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A beautiful drifter tries to make it in the strip clubs of Las Vegas in this absurd film – now a cult favourite thanks to its maniacal acting and directing

Martin Scorsese’s Casino wasn’t the only Las Vegas movie of 1995, there was also Showgirls – now on rerelease for its 30th anniversary – whose pure bizarreness has over three decades achieved its own identity, like Dick Van Dyke’s cockney accent in Mary Poppins. It is the softcore erotic drama from screenwriter Joe Eszterhas and director Paul Verhoeven that has made a slow ascent from critical flop to kitsch cult favourite and now to a supposed tongue-out-of-cheek classic melodrama. Maybe it’s the last great mainstream exploitation picture, a film which owns and flaunts its crassness; a bi-curious catfight version of All About Eve or Pretty Woman.

Elizabeth Berkley plays Nomi, a mysterious, beautiful, super-sexy drifter who arrives in Vegas, hoping...

The term “box office bomb,” used to describe films that fail to recoup their budget, has been thrown around a lot over the years. Except for Battlefield Earth and Gigli, no other film has been on the receiving end of this term more than Showgirls. One of the films made in Hollywood by Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, Showgirls has been the subject of ridicule by many and reevaluated in recent years as a clever satire by others.

Its presentation has been described as everything from exaggerated to campy, and the ostentatious performance by its star, Elizabeth Berkley, is far from subtle. Perhaps that’s the intention. Showgirls received numerous comparisons to All About Eve, and, at its core, includes the narrative of someone on a journey to stardom only to be fooled by the bright lights of the big city. Anyone who had paid close attention to the films made...

The Closer featuring J.K. Simmons, is set to debut on Peacock on June 30th. The series originally aired from 2005 to 2012 and follows Kyra Sedgwick as a CIA-trained interrogator. J.K. Simmons recently starred in the thriller You Can't Run Forever, showcasing his versatility as an actor.

The crime drama series The Closer, featuring J.K. Simmons, is preparing to make its full streaming debut. The show, which originally premiered on TNT in June 2005, was led by Emmy-winner Kyra Sedgwick as an expert CIA-trained interrogator whose unorthodox methods leave no stone unturned.

According to TVLine, The Closer is making a comeback after its successful seven-season run, culminating in August 2012 with a total of 109 episodes. This time, it finds a new home in Peacock, where all episodes will be available starting Sunday, June 30. This shift to Peacock offers a seamless opportunity for both new viewers and longtime fans to experience the series.

Crime drama, The Closer, will be streaming on Peacock starting June 30. Kyra Sedgwick's character, Brenda Johnson, is a CIA-trained detective known for her exceptional skills at extracting confessions. The show was an Emmy-winning show that even led to a spinoff show called Major Crimes.

The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick and J.K. Simmons, is coming to streaming. With the Emmy-winning Sedgwick as a CIA-trained interrogator, The Closer debuted on TNT in June 2005. It ran for a total of 109 episodes, concluding in August 2012. Now, the police procedural will soon have a chance to be revisited on streaming.

TVLine confirms that all seven seasons of The Closer will be coming to Peacock on Sunday, June 30. This marks a shift for the popular show, which was previously available to rent and stream on various platforms.

What To Know About The Closer J.K. Simmons Played A Key Role

The ensemble helped lift the procedural to highs,...

Crime drama, The Closer, will be streaming on Peacock starting June 30. Kyra Sedgwick's character, Brenda Johnson, is a CIA-trained detective known for her exceptional skills at extracting confessions. The show was an Emmy-winning show that even led to a spinoff show called Major Crimes.

The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick and J.K. Simmons, is coming to streaming. With the Emmy-winning Sedgwick as a CIA-trained interrogator, The Closer debuted on TNT in June 2005. It ran for a total of 109 episodes, concluding in August 2012. Now, the police procedural will soon have a chance to be revisited on streaming.

TVLine confirms that all seven seasons of The Closer will be coming to Peacock on Sunday, June 30. This marks a shift for the popular show, which was previously available to rent and stream on various platforms.

What To Know About The Closer J.K. Simmons Played A Key Role

The ensemble helped lift the procedural to highs,...

Brenda Leigh Johnson would be the very first to say, “Thank you, so much,” to Peacock for being the new home for all seven seasons of The Closer — beginning this Sunday, June 30, for Premium subscribers only.

