Political history has intrigued the entertainment world since the dawn of moving pictures. For instance, while the first-ever reported film was a two-second clip of early motion picture camera inventor Louis Le Prince’s English garden in 1888, it wasn’t long before royalty entered the picture in 1895’s “The Execution of Mary Stuart,” an American production depicting the death of Mary, Queen of Scots. Today, one need not look far to find the descendants of such early materials. On the television front, one such series that captured the hearts and minds of TV audiences in recent years is the Canal+ co-production “Marie Antoinette,” which chronicles the rise and fall of the opulent, titular French queen and her well-meaning but “rather dull” husband, King Louis XVI. Back for a second season of fictionalized history on PBS, the story’s newest installment marks the beginning of the end for the pair and their reign ahead of the French Revolution.
Season 2 of “Marie Antoinette” premieres Sunday, March 23, on PBS. Check your local listings for timing. The series, created by Deborah Davis (“The Favourite,” 2018), stars Russian-born German actress Emilia Schüle (“Dreamfactory,” 2019) in the leading role, alongside U.K.-based actor Louis Cunningham (“Bridgerton”) as Louis XVI. Season 2 of “Marie Antoinette” also stars Freya Mavor (“The Emperor of Paris,” 2018), Jasmine Blackborow (“Shadow and Bone”), Jack Archer (“Call the Midwife”), Crystal Shepherd-Cross (“Chronicles of the Sun”), Oscar Lesage (“The Substance,” 2024), Roxane Duran (“Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris,” 2022), Caroline Piette (“120 BPM,” 2017), Yoli Fuller (“The Widow”), Liah O’Prey (“Mary Queen of Scots,” 2018), Martijn Lakemeier (“Hollands hoop”), Guy Henry (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” 2016) and James Northcote (“Anna Karenina,” 2012).
Not unlike Sofia Coppola’s (“Lost in Translation,” 2003) 2006 film of the same name starring Kirsten Dunst (“Spider-Man,” 2002), “Marie Antoinette” begins the ruler’s story by tracing her trip from “Austria to marry the Dauphin of France,” the first season’s official synopsis reads. “With pressure to continue the Bourbon line and secure the Franco-Austrian alliance, she must follow the complex rules of the French court while attempting to charm her reluctant king-to-be, Louis XVI.”
Now headed into its second season, the series picks up after the palace’s luxurious New Year’s celebrations, which came to a grim end when Louis announced his country’s support for the United States of America in its War of Independence against the English, thus positioning the French at odds with Britain.
With that in mind, a recent PBS news release regarding Season 2 notes that, “Antoinette and Louis [are] facing unprecedented challenges at the height of their power.
Emilia Schüle (“Dreamfactory,” 2019) returns as the titular queen of France in Season 2 of “Marie Antoinette,” premiering Sunday, March 23, on PBS.
Back to bourgeoisie: ‘Marie Antoinette’ returns for a tumultuous second season
“As financial crises loom across the nation and political rivalries intensify,” the release continues, “the royal couple must navigate an increasingly hostile court and a changing France. From Versailles to the [Palais-Royal], the seeds of a revolution began to take root, threatening the very foundations of France’s long-standing monarchy.”
As for the series finally making its way to North American audiences in March 2023 following its premiere several months earlier in France (and later, the U.K.), fans of the series may be pleased to learn that the second season arrives worldwide on the same date.
“We are so excited that PBS’s audience will get to see the anticipated second season of ‘Marie Antoinette’,” stated Maria Bruno Ruiz, vice president of program content strategy and scheduling at PBS. “The tension in Season 2 builds with each episode as we experience the beginning of the end for King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette.”
What’s Available NOW On
“Big Boys” - Season 3 (March 25)
The third and final season of this British sitcom sees the group of friends entering their final year at Brent University, with all the ups and downs of dissertations, deadlines and dating. Dylan Llewellyn, Jon Pointing, Olisa Odele, Katy Wix, and Izuka Hoyle star.
