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Mark Feuerstein is a rabbi hunting down a killer in the new Collider-exclusive trailer for Guns & Moses. The neo-Western thriller also stars Neal McDonough, Dermot Mulroney, and Christopher Lloyd. It will be released in theaters on July 18, 2025, by Pictures From The Fringe and Concourse Media. In the trailer for the film, Feuerstein is Mo Zaltzman, a rabbi in a small desert town that's rocked by a shocking act of violence: a shooting at a gala honoring solar entrepreneur Alan Rosner (Mulroney), seemingly motivated by anti-Semitism.

A local skinhead is picked up for the crime, but Mo becomes increasingly convinced that he's innocent. He begins looking into suspects, including the mayor (McDonough), Rosner's mysterious wife (Mercedes Mason) and troubled brother (Michael B. Silver), a scientist whose career Rosner destroyed (Paulo Costanzo), and even Rosner himself. Meanwhile, Mo takes firearms training himself for self-defense...and just in time, too, as the...

There are shows and characters which, despite running their course, leave a significant mark on the networks and audiences who were a part of their run. Gabriel Macht's Harvey Specter and the world of Suits is one such show, and in recent times, NBC resurrected the Suits universe with a spinoff, Suits LA. The network looks set to do the same with another show from the USA Network which aired its series finale nine years ago. The medical dramedy, Royal Pains, is being eyed for a revival on NBC, according to Deadline. A revival will also feature the return of original star Mark Feuerstein, who looks set to reprise his role as Dr. Henry "Hank" Lawson.

From 2009-2016, Royal Pains ran for eight seasons during a time when the USA Network could comfortably boast of having some of the best shows on television. Other memorable shows released at that time,...

NBC recently brought back Suits with an all-new offshoot with the launch of the new TV show Suits LA. Now, they are returning to the USA Network well to revive another hit series from the past.

Per Deadline, NBC is reviving Royal Painswith original star Mark Feuerstein set to reprise his role as Dr. Henry "Hank" Lawson. Feuerstein is also on board as an executive producer for the project. The new series is said to be set several years after the original show's finale, which aired in 2016. It will pick up wiht Hank "searching for a new purpose in life, about to embark on his biggest project yet." No other plot details or cast members have been confirmed.

The original Royal Pains was created by Andrew Lenchewski and John P. Rogers. The show followed Hank Lawson, an expert diagnostic surgeon who works as a concierge doctor to the uber rich in the Hamptons.

Dr. Hank Lawson is scrubbing up again, as a “Royal Pains” reboot starring Mark Feuerstein is in development at NBC, Variety has confirmed.

The original series, which ran on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016, followed a former New York ER doctor who moves to the Hamptons to open a concierge practice targeting the ultra-rich. In the reboot, which takes place several years later, Hank is “searching for a new purpose in life” and is “about to embark on his biggest project yet.”

“Royal Pains” co-creator Andrew Lenchewski and executive producer Michael Rauch will write the new series, and they will serve as EPs alongside Feuerstein and original series alum Rich Frank. The reboot hails from UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, and will air on NBC, should it get picked up to series.

“Royal Pains” starred Paulo Costanzo, Reshma Shetty, Jill Flint, Campbell Scott and Brooke D’Orsay, among others.

Royal Pains is getting an update!

A new sequel show to the former USA Network series is in the works at NBC, and Mark Feuerstein is set to reprise his role as Dr. Hank Lawson, via THR.

The medical dramedy originally ran for eight seasons on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016.

Mark plays a surgeon who joins his brother (Paulo Costanzo) as a concierge doctor for wealthy residents of the Hamptons.

He will also be an executive producer on the new show.

Royal Pains co-creator Andrew Lenchewski and Michael Rauch, a writer and executive producer on the original, are writing a script and will executive produce as well.

Further details, including casting, the show’s premise and a premiere date, are still to come.

Find out which NBC shows just got renewed and cancelled for 2025.

NBC is looking to bring another former USA Network series into its fold.

The network is developing a sequel to Royal Pains, a medical dramedy that ran for eight seasons on USA from 2009-16. Mark Feuerstein, is set to reprise his role as Dr. Hank Lawson, a surgeon who joined his brother (Paulo Costanzo) as a concierge doctor for wealthy residents of the Hamptons, and will also be an executive producer.

Royal Pains co-creator Andrew Lenchewski and Michael Rauch, a writer and executive producer on the original, are penning a script and will exec produce with Feuerstein and Rich Frank, who was also an EP on the USA series. The show comes from Universal Studio Group’s UCP.

The logline for the potential series reads, “Over a decade ago, Hank Lawson left a hospital to start a concierge practice in the Hamptons. Now, several years later and searching for a new purpose in life,...

