Who knew? Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead revealed that, for all of the Saviors’ bloodlust and tough-as-leather posturing, Negan’s organization is run pretty much like The Office’s Dunder Mifflin. (All they were missing was a water cooler and a perky receptionist.) “The Big Scary U” also filled us in on what happened to Gabriel after he made the mistake of choosing Negan’s trailer as a Season-8-premiere hiding place, brought to a head the mounting tension between Rick and Daryl, and really kinda made you want to see Michonne. Why? Read on…
‘I Like...
‘I Like...
- 11/20/2017
- TVLine.com
Whose Episode Is It?
It’s a Negan episode. Wait, don’t go! It’s actually much better than it sounds! In fact, “The Big Scary U” is not only the best episode of Season 8, it might be better than any episode from Season 7. And it manages this feat by simply giving Negan some depth and motivation, an actual character for us to consider, instead of a one-note psychopath. It also gives poor Jeffrey Dean Morgan something to do other than bluster, and he admirably rises to the occasion.
“The Big Scary U” also goes a long way in confirming that this season will finally seriously address the moral costs of living in the zombie apocalypse, as it both establishes Negan’s philosophy and questions Rick’s methodology. It even manages to address this in different storylines involving multiple characters, which is a rarity for the standard recent “Walking Dead...
It’s a Negan episode. Wait, don’t go! It’s actually much better than it sounds! In fact, “The Big Scary U” is not only the best episode of Season 8, it might be better than any episode from Season 7. And it manages this feat by simply giving Negan some depth and motivation, an actual character for us to consider, instead of a one-note psychopath. It also gives poor Jeffrey Dean Morgan something to do other than bluster, and he admirably rises to the occasion.
“The Big Scary U” also goes a long way in confirming that this season will finally seriously address the moral costs of living in the zombie apocalypse, as it both establishes Negan’s philosophy and questions Rick’s methodology. It even manages to address this in different storylines involving multiple characters, which is a rarity for the standard recent “Walking Dead...
- 11/20/2017
- by Jeff Stone
- Indiewire
We're a little more than halfway through the The Walking Dead's fall season, and so far no line line of dialogue has been more memorable than Negan's warning in the premiere: "I hope you got your shittin' pants on ... because you are about to shit your pants." Still, the big bad boss does try to top himself in the latest episode, when he suggests that Gregory is "a thin-dicked politician, threading the needle with your thin, thin dick." A pattern's emerging here: Not only does Negan communicate almost exclusively in vulgarities,...
- 11/20/2017
- Rollingstone.com
Warning: The following contains spoilers for Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead. (And trust us, this one’s so good, you’ll want to watch first, read later.)
In what may have been Season 8’s first truly great episode of The Walking Dead, Sunday’s “Some Guy” started with Ezekiel being shaken to his theatrical core by the massacre with which “Monsters” ended, and concluded with the king being shaken to whatever is even deeper than one’s core by the next tragedy to strike. What could possibly have been worse than the bulk of his battalion being gunned down?...
In what may have been Season 8’s first truly great episode of The Walking Dead, Sunday’s “Some Guy” started with Ezekiel being shaken to his theatrical core by the massacre with which “Monsters” ended, and concluded with the king being shaken to whatever is even deeper than one’s core by the next tragedy to strike. What could possibly have been worse than the bulk of his battalion being gunned down?...
- 11/13/2017
- TVLine.com
Though Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead was the third in a row to feature almost non-stop smackdowns and shoot-’em-ups, battle fatigue and fatalities were beginning to be less of a concern than crises of conscience. In fact, the speed at which sides were forming (with Daryl, Morgan and Tara on Team Kill ’Em All, and Jesus, suddenly Rick and maybe Maggie on Team Live and Let Live) strongly suggested that, before the Saviors were vanquished, the allied forces would be fighting one another. Which characters wouldn’t still be around to see the conflict resolved? Read on…...
- 11/6/2017
- TVLine.com
"All Out War" resumed on The Walking Dead with the airing of the 100th episode last Sunday, with 15 million total viewers tuning in to see Rick and Negan square off at The Sanctuary:
Press Release: New York, NY, October 27, 2017 – AMC’s “The Walking Dead” returned for its 100th episode and season eight premiere Sunday night as the #1 show on television for an unprecedented sixth consecutive season, delivering 15 million total viewers, 9.3 million adults 25-54 and 8.8 million adults 18-49 in Nielsen live+3 ratings. The two-hour special episode of “Talking Dead,” conducted live in front of 6,000 fans at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, delivered 5 million total viewers, 2.9 million adults 25-54 and 2.7 million adults 18-49 in Nielsen live+3 ratings.
The season premiere of “The Walking Dead” now ranks as the top telecast this broadcast season among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. “The Walking Dead” continues to significantly out-deliver top shows on fully-distributed broadcast...
Press Release: New York, NY, October 27, 2017 – AMC’s “The Walking Dead” returned for its 100th episode and season eight premiere Sunday night as the #1 show on television for an unprecedented sixth consecutive season, delivering 15 million total viewers, 9.3 million adults 25-54 and 8.8 million adults 18-49 in Nielsen live+3 ratings. The two-hour special episode of “Talking Dead,” conducted live in front of 6,000 fans at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, delivered 5 million total viewers, 2.9 million adults 25-54 and 2.7 million adults 18-49 in Nielsen live+3 ratings.
The season premiere of “The Walking Dead” now ranks as the top telecast this broadcast season among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54. “The Walking Dead” continues to significantly out-deliver top shows on fully-distributed broadcast...
- 10/29/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Which Blindspot duo is going undercover? Are “Wild” times ahead for Arrow‘s Thea? Is The Originals getting its own Matt Donovan? Will “real life” cop-block Blue Bloods romance? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows.
VideosBlindspot Goes Global in International Season 3
What’s coming up on Blindspot? —Carlynn
As I hung out with the cast at Wednesday’s NYC premiere party, Jaimie Alexander got to raving about Audrey Esparza’s dance skills, which led me to suggest an undercover op where Tasha gets to do some twirling. That prompted Alexander to share this...
VideosBlindspot Goes Global in International Season 3
What’s coming up on Blindspot? —Carlynn
As I hung out with the cast at Wednesday’s NYC premiere party, Jaimie Alexander got to raving about Audrey Esparza’s dance skills, which led me to suggest an undercover op where Tasha gets to do some twirling. That prompted Alexander to share this...
- 10/26/2017
- TVLine.com
Warning: The following contains spoilers for the Season 8 premiere of The Walking Dead. If you’ve yet to watch, pretend Negan’s about to take a swing and look away.
The Season 8 premiere (and 100th episode) of The Walking Dead was filled with inspiring fighting words about how the world belonged to Rick and our heroes, the allied forces were going to live in peace and harmony, they’d all be together forever, yadda, yadda, yadda. But the all-cried-out look in Rick’s red-rimmed eyes, seen in (I think) flash-forwards, served as a stark reminder that turning all that talk...
The Season 8 premiere (and 100th episode) of The Walking Dead was filled with inspiring fighting words about how the world belonged to Rick and our heroes, the allied forces were going to live in peace and harmony, they’d all be together forever, yadda, yadda, yadda. But the all-cried-out look in Rick’s red-rimmed eyes, seen in (I think) flash-forwards, served as a stark reminder that turning all that talk...
- 10/23/2017
- TVLine.com
Global Genes hosted the highly anticipated and globally-recognized 6th Annual Rare Tribute to Champions of Hope Awards and Rare Patient Advocacy Summit on September 14-16.
The weekend-long festivities culminated Saturday at the Tribute award program hosted at the City National Grove of Anaheim, where more than 700 patients, celebrities, advocacy leaders, biotech and pharmaceutical executives, healthcare professionals, philanthropists, and scientists came together to support the fight against rare disease. The heartfelt awards, presentations, and performances raised over $1.75 million for rare disease education, awareness, advocacy, and patient scholarships to access programs. Of the total funds raised, more than $75,000 was donated through an on-stage ask at the Saturday evening event in direct support for the Global Genes Rare Patient Impact Grant Program.
The weekend celebrations were a star-studded affair with celebrity award presenters and guests in attendance including Jim O’Heir (Parks and Recreation), Madison McLaughlin (Supernatural, Arrow), Jillian Rose Reed (MTV’s...
The weekend-long festivities culminated Saturday at the Tribute award program hosted at the City National Grove of Anaheim, where more than 700 patients, celebrities, advocacy leaders, biotech and pharmaceutical executives, healthcare professionals, philanthropists, and scientists came together to support the fight against rare disease. The heartfelt awards, presentations, and performances raised over $1.75 million for rare disease education, awareness, advocacy, and patient scholarships to access programs. Of the total funds raised, more than $75,000 was donated through an on-stage ask at the Saturday evening event in direct support for the Global Genes Rare Patient Impact Grant Program.
