managed to, at best, somewhat resemble the groundbreaking original series. But its true successor — one worthy of the Fox drama’s elite status — came even sooner. Gillian Anderson picked up a new badge and started going after baddies once more when “The Fall” debuted on BBC2 in the summer of 2013. Since then, we’ve only gotten one more season. But it was an absolute doozy, making the wait for Season 3 utterly unbearable. If somehow you haven’t watched yet, get on it. This is peak Gillian Anderson, peak cop drama and peak TV — period.
Best Episode: I hate picking finales — it just seems so easy — but “What is in me Dark Illumine” marks the culmination of everything that came before. [Spoiler alert] Stella (Anderson) finally...
Why Should I Watch It? The official follow-up to “The X-Files” was released earlier this year, when the ill-fated Season 10 debuted and managed to, at best, somewhat resemble the groundbreaking original series. But its true successor — one worthy of the Fox drama’s elite status — came even sooner. Gillian Anderson picked up a new badge and started going after baddies once more when “The Fall” debuted on BBC2 in the summer of 2013. Since then, we’ve only gotten one more season. But it was an absolute doozy, making the wait for Season 3 utterly unbearable. If somehow you haven’t watched yet, get on it. This is peak Gillian Anderson, peak cop drama and peak TV — period.
Best Episode: I hate picking finales — it just seems so easy — but “What is in me Dark Illumine” marks the culmination of everything that came before. [Spoiler alert] Stella (Anderson) finally...
- 10/1/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Episode: ‘This Is Us’ Creator Dan Fogelman on Surprise Reveals and Emotional Drama in Cynical Times
NBC’s “The Good Place” is in a good place.
The freshman sitcom premiered on Monday to solid ratings, attracting the best ratings for a new Peacock comedy since 2012, and has now settled into its regular Thursday night timeslot.
Earlier this summer, we moderated the San Diego Comic-Con panel for the show, which featured a lively discussion with stars Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, as well as creator Mike Schur and director Drew Goddard. Listen to that interview below, as part of this week’s episode of IndieWire’s tune-in TV podcast, “Turn It On.”
Also in the Sept. 22, 2016 episode: A roundup of the week’s premieres; IndieWire senior editor Hanh Nguyen’s thoughts on why “Game of Thrones'” new Emmy record may hold; and IndieWire TV critic Ben Travers...
NBC’s “The Good Place” is in a good place.
The freshman sitcom premiered on Monday to solid ratings, attracting the best ratings for a new Peacock comedy since 2012, and has now settled into its regular Thursday night timeslot.
Earlier this summer, we moderated the San Diego Comic-Con panel for the show, which featured a lively discussion with stars Ted Danson and Kristen Bell, as well as creator Mike Schur and director Drew Goddard. Listen to that interview below, as part of this week’s episode of IndieWire’s tune-in TV podcast, “Turn It On.”
Also in the Sept. 22, 2016 episode: A roundup of the week’s premieres; IndieWire senior editor Hanh Nguyen’s thoughts on why “Game of Thrones'” new Emmy record may hold; and IndieWire TV critic Ben Travers...
- 9/23/2016
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
“Jean-Claude Van Johnson”
“’Timecop’ is like ‘Looper’ with Bruce Willis, but a million times better,” is just one of the gems spoken in “Jean-Claude Van Johnson” which is as gloriously ridiculous as its title.
What the Amazon pilot lacks in plot — action star Jean-Claude Van Damme comes out of retirement to act as a private contractor specializing in kicking ass and doing the splits — it makes up for with indiscriminate jabs at everything and anyone, including its star, Hollywood, pretentious foodies and even America’s Undulating Beefcake, Channing Tatum. A surprising appearance by Phylicia Rashad, who gamely plays Jean-Claude’s agent, is a comic revelation. She delivers the most absurd movie pitches with such enthusiasm that we’re ready to sign up for the “P.F. Chang’s” biopic ourselves.
The only real disappointment is the lackluster treatment of Jean-Claude’s love interest Vanessa (Kat Foster), who isn’t given much to work with story-wise.
“’Timecop’ is like ‘Looper’ with Bruce Willis, but a million times better,” is just one of the gems spoken in “Jean-Claude Van Johnson” which is as gloriously ridiculous as its title.
