Sumter Scene: June 03, 2023

The price of fame: ‘Based on a True Story’ takes on true crime

BY JAY BOBBIN

From serial killers and crimes of passion to unexplainable and unsolved mysteries, America (and the world) love to indulge in the seedy and often gruesome details behind some of the humanity’s wildest true crime stories. Now, Peacock is turning the genre on its head as it dives into the new, eight-episode dark comedy thriller “Based on a True Story,” when it premieres on the NBCUniversal streaming platform Thursday, June 8.

“Over the last decade, a true crime phenomenon has swept over America. Podcasts, documentaries, fictional shows based on true stories – they dominate the culture. Murderers have become celebrities and celebrities have become murderers which inspired me to create this show,” said series creator, showrunner, writer and executive producer, Craig Rosenberg, in a statement. And, having worked on “The Boys,” “Preacher” and “Lost,” Rosenberg is no stranger to dark, narrative-laden shows.

“I became fascinated with the idea of a relatable

married couple whose youthful dreams hadn’t come to fruition and who saw the true crime tidal wave as an opportunity to change their lives and save their marriage. Our Los Angeles setting – the city where everybody wants to be famous – became a vivid backdrop to our story of fame, ambition, aspiration and murder,” continued Rosenberg.

The series, which is, in fact, based on a true story (and a bizarre one at that), follows a realtor, a plumber and a former tennis star whose lives unexpectedly collide. As they become tangled up in a murder investigation, they seize a unique opportunity to capitalize on America’s obsession with true crime.

“The Big Bang Theory” and “The Flight Attendant” star Kaley Cuoco leads the series as Ava, a pregnant, true crime-obsessed wife who finds her life in dire financial straits. When she witnesses a murder and thinks she can solve the case in a high profile (and highly lucrative) exposé with her own podcast, she pulls in her husband

Nathan, played by Chris Messina (“Argo,” 2012), to be her partner in (solving) crime.

The series also stars Tom Bateman (“Thirteen Lives,” 2022) as Matt Pierce, alongside Priscilla Quintana (“Good Trouble”), Liana Liberato (“Light as a Feather”), Natalia Dyer (“Stranger Things”), Alex Alomar Akpobome (“Twenties”), Aisha Alfa (“Degrassi: Next Class”), Annabelle Dexter-Jones (“Succession”) and Li Jun Li (“The Exorcist”).

Along with Rosenberg, “Based on a True Story” comes from executive producers Jason Bateman (“Ozark”) and Michael Costigan (“Florida Man”) of Aggregate Films, and Alex Buono (“Documentary Now!”) who directed the first and last episodes.

So, as directed by Rosenberg, “please sit back and join Ava and Nathan as they try to navigate the dangerous proposal they make.” Peacock’s “Based on a True Story” premieres Thursday, June 8.

Horoscopes

The luckiest signs this week:

AQUARIUS, PISCES AND ARIES

ARIES

You’ll oversee a meeting at work. It’ll allow you to show off your skills and get that long-coveted promotion.

The full moon will give you something to celebrate.

TAURUS

Summer holidays are coming up fast, at least for your children. This will take a lot of the stress and responsibility off your shoulders and allow you to enjoy the present moment.

GEMINI

You’ll spend more time than expected on a project close to your heart. You may need to talk openly about your relationship if there’s uneasiness between you and your significant other.

CANCER

You’ll make agreements with new clients that will satisfy you. You have a keen eye for detail. This full moon could affect your energy levels; don’t overdo it.

LEO

You’ll put in extra hours at work, allowing you to bank holiday time. Reward yourself with a bit of luxury.

VIRGO

You’ll make important decisions about your professional future and health. You’ll try a new routine that aligns with your aspirations and produces results.

LIBRA

The full moon will encourage deep conversations with friends and family. At work, effective communication will help you overcome a difficult situation. You must adopt a healthier diet to improve your well-being.

SCORPIO

You’ll suppress your feelings this week. However, talking about how you feel can be liberating. It’ll allow you to purge negative emotions and regain a sense of well-being.

