by tyler | May 5, 2023 | CNN, entertainment
The greatest heroism often resides in the actions of ordinary people in extraordinary situations and times, and so it is with “A Small Light,” which tells the story of Anne Frank through the eyes of Miep Gies, the woman who helped hide her and her family. Slow starting at eight parts, the National Geographic/Disney+ miniseries builds steadily, in a fashion that’s ultimately both stirring and heartbreaking.
The story opens with Gies (Bel Powley) desperately needing a job to avoid having her adopted family try to marry her off to her (secretly gay) brother. She gets hired by Otto Frank (Liev Schreiber, terrific if barely recognizable), a successful businessman preparing to bring his family to Amsterdam to join him.
Flash forward to 1940, and the Germans are marching in, eventually leaving Frank, as he puts it, with “nowhere to go,” except the annex space above the office, where his family and four others would spend more than two years.
“What I’m asking you to do is dangerous,” he warns Gies, but she finds the reservoirs of strength to assist them, along with her husband Jan (Joe Cole) and a handful of others, who are dogged by the reality of not knowing who they can trust.
The format allows the producers (a team led by Tony Phelan and Joan Rater) to take the time to get to know the various players, including Miep and Jan’s sweet, awkward courtship. That pays dividends later as the two are tested, separately and together, as they seek to help those displaced and endangered by Nazi atrocities.
“A Small Light” exhibits considerable restraint in creating that sense of tension mostly without explicit violence, but with the persistent threat of it if their charges are discovered. The series also conveys the thirst for shreds of normalcy and moments of lightness amid their confinement and constant fear of exposure, tempered by the pain of those separated from loved ones, especially children.
Among the more quietly devastating scenes, Miep gifts the wide-eyed young Anne (Billie Boullet) a pair of shoes, proceeding to tell her all the weird and wonderful things that she will do in them as she grows older – a journey, the audience knows, which will never come. The same goes for the Franks celebrating the bombings that rattle their makeshift home, praying for the allies’ arrival.
Gies – who found and preserved Anne’s diary, which Otto later published – lived to be 100, and the title is derived from her oft-stated quote about the ability of even an ordinary person to “turn on a small light in a dark room.”
“A Small Light” takes its time in illuminating that source of inspiration, but by the time its eight chapters have concluded, its big heart should ensure that there isn’t (or at least shouldn’t be) a dry eye in the house.
“A Small Light” premieres May 1 at 9 p.m. ET on National Geographic, with episodes streaming the next day on Disney+.
by tyler | May 5, 2023 | CNN, entertainment
Johnny Weir is returning as the US host of the Eurovision Song Contest and he couldn’t be more excited.
“Last year was, was such an exciting moment for me in my career as a broadcaster and as an entertainer, because I’m just such a huge fan of the Eurovision Song Contest. When I got the call to go in to host it, I could not get over it,” Weir told CNN in a recent interview. “I’m still not over it. It’s still mind boggling.”
Peacock is streaming this year’s semi-finals and grand final beginning on May 9.
Viewers can participate with Weir via “Watch With” by submitting questions to the host as they watch the competition together.
The former professional ice skater is a super fan of the annual competition, which pits singers, who must perform live, from participating countries against each other and has become a worldwide phenomena.
Weir’s hosting for NBC’s streaming company last year won him rave reviews. He said it has encouraged him to up his game this time around.
“I have to keep my level strong and this year I’m so excited about so many of the songs. I think it’s gonna be a tremendous competition and a tremendous event,” he said. “I think that that energy that we’ll get from the stage in Liverpool will keep me right up where I want to be and that I can just keep bringing this thing that I love so much to my country.”
Weir has plenty of experience having provided commentary for figure skating competitions for years.
He deeply feels the importance of “performing for an American audience and bringing them the biggest, most watched event outside of the sporting world in the entire world.”
“I have to do it in a different way and in a way that Americans can feel like they’re a part of it. And, now, this year more than ever, the United States actually has a vote with the rest of the world in choosing the champion of the Eurovision Song Contest,” he said. “I think that it’s my obligation to make sure that America can sit back and enjoy the contest as much as I do, pick their favorites, send in their votes.”
“If there’s one thing I know about Americans watching television is that we love to vote for a singing contest,” Weir said, laughing. “I just hope that people run with it and go there with me and that new fans are born every time I talk about Eurovision or host the Eurovision Song Contest.”
by tyler | May 5, 2023 | CNN, entertainment
Lisa Vanderpump’s Pump Restaurant is closing.