What the Amazon pilot lacks in plot — action star Jean-Claude Van Damme comes out of retirement to act as a private contractor specializing in kicking ass and doing the splits — it makes up for with indiscriminate jabs at everything and anyone, including its star, Hollywood, pretentious foodies and even America’s Undulating Beefcake, Channing Tatum. A surprising appearance by Phylicia Rashad, who gamely plays Jean-Claude’s agent, is a comic revelation. She delivers the most absurd movie pitches with such enthusiasm that we’re ready to sign up for the “P.F. Chang’s” biopic ourselves.
The only real disappointment is the lackluster treatment of Jean-Claude’s love interest Vanessa (Kat Foster), who isn’t given much to work with story-wise.
- 8/19/2016
- by Ben Travers, Liz Shannon Miller and Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
What do you look for in foodie TV?
You know what I’m talking about. One of two things happens:
You find yourself zoning out on a Saturday morning, staring blankly at your TV, and suddenly you become fascinated by the amateur chefs cooking for a chance at running their own restaurant. You make the conscious choice to sit down and invest in foodie TV, perhaps of the more artful variety — like “Chef’s Table.”
Basically, viewers are looking for something to either compliment shutting off their brain, something a little bolder, or something in between. “The Wine Show,” a British import brought to the States courtesy of Hulu, falls into the in between, offering up engaging and educational segments as it simultaneously tries to goof around and have a good time. While it finds its feet in this tricky duality as it progresses, the series’ biggest draw is also...
You know what I’m talking about. One of two things happens:
You find yourself zoning out on a Saturday morning, staring blankly at your TV, and suddenly you become fascinated by the amateur chefs cooking for a chance at running their own restaurant. You make the conscious choice to sit down and invest in foodie TV, perhaps of the more artful variety — like “Chef’s Table.”
Basically, viewers are looking for something to either compliment shutting off their brain, something a little bolder, or something in between. “The Wine Show,” a British import brought to the States courtesy of Hulu, falls into the in between, offering up engaging and educational segments as it simultaneously tries to goof around and have a good time. While it finds its feet in this tricky duality as it progresses, the series’ biggest draw is also...
- 8/15/2016
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Let’s acknowledge it up front: Rating films for their content is a dubious process at best and a dangerous one at worst. Trying to place disparate, diverse films into a handful of age-based categories has rarely come without controversy, especially when the MPAA ratings board deems a hint of language and nudity untenable while excusing wide swaths of violence for lower classifications. Yet, there’s a way that a “R” rating has become shorthand for a specific type of comedy. Geared toward older viewers (or those on the precipice of adulthood), these are the laugh-based moviegoing experiences so confident in their own ability to attract an audience that they’re willing to accept what some might see as a theatrical release stigma.
These are films that luxuriate in moving swiftly past their allotment of one, non-sexual use of everyone’s favorite four-letter “f word,” further flaunting their disregard for...
These are films that luxuriate in moving swiftly past their allotment of one, non-sexual use of everyone’s favorite four-letter “f word,” further flaunting their disregard for...
- 8/2/2016
- by Steve Greene, David Ehrlich, Liz Shannon Miller, Ben Travers, Hanh Nguyen, Kate Erbland and Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Episode: Pop Culture in Pop Culture: How Hollywood Humor Can Help and Hurt TV
Comic-Con is a crazy convention. The four-day event is packed with more panels, screenings and activities than any one person can cover, so odds are there are more stories than any one person can read. So to help you sort the essential from the entertaining, the IndieWire TV Team has narrowed down their dozens of stories to the takeaways you need to know right now.
IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller, TV Critic Ben Travers and Senior Editor Hanh Nguyen sat down for Very Good TV Podcast to pair down an extended weekend of insanity to the bare essentials. Not only do they cover the information you only knew if you were in the room, but they highlight the biggest news items that TV fans should be aware of, especially if they tried...
Comic-Con is a crazy convention. The four-day event is packed with more panels, screenings and activities than any one person can cover, so odds are there are more stories than any one person can read. So to help you sort the essential from the entertaining, the IndieWire TV Team has narrowed down their dozens of stories to the takeaways you need to know right now.
IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller, TV Critic Ben Travers and Senior Editor Hanh Nguyen sat down for Very Good TV Podcast to pair down an extended weekend of insanity to the bare essentials. Not only do they cover the information you only knew if you were in the room, but they highlight the biggest news items that TV fans should be aware of, especially if they tried...
- 7/25/2016
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Warning: Spoilers below for the listed shows.
“11.22.63”
The Clothespin
Time-jumping Jake (James Franco) may have been a man of the modern world, but even he was not ready to hear about Sadie’s (Sarah Gadon) wedding day deflowering by her ex-husband Johnny (T.R. Knight) that involved him having a clothespin clipped down between his legs and raping her. Wait, what? While we put a pin in that moment (aka, hit pause) so we could frantically Google “clothespin penis,” it dawned on us just how twisted Johnny actually was and how it was just a taste of the sadism to come. (Hanh Nguyen)
“The Americans”
“The Americans” Says Goodbye to Two Favorites
“The Americans” is always shocking when you least expect it, and never was that better exemplified than in Season 4 — first when Nina’s luck finally ran out in Episode 4, and soon after when we said goodbye to Martha in...
“11.22.63”
The Clothespin
Time-jumping Jake (James Franco) may have been a man of the modern world, but even he was not ready to hear about Sadie’s (Sarah Gadon) wedding day deflowering by her ex-husband Johnny (T.R. Knight) that involved him having a clothespin clipped down between his legs and raping her. Wait, what? While we put a pin in that moment (aka, hit pause) so we could frantically Google “clothespin penis,” it dawned on us just how twisted Johnny actually was and how it was just a taste of the sadism to come. (Hanh Nguyen)
“The Americans”
“The Americans” Says Goodbye to Two Favorites
“The Americans” is always shocking when you least expect it, and never was that better exemplified than in Season 4 — first when Nina’s luck finally ran out in Episode 4, and soon after when we said goodbye to Martha in...
- 7/6/2016
- by Liz Shannon Miller, Ben Travers and Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
With Monday fast approaching, we’re all still looking to get into that patriotic spirit — especially since “Independence Day: Resurgence” definitely did not resurge anything and actually brought many of us down. The first film, however, does have one of the greatest and most patriotic speeches of all time, one that really heats the American juices in our hearts. The same can be said of many, many speeches in TV, but they prove to be a little harder to place. So, just in case you need something particularly nifty to quote at the family BBQ this Monday, we decided to play a trivia game.
And who doesn’t love trivia? In Very Good TV Podcast’s latest episode, IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller, TV Critic Ben Travers, Special Projects Editor Steve Greene and Senior Editor Hanh Nguyen whipped up 16 of the most patriotic TV quotes out there, quizzing one...
And who doesn’t love trivia? In Very Good TV Podcast’s latest episode, IndieWire TV Editor Liz Shannon Miller, TV Critic Ben Travers, Special Projects Editor Steve Greene and Senior Editor Hanh Nguyen whipped up 16 of the most patriotic TV quotes out there, quizzing one...
- 7/4/2016
- by Kyle Kizu
- Indiewire
Subverting the Unexpected
At the end of the 20th century, Bobcat Goldthwait’s legacy read like a cheap joke: He was a screaming comedian from the eighties best known as Zed in the “Police Academy” franchise who once tried at his hand at directing a movie (“Shakes the Clown”). Those achievements barely skimmed the surface of Goldthwait’s ability, as the ensuing years made clear, when Goldthwait completely transformed his career into one of the most provocative American filmmakers working today. With the microbudget “Sleeping Dogs Lie” (aka “Stay”), Goldthwait showed his potential to funnel taboo subject matters into oddly touching, relatable human dramas, a proclivity he kicked up to a whole new level with the subversive black comedy “World’s Greatest Dad,” which features Robin Williams in one of his all-time great roles.
Goldthwait has kept innovating, with each new movie offering a fresh perspective on the naive assumptions...
