You may know Nathan Dean Parsons as Ethan from General Hospital, as Nick/Jack/Hansel in Once Upon A Time and as Jackson in The Originals. Now, he’s taking over TV screens as Max Evans in The CW’s Roswell, New Mexico. Since the show premiered, our staff has been hooked; the writing, amplified by the casts’ performances, really bring a whole new look into a world we thought we already knew, and one of our favorite characters since the beginning has been Max, thanks to Nathan. We recently wrote an article about why we love Nathan’s portrayal of Max Evans, and you can read that here.
We got the chance to ask Nathan about the show, being directed by Shiri Appleby, his chemistry with Jeanine Mason, and Star Wars. Read our interview with Nathan below!
Nerds and Beyond: Had you watched the original Roswell or read the books before getting cast in this role?
Nathan Dean Parsons: No I hadn’t! I was of course familiar with both and knew the concept but I never really watched TV. When I got cast, I asked our showrunner Carina [Adly Mackenzie] if I should check ’em out. She said not right now. We wanted to create our own take on the story. She did however give me a few specific passages to read from the books which were really informative.
Nerds and Beyond: Did you go into the audition specifically for the role of Max?
Nathan: Eventually, yes. It wasn’t their first choice though. I was reading for Michael. I went through the whole process for that role and when it came time to screen test they still couldn’t figure out Max. My task became to test for both. As I re-studied the script through Max’s eyes this whole character and world opened up to me. I guess it worked out!
Courtesy of The CW
Nerds and Beyond: What was it like to act in an episode directed by Shiri Appleby? Did she give any advice to the cast?
Nathan: Shiri was wonderful. Her enthusiasm for this project is infectious and her preparedness and sense of play surrounding this world made for some really fun discoveries. In terms of advice, she was full of knowledge and anecdotes and more than happy to sit with us and talk about what we could expect going forward.
Nerds and Beyond: What kind of preparation did you do for the role of Max, knowing that you are playing a slightly older version of a previously established character?
Nathan: Since I wasn’t familiar with Jason’s interpretation of the character I looked to the script. Max is very grounded in my loyalty and my relationships to the people I care about. Being older, as I actually am (high school was quite a while ago) I didn’t have to do much on that front. However the gravitas of decisions, desire vs duty, all that just helps heighten what are already difficult odds.
Nerds and Beyond: Did you get to speak with Jason Behr about Max? Did he offer any advice?
Nathan: I haven’t had a chance to! I know he’s been very supportive though and I hope I get to sit down with him at some point.
Courtesy of The CW
Nerds and Beyond: You have great on-screen chemistry with co-star Jeanine Mason, and convey an incredible depth of emotion as Max when he is talking about Liz. This was really impressive coming out of the pilot and had us hooked. Does this part of the character come naturally for you?
Nathan: It’s easy to have great chemistry with incredible actors and Jeanine is definitely that and more. This story is about our relationship so that comes at the forefront of everything. There is an emotional honesty between Liz and Max that is unmatched, even though the situation continues to pull us apart.
Nerds and Beyond: Is there a particular episode or scene this season that you’re excited for fans to see when it airs?
Nathan: I love the parts of the story that really move the plot forward. When new secrets are discovered and the spiral that barrels us to the finale. I can’t wait to see what people think.
Nerds and Beyond: All of the episode titles for season one are various hit songs from the 90’s. As someone who grew up in the 90’s, what’s your favorite song from that list?
Nathan: There are so many but I have to go with 8 – “Barely Breathing” and 10 – “I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing”.
Courtesy of The CW
Nerds and Beyond: You’ve played a vampire, werewolf, and now an alien. Are you more drawn to supernatural roles or has it been a coincidence?
Nathan: A little of both. I love sci-fi and the supernatural because it automatically allows for a little broader range of imagination but ultimately, I don’t get to cast myself. I do love bringing everything back to its true empathetic humanity so the supernatural thing has brought a little extra twist to a few things.
Nerds and Beyond: We have a few nerdy questions. What do you “nerd out” to, what are you a fan of?
Nathan: Star Trek, Firefly, Star Wars. Anything about future space travel, exploration and what life among the stars could be.
Nerds and Beyond: Favorite superhero?
Nathan: Batman.
Nerds and Beyond: Favorite movie?
Nathan: The Fifth Element.
Nerds and Beyond: Favorite book?
Nathan: “The God of Small Things” [by Arundhati Roy].
Nerds and Beyond: Favorite band or musician?
Nathan: Right now? Chris Stapleton.
