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magazine
July 2017 • $7.99
WINTER IS HERE!
Newcomer Laurie Davidson as Shakespeare in TNT’s “Will”
Why Now Is The Time To Watch “Game Of Thrones” channelguidemag.com
STORY OF A GIRL
SHARK WEEK RETURNS
Kyra Sedgwick Directs Hubby Kevin Bacon In Moving Original Drama
WITH MICHAEL PHELPS & CHRIS NOTH
! WARNING!
Asteroid To Hit Earth In 6 Months
MOSQUITOES
DEADLIEST ANIMAL IN THE WORLD?
(That’s TV’s SALVATION)
PREMIERING 7/11 ON DEMAND
© 2017 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
July 2017
WATCH THE 10 MINUTE FREE PREVIEW
SHAKESPEARE, SHARKS, SALVATION & SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN?!
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GAME SHOWS YOU COULD EASILY WIN
SHORT LIST
1
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Coke Zero 400, NBC
3
Tennis: Wimbledon, Early Rounds, ESPN POV: “The War Show,” PBS
4
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, NBC A Capitol Fourth, PBS July 4th “Twilight Zone” Marathon, Syfy
5 Descendants 2: © 2017 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Credit: Bob D’Amico
B:10.75 in
6
smithsonianchannel.com ©2017 SNI/SI Networks L.L.C. All rights reserved. Smithsonian Channel is a trademark of Smithsonian Institution. SNI/SI Networks L.L.C. is an authorized user.
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The 2017 ESPYS, ABC Salvation, CBS — New Series I’m Sorry, truTV — New Series Suits, USA Network — Season Premiere
13
Candy Crush, CBS — New Series Famously Single, E! — Season Premiere
10
Penn & Teller: Fool Us, The CW — Season Premiere MLB Home Run Derby, ESPN POV: “Last Men in Aleppo,” PBS Will, TNT — New Series <
Golf: British Open, First Round, Golf Channel Syfy Live From Comic-Con, Syfy
21
Sin City Justice: “Betrayed,” Investigation Discovery — Season Finale Impractical Jokers, truTV — New Episodes
14
23
Shark Week begins, Discovery Channel Ballers, HBO — Season Premiere Insecure, HBO — Season Premiere Story of a Girl, Lifetime — Original Film Golf: British Open, Final Round, NBC Top Secret Swimming Holes, Travel Channel — New Episodes
Castlevania, Netflix — New Series
9
Being Mary Jane, BET — New Episodes Weekend in Havana, PBS Shooter, USA Network — Season Premiere
Descendants 2,, ABC, Disney, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime — Original Film Ozark, Netflix — New Series
7
Friends from College: © Netflix Credit: David Lee
JULY 2 | SUNDAYS 8/7c
12
Mosquito, Discovery Channel Sin City Justice: “Blood Brothers,” Investigation Discovery
WIll: ™ &© 2016 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Credit: Ellen Von Unwerth.
SERIES PREMIERE
18
Still the King, CMT — Season Premiere MLB All-Star Game, FOX The Fosters, Freeform — Season Premiere Adam Ruins Everything, truTV — Season Premiere
Friends From College, Netflix — New Series Playing House, USA Network — Season Finale
<
S:9.75 in
T:10.25 in
Snowfall, FX — New Series Big Star Little Star, USA Network — Season Finale
11
<
July
We Break Down The Month’s Biggest And Best Programming So You Never Miss A Must-See Minute.
15
Tennis: Wimbledon, Ladies Singles Final, ESPN
16
Tennis: Wimbledon, Men’s Singles Final, ESPN The Strain, FX — Season Premiere Game of Thrones, HBO — Season Premiere Remember Me, PBS — New Series
17
24
Somewhere Between, ABC — New Series Midnight, Texas, NBC — New Series
28
The Last Tycoon, Amazon — New Series
30
Remember Me, PBS — Series Finale 5-Headed Shark Attack, Syfy — Original Film
31
POV: “Memories of a Penitent Heart,” PBS Mississippi River Sharks, Syfy — Original Film
Loaded, AMC — New Series N
Not all networks available in all areas. PBS programming varies regionally.
Channel Guide Magazine 251
CONTENTS 07.17 CHANNELGUIDEMAG.COM
ON THE COVER 6 Shark Week Returns 11 7 Game Shows You Could 12 14 16 19 20 36
Easily Win Game Of Thrones Summer TV! Asteroid To Hit Earth In 6 Months Mosquitoes Story Of A Girl Top Streaming Options
FAVORITES 4 News & Views 6 Hype 8 4 Questions With ... 12 Returning Favorites 14 What’s New 23 Sports 24 On Demand Premieres RESOURCES 27 Best Bets 36 Streaming 40 Program Listings THE SOURCE 184 Series 186 Premium Profiler 188 Movies, Specials, Sports & More On The Cover: Will: TM & © 2016 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. Credit: Ellen Von Unwerth. Story Of A Girl: ©2016 Lifetime / Story Of A Girl Productions Inc. Credit: Bettina Strauss.
Get More Online! channelguidemag.com Follow us on
FREE DIGITAL ISSUE!
Go to: channelguidemag.com/allaccess/ N
20
8 4 Questions 12 Returning Faves Andrea Savage (Veep) is writer and star of the new comedy I’m Sorry, which is based on her life.
Former “The Closer” star Kyra Sedgwick moves into the director’s chair for the Lifetime original movie “Story of a Girl”
NEXT MONTH
Bran Stark should be very, very frightened. Game of Thrones’ Isaac Hempstead Wright (who plays him) tells us why.
Discovery’s new series Manhunt: UNABOMBER tells the dramatic true story of the FBI’s hunt for the Unabomber. Sam Worthington (Avatar) and Paul Bettany (Captain America: Civil War) star.
CHANNEL GUIDE’S
READER REWARDS We have a handful of limited-edition Shark Week T-shirts we are giving away. Mail this in. 5 Readers Will Win! Rules are simple: No purchase necessary to enter or win. Complete and mail form by July 31, 2017. See official rules at channelguidemag.com/rules
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Channel Guide Magazine 3
NEWS & VIEWS
Editor’s Note
Meet THE CREW
Summer’s Hot Have you noticed the trend on TV this summer? There’s a wave of new game shows, from Beat Shazam (a modern update of Name That Tune) to The Wall, Candy Crush and more. Summer’s the perfect time for the game show format, as we can easily tune in and out with no ongoing storylines to keep up with. Inside we detail what it takes to win on some of these shows. It’s been over a year, but Game of Thrones finally returns for its penultimate season. Lori Acken details what’s in store on page 12, but beware, there are major spoilers on previous seasons if you’re not caught up. Honestly, I was initially late to the GOT fan craze and didn’t start my binge-watch until the end of Season 4 (we are starting Season 7 this month). The sophisticated fantasy drama is a brutally enthralling, multi-character story that frequently leaves you gut-punched and desperate to know what awaits. If there’s one show I would recommend investing yourself in this summer, it’s Game of Thrones. As for new options this month, you’ve got plenty. CBS delivers a summer blockbuster in the series Salvation. TNT shows us Shakespeare’s rowdy side in Will. ABC gives us chills with Somewhere Between. NBC freaks us out with its thriller Midnight, Texas, and AMC offers some laughs in Loaded. Happy viewing!
Barb Oates, Editor in Chief
BARB First on my list to DVR: Loaded on AMC Too late to catch up on Game of Thrones? Never. Start bingeing now and thank me later.
JEFF First on my list to DVR: Shark Week on Discovery Channel Watching the MLB All-Star Game? Zzzzzz …
LORI First on my list to DVR: Game of Thrones on HBO, of course. My bet for the Iron Throne: Lyanna Mormont. But I’ll change my mind next week. And the week after. And the week after that.
