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Is Too Much a little ... too much? That's the central question that critics are wrestling with as Lena Dunham's latest series drops on Netflix today. Loosely inspired by the Girls creator's own life, the series follows freshly broken-up with Jessica (Hacks fan-favorite Megan Stalter) as she decamps from New York to London and strikes sparks with laid-back musician Felix (White Lotus fan-favorite Will Sharpe).

As with Girls, Dunham's brand attracts a bevy of big-name guest stars. Rita Wilson and Rhea Perlman are part of Jessica's extended family, while Richard E. Grant and Andrew Rannells are among her coworkers, and Jessica Alba and Rita Ora play themselves. Dunham wrote or cowrote every episode and directs eight out of 10 Season 1 installments.

Dunham can be a divisive pop-culture figure, and that carries over into the critical reaction to Too Much, which currently sits at a 65 Metacritic score as reviews roll in. The Paper...

Anyone who's watched "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" knows that every single member of the main cast — which is made up of Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, Danny DeVito, and Kaitlin Olson — is incredible. Still, I'll put forth the idea that, even though McElhenney, Howerton, Day, and DeVito are obviously excellent, Olson, who almost didn't even get her role on the show, is the glue that holds it together. Olson is, to put it bluntly, one of the funniest performers working today, and as Dee Reynolds, often mockingly called "Sweet Dee" by the show's odious male characters, she's disgusting, hilarious, and unbelievably precise. Still, even if you're a huge fan of "It's Always Sunny," you might not know that, since 2024, Olson has been starring in her own series on ABC.

"High Potential," which was adapted from the French-Belgian series "Haut potentiel intellectuel" by showrunner Drew Goddard, stars Olson as Morgan Guillory,...

If only the television critics who have given Tina Fey’s new Netflix comedy series mixed reviews had listened to Fey herself. Last month, while appearing as a guest on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, Fey explained the new series was not a joke-a-minute romp like 30 Rock or Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Lo and behold, in the few reviews that have leaned negatively on The Four Seasons, Fey has been seemingly given a demerit for not producing a comedy exactly like her other hits.

“It’s a very gentle program,” Fey told Poehler. “I can’t wait to see if people are interested in a good hang. I hope it’s the TV equivalent of a good hang. There’s story, but there’s no zombies, there’s no mysteries … for the people who want 100 jokes a minute, this is a departure. These characters are funny but it’s all completely human scale.

Kevin Bacon headlines this new Prime Video series, and reviews are showing it might well be worth your effort to stream.

Prime Video has an eclectic mix of original shows and movies in its library. The streamer isn’t afraid to try new things, even if they don’t always work out; it sprinkles a little bit of everything into its catalog, from sweeping fantasy epics like “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and “The Wheel of Time” to action-packed titles like “Citadel” and much more.

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The service tries to appeal to a multitude of audience groups, and its next attempt at crowd-pleasing content comes in the form of a new series called “The Bondsman.” The show makes its premiere on Thursday, April 3, but its concept leaves room for doubt as to whether or not critics will go wild for the series.

Move over, Benoit Blanc. Netflix has a new detective in town. Uzo Aduba stars as Cordelia Cupp on The Residence, the streamer's new whodunit, all eight episodes of which dropped on Thursday. But is this murder mystery a killer one?

As of Thursday afternoon, The Residence has a generally favorable score of 66 on Metacritic based on 20 reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it's 81 percent fresh based on 16 reviews.

"Although there is an ensemble vibe, it remains Aduba's show, and rightfully so. She is a magnetic presence and The Residence takes full advantage of that," writes The Guardian's Lucy Mangan. "This is not television that is going to change the world, but it is going to give you eight hours of fantastic escape. Enjoy."

"'Fun' is absolutely the watchword of this comic thriller," says Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall.

Created by Scandal writer Paul William Davies and produced by Shondaland, The Residence follows Cordelia,...

Kim Basinger‘s relationship with ex Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria may not be likened to peanut butter and jelly, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, or that it’s nothing to write home about.

The exes, whether you want to believe it or not, do have some sort of understanding. Yes, they’re not Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, but still.

Kim Basinger Opens Up About the “Great Relationship” She Has With Ex Alec Baldwin

It’s been 23 years since Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger filed for divorce. However, this doesn’t mean that they’re permanently cut off from each other, as they still have the occasional chat.

“Alec and I have a great relationship. I have great respect for where he is today, and his family,” Basinger told Variety in a new interview published Thursday.

The ‘Never Say Never’ actress then noted that...

Robert De Niro headlines his first TV series on Netflix’s Zero Day, all six episodes of which are now streaming. But should you have zero doubts about checking it out?

As of Thursday morning, the political thriller has a score of 57 on Metacritic based on 16 reviews, putting it in the mixed or average range. On Rotten Tomatoes, it is rotten at 44 percent.