Nerds and Beyond: Favorite word?
Nathan: Enigma.
Nerds and Beyond: Finally, we like to close out interviews by asking a Star Wars related question. If you could pick, what color would you want your lightsaber to be?
Nathan: Definitely purple. In the immortal words of The Man In Black, Mr. Johnny Cash, “I Walk The Line”.
Thanks to Nathan for this interview! Roswell, New Mexico airs on The CW Tuesday nights at 9/8c.
We are only a few short weeks away from the premier of Avengers: Endgame. And as the release date approaches and we reach the end of this journey, we want to look back on everything that brought us here. The heroes we watched struggle, grow, and save humanity over the last ten years and our favorite moments of their stories. We will be going through each phase in order, covering every movie leading up to April 26.
To kick off the series, we start with Iron Man which released in 2008. This film launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe into what it is today, and Tony Stark and Robert Downey Jr. have been the face of the MCU ever since.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man’ (2008). Courtesy of IMDb.
Here are some of our favorite moments from Iron Man:
Having seen Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, I can’t imagine anyone else taking on that role. He made it his own, even going off script and saying the now iconic line “I am Iron Man” to the room of reporters. The sarcasm that Tony uses as a mask to shield himself from letting people in can’t hide how he feels about Pepper. It also showed how you could be a hero without having super powers or abilities. He may have had the electromagnet implanted to keep him alive, but he chose to build the suit and become Iron Man. – Sarah
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Sometimes I pride myself on the fact that I’ve seen all but three MCU movies in the theater, but I don’t remember every single experience and how I felt watching every single movie for the first time. I distinctly remember going to see the first Iron Man movie, because I’d loved Robert Downey Jr. in previous roles, and I was excited to see such an iconic character brought to life. It has been said many times over that Downey is the perfect choice to play Tony Stark — and the first Iron Man film shows exactly why: he brings the two extremes together effortlessly. On the one hand, the playboy image that is a front for a difficult childhood, the scientific genius that builds an entire Iron Man suit from the contents of a cave in the desert; and on the other hand, the gentle side that is in love with Pepper Potts and the way he is willing to sacrifice himself for someone else. The first Iron Man film paved the way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is the reason fans have become so invested to see where the story takes Tony Stark. My favorite scene is the press conference, because it sums up Tony’s character development in just a few minutes — he was willing to give up what he worked for all his life, because he realized it wasn’t right. – Conny
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
What can I say? Iron Man was my first love. Tony Stark’s sarcasm and his determination to save others gives me all the more reason to admire him. This is the first movie that really dives into the Marvel Universe, and it is a great movie to start. My favorite scene is when Pepper gives Tony his “heart” that she removed, now in the glass box, saying that it’s proof he has a heart. I think that helps light the spark between Pepper and Tony but shows also what he really had to go through. One of my favorite movies, hands down. – Kailey
One of my favorite moments in this film was when Tony was being held prisoner, and he not only makes the first arc reactor, but the very first Iron Man suit. In a cave. From scrap metal and spare parts. One of the most iconic moments in not just this film — but maybe in the entire MCU — is when he exits the cave, and we see the Iron Man suit for the first time. Granted, this suit is primitive compared to what Tony would go on to develop later in the films, but it was iconic nonetheless. This really put into perspective Tony’s brilliance, genius, and ingenuity for me. This movie was a brilliant start to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and would shape the future for the franchise for the next ten years. – Kayla
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
When I look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it is today, none of it would have been possible without Iron Man. I recently re-watched the movie for the first time in years and it still holds up against all the subsequent films. It is a near perfect combination of humor, action, drama, and emotion which makes it extremely difficult to choose favorite moments. The press conference scenes, both when Tony Stark returns from his ordeal and when he announces that he is Iron Man at the end of the movie, are definitely on my favorites list. These two scenes really cement Tony’s character and personality, which carries through the rest of his appearances in the MCU. He is arrogant and a playboy, but he also takes responsibility for his actions. Additionally, I immensely enjoy the sequence where Tony is working to develop the Iron Man suit in his garage. The trial and error that comes with trying to perfect something so complicated is full of humor while also showcasing just how intelligent he is. However, my ultimate favorite part is when Pepper Potts walks in while Tony is trying to get the Iron Man suit off. He looks at her shocked expression and says, “Let’s face it, this is not the worst thing you’ve caught me doing.” When I remember very little about the rest of the movie, I will always remember that part. – Heather
Stay tuned as we look back on all our favorite moments from the Marvel Universe as we anticipate what lies ahead for our heroes in Avengers: Endgame.
