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CCI 2018: Warner Bros. Television Group Unveils Its Comic-Con Class of 2018!

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Summer school has never been so much fun as Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) unveils its Comic-Con Class of 2018!  With 15 of the Studio’s fan-favorite series making their way to Comic-Con International: San Diego, WBTVG’s graduating class this year will be as epic as ever.

Series stars participating in all the Comic-Con action are fan-favorites and new additions ––including Arrow’s Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Katie Cassidy, Colton Haynes, Echo Kellum, Juliana Harkavy and Rick GonzalezBlack Lightning’s Cress Williams, China Anne McClain, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, Damon Gupton and James RemarDC’s Legends of Tomorrow’s Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, Dominic Purcell, Nick Zano, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Tala Ashe, Matt RyanJes Macallan and Courtney FordThe Flash’s Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Tom Cavanagh, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker and Carlos ValdesLegacies’ Matthew DavisManifest’Josh Dallas and Melissa Roxburgh; Riverdale’KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Marisol Nichols, Madelaine Petsch, Ashleigh Murray, Mark Consuelos, Casey Cott, Skeet Ulrich, Mädchen Amick, Luke Perry and Vanessa Morgan; Supergirl’s Melissa Benoist, Chyler Leigh, Mehcad Brooks, David Harewood and Katie McGrath; and Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki, Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins — to name just a few, who will join producers to deliver the ultimate experience for fans, with screenings, panel sessions, free autograph signings and media appearances.

Warner Bros. Television highlights include:

  • Comic-Con essentials Arrow, The Big Bang Theory, Black Lightning, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash,  Riverdale, Supergirl, Supernatural, and Unikitty! are all back in San Diego.
  • World-premiere pilot screening of mysterious new drama Manifest, plus a brand-new episode of WBTV’s fan-favorite series The 100 – as well as the world premiere of season two of Freedom Fighters: The Ray.
  • The Studio’s 2,400-square foot, multi-level booth will once again be a must-visit destination on the convention floor.
  • Autograph signings for each series will take place in the Warner Bros. booth #4545, the day of each panel. WBTVG follows Comic-Con’s ticket drawing/wristband distribution procedure for all signings. Visit Comic-Con.org/CCI  for more info.
  • For additional info on the Studio’s plans for Comic-Con and real-time updates during the convention, please follow us on Twitter at @warnerbrostv — official hashtag #WBSDCC — and visit http://comiccon.thewb.com.
  • To connect with WBTVG in the social space — including official Facebook pages and Twitter feeds for WBTVG series, talent and producers — check out the social media contacts page here:  http://comiccon.thewb.com/wbtv-social-media-contacts/

 

SPECIAL PREVIEW NIGHT SCREENINGS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 18

6:00–10:00 p.m. Manifest World Premiere and Special Sneak Peek Screenings — Comic-Con and Warner Bros. Television Group proudly continue our annual Preview Night tradition with an exclusive pilot screening of the new series Manifest, plus an advanced screening of next week’s episode of The 100 (“The Dark Year” will air Tuesday, July 25 at 8/7c on The CW) exclusively for the Comic-Con audience.  On top of all this, the evening will include a special world premiere of brand-new episodes from season two of Freedom Fighters:  The Ray, which will later stream on CW Seed. Ballroom 20 