The weekend celebrations were a star-studded affair with celebrity award presenters and guests in attendance including Jim O’Heir (Parks and Recreation), Madison McLaughlin (Supernatural, Arrow), Jillian Rose Reed (MTV’s...
- 9/28/2017
- Look to the Stars
A few years ago, Eric Wareheim took a photo of his then-girlfriend's naked ass and sent it to an ice sculptor. Wareheim likes to throw raucous house parties "based on different parts of anatomy," he says. "I did one called Black Cock [black light and penis-themed]. Another one was Laser Boobs." The sculptor took Wareheim's photo and used it to carve an enormous ice butt, which became the centerpiece of an ass-focused party called Snow Booty. The sculpture had a canal carved into it that served as a conduit for booze, with its lower opening at the butt hole.
- 9/26/2017
- Rollingstone.com
This may be the most unpredictable Emmy race in years, particularly on the drama side. “Stranger Things” and “Veep” lead the Emmy odds according to the prognosticators at Gold Derby, but don’t count out shows like “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Black-ish” and “Atlanta.” At least, that’s the takeaway from a handful of writers, producers and directors who agreed to anonymously share their Emmy ballots with IndieWire.
Not that this year’s picks were easy to make. “I watch a lot of TV,” said one writer. “And yet there is not a single category where I have seen every nominee. Seems impossible to judge — and crazy to think a winner is actually the best, rather than just the best of what most people have seen.”
That’s the high-class problem of Peak TV, and why outlets like HBO and Netflix spend handsomely on For Your Consideration campaigns. That’s...
Not that this year’s picks were easy to make. “I watch a lot of TV,” said one writer. “And yet there is not a single category where I have seen every nominee. Seems impossible to judge — and crazy to think a winner is actually the best, rather than just the best of what most people have seen.”
That’s the high-class problem of Peak TV, and why outlets like HBO and Netflix spend handsomely on For Your Consideration campaigns. That’s...
- 8/29/2017
- by Michael Schneider
- Indiewire
The Muslim Shari’a courts in the Middle East have excluded women for centuries, and the influential religious legal system has never appointed a woman as a judge — until Kholoud Al-Faqih came along. The Palestinian lawyer tells her story in Erika Cohn’s new documentary “The Judge,” which will premiere next month at the Toronto International Film Festival. IndieWire has the first look at the trailer below.
Cohn’s film follows Al-Faqih through her ongoing advocacy for women’s rights, providing a closeup look at the way she navigates personal and professional struggles while working her way up through the court system. She’s driven by several causes at once. “If I can’t achieve justice for myself, I can’t achieve justice for others,” she says in the film. It’s no big spoiler to note that she’s successful in that goal, since she now goes by the title Judge Kholoud Al-Faqih.
Cohn’s film follows Al-Faqih through her ongoing advocacy for women’s rights, providing a closeup look at the way she navigates personal and professional struggles while working her way up through the court system. She’s driven by several causes at once. “If I can’t achieve justice for myself, I can’t achieve justice for others,” she says in the film. It’s no big spoiler to note that she’s successful in that goal, since she now goes by the title Judge Kholoud Al-Faqih.
- 8/24/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Alan Yang is riding a high after “Master of None,” the comedy he co-created with Aziz Ansari, was nominated for multiple Emmys again. But he has another reason to celebrate. Last week, audiences got to freak out over the music video he directed for Jay-z’s “Moonlight,” which features the sitcom “Friends” reimagined with an all-black cast.
Yang began directing with “Parks and Recreation,” where he first met Ansari. He also directed episodes for “The Good Place” and “Master of None” before Roc Nation contacted him to send a few pitches for “Moonlight,” his first ever music video.
“When Roc Nation came to me, they gave very loose parameters,” said Yang. “They said, ‘Maybe it could be funny, maybe it could be something comedy-based — but really come up with what you want to come up with.’ I think that’s really freeing. Of the ideas I pitched them, ‘Friends’ was my favorite idea.
Yang began directing with “Parks and Recreation,” where he first met Ansari. He also directed episodes for “The Good Place” and “Master of None” before Roc Nation contacted him to send a few pitches for “Moonlight,” his first ever music video.
“When Roc Nation came to me, they gave very loose parameters,” said Yang. “They said, ‘Maybe it could be funny, maybe it could be something comedy-based — but really come up with what you want to come up with.’ I think that’s really freeing. Of the ideas I pitched them, ‘Friends’ was my favorite idea.
- 8/11/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Lena Waithe wrote her Emmy-nominated episode of “Master of None” while shooting Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film “Ready Player One.”
Maybe.
“I wrote it in London,” Waithe said in an interview with IndieWire. “My schedule was a little tight in Season 2. I was filming a movie in London.”
“Was that movie ‘Ready Player One’?” IndieWire said.
“Possibly, yes,” Waithe said, laughing. “You possibly could [say that].”
“Thanksgiving,” the time-jumping eighth episode of “Master of None” Season 2, tracks Denise’s (Waithe) relationship with her mother over multiple years. Each part takes place during a different Thanksgiving, as Denise discovers her sexuality and slowly reveals it to her mom (Angela Basset), aunt, and grandmother.
Read More:‘Master of None’: The 7 Best Scenes From Aziz Ansari’s Magnificent Second Season
Waithe said the story was “very personal” to her — “it’s obviously a very real version of my own coming out experience” — but writing...
Maybe.
“I wrote it in London,” Waithe said in an interview with IndieWire. “My schedule was a little tight in Season 2. I was filming a movie in London.”
“Was that movie ‘Ready Player One’?” IndieWire said.
“Possibly, yes,” Waithe said, laughing. “You possibly could [say that].”
“Thanksgiving,” the time-jumping eighth episode of “Master of None” Season 2, tracks Denise’s (Waithe) relationship with her mother over multiple years. Each part takes place during a different Thanksgiving, as Denise discovers her sexuality and slowly reveals it to her mom (Angela Basset), aunt, and grandmother.
Read More:‘Master of None’: The 7 Best Scenes From Aziz Ansari’s Magnificent Second Season
Waithe said the story was “very personal” to her — “it’s obviously a very real version of my own coming out experience” — but writing...
- 8/9/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
“Master of None” has been a boon for showcasing diversity with its inclusive casting and storylines that take a look at people who don’t always get screen time. From its Asian-American leading man Aziz Ansari and a slew of supporting cast who are people of color (and one who is gay) to the unique narratives that shift the spotlight to underserved groups, the Netflix series is also a standout for diversity behind the camera. It’s currently only one of a handful of TV series that can boast Asian-American creators.
Alan Yang, who created the series alongside Ansari, alluded to the importance of representation behind the scenes in his Emmy acceptance speech in 2016.
Read More‘Master of None’ Season 2 Review: Aziz Ansari Travels to Italy and Returns with a Stunning Romance
“Seventeen million Asian-Americans in this country, and there are 17 million Italian-Americans,” he said. “They have ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Goodfellas,...
Alan Yang, who created the series alongside Ansari, alluded to the importance of representation behind the scenes in his Emmy acceptance speech in 2016.
Read More‘Master of None’ Season 2 Review: Aziz Ansari Travels to Italy and Returns with a Stunning Romance
“Seventeen million Asian-Americans in this country, and there are 17 million Italian-Americans,” he said. “They have ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Goodfellas,...
- 7/27/2017
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
How do you like these apples: Showtime has ordered a drama pilot for City on a Hill, a gritty thriller based on an original idea by Ben Affleck and Chuck MacLean and chronicling the clean-up of Boston’s early-1990s crime problem.
Affleck will executive-produce the project with Matt Damon, director Gavin O’Connor, James Mangold and Jennifer Todd.
RelatedCable/Streaming Scorecard: What’s Renewed? What’s Cancelled?
A fictional account of what was called the “Boston Miracle,” City on a Hill follows an African-American District Attorney who comes in from Brooklyn advocating change, and the unlikely alliance he forms...
Affleck will executive-produce the project with Matt Damon, director Gavin O’Connor, James Mangold and Jennifer Todd.
RelatedCable/Streaming Scorecard: What’s Renewed? What’s Cancelled?
A fictional account of what was called the “Boston Miracle,” City on a Hill follows an African-American District Attorney who comes in from Brooklyn advocating change, and the unlikely alliance he forms...
- 7/27/2017
- TVLine.com
With several tomes’ worth of backstory, enough screen time to fill up two and a half straight days of TV watching and a list of characters the size of Wun Wun (Rip, big fella), “Game of Thrones” might be the perfect TV show for the podcast era. Any of style of show works well in this universe: review show, obsessive deep dive, cultural criticism.
Some hosts can recite passages from “A Dance with Dragons” like scripture, while others are book agnostic. But the thing that ties them all together is this gargantuan television show that demands parsing out in other forums.
So we took a look at the shows in the top charts to see what makes each of them worth listening to. As the world gears up for Season 7, this is the perfect time to hop into a potential new TV podcast obsession.