We are currently less than one month away from the release of Captain Marvel. This film is one of the most highly anticipated and most talked about Marvel films among fans, because Carol Danvers is going to be the new face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we move into the next phase. Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8, which is also International Women’s Day.
And while this is the first film in the MCU to have a female lead, there have been many badass women in the Marvel Universe over the years. We will be highlighting just a few of them, over the next few weeks leading up to the premiere.
Letitia Wright in ‘Black Panther’ (2018). Courtesy of IMDb.
This feature will be on Shuri who is portrayed by Letitia Wright. Shuri is the younger sister of T’Challa, and the brilliant mind responsible for all of the amazing technology that Wakanda relies on. It was also confirmed by directors Anthony and Joe Russo that she is the smartest person in the Marvel Universe, surpassing both Tony Stark and Bruce Banner. Ever since we met Shuri in Black Panther, she became our new favorite Disney Princess.
Here are some of our favorite moments featuring Shuri:
1. “What are thooooose?”
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Peter Parker isn’t the only young superhero with a love for pop culture references. Shuri was making a reference to a popular Vine in this scene when she sees her brother’s “royal sandals.” It’s just one of many moments and one-liners that make Shuri so lovable.
2. “I’m sure you did your best.”
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Steve Rogers knew just who to turn to in Infinity War when faced with the daunting task of safely removing the Mind Stone from Vision. In this scene, Shuri is talking with Bruce Banner while examining Vision and asking him why they didn’t design a part of Vision a certain way. Bruce responds by telling her sheepishly that they didn’t think of it. (Remember what we said earlier about her being confirmed as the smartest character in the MCU?)
3. Wakanda Forever.
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
Shuri is many things, but afraid of a fight is not one of them. She has no real super powers, only her superior intellect and technology. Not only that, she is a princess. She is royalty and, as such, she has the protection of fearsome warriors such as the Dora Milaje. But that doesn’t stop her from joining into a fight to not only save her brother, but also her people.
4. “I thought you meant Coachella.”
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
At the end of Black Panther, Shuri accompanies T’Challa to California. He takes her up to a desolate looking building, and she tells him some what indignantly “when you said you would take me to California for the first time, I thought you meant Coachella or Disneyland.” Her demeanor changes when he tells her that he has purchased the building as part of a Wakandan outreach initiative, and that he wants her to oversee the Science and Information exchange. Moments later, she is eagerly engaging with a group of young boys from the neighborhood and telling them about Wakanda.
5. “Another broken white boy.”
Courtesy of Marvel Studios
After taking a bullet in the back, Agent Everett Ross is brought back to Wakanda for treatment by T’Challa. Upon seeing her brother return with the Agent’s body, Shuri exclaims “Great! Another broken white boy for us to fix!” The “other broken white boy” of course is Bucky Barnes. Shuri was of course not only able to save the life of Agent Ross, but as we find out in an end credits scene of Black Panther, she was also able to reverse over 70 years of brainwashing and programming on Barnes.
Stay tuned for the remainder of our series highlighting more of the amazing Marvel women as we countdown the arrival of Captain Marvel!
The readers have spoken! In a landslide victory, Jared Padalecki has won SpoilerTV.com‘s “Performer of the Month” for January 2019. The Supernatural star made a clean sweep in the polls, gaining 67.4% of the votes in his role as “Sam Winchester” in season 14’s “Prophet and Loss” episode. Padalecki showed the audience his acting chops in this emotionally driven episode, bringing to the surface the fear and anger building within his character as he tried to come to terms with Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) decision to sacrifice himself.
Jared Padalecki in ‘Supernatural’ Episode “Prophet and Loss” courtesy of SpoilerTV
Congratulations to Jared Padalecki on his well deserved victory! If you are curious about the rest of the results, you can find them here.
Megan Boone in ‘The Blacklist.’ Image courtesy of IMDb.com.
This episode begins with what seems to be an accident and a man is pulling woman’s body away from the scene. He hides her bike in his trunk and gets back in his car and drives off. The windshield has been cracked where she impacted the car. Next, we see the same man at a conference giving a speech. He plans to open “Chione” a distributing facility in Malaysia. We find out the man’s name is Mr. Tamerlane, and he is approached by a man who questions him about the accident of the girl at Rock Creek Park. The man warns Tamerlane that he could be in real trouble and he isn’t the only one with knowledge of the crime. He also tells Tamerlane that he might have to face witnesses and a grand jury. The strange man gives Tamerlane his business card.