The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick as the aforementioned Deputy Chief in charge of the LAPD’s Priority Homicide Division, originally aired on TNT each summer from June 2005 through August 2012. One day after its series finale, the offshoot Major Crimes, headed by Mary McDonnell (as Captain Sharon Raydor), premiered on TNT (and ran for six seasons of its own).

More from TVLineWhat’s New on Netflix in June — Plus: Disney+,...

Exclusive: Rain (fka Rain Management Group) has added The Rookery’s Adam Robinson as manager following Rain Management Group’s acquisition of the management and production company. Rain Management Group rebranded to Rain as of the January 1, 2023 merger.

Robinson launched his management and production company, The Rookery in 2008. In 14 years as a manager, he has developed and curated a list of clients including Rob Hardy, Crystle Roberson, Jeff Byrd, Brendan Walsh, James Bamford, Gary Hardwick (Deliver Us From Eva), Brian Egeston, Lamont Magee (All American: Homecoming), Katrina O Gilvie (All Rise), MacArthur Genius award winner Alex Rivera (Sleep Dealer), and Emmy winners Adrian Dukes (All American), Phil Bertelsen (Who Killed Malcolm X?...

About five years ago I made my way over to Montana Street in Santa Monica to attend a screening of the magnificently loopy adaptation of Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, directed by Paul Verhoeven, which was showing at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica. The screening was a star-studded affair, featuring Verhoeven in an on-stage interview with Ed Neumeier, the film’s screenwriter, and a couple of the other artists and craftsmen who were involved in the making of the film. (They were stars to the packed house anyway, even though I can’t for the life of me remember who else comprised the panel.) Before the screening, Verhoeven set up shop to sign copies of his recently published book, the somewhat controversial Jesus of Nazareth, a historical account of Jesus’ life written with matter-of-fact detail and iconoclasm from Verhoeven’s singular perspective as a member of the group of...

This week on ABC’s Castle, Rick took the lead on the investigation into his months-long disappearance and loss of memory — only to be left with new questions.

Related Castle Mystery Man Drops (Just a Few) Clues About Rick’s Vanishing

Fast-forwarding to the good stuff: After tendering a $250,000 reward for info about his possible whereabouts, Castle meets newlyweds who noticed him in the background of a honeymoon photo, taken outside a Montreal bank. What’s more, Rick in the pic is talking to Not Henry Jenkins (played by Matt Letscher).

Alexis — who was full of all sorts of smart ideas this week,...

Yesterday, ABC finally released the new, official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Castle" episode 2 of season 7. The episode is entitled, "Montreal," and it sounds like things will get quite intriguing as Castle learns of a new lead that could help him get his memory of his kidnapping back. The team investigates another murder, involving a toy company CEO, and more. In the new, 2nd episode press release: "While the team investigates the murder of a toy company CEO, Castle will uncover a lead to his mysterious disappearance, launching him into a dangerous investigation of his own." Guest stars will feature: Matt Letscher as Jenkins, Maya Stojan as Tory Ellis, Lilli Birdsell as Samantha Williger, Gina Ravera as Marsha Stoller and Brian Tichnell as Matt Monroe. The episode was written by Andrew W. Marlowe and it was directed by Alrick Riley. Episode 2 is set to air on Monday night, October 6th...

ABC’s Castle has tapped a face familiar to fans of Monday-night crime procedurals to appear in Season 7.

Video Castle Season 7 First Look: Kate Searches for Rick in Fiery Teaser

Gina Ravera, who for four seasons played Detective Irene Daniels on TNT’s The Closer, will guest-star in the coming season’s second episode as Marsha Stoller, the vice president of a successful toy company.

The 12th precinct finds itself playing in the toy biz when company founder Wally Williger turns up d-e-a-d. Now, before you go ahead and finger Marsha for the murder, know that the episode also features Wally’s wife,...

Network: TNT

Episodes: 109 (hour)

Seasons: Seven

TV show dates: June 13, 2005 -- August 13, 2012

Series status: Ended

Performers include:

Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, G.W. Bailey, Jon Tenney, Anthony John Denison, Phillip P. Keene, Michael Paul Chan, Raymond Cruz, Gina Ravera, Ryan Van de Kamp Buchanan, Jonathan Del Arco, Frances Sternhagen, James Avery, Barry Corbin, Stephen Martines, Conan McCarty, and Bob Clendenin.

