(L to R) Alexander Ludwig and Stephen Amell in ‘Heels.’ Photo: Starz.
In line with a number of other networks and streaming services, Starz has cancelled some of its shows –– and has shut down another before it even had a chance to arrive on the channel.
The channel announced that wrestling drama ‘Heels’, which stars Stephen Amell and has just finished its second season, will face the axe alongside ‘Run The World’ and ‘Blindspotting’, both of which had also run for two seasons.
Then we have romance-with-a-twist series ‘The Venery of Samantha Bird’, which was in production (though had paused for the strikes) with two episodes left to shoot. It now won’t air at all on the channel.
‘Heels’ boss Mike O’Malley on future plans
(Center) Mary McCormack in ‘Heels.’ Photo: Starz.
‘Heels’ Showrunner and head writer Mike O’Malley (who also plays Charlie Gully on the show) is committed to finding a home for the series elsewhere, as he told Entertainment Weekly:
“I really do think it’s going to have a life someplace else. We did not intend, nor do we intend, for the season 2 finale to be the last episode of the show.”
O’Malley also addressed his colleague Amell’s comments about the recent strikes.
“I support my union, I do. And I stand with them. I do not support striking. I don’t. I think that it is a reductive negotiating tactic. I find the entire thing incredibly frustrating. I think the thinking as it pertains to shows — like the show that I’m on that premiered last night (Starz’ wrestling series ‘Heels’, which launched its second season) — I think it’s myopic.”
O’Malley has weighed in on that, talking about how he got in touch with Amell to help him see that his comments weren’t helpful.
He had this to say to Entertainment Weekly:
“Well, I called Stephen and I spoke to him about it. What he was trying to talk about is that he loved the show, and he had an incredible pride in the show. We knew that his comments were going to distract from the hard work that the people in both the WGA, of which I’m a member, and SAG-AFTRA, were doing. And I knew that immediately because I had been on the picket line. When I heard and I called him up, I said, ‘Stephen, man, we all got to stand together.’ He got it immediately. I just think it was an unfortunate moment. I genuinely think that he put his foot in his mouth. He felt bad about it. I think he was basically saying was what a lot of people were saying, which was that they were frustrated that they couldn’t work. But I know where his heart is, and his heart is standing with his union.”
(L to R) Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig in ‘Heels.’ Photo: Starz.
Premiering on Starz beginning April 14th is the second season of the TV series ‘Blindspotting,’ which is a spin-off/sequel of the popular movie of the same name from actors, writers and executive producers Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs.
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What is the premise of the show ‘Blindspotting?’
Six months after the events in the movie, Miles (Rafael Casal), Ashley’s (Jasmine Cephas Jones) partner of 12 years and father of their son, is suddenly incarcerated, and the situation leaves her to navigate a chaotic and humorous existential crisis when she and her son Sean (Atticus Woodward) are forced to move in with Miles’ mother (Candace Nicholas-Lippman) and half-sister (Jaylen Barron).
Who is in the cast of ‘Blindspotting?’
‘Blindspotting’ stars Jasmine Cephas Jones (‘Hamilton‘) as Ashley Rose, Jaylen Barron (‘Shameless’) as Trish, Candace Nicholas-Lippman (‘Grey’s Anatomy’) as Janelle, Benjamin Earl Turner (‘Snowfall’) as Earl, Atticus Woodward (‘MO’) as Sean, Leland Orser (‘Taken‘) as Carl, Anthony Ramos (‘A Star is Born‘) as Yorkie, Oscar-winner Helen Hunt (‘Twister‘) as Rainey, and Rafael Casal reprising his role from the film as Miles.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Helen Hunt about her work on ‘Blindspotting’ Season 2, what fans can expect from the new season, her character, balancing comedy and drama, receiving the show’s scripts, and working with series creators Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs.
Helen Hunt in Starz’s ‘Blindspotting’ season 2.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Hunt, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Jaylen Barron, Candace Nicholas-Lippman, Benjamin Earl Turner, Rafael Casal, and Daveed Diggs about ‘Blindspotting’ Season 2.
Moviefone: To begin with, what can you tell us about the plot of ‘Blindspotting’ Season 2?
Helen Hunt: We pick up with Jasmine’s character, who’s at the center of the show, right on the edge. My character is pretty much on the edge, although she puts a happier, funnier wrapping around it and through the course of these episodes, everybody expresses the best and the worst of themselves. Nobody does well in a family when one of their members is put in a cage.
MF: Can you talk about the challenges of balancing the show’s comedy and drama?