We now enter the courtroom where Raymond’s trial is about to begin, but he insits that he isn’t ready. Raymond raises the idea that his criminal activities may have been the result of his “mental abnormalities” and he would like to look into it before proceeding. The prosecutor, Mr. Sima disagrees and suggests that Reddington isn’t crazy as he was sane enough to try and persuade Judge Wilkins to uphold his immunity agreement. Reddington continues and says that Mr. Sima’s opinion isn’t fact and that it is his right to find out about his mental health.
Liz is seen on the phone with her sister Jennifer as they discuss Raymond being out of town due to the judge granting him the right to a psychiatric evaluation in Missouri. Liz says that he needs to see a man in Missouri instead of getting checked out. We see that the conversation Liz has with Reddington and why he needs the evaluation if not for his mental health. Jennifer says that their case has hit a dead end because they aren’t able to speak to Koehler’s patient who might be able to identify the real Red. Liz suggests that they ask the task force for help, since Reddington didn’t give them a real case. Liz plans to pretend that the case is from Red when in fact, it’s from her and Jennifer.
Liz briefs the task force on Gerald Todd Klepper who murdered 17 patients in Newark. Klepper changed his appearance by Hans Koehler. Liz says that Reddington said Klepper was a “special case” but didn’t say why, and he is unable to provide answers as he is getting a psych eval. Liz says that they need to start with his ID because they have no idea where he lives or what he looks like. While the team discusses, we see Tamerlane meet the strange man who approached him in the RV park, as the contact card stated. Liz voices that the only thing they have on Klepper was that he was on dialysis before his surgery but when a P.I. was hired to investigate further, they didn’t find anything that could place his whereabouts or identity.
Liz and Ressler meet with the P.I. who has been working the case since 1994. The P.I. said that the police had it wrong about Klepper-he targeted patients because they wanted to live and would undergo aggressive treatments- he didn’t put people out of their misery.
Mr. Tamerlane and man discuss the situation as he is too valuable to be behind bars and his company would falter. The man talks about the witness and how she has already put in her statement, so bribing her wouldn’t be wise. He suggests that he has a more permanent solution to his problem as his statistics state, per the VSL (value of statistical life). It’s the value of Tamerlane’s life or the witness’. Tamerlane declares that you can’t put a value on life, but the man gives examples of how we do it everyday; how 44 people die each year because there is no warning for passengers in the back seats to wear seat belts. Tamerlane doesn’t want to be a murderer, but the man expresses why he is needed. To tip the scales back into the company and Tamerlane, the man wants to have the Malaysia plant built in Detroit. Except, Mr. Tamerlane has already invested $100 million into the plant. The man suggests that it wouldn’t be cheap, just ethical. “How can murder be ethical?” asks Tamerlane “How can 44 people die each year because they weren’t warned to put on their seat belts? Some lives have more value than others.”
Image courtesy of IMDb.com.
Aram finds out information as to why Klepper would stay in one place for three months. He had a kidney transplant in Philadelphia in 2010 and Aram narrowed it down all the white men-around the same age and race who would have matched the description. He pulled up a man named Cameron Morella. Morella didn’t exist before 2010. They determine this is Klepper’s new identity and our blacklister. Aram discovers that Klepper is in D.C. and that he purchased hotel room less than an hour ago.
We see Morella (or rather Klepper) visit Miss Carter- the witness to Tamerlane’s crime. He claims he is from the District Attorney’s office. Miss Carter seems confused, as a woman from the District Attorney’s office said Carter wouldn’t be making a statement until later that day. Klepper, seen putting on black gloves tells her that he is in fact not from the DA but he is there on behalf of Mr. Tamerlane. Miss Carter gets angry as she states that he can’t send people to buy her out for what she saw him do to that girl. Klepper assures her that it’s not quite what he is there for, and she tries to run but he attacks her. He brings her into the bathroom and slams her head on the counter, which leaves her bleeding out on the floor. He turns on the water in the shower and removes her clothes to make it look like she slipped.
Reddington is being seen by the psychiatrist at his eval. She says that after reading the transcript, she feels he is a competent and capable to be held liable in court. Red tells her that he doesn’t really understand why he is in court, he did what he thought was “just” and even gives her examples on how people die all the time; speed limits, polluted waters, etc. The doctor decides she is going to administer some diagnostic tests.
Keen and Ressler arrive at the scene of Klepper’s crime against Miss Carter. Keen and Ressler look at the body and know that it wasn’t just a slip and fall. Ressler asks the officer to lock down the building and that Morella/Klepper is on the loose.