TV show description:

This crime drama centers around a Georgia police detective, Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson (Kyra Sedgwick), who makes a move to Los Angeles to head up the Priority Murder squad, which later becomes the Priority Homicide Division. Eventually the team changes focus, adding fraud, rape, and kidnapping cases, and is again renamed, this time to the Major Crimes Division.

After working with the CIA, and...

With the new tv show Undercovers premiering next month, starring the already oft-mentioned Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who I know best at Freema Agyeman’s (#1 on my ‘Wifey List’) sister on Dr. Who, and pretty-boy extraordinaire Boris Kodjoe, I thought I’d focus on what seems to be, in a good way, a proliferation of Black men on tv shows lately. Although these guys are supporting characters, they’re playing some pretty intense roles and putting forth some great comedic and dramatic performances. Though none of these are network shows like Undercovers, they are often better (and sometimes better performing) than those.

Coby Bell on Burn Notice

Coby Bell has been working non-stop for the past decade. First as a rookie cop on Third Watch, then as team captain & starting running back Jason Pitts on The Game and now as the first cast addition since the show started three years ago – and...

Good news for fans of TNT's The Closer series. It's been renewed for a seventh season on the cable channel.

The Closer stars Kyra Sedgwich as Los Angeles Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson, a beautiful lady who means business. The rest of the cast includes Corey Reynolds, G.W. Bailey, Gina Ravera, J.K. Simmons, Jon Tenney, Michael Paul Chan, Phillip P. Keene, Raymond Cruz, Robert Gossett, and Tony Denison.

Currently in its sixth season, The Closer is reportedly averaging 7.1 million viewers per week and that's a 7% increase over year five. The show's been either the top or one of the top-rated cable shows since its return on July 12th.

To no surprise, TNT has renewed the series for year seven. The cable channel has once again ordered 15 episodes and they'll start airing sometime in 2011.

Showgirls has attained the cult status that it was always destined for, fifteen years after release. It is rightly infamous. Elizabeth Berkley’s performance as Nomi, the dancer who’s not a stripper, has inspired thousands to re-watch the film over and over, to see her tussle with Gina Gershon and Kyle Maclachlan, to see her push things over and act pouty. It’s a career-defining performance, that’s for sure, as her Nomi Malone comes to understand the machinations of the Las Vegas showgirl life. It was also the beginning of the end for Paul Verhoven, who directed another masterpiece in Hollywood that was misunderstood (Starship Troopers), and then turned to lesser titles before heading back to Europe to write a book and direct Black Book (great film, btw.)

Whereas Steven Seagal has achieved a different sort of cult following for his film Marked for Death. Battling Jamaican drug...

The line between parody and playing it straight can be exceedingly thin in Hollywood, and that division never really becomes clear until several years later. While most self-respecting cineastes wouldn’t be caught dead in something like Con Air in its original release, years later, it seems like Mel Brooks couldn’t have done a better satire himself. Coming off the success of Robocop, Total Recall, and Basic Instinct, Paul Verhoeven used his Hollywood credibility to produce two major films that blurred this line more than any others in recent memory: Showgirls and Starship Troopers. Of the two, Troopers is now more readily viewed as a satire, but Showgirls is the more subversive of the two, because it never, ever lets you know if its in on the joke. In the pantheon of legendary bad films to come out of Hollywood, there has perhaps never been another to make you...

Chicago – I’ll admit that I never jumped on the “Showgirls” so-bad-it’s-good bandwagon that turned one of the biggest bombs of the ’90s into a cult hit that plays at midnight in theaters around the world. Not unlike “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” people have been drawn to the film that killed the career of nearly everyone involved and is so awful that it became the go-to bad movie reference until “Gigli” came out. Catch up with the suck on the “Showgirls: 15th Anniversary Sinsational Edition.”

Blu-Ray Rating: 3.0/5.0

Seeing the film for the first time in a decade-and-a-half, I was struck by how truly horrible it is. History has produced a number of theatrical disasters that time proves out merely to be dull above anything else (ex., “Cutthroat Island,” “Waterworld,” “The Avengers,” many more) but “Showgirls” is an absolute train wreck from the very first scene. Paul Verhoeven has...