Binge Mode
Hosts: Mallory Rubin and...
Some hosts can recite passages from “A Dance with Dragons” like scripture, while others are book agnostic. But the thing that ties them all together is this gargantuan television show that demands parsing out in other forums.
So we took a look at the shows in the top charts to see what makes each of them worth listening to. As the world gears up for Season 7, this is the perfect time to hop into a potential new TV podcast obsession.
Binge Mode
Hosts: Mallory Rubin and...
- 7/12/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Film adaptation based on book by John Wukovits.
Gianni Nunnari’s Hollywood Gang have announced they are developing an adaptation of John Wukovits’ Hell From The Heavens: The Epic Story Of The USS Laffey And World War II’s Greatest Kamikaze Attack.
Rosalind Ross will write the adaptation under the working title of Kamikaze.
On April 16, 1945, the crewmen of the destroyer USS Laffey withstood an unrelenting kamikaze attack. After 80 minutes, 22 continuous air attacks and four direct bomb hits, six Japanese fighter planes crashed into the ship, setting the destroyer ablaze. Thirty-two men died and 71 were wounded that day.
The ship’s captain Frederick Julian Becton refused to give up and he and his crew fought on and ultimately won the day, earning the Laffey the name ‘The Ship That Would Not Die.’
Nunnari will produce alongside Hollywood Gang’s Shannon Gaulding.
Nunnari, best known for producing the thrillers Se7en, The Departed, and 300, is...
Gianni Nunnari’s Hollywood Gang have announced they are developing an adaptation of John Wukovits’ Hell From The Heavens: The Epic Story Of The USS Laffey And World War II’s Greatest Kamikaze Attack.
Rosalind Ross will write the adaptation under the working title of Kamikaze.
On April 16, 1945, the crewmen of the destroyer USS Laffey withstood an unrelenting kamikaze attack. After 80 minutes, 22 continuous air attacks and four direct bomb hits, six Japanese fighter planes crashed into the ship, setting the destroyer ablaze. Thirty-two men died and 71 were wounded that day.
The ship’s captain Frederick Julian Becton refused to give up and he and his crew fought on and ultimately won the day, earning the Laffey the name ‘The Ship That Would Not Die.’
Nunnari will produce alongside Hollywood Gang’s Shannon Gaulding.
Nunnari, best known for producing the thrillers Se7en, The Departed, and 300, is...
- 7/11/2017
- ScreenDaily
While dramatic television has seen a wave of directorial ingenuity over the last 17 years (see our list of the best-directed dramas for proof), 21st century TV will probably be remembered more for the growth of vision in the comedy genre. What was once a format dominated by multi-cam sitcoms with live studio audiences has become the most auteur-driven genre on television, and the results have been some of the most creative and personal series the small screen has ever aired.
Read More: The 20 Best-Directed TV Drama Series of the 21st Century, Ranked
In brainstorming the best-directed comedy series of the 21st century, it becomes very clear just how much the genre is driven by personal style. Whether it’s Louis C.K.’s grounded realism or the rapid-fire curveballs of Armando Iannucci and Mitch Hurwitz, the showrunner as auteur has become the lynchpin of what makes 21st century TV comedy so...
Read More: The 20 Best-Directed TV Drama Series of the 21st Century, Ranked
In brainstorming the best-directed comedy series of the 21st century, it becomes very clear just how much the genre is driven by personal style. Whether it’s Louis C.K.’s grounded realism or the rapid-fire curveballs of Armando Iannucci and Mitch Hurwitz, the showrunner as auteur has become the lynchpin of what makes 21st century TV comedy so...
- 7/11/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller and Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
At the halfway point of the year, it’s only right that we reflect on the best that 2017 TV has had to offer. But even though we’ve singled out our picks for the greatest shows from the past six months, that still leaves plenty of quality TV experiences unpraised.
Read More: The 10 Best TV Shows of 2017 (So Far)
With that in mind, we singled out 20 of the best TV episodes of the year. Some are from shows we’ll already given high marks to, while others are standout installments from series that sadly flew under the radar as they aired. The result is a cross-section of TV that covers comedy, drama, tragedy, triumph and all the spaces in between.
20. “Legion” – Season 1, Episode 6, “Chapter 6”
It’s almost too fitting that a man named Hiro directed the best episode of FX’s non-superhero superhero series, “Legion.” An hour-long dance through David...
Read More: The 10 Best TV Shows of 2017 (So Far)
With that in mind, we singled out 20 of the best TV episodes of the year. Some are from shows we’ll already given high marks to, while others are standout installments from series that sadly flew under the radar as they aired. The result is a cross-section of TV that covers comedy, drama, tragedy, triumph and all the spaces in between.
20. “Legion” – Season 1, Episode 6, “Chapter 6”
It’s almost too fitting that a man named Hiro directed the best episode of FX’s non-superhero superhero series, “Legion.” An hour-long dance through David...
- 7/4/2017
- by Steve Greene, Ben Travers, Liz Shannon Miller and Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
The comedian talks to Screen about his most personal and challenging project to date.
Starting out in stand-up comedy in 2001, while he was a student at New York University, Aziz Ansari has built an increasingly high-profile career that includes seven seasons playing Tom Haverford on hit NBC sitcom Parks And Recreation. It was while working on that show that Ansari met writer Alan Yang, and the idea of his most recent project, Netflix comedy Master Of None, was born.
“Alan and I were really close friends during the whole run of Parks And Rec,” says Ansari. “We would always lightly talk about doing our own series and shooting it in New York, and doing something that was only eight or 10 episodes as opposed to the 22-episode form of Parks.”
As Parks And Recreation began winding down (the show came to an end in 2015), the duo became more serious about the prospect of Master Of None. Ansari and Yang...
Starting out in stand-up comedy in 2001, while he was a student at New York University, Aziz Ansari has built an increasingly high-profile career that includes seven seasons playing Tom Haverford on hit NBC sitcom Parks And Recreation. It was while working on that show that Ansari met writer Alan Yang, and the idea of his most recent project, Netflix comedy Master Of None, was born.
“Alan and I were really close friends during the whole run of Parks And Rec,” says Ansari. “We would always lightly talk about doing our own series and shooting it in New York, and doing something that was only eight or 10 episodes as opposed to the 22-episode form of Parks.”
As Parks And Recreation began winding down (the show came to an end in 2015), the duo became more serious about the prospect of Master Of None. Ansari and Yang...
- 7/1/2017
- ScreenDaily
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for the “Silicon Valley” Season 4 finale, Episode 10, “Server Error.”]
After a season of departures, setbacks and the central team of aspiring tech moguls ending up way farther away from their goals than they had expected, Season 4 of “Silicon Valley” could really only have ended one way. In a mirror of a Season 2 cliffhanger, newly shaven Gavin Belson sat across from Richard Hendricks, the former offering a sweetheart acquisition deal to the person he gifted a industry-changing patent to just a few weeks before.
Rather than accept the offer from the newly reinstated Hooli chairman, Richard declined, even after being reminded that the only reason his company is still viable is by a rare bit of Gavin Belson altruism. Richard began the series as a lovable pushover, an unlikely CEO in the Silicon Valley world, where tech bros play pickup basketball games on the same court as the NBA champions. But whether it was a gradually built up thicker skin...
After a season of departures, setbacks and the central team of aspiring tech moguls ending up way farther away from their goals than they had expected, Season 4 of “Silicon Valley” could really only have ended one way. In a mirror of a Season 2 cliffhanger, newly shaven Gavin Belson sat across from Richard Hendricks, the former offering a sweetheart acquisition deal to the person he gifted a industry-changing patent to just a few weeks before.
Rather than accept the offer from the newly reinstated Hooli chairman, Richard declined, even after being reminded that the only reason his company is still viable is by a rare bit of Gavin Belson altruism. Richard began the series as a lovable pushover, an unlikely CEO in the Silicon Valley world, where tech bros play pickup basketball games on the same court as the NBA champions. But whether it was a gradually built up thicker skin...
- 6/26/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for the “Silicon Valley” Season 4 finale, Episode 10, “Server Error.”]
In a season filled with tech metaphors, none of them were as apt as an overheated garage server being lightly attended to with hand-operated fans. As Anton slowly broiled under the weight of unwieldy Melcher data, it was a fitting encapsulation of the monumental stress that “Silicon Valley” put on its main characters this year. The road to technological relevance has never been easy for these guys, but this season finale gave them a solution and a ticket out of the rut they’ve been in for the past few weeks.
It’s a solution that didn’t seem likely at the outset of this episode, as Dinesh looped videos of more Hooliphone explosions caught on surveillance cameras. The Pied Piper gang has been forced to face consequences in the past, but watching potential users in physical pain brought about by their actions seem to be a tipping point for...