SAGITTARIUS

You may discover a mistake on an old bill that helps you solve a budget problem. You may have to renegotiate with a client at work, or they could change their mind.

CAPRICORN

You’re full of ideas and initiatives. However, you won’t be able to satisfy everyone. The full moon will cause some confusion at work and elsewhere.

AQUARIUS

You may need a second cup of coffee to help you concentrate on all the tasks you have to get done. Confusion will run rampant this week, making it difficult to be understood.

PISCES

The full moon will stress you out! That’s why you need to let go, grab a friend and visit a massage therapist or spa to relax.

New Streaming Movies & Shows

“Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets”

This limited docuseries exposes the truth beneath the wholesome Americana surface of one of reality tv’s most famous megafamilies, The Duggars, and the radically controversial organization behind them: The Institute in Basic Life Principles. A number of ex-IBLP survivors bravely come forward and reveal the abusive practices that kept them in a living nightmare.

“Queen Sugar - Season 7”

This drama’s seventh and final season picks up six months after the events of Season 5, with the Bordelons celebrating new beginnings as they continue to leave their mark on the community and honor the legacy of their family. Rutina Wesley, Kofi Siriboe, Omar J. Dorsey, Nicholas L. Ashe, Tina Lifford and Bianca Lawson star.

Word Search

Where all the top choices can be found in one place!

“Arnold”

Hot on the tail of the release of his new series “FUBAR,” fans of the Governator can get even more “Arnold” when the new three-part biographical docuseries. Chronicling the life of former professional bodybuilder, actor, filmmaker, businessman and politician Arnold Schwarzenegger, from his childhood in the Austrian countryside to the American limelight.

This

viewers on an extraordinary journey through world-famous and lesser-known national parks, revealing the diversity

can

Q&A with With “Ghosts”

Coming Soon

“Our Planet II” (Netflix - series premiere, June 14)

From the Emmy Award-winning team behind “Planet Earth” and “Our Planet” comes this new nature docuseries. At any given moment on planet Earth, billions of animals are on the move. Captured with spectacular and innovative cinematography, Our Planet II unravels the mysteries of how and why animals migrate to reveal some of the most dramatic and compelling stories in the natural world. The series is narrated by legendary English broadcaster, biologist, natural historian and author, David Attenborough.

Tom Cruise tackles another ‘Mission: Impossible’

BY JAY BOBBIN

Put Tom Cruise together with the title “Mission: Impossible,” and it’s not hard to know by now what to expect: a couple of hours of rip-roaring adventure.

As the seventh film in the franchise (based, of course, on the classic TV series) nears its summer release, CBS is taking that as a cue to show the fifth chapter, “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation,” on Monday, June 5. Cruise returns as Impossible Missions Force agent Ethan Hunt, and even though the character’s unit has been disbanded here, he’s still up to his usual moments of derring-do.

The 2015 release finds him tracking down a worldwide crime operation known as The Syndicate, with Jeremy Renner, Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg back on board from earlier installments as other operatives who remain his colleagues. Rebecca Ferguson signs up for duty for the first time as another Hunt ally, and she proved impressive enough to be called back to duty for more “Missions.”

The itinerary encompasses Havana, Vienna and Casablanca among other locations as the team tries to stop the bad guys, with Sean Harris a very effective point person for the villains. Alec Baldwin also turns up in a key role, one he reprised in the subsequent “Mission: Impossible - Fallout” (which Rhames, Pegg and Ferguson also were back for) ...

Judy Garland Top Movies

but it’s no surprise that Cruise always is the centerpiece here, and the stunts he’s so proud of doing himself certainly keep it that way.

The ultimate feat for him in “Rogue Nation” comes early, and it deservedly received huge attention at the time of the movie’s theatrical run. It sees Hunt cling to the outside of an airplane while it’s taking off and then is in flight, and anyone with a fear of heights certainly will be challenged to keep the pit of his or her stomach in order while watching the sequence. It surely will remain one of Cruise’s best bits of bravado in the franchise.

