The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) tonight announced the winners of the 2018 Writers Guild Awards for outstanding achievement in writing for film, television, new media, videogames, news, radio/audio, promotional, and graphic animation categories at concurrent ceremonies at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and the Edison Ballroom in New York City.
FILM WINNERS
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Get Out, Written by Jordan Peele; Universal Pictures
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Call Me by Your Name, Screenplay by James Ivory; Based on the Novel by André Aciman; Sony Pictures Classics
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Jane, Written by Brett Morgen; National Geographic
TELEVISION AND NEW MEDIA WINNERS
DRAMA SERIES
The Handmaid’s Tale, Written by Ilene Chaiken, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, Leila Gerstein, John Herrera, Lynn Renee Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, Wendy Straker Hauser, Eric Tuchman; Hulu
COMEDY SERIES
Veep, Written by Gabrielle Allan, Rachel Axler, Ted Cohen, Jennifer Crittenden, Alex Gregory, Steve Hely, Peter Huyck, Erik Kenward, Billy Kimball, David Mandel, Ian Maxtone-Graham, Dan Mintz, Lew Morton, Georgia Pritchett, Will Smith; HBO
NEW SERIES
The Handmaid’s Tale, Written by Ilene Chaiken, Nina Fiore, Dorothy Fortenberry, Leila Gerstein, John Herrera, Lynn Renee Maxcy, Bruce Miller, Kira Snyder, Wendy Straker Hauser, Eric Tuchman; Hulu
ORIGINAL LONG FORM
Flint, Written by Barbara Stepansky; Lifetime
ADAPTED LONG FORM
Big Little Lies, Teleplay by David E. Kelley, Based on the Novel by Liane Moriarty; HBO
ADAPTED SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA
“Starboy” (Zac & Mia), Teleplay by Allen Clary and Andrew Rothschild, Based on the novel Zac & Mia by A.J. Betts; go90.com
ANIMATION
“Time’s Arrow” (BoJack Horseman), Written by Kate Purdy; Netflix
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Chicanery” (Better Call Saul), Written by Gordon Smith; AMC
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Rosario’s Quinceanera” (Will & Grace), Written by Tracy Poust & Jon Kinnally; NBC
COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Writers: Tim Carvell, Josh Gondelman, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Juli Weiner, Ben Silva, Seena Vali; HBO
COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
Saturday Night Live, Head Writers: Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Bryan Tucker, Writers: James Anderson, Kristen Bartlett, Jeremy Beiler, Neal Brennan, Zack Bornstein, Joanna Bradley, Megan Callahan, Michael Che, Anna Drezen, Fran Gillespie, Sudi Green, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Nick Kocher, Michael Koman, Dave McCary, Brian McElhaney, Dennis McNicholas, Drew Michael, Lorne Michaels, Josh Patten, Katie Rich, Pete Schultz, Streeter Seidell, Will Stephen, Kent Sublette, Julio Torres; NBC Universal
COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS
39th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, Written by Dave Boone; CBS
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Hollywood Game Night, Head Writer: Grant Taylor; Writers: Michael Agbabian, Alex Chauvin, Ann Slichter, Dwight D. Smith; NBC
DAYTIME DRAMA
General Hospital, Head Writers: Shelly Altman, Jean Passanante; Writers: Anna Theresa Cascio, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Dave Rupel, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Christopher Van Etten, Christopher Whitesell; ABC
CHILDREN’S EPISODIC AND SPECIALS
“An American Girl Story – Ivy & Julie 1976: A Happy Balance” (American Girl), Written by May Chan; Amazon
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS
“Confronting ISIS” (Frontline), Written by Martin Smith; PBS
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“The Great War, Part II” (American Experience), Written by Stephen Ives; PBS
NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“White Helmets” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Nicole Young, Katie Kerbstat; CBS News
NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Chief of Chobani” (60 Minutes), Written by Steve Kroft, Oriana Zill de Granados; CBS News
DIGITAL NEWS
“The Super Predators,” Written by Melissa Jeltsen, Dana Liebelson; Huffingtonpost.com
RADIO/AUDIO WINNERS
RADIO/AUDIO DOCUMENTARY
“CBS Radio 90th Anniversary,” Written by Dianne E. James, Gail Lee; CBS News Radio