In a season filled with tech metaphors, none of them were as apt as an overheated garage server being lightly attended to with hand-operated fans. As Anton slowly broiled under the weight of unwieldy Melcher data, it was a fitting encapsulation of the monumental stress that “Silicon Valley” put on its main characters this year. The road to technological relevance has never been easy for these guys, but this season finale gave them a solution and a ticket out of the rut they’ve been in for the past few weeks.
It’s a solution that didn’t seem likely at the outset of this episode, as Dinesh looped videos of more Hooliphone explosions caught on surveillance cameras. The Pied Piper gang has been forced to face consequences in the past, but watching potential users in physical pain brought about by their actions seem to be a tipping point for...
- 6/26/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
The following story contains spoilers about Silicon Valley‘s Season 4 finale — proceed at your own peril
Richard’s dream of booting up a new Internet moved closer to reality in Silicon Valley‘s Season 4 finale, setting the stage for a potentially game-changing fifth season. But obstacles await, and Pied Piper will be marching into what promises to be a messy battle down a soldier: As previously confirmed, Sunday’s season-ender marked the end of the road for T.J. Miller, whose stoner-ego Erlich Bachman embarked on a new life in Tibet. But is the scene-steaking dope-head gone for good? That’s...
Richard’s dream of booting up a new Internet moved closer to reality in Silicon Valley‘s Season 4 finale, setting the stage for a potentially game-changing fifth season. But obstacles await, and Pied Piper will be marching into what promises to be a messy battle down a soldier: As previously confirmed, Sunday’s season-ender marked the end of the road for T.J. Miller, whose stoner-ego Erlich Bachman embarked on a new life in Tibet. But is the scene-steaking dope-head gone for good? That’s...
- 6/26/2017
- TVLine.com
After two seasons worth of magic, “Fargo” Season 3 — or Year 3, to use the preferred nomenclature — was finally unable to outrun the specter of Peak TV hovering over its shoulder. Even with one of the greatest TV casts ever assembled, the story of feuding brothers and a nefarious conglomerate slowed the series’ hot streak and brought it back down from the realm of tightly constructed, riveting crime drama into the realm of ordinary.
Wednesday night’s season finale showed why the rest of the previous episodes lacked the distinctive spirit that’s helped make “Fargo” into its own creative entity. The previous two seasons have funneled their experiences through the police officer Solversons at the center: Alison Tolman’s Molly and Patrick Wilson’s Lou both anchored their respective seasons amidst a maelstrom of criminal (and in notable instances, supernatural) activity.
Read More: Noah Hawley on the ‘Fargo’ Finale and Why the Fate of Gloria Burgle Matters More Than You Think
But with a near-unprecedented cast including Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, David Thewlis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Scoot McNairy, Mary McDonnell, Shea Wigham and Michael Stuhlbarg, “Fargo” had that unique but very real problem of juggling an ensemble of actors who were each carrying their own shows within their respective plot lines. Gloria Burgle’s pursuit, the existential quandary of loyalty from Sy, and the classic, biblical blood feud between the two Stussy brothers all seemed like they were vying for supremacy in a show that tried to have it every way.
With all that impressive output in front of the camera, the various adventures that these characters went on seemed too stylistically disparate to be part of a focused season of television. Take Episode 8, “Who Rules the Land of Denial?” as an example. It’s a striking hour of TV, but one that owed its visual and philosophical approach to some of the other biggest TV shows on air right now. Nikki’s kitten-filled encounter in the bowling alley dipped into “Twin Peaks” territory, complete with Ray Wise’s presence. The bloody escape from the prison bus into the woods was practically a dimly lit “Game of Thrones” set-piece, complete with a surprise garroting.
These scenes came in the wake of the overtly Don Hertzfeldt-ian animation sequence from Episode 3 and presaged a “Leftovers”-adjacent piano theme at the end of Episode 9 that would probably make Max Richter do a double take. “Fargo” has always worn its influences on it sleeve, often with an accompanying wink and nod. This season felt like the first time some of the most gorgeous images on TV were in service of a faithful recreation of what’s worked elsewhere, rather than a visionary reinterpretation.
A series that had previously managed to bring together a nuanced look at opposing forces of good and evil managed to play this season fairly straight. By Thewlis’ own admission, V.M. Varga is a character completely without any redeeming qualities. He’s an out-and-out villain from frame one, drab business attire and all. The closest that he comes to any kind of sympathy is his sniveling, tiptoeing towards the elevator after he’s found out he’s under attack in the season finale.
Varga’s two defining characteristics — his rotting teeth and propensity to vomit up his nervous binge eating — were far more literal manifestations of the evil rotting him from inside and out than the show ever burdened its predecessors with. Lorne Malvo and Mike Milligan, previous “Fargo” heavies, were more than just sophisticated bad guys. Their calm demeanor, without much affectation, hinted at the insidious nature of human corruptibility. By placing all its narrative weight on a character who showed so much outward, borderline-cartoonish villainy, Season 3 robbed its central conflict of comparable substance.
And as far as the victim of Varga’s plotting, Emmit Stussy never really moved beyond being a hapless victim, closer to the bumbling cycle of unfortunate circumstances of Jerry Lundegaard from the “Fargo” film than the poisonous, bitter edge that Martin Freeman added to Lester Nygaard. As a result, Ewan McGregor’s double casting never really had the opportunity to move beyond a half-baked treatise on the nature of free will.
One of the reasons “Fargo” succeeded in creating something all its own in preceding installments is that it guided its ambiguities towards a greater purpose. Season 3’s many allegories and literary allusions left little room for interpretation or subversion. Whether listening to Billy Bob Thornton explain the opening of “Peter and the Wolf,” Varga explain Lenin’s appreciation Beethoven, or a series of animated characters float through the Stussy-authored sci-fi universe, each of these came with a blatant, explicit connection to the characters we saw on the screen. In previous seasons, those conclusions would be left to the audience to draw.
The conversation between Gloria and Winnie in Season 3’s penultimate episode also helped to underline this idea. A mystery that our own Ben Travers pointed out fairly early on — Gloria’s invisibility to technology — was made more intriguing by the explanatory distance the show took from it. But in baring her soul to Winnie, there was Gloria expressing all of those concerns out loud in convenient, metaphorical detail. The old “Fargo” would have had her merely stare down the bathroom sink sensor before finally realizing that her circumstances had changed, taking out any references to it in the conversation that came before.
As one final parting confirmation, the show delivered its Season 3 version of a time jump; a transformation that seemed so radical in Season 1 but here seems like a tacked-on afterthought. That audience handholding became even more literal when, without leaving the audience to fill in the blanks, it put the aftermath of the Stussy fortune in direct on-screen text. You could argue that this is a playful, twisted diversion meant to make Emmit’s kitchen assassination all the more shocking. But instead it seemed like a final emphatic exclamation point on the season’s special brand of reinforced cynicism.
Read More: The Coen Brothers’ Rules: 4 Filmmaking Practices That Give ‘Fargo’ Its Cinematic Consistency
All told, this season of “Fargo” was far from without merit. As much as Sy was hamstrung for most of the season, Stuhlbarg still proved that he’s one of the greatest working actors and a worthy addition to the series’ roster of Coen Brothers alumni. The Ray Stussy apartment ambush sequence is one of the best-directed scenes of the year. And the finale’s Mexican standoff was delivered in such a simple and unadorned way that made its consequences all the more tragic.
But even in the artistry of showing the two bodies fall from far away, Nikki’s character farewell underlined how much this version of “Fargo” reveled in making each new development as definitive as possible. A bullet hole to the forehead leaves little room for doubt. “Fargo” is still one of TVs most visceral crime shows, but one thing it didn’t borrow from its fellow 2017 TV shows was to let the mystery be.
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Related stories'Fargo' Review: Season 3 Finale Ends the Debate and Tells Us If We've Been Wasting Our BreathNoah Hawley on the 'Fargo' Finale and Why the Fate of Gloria Burgle Matters More Than You ThinkHow Editors of 'The Crown,' 'American Gods,' and 'This Is Us' Achieved Emotional Power...
Wednesday night’s season finale showed why the rest of the previous episodes lacked the distinctive spirit that’s helped make “Fargo” into its own creative entity. The previous two seasons have funneled their experiences through the police officer Solversons at the center: Alison Tolman’s Molly and Patrick Wilson’s Lou both anchored their respective seasons amidst a maelstrom of criminal (and in notable instances, supernatural) activity.
Read More: Noah Hawley on the ‘Fargo’ Finale and Why the Fate of Gloria Burgle Matters More Than You Think
But with a near-unprecedented cast including Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, David Thewlis, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Scoot McNairy, Mary McDonnell, Shea Wigham and Michael Stuhlbarg, “Fargo” had that unique but very real problem of juggling an ensemble of actors who were each carrying their own shows within their respective plot lines. Gloria Burgle’s pursuit, the existential quandary of loyalty from Sy, and the classic, biblical blood feud between the two Stussy brothers all seemed like they were vying for supremacy in a show that tried to have it every way.