For “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation,” the star teamed again with writer-director Christopher McQuarrie. An Oscar winner for writing “The Usual Suspects,” he also had pivotal roles on Cruise’s first “Jack Reacher” project, and he calls the shots again on both halves of the forthcoming “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning” venture. He and Cruise clearly have their teamwork down, and based in part on what’s on view in “Rogue Nation,” it’s tantalizing to ponder what they’ll come up with next.

For now, “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” is a solid reminder of what they have served up so far. Since going bigger and better has been the aim of each successive installment, there’s no reason to think that brand of success won’t continue.

Hit the pit: Pitmasters face off in Netflix competition

BY GEORGE DICKIE

This summer, the stakes (and the steaks) are hotter than ever, as this fan-favorite cooking competition heads outside to hit the pit – the barbecue pit, that is – for Season 2 of “Barbecue Showdown,” now available to stream on Netflix.

Just in time for grilling season, hosts Lyric Lewis (“A.P. Bio”) and Rutledge Wood (“Lost in Transmission”) return to the showdown’s outdoor stage, inviting eight new chefs to compete for the title of American Barbecue Champion, in what Netflix calls a “fierce but friendly faceoff” between some of barbecue’s very best.

The competing backyard barbecue enthusiasts, smoking connoisseurs and pitmasters range in specialty and experience level but share one thing in common: they all practise the art of “manning the grill,” with skills honed sharper than a boning knife.

Challenges cover a variety of different cooking styles, forcing the chefs out of their comfort zones as temperatures rise in more ways than one. Adding pressure to the cookers, each task must be completed within a time frame that slices into the

normal amount of time required to prepare and cook each given dish. There are also “surprise challenges,” interrupting the ever-present need for chefs to maintain their ideal grill temperature, a job necessary to produce an evenly smoked and evenly textured slab of meat. Dives”) and seven-time barbecue champion Melissa Cookston (“Food Paradise”). Each episode, one chef is named “Star Pitmaster” by the judges, while another is eliminated from the game, narrowing the competition until only two remain for a flaming-hot grill-off featured in the finale.

Last season saw competitors cooking meals for 50 ravenous firefighters — choosing between exotic proteins in a dish featuring either iguana, raccoon or hare meat and creating epic, one-ofa-kind signature sandwiches. This second season features more unique challenges (and just as satisfying a winner), having been released just in time for the barbecue season on Sunday, May 28.

For a mouth-watering taste of well-done competition, both seasons of “Barbecue Showdown” are now available to stream on Netflix.

BY JAY BOBBIN

“The Wizard of Oz” (1939): You can’t do this list without this lm. When 20th Century Fox wouldn’t loan out Shirley Temple to play Dorothy, MGM called in its contract player Garland – and the rest is history, very literally. The fanciful fantasy remains a favorite of every generation, including newer ones.

“Babes on Broadway” (1941): “Hey, let’s put on a show!” That line was the basis for many a musical that Garland made with close friend Mickey Rooney, including this one about a charity show that their characters mount.

“Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944): The title city is the setting – at least initially – for this classic musical about a family about to relocate to New York because of the patriarch’s new job. Garland and Margaret O’Brien’s adorable crooning of “Under the Bamboo Tree” is worth the gurative price of admission on its own.

“In the Good Old Summertime” (1949): A story that has serviced a number of movies – the one about two people who don’t get along faceto-face, but are each other’s secret pen pal – works in a very big way for Garland and Van Johnson here. Also seen in the last scene: a very young Liza Minnelli (Garland’s daughter, of course).

“A Star Is Born” (1954): One of the most accomplished performances of Garland’s career marks this third screen version of a famous showbiz story, adding a strong musical element as the actress plays a rising talent whose career soars while that of the actor she loves (James Mason) enters a downward spiral. Among the great numbers is “The Man That Got Away.” Turner Classic Movies (which runs the picture frequently) shows it Tuesday, June 6.

“Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961): While Garland was Oscar-nominated for it, this is not “her” movie (Maximilian Schell came away with an Academy Award among its many stars), but she still makes her mark in the Stanley Kramer-directed drama about war criminals placed on trial following World War II.