At the end of the 20th century, Bobcat Goldthwait’s legacy read like a cheap joke: He was a screaming comedian from the eighties best known as Zed in the “Police Academy” franchise who once tried at his hand at directing a movie (“Shakes the Clown”). Those achievements barely skimmed the surface of Goldthwait’s ability, as the ensuing years made clear, when Goldthwait completely transformed his career into one of the most provocative American filmmakers working today. With the microbudget “Sleeping Dogs Lie” (aka “Stay”), Goldthwait showed his potential to funnel taboo subject matters into oddly touching, relatable human dramas, a proclivity he kicked up to a whole new level with the subversive black comedy “World’s Greatest Dad,” which features Robin Williams in one of his all-time great roles.
Goldthwait has kept innovating, with each new movie offering a fresh perspective on the naive assumptions...
- 7/4/2016
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
IndieWire has added two new members to its growing team of editors and critics: Hanh Nguyen as Senior Editor and Jude Dry in the newly-created position of Digital Critic.
Read More: Indiewire Expands Film Team With Critic David Ehrlich and Reporter Graham Winfrey
Formerly the West Coast Executive Editor for TVGuide.com, Nguyen will focus on organizing and strategizing IndieWire TV’s major projects and features, along with tracking trends, covering breaking news, and other events and festivals such as Comic-Con and the Television Critics Association press tour.
She will report to Executive Editor Michael Schneider out of the Pmc-owned Los Angeles offices. Schneider said that “Hanh’s tremendous experience both writing and editing at TVGuide.com and Zap2It.com will serve IndieWire well as we continue to dramatically expand our TV coverage. Not only does she have a keen eye for TV worth watching, but she’s plugged...
Read More: Indiewire Expands Film Team With Critic David Ehrlich and Reporter Graham Winfrey
Formerly the West Coast Executive Editor for TVGuide.com, Nguyen will focus on organizing and strategizing IndieWire TV’s major projects and features, along with tracking trends, covering breaking news, and other events and festivals such as Comic-Con and the Television Critics Association press tour.
She will report to Executive Editor Michael Schneider out of the Pmc-owned Los Angeles offices. Schneider said that “Hanh’s tremendous experience both writing and editing at TVGuide.com and Zap2It.com will serve IndieWire well as we continue to dramatically expand our TV coverage. Not only does she have a keen eye for TV worth watching, but she’s plugged...
- 6/27/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Every week this season, Indiewire will be bringing you a unique collection of viewpoints on “Game of Thrones,” as it is a show that elicits a unique sort of reactions. Our writers are well-versed in the world of the show and the culture surrounding it, and we look forward to seeing how their opinions fare in the cutthroat world of Westeros… Sorry, that is, the cutthroat world of television criticism.
Last Week’S Review: The ‘Game of Thrones’ ‘BastardBowl’ Brings About A Whole New World Order
What Happened This Week?
After an extended montage paying tribute to the show’s always on-point costume design, it’s time for another installment of “Law and Order: Special Sinners Unit.” Loras Tyrell’s trial is relatively short thanks to him confessing everything… and also relatively meaningless, because instead of attending her own court date, Cersei blows up the whole damn court. (Dick Wolf...
Last Week’S Review: The ‘Game of Thrones’ ‘BastardBowl’ Brings About A Whole New World Order
What Happened This Week?
After an extended montage paying tribute to the show’s always on-point costume design, it’s time for another installment of “Law and Order: Special Sinners Unit.” Loras Tyrell’s trial is relatively short thanks to him confessing everything… and also relatively meaningless, because instead of attending her own court date, Cersei blows up the whole damn court. (Dick Wolf...
- 6/27/2016
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Last Week’S Review: ‘Game of Thrones’ Keeps The Violence Off Screen As Battles Build
Every week this season, Indiewire will be bringing you a unique collection of viewpoints on “Game of Thrones,” as it is a show that elicits a unique sort of reactions. Our writers are well-versed in the world of the show and the culture surrounding it, and we look forward to seeing how their opinions fare in the cutthroat world of Westeros… Sorry, that is, the cutthroat world of television criticism.
What Happened This Week?
If you were thinking that this week’s episode would be nothing but epic battles, you were technically incorrect. That said, there were two important battlefield clashes in “The Battle of Bastards.”
First, Daenerys fought off slaver forces with both dragons and diplomacy, per the advice of Tyrion — because no one tells Daenerys that her reign is over. In fact, her reign has just begun,...