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“World News This Week: June 9, 2017,” Written by Tara Gimbel Tanis; ABC News Radio
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Dishin’ Digital on WCBS-AM,” Written by Robert Hawley; WCBS
PROMOTIONAL WINNERS
ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION)
“CBS Comedy,” Written by Dan Greenberger; CBS Television
VIDEOGAME WINNER
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN VIDEOGAME WRITING
Horizon Zero Dawn, Narrative Director John Gonzalez; Lead Writer Benjamin McCaw; Writing by Ben Schroder, Anne Toole; Additional Writing by Dee Warrick, Meg Jayanth; Guerrilla Games
Emmy and Grammy-winning actor-writer-comedian Patton Oswalt (Happy!, A.P. Bio, Annihilation) hosted the WGAW’s West Coast ceremony. Presenters who appeared in Los Angeles included: Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress Glenn Close (Damages, Albert Nobbs); Golden Globe-nominated actress Alison Brie (GLOW, The Post, The Disaster Artist); Emmy-nominated Better Call Saul star, The Post co-star, and Emmy-winning writer Bob Odenkirk; Oscar-nominated Lady Bird screenwriter-director Greta Gerwig; Oscar, Get Out co-star Bradley Whitford; Emmy, and Golden Globe-nominated actress and Speechless co-star Minnie Driver; Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress Jane Lynch (Hollywood Game Night, Manhunt: Unabomber, Criminal Minds, Glee); Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated actor Sir Patrick Stewart (Logan, Blunt Talk); Emmy-nominated actress and Emmy-winning writer Wanda Sykes (black-ish); Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star Terry Crews; SAG Awards-nominated Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-star and WGA-nominated Parks and Recreationwriter Chelsea Peretti; The Jim Jefferies Show star Jim Jefferies; LA to Vegas star and Golden Globe-winning actor Dylan McDermott; Emmy-winning comedian-actress-writer Sarah Silverman (Sarah Silverman: We Are Miracles, Bob’s Burgers); Emmy-winning comedian-actress Kathy Griffin (Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List); Ivory Aquino (When We Rise); Rob Riggle (Angie Tribeca, Modern Family, SNL); producers Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher (Divergent, The Great Gatsby); and a live performance by Puddles Pity Party.
In addition, the WGAW presented several honorary awards during its West Coast ceremony: Emmy-winning Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story star Glenn Close presented the WGAW’s Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement to Emmy-winning writer-producer Alison Cross (Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story, Roe vs. Wade, S.W.A.T.); Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher presented the WGAW’s Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement to Writers Guild and Academy Award-winning screenwriter-director-producer James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News, As Good As It Gets); When We Rise co-star Ivory Aquino presented the WGAW’s Valentine Davies Award to Writers Guild and Academy Award-winning screenwriter and LGBTQ rights activist Dustin Lance Black (Milk, When We Rise) for his social activism which has positively impacted the LGBTQ community; Washington Post Executive Editor Martin “Marty” Baron presented the WGAW’s Paul Selvin Award to The Post screenwriters Liz Hannah and Josh Singer, whose Post screenplay embodies the spirit of constitutional and civil rights and liberties, including the First Amendment and freedom of the press.
Attendees at the WGAW’s show included: The Big Sick co-screenwriter/star Kumail Nanjiani and co-screenwriter Emily V. Gordon; Big Little Lies creator David E. Kelley and actress Michelle Pfeiffer (The Wizard of Lies, mother!); TV host Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live, 90th Academy Awards); Oscar-nominated Get Out screenwriter/director Jordan Peele; Oscar-nominated The Shape of Water co-screenwriter/directorGuillermo del Toro & co-screenwriter Vanessa Taylor; Get Out co-star Catherine Keener; Molly’s Game screenwriter Aaron Sorkin; Good Behavior co-star Joey Kern; The Honorable Adam Schiff; L.A. City Councilman Paul Koretz; The OA co-creator/star Brit Marling; Call Me by Your Name screenwriter James Ivory; Nathan For You co-creator/star Nathan Fielder; and Portlandia writer-star Carrie Brownstein. In addition, the Guild commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Hollywood Blacklist, honoring Blacklist survivors Marsha Hunt and Norma Barzman who were in attendance.