Reddington walks into the general room where other patients do activities and he sits next to a man named Atticus. Reddington says that he needs to find the man to which they have a mutual acquaintance. “It’s a matter of life and death.”
Reddington seems very concerned and really desperate. A nurse overhears and walks over to tell Red that Mr. Rodrick won’t speak because of all the medication he is on. She says that he is a bear if he doesn’t get his medication every three hours.
Reddington gives a patient his medications to organize by color and walks over to Atticus and the bird habitat. Trying to distract the nurse, he says that one of the birds is endangered and should be in its own cage. As he does this and she turns away to look at the cage, he switches out some of Atticus’ pills . After successfully changing them, he says that the bird should be fine as he identified the wrong species. He sits down next to Atticus and says that he is going to sober him up so he can tell Reddington where the man is that Red is looking for.
Liz and Ressler are talking with the team back at the task force headquarters and tells them that Klepper wasn’t seen on any cameras, and that he only purchased the hotel room to get access to Carter’s room. Ressler tells Keen that the DA was paying for the victim’s room because she is a key witness in a case against Digby Tamerlane. The team decides Klepper’s motive for killing her which is his cross-benefit analysis and it seems that Digby’s life was more valuable than Miss Carter’s. Cooper instructs Ressler and Keen to investigate Tamerlane.
Reddington is seen talking to Atticus as he seems to be coming out of his quiet state. Atticus asks what he is doing there while Dr. Gray is evaluating Red; asking him to answer yes or no to several questions. Red tells him that he needs to find his colleague but Atticus still seems to be out of it. “Yes, or no, I get angry sometimes?” “No. I get even.”
Dr. Gray says that Reddington deviates from the norms of society and what he deems appropriate. She says that he is living a double life, pretending to be someone that he isn’t, and he is terrified to show others his other life (possible foreshadowing since we know that Red did undergo surgery to change his appearance). “While most people see you as an iconic bad guy, you’re really just an impostor.”
Liz is shown questioning Tamerlane as he claims he doesn’t know Kelly Carter and has never seen Cameron Morella before. He requests his lawyer but Liz persists. She tells him that Kelly is the witness who saw him try to hide the body of the 12 year old little girl and that (little did he know) Morella is a serial killer. Liz promises to drag Tamerlane down since she knows they were doing business together. Digby starts talking and says he was approached after the announcement of the Malaysia plant. They met at his place but Tamerlane also had his phone number which he gave Liz. Keen gives the number to Ressler for Aram to trace so they can find Klepper. Keen goes into her office and makes a call to Jennifer. Liz gives Jennifer the number for her friend Buck to trace. Liz gave Ressler and Aram the wrong phone number to trace so that Liz and Jennifer can find Klepper first.
Reddington talks to Atticus and explains why Atticus is there. Atticus is confused and getting angrier and angrier as Reddington tries to press him for the whereabouts of the associate. Dr. Gray comes and tells Raymond that he is late for their session when Atticus attacks her. Red tries to restrain him but the other nurses take over.
Jennifer calls Liz back and says that her friend Buck got a location off the phone number. Ressler comes in with news that the phone number was a dead end and Cooper wants him and Keen to head to the campground. Liz says she can’t go because she is going to try to talk to Reddington even though he is in a psych facility. Ressler credits Keen on dealing with Red because of the all the things he hides behind their backs. She says it isn’t easy but he says she makes it look like it is. Liz tells Ressler she will let him know what she finds out.
Liz arrives at the location of Klepper’s phone. Liz bangs on the door for him to open and if not, a team will storm the vehicle. He opens the door and she shoos him away from the door and enters the RV.
A nurse is administering medication to Atticus to sedate him but when she walks away, he tries to get his attention. Red says that the friend has an assassination job but the FBI is looking for him. Red needs to know who the friend would turn to in order to get a job done quietly. Atticus is very zoned out and keeps saying he would like to fly but he does give Red a name: General Shiro.
