Case closed: ABC's 'For the People' wraps rookie season
Vondie Curtis-Hall stars in "For the People"
There's something about courtroom drama that has fascinated TV viewers for decades. Such shows often rank among the most popular prime-time programs, even among today's fickle audiences. As one legal drama wraps up for the season, ambitious young lawyers argue their cases in the high-profile "Mother Court" of the United States.
Recaps for the week of May 14-18
Kristoff St. John stars in "The Young and the Restless"
The Bold and the Beautiful
Ridge shares his suspicions about Bill Spencer to Brooke, and reveals that he thinks the man may be the driving force behind the latest disaster. Taylor comforts Steffy and seethes at Brooke's insensitivity towards her daughter. Wyatt threatens his father after he learns that Bill has been using him to get what he wants, and Ridge goes to Liam to convince him that he's being played for a fool by his father. Taylor confronts Brooke about the twisted knot of a situation with Steffy and Liam, and the two old nemeses start up again. Wyatt allows Katie to talk him into making a deal with Bill, but a deal with the devil himself is rarely a good thing. Bill reminds Steffy of the past that they share in an attempt to win her back, and Justin calls out Dollar Bill when his conscience gets the better of him.
Days of Our Lives
Victor brings a tempting offer to Brady in an effort to persuade him to not marry Eve. Lucas searches for Chloe, and asks Paul to help him find her. Now faced with an old adversary, Theresa deals with the devil in an attempt to secure her freedom, and is finally brought back to Salem by Xander. Inspired by the example set by Eve and Brady, John suggests something to Marlena that leads to the two of them making a big decision about the future of their relationship. Sonny is lured even deeper into Leo's trap, and Abigail disagrees with the legal advice being offered by Justin. Steve approaches Roman and secretly asks for a favor, and Leo's new boss surprises him. Gabi continues to be troubled by Abigail's actions, but Rafe and Justin bring her some good news. Stefan and Chad have a violent run-in, Rafe grants Hope her wish and Steve learns that there's a chance he can get his eyesight restored. Eve and JJ have an encounter that they didn't expect to have.
General Hospital
Dante and Michael enjoy a night out, and Dante later secures an advantage over Chase. Ava manages to wrest back a small piece of control and works on enticing Griffin. Stella tries to look on the bright side of the situation, but ends up horrified instead. Things may not look good for Carly, but Kim has a piece of good news that she's eager to share. Josslyn and Oscar connect with each other, but things look bad for Carly. Nelle lucks out, and Sonny becomes deeply troubled.
The Young and the Restless
Abby and Arturo have a frank talk about the messy history that she has with her relationships, and the two nearly share an intimate kiss before she pulls away. Lily announces that she will raise Sam as her own while at a family brunch, and the Ashby family toasts her. While the Abbott family celebrates, Jack arrives and cruelly tears into Dina, but later regrets his harsh words and apologizes after witnessing a tender moment between Dina and Traci. Sharon and Nick have troubles keeping their new status as "friends with benefits" a secret when other people begin to notice a change between them. Phyllis learns that Nick has been listening to police scanners for news about JT, and when he hears an alert about JT's phone being switched on, he immediately sets out to bring him to justice. Devon and Hilary celebrate Mother's Day, and the moments spent together begin binding them to each other romantically.
Q: I loved the movie "Blood In, Blood Out" -- it was my favorite of the '90s teen gang movies. But was that Benjamin Bratt in the starring role? I didn't think he was around yet.
Benjamin Bratt didn't really become a star until he premiered in "Law & Order" in 1995, but he was already showing a good deal of promise, particularly in "Blood In, Blood Out" two years earlier.
Q: Are there any laws or rules around using the words "based on a true story"? Is there a certain amount of truth that has to be incorporated in order to use that teaser?
The only rule regarding saying something's "based on a true story" is the old rule about not getting caught.
If there are people alive who can say with certainty that a film or show's account is not true in some legally actionable way -- if it defames or harms a person's reputation, for example, then there can be a problem. But not an insurmountable problem.
Q: Has "Too Close to Home" been canceled? The cliffhanger at the end of last season left me expecting more.
The idea of the cliffhanger is to make viewers want to return to a show even after it's been off the air for months during the off-season. But there's a bit of cruelty to this model, because usually writers don't know if they'll get another season when they're writing. They hang you out on the cliff intentionally, with the hope they'll be allowed to rescue you in six or seven months.
The heat is on: HBO brings a literary classic to the screen
Michael Shannon as seen in "Fahrenheit 451"
Sharpen those knives: New judge incoming in the latest season of 'Chopped'
Host Ted Allen with the "Chopped" judges
You can say this about "Chopped": it has a formula that works and it's stuck with it for a long time. It makes perfect sense. After all, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Throwback finale: 'The Goldbergs' signs off for season 5
Hayley Orrantia, Sean Giambrone, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Troy Gentile, George Segal and Jeff Garlin star in "The Goldbergs"
New Releases for the week of May 13 - 19
Black Panther
Isolated and hidden from the world for centuries, the nation of Wakanda has grown rich and technologically advanced, thanks to its deposits of vibranium, an incredibly rare metal. After his father's death, T'Challa (Boseman) returns to Wakanda to take the throne and keep the kingdom united as Black Panther, a hero given supernatural strength by a mysterious heart-shaped herb and a suit made of vibranium. However, when an exiled Wakandan named Killmonger (Jordan) arrives on the scene with a message of revolution, Wakanda's future -- and that of the entire world -- hangs in the balance.
Director: Ryan Coogler. Stars: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Letita Wright, Daniel Kaluuya, Martin Freeman. 2018. 134 min. Action.
Bent
After spending more than three years in prison, ex-cop Danny Gallagher (Urban) begins investigating a car bombing that he suspects may be related to the botched drug bust that ended with his partner's death and led to him being incarcerated after being accused of corruption. With help from another former cop (Garcia) and a beautiful federal agent (Vergara), Danny tries to uncover the truth about who killed his partner and framed him for the crime, but as he digs deeper into the case, he begins to realize that he may not be able to fully trust the very people helping him try to clear his name.
Director: Bobby Moresco. Stars: Karl Urban, Sofia Vergara, Andy Garcia, Grace Byers, Vincent Spano, Trai Byers, John Finn. 2018. 96 min. Crime.
Samson
A classic story from the Bible comes to life. After Samson (James) is given great strength by God, he performs many incredible acts, even slaying a lion with just his bare hands. His wife, Delilah (Leahy), discovers the secret of his superhuman strength, however, and betrays him to his enemies. Now powerless and in the clutches of those who hate him, Samson faces the ultimate test of his faith.
Directors: Bruce Macdonald, Gabriel Sabloff. Stars: Taylor James, Caitlin Leahy, Jackson Rathbone, Billy Zane, Rutger Hauer, Lindsay Wagner, Greg Kriek. 2018. 110 min. Action.
Late Laughs for the week of May 13 - 19, 2018
The Late Late Show With James Corden
Samsung has just launched a new phone marketed to students to avoid distraction and focus on studying. The phone deliberately has no ability to connect to the internet. Yeah, they've developed this. This is something they've "developed." So, a flip phone. It's a flip phone that can't even flip.