HH: Somehow this show manages to be about this devastating, exquisitely painful topic while being sitcom level funny and there’s dance and there’s poetry. So I just feel like it’s just this offering of art, beauty and humor that I hope people, those who didn’t watch last year, catch up quick and jump in because I’m really proud to be part of it.
(L to R) Margo Hall, Helen Hunt, and Jasmine Cephas Jones star in Starz’s ‘Blindspotting’ Season 2.
MF: In the new season we discover that Rainey no longer believes in God. Is that because of what happened to Miles?
HH: That’s a good question. I think what I played is that that was never a really strong lane for her but that she is in such despair, she actually has to go, “I don’t know if you’re up there, but help.” So she is on her knees because she’s on her knees.
MF: What’s the status of Rainey and Ashley’s relationship in Season 2?
HH: You’ve got to watch all the way to the end to find out. I mean, again, having the person in the center of your family airlifted out and locked away is going to make everyone pray and grab at their chance to spend time with him. The best of people come out in this show and the worst of people, and that’s sort of what the season is. I think it’s like my character does a lot of trying to keep the spirit of the family up and the spirit of the grandson up, and while that doesn’t go away in season two, there’s some big angry cracks in it.
(L to R) Daveed Diggs, Jasmine Cephas Jones, and Rafael Casal on the set of Starz’s ‘Blindspotting.’
MF: What’s it like working with series creators Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, who also wrote the film that the show is based on?
HH: I mean, it’s everything. This show is literally born out of their friendship, their home, their love of Oakland and their love of family, so the show lives in the space between them and inside them. So I’ve just tried my best to soak that up and express it on film.
MF: Finally, how much were you told about your character’s full arc for this season before you began shooting? Were you given all the scripts at once, or did you only receive them before shooting the next episode?
HH: Somewhere in between. You don’t have all of them, for sure. Every show starts off wanting to do that and no show can do that. It’s just too hard because every script goes through ideas, then outlines, then first drafts, then they’re rewritten, then the showrunners look at them and then the actors look. So there’s no way to get them all. But showrunning is a really tricky job. You have to be the creative force and the administrator who makes sure things are happening on time and talks to the network, and they just did that flawlessly and I’ve seen it done by a lot of people, but never better than by the two of them. We talked through where she’s headed. I knew where it was going. I had a meeting with the writers at the beginning of the season where they asked questions and I talked about the things that I’m interested in seeing in her. So by the time we started, I knew what I needed to know about where it was going. it’s been very collaborative from the beginning. I just wanted to be sure that I could step out of my own Birkenstocks and into her Birkenstocks and believe 100% what I was doing. So they were willing to and wanting to be super collaborative about it.
(L to R) Helen Hunt and Candace Nicholas-Lippman star in Starz’s ‘Blindspotting’ season 2.
Premiering on Starz beginning March 17th is the third season of the popular series ‘Power Book II: Ghost,’ which is the first series in the expanded ‘Power‘ Universe franchise.
What is the plot of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ season 3?
The third season of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ kicks off with Tariq St. Patrick (Michael Rainey Jr.) determined to get his trust, get back to his family, and get out of the game for good. The emergence of a ruthless new connect interrupts Tariq’s plans to reunite with Tasha (Naturi Naughton) and Yaz (Paris Morgan) and puts him, Brayden (Gianni Paolo), and Effie (Alix Lapri) back into business with the Tejadas (Mary J. Blige and Lovell Adams-Gray) as they’re challenged to move more weight than ever before.
When Brayden brings Tariq in as an intern at his family’s hedge fund Weston Holdings, the drug business expands beyond Stansfield and the streets onto Wall Street, while Tariq is also shown an alternate, legitimate path to success. Monet Tejada, set ablaze by the death of her son Zeke Cross (Daniel Bellomy), is willing to pay a hefty price to avenge her firstborn and keep the rest of her children – and the business – in line as she works closely with Davis MacLean (Method Man) to solve Zeke’s murder and keep the feds off her trail. Business is booming when a staggering reveal forces Tariq to reckon with a betrayal from those closest to him… and a R.I.C.O. investigation mounting into the entire drug enterprise, pulling Tariq deeper into the business and even closer to the legacy of his father.
Who is in the cast of ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ season 3?
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down with actors Michael Rainey Jr., Gianni Paolo, and Alix Lapri to talk about their work on season 3 of ‘Power Book II: Ghost,’ their characters, new cast members, and what fans of the series can expect.