Liz is holding her gun on Klepper and tells him she knows his true identity. Klepper claims that he doesn’t know what she is insinuating when there is a knock at the door. Jennifer walks in with Koehler’s file on Klepper and he starts talking. Jennifer tells him that they want to know who Raymond Reddington is since they were patients around the same time. Klepper says that they remained anonymous and that was why they all went to Koehler and that they never saw each other. Liz receives a call from Ressler and Navabi as they are on their way to Third and Sycamore from a tip someone gave them on the description of Klepper’s RV. Ressler asks her about Red and he says that he didn’t know anything. Liz continues with Klepper and asks him if he didn’t see Reddington, who did? Klepper says a nurse saw all the patients before and after their transformation. They ask for the name but he starts getting into statistics that his life is not as valuable as Keen’s and that she needs to kill him. The only way that her life and job can remain valuable is if Ressler and Navabi never find out about this meeting at all. He plans on killing himself. Klepper doesn’t want to live his life behind bars so he needs to plan his suicide making it look like another statistic. Liz tells Jennifer to leave and Liz hands him the gun, as it is the only way to get the nurse’s name. He gives her the name Marguerite Renard. Liz leaves and he says, “It’s the ethical thing to do.” Liz gets back in the car with Jennifer and they drive away from the scene as sirens are heard.
Ressler and Navabi arrive on the scene as the we see Klepper dead in his RV, with the gun in his hand. Back at the office, Keen approaches Ressler and says she heard about Klepper. She says that he probably didn’t want a life in prison and found it better to kill himself. Ressler says that he found Klepper’s burner phone and the number that Liz gave him was wrong. He says that she wanted to get to him first for another agenda and led them in the wrong direction. He also checked to see if she called Red and she hasn’t which means he has no idea about the case. He knows that this is Liz’s case that she gave the task force. She told him to trust her because she can’t tell him anything right now. He asks if she killed Klepper, and she says no. She does tell him that she let Klepper kill himself because he convinced her that, “The benefit outweighed the cost.” She begs him not to say anything to Cooper about her secret case.
The autopsy results come back for Klepper and Ressler tells Cooper it appeared to be a suicide. Cooper said that they found evidence in his trailer about his other ethical decisions about 14 murders. Ressler is visibly bothered by the fact that the cases they get always have an ulterior motive. Cooper says that a serial killer is dead and that he can’t hurt anyone else. Cooper questions Ressler if he suggests there might be something they missed, but Ressler says that the case is closed and there is nothing else to look for.
Liz calls Jennifer and says that they have to find the nurse Marguerite Renard. Jennifer worries that Red and their investigation will persuade her to make decisions like the one made by Liz to allow Klepper to kill himself. They try to find what is known about her.
Dr. Gray and Red are sitting down in her office and Dr. Gray suggests that the reason he is there is to talk to Mr. Rodrick. She isn’t going to be testing Red anymore because of what she saw; how Red saving her was the proof she needed that he knows the difference between right and wrong. Before she submits her decision, she asks him one question, “What do you want from Mr. Rodrick?”
Judge Wilkins received the decision and the doctor doesn’t think he is legally insane. Red does not contest the decision, allowing the judge and the prosecutors proceed. The first charge they want to file against Red is treason. Judge Wilkins says that a jury will be selected immediately.
Even in prison, Red will find a way. With Dembe's help, we must wait and see how he executes his plan in next week's #TheBlacklist. pic.twitter.com/ZAMIt0sV2v
Red is seen sitting in a cell and as soon as the guard leaves his sight, he goes to the pipe in his cell and finds a phone. He calls Dembe to say that he received the phone and that he received a name after talking to Atticus Rodrick. He wants Dembe to find out everything he can on General Shiro. “He’s the next name on the Blacklist.”
Netflix will add yet another promising show from the popular superhero genre to its repertoire with the adaptation of the comic series Jupiter’s Legacy.
Today, TV line announced some of the casting choices that have been made for the new show. Among the actors joining the new project are Josh Duhamel (known for his work on Transformers, Unsolved, and Love, Simon), Ben Daniels (House of Cards, Star Wars: Rogue One), and Leslie Bibb (American Housewife, Iron Man).
The show will be based on the comic series by Mark Millar, which started publishing in 2013. The series focuses on a group of superheroes who received their powers in the 1930s and are now passing on their legacy to their children and grandchildren, showing them the way and easing their struggles. The comics explore the conflicts between the different generations and the burden that superpowers bring to a normal life, as well as the changes the world has gone through in the time these heroes have been alive.
Duhamel will play the character Sheldon Sampson/The Utopian, who is the leader of the team of superheroes who call themselves “The Union.” Bibb will play Sheldon’s wife Grace Sampson/Lady Liberty, who tries to help balance her husband’s ideals with reality.
The show will be produced by Steven S. DeKnight (who worked on Buffy and Daredevil), who will also direct and write the first episode. The series will be co-produced by author Millar, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, and Dan McDermott.