Every week this season, Indiewire will be bringing you a unique collection of viewpoints on “Game of Thrones,” as it is a show that elicits a unique sort of reactions. Our writers are well-versed in the world of the show and the culture surrounding it, and we look forward to seeing how their opinions fare in the cutthroat world of Westeros… Sorry, that is, the cutthroat world of television criticism.
What Happened This Week?
If you were thinking that this week’s episode would be nothing but epic battles, you were technically incorrect. That said, there were two important battlefield clashes in “The Battle of Bastards.”
First, Daenerys fought off slaver forces with both dragons and diplomacy, per the advice of Tyrion — because no one tells Daenerys that her reign is over. In fact, her reign has just begun,...
- 6/20/2016
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
Breaking Americans news: The role of Clark Herbert Westerfeld — one of Matthew Rhys’ many alias’ on FX’s acclaimed Cold War spy drama — has been hijacked by… me. For one night, anyway.
Let me back up for a second.
Back in early July, Amber Dowling — then-vp of the Television Critics Association — approached me about presenting one of the trophies at the annual TCA Awards. The category was Outstanding Achievement in Drama, the (then-top secret) recipient was The Americans, and my co-presenter would be TVGuide.com writer-editor Hanh Nguyen. I accepted without hesitation. I love The Americans. My fondness for Keri Russell is well documented.
Let me back up for a second.
Back in early July, Amber Dowling — then-vp of the Television Critics Association — approached me about presenting one of the trophies at the annual TCA Awards. The category was Outstanding Achievement in Drama, the (then-top secret) recipient was The Americans, and my co-presenter would be TVGuide.com writer-editor Hanh Nguyen. I accepted without hesitation. I love The Americans. My fondness for Keri Russell is well documented.
- 8/9/2015
- TVLine.com
Anyone's who's logged into Netflix lately has no doubt noted the presence of Love Actually in the "Popular on Netflix" category. That's because the British comedy has become something of a modern classic for the holiday season. But not everyone sees it that way.
The ensemble film with nine different plots set around Christmas hit theaters in 2003 to high anticipation. Not only was this filmmaker Richard Curtis' follow-up to the popular Four Weddings and Funeral and Notting Hill, but it also boasted so many popular British stars that there was no way it could fail, right? Well... while some fans are still devoted to the film, they're the first to admit that it's an imperfect movie. But while TVGuide.com editor Joyce Eng embraces the film's range of stories and strong performances, fellow editor Hanh Nguyen is put off by the often depressing plots and creepy, male-centric take on so-called romance.
The ensemble film with nine different plots set around Christmas hit theaters in 2003 to high anticipation. Not only was this filmmaker Richard Curtis' follow-up to the popular Four Weddings and Funeral and Notting Hill, but it also boasted so many popular British stars that there was no way it could fail, right? Well... while some fans are still devoted to the film, they're the first to admit that it's an imperfect movie. But while TVGuide.com editor Joyce Eng embraces the film's range of stories and strong performances, fellow editor Hanh Nguyen is put off by the often depressing plots and creepy, male-centric take on so-called romance.
- 12/15/2014
- by Joyce Eng and Hanh Nguyen
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Are you baffled by the love for Game of Thrones?
The fantasy drama has been an unqualified success for HBO, but even as it's entering the home stretch of its third season, not everybody is on board the Westerosi train. Take, for example, this Thrillist writer who insists that women hate Game of Thrones. Crazy as Mad King Aerys, right? Her points are so ridiculous, we're tempted to think this is supposed to be satire, except it's neither clever nor funny. Of course, this far more eloquent and learned New York Times writer offers a similar argument in her review of Game of Thrones when it first debuted.
As bona fide women, TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen and Sadie Gennis (of the Game of Thrones By the Book chat series) would like to very respectfully discuss some of the biggest issues that the detractors have with the series.
Read More >...
The fantasy drama has been an unqualified success for HBO, but even as it's entering the home stretch of its third season, not everybody is on board the Westerosi train. Take, for example, this Thrillist writer who insists that women hate Game of Thrones. Crazy as Mad King Aerys, right? Her points are so ridiculous, we're tempted to think this is supposed to be satire, except it's neither clever nor funny. Of course, this far more eloquent and learned New York Times writer offers a similar argument in her review of Game of Thrones when it first debuted.