(L to R) Alix Lapri (“Effie Morales”), Michael Rainey Jr. (“Tariq St. Patrick”), and Gianni Paolo (“Brayden Weston”) in STARZ’s ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ season 3.
You can watch the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with the cast of ‘Power Book II: Ghost.’
Moviefone: To begin with, Michael, can you talk about where we find Tariq when the new season begins?
Michael Rainey Jr.: Man, season two ended and he was, I would say, betrayed in a way. Then him leaving, obviously getting into all that, the whole mission done with Monet and Mecca and everything. Him leaving the building, the cameras literally recording him leaving and coming into the building. That’s a loose end right there at the end of season two, that’s a super loose end. He’s on camera, on surveillance camera and now it’s just the beginning of season three. He’s going to figure out how to navigate through that, so he has that in the back of his mind. That might catch up with him, that might not.
Gianni Paolo (“Brayden Weston”) stars in STARZ’s ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ season 3.
MF: Gianni, Brayden has gone deeper into the drug business than he expected, what’s he dealing with in season 3?
Gianni Paolo: I think he definitely thought it was this fun thing at the beginning and you don’t know what you’re getting involved in until everything starts unfolding. But I feel like he does a good job of navigating it and as scary as it gets, I feel like he just starts to like it even more this season.
MF: Alex, can you talk about Effie’s relationship with Tariq this season?
Alix Lapri: Honestly, your guess is as good as mine. Who knows? It’s a push and pull. It’s definitely a power struggle dealing with us too. It’s always give and take, a push and pull. It’s very toxic. It’s very dangerous, depending on who you ask. So, I don’t know. We’ll see. We’ll see which direction it goes.
(L to R) Alix Lapri (“Effie Morales”) and Michael Rainey Jr. (“Tariq St. Patrick”) stars in STARZ’s ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ season 3.
MF: Michael, Tariq is taking on more risk this season. Why is he determined to push so much product?
MR: Listen, we got to make money! We need a Lambo every day of the week. But I mean, Tariq, he just needs that money. He needs that money for Sammy, he needs that money for him. Brayden needed the money, with what he just went through with his family and everything. He doesn’t even really need the money, but he needs to make the money himself. That’s his drive. He just wants to be the cause of him living good. He doesn’t want to get anything from his family. He wants to be the reason he’s doing good.
MF: Finally, Gianni, now that Brayden is out of school and working at Weston, how does he feel about working with his family?
GP: I mean, I think he definitely doesn’t want to be around his family at all. But he also realized this could be very lucrative for the business. So I guess he doesn’t hate it, but he definitely doesn’t want to be as around his family at all.
(L to R) Gianni Paolo, Alix Lapri and Michael Rainey Jr. stars in STARZ’s ‘Power Book II: Ghost’ season 3.
Yes! The series, which ran its first two seasons on Starz in 2009 and 2010 is returning for a six-episode revival series premiering on February 24th.
What is ‘Party Down?’
‘Party Down’ is a half-hour comedy that follows a Los Angeles catering company that is comprised of aspiring actors and writers as they work small-time catering gigs hoping for their big breaks. Each episode finds the company’s employees working a new event, and getting into trouble with their rich and powerful guests.
In season 3, ten years after season 2, most of the catering team have moved on, including actor/bartender Henry Pollard (Adam Scott). After a surprise reunion, the gang find themselves once again stoically enduring the procession of random parties and oddball guests all over Los Angeles.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jane Lynch and Ken Marino about working on the third season of ‘Party Down,’ where their characters are now, and reuniting with the rest of the cast.
(L to R) Ken Marino and Jane Lynch star in season 3 of Starz’s ‘Party Down.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Lynch, Marino, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Tyrel Jackson Williams, Zoe Chao, and series co-creator John Enborn.
Moviefone: To begin with, Jane, what has Constance been up to in the decade or so since season two?
Jane Lynch: Well, when we last left Constance, she had just gotten married to a very rich old man in an episode directed by Ken Marino. He died immediately, not Ken, the guy playing my husband. Who actually, the actor did die shortly thereafter. Bless his heart. So I inherited all of his money. You saw me in fact, in the last shot (of season 2) when they say, “Your husband’s dead,” and all of a sudden it hits me, he may be dead, but I’ve got all this money. So anyway, that’s what happened with my character. So when I come back, I’m loaded and happy, always happy, and glad to see my friends again.
MF: Ken, what has Ron been doing since we last saw him?