“Royal Pains” might return to screens soon, with a reboot series currently in the works at NBC.

NBC is developing a new “Royal Pains” series centered on Mark Feuerstein’s Hank Lawson, with Feuerstein attached to star and executive produce the new series.

The official logline is as follows: “Over a decade ago, Hank Lawson left a hospital to start a concierge practice in the Hamptons. Now, several years later and searching for a new purpose in life, Hank is about to embark on his biggest project yet.”

Andrew Lenchewski, who created “Royal Pains,” will return to write and executive produce the new drama series alongside Michael Rauch, who served as a producer on “Royal Pains” during its eight-season run. Rich Frank will also return as an executive producer.

The new series hails from UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group.

“Royal Pains” ran for eight seasons from 2009-2016 on USA Network,...

Exclusive: The hit USA Network series Royal Pains is getting a reboot at NBC with star Mark Feuerstein set to reprise the leading role of Dr. Henry “Hank” Lawson and will executive produce, sources tell Deadline. We hear no other original cast members are currently attached to return.

Part of the original creative team will reunite on the new drama project, including Andrew Lenchewski and Michael Rauch as writers and executive producers. Lenchewski served as co-creator, writer and executive producer of the original series, while Rauch was a writer, director and EP. Rich Frank will again executive produce. UCP, a division of Universal Studios Group, is the studio.

Royal Pains ran for eight seasons from 2009-2016 during USA Network’s popular “Blue Sky” era, which also saw the release of shows like Psych, Suits, Burn Notice, Covert Affairs, Monk and White Collar. The series follows Hank (Feuerstein), a former New York ER doctor,...

Willa Fitzgerald has been exploding in film and television fan favor in recent years thanks to a buzzy performance in a twisted thriller and the ever-growing popularity of everyone's favorite series about a beefy man taking down baddies. However, some folks inaccurately believe that Fitzgerald is a star on the rise when in reality, she's been consistently working since the late 2000s. She's established herself as a formidable acting presence with a proven track record of versatility, portraying complex characters across a miscellany of genres on screens big and small. Fitzgerald truly shines with her ability to draw audiences in and see the characters as very real people, regardless of the world in which the project is set. Even under the most heightened circumstances, she'll make you root for her as the final girl in a slasher series or strike fear into your heart as a sadistic killer. As she's...

Every once in a while, a movie makes so much money that it totally shakes up the film industry. This instance is especially true when a genre many considered dead and buried comes along and makes some serious cash. This rarity happened in a big way back in 1999 when American Pie, a movie that cost $11 million, made $235 million worldwide. Think about it – the biggest star in the film was Eugene Levy. More than that – it was a teen sex comedy. That genre played out in the early eighties when Porky’s was such a big hit that every studio decided to make a sex comedy, and pretty much all of them tanked – especially the multiple Porky‘s sequels. Teen sex comedies were replaced by John Hughes’s brand of more thoughtful teen comedies, only for that genre to fall off as well. A year before, Sony made a John Hughes-style teen comedy,...

Friends' infamous spinoff series Joey, starring Matt LeBlanc, has finally dropped on streaming for the first time, two decades after first airing. Co-created by Friends writers Scott Silveri and Shana Goldberg-Meehan, Joey debuted on NBC in September 2004, around four months after the finale of Friends. It followed Joey Tribbiani, one of the core characters of Friends, as he moves to Hollywood in search of work after his TV show is canceled. Joey had an ensemble cast of supporting actors including Drea de Matteo, Paulo Costanzo, and Jennifer Coolidge, and ran for two seasons before being canceled in May 2006.

Now, for the first time ever, Joey will finally be available to stream, but not through any of the expected platforms. The first two episodes of Joey have dropped on YouTube and can be found on the official Friends YouTube channel. This presents a unique opportunity for fans of both sitcoms to revisit Joey,...

The official “Friends” YouTube channel Tuesday posted the first two episodes of “Joey,” a spinoff series centering around Matt LeBlanc’s wisecracking womanizer Joey Tribbiani.

This is the first time “Joey” has been made available since its 2004 debut. Starring LeBlanc alongside Drea de Matteo, Paulo Costanzo, Jennifer Coolidge and Andrea Anders, the series follows the titular Joey as he “leaves New York for Hollywood in order to take his acting career to the next level” and reunites with “his high-strung sister Gina (Matteo) and “Michael (Costanzo), his 20-year-old genius nephew,” per the official logline.

“Joey” ran for 46 episodes across two seasons from 2004-2006. Created by Shana Goldberg-Meehan and Scott Silveri, the show’s pilot pulled in an impressive 18.6 million viewers. However, the buzz didn’t last long, and viewership declined significantly through the remainder of Season 1 and Season 2.