As bona fide women, TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen and Sadie Gennis (of the Game of Thrones By the Book chat series) would like to very respectfully discuss some of the biggest issues that the detractors have with the series.
Read More >...
- 5/24/2013
- by Sadie Gennis and Hanh Nguyen
- TVGuide - Breaking News
In its first-season finale, Game of Thrones tied up its loose ends as well as a sprawling fantasy epic could be expected to. More importantly, it left us wanting more by introducing us to Daenerys Targaryen's little ... friends. We bid our spoiler-filled goodbyes below.
TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen is an avid scripted-tv watcher, a horror-avoider and someone who's read George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, on which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Colleague Rich Juzwiak rarely watches scripted television, is a gorehound and became alerted to Martin's existence just recently, as he started researching this new swords-and-sandals (well, boots) series. He knows nothing of these sorcerers (if that is indeed what they are), while Hanh is something of an expert (read: fantasy/sci-fi nerd). Each week, he'll try to make sense of this crazy new show by enlisting Hanh's expertise. It may...
TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen is an avid scripted-tv watcher, a horror-avoider and someone who's read George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, on which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Colleague Rich Juzwiak rarely watches scripted television, is a gorehound and became alerted to Martin's existence just recently, as he started researching this new swords-and-sandals (well, boots) series. He knows nothing of these sorcerers (if that is indeed what they are), while Hanh is something of an expert (read: fantasy/sci-fi nerd). Each week, he'll try to make sense of this crazy new show by enlisting Hanh's expertise. It may...
- 6/20/2011
- by Rich Juzwiak and Hanh Nguyen
- TVGuide - Breaking News
If you watched Sunday's episode of Game of Thrones, you're probably still reeling from shock. If you haven't, go and watch it now ... or certainly before you read our spoiler-filled discussion below. Just know that HBO's defiance of convention is gutsy, inspiring and every bit as cold as the world of Westeros that calls the channel home.
TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen is an avid scripted-tv watcher, a horror-avoider and someone who's read George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, on which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Colleague Rich Juzwiak rarely watches scripted TV, is a gorehound and became alerted to Martin's existence just recently, as he started researching this new swords-and-sandals (well, boots) series. He knows nothing of these sorcerers (if that is indeed what they are), while Hanh is something of an expert (read: fantasy/sci-fi nerd). Each week, he'll try to...
TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen is an avid scripted-tv watcher, a horror-avoider and someone who's read George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, on which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Colleague Rich Juzwiak rarely watches scripted TV, is a gorehound and became alerted to Martin's existence just recently, as he started researching this new swords-and-sandals (well, boots) series. He knows nothing of these sorcerers (if that is indeed what they are), while Hanh is something of an expert (read: fantasy/sci-fi nerd). Each week, he'll try to...
- 6/13/2011
- by Rich Juzwiak
- TVGuide - Breaking News
With only two episodes of Game of Thrones to go, the action really came to a head with the absence of The Hand (see what we did there?) on Sunday's episode. Yes, winter is coming, but the battle has already begun at King's Landing. Who will survive? Let's take a look at "The Pointy End" for clues.
TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen is an avid scripted-tv watcher, a horror-avoider and someone who's read George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, on which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Colleague Rich Juzwiak rarely watches scripted TV, is a gorehound and became alerted to Martin's existence just recently, as he started researching this new swords-and-sandals (well, boots) series. He knows nothing of these sorcerers (if that is indeed what they are), while Hanh is something of an expert (read: fantasy/sci-fi nerd). Each week, he'll try to...
TVGuide.com's Hanh Nguyen is an avid scripted-tv watcher, a horror-avoider and someone who's read George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, on which HBO's Game of Thrones is based. Colleague Rich Juzwiak rarely watches scripted TV, is a gorehound and became alerted to Martin's existence just recently, as he started researching this new swords-and-sandals (well, boots) series. He knows nothing of these sorcerers (if that is indeed what they are), while Hanh is something of an expert (read: fantasy/sci-fi nerd). Each week, he'll try to...
- 6/6/2011
- by Hanh Nguyen
- TVGuide - Breaking News
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