Created by Eric Newman (Narcos), Noah Oppenheim, and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael S. Schmidt, Zero Day stars De Niro as President George Mullen, who is asked by current President Evelyn Mitchell (Angela Bassett) to head an investigation into a cyberattack. The cast includes Lizzy Caplan, Jesse Plemons, Connie Britton, Joan Allen, Bill Camp, Dan Stevens, Matthew Modine, and McKinley Belcher III. Lesli Linka Glatter directed all six episodes.

On Metacritic, four critics gave Zero Day a score of 80, its highest. “An astonishing amount of fun — firmly grounded...

Missing You, the television adaptation of Harlan Coben’s novel, made its debut on Netflix on Jan. 1, 2025. The show arrives just in time to give you something new to binge while you recover from New Year’s Eve celebrations and spend a little closing time with family and friends before venturing into another year. The Rotten Tomatoes score for the series is finally out, and the results are surprising.

Based on Coben’s 2014 thriller novel of the same name, Missing You is a suspenseful and emotional drama that follows Detective Kat Donovan, whole life takes an unexpected turn when she stumbles on her fiancé, who had been missing for about a decade now, on a dating app. Missing You features an ensemble cast led by Rosalind Eleazar, Jessical Plummer, James Nesbitt, Richard Armitage, and Ashley Walters. Check out the official logline from Netflix:

"When Detective Kat Donovan matches on a...

The Netflix romantic comedy series “Nobody Wants This” has become very popular since its debut a few weeks ago. Critics and viewers alike have praised the new show for its funny take on relationships. The series follows an unlikely romance between a podcaster named Joanne and a rabbi named Noah.

The show was created by Erin Foster based on her own life. Kristen Bell stars as Joanne, who is known for openly discussing her dating mistakes in her podcasts. Adam Brody plays Noah, who is about to become the leader of his own congregation. The two meet at a friend’s dinner and quickly fall for each other. However, their different backgrounds and the expectations of their families create challenges for their relationship.

Reviewers have mostly enjoyed the show. Our very own Shahrbanoo Golmohammadi called the series “an overwhelmingly charming romantic comedy” in her review. Lucy Mangan from The Guardian...

Agatha All Along is the latest MCU series, a spinoff from the popular WandaVision. After several potential title changes, the show officially stuck with Agatha All Along. It premiered on Disney+ on September 18, 2024, with two episodes, and the remaining seven will be released weekly, concluding on November 6.

Early reviews promised an enjoyable and captivating experience, and while Agatha All Along has proven to be intriguing, initial critics’ scores were lower than anticipated. However, fans embraced the show and have been giving it positive feedback.

Although we previously reported that the series wasn’t faring well with critics, the scores have been steadily rising. We’re pleased to confirm that Agatha All Along has now earned a “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 78% critics’ score, marking a 10% increase since yesterday.

Agatha All Along premiered on September 18, 2024, with two episodes, and the initial reactions have differed from early review predictions.

Agatha All Along is the most recent MCU series, a spinoff from the hit series WandaVision. The show had a lot of name changes prior to this one, so we’re really shocked that it stuck with this one through the broadcast. The series debuted on Disney+ on September 18, 2024, with two episodes, and the seven remaining episodes will be released every week until November 6, when the series will come to an end.

The show’s early reviews promised us an enjoyable and engaging experience, and although Agatha All Along is undoubtedly fascinating, the early critics’ reviews were lower than expected; conversely, the fans liked the show and are praising it.

While we have initially reported that the series is not doing well with the critics, the numbers are increasing as we speak, and we are happy to confirm that Agatha All Along has been awarded a “Certified Fresh” rating on...

The latest Marvel venture, Agatha All Along, has now debuted on Disney+ and the reviews are now in. So, is the series, which spins off from the critically acclaimed WandaVision, another Disney dud? Or do the continuing adventures of Agatha Harkness make for the perfect Halloween treat? Well, it seems that the answer to that leans more towards the latter, with Agatha All Along debuting at 66% on the review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. But what did the critics think?

We begin with Alison Herman of Variety, who commends the new Marvel series for branching out on its own rather than relying on the shared universe trappings that the MCU has become known for.

"Its the rare Marvel project that feels justified not by its role in some yearslong master plan, but its own creative potential. Even in her diminished state, Agatha is still capable of some enchantment."

David Fear of Rolling Stone echoed these sentiments,...

Amazon Prime Video has delivered a sublime hit the long-awaited TV adaptation of the video game “Fallout.” The post-apocalyptic sci-fi show depicts a Los Angeles 200 years after a nuclear apocalypse devastates the USA.

Created by Graham Wagner and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, the series follows several story strands surrounding different characters, including vault dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell), Brotherhood of Steel squire Maximus (Aaron Moten), and a bounty hunter known as The Ghoul (Walton Goggins). The series has received rave reviews from newbies and devotees of the video game alike.

Lucy Mangan (The Guardian) observed: “For newcomers such as me, this intelligent, drily witty, immaculately constructed series set in the Fallout universe fully captivates and entertains on its own terms.”

Aramide Tinubu (Variety) stated: “Bizarre but intensely fun, ‘Fallout’ is like nothing you’ve ever seen; for that reason alone, you won’t be able to turn away.”