  • Manifest: When Montego Air Flight 828 landed safely after a turbulent, but routine flight, the crew and passengers were relieved. Yet in the span of those few hours, the world had aged five years and their friends, families and colleagues, after mourning their loss, had given up hope and moved on. Now, faced with the impossible, they’re all given a second chance. But as their new realities become clear, a deeper mystery unfolds and some of the returned passengers soon realize they may be meant for something greater than they ever thought possible. From executive producer/writer Jeff Rake, and executive producers Robert Zemeckis and Jack Rapke and comes an emotionally rich, unexpected journey into a world grounded in hope, heart and destiny. The cast includes Melissa Roxburgh, Josh Dallas, Athena Karkanis, J.R. Ramirez, Luna Blaise, Jack Messina and Parveen Kaur. From Compari Entertainment and Jeff Rake Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Manifestpremieres Monday, September 24 at 10/9c pm NBC.  Become a fan of Manifest on Facebook at com/NBCManifest, and follow the show on Twitter at @NBCManifest
  • The 100: Over the last four seasons The 100 have fought to survive against unimaginable odds, only to see the world end for a second time. Season five begins six years later, with our heroes still separated: Bellamy’s team in space, Clarke (Eliza Taylor) on the ground, and hundreds trapped in the bunker below. But when a massive prison ship descends upon the last survivable place on earth, The 100 must come together to reclaim their home. As two armies converge on one valley, alliances will shift, friends will become foes, and the march to war threatens to destroy all that’s left of the human race. Can our heroes break the cycle, or is humanity doomed to repeat the past? In this epic battle for survival, one thing is certain: there are no good guys. Based on the book series by Kass Morgan, The 100 is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Jason Rothenberg, Dean White and Leslie Morgenstein (The Vampire Diaries).  Starring Eliza Taylor, Paige Turco, Bob Morley, Marie Avgeropoulos, Lindsey Morgan, Christopher Larkin, Richard Harmon, Tasya Teles and Henry Ian Cusick, the series airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.  Become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/CWThe100, and follow the show on Twitter at @CWThe100.
  • Freedom Fighters: The Ray: All his life, Ray Terrill has fought injustice, dreaming of making a real difference like his older brother, a Marine who was killed in Afghanistan. One day, he stumbles upon a dying superhero from another Earth and is stunned to find that this superhero looks just like him—because it is! The dying Ray Terrill of Earth-X transfers photokinetic energy to this Earth’s Ray, making him a superhero – THE RAY. However, Ray quickly learns being a Super Hero isn’t all hanging muggers from streetlamps and fighting giant robots. As the evil Nazi New Reichsman of Earth-X, led by Overgirl, close in, The Ray must learn to harness his powers by coming to terms with his true self, even if that means also finally coming out of the closet to his parents. The fate of Earth-X depends on it!  Based on the DC characters, the animated series is produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Blue Ribbon Content, Warner Bros. Television Group’s digital studio.  New episodes stream on CW Seed, starting July 18.

WBTVG/WBA SERIES SCHEDULE

PLEASE NOTE: Series stars and creative teams scheduled to attend are subject to change. Additional information on panel sessions, signings and other events will be provided as news breaks.

FRIDAY, JULY 20

10:00–11:00 a.m. Young Justice: Outsiders Special Video Presentation and Q&A — The fans have waited long enough and it’s time for a first look at one of the most highly anticipated shows of the year.  In Young Justice: Outsiders, the teenage Super Heroes of the DC Universe come of age in an animated world of super-powers, Super-Villains and super secrets.  This time, the team faces its greatest challenge yet as it takes on meta-human trafficking and the terrifying threat it creates for a society caught in the crossfire of a genetic arms race spanning the globe and the galaxy.  Join producers Greg Weisman, Brandon Vietti, art director Phil Bourassa, voice director Jamie Thomasson and members of the voice cast, Troy Baker and Stephaine Lemelin as they give you an inside look at what it means to be an outsider.  Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Young Justice: Outsiders is coming soon to the DC Universe digital streaming service.  Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YoungJusticeDC and follow DC Universe on Twitter at @TheDCUniverse.  Room 6DE

10:15–11:15 a.m. Inside The Big Bang Theory Writers’ Room — Join The Big Bang Theory writers and producers as they return to San Diego to take you inside the biggest moments of season eleven, and behind the scenes of television’s smartest comedy! From the engagement to the wedding, and all the moments in-between, find out what goes into making the hit series each week, and how the writers keep things fresh after more than 250 episodes! Join the show’s executive producers and writers as they take you inside the Writers’ Room for a lively discussion and special video presentation. From Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television, The Big Bang Theory returns for season 12 this fall, airing Thursdays at 8/7c on CBS. The Big Bang TheoryThe Complete Eleventh Season is available now on Digital, and will be released this fall on Blu-ray™ and DVD. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheBigBangTheory and follow the show on Twitter @BigBangTheory.  Ballroom 20