During its first season, NBC initially slated “Joey” in its Thursday night programming slot,...

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Stargate Sg-1 is a sci-fi action adventure drama series created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner. The Showtime and later Sci-Fi channel series is set in MGM’s Stargate franchise, and it follows Jack O’Neill as he returns to Planet Abydos to find scientist Daniel Jackson. He soon discovers that a series of hieroglyphics could potentially lead them to several Stargates. Stargate Sg-1 stars Richard Dean Anderson, Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Don S. Davis, Corin Nemec, Ben Browder, Beau Bridges, and Claudia Black. So, if you loved the space adventure, intensely thrilling story, and compelling characters in Stargate Sg-1, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Dark Matter (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Syfy

Dark Matter is a Canadian sci-fi drama series created by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie. Based on Mallozzi and...

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Paradise is a sci-fi political conspiracy thriller series created by Dan Fogelman. The Hulu series is set in an idyllic community housing some of the most important people in the world, and it follows Special Agent Xavier Collins after the President of the United States is murdered. Paradise stars Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Aliyah Mastin, Percy Daggs IV, and James Marsden. So, if you loved the political intrigue, genre-blending plot, and compelling characters in Paradise, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Salvation (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – CBS

Salvation is a sci-fi mystery thriller drama series created by Liz Kruger, Craig Shapiro, and Matt Wheeler. The CBS series follows a group of people as they discover that an asteroid will hit the Earth in six months and destroy the planet.

One of the best science fiction series of modern times is sadly gearing up to leave Prime Video. Beginning back in 2015, The Expanse, which started life on SyFy before being picked up for more seasons on Amazon, is now listed among the streaming platform’s "Titles expiring in the next 30 days.” Meaning that fans and newcomers only have a short time to catch up on this show, which boasts a score of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Created by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby for the Syfy network initially before being canceled and picked up by Amazon, The Expanse is based on the series of novels of the same name by James S. A. Corey. The title is apt, as the series explores an expansive world set in the far-flung future, in which humans have colonized the solar system. Featuring a large ensemble of characters, The Expanse tackles the political machinations of...

Exclusive: Liza Treyger’s first hour-long stand-up special Night Owl is set to premiere globally on Netflix on January 28, sources tell Deadline.

Filmed in New York City, the special sees Treyger touch on her friends who are parents, hating other people’s husbands, and lying to herself about how high she really is. It comes on the heels of Glittercheese, a half-hour she taped for Comedy Central, as well as a half-hour she put together for Netflix stand-up collection The Degenerates. Brian Hoff and Laura Lucchetti served as producers.

Stated Treyger on Night Owl, “It’s my first hour and it’s huge to have it on Netflix. I’m so excited for people to watch it, it’s what I’ve always wanted.”

Known for biting jokes that dance around hot button topics including sexism and feminism — but also weed, animals, and The Real Housewives — Treyger recently wrapped filming...

Easton’s mysterious psychological destruction drives him to the edge of sanity and possible self-harm by those who love him most... his wife and daughter. Will Easton succumb to their increasingly traumatizing pressure, or will he conquer the dark forces at play? We have an exclusive clip from Chad Bishoff's psychological thriller Daft State. The film is out now on digital and on-demand platforms as of November 12th, 2024, from Scatena & Rosner Films. Daft State stars Christopher Backus, Skye P. Marshall, Ka’ramuu Kush, Paulo Costanzo, Jake T. Austin, and Iman Karram. Bishoff produced and wrote the thriller with Sam Harter. Erich Hover also produced with actress Mira Sorvino on board as an executive producer withInny Clemons, Brett Cullen, and Lisa Crnic. Check...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

By the time Toby Wilkins’ 2008 film Splinter first arrived on the scene — a limited theatrical premiere on Halloween — zombies were everywhere. Yet the first-time director managed to rework the already overused concept into something fresh, not to mention plain creepy. And with its preference for practical effects wizardry, Splinter stood out from its fellow high-concept horrors made on a low budget.

Splinter references the grandfather of cinematic zombies, George A. Romero’s iconic Night of the Living Dead, in a number of ways, apart from the most obvious. Indeed the characters are holed up and fighting for their lives against the walking dead, although in this case, an isolated gas station rather than a farmhouse serves as their refuge. Other films tend to use these pitstops as we do in real life; they are temporary detours before heading off for a proper destination. Instead the director and screenwriters bring the journey to a screeching halt,...

With “What We Do in the Shadows” coming to an end this year with the show’s final season, star Harvey Guillén has set up a brand new project to both star in and executive produce.

Harvey Guillén will star alongside Kate Siegel in the dark comedy Damned If You Do.