RYAN
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CHANNEL GUIDE® magazine (USPS 719-690) (ISSN 1042-1238), Volume 34, Issue 7, is published every month by NTVB Custom Media, LLC, 9275 N. 49th St., Suite 100, Brown Deer, WI 53223-1495. Periodicals postage rates paid at Milwaukee, WI and at additional mailing offices. The goal of NTVB Custom Media, LLC is to deliver your publication by the 1st of each month. If you are experiencing delivery delays, or your publication arrives damaged, please contact the U.S. Postal Service at your area post office to obtain a publication watch form. You can also log on to channelguidemag.com/delivery/, or call 1-800-275-8777. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CHANNEL GUIDE® magazine, 9275 N. 49th St., Suite 100, Brown Deer, WI 53223-1495. NTVB Custom Media, LLC is not responsible for changes in programming times and dates. CHANNEL GUIDE® magazine is a publication of NTVB Custom Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. © 2017, NTVB Custom Media, LLC. For questions or comments about this magazine, contact us at
[email protected] or NTVB Custom Media, LLC, Attention: Editor, 9275 N. 49th St., Suite 100, Brown Deer, WI 53223-1495. If you are moving to a new address, please visit your local Post Office and complete USPS Form 3575, or access the web at moversguide.usps.com
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Channel Guide Magazine
First on my list to DVR: Salvation on CBS Favorite shark species: Dwarf lanternshark
KELLIE First on my list to DVR: Salvation on CBS. I love the disaster genre. How I would fare in an apocalypse: Plucky survivor of the first wave, dies heroically in the end. N
Random Rants & Raves Great 90-Year-Olds Your June issue about stars over the age of 90 was excellent. I only regret you excluded Doris Day — one of the megastars of her time and now an animal rights icon. Good job otherwise! — Carol Thanks, Carol. There are several other great actors 90 and over but the documentary we were writing about, “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast,” did not feature Doris Day.
QUESTION OF THE MONTH:
Who would you like to see on the cover of this magazine & why? Email us at
[email protected]
Loud Music On Programs Like the person who wrote about the loud music, we also have been irritated by the excessively loud music on programs to the point that the dialogue is not heard. We stopped watching Hawaii Five-0, Blue Bloods and Law & Order: SVU due to the loud music. — Ann We’ve received many letters about dialogue that can’t be heard. One solution to that problem may very well be right in the palm of your hand — your remote control. If you have a newer television, it probably arrived with factory audio (sound) settings, which often means “surround sound” set to ON. Find your television remote (not your cable remote) and hit the MENU button. Navigate to the AUDIO menu and scroll through your options to see if your television is set to “surround.” If it is, turn it off. If that isn’t the problem, your newer television’s audio controls may be set to other things like “concert,” “movie” or “live” settings, often found under the USER menu. Either way, here’s your chance to take control of
your television’s audio settings and find something that’s right for you. You can probably adjust the bass, treble and other settings that might help you hear the dialogue better on your programs. Some newer sets even have a setting for “speech” (often under the USER menu).
A Great Feud I usually don’t write letters like this — in fact, I haven’t written once since 1966 when CBS was threatening to cancel Gunsmoke. I was sure it was my letter that saved it and kept it on the air for 10 more years. Anyway, I had to say how impressed I have been with the series FEUD: Bette and Joan. It is, without a doubt, the best thing I have seen in many years. Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange are incredible. The atmosphere between those two women was so intense, I felt like I was right there with them, suffering throughout their careers, fighting their battles. It certainly puts Bette in a much better light. No sympathy for Joan. Please let me know where I might be able to find FEUD on DVD. — Sara I had a pinup of Joan Crawford on my wall for years. My wife made me take it down, but my wife has Bette Davis eyes. — Al Loved your letters. I’m sending you both a copy of our puzzle magazine “ReMIND.” You can preorder “FEUD” through amazon.com. Include your address when you write or email us and we’ll most likely send you something. We’re not promising, we’re just saying. Also, if you didn’t know this, the letters and opinions above reflect the views of our readers, so don’t go crazy on us because you don’t like what someone else said. Send your thoughts to:
[email protected] or write to Random Rants & Raves, Channel Guide, 9275 N. 49th St., Suite 100, Brown Deer, WI 53223-1495.
UNIVERSALVOD.NET
HYPE
SYFY LIVE FROM
COMIC-CON Once Again, Syfy Has The Insider Info Fans Want To Know.
SHARK WEEK ATTACKS AGAIN!
Discovery’s Annual Favorite Returns. By Jeff Pfeiffer Celebrating its 29th year in 2017, Discovery Channel’s Shark Week has become a summertime staple over three decades and hundreds of programs. Although most specific details about this year’s weeklong event, which airs on the network beginning July 23, weren’t available at presstime, Discovery did give us these tidbits to bite on: • Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps will take part in a Shark Week special this year • Chris Noth of Sex and the City will narrate the special Sharks and the City: New York • Other confirmed new specials include African Shark Safari, Great White Serial Killer Lives, Shark Swarm and Shark-Croc Showdown
If You
…TRY
Remember when word of mouth and water-cooler talk were how you discovered new TV shows, good restaurants and your next great read? Now we’ve got recommendation engines matching us up to what to watch next. Here we keep it simple. 6
Channel Guide Magazine
Each year since 1970, San Diego has played host to ComicCon, the place to be for Zachary Levi pop culture “nerds” from all genres. This fancentric event has been billed as “the largest convention of its kind in the world” by Forbes. Syfy will be on hand “Outlander’s” at this year’s event Caitriona Balfe to share all of the breaking news, insider party coverage, exclusive content and sneak peeks of the most anticipated films and TV series (Marvel’s The Defenders!) appearing at Comic-Con 2017, with three nights of live-to-tape, one-hour primetime specials from the center of the action. From July 20-22, Syfy will be the source for celebrity interviews and behindthe-scenes access that the regular conventiongoer won’t see. Zachary (Chuck) hosts Syfy’s coverage. Levi (Chuck While many of the details for this year’s event have yet to be announced, an appearance by Stan Lee and an Outlander show panel are confirmed.
IF YOU LIKE
TRY
True Blood, Supernatural
Midnight, Texas (NBC)
Entourage, Silicon Valley
Genius, Da Vinci’s Demons
Loaded (AMC)
Will (TNT)
Shark Week: Credit: vladoskan/Discovery Channel. Chuck: © NBC Universal, Inc. Credit: Mitchell Haaseth. Outlander: © 2015 Sony Pictures Television Inc. Credit: Jason Bell. Midnight, Texas: © 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Entourage: © HBO Credit: Claudette Barius. Will: © 2016 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. Credit: Ellen Von Unwerth.
By Meredith Ennis
HYPE
With … Andrea Savage Of truTV’s “I’m Sorry.” By Barb Oates
ndrea Savage wants to create a new TV image of a mom. “As a woman, in this industry, once you start becoming of an age where you play a parent, the mom roles are just terrible. They’re just boring,” the writer, producer and comedy darling said. “I’m a mother and wife. I’m not boring. I’m funny. I’m dirty. I’m flawed.” Inspired by true stories from her own life, and with support from industry geniuses like Andy Samberg, Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Adam McCay and Gloria Sanchez, she created I’m Sorry (Wednesdays beginning July 12 on truTV). The series follows comedy writer Andrea (played by Savage) as she navigates the oftentimes self-induced complications of her life alongside her more strait-laced husband Mike (Tom Everett Scott) and their inquisitive daughter Amelia (Olive Petrucci). Here Savage tells us a little bit more about her series and self. What finally pushed you over the edge to make this series materialize? Well, really part of it was finding the people to help me make it materialize. I’ve been developing it for many years. … All the shows were inspired by true stories in my life, and I was like, “I’ve got a lot of really good stories that are very specific and kind of funny and crazy, but they’re very universal at the same time, about what you’re going through in your 30s and 40s.” I really was just like, “I want to be the person who puts that mom character on TV.” We’re doing it. What are three TV shows that you would recommend to your friends that totally make you laugh? I will preface this with, I watch very little TV … Catastrophe,, I love. I love Veep.. Not because I’m on [she plays Laura Montez]; I was a huge fan before. By the way — and again, not because I’m on it — Episodes is great. It legitimately makes me laugh. What three things do you have to have in your fridge or pantry? My fridge looks like a bachelor pad. It’s rough. I’m not great. We’re always like, “Why do we have no food in the house?” and I’m like, “I’m at the market constantly.” I eat a lot of peanut butter. I would say peanut butter and sour candies. What’s a movie you can watch over and over again? I love Moonstruck.. I watch it every year.
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Channel Guide Magazine
Ballers HBO (July 23) Being Mary Jane BET (July 18) Famously Single E! (July 9) The Fosters Freeform (July 11) Game of Thrones HBO (July 16) Impractical Jokers truTV (July 13) The Incredible Dr. Pol Nat Geo Wild (July 1) Insecure HBO (July 23) Penn & Teller: Fool Us The CW (July 10) Shooter USA Network (July 18) Still the King CMT (July 11) The Strain FX (July 16) Suits USA Network (July 12)
They’re Back, Baby!: Recently Renewed Shows
Ye gods! Starz has renewed freshman series American Gods for a second season. … The truth is still out there, as FOX has ordered a second chapter of The X-Files event series, which will air during the 2017-18 season. … Thriller series Taken is returning for Season 2 on NBC.
