Yet it shares more in common with one of their lesser known projects, ‘Bunheads,’ which starred Sutton Foster as a Las Vegas showgirl who marries someone on a whim and ends up in their small home town, working with her mother-in-law at a ballet school. In ‘Étoile’s case, however, the setting is much grander, the stakes are higher and with a two-season order, its fate is much less dramatic.
(L to R) Dance performance from Etoile and Gideon Glick in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
Amy Sherman-Palladino has made no secret of her love for, and connection to, ballet. She trained as a dancer in her youth and was considering a career in the medium before TV writing and producing took over her life.
So with the success of ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ and her overall deal at Amazon, she and husband/creative partner Dan Palladino have gone all in on the new series, filling it with their usual rat-a-tat screwball comedy dialogue, plenty of crackling comebacks and enough drama to cross the Atlantic and travel between both New York and Paris.
And given their love for dancing, it’s naturally also a showcase for some truly superb artists, choreographers and others. Depending on your own appreciation for the wild world of creative types and the giant egos in the ballet sphere, chances are this will be your next binge watch.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Taïs Vinolo as Mishi Duplessis and Gideon Glick as Tobias Bell in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
The Sherman-Palladino duo are known, as we said before, for their script work, and here, gifted with a cast that can pull it off (including one who learned English for the role and manages to pull off the quickfire chat), their words are the highlight.
With a much-expanded canvas (previous shows were largely set in one locale, though ‘Mrs. Maisel’ had New York as its playground and sent its title character on tour in one season), the transatlantic storyline of two famous ballet companies trading stars to bolster both their futures offers ripe opportunities to explore an even wider group of characters.
The creative pair has not lost their touch for creating compelling roles and finding entertaining ways into the story, leaning on the funny but also adding plenty of heart as the various struggles and romances come into play.
And with just eight episodes here, they handle the lion’s share of directorial duties, finding interesting ways to shoot both the big performances that anchor a couple of episodes but also focusing on the people behind the scenes.
The different cities’ settings provide appealing backdrops for the various story machinations.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Yanic Truesdale as Raphaël Marchand and Charlotte Gainsbourg as Geneviève Lavigne in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
The series’ cast is a mixture of players who have worked with the creators before, some acting veterans and interesting people who American audiences might not be so familiar with.
Luke Kirby, who was so good in a supporting role as Lenny Bruce on ‘Maisel’ here shoulders the lead role of Jack McMillan, the harried head of the New York Met ballet company. His family legacy is tied to the building and those who learn to dance within its walls, and he’s endlessly trying to figure out how to manage the gargantuan egos around him (his own is not exactly tiny).
Kirby is fantastic in the role, a mixture of stressed live wire and head cheerleader for the company, and he’s our guide into the world (his mother is played to perfection in a supporting turn from ‘Gilmore Girls’ Kelly Bishop).
Charlotte Gainsbourg is Geneviève Lavigne, Jack’s opposite number in Paris, who has her own issues to deal with. Gainsbourg brings energy and brio to the role, and her chemistry with Kirby is palpable.
Lou de Laâge as Cheyenne Toussaint in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
Lou de Laâge provides a bubble of French sarcasm as ace dancer Cheyenne Toussaint, the lead at the Paris company who is traded for a season to New York. She’s a tornado in a tutu (though rarely seen in one, since her dance costumes are much more subtle) and steals a number of the season’s best scenes, including one where she scares off prospective male dance partners by regaling them with a shocking story about her mother cutting off men’s genitals.
Elsewhere, there are reliable, funny turns from veteran British actors Simon Callow (as Crispin Shamblee, the billionaire of questionable ethics who funds the big trade) and fellow cast member from 1994 rom-com classic ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ David Haig as Nicholas Leutwylek, Jack’s hard-living, jovial creative director whose health and partying ways are a constant source of comedy.
And ‘Gilmore Girls’ fans will be happy to see the return of Yanic “Michel” Truesdale as Geneviève’s right hand man Raphaël Marchand. And yes, he displays nuclear levels of sarcasm himself at times.
Final Thoughts
Luke Kirby as Jack McMillan in ‘Étoile’. Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime Video.
‘Étoile’ should instantly delight fans of the Sherman-Palladino-verse, and at a time when the arts are under attack in funding terms, it’s nice to celebrate the power of music and dance.
And with another season already commissioned, there’s more to look forward to, and hopefully it’ll undo one of the few mistakes of the season, a final episode plot twist that doesn’t quite make sense.
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What’s the plot of ‘Étoile’ Season 1?
Set in New York City and Paris, the eight-episode ‘Étoile’ follows the dancers and artistic staff of two world-renowned ballet companies, as they embark on an ambitious gambit to save their storied institutions by swapping their most talented stars.
The 75th Emmy Awards ceremony was broadcast Monday night.
‘Succession’, ‘Beef’ and ‘The Bear’ scooped a lot of awards.
The show also brought out casts from veteran series.
While there have been a number of award ceremonies (the Directors Guild, the Critics Choice Association) that feature television among their trophies, Monday night was the big one for TV –– the 75th Emmys. Delayed from September last year (so these are technically the 2023 Emmys), they were finally handed out Monday night.
In the lead up to the award, there were questions as to whether there would be a lot of repeat winners, including ‘Ted Lasso’, which has done well in recent years, and whether that, along with ‘Succession’, would benefit from voters looking to reward them for their final seasons (neither show, let’s be honest has needed it, but the fact remains).
‘Succession’ once again dominated, along with ‘Beef’ (in limited series categories) and ‘The Bear’, the three shows winning multiple awards, to no-one’s surprise.
Anthony Anderson proved to be an engaged and entertaining host, kicking things off with a tribute to the television he loved growing up and popping up to move things along from time to time (at one point donning an ‘American Horror Story’ gimp suit), with his mother, Doris, acting as a human alternative to play off music (also used judiciously so the joke never wore thin).
Aside from the awards, the show looked to generate buzz by reuniting the casts of some classic and iconic shows including ‘Cheers’, ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, the latter an odd once since it’s still on the air (but everyone still thinks of the original lineup).