First reported by Deadline, the cast will also include Ginger Gonzaga (She-Hulk), Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains), Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black), Ed Weeks (The Mindy Project), Molly Bernard (Hit Man), Jillian Gottlieb (Soon By You), Matthew Stephen Smith (Too Hot to Handle), Liza Treyger (Survival of the Thickest) and Ashley Austin Morris (Inventing Anna).

Written by Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde, Damned If You Do marks the directorial debut of Jake Rubin and Evan Metzold. Here’s the official plot synopsis for the film:

“A group of teenage friends sold their souls to the devil. Naturally, life...

Last month, it was announced that Kate Siegel – who is best known for her collaborations with husband Mike Flanagan, like Hush and The Haunting of Hill House – is set to star in and executive produce the dark comedy Damned If You Do. Now Deadline has broken the news that Siegel is being joined in the cast by Harvey Guillen (What We Do in the Shadows), Ginger Gonzaga (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains), Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black), Ed Weeks (The Mindy Project), Molly Bernard (Hit Man), Jillian Gottlieb (Soon By You), Matthew Stephen Smith (Too Hot to Handle), Liza Treyger (Survival of the Thickest), and Ashley Austin Morris (Inventing Anna). Details on the characters they’ll be playing have not been revealed.

The feature directorial debut of the filmmaking duo of Jake Rubin and Evan Metzold, who are working from a screenplay written by Ellen Adair and Eric Gilde,...

Exclusive: Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) is set to exec produce and star opposite Kate Siegel in Damned If You Do, the dark comedy from first-time feature filmmakers Jake Rubin and Evan Metzold, on which we were first to report.

Among the other newcomers to the cast are Ginger Gonzaga (She-Hulk), Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains), Beth Dover (Orange Is the New Black) and Ed Weeks (The Mindy Project).

Damned If You Do follows a group of teenage friends who have sold their souls to the devil. Subsequently, life takes them down different paths, as a rock star, a tech mogul, and a high-profile activist. Years later, they must rely on an old classmate to try and escape Hell’s grasp before the contract’s deadline of their 25th high school reunion.

Objectively Good Media’s Matthew R. Cooper and Uwakokunre (Kokie) Imasogie are producing alongside Lior Haas,...

As I get older, I find it harder and harder to find horror movies from the 80s and even 90s to qualify for a recommendation towards a best horror movie you never saw. First is the influx of all these great companies like Vinegar Syndrome, Arrow, and Severin Films, not to mention Kino and Scream Factory, who pull out all the stops finding the most hidden of hidden gems to clean up and release. Second, we have a ludicrous amount of streaming services, and the free ones typically can find these smaller movies that cost way less to license a streamable version. Between my generation recommending everything under the sun to their coworkers, friends, and family as well as newer generations being willing to stream something if its easy to find, the 80s is well represented, for better and for worse. The 2000s are Chock Full of movies that came...

Netflix adds all eight seasons of Royal Pains, hoping to replicate the success of Suits. The medical dramedy follows a man who becomes a concierge doctor to the rich and famous. Royal Pains ran for 104 episodes and was a "blue sky show" on the USA Network.

Netflix has added another USA Network show to the streaming service, potentially replicating the success of Suits with Royal Pains. Since becoming available on Peacock and Netflix halfway through 2023, Suits had a long streak of dominating streaming charts and breaking records. The resurgence even led to a Suits spinoff getting the greenlight with the involvement of original series creator Aaron Korsh.

Streaming execs may well hope to achieve a similar level of success with Royal Pains, as What's On Netflix reports that all eight seasons of the medical dramedy have been added to the streaming service as of January 22. It's worth noting that Royal Pains...

Short final seasons can be successful despite fewer episodes, as seen in The Expanse and Arrow. These shorter seasons still manage to wrap up character storylines and provide satisfying conclusions. Shows like Superstore and New Girl prove that a shorter episode span can work better in certain instances, allowing for new and old storylines to reach a natural conclusion.

While it's not unusual to see a TV show with a short final season, there have been some instances where this has worked in a show's favor. A shorter season of a show can happen for several reasons, such as production issues, the show being canceled, or a writer's strike. Despite having fewer episodes than usual, this doesn't mean that a show cannot still have a successful season.

There are plenty of examples as to why a shorter final season doesn't work. This is usually attributed to a lack of time...

Horror movies have provided moviegoers with some of their favorite films since Hollywood began. Dating all the way back to the classic days of Universal Studios' horror, these films follow various scary threats, from ghosts and zombies to masked killers and demons. Halloween is a great time to discover and enjoy some of Hollywood's most underrated horror stories, especially for fans who love a good scare.

Horror comes in all forms, from psychological fears to gore-fest slashers, but it's increasingly easy for great films to get overlooked by audiences. Some films suffer from a low budget, difficult competition or simple obscurity, with fans being left to find such movies on their own. Some of these can become a horror buff's favorite new movie, and they all make for great popcorn flicks for the scariest holiday.