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum confirmed the news to People.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that the lease at Pump Restaurant is expiring, and we will be closing its doors on July 5th, after 10 years of beautiful evenings under our olive trees,” the statement said.”While we have loved our time operating Pump, to take on another 10-year lease with a huge increase in rent by the landlords, is not something we are ready to commit to. After successfully running 37+ establishments for many years, this type of rent is untenable.”
Vanderpump is still planning to open two Las Vegas restaurants with Caesars Palace. She also owns SUR with her husband Ken Todd and is business partners with “Vanderpump Rules” stars Tom Schwartz and Tom Sandoval with their bar, TomTom.
Vanderpump currently stars on “Vanderpump Rules” and is about to unravel “Scandoval,” the current obsession of Bravo TV viewers.
by tyler | May 5, 2023 | CNN, entertainment
The next installment of CNN’s Emmy-winning original series “Decades” is set to return Sunday with the “The 2010s,” and its two-hour premiere covers the groundbreaking television of the “Peak TV” decade.
In a challenging task given the truly robust number of outstanding series, the CNN Entertainment team compiled a list of decade-defining scripted shows that best captured the zeitgeist.
Read on for a look back at some of the most impactful television of the 2010s in order of when each series debuted:
One of the decade’s most influential and successful shows came not from a broadcaster or premium channel, but a basic-cable network – AMC – launching the zombie drama that inspired plenty of imitators as well as numerous spinoffs. Indeed, after plodding into the next decade with multiple cast changes along the way, the show will live on, perhaps appropriately, in several new programs.
HBO’s big swing at fantasy soared through the entire decade in a manner akin to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) and her dragon doing, well… you know what they did. “Thrones” became one of HBO’s biggest shows of all time, inspiring a resurgence of content in the fantasy genre and breeding a number of “Thrones” spinoff series. Based on George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series, the weekly release of episodes prompted a return to appointment viewing, and the sprawling budget provided viewers with visually stunning hour-long episodes that felt truly cinematic. “Thrones” still had issues – like the series finale and that Starbucks cup cameo – and the violence and nudity at times felt gratuitous, but the ensemble cast led by Clarke, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams swept viewers through an unforgettable eight seasons. (HBO and CNN are both part of Warner Bros. Discovery.)
When “Scandal” debuted on ABC, it became the first network drama to present a Black female lead since the ’70s, with Kerry Washington as DC fixer Olivia Pope. Creator Shonda Rhimes told CNN, “I really wanted to make shows that I wanted to watch. I wanted to see shows that represented me, that represented the women I knew, that showed women in various stages of being competitive or angry or dark or joyful. You wanted to see everything.” Because the series appeared on network television’s linear format, the cast was able to interact with their audience of “Gladiators” on social media while new episodes aired in real time in a way that enhanced both the viewing experience and expanded the overall buzz of the show. Let’s also not forget about the seven glorious years where we got to watch Tony Goldwyn assert himself as dreamy president Fitzgerald Grant.
While it only aired for three seasons, Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele’s “Key & Peele” had a lasting effect with the sketch comedy’s social commentary and satirization. “Key & Peele” tackled race, stereotypes and the polarizing political climate of the era with thoughtfulness and humor. President Barack Obama even got in on their jokes by welcoming Key on the dais at the 2015 White House Correspondents’ Dinner to appear as his popular recurring character Luther, Obama’s “anger translator.” Like “Broad City” and “Portlandia,” “Key & Peele” originated on the internet before expanding to a linear audience. Both men have since gone on more television and film success, with Peele winning a 2018 best original screenplay Oscar for “Get Out.”
Comparisons to “Sex and the City” aside, Lena Dunham’s unapologetic ode to being a 20-something New Yorker in the 2010s did more for body positivity and frank conversations about sexuality and “adulting” in the first two seasons than most shows hope to accomplish in their entire runs. “Girls” also veritably launched the careers of two stars we’re more than happy to have around, namely Adam Driver and Allison Williams, who took her oft-disliked Marnie and ran with it in Jordan Peele’s brilliant “Get Out” (see above). Quirky and cringey as the “Girls” sometimes were, the show never strayed from a gritty commitment to the often penny-pinching realities of urban millennial living, and also gave us the wonder that was Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet), the best “cruel drunk” out there.