Ken Marino: Ron is just still trying to live the dream and fight through what life hands him, which is a lot of crap. He keeps going, and he pushes through. He’s close to realizing his dream, but as you know, there are a lot of obstacles that he creates for himself, and get in the way. We’ll see what happens.
(L to R) Tyrel Jackson Williams, Ryan Hansen, Zoë Chao, Martin Starr, Adam Scott and Ken Marino in season 3 of Starz’s ‘Party Down.’
MF: What was it like your first day back on set with the entire cast after such a long time?
JL: Well, that’s what it felt like too. I was thinking, God, am I going to be able to get back into the character? Then I get with all these guys and immediately back in.
KM: Yeah, it’s a special show. And to get to work with everybody again is a wonderful gift that I didn’t expect was going to happen. So when it actually did happen, I was thrilled.
MF: Jane, did you rewatch your work in the first two seasons to kind of remind you of who Constance was and how to play her now?
JL: You know what? I think I did. Usually, I’m a very lazy actor. I mean, if I learn my lines, we’re lucky. But I think I actually did go back and look. I can’t remember exactly doing it, but the only thing I was nervous about was would it come back? Was it really in there? And it was because I was around everybody else who was doing their thing. I think it was a relief for all of us.
MF: Finally, Ken, what did you do to get back into the role of Ron?
KM: Ron’s deep in there and I don’t think he ever left. So I think I’ve been holding him in there in hopes that we would get to do another season. And lo and behold, here we are.
Season 3 of ‘Party Down’ premieres on Starz beginning February 24th.
(L to R) Dan Stevens as John Dean and Betty Gilpin as Mo Dean in Starz’s ‘Gaslit.’
Premiering on Starz beginning April 24th is new mini-series ‘Gaslit,’ which is based on the podcast “Slow Burn” by Leon Neyfakh.
Set during the Watergate scandal, Martha Mitchell (Julia Roberts), wife of President Richard Nixon’s Attorney General John N. Mitchell (Sean Penn), becomes the first person to publicly announce that Nixon was involved in Watergate, throwing her husband’s personal and professional life into crisis.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dan Stevens and Betty Gilpin about their work on ‘Gaslit.’
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You can read our full interview with Dan Stevens and Betty Gilpin below or click on the video player about to watch our interviews with Stevens and Gilpin, Shea Whigham, Darby Camp, and executive producer Robbie Pickering.
Moviefone: To begin with Dan, what was it about this project that interested you?
Dan Stevens: I think it was getting the chance to kind of explode a bubble of history that I knew a little bit about, but it’s always fun when somebody lays out a series like this. The podcast that it was based on was utterly fascinating. My wife and I were gripped to that, just blowing up bubble after bubble of untold story corners of something that everybody thinks they know the bare bones about.
It’s really cool when you get to see something laid out in a different way that really kind of changes your perspective on things. I always enjoy that as a listener or a viewer. You come away thinking, “That’s not how it was told to me at all.” It’s a very refreshing perspective.
MF: What was the most interesting thing you learned about the Watergate scandal from working on this series?
DS: It is frequently described as a very stupid situation, but I think just realizing how unnecessary the whole thing was. I thought that the shenanigans that they were organizing were because it was very close and that this was a last-ditch attempt to snatch victory. They were going to win, hands down going to win, and I think that speaks to the dangerous ambition that was behind so much of the willpower of the situation.
Even though they were 19 points ahead and the victory was in the bag, they’re still going to play dirty, and events cascade from that. I still can’t quite get my head around it. That was something that really shocked me. I thought, why did they do this at all?
Dan Stevens as John Dean in Starz’s ‘Gaslit.’
MF: Betty, with all the crazy characters in this series, Mo Dean seems to be the only one with her “head on straight.” Can you talk about that?
Betty Gilpin: That’s right. Martha had her head on straight, too. It’s just a different kind of head, I guess. What struck me was, I didn’t realize there was so much time between the break-in and the discovery of the break-in. Of course, during which Martha was the only person saying the administration is behind this, you guys are crazy, and no one wanted to listen to her. I didn’t realize that it had been so long, this huge secret. Mo is kind of pushing John to do the right thing, I think that is a beautiful part of the story.
I think she’s inspired by Martha Mitchell. It wasn’t in vogue to be yourself out loud. It’s very popular now to be the brash social media version of yourself, your most authentic loudest self. But your public persona back then was very buttoned up and formal, and who you were behind closed doors was none of the public’s business.
I think Martha Mitchell was one of the only people who there was no difference between who she was at home and in front of the cameras, and she was going to say how she felt and the truth that she knew in public, whether her husband and the administration liked it or not. She’s kind of the birth of social media without social media. She’s incredible!