The WGAE’s East Coast Ceremony was hosted by writer and comic Amber Ruffin (Late Night with Seth Meyers). Presenters who appeared in New York City included Golden Globe-winner Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel); Emmy Award-winner Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale); SAG Award-winner Anna Chlumsky (Veep); Academy Award-nominee Lucas Hedges (Lady Bird); two-time Emmy Award-winner Jane Pauley (CBS News Sunday Morning); Writers Guild Award-nominee Anthony Atamanuik (The President Show); late night host Robin Thede (The Rundown with Robin Thede); actress-writer Julie Klausner (Difficult People); late night host Jordan Klepper (The Opposition with Jordan Klepper); and correspondent-writer Laura Grey (The Opposition with Jordan Klepper).
The WGAE presented three honorary awards at the East Coast ceremony. It was a reunion for Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock alums as Tracy Morgan and Rachel Dratch presented Tina Fey and Robert Carlock with the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence and Mentorship. Ken Burns presented the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement to his long-time collaborator Geoffrey C. Ward (The Vietnam War, The Roosevelts, The Civil War). Courtney Simon (As the World Turns) presented the Richard B. Jablow Award for Devoted Service to the Guild to Hamilton Nolan (Splinter News / Gizmodo Media Group).
Attendees at the WGAE’s show included the Guild’s President and House of Cards creator Beau Willimon; Call Me By Your Name author André Aciman; The Disaster Artist co-screenwriter Michael H. Weber; The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks writer-director George C. Wolfe; late night host Seth Meyers; Feud: Bette and Joan writer-producer Michael Zam; The Deuce writer-producer George Pelecanos; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt actress Ellie Kemper; The President Show actor and executive producer Adam Pally; The Americans creators Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit creator Warren Leight; Ozcreator Tom Fontana; Dirty Dancing screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein; Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau; acclaimed actor Lawrence Arancio; SAG-AFTRA’s Senior Advisor John McGuire; Teamsters Local 817 President Tommy J. O’Donnell; IATSE International President Matthew Loeb; Writers Guild Initiative President Michael Weller; and former WGAE Presidents Chris Albers and Michael Winship.
Production credits for the WGAW’s show included: Executive Producer Hugh Fink; Producers Tara Power and Joselyn Allen; Co-Producer Kelly Brock; Director Nick Murray; Head Writer Joe O’Brien; Writers Hugh Fink, Danielle Koenig, Ed Lee, Janine Brito, Mike Drucker, Gerry Duggan, Matt Oswalt; Creative Consultant Shelly Goldstein; Line Producer Shannon Walden; and Production Designer Chris Giammalvo.
Production credits for the WGAE’s show included: Co-Executive Producers Bonnie Datt and Shannon Walker; Head Writer Ann B. Cohen; Writers Ashley Nicole Black, David Steven Cohen, Timothy Cooper, Bonnie Datt, Tarik Davis, Alex English, Ziwe Fumudoh, Jenny Hagel, Don Hooper, Shantira Jackson, Dewayne Perkins, Dan Perlman, Amber Ruffin, Bill Scheft, Craig Shemin and Shannon Walker; Line Producer LBI Audio, Video & Scenic Solutions; and Clips/Tribute Reels Craig Shemin.
A gang of misfit kidnappers find their tiny target far more bloodthirsty than they bargained for!
So, unfortunately, the trailers gave it away and let’s be real that’s why most of us are here, the knowledge that the kidnap victim Abigail (Alisha Weir), codenamed by the would-be kidnappers appropriately as ‘tiny dancer’, is in fact, a vampire. Not a spoiler, point of fact, one of the film’s actual great selling points. And the reactions from the misfit club when faced with a real actual f*cking vampire, range hilariously from the blunt “no such thing as vampires” all the way to, “Are we talking True Blood or Twilight rules or what?” all while covered in buckets and buckets of blood.
Anyway, the gang manages to subdue and abscond with the aforementioned Abigail, in a pre-prepared duffle bag, like you do, and converge to a new location, a house oddly similar to the one she was just taken from. Welcomed and given codenames by a man who introduces himself as Lambert (Giancarlo Esposito), our misfit club is told to simply hold down the fort in this strange old house with the girl chained up in a room and one person to attend her, for twenty-four hours, and they’ll all get paid.