Richard Roeper (Chicago Sun-Times) declared...

Apple TV+ is sure to perform well at this year’s Emmys with a number of shows strongly positioned including “Lessons in Chemistry,” “Sugar,” “Manhunt,” “The New Look,” and “Masters of the Air.” Well, add in another limited series to that mix — the historical drama “Franklin,” starring Oscar-winner Michael Douglas as the titular Benjamin Franklin.

The show chronicles Franklin’s eight years in France, wherein he attempted to convince King Louis XVI (Tom Pezier) to support the colonies in the American Revolutionary War. The series, as you’d expect, features fabulous costumes, sets, and hair and makeup. It is anchored by a powerhouse performance from Douglas, whose take on Franklin is a more modern one. The show is all the more entertaining for it, as noted by critics.

Michael Starr (New York Post) stated: “My advice is to sit back and enjoy Douglas as he admirably chews the scenery and...

Patricia Highsmith’s charming devil has fascinated film-makers since the 1960s, but his brand of evil seems peculiarly well suited to the Instagram age

He’s back. But he never went away. Patricia Highsmith’s diabolically inspired postwar creation Tom Ripley has returned, to luxuriate in our 21st-century age of Instagram lifestyle envy, tacit class paranoia and online identity fraud. He has triumphantly resurfaced in Steven Zaillian’s sumptuous and instantly addictive new eight-episode adaptation of Highsmith’s novel The Talented Mr Ripley for Netflix, starring the incomparable Andrew Scott as the charmer, aesthete and serial killer. It’s a seven-star luxury hotel of a TV show in arthouse black-and-white, which my colleague Lucy Mangan has hailed as quite possibly definitive.

It’s set in the early 60s, but has a queasy resonance for 2024. At an unhurried tempo, Scott’s Ripley is shown surmounting his early unease and likable callow vulnerability,...

“Mary & George” is the delicious new historical drama from British playwright D.C. Moore, who swaps out stuffy history lessons for a raucous, bawdy ride that fans of “The Favourite” will love. Like that Oscar-winning movie, this limited series on Starz focuses on an era of British royalty that is little-known to American audiences.

Julianne Moore plays the Countess of Buckingham, who groomed her son (Nicholas Galitzine) to seduce King James I (Tony Curran) in an attempt to curry favor, power, titles, and riches in 1600s England. In the titular role of Mary, Moore delivers another powerhouse performance. She owns every scene she’s in and proves once more why she is one of the best actresses working today. Critics agree, “Mary & George” is the Moore show.

Sophie Butcher (Empire) observed: “Moore is on great form here. She spits out profanities and ultimatums in a clipped, crisp accent, wearing...

The delicious “Mary & George” may well serve up a feast of Emmy nominations. This limited series on Starz stars Julianne Moore as the Countess of Buckingham, who groomed her son, George Villiers (Nicholas Galitzine), to seduce King James I (Tony Curran). The Countess uses her son as a pawn to scheme her way to riches, titles, and influence in 1600s England.

The series, adapted by award-winning playwright D.C. Moore from Benjamin Woolley’s bestseller “The King’s Assassin,” is a sumptuous period drama. The show is in the same vein as Yorgos Lanthimos‘ Oscar-winning “The Favourite,” swapping out the usual stuffy nature of such fare for a raucous, romp through history.

Moore, who won the Best Actress Oscar in 2015 for “Still Alice,” is on reliably good form here. She chews up every scene and commands the screen with authority. Galitzine, meanwhile, proves he is more than just the most...

Spoiler Alert: This story features details from Season 6 of The Crown

Reviews are in for the first four episodes of the sixth and final season of Netflix’s The Crown, and judging from reactions in the UK and France, there’s a divide just about as wide as the English Channel.

The two countries will forever be linked by the tragedy that was the death of Princess Diana in a Parisian car crash on August 31, 1997. But critics today are divergent.

Several major British outlets are negative on the latest installments which dropped at 8am local time, with some taking issue with visions of the late Princess who engages in conversations with the Queen and Prince Charles. These scenes have gotten a lot of attention, referenced as featuring Diana’s “ghost.” The Crown creator Peter Morgan recently told Deadline, “The word ghost is unhelpful, I was never writing anything from a supernatural perspective,...

It has been nearly 20 years since Dr. Crane “left the building,” bidding farewell on the NBC series “Frasier” that took home 37 Emmy Awards including five for Comedy Series. But now Kelsey Grammer has stepped into the role of his most enduring alter ego once more in a revival of the show on Paramount+. The first two episodes of the new series — which introduces a new ensemble cast surrounding Grammer as Frasier moves back to Boston, Ma — debut on Oct. 12 on the streamer.

By most accounts, critics have embraced Frasier’s idiosyncrasies all over again. As of this writing, the series has a 61 score on Metacritic, indicating “generally favorable” reviews. It has a similar 63% freshness score on Rotten Tomatoes, with their critical consensus reading, “With Kelsey Grammer safely back in the role he was born to play, ‘Frasier’ scores as comfort viewing even if it can’t quite compare to the classic original series.