12:30-1:30 p.m.  DC Super Hero Girls Special Video Presentation and Q&A –– The DC Super Hero Girls universe continues to expand with new original graphic novels Out of the Bottle and Search for Atlantis and an all-new animated action-comedy series featuring fresh character designs and storytelling from Emmy®–winning producer Lauren Faust (Super Best Friends Forever, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends).  The world may know them as Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl, but not-so-typical teenagers Diana, Kara and Barbara, alongside their Super Hero friends have much more to deal with than just protecting the citizens of Metropolis from some of the most sinister school-aged Super-Villains of the DC Universe.  After all, being teens is tough enough, what with school, friends, family and the chaos that comes with managing a social life.  But add super powers and a secret identity to the mix, and things can get a lot more complicated.  Join DC Group Editor Marie Javins for a sneak peek at upcoming books, and producer Lauren Faust and other members of the creative team for a first look at this upcoming series.  DC Super Hero Girls is coming soon to Cartoon Network.  Follow Cartoon Network on Twitter at @CartoonNetwork and DC Super Hero Girls on Instagram at @dcsuperherogirls.  Room 6DE.

12:45-2:00 p.m.  World Premiere of Hulu’s Castle Rock  –– Escape the summer heat for a chilling world premiere screening of the first episode of J.J. Abrams and Stephen King’s psychological horror series about the hometown of some of your favorite nightmares.  You’ve read the books, you’ve seen the movies, you know the characters, but you’ve never heard the story of Castle Rock.  Following the screening, join the creators and executive producers Sam Shaw and Dustin Thomason (Manhattan) along with stars Sissy Spacek (Carrie), Bill Skarsgard (It), Melanie Lynskey (Togetherness) and Jane Levy (Suburgatory) as they discuss the most tragic and disturbing town in America.  Prepare to sleep with the lights on.  From Bad Robot Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Castle Rock premieres Wednesday, July 25 on Hulu.  Become a fan on Facebook at facebook.com/CastleRockHulu and follow the series on Twitter at @castlerockhulu.  Ballroom 20.

SATURDAY, JULY 21

10:00-11:00 a.m. Unikitty! New Episode Premiere and Q&A –– Your favorite character from The LEGO® Movie, Unikitty, is bringing her joyous kingdom to Comic-Con!  Make sure to bring plenty of sparkle matter, positive vibes and all your questions as producers Lynn Wang and Ed Skudder, animation director Anna Hollingsworth and the voice cast, Tara Strong, Grey Griffin, Eric Bauza, H. Michael Croner, Roger Craig Smith will be there to share a brand-new episode and answer your questions.  Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Unikitty! airs Fridays at 6:30/5:30c on Cartoon Network. Follow Cartoon Network on Twitter at @CartoonNetwork.  Room: 6DE

11:00–11:45 a.m.  Black Lightning Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) made his choice: he hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, and those he cares about in the crosshairs of the menacing local gang The One Hundred, he must return as Black Lightning — to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community.  Join series stars Cress Williams, China Anne McClain, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, Damon Gupton and James Remar and producer Salim Akil for an electrifying look at season two!  Based on the characters from DC, Black Lightning is from Berlanti Productions and Akil Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti, Salim Akil & Mara Brock Akil, and Sarah Schechter. Black Lightning returns to The CW on Tuesday, October 9 at 9/8c. Black Lightning: The Complete First Season is available now on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital.  Become a fan of Black Lighting on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CWBlackLightning and follow the show on Twitter @BlackLightning and the hashtag #GetLit.  Ballroom 20.