Those were much more of a mixed bag –– the ‘Cheers’ gang were game and warm, but does it really count as a ‘Game of Thrones’ reunion when it’s just Peter Dinklage?
(L to R) Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans, Brian Cox as Logan Roy, and Nicholas Braun as Greg Hirsch on HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Macall B. Polay/HBO.
Beau Willimon (‘Andor’)
Sharon Horgan, Dave Finkel, Brett Baer (‘Bad Sisters’)
Outstanding Writing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
(L to R) Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of ‘BEEF’ at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
Outstanding Directing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
(L to R) Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun attend Netflix’s Los Angeles premiere of ‘BEEF’ at Netflix Tudum Theater on March 30, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix.
Lee Sung Jin (‘Beef’)
Jake Schreier (‘Beef’)
Carl Franklin (‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’)
Paris Barclay (‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’)
(L to R) Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, and Kieran Culkin in season 4 of HBO’s ‘Succession.’ Photograph by Claudette Barius/HBO.
The 2023 Emmy Award nominees were announced this morning during a virtual event hosted by actor Yvette Nicole Brown and TV Academy chair Frank Scherma.
The biggest changes this year were positive forward movement for Asian and Latino representation, with the likes of ‘Beef’, ‘Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega and ‘The Last of Us’ Pedro Pascal breaking through in various categories.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
For the Emmy Academy’s complete list, click here. The awards ceremony is scheduled for September 18th, the ongoing writers’ strike and a potential actors’ strike may well result in a delay.
(L to R) Sadie Sink, Noah Schapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin in Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things.’
If you’re a TV fan, it has felt a little like “The Night Of The Long Knives” in the last day or so, as several popular shows announced their final seasons.
Fortunately, while disappointing that the likes of ‘Stranger Things’, ‘Atlanta’ and ‘The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel’ will be coming to an end, there’s a feeling that it represents the show’s various creators are all going out on their own terms.
For ‘Stranger Things’ – which, due to its complicated storylines, young cast and pandemic delays has been off screens since Season 3 finished in 2019.
Now, we finally know that Season 4 of the show is headed our way in two parts this year, with the first kicking off on Netflix on May 27 and the second on July 1.
Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 begins on on May 27th.
“Seven years ago, we planned out the complete arc for ‘Stranger Things’, said show creators Matt and Ross Duffer. “At the time, we predicted the story would be four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but – as you’ll soon see for yourselves – we are now hurtling towards our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season. Season 5 will be the last.”
Yes, that little bombshell at the end of the Season 4 statement comes like a stalking Demogorgon. But if you’re thinking that that’ll be the definitive end of the show then A) you’re clearly not used to how popular, zeitgeisty series like this work and B) there are major hints of something in the works beyond the fifth season in another note… “There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of ‘Stranger Things’”. Plus, the Duffers mention “new adventures, new mysteries, new unexpected heroes”.
But that’s for (probably) next year. Here’s what we can expect in Season 4… “It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time –and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.”
Season 4 sees Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and some of the other characters relocated to California, but there’s plenty of drama to be found there, while we’re fairly sure it’ll all end up in Hawkins, Indiana where everything began.
(L to R) Brian Tyree Henry, Lakeith Stanfield, and Donald Glover in FX and Hulu’s ‘Atlanta.’
And if you thought ‘Stranger Things’ fans had a wait, spare a thought for those who love ‘Atlanta.’ Donald Glover’s story of rappers, friends, weirdos, and partners has been away since the end of Season 2 in 2018. Yes, it’s been nearly four years, but the series returns for Season 3 on March 24 via FX and Hulu.
The new season sees Darius (Lakeith Stanfield), Earn (Glover), Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry) and more headed on tour in Europe, with all the misunderstandings and comedy that ensues. Yet even here there was word that Glover is moving on – Seasons 3 and 4 were shot back-to-back and the fourth will arrive in the fall.
“Death is natural,” Glover said during FX’s portion of the Television Critics Association winter press tour. “I feel like when the conditions are right for something, they happen, and when the conditions aren’t right, they don’t happen. I don’t feel any longevity. Because then things start to get weird. The story was always supposed to be what it was. And the story, it really was us. Everybody in that writers’ room, everybody on set. It really was what we were going through and what we talked about. … I think it ends perfectly.”
Rachel Brosnahan in Amazon Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
Finally, there’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ which has been charting the stand-up aspirations and family frustrations of Rachel Brosnahan’s Miriam “Midge” Maisel. Created by ‘Gilmore Girls’ veteran Amy Sherman-Palladino, the show has run for three seasons on Prime Video, and the fourth starts today.
The company announced that Season 5 will wrap up the story, and that it’s already shooting in New York.
Yet if you’re unhappy to see a favorite show ending, take heart: there is plenty still to watch, and a couple of series have announced new developments.
Kirsten Dunst in FX’s ‘Fargo’ season 2. Photo: Mathias Clamer/FX.
‘Fargo’, created for TV by Noah Hawley, is officially renewed by FX for Season 5, though there is no word on a premiere date yet. We do know it’ll be set in 2019 and offers the tantalizing tagline: “when is a kidnapping not a kidnapping, and what if your wife isn’t yours?” Could it be hinting at hewing closer to the Coen brothers movie that originally inspired it?
Finally, news from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s TV arm, as ‘Loki’, which we already knew would return for a second season, has directors Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead on board to film most of its episodes. The duo, who made movies such as ‘Synchronic’ and ‘The Endless’, also worked on Marvel’s upcoming ‘Moon Knight’, which stars Oscar Isaac and debuts on Disney+ on March 30.
(L to R) Wunmi Mosaku, Tom Hiddleston, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Owen Wilson in Disney+’s ‘Loki.’
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is finally set to make its triumphant return to the spotlight, with the Emmy-winning Amazon Prime series announcing a premiere date for its third season.
The show will be back just in time for the holiday season, with season three set to debut on December 6. “Mrs. Maisel” also dropped a new season three trailer, packed with the show’s signature witty banter (thanks, Amy Sherman-Palladino) and a brief glimpse of new guest star Sterling K. Brown.