Splinter

Release Date

October 31, 2008

Director

Toby Wilkins

Cast

Jill Wagner, Paulo Costanzo, Shea Whigham, Rachel Kerbs,...

Rachael Leigh Cook and Missi Pyle share the screen in Netflix’s A Tourist’s Guide but 22 years ago they both starred in Josie and the Pussycats.

Cook was the leader of the music group Josie McCoy while Pyle played the role of Alexandra Cabot. The two stars recently recalled their time working together in the 2001 comedy film.

“I remember Missi improvising things that made all of us absolutely cry laughing,” Cook told Tudum about her costar. “An especially brilliant moment from her is when my character is having a big revelation about the conspiracy that is afoot, and Missi completely steals the scene by paying attention to nothing I’m saying and silently sneaking up behind me, plucking a hair from my head and inspecting it. I remember watching playback on the monitor absolutely in awe.”

Pyle noted that her character just “wanted to be any of the Pussycats.

Original Creature Feature

We’ve been making our way through March with a wild range of films. We began with Robert Wise’s iconic queer film The Haunting, unlocked the Patreon vault to re-release our super-sized episode on Scream (2022), then hopped in the pool to discuss classic 90s Erotic Thriller Wild Things.

Now we’re going the indie route for Toby Wilkins‘ outstanding 2008 low budget creature feature film, Splinter.

In the film, Polly (Jill Wagner) and her boyfriend Seth (Paulo Costanzo) are celebrating their anniversary when their car is hijacked by criminals Dennis (Shea Whigham) and Lacey (Rachel Krebs). Forced to stop at a remote gas station, the foursome must band together when they encounter a strange parasite that is infecting humans and animals alike. Holed up inside and cut off from society, will the group survive the night or will they become infected with splinters, too?

Be sure to...

Willa Fitzgerald played the secretive Emma Lawson in season 6 of Royal Pains, and the actor has portrayed several similar characters in both TV and film. Emma is Evan (Paulo Costanzo) and Hank Lawson's (Mark Feuerstein) half-sibling who is used to lying about her identity and background. The character adds riveting layers to the series and fits right into the affluent Hamptons world where Hank works as a doctor after he loses his New York City emergency room position. The comedy was fairly well-received and also stars Brooke D'Orsay, who is known for starring in Hallmark holiday films such as A Godwink Christmas: Second Chance, First Love.

The same year as her 2014 role in Royal Pains, Willa Fitzgerald played Jenny in one episode of The Following. Shortly afterward, she portrayed the 20-year-old Claire Underwood on House of Cards in two season 6 episodes. The actor's career has followed a similar trajectory...

If you've never seen the Amazon Prime series "Upload," the premise is pretty simple. When someone is on the verge of death, they have the ability to upload their consciousness into an online afterlife ... for a price. No, we literally mean for a price, because while "Upload" is in large part a feel-good romantic comedy, it's also a pretty scathing indictment of class and capitalism, since how much you can afford to pay determines the quality of your life after death.

The show drew comparisons to another show about the afterlife, "The Good Place," given the similar premise and comedic vibe. It was a natural comparison, after all, given "Upload" creator Greg Daniels and "The Good Place" creator Michael Schur worked together on both "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation." But for the most part, that's where the comparisons end.

The show stars Robbie Amell as Nathan, a programmer who...

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for the season 2 finale of “Upload”

After a long two years, a new season of Prime Video’s “Upload” has finally been, well, uploaded, and it has even more chaos than the first. In fact, according to series star Robbie Amell, the Season 2 finale was just as insane for him to film, as it is for fans to watch.

In the final episode of the season, Nora (Andy Allo) and the luds have a plan to take down Freeyond, and it involves downloading Nathan (Amell) into a clone of his body. Because, as it turns out, Ingrid (Allegra Edwards) didn’t actually self-upload. She’s just been faking it and trying to win back Nathan’s affections so she can surprise him with the news that she’s been secretly funding the regrowth of his body in a secret lab.

“That was one of the weirdest...

What do you do when your ghost boyfriend ghosts you? In Upload‘s Season 2 premiere, Nora still hasn’t heard from Nathan, and the ghosting goes both ways, because Nathan also gets the unintentional cold shoulder from Nora during the episode.

The half-hour starts with Nora ditching Byron and hoping into another car with her dad, who takes her to the Ludd camp to keep her safe from the people connected to Nathan’s death. The movement’s followers reject technology — Nora ditches her phone on a tree branch in the woods — and eat actual food grown in the ground from heirloom seeds.