The reviews of the Frasier reboot praise Kelsey Grammer, saying he easily slips back into the role of Frasier Crane and his exceptional charisma keeps the new show afloat. The Frasier reboot retains the charm and nostalgia of the original series, leaning towards what made it a staple of television. The new show also successfully updates the comedy's situation, incorporates Frasier's age, and diversifies its casting, feeling like an organic progression.

The reviews for the Frasier reboot are in. Kelsey Grammer will officially return as the elitist, but lovable therapist, Frasier Crane on the small screen in just a few days. His comeback takes place almost two decades after he ended his stint in Seattle and hoped to start a new life with Charlotte in Chicago. Despite being both a critical and commercial success, getting the Frasier reboot off the ground was actually no easy feat, so it's curious if Grammer and co.

Many shows are about one thing in particular, with a number of subplots serving to support the main theme. While in some ways that is the case with the Apple TV+ drama “Bad Sisters,” there’s so much going on at any one given time that it’s almost hard to keep track of what started it all in the first place. That would be, of course, the death of The Prick (Claes Bang), also known as Jp, the manipulative, abusive husband of Grace (Anne-Marie Duff), and the show’s central mystery: did Grace’s four sisters kill him, and, if so, how did they do it?

This show moves seamlessly between multiple timelines, chronicling the inciting incident for each of the sisters that made them hate Jp, their multiple efforts to concoct a way to cleverly dispose of him, and the aftermath when a pair of insurance investigator brothers...

“The English” is hoping for a successful Emmys season coming up, with the show on the precipice for a Best Limited Series bid as well as a Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor nomination for Chaske Spencer, while Emily Blunt is odds-on to be cited in the lead actress category. But they may be joined by the ever-reliable supporting player Rafe Spall, who emerged from Amazon Prime Video’s sweeping western series as one of the best things about it — if not the best.

“The English,” by creator Hugo Blick, follows Blunt as Lady Cornelia Locke, who is on the hunt for revenge in a search for the man responsible for her son’s death. Along the way, she meets Spencer’s Eli Whipp/Wounded Wolf, who is on a quest of his own — to claim back the land he is owed for his service in the US Army. The...

Olivia Colman is primed for another healthy year in terms of awards as she lines up a return to the Emmys with the latest adaptation of Charles Dickens‘ seminal work “Great Expectations.”

This FX on Hulu limited series, which was created by “Peaky Blinders” boss Steven Knight, follows Fionn Whitehead‘s Pip — an orphan who works as a blacksmith’s apprentice before receiving a sudden windfall from an unknown benefactor. He then travels to London and enters high society. Colman steals the show in the short but sharp role of Miss Havisham, the spurned, wealthy spinster who was left at the altar on her own wedding day. Full of bitter resentment, she insists on wearing her cob-webbed wedding dress for the rest of her life and schemes to get Pip’s heart broken.

As Miss Havisham, Colman is sensational — disappearing behind the dress, the witchy white hair, and the dust...

Amazon Prime Video’s hit drama series “The Boys” has gone from strength to strength in each of its three seasons so far, as proven by their increasingly impressive Rotten Tomatoes score.

Eric Kripke‘s superhero satire started off with a score of 85% for its debut season before its sophomore outing jumped up to 97%. Now, its third and most recent season, which will be hoping to compete at this year’s Emmys, has earned the show its highest Rt score yet with a near-perfect 98%.

The series follows Karl Urban‘s Butcher and Jack Quaid‘s Hughie as they lead the fight against superhero company Vought International and their team of terrible supes The Seven, led by Antony Starr‘s evil Homelander. In season three, the series ramped it up a notch to give viewers some of its most shocking moments yet and a tantalizing pay-off that teases even darker things...

In 2022, Netflix released a serial killer drama starring Stanley Tucci called Inside Man, and critics had a lot to say about the series. Tucci stars in Inside Man as Jefferson Grieff, an ex-criminology professor on death row in an Arizona prison for murdering his wife. David Tennant co-stars as British vicar Harry Watling, who accepts an incriminating Usb drive from a troubled parishioner and ends up locking a woman in his basement to keep her from reporting it to the police. Grieff and the woman in Watling’s basement – Janice Fife (played by Dolly Wells) – cross paths in the most unexpected way.

Inside Man was created and written by Steven Moffat, best known as the showrunner of Doctor Who and Sherlock. All four episodes were directed by Paul McGuigan, who helmed the feature films Lucky Number Slevin, Victor Frankenstein and Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. He also previously...

Amazon Prime Video big bet on “The English” paid off. Critics and audiences alike embraced this lavish Western from Hugo Blick that starred Emily Blunt in her first major TV role in decades and showcased Chaske Spencer, best known for his role in the “Twilight” franchise.