‪12:00–12:50 p.m. SYFY Panel: Krypton Special Video Presentation and Q&A — After a mind-blowing season one finale that saw Krypton’s history drastically rewritten, the future of Superman has never been in greater jeopardy. Join series stars and executive producers of SYFY’s hit series as they discuss the many surprises of the first season and provide an inside look into what fans can expect in season two. From Warner Horizon Scripted Television and executive produced by David S. Goyer (Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Dark Knight trilogy) through his Phantom Four banner, along with Cameron Welsh, Krypton is based on characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, published by DC.  The series will return in 2019 on SYFY. Follow the show on Twitter at @KryptonSYFY.  Indigo Ballroom

1:00-2:00 p.m. Manifest Pilot Screening and Q&A –– When Montego Air Flight 828 landed safely in New York after a turbulent but routine flight, the crew and passengers were relieved. Yet in the span of those few hours, the world had aged five years and their friends, families and colleagues, after mourning their loss, had given up hope and moved on. Now, faced with the impossible, they’re all given a second chance. But as their new realities become clear, a deeper mystery unfolds and some of the returned passengers soon realize they may be meant for something greater than they ever thought possible. Join executive producer Jeff Rake (The Mysteries of Laura, The Tomorrow People, Boston Legal, Miss Match, The Practice) and series stars Melissa Roxburgh (Valor, Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies), Josh Dallas (Once Upon a Time, Thor), for an emotionally rich, unexpected journey into a world grounded in hope, heart and destiny.  Manifest premieres Monday, September 24 at 10/9c on NBC and is produced by Compari Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television.  Become a fan of Manifest on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NBCManifest and follow the show on Twitter @NBCManifest. Indigo Ballroom

2:00–2:50 p.m.  Legacies Exclusive Video Presentation and Q&A –– Continuing the tradition of The Vampire Diaries and The OriginalsLegacies is the third installment of this supernatural series about witches, vampires and werewolves.  The story follows 17-year-old Hope Mikaelson, daughter of Klaus Mikaelson along with Alaric Saltzman and his twins at the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted as they come of age in the most unconventional way.  Join executive producer Julie Plec and series stars Danielle Rose Russell and Matthew Davis for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A.  From My So-Called Company, Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, Legacies premieres Thursday, October 25 at 9/8c on The CW.  Indigo Ballroom.

3:30–4:15 p.m. Supergirl Special Video Presentation and Q&A —  Season three saw Supergirl stop Reign and the other Worldkillers’ threat to humanity and our planet, and in the process, Kara was shocked to find her mother Alura alive and living in a salvaged Argo City that survived the destruction of Krypton. Reconnecting with her past caused Kara to realize that her true home is now here on Earth, where big changes are taking place for her and all of her friends in National City – and also, it appears, for a doppelganger in Russia! Season four promises to be full of surprises, action, adventure and lots of big revelations for Supergirl, Alex, James, J’onn, Lena and Brainy.  Join the series’ cast, Melissa Benoist, Chyler Leigh, Mehcad Brooks, David Harewood, Katie McGrath and Jesse Rath and executive producers Robert Rovner, Jessica Queller and Sarah Schechter for a special video presentation, followed by a Q&A where they’ll discuss what’s to come and more! From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Supergirl’s fourth season will premiere in its new Sunday 8/7c time period on The CW starting October 14.  Supergirl: The Complete Third Season is available now on Digital, and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 18. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheCWSupergirl and follow the show on Twitter at @TheCWSupergirl.  Ballroom 20

4:15–5:00 p.m. Arrow Special Video Presentation and Q&A — There has been no shortage of close calls for Oliver Queen when it comes to protecting his Super Hero identity, but in the season six finale, he was finally backed into a corner and forced to reveal himself to the world as the Green Arrow. Now, Oliver will come face-to-face with many of the criminals he placed behind bars, as he makes a new home for himself at Slabside Maximum Security Prison. Oliver will find himself vulnerable in a way unlike ever before when a mysterious new enemy begins to unravel his work as Green Arrow, challenging him to redeem his name or risk losing everything. Join series stars Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Emily Bett Rickards, Katie Cassidy, Echo Kellum, Juliana Harkavy, Rick Gonzalez and Colton Haynes and executive producer Beth Schwartz at their annual Comic-Con panel to be among the first to learn more about what this means for Oliver and the rest of his team. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, Arrow will return to The CW on Monday, October 15 at 8/7c, and Arrow: The Complete Fifth Season is available now on Digital, and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 14. Become a fan of Arrow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWArrow and follow the show on Twitter at @CW_Arrow. Ballroom 20