“Mid-Century Modern”Season 1 (March 28)
This new sitcom follows three best friends — gay gentlemen of a certain age — who, after an unexpected death, decide to spend their golden years living together in Palm Springs where the wealthiest one lives with his mother. As a chosen family, they prove that no matter how hard things get, there’s always someone around to remind you it would be better if you got your neck done. Nathan Lane, Matt Bomer and Nathan Lee Graham star.
“The Line” (March 28)
This campus thriller plunges into the dangerous world of college fraternities and blind adherence to tradition. Tom (Alex Wolff) is a scholarship student desperate to break free from his working-class background, who gets charmed by the prestigious KNA fraternity’s promises of high social status and alumni connections that open doors.
“Last
On October 21, 2021, on the set of the
“Rust,” a prop gun held by actor Alec Baldwin fired a live bullet, wounding the film’s director and killing its cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins. Within hours, the catastrophic accident was enveloped by a frenzy of media attention.
“Morphle and the Magic Pets: Shorts” - Season 1, New Episodes (March 26) Mila (Lexie Foley), her stepbrother Jordie (Ayden Elijah) and her magical pet Morphle (Ben Pronsky), who can transform into anything, go on adventures solving problems and finding homes for magical pets.
“Moana 2” (Available Now)
This sequel reunites Moana (Auli’i Cravalho) and Maui (Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.
“Bosch: Legacy” - Season 3 (March 27)
The third and final season of this crime drama, based on the works of author Michael Connelly, stars Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch, Madison Lintz as Maddie Bosch and Mimi Rogers as Honey Chandler. This season — based on the novels “Desert Star” (2022) and “The Black Ice” (1993) — explores the murder investigation of Kurt Dockweiler, which brings dangerous secrets to light.
“Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip” (March 28)
On 11-year-old Alexander’s (Thom Nemer, “Snowfall”) spring break, his family sets out on what should be their dream vacation to Mexico City. But, their best-laid plans go horribly awry when they discover a cursed idol. Put to the test, the family encounters road block after road block until they return the idol to its rightful home.
“SC+” (Available Now)
From ESPN, the new daily SportsCenter show, SC+, streams exclusively on Disney+. The fast-paced update will highlight each day’s top sports moments, stories, insights and exclusive commentary in a more concise and streamlined format, built around the highly popular “SC Top 10” daily countdown of sports moments.
“Holland” (March 27) In this wildly unpredictable thriller, Nicole Kidman is the meticulous Nancy Vandergroot, a teacher and homemaker whose picture-perfect life with her community pillar husband (Matthew Macfadyen) and son (Jude Hill) in tulip-filled Holland, Michigan, tumbles into a twisted tale. Nancy and her friendly colleague (Gael Garcia Bernal) become suspicious of a secret, only to discover nothing in their lives is what it seems.
“The Accountant” (Available Now) Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a mathematical prodigy who works as an accountant for criminal organizations, uncooking their books for them while keeping a low profile. He’s hired to look into Living Robotics, a company whose own accountant, Dana (Anna Kendrick), has found discrepancies in the books.
“Chelsea Handler: The Feeling” (March 25) From ruining Thanksgiving to a wild summer fling, Chelsea Handler recounts coming of age, unexpected encounters and that time she met Bill Cosby in this new stand-up special.
“Survival of the Thickest” - Season 2 (March 27)
Based on series star Michelle Buteau’s (“First Wives Club”) 2020 memoir of the same name, the series follows Black plus-size stylist Mavis Beaumont (Buteau), who spent the first season newly single and unexpectedly having to rebuild her life from the ground up after putting her all into one man.
“Starship Troopers” (Available Now) In the distant future, the Earth is at war with a race of giant alien insects. Little is known about the Bugs except that they are intent on the eradication of all human life. A mobile infantry travels to distant alien planets to take the war to the Bugs. They are a ruthless enemy with only one mission: survival of their species no matter what the cost.
“Million Dollar Secret” - Season 1 (March 26) Twelve strangers enter a sumptuous lakeside estate and in each of their rooms is a mysterious welcome gift — a box. Eleven of them are empty and one contains $1,000,000, and it’s for that guest to keep — as long as they keep their identity hidden. Devilish games will reveal clues about the millionaire’s identity, and they must do whatever it takes to keep their Million Dollar Secret. Peter Serafinowicz hosts.