Blunt plays Lady Cornelia Lockhart, who ventures to the American West of the 1890s to search for the man who was responsible for the death of her son. Along the way, she meets Spencer’s Eli Whipp/Wounded Wolf, a member of the Pawnee Nation who seeks to reclaim the land he is rightfully owed for his service in the US Army. The two share a bond as they travel together and it is this central relationship that forms the heart, soul, brain, and blood of the stunning series.

Spencer holds his own opposite Blunt. His voice is exquisite, delivering every one of Blick...

At first glance, Apple TV+’s “The Big Door Prize” may resemble Adam Sandler’s “Click” or even the streamer’s own “Severance,” but this soft sci-fi comedy from “Schitt’s Creek” writer and producer David West Read is far less entrenched in the practical mysteries of its novum than either of those titles.

History teacher Dusty Hubbard (Chris O’Dowd) is perfectly content with his existence, but everyone around him, including his wife and highschool sweetheart, Cass (Gabrielle Dennis), can’t resist looking toward broader horizons. While stopping for coffee on the morning of his 40th birthday, Dusty notices something strange in Mr. Johnson’s (Peter Kerr) general store: a glowing cubicle of unknown origin that will reveal your life’s potential for a few quarters. His initial reaction is one of passive annoyance, but when friends, family, and neighbors begin altering their lives in dramatic ways, Dusty desperately tries to...

Reviews for That '90s Show are in, and they are looking quite good. Acting as a sequel to That '70s Show, the new series is set in 1995 and sees Eric Forman and Donna Pinciotti's daughter spending the summer in her grandparents' house. Topher Grace and Laura Prepon have returned to reprise their roles as Eric and Donna, while Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp have also returned as Red and Kitty, Eric's parents. That '70s Show veterans Ashton Kutcher, Mila Kunis, Wilmer Valderrama, Tommy Chong, and Don Stark have also returned for That '90s Show, alongside new cast members Callie Hervada, Ashley Aufderheide, Maxwell Acee Donovan, Reyn Doi and Sam Morelos.

On the day of its release, reviews for That '90s Show have come out, and most critics have praised the series for not only being a nostalgic return to the world of That '70s Show, but for also standing...

Meghan and Harry’s long-awaited docuseries, “Harry & Meghan,” threw plenty of punches – mostly aimed at the Royal Family with the British media (specifically sister papers the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday) next in the firing line.

So far, the royals have not responded publicly, declining to release any kind of official statement. But “Palace sources” did brief the U.K.’s royal reporters after Volume I (comprised of the first three episodes of the series) aired last week. The sources claimed Harry’s dad, King Charles, and brother, Prince William, hadn’t been contacted for comment, contrary to the title card that appears at the opening of the doc, which reads: “Members of the Royal Family declined to comment on the content within this series.”

A Netflix source disputed this, saying the royals’ communications offices had been contacted and given the chance to respond to the couple’s claims.

The first reactions to House of the Dragon have arrived, ahead of theGame of Thrones spin-off’s long-awaited launch.

House of the Dragon is set two centuries before “the fall of the throne”, and features a cast including Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans.

In the UK, the show will premiere at 2am on Monday 22 August on Sky Atlantic. The episode will then be repeated at 9pm on Monday, and will be available to stream on Now after its initial airing.

After a glimpse of the first few episodes of the fantasy epic, critics have had mixed responses to the series.

The Independent’s critic Nick Hilton gave House of the Dragon four stars, writing that the show is “bigger, bolder and bloodier than Game of Thrones”.

He added: “It’s immediately clear that, even in the just over 11 years since Thrones first aired, the scale of the world on display has increased.

This year’s Best Movie/Limited Actress Emmy race is shaping up to be one for the record books, with a strong showing of actresses depicting real-life women in contention. Looking at Gold Derby’s combined odds, 11 of the top 15 spots are taken by performers who are playing such true-to-name nonfiction characters. If we broaden this definition to include characters who are merely inspired by living people, that number changes to 13.

Trending in the top spot, we have Amanda Seyfried portraying Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes in Hulu’s “The Dropout.” Television critic Lucy Mangan with The Guardian refers to Seyfried’s performance as “hugely skillful,” going on to say, “Seyfried makes it all work and keeps our attention – even our sympathy.” The actress is also riding high fresh off of her first Oscar nomination for her performance in 2020’s “Mank,” which can often boost a performer’s Emmy chances.

Following closely behind is Margaret Qualley,...

This year, Netflix is hoping to make a splash in the limited series Emmy categories by appealing to current true crime-based entertainment consumption habits. Its “Inventing Anna” (created and produced by Shonda Rhimes) is a nine-part dramatization of the story of Anna Sorokin, who, using the surname Delvey, conned numerous rich New Yorkers into believing she was an heiress in temporary need of financial support. Recently, Variety’s Jenelle Riley moderated a virtual 2022 Emmys FYC panel consisting of half a dozen of the show’s cast members: Anna Chlumsky, Laverne Cox, Alexis Floyd, Julia Garner, Katie Lowes and Arian Moayed. Watch the video Q&a above.