Plenty of time has passed since Upload Season 1 debuted — 22 long months, to be exact! — and for Nathan and Nora, Season 2’s long-awaited premiere this Friday also brings plenty of distance.

When last the satirical sci-fi comedy left off, Nathan had found himself out of data and frozen in the 2 Gig tier of Lakeview, unable to reciprocate Nora’s declaration of love. Nora then fled the city from the people connected to Nathan’s death, while he got a surprise visitor: his ex Ingrid uploaded to the digital afterlife to be with Nathan.

More from TVLineUpload Season 2 Trailer Introduces Digital Babies,...

Nathan’s digital afterlife is getting a lot more complicated, romantically, in the trailer for Upload Season 2 (premiering with all seven episodes Friday, March 11 on Prime Video).

Now that his ex-girlfriend Ingrid has uploaded to Lakeview to be with him, Nathan’s heart appears to be more conflicted than ever. One minute he’s kissing the blonde, and the next, he’s thinking about how beautiful his customer service angel Nora looks, which she can hear thanks to some disturbing new tech. But Nora’s not just sitting around, watching Nathan and Ingrid make-out. (Ok, she’s doing a little bit of that.

Exclusive: Jake T. Austin (The Wizards of Waverly Place), Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains), Iman Karram (Glow) and Ka’ramuu Kush (Five Deep Breaths) have joined the cast of Daft State, the psychological thriller from Chad Bishoff, which just entered production.

The four actors will appear alongside previously announced leads Christopher Backus (Big Little Lies) and Skye P. Marshall (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina).

The film scripted by Bishoff and Sam Harter charts the mysterious psychological destruction of Easton (Backus), who is driven to the edge of sanity, and possible self-harm, by those that love him most—his wife (Marshall) and daughter. Will Easton succumb to their increasingly traumatizing pressure, or will he conquer the dark forces at play in his addled psyche?

The Syncretic Entertainment production is produced by Bishoff and Erich Hover. Its exec producers include Inny Clemons, Lisa Crnic (Paramount’s Clifford the Big Red Dog...

Power Book II: Ghost has found its Big Bad: Daniel Sunjata (Graceland, Rescue Me) has joined the Starz drama in a series-regular role for Season 2, our sister site Deadline reports.

Sunjata will play Mecca, who is described as calculated, manipulative and dangerous. He “conveniently reemerges in New York at the exact moment the Tejadas” — headed by Mary J. Blige’s character — “need to fill the void of a new product supplier,” per Deadline. “But when his mysterious past starts to become exposed, it reveals the drug business might not be his only end game with this family.” Season 1 wrapped up in January.

Exclusive: Paulo Costanzo will recur on the second season of Amazon’s Upload from EP Greg Daniels as Matteo, a young charismatic leader prone to bouts of self-importance.

Upload follows a man who is able to choose his own afterlife after his untimely death by having his consciousness uploaded into a virtual world. As he gets used to his new life and befriends his angel (real world handler), questions about his death arise.

The Toronto, Canada native played Evan R. Lawson for eight seasons on USA’s Royal Pains. He also directed three episodes of the series. Costanzo was also a regular on the second season of Designated Survivor for ABC and recurred on Syfy’s The Expanse and CBS All Access’ The Good Fight. He also played a critical role in four episodes of HBO’s Emmy-winning drama The Night Of.

Costanzo played Michael Tribbiani on the Friends spinoff series Joey.

Main characters can be overrated. There, I said it.

The problem with main characters is that there’s so much pressure placed on them to be likable.

Sometimes the added pressure works in a character's favor, but other times, the extra attention turns what could have been an admirable lead into one that either falls flat or appears too overdeveloped.

That's rarely the case with sidekicks as they are quite literally created with the intention of propping up said main character

Now, that isn't to say the role of a sidekick is easy; their job is especially difficult as they bear a handful of responsibilities. They’re known as supporting and secondary characters that assist the main character, break the ice in tense situations using comedic relief, give advice, and clean up messes.

They also have the ability to raise the stakes of a show without outshining the lead.

Except...

HBO Max launched on Wednesday with the entire library of “Friends” as its cornerstone selling point. But for completists, HBO Max is still missing a component of the “Friends” Creative Universe: The spinoff series “Joey,” which is nowhere to be found on the new streaming service.

An HBO Max spokesperson confirmed that the streamer hasn’t licensed “Joey” yet, “but we’re always assessing available shows to see what will be a good fit and well received by subscribers.”

The Matt LeBlanc comedy aired on NBC from 2004 to 2006 as a direct sequel to “Friends,” and followed LeBlanc’s character, Joey Tribbiani, as he moved to Los Angeles to advance his career as an actor. Drea de Matteo starred as Joey’s older sister, Gina, while Paulo Costanzo was his nephew, Michael. Jennifer Coolidge, Andrea Anders, Ben Falcone and Miguel A. Nunez Jr. also starred.