Showgirls, director Paul Verhoeven's stunningly misguided and exploitative film about the life and times of an up-and-coming Vegas stripper -- sorry, dancer -- is one of those movies that achieved inexplicable success. It was panned virulently by critics, receiving a basement-dwelling 14% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is the kind of rating usually reserved for late night cable flicks and movies starring the other Baldwin brothers. It cost $45 million to make, yet grossed less than half that. It received an impressive fourteen Razzie nominations and won eight, including worst film of the decade. It basically completely deep-sixed former "Saved by the Bell" star Elizabeth Berkley's career -- she's still acting (if you want to call it that), but she's never been in anything of substance since that (barring a bit part in The First Wives' Club). Verhoeven had to slash the film just to receive an R rating, and yet despite all of that,...

The Closer: Season 5 is out June 29th You can bring home one of cable TV's highest-rated shows in its brand new season on DVD at the end of June. The Closer: The Complete Fifth Season will be released on DVD on June 29th. This four-disc set will contain all 15 episodes of this season and the set will be priced at $39.98 Srp. The series stars Kyra Sedgwick, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Michael Paul Chan, Raymond Cruz, Gina Ravera, Phillip P. Keene and Jon Tenney.

At work, L.A. Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson is a woman in charge. Got a suspect to grill, a case to crack, a murderer about to walk? Call Brenda in and watch the fireworks. But at home... well, that's another story. Kyra Sedgwick headlines a sizzling 4-disc 15-episode Season 5 of the series that combines heart, humor and homicide into...

Sharon Stone attending the "A Smile For Every Child Gala" at the Shangri-La Hotel in Santa Monica. Photo copyright Chris Hatcher / PR Photos. BooBoo Stewart attending the "A Smile For Every Child Gala" at the Shangri-La Hotel in Santa Monica. Photo copyright Chris Hatcher / PR Photos. 09Lorna Scott attending the "A Smile For Every Child Gala" at the Shangri-La Hotel in Santa Monica. Photo copyright Chris Hatcher / PR Photos. 09Antwone Fisher attending the "A Smile For Every Child Gala" at the Shangri-La Hotel in Santa Monica. Photo copyright Chris Hatcher / PR Photos. Gina Ravera attending the "A Smile For Every Child Gala" at the Shangri-La Hotel in Santa Monica. Photo copyright Chris...

Lesbian/bi visibility on primetime American television this summer is not much better than it is the rest of the year — which is to say, it's pretty slim pickings.

Among the shows premiering or returning in the next few weeks, there are a few with supporting lesbian/bi characters (Mental, The Closer); one with an out actress in a supporting role (Hawthorne); and a reality show featuring two out female contestants (Top Chef Master).

Here's a review of the pilot or first new episode(s) of all four series, and a short list of the premiere/air dates of other shows that may interest you.

Warning: some mild spoilers, but no major plot points revealed

Mental (Drama, Fox)

Dates: Tuesdays at 9pm Pst/Est, premiering May 26

Cast: Chris Vance (Prison Break), Annabella Sciorra (Queens Supreme, The L Word), Derek Webster (Stargate), Jacqueline McKenzie (4400), Marisa Ramirez (General Hospital), Nicholas Gonzalez (CSI: Miami...

Boston Legal -- A David E. Kelley series typically involves a motley crew of colorful characters who are fondly remembered by TV viewers. The cast of Boston Legal, recognized again for its stellar work this year, is his best ensemble yet. The actors, like finely tuned instruments, played off one another every week to create the proper chords, tone, mood, and crescendos. The riff between Alan Shore (James Spader) and Denny Crane (William Shatner) that closed every episode could have grown stale by the end of the show's run, but as with all good arrangements, we heard a different note every time. It may not be Beethoven, but as television perfection goes, Kelley got pretty close.He was helped by a cast any writer would consider a gift. Candice Bergen as the beautiful but acerbic Shirley Schmidt, fighting off the advances of the sexually charged Denny, was pure comedy. Spader was perhaps...

TNT has renewed The Closer for a fourth season.

The cable network has ordered 15 episodes for Season 4 of the detective drama, starring Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Kyra Sedgwick, set to launch next summer.

In addition to Sedgwick, the ensemble cast will be back for the fourth season, including Jon Tenney, J.K. Simmons, Corey Reynolds, Robert Gossett, G.W. Bailey, Tony Denison, Raymond Cruz, Michael Paul Chan and Gina Ravera.

Closer is a record-breaking hit drama for TNT, ranking as basic cable's most-watched series of all time. The June 18 Season 3 premiere beat the show's second-season premiere to become basic cable's No. 1 series telecast of all time among households and viewers. The third season, airing at 9 p.m. Mondays, is averaging more than 7.8 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research that includes DVR data.