Details about Brown’s character haven’t been revealed yet, and his appearance in the clip doesn’t give much away, either, though his presence alone is enough to get us excited. We see him approach Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) and her manager, Susie (Alex Borstein), on an airplane, wishing them “happy flying,” though Susie — mid-gulp of an adult beverage — doesn’t look particularly pleased.
Season three of the series follows Midge as she sets out on a stand-up tour of the U.S. and Europe, serving as the opening act for crooner Shy Baldwin (Leroy McClain). Part of the season was shot in Miami, and the locale’s sun-kissed color palette lends an additional air of whimsy to the trailer. Looks like fans of “Mrs. Maisel” should be plenty happy with these new episodes.
That makes Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty even stronger frontrunners to win the adapted Oscar. However, Bo Burnham isn’t even nominated for the original Oscar.
In his speech, Burnham joked, “Have fun at the Oscars, losers!”
On the television side, “The Americans” continued to rake in awards for its final season, while “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” continued its streaking of winning everything in sight.
Here’s the full list of 2019 WGA Award winners:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
“Eighth Grade,” Written by Bo Burnham; A24 (WINNER)
“Green Book,” Written by Nick Vallelonga & Brian Currie & Peter Farrelly; Universal Pictures
“A Quiet Place,” Screenplay by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck and John Krasinski, Story by Bryan Woods & Scott Beck; Paramount Pictures
“Roma,” Written by Alfonso Cuarón; Netflix
“Vice,” Written by Adam McKay; Annapurna Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
“BlacKkKlansman,” Written by Charlie Wachtel & David Rabinowitz and Kevin Willmott & Spike Lee, Based on the book by Ron Stallworth; Focus Features
“Black Panther,” Written by Ryan Coogler & Joe Robert Cole, Based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” Screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, Based on the book by Lee Israel; Fox Searchlight (WINNER)
“If Beale Street Could Talk,” Screenplay by Barry Jenkins, Based on the novel by James Baldwin; Annapurna Pictures
“A Star is Born,” Screenplay by Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters, Based on the 1954 screenplay by Moss Hart and the 1976 screenplay by John Gregory Dunne & Joan Didion and Frank Pierson, Based on a story by William Wellman and Robert Carson; Warner Bros.
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
“Bathtubs Over Broadway,” Written by Ozzy Inguanzo & Dava Whisenant; Focus Features (WINNER)
“Fahrenheit 11/9,” Written by Michael Moore; Briarcliff Entertainment
“Generation Wealth,” Written by Lauren Greenfield; Amazon Studios
“In Search of Greatness,” Written by Gabe Polsky; Art of Sport
VIDEO GAME WRITING
“Assassin’s Creed Odyssey,” Associate Narrative Directors Matthew Zagurak, Joel Janisse, James Richard Mittag; Narrative Director Melissa MacCoubrey; Story by Jonathan Dumont, Melissa MacCoubrey, Hugo Giard; Scriptwriters Madeleine Hart, Betty Robertson, Jesse Scoble, Diana Sherman, Kelly Bender, Jojo Chia, Ian Fun, Zachary M. Parris, Ken Williamson, Daniel Bingham, Jordan Lemos, Simon Mackenzie, Katelyn MacMullin, Susan Patrick, Alissa Ralph, Stephen Rhodes; Team Lead Writer Sam Gill; AI Writers Jonathan Flieger, Kimberly Ann Sparks; Ubisoft Quebec
“Batman: The Enemy Within,” Episode 5-Same Stitch, Lead Writer James Windeler; Written by Meghan Thornton, Ross Beeley, Lauren Mee; Story by Meghan Thornton, Michael Kirkbride; Telltale Games
“God of War,” Written by Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert, Cory Barlog; Story and Narrative Design Lead Matt Sophos; Story and Narrative Design Richard Zangrande Gaubert; Narrative Design Orion Walker, Adam Dolin; Sony Interactive Entertainment (WINNER)
“Marvel’s Spider-Man,” Story Lead Jon Paquette; Writers Benjamin Arfmann, Kelsey Beachum; Co-Written by Christos Gage; Additional Story Contributions by Dan Slott; Insomniac Games & Sony Interactive Entertainment
“Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire,” Narrative Designers Alex Scokel, Eric Fenstermaker, Kate Dollarhyde, Megan Starks, Olivia Veras, Paul Kirsch; Additional Writing Tony Evans, John Schmautz, Casey Hollingshead, Nitai Poddar; Narrative Design Leads Carrie Patel, Josh Sawyer; Obsidian Entertainment
DRAMA SERIES
“The Americans,” Written by Peter Ackerman, Hilary Bettis, Joshua Brand, Joel Fields, Sarah Nolen, Stephen Schiff, Justin Weinberger, Joe Weisberg, Tracey Scott Wilson; FX Networks (WINNER)
“Better Call Saul,” Written by Ann Cherkis, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, Heather Marion, Bob Odenkirk, Thomas Schnauz, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock; AMC
“The Crown,” Written by Tom Edge, Amy Jenkins, Peter Morgan; Netflix
“The Handmaid’s Tale,” Written by Yahlin Chang, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, John Herrera, Lynn Renee Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, Eric Tuchman; Hulu
“Succession,” Written by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Jon Brown, Jonathan Glatzer, Anna Jordan, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Susan Soon He Stanton, Daniel Zelman; HBO
COMEDY SERIES
“Atlanta,” Written by Ibra Ake, Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Taofik Kolade, Jamal Olori, Stefani Robinson, Paul Simms; FX Networks
“Barry,” Written by Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Emily Heller, Liz Sarnoff, Ben Smith, Sarah Solemani; HBO
“GLOW,” Written by Liz Flahive, Tara Herrmann, Nick Jones, Jenji Kohan, Carly Mensch, Marquita Robinson, Kim Rosenstock, Sascha Rothchild, Rachel Shukert; Netflix