Betty Gilpin as Mo Dean in Starz’s ‘Gaslit.’
MF: Can you both discuss how Mo felt about John Dean the first time she met him?
BG: How did Mo feel? Well, when she first met him, I think it was one of those tender dates where you think, “What have I just left? I could just go. This isn’t going to work out.” I think she got douchebag vibes, honestly. I’m sorry, Dan. But then I think once that charm was turned on, she fell in love.
DS: Did you say douchebag vibes?
BG: Was that intentionally laced into your performance?
DS: I think there’s something inherently douche-baggy about the ambitious drive of a character like John Dean. I think, whether it’s specifically that man or just in general, I find that kind of man endlessly fascinating, slightly pathetic and a bit funny. I think that makes for a very enjoyable character to dive into, and think, why is he going after this? What’s the endgame?
MF: He wants to be Attorney General, is that correct?
DS: Maybe. Maybe that’s the very endgame. I think before that even happens it’s just about being in with the boys, which is such a lame ambition, but it’s the ambition of so many, and it always makes me laugh. Just the lengths that guys will go to have that sense of validation from a group of crusty old men in suits. I don’t get it, but it’s fun. It’s not exclusive. It was invented somewhere closer to home and I think it’s true of any administration. Circles of power make people do crazy things.
MF: Betty, what was it like working with actor and director Matt Ross on this project?
BG:Matt Ross is an incredible director. He’s also an incredible actor. I think having a director who is also an actor and gets what is conducive to helping make a good scene is so immensely helpful and really fun. The set was amazing. It was one of the funniest experiences I’ve had on a set.
I loved working with Dan Stevens. We had the best time together. You never know if between takes the actor that you are working opposite is going to reveal themselves to be a sociopath who thinks the postal service is controlled by mice. So that was out of the way. We had the best time and I think it shows in this series. We’ve become great friends.
The series follows a dysfunctional family that moves from the city to a small town after Patricia “Pat” Phelps (Cox), a former “wild child” who became famous through writing raunchy female empowerment novels, is caught cheating on her husband (Kinnear). The house the family moves into is a place where terrible atrocities have taken place. But nobody seems to suspect anything odd except for Pat, who’s convinced she’s been possessed by a demon.
Moviefone recently had the opportunity to speak with both Courteney Cox and Greg Kinnear about their work on ‘Shining Vale.’
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You can read our interview with Courtney Cox and Greg Kinnear below, or click on the video player above to watch all of our interviews for ‘Shining Vale’ with Cox and Kinnear, as well as Mira Sorvino, Merrin Dungey, Dylan Gage, Gus Birney, and Judith Light.
Moviefone: To begin with, Courteney, what was your first reaction when you read the screenplay for ‘Shining Vale?’
Courteney Cox: I thought how lucky I would be to get this part. So, I could play all of those different facets of Pat’s personality and what she’s going through, from the depression, to the mental illness, to the possession, a mom of a teenage daughter, which I have, to marital strife. The whole thing, it just was a character that I’ve never experienced before, and never played. I was so excited.
MF: Greg, what was your first reaction to the script?
Greg Kinnear: I loved it. I wasn’t sure what it was, truthfully. I didn’t know if it was comedy with horror or horror with comedy. And a mystery with both. It’s a lot of different things. But at the end of the day, it seemed like a family in peril and if we could kind of tap into that and make that real, I felt like the show could have a really interesting tone. I think it does.
Listen, I hadn’t worked with Courteney before and it was wonderful. She’s wonderful in this role. I knew she was going to be. I just knew it was going to work. It was going to be great and kind of effortless working with her. I guess that could have surprised me, but it didn’t. I had a blast and we had some spooky times doing it too, which was great.
(L to R) Greg Kinnear, Gus Birney, Dylan Gage, and Courteney Cox in Starz’s ‘Shining Vale.’
MF: Courteney, can you talk about Pat’s writer’s block and why she has been unable to write her second novel for 17 years?
CC: I think that she got depressed. She just felt lonely. She felt trapped. Every day was the same for her. She stopped drinking so she her life is just you’re going through that phase where you’re having a midlife crisis and menopause, all of it. Probably the menopause got the midlife crisis going, but I think that she just was just dried out.
MF: Finally, Greg, can you talk about the family’s move from the city to the country? Does Terry think the move will help improve his marriage?