YANKE ANKED!: Recently Canceled Shows ABC: American Crime, The Catch, Conviction, Conviction Dr. Ken, Mary, Last Man Imaginary Mary Standing, Notorious, The Standing O’Neals, Secrets and Real O’Neals Lies, Time After Time Lies CBS: Criminal Minds: Borders, Doubt, Beyond Borders Indoors, The Odd The Great Indoors Couple, Pure Genius, Ransom, Couple Day, 2 Broke Girls Training Day The CW: Frequency, No Tomorrow FOX: APB, Making History, Pitch, Rosewood, Scream Pitch Queens, Sleepy Hollow, Son of Queens Zorn, You the Jury Zorn NBC: The Blacklist: Redemption, Chicago Justice, Redemption City, Powerless Emerald City N
I’m Sorry: © 2017 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. Credit: Justin Stephens
4
Questions
Returning Favorites
STREAMING PICKS! A look at the best shows and movies to stream online.
And
Kelsey Grammer, Lily Collins and Matt Bomer
The
LAST TYCOON Hollywood’s Golden Era Is Alive In Amazon’s New Drama Series. By Kellie Freeze Hollywood’s golden era comes to life when cinema’s golden boy (Matt Bomer) fights for power against his boss, mentor and father figure (Kelsey Grammer), while a plucky young woman (Lily Collins) tries to appease both men and forge her own way in the industry. Academy Award nominee Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games) writes, directs and executive produces the Amazon series The Last Tycoon, based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished novel. “I think if we were dealing with a book that had been completed, the pressure would be a lot greater,” Ray says of the freedom that comes with adding his own perspective to the famed author’s Depression-era take on the American dream. “That said, he’s still Fitzgerald — he’s still such a great author that you
can name him by only his last name and everybody knows who you were talking about.” Helping Ray achieve his vision are a cast and crew who should garner significant attention come awards season. Bomer sizzles as Monroe Stahr, a charismatic and creative genius whose story echoes real-life Hollywood boy wonder Irving Thalberg. And Grammer’s performance as a studio boss is a tour de force on its own, but when he and Bomer share the screen, the result is simply electric. Ray says, “You can see in an instant why they need each other, what they get from one another, the way they resent each other, and the way they respect each other.” The Last Tycoon > Amazon > July 28
Don’t Miss ... Janet King, Series 3 — Episodes 1 & 2 available July 3, then weekly until July 24 season finale, on Acorn TV. Marta Dusseldorp is back as brilliant lawyer Janet King in eight new episodes of the Australian drama that has been hailed as “one of the best legal procedurals … in years” (Slate). In the third season, Janet’s investigation into the mysterious death of a young cricketer uncovers a web of lies and corruption. Castlevania — Available July 7 on Netflix. Inspired by the classic video game franchise, this animated series is a dark, medieval fantasy that follows the last surviving member of a disgraced clan, who is trying to save Eastern Europe from extinction at the hands of Dracula himself. Ozark — Available July 21 on Netflix. Jason Bateman stars in and executive produces this drama that is described as a “dark, dangerous series.” It’s about a family who struggles after moving to an Ozarks resort community, where they are thrust into a world of dirty money. Laura Linney also stars.
“THE BIG CHILL” FOR A NEW GENERATION? Friends from College: © Netflix Credit: David Lee
Netflix’s “Friends From College” Finds College Pals Facing Their 40s. By Jeff Pfeiffer
The Last Tycoon: © Amazon
Lawrence Kasdan’s 1983 film The Big Chill was a seminal entry in the “college nostalgia” genre, where characters facing their 30s and perhaps beyond look back to their younger years N
and wonder where and when things changed. But Netflix’s new, somewhat similarly themed series Friends From College offers a decidedly more comedic look at its characters. The series follows a group of friends from Harvard, played by Keegan-Michael Key, Cobie Smulders, Annie Parisse, Nat Faxon, Fred Savage and Jae Suh Park, who are now facing their 40s.
It humorously explores the struggles of balancing adult life with nostalgia. Friends From College > Netflix
> July 14
The Addictive Mobile App Gets Its Own TV Show AND Mario Lopez. By Marisa Roffman
What made you want to be a part of this version of Candy Crush? Mario Lopez: I’ve always been a game player, including Candy Crush. Everyone is familiar with it, but I don’t think you need to have played it in order to enjoy the show. It’s going to be incredibly exciting. How do the contestants win? There’s a preliminary round where you’re getting points to see who is going to play in the finals. And then two teams will go headto-head on vertical and horizontal screens. I lost my voice every show, I was getting into it so much. You’ve been a contestant on shows like this lots of times. What’s it like to finally be on the other side of things? We have real folks from all walks of life, all sorts of backgrounds. And I love meeting people from all over. They all feel like they’re my friends, because they grew up [seeing me on TV]. What are your go-to shows at the moment? There’s so much it almost feels like homework. I’ve got all kinds of great documentaries I want to watch. But right now, at the moment, Better Call Saul. Game of Thrones, of course, is around the corner. I still need to catch up on Billions. I just finished Homeland. This Is Us, as far as network shows. And Modern Family!
Cabdy Crush: © 2017 CBS Broadcasting, Inc.
andy Crush, the highly addictive game app familiar to commuters and commercial-avoiders everywhere, will now take up residence on the largest interactive screen imaginable. (The massive panel featured on this CBS newbie is potentially the biggest ever seen in this genre.) The popular pastime, which requires swapping adjacent “candies” to form a row of at least three matching items, is coming to life as a full-on primetime game show. And this time folks get to use more than their digits to make all the magic happen. (Harnesses! Ladders! Claws!) Mario Lopez — already plenty busy with his regular gig on Extra — is an emcee who knows a little something about game shows (he’s previously competed on Hollywood Game Night, Celebrity Family Feud and Celebrity Name Game, to name a few). We spoke to the affable host about feeling the Crush, and why he tends to lose his voice from excitement.
Mario Lopez
Candy Crush > CBS > Sundays beginning July 9
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Channel Guide Magazine
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SUMMER’S TOP GAME SHOWS! Seven Game Shows To Keep You (And Your Brain) Entertained. And Here’s What It Takes To Win Them. By Andrea Verschage BEAT SHAZAM
FEAR FACTOR
THE $100,000 PYRAMID
FOX, Thursdays What’s At Stake? Up to $1 million What’s It Take? • Musical knowledge (preferably from many genres) • A fast buzzer finger — and a musical friend whose buzzer finger is also fast Go to your car, turn on the radio and hit the scan button. Try to ID each song before your radio goes to the next channel. If you’re good at that, you’d be good at this. The show features hit songs of every genre (so don’t worry, you don’t have to know the offbeat indie songs on the hipster station).
MTV, Tuesdays What’s At Stake? $50,000 What’s It Take? • A strong stomach • A general sense of adventure • The ability to dissociate and/or leave your body wouldn’t hurt Take the thing you’re most afraid of and imagine being absolutely immersed in it. Terrified of insects? Well, there’s something in Fear Factor called “Roach-ella” — just picture that (shudder). It takes some mental (and intestinal) fortitude.
ABC, Sundays What’s At Stake? Up to $100,000 What’s It Take? • Quick thinking • The ability to keep a cool head when paired with a celebrity (there’s no time to be starstruck!) This word-association game, where celebrities and everyday folks are paired up, has been around forever, and for good reason. It’s a winner in our books, and it’s not a long shot to say that if you’re a quick thinker, you could be a winner, too.
EMOGENIUS
HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT
THE WALL
NBC, Thursdays What’s At Stake? Up to $25,000 What’s It Take? • Be a party person Think you could handle playing party games with celebrities? Charades, guessing games and trivia, all while hobnobbing with some of today’s top stars — sounds like a winner!
NBC, Thursdays What’s At Stake? Up to $12 million! What’s It Take? • Strength under pressure and coolheadedness • General knowledge • Having a soulmate or BFF can’t hurt Your winnings can change — by a lot — in an instant, so you’ll need to be able to handle some major emotional roller coasters. You’re paired up with someone you know very well — good thing, because you need a pretty good idea of what they know and what questions they can answer correctly.
GSN, Wednesdays What’s At Stake? Up to $10,000 What’s It Take? • Picture-decoding skills, including the ability to deduce double meanings • A friend who’s as emoji-savvy as you. Check your text history. You’ll know them when you see them. They send messages like this:
IDIOTEST Remember children’s menus where you had to decode a message based on pictures alone? No, really, it’s like that, but with strung-together cellphone emojis, used creatively (for example, a toilet emoji may just be a toilet, but it also may be a john or a bowl). Some of the answers will have you .