"With each season, 'The Closer' keeps getting better while its audience keeps getting bigger," said Michael Wright, senior vp in charge of the Content Creation Group for TNT, TBS and TCM.

A celebration of the phenomenon that is "American Idol" will kick off the 24th annual William S. Paley Television Festival, presented March 1-15 in Los Angeles by the Museum of Television & Radio.

This year's festival plans include an evening with "Star Wars" guru George Lucas on March 3 and panel sessions on NBC's "The Office" and "Heroes", ABC's "Brothers and Sisters" and "Ugly Betty", CBS' "Jericho", TNT's "The Closer", Showtime's "Dexter", FX's "Nip/Tuck" and Fox's "Prison Break".

The Paley Festival will close with a tribute to Fox's enduring animated comedy "The Simpsons" on the occasion of its landmark 400th episode. The night will include a preview of the show's upcoming summer theatrical release, "The Simpsons Movie".

"By connecting actors, directors, producers, media personalities, and TV fans in engaging public forums, (the museum) continues to drive the discussion about the creative and social relevance of television and emerging media in today's world," MT&R president Pat Mitchell said in announcing this year's lineup.

All Paley Festival events will be held at the DGA Theater in Hollywood.

The complete schedule follows:

American Idol

Thursday, March 1 at 8:00 p.m

In Person: Paula Abdul (Judge), Cecile Frot-Coutaz (Executive Producer), Randy Jackson (Judge), Nigel Lythgoe (Executive Producer), Ryan Seacrest (Host), and Ken Warwick (Producer). Additional panelists to be announced.

The Office

Friday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m.

In Person: Leslie David Baker ("Stanley"), Brian Baumgartner ("Kevin"), Creed Bratton ("Creed"), Greg Daniels (Executive Producer/Director/Writer), David Denman ("Roy"), Jenna Fischer ("Pam Beesly"), Kate Flannery ("Meredith"), Melora Hardin ("Jan"), Ed Helms ("Andy"), Rashida Jones ("Karen"), Mindy Kaling ("Kelly"/Producer/Writer), Angela Kinsey ("Angela"), Howard Klein (Executive Producer), John Krasinski ("Jim Halpert"), Ken Kwapis (Director), Paul Lieberstein ("Toby")/Coexecutive Producer/Writer), B.J. Novak ("Ryan"/Producer/Writer), Oscar Nunez ("Oscar"), Craig Robinson ("Darryl"), Benjamin Silverman (Executive Producer), Phyllis Smith ("Phyllis"), and Rainn Wilson ("Dwight Schrute").

An Evening with George Lucas

Saturday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m.

In Person: George Lucas.

Brothers & Sisters

Monday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m.

In Person: Dave Annable ("Justin Walker"), Jon Robin Baitz (Creator/Executive Producer), Greg Berlanti (Executive Producer), Sally Field ("Nora Holden Walker"), Calista Flockhart ("Kitty Walker"), Balthazar Getty ("Thomas Walker"), Rachel Griffiths ("Sarah Walker Whedon"), Rob Lowe ("Senator McAllister"), Sarah Jane Morris ("Julia Walker"), Ken Olin (Executive Producer), John Pyper-Ferguson ("Joe Whedon"), Matthew Rhys ("Kevin Walker"), Ron Rifkin ("Saul Holden"), and Patricia Wettig ("Holly Harper").

The Closer

Tuesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m.

In Person: G.W. Bailey ("Detective Lieutenant Provenza"), Michael Paul Chan ("Lieutenant Mike Tao"), Raymond Cruz ("Detective Julio Sanchez"), Tony Denison ("Detective Andy Flynn"), James Duff (Executive Producer), Gil Garcetti (Consulting Producer), Robert Gossett ("Commander Taylor"), Gina Ravera ("Detective Irene Daniels"), Corey Reynolds ("Sergeant David Gabriel"), Michael M.

A celebration of the phenomenon that is "American Idol" will kick off the 24th annual William S. Paley Television Festival, presented March 1-15 in Los Angeles by the Museum of Television & Radio.

This year's festival plans include an evening with "Star Wars" guru George Lucas on March 3; panel sessions on NBC's "The Office" and "Heroes"; ABC's "Brothers and Sisters" and "Ugly Betty"; CBS' "Jericho"; TNT's "The Closer"; Showtime's "Dexter"; FX's "Nip/Tuck"; and Fox's "Prison Break".