Jenji Kohan’s “Orange Is the New Black” shattered tired stereotypes by lifting up stories about women of every age, size, race, sexual orientation and state of mental wellness, with critical commentary of the US justice system. It produced many breakout stars, including Laverne Cox, Dascha Polanco and Danielle Brooks, who became the faces of a TV renaissance wherein more substantive stories about women of color were told. Based on Piper Kerman’s memoir of the same name, “Orange” is also one of Netflix’s earliest forays into original content, and among the first to release full seasons at once, making “binge-watch” the new black.
As the full withdrawal effect from “Breaking Bad” kicked in after its explosive 2013 series finale, series creator Vince Gilligan satiated viewers’ appetites with “Better Call Saul.” The legal drama was laden with cartel action and a slew of familiar characters as it followed the misadventures flawed lawyer Jimmy McGill, a.k.a. Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), and his romantic partner Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn). The series bounced between the past, present and future of the “Breaking Bad” timeline as viewers learned how “Slippin’ Jimmy” evolved into Goodman, a beloved character who first appeared in “Breaking Bad.” With “Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul” and the continuation of Jesse Pinkman’s (Aaron Paul) story in the 2019 “El Camino” movie all appearing within the decade, the 2010s were dominated by Gilligan’s universe.
As aspiring actor Dev Shah, Aziz Ansari used his background (and his actual parents playing his parents on the series) to personalize the immigrant experience and make the point that even within varied cultures, many family dynamics and life experiences are shared. “Isn’t it weird, all of us first generation kids, we have these amazing lives all because our parents made these crazy sacrifices. Shouldn’t we find out more? Shouldn’t we at least try to thank them somehow?” Ansari as Dev asks in one episode. With “Master of None,” he does exactly that.
When it comes to “Peak TV,” few titles come close to Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” which arguably hasn’t even peaked yet (that fifth and final season is still coming). With homage and nostalgia that hearkens back to ’80s-era classics like “Stand By Me” and “Ghostbusters,” “Stranger Things” simultaneously feels new and fresh. That same mix is mirrored in the impeccable casting, which features Winona Ryder in one of her best roles since coming onto the scene in 1988’s “Beetlejuice,” and Millie Bobby Brown as the still-mysterious, Jean Grey-like Eleven. Each season has brought stellar actors into the Hawkins fold, from Season 2’s Max (the excellent Sadie Sink) to the best kid sister ever Erica (Priah Ferguson) to last season’s raucous Eddie (Joseph Quinn). Plus, let’s not forget that incredible title sequence with its synth-heavy instrumentation.
Issa Rae was one of the stars who successfully transitioned from YouTube to the small screen and we are all the better for it. Her hit HBO comedy “Insecure” is as authentically awkward as only someone struggling with adulthood can be. While Rae’s character spent many seasons searching for romantic love, in the end we discover it is the love of her friends which really sustains her. With Rae’s unapologetic wit, “Insecure” is a celebration of Black female friendship. She kept it real, and audiences responded with devotion and gratitude.
Featuring stupendous performances from Sandra Oh and Emmy-winner Jodie Comer, this engrossing series from Phoebe Waller-Bridge – the genius behind “Fleabag” (see below) – had viewers second and triple-guessing at every turn. “Killing Eve” took the well-trodden spy thriller trope and turned it on its head with a fresh and fiendish female perspective. The show was also undeniably funny, giving Comer and Oh an ever-expanding playground in which to spar.
This groundbreaking FX series from Ryan Murphy explored New York’s ballroom scene at the height of the AIDS crisis in the ’80s. Beyond the glamour and vogueing and “tens across the board,” “Pose” is a show about love, compassion, acceptance, fearlessness and family. The series helped usher in a new era of representation for transgender actors in entertainment. “Pose” is lauded for its depiction of how the LGBTQ+ community remained resilient in the 1980s and 1990s, a theme that feels more topical than ever in the current political climate.
“Modern Family” (ABC) 2009 – 20220: With heart and humor, this sitcom broke stereotypes with aplomb, and had you belly laughing – and sometimes tearing – at every episode.
“Downton Abbey” (PBS) 2010 – 2015: PBS provided further evidence that TV success can come from all over with a very commercial hit in the form of this addictive upstairs/downstairs drama, chronicling the early 20th-century challenges of an aristocratic family and its army of servants.
“Homeland” (Showtime) 2011 – 2020: With cinematic scale, international intrigue and high-stakes drama, episodes of this edge-of-your-seat terrorism thriller were like weekly installments of the “Bourne” franchise. Claire Danes’s portrayal of CIA agent Carrie Mathison, was, like “Homeland” itself, powerful and INTENSE.