GSN, Thursdays What’s At Stake? Up to $10,000 What’s It Take? • Logic skills and a keen eye for detail • A friend or family member as smart as you who wants to be on a game show For this one you need to be able to think on your feet and quickly answer questions and solve puzzles designed to trick you. Basically, you need to prove you’re not an idiot. Easy, right?
Channel Guide Magazine 11
RETURNING FAVORITES
GAME OF THRONES Isaac Hempstead Wright Talks Season 7: “Bran Should Be Very, Very Frightened!” By Lori Acken
12
Channel Guide Magazine
ow that he’s Game of Thrones’ omniscient Three-Eyed Raven, the rise of Isaac Hempstead Wright’s Bran Stark as a Westeros power player seems all but assured as the HBO hit heads into its penultimate season. With clans Lannister, Targaryen and Stark — and all their trusted and dubious allies — preoccupied with the Iron Throne, young Bran knows best the bigger threat that looms. Dialing in from the U.K., the 18-year-old Brit shared some knowledge of his own about Season 7, the Starks’ future as a family — and why we need to get over Hodor. I promised myself I wouldn’t give you crap about Hodor — but do you ever, say, meet Kristian Nairn for lunch and have him tote you into the restaurant for old times’ sake? Isaac Hempstead Wright: Oh, yeah! I’m like, “my Hodor Uber!” [Laughs] But I do see Kristian regularly. We’re always texting and taking the piss out of each other.
Game of Thrones: © HBO
When I told people I was interviewing the gent who plays Bran, a common reaction was “Oh, the guy who ruins everything!” Set folks straight about Bran’s worth and purpose. People really got angry at Bran after Hodor. I woke up to a torrent of abuse from the internet — “@#$% you, Bran! I hate you!” Really, guys, blame the writers! This is not my doing! But to be honest, it’s almost a relief that Bran doesn’t have many people left around him, because now he can just focus on being the Three-Eyed Raven. Bran a while back had to surrender being a normal person and it became clear that he was still in a much wider, much, much more powerful game than just vying for the throne and endless cycling between various houses. This does appear to be the season that we find out Bran’s true calling … It’s a very interesting new time for him. This is what we’ve been leading up to in Bran’s story arc ever since he fell out of that tower in Season 1. When we’re first introduced to him, it’s like “OK, yep — grow up and be a knight. Very good! You’ll be a Stark nobleman!” And then that was so completely out the window, pardon the pun. Ever since, it’s been clear that Bran has had this sort of predetermined, more important N
role to play. So to actually have reached that after what feels like an eternity, it’s exciting — and nerve-wracking! How is he handling his rather unwieldy powers now that he is the Three-Eyed Raven, he no longer has a mentor, and it’s go time? Well, the Three-Eyed Raven himself said to Bran, “You’re not ready for this.” [Laughs] So, it’s really frightening that Bran is now the Three-Eyed Raven, and he hasn’t completed the full training. The last time Bran gave it a shot, it ended catastrophically — and now the whole Wall’s pretty much in his hands. So he really needs to keep a very level head and come to terms with the fact he is the Three-Eyed Raven, he’s not Bran Stark. He’s got to come into his own. But he’s also more vulnerable than ever, because he’s marked by the Night King — in more ways than one — and the wights can attack him anywhere. What might happen there? As you said, Bran now has the mark of the Night on him, and I don’t really understand the technicalities of why that means the spell doesn’t work now. But basically the Night King and the ThreeEyed Raven are archenemies from the beginning of time. We saw when the Night King came in and killed the Three-Eyed Raven that was played by Max von Sydow, there was that tension there between these two ancient foes finally battling it out, of finally that chapter coming to a close. I love that every character in Game of Thrones has got some serious enemies after them, but Bran now has the most powerful creature in the history of Westeros on his tail, and that might destroy him. Bran should be very, very frightened.
But there’s strength in numbers, and viewers clamor for a reunion of the surviving Stark kids — even though we now know that Jon Snow isn’t one. Hope for that this season? I can’t comment on any specifics, but they’ve all been in very different corners of Westeros, doing very different things. Arya is a ninja assassin. Sansa is a sort of cynical diplomat in many ways; she’s been around some of the cruelest characters in the Game of Thrones world. And Jon has grown into this super-warrior. So, I think if the four of them did get back together in the future, who knows whether they’d even get on? Would it be the reunion everyone has hoped for? I don’t know!
After losing her last living child, Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) is on a quest for power. Her most trusted ally is her brother (also father to her children) Jaime (Nikolaj CosterWaldau).
Uh-oh! Well, on the subject of unity, Bran arguably has the best understanding of the White Walkers and the Wall — and we are clearly headed to a showdown between the living and the dead. Could these final seasons entail an epic truce? I think we’d all like to think that the living would come together in the face of this universal threat. But you look at all the endless petty squabbling that goes on between these various houses and I don’t know whether people will be able to get over their own qualms with other people enough to be able to recognize the threat. They really do have to come together — and even if they were to come together, it would still be a pretty close call. You’re up against a massive army of ice zombies, so you’re going to need the biggest army possible, it seems. Game of Thrones > HBO > Sundays beginning July 16 Channel Guide Magazine 13
TV WHAT’S NEW
Olivia DeJonge and Laurie Davidson
Meet Will Shakespeare, The Hottest New Playwright Of 1589. By Ryan A. Berenz
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efore he became the bane of
Will: © 2016 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. Credit: Ellen Von Unwerth.
uninterested high-school students, William Shakespeare was a total badass.
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Shakespeare’s influence permeates everything in American popular culture, yet the misperception persists that his works are highbrow oeuvres accessible only to the intelligentsia. Shakespeare didn’t write plays to be performed in ivory towers or to be read in third period English class. He was a common man who created entertainment for an audience of common Londoners. Shakespeare was a rock star. TNT’s new period drama Will depicts Shakespeare as a wide-eyed young dreamer who leaves his wife, kids and the small town of Stratford to pursue his ambitions of fame and fortune in London’s theater scene. But in Will, the theater scene looks more like a mosh pit at an Insane Clown Posse show than a matinee at the Old Vic. Everything from the soundtrack to the costumes has the vibe of Elizabethan England by way of the Sex Pistols. Playing the part of Shakespeare is Laurie Davidson, whose first acting job for the screen happens to be the role of a lifetime. “I grew up in London going to the theater. I grew up with these plays and seeing this guy’s work,” Davidson says. “When I heard they were making this TV show, I was like, ‘I need to get this part. Are you kidding me? It’s too good to be true.’” Davidson put in his work and did eight auditions to get the role. He was released from drama school to shoot the Will pilot, then returned to complete his degree at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Like a plot from one of his plays, Shakespeare’s journey in Will is wrought with danger, intrigue and romance. Will’s an outsider challenging superstar playwrights like Christopher Marlowe (Jamie Campbell Bower). He’s testing his morals in a passionate affair with Alice Burbage (Olivia DeJonge), the theater owner’s daughter. And he’s putting his life at risk by being Catholic at a time in England when it was punishable by grisly death. That leads to scenes in Will that are more Titus Andronicus than A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare is in the sights of the queen’s enforcer, Richard Topcliffe (Ewen Bremner), who delights in torturing suspected traitors. “Things were brutal. Everything was so much more visceral,” Davidson says. “People were killed in the street, and that was part of their spectator sport. The Elizabethans, as much as they were the greatest lovers, they were also the most horrific and brutal.” You’ve been warned. Shakespeare’s stories are still told today because they dealt with universal themes, and a 21st-century TV audience will find Will’s struggles not all that different from their own. “For Will, he follows his dreams and his passions in the face of poverty, in the face of danger from Topcliffe, in the face of persecution,” Davidson says. “The actors were often outcast, and the artists — still as it is today — are neglected sometimes. We forget how important art is to reflect the society that we’re in. And that’s really what Shakespeare wanted to do. He wanted to hold up a mirror to his society and to the nature of mankind.” Will > TNT > Mondays beginning July 10
#Would Shakespeare Tweet? “You can’t just make up words!” an actor scolds unknown playwright Will Shakespeare (Laurie Davidson) in TNT’s Will. The word in question is “bedazzle,” and it’s one of the many English words attributed to or made popular by Shakespeare. Shakespeare would definitely relate to the kids these days with their texting and tweeting and #hashtags. “It’s so relevant for today,” Davidson says. “People are constantly apprehensive about the use of hashtags and new words being added to the dictionary, and the way we text and the way we use emoji. The way we communicate has changed so much in the last 10 years because of social media and technology.” Not even Shakespeare is safe. There’s a series of young adult books called OMG Shakespeare, in which Juliet’s line “O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon” from Romeo and Juliet gets translated as “you swear on a piece of rock in the sky? um.” Some scholars argue that this treatment dumbs down Shakespeare, but Davidson thinks the Bard would’ve approved. “William Shakespeare for sure would’ve used emoji,” he says. And Shakespeare would definitely be mad that he didn’t invent #covfefe.