With all that impressive output in front of the camera, the various adventures that these characters went on seemed too stylistically disparate to be part of a focused season of television. Take Episode 8, “Who Rules the Land of Denial?” as an example. It’s a striking hour of TV, but one that owed its visual and philosophical approach to some of the other biggest TV shows on air right now. Nikki’s kitten-filled encounter in the bowling alley dipped into “Twin Peaks” territory, complete with Ray Wise’s presence. The bloody escape from the prison bus into the woods was practically a dimly lit “Game of Thrones” set-piece, complete with a surprise garroting.
These scenes came in the wake of the overtly Don Hertzfeldt-ian animation sequence from Episode 3 and presaged a “Leftovers”-adjacent piano theme at the end of Episode 9 that would probably make Max Richter do a double take. “Fargo” has always worn its influences on it sleeve, often with an accompanying wink and nod. This season felt like the first time some of the most gorgeous images on TV were in service of a faithful recreation of what’s worked elsewhere, rather than a visionary reinterpretation.
A series that had previously managed to bring together a nuanced look at opposing forces of good and evil managed to play this season fairly straight. By Thewlis’ own admission, V.M. Varga is a character completely without any redeeming qualities. He’s an out-and-out villain from frame one, drab business attire and all. The closest that he comes to any kind of sympathy is his sniveling, tiptoeing towards the elevator after he’s found out he’s under attack in the season finale.
Varga’s two defining characteristics — his rotting teeth and propensity to vomit up his nervous binge eating — were far more literal manifestations of the evil rotting him from inside and out than the show ever burdened its predecessors with. Lorne Malvo and Mike Milligan, previous “Fargo” heavies, were more than just sophisticated bad guys. Their calm demeanor, without much affectation, hinted at the insidious nature of human corruptibility. By placing all its narrative weight on a character who showed so much outward, borderline-cartoonish villainy, Season 3 robbed its central conflict of comparable substance.
And as far as the victim of Varga’s plotting, Emmit Stussy never really moved beyond being a hapless victim, closer to the bumbling cycle of unfortunate circumstances of Jerry Lundegaard from the “Fargo” film than the poisonous, bitter edge that Martin Freeman added to Lester Nygaard. As a result, Ewan McGregor’s double casting never really had the opportunity to move beyond a half-baked treatise on the nature of free will.
One of the reasons “Fargo” succeeded in creating something all its own in preceding installments is that it guided its ambiguities towards a greater purpose. Season 3’s many allegories and literary allusions left little room for interpretation or subversion. Whether listening to Billy Bob Thornton explain the opening of “Peter and the Wolf,” Varga explain Lenin’s appreciation Beethoven, or a series of animated characters float through the Stussy-authored sci-fi universe, each of these came with a blatant, explicit connection to the characters we saw on the screen. In previous seasons, those conclusions would be left to the audience to draw.
The conversation between Gloria and Winnie in Season 3’s penultimate episode also helped to underline this idea. A mystery that our own Ben Travers pointed out fairly early on — Gloria’s invisibility to technology — was made more intriguing by the explanatory distance the show took from it. But in baring her soul to Winnie, there was Gloria expressing all of those concerns out loud in convenient, metaphorical detail. The old “Fargo” would have had her merely stare down the bathroom sink sensor before finally realizing that her circumstances had changed, taking out any references to it in the conversation that came before.
As one final parting confirmation, the show delivered its Season 3 version of a time jump; a transformation that seemed so radical in Season 1 but here seems like a tacked-on afterthought. That audience handholding became even more literal when, without leaving the audience to fill in the blanks, it put the aftermath of the Stussy fortune in direct on-screen text. You could argue that this is a playful, twisted diversion meant to make Emmit’s kitchen assassination all the more shocking. But instead it seemed like a final emphatic exclamation point on the season’s special brand of reinforced cynicism.
Read More: The Coen Brothers’ Rules: 4 Filmmaking Practices That Give ‘Fargo’ Its Cinematic Consistency
All told, this season of “Fargo” was far from without merit. As much as Sy was hamstrung for most of the season, Stuhlbarg still proved that he’s one of the greatest working actors and a worthy addition to the series’ roster of Coen Brothers alumni. The Ray Stussy apartment ambush sequence is one of the best-directed scenes of the year. And the finale’s Mexican standoff was delivered in such a simple and unadorned way that made its consequences all the more tragic.
But even in the artistry of showing the two bodies fall from far away, Nikki’s character farewell underlined how much this version of “Fargo” reveled in making each new development as definitive as possible. A bullet hole to the forehead leaves little room for doubt. “Fargo” is still one of TVs most visceral crime shows, but one thing it didn’t borrow from its fellow 2017 TV shows was to let the mystery be.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
Related stories'Fargo' Review: Season 3 Finale Ends the Debate and Tells Us If We've Been Wasting Our BreathNoah Hawley on the 'Fargo' Finale and Why the Fate of Gloria Burgle Matters More Than You ThinkHow Editors of 'The Crown,' 'American Gods,' and 'This Is Us' Achieved Emotional Power...
- 6/22/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
On Sunday night’s “Silicon Valley,” the world got its first taste of Hoolicon, a three-day cacophony of product launches and tech seminars that’s one part Apple Keynote and one part self-help conference.
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’ Review: ‘The Keenan Vortex’ Shows Why These Guys Might Never Really Be Happy
Episode 8, “The Keenan Vortex,” even produced a 30-second ad for the weekend event, dripping with faux and self-importance. (Spoiler warning for fans who were busy watching the Tonys: There’s a surprise cameo at the end that won’t make much sense if you’re not fully caught up.)
The most transformative technology event in the world. See you all at Hoolicon. pic.twitter.com/vNM5W9IdGl
— Silicon Valley (@SiliconHBO) June 12, 2017
Like with other notable companies and venture firms from the show, “Silicon Valley” has made an insanely detailed official Hoolicon website, complete with a speakers lineup and...
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’ Review: ‘The Keenan Vortex’ Shows Why These Guys Might Never Really Be Happy
Episode 8, “The Keenan Vortex,” even produced a 30-second ad for the weekend event, dripping with faux and self-importance. (Spoiler warning for fans who were busy watching the Tonys: There’s a surprise cameo at the end that won’t make much sense if you’re not fully caught up.)
The most transformative technology event in the world. See you all at Hoolicon. pic.twitter.com/vNM5W9IdGl
— Silicon Valley (@SiliconHBO) June 12, 2017
Like with other notable companies and venture firms from the show, “Silicon Valley” has made an insanely detailed official Hoolicon website, complete with a speakers lineup and...
- 6/12/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Well, it almost happened. For a minute, the Pied Piper crew finally seemed to be happy. Champagne was flowing, spirits were high and it looked like this group finally had the financial and creative freedom to fulfill the dreams that their occasionally fearful leader has had all season.
And then, as it always seems to in the world of “Silicon Valley,” the fluffy clouds lifted. It’s another weekly example of how the show continues to dangle a happy future in front of its characters, only to pull it away and show them that the way they wanted to find happiness was an illusion all along (or a virtual reality, if you will).
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’ Review: Richard and Jared Tap Into Their Darker Sides As the Show’s Wheels Spin
In a bit of karmic retribution, at the end of “The Keenan Vortex,” it’s Erlich who ends up the most distraught,...
And then, as it always seems to in the world of “Silicon Valley,” the fluffy clouds lifted. It’s another weekly example of how the show continues to dangle a happy future in front of its characters, only to pull it away and show them that the way they wanted to find happiness was an illusion all along (or a virtual reality, if you will).
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’ Review: Richard and Jared Tap Into Their Darker Sides As the Show’s Wheels Spin
In a bit of karmic retribution, at the end of “The Keenan Vortex,” it’s Erlich who ends up the most distraught,...
- 6/12/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Given the amount of turnover and plot machinations that go into the average season of “Silicon Valley,” more than a few episodes feel like the show hitting the reset button.
Last week’s “The Blood Boy” played out like a midseason finale, with Gavin Belson bidding farewell to his part in the Pied Piper-ssaince. Saying adieu to his part in Richard’s new internet, Gavin the enemy-turned-ally pulled his own version of the Terminator goodbye, ascending the steps of his private plane having just turned over his patent to Richard instead of lowering himself into a vat of sacrificial molten metal.
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’: How Post-Election-Night Improv Led to Season 4’s Greatest Moment So Far
But earlier this week, news broke that another poster-worthy cast member would be leaving as well, with reports that T.J. Miller would not be returning for “Silicon Valley” Season 5. As a result, Sunday...
Last week’s “The Blood Boy” played out like a midseason finale, with Gavin Belson bidding farewell to his part in the Pied Piper-ssaince. Saying adieu to his part in Richard’s new internet, Gavin the enemy-turned-ally pulled his own version of the Terminator goodbye, ascending the steps of his private plane having just turned over his patent to Richard instead of lowering himself into a vat of sacrificial molten metal.