Garner, a two-time Best Drama Supporting Actress Emmy winner for “Ozark,” first caught wind of Sorokin’s story while on her engagement trip in the spring of 2019. Although the thought occurred to her that she could successfully play the con artist in a screen adaptation,...

Andie MacDowell finally has her first chance at an Emmy nomination for Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress for her performance as Paula Langley in Netflix’s “Maid.”

The 10-episode series tells of Alex, played by MacDowell’s real-life daughter Margaret Qualley, who leaves an abusive relationship and becomes a maid to make a better life for her and her daughter Maddy. MacDowell plays Alex’s bipolar mother Paula, an artist struggling to make ends meet. She has been strong in films like “Sex, Lies, and Videotape,” “Groundhog Day” and “Ready or Not,” but her supporting performance in “Maid” is one of her finest, allowing her to blend vulnerability, joy and intense emotional rage. As Lucy Mangan says at The Guardian, the role of Paula is “gradually fleshed out and always played and treated with sympathy.” Emmy voters, take notice.

SEEAndie MacDowell interview: ‘Maid’

When we’re first introduced to Paula in the series premiere episode,...

Britbox’s flagship drama “Time” is in with a fighting chance at the Emmys this year, potentially giving the upstart streamer its first high-profile success with Emmy voters.

The three-part limited series was created and written by Jimmy McGovern (“Cracker”) and directed by Lewis Arnold (“Broadchurch”), starring Sean Bean (“Game of Thrones”) and Stephen Graham. The series follows family man Mark Cobden (Bean), who is sentenced to four years in prison after accidentally killing a man. Consumed by guilt for his crime, Mark is confronted with navigating his terrifying new life as an inmate, and soon meets Eric McNally (Graham), an upstanding prison officer, who lives to protect the inmates against the odds in an understaffed and volatile modern British penal system. Both Mark and Eric soon come up against one of the most dangerous inmates in the prison, forcing them to make life-or-death choices between principle and survival. After...

“Overnight!” That’s what Holland Taylor infamously shouted 23 years ago when she won her first career Emmy Award in Best Drama Supporting Actress for playing fan-favorite judge Roberta Kittleson on “The Practice.” (Watch the 1999 flashback video below.) Can the esteemed actress now win an Emmy bookend for her role as English professor Joan Hambling on the Netflix comedy “The Chair”? This time around she’s competing in the red-hot Best Comedy Supporting Actress race.

“The Chair” tells the story of professor colleagues at Pembroke University, led by new English department head Ji-Yoon Kim (Sandra Oh). Despite their age differences, Joan and Ji-Yoon share a friendly rapport with each other at first, though their relationship is put to the test in later episodes. Eventually, Joan is forced to give a vote of no confidence against Ji-Yoon, and the season ends with Joan replacing her as chair.

TV critics loved Taylor in...

Look out for limited series “Pam & Tommy” to crash the Emmys this year. The fictionalized account of how the infamous Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex tape became an unexpected internet sensation was a revelation when it premiered on Hulu earlier this year, earning favorable reviews and lots of awards buzz.

Based on the 2014 Rolling Stone article “Pam and Tommy: The Untold Story of the World’s Most Infamous Sex Tape” by Amanda Chicago Lewis, The eight-episode series follows the turbulent marriage of actress and nineties sex symbol Anderson (Lily James) and the notorious Mötley Crüe drummer Lee (Sebastian Stan). The series chronicles the events that unfolded after their honeymoon sex tape was stolen and later launched on the internet for millions to see.

See The Emmy race for limited series/TV movie actor belongs to the men of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Seth Rogen plays Rand Gauthier, a...

Almost two years to the day that “Succession” wrapped its Emmy-winning second season, the acclaimed HBO drama series returns for Roy family civil war in season three. The nine-episode third installment picks up in the immediate aftermath of Kendall Roy’s (Emmy winner Jeremy Strong) public betrayal of his father Logan (Emmy nominee Brian Cox), which threatens the family business and leaves its supporting players angling for advantage.

The third season is earning series-best notices ahead of its October 17 premiere. It currently has a Metacritic score of 95 based on 18 reviews as of this writing, which indicates “universal acclaim.” This score tops its past seasons’ scores of 89 (season two) and 71 (season one), but those previous numbers do reflect a higher number of critics’ opinions. The third season also has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which says the show is in “crackling form” based on 23 reviews. Its perfect score surpasses its previous seasons’ scores,...

HBO’s six-part limited series “I Know This Much is True” premiered on Sunday night, May 10, starring Mark Ruffalo as twin brothers struggling with mental illness, relationships and more. It’s written and directed by Derek Cianfrance and adapted from the novel by Wally Lamb, which was once an Oprah Winfrey book club pick. So how do critics think it turned out?

SEEWhich ‘I Know This Much is True’ actress will the Emmys nominate?