As inevitable as the tides, the dopey druggie Dean (Angus Cloud) is the first to die, and we’re going to give that death-style points for inspiring terror right off the bat. The very controlling Frank (Dan Stevens, holy crap yes that is the guy from FXs Legion) is also of course the most suspicious – of everyone around him, sure, but also he himself is totes sus. We don’t learn terribly much about the musclebound tank who gets dubbed Peter (Kevin Durand), he’s your pretty typical little-brains-heart-of-gold muscle-for-hire any proper gang needs, right down to the bottle problem. Sammy (Kathryn Newton), well, even for being a purported hacker-type, she has, like, reality issues. Rickles (William Catlett), he’s arguably the most dangerous among them, ex-military and yet somehow here and involved in kidnapping for a few mills. Joey (Melissa Barrera) is our Final Girl, and though she has the inevitable problems in her recent past, she seems more capable of doing the hard thing and still somehow empathizing at the end of the day. Must be her burning desire to get back with her son.
The fit hits the shan pretty quickly, and Abigail morphs from tiny dancer to tiny monster, though honestly, the way Abigail spoke the entire time in the film, if the ‘nappers had been paying close enough attention, would have been a solid clue. The performance from Alisha Weir as Abigail is incredible, as she literally dances a fine line between comedy, tragedy, and outright monstrosity. With a face full of makeup and the force of a tiny tornado to back it up, Weir brings to mind the great performances of the vampires in 30 Days of Night who saw the practicality in the need to trap their food, but also, play with it a bit first before feasting! Anything else would give away the absolute fun time that is Abigail, so you should go see it, out in theaters now!
Fans of the beloved medical comedy series Scrubs were recently treated to a thrilling surprise when John C. McGinley, who portrayed the iconic Dr. Perry Cox, dropped a photo on Twitter hinting at a potential reunion project. The image, showing McGinley alongside his former co-stars, sparked a wave of excitement and speculation among fans who have been longing for more adventures with the beloved Sacred Heart Hospital staff.
While details about the reunion project are still scarce, the mere possibility of seeing the gang back together again has sent waves of nostalgia through fans who fondly remember the show’s original run from 2001 to 2010. Scrubs was not just a sitcom; it was a heartfelt exploration of friendship, love, and the chaotic world of medicine, all wrapped up in a quirky and often hilarious package.
At the heart of the show was the bromance between JD (played by Zach Braff) and Turk (played by Donald Faison), whose antics and deep bond served as the emotional anchor for the series. Their dynamic, along with the sage wisdom (and relentless sarcasm) of Dr. Cox, provided viewers with memorable moments that have stood the test of time.
As we eagerly await more news about the Scrubs reunion project, one thing is for sure: it’s time to dust off those old DVDs, rewatch our favorite episodes, and get ready to welcome back our favorite gang of doctors, nurses, and janitors for what promises to be a memorable reunion.
But Scrubs was more than just its main characters. The supporting cast, including the eccentric Janitor (played by Neil Flynn), the neurotic Elliot (played by Sarah Chalke), and the wise-cracking nurse Carla (played by Judy Reyes), each brought their own unique flavor to the show, creating a rich tapestry of characters that fans grew to love.
While the photo shared by McGinley has fueled speculation about what the reunion project might entail, whether it’s a one-off special, a new season, or something else entirely, one thing is certain: fans are eagerly awaiting any opportunity to dive back into the world of Sacred Heart Hospital.
In an age where reboots and revivals are commonplace, Scrubs stands out as a series that has the potential to recapture the magic that made it a fan favorite in the first place. With its blend of humor, heart, and unforgettable characters, a reunion project has the opportunity to not only satisfy longtime fans but also introduce a new generation to the joys of life at Sacred Heart.
The story of the rise of Coriolanus Snow, from teenage Capital City pawn to rising Dictator of the Hunger Games!
Apparently no one out here in post-apocalyptic Panem has heard of irony and so they name their children things like Coriolanus (Tom Blyth), Tigress, and further off in Hunger Games lore, after swamp plants like Katniss. Corio’s father was a legendary general and that is pretty much the only reason young Snow and his meager family of grandmother called Grandma’am (Fionnula Flanagan) and sister Tigress (Hunter Schafer) are tolerated here in the Capital City at all.