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’: How Post-Election-Night Improv Led to Season 4’s Greatest Moment So Far
But earlier this week, news broke that another poster-worthy cast member would be leaving as well, with reports that T.J. Miller would not be returning for “Silicon Valley” Season 5. As a result, Sunday...
- 5/29/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
One fascinating aspect of today’s media landscape is that many creators and executive producers enjoy using Twitter to engage with their audiences, share behind-the-scenes information about their shows, chat about politics, and otherwise communicate about what matters to them. So, each week, we’ll compile some of our favorite exchanges representing the wide variety of discourse seen on social media.
Last Week’S Tweets: ‘SNL’ Parties So Hard They Break Tables
This week: A “BoJack Horseman” character seemingly comes to life, the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” writers room gets an upgrade (…maybe), and Lin-Manuel Miranda gets spoiled for “Veep.”
Well, This is a Delightful Image
90%of my Sat mornings for past 5 months r spent in full performance of every Moana song with my Tiny Humans. I do a fine Maui. @Lin_Manuel
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) May 20, 2017
If you haven’t read it, by the way, Rhimes’ “Year of Yes” is a charming memoir/self-help book.
Last Week’S Tweets: ‘SNL’ Parties So Hard They Break Tables
This week: A “BoJack Horseman” character seemingly comes to life, the “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” writers room gets an upgrade (…maybe), and Lin-Manuel Miranda gets spoiled for “Veep.”
Well, This is a Delightful Image
90%of my Sat mornings for past 5 months r spent in full performance of every Moana song with my Tiny Humans. I do a fine Maui. @Lin_Manuel
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) May 20, 2017
If you haven’t read it, by the way, Rhimes’ “Year of Yes” is a charming memoir/self-help book.
- 5/27/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
[Editor’s Note: The review below contains spoilers for “Fargo” Season 3, Episode 6, “The Lord of No Mercy.”]
Immediate Reaction
Gloria Burgle to the rescue!
After an episode of incredible tension and unexpected tragedy, we didn’t realize how badly we needed to hear Carrie Coon say, “Screw it,” whip the cruiser around, and high-tail it back to “the P.O.’s domicile.” While the simultaneously ominous and uplifting strings certainly served to get our hearts beating, “Fargo” may as well have played Bonnie Tyler’s famous “Footloose” jam “Holding Out for a Hero” — because one is on the way!
It’s just we had to hold out a little too long. Just enough road blocks were thrown in front of Burgle to keep her from cracking the case earlier, and all that time led to an inevitable tragedy. Ray (Ewan McGregor) is the first major victim of Season 3 (unless you count the annual pilot sacrifice of Scoot McNairy’s Maurice Lafay), in a particularly well-orchestrated offing. First...
Immediate Reaction
Gloria Burgle to the rescue!
After an episode of incredible tension and unexpected tragedy, we didn’t realize how badly we needed to hear Carrie Coon say, “Screw it,” whip the cruiser around, and high-tail it back to “the P.O.’s domicile.” While the simultaneously ominous and uplifting strings certainly served to get our hearts beating, “Fargo” may as well have played Bonnie Tyler’s famous “Footloose” jam “Holding Out for a Hero” — because one is on the way!
It’s just we had to hold out a little too long. Just enough road blocks were thrown in front of Burgle to keep her from cracking the case earlier, and all that time led to an inevitable tragedy. Ray (Ewan McGregor) is the first major victim of Season 3 (unless you count the annual pilot sacrifice of Scoot McNairy’s Maurice Lafay), in a particularly well-orchestrated offing. First...
- 5/25/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Need to catch up? Check out our previous Fargo recap here.
Season 3 of Fargo has been sitting on simmer for a few weeks now, but it heated up to a full boil this week — and ah jeez, a main character wound up dead.
Ray is still fuming after Nikki’s savage beating at the hands of Yuri and Meemo. He grabs his gun, and they tail the two henchmen to an empty lot, where they spot V.M. Varga being ushered into a car. Nikki theorizes he’s the “head honcho,” and Ray’s ready to go after them, guns blazing.
Season 3 of Fargo has been sitting on simmer for a few weeks now, but it heated up to a full boil this week — and ah jeez, a main character wound up dead.
Ray is still fuming after Nikki’s savage beating at the hands of Yuri and Meemo. He grabs his gun, and they tail the two henchmen to an empty lot, where they spot V.M. Varga being ushered into a car. Nikki theorizes he’s the “head honcho,” and Ray’s ready to go after them, guns blazing.
- 5/25/2017
- TVLine.com
Well that was something, huh?
After spending weeks introducing quirky characters and setting up the war between St. Cloud's Stussy brothers, Fargo kicks off the second half of this year's run by tightening its narrative noose – and choking one of its major players to death. Tonight's episode – "The Lord of No Mercy" – continues this season's uncomfortably relevant inquiries into how our world is secretly controlled by cynics who manipulate what we believe. But this was also a refreshingly action-packed episode, with conflicts, close shaves … and one fatal shard of glass lodged in Raymond Stussy's neck.
After spending weeks introducing quirky characters and setting up the war between St. Cloud's Stussy brothers, Fargo kicks off the second half of this year's run by tightening its narrative noose – and choking one of its major players to death. Tonight's episode – "The Lord of No Mercy" – continues this season's uncomfortably relevant inquiries into how our world is secretly controlled by cynics who manipulate what we believe. But this was also a refreshingly action-packed episode, with conflicts, close shaves … and one fatal shard of glass lodged in Raymond Stussy's neck.
- 5/25/2017
- Rollingstone.com
Horse-mating scenes aside, “Silicon Valley” has now really gone beyond the pale. In Sunday’s episode, tech “maverick” and Hooli founder Gavin Belson (Matt Ross) made use of a “blood boy” — receiving a blood transfusion from a young man in an effort to life-hack his way to the fountain of youth. As it turns out, the practice depicted in Season 4’s Episode 5 isn’t out of reach in real life. In the episode, aptly titled “The Blood Boy,” Gavin listens to a presentation from Richard while his “transfusion associate” Bryce (Graham Rogers) sits by his side, supplying him with his young blood.
- 5/22/2017
- by Sean Burch
- The Wrap
At the end of Netflix’s first season of Master of None, Aziz Ansari’s Dev heads to Italy to work on his pasta-making skills after a break-up. Season 2 picks back up with a new love interest as Dev meets the dashing Francesca, played by Italian actress (and Amal Clooney look-alike!) Alessandra Mastronardi.
“I was a big fan of the first season because it was such a new way to approach comedy,” Mastronardi, who starred in Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love, tells People of the big shoes to fill following the Emmy-winning first season. “It’s more intimate this season,...
“I was a big fan of the first season because it was such a new way to approach comedy,” Mastronardi, who starred in Woody Allen’s To Rome With Love, tells People of the big shoes to fill following the Emmy-winning first season. “It’s more intimate this season,...
- 5/16/2017
- by Katherine Richter
- PEOPLE.com
Jian Yang’s Erlich impression. Big Head’s sudden ascension through the guest lecture circuit. Gavin Belson’s failed key-card swipe. Last night’s “Silicon Valley” was an episode that kept the Season 4 hot streak alive with some unsurprisingly delightful developments.
But there’s one that has them all beat.
While going through the files of their early investor Peter Gregory, Richard (Thomas Middleditch) discovers that the man who once gave Pied Piper some much-needed runway also may have left the key to building a brand new, decentralized internet.
Read More: Zach Woods Compares His ‘Silicon Valley’ Character to a ‘New England Mom,’ and Here’s Why That’s Hysterically Tragic
Jared (Zach Woods), Richard’s partner in amateur sleuthing, helps them both realize this discovery means that a new internet might be more viable than either of them thought. Richard’s newfound excitement leads to a back-and-forth of happy enthusiasm.
But there’s one that has them all beat.
While going through the files of their early investor Peter Gregory, Richard (Thomas Middleditch) discovers that the man who once gave Pied Piper some much-needed runway also may have left the key to building a brand new, decentralized internet.
Read More: Zach Woods Compares His ‘Silicon Valley’ Character to a ‘New England Mom,’ and Here’s Why That’s Hysterically Tragic
Jared (Zach Woods), Richard’s partner in amateur sleuthing, helps them both realize this discovery means that a new internet might be more viable than either of them thought. Richard’s newfound excitement leads to a back-and-forth of happy enthusiasm.
- 5/8/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Each episode of Aziz Ansari’s Netflix comedy Master of None is kind of like a blind date: You’re never exactly sure what you’re going to end up with.
That’s still true in the long-awaited Season 2, which debuts next Friday, May 12 after a lengthy year-and-a-half layoff. Ansari — the likable Parks and Rec goofball who writes and directs here, as well as starring — seems to enjoy defying expectations, crafting each episode of his cosmopolitan rom-com as a self-contained vignette that may or may not connect to the episodes around it. This structure is ultimately limiting in a few...