Disney fans have had their wishes for a new trailer granted today! The highly anticipated live action version of Disney’s classic Aladdin released a new trailer with a glimpse of many of our favorite characters, including a very blue Will Smith as the Genie.
Image courtesy of Disney
Aladdin, played by Mena Massoud, appears with his faithful pet monkey Abu.
Image courtesy of Disney
We also see Jasmine, played by Naomi Scott, and her pet tiger Rajah.
Image courtesy of Disney
Will Smith is looking very blue as the beloved Genie.
Claes Bang in ‘Dracula,’ coming soon to Netflix and the BBC courtesy of BBC One Twitter
Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have worked on two of the most successful British shows of the past fifteen years: Doctor Who and Sherlock. Both series have been received well by critics and have built an enormous fanbase, which is probably not only thanks to the actors and producers, but also to a writer-duo that works well together.
Moffat stepped down as Doctor Who showrunner (which means he was head writer and producer) in 2017 after seven years. He was responsible for some of the most famous episodes of Doctor Who, and his elaborate structure of a story arc in a series and his attention to detail made him popular. He was however also criticized for some statements he made regarding female fans, the possibility of a female Doctor, and his treatment of other minority characters. It was time to move on for him, for the sake of the series.
Gatiss has been writing and starring in Doctor Who since 2007 and has also been part of Moffat’s other high-profile project, Sherlock, where he is both writer for the show and a character in the series: he portrays Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft.
Their next joint project is an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, which is scheduled to start filming in the spring this year and will be a co-production of Netflix and the BBC. It is not supposed to be a modern adaptation like Sherlock was; rather, it will be set in Victorian-era London.
Starring in the series will be Claes Bang (known from The Square and The Girl In The Spider’s Web) in the title role. Joining him will be Gatiss, Dolly Wells, John Heffernan, and Lujza Richter. Both Gatiss and Moffat have expressed their excitement about this new endeavor, saying that this production is a “childhood dream come true” and that they have high hopes for the cast who will bring the classic story to life.
The mini-series will be shown on the BBC in the United Kingdom and will be released internationally on Netflix.
We got the amazing opportunity to interview Adam Lastiwka, composer for the wildly popular Netflix series Travelers. He’s incredibly talented, and has also composed music for Jade Fever, Interrupt This Program, and Yukon Gold. The soundtrack for Travelers Season 2 just released in December, and you can purchase that on Amazon. It’s also available for purchase on ITunes, and available to stream on Spotify.
See Adam’s interview with us below!
Nerds and Beyond: When it comes to a show like Travelers, do you create the music just by reading the script, or do you look at scenes and then create from there? Tell us a little bit about your process.
Adam Lastiwka: I‘m very much what you’d call a “craft” composer, in that I truly believe in a purpose-built score that is as married to picture as it can be. That being said, “Travelers” was very unique because I got to start developing a palette of sounds and themes of just script inspired concepts before they had finished writing everything and we got to apply a bit of serendipity, where I presented Brad Wright (the show’s creator) with maybe 30 or 40 cues (yeah, I write a lot) and he would say, “I like this track for this scene, or this will be a good show theme, develop this one more, pull this one back etc.” Then certain scenes which he had in mind could be cut to the music. I will usually go into those pieces of music and re-build them and stylize more to picture, but it was interesting to see how that could work. That was only part of the time though; my favorite thing is to really dig into an episode and musically outline the narrative to make it as immersive for the viewer as I can.
Nerds and Beyond: What was the most difficult track to create for Travelers?
Adam Lastiwka: There isn’t a single cue that stands out beyond any others for me as far as being challenging, but usually each episode has a big energy arc scene that can span 3-8 minutes, which is a lot of heavy lifting for a single cue, so there is a lot of planning ahead of time in order to make that work. The action scenes are always challenging because there is a lot of sound fx and dialog the music has to make room for, all while building up tension and pushing things along.
My favourite approach to a scene this year (to avoid spoilers) is season 3 episode 8, from about 39:30 minutes onwards. The mechanics of the score are interesting on this. As a somewhat general rule you don’t want to “telegraph” something by explicitly foreshadowing the outcome, but sometimes you can play it counterintuitively. This scene is structured in a way that on first viewing you would want to go dry with the music, and then a big moment on (in this case) David with some huge, impactful, emotional build. But I chose to do something “inappropriate” and totally telegraph it to the point of obnoxiousness. The music is tense and building when nothing is really happening, which is almost annoying and could “pull you out” as a viewer. As the volume increases it even steps on her dialog a bit (a big no-no) but the purpose was to create a literally heart-stopping moment, and demonstrate the impact that effectively-composed “silence” can have. There was no other way to approach that scene that would create this effect, so it took breaking some hard-and-fast rules to make it work.