Seaside spectacle:

HGTV’s ‘Battle on the Beach’ returns

Space based: Celebrities compete in simulated Mars mission

BY JAY BOBBIN

Ever since Amazon magnate Jeff Bezos’ trip into space last year, there has been plenty of speculation about the rise of space tourism and which celebrities would be among the first to achieve liftoff. Well, for those wondering what it might look like to take things a step further and host a star-studded reality show in space, Fox has got you covered. The new series, “Stars on Mars,” premieres Monday, June 5. Equal parts Bravo and Star Trek, “Stars on Mars” is hosted by Capt. Kirk himself, William Shatner (“Star Trek: The Original Series”). While not actually filmed in outer space (give that a few more years yet), the unscripted series follows a group of celebrities who must spend an entire summer on a simulated, Mars-like plan-et together. Constantly assigned tasks by mission control (Shatner, of course), each famous person will need to compete in a series of challenges with the aim of “colonizing” their out-of-this-world surroundings.

There is a good mix of skills among the 12-person crew, including actors, athletes, public figures and philanthropists. Actors Ariel Winter (“Modern Family”), Tallulah Willis (“The Whole Ten Yards,” 2004) and Christopher MintzPlasse (“Superbad,” 2007), for example, will be joined by reality TV stars Porsha Williams Guobadia (“The Real Housewives of Atlanta”) and Tom Schwartz (“Vanderpump Rules”), as well as singer/song-writer Tinashe (known for “2 On,” featuring ScHoolboy Q). Meanwhile, rounding out the more athletic side are Tour de France multi-champion Lance Armstrong, UFC champion Ronda Rousey, former Seattle Seahawk Marshawn Lynch, former NFL cornerback Richard Sherman and Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon. Comedian Natasha Leggero (“Another Period”) joins from a category of her very own.

In a news release, Fox executives laid out their hopes for the celebs on their “Martian” mission: “During their stay, they will be faced with authentic conditions that simulate life on Mars, and they must use their brains and brawn — or maybe just their stellar social skills — to outlast the competition and claim the title of ‘brightest star in the galaxy.’”

This “analog mission,” as NASA typically refers to these types of simulations, is filmed in the South Australian town of Coober Pedy, a redsanded desert town nearly 850 kilometres north of Adelaide that is famous for its opals. And while each celebronaut voted “off the plan-et” during the competition does still need to return to the United States, there remains the small consolation that the flight home isn’t quite as long as that from actual Mars.

Don’t miss the launch of Shatner and crew’s next mission as “Stars on Mars” begins Monday, June 5, on Fox.

View from the Couch

BY GEORGE DICKIE

Beach bums be gone, for this summer the sand is set for battle. Season 3 of the competitive renovation show “Battle on the Beach” premieres Sunday, June 4, on HGTV – and this time, the renovators are taking on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama.

As per previous seasons, three skilled teams of up-and-coming home renovators take on the massive responsibility of up-dating three beachfront properties top to bottom, gaining help along the way from returning designexperts-slash-hosts Ty Pennington (“Rock the Block”), Alison Victoria (“Windy City Rehab”) and Taniya Nayak (“Build it Forward”), as they tackle big jobs with only a tight, $90,000 budget.

Unlike prior seasons, however, there will be one major difference in Season 3’s competition: the homes will no longer be identical. While all three of the Gulf Shore properties feature two bedrooms and two bathrooms, one is 200 square feet larger than its companions. To decide who gets which unique location, the teams must compete head-to-head in a kickoff challenge that determines their fate in the competition. From there, weekly renovation challenges will take place across the three seaside homes, leading to a non-stop marathon of renojobs, paint swatches and sandy shoes.

This season, the “battle” begins in the kitchen, with dining room makeovers following suit. Following episodes will feature living room, bedroom, bathroom and outdoor makeovers, ending in a complete home overhaul. At the end of six weeks, judges Bryan and Sarah Baeumler (“Renovation Island”) will join with a team of local real estate experts to determine which home is the most valuable postrenovation. Whichever beachside property proves to have the most successful transformation wins the “Battle on the Beach” and a $50,000 cash prize.