“Joey” opened to strong viewership, and even decent reviews: Variety,...

Who got signed, promoted, hired or fired? The Hollywood Reporter’s Rep Sheet rounds up the week in representation news. To submit announcements for consideration, contact rebecca.sun@thr.com.

Serious business first

Artists First has named E. Brian Dobbins and David Gardner co-presidents.

Dobbins has been with the company since its founding 19 years ago and represents clients including Anthony Anderson, Kenya Barris, Tracee Ellis Ross, Niecy Nash, Jon M. Chu, Tracey Oliver, Romany Malco, Andrew Braugher and Nat Faxon.

Gardner joined 16 years ago and reps Judy Greer, Paulo Costanzo, Ken Marino, Tyler Labine, Diedrich Bader, Stella Maeve, Eriq La Salle,...

Who got signed, promoted, hired or fired? The Hollywood Reporter’s Rep Sheet rounds up the week in representation news. To submit announcements for consideration, contact rebecca.sun@thr.com.

Serious business first

Artists First has named E. Brian Dobbins and David Gardner co-presidents.

Dobbins has been with the company since its founding 19 years ago and represents clients including Anthony Anderson, Kenya Barris, Tracee Ellis Ross, Niecy Nash, Jon M. Chu, Tracey Oliver, Romany Malco, Andrew Braugher and Nat Faxon.

Gardner joined 16 years ago and reps Judy Greer, Paulo Costanzo, Ken Marino, Tyler Labine, Diedrich Bader, Stella Maeve, Eriq La Salle,...

In today’s film news roundup, “The Two Popes” wins an audience award, “A Night with Janis Joplin” and “Fittest in Dubai” get releases, Artists First reorganizes, SAG-AFTRA expands its headquarters and Film Fest 919 announces its winners.

Audience Award

Fernando Meirelles’ “The Two Popes” has won the audience award at the Miami Gems Film Festival.

Inspired by a true story, “The Two Popes” stars Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict XVI and Jonathan Pryce as the future Pope Francis in a verbal battle of wits over the future direction of the Catholic Church. The film is produced by Netflix, which has scheduled a limited theatrical release on Nov. 27 in the U.S. prior to its release on streaming on Dec. 20.

Festival audiences also chose Bong Joon ho’s dark comedy “Parasite” as first runner-up, with Alma Har’el’s “Honey Boy” and Craig Brewer’s “Dolemite Is my Name” tying for second runner-up.

Artists First veterans and partners E. Brian Dobbins and David Gardner have been named Co-Presidents of the management/production company. Peter Principato, who had served as President and CEO since Principate-Young rebranded itself as Artists First in 2018, will remain CEO.

“Brian and David have continually shown their dedication to this company, its culture, and leadership, and I am happy to have their wisdom in helping lead Artists First into the future,” Principato said. “We are committed to growing our organization intelligently and providing clients with the best overall experience and opportunities. On behalf of the partners, we are excited to appoint them as Co-Presidents.”

Dobbins has been with Artists First since its inception as Principato-Young 19 years ago. His impressive client list includes Anthony Anderson, Kenya Barris, Tracee Ellis Ross, Niecy Nash, Jon M Chu, Tracey Oliver, Romany Malco, Andre Braugher, Nat Faxon as well as Henry Simmons, whom he co-managers with Garnder.

President Kirkman's term is over. Last year, ABC cancelled the Designated Survivor TV show after two low-rated seasons. Netflix picked up the series for a third season but has now decided not to order a fourth season.

A political thriller, Designated Survivor stars Kiefer Sutherland, Natascha McElhone, Adan Canto, Lamonica Garrett, Kal Penn, Maggie Q, Malik Yoba, Paulo Costanzo, Zoe McLellan, Ben Lawson, Tanner Buchanan, and Mckenna Grace. The conspiracy drama series centers on Tom Kirkman (Sutherland). After an attack on Capitol Hill wipes out the line of succession, this Hud Secretary becomes President of the United States. Read More…...

How well does President Kirkman make out during the third season of the Designated Survivor TV show on Netflix? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Designated Survivor is cancelled or renewed for season four. Netflix, however, keeps its own statistics. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we'd like to offer you the chance to rate all the season three episodes of Designated Survivor here.

Cancelled after two seasons on ABC, but revived by Netflix, the political drama Designated Survivor stars Kiefer Sutherland, Natascha McElhone, Adan Canto, Lamonica Garrett, Kal Penn, Maggie Q, Malik Yoba, Paulo Costanzo, Zoe McLellan, Ben Lawson, Tanner Buchanan, and Mckenna Grace. The conspiracy thriller series centers on Tom Kirkman (Sutherland). After an attack on Capitol Hill wipes out the line of succession, this Hud...