 5:00–5:45 p.m. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow Special Video Presentation and Q&A — After defeating Mallus by cuddling him to death with a giant stuffed animal named Beebo, the Legends were ready to ease off the gas. That was until Constantine arrived to inform them that, in solving one major problem, they have created another, much larger one. When the Legends let time crumble in order to release and defeat Mallus, the barrier between worlds softened. History is now infected with “Fugitives” – magical creatures from myths, fairytales, and legends. Having been expelled throughout time by people like Constantine, these Fugitives are now returning to our world in droves and making a real mess of things. So when all hell breaks loose, who ya gonna call? That’s right, the Legends! Join the cast and creators of The CW’s zaniest Super Hero series – stars Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, Dominic Purcell, Nick Zano, Maisie Richardson-Sellers, Tala Ashe, Matt Ryan, Jes Macallan, Courtney Ford, showrunner Phil Klemmer and producer Keto Shimizu – at their annual Comic-Con panel for an in-person look at what makes this time-traveling crew tick. From Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will return to The CW on Monday, October 22 at 9/8c, and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: The Complete Second Season is available now on Digital, and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 25. Become a fan of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWLegendsofTomorrow and follow the show on Twitter at @TheCW_Legends.  Ballroom 20

5:45–6:30 p.m. The Flash Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Matching wits with The Thinker, who by season’s end had harnessed the powers of all twelve bus metas he created, stretched Team Flash to their limits, but with the help of some new allies, Barry Allen (aka The Flash) and company were able to put a stop to the Enlightenment and save Central City once again. However, with the arrival of Barry and Iris’ speedster daughter, Nora, who arrived from the future admitting to having made a “big mistake,” things are anything but status quo. Will parenthood be the challenge that finally slows The Flash down? For answers to this, and all your other Season five questions, please join the cast and creators of The CW’s highest-rated series – stars Grant Gustin, Jesse L. Martin, Tom Cavanagh, Candice Patton, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Hartley Sawyer, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Danielle Nicolet and executive producer Todd Helbing – at their annual Comic-Con panel. From Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, The Flash will return to The CW on Tuesday, October 9 at 8/7c. The Flash: The Complete Third Season is available now on Digital, and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 28. Become a fan of The Flash on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CWTheFlash and follow the show on Twitter at @CW_TheFlash.  Ballroom 20

SUNDAY, JULY 23

10:30–11:30 a.m. Supernatural Special Video Presentation and Q&A — Join the series’ stars Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins, Alexander Calvert and executive producers Robert Singer, Andrew Dabb, Eugenie Ross-Leming and Brad Buckner in Hall H to answer questions about the shocking events in last season’s intense finale, as well as what’s in store for the 14th season of this exciting series, when the show will reach the rare milestone of 300 episodes! Fans will also be treated to an exclusive video presentation featuring series highlights! The 14th season of Supernatural will return to The CW on Thursday, October 11 in its 8/7c time period. The series is produced by Kripke Enterprises Inc. in association with Warner Bros. Television. Supernatural: The Complete Thirteenth Season is available now on Digital, and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on September 4. Become a fan of the show on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Supernatural and follow the show on Twitter at @cw_spn.  Hall H

11:45a.m.–12:45p.m.  Riverdale Special Video Presentation and Q&A –– Following yet another drama-filled season and shocking season two finale, don’t miss Riverdale when it returns to San Diego for its third appearance at Comic-Con – this time in Hall H!  Join Archie and the gang as they continue to dive into the secrets that loom and keep emerging from the shadows in a town that once seemed like a quiet, ordinary place. The circumstances surrounding Archie’s arrest kick off the drama of season three as the gang tries to #FreeArchie and Hiram Lodge continues to flesh out his plans to control not only Riverdale, but the ever growing SoDale.  Based on the characters from Archie Comics and produced by Berlanti Productions (The Flash, Supergirl, Blindspot, Arrow, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) in association with Warner Bros. Television, this one-hour drama is a bold, subversive take on the surreality of small-town life.  Join us for a special video presentation followed by a Q&A with series stars KJ Apa, Lili Reinhart, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, Marisol Nichols, Madelaine Petsch, Ashleigh Murray, Mark Consuelos, Casey Cott, Skeet Ulrich, Mädchen Amick, Luke Perry and Vanessa Morgan and producers Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Sarah Schechter and Jon Goldwater.  Riverdale’s season three returns Wednesday, October 10 at 8/7c on The CW. Riverdale: The Complete Second Season is available now on Digital, and will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on August 7. Become a fan on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CWRiverdale, and follow the show on Twitter at @CW_Riverdale.  Hall H