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WHAT’S NEW
New CBS Thriller Arrives In Time To Save The World From A Boring Summer. By Kellie Freeze ummer’s biggest blockbuster is a quest to save the Earth, and the action can’t be found in your local multiplex — it’s on CBS. Salvation flies onto the airwaves this month when an MIT grad student (Charlie Rowe) discovers that a planet-killing asteroid is six months away from destroying the Earth. He takes his findings to a tech superstar (Santiago Cabrera), and they, together with a Pentagon official (Jennifer Finnigan), set a secret course to save the planet. Our chat with two of the series’ stars reveals the substance behind Salvation’s sizzle. Cabrera describes his character, Darius Tanz, as an “incredible visionary” who altruistically wants to help mankind, but who is a loner trapped by the different way he looks at the world. But Cabrera imagines Darius as more than a solitary super-genius. “I think it’s that nature of when you think about superheroes, people that have a gift, they sacrifice a normal life to be able to use that gift for the betterment of the world.” 16
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Finnigan calls her character, Grace, the series’ “moral compass,” and loves that she defies expectations and gets steamy scenes with her hunky boss, Harris (played by Ian Anthony Dale). “We see her starting off as this very by-thebook official government worker, and then all of a sudden, by Episode 2 she’s doing things that she never would have thought she’d do — she’s breaking rules, she’s telling lies, she’s going behind people’s back.” And these new choices are Grace’s attempt to ensure a future for her daughter — and all of humanity. Every blockbuster needs an epic baddie, and Salvation’s villain is more than a hunk of interstellar debris. “Let’s put it this way,” Finnigan teases. “Harris and the government are making decisions that are potentially much more advantageous to the United States.” High concept, high action and high drama are a winning combination, says Cabrera. “It feels like a summer blockbuster,” he says. “I keep calling it ‘a popcorn show,’” laughs Finnigan. “But when I say ‘a popcorn show,’ I want to say ‘a popcorn show plus,’ because the writing is really good and the acting is really good.” Salvation > CBS > Wednesdays beginning July 12 N
Salvation: © 2017 CBS Credit: Jan Thijs
Charlie Rowe, Santiago Cabrera, Jennifer Finnigan and Ian Anthony Dale
Paula Patton stars as a mother trying to change her fate
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN
Remember Me: Courtesy of © ITV plc (ITV Studios Global Entertainment)
Somewhere Between: © 2017 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Credit: Eike Schroter
Paula Patton’s Maternal Instinct Has A Supernatural Twist. By Kellie Freeze In the summertime thriller Somewhere Between, Paula Patton stars as Laura Price, a savvy news producer who doesn’t know why her daughter will be killed or by whom, but she knows when, where and how. This dark, female-led thriller is chock-full of twists and shocking revelations that will surprise viewers at every turn. “I hope that viewers will be entertained, have fun and that their hearts and souls will be moved by the story and by what the characters are experiencing,” says Patton. Because despite the action and suspense, the core of the tale is a mother’s unwavering devotion to her child. “Fate plays an enormous role in the series, which is what is so fun about it,” Patton shares. “The series is about the real world we live in, yet it has this turn on reality and on the idea [of] what would happen if we ever got the chance to live a part of our lives again. My character has been through a devastating loss and tragedy, yet she gets a chance to change her fate.” Somewhere Between is based on the Korean drama God’s Gift: 14 Days. The delicious mystery of the series is what drew Patton to the project. The actress reveals, “I liked that the script was a compelling and thrilling read that I could not put down. It moves so fast and is like a runaway train — you don’t know where it’s going to go!” While we don’t know where it will go, we do know where it will end. Patton confirms, “The story is resolved at the end of the 10-episode season.”
REMEMBER ME Monty Python’s Michael Palin Is A Spooky Senior In PBS’ Three-Part Brit Import. By Lori Acken
For Flying Circus fans, seeing Monty Python’s Michael Palin — he of the “Lumberjack Song” and “NO-body expects the Spanish Inquisition” — as a frail, terrorized and possibly terrifying retirement home resident seems scary enough. But Palin is deliciously creepy and poignant in Remember Me, his first lead role in a TV drama in 20-plus years. Debuting in the U.K. in 2014 and making its American debut this month on PBS, Remember Me features the now 74-year-old Palin as Tom Parfitt, an elderly Brit at a crossroads in the twilight of his life. On the day he moves to an old folks’ home, seriously unsavory things begin happening to everyone around him. Though local cops, led by world-weary Detective Rob Fairholme (Mark Addy, Game of Thrones), are dubious, teen caregiver Hannah (The White Princess’ Jodie Comer) convinces Fairholme to dig a bit deeper — especially after Tom goes missing and a dark revelation from his past suggests that otherworldly forces might be in play. Remember Me > PBS > Sundays beginning July 16
A welcome return! It’s been 20-plus years since Michael Palin has been in a lead TV role.
Somewhere Between > ABC > Mondays beginning July 24 PBS programming varies regionally.
Channel Guide Magazine 17
WHAT’S NEW
François Arnaud
There’s Something Really Strange About This Guy Named Manfred And This Town Called Midnight. By Ileane Rudolph f you miss True Blood, the sexy supernatural series based on Charlaine Harris’ bestsellers, you might want to add some tasty Midnight, Texas barbecue to your summer fantasy menu. NBC’s new thriller is adapted from Harris’ trilogy about a Lone Star burg populated by freaks hiding themselves away from normal society. The otherworldly drama begins when a medium named Manfred Bernardo (Blindspot’s François Arnaud) arrives in Midnight. “He’s on the run because he’s done some very bad things to some very bad people,” Arnaud explains. “He wants to settle down in a calm, peaceful place — and his dead grandmother suggests he’d fit right in there.” Yep, Manfred communicates with spirits. “It starts with Manfred Bernardo, 18
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who we first think is a gigolo and a scam artist, but then we realize that he has abilities, he can see the dead, and if the dead are strong enough they can take over his body and hijack his body,” explains executive producer Monica Owusu-Breen (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). “This guy who’s felt like he’s on the outside of the world, always felt like the weirdo in the room, is told by his dead grandma to move to Midnight, Texas. And it’s in Midnight, Texas, that he finds that he’s not the only freak in the room.” The one-stoplight town is far from the quiet sanctuary he was hoping for. The house he’s rented is full of ghosts, and when a woman is found dead during a picnic, the Midnight citizenry — including a vampire (Peter Mensah), a weretiger (Yul Vazquez), a witch (Parisa Fitz-Henley) and an
angel (Jason Lewis) — becomes wary of the newcomer. So do the few local humans, except for a pretty young waitress named Creek (Parenthood’s Sarah Ramos). “Manfred and Creek quickly bond over their dark pasts,” Arnaud says. “Like her, he struggles with demons inside him.” True Blood was driven by sex and desire, “but the theme in Midnight,” says Owusu-Breen, “is community — people who are different wanting to live in peace with their tribe.” That wish, already threatened by suspicious cops and a vicious gang, could face total destruction as the season goes on. Also jeopardizing their utopia is the fray in the thin veil between our world and hell. “And soon,” she adds, “there will be a decision to make: flee the coming conflict or protect the place they’ve finally found a real home in.” Midnight, Texas > NBC > Mondays beginning July 24
Midnight, Texas: © 2017 NBCUniversal Media, LLC.
MIDNIGHT, TEXAS
MOSQUITO The Most Hated And
SNOWFALL
Snowfall: © 2017 FX Networks, LLC.