The Paley Festival will close with a tribute to Fox's enduring animated comedy "The Simpsons" on the occasion of its landmark 400th episode. The night will include a preview of the show's upcoming summer theatrical release, "The Simpsons Movie".

"By connecting actors, directors, producers, media personalities, and TV fans in engaging public forums, (the museum) continues to drive the discussion about the creative and social relevance of television and emerging media in today's world," MT&R president Pat Mitchell said in announcing this year's lineup.

All Paley Festival events will be held at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Hollywood.

The complete schedule follows:

American Idol

Thursday, March 1 at 8:00 p.m

In Person: Paula Abdul (Judge), Cecile Frot-Coutaz (Executive Producer), Randy Jackson (Judge), Nigel Lythgoe (Executive Producer), Ryan Seacrest (Host), and Ken Warwick (Producer). Additional panelists to be announced.

The Office

Friday, March 2 at 7:00 p.m.

In Person: Leslie David Baker ("Stanley"), Brian Baumgartner ("Kevin"), Creed Bratton ("Creed"), Greg Daniels (Executive Producer/Director/Writer), David Denman ("Roy"), Jenna Fischer ("Pam Beesly"), Kate Flannery ("Meredith"), Melora Hardin ("Jan"), Ed Helms ("Andy"), Rashida Jones ("Karen"), Mindy Kaling ("Kelly"/Producer/Writer), Angela Kinsey ("Angela"), Howard Klein (Executive Producer), John Krasinski ("Jim Halpert"), Ken Kwapis (Director), Paul Lieberstein ("Toby")/Coexecutive Producer/Writer), B.J. Novak ("Ryan"/Producer/Writer), Oscar Nunez ("Oscar"), Craig Robinson ("Darryl"), Benjamin Silverman (Executive Producer), Phyllis Smith ("Phyllis"), and Rainn Wilson ("Dwight Schrute").

An Evening with George Lucas

Saturday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m.

In Person: George Lucas.

Brothers & Sisters

Monday, March 5 at 7:00 p.m.

In Person: Dave Annable ("Justin Walker"), Jon Robin Baitz (Creator/Executive Producer), Greg Berlanti (Executive Producer), Sally Field ("Nora Holden Walker"), Calista Flockhart ("Kitty Walker"), Balthazar Getty ("Thomas Walker"), Rachel Griffiths ("Sarah Walker Whedon"), Rob Lowe ("Senator McAllister"), Sarah Jane Morris ("Julia Walker"), Ken Olin (Executive Producer), John Pyper-Ferguson ("Joe Whedon"), Matthew Rhys ("Kevin Walker"), Ron Rifkin ("Saul Holden"), and Patricia Wettig ("Holly Harper").

The Closer

Tuesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m.

In Person: G.W. Bailey ("Detective Lieutenant Provenza"), Michael Paul Chan ("Lieutenant Mike Tao"), Raymond Cruz ("Detective Julio Sanchez"), Tony Denison ("Detective Andy Flynn"), James Duff (Executive Producer), Gil Garcetti (Consulting Producer), Robert Gossett ("Commander Taylor"), Gina Ravera ("Detective Irene Daniels"), Corey Reynolds ("Sergeant David Gabriel"), Michael M.

Robbie Kass and Bradley Stokes have teamed to form the management outfit Kass & Stokes. The company, which came together in June, has landed deals for a string of clients, including Chris Evans, part of the Fantastic Four for 20th Century Fox; Six Feet Under star Freddy Rodriguez, who has been cast in DreamWorks' horse drama Dreamer opposite Kurt Russell; Olivia Wilde, whose credits include Bickford Schmeckler's Cool Idea opposite Patrick Fugit and a recurring role on Fox's The O.C.; Liz Vassey, who joined Tru Calling; Blake Shields, who was booked as a series regular on The Cell; David de Lautour, who was added as a series regular to What I Like About You; David Andrews, a series regular on JAG; Douglas Sills, who landed a starring role in the sequel to Deuce Bigelow: Male Gigolo; Daniel Davis, cast in the Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles; and Gina Ravera, who is gearing up to play Eddie Griffin's wife in the series Pryor Offenses. Kass & Stokes' other clients include Jasmine Guy, Constance Marie, Edward Herrmann, Ted Levine and Tom McGowan. Kass most recently joins from working as a manager alongside producer Lauren Lloyd. Stokes was an agent at ICM before exiting to join the management company Ensemble Entertainment six years ago. Working alongside the duo is longtime Stokes associate Roxanna Raanan as a manager.