“The Good Place,” Written by Megan Amram, Christopher Encell, Kate Gersten, Cord Jefferson, Andrew Law, Joe Mande, Kassia Miller, Dylan Morgan, Matt Murray, Rae Sanni, Daniel Schofield, Michael Schur, Josh Siegal, Jen Statsky, Tyler Staessle; NBC
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Written by Kate Fodor, Noah Gardenswartz, Jen Kirkman, Sheila Lawrence, Daniel Palladino, Amy Sherman Palladino; Prime Video (WINNER)
NEW SERIES
“Barry,” Written by Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Emily Heller, Liz Sarnoff, Ben Smith, Sarah Solemani; HBO (WINNER)
“The Haunting of Hill House,” Written by Meredith Averill, Charise Castro Smith, Mike Flanagan, Jeff Howard, Rebecca Leigh Klingel, Scott Kosar, Liz Phang; Netflix
“Homecoming,” Written by Micah Bloomberg, Cami Delavigne, Eli Horowitz, Shannon Houston, Eric Simonson, David Wiener; Prime Video
“Pose,” Written by Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk, Todd Kubrak, Janet Mock, Ryan Murphy, Our Lady J; FX Networks
“Succession,” Written by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Jon Brown, Jonathan Glatzer, Anna Jordan, Lucy Prebble, Georgia Pritchett, Tony Roche, Susan Soon He Stanton, Daniel Zelman; HBO
LONG FORM ORIGINAL
“Castle Rock,” Writers: Marc Bernardin, Scott Brown, Lila Byock, Mark Lafferty, Sam Shaw, Dustin Thomason, Gina Welch, Vinnie Wilhelm; Hulu (WINNER)
“My Dinner with Hervé,” Teleplay by Sacha Gervasi, Story by Sacha Gervasi & Sean Macaulay; HBO
“Paterno,” Written by Debora Cahn and John C. Richards; HBO
LONG FORM ADAPTED
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” Writers: Maggie Cohn, Tom Rob Smith, Based on the book Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth; FX Networks (WINNER)
“The Looming Tower,” Writers: Bash Doran, Dan Futterman, Alex Gibney, Shannon Houston, Adam Rapp, Ali Selim, Lawrence Wright, Based on the book The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright; Hulu
“Maniac,” Writers: Nick Cuse, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Amelia Gray, Danielle Henderson, Mauricio Katz, Patrick Somerville, Caroline Williams, Based on the Norwegian television series Maniac by Espen PA Lervaag, Håakon Bast Mossige, Kjetil Indregard and Ole Marius Araldsen; Netflix
“Sharp Objects,” Writers: Ariella Blejer, Scott Brown, Vince Calandra, Gillian Flynn, Dawn Kamoche, Alex Metcalf, Marti Noxon, Based upon the book written by Gillian Flynn; HBO
SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA ORIGINAL
“After Forever,” Written by Michael Slade & Kevin Spirtas; Vimeo.com
“Class of Lies,” Written by Tessa Leigh Williams; Snapchat (WINNER)
“Love Daily,” Written by: Lauren Ciaravalli, Andrew Eisen, Aaron Eisenberg, Will Eisenberg, Alexis Jacknow, Nathaniel Katzman, Yulin Kuang, Nathan Larkin-Connolly, Alexis Roblan, Bennet D. Silverman, Ryan Wood; Go90.com
“West 40s,” Written by Mark Sam Rosenthal & Brian Sloan; West40s.com
SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA ADAPTED
“The Walking Dead: Red Machete,” Written by Nick Bernardone; AMC.com
ANIMATION
“Bart’s Not Dead” (The Simpsons), Written by Stephanie Gillis; Fox (WINNER)
“Boywatch” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Rich Rinaldi; Fox
“Just One of the Boyz 4 Now for Now” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Lizzie Molyneux & Wendy Molyneux; Fox
“Krusty the Clown” (The Simpsons), Written by Ryan Koh; Fox
“Mo Mommy Mo Problems” (Bob’s Burgers), Written by Steven Davis; Fox
“Send in Stewie, Please” (Family Guy), Written by Gary Janetti; Fox
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Camelot” (“Narcos: Mexico”), Written by Eric Newman & Clayton Trussell; Netflix
“The Car” (“This Is Us”), Written by Isaac Aptaker & Elizabeth Berger; NBC
“Episode 407” (“The Affair”), Teleplay by Lydia Diamond and Sarah Sutherland, Story by Jaquen Tee Castellanos and Sarah Sutherland; Showtime
“First Blood” (“The Handmaid’s Tale”), Written by Eric Tuchman; Hulu
“Paean To The People” (“Homeland”), Written by Alex Gansa; Showtime (WINNER)
“The Precious Blood of Jesus” (“Ozark”), Written by David Manson; Netflix
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Another Place” (“Forever”), Teleplay by Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard, Story by Aniz Adam Ansari; Prime Video
“Chapter One: Make Your Mark” (“Barry”), Written by Alec Berg & Bill Hader; HBO (WINNER)
“Halibut!” (“Santa Clarita Diet”), Written by Victor Fresco; Netflix
“Kimmy and the Beest!” (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Written by Robert Carlock; Netflix
“Pilot” (“The Kids Are Alright”), Written by Tim Doyle; ABC
“Who Knows Better Than I” (“Orange Is the New Black”), Written by Jenji Kohan; Netflix
COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES
“Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” Writers: Kristen Bartlett, Samantha Bee, Ashley Nicole Black, Pat Cassels, Mike Drucker, Eric Drysdale, Mathan Erhardt, Joe Grossman, Miles Kahn, Nicole Silverberg, Melinda Taub; TBS
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver;” Writers: Tim Carvell, Raquel D’Apice, Josh Gondelman, Dan Gurewitch, Jeff Maurer, Daniel O’Brien, John Oliver, Brian Parise, Owen Parsons, Ben Silva, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Seena Vali, Juli Weiner; HBO (WINNER)
“Late Night with Seth Meyers;” Supervising Writers: Sal Gentile, Seth Reiss; Writers: Jermaine Affonso, Alex Baze, Bryan Donaldson, Matt Goldich, Dina Gusovsky, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, Amber Ruffin, Mike Shoemaker; NBC Universal
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Head Writers: Jay Katsir, Opus Moreschi; Writers: Emmy Blotnick, Michael Brumm, Aaron Cohen, Stephen T. Colbert, Cullen Crawford, Paul Dinello, Ariel Dumas, Glenn Eichler, Django Gold, Gabe Gronli, Greg Iwinski, Barry Julien, Daniel Kibblesmith, Matt Lappin, Michael Pielocik, Kate Sidley, Jen Spyra, Brian Stack, John Thibodeaux; CBS
COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
“At Home with Amy Sedaris,” Writers: Cindy Caponera, Paul Dinello, Jodi Lennon, Meredith Scardino, Amy Sedaris; truTV
“I Love You, America,” Head Writer: Dave Ferguson; Writers: Glenn Boozan, Leann Bowen, Raj Desai, Kyle Dunnigan, John Haskell, Tim Kalpakis, Opeyemi Olagbaju, Gavin Purcell, Diona Reasonover, Jocelyn Richard, Christopher J. Romano, Sarah Silverman, Beth Stelling, Dan Sterling, Nick Wiger; Hulu
“Nathan For You,” Writers: Leo Allen, Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kemper, Michael Koman, Adam Locke-Norton, Eric Notarnicola; Comedy Central (WINNER)
“Portlandia,” Writers: Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Jonathan Krisel, Karey Dornetto, Megan Neuringer, Phoebe Robinson, Graham Wagner; IFC
“Saturday Night Live,” Head Writers: Michael Che, Colin Jost, Kent Sublette, Bryan Tucker; Supervising Writers: Fran Gillespie, Sudi Green, Streeter Seidell; Writers: James Anderson, Kristen Bartlett, Megan Callahan, Steven Castillo, Andrew Dismukes, Anna Drezen, Claire Friedman, Alison Gates, Steve Higgins, Sam Jay, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Nick Kocher, Michael Koman, Alan Linic, Eli Coyote Mandel, Erik Marino, Dave McCary, Brian McElhaney, Dennis McNicholas, Lorne Michaels, Nimesh Patel, Josh Patten, Katie Rich, Simon Rich, Gary Richardson, Marika Sawyer, Pete Schultz, Mitch Silpa, Will Stephen, Julio Torres, Bowen Yang; NBC Universal
COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS
2018 Rose Parade Hosted by Cord & Tish, Written by Will Ferrell, Jake Fogelnest, Andrew Steele; Prime Video
Drew Michael Stand-Up Special, Written by Drew Michael; HBO
The Fake News with Ted Nelms, Written by John Aboud, Andrew Blitz, Michael Colton, Ed Helms, Elliott Kalan, Joseph Randazzo, Sara Schaefer; Comedy Central (WINNER)
The Oscars 2018, Written by Dave Boone, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks; Special Material Written by Megan Amram, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Gonzalo Cordova, Adam Carolla, Devin Field, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jesse Joyce, Bess Kalb, Jimmy Kimmel, Molly McNearney, Danny Ricker, Joe Strazzullo; ABC
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
“Hollywood Game Night,” Head Writers: Ann Slichter, Grant Taylor; Writers: Michael Agbabian, Alexandra Kokesh, Dwight D. Smith; NBC
“Jeopardy!,” Written by Matthew Caruso, John Duarte, Harry Friedman, Mark Gaberman, Deborah Griffin, Michele Loud, Robert McClenaghan, Jim Rhine, Steve D. Tamerius, Billy Wisse; ABC
“Paid Off with Michael Torpey,” Head Writer: Ethan Berlin; Writers: John Chaneski, Rosemarie DiSalvo, Leigh Hampton, Katie Hartman, Amanda Melson, Larry Owens, Jennie Sutton, Michael Torpey, Jeremy Weiner; truTV
“Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,” Head Writer: Stephen A. Melcher, Jr.; Writers: Kyle Beakley, Tom Cohen, Patricia A. Cotter, Ryan Hopak, Gary Lucy, James Rowley, Ann Slichter, Dylan Snowden; Disney/ABC Syndication (WINNER)
DAYTIME DRAMA
“Days of Our Lives,” Head Writer: Ron Carlivati; Writers: Sheri Anderson, Lorraine Broderick, David Cherrill, Joanna Cohen, Lisa Connor, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Cydney Kelley, David Kreizman, David A. Levinson, Rebecca McCarty, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Katherine Schock, Elizabeth Snyder, Tyler Topits; NBC
“General Hospital,” Head Writers: Shelly Altman, Christopher Van Etten; Writers: Barbara Bloom, Anna Theresa Cascio, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Donny Sheldon, Scott Sickles; ABC (WINNER)
CHILDREN’S EPISODIC AND SPECIALS
“Carnivorous Carnival: Part One” (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Teleplay by Joe Tracz; Netflix
“The Ersatz Elevator: Part One” (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Teleplay by Daniel Handler; Netflix (WINNER)
“For The Last Time” (Andi Mack), Written by Jonathan S. Hurwitz; Disney Channel
“Picture Day” (Alexa & Katie), Written by Ray Lancon; Netflix
“Warehouse Towel Fight” fka “Emil Strikes Back” (Prince of Peoria), Written by Marty Donovan; Netflix
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS
“Black Hole Apocalypse” (Nova), Written by Rushmore DeNooyer; PBS
“Blackout in Puerto Rico” (Frontline), Written by Rick Young; PBS
“The Gang Crackdown” (Frontline), Written by Marcela Gaviria; PBS
“Trump’s Takeover” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS (WINNER)
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“Bitter Rivals: Iran and Saudi Arabia – Part 1” (Frontline), Written by David Fanning & Linda Hirsch & Martin Smith; PBS
“The Circus, Part One” (American Experience), Written by Sharon Grimberg; PBS
“The Eugenics Crusade” (American Experience), Written by Michelle Ferrari; PBS (WINNER)
“Into The Amazon” (American Experience), Written by John Maggio; PBS
NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“Catastrophe” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Katie Kerbstat, Nicole Young; CBS News
“Las Vegas Massacre” (CBS Evening News with Anthony Mason), Written by Jerry Cipriano and Joe Clines; CBS News
“The Spotted Pig” (60 Minutes), Written by Anderson Cooper and Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News
NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“100,000 Women” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley and Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News
“On Broadway: Rodgers and Hammerstein” (CBS Sunday Morning), Written by Mo Rocca and Kay M. Lim; CBS News
“War Crime” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Katie Kerbstat, Nicole Young; CBS News
“Wounds of War” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Katie Kerbstat, Nicole Young; CBS News