As of this writing the series has a MetaCritic score of 65 based on 23 reviews counted so far: 11 positive, 11 somewhat mixed, and only 1 outright negative. Over on Rotten Tomatoes, which classifies reviews simply as positive or negative, the series has a 74% freshness rating based on 42 reviews, 11 of which are rotten. The Rt critics’ consensus summarizes the reviews by saying, “Despite strong performances from Mark Ruffalo, ‘I Know This Much is True’ is relentlessly grim, making it a difficult watch.

His Dark Materials got off to a blockbuster start for the BBC ahead of its launch on HBO tonight.

The lavish adaptation of Philip Pullman’s books from Bad Wolf was watched by nearly 7.2M viewers in the 8Pm slot on BBC One on Sunday night, making it the biggest new drama launch on British TV in more than five years.

The eight-part series was the highest-rated drama premiere on any channel since BBC One’s The Musketeers was watched by 7.4M in January 2014, according to the BBC. It was also comfortably the biggest show in the slot, according to Barb figures provided by overnights.tv.

His Dark Materials beat the debuts of other dramas on BBC One this year, including Gentleman Jack (5.1M), Baptiste (4.5M), and Les Miserables (4.5M). The channel’s biggest drama of 2019 so far was the first episode in series five of Line Of Duty, which was watched by 7.8M viewers.

Let The Right One In Moore Theatre, Seattle

Dripping from the Swedish page and screen onto American stages, The National Theatre of Scotland has adapted the celebrated horror film and novel Let The Right One In for theatrical production with an eerie success that echoes the story's previous manifestations. Wrapping up its run at Seattle's Moore Theatre before moving on to Houston, Texas, this production is spreading its paradoxically beautiful and yet starkly nihilistic brand of love story.

Though not uncommon in recent years, adapting from film to the stage seems like a backwards proposition, particularly when a stage production lamely tries to merely relive the film version preceeding it, milking its signature moments for an audience nodding at what they already know. However, this production defies those pitfalls, succeeding in making its own explorations of expression while maintaining the essential themes and uniquely bleak qualities.

Leading this unlikely adaptive victory is director John Tiffany.

The music we grow up with shapes our tastes in later life, according to a study by Cornell University. We asked Guardian writers to tell us about the songs that take them back to their childhood homes

'My mother would listen to the Carpenters while ironing'

Of the handful of albums my parents owned, it was The Carpenters' Singles 1969-1973 that struck me the most. I remember being particularly fascinated by Rainy Days and Mondays. With the benefit of hindsight, I suspect it was because it was the first piece of music I had ever heard that appeared to perfectly suit the circumstances in which I heard it. My mother would listen to the Carpenters in the afternoon, while doing the ironing in the front room, and I remember thinking that was what the woman in the song was probably doing too. In my head she was singing it...

In The Library Book, published for National Libraries Day on 4 February, twenty-three of the UK’s most outstanding writers describe libraries real or imagined, past, present, and future – why they matter and to whom.

Recognising that without libraries we would not have the writers of today and tomorrow, The Library Book’s contributors are all donating their royalties to The Reading Agency, the independent charity working to inspire more people to read more.

Included in the book are Anita Anand, Julian Barnes, Bella Bathurst, Alan Bennett, Michael Brooks, James Brown, Ann Cleeves, Stephen Fry, Seth Godin, Susan Hill, Tom Holland, Hardeep Singh Kohli, Lucy Mangan, Val McDermid, China Miéville, Caitlin Moran, Kate Mosse, Julie Myerson, Bali Rai, Lionel Shriver, Karin Slaughter, Zadie Smith and Nicky Wire.

Read more...

Lucy Mangan on the people and stories in the media spotlight over the past seven days

The story

NHS

Another good week for Dave and the boys. Another sacred national institution quietly set fair to be reduced to rubble in the next few years. If only they could just stick to things that don't matter, like dicking about with the monarchy. At least when you abolish the right to primogeniture, we can all entertain ourselves with the hope that fate will one day allow Anne to be king.

Despite sterling work from Lords Owen, Hennessy and Rea, despite 150,000 protesting signatures gathered by the 38 Degrees campaign, the NHS reforms bill was passed. "Reforms" meaning here "the changes we're making that we promised in our worthless manifestos we wouldn't, not least because they involve yet more expensive top-down reorganisation when, uh, due to our other promises not exactly working out either, an...

Imagine if you could not hide even a single thought from anyone else. Now imagine what would happen if it wasn’t just you? Chaos Walking, the Carnagie Medal winning young adult novel trilogy by Patrick Ness, presents a futuristic world where an infection makes every thought an audible utterance and privacy absolutely non-existent and follows the story of a boy who holds the key to salvation.

Lionsgate has just acquired the worldwide rights to develop, produce and distribute a film adaptation of these books with Doug Davison (How To Train Your Dragon, The Departed) producing. Check out the official press release from Lionsgate below:

Lionsgate Lands Chaos Walking

Studio Acquires Worldwide Rights To Patrick Ness’ Award-Winning Young Adult Novel Trilogy

Santa Monica, Calif., Oct. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Lionsgate® (NYSE: Lgf), a leading global entertainment company, announced today that it has obtained worldwide rights to develop, produce and distribute films based on the award-winning,...