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Justice League: Warworld Official Trailer

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Until now, the Justice League has been a loose association of superpowered individuals. But when they are swept away to War World, a place of unending brutal gladiatorial combat, Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the others must somehow unite to form an unbeatable resistance able to lead an entire planet to freedom.

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AMC presents Anne Rice’s ‘Interview with the Vampire’:  Bloody beautiful, dear heart 

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Set as a sequel series of sorts to the original film, the vampire Louis du Pointe du Lac approaches reporter Daniel Molloy decades later to do an actual, honest exclusive of his life as a vampire. 

As we all know, Rice’s original movie Interview with the Vampire is a classic and features some of the most gorgeous male performances around. Brad Pitt as Louis, Tom Cruise as a flippant blonde-haired Lestat, Antonio Banderas as the ravishing Armand, Christian Slater as the reporter, and even a quite young Kirsten Dunst as the tiny terror Claudia. Rice has a whole world of her making about vampires, witches, mummies, and other world-ending supernatural creatures, and they are all achingly beautiful, and usually quite melancholy about their beleaguered existence. 

Before her passing, Anne Rice was directly involved with the new show, wrote the updated scripts herself, and was often on hand for consulting during filming. A whole bunch of revamps (sorry) were made to the original story, including but not limited to – Louis du Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) is now a black man in early 20th century New Orleans, no longer a slave plantation man but now the proud owner of several brothels on a certain street, with a very much still-alive family who presents Louis with lots of troubles, and oh yeah, he’s in the closet too. 

At this point, I want to note something important about the gay elements of the show. Rice originally published her novel Interview way back in 1976, and every single last gay tendency, male or non-binary or whatever, got her a good deal of flack. Rice has long been known for characters, vampire or other, who transcend the notion of physical sexuality into more of a divine lust of the spirit. Sure, there are plenty of physical love scenes still, but homosexuality was never something Rice just threw in to be provocative, she made no defining lines on the way her supernatural creatures could love each other, and personally I think that’s stellar. 

So all of Louis’ own issues aside, things are about to get remarkably more troubling, with the advent of a blonde-haired Adonis with ice-blue eyes and a razor-sharp jawline, and an even sharper set of fangs, Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid). Initially, Lestat professes to admire Louis and his capability in running his various enterprises, seemingly satisfied with going along on brothel adventures (Lestat has long been known to bang anything that’ll hold still long enough) and verbally poking Louis to see where his “do not cross” lines are. 

Not a single person who knows Anne Rice and her original novel, or even the first film, can deny the insane connection Louis and Lestat happen to have. Love and lust and envy and hatred are all tangled up in the relationship of these two vampires, made more complicated by the fact that Lestat is Louis’ Sire, or Maker if you prefer. This particular portrayal of the love story between two compelling characters, one inherently kind and desirous to do good (or at least not be bad) in an unfeeling world, the other an arrogant prince of the immortal kind with seemingly little regard for the pain he causes others (other than in an amusement capacity), how they push and pull at each other and cause each-other so much damage but simply find themselves both unable to give up the other entirely, can be an allegory for all the bad-for-you relationships, regardless of sexual orientation. And things are made so much more wretched when a third vampire is introduced to their little damned family. 