John Singleton’s Tale Of L.A.’s Crack Cocaine Plague. By Ryan A. Berenz Director John Singleton broke into film with 1991’s acclaimed Boyz n the Hood, which was largely based on his experiences growing up in South Central Los Angeles. His new FX drama series, Snowfall, returns to those L.A. neighborhoods to explore how the explosion of crack cocaine in the early 1980s turned them into war zones. Snowfall opens in the summer of 1983, when the streets of South Central still had ice cream vendors and kids on bicycles carrying boomboxes. “One of the things that we try to do starting out with this season is show how, when we go into South Central, how different it was then,” Singleton says. “There were no bars on the windows, less fences. That happens once this whole snowfall, as we call it, pervades the neighborhood. People change, families change, alliances change, [everything] becomes more dangerous.” The drama revolves around characters whose vastly different worlds collide and catalyze L.A.’s crack epidemic. Franklin (Damson Idris) N
is an enterprising young pot dealer who takes a huge risk by entering the cocaine trade. Lucia (Emily Rios) is the daughter of a Mexican drug kingpin who wants to bring the family business into something more profitable than smuggling marijuana. Gustavo (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) is “El Oso,” a luchador who also does Lucia’s dirty work. And Alejandro (Juan Javier Cárdenas) is a Contra rebel from Nicaragua, who allies with CIA officer Teddy (Carter Hudson) in a secret exchange of drugs for financial aid to the Contras. The CIA involvement in L.A.’s crack explosion is a contentious idea that was investigated in journalist Gary Webb’s 1996 “Dark Alliance” newspaper reports. Many of Webb’s claims have since been debunked. But Snowfall isn’t a documentary, and the CIA angle is worth creative exploration. “I don’t think there was any conspiracy to bring crack to the inner city or destroy a people,” says Snowfall co-creator Dave Andron. “I think they looked the other way. At the time, cocaine was a rich white man’s drug. Nobody saw what crack would do to these people.” Snowfall > FX > Wednesdays beginning July 5
Deadliest Animal In The World. By Barb Oates Forget about sharks and snakes — the Anopheles gambiae mosquito and others (yes, there are over 3,500 species of mosquitoes) are causing more deaths in the world than any other animal. So how does a tiny mosquito become the most dangerous animal in the world? Discovery Channel takes a frightening look in the captivating documentary Mosquito. Malaria. Zika. Dengue. Yellow fever. West Nile virus. Chikungunya. The spread of all of these diseases can be traced back to mosquitoes. It took Zika, however, to focus the world’s attention on this rising epidemic. “Between 1947 — when Zika was first discovered in East Africa and Uganda — and 2007, there were 14 documented cases,” shares Dr. Bart Knols, a medical entomologist. “It is being estimated 2.5 billion people, almost a third of the human population worldwide, might sooner or later become infected by this virus. Now if that isn’t a signal that the world is changing at a dramatic pace, then, you know, I don’t know.” Mosquito > Discovery Channel > July 6
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WHAT’S NEW
Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick (as director) and Ryann Shane on the set of “Story of a Girl”
Kyra Sedgwick Adapts Sara Zarr’s Novel Into A Family-Affair Film On Lifetime. By Lori Acken ifetime’s Story of a Girl begins like many a modern parentteen nightmare. Middle-schooler Deanna Lambert (Ryann Shane) is wooed by her big brother’s handsome flatterer of a best friend, takes a giant step toward adulthood and, in no time, learns a video of her “first time” has gone public — branding her a pariah at school and turning her home into a silently simmering war zone. But before you roll your eyes at the prospect of yet another “don’t post your naughty bits” cautionary tale, know this. 20
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Based on Sara Zarr’s young-adult novel and helmed by actress and first-time director Kyra Sedgwick, Story of a Girl gives the moment its due, then moves on to what truly matters — what happens next when we make a mistake that won’t let us go. Forced to work as a mechanic when he loses his white-collar job, Deanna’s dad Ray (Scandal’s Jon Tenney) is driven further into mercurial despair when Deanna’s video surfaces — a sin he can’t forgive even three years later — and her brother Darren (Iain Belcher) impregnates his girlfriend Stacy (Sedgwick’s daughter, Sosie Bacon), moving into the basement with his young family instead of moving on to a bright future. But when Deanna lands a job at a local N
Story of a Girl: © 2016 A+E Networks, LLC Credit: Bettina Strauss
STORY Of AGIRL
Descendants 2: © 2017 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Credit: Bob D'Amico
pizzeria owned by unflappable Michael (Sedgwick’s husband Kevin Bacon), a quirky local with an outsider story of his own, and discovers their only other coworker is painfully familiar, it sets in motion a long overdue cycle of self-awareness … and, ultimately, forgiveness. Set in a small seaboard town and filled with quiet but emotionally potent moments, Story of a Girl boasts a welcome Judy Blume-like feel as Deanna, now 16, tries to craft a life beyond being the girl in that video whose dad can’t look her in the eye. There are no emotional pyrotechnics, no wince-worthy stereotypes — just believable, wounded souls trying to cope with life’s sucker punches. “It is about connection and the fragility of connection and families and how quickly and easily they get fractured,” says Sedgwick, “and, with that, how forgiveness can feel so far away. Because this is also very much a father-daughter story and a family story. How do you take control of your own narrative as a young woman, as a young man? How does a father wrap his arms around the young woman that was the young girl when she gets older and starts making her own choices and becoming a sexual being? “I also think it’s so fascinating to see that Deanna’s getting shamed and slut-shamed for what she did when she was 13 — and her brother is living in the basement with his baby mama!” says Sedgwick, who wanted to make a film that echoed the after-school specials and coming-of-age movies that comforted her when she was young. “They’re not married and there’s an actual baby that came from that sex. It’s like, no one’s talking about that sexual act; they’re only talking about her sexual act. And it’s not just because it was on the internet; it’s because girls shouldn’t want to have sex.” Sedgwick says directing Shane — who at 23 is not just believable but also a wonder as the teenage Deanna — made her job easy. And telling this family story with her own family (son Travis provided music) was a dream come true. “It was amazing working with my family,” she says. “It was so easy to direct Kevin and Sosie. They were absolutely incredible beyond my wildest dreams. I pray that people actually watch this together as a family, too.” Story of a Girl > Lifetime > July 23 N
DESCENDANTS 2 Disney Darling Dove Cameron Is So Good At Being Bad. By Kellie Freeze
Two years after Disney Channel debuted Descendants, a musical adventure about the teen progeny of Disney villains, the follow-up, Descendants 2, will premiere in a very big way. The new flick, starring Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson, Booboo Stewart, Cameron Boyce, Mitchell Hope and new cast member China Anne McClain, will premiere on five networks in the Disney/ABC Television Group on the same night. When we chatted with Cameron about reprising her role as Mal, the feisty daughter of Maleficent, the actress revealed her excitement. “There’s nothing like the feeling of getting to reprise a role, because to create a character is to fall in love with a character,” she shared. “And getting the rare opportunity to spend time with your character again is like reentering a passage in time.” The story picks up with Ben (Hope), now king of Auradon, trying to help the former baddies adjust to the good life. But when Mal cracks under the pressure to suppress her evil nature and be perfect, she returns to the Isle of the Lost, where she discovers that Ursula’s daughter (McClain) and her lackeys, including Captain Hook’s son (Thomas Doherty) and Gaston’s son (Dylan Playfair), have taken her place as the island’s teen terrors. Like the first film in the series, Descendants 2 promises a magical storyline, fresh choreography and a catchy soundtrack. And if Mal and Co. can’t defeat their inner drive to be villains in this installment, perhaps legendary director and choreographer Kenny Ortega can expand the film franchise to a trilogy. Descendants 2 > ABC, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime > July 21 21
Dove Cameron
WHAT’S NEW
About Some Of These Boys … Ewan (Jonny Sweet) He’s the introvert — the nerd of the group — but the brains. Casey’s actually repulsed by him. “I mean she literally just looks past him,” McCormack says. “She’d say, ‘Let’s have a meeting,’ and then name everybody but him.”