Nerds and Beyond: When you did the Instagram takeover last year, you had a lot of different instruments and sound equipment. What is your favorite instrument to play?
Adam Lastiwka: I love the exploration process and overcoming the barriers of learning new instruments in order to find your voice on it. I think every musician has a “voice” and when they reach a certain degree of comprehension on any instrument that voice will come through very distinctly. I think, for my personal composition process, the instruments themselves are as much a part of finding a compositional voice as anything else. My favorite instrument is probably cello or guitar. I’m still very much learning cello but I find myself really easily lost in it when I sit down to play. It’s much more challenging and frustrating to record though.
I think overall though, the most important skill a modern TV composer can have is production. You can say a lot with just sound, something I think John Cage would always get at, especially in his book “Silence”. I think his brain would explode if he heard some of the sound design capacity we have today. Electronic music is a great expression of this, as the musical elements can be fairly minimal but the sonorous effect of the sounds themselves can have a huge emotional impact. But in order to harness all this effectively, you really need to know how to “play” your studio and be really proficient at all the technical elements of recording and engineering, mixing and sound design. So when I sit down at my desk, it’s kind of like every part of my brain has to be firing in order to bring it all together, and production skills and experience is what facilitates that. To me, it feels akin to playing an instrument in a real flow state.
Nerds and Beyond: You’ve done the soundtrack for all three seasons of Travelers and also have multiple albums out, including your most recent “Clouds”. Do you have a favorite song?
Adam Lastiwka: I think my favorite track on that album is “Wind”. I started the idea by wanting to create an arrangement strictly from wind instruments, which was fun but it didn’t really stand out as a full track so I started adding field recordings and layered in sound design elements that gave it a lot of weird energy. My favorite part is the processed saxophone solo in the middle. I pitched it down an octave with Soundtoys Alter Boy and distorted it, then did some really strange pitch manipulation after the fact. The whole album was done as a sort of respite from software instruments and digital sounds, which you have to use often in TV due to time constraints, but I made the whole creative aspect of the album absent of that, which was incredibly hard as one person in a small studio. I also enjoy the track “Clouds”, which was based around a poem my girlfriend was reading for a project. I sampled and did some very weird pitch and time manipulation in order to create what became this really abstract and alien sounding hook that I based the track around. I think I played about thirty or so different instruments on the whole thing, which was a bit of a feat for me.
Courtesy of Adam Lastiwka
Nerds and Beyond: What’s your favorite TV score and favorite movie score?
Adam Lastiwka: My favorite movie score is probably The Bourne Ultimatum by John Powell. It’s really effective in context and one of the rare scores I’ll listen to for fun outside of the film. For TV, I really enjoy the functional craft scores that Sean Callery does, as well as the super vibey scores for True Detective by T. Bone Burnett. They elicit something of a Harry Partch vibe that I really enjoy.
Nerds and Beyond: What would your road trip soundtrack sound like?
Adam Lastiwka: I usually like to do audiobooks for road trips. But for music what I like to do is find the compiled lists of standout albums that the music journalists put out and make playlists of them and put it on shuffle. It’s always great music regardless of the genre, and it really opens your ear to new production styles. There is more excellent music out there than any other time in history, but the problem is curation and trying to find a way through all the noise. So a big thanks to the music journalists taking the bullet for everyone and seeking the signal.
Nerds and Beyond: Finally, which character from Travelers is your favorite to score?
Adam Lastiwka: That’s a hard question! I had an easier time finding distinct themes for some characters than I did others for sure, but it was just based on the immediacy of what depth the plot reveals for them. Sometimes a character doesn’t do anything that provokes something unique until two seasons. I think I wrote some of my most moving stuff for Mac and Aleksander in season three, episode three.
Thank you to Adam for doing this interview! The soundtrack for Travelers Season 2 just released in December, and you can purchase that on Amazon. It’s also available for purchase on ITunes, and available to stream on Spotify.
AHBL, also known as All Hell Breaks Loose, a convention in Melbourne, Australia, will be having AHBL 10 this coming May, on May 25 and May 26.
The first few guests have been announced, and will include Matt Cohen, Jason Manns, Rob Benedict and Louden Swain. Tickets are not currently on sale, but according to their website, they will be available starting later this month.
For more information on the event, check out their website here.
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