Fried chicken, cornbread, smoked ham, deep-dish cobbler, macaroni and cheese -- these are the dishes that bind, at least in this splendid story about a black family whose 40-year tradition of scrumptious Sunday dinners bring everyone in the family together.

Spiced with big pinches of humor and ladled over with a generous portion of affection, 20th Century Fox's "Soul Food" is appealing and a refreshing change from the gang-banger, exploitive nonsense that passes for portraits of blacks today.

With its terrific cast, centering on Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox and Nia Long, "Soul Food" will prove a wonderful dessert for black audiences, while its heartfelt, saucy story should cross over to sophisticated viewers of all races.

In studio pitch-ese, "Soul Food" is "Bonanza" with urban black females instead of range-riding white guys.

The head of this household is Mother Joe (Irma P. Hall), a steadfast matriarch who takes the good with the bad -- that's folks as well as news -- and makes it all work out. That's no mean feat, considering the oil-and-vinegar nature of her three daughters, who don't, to say the least, always see eye to eye. And, natch, they're married to three equally diverse guys.

They include: Teri (Williams), an ambitious buppie lawyer whose second marriage to a fellow lawyer (Michael Beach) is fraying at the seams; Maxine (Fox), the solid second sister whose down-home sensibilities and solid marriage to Jeffrey D. Sams' character have nurtured her children's growth: and Bird (Long), an effervescent hairstylist who is a risk-taker, giving unconditional love to her struggling, ex-con husband (Mekhi Phifer).

With all her survival wisdom, Mother Joe is a bit of a slacker when it comes to following a proper diet to control her diabetes. She takes ill, and the verdict is she'll have to have her leg amputated. During surgery, the woman falls into a deep coma. Without her Rock-of-Gibraltar strength, the family comes apart -- bickering, backstabbing, cheating.

It gets pretty messy and, ironically, the only one with the maturity to want to patch up things is Maxine's son, Ahmad (Brandon Hammond). Things get so nasty that while Mother Joe lies in the hospital, the family does not even keep up the Sunday dinners.

Throughout, screenwriter and director George Tillman Jr. percolates the mix with the natural stuffings of life, some more palatable than others. He's served up a terrific, heartwarming family story and, best, there are no artificial-sweetener additives.

While pickier viewers might grouse about a tendency to idealize unrealistically the young grandson's wisdom, it's a wonderful notion and generally carried out with credible aplomb by the acting ability of young Hammond.

The grown-ups aren't bad either. Williams is credible as the edgy, vainglorious lawyer, while Fox is positively winning as the sensible middle sister. As the baby of the family, Long is effervescent as the most adventurous of the trio.

As the family matriarch Mother Joe, Hall is perfectly cast, an inspirational figure all the way to the core.

Among the menfolk, Beach is convincing as a man torn between his profession and his dreams, while Sams is strong as a solid family man. Phifer's performance captures nicely the tough temptations faced by a man with a criminal record. Gina Ravera is sizzling as a prodigal dancer.

The technical contributions are just the right recipe, particularly Maxine Shepard's personality-precise production design. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman's musical score is a highlight, both lilting and lively.

SOUL FOOD

20th Century Fox

Fox 2000 Pictures presents

an Edmonds Entertainment production

A George Tillman Jr. film

Producers :Tracey E. Edmonds, Robert Teitel

Screenwriter-director:George Tillman Jr.

Executive producer:Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds

Director of photography:Paul Elliott

Production designer:Maxine Shepard

Editor :John Carter

Music :Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman

Co-producer :Michael McQuarn

Line producer :Llewellyn Wells

Costume designer:Salvador Perez

Casting:Robi Reed-Humes

Sound mixer :David Obermeyer

Color/stereo

Cast:

Teri :Vanessa Williams

Maxine :Vivica A. Fox

Bird:Nia Long

Miles :Michael Beach

Lem :Mekhi Phifer

Ahmad :Brandon Hammond

Kenny :Jeffrey D. Sams

Faith :Gina Ravera

Mother Joe :Irma P. Hall

Rev. Williams:Carl Wright

Running time -- 114 minutes

MPAA rating: R...