While it has yet to be revealed which mentors will be paired with whom, Season 3’s teams have already been announced: Ryan and Kelsey Mansingh, a married couple from Uniontown, Ohio; friends Ashley Basnight and Steve Lewis of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and buddies Ben Argall and Pete Meldrum of the Upper Peninsula, Michigan — all new to the Gulf Shores.

So far, both Taniya and Alison have managed wins in the previous seasons (Season 1 and Season 2, respectively). Now is Ty’s chance to prove that he’s not just “bringing sand to the beach,” facing the opportunity to potentially secure his first win in “Battle on the Beach” Season 3, premiering Sunday, June 4, on HGTV.

”TULSA KING: SEASON ONE”

Sylvester Stallone made the leap into series work by teaming with creator-producers Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”) and Terence Winter (“Boardwalk Empire”) on this Paramount+ saga of an underworld deputy who doesn’t get quite the reward he anticipated from his boss upon emerging from a stretch in prison. Instead, he’s sent to the title Oklahoma city,

BY JAY BOBBIN

to be gotten out of the way ... but he has other ideas about building a crew of his own, from an assortment of locals who don’t know quite what to make of the newcomer. Dana Delany, Martin Starr, Andrea Savage, Garrett Hedlund, Michael Beach, Max Casella and Domenick Lombardozzi also are in the regular cast; a second season has been ordered. *** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray) remastered. Lorne Greene stars as Ben Cartwright, patriarch of the Ponderosa Ranch and also of three disparate sons: Adam (Pernell Roberts, who left the show after the sixth of its 14 seasons), Hoss (Dan Blocker) and Little Joe (Michael Landon). Boasting a famous theme song, the drama was among the first programs to be broadcast in color, doing much to spark sales of sets that could receive it that way. Guy Williams, David Canary, Mitch Vogel and Tim Matheson were among performers who joined the series

in later years. An included extra disc compiles curios related to the show and its stars, such as talk-show appearances, Landon’s visit to Sweden and a U.S. Savings Bonds commercial featuring Greene and Blocker. **

(Not rated: AS, V)

“SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS”

After having transformed his success in stand-up comedy into a durable acting career, initially via “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Ray Romano opened another chapter for himself by making his directorial debut on this comedy-drama. It stays in the family-saga realm he’s so associated with, as he also stars as the father of a basketball prospect (Jacob Ward). Dad wants to make sure his offspring — for whom he wants a better life — takes advantage of a big opportunity. Laurie Metcalf, Sebastian Maniscalco, Tony Lo Bianco and Jennifer Esposito also star. *** (R: AS, P) (Also on Digital and On Demand)

“THE EVENT: THE COMPLETE SERIES”

It’s been a good number of years since this NBC melodrama aired — more than a decade — but it evidently has been faring well enough with streaming subscribers for it to justify a physical home-media release. Decades after some human-looking aliens flee from a crash site and integrate themselves into the general population, authorities search for them, with the pursuit coming to involve a man (Jason Ritter) who searches relentlessly for his suddenly missing girlfriend (Sarah Roemer). Blair Underwood (as the U.S. president), Laura Innes (“ER”), Ian Anthony Dale, Scott Patterson (“Gilmore Girls”) and Taylor Cole also are in the large cast. *** (Not rated: AS, P, V)

“ONE TRUE LOVES”

One of the brightest lights on Broadway for some time now, Philippa Soo (“Hamilton,” “Camelot”) gets a screen showcase with this romantic drama.

She plays a woman whose husband supposedly perishes in a helicopter crash around the time of their first anniversary ... but several years later, he suddenly resurfaces just as she has settled in with another love. She then must decide which of the men (who are portrayed by Simu Liu and Luke Bracey) has the greater pull on her heart. The film is based on a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid; Tom Everett Scott, Michaela Conlin (“Bones”) and Beth Broderick also appear. *** (PG-13: AS, P)

Coming Home Soon

“JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4” (June 13)

“GUY RITCHIE’S THE COVENANT” (June 20)

“EVIL DEAD RISE” (June 27)

“THE LAST OF US: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON” (July 18)