That’s still true in the long-awaited Season 2, which debuts next Friday, May 12 after a lengthy year-and-a-half layoff. Ansari — the likable Parks and Rec goofball who writes and directs here, as well as starring — seems to enjoy defying expectations, crafting each episode of his cosmopolitan rom-com as a self-contained vignette that may or may not connect to the episodes around it. This structure is ultimately limiting in a few...
- 5/3/2017
- TVLine.com
Part of what makes “Master of None” a delightful, refreshing viewing experience is how in 10 episodes, co-creators Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang continue to find new ways to surprise the audience. Whether it’s a bluntly funny song choice, the casually incorporated use of black-and-white footage, a telling change in perspective, several telling changes in perspective, or an unexpected arc in the story itself, the Netflix original series feels informally formal. It’s gorgeous, deep, and with style to spare, but the narrative flows without force, moving from topic to topic with the ease of young lovers lost in a date they never want to end.
So why spoil it?
I won’t, but suffice to say, Season 2 is as carefully constructed as it is appears to be carefree. Ansari — who wrote or co-wrote every episode and directed two-and-a-half hours of the 10 episode second season — has infused more of himself into his follow-up season,...
So why spoil it?
I won’t, but suffice to say, Season 2 is as carefully constructed as it is appears to be carefree. Ansari — who wrote or co-wrote every episode and directed two-and-a-half hours of the 10 episode second season — has infused more of himself into his follow-up season,...
- 5/3/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
When we last left our merry band of tech innovators, programmers and start up investors the infamous company Pied Piper had taken yet another dramatic pivot. The algorithm company CEO and founder Richard (Thomas Middleditch) had once hoped would revolutionize video compression was pushed to the side for an increasingly popular video chat application developed by Dinesh (Kumail Nanjiani). And, if you’ve ever worked even tangentially close to the tech sector it made a lot of sense and in a way that has always been the biggest strength of Mike Judge’s “Silicon Valley.”
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’ Embarks On A Tech Venture In New Trailer For Season 4
Sure, corporate giant Hooli (think Yahoo having overstayed its welcome) and its incredulously dumb “Chief Innovation Officer” Gavin Benson (Matt Ross) is an increasingly less funny cartoon in the background, but the obstacles Richard, Dinesh, Gilfoye (Martin Starr) and Jared (the show’s secret weapon,...
Read More: ‘Silicon Valley’ Embarks On A Tech Venture In New Trailer For Season 4
Sure, corporate giant Hooli (think Yahoo having overstayed its welcome) and its incredulously dumb “Chief Innovation Officer” Gavin Benson (Matt Ross) is an increasingly less funny cartoon in the background, but the obstacles Richard, Dinesh, Gilfoye (Martin Starr) and Jared (the show’s secret weapon,...
- 4/21/2017
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Three episodes were provided prior to broadcast.
Given the constantly evolving and paradigm shifting nature of the titular Californian hotspot, HBO’s furiously funny comedy series Silicon Valley has a nearly endless stream of real-life absurdity to parody each season. From a dire life-or-death live stream (with crystal-clear video!) to the nuts and bolts of running and operating a start-up company, the show constantly feels topical, resonant, and meaningful without an ounce of trying-too-hard bogging it down.
Creator Mike Judge has built a world that teeters slightly on the edge of unreality, but he never goes full-force into that abyss. The setting is tangible, the characters are believable (and crushingly relatable), and the always-an-underdog plot arcs are feverishly entertaining. Season 4 of Silicon Valley keeps that deft mix of humor, heart, and all-hell-breaking-loose potent and strong in the first few episodes sent for review, proving that – like Pied Piper – the show...
Given the constantly evolving and paradigm shifting nature of the titular Californian hotspot, HBO’s furiously funny comedy series Silicon Valley has a nearly endless stream of real-life absurdity to parody each season. From a dire life-or-death live stream (with crystal-clear video!) to the nuts and bolts of running and operating a start-up company, the show constantly feels topical, resonant, and meaningful without an ounce of trying-too-hard bogging it down.
Creator Mike Judge has built a world that teeters slightly on the edge of unreality, but he never goes full-force into that abyss. The setting is tangible, the characters are believable (and crushingly relatable), and the always-an-underdog plot arcs are feverishly entertaining. Season 4 of Silicon Valley keeps that deft mix of humor, heart, and all-hell-breaking-loose potent and strong in the first few episodes sent for review, proving that – like Pied Piper – the show...
- 4/20/2017
- by Mitchel Broussard
- We Got This Covered
When it comes to chasing your dreams, there’s a fine line between crazy and courageous, and the fast-moving, boom or bust world of Silicon Valley — satirized in HBO’s award-winning comedy of the same name — blurs the line into obscurity. Over three seasons, Richard Hendricks (Thomas Middleditch) and his friends have seen more extreme ups and downs while trying to monetize their landmark algorithm than most people experience in their lifetime. Entering Season 4, they’ve got a shot at evening things out and making good, stable money.
But is that enough? Is stability what these men, and Richard Hendricks, in particular, are really chasing? Would they be happy if they were millionaires, coasting through life, free from the pressures and thrills of the chase? That each character would likely answer differently gives you an idea of where “Silicon Valley” is headed in Season 4, but simply by posing the question,...
But is that enough? Is stability what these men, and Richard Hendricks, in particular, are really chasing? Would they be happy if they were millionaires, coasting through life, free from the pressures and thrills of the chase? That each character would likely answer differently gives you an idea of where “Silicon Valley” is headed in Season 4, but simply by posing the question,...
- 4/20/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Ahead of the Season 4 premiere on April 23, HBO has released the official trailer and key art for its acclaimed comedy Silicon Valley. At the end of Season 3, Jared's (Zach Woods) clickfarm scam had been discovered and covered up, a scandal threatened to gut Hooli king Gavin Belson (Matt Ross), a side project could become an accidental focus, and Erlich (T.J. Miller) and Big Head (Josh Brener) have a new asset. Thomas Middleditch stars as Richard Hendricks, the…...
- 3/29/2017
- Deadline TV
The Voice India season 2, recently came to a close. The season was hosted by popular television actor Gunjan Utreja. Gunjan has also previously acted in the popular Colors TV serial Madhubala. I was fortunate to have a catch up with Gunjan, who is currently very excited about his next project which will see him feature in the third music video from Arya Entertainment for a song called Piya. Read on to find out Gunjan’s exprience on the music video and more.
Hi Gunjan, please share with us your career highlights so far.
I have been fortunate to work with some of the best people, on some of the best projects in the industry. From hosting the Indian edition of worlds biggest singing reality show The Voice India Season 2, then to play the main lead in Madhubala on Colors, and later to act in a Web-series Mickey Vickey ka Program,...
Hi Gunjan, please share with us your career highlights so far.
I have been fortunate to work with some of the best people, on some of the best projects in the industry. From hosting the Indian edition of worlds biggest singing reality show The Voice India Season 2, then to play the main lead in Madhubala on Colors, and later to act in a Web-series Mickey Vickey ka Program,...
- 3/19/2017
- by Jem Raj
- Bollyspice
Last Week’S Review: ‘Say Yes’ Is A Good Old-Fashioned Zombie Fight
[Spoilers follow for “The Walking Dead” Season 7, Episode 13, “Bury Me Here.”]
Whose Episode Is It?
We’re with the Kingdom this week, and Morgan takes center stage. Morgan’s story this week is so central, in fact, that his decisions eclipse the ostensibly important key decisions of other characters, dulling the impact of the overall story. It also doesn’t help that the first half of “Bury Me Here” plays out in extremely predictable fashion.
A Shred of Humanity
I’ve always been fascinated by the way “The Walking Dead” approaches Morgan, since he’s one of the only characters to preach non-violence on a show that often endorses the opposite (remember when Tyreese got put in the “Kill more or I kill this baby” situation?). So it was probably just a matter of time before the show found a way to get Morgan back on the murder train,...
[Spoilers follow for “The Walking Dead” Season 7, Episode 13, “Bury Me Here.”]
Whose Episode Is It?
We’re with the Kingdom this week, and Morgan takes center stage. Morgan’s story this week is so central, in fact, that his decisions eclipse the ostensibly important key decisions of other characters, dulling the impact of the overall story. It also doesn’t help that the first half of “Bury Me Here” plays out in extremely predictable fashion.
A Shred of Humanity
I’ve always been fascinated by the way “The Walking Dead” approaches Morgan, since he’s one of the only characters to preach non-violence on a show that often endorses the opposite (remember when Tyreese got put in the “Kill more or I kill this baby” situation?). So it was probably just a matter of time before the show found a way to get Morgan back on the murder train,...