DIGITAL NEWS
“D.C.’s Biggest Homeless Shelter Is About to Close. Will Amazon Take Its Place?,” Written by Emma Roller; Splinter
“How To Not Die In America,” Written by Molly Osberg; Splinter
“Inside The Culture Of Sexism At Riot Games,” Written by Cecilia D’Anastasio; Kotaku.com (WINNER)
RADIO/AUDIO DOCUMENTARY
“2017 Year in Review,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS News Radio
“RFK: 50 Years After Shots Rang Out at The Ambassador Hotel,” Written by Andrew Evans; ABC News Radio (WINNER)
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT—REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“5pm CBS News Radio Glor Newscast,” Written by James Hutton; CBS News Radio
“ABC News 6p Hourly 9-27-2018,” Written by Stephanie Pawlowski; ABC News Radio
“Remembering The Good, The Bad and the Brilliant,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS News Radio (WINNER)
“World News This Week 9-21-2018,” Written by Joan B. Harris; ABC News Radio
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“John McCain: A Life of Service,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS News Radio (WINNER)
“A Tribute to Le Grand Orange,” Written by Thomas A. Sabella; CBS Radio News
ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION)
“FBI 2018 Promo Reel,” Written by Ralph Buado; CBS
“Tribute to Star Trek for the 2019 Creative Arts Emmys,” Written by Sean Brogan; CBS (WINNER)
“Westworld: Season 2 Promo (Super Bowl spot),” Written by Jonathan Nolan; HBO
Rachel Brosnahan is having a very good week: After snagging her second straight Golden Globe statuette for Best Actress in a Comedy Series on Sunday night, the star is next set to host the first episode of “Saturday Night Live” of 2019.
“SNL” made the announcement on Twitter on Monday, revealing that Brosnahan would make her hosting debut on January 19. Grammy nominated rock band Greta Van Fleet will serve as musical guest during the episode.
Brosnahan will no doubt reference her star-making role as the titular housewife turned stand-up comic on “Mrs. Maisel,” which has earned plenty of accolades since its debut on Amazon in 2017. In addition to the actress’s Globes success, she also took home the Best Actress Emmy Award back in September, where the show also claimed the Best Comedy Series statuette.
According to TVLine, another new episode of “SNL” is slated to air on January 27, though no host has been announced just yet. The second half of season 44 will certainly have some tough acts to follow, since 2018 featured a starry lineup including Adam Driver, Steve Carell, Awkwafina, Jason Momoa, and Matt Damon.
Following the announcement of the Writers Guild of America Awards nominations on Monday, the Directors Guild of America has also unveiled a partial list of nominees for its annual honors.
The DGA announced nominations in three categories on Monday, including television, commercials, and documentaries. The guild’s feature film nominees will be revealed on Tuesday.
Those watching the Golden Globes ceremony on Sunday night may recognize a bunch of names on the DGA’s list, including Globes Best Drama winner “The Americans,” and other nominees including “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Ozark,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Barry,” and “Escape at Dannemora.” The Hollywood Reporter has a rundown of previously-announced special DGA honorees, additional details about each nominee, as well as the full list of commercial nominees.
The DGA Awards will be given out at a ceremony on Saturday, February 2 in Hollywood. Here are the nominations in the television and documentary categories:
DRAMATIC SERIES:
JASON BATEMAN Ozark, “Reparations”
(Netflix) Mr. Bateman’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Matthew Spiegel
· First Assistant Director: Peter Thorell
· Second Assistant Director: Jason Graham
· Second Second Assistant Director: Townson Wells
LESLI LINKA GLATTER Homeland, “Paean to the People”
(Showtime) Ms. Glatter’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Managers: Michael Klick, J. David Brightbill
· First Assistant Director: Sunday Stevens
· Second Assistant Director: Wendy Bledsoe
CHRIS LONG The Americans, “START”
(FX) Mr. Long’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Tyson Bidner
· First Assistant Director: Michelle Regina Iacobelli
· Second Assistant Director: Dave Fischer
· Location Manager: Michael Fucci
ADAM MCKAY Succession, “Celebration”
(HBO) Mr. McKay’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Regina Heyman
· First Assistant Director: Amy Lauritsen
· Second Assistant Director: Scott Bowers
· Second Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte
· Location Managers: Michael Kriaris, Patty Carey
DAINA REID The Handmaid’s Tale, “Holly”
(Hulu) Ms. Reid’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Joseph Boccia
COMEDY SERIES:
DONALD GLOVER Atlanta, “FUBU”
(FX) Mr. Glover’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Alex Orr
· First Assistant Director: Veronica A. Hodge‑Hampton
· Second Assistant Director: Amir R. Khan
· Second Second Assistant Director: Danielle King
BILL HADER Barry, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark”
(HBO) Mr. Hader’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Managers: Mark Tobey, Aida Rodgers
· First Assistant Director: Dale Stern
· Second Assistant Director: Michelle Gritzer
· Second Second Assistant Director: Chris Riddle
· Additional Second Assistant Director: Gary Cotti
HIRO MURAI Atlanta, “Teddy Perkins”
(FX) Mr. Murai’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Alex Orr
· First Assistant Director: Angela Gomes
· Second Assistant Director: Amir R. Khan
· Second Second Assistant Director: Danielle King
DANIEL PALLADINO The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “We’re Going to the Catskills!”