Watto (Nick Helm)
LOADED
He’s the talented artist who designed the graphics for the video games. He is a recovering drug addict turned obsessive shopper. “I think at one point he buys hundreds and hundreds of pairs of Birkenstocks for no reason,” McCormack laughs. “Instead of doing drugs, he has to find some other compulsive behavior to fill the hole.” (L to R) Nick Helm, Jim Howick, Samuel Anderson and Jonny Sweet
Casey (Mary McCormack)
Just imagine. You’ve invested billions of man-hours building an upstart company with your closest friends. After all of that blood, sweat, shouting, swearing and fighting, you actually do it. You make your fortune. You celebrate with your friends and life is now perfect, right? Wrongo. AMC’s new dramedy Loaded shows how having obscene amounts of money and excess can go horribly (and hilariously) wrong. Based on the award-winning Israeli series Mesudarim, the eight-episode series follows four British entrepreneurs — eclectic childhood friends Josh (Jim Howick), Leon (Samuel Anderson), Watto (Nick Helm) and Ewan (Jonny Sweet) — who sell their upstart video game company for millions. Mary McCormack (The West Wing, In Plain Sight) stars as Casey — who she describes as a “sexy Darth Vader.” Casey is the guys’ no-nonsense boss from the American company that purchases their business. “She’s horrible. She’s really, really tough on them and she makes it difficult for them,” McCormack says. “I think they thought it was going to be all fun and then she shows up.” The series is a healthy mix of comedy and drama that explores themes of friendship, ambition, gluttony and one’s 22
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general distaste for other people’s success. “I think my stuff is more in the land of comedy, but the boys have more complex lives,” she adds. “The boys have family and love interest stuff going on that doesn’t always land with jokes. The show feels particularly English in that way, that it lives right smack in the middle of the two genres. It feels more like the BBC Office was, where it was definitely a comedy, but it would also break your heart.” For this group, having money just amplifies who they really are. Take, for example, Watto, a recovering drug addict who is now addicted to shopping. “If you’re afraid, you’re just more afraid. If you’re a dick, you’re just more of a dick,” McCormack says. “In England that kind of success people immediately want to see fail. It’s just not quite the same relationship to money and overnight success [that Americans have]. I don’t think it’s as celebrated.” And that’s where much of the humor is drawn from. “I was laughing from page one and then I got to my character’s part and I just thought, ‘Oh my God, she’s insane,’” McCormack concludes. “She has a whole riff on when [Brits] say ‘thank you’ five times before they move on. … They’re just overly polite and so all that made me laugh.” Cheers to that! Loaded > AMC > Mondays beginning July 17 N
Loaded: © 2017 CH4/AMC Film Holdings LLC. All Rights Reserved. (main image): Credit: Hanspeter Schneider/CH4/AMC. (inset): Credit: Kevin Baker.
Dramedy Proves That Money Will Only Make You More Of What You Already Are. So If You’re A Jerk, You’re Going To Be A REAL Jerk. By Barb Oates
SPORTS
VICTORY LAPS
Dale Earnhardt Jr. heads for the checkered flag of his NASCAR Cup Series career
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Races At Daytona For The Final Time. By Ryan A. Berenz
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/NASCAR via Getty Images.
Peyton Manning: © 2016 Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Daytona International Speedway has a special place in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR legacy. He has two wins and eight other top 10 finishes in the Daytona 500, and he’s won the summer race at Daytona twice. It’s also the track where his father died in a last-lap crash at the 2001 Daytona 500. On July 1, Earnhardt will compete at the famed track for the final time. Earnhardt Jr. announced in April that the 2017 season will be his last one as a full-time driver, though his influence on the sport will be felt for many years to come. “I don’t think Dale Jr. can be measured as just a racecar driver, because he is so much more than that,” says Steve Letarte, current NASCAR on NBC analyst and Earnhardt’s former crew chief. “Dale is all-encompassing. He carried the popularity of a sport on his shoulders. Anyone who tries to separate what he does behind the wheel to what he does in the sport doesn’t know Dale Jr.” It’s been a difficult year for Earnhardt on the track.
Concussion problems ended his 2016 season early. At the time of this writing, he’s winless in 2017 and will be hardpressed to qualify for the playoffs. “I was hoping he wouldn’t come back after having all the trouble he had last year,” NASCAR legend Richard Petty tells NBCSN’s NASCAR America. “I realize how hard it is to get out of the racecar, because that is what we do for so long and enjoy so much. Whether you win or lose, it’s hard to give up. I’m glad he went along and made the decision.” NBC Sports’ 2017 NASCAR race coverage begins June 30 at Daytona with the XFINITY Series Subway Firecracker 250 on NBCSN, and the Monster Energy Cup Series Coke Zero 400 the following night on NBC. NBCSN and NBC combine to air the final 20 races of the Cup Series and the last 19 races in the XFINITY Series. The Cup Series playoffs begin in September, with six races on NBCSN and four — including the final three of the season — on NBC.
The DEPTH CHART Wimbledon Tennis
MLB All-Star Break
Seven-time Wimbledon ladies’ singles champion Serena Williams won’t defend her title, as she’s expecting her first child. Reigning men’s singles champion Andy Murray looks for his third win on home soil. ESPN and ESPN2 air the tournament July 3-16.
The Miami Marlins welcome baseball’s best to Marlins Park for the 88th MLB All-Star Game festivities. The Home Run Derby is July 10 on ESPN,, with the Midsummer Classic the following night on FOX.
British Open Golf The Open Championship is at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in England for the year’s third major July 20-23 on Golf Channel and NBC. Henrik Stenson scored a tournament record 20 under par in his win at the Open last year.
Peyton Manning won the 2016 ESPYS Icon Award
The 2017 ESPYS Peyton Manning hosts the 25th ESPYS sports awards from Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater July 12 on ABC. 23
Unforgettable (Thriller) Tessa can’t cope with the fact that her marriage has ended and her husband is happily engaged to a new woman. In fact, she will do just about anything to keep the couple apart and destroy their relationship to get back the family she feels was taken from her. Katherine Heigl, Rosario Dawson, Geoff Stults (R, 1:40) (HD) Premieres July 25 24
© 2015 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Channel Guide Magazine
The Lost City of Z (Action) In the first part of the 20th century, the British explorer Percy Fawcett is driven to find a mysterious city lost in the Amazon. Based on the bestselling book of the same name. Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller (PG-13, 2:21) (HD) Premieres July 11
Ghost in the Shell
Smurfs: The Lost Village
(Action) Major is a human who is cyber-enhanced to be a perfect soldier. When she finds out that she has been lied to by those who created her, she will stop at nothing to recover her past and keep those who stole her life from doing the same to others in the future. Scarlett Johansson, Michael Pitt, Juliette Binoche (PG-13, 1:47) (HD) Premieres July 25
(Comedy) Could there be more Smurfs on the other side of the Forbidden Forest? Smurfette, Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty set off to find out if their suspicions are true — that there is a lost village of Smurfs. Voices of Demi Lovato, Danny Pudi, Jack McBrayer (PG, 1:30) (HD) Premieres July 11
© FilmNation Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.
(Action) A team is sent to a mysterious island in the South Pacific to map its surface. Not everyone knows the real story of why they are at this place. On Skull Island, Kong is king and these outsiders are about to learn just how much he likes visitors. Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman (PG-13, 1:58) (HD) Premieres July 18
© 2016 LCOZ HOLDINGS, LLC
© 2017 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
(Action) Dom has done the one thing no one could see coming — he has betrayed his family. A mystery woman is behind his insane transition, and now the family must battle one of their own. Fast cars, hot women and lots of explosions are in store for all. Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron (PG-13, 2:16) (HD) Premieres July 11
Kong: Skull Island
© 2017 DreamWorks Animation LLC. All Rights Reserved.
© 2017 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
The Fate of the Furious
© Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
NEW RELEASES
© 2017 WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC., LEGENDARY PICTURES PRODUCTIONS, LLC AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
MOVIES ON DEMAND
The Boss Baby
Gifted
(Family) The new baby in the Templeton family wears a suit and carries a briefcase. He’s actually an agent sent to stop Puppy Co. from stealing babies’ fair share of love. But when his big brother Tim finds out, will the jig be up or will the two work together? Voices of Alec Baldwin, Jimmy Kimmel, Lisa Kudrow (PG, 1:37) (HD) Premieres July 25
(Drama) Frank is a single man raising his niece Mary, who just happens to be a child prodigy. His attempts to give her an upbringing that’s as normal as possible are threatened when his mother tries to get custody of Mary. Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Octavia Spencer (PG-13, 1:41) (HD) Premieres July 25
Availability dates subject to change.
Titles available same day as DVD release
At-A-Glance July Movies On Demand
© Focus Features. All Rights Reserved.
PREMIERES
The Zookeeper’s Wife
Open Road Films.
