A new take: '4400' reboot returns with fresh perspective
T.L. Thompson and Jaye Ladymore star in "4400"
As the trend of rebooting hit TV shows for modern audiences continues, one series stands out as more than just a rehash of the same idea. Its fresh perspective captivated viewers before the holidays, and it's returning early in the new year to continue the saga.
Call Me Kat, on Fox
Fans of "The Big Bang Theory" star and "Jeopardy!" host Mayim Bialiak can catch up on the life of Kat (Bialik) in this new episode of the sitcom's second season. Determined to prove to her mom she can make it as a single 39-year-old, Kat opens a cat café.
Q: I just watched "The Wolf of Snow Hollow," which starred Robert Forster, but the credits also say it was dedicated to Forster's memory. How does that work?
It works through film great Robert Forster's dedication, combined with the slow process of releasing an indie film. Forster died of brain cancer on Oct. 11, 2019, at age 78, not long after wrapping work on "The Wolf of Snow Hollow" (2020).
Though every director in the world will tell you that there's plenty of production work to do after they say, "That's a wrap," it's especially true for indie films.
The Amazing Race, on CBS
Phil Keoghan returns to host the next leg of this popular long-running reality series. Teams of globe-trotting adventure seekers take off on a massive planet-wide scavenger hunt, each hoping to win the million-dollar prize and the winning title.
Judge Steve Harvey, on ABC
Now in its second week on the air, comedian and TV personality Steve Harvey gets serious about the law … well, sort of. Dealing with everything from small claims to huge disputes, Harvey hears out plaintiffs and defendants before deciding how to proceed.
Q: I was watching "Austin Powers" the other day and started wondering about the music video that plays in the credits. It appears to feature Austin himself as the singer. Is he playing with a real band?
Actually, Ming Tea is a real band, and it's where Austin Powers got his start.
OK, sure, we all know that's comedian Mike Myers in an outlandish faux-British Invasion getup, and we know Austin Powers is just a character he created. But he created him, initially, to front that band.
Ordinary Joe, on NBC
James Wolk and Natalie Martinez star in this drama series, airing a new episode tonight. At his college graduation, a young man faces a series of decisions that could change his life forever, setting him on track for many action-packed adventures.
Order up: Burrell back for more 'Worst Cooks'
Anne Burrell hosts another season of "Worst Cooks in America"
In case you missed it, a new season of "Worst Cooks in America" kicked off last week (Jan. 5, to be precise) on Food Network, where the culinary boot camp has become something of a new year tradition.
Late Laughs for the week of January 9 - 15, 2022
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
On the fourth night of Hanukkah, President Biden hosted a menorah lighting. Nothing says you really care about a holiday like waiting until the fourth night to celebrate.
An FDA panel just voted 13-10 to "narrowly endorse" Merck's anti-viral COVID pill. Yeah, when it comes to medication, I'm sure "narrowly endorsed" is the phrase you want to hear.
New Releases for the week of Jan. 9 - 15
Dune
In this first half of a two-part feature adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 science fiction novel, the House Atreides, led by Duke Leto (Isaac) and his concubine Lady Jessica (Ferguson), is tasked with taking over the rule of planet Arrakis, also referred to as "Dune." It is here that the extremely valuable Melange is found, a natural sand-born spice mixture that bestows heightened vitality and expanded consciousness upon its users. While the Atreides try to govern the planet's people and harvest the temperamental Melange, the house's heir, Paul (Chalamet), learns to hone his own supernatural gift — a gift he must use to fulfil a great destiny on Arrakis by saving the future of his family and the planet's native Fremen people.
Director: Denis Villeneuve. Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem. 2021. 156 mins. Science Fiction.
Mass
In the years following a tragic and preventable school shooting, the parents of the shooter agree to meet with the parents of one of the victims in an attempt to find peace and move forward with their lives. An intimate portrait of grief, anger, acceptance and a parent's attachment to their child's legacy, this four-character drama takes place in a lone, emotion-riddled, Tennessee Williams-esque room.
Director: Fran Kranz. Stars: Reed Birney, Ann Dowd, Jason Isaacs, Martha Plimpton. 2021. Drama.
Spencer
During the Christmas season of 1991, the British royal family spends the holidays at the quaint and quiet of the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. It's anything but celebration for Princess Diana (Stewart), however, as she struggles with her declining mental health and the public rumors of her husband Prince Charles' (Farthing) extramarital affair. Despite knowing how the royal family prefers to keep their dirty laundry hidden, Diana decides to take a stance for her own well-being and that of her children by leaving the royal family for good.