“Veep” (HBO) 2012 – 2019: Never has a sitcom more brutally (and, according to actual politicos, accurately) satirized US lobbying, campaigning and governing. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was hilarious as Vice President (and in Season 3) President Selina Meyer, but hail to the ultimate bagman Gary (played brilliantly by Tony Hale.)
“The Americans” (FX) 2013 – 2018: The Cold War received a fresh look from FX’s series about spies hiding in plain sight before the Berlin Wall came tumbling down, which burnished its reputation by doing what a lot of series can’t in its finale – namely, sticking the landing.
“Jane the Virgin” (The CW) 2014 – 2019: The CW dramedy captured just the right balance of romance, soapy drama and comedy with its telenovela-inspired story starring Gina Rodriguez as a young woman who gets accidentally artificially inseminated, and winds up caught between her boyfriend and the biological father.
“Black-ish” (ABC) 2014 – 2022: This series about a well-to-do Black family was not afraid to tackle real-life issues around race and class all while making us laugh.
“Mr. Robot” (USA) 2015 – 2019: Few shows encapsulated the paranoia and political apprehension of the decade better than USA’s twisty “Please tell me you’re seeing this too?” thriller, which made Rami Malek a star in the process.
“Fresh Off the Boat” (ABC) 2015 – 2020: An Asian American family’s move from a Chinatown neighborhood to Orlando, Florida proved to be a hilarious fish out of water series.
“The Crown” (Netflix) 2016 – 2023: As the real-life end drew near for Britain’s longest reining monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II, viewers are taken back to the early days of the young queen’s ascension in “The Crown,” a dramatization of the personal and historical events that shaped her reign, providing plenty of internet fodder for royalists along the way.
“Fleabag” (Amazon) 2016 – 2019: Phoebe Waller-Bridge perfected what so many had failed to do before her sharp Amazon Prime series – breaking the fourth wall for cutting and insightful commentary on the scene at hand. Plus, the show’s wrenching back-and-forth between sidesplitting laughs and well-earned tears made it an instant classic.
by tyler | May 4, 2023 | CNN, entertainment
Drew Barrymore is standing in solidarity with striking members of the Writers Guild of America by stepping down as the host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards that is scheduled to air on Sunday.
“I have listened to the writers, and in order to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike,” Barrymore said on Thursday in a statement shared with CNN.
“Everything we celebrate and honor about movies and television is born out of their creation. And until a solution is reached, I am choosing to wait but I’ll be watching from home and hope you will join me,” her statement continued.
Barrymore added that she “can’t wait to be a part of this next year, when I can truly celebrate everything that MTV has created, which is a show that allows fans to choose who the awards go to and is truly inclusive.”
Bruce Gillmer, executive producer of the MTV Movie & TV Awards, said on Thursday in a statement to Variety that Barrymore has the “full support” of show producers as she steps down as this year’s host, and added that the show is now essentially “going hostless.”
CNN has reached out to Paramount+ and MTV for comment.
A source close to the MTV Movie & TV Awards confirmed to CNN that Barrymore will return to host the 2024 edition of the show. They also confirmed that this year’s show will no longer feature a press line or red carpet.
The MTV Movie & TV Awards is the latest television event to be affected by the strike. Earlier this week, CNN reported that the late night shows and “Saturday Night Light” are turning to repeats as their writers join the picket lines, according to production sources.
A strike began on Tuesday after the WGA and the major Hollywood studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture Television Producers failed to reach an agreement on terms of a new contract Monday night.
Members of the guild have been picketing outside of studios on the West and East coasts since Tuesday afternoon, with no end to the strike in sight.
The MTV Movie & TV Awards is still currently scheduled to air live on MTV on Sunday at 8pm in the viewer’s time zone.
by tyler | May 4, 2023 | CNN, entertainment
Maria Menounos has revealed she is recovering a pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
The former “E! News” correspondent says she first began feeling off last summer. In January, she was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer after an MRI revealed a mass. She underwent surgery, removing part of her pancreas and all of her spleen, and is now cancer free, Menounos told “Today.”
She stressed the importance of early detection.
Menounos explained she was originally diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, but was experiencing abdominal pain. She was at a party when a friend suggested she get a full-body MRI, which is what revealed the mass on her pancreas.
A biopsy confirmed it was a cancerous and she underwent surgery right away. Fortunately, Menounos said, she does not have to undergo chemotherapy.
It’s not her first brush with a health scare. She underwent surgery for a brain tumor in 2017.
Menounos and her husband, Keven Undergaro, are expecting a daughter via surrogate.