Santa Monica, CA (October 3, 2011) – Lionsgate announced today that it has obtained worldwide rights to develop, produce and distribute films based on the award-winning, best-selling and critically acclaimed “Chaos Walking” young adult novel trilogy by Patrick Ness. The announcement was made by Lionsgate’s co-coo and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake. Doug Davison (The Departed, How To Train Your Dragon, The Grudge) will be producing through his Quadrant Pictures.

The Carnegie Medal winning books are set in a dystopian future with humans colonizing a distant earth-like planet. When an infection called the Noise suddenly makes all thought audible, privacy vanishes in an instant. In the ensuing chaos, a corrupt autocrat threatens to take control of the human settlements and wage war with the indigenous alien race, and only young Todd Hewitt holds the key to stopping planet wide-destruction.

“Although these stories are set in a critical time in the future,...

Lionsgate, a leading global entertainment company, announced today that it has obtained worldwide rights to develop, produce and distribute films based on the award-winning, best-selling and critically acclaimed "Chaos Walking" young adult novel trilogy by Patrick Ness.  The announcement was made by Lionsgate's co-coo and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake.  Doug Davison (The Departed, How To Train Your Dragon, The Grudge) will be producing through his Quadrant Pictures.The Carnegie Medal winning books are set in a dystopian future with humans colonizing a distant earth-like planet. When an infection called the Noise suddenly makes all thought audible, privacy vanishes in an instant. In the ensuing chaos, a corrupt autocrat threatens to take control of the human settlements and wage war with the indigenous alien race, and only young Todd Hewitt holds the key to stopping planet wide-destruction. "Although these stories are set in a critical time in the future,...

Lionsgate, a leading global entertainment company, announced today that it has obtained worldwide rights to develop, produce and distribute films based on the award-winning, best-selling and critically acclaimed Chaos Walking young adult novel trilogy by Patrick Ness. The announcement was made by Lionsgate's co-coo and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake. Doug Davison (The Departed, How to Train Your Dragon, The Grudge) will be producing through his Quadrant Pictures.

The Carnegie Medal winning books are set in a dystopian future with humans colonizing a distant earth-like planet. When an infection called the Noise suddenly makes all thought audible, privacy vanishes in an instant. In the ensuing chaos, a corrupt autocrat threatens to take control of the human settlements and wage war with the indigenous alien race, and only young Todd Hewitt holds the key to stopping planet wide-destruction.

"Although these stories are set in a critical time in the future,...

By Sean O’Connell

Hollywoodnews.com: As studios continue snatching up literary series in hopes of finding the next “Twilight” or “Harry Potter” franchise, Lionsgate announces that it has acquired the Ya trilogy “Chaos Walking” for adaptation, and will begin with the opening book, “The Knife of Never Letting Go.”

Much like “The Hunger Games,” Patrick Ness’s story takes place in a dystopian future, only here, an infection called the Noise suddenly makes all thought audible, which means privacy has vanished.

“In the ensuing chaos, a corrupt autocrat threatens to take control of the human settlements and wage war with the indigenous alien race, and only young Todd Hewitt holds the key to stopping planet wide-destruction,” according to a release.

More from Lionsgate, which will develop, produce and distribute all three films:

“Although these stories are set in a critical time in the future, they speak volumes about what...

It looks as though another young adult novel is being adapted for the screen. Comingsoon reports that Lionsgate has acquired worldwide rights to Patrick Ness's award-winning trilogy, Chaos Walking. I have not read the books, but can understand why studios are interested to duplicate the excitement for Gary Ross' Hunger Games adaptation.

Here is the official press release:

Lionsgate®, a leading global entertainment company, announced today that it has obtained worldwide rights to develop, produce and distribute films based on the award-winning, best-selling and critically acclaimed "Chaos Walking" young adult novel trilogy by Patrick Ness. The announcement was made by Lionsgate's co-coo and Motion Picture Group President Joe Drake. Doug Davison (The Departed, How To Train Your Dragon, The Grudge) will be producing through his Quadrant Pictures.

The Carnegie Medal winning books are set in a dystopian future with humans colonizing a distant earth-like planet. When an infection...

Lucy Mangan on the people in the media spotlight in the past seven days

Silence please

Iman Al-Obeidi

In a world full of them, Al-Obeidi's tale stands as a strong contender for least uplifting story of the year. This Libyan woman burst into the journalist-stuffed Rixos al-Nasr hotel in Tripoli saying that she had been gang-raped, beaten, defecated and urinated on by Gaddafi's militiamen at a checkpoint. She was then set upon in the hotel by waitresses, security staff and government minders, and dragged away into a car. The alleged rapists have launched a criminal case against her for blackening their names.

As outrage about her treatment has grown, her family claim they have been offered bribes by Gaddafi's people to get her to retract her story and have her released. It is unclear where Al-Obeidi is being held. It is very clear that her alleged attackers are not being held at all.