Vulture Watch

Is Thomas Kirkman in control? Has the Designated Survivor TV show been cancelled or renewed for a fourth season on Netflix? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Designated Survivor season four. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

A Netflix political thriller, which ran for its first two seasons on ABC, Designated Survivor stars Kiefer Sutherland, Natascha McElhone, Adan Canto, Lamonica Garrett, Kal Penn, Maggie Q, Malik Yoba, Paulo Costanzo, Zoe McLellan, Ben Lawson, Tanner Buchanan, and Mckenna Grace. The conspiracy drama series centers on Tom Kirkman (Sutherland). After an attack on Capitol Hill wipes out the line of succession, this Hud Secretary becomes President of the United...

Designated Survivor Season 3 Trailer Netflix‘s Designated Survivor: Season 3 TV show trailer stars Kiefer Sutherland, Paulo Costanzo, Adan Canto, Italia Ricci, and Lamonica Garrett. Plot Synopsis Designated Survivor: Season 3’s plot synopsis: “President Kirkman (Sutherland) will face a political reality… campaigning. What does it take to make a leader? What price will he [...]

Continue reading: Designated Survivor: Season 3 TV Show Trailer: Kiefer Sutherland has to Campaign for the Presidency [Netflix]...

Kiefer Sutherland’s accidental president is now streaming exclusively on Netflix: The first two seasons of “Designated Survivor” are now available to Netflix subscribers in the U.S. and Canada.

Hulu had previously nabbed exclusive U.S. subscription VOD rights to “Designated Survivor” seasons 1 and 2, which aired on ABC, under a deal announced in November 2017. Episodes of “Designated Survivor” also are unavailable on ABC’s streaming platforms.

Earlier this month, Netflix announced it was picking up the third season of “Designated Survivor” in a production deal with eOne after ABC cancelled the show. As part of the pact, Netflix secured streaming rights for the first two season of the show in the U.S. and Canada. Season 3 is slated to debut on Netflix worldwide in 2019.

“Designated Survivor” stars Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, a low-level cabinet member who suddenly is forced to assume to role of U.S. president after...

Returning for its 18th year this October is Hollywood's Screamfest Horror Film Festival, a celebration of horror cinema's past, present, and future. Back in May, we teamed up with Screamfest for a 10th anniversary screening of Gregg Bishop's Dance of the Dead, and now we're thrilled to share the first wave of programming for this year's festival, as well as the exciting news that Lin Shaye will be the festival's 2018 ambassador!

Taking place October 9th–18th at Tcl Chinese 6 Theaters in Hollywood, Screamfest's first wave of programming includes Padraig Reynolds' Open 24 Hours, Daniel Robbins' Pledge, Timothy Woodward Jr.'s The Final Wish, a 10th anniversary screening of Toby Wilkins' Splinter, and much more!

You can read the official announcement below, visit Screamfest's website for more information, and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more Screamfest news!

Press Release: Hollywood, Calif. – September 25, 2018 – America’s largest and longest running horror film festival,...

How well does President Kirkman preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States in the second season of the Designated Survivor TV show on ABC? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether the TV show Designated Survivor is cancelled or renewed for season three. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we'd like to offer you the chance to rate all the Designated Survivor season two episodes below.

An ABC political drama, Designated Survivor stars Kiefer Sutherland, Natascha McElhone, Adan Canto, Lamonica Garrett, Kal Penn, Maggie Q, Malik Yoba, Paulo Costanzo, Zoe McLellan, Ben Lawson, Tanner Buchanan, and Mckenna Grace. The conspiracy thriller series centers on Tom Kirkman (Sutherland). After an attack on Capitol Hill...

Network: HBO

Episodes: Eight (hour)

Seasons: One

TV show dates: July 10, 2016 -- August 28, 2016

Series status: Ended

Performers include: Afton Williamson, Amara Karan, Ashley Thomas, Ben Shenkman, Bill Camp, Chip Zien, Glenn Fleshler, Glenne Headly, Jeannie Berlin, John Turturro, Max Casella, Michael Kenneth Williams, Mohammad Bakri, Nabil Elouahabi, Ned Eisenberg, Paul Sparks, Paulo Costanzo, Payman Maadi, Poorna Jagannathan, Riz Ahmed, and Sofia Black-d'Elia.

TV show description:

Based on the Criminal Justice TV show from the BBC, this dramatic series delves into the intricate story of a fictitious murder case in New York City.

The series follows the police investigation and legal proceedings, all the while examining the criminal justice system and the purgatory of Rikers Island, where the accused awaits his trial.

Read More…...