GK: It’s a Hail Mary pass. He’s a man whose wife has had an indiscretion and I think he’s trying to heal all these wounds. It’s interesting, right? In the middle of COVID, I think that also the show is very timely. There’s a lot of families in big cities that have said, “I’m going to go. We’re just getting out of here. We’re getting out.” They move out to these far and away places. I tend to think your problems follow you. If anything, I think the problems that follow the Phelps are bigger than they started with. So that’s a problem. But ultimately, I think he’s trying to find salvation in another place.
Starz announced that Season 5 of “Outlander” will premiere Sunday, February 16. That will make it over a year since the Season 4 finale aired this past January.
The time-traveling romantic drama will also hold a panel presentation at this year’s New York Comic-Con on Saturday, October 5. Stars Caitriona Balfe (Claire) and Sam Heughan (Jamie) are confirmed to attend, along with Duncan LaCroix (Murtagh), Maria Doyle Kennedy (Jocasta), and David Berry (Lord John Grey). Also on hand will be Diana Gabaldon, author of the bestselling “Outlander” book series.
Season 5 picks up where the story left off, with a shocking cliffhanger not found in the books. Jamie has been tasked by North Carolina’s governor to form a militia to hunt down Murtagh — Jamie’s best friend and wanted criminal.
Jamie must find a way to defend his family, followers, and the home they have created at Fraser’s Ridge. Meanwhile, Claire must use her modern medical knowledge and foresight to prevent them from being ripped apart once again.
After he puts down his bow on “Arrow,” Stephen Amell is entering the wrestling ring.
The actor, who will wrap up The CW series next season, has booked his next project: He’ll star in Starz’s pro wrestling drama “Heels.”
Amell will play Jack Spade, owner (and chief villain) of small-time wrestling outfit, the Duffy Wrestling Association. The hard-working husband and father is trying to make ends meet while fighting to realize his impossible dreams.
With the mind of an artist inside a warrior’s body, Jack has a Steve Jobs-like need for perfection — and for control. He wants to build the DWA into an empire, which could risk his marriage and his relationship with his brother.
But first, Amell will first make the eighth and final season of “Arrow.”
The actor is a wrestling fan who has appeared in WWE, Ring of Honor and All Elite Wrestling events. AEW’s Cody Rhodes also made a cameo on “Arrow,” and Amell gave a shout-out to the wrestler on Twitter to join “Heels”:
Why was the well-reviewed, Emmy-winning series “Counterpart” canceled? The sci-fi spy drama starring Oscar winner J.K. Simmons was just “too male” to earn a third season.
Speaking at the TCA summer press tour, Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch admitted that the show’s audience didn’t fit with the network’s female-focused strategy.
“‘Counterpart’ was a great show… and [series creator] Justin [Marks] is a great writer, but it was a very complicated show, a very male show. We had picked that show up and made a two season commitment before we’d honed in on this premium female strategy,” he said.
Hirsch explained that since it didn’t appeal to their “core premium female audience… we have to find something else. If it doesn’t serve our core strategy, we’re just not going to do it.”
The series starred Simmons as Howard Silk, a low-level employee in a Berlin-based UN spy agency. He discovers his organization safeguards a crossing into a parallel dimension that’s at war with ours, then must work with the only man he can trust, his near-identical counterpart from this other side.
The series earned a rare 100% Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes for both seasons and won an Emmy for Main Title Design.
“Counterpart” also developed a devoted fan following, but wasn’t able to attract, to quote Deadline’s story, “a broad audience.” Ahem.
You can still see Simmons in the newly returned “Veronica Mars” and reprising his role as blustery editor J. Jonah Jameson in “Spider-Man: Far from Home.”
Starz has renewed the half-hour drama series “Vida” for a third season.
This show stars This show follows the life of two Mexican-American sisters, Emma (Mishel Prada) and Lyn (Melissa Barrera), who move back to their childhood home in the Boyle Heights, neighborhood of Los Angeles after the death of their mother.
In the second season, Lyn and Emma begin rebuilding their mother’s business while trying to figure out what their mother’s legacy means to them.
All 10 episodes of Season 2, which just debuted on cable last Sunday, are currently available on the Starz app and Starz OnDemand.
“It is a rarity in television today to have a series earn this level of critical praise for two consecutive seasons and spark cultural conversation in the way that ‘Vida’ has,” said Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch. “We are proud to continue to tell this story with Tanya and the incredible cast and crew she has assembled.”
The series was created by Tanya Saracho, who’s also written for “Looking,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” and “Devious Maids.”
“Vida” received a 2019 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comedy Series.