(Drama) In 1939 Poland, Antonina and her husband run the popular Warsaw Zoo. As the country is overrun by Nazi forces, Antonina decides to try to save residents of the Warsaw Ghetto, risking her own safety and the safety of her children. Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Brühl (PG-13, 2:07) (HD) Premieres July 4
The Promise (Drama) Michael and Ana’s shared Armenian heritage sparks an attraction that ignites a rivalry between Michael and Chris, Ana’s boyfriend. As the Ottoman Empire crumbles into wartorn chaos, their conflicting passions are deferred while they join forces. Oscar Isaac, Christian Bale, Charlotte Le Bon (PG-13, 2:13) (HD) Premieres July 18 N
BEGINS
All These Sleepless Nights America Has Fallen Austin Found A Beginner’s Guide to Snuff The Boss Baby Camp Cool Kids Cartels Do You Take This Man The Eyes Fat Camp The Fate of the Furious Feed The Final Master First Kill Fishpeople Free Fire From the Ashes GadgetGang in Outer Space Ghost in the Shell (3-D) Gifted Glory The Gracefield Incident Gremlin Heartthrob Hickok I Am Dragon I Am the Blues Imperfections In Search of Israeli Cuisine In the Radiant City Jasmine Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent Karate Kill Kong: Skull Island (3-D) The Last Face Leftovers Lego Scooby-Doo! Blowout Beach Bash London Heist The Lost City of Z Mother (Madre)
7/11 7/4 7/7 7/11 7/25 7/11 7/7 7/11 7/25 7/4 7/11 7/18 7/25 7/21 7/11 7/18 7/11 7/4 7/25 7/25 7/18 7/21 7/11 7/11 7/7 7/11 7/12 7/28 7/18 7/18 7/11 7/25 7/18 7/18 7/28 7/11 7/25 7/11 7/11 7/1
Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer Not My Day One Man and His Cow Operation Dunkirk The Persian Connection Person to Person The Promise A Quiet Passion The Reagan Show Sabras Que Hacer Conmigo The Saint Scales: Mermaids Are Real The Sea Smurfs: The Lost Village Song to Song Spark: A Space Tail Strange Weather The Sublet Swallows & Amazons Their Finest 13 Demons Tom and Jerry: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Undercover Grandpa Unforgettable Vampire Wars We Are Tide Yu-Gi-Oh: Dark Side of Dimensions The Zookeeper’s Wife
ALSO AVAILABLE
7/11 7/10 7/10 7/4 7/25 7/28 7/18 7/11 7/4 7/1 7/11 7/21 7/7 7/11 7/4 7/11 7/28 7/17 7/14 7/11 7/4 7/11 7/7 7/25 7/4 7/18 7/1 7/4
ENDS
Beauty and the Beast CHIPS A Dog’s Purpose Get Out John Wick: Chapter 2 The Lego Batman Movie Logan Power Rangers Table 19 Wilson
9/18 11/12 11/30 10/25 9/30 10/18 10/31 12/12 9/11 9/18
Titles and premiere dates may vary depending on your cable operater. Movies available in 3-D require a 3-D television.
Channel Guide Magazine 25
SPECIAL EVENTS
© 2017 ZUFFA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
© 2017 ZUFFA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. CARD SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
For more information on events, go to www.indemand.com or check your onscreen programming guide. Not all areas have access to events in HD. HD events are subject to higher fees.
Current women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes defends against Valentina Shevchenko in the main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
LIVE! July 8
The long-awaited rematch takes place at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., as Jon Jones challenges Daniel Cormier for the light heavyweight title. Also on the card is Dooho Choi vs. Andre Fili.
Available in
LIVE! July 29
T
10pm ET/ 9pm CT/ 8pm MT/ 7pm PT Countdown Show Prior • Only $49.99 for Standard Definition
Available in
T
10pm ET/ 9pm CT/ 8pm MT/ 7pm PT Countdown Show Prior • Only $49.99 for Standard Definition
Available in
T
Don’t miss a universal championship showdown of sheer destruction as Samoa Joe challenges Brock Lesnar at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
LIVE! July 2
T
8pm ET/ 7pm CT/ 6pm MT/ 5pm PT Countdown Show Prior Only $44.99 for Standard Definition
Countdown Show Prior Only $39.99 for Standard Definition
Channel Guide Magazine
The stars of SmackDown LIVE show no brotherly love when they turn Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center into a battleground. Available in
T
Available in
8pm ET 7pm CT 6pm MT 5pm PT
LIVE! July 9
26
Two champions collide as Bobby Lashley and Alberto El Patron face off at an event 15 years in the making.
LIVE! July 23 8pm ET 7pm CT 6pm MT 5pm PT
Countdown Show Prior Only $44.99 for Standard Definition
Special events subject to change, cancellation or local blackout. Services may not be available in all areas.
N
SHORT LIST
1
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: Coke Zero 400, NBC
3
Tennis: Wimbledon, Early Rounds, ESPN POV: “The War Show,” PBS
4
Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular, NBC A Capitol Fourth, PBS July 4th “Twilight Zone” Marathon, Syfy
5 Descendants 2: © 2017 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Credit: Bob D’Amico
B:10.75 in
6
smithsonianchannel.com ©2017 SNI/SI Networks L.L.C. All rights reserved. Smithsonian Channel is a trademark of Smithsonian Institution. SNI/SI Networks L.L.C. is an authorized user.
20
The 2017 ESPYS, ABC Salvation, CBS — New Series I’m Sorry, truTV — New Series Suits, USA Network — Season Premiere
13
Candy Crush, CBS — New Series Famously Single, E! — Season Premiere
10
Penn & Teller: Fool Us, The CW — Season Premiere MLB Home Run Derby, ESPN POV: “Last Men in Aleppo,” PBS Will, TNT — New Series <
Golf: British Open, First Round, Golf Channel Syfy Live From Comic-Con, Syfy
21
Sin City Justice: “Betrayed,” Investigation Discovery — Season Finale Impractical Jokers, truTV — New Episodes
14
23
Shark Week begins, Discovery Channel Ballers, HBO — Season Premiere Insecure, HBO — Season Premiere Story of a Girl, Lifetime — Original Film Golf: British Open, Final Round, NBC Top Secret Swimming Holes, Travel Channel — New Episodes
Castlevania, Netflix — New Series
9
Being Mary Jane, BET — New Episodes Weekend in Havana, PBS Shooter, USA Network — Season Premiere
Descendants 2,, ABC, Disney, Disney XD, Freeform, Lifetime — Original Film Ozark, Netflix — New Series
7
Friends from College: © Netflix Credit: David Lee
JULY 2 | SUNDAYS 8/7c
12
Mosquito, Discovery Channel Sin City Justice: “Blood Brothers,” Investigation Discovery
WIll: ™ &© 2016 Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Credit: Ellen Von Unwerth.
SERIES PREMIERE
18
Still the King, CMT — Season Premiere MLB All-Star Game, FOX The Fosters, Freeform — Season Premiere Adam Ruins Everything, truTV — Season Premiere
Friends From College, Netflix — New Series Playing House, USA Network — Season Finale
<
S:9.75 in
T:10.25 in
Snowfall, FX — New Series Big Star Little Star, USA Network — Season Finale
11
<
July
We Break Down The Month’s Biggest And Best Programming So You Never Miss A Must-See Minute.
15
Tennis: Wimbledon, Ladies Singles Final, ESPN
16
Tennis: Wimbledon, Men’s Singles Final, ESPN The Strain, FX — Season Premiere Game of Thrones, HBO — Season Premiere Remember Me, PBS — New Series
17
24
Somewhere Between, ABC — New Series Midnight, Texas, NBC — New Series
28
The Last Tycoon, Amazon — New Series
30
Remember Me, PBS — Series Finale 5-Headed Shark Attack, Syfy — Original Film
31
POV: “Memories of a Penitent Heart,” PBS Mississippi River Sharks, Syfy — Original Film
Loaded, AMC — New Series N
Not all networks available in all areas. PBS programming varies regionally.
Channel Guide Magazine 251
Time-Sensitive
Channel Guide
PERI O DI C ALS Class Publication
TOP STREAMING OPTIONS FOR NETFLIX & MORE!
Postmaster please deliver by the 1st of the month NAT
magazine
July 2017 • $7.99
WINTER IS HERE!
Newcomer Laurie Davidson as Shakespeare in TNT’s “Will”
Why Now Is The Time To Watch “Game Of Thrones” channelguidemag.com
STORY OF A GIRL
SHARK WEEK RETURNS
Kyra Sedgwick Directs Hubby Kevin Bacon In Moving Original Drama
WITH MICHAEL PHELPS & CHRIS NOTH
! WARNING!
Asteroid To Hit Earth In 6 Months
MOSQUITOES
DEADLIEST ANIMAL IN THE WORLD?
(That’s TV’s SALVATION)
PREMIERING 7/11 ON DEMAND
© 2017 Universal Studios. All Rights Reserved.
July 2017
WATCH THE 10 MINUTE FREE PREVIEW
SHAKESPEARE, SHARKS, SALVATION & SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN?!
7
GAME SHOWS YOU COULD EASILY WIN