“The Life List” (March 28, Movie Premiere) When Alex Rose’s (Sofia Carson) mother sends her on a quest to complete her childhood bucket list, it takes her on a journey that will make you both laugh and cry as she uncovers family secrets, finds romance, and discovers herself along the way.
“Truelove” (Acorn TV — March 31, Limited Series Premiere)
A gang of older friends make a pact that, if and when the time comes, rather than let each other suffer a dreadful decline, they will engineer a more dignified death. But what starts out as a fanciful idea soon morphs into shocking reality. Lindsay Duncan, Clarke Peters, Fiona Button, Phil Davis and Peter Egan star.
Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna” (Available Now)
movie
Sports Zone
Boston Celtics at Phoenix Suns. From PHX Arena in Phoenix. (Live) thurSday
2 p.m. USA FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Sun Valley - Women’s Slalom, Run 2. Action from the top alpine skiing international circuit. (Live)
3 p.m. ESPN MLB Baseball Milwaukee Brewers at New York Yankees. From Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. (Live) 4 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Golf Texas Children’s Houston Open, First Round. From Memorial Park in Houston. (Live) SNY MLB Baseball New York Mets at Houston Astros. From Daikin Park in Houston. (Live)
7 p.m. ATTPT MSG NHL Hockey Pittsburgh Penguins at Buffalo Sabres. From KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. (Live) ESPN MLB Baseball Detroit Tigers at Los Angeles Dodgers. From Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. (Live) GOLF LPGA Tour Golf Ford Championship, First Round. From Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Ariz. (Live) WIVB-4 WSEE-35 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinal: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live) 7:30 p.m. TBS TRUTV 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinal: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live)
9:30 p.m. WIVB-4 WSEE-35 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinal: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live)
10 p.m. ESPN NHL Hockey Los Angeles Kings at Colorado Avalanche. From Ball Arena in Denver. (Live) TBS TRUTV 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinal: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live) Friday
4 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Golf Texas Children’s Houston Open, Second Round. From Memorial Park in Houston. (Live)
7 p.m. GOLF LPGA Tour Golf Ford Championship, Second Round. From Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Ariz. (Live) WIVB-4 WSEE-35 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinal: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live)
7:30 p.m.
tinsville. From Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. (Live)
8 p.m. MSG NBA Basketball New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks. From Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. (Live) WGRZ-2 WICU-12 2025 World Figure Skating Championships Women’s Free Skate. From TD Garden in Boston. (Live) WNYW-5 WUTV-29 United Football League St. Louis BattleHawks at Houston Roughnecks. From Rice Stadium in Houston. (Live)
9:30 p.m. WIVB-4 WSEE-35 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinal: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live)
10 p.m. TBS 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Semifinal: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live) Saturday
12 p.m. SNY Men’s College Lacrosse Fairfield at Stony Brook. From Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium in Stony Brook, N.Y. (Live)
1 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Golf Texas Children’s Houston Open, Third Round. From Memorial Park in Houston. (Live) MSG NHL Hockey Buffalo Sabres at Philadelphia Flyers. From Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. (Live)
2 p.m. FS1 MLB Baseball Minnesota Twins at St. Louis Cardinals. From Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Live)
3 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Champions Golf The Galleri Classic, Second Round. From Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. (Live) WGRZ-2 WICU-12 PGA Tour Golf Texas Children’s Houston Open, Third Round. From Memorial Park in Houston. (Live) WIVB-4 WSEE-35 College Basketball NCAA Division II Tournament, Championship: Teams TBA. From Ford Center in Evansville, Ind. (Live)
4 p.m. WNYW-5 WUTV-29 United Football League San Antonio Brahmas at Arlington Renegades. From Choctaw Stadium in Arlington, Texas. (Live)
5 p.m. FS1 College Softball Connecticut at Creighton. Action from women’s college softball. (Live) WPIX-11 NASCAR Xfinity Racing Series US Marine Corps 250. From Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. (Live)
6 p.m. CNBC Horse Racing Florida Derby. From Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. (Live) SNY USL Super League Soccer Tampa Bay Sun FC at Brooklyn FC. From Maimonides Park in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Live) TBS 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Final: Teams TBA. Men’s college basketball teams vie for the NCAA Tournament title. (Live) TRUTV 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Regional Final: Teams TBA.