(Amazon) Mr. Palladino’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Dhana Rivera Gilbert
· First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
· Second Second Assistant Director: Michael Crupi
· Location Managers: Nick Thomason, Jose Guerrero
AMY SHERMAN‑PALLADINO The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “All Alone”
(Amazon) Ms. Sherman‑Palladino’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: Dhana Rivera Gilbert
· First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
· Second Assistant Director: Luca Waldman
· Assistant Unit Production Manager: Meghan K. Wicker
· Second Second Assistant Director: Billy Brennan
· Additional Second Assistant Director: Lucas Isabella
· Location Managers: Nick Thomason, Jose Guerrero
MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND LIMITED SERIES:
CARY JOJI FUKUNAGA Maniac
(Netflix) Mr. Fukunaga’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Manager: John P. Fedynich
· First Assistant Directors: Jon Mallard, Scott Bowers
· Second Assistant Director: Scott Bowers
· Second Second Assistant Directors: Alex Scricco, Mike Reiersen
· Additional Second Assistant Directors: Mike Reiersen, Jakub Porembski
· Location Manager: Ryan Smith
DAVID LEVEAUX (Directed By)
ALEX RUDZINSKI (Live Television Direction By) Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
(NBC) Directorial Team:
· Associate Directors: Carrie Havel, Adam Mishler, Sabrina Rufo Mishler
· Lead Stage Manager: Garry Hood
· Stage Managers: Cory Boulieris, Peter Epstein, Jeffry Gitter, Arthur Lewis, Seth Mellman, Jason Pacella, Cody Renard Richard, Karen Tasch Weiss
BARRY LEVINSON Paterno
(HBO) Mr. Levinson’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Managers: Lori Johnson, Amy Herman
· First Assistant Director: Karen Kane
· Second Assistant Director: Jason Graham
· Second Assistant Director: James Macolino
· Location Manager: Lynn Powers
BEN STILLER Escape at Dannemora
(Showtime) Mr. Stiller’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Managers: Adam Brightman, Bill Carraro
· First Assistant Directors: Lisa M. Rowe, Lyda Blank, Phillip A. Patterson
· Second Assistant Director: Kevin R. Shields
· Second Second Assistant Director: Luke A. Crawford
· Location Manager: Hyo Park
JEAN‑MARC VALLÉE Sharp Objects
(HBO) Mr. Vallée’s Directorial Team:
· Unit Production Managers: G.D. Fienberg, David Auge, Sean M. Gowrie
· First Assistant Directors: Urs Hirschbiegel, Eric Lasko
· Second Assistant Directors: Eric Lasko, Jeremy Reisig
· Second Second Assistant Directors: Jeremy Reisig, Courtni Tresemer
· Additional Second Assistant Directors: Jeff Overfield, Kate Pulley, Anneke Scott, Alina Gatti, Deborah Chung
PAUL G. CASEY Real Time with Bill Maher, “#1633” (HBO) Mr. Casey’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Stacy Talbot
Stage Managers: Patrick Whitney, Brian Anderson
SACHA BARON COHEN, NATHAN FIELDER, DANIEL GRAY LONGINO, DAN MAZER Who Is America?, “Episode 102” (Showtime) Directorial Team: Associate Director: Melanie J. Elin
Stage Managers: Cassandra B. Laymon, Jason Inman
JIM HOSKINSON The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “#480” (CBS) Mr. Hoskinson’s Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Yvonne De Mare, Karen Yaeger
Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
DON ROY KING Saturday Night Live, “Adam Driver; Kanye West” (NBC) Mr. King’s Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Bob Caminiti
Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly
PAUL PENNOLINO Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “Episode 502 ‑ Italian Election” (HBO) Mr. Pennolino’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson
Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Craig Spinney
VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS:
LOUIS J. HORVITZ The 60th Grammy Awards (CBS) Mr. Horvitz’s Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Richard A. Preuss, Ron Andreassen, Kate Hollanda, Sabrina Rufo Mishler, Booey Kober
Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Doug Smith, Benny Almont, Joey Despenzero, Peter Epstein, John Esposito, Andy Feigin, Doug Fogel, Tyler Goldman, Jeffry Gitter, Phyllis Digilio‑Kent, Arthur Lewis, Julie Lorusso, Jeff Markowitz, Seth Mellman, Cyndi Owgang, Jeff Pearl, Alfonso Pena, Annette Powlis, Kyle Ramdeen, Lauren Schneider, Eddie Valk, Karen Tasch Weiss
TIM MANCINELLI, GLENN CLEMENTS The Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018 (CBS) Directorial Team: Associate Director: Matt Powers
Stage Managers: Michael J. Schiff, Teri Pensky Hlubik, Noreen Dimster‑Denk, John O’Rourke, Tim Neven, Oliver Garrett
BETH McCARTHY‑MILLER Bill Maher: Live from Oklahoma (HBO) Ms. McCarthy‑Miller’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Stefani Cohen
Stage Manager: Gena Rositano
MARCUS RABOY Steve Martin & Martin Short “An Evening You Will Forget For the Rest of Your Life” (Netflix) Mr. Raboy’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Amy Kimelman
Stage Managers: Doug Fogel, Justin Higgins
GLENN WEISS The 72nd Annual Tony Awards (CBS) Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Robin Abrams, Stefani Cohen, Ricky Kirshner, Susan Kopensky
Stage Managers: Garry Hood, Peter Epstein, Joey Despenzero, Phyllis Digilio‑Kent, Andrew Feigin, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Arthur Lewis, Jeffrey M. Markowitz, Seth Mellman, Cyndi Owgang, Jeff Pearl, Alfonso Pena, Annette Powlis, Elise Reaves, Lauren Class Schneider, Eddie Valk
REALITY PROGRAMS:
NEIL P. DeGROOT Better Late Than Never,“How Do You Say Roots in German?” (NBC) Mr. DeGroot’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Andy Nelson
EYTAN KELLER Iron Chef Gauntlet, “Episode 201” (Food Network) Mr. Keller’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Anna Moulaison‑Moore
Stage Managers: Drew Lewandowski, Brady Hess
PATRICK McMANUS American Ninja Warrior, “Miami City Qualifiers” (NBC) Mr. McManus’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Dave Massey
Stage Manager: Joseph R. Osborne
RUSSELL NORMAN The Final Table, “Japan” (Netflix) Mr. Norman’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Carrie Havel
Lead Stage Manager: Jonathan Marks
Stage Managers: Daniel Curran, Mickel Picco
BERTRAM van MUNSTER The Amazing Race, “It’s Just a Million Dollars, No Pressure” (CBS) Mr. van Munster’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Elise Doganieri
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS:
ALLAN ARKUSH A Series of Unfortunate Events, “Hostile Hospital: Part 1”
(Netflix)
JACK JAMESON Sesame Street, “When You Wish Upon a Pickle: A Sesame Street Special” (HBO) Mr. Jameson’s Directorial Team: Associate Director: Ken Diego
Stage Managers: Shawn Havens, Mike Walker, Theresa Anderson