The portrayal of Claudia (Bailey Bass) in this version of the story, a teenage black female with a sickeningly sweet Southern accent, has some rather different origin scenes too. Most of Claudia’s arc, while moving the story right along at a healthy clip, is full of complaints at the odd restraints of her existence – Louis cautions for temperance, while Lestat gives that wicked grin and encourages Claudia to revel in her bloody existence as a vampire. Jealousy rears its inevitable head, whether its Lestat’s envy of the brother-sister father-daughter relationship Louis has with Claudia, or Claudia’s own jealousy of the rather obvious romantic relationship between Louis and Lestat, or even the jealousy of seasoned vampires watching a fledgling getting to experience many supernatural firsts – vampires are immortal and unchanging, after all, so anything new and surprising is zealously sought after and treasured almost as much as blood. So when Claudia inevitably starts acting out, things are made so much worse with the realization that she’s actually far more terrible than Lestat when it comes to restraint, as in, she has none

Then there’s what’s happening with the present – a ridiculously expensive high-rise and high-res environmentally-controlled apartment in Dubai, an accent-less and increasingly begrudging Louis, insistent on following a proper timeline to his stories but still attempting to conceal things from Molloy, even after he swore he wouldn’t, his assistant Rashid (Assad Zaman) is also getting more and more protective of his Master, and Molloy himself, who never had a bullsh*t tolerance in the first place, getting more strident as the interview rages on in his search for the raw, honest truth. Because redemption can come from honesty in this interview, even for the reporter conducting it, if only Molloy would allow it. 

Full of gorgeous scenery, familial ties that bind and gag, revelations about the nature of love and how it can twist when used as a weapon, and absolutely stellar performances from every single actor involved, Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire can be devoured on AMC now! 

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Streaming

Shrinking Review

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Created by Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel

Season 1

Number of Episodes 10

Runtime: 33 minutes

Starring Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford

Streaming on Apple TV

Jason Segel plays Jimmy, (How I Met Your Mother) a grieving therapist who lost his wife due to a terminal illness. He is coping with her death but gives little care to their teenage daughter, Grace played by Lukita Maxwell.

He works at a practice with his mentor Paul, played by Harrison Ford, and Gaby played by Jessica Williams. Jimmy’s work is less than inspiring because he has seen several patients over the years with no real breakthroughs. Finally, he is assigned a new patient who his co-worker couldn’t take on. This particular patient was court-ordered to see a therapist to avoid certain jail time. Sean, played by Luke Tennie, is an honored war vet with severe anger issues and has been arrested several times for starting fights in bars. Jimmy also has some frustrations at home as his next-door neighbor Liz, played by Christa Miller, has taken over as Alice’s parent. Without his wife and daughter, Jimmy is a mess and just drinks himself into a deep depression. His friends have become estranged and worst of all, his daughter has no respect for him.

During one session, Sean is reluctant to give Jimmy a chance as he was just pathetic in his eyes. Jimmy forgoes traditional therapy practices and goes for something a little extra. He takes Sean to a boxing club and has him work out his frustrations with a sparring partner. Sean and Jimmy have a breakthrough and then things start turning around for Jimmy/ The only problem is that Paul doesn’t approve of these new practices and warns him that this will lead to trouble.

Jimmy tries these new practices with his other patients and slowly makes breakthroughs but still seeks the constant praise and mentorship of Paul. Jimmy starts to try new things at home to reclaim parenthood over his daughter. Unknowingly Paul has been secretly counseling Jimmy’s daughter to help her with her issues with her father as well as being a father figure that he never was.

Things start going upside down when one of his patients tries to kiss him, another patient is lying about leaving her husband, and even worse, Sean sees Jimmy as a friend and not a therapist.  The final straw is when Liz and Gaby find out that their daughter has fallen in love with Sean.

The show starts off slow at first, establishing the characters and giving the audience an inside view of the main protagonist’s world not unlike Lawrences’ other shows like Ted Lasso and Scrubs. This really allows the audience to get attached to their favorite characters and builds a world that we would all love to live in.  The real problems addressed in this show are not sugar-coated and always highlight human qualities we would soon forget sometimes. It’s a real gem after Ted Lasso and you’ll just need to be a little patient in the beginning, but the payoff is well worth it in the end.

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