Most of the snotty youngsters at the academy won’t let Snow forget how far his family has fallen, but he’s generally not concerned with them. What is concerning is the strong disapproval of the drugged-up Dean Casca Highbottom (Peter Dinklage) and the creepy attention of Dr. Volumnia Gaul (Viola Davis) as she lurks in the classroom sniffing out talent. The Dean feels very strongly the annual Hunger Games should end, while Gaul is violently adamant that not only do the Games continue, but that they get as much more attention as possible. And young Snow is stuck in the middle, when the yearly prize money normally awarded to the academy student with the best grades gets switched out for, you guessed it, the student that can make this years’ Hunger Games as entertaining as possible.
Whilst the students are protesting this sudden change, the annual Reaping is about to commence, and big shock and surprise, Corio’s candidate from District 12 Lucy Grey Baird (Rachel Zegler) is chosen as a Tribute. This is where the film begins to really take off on musical wings, for as it turns out, Lucy Grey can sing. Boy, can that gal sing! She can sing, she can play guitar, she can work a crowd, she can calm things down, she can fire ‘em up too! And Corio, being no dummy himself, instantly plots ways to use his Tributes amazing voice to draw attention to her, and admittedly his own, plight!
Though far too many people sneer at the idea, Corio takes his position as Mentor to his Tribute seriously enough to sneak onto the tram taking the Tributes to their habitat, which turns out to be a completely appropriate moniker, as this year the Tributes are held before the Hunger Games in a large zoo habitat so the weatherman ‘Lucky’ Flickerman (Jason Schwartzman), host of this years games, can MC the hell out of everything up close and personal!
What happens at this years Hunger Games and the subsequent consequences to both Corio and Lucy Grey is actually only half the story, and the movie. Coriolanus has always had to be opportunistic, but learning to be absolutely ruthless when necessary under the tutelage of Dr. Gaul, who basically thinks it’s always best to be merciless, is an eye-opening education indeed. Even after they’ve both been consigned to military service and his friend Sejanus Plinth (Josh Andres Rivera) decides to finally rebel, Corio and Sejanus continue to deceive each other and themselves, to accomplish their separate goals. Not even the love Corio swears he feels for Lucy Grey can save him, or them, from the adamant absolute necessity of the Hunger Games continuing. And after all that’s happened, Coriolanus Snow has gotten a terrific education in the best way to be the absolutely ruthless next Hunger Games advocate, and oh yeah, President of Panem.
The movie does itself no favors by trying to stuff not one but two major storylines and a bunch of side storylines sadly introduced and then ignored, into the film. It would have been entirely possible to turn Ballads of Songbirds and Snakes into two different movies, separated between feathers and scales if you like, and do justice to the major storylines in both. Blyth gives a fine performance as a young Coriolanus Snow, but the fact that President Snow is played by Donald Sutherland in all three of the Hunger Games films means Blyth has incredibly large shoes to fill. Rachel Zegler as Lucy Grey is absolute fire, and yes the actress did sing the songs in the film herself, including the Hunger Games franchise epic song, ‘The Hanging Tree’. Every time Lucy Grey opens her mouth and sheer soul-searing music comes out, it provides a distinct counterpoint to the soul-crushing ambition of Coriolanus Snow and further demonstrates the District and Caste separation Hunger Games is known for. And if, by the end of the film, Coriolanus Snow has come to agree that the Hunger Games must continue but perhaps under his own auspices, he has no one but himself to blame when another younger but still rebellious female blows it all up in his face!
Choose rebellion or conformity for yourself in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes!
‘Abigail’: Bite Me Harder Tiny Dancer
Scrubs Reunion: The Band Gets Back Together
‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’: Rebellion with a cause
Wondercon 2024 presents The Spiderwick Chronicles
WonderCon 2024:Day Three
WonderCon 2024:Day One
Scrubs Reunion: The Band Gets Back Together
‘Abigail’: Bite Me Harder Tiny Dancer
Wondercon 2024 presents The Spiderwick Chronicles
WonderCon 2024:Day Three
Thatsmye Interviews: Les Weiler on Henchin’: the Series
Disney Legend Andreas Deja’s Hand-Drawn animated short MUSHKA premiere
Resetting Mortal Kombat A New Beginning with Mortal Kombat 1
William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill
The Les Files With John C McGinley