GREG MOTTOLA The Dangerous Book for Boys, “How to Walk on the Moon” (Amazon) Mr. Mottola’s Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Melissa Gelernter
First Assistant Director: Yann Sobezynski
Second Assistant Director: Mark Romanelli
Second Second Assistant Director: Lisa Simon
Location Manager: Guy Efrat
BARRY SONNENFELD A Series of Unfortunate Events, “The Vile Village: Part 1” (Netflix) Mr. Sonnenfeld’s Directorial Team: First Assistant Director: Paul C. Domick
Second Assistant Director: Megan M. Shank
BO WELCH A Series of Unfortunate Events, “The Ersatz Elevator: Part 1”
(Netflix)
DOCUMENTARY:
MORGAN NEVILLE Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
(Focus Features)
RAMELL ROSS Hale County This Morning, This Evening
(Idiom Film and Louverture Films)
ELIZABETH CHAI VASARHELYI & JIMMY CHIN Free Solo
(National Geographic Documentary Films)
TIM WARDLE Three Identical Strangers
(Neon and CNN Films)
With each “Mission: Impossible” movie, Tom Cruise puts himself further in harm’s way. In “Fallout,” now available on Digital HD, he jumps out of planes, races across Paris on a motorcycle, runs across rooftops (and breaking his ankle in the process), and flies a helicopter. At this point, aside from being one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, he’s also probably one of its top stuntmen.
The movie arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on December 4 (and is already available on Digital HD).
Watch Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie talk about how they pulled off that crazy rooftop scene:
“The Conjuring” universe just keeps getting bigger and scarier. In this spinoff, a priest with a haunted past and a novice are sent by the Vatican to investigate the death of a nun in Romania. They uncover an unholy secret and are forced to confront a malevolent force. Not only are their lives at risk — so are their very souls. Don’t watch this at night.
The movie arrives on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on December 4 (and is already available on Digital HD).
This black comedy combines two things we never thought would go together: murder and puppets. Produced by The Jim Henson Company, the film follows a former puppet cop and his human partner (Melissa McCarthy) investigating the deaths of former sitcom stars. The movie arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on December 4.
Watch an exclusive clip of the cast’s “ad libs” below:
Why isn’t Oscar Isaac the hero of every movie? He takes his rightful place on center stage in this drama based on the true story of Israeli spies in the ’60s seeking to capture former Nazi officer Adolf Eichmann (Ben Kingsley).
The movie arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on December 4.
This faith-based movie centers on a young mother who loses her husband in Afghanistan and struggles to raise their young daughter alone. When an up-and-coming race car driver enters their lives, she has to decide whether to join his fast-paced life or follow a path provided by God. Available on Digital HD.
‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ (December 5)
The Emmy-winning Amazon series returns for a second season to follow the continuing adventures of Midge (Rachel Brosnahan), a housewife turned aspiring stand-up comic. Her roller coaster life takes her to Paris, brings a new day job, and even finds a new love interest (Zachary Levi). Available to stream on Amazon Prime on December 5.
It’s all big hair, big smiles and big Southern charm in this dramedy, which follows follows Willowdean (Danielle Macdonald), the plus-sized daughter of an overbearing Texas pageant queen (Jennifer Aniston). She decides to enter the local Miss Teen Blue Bonnet competition, with an an assist from drag queens (“the closest thing you can get to Dolly Parton around here”).
Director Andy Serkis puts his motion capture acting experience to good use in this “dark and gritty” retelling of “The Jungle Book.” A boy, who has never truly belonged in either the wilds of the jungle or the civilized world of man, must must navigate the inherent dangers of each on a journey to discover where he truly belongs. Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch and Serkis provide voices and performance capture for the various jungle creatures.
‘Nailed It! Holiday’ (December 7)
‘Tis the season for festive dessert fails! The baking show returns for a seven-episode holiday special where Nicole Byer and Jacques Torres host, judge, and mentor the amateur, not-very-good bakers competing to make the not-worst cookies, cakes, pies, and desserts.
‘Top Chef: Kentucky’ Season Premiere, Bravo (December 6)
The 16th season of the reality cooking competition show heads to the Bluegrass State, where 15 talented chefs slice, dice, roast, and fry their way to winning the ultimate title.
‘The Flash: Elseworlds – Part 1,’ The CW (December 9)
The CW’s annual DC crossover event with three shows kicks off, first with “The Flash,” followed the next night by “Arrow,” and then finally “Supergirl.” The “Elseworlds” crossover will introduce Batwoman and Lois Lane to the universe and bring back Superman.
Amazon Prime Video just dropped the official trailer for Season 2, which premieres December 5.
The series is hot off its eight 2018 Emmy wins — including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for Rachel Brosnahan, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Alex Borstein, plus writing and directing awards for its creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Season 2 will feature Zachary Levi in a recurring role as Midge’s new love interest. Amazon has already renewed the show for Season 3.
Here’s the the bright, lively, effervescent official trailer:
Here’s more on the show, and the new season, per Amazon:
About ‘The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel’: In 1958 New York, Midge Maisel’s life is on track- husband, kids, and elegant Yom Kippur dinners in their Upper West Side apartment. But when her life takes a surprise turn, she has to quickly decide what else she’s good at – and going from housewife to stand-up comic is a wild choice to everyone but her. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is written and directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls).
About ‘The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel’ Season 2: After Midge’s triumph at the Gaslight, the fallout from her takedown of Sophie Lennon looms large, making her climb up the comedy ladder more challenging than ever. As the actual grind of being a comic begins to take its toll on Midge, the pressure to come clean to her family weighs on her – especially as her choices have a ripple effect on everyone around her.