In Focus
“Pulse” - Season 1 (Netflix — April 3, Series Premiere)
As a hurricane barrels towards Miami’s busiest Level 1 Trauma Center, third-year resident Dr. Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald) is unexpectedly thrust into a promotion when beloved Chief Resident Dr. Xander Phillips (Colin Woodell) is suspended. Amid the worsening storm and an onslaught of trauma cases, the hospital goes into lockdown, and Danny and Phillips must find a way to work together — even as the bombshell details of a complicated and illicit romance between them begin to spill out.
Time - Week of March 23 - 29, 2025
She’s got plenty of tricks up her sleeve, but so does he. Con woman Max (Vanessa Morgan) has met her match in the gruff and sardonic Det. Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti), with whom she has joined forces to solve crimes. While he hopes to get his career back on track, Max is happy just to stay out of jail … for now. Season 2 of “Wild Cards” continues with a brand-new episode, airing this Wednesday, March 26, on the CW. For full length episodes and more, visit cwtv.com/shows/wild-cards/
Detective Marvin Flute has returned to his hometown in hopes of making amends with the family he left behind. From his ex-wife, Harmony, to his estranged son, Stan, he looks to win them back while solving mysteries in his own backyard. The animated series, “Grimsburg,” continues with a brand-new episode, airing this Sunday, March 23, on Fox. More episodes and clips from the series are free to peruse at fox.com/grimsburg/
BY JAY BOBBIN
‘Jerry Maguire’ still has us at ‘Hello’
“Show me the money!” “You complete me.” “You had me at ‘Hello.” For one movie to yield so many memorable catchphrases is no small feat, and writer-director Cameron Crowe’s “Jerry Maguire” achieved that. MGM+ shows the excellent 1996 comedy-drama Friday, March 28, with Tom Cruise in one of his best roles and performances to date as the title character: a sports agent who’s cut loose by the firm he co-founded after he writes a “mission statement” recommending fewer clients and more personal attention to the ones who are left. Jerry then sets out independently, with accountant Dorothy from his former workplace (Renee Zellweger, in a star-making part) as his only colleague – and a boastful, self-promoting football player (Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr.) as his sole remaining client. The relationships are everything in this story, extending to the connection that develops between Jerry and Dorothy’s lovably precocious young son Ray (Jonathan Lipnicki). With a music score by Nancy Wilson of Heart (Crowe’s wife at the time), his is the sort of movie magic that doesn’t happen all that often, and it has endured beautifully over almost 30 years.
“You’ve Got Mail” (Hulu, streaming): Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan cemented, for many viewers, their place as an all-time-favorite romantic-comedy team with this 1998 film that director and co-writer Nora Ephron adapted from the same play that was the basis for the movies “The Shop Around the Corner” (1940) and “In the Good Old Summertime” (1949). The familiar premise casts the stars as bookstore-business rivals who can’t stand each other face-to-face, but are quite cozy
Tom Cruise in “Jerry Maguire”
Questions:
1) What year did “Marie Antoinette” premiere on PBS?
2) Who directed the 2006 film “Marie Antoinette”?
3) Norma Shearer played the ill-fated French queen in a 1938 film — who played King Louis XVI?
4) Which 1974 classic rock song includes a reference to Marie Antoinette?
5) Where was Marie Antoinette born?
6) How old was Marie Antoinette when she married the future King Louis XVI?
7) Who dressed up like Marie Antoinette at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards? 8) Netflix series “Versailles” is set before Marie Antoinette’s time, but the palace was her home until 1789 — which French king oversaw its construction?
9) In what form does Marie Antoinette appear in the original “Addams Family” TV series — as a ghost, doll or painted figure? 10) Did the real Marie Antoinette actually say, “Let them eat cake”?
Jasmine Blackborow and Emilia Schüle in “Marie Antoinette”