- 3/13/2017
- by Jeff Stone
- Indiewire
The path to war with the Saviors just got a whole lot shorter.
Though Daryl saved Carol from being a victim of Richard’s scheme to spur Ezekiel to action, Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead found the king’s right-hand man coming up with an alternative plan, which, right on cue, went disastrously awry. How disastrously? By the end of the hour, two characters were dead — and neither of them were Saviors. That disastrously. Read on for all the gory deets.
Related2017 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?
‘Just...
Though Daryl saved Carol from being a victim of Richard’s scheme to spur Ezekiel to action, Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead found the king’s right-hand man coming up with an alternative plan, which, right on cue, went disastrously awry. How disastrously? By the end of the hour, two characters were dead — and neither of them were Saviors. That disastrously. Read on for all the gory deets.
Related2017 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Getting Cancelled? What’s on the Bubble?
‘Just...
- 3/13/2017
- TVLine.com
Because irony is dead and no one ever reads past the headline, reactions to Amazon’s Resistance Radio — a tie-in program for “The Man in the High Castle,” an alternate-history series in which the Nazis were victorious in World War II — have been just as silly as you’d expect. Many seem to have believed that the radio show, in which members of the fictional resistance discuss the Third Reich’s evils and attempt to galvanize one another, is in fact aimed at the Trump administration — and responded accordingly.
Read More: ‘The Man in The High Castle’: What It’s Like to Make A Show About Fascism in The Age of Trump
Like “The Americans,” “The Man in the High Castle” has taken on a strange new resonance following last year’s election; that so many would jump to this conclusion about Resistance Radio is one of those hilarious-but-dispiriting...
Read More: ‘The Man in The High Castle’: What It’s Like to Make A Show About Fascism in The Age of Trump
Like “The Americans,” “The Man in the High Castle” has taken on a strange new resonance following last year’s election; that so many would jump to this conclusion about Resistance Radio is one of those hilarious-but-dispiriting...
- 3/12/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
Sneak Peek footage, plus images from "The Walking Dead" Season 7 episode "Bury Me Here", airing March 12, 2017 on AMC:
"...things do not go as planned when a group of 'Kingdommers' deliver goods to the 'Saviors' during a routine supply drop-off..."
Episode guest stars include Cooper Andrews as 'Jerry', Daniel Newman as 'Daniel', Kerry Cahill as 'Dianne'...
...Joshua Mikel as 'Jared', Jayson Warner Smith as 'Gavin' and Carlos Navarro as 'Alvaro'.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Walking Dead: Bury Me Here"...
"...things do not go as planned when a group of 'Kingdommers' deliver goods to the 'Saviors' during a routine supply drop-off..."
Episode guest stars include Cooper Andrews as 'Jerry', Daniel Newman as 'Daniel', Kerry Cahill as 'Dianne'...
...Joshua Mikel as 'Jared', Jayson Warner Smith as 'Gavin' and Carlos Navarro as 'Alvaro'.
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Walking Dead: Bury Me Here"...
- 3/6/2017
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Crowley’s son came back!
Gavin may have been absent since Supernatural Season 9, but a ghost case involving the ship he was supposed to have ben brought him back to the story on Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13.
Plus, Mary revealed her British Men of Letters secret. But was it a good move?
TV Fanatic staff writers Sean McKenna and Christine Laskodi and The Winchester Family Business' Alice and Nightsky weigh in on “Family Feud.”
So join them in the latest Supernatural Round Table!
What was your favorite scene or quote?
Alice: As I look back and try to remember all the forgettable scenes in this episode, not to mention the quotes, I’ll go with the one scene I actually remember; the ending one.
Actually, it started with Rowena and Crowley in the bus station. Their talk about why Rowena helped Gavin was awesome. The reason was most unexpected.
Then...
Gavin may have been absent since Supernatural Season 9, but a ghost case involving the ship he was supposed to have ben brought him back to the story on Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13.
Plus, Mary revealed her British Men of Letters secret. But was it a good move?
TV Fanatic staff writers Sean McKenna and Christine Laskodi and The Winchester Family Business' Alice and Nightsky weigh in on “Family Feud.”
So join them in the latest Supernatural Round Table!
What was your favorite scene or quote?
Alice: As I look back and try to remember all the forgettable scenes in this episode, not to mention the quotes, I’ll go with the one scene I actually remember; the ending one.
Actually, it started with Rowena and Crowley in the bus station. Their talk about why Rowena helped Gavin was awesome. The reason was most unexpected.
Then...
- 2/27/2017
- by Sean McKenna
- TVfanatic
I confess: I had a really, really hard time deciding what grade to give Grimm Season 6 Episode 8 because I was just too busy laughing my head off.
It was just so difficult to take "The Son Also Rises" with any amount of seriousness, particularly as a person with a degree in English and a modicum of scientific understanding.
In one of the most blatant riffs on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein I have ever seen, Grimm had pretty much everything except for villagers wielding torches and pitchforks!
The whole thing was started by the un-subtley named Victor Shelley got into a car accident with his son, killing (not mostly killing, or nearly killing, but actually killing!) said son.
In a feat of astonishing scientific brilliance (otherwise known as magic), Dr. Shelley and his colleagues actually managed to resurrect the son! They literally brought him back from the dead!
In fact, the...
It was just so difficult to take "The Son Also Rises" with any amount of seriousness, particularly as a person with a degree in English and a modicum of scientific understanding.
In one of the most blatant riffs on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein I have ever seen, Grimm had pretty much everything except for villagers wielding torches and pitchforks!
The whole thing was started by the un-subtley named Victor Shelley got into a car accident with his son, killing (not mostly killing, or nearly killing, but actually killing!) said son.
In a feat of astonishing scientific brilliance (otherwise known as magic), Dr. Shelley and his colleagues actually managed to resurrect the son! They literally brought him back from the dead!
In fact, the...
- 2/25/2017
- by Kathleen Wiedel
- TVfanatic
Remember Gavin MacLeod? Crowley’s son?
His last appearance was on Supernatural Season 9 Episode 21 when he was pulled through time by Abaddon and then whisked away by Crowley to start a new life in the 21st century.
Sam and Dean mentioned that Gavin sticking around rather than returning to his own time to die on a ship would mess with history and time, and yet, after Crowley got him away, the storyline was dropped.
So it was rather exciting to have Gavin mentioned and reappear on Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13.
Granted, it felt a bit like the writers got together and suddenly remembered there was a dangling thread from about three seasons ago, and they wanted to tie up loose ends.
But with all the talk of cosmic consequences and dealing with Gavin’s life in the present day, it fit right in line with what’s been going on with Supernatural Season 12.
Though,...
His last appearance was on Supernatural Season 9 Episode 21 when he was pulled through time by Abaddon and then whisked away by Crowley to start a new life in the 21st century.
Sam and Dean mentioned that Gavin sticking around rather than returning to his own time to die on a ship would mess with history and time, and yet, after Crowley got him away, the storyline was dropped.
So it was rather exciting to have Gavin mentioned and reappear on Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13.
Granted, it felt a bit like the writers got together and suddenly remembered there was a dangling thread from about three seasons ago, and they wanted to tie up loose ends.
But with all the talk of cosmic consequences and dealing with Gavin’s life in the present day, it fit right in line with what’s been going on with Supernatural Season 12.
Though,...
- 2/24/2017
- by Sean McKenna
- TVfanatic
Supernatural looks to be continuing its callbacks to the past.
Where the return of the Colt took place on Supernatural Season 12 Episode 12, these photos from Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13 seem to indicate that Crowley's son, Gavin, will be back.
Gavin was supposed to have died on a ship in the past before Abaddon brought him to the present on Supernatural Season 9 Episode 21. But rather than being sent back in order to avoid messing with time, Crowley whisked him away.
So what does his reappearance mean now?
It looks like Rowena is involved, so talk about a family reunion.
Get ready for a new episode when you take a peak at these pictures from "Family Feud."
1. Gavin MacLeod returns - Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13 Crowley's son has been in hiding since his father whisked him away in Supernatural Season 9. It looks like Gavin has been bus hopping, but he may have been found by Sam and Dean.
Where the return of the Colt took place on Supernatural Season 12 Episode 12, these photos from Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13 seem to indicate that Crowley's son, Gavin, will be back.
Gavin was supposed to have died on a ship in the past before Abaddon brought him to the present on Supernatural Season 9 Episode 21. But rather than being sent back in order to avoid messing with time, Crowley whisked him away.
So what does his reappearance mean now?
It looks like Rowena is involved, so talk about a family reunion.
Get ready for a new episode when you take a peak at these pictures from "Family Feud."
1. Gavin MacLeod returns - Supernatural Season 12 Episode 13 Crowley's son has been in hiding since his father whisked him away in Supernatural Season 9. It looks like Gavin has been bus hopping, but he may have been found by Sam and Dean.
- 2/21/2017
- by Sean McKenna
- TVfanatic
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